The last command Jesus gave the church before he ascended to heaven was the Great Commission, the call for Christians to "make disciples of all the nations." But Christians have responded by making "Christians," not "disciples." This, according to brilliant scholar and renowned Christian thinker Dallas Willard, has been the church's Great Omission. "The word disciple occurs 269 times in the New Testament," writes Willard. "Christian is found three times and was first introduced to refer precisely to disciples of Jesus. . . . The New Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for disciples of Jesus Christ. But the point is not merely verbal. What is more important is that the kind of life we see in the earliest church is that of a special type of person. All of the assurances and benefits offered to humankind in the gospel evidently presuppose such a life and do not make realistic sense apart from it. The disciple of Jesus is not the deluxe or heavy-duty model of the Christian -- especially padded, textured, streamlined, and empowered for the fast lane on the straight and narrow way. He or she stands on the pages of the New Testament as the first level of basic transportation in the Kingdom of God." Willard boldly challenges the thought that we can be Christians without being disciples, or call ourselves Christians without applying this understanding of life in the Kingdom of God to every aspect of life on earth. He calls on believers to restore what should be the heart of Christianity -- being active disciples of Jesus Christ. Willard shows us that in the school of life, we are apprentices of the Teacher whose brilliance encourages us to rise above traditional church understanding and embrace the true meaning of discipleship -- an active, concrete, 24/7 life with Jesus.

Is faith in Jesus enough for salvation? Perhaps, says Matthew Bates, but we're missing pieces of the gospel. The biblical gospel can never change. Yet our understanding of the gospel must change. The church needs an allegiance shift. Popular pastoral resources on the gospel are causing widespread confusion. Bates shows that the biblical gospel is different, fuller, and more beautiful than we have been led to believe. He explains that saving faith doesn't come through trust in Jesus's death on the cross alone but through allegiance to Christ the king. There is only one true gospel and one required response: allegiance. Bates ignited conversation with his successful and influential book Salvation by Allegiance Alone. Here he goes deeper while making his acclaimed teaching on salvation more accessible and experiential for believers who want to better understand and share the gospel. Gospel Allegiance includes a guide for further conversation, making it ideal for church groups, pastors, leaders, and students.

This volume, dedicated to the memory of Gerard Mannion (1970-2019), former Joseph and Winifred Amaturo Chair in Catholic Studies at Georgetown University, explores the topic of changing the church from a range of different theological perspectives. The volume contributors offer answers to questions such as: What needs to be changed in the universal church and in the particular denominations? How has change influenced the life of the church? What are the dangers that change brings with it? What awaits the church if it refuses to change? Many of the essays focus on people who have changed the church significantly and on events that have catalyzed change, for the better or for the worse. Some also present visions of change for particular Christian denominations, whether over the ordination of the women, different approaches to sexuality, reform of the magisterium, and many other issues related to change.

This informative and easy-to-understand reference tool offers an "at your fingertips" guide to key Scripture references, Bible stories, and verses that relate to topics like •anger •controversy •employment •going "green" •happiness •leadership •money •relaxation •sex •worship The Concise A to Z Guide to Finding It in the Bible provides a quick and entertaining read for people interested in what the Bible has to say about a wide range of topics.

This book will review Luke's two volume historical narrative concerning Jesus' life and ministry as well the beginning and spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire as he experienced it.

The NIV Study Bible is the #1 bestselling study Bible in the world's most popular modern English Bible translation. This best-loved Bible features a stunning four-color interior with photographs, maps, charts, and illustrations. One look inside this white Italian Duo-Tone(TM) edition reveals why this Bible is a favorite for over 9 million people.

How can private equity investors exploit investment opportunities in foreign markets? Peter Cornelius uses a proprietary database to investigate and describe private equity markets worldwide, revealing their levels of integration, their risks, and the ways that investors can mitigate those risks. In three major sections that concentrate on the risk and return profile of private equity, the growth dynamics of discrete markets and geographies, and opportunities for private equity investments, he offers hard-to-find analyses that fill knowledge gaps about foreign markets. Observing that despite the progressive dismantling of barriers investors are still home-biased, he demonstrates that a methodical approach to understanding foreign private equity markets can take advantage of the macroeconomic and structural factors that drive supply and demand dynamics in individual markets. - Foreword by Josh Lerner - Teaches readers how to investigate and analyze foreign private equity markets - Forecasts private equity investment opportunities via macroeconomic and structural factors in individual markets - Draws on data from a proprietary database covering 250 buyout and VC funds and 7,000 portfolio companies

Acts is the sequel to Luke's gospel and tells the story of Jesus's followers during the 30 years after his death. It describes how the 12 apostles, formerly Jesus's disciples, spread the message of Christianity throughout the Mediterranean against a background of persecution. With an introduction by P.D. James

The MacArthur Study Bible is perfect for serious study. No other study Bible does such a thorough job of explaining the historical context, unfolding the meaning of the text, and making it practical for your life.