Seasoned pastor R. Kent Hughes’s inspiring and bestselling book Disciplines of a Godly Man―now updated with fresh references and suggested resources―is filled with godly advice aimed at helping men grow in the disciplines of prayer, integrity, marriage, leadership, worship, purity, and more.

With biblical wisdom, memorable illustrations, and engaging study questions, this practical guide will empower men to take seriously the call to godliness and direct their energy toward the things that matter most.

Deeply Engage in Christian Doctrine with This Expanded Edition of the ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible - Theology Rooted In The Word Of God.

Theology should, first and foremost, be rooted in God’s Word. To develop a solid understanding of God, humanity, sin, salvation, and eternity, the ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible explores the doctrines of the Christian faith and how they arise from the pages of Scripture.

In this expanded edition, notes from the ESV Student Study Bible provide additional insight into the biblical text and make studying systematic theology easier than ever. Over 400 in-text mini-articles connect Christian beliefs to specific Bible passages, 25 articles explain important theological topics in greater depth, and introductions highlight the unique ways each book contributes to the whole of Christian theology. This resource will help Christians better connect what they believe about God with the very words of Scripture, strengthening their confidence in the truths of his Word.

• In-Depth Study Resource: Engages readers with the important doctrines of the Christian faith and its connections to Scripture
• Expanded Edition: Additional notes from the ESV Student Study Bible provide further explanation of the text
• Helpful Tools: Over 400 in-text summaries, 25 articles, book introductions, 12,000 study notes, an index of doctrines, sidebars, and more
• Thoroughly Developed: Created by a team of 26 editors and contributors
• 8-point type size

Features:

• Book Introductions
• Double-column format
• 400+ Doctrinal sidebars
• Footnotes
• 25+ articles on key theological topics
• Cross-references
• 12000 Study notes
• Ribbon marker

This updated edition of a bestselling classic by a seasoned pastor aims to empower men to take seriously the call to godliness and direct their energy toward the things that matter most.

This ESV Bible includes study notes, articles, and daily devotionals written especially for men by more than 100 of the world’s leading Bible scholars and teachers, helping readers understand God’s Word more deeply and apply it to their lives.

Men, we will never get anywhere in life without discipline, and doubly so in spiritual matters. None of us is inherently righteous, so Paul's instructions regarding spiritual discipline in 1 Timothy 4:7-8 take on personal urgency: "Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." That word "train" comes from the Greek word from which we derive gymnasium. So, I invite you into God's Gym--to some pain and great gain! Discipline of Purity Sensuality is the biggest obstacle to godliness among Christian men. The fall of King David should not only instruct us but scare the sensuality right out of us! Fill yourself with God's Word--memorize passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, Job 31:1, Proverbs 6:27, Ephesians 5:3-7, and 2 Timothy 2:22. Find someone who will help you keep your soul faithful to God. A pure mind is impossible if you mindlessly watch TV and movies or visit pornographic web sites (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7). Develop the divine awareness that sustained Joseph: "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9). Discipline of Relationships To be all God wants you to be, put some holy sweat into your relationships! If you're married, you need to live out Ephesians 5:25-31: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (v. 25). For those who are fathers, God provides a workout in one pungent sentence: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). Relationships are not optional (Hebrews 10:25); they enable us to develop into what God wants us to be and most effectively learn and live God's truth. Discipline of Mind The potential of possessing the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) introduces the scandal of today's church--Christians who do not think Christianly, leaving our minds undisciplined. The Apostle Paul understood this well: "...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8). Each ingredient is a matter of personal choice. You can never have a Christian mind without reading the Scriptures regularly because you cannot be influenced by that which you do not know. Discipline of Devotion Reading God's Word is essential, but meditation internalizes the Word and responds, "I desire to do your will, O my God" (Psalm 40:8). Beyond instructions like Ephesians 6:18-20, there are two great reasons to pray. The more we expose our lives to the white-hot sun of Christ's righteous life, the more his image will be burned into our character. The second reason is that prayer bends our wills to God's will. Many men never have an effective devotional life because they never plan for it; they never expose their lives to his pure light. Discipline of Integrity We can hardly overstate the importance of integrity to a generation of believers so much like the world in ethical conduct. But integrity's benefits--character, a clear conscience, deep intimacy with God--argue its importance. We must let God's Word draw our lines of conduct. Our speech and actions must be intentionally true (Proverbs 12:22; Ephesians 4:15), backed by the courage to keep our word and stand up for our convictions (Psalm 15:4). An old saying sums it up: "Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny."(1) Discipline of Tongue "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless" (James 1:26). The true test of a man's spirituality is not his ability to speak, but rather his ability to bridle his tongue! Offered to God on the altar, the tongue has awesome power for good. There must be an ongoing prayerfulness and resolve to discipline ourselves: "Who keeps the tongue doth keep his soul."(2) Discipline of Work We meet God, the Creator, as a worker in Genesis 1:1-2:2. Since "God created man in his own image" (1:27), the way we work will reveal how much we allow the image of God to develop in us. There is no secular/sacred distinction; all honest work ought to be done to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). We must recover the biblical truth that our vocation is a divine calling and thus be liberated to do it for the glory of God. Discipline of Perseverance Hebrews 12:1-3 presents a picture of perseverance in four commands. Divest! "Lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely" (v. 1a). That includes besetting sin, and anything else that hinders. Run! "...with endurance the race that is set before us" (v. 1b). Each of us can finish our race (see also 2 Timothy 4:7). Focus! "Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith" (v. 2). There never was a millisecond that he did not trust the Father. Consider! Our life is to be spent considering how Jesus lived (v. 3). Discipline of Church You don't have to go to church to be a Christian; you don't have to go home to be married. But in both cases if you do not, you will have a very poor relationship! You will never attain your full spiritual manhood, nor will your family reach its spiritual maturity without commitment to the church. Find a good church, join it, and commit yourself to it wholeheartedly. Your participation should include financial support, but it should also include giving your time, talents, expertise, and creativity to the glory of God. Discipline of Giving How can we escape the power of materialism? By giving from a heart overflowing with God's grace, like the believers in Macedonia who "gave themselves first to the Lord" (2 Corinthians 8:5): this is where grace giving must begin. Giving disarms the power of money. Though giving should be regular, it should also be spontaneous and responsive to needs. And it should be joyous--"God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). And Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). As we sweat out the disciplines of a godly man, remember, with Paul, what energizes us to live them out--"not I, but the grace of God that is with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10). The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, Second Edition, (London: Oxford UP, 1959), p. 405. James S. Hewitt, ed., Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1988), p. 475.

