If you want kids to do God’s Word and not just hear it—you’re in exactly the right place. Each session focuses on one key Bible truth—kids will discover it, think about it, talk about it, pray about it, and apply what they learn. You’ll drive that point home through Bible exploration, fun discussions, giggle-worthy games, and oh-wow activities that engage kids in multiple ways. Just add an adult or teenage leader to these easy-to-lead sessions to keep kids engaged, entertained, and growing in their faith! Each session is Flexible—sessions work for 1 or 2 kids, 12 kids, or more Multi–aged—suitable for all elementary kids Low–prep—using easy-to-find supplies 45 minutes of fun—with time stretchers to fill an hour Relational—children grow close to Jesus and each other Perfect for any children’s ministry program—Sunday school, children’s church, and more! Help kids discover the faith-building, life-changing truths tucked into 13 of Jesus’ very cool stories. They will meet a lost and found son, a rich fool, disgruntled vineyard workers, a pretty good Samaritan, and many others. And along the way, kids will explore the eternal truths Jesus wrapped in those stories—and what those truths mean in their lives.

If you want kids to do God’s Word and not just hear it—you’re in exactly the right place. Each session focuses on one key Bible truth—kids will discover it, think about it, talk about it, pray about it, and apply what they learn. You’ll drive that point home through Bible exploration, fun discussions, giggle-worthy games, and oh-wow activities that engage kids in multiple ways. Just add an adult or teenage leader to these easy-to-lead sessions to keep kids engaged, entertained, and growing in their faith! Each session is Flexible—sessions work for 1 or 2 kids, 12 kids, or more Multi–aged—suitable for all elementary kids Low–prep—using easy-to-find supplies 45 minutes of fun—with time stretchers to fill an hour Relational—children grow close to Jesus and each other Perfect for any children’s ministry program—Sunday school, children’s church, and more! Help kids discover the faith-building, life-changing truths tucked into 13 of Jesus’ surprising sayings. They will begin to understand what it means to start fishing for people, love the meanies they know, why they would want to be last, and others. And along the way, kids will see that Jesus changes everything—for those who choose to follow Him.

New York Times bestseller What is Jesus worth to you? It's easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live, what their new lifestyle would actually look like. They would, he said, leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily... But who do you know who lives like that? Do you? In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple--then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a "successful" suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus. Finally, he urges you to join in The Radical Experiment -- a one-year journey in authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring.

The renowned biblical scholar, author of The Misunderstood Jew, and general editor for The Jewish Annotated New Testament interweaves history and spiritual analysis to explore Jesus’ most popular teaching parables, exposing their misinterpretations and making them lively and relevant for modern readers. Jesus was a skilled storyteller and perceptive teacher who used parables from everyday life to effectively convey his message and meaning. Life in first-century Palestine was very different from our world today, and many traditional interpretations of Jesus’ stories ignore this disparity and have often allowed anti-Semitism and misogyny to color their perspectives. In this wise, entertaining, and educational book, Amy-Jill Levine offers a fresh, timely reinterpretation of Jesus’ narratives. In Short Stories by Jesus, she analyzes these “problems with parables,” taking readers back in time to understand how their original Jewish audience understood them. Levine reveals the parables’ connections to first-century economic and agricultural life, social customs and morality, Jewish scriptures and Roman culture. With this revitalized understanding, she interprets these moving stories for the contemporary reader, showing how the parables are not just about Jesus, but are also about us—and when read rightly, still challenge and provoke us two thousand years later.

