In the biblical canon, two books lack any explicit reference to the name of God: Song of Songs and Esther. What is the nature of God as revealed in texts that don't use his name? Exploring the often overlooked theological connections between these two Old Testament books, Chloe T. Sun takes on the challenges of God's absence and explores how we think of God when he is perceived to be silent.

What does the temple mean for the church's ongoing mission in the world? This ESBT volume examines temple theology throughout Scripture, exploring how this theme relates to Christian life and witness today. God has always desired to dwell among us; now the church must follow its missional call to extend the borders of God's kingdom and take his presence to the ends of the earth.

How do Christian women navigate the call to both the academy and motherhood? In this unique resource by and for Christian academic mothers, contributors combine research with personal stories to provide wisdom, encouragement, and solidarity. Hear from women with a similar vocational journey who come from different backgrounds, academic disciplines, and stages of parenting and career.

We're being formed by our devices. Unpacking the soft tyranny of the digital age, Felicia Wu Song combines insights from psychology, neuroscience, sociology, and theology as she considers digital practices through the lens of "liturgy" and formation. Exploring pathways of meaningful resistance found in Christian tradition, this resource offers practical experiments for individual and communal change.

How is our Christian hope both expressed and experienced in contemporary worship? In this Dynamics of Christian Worship volume, pastor, theologian, and songwriter Glenn Packiam explores what Christians sing about when they sing about hope and what kind of hope they experience when they worship together.

David Anderson and Margarita Cabellon bring together an experienced team of practitioners to share best practices for multicultural ministry. Drawing on the pioneering expertise of Bridgeway Community Church and BridgeLeader Network, the contributors present a holistic and multifaceted portrait of what a dynamic, grace-filled and diverse ministry can look like in your church.

This comprehensive New Testament introduction not only outlines historical, social, cultural, and rhetorical contexts, but it also points students preparing for ministry to relevant facets of biblical interpretation. Brimming with maps, photos, points of interest, and aids to learning, this beautiful, full-color second edition of an established textbook is the first choice for those who want to integrate scholarship and ministry.

Internationally renowned artist Makoto Fujimura reflects on Shusaku Endo's novel Silence and grapples with the nature of art, pain and culture. Showing that light is yet present in darkness, he uncovers deep layers of meaning in Japanese history and finds connections to how faith is lived in contexts of trauma.

The number of ethical issues that demand a response from Christians today is almost dizzying. How can Christians navigate such matters? With an unflinching yet irenic approach, this volume invites engagement with the biggest ethical issues by drawing on real-life experiences and offering a range of responses to some of the most challenging moral questions confronting the church today.

We long for diverse, thriving neighborhoods and churches, yet racial injustices persist. Why? Urban missiologist David Leong reveals the profound ways in which geographic structures and systems sustain the divisions among us and create barriers to reconciliation. For the flourishing of our communities, here is a vision of belonging and hope in our streets, cities, and churches.

If you're the only person from your ethnic background in your organization or team, you probably know what it's like to be misunderstood or marginalized. Organizational consultant Adrian Pei describes key challenges ethnic minorities face in majority-culture organizations, unpacking the historical forces at play and what both minority and majority cultures need to know in order to work together fruitfully.

How can church planters and their congregations flourish for the long haul? Written by a diverse team of scholar-practitioners and filled with real-world insights, stories, and questions for reflection and discussion, this guide gives church planters and their teams the tools to be theologically reflective, spiritually grounded, and missionally agile.

We live in conflicted times. We want to see justice restored because Jesus calls us to be a peacemaking and reconciling people. But how do we do this? Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Graham Hill offer ten ways to transform society, from lament and repentance to relinquishing power, reinforcing agency, and more. Embodying these practices enables us to be the new humanity in Jesus Christ.

This collection of essays explores the legacy of Lesslie Newbigin's classic work, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, critically analyzing the nature of Western pluralism and discussing the influence of Newbigin's work on the field of missiology. By looking backward, this volume advances a vision for Christian witness in the pluralistic world of the twenty-first century.

Scholars of Karl Barth's theology have been unanimous in labeling him a supralapsarian, largely because Barth identifies himself as such. In this groundbreaking and thoroughly researched work, Shao Kai Tseng argues that Barth was actually an infralapsarian, bringing Barth into conversation with recent studies in Puritan theology.

Nikki A. Toyama-Szeto, Tracey Gee and Jeannette Yep bring together stories of Asian American women and how God has been at work in their lives. Family expectations and cultural stereotypes assume that these women can only act in certain roles. But with the help of Scripture and mentors, these women have experienced God's blessing and transforming power.