Every year thousands of God's servants leave the ministry convinced they are failures. Years ago, in the midst of a crisis of faith, Kent Hughes almost became one of them. But instead he and his wife Barbara turned to God's Word, determined to learn what God had to say about success and to evaluate their ministry from a biblical point of view.

This book describes their journey and their liberation from the "success syndrome"-the misguided belief that success in ministry means increased numbers. In today's world it is easy to be seduced by the secular thinking that places a number on everything. But the authors teach that true success in ministry lies not in numbers but in several key areas: faithfulness, serving, loving, believing, prayer, holiness, and a Christlike attitude. Their thoughts will encourage readers who grapple with feelings of failure and lead them to a deeper, fuller understanding of success in Christian ministry.

This book was originally published by Tyndale in 1987 and includes a new preface.

Point blank, this is a punchy, no-holds-barred book for young men. Laying out the challenge to be disciplined, godly, and sold-out for Jesus, the authors talk about purity in your thought-life, cultural pressure, and perseverance as a Christian. Let father and son Kent and Carey Hughes help you live a life of integrity and become the man God is calling you to be.

"The Hughes, parents of four grown children and eighteen grandchildren, offer biblical guidelines and practical ideas for raising a family that loves the Lord and one another."
-Christian Retailing

"Provides help for families who want to honor the Lord through structure in their homes. The Hughes family, though they are not perfect (and they are the first to attest to that fact), speak from their own spiritual experience and growth. We are fortunate that they share their insights so others can profit."
-The Baptist Bulletin

"Kent and Barbara Hughes draw from the Bible as well as from their own experience in raising children to offer readers simple, practical ideas about how to raise a godly family and have fun in the process. Disciplines of a Godly Family is ideal for young parents who are just beginning their family voyage, as well as for those who need help along the way. Recommend this book to both parents and grandparents."
-Lutheran News

Disciplines of a Godly Family covers such topics as establishing a solid family heritage, promoting affection between family members, encouraging godliness in children, using appropriate discipline, and helping children cultivate enriching lifelong habits. The Hugheses also offer tips for fun and affordable family vacations, creating family traditions, and starting a prayer notebook. They even give us a suggested list of books and videos that should be in every family's library.

