29 Best History & Culture, Religion Books

Are you settling for half the story? Highlighting connections that have been hidden from non-Jewish eyes, Rabbi Jason Sobel will connect the dots between the Old and New Testament, helping you see the Bible with clarity as God intended.

Most people—even people of faith—do not understand how the Bible fits together. Too many Christians accept half an inheritance, content to embrace merely the New Testament, while Jewish people may often experience the same by embracing only the Old Testament. But God has an intricate plan and purpose for both the Old and the New.

In Mysteries of the Messiah, Rabbi Jason Sobel reveals the many connections in Scripture hidden in plain sight. Known for his emphatic declaration “but there’s more!” he guides us in seeing the passion and purpose of the Messiah. Mysteries of the Messiah:

• Uncovers connections between the Old and New Testaments
• Connects the dots for readers with details about Jesus, the Torah, and biblical characters
• Written with the unique perspective of a rabbi with an evangelical theological degree

No matter how many times you have read the Bible, Mysteries of the Messiah will bring fresh perspective and insight. God’s Word, written by many people over thousands of years, is not a random selection of people and stories. Rabbi Jason Sobel connects the dots and helps us see with clarity what God intended.

The appendix is available in the audiobook companion PDF download.

Building on stories and illustrations from¬†He Chose the Nails¬†by best-selling author Max Lucado,¬†He Did This Just for You¬†is a booklet designed to lead you through God’s plan of sacrifice and salvation.¬†

When you think of the cross, what thoughts come to mind? Some people think of steeples, gold necklaces, and churches. For others, their thoughts go deeper as words like these come to mind: Jesus. Nails. Blood. Pain. Death. Tomb. Empty. Joy. Promise. Life. Savior!

The words of the cross are so full of¬†pain. So full of¬†passion. So full of¬†promise¬†– God’s promise to each and every one of us. His promise is to do whatever it takes to save your soul. He did this just for you.

He Did This Just for You shares the story of salvation in a new light, taking you through three distinct pieces of the puzzle:

• The Parable – God’s longing for us
• The Promise – God’s gift for us
• The Privilege – God’s invitation to us

He Did This Just for You¬†is the perfect way to introduce the gospel to family, friends, and acquaintances through Max Lucado’s warm and easy-to-understand writing style.

Experience God’s grace and plan of salvation for the first time or use this booklet to share the message of hope with someone you know.

No other figure has impacted history like Jesus. Yet today, he’s often seen as a mythical character whose legend has increased over time. So what does the historical and archaeological evidence say about Jesus? Archaeologist Dr. Titus Kennedy has investigated firsthand the discoveries connected to Jesus’ birth, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection. He has visited and excavated where Jesus walked and examined the artifacts connected to Jesus’ life. Here, he presents an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the research and findings that illuminate the historicity of Christ as presented in the Bible. This book progresses chronologically through the Gospels, noting the many relevant archaeological, historical, geographic, and literary findings. As you listen, you’ll be able to decide for yourself whether the evidence confirms the existence and story of Jesus and determine whether the Gospels are worthy of being approached not as legends but as history. Further, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the historic basis of Christianity, a richer knowledge of the ancient world, and an evidence-based perspective on the reliability of the Bible.

Biblical Christianity is more than just another private religious view. It’s more than just a personal relationship with God or a source of moral teaching.

Christianity is a picture of reality.

It explains why the world is the way it is. When the pieces of this puzzle are properly assembled, we see the big picture clearly. Christianity is a true story of how the world began, why the world is the way it is, what role humans play in the drama, and how all the plotlines of the story are resolved in the end.

In The Story of Reality, bestselling author and host of Stand to Reason, Gregory Koukl, explains the five words that form the narrative backbone of the Christian story. He identifies the most important things that happen in the story in the order they take place:

1. God
2. Man
3. Jesus
4. Cross
5. Resurrection

If you are already a Christian, do you know and understand the biblical story? And for those still seeking answers to the questions of life, this is an invitation to hear a story that explains the world in a way nothing else will. This story can change your life forever.

