Sooner or later, every pastor will be called on to conduct special services. Baptisms, weddings, funerals, infant presentations, and evangelistic services, each in their own way, challenge pastors to find the right words to mark the occasion.

Preaching for Special Services will help pastors prepare sermons for these special services. Each chapter explores a different occasion and offers the perspective, encouragement, and practical advice that pastors need as they plan their messages.

Through this useful book, pastors will discover how Christ-centered special occasion preaching can make a difference in the lives of their listeners.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 1 course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

Fall '24
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 1 and Expository Preaching 5 courses taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 3 course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

Over the last several decades, perceptive observers of Western civilization have documented what virtually everyone has perceived: as the old foundations of society have toppled, morality and personal character have been set adrift and often vanished altogether. How can character be cultivated when it seems no one is willing or able to provide a definitive description of character to which humans should aspire?

While the reasons for this are many and complicated, one of the more potent singular factors is actually theological, says Biermann. Contemporary Lutheranism, in particular, has struggled with the appropriate place of morality and character formation, as these pursuits often have been perceived as being at odds with the central Christian doctrine of justification.

A Case for Character explores this problem and argues that Christian doctrine, specifically as articulated within a Lutheran framework, is altogether capable of encouraging a robust pursuit of character formation while maintaining a faithful expression of justification by grace alone through faith alone.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for The Systems of Systematic Theology session taught by Dr. Jason Gudim.

Fall '21
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson.

Summer Institute of Theology 2021

Textbook for Ethics and the Followers of Christ course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson.

Fall '19

Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. James Molstre.

Basics of Biblical Hebrew Grammar by Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt is the standard textbook for colleges and seminaries. Since its initial publication in 2001 its integrated approach has helped more than 80,000 students learn Biblical Hebrew. The third edition of Basics of Biblical Hebrew Grammar represents a significant updating and revision of the previous edition with the goal of providing students with the best possible tool for learning Biblical Hebrew.

Some of the key features of this resource's effectiveness:

• Combines the best of inductive and deductive approaches.
• Uses actual examples from the Hebrew Old Testament rather than "made-up" illustrations
• Emphasizes the structural pattern of the Hebrew language rather than rote memorization, resulting in a simple, enjoyable, and effective learning process
• Employs colored text that highlights key features of nouns and verbs, allowing easy recognition of new forms
• Includes appendices of verbal paradigms and diagnostics for fast reference and a complete vocabulary glossary
• Displays larger font and text size, making reading easier

By the time students have worked their way through Basics of Biblical Hebrew Grammar they will have learned:

• The Hebrew Alphabet
• Vocabulary for words occurring 70 times or more in the Hebrew Bible
• The Hebrew noun system
• The Hebrew verbal system

A robust suite of learning aids is available for purchase to be used alongside the textbook to help students excel in their studies. These include a workbook; video lectures for each chapter featuring the author; flashcards keyed to vocabulary in each chapter; a laminated study sheet with key concepts; audio of the vocabulary for each chapter to aid in acquisition; and a compact guide to help refresh students refresh their memory on language forms, grammar, and word meaning.

Fall ’25
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring ’25
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew II courses taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Fall ’24
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I and Hebrew II courses taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring ’24
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring '23
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

This updated workbook is designed with the student in mind and intended for use with the standard-setting Basics of Biblical Hebrew Grammar textbook.

As students complete the assignments in the workbook, the concepts they have been learning from the main grammar textbook are reinforced, making this an invaluable study tool to enhance student learning.

Features:

• Hebrew alphabet and pronunciation guide.
• Memorization assistance for all 506 Hebrew words (excluding proper names) that occur 70 times or more in the Hebrew Bible.
• Exercises arranged in order of difficulty—beginning with parsing and identification of forms and ending with composition.
• Larger reading texts with grammatical commentary.
• Plenty of space for annotation.
• Compatible with a wide variety of English Bible translations.

