Nowhere is Jesus' brilliance more manifest than in the prayer he taught his disciples to pray, the prayer that has come to be known as the "Lord's Prayer." A mere fifty-seven words in the original Greek, the Lord's Prayer gathers up all of life and brings it before God. In eight stirring meditations, Darrell Johnson shows how the Lord's Prayer sums up the essence of Christian faith and, when prayed in faith, draws us into draws us into the Triune God's work of transforming the world. Darrell W. Johnson is Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A popular conference and retreat speaker, he has also served as the preaching pastor for a number of congregations in North America and the Philippines and Adjunct Professor of Preaching for the Doctor of Ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. His other books include Experiencing the Trinity and Discipleship on the Edge: An Expository Journey through the Book of Revelation.
Revelation is probably the most read, but least understood book of the Bible. History is replete with examples of how not to interpret it, and books featuring end-of-world prophecy claims based on Revelation consistently top the bestseller lists. But how can the message of such an enigmatic book be applied to our lives today? In Discipleship on the Edge, Darrell W. Johnson drives home the challenging and practical message of Revelation in thirty carefully crafted sermons. Paying careful attention to the original context of Revelation and the circumstances surrounding its composition, Johnson shows that the book is not a "crystal ball" but rather a "discipleship manual." Thoroughly researched and yet accessible, this collection of sermons is a helpful resource for pastors and small group leaders who are looking for models to help them preach and teach the message of Revelation in a time when there is much confusion about the end times. Darrell W. Johnson serves as Scholar-in-Residence at The Way Church and Canadian Church Leaders Network in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A popular conference and retreat speaker, he has also served as the preaching pastor for a number of congregations in North America and the Philippines, as well as serving as Adjunct Professor of Preaching for the Doctor of Ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and a Teaching Fellow at Regent College. His other books include Experiencing the Trinity and Fifty-Seven Words That Change The World.
A Good Morning America Book Club Pick and New York Times Bestseller! From debut author Asha Lemmie, “a lovely, heartrending story about love and loss, prejudice and pain, and the sometimes dangerous, always durable ties that link a family together.” —Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Nightingale Kyoto, Japan, 1948. “Do not question. Do not fight. Do not resist.” Such is eight-year-old Noriko “Nori” Kamiza’s first lesson. She will not question why her mother abandoned her with only these final words. She will not fight her confinement to the attic of her grandparents’ imperial estate. And she will not resist the scalding chemical baths she receives daily to lighten her skin. The child of a married Japanese aristocrat and her African American GI lover, Nori is an outsider from birth. Her grandparents take her in, only to conceal her, fearful of a stain on the royal pedigree that they are desperate to uphold in a changing Japan. Obedient to a fault, Nori accepts her solitary life, despite her natural intellect and curiosity. But when chance brings her older half-brother, Akira, to the estate that is his inheritance and destiny, Nori finds in him an unlikely ally with whom she forms a powerful bond—a bond their formidable grandparents cannot allow and that will irrevocably change the lives they were always meant to lead. Because now that Nori has glimpsed a world in which perhaps there is a place for her after all, she is ready to fight to be a part of it—a battle that just might cost her everything. Spanning decades and continents, Fifty Words for Rain is a dazzling epic about the ties that bind, the ties that give you strength, and what it means to be free.
An instant New York Times bestseller. Over 1 million copies sold! Two spiritual giants. Five days. One timeless question. Nobel Peace Prize Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have survived more than fifty years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships—or, as they would say, because of them—they are two of the most joyful people on the planet. In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu traveled to the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala, India, to celebrate His Holiness's eightieth birthday and to create what they hoped would be a gift for others. They looked back on their long lives to answer a single burning question: How do we find joy in the face of life's inevitable suffering? They traded intimate stories, teased each other continually, and shared their spiritual practices. By the end of a week filled with laughter and punctuated with tears, these two global heroes had stared into the abyss and despair of our time and revealed how to live a life brimming with joy. This book offers us a rare opportunity to experience their astonishing and unprecedented week together, from the first embrace to the final good-bye. We get to listen as they explore the Nature of True Joy and confront each of the Obstacles of Joy—from fear, stress, and anger to grief, illness, and death. They then offer us the Eight Pillars of Joy, which provide the foundation for lasting happiness. Throughout, they include stories, wisdom, and science. Finally, they share their daily Joy Practices that anchor their own emotional and spiritual lives. The Archbishop has never claimed sainthood, and the Dalai Lama considers himself a simple monk. In this unique collaboration, they offer us the reflection of real lives filled with pain and turmoil in the midst of which they have been able to discover a level of peace, of courage, and of joy to which we can all aspire in our own lives.
