Kalas J. Ellsworth

In A Faith of Her Own: Women of the Old Testament, popular author J. Ellsworth Kalas focuses on women who were crucial some in obvious and some in less obvious ways to the story of the Old Testament. Kalas takes a look at several different women of the Old Testament. He examines the Scriptures to see what we can learn about them and from them, including their defining characteristics, how they fit into as well as shaped the Old Testament story, and how their stories of strength, courage, perseverance, and faith have shaped our lives as believers today. Chapters include: - The Ultimate First Lady (Eve) - A Woman Who Married Trouble (Cain's wife) - The Compleat Woman (Sarah) - A Mother Who Played Favorites (Rebecca) - They May Have Been Twins--But Not Identical (Leah & Rachel) - The Original Big Sister (Miriam) - Israel's First Female Prime Minister (Deborah) - The Perfect In-Laws (Ruth & Naomi) - The Ladies Chorus (The women of Bethlehem, Ruth 4:13-17) - The Woman Who Saved a King (Abigail) - Counselor to Kings and Clergy (Huldah) - Two Young Women of Courage (Esther & an anonymous slave girl) A discussion guide is included."

In this follow-up to his book "The Thirteen Apostles, " popular author J. Ellsworth Kalas focuses on several women of great faith who were crucial, in ways both obvious and understated, to the story of the New Testament. Kalas looks into the life and times of eleven different women.Withhis signature style, Kalas examines the Scriptures to see what we can learn about these women and what we can learn "from" them, and how each woman fit into as well as shaped the New Testament story. Chapters include: Elizabeth: A Friend in Need Anna: She Knew How to Wait Martha, the Disciplined Mary, the Extravagant The Mighty Widow The Anonymous Evangelist Mary Magdalene: When Love Is Greater than Faith Mary, the Mother of Mark Dorcas: Worth a Miracle Lydia, the Businesswoman Mary in Life and Legend Why Mary? This book also includes adiscussion guide. "

Take the best preacher you've ever heard, add in the teacher who first opened your eyes to the excitement and meaning of your favorite subject in school, combine these with that member of the family to whom you could always turn for the best advice, stir them all together, and you'll get a flavor of the writing of Ellsworth Kalas. And now the very best thoughts and reflections of this wise teacher and guide are available together in one volume. Across his career Ellsworth Kalas has worn many hats: pastor, professor, seminary president. Through all of them, however, he has remained first and foremost an interpreter of God's word. His most potent skill is to open up new insights and meanings in even the most familiar biblical stories. Gathered here are some of Kalas's most humorous, touching, and enlightening writings, drawn from his own experience of finding God in Scripture.

While the Ten Commandments are known throughout the world, it's not often that we are offered a fresh take on them. Popular and beloved author J. Ellsworth Kalas approaches the Ten Commandments through the "back side"--through a unique starting point, a creative retelling, a new "lens," or the eyes of a minor character. Kalas explores how these "prohibitive" laws actually are our dear friends, intended to make life richer and more fulfilling. He uses contemporary illustrations and personal experience to show how these timeless laws give us an appetite for divine excellence.

Offers a new understanding of twelve of Jesus' parables by viewing them through the eyes of a minor or unsympathetic character. Chapter titles: When the Good Samaritan Is Bad News; God Called a Party, but Nobody Came; The Timid Soul; The Seasons of the Soil; The Sad Story of the Embarrassed Farmers; Love Always Wins...Sometimes; Why Doesn't God Like Religious People?; Pardon My Insistence; The Prodigal Who Stayed at Home; A Case for the Un-hired Hand; Moses and the Fig Tree; I Wish I Could Sell You More. 12 Sessions, with a leader's guide.

How can something be created from nothing? How does Genesis relate to the New Testament and Christian faith? In this eight-week study, homiletics professor and pastor J. Ellsworth Kalas approaches Genesis as a very personal and almost intimate book. Instead of viewing it as an academic study or as a puzzle to be solved, the author reads Genesis in a very personal, up-close way. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step suggestions for leading a group are provided, as well as questions to facilitate class discussion. Immersion, inspired by a fresh translation the Common English Bible stands firmly on Scripture and helps readers explore the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs of their personal faith. More importantly, they ll be able to discover God s revelation through readings and reflections."

