Robert P. Lightner and Aubrey Malphurs Collection (9 vols.)

by Aubrey Malphurs; Keith Willhite; Robert Lightner

Publisher:

Kregel

, 1991–2003

Overview

A ministry, like anything else built with love, determination, and grace, is only as good as the foundation upon which is is built. In order to build a solid and scripturally sound foundation for one's ministry, godly and effective tools are a must. The Robert P. Lightner and Aubrey Malphurs Collection (9 vols.) provides just such a set of tools. Both new and experienced pastors will benefit greatly from this complete yet concise, biblically sound set of books. How-to, when-to, why, and for-whom are all questions-answered as these fine authors address issues, challenges and topics continually faced by pastors, teachers, and all who minister His Word.

Everyone has questions, but you need to be ready with the answers. Whether the challenge you face is a family who have lost a young child and stand on the brink of losing much more through grief and pain, or a church which lacks focus and direction, the kind often provided by a profound mission statement around which to rally while serving the Lord, the answers are here in solid, proven, and accessible information.

Put the Robert P. Lightner and Aubrey Malphurs Collection (9 vols.) into your ministry-toolbox.

Key Features

• Tried and true tools for ministry
• Wide-ranging coverage of issues and challenges
• Insightful and profound help for those in need

Product Details

• Title: Robert P. Lightner and Aubrey Malphurs Collection
• Authors: Robert P. Lightner, Aubrey Malphurs, and Keith Willhite
• Publisher: Kregel
• Volumes: 9
• Pages: 1,960

Handbook of Evangelical Theology: A Historical, Biblical, and Contemporary Survey and Review

• Author: Robert P. Lightner
• Publisher: Kregel
• Publication Date: 1995
• Pages: 312

Sample pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Covering nine major doctrines of the Christian faith, Dr. Lightner provides a historical perspective on each topic, a positive statement of the areas of agreement among evangelicals, and a discussion of the different positions held by evangelicals. Practical suggestions and study questions for applying the doctrine to the daily issues of Christian living are also included at the end of each chapter. Lightner's balanced and evenhanded treatment of various theological positions and the breadth of coverage of beliefs among various evangelical groups make this one volume a helpful and reliable resource for doctrinal study.

No other treatment of theology in the present era does exactly what Lightner accomplishes in the comparison and analysis of theological differences.… His work is always done evenhandedly, with an irenic spirit and remarkable comprehensiveness.

—Bibliotheca Sacra

An immensely useful study text and reference work for anyone with a serious interest in evangelical Christian theology.

—Alliance Life

This book deserves to be in the hands of every thoughtful theological student, professor, and preacher. Highly recommended to serve the purpose for which it was written with such scrupulous care.

—Mid-America Journal of Theology

The Death Christ Died: A Biblical Case for Unlimited Atonement

• Author: Robert P. Lightner
• Publisher: Kregel
• Publication Date: 1998
• Pages: 176

Sample pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

In this revised and updated edition of his masterful book, Dr. Lightner, following the plain meaning of numerous Scriptures rather than a preconceived theological structure, calls the church back to its historic belief that Christ "is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world" (1 John 2:2).

As Lightner astutely observes, what one believes on this matter also has serious implications for evangelism and missions. Without a belief that Christ is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), the gospel cannot be personalized for the sinner. Limiting the atonement to the elect blunts the invitation of the gospel to all sinners and hinders evangelism.

This book is priority reading for all, no matter what view of the extent of the atonement is held.… We commend this volume for prayerful study to every lover of the Word of God.

—Joseph M. Stowell, President, Moody Bible Institute

This book is a long overdue update of one of the best books written in our generation on the topic of the extent of Christ's death. In recent years there has been a revival of Reformed theology. This is largely due, I think, to reading too much of the Puritans and too little of Paul—and Peter and John.

—Paul R. Jackson, National Representative, General Association of Regular Baptist Churche

The God of the Bible and Other Gods: Is the Christian God Unique Among World Religions?

• Author: Robert P. Lightner
• Publisher: Kregel
• Publication Date: 1998
• Pages: 224

Sample pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Until we clearly understand the Bible and its teachings concerning the Person of God, we cannot answer the sometimes curious and many times defiant question of our secular, pluralistic culture: What makes the God of the Bible unique?

To that end, Dr. Lightner presents a three-part survey of:

• Doctrine concerning the Bible itself—What does the Bible say about itself and what did Jesus believe about it?
• The Bible's teaching concerning God—What does the Bible say about the Person of God and how can we know him?
• The contrasts between the biblical view of God and the views held by major world religions and cults such as Mormonism, Islam, Jehovah's Witnesses, Hinduism, Buddhism, the new Age, the Way International, Baha'i Faith, and Christian Science.

In a day of encroaching spiritual darkness in which many competing truth claims are continually vying for supremacy, Dr. Lightner's superb book serves as a spotlight that focuses clearly on the one true God of the Bible. I recommend it highly.

