Archive. Featured Resources from the BCM Library. Last updated 29 April 2013
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A.
Against the Tide, towards the Kingdom
Jenny & Justin Duckworth
This book recounts the story of a group of young Christian adults who over the last fifteen years have relocated to the colourful ends of their city to share life with those who are struggling, homeless, sick, poor, neglected, or otherwise marginalized.
(Added 15.08.2012)
A Hitchiker’s Guide to Jesus.
Bruce N. Fisk
This is a wonderful travel guide for pilgrims perplexed by the multiple maps hawked by recent scholarship. But it is also an invitation for homebound believers to join a journey of discovery to the mysterious places where history meets hope. The author is a wise and imaginative tour guide, and this book will open new angles of vision for readers seeking to investigate the path of Jesus. – Richard Hays.
(Added 18.09.2012)
A Short History of Christianity
Geoffrey Blainey
It is remarkable that a man who lived 2000 years ago, who held no public office and owned no wealth, and who travelled no more than a few days’ walk from his birthplace should have exerted such influence. The debate about Christ’s message and influence will continue… long after we are all dead and the twenty-first century is lost behind passing clouds.’
(Added 29.10.2012) Army on its knees: dynamics of great commission prayer.
Janet Munn and Stephen Court
To equip you to win the world for Jesus, this book describes the fundamentals of prayer – from private prayer to Missional prayer. Through these pages you will be inspired to deploy the power of prayer in the battle that has eternal consequences for the realisation of the Great Commission. Read this book prayerfully and meditatively – and be sure to have a Bible nearby.
(Added 1.03.2013)
B.
C.
Christianity in the Greco-Roman world: a narrative introduction.
Moyer V. Hubbard
Understanding the sociological setting for the New Testament in Asia Minor and Europe – the Greco-Roman world – is essential for correctly interpreting the letters of Paul. Hubbard addresses the realms of religion and superstition, of education and philosophy, of the urban society, and of the family. Each major section begins with a brief fictional tale, followed by descriptions of the cultural setting related to that vignette, and culminating in drawing out the implications of the cultural setting for understanding Paul’s letters written to that world.
(Added 1.03.2013)
Church Awakening: An urgent call for renewal, The
Charles R. Swindoll
While we weren’t paying attention, everything changed – our world eroded from a Christian era to a post-Christian era. It’s a new kind of dark ages. Ours is a whole new world, and nothing has been more adversely affected by post-modernism than the church and its relationship to God’s Word.
(Added 15.08.2012) The Creedal Imperative
Carl R. Trueman
The role of confessions and creeds is the subject of debate within evangelicalism today as many resonate with the call to return to Christianity’s ancient roots. Advocating for a balanced perspective. Carl Trueman offers an analysis of why creeds and confessions are necessary, how they have developed over time, and how they can function in the church of today and tomorrow.
(Added 5.04.2013) Cross is not Enough: Living as Witnesses to the Resurrection. The,
Ross Clifford & Philip Johnson
In this book the authors explore how the resurrection of Christ has been understood in times past and restore this linchpin doctrine to its rightful place as the basis of our hope, our worldview, and the way we live our lives every day.
(Added 29.10.2012).
D. Did Adam and Eve really exist? Who they were and why you should care.
C. John Collins
Applying well-informed, critical thinking to questions raised by theologians and scientists alike, Collins examines the historicity and relevance of a real Adam and Eve, ultimately answering the questions: Did Adam and Eve really exist?
(Added 29.10.2012) Doors of the Sea; Where was god in the Tsunami?, The
David Bentley Hart
As news reports of the horrific December 2004 Tsunami in Asia reached the rest of the world, commentators were quick to seize upon the disaster as proof of either God’s power or god’s nonexistence, asking over and over, “How could a good and loving God – if such exists – allow such suffering?”
(Added 15.08.2012)
E.
