Within these pages are the last two previously unpublished works from notable American evangelical theologian, Donald. G. Bloesch. In his spiritual autobiography, Faith in Search of Obedience, Bloesch describes the foundation upon which own theology is based, namely, "a faith in search of obedience." This honest and challenging work reveals and reminds how we are justified by faith alone, but that faith drives us to obey and delight in God's law as we strive to perfect love through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Paradox of Holiness presents the theology of spiritual life as it is shaped and defined by the Word of God. Through this theological exposition, Bloesch presents and explores the paradox that exists in the pursuit of holiness for those who believe. For the theologian, pastor or lay person who is seeking to combine Word and Spirit, doctrine and life, into an active theology, this two-in-one volume by Donald Bloesch provides an honest and sober account of the challenges that may arise throughout the Christian pilgrimage, while pointing toward the hope, encouragement and new life that comes through the triumph of Christ on the cross.

The church in the Western world is largely faltering in its spiritual and missional vitality. There’s a crisis of piety—or the devout life—heartfelt devotion to Christ and his cause. The Pietist movement of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries grew into a revolutionary torrent of spiritual renewal that influenced the Moravians, the Methodists, the great awakenings, and global evangelicalism as we know it today. The Devout Life explores and expands on ten key features of Pietism to plunge the depths of spiritual renewal for today.

Behind many of the challenges facing us today is a failure of leadership. This is not a new problem. Yearning for wise guidance and effective authority is a perennial human longing. We need leaders who are credible, competent and committed. But many leaders seem to be caught up, even consumed, with their own power and agendas. Some see the leadership crisis as an intellectual problem, believing we lack a clear theory of leadership. Others view the breakdown of leadership as a result of increasing deficiency in moral character. Most leadership books today revolve around the concepts of motivation, inspiration, empowerment, and teamwork. Helpful as these themes might be, they miss something more fundamental. Leadership needs a theological foundation, that will be useful for shaping the undergirding principles, and evaluating current leadership theories and practices. We need to view leadership from the vantage point of God. In Rooted Leadership, John E. Johnson explores how Christian theology provides an overarching leadership framework and applies that theory to leadership practices. Spiritual reflection, guided by scripture, points us to the very center of leadership--God--and the purpose of leadership--that we might display his glory. All the best forms of leading take their cues from who God is, his purposes, and his ways of working with people that he has progressively revealed. Building on three decades of research, study, and experience as a global leader, Johnson surveys the landscape of contemporary leadership theory, unpacks the assumptions and beliefs that underly current trends, and responds by offering a robust approach to leadership, founded on the character, work, and words of God.

John Piper pleads with fellow pastors to abandon the professionalization of the pastorate and pursue the prophetic call of the Bible for radical ministry.

While there is no substitute for personal, faithful, and careful Bible reading and prayer, the Bible’s vast size and diversity can make distilling its truth a daunting task. Thus most Christians benefit from supplemental resources to help learn and apply what Scripture teaches. Renowned theologian, Gerald Bray has produced just such a resource in his new systematic theology. Though packed with robust content, he writes about this volume: “the aim . . . is to reach those who would not normally find systematic theology appealing or even comprehensible.” This volume is unique from others in that Bray traces the common theme of God’s love through the Bible categorically—from God’s love for himself and his creation to the cross as the ultimate expression of God’s love, among other categories. The centrality of God’s love in Bray’s theology reflects a deep conviction that the Bible shows us God for who he really is. This volume will be of interest to Christians seeking to grow in their faith.

How do we think about the theology of the book of Jeremiah? John Goldingay considers the prophet Jeremiah himself, his individual circumstances and those of Judah, and his message. As we view the book of Jeremiah in its entirety, we learn about God, Israel as the people of God, the nature of wrongdoing and prophecy, and what we know about the future.