CrossTalk

We all know the Bible is supposed to be our guide for living, but learning to interpret it as such often doesn't come naturally. Many approaches are just plain wrong—using the Bible as a list of do's and don'ts, or as a book of life-principles, or a casebook of character profiles on which to model one's life. In CrossTalk, Michael Emlet demonstrates the insufficiency of these methods and offers instead a narrative-based view of Scripture through which we can understand God's redemptive story and our place in it.

This isn't primarily a theoretical text, or even a practical manual. CrossTalk is about learning to interpret God's Word the way He intends, as His story about Himself and about us. If we approach it in this way, there is no need for prooftexting or taking phrases or passages out of context:every part of Scripture is equally applicable to our situation (or the situations of those around us) because it teaches us the underlying truths of existence and its Author. You won't find extensive information about grammatical-historical exegesis or word studies, but you will find tools to identify Christ in all of the Bible and how to use any passage to minister to the needs of those in pain.

Emlet shows how we can minister to our brothers and sisters by connecting their stories to the stories of Scripture. He sets up a model that can be applied to any Bible passage and life circumstance, then uses three chapters to illustrate its implementation by presenting the stories of "Tom" and "Natalie" and how they were helped through difficult times with this approach. Emlet is gentle yet firm, doctrinally sound yet down-to-earth and practical, and he writes clearly and compellingly about both the issues we all face and the proper biblical response. Whether your in need of guidance or looking to counsel someone else, CrossTalk is an excellent place to start.