If you're easily distracted when praying, you're not alone. In fact, if you struggle to pray in the first place, that's not unusual either. Tim Chester tells us how we can be great pray-ers. And he admits that that's a really bold claim. 'The secret of great praying has nothing to do with human effort or skill,' he explains. 'Lots of people would like to think that it does because they want to make prayer an achievement.' But the secret of great praying is ... Knowing three things about God: * That God the Father loves to hear us pray * That God the Son makes every prayer pleasing to God * That God the Holy Spirit helps us as we pray Tim looks at: why prayer is easy (how we pray), why prayer is difficult (why we pray) and the arguments and priorities of prayer (what we pray). Prayer is a child asking her father for help. And that's not beyond any one of us.

John Stott's definitive and passionate plea to the church to listen both to God's Word and to his world (double listening)

John Stott's definitive and passionate plea to the church to listen both to God's Word and to his world (double listening)

Scripture has brought us light in darkness, strength in weakness, comfort in sadness. It isn't difficult to endorse the Psalmist's experience that the words of God are 'more precious than gold... sweeter than honey'. So it's distressing to watch the Bible being dislodged from its position of authority, not only in our nation but also in the church. Here we focus on the urgent need to continue in, respond to, interpret and expound God's Word.

The title, Rediscovering Joy, derives from Galatians 4:15 (NLT). The Galatians had lost the joy of God's blessing because they had departed from the truths of the gospel. The Reformation - and the book - is an invitation to rediscover the joy of the gospel. Despite the common claim that the Reformation is either out-dated or divisive, its rediscovery of the apostolic message was a rediscovery of joy - a message that is as relevant today as it was 500 years ago and 2,000 years ago. The book has a strong focus on biblical exposition and pastoral application.

How does the eschatological future impinge on the present? Is the kingdom of God present outside the confession of Christ in movements towards social justice? Is Christian hope a stimulus to social involvement or an alternative? And how does the present impinge on the eschatological future? What is the relationship between our actions now and the new creation? Is there eschatological continuity between the two? Jurgen Moltmann, one of our most influential contemporary theologians, has had much to say both on eschatology and its relationship to mission. This book explores his thought along with evangelical responses to it. Eschatology has been central to evangelical debates about social involvement ever since the Laussanne Congress in 1974. The book examines how evangelicals themselves have related hope and mission. The book highlights the important contribution Moltmann has made while offering a critique of his thought from an evangelical perspective. In so doing, it touches on pertinent issues for evangelical missiology. The conclusion takes John Calvin as a starting point, proposing 'an eschatology of the cross' which offers a critique of the over-realized eschatologies in liberation theology and triumphalistic forms of evangelicalism.

Of course the Bible matters. It is God's word to us. But how do we engage with its message? Tim Chester creates a sense of expectation, causing our reading of the Bible to become a living experience in which we encounter God. Amazingly, this God of the universe speaks to us each day! Here is a personal, clear, intentional and sufficient message for our lives. The Bible is truly unique; it speaks into a myriad of situations and brings us back to the deep joy of the gospel. 'Will enrich your encounter with God as you engage with his word.' Elaine Duncan 'This is more than useful; it's inspiring.' Julian Hardyman 'Tim Chester is one of the clearest, most useful and reliable Christian writers in the UK today . . . He comes alongside the reader to instruct and to apply his teaching to life in the modern world.' Peter Lewis 'Inspirational, profound, realistic . . . If you can buy only one book on the Bible, buy this one.' Tricia Marnham 'Buy, read, recommend, lend, give away!' James Robson

Is everything a Christian does 'mission', or does it only count when we speak about Jesus and share the gospel? Does mission include volunteering at the food bank, campaigning for justice and providing aid overseas? As the needs around us multiply and opposition to the gospel intensifies, this question 'Is everything mission?' becomes even more important for us to wrestle with. Tim Chester's 2018 Keswick Convention lecture helps us unpack what mission is and the role that God wants you, your church, your mission agency, to play.

The church lies at the centre of God's purpose. Christ gave himself 'to purify for himself a people that are his own'. But when we think about church, there's the tension between the ideal and the reality. The former is beautiful: God's special treasure, the covenant community, a haven of love and peace. The latter? A motley rabble needing constant rebuke and exhortation. Here we focus on the ideal, on what God intends his church to be, while all the time keeping in view the reality, so that we can grasp the changes that need to be made.

How do we respond to the silent appeal in the dark eyes of the child in the charity catalogue, or the blanketed figure in the cold shop-doorway? Should we share the gospel with them, or a bowl of soup? Throughout history, men and women such as Wilberforce, Shaftesbury, Carey and Booth have recognized a call to help the needy. Others have argued that our first task is evangelism, that Christians should not meddle in politics, that social action is a distraction. Do we serve Christ through preaching his Word, or should we use words only when necessary? Tim Chester argues passionately that evangelism and social action are inseparable as two arms of the church's mission. He presents a biblical case for truly evangelical social action that is shaped and inspired by the gospel. He urges conservatives not to marginalize those who uphold the cause of the oppressed, and those involved in social action not to neglect the preaching of the Word. 'Consistent, mission-minded evangelicals have always refused to choose between a commitment to gospel proclamation and an active concern for the poor. Tim Chester digs deep into the Bible to show us why both are vital, and what it means to be Christ's people in a world of need.' Keith Walker, Director of SIM-UK/N, Europe 'A must-read for those looking for a way to integrate word and deed mission to advance God's purposes in our needy world.' Tom Sine, author of Living on Purpose: Finding God's Best For Your Life Tim Chester is involved in The Crowded House, a church-planting initiative in Sheffield, England. He was previously Research and Policy Director for Tearfund UK. He is the author of a number of books, including The Message of Prayer (IVP, The Bible Speaks Today series).

