Preaching's Top Books on Preaching Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. - Proverbs 4:25-26 Preaching is difficult enough under the best of circumstances. But what are we to do when it seems that all of us-hearers and preachers alike-are constantly distracted? Veteran preacher and homiletics professor J. Ellsworth Kalas offers wise insights for effective preaching in an age of distraction. He examines how people have been distracted in every era and explores how God can meet people precisely at the point of their distraction. Regardless of whatever new technologies come our way, this call to pastoral attentiveness, creativity and excellence provides avenues for connecting with congregations with a countercultural clarity of focus. Rediscover how the proclamation of the Word still speaks profoundly to distracted hearers. Invite your congregation to a renewed attention to the things of God.

Kalas offers a challenging and hopeful reflection on a conundrum that every human being deals with at some time in life, usually when facing a horrible tragedy, the death of a loved one, or the simple grinding pain of everyday existence: Why does God allow such suffering to exist? Is our pain God's will?

Pastors, students, and general readers will all benefit from the reflections of this seasoned pastor and theologian as he explores the concept of the will of God in a shattered and stubborn world.

Take the best preacher you ve ever heard, add in the teacher who first opened your eyes to the excitement and meaning of your favorite subject in school, combine these with that member of the family to whom you could always turn for the best advice, stir them all together, and you ll get a flavor of the writing of Ellsworth Kalas. And now the very best thoughts and reflections of this wise teacher and guide are available together in one volume. Across his career Ellsworth Kalas has worn many hats: pastor, professor, seminary president. Through all of them, however, he has remained first and foremost an interpreter of God s word. His most potent skill is to open up new insights and meanings in even the most familiar biblical stories. Gathered here are some of Kalas s most humorous, touching, and enlightening writings, drawn from his own experience of finding God in Scripture."

In this follow-up to his book "The Thirteen Apostles, " popular author J. Ellsworth Kalas focuses on several women of great faith who were crucial, in ways both obvious and understated, to the story of the New Testament. Kalas looks into the life and times of eleven different women.Withhis signature style, Kalas examines the Scriptures to see what we can learn about these women and what we can learn "from" them, and how each woman fit into as well as shaped the New Testament story.

Chapters include: Elizabeth: A Friend in Need Anna: She Knew How to Wait Martha, the Disciplined Mary, the Extravagant The Mighty Widow The Anonymous Evangelist Mary Magdalene: When Love Is Greater than Faith Mary, the Mother of Mark Dorcas: Worth a Miracle Lydia, the Businesswoman Mary in Life and Legend Why Mary?

This book also includes adiscussion guide. "

J. Ellsworth Kalas, adapted from chapter 1:

There s an old hymn you may be familiar with that contains these words: This is my Father s world, / And to my listening ears, / All nature sings, and round me rings / The music of the spheres. / This is my Father s world, / He shines in all that s fair; / In the rustling grass, I hear him pass, / He speaks to me everywhere (Maltbie D. Babcock, This Is My Father s World; 1901).It is true still today that all nature sings, but it is increasingly difficult to catch the melody. Almost anywhere we go, nature s voice is now muted by the sound of traffic and assorted electronic devices. Those who go out to walk or jog are likely to wear a device that keeps them in touch with news or music or speech so that, intentionally or not, they have shut out nature s sound and dulled its influence.

Which brings me to the point of this book. I rejoice greatly in the green movement that has made new millions conscious of the wonder of our creation and the blessed necessity of caring for it passionately. This is a magnificent step in the right direction, and it puts quality content into what might otherwise be little more than sentimental feelings. But I want us to go farther than that. I want us not simply to see and indeed, to be grateful for the wonders of nature. I want us to go beyond nature s exquisite beauty until we learn some of the lessons it would teach us, lessons about both life and God. When nature sings (as it does every moment) its melody draws us to God, if only we listen with our whole being.

