• Lesson 3 in the Connect360 unit “The reMARKable Journey Continues: The Gospel of Urgency” focuses on Mark 4:26-32.

The kingdom of God starts small but becomes huge. We live in a culture that celebrates “bigness.” We assume popularity and large crowds equates with quality and greatness of product. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t.

In God’s kingdom, you need to grow where God has planted you, serving faithfully. The living God working through you and your church is what matters in kingdom terms.

In this parable, Jesus focused on giving a picture of the kingdom of God. The mustard seed is really small. William Lane noted the kingdom is not likened to a mustard seed, but rather likened to what happens to the mustard seed, to what comes out of it. The kingdom of God was beginning small, but one day (as in the 20th and 21st centuries) it would encompass the world.

So, this parable is an encouraging message. It is not how small you are now that matters; it’s the incredibly huge things God can make from your small beginnings. Jesus is contrasting small, seemingly unimpressive beginnings with surprising huge, unforeseen outcomes.

Don’t get discouraged over your current situation. You have no idea what a big impact your life, or your church’s life, might make on hundreds, or thousands, of people in eternity. With Jesus, small beginnings do not limit huge outcomes. Faithfulness in the seemingly insignificant small things, might be growing a forest of spiritual redwoods in eternity.

Jesus’ kingdom began as one person, as Jesus alone. Then Jesus called the 12 disciples and invested his life and teachings into them. After his crucifixion, there were only 120 believers (Acts 1:15), perhaps comparable to your church’s size. On the day of Pentecost 3,000 more were baptized and added to the church, people from many nations and languages (Acts 2:41, 47). And the Lord was daily adding more to their number. Soon, Christianity conquered the Roman Empire, not through violence, but through God’s many people serving God in small scenarios, embodying God’s love and redemption.

In 2020, the estimated number of Christians in the world was 2.38 billion (see Pew Research). That doesn’t include the countless millions of Christians over the last 2,000 years. The kingdom’s growth from 120 to billions of people in the kingdom of God today, all started from Jesus. From Jesus, one seemingly insignificant seed that was despised and crushed by the world—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, and who is now the King of kings and Lord of lords. This Jesus is now worshiped in nearly every country of the world.

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

The Lost Diary of Mary Magdalene

By Johnny Teague (Histria Books)

The foreman on an archaeological dig near the Sea of Galilee discovers a clay pot interesting enough to take back to his room and carefully open. What he finds inside leads him to weeks of translation. This is no Gnostic gospel. These are the brittle parchment pages of a diary, the notes and recollections of a woman profoundly changed by Jesus—Mary Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene is depicted early in the story as a licentious and demon-possessed daughter of a tax collector. Her life before Jesus freed her of demons is difficult to read. Mercifully, her emancipation happens early in the story.

The largest portion of the story follows Mary’s life-changing encounter with Jesus. She reports witnessing firsthand and hearing secondhand about Jesus’ teaching and miracles and processes all of it with what she knows about Israel’s messianic tradition. This is where the story really comes alive.

Johnny Teague humanizes what for many has become little more than the religious text of the Gospels. He contextualizes the text of the Gospels in a way that makes it even more relatable to everyday human experience by describing how a contemporary of Jesus was experiencing his ministry throughout her own life.

As is the case with historical fiction, readers must remember this is a fictional account of actual history. Teague is careful to explain in an epilogue that what he has written is not Scripture. And there is a considerable amount of Scripture seamlessly woven into this fictional diary.

Teague also presents readers with theological considerations worthy of further study beyond the book. These arise as natural implications of various conversations and Mary’s thoughts. Readers do well to remember such theological points are Teague’s perspective and not necessarily gospel.

Teague tells the story with infectious joy, marvel and wonder. He imagines Mary navigating the implications of forgiveness and new life given to her by a person she comes to believe is the long-awaited Messiah—Jesus.

Eric Black, executive director/publisher/editor
Baptist Standard

The Message: Mankind’s Final Destiny

By Don English (Xulon Press)

If you seek to understand and teach the book of Revelation, Don English’s new The Message: Mankind’s Final Destiny could be a key resource for you. In fact, I wish I had this book in college and seminary when my study of Revelation began.

God’s message to us in Revelation—which English advises should be read in one sitting—touches on everything we know about ourselves: our gift of free will, our sin and the limited influence of Satan, our work subduing the earth, our business dealings, warfare, power struggles with other nations, famine and pestilence, death and final judgement.

We are shown the mess in our world as God sees it, and we see how the evil of man leads God to pour out wrath on the world. Yet, we also see God’s mercy.

