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Celebrating the contributions of the ethnic seminary in America While the narrative of decline haunts churches and seminaries in the United States, there is great hope to be found in the explosive growth of Christian populations in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. In light of this, much can be learned from points of intersection between the minority and majority worlds, such as Logos Evangelical Seminary, an ATS-accredited Chinese-language seminary in California--the first in the US. Chloe Sun makes the case here for why an ethnic seminary like Logos has much to teach us about the evolving possibilities for theological education in a society of cultural exchange, with many populations living in diaspora. Sun, a professor of Old Testament at Logos, has herself been formed by an array of cultural influences. She was raised by Chinese parents who were born in Vietnam, she grew up hearing multiple languages, and she has lived in China, Hong Kong, and the United States. With this unique background, she recognizes and extols the richness of pluralism, recognizing in it the work of God, akin to the diversity instantiated at the biblical Pentecost event. The title of this book comes from Logos's motto: "Attempt great things for God; rescue millions of souls." In this spirit, Sun's vision is one of both humility and ambition, which begins by honoring the particularity of a person or group of people, and then moves outward to the universal, all-inclusive movement of the Holy Spirit.

"A short philosophical narrative about an angel wrestling with the decision to rebel against God and leave his post in the Garden of Eden"--

"A concise introduction to Judaism-including its history, beliefs, and practices-geared toward an American evangelical audience"--

"An interdisciplinary assessment of the phenomenon of spiritual healing"--

"A work of homiletical theology on the role of preaching in revealing God's beauty"--

A historian's discerning, critical take on current American politics"Believe me" may be the most commonly used phrase in Donald Trump's lexicon. Whether about building a wall or protecting a Christian heritage, the refrain has been constant. And to the surprise of many, a good 80 percent of white evangelicals have believed Trump--at least enough to help propel him into the White House.Historian John Fea is not surprised, however--and in these pages he explains how we have arrived at this unprecedented moment in American politics. An evangelical Christian himself, Fea argues that the embrace of Donald Trump is the logical outcome of a long-standing evangelical approach to public life defined by the politics of fear, the pursuit of worldly power, and a nostalgic longing for an American past. Now in paperback and as insightful as it is timely, Fea's Believe Me challenges Christians to replace fear with hope, the pursuit of power with humility, and nostalgia with history.

Church reimagined for a new day Katie Hays, planter-pastor of Galileo Church, shares the story of departing from the traditional church for the frontier of the spiritual-but-not-religious and building community with Jesus-loving (or at least Jesus-curious) outsiders. Now well-established, Galileo Church "seeks and shelters spiritual refugees" in the suburbs of Fort Worth, Texas--especially young adults, LGBTQ+ people, and all the people who love them. Told in funny, poignant, and short vignettes, Galileo's story is not one of how to be cool for Christ. Like its founder, Galileo is deeply uncool and deeply devout, and always straining ahead to see what God will do next. Hays says curiosity is her greatest virtue, and she recounts how her curiosity led her to share the good news with people who are half her age and intensely skeptical. If you are all-in with Jesus but have trust issues with church, We Were Spiritual Refugees will give you hope for finding a community-of-belonging to call home.

Considers the spiritual explorations of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, revealing how his spiritual life formed him into a moral leader.

How to read the Bible on matters of public policyChristians affirm the Bible as our standard of faith and practice. We turn to it to hear God's voice. But what relevance does the Bible have for the contentious public policy issues we face today? Although the Bible does not always speak explicitly to modern issues, it does give us guiding principles as we think about how we might vote or act as political figures ourselves. The Bible and the Ballot demonstrates the proper use of Scripture in contemporary political discussions. Christians regularly invoke the Bible to support their positions on many controversial political topics--gay marriage, poverty, war, religious liberty, immigration, the environment, taxes, etc.--and this book will help facilitate those conversations. Tremper Longman provides a hermeneutical approach to using the Bible in this manner, then proceeds topic by topic, citing important Scriptures to be taken into consideration in each case and offering an evangelical interpretation. Longman is careful to suggest levels of confidence in interpretation and acknowledges that often there are a range of possible applications. Each chapter includes questions to provoke further thought in individuals' minds or for group discussion. The Bible and the Ballot is a ready guide to understanding the Bible on issues that American Christians face today as we live within a pluralistic society.

Jesus cared for the least, but did Paul?The apostle Paul has a reputation for being detached from the concerns of the poor and powerless. In this book, Carla Swafford Works demonstrates that Paul's message and ministry are in harmony with the teaching of Jesus. She brings to light an apostle who preaches and models good news to the "least of these"--the poor, the marginalized, the disadvantaged, and the vulnerable. The Least of These begins by highlighting the presence of the marginalized in Paul's ministry by looking at poverty in Paul's churches, the involvement of slaves and freedpersons in the community, and the role of women in the Pauline mission. Works then examines the significance of the marginalized in Pauline theology by investigating how the apostle employs metaphors of the "least." Like Jesus, Paul cared deeply for people at the margins. Paul's ministry is consistent with that of Jesus. Both men cared for the poor. Paul served the least in his mission, modeling his apostolic ministry after the cross of Christ. Works shows that Paul, far from being an abstract thinker, was a practical theologian teaching a message and leading a life of compassion, kindness, and care.

A dynamic reading of Paul's faith language, outlining its subtle nuances as belief, trust, and faithfulness.Faith language permeates the letters of Paul. Yet, its exact meaning is not always clear. Many today, reflecting centuries of interpretation, consider belief in Jesus to be a passive act. In this important book, Nijay Gupta challenges common assumptions in the interpretation of Paul and calls for a reexamination of Paul's faith language. Gupta argues that Paul's faith language resonates with a Jewish understanding of covenant involving goodwill, trust, and expectation. Paul's understanding of faith involves the transformation of one's perception of God and the world through Christ, relational dependence on Christ, as well as active loyalty to Christ. Pastors and scholars alike will benefit from this close examination of Paul's understanding and use of faith language. For Gupta, Paul's understanding involves a divine-human relationship centered on Christ that believes, trusts, and obeys.