Most Popular Books by Eugene H. Peterson

Walk through the pages of the Bible in 90 days with a definitive voice in Christian spirituality. In this devotional, Eugene Peterson provides brief commentary and challenging thoughts designed to stir the biblical imagination and encourage even the weary believer. Life is a mixture of deep joy, heartbreaking disappointment, and hopeful dreams. We long for quick answers, yet God invites us into something far better—a dance of worship, wonder, and mystery. Discover this beautiful rhythm in Every Step an Arrival, a ninety-day devotional from the beloved translator behind the popular Message Bible and the author of spiritual classics, including Run with the Horses and A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. Eugene Peterson believes our confusion about the world comes from a lack of clarity regarding who we are and, more important, who God is. Each reading focuses on a unique facet of God’s nature or of our identity. Drawing insights and stories from a number of books in the Old Testament, Peterson stirs the imagination and encourages travel-weary readers to keep moving forward. Life is full of unexpected moments. But when we enter each day in rhythm with God, every step is an arrival.

In The Pastor, Eugene H. Peterson, the translator of the multimillion-selling The Message and the author of more than thirty books, offers his life story as one answer to the surprisingly neglected question: What does it mean to be a pastor? When Peterson was asked by his denomination to begin a new church in Bel Air, Maryland, he surprised himself by saying yes. And so was born Christ Our King Presbyterian Church. But Peterson quickly learned that he was not exactly sure what a pastor should do. He had met many ministers in his life, from his Pentecostal upbringing in Montana to his seminary days in New York, and he admired only a few. He knew that the job''s demands would drown him unless he figured out what the essence of the job really was. Thus began a thirty-year journey into the heart of this uncommon vocation—the pastorate. The Pastor steers away from abstractions, offering instead a beautiful rendering of a life tied to the physical world—the land, the holy space, the people—shaping Peterson''s pastoral vocation as well as his faith. He takes on church marketing, mega pastors, and the church''s too-cozy relationship to American glitz and consumerism to present a simple, faith-filled job description of what being a pastor means today. In the end, Peterson discovered that being a pastor boiled down to "paying attention and calling attention to ''what is going on right now'' between men and women, with each other and with God." The Pastor is destined to become a classic statement on the contemporary trials, joys, and meaning of this ancient vocation.

Living Out the Word Made Flesh “Sixty years ago I found myself distracted,” Eugene Peterson wrote. “A chasm had developed between the way I was preaching from the pulpit and my deepest convictions on what it meant to be a pastor.” And so began Peterson’s journey to live and teach a life of congruence—congruence between preaching and living, between what we do and the way we do it, between what is written in Scripture and how we live out that truth. Nothing captures the biblical foundation for this journey better than Peterson’s teachings over his twenty-nine years as a pastor. As Kingfishers Catch Fire offers a never-before-published collection of these teachings to anyone longing for a richer, truer spirituality. Peterson’s strikingly beautiful prose and deeply grounded insights usher us into a new understanding of how to live out the good news of the Word made flesh. This is one man’s compelling quest to discover not only how to be a pastor but how to be a human being.

Peterson''s eloquent meditation on the Revelation of St. John engages the imagination and awakens the intellect to the vitality and relevance of the last words on scripture, Christ, church, worship, evil, prayer, witness, politics, judgment, salvation, and heaven. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

As Eugene Peterson was writing The Message, his magnificent and popular translation of the Bible, he wanted readers to understand that forty years of living the message preceded the writing of it. The result is Living the Message, a unique daily reader that combines scriptural verses with Peterson''s classic writings on the spiritual life. Here readers are offered a daily spiritual companion that brings God''s message vividly to life. With a new foreword by the author, this classic devotional presents readers with the tools and insights they need to go beyond an ordinary faith. Peterson draws on his profound reflections on the Bible, prayer, and community to usher the reader on a path of discovering the relevancy of God''s word to our everyday lives. From the author of nearly thirty books, Peterson''s Living the Message weaves together insightful selections from some of his best works to produce a volume full of wisdom and hope. Reading this collection will endow your spiritual life with a new urgency and desire to live out your faith more fully.

An illuminating example of friendship as a vital way God answers our need for guidance, encouragement, affirmation, and correction. Most of the time, what we need to help us through the struggles in our lives is not the advice of an expert but the wisdom of a friend. Through this series of eloquent letters written to a life-long friend, author Eugene Peterson demonstrates friendship as a means to Christian maturity. The topics covered in this warm and highly personal correspondence are broad and varied, but one thing comes through with constancy and clarity: there is great value in a wise, experienced friend to help us see more clearly and to strengthen our growth in faith and godliness.

