Books published by Abingdon Press

What decisions must be made now if The United Methodist Church is to have a future?

An analysis and appreciation of the significance of John Wesley's life and theology as seen in his preaching

The Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries" provide compact, critical commentaries on the books of the Old Testament for the use of theological students and pastors. The commentaries are also useful for upper-level college or university students and for those responsible for teaching in congregational settings. In addition to providing basic information and insights into the Old Testament writings, these commentaries exemplify the tasks and procedures of careful interpretation, to assist students of the Old Testament in coming to an informed and critical engagement with the biblical texts themselves. In this commentary, Day addresses both perennial and contemporary concerns pertinent to the book of Esther. Attention is given to literary, linguistic, and thematic features of the biblical text. Day considers the book of Esther with an eye to concerns of gender and ethnicity, as well as the theological concerns raised by divine absence in the story.

Helps small membership church pastors see the spiritual development of their church in ways that tie directly to their own spiritual formation, resulting in a spiritual maturity as evidenced by inclusiveness and hospitality.

Aliveness and Deadness are processes that cannot be captured, only symbolized within the precincts of psychology and religion.

Does the recovery of Methodism require the survival of the United Methodist denomination?

A practical, user-friendly guide to one of the most important activities in churches: recruiting, training, and sustaining volunteers.

The "Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries offer compact, critical commentaries on the entire Old Testament. In addition to providing fundamental information on and incisive insights into Old Testament writings, these commentaries exemplify the tasks and procedures of careful, critical exegesis so as to assist students of the Old Testament in coming to an informed engagement with the biblical texts themselves. Written with special attention to the needs and interests of theology students, they are also useful for pastors and other church leaders. The six books found at the close of the Minor Prophets (Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) present distinctive understandings of God, humanity, and the future. This commentary engages those understandings, considers what the books may have meant in the past, and describes how they resonate with contemporary readers. With attention to issues of gender, violence, and inclusivity, O'Brien explores the ethical challenges of the books and ask how faithful interpreters can both acknowledge the problems these biblical texts raise and appreciate their value for contemporary theological reflection.

In this book Alvin Padilla, Roberto Goizueta, and Eldin Villafa e bring together an impressive array of scholars from across theological disciplines to articulate a comprehensive construction of Hispanic theology. Their purpose is to delineate the common elements in Hispanic biblical studies, theology, and ethics and to draw these together into a statement of what Latino/a theology has to say to the larger theological community, and to the church.

Each of these volumes consists of thirteen detailed Bible studies. These Bible studies can be used for evening Bible study, for home study meetings, for faith communities, for retreats, and for personal Bible study.

Each of these volumes consists of thirteen detailed Bible studies. These Bible studies can be used for evening Bible study, for home study meetings, for faith communities, for retreats, and for personal Bible study. This book can even be used as a daily Bible study. Written in Spanish, the language is simple with a profound message for readers.

Just as Roots told the story of the African-American experience in the United States, Breaking the Barriers illustrates the experience of African Americans within United Methodism, and the important roles that faith, the church, and family played in molding the character and work of numerous individuals throughout the denomination. On July 19, 1984, Leontine Current Kelly was elected bishop of The United Methodist Church, making her the first African-American woman to become a bishop within a major American religious denomination. Breaking the Barriers recounts the story of her journey and that historic achievement

* Revised and updated * Based on the NRSV and NIV translations * Covers every book verse by verse * Each volume also contains maps, charts, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary * Available in sets or individually

Taking its title from one of John Wesley's most important sermons, The Scripture Way of Salvation explores the soteriological content of Wesley's entire literary corpus (sermons, letters, theological treatises, journals, and the notes on the Old and New Testaments). Fundamentally a doctrinal study, it is historically sensitive to the subtle shifts and nuances of Wesley's continuing reflections about the processes of salvation and the nature of Christian life. Collins provides a clear discussion of Wesley's emerging views about the development and maturation of Christian life, and in so doing highlights the essential structure that undergirds and provides the framework for Wesley's way of thinking about the processes of salvation.

The demands of congregational ministry are many, the rewards sometimes seem few, and burnout becomes a real possibility. Small wonder, then, that churches become stuck in a state of arrested spiritual development. When the pastor is functioning in a survival or maintenance mode, the church's vitality is often the first casualty. Yet Wills's own experience demonstrates that churches can turn around; the wind of the Spirit can be felt anew. This happens when the congregation is infected by the vision of what God is doing in their midst--a vision which the leaders, particularly the pastor, must bring before them. In Waking to God's Dream, Richard Wills shares the spiritual disciplines and insights which he believes account for the transformation of the congregation he serves from a large church in decline to one that is growing and reaching out to its community in a variety of creative ministries. Detailing the steps and initiatives that led to this turnaround, Wills demonstrates how personal commitment on the part of the congregation's leaders and ministers have been the key to the work they have accomplished.

Even in famine times, God plants seed, preparing for the next harvest, even when we cannot see it.