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Where Prayer Becomes Real: How Honesty with God Transforms Your Soul
Kyle Strobel and John H. Coe
If we're honest, most of us feel bored, distracted, or discouraged in prayer. We look for resources to give us the "right" words or teach us the "right" technique and are disappointed when they don't seem to help. What we fail to realize is that prayer isn't a place for us to be good or right, and it isn't a place for us to perform or prove our worth. It's a place for us to be honest, present, and known--a place for us to offer ourselves and receive God. Spiritual formation experts Kyle Strobel and John Coe want to show you what you've been missing when it comes to prayer. In this down-to-earth book, they show you how to fearlessly draw near to a holy God, pray without ceasing (and without posturing), and delight in the experience of being fully known and fully loved. Each chapter ends with prayer projects or practices to help you see a difference in your prayer life, starting now.
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Atoning Wisdom : The Wisdom of God in the Way of Salvation
Kyle Strobel and Adam J. Johnson
The proceedings of the third annual Los Angeles Theology Conference seek to identify the place of the doctrine of atonement in systematic theology. Locating Atonement: Explorations in Constructive Dogmatics intentionally excludes discussion of theories of atonement, typologies of those theories, and contests among various theories. Instead, it undertakes the question: What else is there to do in atonement theology besides rehashing types and theories?
Ch. 4
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Cripple’s Story (2 Samuel 1 - 9)
Donald K. Sunukjian
Appendix 1:2
The Steps from Text to Narrative Sermon Presenting biblically centered sermons in a new, creative genre Pastors and teachers are always on the lookout for new ways to expand the effectiveness of their preaching. Sermons delivered in the first-person point of view can weave the power of story and drama into the biblical teaching, making familiar—and not-so-familiar— characters and situations come to life.
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Invitation to biblical preaching : proclaiming truth with clarity and relevance
Donald K. Sunukjian
Written in a conversational style with profuse examples to illustrate all concepts, Invitation to Biblical Preaching takes the reader step-by-step through the entire process of preparing a biblical message, from studying a passage with skill and integrity to delivering a message with persuasion, accuracy, passion, and relevance. An experienced pastor and homiletics professor, Donald Sunukjian provides budding pastors with wise counsel that is sure to stay with them throughout their ministries.
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Invitation to James : persevering through trials to win the crown
Donald K. Sunukjian
These sample sermons show a combination of solid scholarly study, fidelity to the meaning and intent of the biblical author, oral clarity, contemporary relevance, humor, and creativity. Pastors who plan on preaching through any of these biblical books could be drawn to these sermons as models or as stimulating prompters for their own messages
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Invitation to Philippians : building a great Church through humility
Donald K. Sunukjian
Models of biblical preaching of Philippians by veteran preacher and teacher of preachers provides a model of preaching using a combination of solid scholarly study, fidelity to the meaning and intent of the biblical author, oral clarity, contemporary relevance, humor, and creativity. “Pastors who plan on preaching through any of these biblical books,” says Sunukjian, “could be drawn to these sermons as models or as stimulating prompters for their own messages.”
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Invitation to the life of Jacob : winning through losing
Donald K. Sunukjian
These sample sermons show a combination of solid scholarly study, fidelity to the meaning and intent of the biblical author, oral clarity, contemporary relevance, humor, and creativity. Pastors who plan on preaching through any of these biblical books could be drawn to these sermons as models or as stimulating prompters for their own messages.
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Preaching Isaiah 53
Donald K. Sunukjian
Ch. 11
Written by eleven biblical scholars, this study explores the theology of the suffering servant in Isaiah 53 and answers a number of important questions:
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Preaching to a Culture Dominated by Images
Donald K. Sunukjian
Ch. 10
Building on Haddon Robinson's philosophical approach to preaching, this book brings together accomplished evangelical preachers and teachers to help students and pastors understand the worlds--biblical, cultural, and personal--that influence and impact their preaching. The contributors explore the various inner and outer worlds in which a preacher functions with the goal of helping preachers sharpen their craft.
