It's easy for us to trust God when life is going well.But when suffering comes, trusting God's goodness, his attentiveness to what's going on in the world, and his justice becomes far more difficult. In times of intense suffering, many of us ask, Why does God allow these things to happen?In the Bible, Job is known for facing intense personal suffering. Yet, upon closer examination, we find the book of Job is about more than just Job's calamities; i...

A Good Marriage Begins with God.It is our natural tendency to seek personal happiness and satisfaction in marriage. We often give our own needs, wants, and goals first priority. But what is God's design for our marriages? With clarity and conviction, Christopher Ash turns us away from marriage for ourselves and toward marriage in the service of God. With practical applications for everyday life, Ash shows us God's purposes and patterns for every part of the marriag...

Stand-Alone Commentary Set from Christopher Ash Sets Out a Deeply Christian Study of the PsalmsWhile reading Psalms, it is common for commentaries to focus on Old Testament meaning, without connecting it deeply to Christ's fulfillment in the New Testament. By studying Scripture this way, believers miss out on the fullness of God's word. The key to experiencing authentically Christian worship is learning a Christ-focused approach to praying and singing the Psalms.

Life can be hard, and sometimes it seems like God doesn't even care. When faced with difficult trials, many people have resonated with the book of Job—the story of a man who lost nearly everything, seemingly abandoned by God.In this thorough and accessible commentary, Christopher Ash helps us glean encouragement from God's Word by directing our attention to the final explanation and ultimate resolution of Job's story: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Intended to e...

Why on earth does anyone need a guide on how to listen to sermons? Don't we simply need to 'be there' and stay awake? Yet Jesus said: 'Consider carefully how you listen.' The fact is, much more is involved in truly listening to Bible teaching than just sitting and staring at the preacher.Christopher Ash outlines seven ingredients for healthy listening. He then deals with how to respond to bad sermons - ones that are dull, or inadequate, or heretical. And finally, he challenges us w...

Exhaustion and burnout is experienced by many people who are involved in Christian ministry, sometimes to the extent that they simply cannot carry on.Christopher Ash knows this experience all too well. As a pastor of a growing church, and in his role training people for ministry, he has been on the edge of burnout a number of times, and has pastored many younger ministers in similar situations.His wisdom has been distilled into this short, accessible book, in which he revea...

Faithfully follow Jesus through the unique opportunities and challenges of your stage of life.Our 50s and 60s are two decades with unique opportunities and challenges.Perhaps you are becoming an empty-nester, considering or entering retirement, caring for elderly parents, or welcoming grandchildren. This stage of life is new and different, but the joyful call of following Jesus is the same.In Not Old, Not Young, Not Done, you’ll find encour...

Christopher Ash shows us how to read and apply the book of Psalms. He takes us through 15 pairs of psalms that represent various ‘types’—including some that are very familiar and some that are often ignored.He helps us to see how they are fulfilled by Jesus and therefore point to Jesus first and foremost, transforming how we read them, enjoy them and sing them.Christopher Ash comments that this understanding of the Psalms "can shape the dynamics of our Christian lives in wa...

Thousands of people leave Christian ministry every month. They have not lost their love for Christ, or their desire to serve him. But for one reason or another, they are exhausted and simply cannot carry on. Christopher Ash knows this experience all too well. As a pastor of a growing church, and then in his role training people for ministry, he has found himself on the edge of burnout a number of times, and has pastored many younger ministers who have reached the end of their tether. His w...

Our world is fractured on every level—from the family to international relations. The news constantly reports broken relationships, strife-ridden communities and warring nations.So what hope is there for a world of fractured relationships? Discover the Bible's surprising answer: the local church.This revised and updated edition of Christopher Ash's Bible overview takes readers through the big sweep of Scripture, following the theme of scattering and gathering God's people. ...

Our 50s and 60s are two decades with unique opportunities and challenges.Perhaps you are becoming an empty-nester, considering or entering retirement, caring for elderly parents or welcoming grandchildren. This stage of life is new and different, but the joyful call of following Jesus is the same.In Not Old, Not Young, Not Done, you’ll find encouragement to faithfully follow Jesus through the ups and downs of this season. No matter what the specific circumstances y...

In this stimulating and easy-to-read book, Christopher Ash takes a fresh look at the overarching narrative of the Bible and brings it to bear on the most pressing question for today's believers: "How can the ordinary local church help restore the fractured world we live in?"