Travel the Shepherd’s path to the green pastures and cool, refreshing waters of Psalm 23. As a shepherd himself, W. Phillip Keller shares his insights into the life and character of sheep–and of the Good Shepherd who loves and cares for them. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 will give new meaning to the ageless Shepherd Psalm, enriching your trust in and love for the Lord who watches closely over you.

Keller infuses new hope into our relationship with Christ. This timeless classic:

• Is perfect as a treasured self-purchase or gift for any occasion
• Showcases Scripture which has been the topic of countless books, articles, and featured on a multitude of gift products
• Delivers new insights on one of the most familiar and popular chapters in the Bible
• Is a trusted inspirational resource for personal and spiritual growth and reflection

As we lie down in green pastures or walk through the shadowy valley, we’re assured that whatever our path, whatever our stumbling, the Shepherd will lovingly guide, carry, and protect us. We can depend on His goodness and mercy all the days of our lives. Readers will find comfort, guidance, and reassurance with A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.

Travel the Shepherd’s path to the green pastures and cool, refreshing waters of Psalm 23. As a shepherd himself, W. Phillip Keller shares his insights into the life and character of sheep–and of the Good Shepherd who loves and cares for them. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 will give new meaning to the ageless Shepherd Psalm, enriching your trust in and love for the Lord who watches closely over you.

Keller infuses new hope into our relationship with Christ. This timeless classic:

• Is perfect as a treasured self-purchase or gift for any occasion
• Showcases Scripture which has been the topic of countless books, articles, and featured on a multitude of gift products
• Delivers new insights on one of the most familiar and popular chapters in the Bible
• Is a trusted inspirational resource for personal and spiritual growth and reflection

As we lie down in green pastures or walk through the shadowy valley, we’re assured that whatever our path, whatever our stumbling, the Shepherd will lovingly guide, carry, and protect us. We can depend on His goodness and mercy all the days of our lives. Readers will find comfort, guidance, and reassurance with A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.

“A timely and groundbreaking take on the roots of the Christian church and its place in the entirety of God’s kingdom. . . . There is no better time than now to learn about and become firmly grounded within your spiritual heritage.” –from the foreword by Perry Stone

The early church was made up of Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus, and the church’s culture was rooted in Judaism and a Jewish understanding of God’s relationship to His people. Over time, however, Christianity became increasingly more Roman than Jewish, and the church lost its identity.

Rabbi Curt Landry’s personal story is remarkably similar. Born to a Jewish mother and a Catholic father, Landry was put up for adoption, and for more than thirty years he had no understanding of his heritage, his roots, or who his parents were. But when he discovered the truth of his story, his life changed completely.

The key to a life of power and purpose is understanding who you are. In this revelatory book, Curt Landry helps Christians discover their roots in Judaism, empowering them to walk in the revelation of who they really are and who they are born to be. Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage reveals the mysteries of the church, letting Christians grasp the power that comes from connecting with their true identity.

Controversial evangelical Bible scholar, popular blogger and podcast host of The Bible for Normal People, and author of The Bible Tells Me So and The Sin of Certainty explains that the Bible is not an instruction manual or rule book but a powerful learning tool that nurtures our spiritual growth by refusing to provide us with easy answers but instead forces us to acquire wisdom.

For many Christians, the Bible is a how-to manual filled with literal truths about belief that must be strictly followed. But the Bible is not static, Peter Enns argues. It does not hold easy answers to the perplexing questions and issues that confront us in our daily lives. Rather, the Bible is a dynamic instrument for study that not only offers an abundance of insights but provokes us to find our own answers to spiritual questions, cultivating God’s wisdom within us.

