Bücher veröffentlicht von IVP

In writings lovingly collected and edited by his wife Marie after his death, Paul E. Little explores the central question of Christianity: can we know God? By looking at the identity of Jesus Christ, his claims regarding his identity and his promises to his followers and inquirers, we arrive at the wonderful conclusion of the Christian faith: through Jesus Christ we may know God personally.

In clear, concise prose, Timothy Paul Jones takes on Bart Ehrman's misleading conclusions about how we got the New Testament, how the New Testament documents have been transmitted and what kind of diversity existed among early Christians.

Following Jesus, says John White, is not cheap. The cost is substantial. But the benefits, rewards and joys that come with our commitment to him are well worth it. Here is a classic work on what it means to be a follower of Christ in all its suffering and glory.

Alex Gee tells a very personal story about dealing with pain and loss. After his wife had several miscarriages, Alex lost two children at birth. This book reveals how he processed these experiences with God. He examines how we ask and answer the hard questions of pain and suffering, and how our view of God may change as a result.

We live in a cynical age. Cynicism is in the air we breathe; it is a cultural norm; it is the default setting and lens through which many of us view the world. In this book, Dick Keyes explores cynicism in all its manifestations and then looks beyond to alternatives that speak honestly about suspicion, trust and hope.

Mike King proposes a youth ministry centered in the presence of God. Here, young people encounter Christ not in the flash and pop of arena ministry, but in the sacred shadow of his presence. This book gives shape to such ministry through the classic disciplines and potent symbols and practices that have sustained the church over the centuries.

Albert Hsu unpacks the spiritual significance of suburbia and explores how suburban culture shapes how we live and practice our faith. With broad historical background and sociological analysis, Hsu offers guidance and hope for all who would seek the welfare of the suburbs.

Do you dream of making a difference for God but wonder how to begin? Pam Farrel shares what she has learned about disciple making, discovering a personal ministry and staying focused on your goals. And she shows how you can be a faithful servant of God in all of those relationships and circumstances.

Hip-hop is here. The beats ring out in our cities. Hip-hop culture is all around us: in the clothes youth wear, in the music they listen to, in the ways they express themselves. It is the language they speak, the rhythm they move to. It is a culture familiar with the hard realities of our broken world; the generation raised with rap knows about the pain. They need to know about the hope. Enter the hip-hop church. Like the culture it rises from, the hip-hop church is relevant and bold. And it speaks to the heart. In this book, pastors Efrem Smith and Phil Jackson show the urgency of connecting hip-hop culture and church to reach a generation with the gospel of Jesus Christ. They give practical ideas from their urban churches and other hip-hop churches about how to engage and incorporate rap, break dancing, poetry and deejays to worship Jesus and preach his Word. Hip-hop culture is shaping the next generation. Ignoring it will not reduce its influence; it will only separate us from the youth moving to its rhythm. How will they hear Christ's message of truth and hope if we don't speak their language? And how can we speak their language if we don't understand and embrace their culture? Hear the beat. Join the beat. Become the beat that brings truth and hope to a hungry, hurting generation.

Volume editors Peter Cha, Steve Kang and Helen Lee, with a team of veteran Asian American pastors and church leaders, offer eight key values for healthy Asian American churches. Growing Healthy Asian American Churches draws on years of expertise and is filled with practical examples from landmark churches like Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles, NewSong Church and Lighthouse Christian Church and with insights from pioneering leaders like Ken Fong, David Gibbons, Grace May, Wayne Ogimachi and Soong-Chan Rah. It is an essential guide for Asian American church leaders wanting to help their congregations achieve health and growth.

Today's pluralistic society is filled with religious alternatives and options, and the choices for faith commitment have never been more numerous. Many of these new religious movements are growing at a far faster pace than most traditional Christian denominations. Why are they so appealing? Sociologist Ronald Enroth and a team of expert contributors provide an accessible handle on the key religious movements of our day, from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Jehovah's Witnesses to contemporary versions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. They assess what each movement believes, why they are attractive to so many, and how Christians can respond with grace and truth.

Packer and Nystrom spotlight Bible characters who were imperfect, yet God used them anyway. This book will encourage anyone who has ever felt like a hopeless sinner.

