Bücher veröffentlicht von Concordia Publishing House

There was a time when Simon knew nothing about the Message or what it meant to be a Messenger. Now, he's seen firsthand the cost of preserving the truth and upholding the light in the darkness.Simon's life is in constant danger, and that brings peril to those he loves. He's been beaten, battered, and betrayed. Now, he struggles with knowing whom he can trust. How can he protect others when he's already lost so much?Time is running out, and the end is drawing near. Who will survive the battle to preserve the Message?There's a truth out there that must be revealed. Join Simon and the Messengers as they risk their lives to share it.Book three of The Messengers series.

Drs. Bull and Pingel invite you to travel with them around the world, visiting different Lutheran schools that are growing, innovating, and thriving in a culture that challenges Christian education.Each of the eleven case studies in this book looks at a successful school, delving into its background and history, challenges and opportunities, goals and outcomes. Far from a step-by-step recipe for success, Imagine the Possibilities will expand your awareness of the vast potential in Christian education and provide you with ideas to consider implementing in your school.May these examples inspire you to create your own compelling story of a thriving Lutheran school, wherever God has called you to serve.

The Lutheran Prayer Companion is the first-ever English translation of the German Evangelical-Lutheran Prayer Treasury, featuring prayers written by Luther and other church fathers.Nearly 500 prayers that cover almost any situation, every Sunday in the Church Year, and each day of the weekMore than 100 hymn textsTopical prayer indexWhen you don't have the words to pray, when you feel unsure in your prayers, when you are struggling to pray-turn to these prayers rooted deeply in God's Word. These prayers will certainly enhance your prayer life, draw you closer to your Savior, and inspire your own prayers.

The history of the Church-and in particular, the Reformation of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries-is a fascinating subject of study. While individuals such as Martin Luther and John Calvin stand out, there are certainly other, though perhaps lesser-known, characters who left their own significant marks on history.John Frederick the Magnanimous was one such character.This biography of the Saxon elector who ruled from 1532 to 1547 is the first-ever English translation of Georg Mentz's original biography of John Frederick. Featuring abundant coverage of the elector's life and the political issues he faced, this biography also provides useful background for the study of Luther's later years, as well as a description of the Smalcald War following Luther's death.

We live in a godless culture. What are we to do when the faith of the next generation is threatened and challenged? We respond by embracing godly character.Embracing godly character means exploring how to center our lives on God's Word and promises. It means learning how the Christian community of old responded to similar cultural challenges. And it means being rooted in the identity God has given us through Christ.Parents and other faith leaders within the Christian community are essential to raising godly families, and that begins with starting a conversation about the role that character formation plays in equipping the next generation to stand firm in the faith-for now and for generations to come.

The distinction between the Law and the Gospel is an often-overlooked necessity when comprehending Scripture. Law and Gospel are not meant to be balanced or coordinated; rather, they should be rightly distinguished. This distinction is not a theoretical abstraction but a functional necessity for preaching and pastoral care lest sinners be left with their own attempts at righteousness, which can lead only to arrogance or despair.The thirteen exploratory essays in The Necessary Distinction work through the implications of this distinction for preaching, pastoral care, liturgy, mission, and Christian living. Each essay will draw readers into a deep look at the Holy Scriptures so that Christ Jesus is preached with greater clarity and broken sinners are given the full consolation of the forgiveness of sins.

The Church is no longer the darling of the culture. Those who have the courage to confess the Bible's truths are labeled haters, enemies of culture, and hurtful to the state. The adversarial relationship between our culture and Christians is not unlike the one faced by our fathers in the earliest days of the Church.But the Bible was written in a cultural situation far worse than the one we face today. When we begin to fear that Satan is triumphing, we must hear our Lord tell us that He will build His Church, "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). So even though it seems like Satan is winning, Christ promises that the devil will not prevail.Each sermon and essay in this volume testifies to the power of Christ's promise to defend His Church. The Word of God does what it says, and the gates of hell will never prevail against the kingdom of Christ, the Church. Christ promises.

Technology influences every part of society-it shapes the way we think, speak, and act. In our increasingly technology-centered world, we must realize the impact of technology and make deliberate, intentional choices about how we use it.As Christians, we will always face challenges and opportunities in this digital age. At the intersection of faith and life, we must seek a biblical perspective about technology-for today and for tomorrow.

The faithful practice of closed Communion is challenged in our day both culturally and ecclesiastically. As Western culture careens down a path of individualism and autonomy, the privatization of faith leads many to regard participation in the Sacrament as a matter of personal entitlement.But the issue of admission to the Lord's Supper is neither a matter of personal entitlement nor based on notions of being a welcoming and affirming church. Rather, it entails questions regarding both the nature of the Sacrament and of the character of the Church.The essays brought together in Closed Communion? Admission to the Lord's Supper in Biblical Lutheran Perspective are both old and new. Taken together, they bear testimony to a common Lutheran conviction and serve to assist both pastors and laity in understanding the biblical and confessional basis for closed Communion.

While thorough and scholarly, Dr. Richard H. Warneck's Pastoral Ministry: Theology and Practice is insightful and practical. He not only speaks to the many challenges faced by pastors, but also presents the theological foundation of pastoral ministry in such a way as to inspire and restore the vision of parish ministry for pastors and their congregations.

