What's God Saying Here?

“PRAISE FOR WHAT’S GOD SAYING HERE? I commend Eric Bargerhuff and Matthew Kim for reminding preachers, and the rest of us, not to skip over the Bible’s hard passages. Literary critic George Steiner once suggested that perplexities in literature may reflect perplexities in life. Understanding what God is saying often requires effort. A preference for ease and simplicity subverts the need for serious work in biblical interpretation. I came away from Bargerhuff’s and Kim’s struggles with these hard texts with a better understanding of how to do this serious work.”

Kevin J. Vanhoozer

“I am a big believer in the importance of wrestling with the passages of Scripture that do not come easily to us, and What’s God Saying Here? delivers on what it promises. Eric Bargerhuff and Matthew Kim expertly guide readers through a selection of some of the most challenging passages of Scripture to unpack their complexity without losing sight of the coherence of Scripture's teachings as a whole. This is a very helpful book for preaching pastors as well as for readers of the Bible seeking to go deeper in understanding. The interpretive approach modeled here will be meaningful to any church ministry that values a fuller, authentic witness in the proclamation of Jesus Christ.”

Jennifer Powell McNutt

“Eric Bargerhuff and Matthew Kim have provided the church and her pastors with an invaluable resource–a theologically rich, homiletically sound guide to challenging passages from across the Scriptures. These are passages we’ve all struggled to understand and preach, wondered what they say about God’s nature, and tended to avoid. With this book, the church and her pastors are better equipped to engage the full counsel of God and see the fullness of God’s purposes in the world.”

Joel Lawrence

“What’s God Saying Here? is the kind of book every thoughtful Christian needs on their shelf—especially those with a pulpit ministry. With pastoral care and scholarly insight, Drs. Bargerhuff and Kim tackle some of the most morally difficult passages in Scripture—not to explain them away, but to help us read them rightly. This book will strengthen your trust in God’s Word and deepen your confidence that even the hard texts are good news when we read them in context and in light of Christ.”

Amy Gannett

“What is true of Paul’s letters is no less true of the Christian Scriptures: “There are some things in them that are hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16 ESV). Instead of simply ignoring “awkward, troubling, and bizarre” texts, Eric Bargerhuff and Matthew Kim pose and respond to thirty perplexing questions arising from careful, thoughtful biblical reading. Moreover, they show us how we might do likewise. This book is of considerable value in no small measure because it can rescue us from a hermeneutic of convenience and preference on the one hand and from creating a “canon within a canon” on the other.”

Todd D. Still

“Eric Bargerhuff and Matthew Kim tackle head-on the most theologically challenging, obscure, and uncomfortable passages in the Bible. This is a resource not just for preachers, but for every believer. As a ministry leader and teacher for more than thirty years, I found my mind and heart challenged in new ways. Kudos to Bargerhuff and Kim for boldly going where few others dare to trod.”

Angie Ward

“Awkward, uncomfortable, confusing, disturbing—these are understandable responses to challenging parts of the Bible that have troubled many of its readers. Regrettably, some have turned away from Scripture when difficult passages aren’t sufficiently resolved. But can they be? Eric Bargerhuff and Matthew Kim provide an invaluable resource. Not only are some of the stickiest passages tackled; more importantly, the authors employ a hermeneutical and applicational method that provides guidance on how to approach any passage of God’s Word. The proof of these pages is that God and his Word can endure the most probing scrutiny.”

Rick Holland

“As a shepherd for several decades, I’ve never had someone walk away from the flock over questions regarding the deity of Christ or the application of the Nicene Creed. But I’ve witnessed a trainload of sheep being discouraged and diverted by questions they couldn’t answer. What’s God Saying Here? answers these questions. I eagerly give this outstanding resource to every new member of The Shepherd’s Church. For the sake of the flock, I recommend you do the same.”

Stephen Davey

“What’s God Saying Here? is a one-stop sermon resource that equips preachers and teachers to navigate the Bible’s sticky wickets with clarity, simplicity, and creativity. Drs. Bargerhuff and Kim courageously address the pertinent passages that every biblical communicator wants addressed. I highly recommend it.”

Keith Krell

“one of my longtime mentors of the faith, whose initial impact on my life and encouragement along the path have helped shape my love for Scripture and the glory of God. Thank you, brother, you are a testimony to faithfulness.”

Eric J. Bargerhuff

“To Peter and Grace Kim— dear friends and former church members, whose constant encouragement enriched my teaching and preaching ministries while serving as your pastor. I thank God every time I remember you in prayer.”

Matthew D. Kim