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College Press Evangelism Collection (5 vols.)

Name: College Press Evangelism Collection (5 vols.)
Price: 89.99 USD
Rating: 5.0 (1 reviews)

by Lynn Gardner; Tom Jones; Terry A. Bowland; Gary Zustiak; John Mouton

and

Publisher:

College Press

, 1994–2010

(1)

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Overview

In Matthew 28:19, Jesus says, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations.” How do Christians respond to the Great Commission? What are the requisites for evangelism? The College Press Evangelism Collection gives you the tools to “be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). It offers encouragement and insight to Christians who want to become missionaries in their community.

The collection presents an introduction to apologetics, laying out the Christian faith’s basic terms, key thinkers, and fundamental apologetics issues, and provides evangelism tools for engaging non-Christian youth and adults. It also includes church planting tips from numerous pastors. Whether you’re a pastor, student, or layperson, this collection will enhance your understanding of evangelism and bring you new and exciting ways to help you fulfill the Great Commission. All Scripture passages in the College Press Evangelism Collection link to your favorite Bible translation in your library. With Logos’ advanced features, you can perform powerful searches by topic or Scripture reference—finding, for example, every mention of “apologetics” or “discipleship.”

Key Features

Provides an introduction to apologetics
Includes tools for engaging non-Christians
Contains church planting tips

Product Details

Title: College Press Evangelism Collection
Publisher: College Press
Volumes: 5
Pages: 1,664

Individual Titles

Christianity Stands True by Lynn Gardner
Church Planting from the Ground Up edited by Tom Jones
Commending and Defending Christian Faith: An Introduction to Christian Apologetics by Lynn Gardner
Make Disciples: Reaching the Postmodern World for Christ by Terry A. Bowland
Student Ministry that Leaves a Mark: Changing Youth to Change the World by Gary Zustiak, John Mouton, Kevin Greer, and Josh Finklea

Christianity Stands True: A Common Sense Look at the Evidence

Author: Lynn Gardner
Publisher: College Press
Publication Date: 1994
Pages: 173

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Christianity Stands True presents a solid, yet readable defense of the Christian faith. The volume examines the reliability of the New Testament books, Jesus’ deity, and the Bible’s inspiration. Anyone seeking the truth will learn the basis of the Christian faith. Any Christian reading this book will have their confidence strengthened that Christianity is true.

Christianity Stands True . . . is an excellent introduction to Christian apologetics. The book is quick moving . . . it holds the reader’s attention. Dr. Gardner’s writing style . . . weaves humor in with some heavy content. He also has researched his topic well as is evidenced by the notes.

—James Stambaugh, Librarian, Institute for Creation Research

Lynn Gardner taught apologetics for 40 years in Bible colleges and served 18 years as an academic dean. He received his BTh from Ozark Christian College, BA from California State University, MA from Wheaton College, and EdD from the University of Arkansas. Gardner is the author of Where Is God When We Suffer? and Commending and Defending Christian Faith.

Church Planting from the Ground Up

Editor: Tom Jones
Publisher: College Press
Publication Date: 2004
Pages: 355

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Church Planting from the Ground Up is a visionary guide for the critical task of new church multiplication. Share in the wisdom of numerous field-tested veterans as you gain insight from their stories, practical ideas, and real-word experiences.

The church planting movement within the independent tradition of Christian churches is strategically significant. In ratio to their number of prior churches, they seem to plant more churches that become large regional churches than any other tradition or denomination. They have been teaching each other ‘how to do it’ for years. While any collection is uneven, this one permits a wider audience to access much of their practical wisdom.

—George G. Hunter, distinguished emeritus professor of evangelization, Asbury Theological Seminary

Here is a valuable contribution to the literature on church planting. The authors are biblically grounded. They bring credibility in that their insights are birthed and nurtured in personal experience. The range of topics covered is comprehensive. It is one thing to birth a church (as painful and challenging as that might be), but it is another to see those new churches grow to maturity, become a breeding ground for new church planters, and demonstrated that they are reproducible.

—Eddie Gibbs, emeritus professor of church growth, Fuller Theological Seminary

The pace of population growth continues to race faster than the growth of the church. Visionary, focused, healthy, and strategic new churches are our best and maybe only hope for bridging the gap. Yet church planting is fraught with numerous land mines that can derail even the best of prayerful intentions. Here’s a tool designed to keep you on course and out of the ditch from leading practitioners who’ve been in the trenches and a few ditches themselves. Every team considering the adventure of church planting will serve their vision well by reading this book before taking another step.