Fall ’25
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring ’25
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew II course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Fall ’24
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I and Hebrew II courses taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring '24
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring '23
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

An abridgment of the award-winning standard reference grammar of New Testament Greek, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, for use in intermediate Greek courses.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Pastoral Greek course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Spring '25
Required FLS textbook for Pastoral Greek course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Fall '24
Required FLS textbook for Pastoral Greek course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Spring '24
Required FLS textbook for Greek II course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Greek II course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Spring '23
Required FLS textbook for Greek 2 course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Fall '22
Required FLS textbook for Greek 2 course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Spring '22
Required FLS textbook for Greek II course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Fall '21
Required FLS textbook for Greek II course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Spring '21
Required FLS textbook for Greek II course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Fall '20
Recommended FLS textbook for Greek II course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Fall '19
Recommended FLS textbook for Greek II course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS) is known to be the definitive edition of the Hebrew Bible. It is widely regarded as a reliable edition of the Hebrew and Aramaic scriptures and is the most widely used original-language edition among scholars. It is a revision of the third edition of the Biblia Hebraica edited by Rudolf Kittel, the first Bible to be based on the Leningrad Codex. Included is a foreword in German, English, French, Spanish, and Latin as well as an English and German key to the Latin words, abbreviations, and other symbols in the critical apparatus.

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS), 2020 Compact Hardcover Edition is identical in content to the standard edition (including the critical apparatus in Latin and the foreword in multiple languages); however, its size makes it exceptionally convenient for the student of Hebrew to carry and use. Its portable size in no way compromises the readability of both text and critical apparatus, which retains a bold, clear font. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS), 2020 Compact Hardcover Edition will be replacing the two compact editions that preceded it: the 2006 Compact Hardcover Edition and the 1997 Compact Paperback Edition. This new edition is priced between these two prior editions and will be appreciated for its greater affordability and sturdy construction.

Fall ’25
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring ’25
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew II courses taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Fall ’24
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I and Hebrew II courses taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring '24
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring '23
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Biblical Theology in the Life of the Early Church recasts biblical theology as a practice cultivated in Christian community rather than a solely academic pursuit. Stephen Presley argues that the early church fathers crafted an ecclesial biblical theology that was lived out communally and oriented believers toward beholding God's glory.

This volume brings patristic biblical interpretation into conversation with contemporary biblical theology, exploring how assumptions and methods of figures such as Irenaeus and Augustine can guide modern hermeneutics. Presley shows how early Christian theologians emphasized virtue and discipleship alongside exegesis, patiently shaping readers to inhabit Scripture's narrative. He illuminates the catechetical and liturgical scaffolding that informed patristic biblical theology, centered on Christ as the cornerstone.

Students and scholars of theology, church history, hermeneutics, and patristics will find valuable new insights.

Fall ’25
Required FLS textbook for Historical Theology I course taught by Pr. Andrew Kneeland.

The first of John N. Oswalt's two-part study of the book of Isaiah for the NICOT series, this commentary on chapters 1û39 combines theological acumen, literary sensitivity, philological expertise, and historical knowledge to present a faithful and accurate reading of one of the Old Testament's most important books.

In the introduction to this work, Oswalt considers Isaiah's background, unity of composition, date and authorship, canonicity, Hebrew text, theology, and problems of interpretation, and he offers a select bibliography for further research. Oswalt also provides substantial discussions of several issues crucial to the book of Isaiah. He notes, for example, that scholars often divide Isaiah into three divisions, with chapters 1–39 addressing Isaiah's contemporaries in the eighth century B.C., chapters 40–55 presupposing the exile of the sixth century, and chapters 56–66 presupposing the eventual return from exile. While taking this scholarship into account Oswalt defends the unity of the prophetic book and argues convincingly that the whole book can be attributed to the Isaiah of the eighth century.

The commentary proper, based on Oswalt's own translation of the Hebrew text, provides pastors, scholars, and students with a lucid interpretation of the book of Isaiah in its ancient context as well as an exposition of its message for today.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Major Prophets course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.
You will need either this or The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction & Commentary.

Spring '24
Required FLS textbook for Major Prophets course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.
You will need either this or The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction & Commentary.

In this complete guide to expository preaching, Bryan Chapell teaches the basics of preparation, organization, and delivery--the trademarks of great preaching. This new edition of a bestselling resource, now updated and revised throughout, shows how Chapell's case for expository preaching reaches twenty-first-century readers.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 1 course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

Fall '24
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 1 course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 1 course taught by Dr. Jerry Moan, Professor of New Testament.

Spring '23
Required FLBC textbook for Preaching and Public Speaking course taught by Dr. James Molstre.