It''s easy to get lost in the Bible. With so many different books and interweaving stories, it can feel overwhelming. The Invitation is the resource to help you find your place in the Bible, get a better grasp on what you''re reading, and feel more at home in the Word of God. These short readings on every book and section of the Bible include important verses to commit to memory. A valuable resource for new believers, seminary students, and any Christian looking for a comprehensive yet concise understanding of the books of the Bible. Eugene Peterson, translator of The Message version of the Bible, is a gracious and insightful guide as you make your way through the Scriptures, pointing out the people, places, and things to pay particular attention to, reflecting on how these ancient words fit into your very contemporary life, and sharing verses that encapsulate what''s going on in the Bible book you''re reading to whet your appetite and enrich your understanding. An essential resource for every Bible reader, it is your trusted companion to regularly spark your love and understanding of God''s Word.

A Formatiobook. We all long to live life at its best--to fuse freedom and spontaneity with purpose and meaning. Why then do we often find our lives so humdrum, so unadventuresome, so routine? Or else so frantic, so full of activity, but still devoid of fulfillment? How do we learn to risk, to trust, to pursue wholeness and excellence--to run with the horses in the jungle of life?In a series of profound reflections on the life of Jeremiah the prophet, Eugene Peterson explores the heart of what it means to be fully and genuinely human. His writing is filled with humor and self-reflection, insight and wisdom, helping to set a course for others in the quest for life at its best.

A compact Bible presented in modern, easy-to-understand paraphrase.

Eugene H. Peterson’s never-before-published wisdom for each season of the Christian year A CHRISTIANITY TODAY AND BIRMINGHAM CHRISTIAN FAMILY MAGAZINE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR The glorious, never-dull reality of the gospel is this: Christ sets us free. All of us can be doers of the word, using the stuff of the everyday to make something to the glory of God. Long before his iconic paraphrased Bible translation, The Message, Eugene H. Peterson (1932–2018) faithfully preached for decades to the small congregation of Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland. As the seasons passed, along with the accompanying fasts and feasts, Peterson faithfully revealed ways to cultivate a robust, authentic life of faith, intimacy, obedience, and joy. Now you can gain new insights into Peterson’s preaching and pastoral life through this collection of his most compelling yet never-before-published sermons. Following the calendar of the church year, from the darkness of Advent to the light of Epiphany, the wilderness of Lent to the celebration of Easter, and the fire of Pentecost to the everyday glory of ordinary time, these remarkable sermons point to the eternity beyond our experience of time. With his trademark wit and wisdom, Peterson shows how to pursue a “long obedience in the same direction” through all the seasons, colors, and rhythms of our lives.

Biblical direction and encouragement for graduates. The Christian life is a process of becoming, and that process can begin at any time and has no point of ending in this life. Who you are today, this day, is the person Jesus invites to follow him. That said, there are transition points in every life. Graduation is such a transition point: It marks the end of one life stage and the beginning of another. The demands on your life, the complexities of your challenges, the things that bring you joy and the things that cause you stress--they''re different once you''ve moved from student life to this new season. This book helps you through that transition. It is made up mostly of the words of God--passages from the Scriptures that speak to this season of change, that point to the way of faithfulness, that anticipate and prepare you for the life ahead of you. The Word of God is a faithful guide to life, and a life with God is the best kind of life available. This book is meant to help you lean into that kind of life. Features Included: "Getting Started" Practices at the end of each chapter Topical Index for Recent Graduates The Making of the Message

Eugene Peterson’s vibrant, unforgettable exploration of one of the most memorable—and controversial—figures in Scripture: King David. The David story is the most extensively narrated single story in the Bible, and the Old Testament reveals him both at his best and his worst. He is known as a shepherd, a psalmist, a fugitive, a war hero, a murderer, and a king whose legacy is marked by victories and moral failings alike. Peterson’s multi-dimensional character study of this “man after God’s own heart” studies David’s humanity and examines his key relationships such as those with Saul, Goliath, Jonathan, Bathsheba, and Absolom. Uncompromisingly honest and remarkably insightful, Leap Over a Wall offers the hope that every event in David’s life was a confrontation with God, just as our every experience can hold divine encounter. A vision brought to life by one of the world’s most respected and influential theologians, the author of The Pastor, The Jesus Way, Practice Resurrection, and The Message, Leap Over a Wall is a unique opportunity to discover an earthy spirituality and reconnect with David, a man simultaneously admirable, soulful, and dark, and one of the most complex and vital characters of the greatest story ever written. Ideal for personal devotional use, this King David Bible study is perfect for individuals or small group study. In this profound exploration of the life of David, you will find:A Model for Spiritual Growth: A refreshingly honest look at David’s triumphs and moral failings, showing how God shapes humanity through the messy, earthy details of an actual life.Christian Leadership Lessons: Go beyond the sanitized hero to study a leader whose story is filled with friendship, sin, grief, and courage, offering timeless wisdom for today.Old Testament Commentary: Peterson’s masterful storytelling unpacks the most extensive narrative in the Bible, revealing the man behind the legend from his anointing to his death.Faith and Doubt: A powerful examination of how every event in our lives, from the battlefield to the bedroom, can be a direct confrontation with God.

