In volume one of this multi-volume series, Marc Ellis explores the essence of the prophetic by intertwining the context of ordinary life and the explosive reality of Jewish identity, the Holocaust and Israel-Palestine. But Ellis's prophetic challenge extends to people of all faiths and backgrounds. For Jews, Christians and Muslims, where does the prophetic come from and how do we define it? Is the heartbeat of the prophetic, God or our own commitment? In our time where belief in God is more difficult does the prophetic suggest only the possibility of God? With or without God is the prophetic worth the suffering that comes the exile's way? Ellis's unfolding narration of the prophetic is unique and probing for those who take life, justice and faith seriously.

This volume explores the theological heartbeat of the Old Testament by examining three big ideas that communicate the Old Testament's redemptive theology. Highly respected scholar Mark Boda shows how three creedal expressions--the narrative, character, and relational creeds--recur throughout the Old Testament and express its core redemptive theology, in turn revealing how the redemptive pulse of God expands to all of creation. He also traces these redemptive and creational pulses into the New Testament and shows their relevance for today's Christian community.

Your success in the ministry is not determined by the size of your church but by the purpose of what God accomplished through you.

What makes God smile? What makes God angry? What makes God's heart beat? Have you ever wanted to know the answers to these questions about God? Do you want to find out if what youve always thought about God is really true? You can get answers to these questions by looking at what the Bible says about the heart of God. In this stimulating and heartfelt book, Dr. Harold Shank leads us through an in-depth study of scripture that will help us find out what makes Gods heart beat. Dr. Shank also explores how to reconcile some of the difficult-to-comprehend aspects of Gods heart. How can His goodness and love be reconciled with His command to utterly destroy a certain group of people? or If God cares about brokenhearted people, why are there so many of them in our world?

Future of the Prophetic argues that in the persistence of the prophetic, the legacy of the ancient Jewish world spread beyond the boundaries of the Jewish community and took root throughout the world. As a way of wisdom and hope, this dual rooting—its grounding in the tradition of ancient Israel and its uncontained itinerancy—unveils a startling but promising new context: a re-presentation of the prophetic from outside the Jewish world to the Jewish community. The new situation of contemporary prophetic challenges the fixed religious landscape by reversing traditional boundaries, eschewing power and privilege, and brokering peace through solidarity and common struggle in ecumenical and interfaith contexts.

The acclaimed Bible scholar and author of The Historical Jesus and God & Empire—“the greatest New Testament scholar of our generation” (John Shelby Spong) —grapples with Scripture’s two conflicting visions of Jesus and God, one of a loving God, and one of a vengeful God, and explains how Christians can better understand these passages in a way that enriches their faith. Many portions of the New Testament, introduce a compassionate Jesus who turns the other cheek, loves his enemies, and shows grace to all. But the Jesus we find in Revelation and some portions of the Gospels leads an army of angels bent on earthly destruction. Which is the true revelation of the Messiah—and how can both be in the same Bible? How to Read the Bible and Still be a Christian explores this question and offers guidance for the faithful conflicted over which version of the Lord to worship. John Dominic Crossan reconciles these contrasting views, revealing how different writers of the books of the Bible not only possessed different visions of God but also different purposes for writing. Often these books are explicitly competing against another, opposing vision of God from the Bible itself. Crossan explains how to navigate this debate and offers what he believes is the best central thread to what the Bible is all about. He challenges Christians to fully participate in this dialogue, thereby shaping their faith by reading deeply, reflectively, and in community with others who share their uncertainty. Only then, he advises, will Christians be able to read and understand the Bible without losing their faith.

International Leader Helps Christians Understand and Develop Their Prophetic Gifting Prophecy is as old as the Bible. Yet many don't understand--or even recognize--when and how it happens today. Having taught and ministered prophetically around the world, Jeremy Lopez has seen this need firsthand, and he's written this book to clear away the confusion. In this down-to-earth, accessible guide, he lays the biblical foundation for prophecy, showing readers • why prophecy is still important today • that every Christian has access to God's gift of prophecy • how believers can be assured they are hearing from God • how they can develop their prophetic gifting Clear and concise, this handbook is essential reading for all who have had--or long for--a brush with the prophetic.