Superb preaching aid with four commentaries from Theological, Pastoral, Exegetical & Homeletical perspectives for each RCL reading. Arriving soon: Vol 2 - Lent Through Eastertide $109.09.

 

 

150 complete sermons for Sundays, Festivals and Special Occasions in Year C, starting with Advent 2009. Also includes: preaching masterclass, summaries of the Bible readings, seasonal introductions and sermons for baptisms, weddings & funerals.

 

 

How can we preach and teach these well-known and well-loved narratives so that we draw out their powerful witness to the uniqueness of Christ? This verse-by-verse exploration of the birth narratives reveals them as carefully crafted works of theology, written in the light of the resurrection and drawing on the Hebrew scriptures to reveal the nature of the God who sent his Son into the world for our salvation.

 

Drawing on a lifetime of wisdom, bestselling author and controversial bishop John Spong continues to challenge traditional Christian theology. In this remarkable spiritual autobiography about his lifelong struggle with the questions of God and death, he reveals how he ultimately came to believe in eternal life.

Also by Spong:

·         Jesus For The Non-Religious: Recovering The Divine. HarperCollins. $39.99

·         New Christianity For A New World: Why Traditional Faith Is Dying And How A New Faith Is Being Born. HarperCollins. $34.99

·         Sins Of Scripture: Exposing The Bible's Texts Of Hate. HarperCollins. $36.00.

·         Why Christianity Must Change Or Die: A Bishop Speaks To Believers In Exile. HarperSanFrancisco. $40.99.

Few churches fail to describe themselves as friendly, yet many are casual about the practice of hospitality.

Here are 52 practical pointers to assist congregations to offer hospitality to newcomers, making them feel welcome, and taking positive steps to ensure they look forward to returning.

 

Practical tips and encouragement for putting faith into action as responsible stewards of God’s creation. Each of the 50 suggestions includes a brief description of a specific action serving the environment, followed by half a dozen or so how-tos and a story about a particular group that is "walking the talk."

 

 

A funny & moving Christmas story. Two brother shepherds let go of their long-held grudges against each other after visiting baby Jesus. Includes questions to prompt discussion with children.

Also available as a  Storytelling Kit with (CD-ROM). Zondervan. $24.00. (Allow 4 weeks for delivery.)

The Storytelling Kit contains: An interactive CD-Rom, a Storytelling Booklet and an Operator Booklet. Runs on PC and MAC. The CD-Rom shows the colourful pages from the book in a format suitable for a large computer monitor or a data projector.

Luke’s Gospel was translated into Maori by William Williams and printed at Pahia in 1835. Only 100 copies were printed and young Maori girl Tarore was given one at the mission school she went to. She was murdered and her book was stolen. But her devastated father, who had read Tarore’s book, refused to seek revenge. A heart-warming story of the impact and spread of the gospel.

The Crescent Moon: The Asian Face of Islam in NZ. Photos: Ans Westra. Text: Adrienne Jansen. 94pp. Large format. Asia NZ Foundation. $45.00.

This book opens new doors into the lives of Asian Muslims in NZ. Westra and Jansen took a trip through the country and met a diverse group, ethnically, culturally and theologically. There are lawyers, farmers, computer trainers and 4th generation Kiwis. They talk honestly about who they are and their life in NZ today.

Always a controversial figure, Williams’ decisions have upset both conservatives and progressives alike. But is he playing a long game, obliged to rate church unity above the pursuit of his own vision? Written with Williams’ cooperation, Shortt answers this question and many more, giving a compelling portrait of a private and in some ways surprisingly vulnerable man.

 

The science/faith debate rages on. Yet many leading scientists have an active Christian faith. 17 scientists, tackle two questions:

• What difference their faith makes to their scientific practice; and

• What difference their science makes to their understanding of their faith?

Contributors include: Francis Collins & Alister McGrath

Wasabi Gospel brings seven well-known gospel passages to life, unpacking their real significance and exploring what life would really look like if we lived out those seemingly-subtle commands of Christ. Jesus’ words were radical for his audience and still are for us today, challenging us to change the way we live, love, and look at the world.

 

Poverty and Justice Bible. CEV translation. Soft cover. 1296pp. Bible Society. $29.99

This package also includes a separate Poverty and Justice Journal covering 52 weeks from Advent 2009.

The Poverty and Justice Bible highlights in orange more than 2,000 passages that speak of attitudes to poverty and injustice. It is in the easy-to-read Contemporary English Version. Challenging the notion that the Bible is a dusty, outdated rulebook, it shows that, on the biggest issues of our day, the Bible got there first.

This Bible also includes a  32 page study guide section, written by best-selling authors Nick and Claire Page. Each of the 47 studies is based on Scripture and encourages us to take practical and passionate action in the battle against poverty and injustice.

“The Poverty and Justice Bible is valuable because it reminds us just how crucial justice is to God’s Word. Some of the verses we all know but others will leap out afresh reminding us that God’s Kingdom, which we want to see more and more, is about compassion and action for the poor, the oppressed and the forgotten.” Amanda Jackson, National Coordinator, Micah Challenge Australia.

Preaching, Worship & Devotional resources for 2010 / Year C