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Good Ground: Letting the Word Take Root is an interactive Bible study series for Sunday
school or other adult groups. Each unit includes six easy-to-use sessions and provides
opportunities to apply biblical wisdom to real-life challenges and problems. All participants use
the same book and leader's tips are included following each session. Studies are not dated and
can be used at any time. For more information visit our web site at
www.goodground.org. |
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Cracking the Code
Making Sense of Daniel and Ezekiel for Today
When decoded, the stories of Daniel and Ezekiel reveal powerful messages of endurance and
hope for God's people living under oppression. For the faithful, death leads to life and
brokenness to renewal.
9175 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Partners in Peace
God's Vision of Shalom in the Book of Romans
In his letter to the churches in Rome, Paul lays out God's plan of peace for the world and
challenges Christians to be God's partners in making the plan a reality.
9176 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Diamond in the Rough
The Spiritual Apprenticeship of David
David, Israel's greatest king, matured through a series of close encounters with his own
humanity and with God. This study explores how his example spurs us on to grow as faithful
servants of God.
9177 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Bursting the Wineskins
Five Radical Sermons of Jesus in Matthew
Jesus is the new wine whose action breaks open old wineskins, changing the world radically.
He gives new energy to the old covenant and promises to fulfill it for the world.
9178 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Fierce, Flawed, and Favored
God's Unlikely Helpers in the Book of Judges
The book of Judges shows Israel becoming a people, settling in their own land. The people and
their leaders have a lot of rough edges, but God still acts mightily on their behalf.
9179 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Down to Earth
The Parables of Jesus
Especially in his stories and illustrations, Jesus' teaching cuts quickly to the heart of our
motives, our views of how the world should be, and our experiences of God.
9180 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Rhythms of the Soul
The Psalms as Public Worship
This ancient hymnbook expresses almost every human emotion there is. By using Psalms in
worship, we give ourselves permission to bring our whole selves to God for healing and
transformation.
9181 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Second Wind
Re-energizing Faith in the Book of Hebrews
Hebrews speaks to the faithful who have faced disappointments and burnout, revisiting our
extraordinary past and calling us to claim the future with new faith.
9182 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
All Heaven Breaks Loose
Studies in the Gospel of Mark
Mark shows us a Messiah who goes against the status quo at every turn. Grapples with the
implications of Jesus' message.
3558 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
An Odd Body
Church, Witness, and Culture in 1 and 2 Corinthians
Christians have always been tugged in different directions by faith and culture. The apostle
Paul counseled Christians in Corinth to live fully in this world but also according to a new way.
Give up your allegiances to the old, he said, and cling to Jesus' way of doing things. Don't let
the world decide who you are or what kind of marriage you should have. Don't get caught up in
lawsuits with your fellow Christians. And don't worry about getting revenge. The new way is
about reconciliation. Let the resurrected Christ define everything you are about. And suddenly
everything in the old world becomes new.
3157 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Banking on God
Exploring Salvation in the Bible
Contrary to popular belief, salvation is not the end of our sinning or a ticket into heaven. It's
not really an end at all. It's the beginning of life. It's not simply the reward for a life well lived;
it is the cause of a life well lived. Salvation is not a deal with God; it is a miracle. It's a free
pass, but one that demands something from us. Delve into this interactive study on salvation
and celebrate new life, new purpose, new peace.
9174 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Choosing Sides
Faithfulness in the Book of Joshua
 Joshua
tells the story of the Israelites conquering the Promised Land. After living in the
wilderness for 40 years, how will they revive their parents' and grandparents' faith in the
promises of God?
3566 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Come Again?
Exploring the Hard Sayings of Jesus
It's so easy to think of Jesus as the stained glass shepherd with a lamb draped around his neck.
But what about the Jesus who claimed he came to bear a sword, not peace? What are we to
think of the Jesus who turned away a potential disciple because the would-be follower wanted
to attend his father's funeral? How do we reconcile Jesus the healer with the Jesus who thought
it was better to cut off a hand or foot than give in to temptation? Will we ever be able to
stomach the Jesus who used drinking blood and eating flesh as a litmus test for the faith? Come
Again? introduces us to some of the hardest sayings of Jesus and greatly enlarges what we
understand about him. No faith is complete without first facing into these troublesome
teachings.