Fall '22
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 1 course taught by Dr. Jerry Moan, Professor of New Testament.

Fall '21
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 1 course taught by Dr. Jerry Moan, Professor of New Testament.

Summer Institute of Theology 2021

Textbook for Christ-Centered Preaching course taught by Dr. Bryan Chapell.

Spring '21
Required FLBC textbook for Preaching/Public Speaking course taught by Dr. James Molstre.

Fall '20
Required FLS textbook for Hermeneutics and Expository Preaching I course taught by Dr. Jerry Moan, Professor of New Testament.

Spring '20
Required FLBC textbook for Preaching/Public Speaking course taught by Dr. James Molstre.

What does the Bible teach about how to live in today’s world?

Best-selling author and professor Wayne Grudem distills over forty years of teaching experience into a single volume aimed at helping readers apply a biblical worldview to difficult ethical issues, including wealth and poverty, marriage and divorce, birth control, abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, business practices, environmental stewardship, telling the truth, knowing God’s will, understanding Old Testament laws, and more.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '21
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson.

Summer Institute of Theology 2021

Textbook for Ethics and the Followers of Christ course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson.

The doctrine of theosis has enjoyed a recent resurgence among varied theological traditions across the realms of historical, dogmatic, and exegetical theology. In Christification: A Lutheran Approach to Theosis, Jordan Cooper evaluates this teaching from a Lutheran perspective. He examines the teachings of the church fathers, the New Testament, and the Lutheran Confessional tradition in conversation with recent scholarship on theosis. Cooper proposes that the participationist soteriology of the early fathers expressed in terms of theosis is compatible with Luther's doctrine of forensic justification. The historic Lutheran tradition, Scripture, and the patristic sources do not limit soteriological discussions to legal terminology, but instead offer a multifaceted doctrine of salvation that encapsulates both participatory and forensic motifs. This is compared and contrasted with the development of the doctrine of deification in the Eastern tradition arising from the thought of Pseudo-Dionysius. Cooper argues that the doctrine of the earliest fathers--such as Irenaeus, Athanasius, and Justin--is primarily a Christological and economic reality defined as "Christification." This model of theosis is placed in contradistinction to later Neoplatonic forms of deification.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

This scholarly commentary on Isaiah 1-12 begins with an introduction that discusses the literary structure and message. For each passage it provides an original translation, textual notes that analyze lexical and grammatical issues in the Hebrew text and ancient versions, followed by historical and theological commentary. Each section explains how the passage relates to the rest of Isaiah 1-66 and concludes with theological reflections on the interconnections within Scripture as a whole. The author interacts with the full range of biblical scholarship. The prophet Isaiah was inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak the Word of God, relevant for the people of God throughout the centuries for contemporary reflection and application. Isaiah 1-12 focuses on Immanuel, "God with us," the Word now become flesh in Jesus Christ.

Fall ’25
Required FLS textbook for Major Prophets course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Isaiah, it has been said, is the Old Testament evangelist par-excellence. While every book in the Old Testament points to Christ as the fulfilment in the New Testament, few do so as overtly or as insistently at the book of Isaiah. The text became a framework for Christology, ecclesiology, and missiology in the early church, and along with the Psalms it remains most quoted scripture in the New Testament.

In this volume on chapters 40-55, Dr. Lessing’s scholarly expertise and decades of service as a seminary professor and pastor are evident as he meticulously expounds the text, historical setting, theology, Christology, and pastoral applications of the 40-55^th chapters of “the fifth Gospel.” Using a faithful, Christo-centric hermeneutic, he focuses on the Isaiah’s visions of “shalom” and Israel’s peaceful homecoming from the Babylonian exile and explains why the prophet’s saving message, soaring language, and unforgettable imagery are so tightly woven into the fabric of Christian hymnody, liturgy, and prayer. He also features the four “servant songs,” espousing the traditional interpretation that they sing of Christ and addressing alternatives that have emerged in recent academia.

Essays

• The Literary, Historical, and Canonical Context of Isaiah
• A History of Studies on Isaiah
• The Servant Songs in Isaiah

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Major Prophets course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Spring '24
Required FLS textbook for Major Prophets course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Spring '22

Required FLS textbook for Major Prophets course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Modern historical study of the Gospels seems to give us a new portrait of Jesus every spring--just in time for Easter. The more unusual the portrait, the more it departs from the traditional view of Jesus, the more attention it gets in the popular media.