Early Libyan Christianity: uncovering a North African tradition
Thomas C. Oden
The study of early Christianity in North Africa has been largely confined to the regions around Carthage and Alexandria, but what lies between Tripolitania and Cyrenaica, has been virtually ignored. In this book Oden uses literary and archaeological evidence to fill the gap. This is truly a groundbreaking work.
(Added 5.04.2013) Ecotheology and the Practice of Hope
Anne Marie Dalton and Henry C. Simmons
A new mindset is emerging, inspired by ecotheological texts and evident in the many diverse movements and activities that operate as if the hope imparted by ecotheology has already been realized.
(Added 18.09.2012)
F.
Faithquakes
Leonard Sweet
Faithquakes is for people who have the shakes and are looking to God’s future. With up-to-the-minute monitoring of changes and trends that affect our lives, Leonard Sweet provides refreshingly unconventional glimpses into the future that must be grasped by church leaders.
(Added 18.09.2012) Footsteps in the sea; Christianity in Oceania to World War II.
John Garrett
What happened in the Pacific as imperial twilight led to great changes in Christian missions and the emergence of self-governing Island churches with distinctive local leadership and style? The question is answered in a graphic narrative showing how Christianity became adopted into local cultures and interacted with traders and colonial administrators.
(Added 5.04.2013) Forsaken: The Trinity and the Cross, and why it matters.
Thomas H. McCall
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” At this moment did God utterly forsake Jesus? Did the Father turn his back on the Son in rage? Was the Trinity ruptured or broken on that day? The author tackles this profound, difficult and sometimes troubling passage in the life of Christ – the moment of his prayer to his heavenly Father from the cross.
(Added 18.09.2012)
G.
Glorious ruin: how suffering sets you free
Tullian Tchividjian
“Biblically saturated and faithful, Glorious Ruin is a gift to the hurting, confused, and curious and will prepare many to marvel at the goodness and grace of God in all circumstances.”
(Added 5.04.2013)
H.
I.
In the zone! … stuff to make ‘n’ bake
Cheryl Tinker
Packed with recipes, crafts, activities and puzzles, In the Zone will keep kids busy for hours. Fun for kids and a great resource for parents, teachers and children’s church leaders. Heaps of awesome ideas for busy teachers to make your classes an unforgettable experience!
(Added 1.03.2013)
Interpreting the Bible: A handbook of terms and methods
W. Randolph Tate
The book offers in one volume an extensive collection of words, labels, and phrases from the fields of biblical criticism, text criticism, literary criticism, and philosophy, as well as the related ideas employed by scholars and interpreters who read the Bible as literature. … Two extended appendixes show how to apply important methodologies to the work of biblical interpretation.
(Added 29.10.2012) Invitation to Life: The Kingdom of God on Earth for Today’s World – a twenty-first century view.
Katharine Oliver
This book examines and highlights Jesus’ teachings about relationships and behaviour, and what they have to say about how we could live our lives, individually and collectively. Briefly, the author’s belief is that Jesus described a society in which individuals could reach their full potential – God’s Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, which is available here and now for anyone prepared to take up his invitation.
(Added 1.03.2013)
J.
Journeying into prayer: People and their pathways
Neil Darragh, (editor)
Today prayer and meditation face the test of relevance in a public arena where even the existence of God struggles for airtime. The chapters of this book demonstrate how prayer can be varied and adventurous.. Knowing how others pray inspires us to explore new ways of prayer and enriches our own customary practice.
(Added 18.09.2012)
K.
Key questions about Christian Faith: Old Testament Answers.
John Goldingay
“Who is God?” and “What does it mean to be human?” “Should I tithe net or gross?” and “How does prayer work?” Contemporary hot topics also come in for treatment, ranging from “Does God care about animals?” to “What might the Song of Songs do for people?” which opens up a much- neglected biblical book to address the sensitive subject of marriage and sexuality.
(Added 18.09.2012) The Kingdom of God: the biblical concept and its meaning for the church.
