InterVarsity Press Books

Do you long for the closeness with God that you've tasted in fleeting moments? You can begin to fill that longing by developing your capacity to receive and respond to God's love. In this rich resource Richard Foster and Gayle Beebe introduce you to people from the past who have known God deeply and model the seven paths to intimacy with God from Christian history.

Exploring the Old Testament: A Guide to the Prophets considers the often misunderstood prophetic books of the Old Testament, including an exploration of their historical context, their artful use of language and their place within the chorus of Old Testament voices.

Humans are created in the image of God, yet by choosing to rebel against God we become unfaithful bearers of his image. But Jesus, who is the image of God, restores the divine image in us. At the intersection of theology and culture, these essays offer a unified vision of what it means to be truly human and created in the divine image in the world today.

Osvaldo Padilla explores fresh avenues of understanding the book of Acts by examining the text in light of the most recent research on the book itself, philosophical hermeneutics, genre theory and historiography. This advanced introduction to the study of Acts covers important questions about authorship, genre, history, and theology and interpretation.

Internationally renowned artist Makoto Fujimura reflects on Shusaku Endo's novel Silence and grapples with the nature of art, pain and culture. Showing that light is yet present in darkness, he uncovers deep layers of meaning in Japanese history and finds connections to how faith is lived in contexts of trauma.

We worship an endlessly creative God whose thumbprints are reflected everywhere we look—in sunsets, ocean waves and the invisible rhythms that shape our lives. Join Luci Shaw as she ponders through poetry and prose the unexpected places where she encounters God's fingerprints, and let it help you learn to see them in your life as well.

God is speaking in our everyday world. How can we become more attuned to listening for God's voice? Keith Anderson walks us through key biblical themes that help us see and experience how God is present with us if we would only listen, paying attention to the moments that make up our days. Listen—and step into a world alive with God's presence.

Ministry leader Steve Macchia has come to understand his own brokenness. Writing from his own experience, he offers the gifts of love found in 1 Corinthians 13 as the antidote to our brokenness, along with spiritual assessment tools for the leader's personal reflection. By embracing and befriending our own brokenness, we can find wholeness in God's strength.

No function of the pastor is as visible and stress inducing as preaching. But few pastors feel adequately prepared for this high-stakes responsibility when they begin their ministries. Forged by her experiences as a pastor, preaching professor and college chaplain, Mary Hulst provides practical tips for all pastors, whether ministry newcomers or seasoned professionals.

The losses in our lives are both big and small. We leave home. We experience physical illness. We struggle with vocation. We may long for a spouse or child. We lose people we love to addiction or death. In this book spiritual director Beth Slevcove offers stories of loss from her own life along with distinctive spiritual practices that can guide us back to God.