Kirjahaku

The question of what to do with the biblical text in the sermon is perennial. Biblical scholarship constantly evolves and grows, making it hard even for biblical scholars themselves to apply the latest insights in their preaching. The average pastor doesn't have time to keep up with the changes in biblical studies and, as a result, often defaults to interpretive methods learned in (increasingly distant) seminary years. Preaching the Word addresses those needs by surveying recent developments in biblical studies with an eye to applying them in preaching the Gospel of John. Noted New Testament Scholar and homiletician Karoline Lewis lays out these recent interpretive tools and methods, demonstrating their application to preaching using specific passages in the Fourth Gospel.

Karoline Lewis draws together the strengths of two exegetical approaches to the Gospel of John in this volume of the Fortress Biblical Preaching Commentaries series. Lewis takes a broad thematic approach to the Gospel while at the same time giving exegetical and homiletical insights about individual pericopes. With attention to both liturgical interpretation and exegetical analysis, Lewis provides a unique preaching resource that will build biblical literacy by assisting both preachers and listeners in understanding John's Gospel as a whole, not just a collection of vaguely related stories. Those who peruse these pages will discover anew how John's story of Jesus shapes and gives worth to being a disciple for the sake of the world God loves. In other words, the intent of this commentary is to invite the reader into an encounter with the Jesus of John's Gospel. Such an encounter witnesses to how an experience of the Jesus of John actually matters. Readers, preachers, and their parishioners will have a deeper appreciation of the book's unique interpretation of the Christ event and how that influences their approach to living the Christian faith in today's world.

The history of scholarship narrates a complicated past for the interpretation of the «Shepherd Discourse» in the Fourth Gospel. Both the internal and contextual integrity of John 9:39-10:21 have been compromised by a misapplied analogy dividing the passage into a parable and explanation structure, and by reading models that favor historical approaches. As a result, the images and figures encountered in the discourse have not been allowed their full imaginative impact and the tendency is to look outside the Gospel for their referents and explanations. The meaning of the «Shepherd Discourse» lies not in its relation to the rest of the Fourth Gospel, but to that which is imported into the narrative. Moreover, its function as the discourse to chapter 9, and in the whole of the Gospel, is overlooked. Lewis employs the strategy of rereading, borrowed from literary theory, to address the internal integrity of the discourse and the relationship of the discourse to the rest of the narrative. The literary phenomenon of rereading highlights the interconnectedness of the whole of the discourse and allows all of the imagery to be assessed at a figurative level. Rereading also foregrounds the function of John 9:39-10:21 as the discourse to the healing of the blind man in chapter nine, and calls attention to the importance of the «Shepherd Discourse» for the interpretation of the Fourth Gospel, especially the often-ignored image of Jesus as the door. This book suggests that rereading is necessitated by the Gospel itself as a fundamental feature of its unique theological expression.

We are not all the same. The time has come for us to honestly name the ways we are different and similar so that we can serve together in unity, grace and trust. Women in ministry experience unique challenges in their church settings which continue to hinder their vocational, professional, and personal success. Women in ministry need a trusted and comprehensive resource not only to be able to survive but to thrive in their places of call. She provides theoretical, theological, and practical frameworks and strategies for flourishing as woman in ministry and engages critical reflection on the practice of ministry in light of current feminist theory, biblical interpretation, and experience. Covering everything from biblical arguments for and against women in the church to what not to wear, this book offers background information and tools for negotiating the many and varied issues that woman in ministry face, including leadership, the authority and office of the clergy, and structures and power in the church. A trusted and comprehensive resource for women in ministry, equipping them to thrive in their places of call, and for the men who serve alongside them.

Pastors and other leaders feel trapped in systems and institutions where actions and decisions often seem to have little to do with the scripture they read or the theology they profess. They are swept into leadership norms that resemble business models more than mission. They see in others and (sometimes) recognize in themselves the disconnect between their own theology and their leadership. They feel unable to fully integrate their beliefs with their behavior. Many leaders--younger ones, especially--are frustrated and disillusioned by this disconnect. They see hypocrisy all around them, and in themselves. They see that our culture is at a critical juncture, which gives ministry a greater sense of urgency. But they want to do things differently, to be what they believe. They want to embody their Christian beliefs in every decision, every act of ministry leadership. The functional authority of scripture must be evident in the way church leaders lead, both within the congregation and in the public square. The way we church leaders lead proves the bible does--or does not--matter. In Embody, Karoline Lewis shows how to frame leadership in the church and public square theologically, and from the perspective of incarnation. She shows how leadership can be a direct line between what you believe and what you do. She incorporates examples of Jesus' leadership and the Paraclete in the Gospel of John, showing how leadership was achieved by walking beside. Embody offers practical things for the reader to consider and do, instruction and guidance for how to make the 'integration steps' necessary in order to become an embodied leader, and exploration of core components of embodied leadership.

Ministry leaders and other Christians find a deeply personal pathway to discern what discipleship means for them in Belonging by Karoline Lewis. What does it look like for you to belong to Jesus Christ? Not your colleague, or your professor, or your neighbor, or the leaders of your denomination, but you? How might your one-and-only life be patterned differently, to more truly align you with Christ? What pretense might you give up? What potential might open up for you as a leader and disciple? Belonging:5 keys to Unlock Your Potential as a Disciple helps readers to understand and live out Christian discipleship in a way that is most deeply authentic for themselves. It's for the leader who is exhausted from trying to live by other people's templates, who wants to figure out what it looks like to live & lead as only they can. It's for the student or layperson desiring to follow Christ with integrity, to be themselves fully as a disciple. This book is scholarly but accessible for pastors, students, ministry leaders, and laypersons. Karoline Lewis structures it around the story of the Samaritan woman and guides the reader to discover deep connection with biblical characters who lead to self-discovery. Questions for reflection throughout the book evoke deep insights about self, theology, and discipleship. Belonging is excellent for clergy development and ministry leader development in any setting and can be read and studied alone or in groups. Pastors and other congregational leaders can work their way through the book together, in order to lead the church with greater integrity.