In his Epistle to the Philippians, Paul positions himself as an example of 'being in Christ'. The way in which he does this points out that he consciously positions himself in the tradition of classical rhetoric, where the use of paradigms (exempla) was a standard element in deliberative arguing. Paul describes his life as coloured by Christ in such a way that he represents Christ to the Philippians, and the response he hopes to evoke in their congregation is that of similar behaviour. The analysis of Smit combines observations on classical rhetoric, exegetical analyses of Philippians, and views from the perspective of gender and masculinity studies into a new and fresh analysis of the material. He shows that ancient ideals of deliberative rhetoric have influenced Philippians in much the same way in which they appear in e.g. Aristotle, Plutarch, and (also) 2 Maccabees. This study both positions Paul in the cultural context of his day and indicates the newness of his enterprise.

The church is in disarray. Theologians and commentators speak of the demise of evangelicalism. Are they alarmists? Is Christianity as we know it in the process of dying? Writer, scholar, teacher, and missionary Dr. David Alan Black thinks that the answer does not lie in the politics of the left or the right. In fact, he doesn't think that Jesus tells us what our politics should be. He doesn't see answers in Christian nationalism. But even further, he sees serious flaws in the very structure of our churches and denominations that prevent us from truly being obedient to the gospel. The solution lies, not in renewal, revival, or even in reformation, but rather in restoration-a restoration of the church organized as Jesus intended it and according to the example provided by the earliest church sources in the New Testament. To make the church and its members true servants of Jesus Christ again, we need to change our entire paradigm-to The Jesus Paradigm.

Christ commanded the church to make disciples, to produce people who love and obey God, bear fruit, and live with joy. The crisis at the heart of the church is that we often pay lip service to making disciples, but we seldom put much effort behind doing it. For the pastor who is ready to put words into action, The Disciple-Making Pastor offers the inspiration and practical know-how to do so. Bill Hull shows pastors the obstacles they will face, what disciples really look like, the pastor's role in producing them, and the practices that lead to positive change. He also offers a six-step coaching process to help new disciples grow in commitment and obedience and practical ideas to integrate disciple making into the fabric of the church.

Scripture places high priority on the disciplemaking capacity of the church, This book shows how to accomplish it. Foreword by Howard Ball.

A prominent missiologist provides insight and guidance on the hot topics within Christian mission circles in this unique and timely discussion. Through the authoritative use of Scripture and drawing from the social sciences and history, David J. Hesselgrave tackles ten of the most pressing issues facing missionaries and students of missions today. In spite of the rapid changes taking place, Hesselgrave determines that much of traditional theory, practice, and theology is still valid, if not essential, for the future of Christian missions.

Thomas doubted. Peter denied. Matthew had a shady past. And most of Jesus' disciples had trouble understanding his true message and mission at times. How did Jesus take lowly fishermen and tax collectors and turn them into some of the most influential men that ever lived? And how can modern church leaders empower regular church members to meet their potential as servants of God? In Jesus Christ, Disciplemaker, Hull outlines Christ's methods in training his twelve disciples and presents a biblical pattern that emulates Christ's model for reaching the lost. By taking readers through four growth phases-evangelizing, establishing, equipping, and leading-Hull shows how these principles can be adapted for any discipler. Jesus Christ, Disciplemaker is the perfect resource for pastors and church leaders who want to learn how to help others grow in God's service.

In this provocative book two authors--one a scientist, the other a biblical scholar and pastor--recount the pilgrimages of understanding that have led them from the young-earth, "scientific creationist" position they were taught in their youths to new perspectives on what it can mean to believe in God as Creator.