Getting Jesus Wrong

Jesus is not a life coach or a blessing dispenser—but we often treat him like he is. We get burned out on some caricature of Jesus (a caricature that often bears an uncanny resemblance to ourselves) and become mired in anxiety, pride, or despair. Getting Jesus Wrong presents the biblical Christ and reassures disillusioned people that this ...

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT MUSLIMS ARE WRONG ABOUT JESUS AND VARIOUS TENETS OF ISLAM? Is the famous Muslim writer Reza Aslan mistaken in his portrayal of Jesus of Nazareth and apologetic for Islam? Professor James Beverley and Professor Craig Evans take an in-depth look at subjects at the core of the Muslim-Christian divide: the reliability of the New Testament Gospels and the Qur’an, and what we can really know about Jesus and the prophet Muhammad. Importantly, they also examine the implications of traditional Islamic faith on the status of women, jihad and terrorism.

In a world where atheism is a growing movement, especially in the university setting, it’s typical for students today to face doubts about the Christian faith. In fact, many have wondered at one time or another if the Bible stories about Jesus could possibly be true. Is there any way to back up what we’ve heard with real evidence? Can false information be discredited with historical proof? Now students can join Greg Monette as he explores the fascinating basis for belief in the biblical Jesus. Readers can trek through the ancient historical sources, biblical archaeology, and recent discoveries to uncover the facts about what Jesus really said and did—His birth, His miracles, His claims, and His resurrection. Written for believers, skeptics, and the non-expert, this book will help readers discover where history and faith collide— and it just might change everything.

Abandon dead, dry, religious rule-keeping and embrace the promise of being truly known and deeply loved. Jefferson Bethke burst into the cultural conversation with a passionate, provocative poem titled "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus." The 4-minute video became an overnight sensation, with 7 million YouTube views in its first 48 hours (and 23+ million in a year). Bethke's message clearly struck a chord with believers and nonbelievers alike, triggering an avalanche of responses running the gamut from encouraged to enraged. In his New York Times bestseller Jesus > Religion, Bethke unpacks similar contrasts that he drew in the poem--highlighting the difference between teeth gritting and grace, law and love, performance and peace, despair, and hope. With refreshing candor, he delves into the motivation behind his message, beginning with the unvarnished tale of his own plunge from the pinnacle of a works-based, fake-smile existence that sapped his strength and led him down a path of destructive behavior. Along the way, Bethke gives you the tools you need to: Humbly and prayerfully open your mind Understand Jesus for all that he is View the church from a brand-new perspective Bethke is quick to acknowledge that he's not a pastor or theologian, but simply an ordinary, twenty-something who cried out for a life greater than the one for which he had settled. On this journey, Bethke discovered the real Jesus, who beckoned him with love beyond the props of false religion. Praise for Jesus > Religion: "Jeff's book will make you stop and listen to a voice in your heart that may have been drowned out by the noise of religion. Listen to that voice, then follow it--right to the feet of Jesus." --Bob Goff, author of New York Times bestsellers Love Does and Everybody, Always "The book you hold in your hands is Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz meets C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity meets Augustine's Confessions. This book is going to awaken an entire generation to Jesus and His grace." --Derwin L. Gray, lead pastor of Transformation Church, author of Limitless Life: Breaking Free from the Labels That Hold You Back

'Between Horror and Hope' is a study of Paul's metaphorical language of death in Romans 6:1-11. The scholarly debate focuses on two main issues; the origin of the 'commentatio mortis' tradition and its development. Dr. Sabou argues that the origin of this terminology is original to Paul; that it was the apostle's own insight into the meaning of Christ's death (a "death to sin") and his understanding of the identity of Christ in his death (as the anointed davidic king) which guided him to create this metaphor of "dying to sin" as a way of describing the relationship of the believer with sin. On the development of this language of death, the author argues that this language conveys two aspects — horror and hope. The first is discussed in the context of crucifixion in which Paul explains the believer's "death to sin" by presenting Christ's death as the death of the anointed davidic king who won the victory over sin and death by rising from the dead. Paul affirms that believers are "coalesced" with what was "proclaimed" about Christ's death and resurrection, thereby allowing him to assert that the releasing of the body from the power of sin is a result of "crucifixion." This "crucifixion" is the "condemnation" inflicted on our past lives in the age inaugurated by Adam's sin and this is such a horrible event that believers have to stay away from sin since sin leads to such punishment. In contrast, hope is presented in the context of "burial." The believers' "burial with" Christ points to the fact that they are part of Christ's family and this is accomplished by the overwhelming action of God by which he pushes us toward the event of Christ's death, an act pictured in baptism. It is this "burial with" Christ that allows believers to share with Christ in newness of life.

No one was more dangerous than the Lord Jesus. From the moment He arrived on the scene, Jesus posed a threat to the unjust, a threat to the oppressors, and a threat to every semblance of authority wielded by the kingdom of darkness. He invaded the world with love for the forgotten, hope for the hopeless, and freedom for the bound. His ideas were disruptive, subversive, and scandalous to the world around Him. Jesus was so dangerous, the powers that be killed Him. Today, our generation is seeing a surge of people walking away from the Christian faith. But what's repelling people isn't Jesus; it's that what is often propagated as mainstream Christianity is simply not worthy of His name. Jesus is the most admired figure in history. He is also the most ignored, weaponized, reinterpreted, and misappropriated figure in history. The question is . . . who do you think He is? In Dangerous Jesus, Kevin "KB" Burgess--award-winning rapper, podcaster, and international speaker--reintroduces us to the true Jesus, the one who poses a living threat to the status quo. He's a threat to our division. He's a threat to our rebellion. He is the kind of dangerous that is so infused with power from on high that nothing stays the same when He walks into the room. His love is so strong, it's intoxicating. His truth is so good, it sets people free. We need to reconnect with this Jesus. We need to become a threat to the threats. We need to be dangerous. If you're ready to meet the real Jesus . . . If you're ready to join in the fight . . . If you want to make the church a genuine threat to evil once again . . . join KB in Dangerous Jesus and encounter the enemy-loving, world-changing, good-dangerous Savior.

Under the guidance of one of the world's leading New Testament scholars, you and your small group will here discover that the bizarre images of Revelation conceal one of Scripture's clearest and most dramatic visions of God's plan for creation.

Good things come to those who believe . . . right? People like to say, “Prayer works.” But what does that mean? Prayer works for what? Getting the answers from God that we want so much? While God certainly cares for your deepest needs, Skye Jethani wants you to know that prayer is so much more than a two-way transaction with a heavenly vending machine. Jesus didn’t pray like that. And with a pastor’s heart, Skye wants to take you deeper into what Jesus, the lover of your soul, had to say about talking with God. In What If Jesus Was Serious About Prayer?, you’ll benefit not only from Skye’s words of wisdom but his doodles that help the visual learner connect with spiritual truth. Prayer isn’t about getting answers, but getting God. We need more prayer in our lives—not because God can give us what we crave, but because He offers himself to us in love.