New Releases Today — Ordinary, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Mark, and Scripture & Counseling

This fall sees the release of several informative, engaging, challenging titles that will enhance and equip your teaching and ministry.

Four of those titles release today. Here's a quick overview:

1) Ordinary

In recent years several books have urged Christians to live a radical, crazy, transformative faith. But what if the Christian life was more mundane and...ordinary? That's the premise of Michael Horton's new book. He believes that our attempts to measure our spiritual growth by our experiences, constantly seeking after the next big breakthrough, have left many Christians disillusioned and disappointed. Far from a call to low expectations and passivity, Horton invites readers to recover their sense of joy in the ordinary. This book is your people's guide to a sustainable discipleship that happens over the long haul—not a quick fix that leaves them empty with unfulfilled promises. Using this book in a small group in your church or on campus will invite your people to do more for Christ's kingdom, while empowering them to experience the elusive joy of the ordinary Christian life.

Ordinary: Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World

By Michael Horton

Buy it Today:
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Buy Direct from Zondervan

2) 1 & 2 Thessalonians

John Byron's commentary on the Thessalonians is the third addition to the unique, innovative The Story of God Bible Commentary series. Like every SGBC commentary, Byron examines this oft-overlooked set of letters from Paul in light of the broader Story of Scripture, inviting students of Scripture to listen to the passage in concert with the wider biblical witness; explain the passage in light of the Bible’s grand story; and live the passage in a way our own story lines up with the Bible’s Story. These letters "hold some important theological themes for readers of the New Testament as well as hints of about the history of Paul and his ministry." Byron exegetes these themes in a way that connects them back to the Story, while helping you connect them forward to your peoples' story, too.

1 & 2 Thessalonians (SGBC)

By John Byron

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Buy Direct from Zondervan

3) Mark

The Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament has quickly become a new standard for exegetically rigorous, theologically informed, and applicationally robust commentaries. Mark Strauss's Mark offering continues this trajectory by providing pastors and Bible teachers a sturdy, sure commentary on this cornerstone of the Gospels. As with other ZECNT contributors, Strauss interprets each passage in the light of its biblical setting, with a view to grammatical detail, literary context, flow of biblical argument, and historical setting. While Strauss's focus isn't on application per se, but the exegetical and theological implications of pericopes, he does suggest directions in which application can flow from Mark's gospel to your people.

Mark (ZECNT)

By Mark Strauss

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4) Scripture and Counseling

Part of the Biblical Counseling Coalition series, Scripture and Counseling brings you the wisdom of twenty ministry leaders to give you confidence that God’s Word is sufficient, necessary, and relevant to equip you to address the complex issues of life in a broken world. It will help you develop a robust biblical view of Scripture’s sufficiency for “life and godliness” leading to increased confidence in God’s Word, while also showing you how to use Scripture in the counseling process. Blending theological wisdom with practical expertise, Scripture and Counseling is accessible to pastors, church leaders, counseling practitioners, and students. It will equip you to minister the truth and power of God’s word in the context of biblical counseling, soul care, spiritual direction, pastoral care, and small group facilitation.

Scripture and Counseling: God's Word for Life in a Broken World

Edited by Bob Kellemen and Jeff Forrey

Buy it Today:
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ChristianBook.com
Buy Direct from Zondervan