3752 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Curse God and Die
Struggling with Faith in the Book of Job
Job was the ultimate victim. As a result of a heavenly deal he knew nothing about, this
blameless man lost everything, including his children and his health. His wife turned cynical,
and his friends blamed him. To boot, God ignored Job's pleas for justice, then just asked him
more questions. Why keep the faith under such circumstances? Like the book of Job, this study
won't answer the age-old question of why God allows suffering, but it will challenge you to
hang onto integrity, stay honest with God, and be open to growth in the face of life's mysteries.
3369 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Enter the Kin-dom
Studies in Luke and Acts
Without the book of Acts, the Gospel of Luke is a cliffhanger. It ends with the risen Jesus
telling his disciples to wait in Jerusalem to be "clothed with power from on high." Acts, the
sequel, unveils that mystery with a wallop: The Holy Spirit is poured out on Gentiles and Jews
alike, inaugurating a new family of faith that lives out the reign of God. This study explores our
rich inheritance of grace and salvation in Luke's twin narratives.
3155 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
First Love
Christian Community in 1, 2, and 3 John
 In an age that
values individual freedom and tolerance, Christians struggle with how to be an
accountable community. What are the essentials? How do we deal with disagreements? Six
sessions study how the John letters counseled early Christians.
3582 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
For Better, For Worse
God's Relentless Love in Amos and Hosea
Sometimes it takes shock tactics to get a message across. In ancient Israel, as a prosperous
economy blinded the nation's leaders to their unfaithfulness to God, two prophets cried,
"Enough!" Hosea married a prostitute to remind people of their religious adultery--and of
God's dogged love for them nonetheless. Amos undiplomatically told the rich that God actually
detested their religious rituals. These six sessions explore what Amos and Hosea say on such
contemporary issues as the relationship between spirituality and justice, the role of prophetic
voice, and the meaning of fidelity.
3744 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
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For Crying Out Loud
Studies in Exodus
What are true salvation and liberation? Stories of the Hebrews' release from slavery in Egypt
and their encounter with God in the desert point to the ways God works redemptively with a
people.
3323 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
For the Love of Earth
Studies in Genesis 1-3
Stop living in the past! Live for today! Unless you're a scientist, thinking about the earth's
origins is a waste of time! Not so, according to these six sessions on the Bible's opening
paragraphs. In contrast to the Babylonian stories of origins, the Hebrew Bible presents the
creation as an account of balanced order and loving relationships. It carefully sets the stage for
the rest of the Bible in its portrayals of God's character, human freedom, and humanity's
purpose on earth. This interactive study provides solid ground for faith-based approaches to
caring for the earth.
3158 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Going on a Promise
Stories of Abraham
Abraham and Sarah took huge risks in leaving Ur and its gods, to follow a personal, covenant-making
God instead. Participants will wrestle with the heroic and the human, the meaning of
faith and faithfulness, and the challenging choices God offers to Abraham and us alike.
3540 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Hanging on to Hope
Studies in Revelation
Is God still in control of the world? Will evil ever be defeated? First century Christians faced
these and other questions as the Roman Empire spread its oppressive influence. John, exiled for
his faith, writes a book full of visions and fantastic images, bringing assurance to the
beleaguered believers. In this study, some of the mystery of Revelation is unlocked, the early
Christian dilemmas appear remarkably like our own, and we get a refreshing glimpse into
God's reign.
3154 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Heart Smart
Studies on Wisdom in the Bible
We know what makes a person healthy and wealthy, but what makes a person wise? According
to the Bible, wisdom is gained through life experience. The more we live, the more we can
understand the mysteries and ambiguities of life, and can live on in spite of them. Ultimately,
wisdom is knowing that we live well when we live by faith. Heart Smart looks at the Bible's
perspectives on true wisdom and the good life it offers.
9155 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
In the Flesh
The Identity of Jesus on John's Gospel
 Blind faith gets a
bad rap in the twentieth century. Faith by definition is blind, but in the age of
science, we've decided it's foolish to believe anything without proof, even Christian faith.