Experience a richer life with God. There''s always more to discover in the story of God, and the more we seek to know God, the richer life becomes. Devotional insights from pastor and scholar Eugene Peterson help us find our way. Peppered throughout this large print Bible are short meditations, reflective questions, and contemplative readings to help you process what''s happening in a passage or what might be happening in you as you read that passage. Translated from the original biblical languages for the congregation he pastored, Eugene Peterson''s The Message Biblebrings the world of the scriptures into conversation with the world of today. The faith-filled reflections in The Message Devotional Bibleinvite you on this journey into a richer life with God. Special features: Over 600 short meditations full of scriptural insights 52 contemplative readings Introductions to the books and genres of the Bible Large print for relaxed, enjoyable reading More than 400 reflection questions to further your spiritual growth 9 articles focused on the significance of Jesus'' incarnation for life with God Encounter God''s Word in a fresh way through this easy-to-understand Bible.

This revised and expanded version of Eugene H. Peterson''s classic for modern pilgrims who want to learn to live in communion with God now includes the Songs of Ascents in The Message translation, as well as a new epilogue.

In these never-before-published stories, sayings, and biblical teachings, the beloved author and translator of The Message Bible shows us how the wisdom of deep faith helps us live well. “Calming, encouraging, and profound.”—Matt Chandler, lead pastor of The Village Church “Jesus’ words bring us the news of an expanded world, a bright world, a full-dimensioned world, a world in which God rules, mercy is common experience, and love is the daily working agenda.” Eugene H. Peterson (1932–2018) was one of the most beloved authors, pastors, poets, and professors of our time. While millions have read his bestselling paraphrased Bible translation, The Message, far fewer have heard his direct practical insights and wisdom about how to live well. Eugene knew the extraordinary spirituality of ordinary life. He understood that we actually become more, not less, human as we grow to live like Jesus. And living like Jesus means living well. On Living Well collects some of Eugene’s best never-before-published short writings to help you walk in the way of Jesus with a little more courage, passion, and hope—by offering new ways to practice generosity, community, prayer, simplicity, worship, inner peace, and so much more . . . even with the challenges of today. This book is a rich feast for the soul, ideal as a daily spiritual touchpoint or simply to nourish a heart hungry for pastoral wisdom. It is your invitation to enter into the meaningful simplicity of life with Jesus in a world of immense beauty, real difficulty, and endless wonder.

Together for the first time in one devotional, experience daily readings from such bestselling and respected voices as Frederick Buechner, Brennan Manning, Henri Nouwen, Eugene Peterson, James Bryan Smith, A. W. Tozer, Dallas Willard, and N. T. Wright. Faith That Matters was designed to help you confidently walk in faith every day of the year. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get lost in a never-ending list of projects and demands. We become distracted with what’s urgent instead of what matters most. And in the process, we lose sight of who we are . . . and who God is. Faith That Matters is a beautifully designed devotional that reminds us of the timeless truths of Scripture. Each reading offers powerful stories and inspiring insights from trusted Christian communicators such as: Frederick Buechner Brennan Manning Henri Nouwen Eugene Peterson James Bryan Smith W. Tozer Dallas Willard N. T. Wright All 365 devotions also include a relevant Bible verse, practical suggestions for living out that day’s reading, and a brief closing prayer. The variety of contributors provides a treasure trove of unique perspectives on issues ranging from God’s love, mercy, and hope to themes of grace, provision, and peace. These well-known authors have sold a combined total of millions of books. Now, for the first time, their writings have been brought together in one devotional. Whether you seek to understand the foundation of our faith tenets or simply need a daily dose of spiritual encouragement, your heart and soul will be refreshed anew with each reading. Draw closer to God every day of the year with Faith That Matters.

Spend a year with Jesus with commentary and meditations by the definitive voice for Christian spirituality today. Chosen from the Gospels of Matthew and John, the 365 readings encourage us to remove ourselves from our hectic, day-to-day pace and reflect on the life and teachings of Jesus himself. These Gospel selections are accompanied by reflections and prayers from bestselling Christian author Eugene Peterson. Readers will discover a daily companion that offers wisdom and guidance throughout the year.