Biblical Theology for Life Series

I’ve been interested to see that Zondervan have plans to publish a ‘Biblical Theology for Life’ series. Two volumes have been announced as forthcoming later this year, and both of them look excellent:

Christopher J.H. Wright, The Mission of God’s People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, forthcoming 2010).

In The Mission of God’s People, part of the Biblical Theology for Life series, author Chris Wright offers a sweeping biblical survey of the holistic mission of the church, providing practical insight for today’s church leaders. Wright gives special emphasis to theological trajectories of the Old Testament that not only illuminate God’s mission but also suggest priorities for Christians engaged in God’s world-changing work.

Description:
In The Mission of God’s People, Chris Wright shows how God’s big-picture plan directs the purpose of God’s people, the church. Wright’s pioneering 2006 book, The Mission of God, revealed that the typical Christian understanding of ‘missions’ encompasses only a small part of God’s overarching mission for the world. God is relentlessly reclaiming the entire world for himself. Wright emphasizes what the Old Testament teaches Christians about being the people of God. He addresses questions of both ecclesiology and missiology with topics like ‘called to care for creation,’ ‘called to bless the nations,’ ‘sending and being sent,’ and ‘rejecting false gods.’ As part of the Biblical Theology for Life Series, this book provides you – whether you’re a pastor, teacher, or lay learner – with first-rate biblical study while at the same time addressing the practical concerns of contemporary ministry. The Mission of God’s People promises to enliven and refocus the study, teaching, and ministry of those truly committed to joining God’s work in the world.

Jonathan Lunde, Following Jesus, the Servant King: A Biblical Theology of Covenantal Discipleship (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, forthcoming 2010).

In Following Jesus, the Servant King, Jonathan Lunde presents a biblical theology of discipleship that gives the ‘big picture’ of God’s relationship with humanity. In biblical terms, Jesus is the King who demands righteous obedience from his followers, and Jesus is the Servant who provides the grace that enables this obedience. Lunde presents a view of Christian discipleship that is grounded in an informed Christology of Jesus, the Servant King.

Description:
Throughout the Old Testament and into the New, God not only demands righteousness from his people but also showers on grace that enables them to act. Jesus, of course, provides the ultimate fulfillment of these twin aspects of God’s relationship to humanity. In biblical terms, Jesus is the King who demands righteous obedience from his followers, and Jesus is the Servant who provides the grace that enables this obedience. So what does it mean to follow Jesus? What does God expect from his followers, and how can they be and do what is required? Jonathan Lunde answers these and other questions in his sweeping biblical study on discipleship. He surveys God’s interaction with his people from Eden to Jesus, paying special attention to the biblical covenants that illuminate the character and plans of God. He offers Bible students and teachers – such as pastors, missionaries, and lay leaders – the gift of practical biblical teaching rooted in the Bible’s witness on the vital topic of discipleship.