Ever read one of Jesus' parables and ask, "What is He talking about?" If so, you're not alone. Jesus' own disciples were also perplexed by the enigmatic stories Christ told. Now you—alone or with your small group—can dig deeper into the meaning of these parables to uncover their important meaning for your walk with Christ. Designed with today's busy woman in mind, each lesson can be completed in as little as 20 minutes per day, but leave you with a lifetime of valuable insights. Based on the inductive Bible study method, each lesson conjures vivid imagery of the sights and sounds of ancient Israel alongside poignant application questions for today. There's something here for Christians of all shapes and sizes. Everyone will leave with a more profound understanding of Christ's amazing parables.

Jesus communicated deep spiritual truths through simple, vivid, and engaging stories. Woven from the stuff of everyday life, the parables of Jesus made the kingdom of God understandable and accessible to his listeners. In six engaging, interactive small group sessions, this Deep Connection DVD gives you will gain new insights into his parables and their meanings that will help you to appreciate more fully their relevance for your own life. With maps and pictures, outlines, key Scripture verses, discussion questions, plenty of room for note taking, and a personal five-day Bible study for each session, this participant’s guide will help you get the most out of The Parable of Jesus, both in your group and in applying what you learn to your life.

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.

Jesus has called you. Called you to be different. Called you to love. Called you to restore. Equip your small group to answer the call of God on their life with this incredible 12-session DVD. The Gospel of John: Finding Identity and Purpose DVD Bible Study covers 12 passages from the book of John that will deepen your understanding of identity, calling, and God's purpose for you. Packed with leader tips, discussion questions, practical applications, and prayer points, this DVD study can be led by anyone! Sessions are taught by 6 professors with specialized areas of knowledge. This includes the Participant Guide only. DVD (ISBN 9781628627879) sold separately. Complete kit also available (ISBN 9781628628296). Designed to accompany the DVD study, The Gospel of John Participant Guide provides an outline of the video teaching with room for notes and includes photos, maps, additional information, and a five-day personal Bible study guide after each lesson. About the 12 Session Gospel of John DVD Bible Study for Small Groups Have you ever wondered what you were meant to do? What your purpose is? How can you answer God's call on your life? Deepen your understanding of what it means to be called by God with the events, miracles, and practical applications in the Gospel of John. Sessions Include: Called to Honor: Water into Wine John 2:1-11Called to Belong: Temple Cleansing John 2:13-22Called to Believe: Nicodemus John 3:1-16Called to Restoration: Samaritan Woman John 4:4-26Called to Healing Work: Healing the Paralytic John 5:1-18Called to Be a Temple: If You Are Thirsty John 7:37-44Called to Be a Light: I Am the Light of the World John 8:12Called to Testify: Blind Man John 9:1-18, 35-41Called to Shepherd: Good Shepherd John 10:1-16Called to Be a Living Witness: Lazarus John 11:1-27, 34-44Called to Serve in Love: Last Supper John 13:1-17Called to Bear Fruit: I Am the True Vine John 15:1-17Enjoy 12 New Testament Teaching Sessions from Expert Professors and Bible Scholars Six Bible professors with specialized areas of knowledge each emphasize three areas that will deepen your experience of Jesus and the Bible: Historical and cultural backgroundAn engaging, close look at the biblical text and its meaningAccurate, encouraging, and challenging applications to life todayHear truth from those who spend their life investigating the meaning of the Bible and are excited to bring the fruits of their knowledge and life experience to you. 12 Teaching Sessions Perfect for Bible Study on the Book of John The first part of each lesson delves into the meaning of the biblical text, using first-century historical background to bring out the text's deeper meaning, which involves investigating the historical, religious, and social background of first-century Jewish culture and their Greek and Roman neighbors. In the second part of each lesson, after making deeper connections to the biblical texts, instructors will help you and those you lead to apply the relevant lessons to your life in practical and rich ways. Life application in the church today is often shallow and many times unrelated to the real meaning of the biblical passage. In this series, the practical application derives directly from the biblical text. This DVD Study Is Perfect For: Individual studySmall groupsYoung adult Bible studyChurch congregationsHomeschoolChurch librariesAnd much moreAbout the Editor Matt Williams, PhD, is the associate professor of New Testament at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, La Mirada, California. A former missionary to Spain, Matt preaches and teaches at churches throughout the United States and Spain. He is general editor of Colección Teológica Contemporánea, a series of theological books in Spanish, and is the author of two books on the Gospels. Meet Your Teachers: Dr. Joanne Jung, Biola University, Talbot School of TheologyDr. Leon Harris, Biola University, Talbot School of TheologyDr. Sean McDowell, Biola University, Talbot School of TheologyDr. Mark Strauss, Bethel SeminaryDr. Jeremy Treat, Pastor, Reality LA, Los AngelesDr. Matt Williams, Biola University, Talbot School of Theology