Hana's life is on pause. She's between homes, between jobs, between a rock and a hard place. She and Isaac, her son with special needs, are running from a painful past, and she's looking to the future with not much hope. And then she meets Pastor Matthew Schofield.Matt loves his books, his writing, and his small Oklahoma congregation. His life is studious and predictable, just the way he likes it. When he meets Hana and Isaac, who are anything but predictable, his world is forever changed. As Matt forms a surprising bond with Isaac, Hana is challenged to view God and His promises in a whole new light.Thoughtful and eloquent, Loving Isaac is a story of compassion and trust that will renew your faith in the power of God to work change in both big and small ways.

Over the course of history, many critics have attacked Martin Luther and brought many false claims against him. Defending Luther's Reformation directly addresses those controversial views of Luther, and equips readers to defend the existence of Lutheranism as a confession, dealing with both the successes and failures of the Lutheran Reformation.Defending Luther's Reformation will prove a valuable resource for Lutheran pastors, teachers, and students as well as those simply interested in history and the Reformation.

This updated edition presents a thoughtful look at the role of the Lutheran Confessions among the various Lutheran church bodies in North America, including a new chapter on how the Confessions are interpreted and applied and a timeline of American Lutheranism. This book explains and interprets the history of Lutheran confession in America during the past two centuries and explores how Lutherans have grappled with the theological heritage of their confessional writings within an American cultural setting. It examines models Lutherans have used to allow their confessional documents to speak to the contemporary scene. An awareness of this history should help Lutheransfind their identity in the spiritual pluralism of todayprovide direction for navigating "through the various winds and storms of contemporary ideologies, theologies, and relativisms of post-modernity"help prevent absorption by the alluring cultural currents that wreak havoc with identity and with Christianity in any form

This is the story of how one of the world's most famous atheists became one of its most famous Christians.From Atheism to Christianity: The Story of C. S. Lewis is the spiritual homecoming story of Clive Staples Lewis, a careful and thoughtful scholar who spent fifteen years journeying the long road from atheism to theism and, eventually, to Christianity. Drawing from Lewis's own writings, as well as those he sought out during his quest for spiritual understanding, From Atheism to Christianity highlights the longing, reluctance, searching, and surrender that defined these years of Lewis's life and provides answers to the questions that surround this profound character:What attracted Lewis to atheism and eventually Christianity? How did he leave atheism behind?Why did his journey take fifteen years? Who influenced his thought during those years? What authors did he read, and whom did he interact with and confide in?Explore the most tumultuous and defining years of C. S. Lewis's life, gathering clues that reveal the meaning of life for contemporary atheists and theists-all from the perspective of one who knew both atheism and Christianity from the inside."Remember, I had always wanted, above all things, not to be 'interfered with.' I had wanted (mad wish) 'to call my soul my own.'" -C. S. Lewis

We are all too familiar with the same old human pitfall: we rush after the desires of our hearts and worship ourselves instead of Jesus Christ. And yet, the dangers of inward idolatry are a neglected topic in Western theology.Without God's First-Commandment-focused Law, we would never truly know the depth of our spiritual disease. Anything we fear, love, or trust more than the true God is, plain and simple, our god.Drawing upon Martin Luther's key insights on the theology of idolatry, The Unholy Trinity unmasks contemporary idol worship and its futility. Luther's unparalleled ability to get to the heart of human sin helps us see through the lie of self-sufficiency. Only when walls of man-made security are broken down can we hear the Gospel as good news-by grace, God gives us every good thing we vainly try to provide for ourselves.

Outcast. Radical. Countercultural.Does standing out in the crowd ever leave you speechless?Like in St. Paul's day, the church around the world-and particularly in America-now frequently faces hostility at the first mention of "homosexuality" in casual conversations or public square debates.Author Matthew Rueger openly embraces this hot topic, giving you a framework for defending your beliefs by first exploring the relationship between sexual sin in ancient history and twenty-first century tangles of the same flavor. Topics such as temptation, promiscuity, marriage, homosexuality, natural law, and the church's role in it all swirl together to reveal our unifying need for a Savior. Rueger writes compassionately with a father's heart and adamantly with a fierce determination to outline the truth about sexual morality from a reasoned Christian perspective.We need to expect the unpleasant from our opponents, arm ourselves with answers to common objections, and speak in clarity and love. And let's not lose sight of the church as a place of refuge for those who are battered down by their desires. Real people with real struggles are being lost.Find your voice!

What lies ahead?Maybe you're about to start a new job. Maybe an important relationship is changing. But guess what? God doesn't change, and neither does what He did for you in Christ.These fifty-two devotions, written by father-son duo Ed and Aaron Grube, cover the gamut of life's issues, includingadjusting to life changes;dealing with anxiety;staying connected to God through the Bible and prayer;finding contentment and value in your vocation; andcoping with crisis.Arranged topically for easy reference, each devotion reflection includes a short story or real-life example from one of the authors and scriptural applications.

Breaking through the noise of our hyper-sexualized Western culture, Ethics of Sex is a much-needed, masterful compilation that speaks to the nature of Christian sexual ethics as simultaneously positive and prohibitive. Ten distinct yet interrelated essays invite us back to a way of life in harmony with the Lord's created order, an order that bears fruit in intimacy, compassion, love, and joy.Embrace the wisdom and counsel of these words, reminding all that Jesus' love for His Church forgives sexual sin and restores His people to fellowship in the kingdom of heaven-young or old, married or single. Our identity remains in Christ.Essay topics include:Male and female sex differences Marriage Polygamy ContraceptionSex education Self-pollutionHomosexuality Transgenderism