You long to be free but... Pornography has reached epidemic proportions. And in God's eyes porn is ugly. It devalues other human beings and the good gift of sex in favour of a destructive imitation. Tim Chester points us to something infinitely better, something that captivates without causing shame, remorse or embarrassment: the glory and beauty of Christ. We are made to be satisfied with God alone, and told to avoid the sin that hinders our relationship with him. Tim exposes the lies and deceptions of porn, inviting us to be fully free, and showing positively and practically how this can be possible in daily life. We can be captured by a better vision.

On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther posted his ninety-five theses on the castle church door in Wittenberg - the starting gun for the Reformation. Five hundred years later, the issues debated at the Reformation are still urgent. In this clear, incisive and accessible survey, Michael Reeves and Tim Chester show how the Reformation helps us answer questions like: How do we know what's true? Can we truly know God? How does God speak? What's wrong with us? How can we be saved? Who am I? At its heart, the Reformation was a dispute about how we know God and how we can be right with him. At stake was our eternal future - and it still is.

John Stott's definitive and passionate plea to the church to listen both to God's Word and to his world (double listening)

God's Word in powerful, authoritative and transformational - do you believe that? Does your life reflect that? Does your church demonstrate that? The 2011 Keswick Convention challenged us to take the 'Word to the World' aEURO" to live out God's Word, to share it globally and to unleash it in our lives, churches and communities. With teaching from Derek Burnside, Bill Bygroves, Ken Clarke, Aijth Fernando, Patrick Fung, Peter Maiden, Amy Orr-Ewing, Rob Parsons, John Risbridger, Helen Roseveare, Richard Tiplady and Chris Wright you will be convicted and enthused to be part of this global challenge to bring God's Word into the world. This title is brought to you by Keswick Ministries. Find out more at https://www.keswickministries.org

Do you say 'yes' to requests when really you mean to say 'no'- Do you feel permanently trapped by your 24/7 lifestyle- While offering practical help to busy Christians, Tim Chester also opts for root-and-branch treatment: you need to deal radically with the things that are driving you. If you're busy because of the following: 'I need to prove myself' 'Otherwise things get out of control' 'I like the pressure/money' think again! At the root of our 'slavery' are serious misunderstandings, often reinforced by our culture. If we want to be free, then we need to counteract them with God's word. It's important to manage our time, but it's more important to manage our hearts. God has promised his rest to all who are weary and burdened (Matthew 11:28). It's up to us to accept it

Many books on the practice of prayer seem to be informed more by the experiences of their authors than by Scripture. However, the Bible not only teaches us about prayer, it also gives us many examples of prayer. It is God's Word to us, and it teaches us how to respond to that Word. Tim Chester's insightful exposition of this central aspect of Christian living is driven by the conviction that we need to reform not only our thinking and behaviour in the light of God's Word, but also our praying. Drawing on a wide range of biblical texts, he explores the foundations and the practice of prayer, and shows that how we understand prayer is necessarily bound up with how we understand the gospel, and God himself.

Think of the thriving evangelical churches in your area, and the chances are they will be in the nice areas of town and their leaders will be middle class. I once attended a lecture at which the speaker showed a map of my city, Sheffield. The council wards were colored different shades, according to a series of social indicators: educational achievement, household income, benefit recipients, social housing, criminal activity, and so on. Slide after slide showed that the east side of the city was the needy, socially deprived half, compared to the more prosperous west. Where are the churches? Counting all the various tribes of evangelicalism, the large churches are on the west side. The working-class and deprived areas of our cities are not being reached with the gospel. There are many exciting exceptions, but the pattern is clear. According to Mez McConnell from Niddrie Community Church in Edinburgh, of the fifty worst housing schemes in Scotland, half have no church, and most of the others only have a dying church. Very few have an evangelical witness. This book is about reaching those unreached areas. The Industrial Revolution saw increased social stratification. It was during this time that middle-class and working-class identities began to emerge. And in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, evangelicalism appealed disproportionately to skilled artisans, according to historian David Bebbington. So why have we evangelicals been so ineffectual at reaching the urban poor, despite our origins?

The Father delights in his Son. This is the starting point of mission, its very core. The word mission means sending. But for many centuries this was only used to describe what God did, sending his Son and his Spirit into the world. World mission exists because the Father wants people to delight in his Son, and the Son wants people to delight in the Father. Tim Chester introduces us to a cascade of love: love flowing from the Father to the Son through the Spirit. And that love overflows and, through us, keeps on flowing to our Christian community and beyond, to a needy world. Mission matters. This book is for ordinary individuals willing to step out and be part of the most amazing, exciting venture in the history of the world.

What has God said? How has he said it? And how does it apply to our lives today? This accessible book is for everyone who wants to grow in their faith as they hear God speak. Each section starts with an introduction to the topic and then moves to a Bible passage. We focus on the theme, go deeper and explore 'living out' the word. Useful prayer prompts also help to make the message deep, real and personal. Here is sure-footed Bible teaching to warm your heart and feed your mind. 'Biblical, practical, devotional and thoughtful. An excellent resource for group or personal study to strengthen our convictions about the truth of the Bible, and enable us to discover its riches for ourselves.' John Risbridger, Chair of Keswick Ministries, Minister and Team Leader, Above Bar Church, Southampton 'In a word-based faith, words count. Faith comes by hearing God's word and it flourishes when that word is applied. Here is a workable, practical guide that will help you to study the Bible by yourself or with others. Used well, it will help you grow in your faith.' Ian Coffey, speaker, author and Vice-Principal, Moorlands College, Dorset