Blood, Sweat, and casseroles: 10 life lessons from the experiences of a pastor

Jesse Kennedy Colbert

Blood, Sweat, and Casseroles is an inside look at the whacky, humorous, heartwarming, and heartbreaking roller-coaster ride that is parish church ministry. It is the true stories and honest experiences of pastor Jesse Colbert. In this book, you will indeed find blood, hard work, joy, death, anger, and some extremely uncomfortable moments involving underwear and the lack thereof.

The stories will bring laughter, smiles, and a tear or two as you absorb the honest experiences of a pastor and church life. Well, some names have been changed to protect the innocent or guilty.

Life is indeed an amazing teacher, and Jesse shares the important life lessons that he learned from his stories. These lessons will encourage and strengthen you in your journey. Blood, Sweat, and Casseroles is not just a humorous and heartwarming journey, but also an uplifting and inspiring one that will bless and uplift you.

Building up: Six Simple Spiritual Disciplines for Students

Ethan Smith

Bible reading. Evangelism. Prayer. Worship. Service. Giving.

These six spiritual disciplines are crucial for any Christian’s growth in godliness and last a lifetime. However, building these habits into your life at a young age is not always so easy, but it is crucial. Young students are often told that they need discipline. Unfortunately, they are too often left without the “why” of discipline and are rarely given concrete steps to implementing it into their lives. This book provides a helpful guide to help students fill these vital needs in a way that is clear and easy to understand. Faithfulness to Jesus is the task for every Christian, no matter the age. Building Up is a blueprint to help students build a foundation of faithful discipline for the house that will stand for Christ throughout their lives.

Contextualizing Preaching: Conversations with diverse church leaders

Edited by Mario M.C. Melendez

Through God’s word, God’s people most clearly hear His voice. 
Through God’s word, God’s people get the prescriptive way of life. 
Through God’s word, God’s people find encouragement and the hope of the Gospel. 
Through God’s word, the world can be reached for the Gospel.

I have sat under some amazing preachers and truly believe that the preaching of God’s word is the central act of worship in the Church. This volume is focused on the preaching of God’s word in various cultural contexts. While some chapters may be longer than others, they each present the history of preaching, impact of preaching, view of preaching, and notable preachers within their respective contexts.

100 Christian Classics: a literary bucket list for the thoughtful christ-follower

Robert A. Yost

Discover the treasures among 100 Christian Classics handpicked by author and scholar Robert A. Yost. Benefit from his insightful introductions and explanations of why each work is essential for those sitting in a pew.

Included in the book:

• A curated selection of 100 Christian classics.
• Introductions and explanations by Robert Yost.
• The 100 works are divided among chapters on topics such as Christian living, discipleship, Biblical studies, and more.

journey of the cross: a prayer guide for the season of lent through the gospel of john

Graham and Susan Michael

The season of Lent is a season of prayer. As such, this guide is not a devotional. It is a guide designed to structure the reader’s prayer life during Lent. Each week begins with a meditation on the week’s theme from the Gospel of John. Each day is structured with an invitation to meet with God with verses from a Psalm followed by a suggested prayer of confession. Then, verses from Scripture are provided for reflection followed by a prayer of adoration. Finally, there is a commission to serve the Lord and an opportunity to reflect on the day. This guide can be used by individuals, small groups, or churches as they prepare over the course of Lent to celebrate our glorious risen Lord, Jesus Christ. He is risen indeed!

Renewing evangelicalism: Carl f. h. henry and a full-fledged approach to christian living

Matthew R. Akers

In the latter half of the 20th century, evangelicalism grew into a guiding light at the spiritual heart of American life, and Carl F. H. Henry was the movement’s primary intellectual influence. His phenomenal understanding of Scripture, culture, and history allowed him to make astute observations concerning how evangelicals can develop a robust orthodoxy and a vibrant orthopraxy. As the 21st century has continued, partisan attitudes have eroded evangelicalism’s influence on the wider American public. In Renewing Evangelicalism, Matthew Akers explores Henry’s work as a roadmap to renewal in order to bring an authentic Christianity back into the public square, where Christians are called to be salt and light in a society rapidly losing hope.

