When you stand before your congregation, what do you hope to accomplish when you preach the Word? If people have Bibles and the freedom to read and pray on their own—why do they need you? In short, what do you bring to the table? Author, pastor, and professor John Koessler answers those questions and many more. Why does one sermon have a powerful effect on the audience while another falls flat? Why should listeners heed what the preacher says? Is human language adequate for facilitating an...

Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Top Shelf Book Cover AwardWe live in a culture that values activity, achievement and accomplishment. Whether in our careers, churches, schools or families, busyness is the norm in our lives, and anything less makes us feel unproductive and anxious. We have to work all the harder, then, to pursue true rest in a 24-7 world that is constantly in motion.John Koessler understands that rest is not automatic or easy toattain. He na...

Growing up the son of agnostics, John Koessler saw a Catholic church on one end of the street and a Baptist on the other. In the no-man’s land between the two, this curious outside wondered about the God they worshipped—and began a lifelong search to comprehend the grace and mystery of God. A Stranger in the House of God addresses fundamental questions and struggles faced by spiritual seekers and mature believers. Like a contemporary Pilgrim’s Progress, it traces the author’s journey and e...

Most of us would answer 'No' when asked if we were like Jesus. So how do we become more like Jesus?John Koessler believes the answer is by understanding and developing the marks of a true disciple in our lives. In True Discipleship and this companion guide, he provides a straightforward presentation of the characteristics Jesus laid out for His disciples. As he offers teaching on the practice of discipleship and the responsibility of being a disciple, readers will be stret...

Most of us would answer 'No' when asked if we were like Jesus. How do we become more like Jesus? John Koessler believes the answer is by understanding and developing the marks of a true disciple in our lives. In True Discipleship and the Companion Guide, he provides a straightforward presentation of the characteristics Jesus laid out for His disciples. As he offers teaching on the practice of discipleship and the responsibility of being a disciple, readers will be stretched in their thinki...

The present is more than a place where the past comes to rest.It is more than a staging ground for the future.The present is where God shows up.We live our lives in the present, but often our minds are racing toward the future or overwhelmed by the past. We want to change the past and control the future, but usually all we really do is exhaust ourselves in the here and now. Writing especia...

"For Christians, one of our earliest lessons-and greatest gifts-is learning how to pray. And yet many of us believe our prayer lives fall short. In When God Is Silent, John Koessler posits that this has nothing to do with motivation or method. Our problems are relational. Prayer is a conversation that moves primarily in one direction: from the believer who prays to the God who hears. God's silence does not mean that He is unresponsive. We always have God's attention. This book does more th...

Can we all just get along?E Pluribus Unum: “Out of many, one.” This motto is emblazoned on the Great Seal of the United States, but it could be the church’s model, too. Unfortunately, the daily experience of many Christians and churches feels like the opposite: out of one, many. We are increasingly aware of what makes us different from others, and it is hurting the church and its witness.All Together Different will help readers un...

OVER 100,000 COPIES SOLD!Now you can study the Bible with the faculty of the Moody Bible Institute!Imagine having a team of 30 Moody Bible Institute professors helping you study the Bible. Now you can with this in-depth, user-friendly, one-volume commentary.General editors Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham have led a team of contributors whose academic training, practical church experience, and teaching competency make this ...

Has the World Confused Evil with Righteousness?When sin is disguised as virtue, the path to cultivating righteousness becomes impossible. Such is the challenge Christians face in the modern age. Not long ago, most people would agree that the seven deadly sins are in fact deadly. But ask them today, and you’ll hear a different answer. Today, “anger” is often considered an admirable emotion, “lust” the only expression of love, and “greed” the unassailable right to “g...

What's in a name?In our culture, parents often select names for their children that are popular or have a nice ring to them. But our heavenly Father bestows on His children names that carry far more meaning and significance. In fact, the Bible reveals many labels believers have that indicate calling, position, and giftedness in Christ.In this devotional study, Dr. John Koessler shows that the names Christ gives to His followers contain more importance and richness than we o...

"I can't tell you how many times I have preached and afterward promised God I would never embarrass Him like that again." — Joseph M. Stowell.Unnatural. Supernatural. A gift. Hard work. Exhilarating. Terrifying. These words only begin to describe the challenge and reward each pastor experiences. So what can assist today's pastors in such an endeavor?The Moody Handbook of Preaching. With contributors like Michael Easley, Joseph Stowell, and George Sweeting, ...