“The Bible becomes a confusing mess when we expect it to function as a rulebook for faith. But when we allow the Bible to determine our expectations, we see that Wisdom, not answers, is the Bible’s true subject matter,” writes Enns. This distinction, he points out, is important because when we come to the Bible expecting it to be a textbook intended by God to give us unwavering certainty about our faith, we are actually creating problems for ourselves. The Bible, in other words, really isn’t the problem; having the wrong expectation is what interferes with our reading.

Rather than considering the Bible as an ancient book weighed down with problems, flaws, and contradictions that must be defended by modern readers, Enns offers a vision of the holy scriptures as an inspired and empowering resource to help us better understand how to live as a person of faith today.

How the Bible Actually Works makes clear that there is no one right way to read the Bible. Moving us beyond the damaging idea that “being right” is the most important measure of faith, Enns’s freeing approach to Bible study helps us to instead focus on pursuing enlightenment and building our relationship with God–which is exactly what the Bible was designed to do.

Pilgrim Theology is a map for Christians seeking to better understand the core beliefs of their faith.

Even though it’s the study of God, theology has a reputation for being dry, abstract, and irrelevant for daily living. But theology is a matter of life and death. It affects the way you think, the decisions you make, the way you relate to God and the world.

Reformed theologian and professor Michael Horton wrote Pilgrim Theology as a more accessible companion to his award-winning systematic theology The Christian Faith: widely praised for its thorough treatment of the biblical and historical foundations of Christian doctrine.

In Pilgrim Theology, his focus is in putting the study of theology into the daily drama of discipleship. Each chapter will orient you toward a clear understanding about:

• Who God is.
• What our relationship is to him.
• And what our faith in Jesus Christ means in our daily walk as well as in the context of the narrative of Scripture and the community of the church.

Through accessible chapters on individual doctrines, as well as frequent “Key Distinction” boxes that succinctly explain the differences between important themes, you’ll gain an understanding of doctrines that may have sounded like technical seminary terms to you before: justification, sanctification, glorification, union with Christ, and others.

You have a working theology already‚Äîan existing understanding of God. It’s the goal of Pilgrim Theology to help you examine that understanding more closely and have it challenged and strengthened.

Who was Jesus?

Historical sources portray a person who was complex, multi-layered, and often contradictory to the tidy portrait that much of modern Christianity paints him as. Even the gospel accounts render him as both judge and healer, teacher and temple, servant and savior.

A Doubter’s Guide to Jesus is a persuasive and often challenging investigation into the historical figure found in the earliest sources. These sources, which include references both direct and indirect‚Äîfrom Roman, Jewish, and Christian accounts‚Äîoffer us more than simple evidence that Jesus existed; they begin to form a picture that is both deeply credible and profoundly counterintuitive.

Each chapter explores the evidence for a different aspect of the most influential figure in human history, exploring:

• His words and their impact.
• The scandal of his social life.
• His preference for the poor and lowly.
• The meaning of his death and influence of his promises.

The goal is not to turn Jesus into something neater, more systematic and digestible; but to see him more clearly as someone who stretches our imaginations, confronts our beliefs, and challenges our lifestyles.

After two millennia of spiritual devotion and more than two centuries of modern critical research, we still cannot fit Jesus into a box—and this is as challenging as it is deeply compelling.

To Christians worldwide, the man Jesus of Nazareth is the centerpiece of history, the object of faith, hope, and worship. Even those who do not follow him admit the vast influence of his life. For anyone interested in knowing more about Jesus, study of the four biblical Gospels is essential.

The second edition of Four Portraits, One Jesus has been updated throughout to meet the needs to today’s students. It is a thorough yet accessible introduction to the four biblical Gospels and their subject, the life and person of Jesus. Like different artists rendering the same subject using different styles and points of view, the Gospels paint four highly distinctive portraits of the same remarkable Jesus.

