Kurt Willems

Centered-Set Church

Discipleship & Christian Education

“When it comes to discerning what it looks like to live a Jesus-centered faith in a Jesus-centered community, it isn't an overstatement to say that Mark Baker's teaching and modeling of 'centered-set' Christianity completely revolutionized my vision of Christian formation within the local church. For years I'd hoped he'd put words on a page that could guide congregations—beyond the reach of his seminary classrooms—and finally . . . it is here! Centered-Set Church is a must-read for any church desiring to authentically follow Jesus without the trappings of religiosity or relativism. While many churches in North America have a track record for focusing on rule-based boundaries, this book paints a vision of a church transformed by a simple yet costly idea: What if Jesus were truly the center of a church's values, programs, community life, and discipleship? Without a doubt, that church's witness would be absolutely transformed. Church leaders and Christian readers, put this book at the top of your stack!”

First Nations Version

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“I've often wondered what it might look like if Jesus incarnated within another culture. Jesus, a first-century Jewish teacher in a corner of Rome's empire, lived, died, and rose as a human being within a specific time and place. What I love about the First Nations Version is how it translates this gospel story into a language of another context: First Nations! So get swept away into the story of the Great Spirit as he invites us to the blessing way of the good road. Read this beautiful retelling of the Scriptures that is not only beneficial for First Nations communities but for all who desire to allow the Great Spirit to transform their imaginations!”

Play, Tongues, and Liberation Power

Theology

“We need a book that offers a fresh look at the gift of tongues as it relates to God’s in-breaking kingdom over against the oppressive forces in our world today who seek to confine our imaginations. Few resources have offered a focused look at how this gift isn’t some mere oddity in Christian faith, but integral to the church’s formation in Christlikeness and mission. I hope to hold Shelby Boese’s book in hand as a guide in these areas of Christian faith.”

Regenerate

Christian Living

Foreword

(wrote the foreword)

The Good News of Revelation

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“In The Good News of Revelation, Larry Helyer and Ed Cyzewski accomplish exactly what the title suggests: good news! In a culture where doomsday scenarios rank high at the box office and even higher in certain strands of the church, this book beckons us to imagine the world (although 'fallen') as ultimately destined for a hopeful future. By placing Revelation within its first century context, the authors offer a compelling and poetic introduction to the most misunderstood of biblical books. They invite us to proclaim the upside-down victory of the slaughtered lamb through peacefully resisting evil in all its forms, choosing perseverance rather than compromise, and living as though Jesus is actually King and Caesar is a mere imitation. I HIGHLY recommend The Good News of Revelation to anyone interested in reclaiming Revelation as a call to faithful living--not in the midst of some horrific predictable future, but RIGHT NOW!”

When Everything's on Fire

Apologetics

“As a pastor, teacher, and friend, I've known many people who feel that their faith—and therefore their life—is on fire. This isn't in the 'on-fire-for-the-Lord' sense, but flames that threaten to bring to ash their once passionate trust in Jesus. More and more people in the West are walking away from their faith, but it doesn't have to be this way! There is no better guide than Brian Zahnd for someone who is in a season of life when everything's on fire. Brian's ability to speak as both prophet and pastor illuminates a path forward for those who face a dark night of unknowing. Rather than offering pseudocertainty and pithy apologetical arguments—rooted as they often are in modernity's gods—Brian invites readers to embrace the greatest mystery of all: a God who actually looks like Jesus! From now on, when I have a friend and/or member of my congregation who is going through a faith crisis, When Everything's on Fire will be the first book I hand them. I can't recommend this book enough—it's deeply moving no matter where you are in your journey with Jesus!”