"Here is a comphrehensive, major work, examining all the dimensions of a small group which uses the Bible as a resource...Whether you are a beginner who needs to know the basics or an experienced leader who wants fresh motivation and ideas, you will find this book a welcome and indispensable volume".------The Living Church

God has spoken and still speaks to His people through His written word. Anders shows how to use the Bible for devotion, for study, and for effective living.

Why does Bible study flourish in some churches and small groups and not in others? In this updated edition of a trusted classic, two Christian education specialists provide readers with the knowledge and methods needed to effectively communicate the message of the Bible. The book offers concrete guidance for mastering a biblical text, interpreting it, and applying its relevance to life. Its methods, which have been field-tested for twenty-five years, help pastors, teachers, and ministry students improve their classroom skills. Readers will learn how to develop the "big idea" of a passage and allow the text itself to suggest creative teaching methods. This new edition has been updated throughout and explores the changed landscape of Bible study over the past two decades. Readable and interdisciplinary in approach, this book will help a new generation of Bible students teach in a purposeful and unified way.

No one is immune to trials—cancer, death, divorce, loss of jobs—the list goes on. How does one cope with these traumatic events? How does one take brokenness and make something good from it? Join author Jacqueline Wallace as she shares what she’s learned throughout her life about going through life’s trials and coming out stronger and better for it. Speaking from a perspective of one who has lived with a debilitating disease and fought against breast cancer, Wallace shares truths she has learned about allowing God to transform one’s life from brokenness into a whole life, filled with hope, joy, and purpose. Brokenness to Beauty: Transforming Your Brokenness into a Beautiful Life shines a light on the pathway through the valley of suffering. It seeks to encourage, strengthen, and empower its reader on the way to wholeness, joy, and peace in the midst of trials. “I have had the privilege to enjoy reading Brokenness to Beauty and was touched by Jacque’s testimony, faith, and trust in the Savior. You will be encouraged to see how to lean on the Lord through affliction and how He is faithful to answer prayer as we trust in Him alone.” —Rose Anderson, Director of Women’s Ministry, East Cooper Baptist Church, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina “Like a conversation with a good friend, Jacque encourages us through her own personal experiences of finding solid hope in the midst of suffering and the unknown. Filled with inspirational and practical tools, Brokenness to Beauty guides us on how to put our own suffering into an eternal perspective, finding beauty in our brokenness.” —Debbie Haupt, Women’s Ministry Director, The Bridge Bible Church , Bakersfield, CA

The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context. Faith and action: that inseparable link is a golden thread running through Acts. In 2,000 years, one thing hasn't changed: God's heart for lost people. As long as he acts on their behalf, he will call us to play an integral part in his deeds. Acts lifts us up out of the armchair and spurs us to kingdom action, trusting that God will be with us. Ajith Fernando shares perspectives on the book of Acts that reveal its enduring relevance for our twenty first-century lives. To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's context, each passage is treated in three sections: Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context. Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible. Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved. This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.

Whether in the home or in the church or in a Christian school, the challenge of contemporary Christian educators is to meet the academic needs of students while remaining unswerving in adherence to biblical principles. Christian Education: Foundations for the Future introduces you to the basics of a healthy Christian education program, then takes you beyond, showing you how to develop a fresh, innovative Christian education program that will revitalize your church, home, or school.