With clarity and insight, Mark Strauss illuminates these four books addressing the following important areas:

• First he addresses the nature, origin, methods for study, and historical, religious, and cultural backgrounds of the Gospels.
• He then moves on to closer study of each narrative and its contribution to our understanding of Jesus, investigating things such as plot, characters, and theme.
• Finally, he pulls it all together with a detailed examination of what the Gospels teach about Jesus’ ministry, message, death, and resurrection, with excursions into the quest for the historical Jesus and the historical reliability of the Gospels.

This textbook together with its workbook, video lectures, and laminated sheet gives students everything they need for a thorough and enriching study of Jesus and the Gospels.

Figures, maps, images, discussion questions, key terms, and a glossary are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.

In Strange Fire, bestselling author and pastor John MacArthur chronicles the unsavory history behind the modern Charismatic movement.

What would God say about those who blatantly misrepresent His Holy Spirit; who exchange true worship for chaotic fits of mindless ecstasy; who replace the biblical gospel with vain illusions of health and wealth; who claim to prophesy in His name yet speak errors; and who sell false hope to desperate people for millions of dollars?

The charismatic movement has always been a breeding-ground for scandal, greed, bad doctrine, and all kinds of spiritual chicanery. As a movement, it is clearly headed the wrong direction. And it is growing at an unprecedented rate.

From the Word of Faith to the New Apostolic Reformation, the Charismatic movement is being consumed by the empty promises of the prosperity gospel. Too many charismatic celebrities promote a “Christianity” without Christ, a Holy Spirit without holiness. And their teaching is having a disastrous influence on a grand scale, as large television networks broadcast their heresies to every part of the world.

In Strange Fire, MacArthur lays out a chilling case against the modern Charismatic movement that includes:

• Rejecting its false prophets.
• Speaking out against their errors.
• Showing true reverence to the Holy Spirit.
• Clinging to the Bible as the inerrant, authoritative Word of God and the one true standard by which all truth claims must be tested.

Join beloved Bible teacher Margaret Feinberg as you learn how to move from simply reading Scripture to entering stories that can be touched, tasted, smelled, and savored.

The Bible is full of clever plots and compelling stories, laced with historic insights and literary beauty. But despite its richness and depth, many of us struggle to close the gap between the ancient world and our own.

What does it mean to know that Jesus is the Good Shepherd when the only place you’ve encountered sheep is at a petting zoo? How can you understand the promise of a land overflowing with honey when you buy yours in a bear-shaped bottle? Can you truly grasp the urgency of Jesus’ invitation to abide in the vine when you shop for grapes at a local grocery store?

In¬†Scouting the Divine, Margaret invites you to accompany her on the adventure of a lifetime across the nation to herd sheep in Oregon, harvest fields with a Nebraska farmer, prune vines in California, and explore hives with a veteran beekeeper in Colorado. Along the way, you’ll explore how ancient livelihoods illuminate meaningful truths that apply to life today.

With Margaret’s trademark humor and vulnerability, you’ll:

• Learn the secret of how to live like you have a shepherd
• Unlock the sweetest promises of God
• Discover the gift of divine timing

 

Scouting the Divine¬†will revolutionize the way you understand the Bible–and leave you wonderstruck by the magnificence of God.

Is Reading the Bible the Fastest Way to Lose Your Faith?

For centuries, the Bible was called “the Good Book,” a moral and religious text that guides us into a relationship with God and shows us the right way to live. Today, however, some people argue the Bible is outdated and harmful, with many Christians unaware of some of the odd and disturbing things the Bible says.

How (Not) to Read the Bible tackles big questions like:

• Does the Bible degrade women?
• Is the Bible anti-science?
• How could a loving God command such violence in the Old Testament?
• Does the Bible endorse slavery?

Bestselling author Dan Kimball guides you step-by-step in how to tackle many of the real questions that people wrestle with when reading the Bible and how to make sense of many of the more difficult and disturbing Bible passages.

Filled with fun stories, insightful information, and responses to popular cultural objections, How (Not) to Read the Bible is a lifeline for anyone–Christians and doubters alike–who are confused or discouraged with questions about the Bible.

