Growing Up In Bible Times

This delightful resource gives children a glimpse into the culture, home life, and family life of their favorite Bible characters. This wonderful resource includes information on different types of houses, festivals, marriage ceremonies, games children played, meals, clothing, and much more.

The first expansive reference examining the texts and material culture related to children in ancient Israel Growing Up in Ancient Israel uses a child-centered methodology to investigate the world of children in ancient Israel. Where sources from ancient Israel are lacking, the book turns to cross-cultural materials from the ancient Near East as well as archaeological, anthropological, and ethnographic sources. Acknowledging that childhood is both biologically determined and culturally constructed, the book explores conception, birth, infancy, dangers in childhood, the growing child, dress, play, and death. To bridge the gap between the ancient world and today’s world, Kristine Henriksen Garroway introduces examples from contemporary society to illustrate how the Hebrew Bible compares with a Western understanding of children and childhood. Features: More than fifty-five illustrations illuminating the world of the ancient Israelite child An extensive investigation of parental reactions to the high rate of infant mortality and the deaths of infants and children An examination of what the gendering and enculturation process involved for an Israelite child

Growing up God's way forGirls is a colourful, fully illustrated book available as separate versions for boys and girls. It is intended for children approaching or experiencing puberty, typically represented by the 10-14 years old age range. The artwork haas been specially produced for the book and includes accurate biological drawings as well as 'cartoon' illustrations to keep the young reader interested. Most importantly of all, the Bible is the constant reference point, so that what the Bible has to say about the matters dealt with is always front and centre. The result is that this book conveys essential biblical ethical teaching as well as the facts about puberty. For example, here's an extract from the teaching on the chapter on 'Physical Intimacy' (in this case in the girls version): So special that God has given us rules It might seem attractive to live in a world where there are no laws. (Of course it would mean that your parents would never be able to tell you that you were doing something wrong!) But have you ever thought what would happen if there were no laws about how we should drive a car? The laws of the road make it safe for us to drive. If there were none, many more people on the road would get injured and driving would be a very frightening experience. God has given us a law regarding how we relate to the opposite sex in sexual intimacy. This law is the seventh of the Ten Commandments: 'You shall not commit adultery' (Exodus 20:14). From this verse and other passages in the Bible, we learn that all sexual activity outside marriage is wrong. The word adultery means either being married and experiencing sexual intimacy with someone who is not your husband, or experiencing sexual intimacy with someone else's husband. In the New Testament, God warns us to 'flee from sexual immorality' (1 Corinthians 6:18). The term 'sexual immorality' includes any sexual activity that is not between a husband and his wife. The fact that God has given us a specific command to keep sexual intimacy for marriage shows how important God considers sexual intimacy to be. The husband and wife are important to Him, their marriage is important to Him, and the new life that may result from sexual intimacy is important to Him. God's law about sexual intimacy is for our safety and well-being - it protects us, it protects marriage, and it protects young life.

As Jacob once wrestled with an angel at Jabbok and refused to let go until he had been blessed, Calvin Seerveld urges readers in this collection of probing meditations to wrestle in faith with the God revealed in Jesus Christ. Illustrated from the lives and words of men and women in the Bible, the devotions are arranged into helpful categories including History, Psalms, Prophecy, The Gospel, Apocalypse, Advent and Lent. The author draws out themes to which every Christian can relate, such as new beginnings; the value of time; communal life; and facing an unknown future. Ideal to dip into and return to again and again, these devotions will challenge your assumptions about God and the Christian life and encourage you to stretch towards God in faith.

Many teens are active in church youth programs, yet drop out of church later in life and never return. Other young adults rest on the merits of their parents' faith without ever experiencing their own relationship with Jesus Christ. In this book, the authors seek to help teenagers who have grown up in Christian homes by reminding them of the blessings of growing up in a Christian home, warning them of some of the dangers they face, providing practical suggestions for avoiding these dangers, and urging them to think and live in a way that pleases God.

Growing Up: Pastoral Nurture for the Later Years is a sensitive volume devoted to helping older adults retain their status as meaningful members of their congregations and communities. In an honest approach, based on the foundations that old age is supposed to happen, the future belongs to the old, and vocation for people of faith is lifelong, Thomas Robb provides personal and Biblical perspectives, as well as research from over 20 years as a pastor, on the life process and the feelings, worries, and expectations accompanying growing up and growing old. He then molds these concerns into a challenge for congregations and their spiritual leaders to actively assist the aged in coping with and overcoming fears and barriers limiting the fullest expression of faith in God. This insightful book describes the tasks and suggests programs for pastors and congregations everywhere in meeting the challenge, making life for the aged more than shuffleboard and bingo, pot-luck dinners and day trips. Dimensions of pastoral ministries that nurture women and men who, at midlife and beyond, seek to find their way through the unexpected and unplanned, through the third of life following parenthood and careers, are described in detail. Pastors, church leaders, congregations, professors of courses in ministry and aging, aging church members, and seminary students will benefit immensely from the wealth of information presented in Growing Up: Pastoral Nurture for the Later Years.