"What is at stake is authenticity. . . . Sooner or later Christians tire of public meetings that are profoundly inauthentic, regardless of how well (or poorly) arranged, directed, performed. We long to meet, corporately, with the living and majestic God and to offer him the praise that is his due."--D. A. CarsonWorship is a hot topic, but the ways that Christians from different traditions view it vary greatly. What is worship? More important, what does it look like in action, both in our corporate gatherings and in our daily lives? These concerns--the blending of principle and practice--are...

"The church must be distinct from the world to reach the world."
- From Chapter 1

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's] own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9, ESV).

Holy and dedicated to declaring the excellencies of God-this is the church, or is it? Can we really call the church holy?

• A minority of those who claim to be born again say they believe in moral absolutes (Source: Barna Research).
• One third of...

Disciplines of a Godly Family covers such topics as establishing a solid family heritage, promoting affection between family members, encouraging godliness in children, using appropriate discipline, and helping children cultivate enriching lifelong habits. The Hugheses also offer tips for fun and affordable family vacations, creating family traditions, and starting a prayer notebook. They even give us a suggested list of books and videos that should be in every family's library.

For those struggling to parent their own children or to equip other parents for this task, a...

Every year thousands of God's servants leave the ministry convinced they are failures. Years ago, in the midst of a crisis of faith, Kent Hughes almost became one of them. But instead he and his wife Barbara turned to God's Word, determined to learn what God had to say about success and to evaluate their ministry from a biblical point of view.

This book describes their journey and their liberation from the "success syndrome"-the misguided belief that success in ministry means increased numbers. In today's world it is easy to be seduced by the secular thinking that places a number on...

Set apart as a prophet before he was born, Jeremiah was called to proclaim God's righteous judgment to a people that had turned against their Creator. The "weeping prophet" was a faithful witness to the God who keeps his covenant promises, tempering a message of judgment with the promise of mercy.

In this commentary, Philip Graham Ryken helps pastors, church leaders, and Bible teachers understand, teach, and apply these prophetic books, showing their ongoing relevance for a Christian's walk with God. With faithful exposition, Ryken reveals the gospel's promise that even in the midst...

When the leadership of Patterson Park Church looked for a book explaining the process of transitioning from a board-run church to an elder led form of church government, a structure they had come to believe was more in line with Scripture, they found none. God honored their efforts and two of their elders decided a book still needed to be written. Elder Governance: Insights into Making the Transition examines church government from a biblical and historical context and tells the story of Patterson Park's transition. The authors are hopeful that God will use their experience to help others...

In the book of Revelation, God unveils the world as it really is, identifying an unseen spiritual war and announcing a very real day of judgment. As the end approaches, we need to be convinced that Jesus is reigning as the risen King. We need to have him speak to the situation in our churches. We need to see how God will pulverize wickedness, answer those who oppose him, and establish his eternal kingdom. Revelation has exactly what we need.

Useful for personal study, as well as for preaching and teaching, the thirty-seven sermons in this volume have a clear structure and even...

How exactly does one become wise? With the overwhelming flood of information and opinion in our times--much of it a mixture of spin, sound bites, and trivialities--it is crucial we turn back to the Bible and pay close attention to the deep insights that have stood the test of time.

Proverbs 1:20 tells us that "Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice." The wisdom of God does not stand aloof, but instead graciously moves toward us, into the world where we live and struggle day by day--offering us her very best, if we will only listen.

Pastor and...

There are substantial reasons to be energized about studying the Pastoral Letters of Paul. Between them they teach the proper ordering of the church (1 Timothy), they present a developed challenge to all Christians (2 Timothy), and they suggest God's priorities for mature ministry (Titus). Experienced pastors R. Kent Hughes and Bryan Chapell have done their homework--applying sound principles in interpreting the texts so that we can understand what Paul was really saying.

Teaching on important matters for the local church, Hughes and Chapell offer a timely word to the many...

The book of Deuteronomy is a call to obedience--the proper response to God's faithfulness and love. Consisting primarily of speeches that Moses gave to the Israelites shortly before they entered the Promised Land, Moses' words proclaimed God's covenant faithfulness in hopes of motivating the Israelites to obey God despite the coming temptation to conform to the Canaanite culture.

The challenges they faced then are remarkably parallel to those facing Christians today as we grapple with the issue of obedience in a world that offers other attractive ways of life. We wonder: How can...