This book will contain a discussion guide. "

Easter from the Back Side
J. Ellsworth Kalas
Using an approach similar to the one he took in "Parables from the Back Side" and other books in the popular Back Side series," " author J. Ellsworth Kalas opens up new possibilities of insight into the biblical Easter story. The author looks beyond the traditional gospel scriptures to connect the story of Christ s resurrection with other stories and scriptures throughout the Bible, including both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Kalas s creative approach both clarifies basic teachings and introduces new possibilities of meaning, even for those who are most familiar with the Easter story. Enriched with contemporary illustrations and personal experiences, this volume will provide new perspectives on Easter. Chapter titles and Scriptures include: Why We Need Easter (Genesis 3:1-7, 22-24); Easter from an Ash Heap (Job 19:13-27); Easter for the Disillusioned (Ecclesiastes 2:14-26); Ezekiel Celebrates Easter (Ezekiel 37:1-10); Easter Is a Love Story (John 20:1-18); Late for Easter (1 Corinthians 15:1-11); and Forever Easter (Revelation 21:1-4). J. ELLSWORTH KALAS is president of Asbury Theological Seminary and has been part of the faculty there since 1993, after thirty-eight years as a United Methodist pastor and five years in evangelism with the World Methodist Council. He has been a presenter on Disciple videos, is the author of the "Christian Believer "study, and has written more than thirty books, including the popular Back Side series; "Longing to Pray: How the Psalms Teach Us to Talk with God; Strong Was Her Faith: Women of the New Testament; "and "What I Learned When I Was Ten."

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Includes Study Guide
This little book invites us to study with some ancient experts in prayer, the persons who wrote the Book of Psalms. We haven t read long in the psalms before we realize that the authors, like us, were altogether human, their lives marked by breathtaking highs and lows. But with all of that, they were saints who left us with the greatest collection of prayers in the possession of our human race. What was their secret? I believe it was the quality of their friendship with God. And of course the language of that friendship is prayer. The psalmists don t give us any formula for effective praying. They don t offer a set of rules. But if we read their prayers carefully, we will learn something of their secret, the secret of the Ultimate Friendship.
-adapted from the Foreword"

This Advent study deals with the lyrical quality of the Christmas-related verses. Each of four sessions--one for each Sunday of Advent--includes discussion/reflection questions.

How can anything be ordinary if we find the glory of God there? Whatever might be said of life's most thrilling or transformative moments, most of our time is spent in ordinary things. We spend a third of our lives sleeping. In our adult lives, perhaps a quarter to a third of each week is spent at work. And then there's more of the common stuff: eating, waiting in line, bathing, getting dressed, and watching TV. So it is that our seventy, eighty, or ninety years go by in common ways, and we have no idea where they've gone. Is there glory in any of this? Where is the abundant life of which Jesus spoke? In this inspiring new work, J. Ellsworth Kalas says that the glory is found not just in the ecstasy of love or victory but in all of life, whether ecstatic or ordinary. Kalas believes it is possible to live with such joy and gladness of hearts that we find our ordinary lives graced by the pleasure of God. He offers a guide to spiritual contentment in the midst of busy lives, showing us the meaning in those seemingly small aspects of every day.

The Bible is filled with heroes and rogues, from the first followers of Christ to the dissenters and critics set on uprooting the Christian faith. Some are well known. Others are not. But all have a place in the eternal story of the Bible. What can we learn "about" these characters? And what can we learn "from" them? In 12 chapters, popular author J. Ellsworth Kalas offers a close examination of biblical characters from both the Old and New Testaments. From Adam and Eve to Elijah, from Martha and several Marys to Jesus Christ himself, each of these people have defining characteristics that together create the Biblical narrative. Their stories display strength, courage, and perseverance characteristics that shaped the lives of the early believers and continue to influence Christians today. As readers reacquaint themselves with each character, they will rediscover the excitement and relevance of the Bible and find new ways to apply biblical teaching to specific circumstances in their lives."

