The cross of Christ is the very pinacle of the Christian faith. Without the cross there is no salvation, and without salvation, there is no hope. The world finds the bloodied cross and the mangled flesh of a Savior to be offensive, and even foolish. But its is the stark reality of Christ's suffering that paves the way for the forgiveness of sins and the prospect of eternal life, And yet, as powerful as the crosswork of Christ is, it would be meaningless without the literal resurrection of Jesus. It is His bodily, physical, and literal resurrection that sets Christianity apart from all the world's many other religions. While billions look to lifeless and powerless gods and systems of religion to merit eternal life, or nervana, or Shangrala, only those who place their sincere faith in the Son of God Who died and was raised from the dead for our sins will experience eternity in heaven, as well as victory over sin in the here-and-now. This collection of sermons presents several series that will help the busy pastor prepare and deliver life-changing messages that point people to the cross and the empty tomb.

With the exception of a few ultra-conservative churches, a handful of websites, and some modestly populated Facebook communities, the "Pre-Trib, "Pre-Mill" view of eschatology has become a peculiar theological pillar on the vast evangelical landscape. While many pastors, especially those over forty, still believe in this brand of theology, very few preach about it. It has almost become an embarrassment for some. In some cases, this is for good reason. Pre-Millennialism has often been presented in the Christian and secular media as a caricature. Slick-haired and gaudily-bejeweled televangelists dominate the airwaves, referring to their nine-foot long prophecy charts and speculating about who the antichrist is. Making even the most mundane and trivial event a major episode in the prophetic countdown, these self-proclaimed prophets identify dates for Christ's return, and virtually set their watches by their overly-detailed timelines. But if the Bible does teach the Pre-Tribulational, Pre-Millennial return of Christ, we must preach it. If Dispensational theology is Biblical, then it matters, and if it matters, we must teach it. That is why I wrote this series of sermons on the Rapture of the church. Using these sermons as a template, you can build on them and really develop a platform from which to teach your congregation the vital truths of end-times prophesy. I believe that you will find these messages thorough, relevant, and interesting; your people will, too. So as we look for that "blessed hope" in Christ's return, Biblical teaching on the imminent return of our Savior will move our people toward a holier life, and amplify their aware of and concern for the state of those without Christ. Teaching on this exciting future event will actually make a positive impact in the here-and-now.

Like several of my books, I imagine that this one will be a "living volume," meaning that I am likely to revise it on a fairly regular basis going forward. Between poems for sermons, funerals, and weddings, and worship songs for church, I tend to write at least eight or ten works or more a year. I also blog on a fairly regular basis, and journal sporadically, adding significantly to the total of original expressions penned. You will find a little of all of these forms here. The works in this book cover about four and a half decades, and demonstrate the imagination that God has instilled in me. While I claim to be no poet or composer, I do believe that many of these entries were given to me by God to bless others. The remaining selections are my own fault. You are left to figure which is which. In many cases I offer a brief introduction to the quip. In other cases I do not, as their contexts are more self-evident or explaining it would ruin your experience of it. Since many of the entries are actually lyrics to songs, and not poetry in the strictest sense, a brief explanation will help you interpret it and better enjoy it.

From the Foreword...This book, as its title forthrightly asserts, is a manual, a blueprint based on experience as well as scholarship, a how-to book for all who take to heart Christ's Great Commission (Matthew 28:9-20). It is a book about evangelism for all Christians whom the Holy Spirit moves to be evangelists, namely, all Christians. Dr. Gregory Tyree has written a book that is exhaustive in its treatment of "soulwinning." He leaves no aspect of evangelism unexplored and his breadth of learning is matched by his own rich experiences as a pastor of four churches. I happen to know first-hand about Dr. Tyree's soulwinning abilities because over a two-month period he taught. He comforted, he counseled, he confounded, and, finally, he led me to trust Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. He led me to a point where the Holy Spirit could pry open my hardened, secular heart and regenerate my lost soul. It was the author of this book who pulled no punches, as happens so often in our postmodern culture, when teaching me what being a Christian really means. He spoke with the firmness and clarity of the prophets, never minimizing the tension that comes from the need to choose --- between truth and untruth. He led me to understand that there is only an "either-or" decision, to accept God's free gift of salvation, to accept Christ. And he did so with brilliance, eloquence, gentleness, strength, compassion, and Christian patience and love --- as he does in the pages that follow. From the Introduction... While many books have been written about evangelism over the years, it seems that today it is almost "unpopular," even in evangelical churches, to talk about soul-winning. People make light of the "old ways," and a resurgence of apathy concerning the doctrine of Hell and the methods of evangelism is evident to even the casual observer. While I am no "expert" on soul-winning, I have led a good number to a saving knowledge of Christ. I know the thrill of seeing someone bow his or her head, in my presence, and receive Christ as Savior. I have seen (numerous times) a soul shackled by sin freed by the liberating power of the Holy Spirit I have seen atheists, agnostics, skeptics, and even bitter ex-church-goers turn from their sin and lost-ness and give, without reservation, their lives to Jesus There is nothing- I mean NOTHING- to compare to it So if you, too, have a burden to see people saved; if you care whether or not people spend eternity in Hell; if you want people to go to Heaven; if you want to be obedient to Christ's commission; if you want to bring glory to God, then read on With these thoughts in mind, the book is designed thusly: 1) reasons Christians avoid soul-winning; 2) getting ready for the "harvest"; 3) pre-evangelism; 4) how to lead someone to Christ; 5) they're saved, now what? 6) getting your church involved in soul-winning; 7) children and evangelism; 8) what's in it for me?; 9) you (almost) cannot fail; and appendices.

