Energion Publications Announcements

New Contest – Consider Christianity Week

Energion Publications Staff — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:10:29 +0000

In celebration of Consider Christianity Week, Energion Publications will sponsor a special form of blogswarm (invited, not spontaneous!) and a blogging/essay contest. For the full announcements and rules, see our new forum site, Energion.net.

Allan Bevere on Empire Language

Energion Publications Staff — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:40:45 +0000

Scot McKnight at the Jesus Creed links to Allan Bevere who discusses the use of “empire” language in discussing the policies of George W. Bush, but some gentler language when discussing the same policies pursued by President Obama.

Interesting discussions have broken out at both blogs. Go join the fun!

(Allan R. Bevere is author of the forthcoming Energion Publications book The Character of Our Discontent, to be released in April, 2010.)

Alden Thompson in Toledo – Part 3

Energion Publications Staff — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:00:42 +0000

Toledo First Seventh-Day Adventist Church has kindly posted video (with embed code, no less!) of Dr. Alden Thompson speaking this weekend (March 5-6). This is the third part.

(Dr. Alden Thompson is author of Energion title Who’s Afraid of the Old Testament God?)

Alden Thompson in Toledo – Part 2

Energion Publications Staff — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:30:16 +0000

Toledo First Seventh-Day Adventist Church has kindly posted video (with embed code, no less!) of Dr. Alden Thompson speaking this weekend (March 5-6). This is the second part.

(Dr. Alden Thompson is author of Energion title Who’s Afraid of the Old Testament God?)

Alden Thompson in Toledo – Part 1

Energion Publications Staff — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:00:07 +0000

Toledo First Seventh-Day Adventist Church has kindly posted video (with embed code, no less!) of Dr. Alden Thompson speaking this weekend. The first part follows:

(Dr. Alden Thompson is author of Energion title Who’s Afraid of the Old Testament God?)

Dave Black on the Gospel Commission

Energion Publications Staff — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:22:33 +0000

He asks some serious questions:

Today every evangelical church stands at the crossroads on the question of priorities. Will we surrender to the spirit of the age, or will we join the company of the committed? Will we make a deliberate decision to accept sacrifice and suffering for the sake of Christ, or will we continue the pattern of extravagance and waste that has become the norm of our evangelical subculture?

This comes near the end of a substantial essay. Go read it. Dave’s blog doesn’t allow for discussion. I’ll be opening a topic at Energion.net, our new, not-quite-complete, discussion site for this question. (If you discuss on Energion.net, please be prepared to give feedback.

(David Alan Black is author of Energion Publications books Christian Archy and The Jesus Paradigm, the latter of which discusses some of the same issues Dave presents in this essay.)

March 2010 Bible Study Paths Webzine is Up

Energion Publications Staff — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:11:33 +0000

The Bible Study Paths Webzine is a new project, edited by Energion Publications co-owner Jody Neufeld. Its purpose is to look at living and learning God’s word where the rubber meets the road, in our daily lives, in prayer, and in service to others.

The latest issue features:

Missions: Dave and BeckyLynn Black in Ethiopia

Youth and Young Adults: Erin McClelland, youth leader, talks about reaching unchurched young people.

Bible Q&A: Is “missionary” an office of the church? Dr. David Alan Black answers, and his answer might surprise you.

On the Road: Iris Lloyd continues to talk about traveling and praying. Is she on vacation?

Editor’s Table: Jody talks about the need for encouragers in the church.

And speaking of encouragement, we are still looking for nominations for the Bible Study Path award. Do you know a teacher who could use some encouragement? Nominate them for the award. It includes a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate.

Go and enjoy!

Learning and Living Scripture in Stock

Energion Publications Staff — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:33:34 +0000

Learning and Living Scripture is in stock at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. B&N is providing the better initial price at $9.35 (checked on their site 3/3/2010). Books will be shipped from our office today.

Alden Thompson Reflects

Energion Publications Staff — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:00:47 +0000

I started Energion Publications by buying out nearly 5,000 copies of Who’s Afraid of the Old Testament God? from a previous project. Alden Thompson was one of my professors in my undergraduate program at Walla Walla College (now university). Though I have left the Seventh-day Adventist Church and disagree with a number of its doctrines, I continue to give thanks to God for my SDA educational experience. I think many of this blog’s readers who do not share the specific background, and who may miss some of the references to specifically SDA issues, will nonetheless understand the issues Dr. Thompson addresses. (Note this interview is from 2008, but I don’t see anything dated about it!)

Read the interview.

(Alden Thompson is author of Who’s Afraid of the Old Testament God? from Energion Publications)

Learning How to Die

Energion Publications Staff — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:39:11 +0000

54But when they heard these things they became infuriated and ground their teeth against him. 55But being full of the Holy Spirit, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. 56And he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at God’s right hand!” 57But they cried out with a loud voice and blocked their ears and swarmed at him together. 58And they threw him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses put their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59And they stoned Stephen as he called out and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60Then he fell to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, Don’t hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died. Acts 7:54-60 (HN)

Stephen gives us an outline of the right way to die. Now many of you may be thinking that you don’t particularly want to know how to die, and you don’t plan to get there very soon. But all of us will get there sooner or later, and it’s a good idea to know how to do it. But even more importantly, the way you’re going to die will have something to do with the way you live.

One of the things Jesus came to rescue us from was the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-18). Why don’t we have to fear death? For precisely the same reason that we don’t have to fear life. God is with us all the way!

So what does Steven show us about dying:

1.    He died being God’s witness. The thing that made these folks angry was the testimony that Stephen was giving.
2.    He died filled with the Holy Spirit. He was able to know what God wanted him to know and see what God wanted him to see, because the Holy Spirit filled him.
3.    He died with his eyes heavenward, on Jesus. Think about it! He’s surrounded by people who want to kill him and he doesn’t look at them, or seek ways to get away. He’s looking at Jesus!
4.    He died forgiving those who hurt him. Like Jesus, it wasn’t people who asked forgiveness, it was people who were in the process of hurting him that he forgave.
5.    He died on his knees in prayer.
6.    He died trusting his life to God.

Now go back through the list, and replace each “he died” with “he lived.” Do you see what’s going on?

The way we live is the way we will die. If God is with us, we have nothing to fear in either case.

For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. 4:7 I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. 4:8 From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (WEB)

(Crossposted from Jody’s Devotionals. Jody Neufeld is co-owner of Energion Publications and author of Daily Devotions of Ordinary People – Extraordinary God, 52 Week of Ordinary People – Extraordinary God, and Grief: Finding the Candle of Light. Besides her daily devotional list/blog, she blogs at Jody Along the Path.)