Bible Ministry

The apostle Peter wrote two letters to encourage Christians to persevere in their faith during a time of intensifying persecution. This 10-week study explores the theme of suffering in Peter's letters, displaying how God uses hope, humility, and holiness to prepare believers for their final home in heaven.

The Bible is not necessarily easy to understand because it is not a book but more than 60 books, written by those inspired by God over a period of 1700 years. There have been many Bible study guides, methods, systems and outlines published in a sincere effort to help people read the Bible. However, for many people these guides are intimidating and unintentionally confusing as they direct the reader to take a section of one book, sections from other books, and piece them together like building a puzzle.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are synoptic in portraying the savior’s humanity in different aspects with his deity. Since Mark presents the savior as a slave, he does not tell his genealogy and status, because the ancestry of a slave is not worthy of note. Furthermore, in contrast to Matthew, who presents to us the savior’s marvelous teachings and parables concerning the heavenly kingdom, and John, who presents his profound revelations of the divine truths, Mark’s intention is not to impress us with the slave’s wonderful words, but with his excellent deeds in his gospel service.

Is the bible the word of God? This book will show you the absolute trustworthiness of the bible. Follow the word of God, and it will lead you as it has led thousands of others. It will lead you out of the uncertainty and the restlessness and the ultimate despair of unbelief and into the certitude, the joy, the victory, and the ultimate glory of an intelligent faith in the bible as the word of God, and in Jesus Christ as the son of God.

For too long, the history of Christianity has been told as the triumph of orthodox doctrine imposed through power and hierarchy. In A People's History of Christianity, historian and religion expert Diana Butler Bass reveals an alternate history that includes a deep social ethic and far-reaching inclusivity: "the other side of the story" is not a modern phenomenon, but has always been practiced within the church. Butler Bass persuasively argues that corrective - even subversive - beliefs and practices have always been hallmarks of Christianity and are necessary to nourish communities of faith.

Accessing mindfulness is a therapeutic touchstone for a range of emotional issues, from mild distress to the treatment of trauma, but the term mindfulness has often left Christians wary. Stripped of Christlike spirituality, it sounds self-focused at best, and at worst like a fusion with modern pop-religions of the day. But the quality of mindfulness - of being fully present, aware of ourselves and our situation so that we can better respond to the chaos around us - is a profoundly biblical concept. And it can be used effectively by Christian counselors and healing practitioners.

Planet Earth has “last days” fever. Israel is back on the map. Satellites orbit the globe. Humans fly through the air. Mark of the Beast technology exists. Is the world as we know it about to end? The answer is an overwhelming - yes! We are approaching the bimillennial (2,000 year) anniversary of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross, and God has prophesied over and over again in His Word that that would be the year of His Son’s return to Earth! Gabriel Ansley Erb received this shocking message from God back in 2008, and it is now contained in this book.

Of John's five New Testament books, these three include a sermon and two personal letters, one of which may have been written to Mary, the mother of our Lord. His Gospel deals with our past: salvation. Revelation deals with our future. John's First Epistle deals with our present: sanctification. It has been called the New Testament sanctum sanctorum. This study contains eight hours of verse-by-verse teachings.

In Twelve Unlikely Heroes, pastor and best-selling author John MacArthur uses his deep knowledge of the Bible and history to take us back to see these three-dimensional men and women in their own times and cultures. In doing so, it becomes clear how their dramatic stories apply to us today. People who might at first seem foreign quickly become familiar and unforgettable - particularly as they reveal the true Hero behind every witness, the power counterbalancing every weakness, "the Author and Finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:1).

Long sees parables not merely as creative figures of speech but as GPS devices taking hearers to those places where the event of God is happening all around us. This book provides two chapters for each synoptic Gospel. Two introductory chapters additionally situate this book in the history and theology of the parables' interpretation and address questions that preachers have about preaching the parables.

If you're like most small-group leaders, you often feel overwhelmed by the task of finding study material each and every week. Former small-group pastor Ryan Lokkesmoe is here to help. This book has all you need for 16 small-group meetings exploring the concept of biblical community. Each study includes icebreaker questions, key Scripture passages, discussion questions about the text, and a guide for leading your prayer time.

The Bible is constantly condemned as outdated, legalistic, and irrelevant, yet it's widely owned and cherished worldwide. Despite ownership it often lies unread and scarcely believed, even by Christians. The reason - it's not accepted as the infallible word of God, but worse many reject it as fictitious and immaterial. This book directly addresses the truth and relevance of the Bible.

There continue to be many questions concerning the "Rapture" of the Church and its apparent contrast with the "Second Coming" of Jesus Christ. Where does this strange view come from? Is the term "rapture" even in the Bible?

Pop culture and psychobabble tell us to make ourselves the center of the universe in order to be happy. Churches have communicated the false idea that God exists to give us all that we selfishly want. In this book, Max Lucado reminds us that it's not about us, it's all about God. It is through this shift in thinking that we can truly live an unburdened, happy life.

An Advent devotional for Christmas that will stir hope and inspire worship. As dawn broke on that first Christmas morning, the sun rose on a new era: God's king had come to Earth to bring about his kingdom. Join Sinclair Ferguson as he opens up the first two chapters of Matthew's Gospel in these daily devotions for Advent. Each day’s reflection is full of insight and application, and will help you to arrive at Christmas Day awed by God's redeeming grace and refreshed by the hope of God’s promised king.

There isn’t really a “go to” book on Scripture. Sure, there are plenty of theological books on Scripture, and lots of popular-level works on how to read Scripture, and more and more books on the whole story line of Scripture. But there is not one book that people turn to for the basics on the Bible.

The Tabernacle in the Wilderness was published in 1891. Since then several generations of believers have been introduced to the rich pastures of Old Testament teaching. This new revised edition has been commissioned and produced in the belief that such teaching is timeless in its relevance and applicability. It is presented in a style, format, and language suited to modern-day listeners - especially for young believers in the 21st century.

Under close examination, the Book of Joshua seems to be a precursor to the book of Revelation: another Yehoshua, as commander-in-chief, will dispossess the planet Earth of its usurpers - first sending in two witnesses, then with a series of judgments of sevens, finally defeating the kings with signs in the sun and moon while the kings of the earth all hide in caves. What does the name "Joshua" mean?

The Way of Thomas offers a crystal clear, easy-to-understand new version of the Gospel of Thomas. Dr. Mabry, an expert in the mysticism of the world’s religions, then unpacks the core teachings of the gospel in ways that can shift not only how we understand ourselves, but how we view reality.

The Magi of nativity scenes are romanticized as well-dressed wisemen bringing gifts to Jesus. Traditional Chrstians tell of a miraculous star that guided exotic kings from Persia, India, and Africa. Academics dismiss both accounts as no more than a pious legend. Who is right? In The Mystery of the Magi, Dwight Longenecker shows that all sides are wrong and the Magi were diplomats from Petra, the capital of the Nabatean kingdom of Arabia.