Growing "older" is a process. Growing "old" is a conclusion. If you re growing "older" you see some hope because you have perspective and you keep learning. If you ve grown "old," you may cynically think that times have never been as bad as they are now, and that they can only get worse. This book is about learning how to make peace with where you are right now. It s about learning from the past and then moving past it. It s about growing personally, spiritually, and in our relationships with God and with others. If we think properly about growing older we ll never have to grow old."

How can something be created from nothing? How does Genesis relate to the New Testament and Christian faith? In this eight-week study, homiletics professor and pastor J. Ellsworth Kalas approaches Genesis as a very personal and almost intimate book. Instead of viewing it as an academic study or as a puzzle to be solved, the author reads Genesis in a very personal, up-close way. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step suggestions for leading a group are provided, as well as questions to facilitate class discussion. Immersion, inspired by a fresh translation the Common English Bible stands firmly on Scripture and helps readers explore the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs of their personal faith. More importantly, they ll be able to discover God s revelation through readings and reflections."

In this engaging book from popular author J. Ellsworth Kalas, a portrait of each of Jesus'apostle as a servant in ministry, a human being, and individual are drawn from Scripture as well as historical writings and tradition. A chapter is also devoted to Mathias, the successor to Judas Iscariot. Each chapter features a key passage of Scripture. A study guide is included"

In Being United Methodist, popular and well-loved author J. Ellsworth Kalas uses his approachable style to address a topic that sometimes seems complicated even to those who havereflected uponit for years. In this book, Kalas explores questions such as Who are these people called United Methodists? Where have they come from, and where are they going? And how is it that so few of them really know what it means to be a United Methodist? What makes them tick, and in a spasmodically changing world, what keeps them ticking?"

Popular author J. Ellsworth Kalas has a few things he d like to share. In I Bought a House on Gratitude Street, Kalas imparts insights gathered over the years through different means - Some . . . have come to me by my seeking, some have been shared with me by people of wider experience, and some have been thrust upon me by my mistakes. With his familiar style, Kalas shares life-lessons on matters of friendship, prayer, sin, and success all through the lens of Scripture. A discussion guide is included for small-group use."

Journey inside the pages of Scripture to meet a personal God who enters individual lives and begins a creative work from the inside out. Shaped with the individual in mind, Immersion encourages simultaneous engagement both with the Word of God and with the God of the Word to become a new creation in Christ. Immersion, inspired by a fresh translation--the Common English Bible--stands firmly on Scripture and helps readers explore the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs of their personal faith. More importantly, they ll be able to discover God s revelation through readings and reflections."

When we think of a detective story, we often think of murder mysteries. But the Bible contains some different kinds of detective stories. How is it, for instance, that some of the key personalities in the Bible story slip into the story almost unnoticed like Judah, for example, an ancestor of King David and Jesus Christ. How did the symbolism of blood in Communion get started? When Cain was warned that the ground would no longer yield for him because he had killed his brother did that set a precedent for connecting moral behavior with environmental harshness? These themes and many others are investigated in this study, accompanied by a discussion guide. "

Introduction

"Man s search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life." " "Viktor Frankl," Man s Search for Meaning"