There is much to glean from English, but standing out strongly is his use of Old Testament Scripture—such as prophecies in Daniel—rather than teaching from commentaries to explain difficult or veiled concepts in Revelation.

There are no timelines, catchy labels or curious theories here. There are no human constructs that force Christians into categories or opposing camps.

Calling God, “Alpha Omega Alpha”—the beginning, the end, and the “beginning again” with the new heaven and new earth—English leaves the reader thinking of all God has created that yet is unknown.

English also speaks to current events, such as corrupt business practices and politics that have caused the collapse of governments and led to immigration. Natural disasters have driven multitudes to new lands. He points out Jesus taught us to love our neighbor, even in times when we struggle to survive.

English seems to see crisis events as patterns that can exist for a long period of time. Only God knows when the end will come, not because of man’s deeds, but because of God’s choosing. He also believes the Bible tends to give us general outlines and directions for coping. We are to look for conditions in the world, rather than specific times and places.

English believes the church will be taken at some point during the tribulation, but not at the beginning. He believes persecution will go on for a significant length of time, but will involve some people, not all believers.

His book has great strength in its pictures of God’s glory, his throne, Jesus’s victory and Jesus’s prominence in all things. He warns to be ready for the coming of the Lord and for our own death, when our fate will be decided.

English believes as long as Christians come forward to spread the gospel, God allows time for the people of the world to come to him. He also recognizes symbolism, yet teaches with logic and less obscurity than most. He notes whenever God gives a truth in Revelation, he gives a picture.

English writes with sincere concern for the reader. His study of Revelation both could comfort and fire up your church. God is in control of all, Satan is defeated, and heaven is prepared for the church.

Ruth Cook
Carrollton, Texas

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament

By Mark Vroegop (Crossway)

What better time than Advent to practice lament? Yes, Advent marks a time of hope, joy, peace and love, worshipping who God is, all he has done, and waiting expectantly for all he will do. But for many, this time can often magnify brokenness, bringing a deep sense of longing that rightly leads to lament.

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy holds a timeless offering, demonstrating “how you live between the poles of a hard life and trusting in God’s sovereignty” (p.36) and showing the real grace found in lament.

Author and pastor Mark Vroegop reveals a personal experience that ushered him into lament—the late-term loss of his daughter, Sylvia. He describes lament as the life raft that buoyed him amidst overwhelming grief. Further, he postures lament as the often-overlooked gift for all Christians. The book brings two contrasting concepts into surprising harmony to illustrate lament, finding deep mercy in dark clouds (Lamentations 2:1; 3:22).

Vroegop proves a trusty guide, gently leading the reader through steps he traveled firsthand, aptly named in his book sections: learning to lament, learning from lament, and living with lament. Noting one third of the psalms contain laments, he advocates for the routine incorporation of lament for individuals and the church. He asserts praise historically includes both celebration and lament.

Beyond historical applications, Vroegop brings present-day importance to the forefront, tying lament into belief. He points out that through lament, “Christians affirm that the world is broken, God is powerful, and he will be faithful” (p.26).

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy gives a memorable model to learn to lament, with key words: turn, complain, ask and trust. Vroegop shows the importance in moving through each step, with biblical examples of lament from Psalms. He warns against the propensity to get stuck on one step. With a teacher’s heart, he uses David as an example of this necessary movement, “His complaints are not cul-de-sacs of sorrow but bridges that lead him to God’s character” (p.59).

Vroegop illustrates how we can learn from lament, helping us remember God’s grand story. Using the book of Lamentations, he explains how the truths within help us profess hope, discover idols, and ultimately see God’s grace.

Finally, he gets practical on how to live with lament. He stresses lament as a gift for all, with individual, community and pastoral applications. He brings forth varied reasons to lament, from big tragedies to small nuisances, on behalf of oneself or others, and even if lament results from one’s own sin.

This book holds diverse application for individuals, home groups and the church. It provides end-of-chapter reflection questions and an appendix full of resources to adequately prepare and encourage the reader to begin the practice of lament. Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy provides a better understanding of lament, bringing a fresh perspective, even excitement, for something needed in the life of all Christians.

Amy Salzwedel, student

Dallas Theological Seminary

• Lesson 2 in the Connect360 unit “The reMARKable Journey Continues: The Gospel of Urgency” focuses on Mark 4:21-25, 33-34.