Who do you want to be?: Grow Your Character in Harmony with God’s Desire for You

Paula Carpenter

In Who Do You Want to Be?, Paula Carpenter encourages teenage girls to grow into who God wants them to be. During this six-week character study, girls can reflect on the condition of their hearts by asking themselves if who they are is who they want to be. Paula wants girls to understand God doesn’t demand perfection. He only asks for obedience. By being obedient, we can become who we want to be and, more importantly, who the Lord wants us to be. This study was inspired by the small group of sweet girls Paula teaches at her church who gave her a list of character traits they wanted to grow in their lives. Small groups are ideal for the study because girls can celebrate with each other, encourage one another, understand they are more alike than they are different, and realize they really aren’t alone in their struggle. Whether done in a group or independently, this study will help teenage girls start or continue to grow their character into who God wants them to be.

Stories About the end of things: Revealing themes of eschatology through scripture

Joshua P. Howard

Eschatology ends in Revelation, but it begins in Genesis. It is not contained only in John’s visions recorded in Revelation, but courses through the entire story of Scripture. In Stories About the End of Things, Josh Howard explores nine eschatological themes woven through the tapestry of the Old and New Testaments. What did they mean before Jesus’s advent? What do they mean now for us living in the light of Jesus’s Resurrection? What do they mean for our future in Christ? Using this “Already/Not Yet” paradigm for the chosen themes, Howard invites the reader into a more full-orbed and eminently practical study of eschatology in Scripture.

Hebrew Grammar: Implicit Learning By Elaborative encoding

Jeff Griffin and Mario Melendez

This is not your typical Grammar… it’s a Grammar to teach students to read as soon as possible. Most Hebrew and Greek teachers espouse either deductive or the rare inductive teaching method. Within this work we spouse Elaborative Rehearsal which results in implicit learning. The methods are simple, straight to the point, and proven. The aim of this book is for students to gain quick understanding and confidence handling the language so that they may continue to learn for the rest of their lives. Our end goal of this text is for users to not be a grammarian, but rather Hebrew readers.

the torah’s infants: abortion and the status of the unborn in the pentateuch

Robert L. Cole

In The Torah’s Infants: Abortion and the Status of the Unborn in the Pentateuch, Dr. Robert Cole examines clarion texts from the Torah to illuminate the value of children and the unborn in the eyes of God. Most treatments of this issue centers on Exodus 21:22. But, Cole follows the flow of the Pentateuch, beginning with the Genesis creation account of Adam and Eve in the Garden. He also brings insights from the accounts of Jacob and Esau in the womb, Judah and Tamar, along with the story of the midwives in the first chapter of Exodus. Weaving together the linguistic and thematic elements of these passages then informs the interpretation of the laws concerning pregnant mothers and unborn children in Exodus 21. Examining the canonical context, linguistic patterns, and common themes throughout the Torah demonstrates God’s love and concern for the unborn.

Worship of the Triune God: Finding Delight in a life of worship

Nathan Skipper

In Worship of the Triune God: Finding Delight in a Life of Worship, Nathan Skipper sets out to show that the whole of the Christian life is an act of worship. Skipper does this by exploring the major themes of systematic theology through a doxological lens, rooting our understanding of God, salvation, the church, and the age to come in this chief end—“to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Skipper’s project finds its core in the Book of Ephesians, which is itself a letter of high praise to the Lord. The reader is left understanding that Christian worship is more than just a weekly act. Worship is the reason for which we exist and the only way to find true purpose and delight.

The virgin will conceive: The message of isaiah 7:14 in its context

Robert L. Cole

In The Virgin Will Conceive: The Message of Isaiah 7:14 In Its Context, Robert Cole examines the literary context of Isaiah to demonstrate the meaning of “the virgin birth” in Isaiah 7:14. Cole examines the placement of Isaiah within the canonical context of the Old Testament (TaNaK) to demonstrate the role of the Prophets in the TaNaK and the role of Isaiah within the Prophets. During the canonical examination, Cole highlights the seams between the different books in the Prophets and the theme of the Servant of the Lord. Cole drills down into the immediate context of Isaiah to demonstrate the compositional purpose of Isaiah: pointing the people of God to a vision of the eschaton. The eschatological perspective of Isaiah transcends beyond the time of the kings to coming judgment of immorality, exile, remnant of Israel, and return to the dwelling place of God. Cole illustrates how Isaiah offers hope in the midst of national suffering, a suffering servant who is called Immanuel. Cole examines further still the proximate context of Isaiah 7:14 to show what verse 14 means within chapter 7 and how chapter 7 fits together with surrounding chapters. Cole examines the themes and phonetic parallels within the context to explain the “virgin birth” of Isaiah 7:14 and how this sign relates to the Suffering Servant of the Lord.