A fresh look at the meaning of Jesus' parables for Christian living today. The parables recorded in the Gospels are central for an understanding of Jesus and his ministry. Yet the parables are more than simple stories; they present a number of obstacles to contemporary readers hoping to fully grasp their meaning. In this volume, thirteen New Testament scholars provide the background necessary to understand the original context and meaning of Jesus' parables as well as their modern applications, all in a manner easily accessible to general readers. Contributors: Stephen C. Barton Craig A. Evans Richard T. France Donald A. Hagner Morna D. Hooker Sylvia C. Keesmaat Michael P. Knowles Walter L. Liefeld Richard N. Longenecker Allan W. Martens Klyne R. Snodgrass Robert H. Stein Stephen I. Wright

Craig Blomberg surveys the contemporary critical approaches to the parables--including those that have emerged in the twenty years since the first edition. This widely used text has taken a minority perspective and made it mainstream, with Blomberg ably defending a limited allegorical approach and offering brief interpretations of all the major parables.

A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.

Based on Kurt Bennett's popular-ish blog God Running, Love Like Jesus begins with the story of how after a life of regular church attendance and Bible study, Bennett was challenged by a pastor to study Jesus. That led to an obsessive seven-year deep dive. After pouring over Jesus' every interaction with another human being, he realized he was doing a much better job of studying Jesus' words than he was following Jesus' words and example. The honest and fearless revelations of Bennett's own moral failures affirm he wrote this book for himself as much as for others. Love Like Jesus examines a variety of stories, examples, and research, including: -Specific examples of how Jesus communicated God's love to others. -How Jesus demonstrated all five of Gary Chapman's love languages (and how you can too). -The story of how Billy Graham extended Christ's extraordinary love and grace toward a man who misrepresented Jesus to millions. -How to respond to critics the way Jesus did. -How to love unlovable people the way Jesus did. -How to survive a life of loving like Jesus (or how not to become a Christian doormat). -How Jesus didn't love everyone the same (and why you shouldn't either). -How Jesus guarded his heart by taking care of himself--he even napped--and why you should do the same.-How Jesus loved his betrayer Judas, even to the very end. With genuine unfiltered honesty, Love Like Jesus, shows you how to live a life according to God's definition of success: A life of loving God well, and loving the people around you well too. A life of loving like Jesus.

If you want kids to do God’s Word and not just hear it—you’re in exactly the right place. Each session focuses on one key Bible truth—kids will discover it, think about it, talk about it, pray about it, and apply what they learn. You’ll drive that point home through Bible exploration, fun discussions, giggle-worthy games, and oh-wow activities that engage kids in multiple ways. Just add an adult or teenage leader to these easy-to-lead sessions to keep kids engaged, entertained, and growing in their faith! Each session is Flexible—sessions work for 1 or 2 kids, 12 kids, or more Multi–aged—suitable for all elementary kids Low–prep—using easy-to-find supplies 45 minutes of fun—with time stretchers to fill an hour Relational—children grow close to Jesus and each other Perfect for any children’s ministry program—Sunday school, children’s church, and more! Help kids discover the faith-building, life-changing truths tucked into the stories of 13 animals that God created. They will see how God used some thirsty camels, low-flying quail, a talking donkey, and more. Along the way, kids will be assured that God knows them and loves them—and is ready to use them in big ways too!

If you want kids to do God's Word and not just hear it--you're in exactly the right place. Each session focuses on one key Bible truth--kids will discover it, think about it, talk about it, pray about it, and apply what they learn. You'll drive that point home through Bible exploration, fun discussions, giggle-worthy games, and oh-wow activities that engage kids in multiple ways. Just add an adult or teenage leader to these easy-to-lead sessions to keep kids engaged, entertained, and growing in their faith Each session is Flexible--sessions work for 1 or 2 kids, 12 kids, or more Multi-aged--suitable for all elementary kids Low-prep--using easy-to-find supplies 45 minutes of fun--with time stretchers to fill an hour Relational--children grow close to Jesus and each other Perfect for any children's ministry program--Sunday school, children's church, and more Help kids discover the faith-building, life-changing truths tucked into 13 stories of people who had very bad days and how God fixed them. They will see God's power at work in the lives of Noah, Daniel, Mary, Lazarus, Stephen, and others. And along the way, kids will discover that the same God of long ago watches over them--and can fix their bad days too