Discipleship is eschatological in nature, because the church that makes and receives disciples is eschatological in nature. Often eschatology is thought to refer only to “last things” doctrines. However, eschatology in its broader sense encompasses the Christian view of time and the future of the world, informing both one’s evangelism and ecclesiology. Failing to relate the eschatological dimension to discipleship leaves one with an incomplete worldview, imbalanced discipleship, and eventually, a tragic inability to model the Christian way of life. By answering questions like “What time is it?” and “Where is history going?” Trevin Wax helps Christians view the past, present, and future biblically, and shapes their understanding of following Jesus.

A Christian Answer to the Identity Angst of Our Culture In the 21st-century West, identity is everything. Never has it been more important, culturally speaking, to know who you are and remain true to yourself. Expressive individualism—the belief that looking inward is the way to find yourself—has become the primary approach to identity formation, and questioning anyone's "self-made self" is often considered a threat or attack. Prompted by his own past crisis of identity, Brian Rosner challenges the status quo by arguing that, while knowing yourself is of some value, it cannot be the sole basis for one's identity. He provides an approach to identity formation that leads to a more stable and satisfying sense of self. This approach looks outward to others—acknowledging that we are social beings—and looks upward to God to find a self who is intimately known and loved by him. How to Find Yourself equips readers from a variety of backgrounds to engage sympathetically with some of the most pressing questions of our day. Challenges the Status Quo: Examines and critiques expressive individualism—the leading strategy for identity formation Gospel-Centered: Identifies an approach to identity formation in Jesus's life story and God's personal knowledge of his children Accessible: Helpful for a wide audience of laypeople, students, and church leaders Foreword by Carl R. Trueman: Opens with a message from the author of The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self

Many evangelicals have come to embrace a populist eschatology that has neither the support of the historical church, nor of the scholarly world today. For some, this has led to a disillusionment with eschatological speculations. For others, the results are apathy and a failure to understand the mission of God's people. This is tragic! For when the entirety of the New Testament is read and understood from an eschatological perspective, the grand narrative of Scripture and its fulfillment in Jesus comes clearly into focus. A proper framework for understanding eschatology directly correlates to a proper understanding of the mission of God's people, who are themselves carrying forth the biblical story as we approach the New Jerusalem. To fail to comprehend eschatology is to fail to comprehend our mission. This book has two objectives: First, to provide a proper hermeneutical framework from which we may discern a biblical eschatological worldview. Second, to demonstrate that a proper eschatological framework relates to the mission of God's people and the demand for holiness. Thus, eschatology matters!

The dominant contemporary model for ecclesiology (theological views of the church itself) is the ecclesiology of communion. MacDougall argues that communion ecclesiologies are often marked by a problematic theological imagination of the future (eschatology). He argues further that, as a result, our ways of practising and being the church are not as robust as they might otherwise be. Re-imagining the church in the light of God's promised future, then, becomes a critical conceptual and practical task. MacDougall presents a detailed exploration of what communion ecclesiologies are and some of the problems they raise. He offers two case studies of such theologies by examining how distinguished theologians John Zizioulas and John Milbank understand the church and the future, how these combine in their work, and the conceptual and practical implications of their perspectives. He then offers an alternative theological view and demonstrates the effects that such a shift would have. In doing so, MacDougall offers a proposal for recovering the 'more' to communion and to ecclesiology to help us imagine a church that is not beyond the world (as in Zizioulas) or over against the world (as in Milbank), but in and for the world in love and service. This concept is worked out in conversation with systematic theologians such as Jürgen Moltmann, Wolfhart Pannenberg, and Johannes Baptist Metz, and by engaging with a theology of Christian practices currently being developed by practical theologians such as Dorothy C. Bass, Craig Dykstra, and those associated with their ongoing project. The potential for the church to become an agent of discipleship, love, and service can best be realised when the church anticipates God's promised perfection in the full communion between God and humanity, among human beings, within human persons, and between humanity and the rest of creation.

The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.

Discipleship is a universal experience all human beings share. In our lifetime, each of us has had a mentor, tutor, teacher, or role model, someone we admired, respected, and followed. As the central character in the Bible, the world’s best-selling book, Jesus is known and revered the world over. What would it be like to be mentored by such an individual? Of course, we can follow the accounts of the historical Jesus and his disciples in the gospels, but what would it mean to be discipled by a contemporary, twenty-first-century Jesus? While people across the world claim to follow Jesus, what would it mean to live in the modern world guided by a modern Jesus on religious issues such as faith, God, and scripture, and on social issues such as poverty, healthcare, social justice, political reform, and caring for the environment? A good place to begin is with compassion, for Christianity and compassion are largely linked. To be apprenticed to Jesus is to follow one whose profound love for the hungry, sick, and dying inspired more compassion than any single person, movement, or force in history. Addressing discipleship as a priority in our lives, Radical Discipleship illustrates its subject with stories and accounts of ordinary Christians living out their discipleship in authentic and inspiring ways. Useful for individual or group study, this volume serves as a resource for people seeking tools necessary to fulfill Jesus’ vision for a more vibrant and equitable world, one in which every human being can thrive.

How can Christians effectively engage today's world while staying true to Scripture? Calling us to listen well to both the Word and the world, John Stott shows how Christianity can preserve its authentic identity and remain relevant to current realities. In this practical book, Stott explores four often-neglected aspects of Christian discipleship in light of Scripture.

In recent years, more and more Christians have come to appreciate the Bible's teaching that the ultimate blessed hope for the believer is not an otherworldly heaven; instead, it is full-bodied participation in a new heaven and a new earth brought into fullness through the coming of God's kingdom. Drawing on the full sweep of the biblical narrative, J. Richard Middleton unpacks key Old Testament and New Testament texts to make a case for the new earth as the appropriate Christian hope. He suggests its ethical and ecclesial implications, exploring the difference a holistic eschatology can make for living in a broken world.

Before ascending to heaven, Jesus instructed his followers to "make disciples of all nations." But what does this command actually entail? What does it look like for Christians to care for one another's spiritual well-being and growth? In this introduction to the basics of discipling, veteran pastor and author Mark Dever uses biblical definitions and practical examples to show how Christians can help one another become more like Christ every day. The eighth volume in the 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches series, this short book explains how discipling should function in the context of the local church, teaching pastors and church leaders how to cultivate a culture of edification and growth in their congregations.

Everything You Need to Know About the Last Days at Your Fingertips The Harvest HandbookTM of Bible Prophecy is a reference resource that provides a comprehensive overview of everything the Bible says about the last days. Compiled by bestselling prophecy teachers Ed Hindson, Mark Hitchcock, and Tim LaHaye, this volume has 150+ topics on the most important subjects of prophetic study from 40+ of world’s foremost prophecy experts, including Armageddon, the Day of the Lord, eternal life, the glorious appearing, the messianic kingdom, the millennium, rewards, and the Tribulation. You will gain clear and useful insights about the future in this A-to-Z handbook, which is written to provide thousands of Bible-based facts about the end times and beyond a chronology of the last days from a pretribulational, premillennial view detailed definitions of all the major prophecy-related terms Both new and experienced students of prophecy will find this a tool they can use and understand. Ideal for browsing or serious research, you’ll find yourself reaching for this indispensable resource again and again.