In this parable, which inspired the children’s song “This Little Light of Mine,” Jesus answered the question: “Why do you teach in parables?” Jesus used a traditional rabbi’s skill in asking the question in a way to elicit a negative response. So, Jesus basically asked: “You don’t light a lamp in a dark room so you can hide the light from shining, do you?” The answer is, “Of course not!” By forcefully leading the listeners to dismiss the alternate possibility, Jesus then led them to the purpose of lighting a lamp.

Think of a time when the power went off, and you entered an unfamiliar, totally dark room. Your first task was to locate a source of light, be it matches, a candle or even your cell phone’s flashlight. You need light to function in the darkness.

So, do you find the source of light, then block it so you can’t see? No. Why not? Because you need light. When you’re in the dark, you don’t purposely extinguish the light to sit in darkness again.

There is some question as to why the Greek wording of the Mark 4:21 text says, “The lamp comes into the room.” Inanimate lamps do not walk around. Lamps don’t come in; they are brought in. Lamp here has a definite article, which usually means “the definitive lamp, the best or qualitatively superior lamp.”

This leads some interpreters to say that the lamp is Jesus in this verse. Of course, this is true, for Jesus said of himself in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world; the one who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.” But it is also true in John 8:12 and other passages that state we as his disciples are to be God’s light shining in the darkness (Matthew 5:14), a city on a hill that gives light to the world.

However, in the immediate context, Jesus is explaining why he uses parables to communicate spiritual truth. So “light a lamp” in this verse probably refers to his parables as being a lamp to reveal the truth of God and his ways. God is alive in the other words in the Bible, too. The previous parable spoke of the life being in the seeds sown. Parables therefore are living truth that interacts with serious listeners, enlightening our minds, lighting the path, revealing Jesus and giving us perspective on living for God.

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

Your/Our Identity in Christ: Finding Who We Are in Who He Is

By David Sanchez (GC2 Press)

Your/Our Identity in Christ may look like a book, but it’s more like a map for youth and young adults—or any adult—either new to or exploring what it means to follow Jesus.

With a title like Your/Our Identity during a time when controversies over sexual, gender, ethnic and other identities are swirling, readers might expect the book to begin, end and focus on those issues. But they barely make an appearance. Instead, they place a distant second, third or even fourth to the primacy of Christ as the source of our identity.

David Sanchez, director of ethics and justice for the Texas Baptists’ Christian Life Commission, connects readily with youth and young adults. He understands their language, their worldviews and their struggles. He is compassionate and thoroughly grounded in Scripture. He’s also honest, acknowledging that identifying with Jesus isn’t always easy.

Sanchez is also gentle, lighthearted and doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. He includes testimonies from people hurt by divorce, abuse, bullying and sexual abuse, as well as from people struggling with depression, anxiety, body image, and questions about gender or sexual identity.

Despite his casual approach, Sanchez isn’t light on substance. He delves into the character of Christ, human nature, the Trinity, the shared life of the church and other weighty topics relevant to anchoring one’s identity in Christ.

The book is divided into nine chapters and designed to be read over 36 days in short readings. Kendall Lyons’ illustrations of the daily readings bring additional life and levity to the content.

Readers don’t need a lot of background knowledge about the Bible or Christian doctrine. Sanchez walks them through understanding how they are seen by God, what God desires for them and what God expects of them.

Your/Our Identity in Christ is expected to release mid-January 2025. A portion of book sales will support the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering.

Eric Black, executive director/publisher/editor
Baptist Standard

• Lesson 1 in the Connect360 unit “The reMARKable Journey Continues: The Gospel of Urgency” focuses on Mark 4:1-20.

The seed in this parable is pretty amazing—and miraculous. The sower took the seed, walked through the fields of life, passing out seed wherever he or she went. In the explanation of this parable that Jesus gave to his disciples (see 4:13–20), the seed was the word of God. It is the truth Jesus taught us—the truth Jesus showed us.

The seed has life in itself. Jesus did not say we have to make seeds germinate. He said we need to get the seeds out to those who need God’s divine life to break forth in their lives.

God’s word accomplishes what God sends it to accomplish (Isaiah 55:11). Hebrews says it is alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12).

Our task is to sow seeds, plant God’s word into the lives of others (James 1:22). Put God’s word into practice, do what God teaches us to do, and share what we know whenever we get the chance.

We are called to be seed planters. It is God who can make that word and seed come alive, bringing forth life and vitality to the person who now has possession of the seed.

The seed has innate life and power within it. No matter what soil the seed landed upon in this parable, and in Jesus’ explanation of the parable, the seed had potential life within it. The seed that fell on the busy path got swept aside, eaten by birds, or stolen by Satan. But in the other three soil scenarios, the seed sprouted. God’s word has life in it and produces life through it.