Popular author J. Ellsworth Kalas has a few things he d like to share. In I Bought a House on Gratitude Street, Kalas imparts insights gathered over the years through different means - Some . . . have come to me by my seeking, some have been shared with me by people of wider experience, and some have been thrust upon me by my mistakes. With his familiar style, Kalas shares life-lessons on matters of friendship, prayer, sin, and success all through the lens of Scripture. A discussion guide is included for small-group use."

When we think of a detective story, we often think of murder mysteries. But the Bible contains some different kinds of detective stories. How is it, for instance, that some of the key personalities in the Bible story slip into the story almost unnoticed like Judah, for example, an ancestor of King David and Jesus Christ. How did the symbolism of blood in Communion get started? When Cain was warned that the ground would no longer yield for him because he had killed his brother did that set a precedent for connecting moral behavior with environmental harshness? These themes and many others are investigated in this study, accompanied by a discussion guide. "

Everyone attends the School of Experience, but some learn more than others. Whatever comes our way in life, it is up to us to make the most of it. The lessons are presented; how well we learn them is our choice. In this book, readers will find invaluable insights to equip themselves for the "course of study" ahead.J. Ellsworth Kalas provides a profile of some of the teachers in the School of Experience: Friendship, Regret, Love, Success, Defeat, Enemies, and others. He draws from the lives of saints and sages -- as well as from rogues -- to discover inspiration and insight for today's Christian. The wisdom in this book opens our eyes to the often overlooked subtleties in the lessons of life.

Using an approach similar to his other "Back Side" books, J. Ellsworth Kalas opens up new possibilities of insight into selected New Testament stories by entering them through the "back side" -- through a unique starting point, a creative retelling, a new "lens," or the eyes of a minor or unsympathetic character. Includes 12 stories and a study guide.

Using an approach similar to that in his book "Parables from the Back Side, "popular author J. Ellsworth Kalas brings a new perspective to selected Old Testament stories by approaching them from the back side through a unique starting point, a creative retelling, a new lens, or the eyes of a minor or unsympathetic character. Chapter titles and Scripture: The Second Sin (Genesis 3:1-13); The Importance of Naming Joseph (Genesis 30:22-24); Because My Mother Told Me (Exodus 2:1-10); Moses Midlife Crisis (Exodus 2:11-22); Patron Saint of the Minority Report (Numbers 13:1-3, 25-33); Tragic Son, Tragic Father (Judges 11:1-6, 30-35); Honey in the Lion (Judges 14:5-14); Beauty and the Beast (1 Samuel 25:2-42); A Refugee at the King s Table (2 Samuel 9:1-13); In Defense of Job s Wife (Job 2:1-10); Jonah s Christmas Story (Jonah 3:1-6, 10; Matthew 12:38-42); God Is Better Than His Plans (Ruth 1:1-5; 4:13-17). Includes 12 Sessions with a study guide."

9 sessions. One of today's most exciting biblical writers, J. Ellsworth Kalas, explains nine of the parables Jesus used to present eternal truths. Scripture passages referenced are from the New Revised Standard Version. Parables covered include: -The House on the Rock (Matthew 7:2427) -The Sower (Mark 4:120) -The Father and His Two Sons (Luke 15:1132) -The Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:3132) -The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:2537) -The Widow and the Unjust Judge (Luke 18:18) -The Wise and Foolish Bridesmaids (Matthew 25:113) -The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:914 -The Nobleman and the Pounds (Luke 19:1127) Parables of Jesus is an excellent resource for use with adult study groups, or for independent study. Leader helps and discussion questions are included within each chapter. Each session also includes an invitation to make or reaffirm a commitment to Jesus Christ. Includes a study guide."