Six-session small group studies to build true community within the church and among the worldParables: Jesus, the wisest man who ever lived, had much to say about God, the human heart, the future, life, anger, love, and everything that mattered. Digging into the treasure trove of the wisdom and truth hidden in his parables will stretch minds, feed souls, pierce hearts, and shape his followers into true disciples.

Healer of diseases. Master of nature. Conqueror of demons and death. Jesus not only preached the kingdom of God in word, but he demonstrated it in power through his miraculous deeds. In six engaging, interactive small group sessions, this Deep Connection DVD gives you a unique, in-depth look at the miracles of Jesus will open your eyes to their impact on the lives he touched, what they reveal about God’s heart, and their significance for us today. With maps and pictures, outlines, key Scripture verses, discussion questions, plenty of room for note taking, and a personal five-day Bible study for each session, this participant’s guide will help you get the most out of The Miracles of Jesus, both in your group and in applying what you learn to your life.

With a focus on Jesus Christ, Anne Graham Lotz brings clarity and understanding to the book of Revelation. Lotz explains God's faithfulness regardless of circumstance. All who feel depressed, deluded or discouraged can find hope in all of life's difficult situations: When life seems too small and problems seem too great; when personal insignificance outweighs God's significance; when overwhelmed by the ungodly majority; or when facing death or choosing life. Sharing her passion for God's word, Anne Graham Lotz leads the reader step by step through the apostle John's glorious, eyewitness account of God's plan for our future.

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 Bible study based on her Short Stories by Jesus, Amy-Jill Levine analyzes these "problems with parables" taking readers back in time to understand how their original Jewish audience understood them. 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. This participant guide provides an introduction to the main text as well as further Scripture commentary and reflection questions.

Jesus was a master storyteller, and the parables He told were ingeniously simple word pictures. Some of them were no more than fleeting remarks about commonplace incidents, objects, or persons. In fact, the most compact of all Jesus' short stories does not even fill a complete verse of Scripture. Yet the all were filled with profound spiritual lessons that He wanted His listeners to hear and understand. Jesus told these parables so they would clearly comprehend His message about the kingdom of God and the reason He had come to earth. In the Parables Workbook, master expositor and Bible commentator John MacArthur draws on his years spent studying and explaining the Word of God to guide readers through some of the most famous and influential short stories that Jesus told. Each session contains the following: Biblical focus: the primary passages on which the session draws Another look: questions to facilitate review of content in the book Biblical connections: questions that focus on the main Bible passage Highlighting the lesson: questions that focus on the central teaching points Lasting implications: questions to help draw out personal conclusions Daily assignments: five sets of questions that reflect on the parable, the point, the purpose, the principles, and the practical application This workbook has been designed to enhance readers' experience of reading the book and is intended both for individual use and for study in a small-group setting.

In Hero Maker, you will learn how to bring real change to your church and community by developing the practical skills to help others reach their leadership potential. Drawing on five powerful practices found in the ministry of Jesus, Hero Maker presents the key steps of apprenticeship that will build up other leaders and provide strategies for how you can: activate the gifts of those around you help others take ownership of their mission develop a simple scorecard for measuring your kingdom-building progress With rich insights from the Gospels, Hero Maker is packed with real-life ministry stories ranging from paid staff to volunteer leaders--from established churches to new church plants. Whether you lead ten people or ten thousand, Hero Maker will not only help you maximize your leadership impact; but, in doing so, you will also help shift today's church culture to a model of reproduction and multiplication. Chicago pastor and church planter Dave Ferguson and award-winning writer Warren Bird make a compelling case that God's power and purpose are best revealed when we train and release others to further advance the Kingdom of God. By becoming a hero maker and investing in others, you can join a movement of influencers that are impacting thousands of people around the world. Everybody wants to be a hero, but few understand the power of being a hero maker.