Yes, there are puzzling and disturbing Bible passages. . . But there are explanations!

*Accompanying images and reference tables are available in the audiobook companion PDF download.

The revered Bible scholar and author of The Historical Jesus explores the Christian culture wars–the debates over church and state–from a biblical perspective, exploring the earliest tensions evident in the New Testament, and offering a way forward for Christians today.

Leading Bible scholar John Dominic Crossan, the author of the pioneering work The Historical Jesus, provides new insight into the Christian culture wars which began in the New Testament and persist strongly today.

For decades, Americans have been divided on how Christians should relate to government and lawmakers, a dispute that has impacted every area of society and grown more rancorous over the past forty years. But as Crossan makes clear, this debate isn’t new; it can be found in the New Testament itself, most notably in the tensions between Luke-Acts and Revelations.

In the texts of Luke-Acts, Rome is considered favorably. In the book of Revelations, Rome is seen as the embodiment of evil in the world. Yet there is an alternative to these two extremes, Crossan explains. The historical Jesus and Paul, the earliest Christian teachers, were both strongly opposed to Rome, yet neither demonized the Empire.

Crossan sees in Jesus and Paul’s approach a model for Christians today that can be used to cut through the acrimony and polarization roiling our society and dividing us.

Understanding the Bible will provide you with a foundational comprehension of the entirety of Scripture with a focus on broadening your vision of Jesus Christ.

This book answers foundational questions:

• Who wrote the Bible?
• What is its message?
• Why is it thought to be a “holy” book?
• How does one read and interpret it?

By delving into the geographical, religious, and historical concerns that shaped the world of biblical times, you’ll see Jesus as never before: both as a man of his times and culture, and as the culmination of a divine providence that prepared the way for the ministry of the Messiah.

Written by renowned preacher, writer, and apologist John Stott, this new, expanded edition includes:

• Questions at the beginning of each chapter to help you focus.
• New, up-to-date maps for the chapters on history and geography.
• An index to help you speedily access areas of interest.

You know the women of the Bible, but you don’t know them like this…It’s easy for Christian women–young and old–to get lost between the opportunities and demands of the present and the biblical teachings of the past. They live in a confusing world, caught in the crossfire between church and culture. Although home and family still remain central, more women than ever, by choice or by necessity, are blending home, career, and ministry. They need strong biblical role models to help them meet these challenges.Building on solid scholarship and a determination to wrestle honestly with perplexing questions, author Carolyn Custis James sheds new light on ancient stories that brings the women of the Bible into the twenty-first century. This fresh look at the women in the Bible unearths surprising new insights and a powerful message that will leave readers feeling challenged, encouraged, and deeply valued.Rediscover and be inspired by:* Eve* Sarah* Hagar* Tamar* Hannah* Esther* Mary* and others

The Zondervan Biblical and Theological Lectures series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook’s direct narration of a book’s text, Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy: Audio Lectures include high quality live-recordings of college-level lectures that cover the important points from each subject as well as relevant material from other sources.

There is little doubt that the inerrancy of the Bible is a current and often contentious topic among evangelicals. Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy: Audio Lectures showcases the spectrum of evangelical positions on inerrancy and facilitates understanding of these perspectives, particularly where and why they diverge.

Each main lesson in Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy: Audio Lectures considers:

• the present context and the viability and relevance of inerrancy for contemporary Christian witness;
• whether and to what extent Scripture teaches its own inerrancy;
• the position’s assumed/implied understandings of the nature of Scripture, God, and truth; and
• three difficult biblical texts: one that implies intra-canonical contradictions, one that raises questions of theological plurality, and one that concerns historicity.

Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy: Audio Lectures serves not only as a resource for surveying the current debate, but also as a catalyst both for understanding and advancing the conversation further. Featuring scholars Al Mohler, Kevin Vanhoozer, Michael Bird, Peter Enns, and John Franke, these lectures provide listeners with the tools they need to draw informed conclusions on this debated issue and is an ideal resource for traditional students, students in distance and online-learning courses, and self-learners wanting to better understand Christian theology.

For almost 1,500 years, the New Testament manuscripts were copied by hand–and mistakes and intentional changes abound in the competing manuscript versions. Religious and biblical scholar Bart Ehrman makes the provocative case that many of our widely held beliefs concerning the divinity of Jesus, the Trinity, and the divine origins of the Bible itself are the results of both intentional and accidental alterations by scribes. In this compelling and fascinating book, Ehrman shows where and why changes were made in our earliest surviving manuscripts, explaining for the first time how the many variations of our cherished biblical stories came to be, and why only certain versions of the stories qualify for publication in the Bibles we read today. Ehrman frames his account with personal reflections on how his study of the Greek manuscripts made him abandon his once ultra-conservative views of the Bible.

The Bible remains the bestselling book of all time, believed by nearly two billion people (Christians and Jews) to be divinely inspired. But in this hard-hitting new book, author Robert J. Hutchinson argues that it is actually much more than this. The ideas enshrined in the Bible, he says, triggered a revolution in human thought and established the moral and philosophical foundation for Western civilization, from the recognition of basic human rights and belief in limited government to authentic feminism and the development of empirical science. He shows that it is more a “culture-war” book than a work of religious apologetics.

Though the Bible is today under relentless attack by left-wing academics, novelists, and screenwriters to justify their own political agendas, Hutchinson fires back in this fast-paced, politically incorrect tour of the most important book ever written. This is a book atheists will fear and honest inquirers and believers will relish.

A vast readership wants better access to the ancient words and ideas of the Bible. In The Bible Doesn’t Say That, Dr. Joel M. Hoffman walks the reader through dozens of instances of mistranslations, misconceptions, and other misunderstandings about the Bible. In 40 short chapters, Hoffman covers fundamental theology, morality, lifestyle, and biblical imagery: *The famous New Testament quotation “God so loved the world” is a mistranslation, as are the titles “Son of Man” and “Son of God.” *The Bible doesn’t call homosexuality a sin, and it doesn’t advocate for the one-man-one-woman model of the family that has been dubbed “biblical.” *Jesus had siblings, in spite of the Catholic rhetoric about the “ever-Virgin Mary.” *The Ten Commandments don’t prohibit killing or coveting. Even many of the Bible’s details end up distorted: the fruit in the Garden of Eden wasn’t an apple, it wasn’t a whale that swallowed Jonah, and many animals marched onto Noah’s ark in groups of seven, not pairs. The Bible Doesn’t Say That succinctly explains each misunderstanding, detailing the nature of what went wrong and offering insight into the original meaning of the world’s most popular book.

The Zondervan Biblical and Theological Lectures series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook’s direct narration of a book’s text,¬†Thinking through Paul: Audio Lectures¬†includes high-quality live recordings of college-level lectures that cover the important points from each subject as well as relevant material from other sources.

 

The study of Paul and his letters can be exciting, challenging, and life-changing, but only if it is done well and only if listeners achieve more than a basic familiarity with the subject. This is exactly what Pauline experts Bruce W. Longenecker and Todd D. Still accomplish with Thinking Through Paul: Audio Lectures.

 

Thinking Through Paul: Audio Lectures introduces listeners to Paul’s life, letters, and theology. Longenecker and Still bring decades of study and expertise to bear, challenging listeners to delve deeply into Paul’s writings and to wrestle with his richly-layered and dynamic theological discourse.

 

Seeking to situate their study of the apostle in proper perspective, Longenecker and Still first look at Paul‚Äôs life before and after his encounter with the risen Christ¬†en route¬†to Damascus, then examine each of Paul‚Äôs letters individually, and finally synthesize the Pauline writings to highlight the main strands of Paul‚Äôs theologizing–all the while keeping in mind the particular context of first-century Christianity.