The King’s Command: The Great commission and christ’s victory

Joshua P. Howard

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)

These are the last words of Jesus to his followers in the Gospel of Matthew. But who was he talking to? Was Jesus instructing those standing there before him at the time? Or was he commissioning all Christians for all time? Was Jesus just giving one additional command or does the commission have a context in which it is a climax in a story that began in the Garden of Eden and continues to the end of this age? Most importantly, what does the Great Commission actually command? It is frequently associated with foreign missions, but is that the right primary emphasis? In The King’s Command, Josh Howard seeks to answer these questions and more. Examining both the context and the content of the Great Commission, Howard exhorts all Christians at all times to make disciples of Christ, who is with us always.

JOSHUA P. HOWARD (PhD, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the Teaching Elder at Grace Community Church in Battle Creek, MI. Josh is also the author of The Exorcism of Satan, co-hosts a few theology podcasts, and writes periodically. Josh is married to his high school sweetheart Marci, with whom he has four children.

advance praise for The King’s command

“The Great Commission text in Matthew 28 is rightly famous, but its message can easily be abstracted from the rest of Scripture. Josh Howard helpfully reads the Great Commission in the light of the entire biblical storyline from Genesis to Revelation. When we place the Great Commission in this larger context, we see even more clearly how it applies to our lives today and how it fits with God’s design to bring glory to himself in all things.”

Thomas R. Schreiner, Ph.D.
James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Associate Dean at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Author, The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments

“Josh Howard’s volume, The King’s Command, rightly situates the Great Commission within the unfolding narrative of the Bible. Christ’s command to bring the good news of his saving work is a cosmic, redemptive decree, fueling the church to bring God’s glory to the ends of the earth. I’m thankful for this book, and I’m confident that God will use it to expand his kingdom.”

Benjamin L. Gladd, Ph.D.
Professor of New Testament
Reformed Theological Seminary
Author, The Story Retold and From Adam and Israel to the Church

“Josh Howard helpfully places the Great Commission in the larger cosmic context of the Scripture and maybe most importantly under the cosmic reign of Christ. This command isn’t an isolated or incidental mandate. It’s the very marching orders of every follower of Jesus.”

Patrick Schreiner, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Author, Political Gospel: Public Witness in a Politically Crazy World

“Christians can forget they play a valuable role in God’s story of creation. This story is an adventure filled with paradoxes: prosperity and adversity, joys and sorrows, victories and defeats. In The King’s Command, Josh Howard argues that through it all, the Church is not to sit passively on the sidelines or even pray for escape. Rather, Christians are called to actively engage the story and make disciples of Jesus in obedience to the Great Commission. While I take exceptions to certain conclusions (what good book doesn’t cause some disagreement!), I commend Dr. Howard’s faithfulness to Scripture, passion for the Church, and sobering call for Christians everywhere to take joy in their role in the grand story.”

Cory M. Marsh, Ph.D.
Professor of New Testament, Southern California Seminary 
Author, A Primer on Biblical Literacy

“Josh Howard has given us an excellent Biblical-Theological view of the Great Commission, tracing God’s command throughout the historical landscape of Scripture, looking to its future escalated fulfillment, and calling us to a grateful grace-fueled obedience of it in the present.”

Jason Alligood, Ph.D.
Teaching Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church of Peoria, IL
Adjunct Professor, Puebla Bible Seminary & Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

“What Josh Howard has done in The King’s Command is what every biblical interpretation student is asked to do; look at a passage in context. He does not simply look at the Great Commission in the light of the chapter or book, but in the scope of God’s heart for the nations from beginning to end. The King’s Command is a refreshing return to the Great Commission in redemptive and eschatological contexts and will help to answer questions of where one fits into that plan.”

Chip Lamca, DMin
Instructor of Christian Worldview and Missions
Grand Canyon University

“Josh Howard has brought us a fresh approach to understanding the Great Commission in its true biblical context. The combination of biblical explanation and practical application make this book a great resource for all who seek clarity concerning the Great Commission and its impact on discipleship.”

Michael Spradlin, Ph.D.
President, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary
Author, The Sons of the 43rd

Why Psalm 23 Is Not About You: Reading Psalm 23 In Its Context
by Robert L. Cole

In this updated edition of Why Psalm 23 Is Not About You: Reading Psalm 23 in Its Context, Dr. Robert L. Cole reveals linguistic and thematic patterns in the Psalter that demonstrates a continuity of meaning from Psalm 1 through Psalm 24. Particular attention is given to the meaning of Psalm 23 and it’s surrounding Psalms. Fans of canonical studies and lovers of the Psalter will enjoy this quick, but thought provoking read.

Now available on Amazon!