The only limitation of the seed is not being distributed by Jesus’ followers. Salt in a saltshaker makes no impact on food. The salt must get out of the saltshaker and come in contact with what it must salt. When that happens, pizazz happens, increasing zestful flavor.

In the same way, we must get the seed out of the bag, passing it on to others, making an impact in their lives. The seeds may not sprout immediately, but that is not our responsibility. Our responsibility is to plant the seeds in other people’s lives.

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

• Lesson 13 in the Connect360 unit “The Immeasurable Love of Christ” focuses on Ephesians 6:17-20.

Paul wanted the Ephesian church to remain strong in prayer. He desired for them always to be in communication with God, because God is our source. Consistency builds strength. In any occupation or profession, the more we do something, the better at it we become, whether through experiential tenure, process of elimination or muscle memory. When we pray continually, we grow in our relationship with God. Like with any other relationship, the more you communicate, the more you understand.

This is important, because we are at war with the enemies of God who we cannot see. We have to be on guard against them, so we are not overtaken. God has the best strategy in the universe, and in order to know and understand how to execute that strategy, we have to be intentional and protective of our time talking to God.

A discipline and rhythm of prayer could help those of us who struggle to find times to pray or even find words to pray. Life can certainly get in the way, and before you know it, a day or two or three has passed, and you have not spoken to God. A husband wouldn’t want to hear from his wife every now and then. A parent wouldn’t want to hear from a child only when something is going wrong. A child wouldn’t want to hear from a parent only when things are going well. God desires to hear from us always.

If we are intentional about our communication with God, we develop a plan to talk to God. Waking up, meals, travel and going to sleep are great opportunities to talk to God. But even things like noticing how the birds sing and how the flowers dance are opportunities to let God know how special he is in your life. We are encouraged to talk to God always, regardless of the circumstance (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

• Lesson 12 in the Connect360 unit “The Immeasurable Love of Christ” focuses on Ephesians 6:10-17.

The sword of the Spirit may be one of the most distinctive parts of the Christian armor because while everything else seems to be protective in defense, swords can go on the offense as well. The word of God is a tool that not only helps us to know God better, but it helps us ward off the spiritual forces that try to attack us.

Jesus beautifully displays this when he is tempted by Satan in the wilderness to the point where he tells Satan he doesn’t survive simply from natural food, but the word of God (Matthew 4:4).

Paul illustrated for us the reality that a life following Christ is not a game. It is not one we can take lightly or passively. There is a very real adversary who is trying his best to unravel everything God hopes for our lives and cause us to live in despair. Though we cannot always see that working physically, we must be aware there is always a plot and scheme trying to work against us, ready to overtake us if we are not careful and on guard.

If we run to battle with playground clothes, there is a higher chance of us becoming injured or even worse, a casualty. Those garments designed to give us freedom as we play and enjoy are not designed for us to have protection from things being hurled at us from the enemy to harm us. As we have often heard, “You cannot bring a knife to a gun fight.” In the same way, you cannot wear playground and sport court clothes to the battleground.

There is good news. Jesus has already defeated this adversary through his sacrificial work on the cross, but we must take the initiative of receiving Jesus as our Savior and picking up the armor he has laid out for us to take. He is the captain of the army; we are his soldiers. He has the war plan, and we must execute it. But we cannot fight unless we are wearing the right armor.

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

• Lesson 11 in the Connect360 unit “The Immeasurable Love of Christ” focuses on Ephesians 5:17-18.

Paul showed us there are two ways we can live, wisely or foolishly. God’s will is for us to live a life of wisdom by being filled with the Spirit, but this world offers so many opportunities to go in the opposite direction.

The intentionality of our walk helps us choose which path we will take. We cannot overlook all the influences, and the fact that it seems as if there are so many more people in our culture who are proud of living foolishly than living wisely for Christ. Social media and podcast culture emphasize the humanistic and individualistic overtone of our society, which glorifies what makes the self happy and not what pleases God.

Even some Christians seek a god that serves them and makes their life better through what they can acquire in this life rather than God who is calling for their radical transformation into his image through the act of his radical love.

While it is easy to point the finger at those who get caught in the tide of culture, it may be more helpful for us as Christians to engage lovingly our brothers and sisters in Christ who are struggling to discern God’s will for their lives. As we all work to lovingly engage the world to learn of God’s will, we must remember there is a broad gate that leads to destruction but a narrow gate that leads to life (Matthew 7:13–14).