John Bright
The concept of the Kingdom of God involves the total message of the Bible. Not only does it loom large in the teachings of Jesus; it is to be found, through the length and breadth of the Bible. To grasp what is meant by the Kingdom of God is to come very close to the heart of the Bible’s gospel of salvation. (Preface)
(Added 5.04.2013) Kneeling with Giants: Learning to pray with history’s best teachers.
Gary Neal Hansen
Do you sometimes find yourself searching for a way to approach God or wondering how to get out of a devotional slump? Do you long for spiritual mentors you can trust? This guide to prayer is rooted in centuries of Christian tradition. In each chapter you’ll learn how spiritual giants uniquely connected to God through prayer.
(Added 15.08.2012)
L.
Living on the border: reflections on the experience of threshold.
Esther de Waal
To take time to pause at a threshold – be it a place, or a moment between one action and the next – is to show reverence for the handling of space and time, and respect for those we meet. Pausing allows us to let go of all the demands and expectations of the previous activity, and to prepare for the encounter with another.
(Added 15.08.2012)
M.
Message of the Word of God, The
Tim Meadowcroft
Any coherent comment on what the Bible says about the Bible, the Christian Scriptures, must address the wider notion that God speaks. Accordingly, his fresh, wide-ranging exposition is structured around four key propositions. 1, God speaks – and when he speaks he acts; 2. God speaks in the written words of Scripture; 3. God speaks in Christ; 4. God speaks today: his voice continues to be heard in the light of Christ and through the reading of Scripture.
(Added 18.09.2012)
Moral Formation according to Paul
James W. Thompson
“Books on the moral life according to Paul are relative scarce. We can be grateful to Thompson for his lucid and readable survey of moral transformation in Paul. Comparing and contrasting Paul’s moral vision with both Greco-Roman and Hellenistic writers provides an illuminating social context in which to interpret Paul.” (Thomas R. Schreiner)
(Added 18.09.2012) More stories that are seen: the parables of Jesus.
Douglas G. Clarke
‘This book is a valuable addition to the study of Jesus’ parables. As Jesus used parables to evoke a response from his hearers, similarly this book challenges us to respond to God and to God’s call for us to care for the poor and marginalised people in our communities.’ – Rev. Tim Costello.
(Added 1.03.2013)
N.
O.
100 Bible verses: everyone should know by heart
Robert J Morgan
In a series of brief opening chapters, Morgan prepares us for this new old way of thinking and then presents his experienced list of 100 crucial verses, providing sidebar notes, quotes, and memorization tips for each.
(Added 5.04.2013)
P.
Palliative Care, Ageing and Spirituality: A guide for older people, carers and families.
Elizabeth MacKinlay
Illustrated with the experiences of many older people, the book explores important themes such as grief and loss, fear, pain, distress and suffering; acceptance; transcendence; prayer; the healing of relationships; and intimacy, and shows that the final journey towards death can be one of the most spiritually meaningful times in the life of an older person – a time in which there is still hope, and in which the person who is dying and their loved ones can grow spiritually, strengthened by the difficult times they face together.
(Added 18.09.2012) Paul as Missionary: Identity, Activity, theology and Practice.
Trevor J Burke and Brian S Rosner (editors)
This collection of essays is written by an international team of Pauline scholars and focuses primarily on the writings of the apostle and his understanding of mission and his role as missionary.
(Added 15.08.2012)
Paul’s letter to the Philippians: a socio-rhetorical commentary.
Ben Witherington III
Witherington examines Philippians in light of Greco-Roman rhetorical conventions, identifying Paul’s purpose, highlighting his main points and his persuasive strategies, and considering how his original audience would have heard and received Paul’s message.
(Added 5.04.2013)
Penetrating the darkness: discovering the power of the cross against unseen evil.
Jack Hayford with Rebecca Hayford Bauer
When you loose God’s power in your life, His light will flood your home, your community, your world. Now, for the first time, esteemed pastor Jack Hayford gives you his personal battle plan for doing just that: unleashing God’s power and defeating hell on earth.
