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Interpreted masterfully by pre-eminent Old Testament scholar Johanna W. H. van Wijk-Bos, the story of Samuel touches on a vast array of subjects that comprise the rich fabric of human life. As it happens, in this volume of the Reading the Old Testament series we view ancient Israel in the era of Samuel, Saul, and David. From parental yearning for their young to spousal and sibling relationships, these accounts entail far more than simply a recounting of the lives and circumstances of the central characters. The reader gains an inside look at royal intrigue, military campaigns, occult practices, and the significance of religious objects of veneration.Johanna W. H. van Wijk-Bos is the Dora Pierce Professor of Bible and Professor of Old Testament at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. She holds degrees from Leiden University, The Netherlands (M.Div., M.Phil.) and Union Theological Seminary, New York (M.Phil, Ph.D.). Dr. Bos is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and engages herself with issues of justice for women and disadvantaged groups locally and in the global arena. A pioneering woman in theological teaching, she was the only woman in 1976 to receive a doctorate from Union Theological Seminary in New York and the first woman to receive academic tenure at Louisville Seminary.Praise for Reading Samuel"Johanna W. H. van Wijk-Bos' new commentary on 1-2 Samuel is elegantly written with the sensibility of a seasoned Old Testament scholar and the heart of a minister. She is sensitive to the theological and ethical issues regarding leadership raised by this sometimes difficult text and she also reflects on the women's roles as few authors of commentaries have done before. This new volume in the Smyth & Helwys Reading the Old Testament series will be most helpful for preachers and teachers seeking a fresh word on familiar stories." - Alice Ogden Bellis, Professor of Old Testament Language & Literature, Howard University Divinity School"The stories in 1 and 2 Samuel may seem an easy read, some of the easiest in the Bible. Johanna van Wijk-Bos leads us to read them slowly, notice the way the stories are told and the subtleties of their telling, and thus helps us derive much more from them than we might otherwise have gained. She helps us understand the dynamics of the stories and ponder the questions each one raises. Like the biblical books on which she comments on, her book invites and rewards careful attentive reading." - John Goldingay, Professor of Old Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary"At times biblical commentators tend either to paraphrase the biblical text more or less or almost to lose themselves in technical details. In her fine commentary on the two books of Samuel, Johanna van Wijk-Bos elegantly avoids both these pitfalls. In this meticulously researched book, she is constantly in dialogue with other scholars. She skillfully informs the readers about the significance of many of the Hebrew words for places and people, without losing herself in details. Arguably, one of the most important challenges for contemporary biblical commentaries is to what extent they take gender studies into account. Unsurprisingly, the two books of Samuel provide van Wijk-Bos with ample possibilities to discuss various aspects of gender issues, and she does it succinctly and sophisticatedly. This is a rich and thought-provoking commentary, allowing the narrative to speak for itself." - Jesper Svartvik, Professor of Theology of Religions, Lund University, Lund, Sweden and the Swedish Theological Institute, Jerusalem

This eight-session study of Paul's letter to the Philippians explores the centrality of Paul's faith in Jesus Christ, his love for the Philippian church, and his joy in serving both Christ and their church. Paul's letter reminds us of his special relationship with Jesus and calls us into a renewed relationship with Christ, too. Each session concludes with thought-provoking suggestions, making it an ideal resource for Bible study groups as well as individual readers. The Sessions Series is preferred by a number of churches seeking to help people build their Bible study skills. Many groups enjoy studying the Bible book-by-book. This popular approach helps a group discuss a book's basic themes, learn how to interpret that book, and then wrestle with it's meaning for their lives.

Leadership Is a Combination of Art and Science Effective leaders are people who are always studying their strengths and weaknesses and examining the strategies that can make them better in what they do. They realize that change is possible, but also that most change is hard. Transformational leadership involves acquiring the skills and knowledge to help create positive change in the world around us. But it also involves a deep look within. Transformation is a continuous process that forces leaders to examine themselves and ask in what ways do we need to allow God to change us so that we become more compassionate, caring people? In Transformational Leadership, pastor and author Charles Bugg warns us that this journey is not for the faint of heart. It is not for those who believe leadership is merely learning a set of skills. Transformational leadership is the call to allow God to change us, the church, and the church's calling to the world.

