The early church in Corinth was falling apart. Sin was rampant, divisions were growing, and the congregation was living no differently than the world around them. What had corrupted this once vibrant church? The apostle Paul immediately understood the symptoms: The people had traded God's perfect wisdom for faulty human knowledge. Be Wise guides us through Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, where he encourages his fellow believers to embrace a life of wisdom and truth. Part of Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe's best-selling "BE" commentary series, Be Wise has now been updated with study questions and a new introduction by Ken Baugh. A respected pastor and Bible teacher, Dr. Wiersbe shares a wealth of insights on living wisely.
The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.
In first-century Greece, a fledgling church was struggling to live out their new faith in a corrupt culture. The congregation at Corinth was mired in contradiction, heralding the power of spiritual gifts and knowledge, yet foolishly engaging in sinful behavior. This troubled church inspired the apostle Paul to write one of his most extraordinary letters. The Wiersbe Bible Study Series explores timeless wisdom found in God's Word. Based on Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe's popular "BE" series of commentaries, each study provides topical, relevant insights from selected books of the Bible. Designed for small groups or individuals, this eight-week study explores Paul's call for wisdom in the life of the believer, a truth that remains as relevant as ever.
Even today, Jesus is still a figure of intense interest and admiration for millions. But then theres His church. Church is a boring topic for most, and a reluctantly fulfilled duty for many.
Experience how the power of the cross unleashes meaning and purpose in the midst of your daily life. This meditative and spiritual reflection by Ken Costa considers the cross and the king who died upon it. Christ’s work on the cross established a kingdom that is strange indeed, if a king died on the cross in order to establish it. It is a kingdom where suffering and abandonment are transformed into the power of presence and live, a kingdom where a King exchanges gifts of great value for worthless dross, where a robber becomes righteous, and a criminal becomes the first citizen of heaven. Spend some time as Easter draws near considering the strange, upside-down kingdom, where broken things are made whole. “A king who dies on the cross must be the king of a rather strange kingdom.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer "Strange Kingdom is a joy. In my 47 years in the Christian publishing business, Ken Costa’s compelling and inspirational reflections are unique on the meaning and purpose of the cross of Christ. A must-read for every Christian and a revelation for the spiritually curious.”—Joey Paul, Senior Editor, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Nashville, TN “Ken Costa masterfully and meticulously gives us an in-depth look at the cross of Jesus and what it means to us in our everyday lives.” —Robert Morris, Senior Pastor, Gateway Church, Southlake, TX “Ken Costa’s deep love for God and unashamed defense of the cross of Jesus Christ is mirrored in this book. The perspective of a banker, the mind of a scholar, and the heart of a Christian who wants people to love Christ radiates on every page.” —R. T. Kendall, author and former minister of Westminster Chapel, England “. . . a fresh revelation of Christ and the power of the cross.”—Joseph Prince, Senior Pastor, New Creation Church, Singapore “Not since John Stott’s The Cross of Christ have I read a book on the saving work of Jesus that I want to return to again and again as much as this one.” —Miles Toulmin, Vicar, HTBB, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia “This book will encourage your faith and deepen your understanding of what the cross means to people in their day-to-day lives.” —Jentezen Franklin, Senior Pastor, Free Chapel, Gainesville, GA “His honesty opens a window onto the meaning of the cross and the upside-down world it invites us in.” —Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, England
Why is suffering the common lot of all people everywhere--believers and non-believers alike--and why does it seem that the world is out of control when it comes to the problem of pain and suffering? Who’s in Charge of a World that Suffers? includes an informative and inspirational new introduction by Franklin Graham that speaks to today’s reader in the midst of painful circumstances. In this book, originally titled Till Armageddon, world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham uncovers the clues the scriptures offer in answer to that universal question--why do people suffer? Readers will discover what the Bible says about: Why Christians are not exempt from suffering Living above your circumstances The place of prayer in suffering God’s promises for those who suffer And much more Christians are called to learn what it means to trust God in every circumstance, and to live for Him no matter what comes their way. It is essential to think more clearly about suffering, and to rearrange your priorities so that when your personal armageddons come, you will not be taken by surprise or be unprepared. Christian readers, pastors, Bible study leaders, and anyone questioning where God fits into suffering will find encouragement in this message of hope for a broken world.
Life Is Never Mainly About Love and Marriage. So Learn to Live and Date for More. Many of you grew up assuming that marriage would meet all of your needs and unlock God's purposes for you. But God has far more planned for you than your future marriage. Not Yet Married is not about waiting quietly in the corner of the world for God to bring you "the one," but about inspiring you to live and date for more now. If you follow Jesus, the search for a spouse is no longer a pursuit of the perfect person, but a pursuit of more of God. He will likely write a love story for you different than the one you would write for yourself, but that's because he loves you and knows how to write a better story. This book was written to help you find real hope, happiness, and purpose in your not-yet-married life.
The national directory addresses the dimensions and perspectives in the formation of deacons and the model standards for the formation, ministry, and life of deacons in the United States. It is intended as a guideline for formation, ministry, and life of permanent deacons and a directive to be utilized when preparing or updating a diaconate program in formulating policies for the ministry and life of deacons. This volume also includes Basic Standards for Readiness for the formation of permanent deacons in the United States, from the bishops' Committee on the Diaconate, and the committee document Visit of Consultation Teams to Diocesan Permanent Diaconate Formation Programs.