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Patterns for preaching : a rhetorical analysis of the sermons of Paul in Acts 13, 17, and 20
Donald Robert Sunukjian
The purpose of this study is to identify any consistent strains in the sermons of Paul, with the assumption that such strains 1are divinely intended guidelines !or contemporary preachers. The exact question to be answered is: "What are the inspired.patterns for preaching contained in the sermons of Paul?"
An introductory chapter deals wit-h the variety and effectiveness of Paul's preaching, the pragmatic aim and method of rhetorical analysis, and the abbreviated nature of the Biblical record .
The next three chapters provide a detailed examination of . / three of Paul's sermons: his sermon to the Jews in Acts 13 (Chapter Two), his sermon to the Gentiles in Act5.i-_17 (Chapter Three), and his ' sermon to the Christians in Acts 20 (Chapter Four). These three particular sermons are chosen for analysis because of their substantial recording , their varied content, and, most importantly, because of their different. audiences. Each of these chapters is developed in approximately the same way. First, the historical setting of the sermon is described. Then, an exposition of the Biblical record is given. This exposition consists of an original translation of the sermon, an identification of the sermon's theme and purpose, an indication of its structure and outline, an explanation its argument, and a description of the audience's response. Finally, each chapter concludes with a/ rhetorical ·analysis which seeks ·to determine why the sermon was so effective in achieving its goal.
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Semi-Tropic Spiritualist Guidebook
Astri Swendsrud
The Semi-Tropic Spiritualist Guidebook, brings together images, texts, excerpts of performance scripts, and printed ephemera from the Semi-Tropic Spiritualist's previous exhibitions. The book is organized as both a record of the project's Test Sites from 2012-2018, and as an idiosyncratic guidebook to California's spiritual history and geography.
Semi-Tropic Spiritualists began in 2012 as an ongoing series of performance works, objects and illustrated texts by Los Angeles-based artists Astri Swendsrud and Quinn Gomez-Heitzeberg. Their works explore the history of spiritual belief and metaphysical practice in Los Angeles through the Semi-Tropic Spiritualists, an organization that created a campsite meeting place outside the city limits of Los Angeles in 1905. Spiritualism has described itself as a science, a philosophy and a religion. The artists are interested in this system as a model for examining ideas of faith and skepticism, belief and charlatanism, as well as for the development of a space dedicated to investigation and the search for knowledge.
The Semi-Tropic Spiritualists have exhibited their installations and performance works at Richard Telles Fine Art, Klowden Mann, The Vincent Price Museum, and Chime & Co. in Los Angeles; Shangri-La, Joshua Tree, CA; and Llano del Rio, CA among other locations. Their work will also be part of the upcoming exhibition Totenpass at Visitor Welcome Center, Los Angeles, in October 2018. Both artists received their MFAs from CalArts in 2008
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Story of the Old Testament
David Lee Talley
Have you ever thought about the story of the Old Testament? Have you wondered how to connect the dots of psalms and sacrifices, laws and kings, nations and wars? And what does it all mean for our lives today?
David Talley believes that following the story of the Old Testament is the key to understanding it. To trace the clear, continuous narrative is to connect the dots and bring the bigger picture into focus.
In this book Talley examines the eleven storyline books of the Old Testament and shows where the other 28 books fit into the story. Unpacking the theology of each storyline book, he reflects on the Old Testament's power for Christians today.
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Confucius for Christians : what an ancient Chinese worldview can teach us about life in Christ
Gregg A. Ten Elshof
Shows how wisdom from an Eastern tradition can enrich the lives of Jesus followers everywhere This unique book explores ways of using resources from the Confucian wisdom tradition to inform Christian living. Neither highlighting nor diminishing the differences between Confucianism and Christianity, Gregg Ten Elshof reflects on questions and issues in the Christian life with the Confucian worldview in mind. In examining such subjects as family, learning, and ethics, Ten Elshof sets the typical Western worldview against the Confucian worldview and considers how each worldview lines up with the teachings of Jesus. Pointing to much that is good and helpful in the Confucian tradition, Ten Elshof shows how reflection on the teachings of Confucius can inspire a deeper and richer understanding of what it really means to live the Jesus way.