Why are scholars so prone to fabricate a new Jesus? Why is the public so eager to accept such claims without question? What methods and assumptions predispose scholars to distort the record? Is there a more sober approach to finding the real Jesus?

Commenting on such recent releases as Bart Ehrman's Misquoting Jesus, James Tabor's The Jesus Dynasty, Michael Baigent's The Jesus Papers and the Gospel of Judas, for which he served as an advisory board member to the National Geographic Society, Craig Evans offers a sane approach to examining the sources for understanding the historical Jesus.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Evangelism and Apologetics course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS and Dr. Jason Gudim, professor of Practical and Systematic Theology.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Evangelism and Apologetics course taught by Dr. James Molstre and Dr. Jason Gudim.

Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy features the spectrum of evangelical positions on inerrancy. Facilitating understanding of these perspectives, particularly where and why they diverge, the contributors to Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy encourage sensitivity as the basis for future evangelical considerations on this topic.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '24
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '22
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '21
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '20
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley, President of FLBCS.

Fall '19
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles/ Doctrine of the Word course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology.

Twenty-first century Christians face significant challenges to their proclamation of the Gospel and to their existence as a faith community. Living in a tumultuous age, Luther faced equally challenging crises. His theological emphases described and considered in this perceptive study have much to offer contemporary pastors and theologians.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word and Christian Ethics courses taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '24
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word and Christian Ethics courses taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '22
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word and Christian Ethics courses taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '21
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word and Christian Ethics courses taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Summer Institute of Theology 2021

Textbook for Ethics and the Followers of Christ course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '20
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley, President of FLBCS.

Fall '19
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles/ Doctrine of the Word course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology.

This graded reader introduces the second-year Hebrew student to various types of biblical Hebrew literature and contains various notations to assist him or her in the further advancement of Hebrew translation and exegesis.

Fall ’25
Recommended FLS textbook for Hebrew III/Hebrew Prose course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew II course taught by Dr. Oliver Blosser.

Fall '18 & Spring '19
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew II course taught by Dr. Oliver Blosser.

Leading biblical scholar Thomas Schreiner provides an easy-to-navigate resource for studying and understanding the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline Letters. This accessibly written volume summarizes the content of each major section of the biblical text to help readers quickly grasp the sense of particular passages.

Fall '25
Required FLBC textbook for Corinthian Epistles course taught by Dr. Jarrod Hylden, Professor of New Testament.
Required FLS textbook for Pastoral Epistles course taught by Dr. Jarrod Hylden, Professor of New Testament.

Fall '24

Required FLBC textbook for Captivity Epistles course taught by Dr. Jarrod Hylden, Professor of New Testament.
Required FLS textbook for Captivity Epistles course taught by Dr. Jarrod Hylden, Professor of New Testament.

Three experienced biblical language professors inspire students and pastors to learn, retain, and use Hebrew for ministry, setting them on a lifelong journey of reading and loving the Hebrew Bible. Written in a conversational style, Hebrew for Life offers practical guidance, inspiration, and motivation. It provides effective strategies to help readers learn biblical Hebrew, maintain current knowledge, and enjoy reading the Old Testament in its original language.

This companion volume to the successful Greek for Life incorporates research-tested strategies for learning, presents methods not usually covered in other textbooks, and surveys helpful resources for recovering Hebrew after a long period of disuse. It will benefit anyone who is taking (or has taken) a year of Hebrew.

Fall ’25
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring ’25
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I and Hebrew II courses taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Fall ’24
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew II course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring '24
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring '23
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought traces the development of Christian theology from its earliest days to the present. Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, this authoritative yet accessible textbook introduces the major theological movements, key ideas, and individual theologians of the Patristic Period, the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the Reformation and Post-Reformation, and the Modern Era up to the present day. Throughout the book, students explore central themes through numerous case studies, primary readings, and study questions at the end of each section.

Spring ’26
Required FLS textbook for Historical Theology II course taught by Pr. Andrew Kneeland.

Fall ’25
Required FLS textbook for Historical Theology I course taught by Pr. Andrew Kneeland.