 

As a helpful complement to the textbook, Thinking through Paul: Audio Lectures is both engaging and easy-to-follow, making it perfect for listeners learning in the classroom use and for independent learners.

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The Zondervan Biblical and Theological Lectures series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook’s direct narration of a book’s text, Story of Reality: Audio Lectures includes high quality live-recordings of college-level lectures that cover the important points from each subject as well as relevant material from other sources.

Biblical Christianity is more than just another private religious view. It’s more than just a personal relationship with God or a source of moral teaching.

Christianity is a picture of reality. It explains why the world is the way it is. When the pieces of this puzzle are properly assembled, we see the big picture clearly. Christianity is a true story of how the world began, why the world is the way it is, what role humans play in the drama, and how all the plotlines of the story are resolved in the end.

In The Story of Reality: Audio Lectures, bestselling author and host of Stand to Reason Gregory Koukl explains the words that form the narrative backbone of the Christian story. Each lecture identifies the most important things that happen in the story in the order they take place, beginning with an examination of reality, and God, and moving though man, Jesus, the cross, and resurrection.

If you are already a Christian, do you know and understand the biblical story? For those still seeking answers to the questions of life, this is an invitation to join a story that explains the world in a way nothing else will. Be a part of the story that can change your life forever.

Are you ready to begin your journey to a deeper faith? In this six-session Bible study, Kathie Lee invites you to join her as she visits sites in Israel that have impacted her life. As she shares her story, coauthor Rabbi Jason Sobel, a messianic Jewish rabbi, provides fascinating background details that make the story of the New Testament come alive. Kathie Lee and Rabbi Sobel will take you and your group beyond the typical “Sunday school” teaching to examine the true texts of the Bible.

Now you can walk with Kathie on a journey through the spiritual foundations of her faith:

• The Rock (Jesus Christ): Hear directly from Kathie about her life-changing and ever-deepening connection with Jesus, the Lover of her soul.
• The Road (Israel): Explore dozens of ancient landmarks and historical sites from Israel, the promised land of God’s covenant.
• The Rabbi (God’s Word): Go beyond a Sunday-school approach to the Bible by digging into the original languages and deeper meanings of the Holy Scriptures.

Something profound happens when we follow along the ancient paths in the actual places where Jesus taught, healed, lived, died, was resurrected, and ascended into heaven. As Kathie Lee and Rabbi Sobel reveal in this study, Jesus is indeed the Rock and the Rabbi whom we follow along this Road in life. And when we are introduced to the mysteries of the Word by teachers who are trained in the ancient rabbinical way, radical transformation begins to renew our hearts and minds.

Come! Explore the land of Israel and mine the treasures of God’s Word. There is so much more!

The Audio Bible Study series provides a unique learning experience. Instead of sitting down to watch a video teaching for Bible study, listen to the same quality Bible study content on the go! Whether you listen on your commute, while walking outside, or over a lunch break, you can access high-quality audio Bible studies wherever you are. Get the most out of the teaching by diving into the accompanying study guide (sold separately) to walk through reflection questions and individual Bible study to go deeper.

Do you know the real story behind the New Testament?

We all share a fascination for discovering ‘the rest of the story.’ We enjoy learning the behind-the-scenes facts about seemingly familiar events. In this eight-session Bible study, well-known Bible scholars N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird team up to take you on a tour of the story behind the explosive story of the New Testament.

You will discover things you never knew about Jesus’ baptism and journey into the wilderness, the meaning behind his parables and miracles, the significance of his death and resurrection, the incredible expansion of the early church into the Greco-Roman world, and how the transforming mission of Jesus can still turn the world upside down today.

Through reading the New Testament we continually discover that God indeed keeps his promises, but those promises don’t always look like what people expected. Especially when it comes to Jesus. So, come join the journey with N.T. Wright and Michael Bird and they will help you understand the New Testament you never knew.