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For Shame: Rediscovering the Virtues of a Maligned Emotion
Gregg A. Ten Elshof
Shame is bad. Too often it cripples and silences victims of other people's shameful behavior, and research has demonstrated clearly the damaging effects of shame on our emotional wellbeing. In recent years a mini-industry of bestselling books, TED Talks, and popular therapies has emerged to free people from deleterious shame.
And yet, a place for shame remains. Some behavior is shameful, and sometimes we ought to be ashamed by wrongs we've committed. Eastern and Western cultures alike have long seen a social benefit to shame, and it can rightly cultivate virtues both public and personal. So what are we to make of shame?
In For Shame, philosopher and author Gregg Ten Elshof examines this potent emotion carefully, distinguishing between it, embarrassment, and guilt and carefully tracing the positive role shame has played historically in contributing to a well-ordered society. While casting off unhealthy shame is always a positive, Ten Elshof demonstrates the surprising, sometimes unacknowledged ways in which healthy shame is as needed as ever. On the other side of good shame, he argues, lie virtues such as decency, self-respect, and dignity--virtues we desire but may not realize shame can grant.
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Introspection vindicated : an essay in defense of the perceptual model of self knowledge
Gregg A. Ten Elshof
In a naive sense it seems that there could be nothing simpler than to 'know thyself' yet a philosophical elucidation of the process by which one comes to know oneself is quite elusive. In this book Gregg Ten Elshof deals with the epistemology of introspection; whether and to what extent self-knowledge can appropriately be thought of as a species of perception. Assessing the suggestion that we, at least sometimes, come to acquire significant knowledge about ourselves, by observation, in very much the same way that we sometimes come to know things about the external world; this book explains the perceptual/observational model of introspection and contrasts it with its more prominent competitors. Ten Elshof examines in detail rival conceptions of the epistemology of self-knowledge such as those proposed by Searle, Dennett and Lyons yet concludes by insisting that the arguments levelled against the perceptual/observational view have not been decisive and that it deserves to be taken seriously as a viable competing model.
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I told me so : self-deception and the Christian life
Gregg A. Ten Elshof
Think you’ve ever deceived yourself? Then this book is for you
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Virtue and Voice: Habits of Mind for a Return to Civil Discourse
Gregg A. Ten Elshof
Many Americans think public manners and behavior have deteriorated, especially in public discourse about polarized political, moral, and cultural issues. But democracy and cultural progress require a robust civility in public discourse if they are to be successful endeavors. Our sharply divided world is in great need of a civility that facilitates respect, honor, and kindness toward ideological opponents. The contributors to this edited volume represent philosophical, theological, psychological, historical, and sociological perspectives, providing analysis of intellectual virtue and vice as well as explorations of their application to specific problems in contemporary society. In acknowledging the current climate of contentious and ineffective civil discourse, Virtue & Voice highlights how the cultivation of intellectual virtue can renew our voices and heal the broken state of our public discourse.
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Attachment Styles and Spiritual Maturity: The Role of Secure Attachment in Predicting Spiritual Maturity Among Seminary Students
Judith K. Ten Elshof
This study investigates the relationships between secure child and adult attachment styles and their influence on spiritual maturity. A survey study of 216 seminary students was conducted using the Parental Bonding Instrument, Adult Attachment Scale, and the Faith Maturity Index. Previous research in attachment relationships suggests that early parental interactions generate internalized models of self and others which are carried forward to new relationships. Secure adult attachment styles were predicted to relate positively with spiritual maturity. Findings of the study suggest that adult measures of secure attachment styles are correlated with Faith Maturity. Measures of parental bonding evidenced minimal associations with Adult Attachment Styles and were weaker correlates of Faith Maturity. Secure Adult Attachment was a stronger predictor of Faith Maturity when compared to measures of Parental Bonding. Implications are offered for religious training institutions, the church, and the community.