(Added 5.04.2013) Postliberal Theology (A guide for the perplexed)
Ronald T. Michener
Postliberal theology is a movement in contemporary theology that rejects both the Enlightenment appeal to a ‘universal rationality’ and the liberal assumption of an immediate religious experience common to all humanity.
(Added 1.03.2013)
Prophetic Preaching: a Pastoral Approach
Leonora Tubbs Tisdale
A veteran preacher offers a thoughtful and illuminating set of reflections on prophetic preaching.
(Added 1.03.2013)) Prophetic Preaching.
Craig Brian Larson (General Editor)
For pastors who want a focused study on prophetic preaching – both in terms of theology and of specific preaching skills – this book brings together a “who’s who” group of today’s most influential Christian preachers. Contributors include Francis Chan, timothy Keller and Anne Graham Lotz.
(Added 29.10.2012)
R.
Reading Romans in Pompeii: Paul’s letter at ground level.
Peter Oakes
By immersing himself thoroughly in the archaeological evidence from Pompeii, Peter Oakes is able to develop an imaginative but historically informed picture of an early house church and then to suggest how Paul’s letter to the Romans might have sounded in this context.
(Added 5.04.2013)
Resonant Witness: Conversations between music and theology
Jeremy S. Begbie and Steven R. Guthrie (eds.)
The book gathers together a wide, harmonious chorus of voices from across the musical and theological spectrum to show that music and theology can each learn much from the other – and that the majesty and power of both are profoundly amplified when they do.
(Added 29.10.2012)
Right in their own eyes: The gospel according to Judges.
George M Schwab
George Schwab achieves four goals. Firstly: to be true to the text; Secondly: to glorify Christ; thirdly: to lift us up in faith; and finally to call us to change our perspective and take action – why does it matter that faith leads to deliverance? What does a lack of faith in daily life reap in terms of oppression, and how does the message of Judges make a difference?
(Added 29.10.2012)
S.
Sacred journey: spiritual wisdom for times of transition.
Mike Riddell
This book is for anyone who has ever asked, ‘What now?’ or ‘What will be left of my life when I’m gone?’ Storyteller and writer Mike Riddell brilliantly identifies the malaise that is particularly common in midlife and shows us how to make it a time for refocusing on what really matters.
(Added 1.03.2013) Serving God’s words: windows on preaching and ministry.
Edited by Paul A. Barker, Richard J Condie & Andrew S. Malone
The ministry of ‘serving God’s words’ in the Christian church has numerous aspects, including exposition of the Bible, systematic and historical theology, church history, and the practice of pastoral ministry.
(Added 29.10.2012)
T.
Truth to tell: the gospel as public truth
Lesslie Newbigin
An important book for all who are concerned with the impact of Christianity on today’s world – not only for personal life, but also for the life at the public, societal level.
(Added 1.03.2013)
1 and 2 Thessalonians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary.
Ben Witherington III
“Ben Witherington is a master at crafting commonsense commentaries that are accessible to a broad spectrum of readers and conversant with the best of scholarship. In this regard his 1 and 2 Thessalonians does not disappoint. It is one of his best.” (Bruce Longenecker)
(Added 15.08.2012)
U.
V.
Visioneering: God’s blueprint for developing and maintaining vision.
Andy Stanley
Visioneering is the engineering of a vision. It’s the process one follows to develop and maintain vision. “Vision,” writes Andy Stanley, “is a clear mental picture of what could be, fuelled by the conviction that it should be.” (Added 15.08.2012)
W.
Where two or three are gathered: Spiritual direction for small groups.
Daniel L. Prechtel
“Dan Prechtel guides us step-by-step to design small groups and retreats that foster holy listening with others. Every page models the sacred hospitality that he invites us to share with others. He generously gives us all that he’s learned in two decades of small group leadership. This book will be a treasured companion for all spiritual directors and leaders of small group ministries.”
(Added 29.10.2012)
Y.
Contact the BCM Library
Beverley McKenzie - Librarian Phone: (04) 528 8628 extn 751 Fax: (04) 527 6900 Email: [email protected]
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