The Audio Bible Study series provides a unique learning experience. Instead of sitting down to watch a video teaching for Bible study, listen to the same quality Bible study content on the go! Whether you listen on your commute, while walking outside, or over a lunch break, you can access high-quality audio Bible studies wherever you are. Get the most out of the teaching by diving into the accompanying study guide (sold separately) to walk through reflection questions and individual Bible study to go deeper.

The Zondervan Biblical and Theological Lectures series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook’s direct narration of a book’s text, New Testament in Antiquity: Audio Lectures include high quality live-recordings of college-level lectures that cover the important points from each subject as well as relevant material from other sources.

New Testament in Antiquity: Audio Lectures skillfully develops how Jewish, Hellenistic, and Roman cultures formed the essential environment in which the New Testament authors wrote their books and letters. Listeners will learn how understanding the land, history, and culture of this world brings remarkable new insights into how we read the New Testament itself.

Throughout the audio lectures, authors Gary Burge and Gene Green provide windows into the first-century world. They further discuss issues of interpretation derived from cultural observations.

The Zondervan Biblical and Theological Lectures series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook’s direct narration of a book’s text, New Testament in Antiquity: Audio Lectures include high quality live-recordings of college-level lectures that cover the important points from each subject as well as relevant material from other sources.

New Testament in Antiquity: Audio Lectures skillfully develops how Jewish, Hellenistic, and Roman cultures formed the essential environment in which the New Testament authors wrote their books and letters. Listeners will learn how understanding the land, history, and culture of this world brings remarkable new insights into how we read the New Testament itself.

Throughout the audio lectures, authors Gary Burge and Gene Green provide windows into the first-century world. They further discuss issues of interpretation derived from cultural observations.

The Zondervan Biblical and Theological Lectures series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook’s direct narration of a book’s text,¬†The Message of the Prophets: Audio Lectures¬†includes high quality live-recordings of college-level lectures that cover the important points from each subject as well as relevant material from other sources.

The Message of the Prophets: Audio Lectures offers a scholarly yet student-friendly survey of the Old Testament prophetic literature that presents the message of each prophet in its historical and biblical context and then tracks that message through the New Testament to challenge readers with what it means for them today. Old Testament scholar J. Daniel Hays focuses on synthesizing the message of the prophets, which enables listeners to grasp the major contours of the prophetic books clearly and concisely. After identifying what the message meant for ancient Israel, Hays helps viewers move toward application today, enabling listeners to gain a better understanding of God and the relationship between God and his people.

Focused on the most significant topics and discussions in the textbook, The Message of the Prophets: Audio Lectures is designed with the learner in mind and is an indispensable resource for students and independent learners alike.

The Zondervan Biblical and Theological Lectures series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook’s direct narration of a book’s text, Four Portraits, One Jesus: Audio Lectures includes high quality live-recordings of college-level lectures that cover the important points from each subject as well as relevant material from other sources.

To Christians worldwide, the man Jesus of Nazareth is the centerpiece of history, the object of faith, hope, and worship. Even those who do not follow him admit the vast influence of his life. For anyone interested in knowing more about Jesus, study of the four biblical Gospels is essential. Four Portraits, One Jesus is a thorough yet accessible introduction to these documents and their subject, the life and person of Jesus. Like different artists rendering the same subject using different styles and points of view, the Gospels paint four highly distinctive portraits of the same remarkable Jesus. With clarity and insight, Mark Strauss illuminates these four books, first addressing their nature, origin, methods for study, and historical, religious, and cultural backgrounds. He then moves on to closer study of each narrative and its contribution to our understanding of Jesus, investigating things such as plot, characters, and theme. Finally, he pulls it all together with a detailed examination of what the Gospels teach about Jesus’ ministry, message, death, and resurrection, with excursions into the quest for the historical Jesus and the historical reliability of the Gospels.