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Hilltop: How a Vision, a Wildfire, and a Series of Miracles Led to a Place of Rest for God’s People
Judith K. Ten Elshof
Stories of God’s great faithfulness are all around us—amazing accounts of his untold wonders hiding in plain sight, waiting to be uncovered. In these pages waits just such a story. Nestled quietly among the dynamic cliffs and whistling pines of the Southern California mountains, a humble retreat center stands as a testament to God’s overwhelming goodness and unmatchable strength. Now, for the first time, this incredible true story is told in its entirety. In their book, Hilltop, Gene and Judy TenElshof masterfully share the story of Hilltop Renewal Center and how God used a vision, wildfire, and series of miracles to establish an enduring place of rest for His people. Join in their journey of perseverance, hope, and growth as they pursue God’s calling and discover His incredible faithfulness.
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Our Representational Reign: Royal Leadership in the United Monarchy
J. Michael Thigpen
Chapter
Biblical Leadership takes the best of evangelical scholarship to make the leadership lessons of Scripture tangible for today's readers. All contributors are biblical scholars who not only think seriously about the texts covered in their individual chapters, but have committed their lives to teaching and living the truths therein.
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Bible Doctrine Workbook: Study Questions and Practical Exercises for Learning the Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith
Erik Thoennes
How do we know the Bible is God's Word? What is sin and where did it come from? How is Jesus fully God and fully man? What are spiritual gifts? When and how will Christ return?
If you've asked questions like these, then systematic theology is no abstract term. It's an approach to finding answers every Christian needs to know. The Bible Doctrine WORKBOOK accompanies Wayne Grudem's highly regarded Bible Doctrine. Following the textbook's structure, the WORKBOOK features review material and exercises for every chapter, and all major areas of Christian doctrine are covered, including:
- The Word of God
- God
- Humanity
- Christ and the Holy Spirit
- The Application of Redemption
- The Church
- The Future
The WORKBOOK maintains the clear writing, friendly tone, and frequent applications to life found in the textbook. Students will benefit from this hands-on engagement with the important teachings in Bible Doctrine.
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Systematic Theology Workbook: Study Questions and Practical Exercises for Learning Biblical Doctrine
Erik Thoennes
This workbook accompanies Wayne Grudem's highly regarded Systematic Theology. Following the textbook's structure, it features review material and exercises for every chapter, and all major areas of Christian doctrine are covered, including:
- The Word of God
- God
- Humanity
- Christ and the Holy Spirit
- The Application of Redemption
- The Church
- The Future
The workbook further maintains the clear writing, friendly tone, and frequent applications to life found in the textbook. Students will benefit from this hands-on engagement with the important teachings in Systematic Theology.
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Godly jealousy : a theology of intolerant love
K. Erik Thoennes
Divine Jealousy plays a central role in God's activities throughout human history yet it is virtually ignored among those in the church today.
Christians desire leaders who are dynamic, educated, and entertaining, but it is highly unlikely you will ever see 'jealous' as one of the desired qualities of leaders within the church. However, jealousy is one of the primary attributes of the great leaders in the Bible.
As human jealousy is seldom uncontaminated with sin, it tends only to be understood as a negative emotion. However, the Bible tells us that God is a jealous God, and Erik Thoennes offers us unique insights into Godly Jealousy as taught in Scipture, and also looks closely at biblical leaders who displayed Godly human jealousy. Thoennes masterfully draws ethical and theological implications from godly jealousy for the 21st Century.
This book is a must read for anyone who is concerned with character development and who seeks to know the central values needed in the church today.
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Life's biggest questions : what the Bible says about the things that matter most
K. Erik Thoennes
Since the beginning of time, people everywhere have asked the same questions: Does God exist? Is there life after death? What is the meaning of life? The superabundance of these invariable questions, asked over and over, leads us to believe that there just might be answers to be found. Professor Erik Thoennes knows the importance of questioning the fundamental things that we all wonder about. If you aren’t really sure what to believe, or if you’ve been sure of the answers for a long time but want to solidify the foundation of your faith, this concise book takes seriously the inquiries of the ages and leads us all to investigate the truth for ourselves.
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