For those struggling to parent their own children or to equip other parents for this task, a more practical, honest, and common-sense guide will be hard to find.

Written by two seasoned pastors, this practical book is a comprehensive guide to nearly every facet of pastoral ministry, including pastoral counseling, hospital visitations, funerals, weddings, the sacraments, holiday services, and congregational music.

This expanded edition of the ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible features study notes from the ESV Student Study Bible, over 400 in-text summaries, 25 articles, book introductions, sidebars, and more.

How exactly does one become wise? With the overwhelming flood of information and opinion in our times--much of it a mixture of spin, sound bites, and trivialities--it is crucial we turn back to the Bible and pay close attention to the deep insights that have stood the test of time.

Proverbs 1:20 tells us that "Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice." The wisdom of God does not stand aloof, but instead graciously moves toward us, into the world where we live and struggle day by day--offering us her very best, if we will only listen.

Pastor and teacher Ray Ortlund unpacks the book of Proverbs in twenty-one straightforward sermons, providing a biblical worldview on everything from money, sex, and power to that of the daily routines of an average life. Drawing relevant parallels from ancient culture to present day, he helps us understand how the book of Proverbs is practical help for ordinary people going through everyday life.

Most importantly, Ortlund shows how the Proverbs point to Jesus and his counsel for the perplexed, his strength for the defeated, his warning to the proud, his mercy for the broken. With careful treatment of the Scriptures and uncomplicated language, Proverbs: Wisdom that Works bridges the gap between real-life experience and the scholarly depth of many commentaries.

Our culture holds the megaphone when it comes to talking about sex today. Yet the church has maintained a reputation for keeping quiet, hesitant to teach people about this sacred aspect of life. The Song of Solomon, however, holds nothing back as it sings loudly about the holy practice of sexuality and pushes us into the conversation with godly theology.

While this biblical text has been subject to a broader range of interpretation probably than any other book in the Bible, Wisdom Literature expert Doug O'Donnell offers this comprehensible guide to help uncoil its complexities and solve its riddles. He explores the poetry, themes, and wisdom of this song from a Christocentric perspective, and gives us a profound, rich, and witty reflection that encourages right thinking and behavior.

Showing how this "song of songs" is meant to teach us about biblical sexuality and God's heart for his people, O'Donnell elucidates on the greatest subject of all time--love.

This commentary, written by an experienced Bible expositor, helps modern readers understand the messages of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther and apply them to their own lives. Part of the Preaching the Word commentary series.

There are substantial reasons to be energized about studying the Pastoral Letters of Paul. Between them they teach the proper ordering of the church (1 Timothy), they present a developed challenge to all Christians (2 Timothy), and they suggest God's priorities for mature ministry (Titus). Experienced pastors R. Kent Hughes and Bryan Chapell have done their homework--applying sound principles in interpreting the texts so that we can understand what Paul was really saying.

Teaching on important matters for the local church, Hughes and Chapell offer a timely word to the many Christians who are concerned about their role and responsibility to communicate the truth of the gospel in this diverse and pluralistic society. The Pastoral Letters remind us that, like Timothy, we are to guard what has been entrusted to our care, to fight the good fight, and to keep preaching the Word.

Through the apostle's words and the commentators' insights here, we gain an understanding of what God requires of those who would lead in the local church, as well as of those who would be led. Embracing grace, loving godliness, and sharing Christ were not just charges to the early believers, and are not solely the responsibility of pastors, deacons, and elders in the church. They are exhortations for any of us who call ourselves disciples of Christ today.

Jesus is King. Standing as a central theme of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus' kingly authority has profound implications for our lives today--changing the way we view the world, interact with others, and respond to blessings and hardships.

In this reader-friendly commentary, seasoned pastor Doug O'Donnell leads us through the first book of the New Testament, highlighting key themes and offering contemporary illustrations for preaching. Drawing on years of pastoral experience, O'Donnell helps us to see how Matthew's various emphases--including Jesus' messianic titles, fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, teaching on the kingdom of heaven, and present and future role as judge--all relate to Christ's kingship over all of creation.

Full of biblical insights aimed at both pastors and laypeople, this volume ultimately highlights Matthew's call to all people to worship and obey Jesus, our humble King and gracious Savior.

This ESV Bible includes study notes, articles and daily devotionals written especially for men by more than 100 of the world's leading Bible scholars and teachers, helping readers understand God's Word more deeply and apply it to their lives.