Reginald F. Davis believes there is a crisis in black America. Disproportionately, black Americans rank at the top in crime, murders, drug abuse, unemployment, incarceration, poverty, education deficiencies, and HIV/AIDS cases. Physical slavery is past and the civil rights bill has been signed, yet the black community is not saved, is not healed, is not organized, is not liberated. Davis's latest book, The Black Church: Relevant or Irrelevant in the 21st Century?, emerges from his great love, admiration, and deep concern for the future of the black community and the black church. Davis contends that a relevant church struggles to correct oppression, not maintain it. An irrelevant church sees the self-destructive behavior, oppression, and powerlessness of the oppressed but refuses to take the necessary steps to eradicate it. How can the black church focus on the liberation of the black community, thereby reclaiming the loyalty and respect of the black community? Davis also challenges the white church to understand and acknowledge what the malignancy of racism has done and still does to the body of Christ. He asserts that the white church cannot continue to remain silent on issues of oppression; it must preach against racism as well as be an agent of justice and liberation. Ultimately, churches-both black and white-must come together to be the Word of God to the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized.

In his latest book, Choosing Gratitude: Learning to Love the Life You Have, renowned author James A. Autry reminds us that gratitude is a choice, a spiritual-not social-process. Made evident as behavior, gratitude is not the behavior itself. We may automatically respond, "Thank you" or "Appreciate it" in the daily course of our lives. These are polite, conditioned responses, but they are not gratitude. Instead, gratitude is a way of life, a belief system, that means cultivating a spirit of thankfulness even through the negatives of life. It is remembering there will always be more reasons for gratitude than for despair. In a society consumed by fears of not having "enough"-money, possessions, security, and so on-Autry suggests that if we cultivate gratitude as a way of being, we may not change the world and its ills, but we can change our response to the world. If we fill our lives with moments of gratitude, we will indeed love the life we have. James A. Autry, a former Fortune 500 executive, is an author, poet, and consultant whose work has had significant influence on leadership thinking. He is the author of ten books, and his writings have appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines. Featured in Bill Moyers' PBS series The Power of the Word and in Moyers' book The Language of Life, Autry has also been noted on National Public Radio via Garrison's Keillor's "Writer's Corner." He serves on the national advisory board of Poets & Writers, Inc. Autry resides in Des Moines, Iowa, with his wife, Sally Pederson, who recently retired as Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, and their twenty-seven-year-old son. He has two grown sons by a previous marriage and is a proud grandfather of two.

Leaving Religion, Following Jesus is a book about running after Jesus, about a journey with the Christ-his journey and yours. It is a book about looking and listening to the unexpected. It is a book about opening our eyes, unstopping our ears, and soaking up the gracious wonder that he is, the wonder that surrounds us. We do not know where Jesus will lead us; we have no idea of the long journey that waits for any of us. But it begins with that first step; that first halting, timid step that puts you on the road away from religion and onward to the Christ.

Sessions with Samuel is a ten-session study unit designed to provide a compelling look at the books of 1 & 2 Samuel. Each session is followed with a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by class leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study. Tony Cartledge takes readers on a journey through these important segments of Israel's history. In these stories, Israel faces one crisis after another, a people constantly on the edge. Individuals like Saul and David find themselves on the edge as well, facing troubles of leadership and personal struggle. Yet, each crisis becomes a gateway for learning that God is always present, that hope remains.

A reverend and a rabbi start a blog... (stop us if you've heard this one before). As it happens, not long ago Baptist minister Michael Smith and Jewish rabbi Rami M. Shapiro actually did initiate the blog conversation "Mount and Mountain." The blog recorded a long-running dialogue between Mike and Rami in which the pair interpreted, argued about, and interrogated two key texts drawn from the canons of their respective religions: the Ten Commandments from the Torah, and the Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of St. Matthew. This book, focused on the Ten Commandments, represents the first half of that dialogue. In Mount and Mountain, Volume One, Mike and Rami discuss the nature of divinity, the power of faith, and the necessity of doubt. From the beauty of myth and story to the achievements, failings, and future of religion, above all they both wrestle with the struggle to live ethically and in harmony with the way of God. Reading along, we are invited to take part, to add our own voices and experience to the task of interpretation, and to craft our own meanings from the text of Exodus. And if, as readers, we take that text in our own directions, we move toward a richer understanding not only of Scripture but also of God and godliness.

