Participatory Study Series

Following the outlines of the Participatory Study Method, Dr. Robert Cornwall presents a study guide to the book of Ephesians that is both usable and challenging while not skirting the difficult issues. These eight lessons take you through the letter leading from the history and background to modern application and sharing in corporate study and worship. Whether you are approaching this book as an individual, as a small group, or in a larger classroom setting, this study guide will provide you with direction, exercises, and questions for discussion and further investigation. This study guide will be useful for individual study, as a guide to key topics in Ephesians, or for small groups.

We are in the midst of a change that is larger than any of us can understand. The church of the 21st century is more like the church of the 1st century than that of the 20th century. Like then, we live in a world that is deeply divided, strongly segregated, with different parts of society not communicating with each other. Some are very passionate about their religion, willing to die or kill for it, for others religion is irrelevant. - Dr. David Moffett-Moore Jesus' Sermon on the Mount can accurately be described as His manifesto. A teaching with life-changing wisdom in each sentence; a teaching that will not release you from your seat until you have submitted to God's way. Whether in a small group or a personal study time, The Jesus Manifesto will bring Living Water to your spirit.

What is wrong with the author of Ecclesiastes? Why is there a book in the Bible that tells us that all is vanity? Who is the author? Ecclesiastes: A Participatory Study Guide is the ninth volume in the Participatory Study Series and the first that is a guide to an Old Testament book. There has been much controversy about the correct approach to interpreting Ecclesiastes. Is the author clinically depressed? Should you read the book when you're down in order to find someone who can join you in your misery? Is there anything uplifting in it? There are some who have thought the book doesn't belong in the Bible at all. Russell L. Meek takes a different approach. Through a serious study of the language and of the relationship between the text and that of other Bible writers, he discovers a much more positive message. It is still a book that can help you if you're looking at the troubles and problems of the world. But it is more than a place to find a companion in misery. In its text you can find help from someone who knows the way out, who knows how a person of faith, even if that faith is tried to the breaking point, can find enjoyment and rest in God. Its six lessons are thematic, covering issues such as the date, authorship and literary context of the book, the meaning of the key Hebrew word hebel, traditionally translated "vanity," the theme of death in Ecclesiastes, the way the author makes use of other scriptural text and why this is important to our understanding of the book, injustice, and how we should respond to the troubles of life. It is not just a theoretical study, but always examines how this Bible book can guide us in our lives. This study guide continues the tradition of the Participatory Study Series by helping to model different techniques and approaches for Bible study. The author doesn't just tell you what the text means; he shows you how to discover this and gives you the opportunity to interact with the Bible text for yourself. It's designed for use by small groups, but it is also suitable for individual study. As is the case with each volume in this series, it includes pointers to help with your own Bible study and lists of resources to help guide you.

Christology and ethics. Is it possible for letters written in the first century to still impact people living in the 21st century? Dr. Allan Bevere, pastor and professor, husband and grandfather, believes Pauls words are not only relevant to our century but timely to the world we are currently struggling to live and influence while still being known as aliens. "The Christians in Colossae are encouraged to look heavenward, not to escape this world, but rather to put this world in heavenly context, to seek the things above is not an escape from earthly realities, but rather the things above puts earthly things in their divine context." - Dr. Allan Bevere

What do the letters of John, tucked away near the end of the New Testament, tell us other than that we ought to love one another? That's a good message but can we put some muscle into it? With the help of Dr. Robert D. Cornwall and his new study guide on the Letters of John in the Participatory Study Series, we certainly can Cornwall guides us through a historical, theological and practical study of these three little letters, taking 1st century material, helping us understand it clearly, and applying it to our daily lives in the 21st century. Besides its value in studying these books, this guide provides a model for a successful small group or individual study of any Bible passage. Each lesson includes readings, questions, exercises, and a suggested prayer in closing helping to bring the application home. This study is useful for individuals and small groups, but can also be valuable in planning a sermon series.

How can one approach the Psalms in order to get the most benefit from that study? There are many, many answers to that question. In this guide, Dr. David Moffett-Moore approaches the Psalms with the mind of a scholar, the heart of a pastor, and the soul of a poet. He leads the student on a path of study that is directed toward changing one’s life and way of thinking, rather than simply coming to an intellectual understanding of what was said. The book consists of seven weeks of lessons, each one covering a range of Psalms. These are selected to cover the various categories of Psalms, and the discussion is aimed at understanding how to make use of these Psalms in one’s personal spiritual life and also in corporate worship. Each lesson concludes with reflection, discussion, action, and prayer. While this book is designed for small group study, it is suitable for individual study of the Psalms as well. It will also provide significant help to a pastor planning to preach from the Psalms.