Ben Witherington III confronts the claims of The Da Vinci Code with the sure-footedness of a New Testament scholar, yet in the plain language that any interested reader can follow. Dan Brown's international bestseller The Da Vinci Code has raised many questions in the minds of readers: Was Jesus really married to Mary Magdalene? Did he father a child with her? Did Constantine suppress the earliest Gospels and invent the doctrine of Christ's divinity? Do the Gnostic Gospels represent the true Christian faith which the early church sought to supplant?The Da Vinci Code popularizes the speculations and contentions of numerous more serious books that are also attracting wide attention. How should we respond to claims that we now have documents that reveal secrets about Jesus, secrets long suppressed by the church and other religious institutions? Do these new documents successfully debunk traditional views about Jesus and early Christianity? Ben Witherington takes us back to the early centuries after Jesus' death and tells us what we can really know about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, the canonical Gospels and their Gnostic rivals.

The Avoider. The Deflector. The Self-Blamer. The Aggressor.Recognize someone you know? Or yourself?We all know people who seem to get stuck in unhealthy patterns of relating to others. Sometimes we're puzzled by a loved one's evasiveness or surprised by a friend's defensive aggression. Occasionally we look in the mirror and see such troubling behaviors in ourselves. All of these are masks that we hide behind, and they prevent us from having authentic relationships with others.Counselor Russell Willingham identifies the relational masks that obstruct us from relating freely to other people and to God. Drawing on a wealth of practical experience and biblical insight, he diagnoses the destructive ways that we respond to others and shows how underlying false beliefs govern our thinking and actions. He also shows how each mask can be subverted from within and turned inside out to help us move toward healthy relationships. Each chapter includes tools and questions for discussion and application.Discover how to relate to others with the honesty and authenticity God intended--and find the relational freedom and satisfaction you've been yearning for.

Abuse is ugly. It is always wrong. It is never part of God?s design for healthy family living. It distorts relationships and shatters dreams. It creates pain and despair. It never produces hope.You know this all too well--that's why you've picked up this book.Nancy Nason-Clark and Catherine Clark Kroeger know the pain of women who have been abused, especially the unique pain of Christian women who thought it couldn't happen to them. In this straightforward, practical book they supply the answer to the questions you face: How do I know I need help? How much of my story should I tell? Where do I find spiritual support as a victim of abuse? What help can I find in the community? How do I get started on the healing journey? What key steps will I need to take to get on with my life? How can I understand what help my abuser needs? How do I learn to trust God again?Their advice is solid, backed up by Nason-Clark's professional expertise as a sociologist and Kroeger's as a biblical scholar. Together they supply both here-and-now, step-by-step advice you need to start the healing journey and biblical insights to nourish your soul and sustain you on the path to wholeness.

Recipient of a Christianity Today 1993 Critics Choice AwardOver the last fifty years God has used InterVarsity Christian Fellowship to shape the lives of thousands of students. This fascinating chronicle begins with the early influences that shaped university witness since its founding. Eventually these influences coalesced to form InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in the United States fifty years ago. From those early beginnings with only a few staff covering the whole country and a world war breaking out, the work grew and flourished beyond human expectation. From the Urbana conventions to a new approach to Christian witness called friendship evangelism to in-depth inductive study of the Bible, InterVarsity was constantly innovating and growing. From work among nurses to promotion of missions to creative use of media, InterVarsity became a multifaceted ministry. The setbacks that are part of any human endeavor are found in this book too. But here is a story of what God did through a handful of people with a big idea.

What's wrong with Calvinism? Since the Reformation, Calvinism has dominated much of evangelical thought. It has been so well established that many Christians simply assume it to be the truest expression of Christian doctrine. But Calvinism has some serious biblical and theological weaknesses that unsettle laypeople, pastors and scholars alike. God is sovereign. All evangelical Christians--whether Arminians or Calvinists--have no doubt about this fundamental truth. But how does God express his sovereignty? Is God a master puppeteer, pulling our strings? Or has he graciously given his children freedom to respond to his love? In this eminently readable book, Jerry L. Walls and Joseph R. Dongell explore the flaws of Calvinist theology. Why I Am Not a Calvinist is a must-read for all who struggle with the limitations of this dominant perspective within evangelical theology.

