How well do you know His story? By the time a Christian reaches young adulthood, he is likely to be quite familiar with every major story in the Bible, but not from having studied them in any particular order. Ask an average Bible student to arrange certain characters and events chronologically, and the results are telling. Telling God’s Story looks closely at the Bible from its beginning in Genesis to its conclusion in Revelation. By approaching Scripture as one purposefully flowing narrative, emphasizing the inter-connectedness of the text, veteran college professors Preben Vang and Terry G. Carter reinforce the Bible’s greatest teachings and help readers in their own ability to share God’s story effectively with others. Ideal for classroom settings, this second edition of Telling God's Story now features all supporting charts, photographs, and illustrations in full color!
Bridging the gaps for those who've acquired their Bible knowledge in random order, professors Vang and Carter help readers comprehend the Bible as one cohesive story from beginning to end.
This book presents narrative theology as radically orthodox. It is orthodox because in the tradition of all those who maintain the priority of the story of Jesus, as it is sacramentally performed in the Church, and radical because it eschews all modern attempts to found Christian faith on some other story, such as that of reason, critical history or human consciousness. Acknowledging the indeterminacy of and textuality of human existance, Telling God's Story presents the Christian life as as a truly postmodern venture: the groundless enactment of God's future now.
This is a complete and practical introduction to storying, especially for people who want to learn about using biblical storytelling in cross-cultural contexts and who want to train others to become storytellers. It includes many fascinating accounts of the responses of tribal people to the first proclamation of the gospel through storytelling. The result of years of research and field testing, Telling God's Stories with Power is a product of the author's own journey as he confronted the challenges of teaching the Bible in parts of the world where people are unaccustomed to a Western style of learning. Full of innovative and groundbreaking insights, this study is packed with ideas, explanations, and constructive suggestions stated in clear and simple language. Throughout the book there are extensive examples from the storytellers' own experiences. Tracing the movement of the biblical stories across multiple generations of tellers and listeners, storytelling is found to be superior for knowledge transfer and for bypassing resistance to the gospel in oral contexts, thus presenting clear evidence of the effectiveness of biblical narrative among oral learners.
John W. Wright presents a new model of preaching that aims to connect the biblical text with a congregation so that they are formed into a true Christian community.
How can an evangelical view of Scripture be reconciled with modern biblical scholarship? In this book Peter Enns, an expert in biblical interpretation, addresses Old Testament phenomena that challenge traditional evangelical perspectives on Scripture. He then suggests a way forward, proposing an incarnational model of biblical inspiration that takes seriously both the divine and the human aspects of Scripture. This tenth anniversary edition has an updated bibliography and includes a substantive postscript that reflects on the reception of the first edition.
“I used to be a lesbian.” In Gay Girl, Good God, author Jackie Hill Perry shares her own story, offering practical tools that helped her in the process of finding wholeness. Jackie grew up fatherless and experienced gender confusion. She embraced masculinity and homosexuality with every fiber of her being. She knew that Christians had a lot to say about all of the above. But was she supposed to change herself? How was she supposed to stop loving women, when homosexuality felt more natural to her than heterosexuality ever could? At age nineteen, Jackie came face-to-face with what it meant to be made new. And not in a church, or through contact with Christians. God broke in and turned her heart toward Him right in her own bedroom in light of His gospel. Read in order to understand. Read in order to hope. Or read in order, like Jackie, to be made new.
In this valuable resource, Dorothy Henderson explains, encourages and enables all-ages learning. People looking for help in developing an all-ages learning program will be heartened by the wealth of practical advice LearningGod's Stories Together provides. The first part of the book explains the theory and practice of all ages learning. Dorothy opens our eyes to its myriad benefits: It's fun! It builds community. It lets us hear points of view from groups we might not normally have a chance to mingle with. Dorothy presents her ideas in an easily accessible style that will fit with almost any congregation, large or small. There is a section describing the five generations that might form an all ages learning group which is interesting and useful - and not only for church-group use! We also learn about the advantages of all ages learning, which are many. Dorothy provides step-by-step insructions for setting up all ages learning and ideas to use for our first gatherings. The information is complete and inspires us to go ahead and try this if we haven't done it before; it will provide depth and insight and new ideas for those who already have all ages learning happening in their church. The second part of the book consists of 20 story sessions, each of which contains suggestions for gathering, for telling and talking about the story, and for exploring the story and making it part of your life. Again, lots of practical suggestions that will appeal to both children and adults. Dorothy presents her information in a friendly tone that encourages educators to be enthusiastic about embracing this rewarding style of learning. "What other institution do you know where five generations come together every week . . . worshipping, drinkg juice and coffee, talking, eating, doing important mission work and learning together what it means to love God and love a neighbour as oneself. The church provides a natural environment for all-ages gatherings. But, as Edward Loper reminds us, 'There was a time, not all that long ago, when we did not need to intentionally talk about the relationships between generations. The relationships were plain for all to see. Most of us lived in the context of an extended family. Members of several generations lived in a close proximity to one another, kenw each other, and supported each other. This is no longer the case.' It is time, once again, to become intentional in building connections among the generations."
A New York Times Notable Book A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2012 A bold approach to understanding the American evangelical experience from an anthropological and psychological perspective by one of the country's most prominent anthropologists. Through a series of intimate, illuminating interviews with various members of the Vineyard, an evangelical church with hundreds of congregations across the country, Tanya Luhrmann leaps into the heart of evangelical faith. Combined with scientific research that studies the effect that intensely practiced prayer can have on the mind, When God Talks Back examines how normal, sensible people—from college students to accountants to housewives, all functioning perfectly well within our society—can attest to having the signs and wonders of the supernatural become as quotidian and as ordinary as laundry. Astute, sensitive, and extraordinarily measured in its approach to the interface between science and religion, Luhrmann's book is sure to generate as much conversation as it will praise.
Behind every great movement of God stands a few generous men and women called Gospel Patrons. This book tells three of their stories from history and invites us to believe God, step out, and serve the purposes of God in our generation too. For bulk orders and more resources, please visit: gospelpatrons.org "I read this book from cover to cover. I couldn't put it down. I'm praying for thousands of similar Gospel Patrons for our generation." -Todd Harper, President of Generous Giving "This is a great read! I love the way these stories paint a picture of stewarding relationship, affluence, and influence to lay up treasure in heaven." -David Wills, President of National Christian Foundation "Gospel Patrons is one of the most important books I have seen this year! It's 100 years overdue and these untold stories urgently need to be told today." -George Verwer, Founder of Operation Mobilization "As I read Gospel Patrons, I found myself weeping for joy. May the Lord powerfully use this vision around the globe!" -Howard Dayton, Founder of Compass--Finances God's Way