"This Is What a Preacher Looks Like" was a hit catchphrase long before any idea of a book ever existed. When Baptist Women in Ministry created T-shirts to celebrate their 25th anniversary, few could have predicted how popular the bright aqua-colored shirts would become! Yet, no one should be surprised about the giftedness of Baptist women preachers. From the first days of Baptist beginnings-as early as the 1630s-Baptist women preached throughout England. Their voices are soft and loud, prophetic and pastoral, humorous and sincere. They are African American, Asian, Latina, and Caucasian. They are sisters, wives, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and friends.This Is What a Preacher Looks Like: Sermons by Baptist Women is a collection of sermons by thirty-six Baptist women. Just imagine-the work of thirty-six Baptist women preachers in one volume. Yet, the truth is that this book could have contained sermons by 836 Baptist women, all preaching the word of God!

In Making the Good News Good Again, Judson Edwards asks questions shared by many longtime Christians: wouldn't it be great if the Bible fascinated us once again? Wouldn't we do almost anything to sense the presence of God anew in our lives? Wouldn't we pay almost anything to get the wonder back? Wonder is the fuel that keeps Christians going, the element that makes our faith contagious and alive-and it is the greatest need in our churches today. With so many of our spiritual tanks running low, we need to splash around in grace a while and come out laughing and feeling frisky again. Making the Good News Good Again will help readers hear with new ears the sweet, undistilled melody of the gospel.

Judson Edwards believes that it is important for Christian writers to strive to be among the best writers in the world. Following the example of the Apostle Paul, we can see ourselves as stewards of God's mysteries, polishing the message until it shines. In Blissful Affliction: The Ministry and Misery of Writing, Edwards draws from more than forty years of writing experience to explore why we use the written word to change lives and how to improve the writing craft. Simultaneously informative, educational, and inspiring, Edwards' latest work is a guided tour of what it means (and what it takes) to suffer the curse of so beloved an affliction.

We operate under the notion that America belongs to us Christians and that we belong to it. We believe the preaching of the Kingdom of God and the rallying around the red, white, and blue are always compatible, but if you are like a growing number of Jesus followers, you've had this splinter in your mind for a while now that tells you there is something suspicious about attaching a national flag-any national flag-to the cross. With the Sermon on the Mount as the constant reference point, The Jesus Tribe begins to flesh out the implications, possibilities, contradictions, and complexities of what it means to live within the Jesus Tribe in the shadow of the American Empire.

What have you noticed today? A life of faith is not something we float through on a cloud unaware; it is the mindful process of letting God change us, letting him develop our spiritual sensitivity toward the things of God and his kingdom. In Faith Postures, Holly Sprink describes a two-fold journey-first, we must notice the kingdom of God. How is God's kingdom arriving in our world right now? Are we proclaiming the difference it makes in our everyday lives? Second, we must allow Christ to realign us, to adjust and transform us into living examples of his wholeness. We take up residence in this kingdom by letting him redirect our attitudes toward life and health in him. Sprink guides readers through a growing awareness of God's desire for relationship and of the emotional and spiritual postures that enable us to learn to be still, to listen, and to be mindful-not only of ourselves, but of the One outside ourselves. In developing the art of noticing and practicing the postures of our faith in God, we begin to realize the spiritual health we yearn for.

This book shares with the reader the value of establishing a divorce recovery ministry while also offering practical insights on establishing your own unique church-affiliated program. Whether you are working individually with one divorced person or leading a large group, Divorce Ministry: A Guidebook provides helpful resources to guide you through the emotional and relational issues divorced people often encounter.- Why would a church offer divorce recovery?- Planning an 8-session divorce recovery program- 8 questions divorced people ask- 7 myths about the divorce experience- 7 myths about marriage- Sample flyers, ads, letters, work sheets, and registration forms

Sessions with Matthew is an eleven-session study unit designed to provide a compelling look at the Gospel of Matthew. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study. William Shiell takes readers on a journey through the Gospel of Matthew. Immersing us in the first-century world, this study will help us read the ancient biography of Jesus in light of the first listeners' expectations and hopes and will draw analogies to the modern world. Sessions with Matthew also focuses on passages that make Matthew unique among the Gospels.

