Let's face it—the Bible contains passages that are challenging to interpret and can even incite fear. Sure, we want to believe God's grace applies to our unique troubles: addiction, divorce, habitual sins, or a feeling of distance from God because we don't measure up. Still, perplexing Bible passages eat at us. Bestselling author and radio host Dr. Andrew Farley is known to blitzkrieg legalistic and lifeless interpretations with his discerning take on controversial Scriptures. In Twisted Scripture, Andrew skewers sacred cows and shatters destructive lies, bringing the undiluted truth about God's love and grace in a colorful and conversational look at the most controversial passages in the New Testament. This book offers more than just encouragement and freedom. It may change everything about the way you see yourself and God.

Perspectives on Spirit Baptism presents in counterpoint form the basic common beliefs on spirit baptism which have developed over the course of church history with a view toward determining which is most faithful to Scripture. Each chapter will be written by a prominent person from within each tradition—with specific guidelines dealing with the biblical, historical, and theological issues within each tradition. In addition, each writer will have the opportunity to give a brief response to the other traditions.

Baptism has been a contested practice from the very beginning of the church. In this volume, Ben Witherington rethinks the theology of baptism and does so in constant conversation with the classic theological positions and central New Testament texts. By placing baptism in the context of the covenant, Witherington shows how advocates of both believer's baptism and infant baptism have added some water to both their theology and practice of baptism.

This is a book that clearly and comprehensively covers the topics of both water baptism and Spirit baptism from a purely biblical perspective — rather than from a particular ecclesiastical, historical, or theological perspective. Rather than using isolated Scripture verses in an effort to shore up a position, this book quotes and explains all passages that have a bearing on these two topics, allowing a position to form that is based solely on God’s Word. Passages are considered within their broader literary context, and alternative interpretations are explored. This book is unique in offering the following: 1. It gives a clear and comprehensive presentation of both water baptism and the baptism in the Spirit. Other books deal with only one or the other topic, but rarely both — and in so doing, often confuse and confound these two kinds of baptisms. 2. It offers an explanation of every Scripture passage that refers to either water baptism or Spirit baptism. Other books use selected verses to support their position; this book however places the emphasis on the Scripture passages themselves. 3. It includes both the literary context of surrounding verses and the cultural / historical context in which the texts were written, so as to better understand the intended meaning of each passage as a whole — and to avoid forcing a bias into the text. 4. It also considers alternative viewpoints and interpretations of passages, so as to add to the comprehensive nature of this book. Appendix chapters and extensive endnotes are also included for readers who want to further explore a related matter or text. 5. It is organized and written on a level to be understood by lay people, yet includes scholarship that will stand up to critical analysis. Water baptism and the baptism in the Spirit are for all Christians. Whether you are a lay person, minister, or teacher, this book is for you! (For a clear and comprehensive understanding of another church ordinance, please see the author’s book entitled, Confession and Communion: As Taught in the Scriptures, available through Xlibris in print or as an e-book.)

For the most part, the church has been silent about Jesus' role as baptiser in the Spirit, though John declared this to be the principal contribution of his Messianic ministry. Through exploration of the relevant scriptures of both Old and New Testaments, David Pawson describes eight essential elements in Spirit baptism.

Baptism has been a contested practice from the very beginning of the church. In this volume, Ben Witherington rethinks the theology of baptism and does so in constant conversation with the classic theological positions and central New Testament texts. By placing baptism in the context of the covenant, Witherington shows how advocates of both believer's baptism and infant baptism have added some water to both their theology and practice of baptism