There is a longing deep within every man s heart to discover meaning and purpose in life; to lead a life of significance as opposed to a life of success; to live a life of adventure, conquest, and victory; to make a difference and leave a positive, enduring mark on the world. Yet, as Henry David Thoreau observed, The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. Although Thoreau penned these words more than a century ago, they still ring true today. So many men including devoted Christian men wake up one day and realize they are leading lives of quiet desperation, silently losing themselves as they strive to meet unrealistic expectations, overcome mounting work and family pressures, and battle unrelenting temptations. These challenges can easily sidetrack men, causing them to lose their spiritual focus. Whether consciously or unconsciously, many men subsequently spend their time and energy and resources searching for significance in pursuits and people and things that can never fully satisfy. Some simply give up on ever finding lasting meaning and purpose in this world. Others find themselves somewhere in between. In any case, the result is often the same: a pervading sense of exhaustion, futility, or hopelessness. Yet there is a remedy to this cultural epidemic, and it is found in reclaiming and living out every man s true purpose, which is found in God alone. As Saint Augustine wrote, Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee. The apostle Paul expressed it this way: Everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible . . . "everything" got started in Christ] and finds its purpose in him (Colossians 1:16 The Message). "365 Meditations for Men by Men" is intended to help men focus on their relationship with God and, consequently, find real meaning and purpose in life. Twelve different Christian men share their reflections on what it means to be a man who seeks to follow Christ each and every day. Drawing upon the lives of men in the Bible as well as their own personal experiences, the writers present timeless truths and valuable life lessons that will speak to men of every age and experience. In addition to offering inspiration and encouragement, they provide counsel on practical matters such as how to - know God; - get your priorities in order; - become spiritually fit; - be holy and righteous; - make a difference; - be equipped; - step up; - take risks; - stand firm; - serve God wholeheartedly. As you make your way through the year (whether you start in January or June), you will be undergirded by a sense of brotherhood an assurance that you are not alone on this journey. With this confidence, may you boldly and courageously pursue a full and abundant life in Christ S. D. Sharpe, editor"

Using his method of approaching Bible passages from an unusual angle or a unique starting point, J. Ellsworth Kalaspresents new insight into the beatitudes, Jesus blessings from the Sermon on the Mount. When we start examining the beatitudes we realize that in Jesus view, happiness is not something we get by pursuing it; indeed, almost the contrary. We are told that we will be happy or blessed, if you prefer in what appears to be the near antithesis of happiness. If we choose to live by the beatitudes, we make a declaration of dependence. We put ourselves into bondage to such things as poverty of spirit, purity of heart, and a readiness for persecution. This isn t the sort of product they advertise on prime-time television; indeed, I m not sure that it appears overly often in our prime-time worship services. That is because this is not a spiritual quick fix. It doesn t come in a five-easy-lessons capsule. Instead, it is largely contrary to the way we live and to the way we think. Before we go any further, however, let me say that over the past twenty centuries a very great many people have found in these beatitudes a depth of peace and joy beyond anything our common culture promotes and seeks. But it isn t easy, and it isn t obvious. There s nothing easy or soft about this kind of dependence. Rather, it is an attitude that demands a huge store of courage. It s the kind of dependence the trapeze artist displays when he or she lets go of the bar and with no safety net awaiting, flies off into space, trusting. Welcome to the beatitudes. And may you be eternally happy, beginning now.

adapted from the introduction

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Author J. Ellsworth Kalas believes there is much we can learn about our own walk with God from the people in the Bible. In this inspiring book he gives us meditations about sixteen men from Scripture, some of them well known, others not even named. Each of them, he tells us, can teach us something about ourselves and our relationship with God, "not only through their wisdom but sometimes through their errors and obvious humanness."

Pastors face a perennial challenge in deciding how to treat special days in the calendar. For days marked in the church year, the challenge is how to speak a fresh word about a familiar theme or story. For days marked in the civil calendar, the challenge is to discern within secular celebrations appropriate connections with the Christian gospel. In "Preaching the Calendar," masterful preacher J. Ellsworth Kalas discusses the importance of embracing holidays and special days as occasions when sermons can enlarge and deepen spiritual yearnings. His words of wisdom demonstrate how this type of preaching can be done well and serve as valuable sources of stories and sermon illustrations for pastors eager to help people find new and renewed relationships with God.

Christians often assume too sharp a distinction between the Old and New Testaments, argues preacher, author, and teacher J. Ellsworth Kalas. They are too quick to view the Old Testament as a strict book of laws and commandments and the New Testament as a witness to grace. The God of the Old Testament is misperceived as a God of wrath and judgment, while the God of the New Testament is viewed as a God of love and mercy.