—Gene Appel, senior pastor, Eastside Christian Church, Fullerton, CA

Every church planter, denominational supervisor, and pastor needs to read and benefit from the practical wisdom, raw urgency, and passion in Church Planting from the Ground Up. Not the product of theoreticians, Church Planting from the Ground Up . . . was forged in the heat of experience. Developed by a team of church planters, this wonderful resource reads, at times, like dispatches from the front lines of a war and at other times feels like that much needed cup of coffee with an experienced friend. This welcome addition to the much needed field of church planter resources will empower, encourage, and equip you the reader to a more effective and fruitful ministry.

—Tom Clegg, president and founder, Clegg Consulting Group

This resource is for everyone—denomination executives, college and seminary administrators, professors, pastors of established churches, scholars and researchers, students, members of the laity as well as church planters. Found in the pages of this handbook are engaging chapters that integrate sound foundational principles on specific topics with practical ministry application.

—Charles Ridley, professor of counseling psychology, Texas A & M University

Here is a most useful book on church planting that combines practical wisdom with theological substance. It is written by practitioners who have learned not only by doing but also from Scripture and from significant literature on the church and church planting. The range of topics covered is impressive. Anyone engaged in church planting, or wanting to know more about it, will benefit from this book.

—Howard A. Snyder, professor of Wesley studies, Tyndale Seminary

Tom Jones received his BA from Milligan College, MDiv from Emmanuel School of Religion, and DMin from United Theological Seminary. He is an associate professor of Christian ministries and the director of the Supervised Ministerial Experience Program at Emmanuel School of Religion.

Commending and Defending Christian Faith: An Introduction to Christian Apologetics

Author: Lynn Gardner
Publisher: College Press
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 501

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Christians often feel inadequate and unprepared to make a defense of their faith. As people read apologetics books they often encounter unfamiliar terms, concepts, and names. Commending and Defending Christian Faith introduces the basic terms, key thinkers, and fundamental apologetic issues. It states the what, why, and how of apologetics, preparing you for further study of reasons for faith and answers to objections.

Through this volume you will:

Be prepared to deal with doubt and unbelief
Be acquainted with the role of thinking, knowing, truth, and faith in apologetics
Know why we should defend the faith and how the faith can be defended
Learn from defenders of the faith in the New Testament and in church history
Gain practical suggestions and guidelines for giving a defense of your faith

This book is an excellent introduction to apologetics. It is devoted exclusively to the intellectual background and foundation introducing students to the study of apologetics. It gives an orientation to terms and concepts, identifies key thinkers, and addresses fundamental questions equipping the reader with essential background for further study of reasons for faith and answer to objections.

—Norman L. Geisler, chair of Christian apologetics, Veritas Evangelical Seminary

[Gardner’s] discerning familiarity with the literature in this field, as evidenced in this book, is impressive. His handling of the introductory and background issues that lay the groundwork for doing apologetics is thorough, sound, and much needed.

—Jack Cottrell, professor of theology, Cincinnati Christian University

Lynn fuses his deep and wide knowledge of apologetics with rich pastoral spirit forged in the fires of decades of training and teaching. The result is an utterly contemporary and timeless introduction to the field that is both scholarly and devotional. Embrace the wisdom contained here—in and you will love the Lord your God more fully with mind and heart, and be well equipped to continue to grow in that love.

—David Peters, associate professor of philosophy and apologetics, Florida Christian College

While most volumes on apologetics focus on the arguments and evidences that Christians enjoy thinking about and using, Gardner takes the reader back to the preliminary concepts that form a foundation for all of our various defenses of the faith. This is the logical starting point for a good study of Christian apologetics. The reader will benefit greatly from a cogent description of the prevailing anti-Christian worldview and appropriate apologetic methodology. And very much appreciated by this reader is Gardner’s strong defense of the concept and reality of objective truth from God. The content and style of this book, as well as the clarity and passion of the author make this a worthy reading for anyone interested in the defense of our faith.

—Johnny Pressley, professor of theology and academic dean, Cincinnati Christian Seminary

Once again, Lynn Gardner presents a compelling case for the gospel of Christ. He commends and defends the faith in a clear, relevant, concise, logical, and humble way. I would recommend this book to any serious Christ-follower who has a passion for removing the intellectual and cultural barriers that keep people from making a decision for Christ.