Art Lindsley ably demonstrates that faith in Christ is necessarily opposed to and incompatible with the abuses of oppression, arrogance, intolerance, self-righteousness, closed-mindedness and defensiveness. Surprisingly, he shows that it is relativism which often harbors dangerous, inflexible absolutisms.

Going far beyond matters of creation and evolution, Johnson calls for all true educators and leaders to openly pursue questions of ultimate concern, including questions about the meaning of human history, about God, and God's Word.

In Bored with God, Sean Dunn catalogs what he's seen of apathy in his ministry to youth. He offers sympathetic guidance from the Scriptures for keeping apathy from spreading and for shepherding students into spiritual hunger.

Explores the messages of twenty-five of the greatest hymns in the Christian faith.Uncovers fresh meaning and new significance to familiar, favorite hymns.Show how biblical truths are encapsulated in the lyrics of hymns.Shows how the great hymns have shaped the church's life and vitality.Includes the lyrics of each featured hymn.Written by a musician and preacherPerfect for devotional reading!

Rebecca Osaigbovo tells women who who want to be the keys to change in their homes, churches and communities: "Stop going your own way and follow God's lead."

God is up to something! And his plans are far greater than you might imagine. Christianity is not merely about isolated individuals going to heaven. It's about God transforming the entire world and making things right. Sicknesses will be healed, sins will be forgiven, injustice will be eradicated, and all creation will be redeemed. But this is not merely a distant future. It's happening now through what Jesus came to establish--the kingdom of God. Allen Wakabayashi reawakens you to the world-changing reality of the kingdom of God. With clear, biblical insight, he unpacks what Jesus proclaimed about the good news of the kingdom and spells out the implications for you today. Focusing on the kingdom of God will revolutionize how you live out your faith, how you think about your world and how you explain the good news about Jesus. Ultimately, understanding yourself as a citizen of the kingdom will empower you to be one of God's change agents in the world. God is at work to restore everything to be the way he intended it to be, and you can be a part of what he is doing! Get a glimpse of the kingdom coming, and experience his will being done--on earth as it is in heaven.

"Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just"--Blaise Pascal.Problems plague the world around us. Many in our churches and communities face injustice, crime, poverty, racism and other daunting evils. But often Christians have not known how to respond effectively. The issues seem bigger than anything the church can handle, and so we are paralyzed into inaction and offer halfhearted prayers at best.Yet throughout history God has empowered his people to stand up to injustice. When the situation calls for confrontation or structural change, our response must be more than personal piety, pastoral care or individualistic evangelism. Christians must become proficient in the practice and exercise of power.Christians have often been wary of power, thinking of it as something inherently evil or oppressive. But God calls his people to wield power responsibly and to use it to promote his kingdom ideals of justice and peace.Robert Linthicum offers an integrative, biblical study of the proper use of power. Based on a thorough exploration of Scripture and decades of real-world experience in community organizing and urban ministry, Linthicum's model of relational power provides sound, practical strategies for changing individuals, communities, structures and systems.With insights from biblical mentors like Nehemiah and Paul as well as contemporary examples of Christians in action, this book offers hope for all who want to move toward the vision of the shalom community--God's intended best for communities and the world.

One of Discerning Reader's Best BooksWe are not created to worship. Nor are we created for worship. We are created worshiping.Too often Christians have only thought of worship in terms of particular musical styles or liturgical formats. But a proper view of worship is far larger than what takes place in churches on Sunday mornings. Worship is not limited to specific times, places or activities.God is by his very nature continuously outpouring himself. Because we are created in his image, we too are continually pouring ourselves in various directions, whether toward God or toward false gods. All of us, Christian or not, are always worshiping, whether or not that worship is directed toward God. We are unceasing worshipers.The fruition of a lifetime of study, reflection and experience, this volume sets forth Harold M. Best's understanding of worship and the arts. Widely respected as one of the foremost thinkers and practitioners in his field, Best explores the full scope of worship as continuous outpouring in all settings and contexts. With careful exposition and eloquent analysis, Best casts a holistic vision for worship that transcends narrow discussions of musical style or congregational preference. On this broader canvas, Best addresses popular misunderstandings about the use of music and offers correctives toward a more biblically consistent practice of artistic action.Incisive, biblical, profound and comprehensive, Best's landmark volume is one by which all other statements on worship and the arts will be measured.

