Books published by BRF (The Bible Reading Fellowship)

This Bible group material has been developed to help churches and individuals explore the Holy Habits through prayerful engagement with the Bible and live them out in whole-life, missional discipleship.

These Bible reading notes have been developed to help churches and individuals explore the Holy Habits through prayerful engagement with the Bible and live them out in whole-life, missional discipleship.

These Bible reading notes have been developed to help churches and individuals explore the Holy Habits through prayerful engagement with the Bible and live them out in whole-life, missional discipleship.

'This book arises from my increasing awareness that the Lord's Prayer contains all that Christians really need to know; it is the very essence of the gospel… My prayer is that you will have a sense of the great privilege that has been granted to us of holding a precious gem in our hands, of being able to delight in its radiance, play with its many facets, plumb its depths, gain a sense of peace and security from its touch, and in so doing deepen our awareness of our union with Christ.'In this updated edition of a classic text, Joanna Collicutt shows how growing as a Christian is rooted in the prayer Jesus gave us. As we pray the Lord's Prayer, we express our relationship with God, absorb gospel values and are also motivated to live them out. As we pray to the Father, in union with the Son, through the power of the Spirit, so we begin to take on the character of Christ.

How can we live a little more hopefully each day?Fear, terrorism, corruption, fake news¿ it can be easy to become discouraged by the culture around us. Now more than ever, society needs hope in order to survive and flourish. This book takes us beyond comfort zones and easy answers, and towards a deeper understanding and practice of hope. It offers reflections, stories and practical ways for individuals and groups to find hope in their lives through discovering more about God in their midst. Focusing on God¿s intervention in biblical history, God¿s presence in contemporary contexts and God¿s promised hope for the future, Joanne Cox-Darling encourages us to live more confidently, noticing more of the Spirit in our daily lives, and with more compassion and ¿ ultimately ¿ hope in God.¿Joanne Cox-Darling has a gift for storytelling, which she uses with great ability to do the difficult weave between the Bible and the world we inhabit. She does not flinch before the shabby hope-destroying culture all around. But she also does not blink before the audacity of the Bible. Readers will be glad when they pause to participate in her buoyant gifts.¿Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary

Do you find the violence in the Old Testament a problem?Does it get in the way of reading the Bible ¿ and of faith itself?While acknowledging that there are no easy answers, in God of Violence Yesterday, God of Love Today?, Helen Paynter faces the questions head-on and offers a fresh, accessible approach to a significant issue. For all those seeking to engage with the Bible and gain confidence in the God it portrays, she provides tools for reading and interpreting biblical texts, and points to ways of dealing with the overall trajectories of violence.'In lucid prose Helen Paynter argues that violence featured in the biblical canon should not be ignored or denied but acknowledged and faced honestly. While history is played out in a broken and often violent world the author shows how the movement of scripture is toward God¿s creative intention for healing and wholeness. Without providing final answers Paynter offers ways of interpreting even the most violent passages so that we may hear God¿s word for today.' John Meredith, Editor of Word & Worship'A rigorous yet accessible exploration of Old Testament violence ideal for individuals or groups wishing to engage with these troubling texts and the issues they raise. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in the questions it explores. If you are new to the subject, it offers a comprehensive introduction and the reassurance that you are being guided by a capable and safe pair of hands as you begin to engage with challenging and important issues.' Peter King, Diocese of Chichester

The heart of the gospel message is: the only way to live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live his life in us and through us. This title lets us ponder the teaching of Jesus in "John" chapter 15, the famous vine passage.

When families experience bereavement and loss, it can be hard for the wider church community to know how best to support them. In this book, four experienced authors and practitioners offer intergenerational approaches for engaging with questions of death and life in a safe and supportive setting. The material guides church communities who are dealing with the death of loved ones and other situations of loss in talking together as a church family, in applying the Christian message of the resurrection in challenging situations, and in listening to each other and developing their own insights. The opening chapters offer an easy-to-read overview of issues of death and dying, and why this is such an important topic for churches. Part 2 consists of a series of five short theological reflections, exploring traditional images and the language that Christians have always used when talking about death. The five Messy Church sessions in Part 3 continue these themes, each offering material for a two-hour all-age Messy Church service followed by a meal together.

Books on prayer can so often make us feel challenged but guilty. Not this one! Prayer in the Making is a book for everyone wanting to pray more confidently.

This book, the fruit of prayer, theological reflection and rich human experience, evokes fresh praying and thinking about all the key relationships in our lives, beginning with God.

Tony Horsfall and Debbie Hawker encourage us to develop our resilience and to prepare ourselves for the challenges that life throws at us in an increasingly difficult world.

Wendy Billington asks: what is a Christian view of retirement? Should it be seen as part of an integrated whole and our latter years as part of God's plan?

At Lent, David Walker explores different aspects of human belonging through scripture and story in order to help us recognise the different ways in which we are God's beloved.

The true self finds peace in God's love

Takes 15 leading figures from the early centuries of Christianity in the British Isles - ranging from Patrick of Ireland to John of Beverley - and shares something of their stories, showing their burning love for the Bible, their depth of prayer, their radical commitment to the poor and to caring for creation.

There has never been a more important time to find ways of passing on faith. A visionary call to grandparents to take the initiative with courage, wisdom, humour and prayer.

The Visual Christmas Story opens up the Bible for readers and non-readers alike, of all ages and abilities.

84 puzzles ¿ crosswords, anagrams, word searches, mazes, spirals and others ¿ will make you puzzle over the Bible, increase your biblical knowledge and give you hours of fun. Be ready for some surprises on the way!

An unusual and beautiful gift, Postcards of Hope is a collection of watercolours by Ellie Hart, each with a short reflection aimed at helping the reader hear from God.

Learning to be peacemakers

Learning good practice to lead