The Psalms is one of the most widely loved books of the Bible. A source of instruction for our prayers, inspiration for our songs, and consolation for our tears, these biblical poems resound with the whole spectrum of human emotion and teach us to hope in God each and every day. In the first volume of a three-part commentary on the Psalms, pastor James Johnston walks readers through chapters 1-44, offering exegetical and pastoral insights along the way. In an age that prizes authenticity, this resource will help anyone interested in studying, teaching, or preaching the Bible to truly engage with God in a life-changing and heart-shaping way.

Focused on the Old Testament book of Leviticus, this volume in the acclaimed Preaching the Word series explores how a holy God has made enduring provision for his people to live set-apart lives and worship him.

Luke's carefully researched and orderly account of the life of Christ is one of the finest pieces of historical writing from the ancient world. More importantly, it boldly proclaims the story and significance of Jesus, emphasizing this "gospel" as good news for the whole world. In this illuminating commentary, respected pastor R. Kent Hughes explores Luke's historical claims about the life of Christ and his overarching message, offering helpful insights into the biblical text and pastoral reflections on how it applies to everyday life. Written to help preachers and Bible teachers communicate God's Word more effectively, this engaging commentary covers the entire book of Luke and now includes Scripture quotations drawn from the ESV Bible.

Ryken applies Jeremiah's words to a contemporary audience, urging readers to search out spiritual fractures that may lie beneath the comfortable surface of daily life. Now with ESV Scripture references.

Written by an experienced preacher, this commentary traces the stories of figures such as Gideon, Samson, and Naomi and Ruth, highlighting God's redeeming love in the midst of rebellion and disobedience.

The book of Genesis contains some of the most beautiful and well-known stories in the Bible: the garden, the flood, the tower of Babel, and the lives of the patriarchs. But these are more than just good stories. They lay the groundwork for God's relationship with humanity and for his plan for our salvation, making Genesis foundational to understanding everything else that happens in the Bible. Genesis reveals much about human nature and the nature of God. From the actions of the first man and woman, we see where our rebellious, sinful nature originates. And through the whole book we see the hand of a sovereign God who is loving and merciful, but also just and holy. Time and again in Genesis, God showers his grace upon undeserving humanity, giving us our first tastes of God's enduring faithfulness that shines throughout the entire Bible. R. Kent Hughes, respected pastor and author of many other commentaries in this series, takes readers back to the beginning of the Bible and moves through Genesis with careful exegesis. He explores the superbly crafted structure of the book as well as the weighty themes it contains. For those who preach, teach, and study God's Word, this exceptionally detailed work will reveal much about the beginnings of God's great story.

What is at stake is authenticity. . . . Sooner or later Christians tire of public meetings that are profoundly inauthentic, regardless of how well (or poorly) arranged, directed, performed. We long to meet, corporately, with the living and majestic God and to offer him the praise that is his due. ---D. A. Carson Worship is a hot topic, but the ways that Christians from different traditions view it vary greatly. What is worship? More important, what does it look like in action, both in our corporate gatherings and in our daily lives? These concerns---the blending of principle and practice---are what Worship by the Book addresses. Cutting through cultural cliches, D. A. Carson, Mark Ashton, Kent Hughes, and Timothy Keller explore, respectively: .Worship Under the Word .Following in Cranmer s Footsteps .Free Church Worship: The Challenge of Freedom .Reformed Worship in the Global City This is not a comprehensive theology of worship, writes Carson. Still less is it a sociological analysis of current trends or a minister s manual chockfull of how to instructions. Rather, this book offers pastors, other congregational leaders, and seminary students a thought-provoking biblical theology of worship, followed by a look at how three very different traditions of churchmanship might move from this theological base to a better understanding of corporate worship. Running the gamut from biblical theology to historical assessment all the way to sample service sheets, Worship by the Book shows how local churches in diverse traditions can foster corporate worship that is God-honoring, Word-revering, heartfelt, and historically and culturally informed."

How did Christianity become one of the most important religions in world history? To answer this question, we must begin with the book of Acts, which chronicles the tumultuous days of the early Church and the spread of Christianity in the years following Jesus' death and resurrection.

In this insightful volume, Pastor Hughes leads readers to rediscover the history of the New Testament Church, examining key events in Acts such as the bold preaching of Christ's early followers, the dramatic persecution of Christians, and the perilous missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul.

This encouraging commentary on a central book in the New Testament will challenge you to walk with Christ and serve him more effectively through the power of the Holy Spirit.