Bøker utgitt av InterVarsity Press

The problem of evil has produced many responses and elicited vigorous debate. In this multiview book, five philosophical theologians discuss and defend different solutions to this ancient problem: Phillip Cary on the classic view, William Lane Craig on Molinism, William Hasker on open theism, Thomas Jay Oord on essential kenosis, and Stephen Wykstra on skeptical theism.

This three-volume encyclopedia offers unparalleled, comprehensive coverage of the people, places and ideas of ancient Christianity, with 3,220 articles by an international team of 266 scholars, covering eight centuries and drawing upon fields from archaeology, architecture, and biography to ecclesiology, geography, and theology.

An Eternity 1988 Book of the YearThere are millions of opportunities for the gospel. With half of the world's five billion people in cities, there is almost no end to the exciting challenges that await us. Ray Bakke has been there. For over twenty years he and his family have worked with and love the people of today's cities, bringing a message of faith and hope. He knows how the city works and how it can be used to the advantage of the gospel. He knows how people hurt too, and he knows how Christianity can heal and make whole.Now he offers us the basic building blocks we need to live this young, rootless, mobile, media-tuned population. Here is practical, time-tested wisdom on what the church can and is doing in worship, work and witness.Bakke's biblical perspective is enriched by years of study and worldwide travel. He believes the church can and must train people to live with and minister to the hurting rich and the hurting poor of the city. The opportunities are ours for the taking.

On the basis of a theologically grounded understanding of the nature of persons and the self, Jack O. Balswick, Pamela Ebstyne King and Kevin S. Reimer present a model of human development that ranges across all of life's stages: infancy, childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood and elder adulthood. They do this by drawing on a biblical model of relationality, where the created goal or purpose of human development is to become a reciprocating self-fully and securely related to others and to God. Along the way, they provide a context for understanding individual development issues-concerns, tensions, worries or crises encountered by the self in the context of change. Awareness of these issues is most pronounced at developmental transitional points: learning to talk and walk, beginning to eat unassisted, going to school, developing secondary sexual physical features, leaving home, obtaining full-time employment, becoming engaged and then married, having a child for the first time, parenting an adolescent, watching children move away from home, retiring, experiencing decline in physical and mental health, and, finally, facing imminent death. The authors contend throughout that, since God has created human beings for relationship, to be a self in reciprocating relationships is of major importance in negotiating these developmental issues. Critically engaging social science research and theory, The Reciprocating Self offers an integrated approach that provides insight helpful to college and seminary students as well as those serving in the helping professions. Those in Christian ministry will be especially rewarded by the in-depth discussion of the implications for moral and faith development nurtured in the context of the life of the church. In this revised and expanded second edition, Balswick, King and Reimer have added research from developmental neuroscience and neuropsychology, which connects transitional behavior to a changing brain. They have also included a wealth of research on the moral, spiritual and religious dimensions of human development, in which they introduce the notion of reciprocating spirituality. In addition the authors engage with the burgeoning fields of positive and evolutionary psychology.

How are Christians supposed to have hope and experience wholeness amid personal challenges and failures? Featuring contributions from influential young writers like Emily P. Freeman, Sarah Bessey, Holley Gerth and more, these poignant and powerful reflections help you experience beauty in the brokenness of real life laid bare.

Just like a space shuttle struggles and strains to re-enter the earth's atmosphere, so those returning from living overseas can find themselves confused and in a state of panic at coming home. While people anticipate that going overseas will require major changes in their lifestyles and thinking, few anticipate the difficulties they will face upon return.Intended to aid the re-entry process, this encouraging, and insightful book deals with these important subjects: adapting to the passport culture identifying areas of potential struggle dealing with the emotional challenges finding a new job, a new place to live, learning the social mores returning is not coming home it is leaving home facilitating a smooth transition for those on the receiving end

2015 Readers' Choice Award WinnerDeep-Rooted in Christ

It can be hard to explain why you believe in God. But images and analogies can provide concrete handles for making the Christian faith more plausible. If someone claims that Christians make a "e;blind leap of faith,"e; you can respond, "e;No, it's not a blind leap. Faith is like skydiving. You check out your parachute beforehand and make sure it's secure. You follow the safety instructions. And then you jump. It's a leap, but it's not a blind leap. It's an informed leap."e; Experienced evangelist and apologist Rick Mattson has collected dozens of easy-to-use images for explaining Christianity. God's amazing design of the world? It's like getting dealt a royal flush over and over again. Why is there evil and suffering in the world? Because it's a broken world, and things are not how they're supposed to be. With practical tips on how to interact with your skeptical friends, this book provides a handy toolkit of memorable and instantly usable images for conversation. Find yourself better equipped to give an answer to anyone who asks you about your faith.

This comprehensive theory and practice of Christian spiritual formation weaves together biblical and theological foundations with interdisciplinary scholarship, real-world examples, personal vignettes, and practical tools to assist readers in becoming whole persons in relationship with God and others.

Puzzled about life?Sometimes the world doesn't make sense. Things seem random and disconnected, and we wonder if there's any purpose to it all, any meaning to our lives. But what if everything could make sense? What if the pieces actually do fit together?Alex McLellan says that figuring out life is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. You don't have to have every piece in place before you start to see the big picture. You just need enough important pieces to fit together. There are enough clues in the universe and in human experience to discern that there is an underlying order and significance to all things. McLellan explores competing views of truth and belief and examines the nature of doubt. Ultimately Christianity is reasonable because it resonates with how we see and experience the world. Even if we don't have absolute certainty, we have enough to go on to have confidence in the Christian worldview. You don't have to have all the answers. Just start putting the pieces together, and the big picture will emerge.

