Is Virtual Reality a Biblical Reality?The invention of the printing press catalyzed Martin Luther's reformation; radios and televisions delivered Billy Graham's gospel proclamations to millions of households. Technological advancements have undoubtedly advanced kingdom work for centuries--but is the same true for the burgeoning technologies of today? As virtual reality becomes increasingly prominent throughout society, churches must assess how to respond thoughtfully and biblically. In Virtual Reality Church, theologians Darrell Bock and Jonathan Armstrong present a systematic reflection on ho... View More...
Many books have been written to set forth the Biblical truths commonly believed by Baptists. Many of these teachings are shared by other believers, but some are distinctive in that only Baptists have been willing to support them solely on Biblical authority. Biblical Authority - Autonomy of the Local Church - Priesthood of All Believers - Two Ordinances - Individual Soul Liberty - Saved Church Membership - Two Officers - Separation of Church and State Drs. L. Duane Brown and his son, Daniel, have teamed up to expand the previous edition of Biblical Basis for Baptists that sold more than 65,000... View More...
What does God want for His Church? For your church? Building on each of the nine chapters of his latest book, Letters to the Church, Francis Chan urges Christ-followers toask honest questions about the structure and values of our churches;study God's commands for the body of Christ;pray in expectation of the Spirit's power; andget excited about doing whatever it takes to be the Church God desires.Journey with those around you--in your community, your church, or your small group--and take intentional steps toward living out the biblical principles that fueled a world-changing movement. Don't se... View More...
Baptism and the Lord's Supper are more than just water, bread, and wine. They are God's promises to us in physical form. What is happening when someone passes through the waters of baptism? What's the significance of eating bread and drinking wine together as a church on Sunday mornings? What's the point of these physical substances? Tim Chester guides us through the Bible, explaining how the sacraments, embodying the promises of God in physical form, were given to us to strengthen our faith and shape our lives. The physical bread, wine, and water are a confirmation of our union with Christ. C... View More...
Christians face lots of practical questions when it comes to life in the local church: How is the gospel displayed in our lives together? What are we supposed to do and believe? Different followers answer differently--even as they preach the same gospel What should we think about such differences? A church's life, doctrine, worship, and even polity are important issues. Yet they are so rarely addressed. The Church is Mark Dever's primer on the doctrine of the church for all who see Scripture alone as a sufficient authority for the doctrine and life of the local church. He explains to the read... View More...
What is an ideal church, and how can you tell? How does it look different from other churches? More importantly, how does it act differently, especially in society? Many of us aren't sure how to answer those questions, even though we probably have some preconceived idea. But with this book, you don't have to wonder any more. Author Mark Dever seeks to help believers recognize the key characteristics of a healthy church: expositional preaching, biblical theology, and a right understanding of the gospel. Dever then calls us to develop those characteristics in our own churches. By following the e... View More...
As Christians, we are called to seek the unity of the one body of Christ. But when it comes to the sacraments, the church has often been--and remains--divided. What are we to do? Can we still gather together at the same table? Based on the lectures from the 2017 Wheaton Theology Conference, this volume brings together the reflections of Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox theologians, who jointly consider what it means to proclaim the unity of the body of Christ in light of the sacraments. Without avoiding or downplaying the genuine theological and sacramental differences that exi... View More...
An updated examination of ecclesiology from a Baptist perspective In this useful book, professor and former pastor John Hammett helps church leaders think through foundational questions about the nature of the church. Blending biblical teaching and practical ministry experience, Hammett presents a comprehensive ecclesiology from a historic Baptist perspective, examining crucial contemporary issues such as church discipline, the role of elders, and church ministry in a post-Christian culture. This second edition contains updates throughout, including: Substantive changes to chapters on the natu... View More...
It's no secret: churches are dying. Tragically, thousands of churches in the United States are shrinking, some closing their doors forever. The key to reversing these trends, argues Bill Henard, is for a local church to recognize where it is in the church life cycle. Unless churches intentionally do something about it, many of them will follow the same pattern: from birth, to plateau, and eventually, to death. But if a church learns to identify its place within the life cycle and embraces the necessary processes, it can return to growth. In a day when church membership has decreased, evangel... View More...
A favorite among countless thousands of Baptists, the Hiscox manuel addresses church membership, officers, and Christian discipline; the nature of the church; ministry, ordinances, and worship; the church's witness; and more. View More...
Why did Jesus give the church a meal to eat together? The Lord's Supper isn't just something churches do together, it's something that binds us together, making many into one. This accessible work biblically explains what the Lord's Supper is, how it relates to a local church's life together, who should celebrate the Lord's Supper, and how we should approach it. View More...
How God Ministers to His People and the World through the Local Church The church is more than coffee with friends--it's a meaningful gathering of Christians that involves fellowship and growing in biblical truth. Given the rise of the internet and the availability of streaming church services, many ministry leaders and church members are asking questions about the purpose and mission of the local church: What is the church? Why does the church exist? How does the church function? What is the connection between the Christian and the church? Pastor and trusted scholar Edward Klink III addresses... View More...
What is the church? Why are there so many different expressions of church throughout time and space, and what ties them all together? Ecclesiology--the doctrine of the church--has risen to the center of theological interest in recent decades. In this text, theologian Veli-Matti K rkk inen provides a wide-ranging survey of the rich field of ecclesiology in the midst of rapid developments and new horizons. Drawing on K rkk inen's international experience and comprehensive research on the church, this revised and expanded edition is thoroughly updated to incorporate recent literature and trends. ... View More...
You've been baptized. But do you understand what it means? Baptism is the doorway into membership in the church. It's a public declaration of the washing away of our sin and the beginning of our new life in Christ. But the sacrament that is meant to unite us is often a spring of division instead. All Christians use water to baptize. All invoke the triune name. Beyond that, there's little consensus. Talk about baptism and you're immediately plunged into arguments. Whom should we baptize? What does baptism do? Why even do it at all? Peter Leithart reunifies a church divided by baptism. He recove... View More...
In After Our Likeness, the inaugural volume in the Sacra Doctrina series, Miroslav Volf explores the relationship between persons and community in Christian theology. The focus is the community of grace, the Christian church. The point of departure is the thought of the first Baptist, John Smyth, and the notion of church as gathered community that he shared with Radical Reformers. Volf seeks to counter the tendencies toward individualism in Protestant ecclesiology and to suggest a viable understanding of the church in which both person and community are given their proper due. In the process h... View More...