Christ's Church Aflame Homiletical Commentary on the Book of Acts is not your typical Bible commentary. It is actually an extensive expository sermon series on Acts. A preacher or teacher could use this book "as is" to preach or teach through the Book of Acts, or he can use the many comments, researched topics, illustrations, and outlines as a catalyst for his own messages. I have written this series (which will be three or four volumes when completed) as a resource to help busy pastors and teachers in their endeavor to feed their flocks, classes, or study groups. It is my belief that the Book of Acts is an essential history of the early church, and is of paramount importance to the congregation that desires to function as God intended a New Testament church to. While not all of what is in Acts is prescriptive (meaning that God does not intend for every action or concept to be implemented in today's church), all of its content is descriptive, meaning that it describes to us what the early church was really like, what it faced, and how it responded to its culture and times. May God bless you in your intensive study of this wonderful Biblical book.

There is strong historical evidence that Baptists are unique among the non-Catholic faith traditions. Just as Baptists are unique in Church history, what we believe is also distinctive from other denominations. Technically, there is no Baptist "denomination." Denominations are centrally governed, and Baptist churches are autonomous. Even Baptist affiliations, fellowships, and associations, like the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), which says of itself that it is the largest "Protestant denomination," are not truly denominations in the same sense that the Presbyterians, Methodists, and Lutherans are. These unique doctrines and principles, though shared by other evangelicals, are often referred to as "The Baptist Distinctives." The main reason I have written this series of sermons on the Baptist Distinctives is that many Baptists have lost sight of their roots, and even many Baptist pastors have failed to see the relevance of this rich heritage. Therefore, I hope that pastors and teachers will find this to be a good resource to help them reinforce or reintroduce the Baptist Distinctives to their congregations. A book based on this series, titled What Baptists Believe, is forthcoming, and is written with the Baptist layperson in mind. It is my prayer that these sermons will be a blessing to you and your congregation. Please use them for the glory of God. May God bless you as you "preach the Word "

The phrase Turnaround Church, a term coined and made well-known by George Barna, refers to churches that were in steep decline that have implemented specific strategies to reverse the trend and experience growth and health again. Be assured that declining will continue to increase in number, unless pastors, church consultants, denominational leaders, lay-leaders, and congregations take proactive steps to curb the trend. According to a recent study by the Evangelical Covenant Church (covchurch.org), about half of the supposed 40% of Americans who tell pollsters like Gallup that they attend church actually do. That means on any given Sunday only about 20% of Americans attend church. That is a huge decline considering that as recently as the 80s 40% actually did attend church. It appears that roughly 85% of America's churches are in decline or have reached a numerical plateau. There seems to be a trend that a good number of large churches (attendance of 1000 plus) and small churches (attendance 200 and below) are growing, while the medium-sized churches (between 200 and 1000) are suffering extensive decline. Sure, there are many churches in all categories that are growing, but by and large, the typical church in America is shrinking, and it is shrinking fast. God Can Turn Your Church Around is essentially an edited version of my PhD thesis. I have left out dozens of charts, graphs, and figures, as these tend to be interesting to a very small segment of the church, and I have revised some of the content to be more useful to the church practitioner. I have decided to maintain the prolific outline form of the manuscript. In an age of bloggers and tweeters, I am observing that people tend to like bullet-points and organized thoughts. So if the book has a "school project" feel to it, that is because it is in essence a revised PhD thesis. I firmly believe that God desires to see declining Bible-preaching churches revived. He invites you to join Him in the process. Table of contents Preface Introduction Chapter One: The Prelude to a Turnaround Chapter Two: The Price of a Turnaround Chapter Three: The Philosophy of the Turnaround Chapter Four: The Power of the Turnaround Chapter Five: The People of a Turnaround Chapter Six: The Pastor of the Turnaround Chapter Seven: The Permission for a Turnaround Chapter Eight: The Precepts and Principles of TurnaroundChapter Nine: The Preparation for the Turnaround Chapter Ten: The Process of Turnaround Chapter Eleven: The Plan for the Turnaround Chapter Twelve: The Problems of a Turnaround Chapter Thirteen: The Prioritization of the Turnaround Chapter Fourteen: The Peacemaking of the Turnaround Chapter Fifteen: The Protocol of a Turnaround Chapter Sixteen: The Participation in a Turnaround Chapter Seventeen: Preaching and the Turnaround Chapter Eighteen: The Praise and Worship of a Turnaround Chapter Nineteen: The Product of a Turnaround Chapter Twenty: The Postlude to the Turnaround Notes Bibliography About the Author