—Ron Rhodes, President, Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries

Safe in the Arms of Jesus: God's Provision for the Death of Those Who Cannot Believe

• Author: Robert P. Lightner
• Publisher: Kregel
• Publication Date: 2000
• Pages: 96

Sample pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Writing with a father's tenderness and the confident knowledge of a Bible scholar, Robert P. Lightner brings keen insight and gentle comfort to parents who grieve

This book explains God's provision and offers sympathy, solace, and strength for the journey of healing. It goes beyond mere words of consolation to the truth that brings peace to broken hearts. God does not abandon the tiny ones in the womb, and he has a plan for those too young or mentally unable to believe. A place has been made in heaven, safe in the arms of Jesus.

…I recommend this book. It is very comforting. Those who believe that only elect babies who die will be with the Lord will likely be unimpressed with the arguments here. However, most everyone else will be.

—Robert N. Wilkin, Editor, Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society

Sin, the Savior, and Salvation: The Theology of Everlasting Life

• Author: Robert P. Lightner
• Publisher: Kregel
• Publication Date: 1996
• Pages: 320

Sample pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

With scholarship that is thorough yet accessible and a tone that is convincing but non-combative, Dr. Lightner explores the current confusion over such issues as:

• the vanishing concept of personal sin in our secularized society
• the influence of New Age ideas on the deity of Jesus Christ
• the controversy over "Lordship salvation" among evangelicals

Robert P. Lightner, in a very clear, concise, and uncomplicated way, has presented the essential truths of salvation.… Any reader will certainly come to a clear understanding of the nature of sin, of the person and work of Christ, and of the nature of the salvation which has been provided for all who receive it as a gift.

—J. Dwight Pentecost, Distinguished Professor of Bible Exposition Emeritus, Dallas Theological Seminary.

Dr. Lightner is one of the finest evangelical theologians in America. This book crystallizes in clear, concise, and correct terms the essentials of the doctrine of sin and salvation better than any book of its kind in print. It is clearly written, well organized, and easy to read. Unlike many books on doctrine, it does not get bogged down in technical terms. It is reader-friendly. Every Christian needs to absorb these crucial doctrinal and spiritual truths.

—Norman L. Geisler, Academic Dean, Southern Evangelical Seminary

Ministry Nuts and Bolts: What They Don't Teach Pastors in Seminary

• Author: Aubrey Malphurs
• Publisher: Kregel
• Publication Date: 1997
• Pages: 192

Sample pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Many seminary graduates envision ministry as ninety-five percent preaching and five percent for everything else: weddings, funerals, visitation, and board meetings. The pastor's preaching and teaching ministry is often viewed as the primary vehicle for discipleship and outreach. Most pastors, however, do not and cannot devote extensive time to preparation for preaching or teaching and find that their enthusiasm for ministry is sapped by a sense of confusion and frustration.

A careful analysis of the primary areas of struggle for pastors reveals that pastoral training programs have neglected four foundational ministry concepts—values, mission, vision, and strategy. Pastors and congregations often fail to agree upon a set of core values that provide unity. A lack of direction indicates a corresponding lack of mission. And a church without either core values or mission will lack both a vision and a strategy to minister to the surrounding culture.

As a church planter, pastor, and seminary professor, Aubrey Malphurs examines those four vital concepts and demonstrates how to implement them in local church ministry. Ministry Nuts and Bolts provides the pastor or parachurch leader with a step-by-step guide for developing the basics needed to lead a ministry into the twenty-first century. As the author observes, "The evangelical churches that God is blessing in north America have carefully thought through [values, mission, vision, and strategy]. Thus, it behooves the rest of the churches to learn from their examples and pursue the same if the future church is to have maximum impact for the savior in the third millennium.

If your church or organization is going through a mission or vision planning stage, I strongly encourage you to invest in this book. This book was written from pastor's view-point with the layperson in mind. I highly recommend Ministry Nuts and Bolts.

—Mike Hilger, Enrichment

A Contemporary Handbook for Weddings and Funerals and Other Occasions

• Authors: Aubrey Malphurs and Keith Willhite
• Publisher: Kregel
• Publication Date: 2003
• Pages: 384

Sample pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Few occasions offer pastors the opportunities to minister to and with a family as do weddings and funerals. Often on such occasions, people open their hearts to God and to others in new ways, and the pastor can be there to give direction and encouragement.

In writing this book, the authors take the approach of the "co-laborer" or "pastor to pastor" and intentionally sought materials which have been used in fruitful ministry, the hope being that others might use or adapt them for yet more fruitful ministry in similar situations but different contexts. As a result, this volume contains very little sense of "Well, you might consider doing this." Rather, the resources in this book are shared on the premise that "We found this to minister effectively."