An Interpretive Lexicon of Old Testament Hebrew and Aramaic is an essential exegetical tool that works as both a lexicon and interpretive handbook. It describes all syntactic functions and semantic meanings for:

• Adverbs
• Conjunctions
• Interjections
• Particles
• Prepositions
• Pronouns

Designed for easy reference in both print and digital formats, this compact lexicon helps students, pastors, and scholars quickly and easily to determine the range of translation possibilities for these essential Hebrew and Aramaic words.

Fall ’25
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew III/Hebrew Prose course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Jesus through Medieval Eyes will take you on an exploration of medieval representations of Jesus in theology and literature.

Who is Jesus? What is he like? And who am I, encountering Jesus? These questions were just as important to Christians in the Middle Ages as they are today.

And yet—as C.S. Lewis noted—the modern church tends to forget that people of different cultures and times also thought carefully about who Jesus was; and sometimes their ideas and emphases were different.

Medievalist scholar Grace Hamman believes that we can deepen our understanding and adoration of Christ by looking to the Christians of the Middle Ages. Medieval Europeans were also suffering through pandemics, dealing with political and ecclesial corruption and instability, and reckoning with gender, money, and power. But their concerns and imaginations are unlike ours. Their ideas, narratives, and art about Jesus open up paradoxically fresh and ancient ways to approach and adore Christ—and to reveal where our own cultural ideals about the Messiah fall short.

Medieval representations of Jesus span from the familiar—like Jesus as the Judge at the End of Days, or Jesus as the Lover of the Song of Songs—to the more unusual, like Jesus as Our Mother. Through the words of medieval people like Julian of Norwich, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Margery Kempe, and St. Thomas Aquinas, we meet these faces of Jesus and find renewed ways to love the Savior, in the words of St. Augustine, that "beauty so ancient and so new."

Fall ’25
Required FLS textbook for Historical Theology I course taught by Pr. Andrew Kneeland.

The Pastoral Letters—1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus—have made an enduring contribution to understanding the role of pastors in the church. With a spirited devotion to the text, Robert Yarbrough helps unlock the meaning of these short but rich letters in this commentary.

In keeping with the character of Pillar New Testament Commentary volumes, The Letters to Timothy and Titus offers a straightforward reading of these texts. Their primary concerns—God, salvation, and the pastoral task—remain central to Yarbrough’s thorough and comprehensive exegesis. Engaging with the best scholarship and resources, Yarbrough shows how these letters are as relevant today as they were to the early Christians.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Pastoral Epistles course taught by Dr. Jarrod Hylden, Professor of New Testament.

Luther’s Works: The American Edition, published by Concordia and Fortress Press between 1955 and 1986, comprises fifty-five volumes. These are a selection representing only about a third of Luther’s works in the Latin and German of the standard Weimar Edition, not including the German Bible.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Pastoral Epistles course taught by Dr. Jarrod Hylden, Professor of New Testament.

This summary laminated sheet of Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics and Basics of New Testament Syntax is perfect for students to review categories of uses and look over possibilities when doing exegesis of the New Testament.

Fall '25
Recommended FLS textbook for Pastoral Greek course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Spring '24

Recommended FLS textbook for Greek II course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Fall '23
Recommended FLS textbook for New Testament Greek II course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Spring '22
Recommended FLS textbook for New Testament Greek 2 course taught by Dr. Phil Haugen.

Many consider pastoral visitation antiquated and impractical. People seem busier than ever, and technology appears to trivialize personal contact. As a result, personal visits are often reserved only for the gravest of situations.

Tyler C. Arnold argues that pastoral visitation is essential to the pastoral role. In Scripture, God visits his people to show his personal interest and concern. This is seen most clearly in the incarnation. Christ's ministry is one of presence. But Jesus is not only an example of visitation ministry; he is the embodiment of it. And in visitation, pastors and laypeople continue Jesus's ministry by bringing Christ to the individual in their very place of need.

Established in strong theological foundations and sensitive to contemporary concerns, Pastoral Visitation exhorts pastors to return to this classic method of individual soul-care.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Pastoral Theology course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

As a pastor, do you feel like you're wearing too many hats?

If you're a pastor, you know the tension of balancing (or trying to) the many roles and expectations that come with leading a church. But are you able to distinguish which roles are truly essential? And can you measure how you're fulfilling them?