It's an Either-Or world. We find ourselves caught between competing factions, secular or religious, conservative or liberal. We are pulled between extremes on one side or the other. But the Christian faith holds together seemingly contradictory ideas: Jesus is both human and divine; God is both three and one. There is a paradoxical power in the both-and. Rich Nathan and Insoo Kim show how Christians can live out the fullness of the gospel through the both-and. They affirm that we believe in both proclamation and demonstration of the gospel, justice and mercy, and unity and diversity as one body with many parts. The answer is not to choose one or the other, but to hold both together for a richer, more holistic experience of Christianity. Then we will live into the realities of the kingdom of God, both now and not yet, on earth as it is in heaven. Both-And Christians are both timeless and timely, hewing to the orthodoxy of traditional belief while always contextualizing our witness in a rapidly changing world. Discover how you can deepen your discipleship with the larger vision of the both-and.

Missiologist and church planter JR Woodward offers a blueprint for a church in search of a missional culture. Expanding on the biblical principles giving life to the missional movement worldwide, Woodward calls not for small tweaks to the church?s image but for a recasting of the very environment that shapes us.

Honorable Mention for Classic Christian Spirituality, from Byron Borger, Hearts and Minds Bookstore"e;Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love."e;-1 Corinthians 13:13What are the pathways that lead us to God? This is a book about what happens when we find those pathways. You will discover the values and virtues that grow out of our experiences, and practices that encourage us to be with God in specific ways. Spiritual director Helen Cepero writes: "e;I've seen that when I reflect on my own life experiences, when I am alert to God's presence, and alive to Christ's love, I grow as a Christ follower, and as a human being living in God's world. This book is an invitation for you not to follow me, but follow Jesus into the stories of your own life. You too, will need to wake up and be willing to walk . . . through your own life."e;We will follow the journey to God by beginning with three ways of love, then three ways of continuing in faith and lastly, three ways of living in hope. These nine pathways will lead you more deeply into life with Christ.

No Argument for God

If you've known broken relationships . . . If you've ever felt like you don't measure up . . . If you've suspected something inside you might be missing or flawed . . . This book is for you. Kim Gaines Eckert, psychologist and counselor, has spent years helping women with a variety of life issues, from self-esteem and body image to developing healthy relationships and healing from the past. At the heart of their struggle, she believes, is not the desire to be perfect, but the desire to be whole. And wholeness, she is convinced, ultimately comes only from God. In this book Kim invites you into her conversations with women. You'll discover you are not alone in your struggles, and you'll learn from her practical and proven guidance for growth and change. And because growth is always more powerful in community, each chapter includes questions for you to explore in a small group. Let Kim Gaines Eckert show how God can mend your brokenness and help you become a whole, healthy person--the woman he created you to be.

Can Christians act like Christians even when they disagree? In these wild and diverse times, right and left battle over the airwaves, prolifers square off against prochoicers, gay liberationists confront champions of the traditional family, artists and legislators tangle, even Christians fight other Christians whose doctrines aren't "e;just so."e; Richard Mouw has been actively forging a model of Christian civil conversation with those we might disagree with-atheists, Muslims, gay activists and more. He is concerned that, too often, Christians have contributed more to the problem than to the solution. But he recognizes-from his dialogues with those from many perspectives-that it's not easy to hold to Christian convictions and treat sometimes vindictive opponents with civility and decency. Few if any people in the evangelical world have conversed as widely and sensitively as Mouw. So few can write more wisely or helpfully than Mouw does here about what Christians can appreciate about pluralism, the theological basis for civility, and how we can communicate with people who disagree with us on the issues that matter most.

As Christians, we are to love God with all of our being--heart, mind, soul and strength. But many of us tend to overemphasize one aspect or another, and as a result, our faith becomes imbalanced. Ethicist Dennis P. Hollinger shows us how to link our intellect, emotions and desire so we can reunite our Christian thought, passion and action.

Contextually relevant and foundationally timeless, Efrem Smith's book provides a model for holistic ministry that addresses all the needs of youth today--body, soul and spirit.

Most folks think of Jesus as the man who started Christianity. But it turns out he wasn't just a man, and he didn't just start Christianity. Most folks think of Jesus as an other-worldly religious leader, a great moral teacher, or maybe they don't think of him at all. But he had dirty feet, partied, cooked breakfast and got himself killed. Who was this guy? Why did people hate him so much? And why should I care? Whether you've never looked closely at the Christian faith or you've dismissed it as irrelevant, you owe yourself a glance at a Jesus unencumbered by stereotypes. You might be surprised at what you see.

Have you ever prayed for a sick friend?Does God heal today? If so, why are so many people in pain around us? We have all heard stories of miraculous healings. But can we believe them? Why are some people healed and some not? Does God give ordinary Christians the authority to heal?As Ken Blue explores these questions he found plenty of answers, but none that satisified him. He wanted answers that were true to Scripture and true to a loving and just God. His search into the Bible and into the ministry of healing has produced a rich and very human book.Here is a book for everyone who has ever prayed for a sick friend.

Richard Lamb blends scriptural insights, stories of recent graduates and his own life experience to offer sound advice and practical encouragement for spiritual growth during the postcollege years.

How can we discover God's will for the complicated decisions of time, money, relationships, education and career? How do we know which is best among a variety of "good" options? In this updated and substantially expanded edition, M. Blaine Smith shows how God unfolds his plan for our lives-through the Bible, prayer, reason, abilities, circumstances, desire and the counsel of others.

This revised and expanded resource, edited by Cindy Bunch, offers hundreds of field-tested activities to help leaders develop healthy and vibrant small group life that includes community, worship and prayer, study and nurture, outreach, and fun.