MB Biblical Seminary is proud to announce the recent release of three books authored by faculty members who teach at the Seminary's Fresno, CA campus. Professor of Pastoral Ministries Raymond Bystrom, Associate Professor of Mission and Theology Mark Baker and Associate Professor of New Testament Jon Isaak all had works go to print during the latter half of 2006.
The three books are examples of the Seminary community's mission to inspire and equip men and women to live as disciples of Jesus Christ, and to serve and lead in the church and the world.
Preaching Biblical Sermons: Three Contemporary Strategies, was authored by Bystrom and released by Kindred Books in August. Following a decade of teaching Bystrom spent the 80s pastoring in two British Columbia churches before joining the faculty of MB Biblical Seminary. It was during his time as a pastor and preacher that he struggled with getting God's word "heard" from Sunday to Sunday and where he discovered Fred B. Craddock, Eugene L. Lowry and David G. Buttrick's writings on homiletics. It is their approaches and strategies that Bystrom deconstructs in his book in an effort to help other pastors and preachers improve upon their styles, as he himself was helped. Bystrom is also the author of God Among Us: Studies in the Gospel of John (Kindred Productions, 2003), part of the Luminaire Studies Commentary series.
Proclaiming the Scandal of the Cross: Contemporary Images of the Atonement, published by Baker Publishing Group in November, is Mark Baker's response to questions raised from Recovering the Scandal of the Cross (InterVarsity Press, 2000), which he co-authored with Joel Green. Numerous requests of how to preach and share about the atonement led Baker to take on this follow-up project, in which he and seventeen other individuals give "examples of people in concrete settings using images and stories to communicate the saving significance of the cross and resurrection." Among such well-known authors as C.S. Lewis and Brian D. McLaren are three MB Biblical Seminary alumni: Chris Friesen of Edmonton, Alberta, Ryan Schellenberg of Hepburn, Saskatchewan and Dan Whitmarsh of Lakebay, Washington all contributed chapters for the book. In addition to his two works on atonement theology, Baker has also authored Religious No More: Building Communities of Grace and Freedom (InterVarsity Press, 1999), ¿Dios de ira o Dios de amor? (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Kairos, 2000), and ¡Basta de religion!: Comó construer comunidades de gracia y libertad (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Kairos, 2005).
God is One and God is Fair, by Jon Isaak, is Kindred Productions' latest edition to the Luminaire Studies Commentary series to be released this month. Isaak began work on this Romans commentary during his Fall 2003 sabbatical. Originally put together for Kindred's Word Wise series, Isaak expanded the outline in the following years and completed the manuscript for God is One and God is Fair in early Fall 2006. Written to "make the fruit of recent scholarship on Paul accessible to a popular audience," Isaak invites his audience to read Romans on Paul's terms. This is Isaak's second published work, the first of which was his doctoral dissertation (Situating the letter to the Hebrews in early Christian History, Studies in the Bible and early Christianity, no. 53. Edwin Mellen Press, 2002).
MB Biblical Seminary held a surprise book launch for Bystrom's book during a weekly campus chapel service in October. A joint celebration for Baker and Isaak will take place on December 10 on the Fresno campus.
Posted: November 15, 2006