Portraits of a Pastor features contributions from evangelical leaders like Jason Allen, Jared Wilson, Daniel Akin, and Owen Strachan on the essential roles and aspects of pastoral ministry. Together the book answers three important questions:

• What does it mean for the pastor to hold all nine roles?
• Why should the pastor fulfill these roles?
• How can the pastor most faithfully fulfill them?

A pastor must be a preacher, shepherd, missionary, evangelist, church historian, theologian, man of God, leader of his household, and leader of others—a tall order! After reading Portraits of a Pastor, you'll:

• Have a clearer vision of the roles you should fulfill in the life of your congregation
• Be inspired to fulfill your calling by growing in new areas of leadership
• Know the unbiblical visions of pastoral leadership that may distract you from your core calling

It's true: much is demanded of pastors. But it's also true that too much is demanded of most pastors. Know what God has called you to, how to fulfill that calling, and what may be distracting you from it.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Pastoral Theology course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

Fall '24
Required FLS textbook for Principles of Pastoral Theology course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

Fall ’23
Required FLS textbook for Pastoral Theology course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

Fall ’22
Required FLS textbook for Principles of Pastoral Theology course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

We live in a post-Christian world. Contemporary thought—claiming to be “progressive” and “liberating”—attempts to place human beings in God’s role as creator, lawgiver, and savior. But these post-Christian ways of thinking and living are running into dead ends and fatal contradictions.

This timely book demonstrates how the Christian worldview stands firm in a world dedicated to constructing its own knowledge, morality, and truth. Gene Edward Veith Jr. points out the problems with how today’s culture views humanity, God, and even reality itself. He offers hope-filled, practical ways believers can live out their faith in a secularist society as a way to recover reality, rebuild culture, and revive faith.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '24
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '22
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '21
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '20
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/Doctrine of the Word course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley, President of FLBCS.

Arguing for the need both to preach Christ in every sermon and to preach regularly from the Old Testament, Sidney Greidanus develops a christocentric method that will help preachers do both simultaneously.

Greidanus challenges Old Testament scholars to broaden their focus and to understand the Old Testament not only in its own historical context but also in the context of the New Testament. Suggesting specific steps and providing concrete examples, this volume provides a practical guide for preaching Christ from the Old Testament.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 3 course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Fall '24
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 3 course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Fall '22
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 2 course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Fall '21
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 2 course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Spring '21

Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 2 course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology.

Spring '20

Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 2 course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology.

Spring '19

Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching 3 course taught by Dr. James Molstre.

Preaching Christ from the Old Testament is a must for pastors interested in preaching the Old Testament. Greidanus begins by explaining the necessity of preaching Christ from the Old Testament, and then gives a thorough history of this type of preaching. But the greatest value of this book will be found in the last half as Greideanus explains how this is done. He takes the reader step by step through the process necessary to preach the Old Testament as God’s redemptive history, and not a series of morality plays. Experienced pastors will find this book helpful and may transform their Old Testament preaching to the powerful preaching of Jesus Christ.
—Dr. James Molstre

This new isagogics textbook examines and explores each book of the Old Testament, preparing students of the Bible to read Israel’s texts with understanding and insight. It helps answer questions such as “What is helpful and what is detrimental to evangelical faith?” and “How do conservative scholars respond to critical views of the Old Testament?” The book interacts with scholars in a respectful way while providing evangelical assessments that foster historical and theological confidence in the Old Testament.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Major Prophets course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Spring '24
Required FLS textbook for Historical Books course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Spring '23
Required FLS textbook for Historical Books course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Spring '22
Required FLS textbook for Historical Books course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Spring '21
Required FLS textbook for Historical Books course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Spring '20
Required FLS textbook for Historical Books course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Spring '19
Required FLS textbook for Historical Books course taught by Dr. Brent Olson, Professor of Old Testament.

Lessing and Steinmann’s Prepare the Way of the LORD is the best recent graduate-level survey of the entire Old Testament from a Lutheran perspective. Each chapter deals concisely with the literature, history, and theology of an Old Testament book. The theology sections are especially noteworthy for their inclusion of topics emphasized in Lutheran theology, namely, “Christ in ” and “Sin and grace in .”
—Pr. Brent Olson