"In Why Does Friendship Matter?, Chris L. Firestone and Alex H. Pierce consider the profits and perils of friendship. Everyone needs friends. Friends help us navigate and enjoy life: "The sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel" (Prov 27:9). Firestone and Pierce define friendship, draw from perspectives of the past, and consider different types of friendship, its limits, and possible red flags. Learn what makes for a good friend and how you can be one"--

Our world is growing increasingly complex and confused—a unique and urgent context that calls for a grounded and fresh approach to Christian higher education.Christian higher education involves a distinctive way of thinking about teaching, learning, scholarship, curriculum, student life, administration, and governance that is rooted in the historic Christian faith.In this volume, twenty-nine experts from a variety of fields, including theology, the humanities, science, math...

What does logic have to do with Christianity?We know that faith means "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1, NIV). So what part does reason play when we share our beliefs with others? And how can using our God-given intellect help in our own spiritual development?Love Your God with All Your Mind explains the importance of using your mind not only to win others to Christ but also to experience personal spir...

This introduction to the field of practical theology reclaims a theological vision for the life and work of the church. Pete Ward dispels the myth that practical theology is a distraction from the "real" tasks of ministry or from serious academic theological work. He argues that practical theology is part of the everyday life of the church and that there are a variety of possible approaches, helping readers evaluate the approach that is most appropriate to their ministerial context and the...

Every church, every organization, has experienced them: betrayal, deception, grumbling, envy, exclusion. They make life together difficult and prevent congregations from developing the skills, virtues, and practices they need to nurture sturdy, life-giving communities.In Living into Community Christine Pohl explores four specific Christian practices -- gratitude, promise-keeping, truth-telling, and hospitality -- that can counteract those destructive forces and help churche...

Through a series of essays contributed by leading experts in the field, The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Practical Theology presents an introduction to practical theology as a major area of Christian study and practice, including an overview of its key developments, themes, methods, and future directions.The first comprehensive reference work to provide a survey, description and analysis of practical theology as an area of studyA range of leading scholars i...

In this book, two leading ministry experts place the missional church conversation in historical perspective and offer fresh insights for its further development. They begin by providing a helpful review of the genesis of the missional church and offering an insightful critique of the Gospel and Our Culture Network's seminal book Missional Church, which set the conversation in motion. They map the diverse paths this discussion has taken over the past decade, identifying four prima...

2019 Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year: Apologetics • 2018 The Gospel Coalition Book Award: Evangelism & ApologeticsApologetics at the Cross describes a much-needed approach to defending Christianity that uses Jesus as a model and the letter of 1 Peter as a guiding text.This is a guidebook for how to defend Christianity with Christ-like gentleness and respect toward those who...

WHO ARE YOU?For respected New Testament scholar Klyne Snodgrass, this is the most important question a person can ask—the question from which everything else in life flows. Other questions follow: What made you who you are? Who gets to say who you are? And—perhaps most vital— Who does God say you are?In this book Snodgrass offers wise guidance to all who are wrestling with such universal human questions. He examines nine f...

I (Still) Believe explores the all-important question of whether serious academic study of the Bible is threatening to one’s faith. Far from it—faith enhances study of the Bible and, reciprocally, such study enriches a person’s faith. With this in mind, this book asks prominent Bible teachers and scholars to tell their story reflecting on their own experiences at the intersection of faith and serious academic study of the Bible.While the essays of this book will provide so...

This classic critique of Christian education is revised, expanded and includes Westerhoff's overview on the state Christian education over the past forty years.According to Westerhoff, instead of guiding faith formation within the family, the church, and the school, we relegate religious education to Sunday morning classes. There, children learn the facts about religion, but how will they learn or experience faith? How can we nourish and nurture the faith of childr...

· For people whose eyes glaze over when questions of salvation/redemption/atonement come up· Written by a theologian, but with a lay audience in mindEven theologians have had different ideas about the theology of atonement; how are the rest of supposed to understand it? This book is a good place to start. Crysdale, whose background in both psychology and theology gives her a unique perspective, presents an overview of the history of the theology of atonement, addressing cle...