R Paul Stevens

Usually when we speak of service we refer to something done for the benefit of others. But in both languages of the Bible, Greek and Hebrew, ministry and service are the same word – ministry is service to God and neighbour. These ten studies, covering examples from Genesis to Revelation, explore service in a variety of contexts: family, creation, society, the city, neighbours, relationships, the church and the workplace. They examine examples of service that were motivated by imagination, passion, faith, hope and love.

What does good theology have to do with good entrepreneurship? In this pioneering work, Richard Goossen and R. Paul Stevens have written what many are already declaring to be the essential resource for Christian entrepreneurial leadership, based on exhaustive research, practical experience and decades of teaching marketplace theology. Entrepreneurial Leadership addresses both the ''how - come'' and the ''how - to, '' not only grounding the entrepreneurial calling in its proper source in the triune God but also providing practical guides for how to be an effective leader. Be inspired to find your calling and to make a difference in the marketplace, church and beyond.

What does good theology have to do with good entrepreneurship? In this pioneering work, Richard Goossen and R. Paul Stevens have written what many are already declaring to be the essential resource for Christian entrepreneurial leadership, based on exhaustive research, practical experience and decades of teaching marketplace theology. Entrepreneurial Leadership addresses both the "how-come" and the "how-to," not only grounding the entrepreneurial calling in its proper source in the triune God but also providing practical guides for how to be an effective leader. Be inspired to find your calling and to make a difference in the marketplace, church and beyond.

Adam and Eve worked. Jacob and Joseph worked. So did Ruth, David, Daniel, Jonah, Martha, Priscilla and Aquila, Paul -- and most people in the Old and New Testaments. In Work Matters marketplace theology expert R. Paul Stevens revisits more than twenty biblical accounts -- from Genesis to Revelation -- exploring through them the theological meaning of every sort of work, manual or intellectual, domestic or commercial. Taken together, his short, pithy reflections on these well-known Bible passages add up to a comprehensive, Bible-based theology of work -- one that will be equally useful for seminars, classes, Bible studies, and individuals seeking to grasp more fully the theological dimensions of their daily labor.

Instead of regarding work as a diversion from the spiritual life, R. Paul Stevens and Alvin Ung are convinced that it is an arena and an incentive for spiritual growth. However, they acknowledge that this is not without its challenges. Work in Progress examines life in the workplace through an innovative exploration of both the seven deadly sins and the ninefold fruit of the Spirit. This approach provides a framework to reveal how the Spirit has given Christians powerful gifts to overcome struggles the face in the challenges of daily work in a globalized world. The authors interact both with one another and with the wisdom of great spiritual writers of history in order to draw out real-life dilemmas and to suggest practical tips for becoming vibrant disciples in the workplace. In addition to filling a critical need for a resource on spiritual growth at work, Work in Progress has an intercultural approach -- the authors are from Canada and Malaysia -- that is particularly dynamic and engaging.

Christians have likely been struggling with the place of business in the life of faith ever since Paul's days as a tentmaker. Just how do the spheres of private devotion and public business intersect in a meaningful way? Paul Stevens has been exploring this question since his earliest working days in his father's steel business. His "Doing God's Business" tells how readers can find lasting and satisfying meaning for marketplace involvement in the light of the Christian faith and tradition. Stevens explores the potential of business as a location for practicing everyday spiritual disciplines and as a source of creativity and deeper relationship with God.

You are unique. You have been created and invited by God to participate in his kingdom work. Yet, you have probably also experienced feelings of uncertainty about how to serve God, about what gifts you have to use, and about God's purpose for your life. In this eight-session LifeGuide(R) Bible Study, R. Paul Stevens helps you to recognize your spiritual gifts and the gifts of others. And he leads you to consider how to practically use these gifts to glorify God in your relationships, your work and your world. This revised LifeGuide Bible Study features additional questions for starting group discussions and for meeting God in personal reflection, together with expanded leader's notes and a "Now or Later" section in each study. For over three decades LifeGuide Bible Studies have provided solid biblical content and raised thought-provoking questions--making for a one-of-a-kind Bible study experience for individuals and groups. This series has more than 130 titles on Old and New Testament books, character studies, and topical studies.

Do you wonder about the "end times"--when it will come?what it will be like?what will happen to you? As R. Paul Stevens leads you to examine for yourself what the Bible says about end times, you'll learn what you can do now to be ready for the future--whatever it holds. In this thirteen-session LifeGuide(R) Bible Study features additional questions for starting group discussions and for meeting God in personal reflection, together with expanded leader's notes and a "Now or Later" section in each study. For over three decades LifeGuide Bible Studies have provided solid biblical content and raised thought-provoking questions--making for a one-of-a-kind Bible study experience for individuals and groups. This series has more than 130 titles on Old and New Testament books, character studies, and topical studies.

Foreword by Eugene H. Peterson This instructive, practical book explores the meaning of "biblical spirituality," a spirituality rooted in the Scriptures, in the grand story of God. Writing to promote genuine discipleship and an everyday sense of God's presence, R. Paul Stevens and Michael Green show that biblical spirituality is based on down-to-earth principles meant to foster righteous living -- at home, at work, wherever one is. They highlight the importance of our being in relationship with the Triune God and discuss how we can be worshipers of Abba God, disciples of Jesus, and temples of the Holy Spirit. The book proceeds through the Old and New Testaments, engaging readers with the discoveries and struggles of people of faith from Adam and Eve to those gathered around the Lamb in the new Jerusalem. Stevens and Green focus throughout on how we can truly "live" the Word of God so that our own stories become part of God's great story of love. Filled with biblical wisdom and a pleasure to read, "Living the Story" is a winsome invitation to follow God wholeheartedly in every dimension of life.

Throughout history the church has been composed of two types of people-those who "do" ministry and those to whom it is "done." In this provocative book R. Paul Stevens shows that the clergy-laity division has no basis in the New Testament and challenges all Christians to rediscover what it means to live daily as God's people. Exploring the theological, structural, and cultural reasons for treating laypeople as the objects of ministry, Stevens argues against the idea of clericalism. All Christians are called to live in faith, hope, and love, and to do God's work in the church and world. This biblical perspective has serious implications for the existing attitudes and practices of many churches as well as for our understanding of ministry. Stevens shows that the task of churches today is to equip people for ministry in their homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Written by a scholar and pastor well known as an active advocate for the whole people of God, this thought-provoking book-made even more useful with the inclusion of case studies and study questions at the end of each chapter-offers inspiring reading for anyone interested in what the Christian life holds for the other six days of the week.

In every age people have felt certain that the book of Revelation described events in their time. As nations arm themselves for war, we think of Armageddon. As evil rulers grow in power, we look for the antichrist. As the powers of darkness threaten to overwhelm us, we cry, "Come, Lord Jesus " In this fourteen-session LifeGuide(R) Bible Study, R. Paul Stevens discusses amid the uncertainties of our age, Revelation assures us of the ultimate triumph of God. For over three decades LifeGuide Bible Studies have provided solid biblical content and raised thought-provoking questions--making for a one-of-a-kind Bible study experience for individuals and groups. This series has more than 130 titles on Old and New Testament books, character studies, and topical studies.

The authors draw on their combined experience to create an exciting model of congregational leadership that understands congregations as relational systems. Learn how relational processes can liberate members for ministry and mission in the world and release pastors for appropriate leadership.