An excellent resource to make your weddings and funerals more creative and relevant.

—Calvin Miller

Rich counsel and effective models on how to [weep and laugh with the flock] with both sensitivity and skill.

—Haddon Robinson

I highly recommend this resource as a tool for pastors everywhere to fulfill their calling with greater effectiveness and with spiritual accuracy.

—Chip Ingram, President, Walk Thru the Bible, Teaching Pastor, Living on the Edge

Developing a Dynamic Mission for Your Ministry: Finding Direction and Making an Impact as a Church Leader

• Author: Aubrey Malphurs
• Publisher: Kregel
• Publication Date: 1998
• Pages: 144

Sample pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Many otherwise well-trained pastors are often unprepared for actual leadership in the local church. Effective leaders must know how to provide direction, and the key to a leader's direction is one's mission. This new work on a crucial ministry topic—mission—is addressed by a recognized leader in the field. In his practical step-by-step style, Malphurs presents a workable definition of a mission statement, its "custom-fit" development for each ministry, and its implementation through a carefully refined ministry strategy.

As Malphurs explains, "The act of leadership is fundamentally the act of articulating first a ministry mission statement and then pursuing it.… Therefore, the purpose of this book is to help you as leaders develop and articulate a definitive, well-thought-out mission statement for your ministry."

Do you need a church statement? Are you trying to find help in determining one? Then look no further, for this title by Aubrey Malphurs will guide you through the process. After stressing the importance of a mission statement, the author carefully defines what a mission statement is and isn't. He then instructs the reader as to the ways to develop a mission statement, to communicate a mission statement, to implement a mission statement, and to preserve a mission statement.
Having an entire congregation "on the same page" for ministry is a tremendous help in mobilizing a congregation to work together in Christian service. A mission statement establishes that common ground. For any Christian leader involved in strategic planning, this volume is well-worth the small investment in time and money.

—David R. Bess

Doing Church: A Biblical guide for Leading Ministries through Change

• Author: Aubrey Malphurs
• Publisher: Kregel
• Publication Date: 1999
• Pages: 112

Sample pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Why do so many churches interpret and apply the Bible differently when it comes to ministry? Is it good to change ministry models to fit the changing culture or should we stick with traditional methods? As the church enters a new century and millennium, it finds itself awash in an ocean of cultural change. Some churches have jettisoned long-held models of ministry while others insist that such changes violate biblical truths. What is the biblical model for ministry?

As Aubrey Malphurs observes, the answers to such questions are found in how we interpret Scripture, that is, in how we apply the principles of hermeneutics to Scripture and how we apply the results of this hermeneutical study to culture. This kind of study clarifies how much freedom each church should have in designing its own ministry. It also identifies what things can or should change over the years, and what things must never change.

Doing Church is designed to move beyond theory to provide a hermeneutical model for effective ministry. Part One addresses why churches view ministry differently while part Two presents a biblical hermeneutic for ministry. Questions at the end of each chapter help apply the material to individual situations.

Aubrey Malphurs is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. In this volume he addresses the Biblical basis for church ministry, distinguishing between activities that are mandated by the Scriptures and activities that are simply permitted by the Scriptures. The last section of this title is especially helpful to church leaders, for it gives specific Biblical principles and criteria to evaluate church activities.
I've purchased several titles by Malphurs, and I have yet to read one I haven't liked. This book provides a wealth of information in return for the small investment required.

—David R. Bess

About the Authors

Robert P. Lightner received his Th.D. and Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary, and Th.B. from Baptist Bible Seminary. He is currently Professor of systematic theology Emeritus at Dallas Theological Seminary, a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, and serves on the board of Bible memory Association International.

A professor of all the doctrines of Systematic Theology, Dr. Lightner has authored twenty-three books, most of which are about these doctrines. Since the 1950s he has helped struggling churches and ones seeking a pastor by serving as interim pastor thirty-three times at twenty-four churches in Pennsylvania, New York, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas. His overseas ministries include work in Venezuela, Peru, Paraguay, and London (Spurgeon’s Tabernacle).

Aubrey Malphurs earned his Ph.D. and Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary, where he is also the chairman of the Field Education Department. He is president of the Vision Ministries International and has a passion for equipping a new generation of leaders for significant ministry in the twentieth-first century church.

Dr. Malphurs is the author of numerous books in the areas of leadership, vision, and church ministry, including Ministry Nuts and Bolts: What They Don't Teach Pastors in Seminary; Doing Church; A Contemporary Handbook for Weddings and Funerals; (all three included in this collection), as well as Strategy 2000: Making Disciples for the Next Millennium; and Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

Keith Willhite received his Ph.D. from Purdue University and a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary where he taught preaching and serves as professor of pastoral ministries.

Dr. Willhite was also a former pastor and the founder and president of the popular ministry-consulting firm, Strategenuity. Dr. Willhite passed away in 2003.