"By his wounds we are healed"--Isaiah 53:5. We are wounded people. In this fallen world, people are hurt and exploited. Children are abused. Marriages are broken. Tragedies of all kinds afflict us and the ones we love. Woundedness, it seems, is simply a fact of life. But we are not alone in our suffering. Despite our emotional, psychological and physical injuries, God has not abandoned us. God is not distant or aloof. On the contrary, through the ministry of Jesus, God enters our painful situations to bring healing and redemption. Balancing sound biblical exposition with sensitive pastoral care, Stephen Seamands examines the profound implications of Jesus' crucifixion for our healing and restoration. Because Jesus experienced abuse, shame and rejection, he understands the hurts we experience today. And his response to pain and suffering gives us hope that we too can experience forgiveness and new life. Filled with real-life stories of people?s brokenness and healing, Wounds That Heal offers comfort for our wounded souls. Ultimately, we take heart that God not only understands our pain but has done something about it. Encounter here the promise that the wounds of Jesus are wounds that heal.

We work long and hard to make our ministry the biggest, the loudest, the brightest.But look out and listen up: God is not caught up in sound and fury. And he doesn't want to see youth workers disengage--letting the momentum define their purpose. Mike Higgs, reflecting on more than two decades of work with youth, thinks the greatest need among youth workers today is a reminder of who we are. We need to set aside the distractions of an emphasis on performance and focus instead on connecting with God in his work in us, our students and other youth workers. When a renewed spirit shapes our work with youth, our ministry will become less a muddled chorus of strategies and targets, and more a symphony of purpose and practice.

Table of Contents1. Spirit-Empowered Leadership2. Followership and Self-Surrender3. Pay the Price, Carry the Cross4. God's Power in Cracked Pots5. The Power of Personal Example6. The Power of Partners7. Through Prayer8. The Race to the Bottom9. The Leadership We Need Is Apostolic Appendix: Pray for a Burden--Hearing God's Direction for Your Ministry

Throughout the world today, Christians continue to face intense persecution, and Christian women are often the most vulnerable. In Pakistan, Christian girls are systematically kidnapped, tortured and raped. In China, underground church leaders are sent to labor camps for hosting illegal home meetings. In Sudan, Christian women are captured and sold into slavery or mutilated and left to die. And in many Muslim countries, a woman can be killed by her husband or father for converting to Christianity. In this deeply moving book, Kay Marshall Strom and Michele Rickett tell the stories of persecuted Christian women from around the world. From Africa to the Middle East to Asia, they give voice to our sisters persevering under the yoke of oppression and injustice. Each section provides specific prayer points and practical action steps to equip us to respond to the issues at hand. Above all, these stories remind us that suffering is part of the call of followers of Jesus. The challenges do not mean that God has abandoned us. Rather, God is active and present with his suffering people. Do not be discouraged. Take heart from these daughters of hope.¿

Drama has power.It can awaken us. Make us curious. Reveal our inner desires and passions. Remind us of our foolishness.Drama has power in worship.It can snap us out of our Sunday morning (or Saturday night) trance. It can draw us into the story of Scripture. It can help us see our sin. It can motivate us to change.But drama can also be dull, predictable, guilt-inducing and just plain cheesy. How do we avoid the pitfalls and discover the power?Alison Siewert and her team of writers have some ideas about that. They offer in this handbook articles on every aspect of drama ministry--from why it's biblical to how to direct a performance, from warm-ups for actors to how to write your own sketches. You'll learn how to do drama that is simple and meaningful--without experienced actors. You'll learn how to craft drama with authenticity and excellence. Also included are cutting-edge sketches for the postmodern crowd that you can reproduce for your drama team and use in your ministry.Drama has power to change lives. Drama Team Handbook will show you how.