—Doug Aldridge, academic dean, Ozark Christian College

Dr. Lynn Gardner has done it again. Another superb product crafted from history, philosophy, personal grit, and Scripture. The entire composition rings with the importance of truth, honesty, hope, morality, reason, and faith. Voices of the past and leading voices of today support the material he presents. The character profiles that grace the beginning of each chapter wonderfully complement the tone of the material to follow. The review questions will benefit the studious student. The work is readable and organized in a systematic fashion—covering basic materials introducing the field of apologetics. Dr. Gardner shows the importance of apologetics as a duty of every Christian worker. The last chapter alone is an invaluable tool for the reader. Moreover, by book’s end, the concept of commending and defending Christian faith is much less a stranger and more so a close friend.

—Michael Hand, minster, First Christian Church, Chetopa, KS

Make Disciples: Reaching the Postmodern World for Christ

Author: Terry A. Bowland
Publisher: College Press
Publication Date: 1999
Pages: 317

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

A cynic once asked, “What in the world are you Christians doing?” I can think of no more relevant question for the church here at the beginning of the twenty-first century. When an individual comes to Christ, they enter into the greatest task in the world. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

No book on personal evangelism can be approached strictly from an academic viewpoint or even from a “how-to-do-it” approach. There is always a sense of the presence of the supernatural when God allows us to be actively present when the Holy Spirit does his mighty work in the heart of someone who is responding to Christ. C.S. Lewis was correct—when an individual comes to Christ, the only and best description is joy!

Make Disciples is divided into three sections dealing with the aspects that describe disciplemaking in the Great Commission. The first section outlines a biblical understanding of evangelism and the difficulties and opportunities encountered as we take the gospel to our postmodern, post-Christian culture. In the second section, the author brings together our understanding of the Bible and our society to determine what methodology will help us to maximize our efforts in carrying out the Commission. In doing so, he then examines different models of evangelism, centering on the lifestyle approach as best suited to most contemporary Christians as well as the needs of postmodern Americans. This section also examines the biblical model of accepting Christ as Savior and shares numerous approaches for sharing the biblical teaching in practical presentations. The final section emphasizes the importance of a follow-up structure put in place by the local congregation to ensure the baby Christians receive nurture in their new walk with the Lord.

Terry A. Bowland is a professor of New Testament and Christian ministries at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, MO. He holds a BA and BTh from Nebraska Christian College, a MA and MDiv from Lincoln Christian Seminary, and a DMin from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Bowland has published works in numerous religious journals.

Student Ministry that Leaves a Mark: Changing Youth to Change the World

Authors: Gary Zustiak, John Mouton, Kevin Greer, and Josh Finklea
Publisher: College Press
Publication Date: 2003
Pages: 318

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Christianity involves investing your life in the lives of others. Nowhere is that more important than investing in the lives of youth. This wonderful resource is designed to stimulate thinking as well as igniting passion to reach youth for Christ. It will equip you to change youth, and as a result, change the world.

This is a good basic primer for those interested in youth ministry. The brief chapters get to the point quickly and offer practical advice. This book is extremely helpful for both those interested in youth ministry as a possible career and for the volunteer. The authors are knowledgeable about and have expertise in the chapters they have authored.

—Les Christie, chair of the Youth Ministry Department, William Jessup University

Insightful. Comprehensive. Practical. Zus and the gang hit a homer with this ‘must have’ youth ministry resource. Student Ministry That Leaves a Mark will be a great tool to help us leave eternal marks in this generation of students.

—Rondel Ramsey, associate professor of youth ministry, Lincoln Christian College

Dr. Zustiak and his coathors have produced a book that provides an outstanding framework for doing effective youth ministry in light of historical and generational perspectives. Youth ministers will be better prepared to address the needs of millennial teenagers and their families in light of this work.

—Steve Joiner, dean, College of Biblical Studies, Lubbock Christian University

I appreciate the practical side of this book, but more importantly I appreciate the emphasis on the theological side—plain and simple. I look forward to using this book in my classes this fall.

—Dudley Chancey, associate professor of youth ministry, Oklahoma Christian University

Gary B. Zustiak has served as the director of Youth Ministries and Resources for Christ in Youth since 1999. Prior to that he was the professor of youth ministry and psychology at Ozark Christian College for 13 years, and an adjunct professor at Lincoln Christian Seminary.

John Mouton has been an associate director in the Missions Department at Christ in Youth since 1991. Prior to that he spent seven years in youth ministry at the Fairview Christian Church in Carthage, Missouri.

Josh Finklea is a veteran in the field of youth ministry and speaks on behalf of Christ in Youth and Compassion International. He is a highly sought after speaker for conferences, retreats, and conventions.

Kevin Greer has been an associate Director of Christ in Youth since 1996. He oversees and directs the Discipleship Retreats and assists in the direction of summer conferences. Prior to coming to Christ in Youth, he spent 17 years as a youth minister in Oklahoma and Colorado.