Using colorful visuals, easy-to-read summaries, and reflections, The Lord's Prayer Bible Study takes you through the seven petitions of one of Jesus's most famous prayers. Enrich your prayer life with a deeper understanding of this model prayer that Jesus taught his closest disciples to pray. Key features include: Short, concise lessons for people with busy lives, as well as an optional reading plan for people with more time who want to go deeper. Leader's guide is contained within each study guide, so no extra book purchase is required. Discussion questions for each session and lots of space for writing. Most Bible studies on the Lord's Prayer don't include visuals. Imagine having one that does! Perfect for small groups, individual use, young adult study, homeschool, church library, to give to a friend, and more! Whether you have repeated The Lord's Prayer countless times in church or are new to this classic prayer, this Bible study will help you dive deeper into the rich theological and spiritual meaning behind each line. This study answers questions such as: What does it mean for God's kingdom to come, and to ask for our daily bread? How do we "hallow" God's name? How are we forgiven of our debts (trespasses)? And more! With practical life application and thought-provoking discussion questions, you will discover more about God's attributes and how to pray to our Father in heaven. Enjoy Rose Visual Bible Study's Simple, Easy-to-Use Format Each of the 6 sessions guides you (and your group) through the following sections: Introduction: Simple overview to get started. Read It: Key Bible Passages and Optional Reading. Know It: Discussion Questions with space for writing. Explore It: Summaries of key information, easy-to-read outlines, charts, full-color illustrations, and more. Live It: Devotional reading and life application questions, a short prayer, and space for note-taking & journaling. About the series: Rose Visual Bible Studies are packed with full-color visuals that show key information at a glance! With their easy-to-use format--read it, know it, explore it, and live it--these six-week inductive studies are perfect for gaining a deeper insight into God's Word. Loaded with charts, graphs, images, and fascinating facts, these Bible studies are easy enough that the new believer understands, but in-depth enough that the longtime churchgoer still comes away learning something new.
No one could ever get fully inside the mind of Jesus, but we can gain important insights through a better understanding of the contexts in which he spoke and acted. For example, with whom was he speaking and interacting in that moment? Where did this take place? How can the events of the history of the period in general, and the many new and often unexpected archaeological discoveries, in particular from the time of Jesus, enhance our understanding of what he was thinking? And what light can the answers to these and related questions shed on what we already know about Jesus from the Four Gospels? This book attempts to provide some answers to these questions with the intent of leading the reader toward a deeper understanding of his wholly human yet wholly divine character. This in turn will hopefully create a deeper and more grounded faith.
Ken Shigematsu shows that spiritual formation is more than just solitude and contemplative reflections. Spiritual formation happens in the everyday, in each and every moment of life. For those caught up in the busyness of work, family, and church, it often feels like time with God is just another thing on a crowded “to-do’ list. Ken explains how the time-tested spiritual practice of the “rule of life” can help bring busy people into a closer relationship with God. He shows how a personal rule of life can fit almost any vocation or life situation. In God in My Everything, you will discover how to create and practice a life-giving, sustainable rhythm in the midst of your demanding life. If you long for a deeper spirituality but often feel that the busyness of life makes a close relationship with God challenging—and, at times, seemingly impossible—this book is for you.
The Pastor's Complete Memorial Guidebook is designed to give clergy insight on all aspects of death and dying and to offer templates and materials with which they can plan and conduct memorial services. Formed as a result of personal experience in dealing with end-of-life care, the contents within this guide are both inspirational and practical. David Carmichael weaves his own story into this holistic manual, describing his experience of loss and his work in pastoral care. In a straightforward and encouraging manner, he presents the great hope of Christians in the face of death, and he also walks his readers through the process of dying, grief, and planning for a memorial. Replete with templates, sermon outlines, suggested funeral liturgies, scriptures, and hymns, this personal and practical guide will serve as a valuable tool and companion to men and women in all stages of their pastoral calling.
In this compelling and informative new book, trusted author and pastor Rev. Darrell W. Johnson explores how the New Testament answers life's most important question: Who is Jesus? Drawing on years of teaching and preaching experience and weaving insightful stories from his own ministry, Johnson guides readers through selected passages of Scripture in order to paint a portrait of Jesus that is both contemporary and timeless. Darrell W. Johnson is senior minister of First Baptist Church in Vancouver. Before joining First Baptist in 2009, he was associate professor of pastoral theology at Regent College in Vancouver. He served as an adjunct professor of preaching for Fuller Theological Seminary and is the author of several books, including Discipleship on the Edge and Fifty-Seven Words That Change the World.
The most basic and natural way we seek to understand who we are, where we are, what is wrong with us (especially why we die), and how we can be restored is by telling stories. Every culture in every era in every part of the world has a story or stories by which people navigate the mystery of being human on earth. In this series of expositions, Darrell Johnson suggests that the first eleven chapters of Genesis (what he and others maintain constitute the "first half" of the Bible) help make sense of all our other stories, for they speak to the fundamental questions we as in every age. When we inhabit the story (stories) of Genesis 1-11, Johnson further suggests, we come to realize just how good the good news of Jesus Christ is in the "second half" of the Bible. Darrell W. Johnson has been preaching the gospel for fifty years, having served with churches in British Columbia, California, and the Philippines. He has taught preaching and pastoral theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, Carey College, and Regent College, where in his semi-retirement he serves as teaching fellow. He is the author of eight other books. He and his wife, Sharon, have raised four children (adopted from four different countries of the world) and now enjoy eleven grandchildren.