People in the modern world want reasons, and according to the Gospel of John, so did Jews in
Jesus' time. John gives an account of Jesus' effort in his own day to reveal the identity of God,
not to the intellect but to the heart. Through signs and wonders, he makes the unknowable
knowable. He uses marvels to describe the indescribable. He blindfolds the intellect to give us a
faith that sees.
03368 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Inside Out
God's Radical Love in Jonah and Ruth
 Illegal aliens,
pagan worshipers, and rogue nations. The very culprits we blame for the
degradation of the world today are central characters in the books of Jonah and Ruth--people
whom God uses to teach about faithfulness. God breaks some of our most cherished stereotypes
in these two books, including our narrow view that Scripture is serious and humorless. Be
ready to laugh at our own folly and recognize the wide embrace of a surprising and loving God.
3152 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Into the Deep
Exploring Prayer
How can prayer be transformed from drudgery to true nurture for the soul? Introduces
participants to different ways people pray.
3315 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Of Brats and Brothers
Joseph's Coming of Age in Genesis
It's a wonder Jacob's family ever survived. The popular story of his favorite son Joseph is as
full of sibling rivalry, trickery, and cruelty as you'll find in any movie. But somehow God
accepted the mess as it was and made something good come of it. Joseph developed from a
spoiled little brat to a leader of integrity and vision--going so far as to forgive his brothers for
their cruelty. This interactive study explores how good purposes lie waiting to be realized in
our own lives--even out of tragic circumstances, false motives, and family feuds.
9173 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Playing God
Rebellion and Grace in 1 and 2 Kings
The rulers of ancient Israel and Judah form a fascinating mosaic of human frailty. Traditional
heroes like David and Solomon had brittle halos, falling prey to hypocrisy and compromise.
Others, like Ahab, were shameless in their idolatry and abuse of power. Josiah and a few others
led their nations back to God, but couldn't manage to make the changes hold to the
generation. In this study, we look at how God works with us, even in the midst of our
waywardness and weakness.
3156 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Preach It!
Great Messages of the Bible
What does it take for a sermon to transform your life? If you could be the preacher of the week,
what would you say, and how would you say it? In this study you will explore key speeches of
Joshua, Amos, Ezra, Jesus, Peter, and Paul. These messages spoke the right word at the right
time to the original hearers, inviting people to get with God's program. Find out how their calls
ring equally true in our day as well.
3151 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
No Small Wonder
Stories of Hope from the Nativity
Go behind the Nativity stories and discover the radical nature of God's coming to earth in
Jesus. Shows how Mary, Elizabeth, Zecharias, Joseph, and others were rooted in the ancient
journey of God's people; how Jesus' birth upset first-century Palestine; and how it calls us to
follow God's plan today.
3531 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Such a Time as This
Faith and Risk-taking in the Book of Esther
 Esther
shows perhaps more clearly than Moses that "chosenness" is both
a blessing and a snare. We can learn how to live as people of
the promise by asking ourselves the questions that arise from
Esther's story.
3574 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Turning up the Heat
Studies on the Passion of Jesus
Passion--a loaded word that we associate
with intense love, a compelling emotion, or a single-minded
commitment. Its roots, however, mean "submission to suffering." Nowhere
do all those meanings converge as powerfully as they do in the
final hours of Jesus' life. In these six interactive sessions,
you will discover how the story of Jesus' journey to the cross
reveals not only God's passionate love for humanity, but also
Jesus' invitation to a life of servanthood and nonviolence.
9156 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
Voice from the Fringe
Studies in Isaiah
 Unlike most prophets,
Isaiah takes up his calling with enthusiasm. That is, before he finds out
that God's message includes divine judgment and anger. In the end, God speaks words of grace
and redemption too, especially as the people experience the most wrenching punishment in
their history: exile in Babylon. As we study this unusual collection of speeches, we discover
that wholeness doesn't come cheap in our lives. But we also see that God loves us and courts us
no matter what.
3153 $5.99 U.S. / $5.99 Can. |
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