30 Bible Studies for Youth Groups and Classes Utilizing lessons from the Bible, these studies prompt youth to live their lives so as to exemplify the transforming presence of Christ by taking faith-based risks, focusing on their divinely given purpose, and daily making a difference for the glory of God. The five units, each containing six lessons, address (1) giving God one's all; (2) being open to God's mission; (3) speaking out to share Christ in the world (engaging in prophetic action); (4) becoming a people committed to discipleship and evangelization; and (5) living out the Gospel (the Good News). This GOSPEL/Good News-centered Series includes the following: - Student/Youth Bible Lessons; - Discussion Questions; - Small-group Prayer Guides/Activities; - Personal Prayer Devotional Guides; - People Service Focus Projects. The lessons are designed to touch the lives of young people around the world, encouraging them to fulfill their purpose as followers of Christ. These studies are inspired and utilized by Baptist youth who have participated in the development of the Baptist World Alliance Youth Department's Singapore Declaration.

What does the gospel look like through RayBans?Born in the 1960s and 1970s, today's generation of young men and women is in crisis. Many grew up in broken homes. They face skyrocketing college costs and the prospect of underemployment--not un employment--after college. They have never known a time not plagued by ethnic strife, rampant crime and public scandal. Generation X has been bred on skepticism and cynicism. That's why it's difficult to reach them with gospel. But Kevin Graham Ford, born in 1965, refuses to give up on his peers. Instead, in this often gripping book, he offers some of the most innovative and pracitcal guidance available on introducing a new generation to Jesus.Touching on postmodernism, narrative evangelsim, life in cyberspace and a host of other timely topics, Ford's book will be welcomed by evangelists, pastors, campus fellowship workers, seminary students--all who teach, minister and live among Generation X.

Move over Boomers, Xers, and Millennials; there's a new generation--making up more than 25 percent of the US population--that represents a seismic cultural shift. Born approximately between 1993 and 2012, Generation Z is the first truly post-Christian generation, and they are poised to challenge every church to rethink its role in light of a rapidly changing culture. From the award-winning author of The Rise of the Nones comes this enlightening introduction to the youngest generation. James Emery White explains who this generation is, how it came to be, and the impact it is likely to have on the nation and the faith. Then he reintroduces us to the ancient countercultural model of the early church, arguing that this is the model Christian leaders must adopt and adapt if we are to reach members of Generation Z with the gospel. He helps readers rethink evangelistic and apologetic methods, cultivate a culture of invitation, and communicate with this connected generation where they are. Pastors, ministry leaders, youth workers, and parents will find this an essential and hopeful resource.

Did Jesus intend to found a church separate from Judaism? Who were the very first followers of Jesus? And how did a clash between two families--the family of Jesus on one hand and the family of high priest Annas and their aristocratic allies on the other--eventually lead to the formation of Christianity? In this study, best-selling author Craig A. Evans looks at how a tumultuous chain of events from 30-70 CE--beginning with Jesus's entry into Jerusalem and subsequent crucifixion and ending with the destruction of the temple--led to the separation between the followers of Jesus and other Jews. Topics include the following: 1) whether Jesus actually intended to found the Christian Church; 2) the ways in which Jesus's proclamation of the “Kingdom of God†relate to the Christian Church; 3) the role of James, brother of Jesus, in the new movement in Jerusalem; 4) the tension between James and Paul in the matter of law and works; 5) the conflict between the families and followers of Jesus and those of the high priest Annas before the destruction of the temple; and 6) the aftermath of the Jewish rebellion, whereby the Church moved away from its Jewish roots. An appendix further explores the reasons behind the rift between the Jesus movement and the synagogue. This fascinating volume is suitable for historical Jesus and early church studies, along with anyone else interested in learning about the very first followers of Jesus.

We can't share something we don't have. We can't bring secular people to God if we don't know Him ourselves. If it's our desire to bring secular people into a relationship with God, we must be willing to share ourselves in deep relationship with them. This book will share with you ways to: We can't share something we don't have. We can't bring secular people to God if we don't know Him ourselves. If it's our desire to bring secular people into a relationship with God, we must be willing to share ourselves in deep relationship with them. This book will share with you ways to:

Study Manual content illuminates some aspect of the Jesus in the Gospels each week and connects Scripture to daily life and Jesus' call to discipleship. The overarching aim is to deepen discipleship through better understanding of the biblical texts and their message. The study helps group members understand that Jesus is rooted in Judaism and the Scriptures of Judaism and that Christianity and the New Testament are rooted in the Scriptures of Judaism--our Old Testament. The Study Manual guides daily study and preparation for the weekly group meeting. The main elements in the format are designated by scriptural phrases: "They have no wine" (John 2:3) is a brief statement about the human condition and alerts the reader to some aspect of daily life that Scripture can shed light on. "Beginning with Moses and all the prophets" (Luke 24:27) is a way of referring to Scripture as a whole and signals the fact that we can understand Jesus in the Gospels better by understanding the Old Testament better. "Do you want to become his disciples, too?" (John 9:27, New International Version) is designed to stimulate thoughtful reflection so readers can come to their own conclusions about what their own discipleship calls for. Accompanying each day's Scripture reading assignments are suggestions of things to look for that take the reader deeper into Scripture. As readers become aware of detail in Scripture, they might ask themselves repeatedly, What am I to make of this? The study manual provides space for writing notes on insights, observations, and questions related to the Scripture, and for putting into words personal perceptions of Jesus from the week's Scripture.

Grandparenting with Grace by author Larry McCall explores what grandparenting looks like from God's perspective. In this profound and accessible guide, McCall invites readers to glean from God's Word how they can have an impact on their grandchildren that can bear fruit not only throughout their grandchildren's lives but even into eternity.

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible reveals a God whose creative power and loving care embrace all that exists, from earth and sky and sea to every creeping, crawling, swimming, and flying creature. Yet the significance of the Bible’s extensive teaching about the natural world is easily overlooked by Christians accustomed to focusing only on what the Bible says about God’s interaction with human beings. In Creation Care, part of the Biblical Theology for Life series, father and son team Douglas and Jonathan Moo invite readers to open their Bibles afresh to explore the place of the natural world within God’s purposes and to celebrate God’s love as displayed in creation and new creation. Following the contours of the biblical storyline, they uncover answers to questions such as: What is the purpose of the non-human creation? Can a world with things like predators, parasites, and natural disasters still be the ‘good’ world described in Genesis 1? What difference does the narrative of the ‘Fall’ make for humankind’s responsibility to rule over other creatures? Does Israel’s experience on the land have anything to teach Christians about their relationship with the earth? What difference does Jesus make for our understanding of the natural world? How does our call to care for creation fit within the hope for a new heaven and a new earth? What is unique about Christian creation care compared with other approaches to ‘environmental’ issues? How does creation care fit within the charge to proclaim the gospel and care for the poor? In addition to providing a comprehensive biblical theology of creation care, they probe behind the headlines and politicized rhetoric about an ‘environmental crisis’ and climate change to provide a careful and judicious analysis of the most up-to-date scientific data about the state of our world. They conclude by setting forth a bold framework and practical suggestions for an effective and faithful Christian response to the scriptural teaching about the created world. But rather than merely offering a response to environmental concerns, Creation Care invites readers into a joyful vision of the world as God’s creation in which they can rediscover who they truly are as creatures called to love and serve the Creator and to delight in all he has made.