A magic story of Christian stewardship. -Dr. Walter B. Shurden Minister at Large, Mercer University In Hoping Liberia, Michael Helms weaves together multiple stories-the story of his friendship with Olu Menjay, the director of Ricks Institute in Virginia, Liberia; the story of their partnership in ministry; and the story of the nation of Liberia. . . . Helms immerses readers into a period of political turmoil and violence, a devastating civil war, and the immeasurable suffering experienced by the Liberian people. In the aftermath of these harsh realities, Liberian Christians held on to hope, and Hoping Liberia is ultimately an inspirational and uplifting story of faith being lived out and the body of Christ coming together and joining hands to do God's work. -Dr. Pamela R. Durso Executive Director Baptist Women in Ministry, Atlanta, Georgia While this book reads like a novel, it is a well-researched history of Liberia. . . . In addition to its prophetic voice, Hoping Liberia is insightful, purposeful, and missional and will move the reader into "missio Dei." -Dr. Emmanuel McCall Founding Pastor of The Fellowship Group East Point, Georgia Every good story needs a good storyteller. The story of Olu Menjay and Ricks Institute is a very good story. Michael Helms is a very good storyteller. Now the story will be shared far and wide. Thanks be to God for the story and its teller. -Dr. Richard F. Wilson Columbus Roberts Professor of Theology and Chair, Roberts Department of Christianity, Mercer University

Like other volumes in this unique series, Reading Colossians, Ephesians, & 2 Thessalonians focuses on comprehending the major themes of the epistles and their relationship to the understanding of the early Christian communities. With the focus on the work in its entirety rather than a verse-by-verse methodology, this volume will appeal to the professional and nonprofessional alike, as well as to college and seminary students.

Sessions with Mark is a ten-lesson study designed to provide a compelling look at the Gospel of Mark. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study. Immersing us in the Gospel of Mark, Michael D. McCullar and Rickey Letson reveal Jesus as a person of intense passion, energy, and drive. Mark portrayed Jesus as powerful yet benevolent-healing the sick, calming storms, exorcising demons, raising the dead, and restoring sight to the blind. Mark's Jesus was God on a mission.

There are many biblical stories which can be considered spiritual favorites, "greatest hits" even. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Noah and his ark. Moses and the crossing of the Red Sea. Daniel in the lions den. The Christmas story. Paul on the road to Damascus. This book isn't about any of these stories. In the pages of Hidden Treasures, the latest by pastor and author Judson Edwards, we go a bit off the beaten, scriptural path to meet unfamiliar people and visit unusual places. You'll meet Bezalel, Ahimaaz, and Diotrephes. You'll make stops in books rarely visited, like Lamentations, Habakkuk, Haggai, and 3rd John. Even if you've spent a good part of your life studying the Bible, you'll probably go places in this book that you've seldom been before. As you wander the back roads of the Bible, you'll be impressed with the people you meet and the sights you see. You might even come to believe that there are truths to be learned on the back roads that can't be learned anywhere else. Each chapter is accompanied by a list of questions for reflection and study that will help you draw insights from these stories into your own life.

Sessions with John is a twelve-session study unit designed to provide a compelling look at the Gospel of John. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study. Immersing us in the Gospel of John, this study explores themes that point to transformation, that is, to becoming a new person by trusting in and following Jesus. These studies offer Jesus' "words of life" to a new generation of believers. Those who prayerfully ponder and strive to live these words will discover that they still have the power to breathe God's peace and presence into every believing heart.

Sessions with Colossians and Philemon is a ten-session study unit designed to provide a compelling preview to these two of Paul's letters. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study. Eric Porterfield takes readers on a journey through Paul's letters to the Colossians and to Philemon. These letters celebrate the good news that God is on the move in the world through Jesus Christ, shaping the world into what it was created to be. This movement will one day be complete when Christ returns to fully establish the kingdom of God. Until that day we work for the kingdom, give witness to it, and invite others to enter it through faith in Christ. Paul's letters equipped their original audiences and they equip us to be "on the move with God" as faithful kingdom workers.

Sessions with Thessalonians is a ten-session study unit designed to provide a compelling preview to Paul's letters to the Thessalonians. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.Rickey Letson takes readers on a journey through Paul's two letters to the Thessalonian Christians. Through our reflection on Paul's words, we can see that his counsel to the Thessalonians in the midst of their confusion remains invaluable words for believers today who live in a world that is just as chaotic. Paul's tools for navigation for the first-century Christians prove to lead us safe and true as well.