Passivity does not lead to an effective and impactful Christian life. We must be intentional about the way we live and pay close attention to where we go, what we say, what we do, and who we are around in order for us to avoid the traps of drunken or foolish living.

Yes, the days are evil. Culture makes it seem more enticing to consider our own desires above God’s, but Scripture shows us that a life in God’s will is one full of songs, worship, thanksgiving and submission to one another. So let us pray for God’s will and let us sing to and serve God and one another as we posture our lives in thanksgiving to God for all his blessings.

The immeasurable love of Christ gives us access to wisdom and love. We do not have to walk in darkness and foolishness, following after the things of the world that only seek to bring us fleeting pleasures, which set us up for eternal death. Christ’s love disciplines our hearts and minds to want what God wants and walk the road less traveled, experiencing the joy of eternal life with the Father.

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

The Mary We Forgot

By Jennifer Powell McNutt (Brazos Press)

Mary Magdalene was among the last to leave the crucified Jesus on Golgotha and the first to bear witness to the resurrected Christ at the empty tomb. Even so, she has received a bad rap for nearly 2,000 years, author Jennifer Powell McNutt asserts.

The Gospels present Mary Magdalene both as one whom Jesus delivered from demonic oppression, and also as one who supported Jesus’ ministry financially and was numbered among his followers. However, that is not the image most Christians have of her.

In part, she has been the victim of the “Mary muddle”—so many women named Mary in the Gospels that readers have struggled to keep them straight. Even some Church Fathers and Popes mistakenly conflated Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany.

Mary Magdalene also has been confused with the “sinful woman” in Luke 7 who anointed the feet of Jesus and unfairly has been labeled as a prostitute, McNutt maintains. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar and Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ didn’t do her any favors in that regard. Webber and Scorsese perpetuated that misinterpretation of Mary as a reformed prostitute with a romantic interest in Jesus, but they were neither the first nor the last to do so.

McNutt, a professor of theology and Christian history at Wheaton College, insists Mary Magdalene rightly should be remembered and honored both as “the apostle to the apostles” and an “apostle among the apostles.” Christ himself commissioned Mary to “go and tell” others he was risen from the grave. Ancient church traditions not only attest to her witness to Jesus’ inner circle of disciples, but also to missionary activity of her own.

Christians long have wondered about the decision by the apostles in Acts 1 to select Matthias as a replacement for Judas Iscariot. Some believe they may have acted prematurely, because God already had in mind Saul of Tarsus as the apostle in waiting.

But in reading The Mary We Forgot, I found myself asking a different question. What if the apostles failed to recognize Christ himself already had named and commissioned Mary Magdalene as an apostle? How would views about women in ministry have been different if Peter, James, John and the others had recognized fully the apostleship of Mary Magdalene?

Ken Camp, managing editor

Baptist Standard

• Lesson 10 in the Connect360 unit “The Immeasurable Love of Christ” focuses on Ephesians 5:8-14.

Paul contrasted the lives of these Ephesians before they knew Christ with their current lives as people of faith. He wrote, “You were once darkness … you are now light in the Lord.”

Note that he didn’t say they once lived in darkness. He said they “were once darkness.” That’s pretty serious. Darkness wasn’t external but internal. It penetrated their whole lives. But once they found Christ, they became light, and that light began to illuminate their lives all the way to the center.

How does that work? God is light, and as we embrace his dramatic transformation, we will find ourselves shining as lights in a world that loves darkness.

God’s grace ensures you will grow more like Christ over time. If we desire to speak, act and think in such ways that are consistent with our Christian identity, we must talk, behave and think in almost the exact opposite ways of current culture. We are not to participate with those who don’t imitate God. We are children of light, not darkness.

Christians who walk in the light don’t waste time pursuing fruitless darkness. They don’t expend energy doing the kinds of things that displease God and harm their neighbors. Christians don’t do or say the kinds of empty things that cause divisions among people. Verse 13 says the light of their lives should expose sin rather than join sin.

Curiously, if there were no Christians in the world, there would be no need for excuses. Who would notice or care how anyone lived? Who would decide right from wrong? But Christians call attention to sin by the way they live.

Paul commanded believers to walk or live “as children of light.” Just as Jesus is the light of the world, so Christians are to walk as He walked—as lights of the world. In fact, Jesus himself said to His followers, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).

As believers, let us commit to living every day reflecting the light of God that is in us. We walk in light by exhibiting light, exposing darkness, and exhorting unbelievers.

To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.