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The Distinctive Nature of the New Testament Church Behind the historical church of the New Testament lies the purpose and wisdom of God. The New Testament church is a unique institution of divine origin. The systematic study of Scripture reveals that Christianity is ordered after a pattern and possess a distinct identity: designed by the Lord, conveyed through the words of the apostles, and seen in the practice of early Christians. Only when following this pattern can we fulfill the command to glorify God in the church. In this study, Edward C. Wharton establishes that Scripture contains a divine pattern for the church of Christ. He then presents a systematic study of the biblical passages relating to the church, creating a clear understanding of the pattern set by God.

Twenty-five Bible-based reasons for his choice of church affiliation.

MOVING FROM A "BLUEPRINT HERMENEUTIC" TO A THEOLOGICAL ONE In this book, John Mark Hicks tells the story of his own hermeneutical journey in reading the Bible. Lovingly and graciously, he describes his transition from a "blueprint hermeneutic" to a theological one. Some suggest that moving away from a patternistic command-example-and-necessary-inference approach for understanding what God requires leaves no other alternative, or at least none that both respects biblical authority and seeks to obey the gospel of Jesus the Messiah. In Searching for the Pattern, John Mark offers just such an alternative. His theological hermeneutic is deeply rooted in the way the Bible presents itself as a dramatic history of God's plan to redeem the world as well as his own experience of growing up among Churches of Christ. Seeing the gospel of Jesus as the center of the biblical drama reorients us to what provides our Christian identity and unites us as disciples of Jesus. ********** I pray this book is received with open hearts and open minds because I believe this work could go a long way in helping to bring unity to our fractured fellowship. --Wes McAdams, Preaching Minister for the church of Christ on McDermott Road, Plano, Texas This excellent book helps us understand the inner workings of Bible interpretation among Churches of Christ and provides a persuasive proposal for Bible interpretation that is built on the story of God we find in Scripture--a story into which God calls us. --James L. Gorman, Associate Professor of History, Johnson University Knoxville, Tennessee Finally, a trellis across the chasm! Throughout this book, Hicks does not compromise his high regard for both the church and the Scriptures; and through the grace found therein, he composes this urgent invitation back to the Table, where obedience cooperates with mystery, and we--estranged or conflicted--can find our place as one within God's magnificent story. --Tiffany Mangan Dahlman, Minister at Courtyard Church of Christ, Fayetteville, North Carolina John Mark Hicks is Professor of Theology at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. He has taught for thirty-eight years in schools associated with the Churches of Christ. He has published fifteen books and lectured in twenty countries and forty states and is married to Jennifer. They share six children and six grandchildren.

"A Christian without a church is a Christian in trouble." Since a global pandemic abruptly closed places of worship, many Christians have skipped church life, even neglecting virtual services. But this was a trend even before COVID-19. Polarizing issues, including political and racial strife, convinced some people to pull away from the church and one another. Now it's time to recommit to gathering as brothers and sisters in Christ. In Rediscover Church, Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman discuss why church is essential for believers and God's mission. Through biblical references and personal stories, they show readers God's true intention for corporate gathering: to spiritually strengthen members as individuals and the body of Christ. In an age of church-shopping and livestreamed services, rediscover why the future of the church relies on believers gathering regularly as the family of God. Published in partnership with the Gospel Coalition and 9Marks.

"The present volume, being the outgrowth of lectures delivered in the classroom, was originally written in Latin with the intention of supplying a textbook suited to the needs of those beginning the study of theology in our seminaries. . . . It is hoped that the detailed explanations and the simplicity of language will render the work intelligible and useful to a large portion of the laity. "With the exception of the Sacraments, there is, perhaps, no subject of more practical interest to clergy and laity alike than that of the Church, yet there are few works in English treating the subject in full. The author trusts that he has made some contribution in this matter by giving a connected and rather detailed account of the origin, constitution, and powers of the Church from the dogmatic as well as from the apologetic point of view." -From the Introduction