The bestselling author of Christ-Centered Preaching provides a useful and accessible resource that traces the history of Christian worship and calls contemporary congregations to gospel faithfulness.
A Biblical View of Work in Light of the Gospel For many people, their job is merely "the daily grind" needed to provide for family or pay the bills. Yet our work is a vital means for fulfilling God's purpose for our lives and displaying his grace to those around us. We bear God's image in our workplaces, experiencing his blessings and expressing his nature through our efforts, integrity, creativity, generosity, and excellence. No earthly chore is without the opportunity to observe his divine hand. No challenge in task or relationship is without opportunity to represent God's heart. In this ebook, author and pastor Bryan Chapell shares this biblical perspective of vocation, explaining how God gives purpose to our work by making it an instrument of his grace to our own hearts, as well as a way of bringing his goodness and glory into our world. Chapell explains how we can worship God by our work, rising above drudgery, duty, or self-interest with the understanding that our jobs are unique callings for displaying God's character and care. Our work is worship when we see the glory beyond the grind, the mission in the mundane, and the grace at work. Ideal for Christians in the Workplace: Contains encouragement for those looking for purpose in their jobs Biblically Grounded: Chapell teaches how the gospel blesses attitudes and responsibilities relating to success, creativity, money, integrity, leadership, and even sin in the workplace Kingdom Minded: Explains vocation in light of the grace Christ provides to and through his people for blessing our world and bringing him glory
Highly regarded preacher and teacher Bryan Chapell shows readers how he has prepared expository sermons according to the principles he developed in his bestselling Christ-Centered Preaching. This companion volume provides concrete examples of how a redemptive approach to Scripture is fleshed out in various types of sermons and various genres of the Bible. The example sermons not only demonstrate different approaches but also are analyzed for pedagogical purposes, helping readers move from theory to practice. In essence, the book allows students and preachers to look over Chapell's shoulder as he prepares these messages to learn how to construct their own expository sermons that communicate grace and truth from both the Old and New Testaments.
Often we read the book of Daniel in one of two ways--either as a book about a heroic man whose righteousness should inspire us to keep the faith no matter what our circumstances, or as a roadmap to the end times that can, through careful study, perhaps tell us the day and hour (or nearly so) of Christ's return. Both, says Bryan Chapell, are sadly missing the bigger picture, that God is the hero of this story and he is in the midst of his unrelenting plan to rescue his people from their sin and its consequences. We mustn't simply make the man Daniel the object of our worship nor the subject of our debates. We may differ about prophetic details, Chapell says, but we should never miss the point that the book of Daniel is, like all of Old Testament Scripture, pointing us toward the grace of God, ultimately revealed in Christ. Pastors, teachers, and individual Christians studying the book of Daniel will find this volume a welcome addition to their library.
In this complete guide to expository preaching, Bryan Chapell teaches the basics of preparation, organization, and delivery--the trademarks of great preaching. This new edition of a bestselling resource, now updated and revised throughout, shows how Chapell's case for expository preaching reaches twenty-first-century readers.
Christians hear and understand that they are "saved by grace." But what other spiritual benefits can an understanding of grace reveal? What has God promised believers his grace will provide? In the book The Promises of Grace, Bryan Chapell offers a careful look at the beauty of grace and all it brings to believers--not "more money and fewer headaches" but "confidence of our relationship with" God. Chapell helps believers focus on the promises they can expect God to fulfill--promises of assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Spirit, and perseverance in trial. These blessings come with the understanding that because we cannot hang on to God, he hangs on to us. Previously published as In the Grip of Grace, this revised edition offers a clear yet thorough look at the practical implications of God's grace. Study questions at the end of each chapter enhance the application for personal or small group study. In a warm, encouraging style, The Promises of Grace reveals the goodness of grace for everyday life.
Marriage requires not just love, but sacrificial love, says Bryan Chapell. In his newly revised and updated book, Each for the Other, he shows married couples how to emulate the unselfish, sacrificial love of Christ. While imparting invaluable instruction grounded in Scripture, Chapell not only helps husbands and wives understand the nature of God's care but also affirms the importance of building a spiritual foundation that binds them together as one. By presenting a biblical model of marriage, Chapell encourages couples to dive into the deeper dimensions of their relationship. The result, he says, is a Christ-centered marriage and a grace-filled family. Refreshing and honest, Each for the Other is a perfect guide to show spouses, engaged couples, and marriage counselors what marriage is meant to be.
Chapell puts good works and obedience in proper perspective. This book will challenge readers to discover the gracious source of joy and strength they will need for a lifelong pursuit of holiness.
If the apostle Paul had not punctuated his words with images of the armor of God or the racecourse, would we so easily remember his instruction? The march on Washington might have become nothing more than a ragged hike across a majestic mall if Martin Luther King, Jr. had not led us through a "dream" and onto a "mountaintop." Such is the power of illustrations. They contain a hidden dynamic of living that captures our attention and furthers our understanding in a way that no other sermonic tool can match. Can they be overused and their purpose abused? Yes—and by many they are. But to eliminate them completely would be unwise, maintains Bryan Chapell. Instead, he responds to those concerns by reviewing the theory behind illustrations, sharing why they're important, and demonstrating how you can use them effectively in your biblical preaching. This book clearly affirms that illustrations are integral to powerful preaching—not because they entertain but because they expand and deepen applications in the lives of your listeners. They infuse your words with life without comprising the message, making the truth of the Word ring clearly in people's hearts long after your sermon is done.
