VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 11/1/16)—Is there more to Jesus of Nazareth than what we think we know? Many of us are well acquainted with the New Testament stories of Jesus, but has that familiarity caused us to miss their power to challenge and transform? The new release Jesus Stories: Traveling toward Testimony by well-respected professor and author H. Stephen Shoemaker urges readers to reexamine and search for the Jesus who is in search of us.
Jesus Stories brings together the critical research of “historical Jesus” scholars, the beloved stories of the four canonical Gospels, and the Spirit of the Risen Christ alive and present with us to usher readers on a journey that moves from history into testimony. Combining scholarly history with the author’s stories of personal faith, the book extends an invitation for readers to construct their own testimony of how they have come to recognize Jesus at work in their life and faith. Readers gain a deeper understanding of:
• The essence of who Jesus was, in his character and his mission
• The connection between “historical Jesus” and Jesus’ spirit known today
• The qualities of God that are crucial for our spiritual lives
About the Author
H. STEPHEN SHOEMAKER, MDiv, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Religion at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC, and previously taught at Wake Forest Divinity School and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Shoemaker served in a pastorate position for over 40 years. He has authored six books, including GodStories: Scriptural Narratives for Today (Judson Press, 1998), and has many published sermons and articles.
Founded in 1824, Judson Press is a publishing ministry of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies, American Baptist Churches USA. It is committed to producing Christ-centered leadership resources for the transformation of individuals, congregations, communities, and cultures.
American Baptist Home Mission Societies—the domestic mission arm of American Baptist Churches USA—ministers as the caring heart and serving hands of Jesus Christ across the United States and Puerto Rico through a multitude of initiatives that focus on discipleship, community, and justice.
American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.