Drama Ministry: A Guidebook is a one-stop manual for starting, directing, and managing a drama ministry. Lay leaders who have no formal drama training will glean from the authors 25+ years of drama training and experience. Even those leaders who are experienced in drama will benefit from the practical insights in managing and leading a team, including how to organize a practice and how to ensure team members regularly attend rehearsals and memorize their lines. In addition to drama technique, you will also gain valuable leadership tools for managing your ministry. Ten original sketches are also included to get you started.

In 1993, Smyth & Helwys released the book Learning to Dream Again by noted pastor, teacher, and writer Charles Bugg. The book told of Bugg's son David, whose malignant brain tumor sent David and his entire family down a path filled with the pain of medical tests, surgeries, and radiation, as well as the disappointment of dreams which may never be fulfilled. The response to Bugg's story as told in Learning to Dream Again was overwhelming. Fourteen years later, Bugg has updated the story in this new book, Lingering Grief. Not only does this new book continue the story of David and his family, but it also considers the stories of countless others who connected to the earlier book and who shared with the author their stories of dealing with the lingering grief of their pain and, indeed, learning to dream again.

Sessions with Peter is a ten-lesson study unit designed to provide a compelling study of 1 and 2 Peter. Each session is followed by exercises for spiritual reflection that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These exercises can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.Sarah Jackson Shelton takes readers on a journey through Peter's letters to the churches in exile. Through these sessions, Shelton connects today's readers of these passages to the tangible encouragement that these letters offer. Just like the example of Jesus, Peter reminds us that our call is to be found faithful to God's grace in spite of persecution, temptation, alienation, or social oppression. As it was to its original audience, Peter's encouragement for us to stay true to our Christian beliefs is a welcome drink of cold water in what can often seem a spiritual desert.

Author and professor Daniel Bagby's latest book, Beyond The Myths: The Journey To Adulthood, addresses some of the unique challenges confronting today's emerging young adult. Exploring that gray area between adolescence and adulthood, the book identifies their unique struggles in regard to personal identity, sexuality, intimacy, vocation, personal choice, and spiritual definition. The book further explores pastoral care options for "would-be adults" as they experience the challenges of confusing options, unclear identities, dysfunctional family messages, vocational choices, and spiritual winters on their way to full adulthood.

Healthy marriages do not simply happen, though our culture's marriage landscape suggests otherwise. Married couples need a strong foundation that the majority of people cannot build on their own. How can ministers best prepare engaged couples for the altar? And how can ministers help provide the needed material for healthy growth among married couples in their cultures? Marriage Ministry: A Guidebook by noted pastors, authors, and seminar leaders Bo Prosser and Charles Qualls provides a ready help for ministers who provide premarital counseling, perform wedding ceremonies, and generally care for married couples and their families. Full of information and ideas that encourage conversation, communication, and interaction, this book will help ministers respond to the many needs of couples in the church. Whether your ministerial needs are with the newly married, the successfully married, or the struggling married, Marriage Ministry will surely help you help them.

"When I was a young girl, my parents warned me never to record my story with black ink on white paper." So begins Finding My Way Home, the story of one Chinese Christian girl in an age of great change for a great nation. The memoir follows the trials and travails of Nettie Ma and her family as they endure Japanese occupation and then Chairman Mao's Communist Cultural Revolution. From the conversion of her grandfather in China by an American missionary to the desire to pass this same legacy on to her children, Nettie Ma traces her Christian journey through the valleys and peaks that have led her to a new home in the United States. With black ink on white paper, Nettie Ma now tells about that journey.

This collection of 40 essays completes the series Building Materials for Life, which includes three volumes and a total of 120 essays. In volumes I and II, Millard Fuller writes about topics such as learning from failure, staying healthy, prayer, worship, humble pride, hope, commitment, sorrow, and passion. Volume III includes essays on habits, inspiration, anger, trouble, humor, and thirty-five additional topics. As in the first two volumes, the essays deal with both religious and secular subjects, and everything is relevant to daily living. Fuller's fervent hope is that this volume and the entire series will be helpful to people in dealing with questions and issues that arise in life.

Leave the noise and frenzy behind. Journey to the silent places of God's heart. Jeanie Miley has discovered a way to avoid the trap of living from crisis to crisis. The person who depends on God leads a balanced life. Miley offers skills to develop such dependence and intimacy with God. Workable guidelines and exercises help readers broaden devotional lives and overcome barriers to deeper spirituality.