How God's Unlimited Grace Leads Us to Heartfelt Obedience What if obeying God is not just dreary duty—going through the motions to avoid God's wrath or earn his favor? What if following Christ is pure joy—living in loving response to a grace so profound that it changes all our motivations and affections? Far from encouraging sin, this biblical understanding of grace fuels and empowers the obedience that God commands. Explaining why grace is important and giving us tools to discover it in all of Scripture, Unlimited Grace helps us to see how gospel joy transforms our hearts and makes us passionate for Christ's purposes. Experienced pastor and author Bryan Chapell takes insights from a lifetime of relishing God's grace and pours them into this highly accessible and engaging book, helping readers see how God's grace shines through all of Scripture, for all of life.
Christians often say, "In Jesus' name" to close their prayers. But is this truly a desire of the heart or a perfunctory "Yours Truly" to God? Bryan Chapell says we should begin our prayers in Jesus' name-we should be Praying Backwards. In this practical and inspiring book, he shows readers that to truly pray in Jesus' name is to reorder one's priorities in prayer-and in life-away from oneself and towards Jesus and his kingdom. It is to pray believing in the power and the goodness of the One who hears, and thus to pray boldly, expectantly, and persistently. Readers seeking to transform their prayer lives will find wonderful direction in Praying Backwards.
Will Jesus's return be preceded by a single world government? Will every person have a government-issued ID or mark? Does Christ return once or twice? Will believers go through a Great Tribulation? Will there be a literal battle of Armageddon? Does it even matter what we believe about future events? Biblical prophecies about the end times have confused, confounded, and even divided God's people for centuries. But the reason Scripture gives us hints about the future is to provide the encouragement we need to endure the present, confident that God keeps his promises. In this balanced look at four major views of the end times, bestselling author Bryan Chapell explains the primary ways Christians have interpreted biblical prophecy about the last days, not so that we might pick a hill to die on but so that we can cling to what unites us in Christ. No matter what end times view we find most compelling, in God's plans we can find strength for today and hope for tomorrow.
This special collection of brief devotional thoughts for each day from Bryan Chapell reflects God's unlimited grace in Scripture in our daily lives. Each devotional begins with a passage of Scripture. Chapell then shows the reader how God's grace shines through the verses and concludes with an inspiring prayer.
Preaching the Word Commentaries are written by pastors for pastors, as well as for all who teach or study God's word. With pastor R. Kent Hughes as the series editor, these volumes feature an experienced pastor or teacher who models expository preaching and practical application. This series is noted for its steadfast commitment to biblical authority, clear exposition of Scripture, and readability, making it widely accessible for both new and seasoned pastors, as well as men and women hungering to read the Bible in a fresh way. This volume explores 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus to help us better understand what God requires of those who lead in the local church, as well as of those who would be led.
“Did God really say?” is a fundamental theological question. If God has not spoken clearly, truly, trustworthily, and in human words, then anything goes: believe what you will, act as you wish—no one can fault you. The church’s historical belief in the truthfulness and trustworthiness of Scripture as God’s written Word is being assaulted from without and from within. In this book, seven scholars from Covenant Theological Seminary, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary confront and repel many of these attacks. Reasoning clearly, cogently, and carefully, they show that the historical doctrine of Scripture is what Scripture teaches about itself, and that this teaching can meet and defeat the ungodly intellectual schemes brought against it.--from publisher description.
The Bible is the most quoted book in the western world, and likely the most misunderstood. It is often thought to be little more than religious mythology, or a collection of moral and ethical guidelines, or a series of quaint but irrelevant legends. But what if the Bible were read on its own terms, as a highly personal and unbelievably passionate love story? What if the Bible is really a wild tale of relentless pursuit, the diary of a God who can’t bear to be separated from the people he loves? In God on Paper you’ll share in a conversation that takes a new look at Scripture, a dialogue that entertains doubts and questions about the value–and the validity–of the Bible. And you’ll encounter an amazing love story of divine proportions. Go ahead and join the conversation. You might be surprised by what you find.
There is a road to life in the unshakeable kingdom of God, but it's not an easy journey. In this book James Bryan Smith shows us the better road, the road less travelled, but the road full of riches. Along the way he introduces us to new spiritual practices that will provide the sustenance we need for the deepest, most joy-filled journey of our lives—the journey into the heart of God.
From London to New York to Ann Arbor, people are gathering in pubs and bars to communicate, connect, and learn from one another over the topic of religion, of all things. In Pub Theology, pastor, writer, and pub theologian Bryan Berghoef draws from his own experience in one such setting in northern Michigan. Berghoef contends that for too long the church has insisted on setting the terms for how one can find and encounter God. Yet what if God is to be found in places we haven't been looking at all: in a coworker who doesn't believe in God, in a Buddhist neighbor, in a friend who prefers a yoga studio to a sanctuary? This book will move readers to shift toward a more chastened, humble, and inviting faith. A faith that seeks not to teach, but to learn; not to speak, but to listen. A faith that will have a seat at the table in the important religious conversations our world is having. Real-life stories gleaned from conversations and encounters during pub theology gatherings, combined with the author's own experience in grappling with these issues, make for an intriguing and enlightening read. So what are you waiting for? Pull up a chair and join the conversation!
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