Christ's Church Aflame Homiletical Commentary on the Book of Acts is not your typical Bible commentary. It is actually an extensive expository sermon series on Acts. A preacher or teacher could use this book "as is" to preach or teach through the Book of Acts, or he can use the many comments, researched topics, illustrations, and outlines as a catalyst for his own messages. I have written this series (which will be three or four volumes when completed) as a resource to help busy pastors and teachers in their endeavor to feed their flocks, classes, or study groups. It is my belief that the Book of Acts is an essential history of the early church, and is of paramount importance to the congregation that desires to function as God intended a New Testament church to. While not all of what is in Acts is prescriptive (meaning that God does not intend for every action or concept to be implemented in today's church), all of its content is descriptive, meaning that it describes to us what the early church was really like, what it faced, and how it responded to its culture and times. May God bless you in your intensive study of this wonderful Biblical book.

Communion, or "The Lord's Supper," is one of the most cherished and time-honored practices of the local, New Testament church. But to many Christians, the purpose and meaning of the ordinance is a mystery. Some believe that the "Eucharist" imparts saving grace. Others believe that communion is right of all believers, including the non-baptized. Some rarely if ever participate in the most sacred of rituals. Dr. Greg Tyree, in this fifth volume of the "What the Bible Really Says" series, sets forth a Biblical and practical approach to this second of two church ordinances (the first being baptism). If you care about what the Bible says about communion, and you desire to participate in the Lord's Supper as God intends, this book is sure you to be a blessing.

Greg Tyree has thoughtfully, carefully, and vigorously done just that in this wonderful little book, "What the Bible REALLY Says about Baptism. You will certainly appreciate his candid writing accompanied by his careful style that will lead any thinking Christian who has yet to be baptized to say "What hinders me from being baptized?" Dr. Tyree clearly sets forth the Biblical foundation for the historic doctrine of believer's baptism by immersion. Hours of research and Biblical study have once again paid off for all of us who will read and learn from the truth contained in this book. His years of pastoral experience as well as hours of laborious preparation provide a vast pool of knowledge from which to pull. But more than that, this man loves God and His inspired Word-that alone infinitely qualifies Dr. Tyree to write this book. In a day and age when the Church is suffering from "truth deficit" we are grateful for men like Greg Tyree who unashamedly stand on the solid rock of God's truth as revealed to us in the Scriptures. This is a work that ought to be read carefully and repeatedly with Bible in hand It is my pleasure to recommend What the Bible REALLY Says about Baptism for your reading, study, encouragement, and challenge. Joe L. Fauth Pastor, Calvary Bible Church, Wrightsville, PA President, Spread of Grace Ministries In What the Bible Really Says about Baptism I will show you from the Bible that "believer's baptism" (baptism by immersion that follows conversion or regeneration) is the correct mode of baptism. I will show the error of infant baptism (pedobaptism), as well as the falsity of sprinkling and pouring (effusion). I will demonstrate the meaning and purpose of baptism, as well as its significance regarding assimilation and membership in the local church. I will not do this by merely quoting theologians and church historians, but mostly by appealing to the teachings of the Bible. So if you are concerned with what the Bible teaches, and you desire to be obedient to God's Word, then this book may be just what the doctor ordered. Beware; you may change your views. If you do, will you be courageous enough to act on your new convictions? TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword Preface Introduction Chapter One: Why Baptism Matters Chapter Two: The Various Views of Baptism Chapter Three: The Mandate of Believer's Baptism Chapter Four: The Meaning of Believer's Baptism Chapter Five: The Method of Believer's Baptism Chapter Six: The Message of Believer's Baptism Chapter Seven: Objections to Believer's Baptism Chapter Eight: The Qualifications for Baptism Conclusion Afterword About the Author

For centuries Baptists and many other evangelicals have used the "altar call" as a means to challenge people to respond the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Billy Graham has used this method to call over 200 million people to the Savior. Yet, today the public invitation is being attacked from many fronts, especially Reformed churches and church leaders who adhere to Calvinism and Hyper-Calvinism. Dr. Greg Tyree takes a pastoral approach, rather than a strictly scholarly one, to defend the thesis that the altar call is not only historically relevant, but is Biblical and appropriate when used ethically and Scripturally. If seeing people come to Christ in public meetings is important to you, tis book will both encourage you and challenge you.