DAN B. ALLENDER
2010

Dan Allender’s lyrical book about the Sabbath expels the myriad myths about this “day of rest,” starting with the one that paints the Sabbath as a day of forced quiet, spiritual exercises, and religious devotion and attendance. This, he says, is at odds with the ancient tradition of Sabbath as a day of delight for both body and soul. Instead, the only way we can make use of the Sabbath is to see God’s original intent for the day with new eyes. In Sabbath, Allender builds a case for delight by looking at this day as a festival that celebrates God’s re-creative, redemptive love using four components:

· Sensual glory and beauty
· Ritual
· Communal feasting
· Playfulness

Now you can experience the delight of the Sabbath as you never have before—a day in which you receive and extend reconciliation, peace, abundance, and joy.

ANITA AMSTUTZ
2018

We live in hungry times. There is economic uncertainty, fear, violence, division, and social chaos. What is needed for times such as these is a heart full of courage and wisdom grounded in compassion and resilience. For this, we can turn to one of the practices that for so many centuries nourished people of faith through incredibly difficult life circumstances and service. Traditionally it was a communal gathering time of rest, ritual, and prayer. It is Sabbath keeping. In Soul Tending, Anita Amstutz offers field notes and a road map from her own Sabbath keeping for the 21st century — a practice rooted in tradition but whose tenets can be applied to practices fit for our present hectic and troubling world. Anita has written the book in such a way that it can easily be adapted as a study guide! Each chapter ends with a list of questions for reflection that are perfect for use by full congregations, independent readers, and every kind of group in between. This provides an accessible and engaging method to a shared understanding of Sabbath keeping in the modern day.

LYNNE M. BAAB
2005

When we fail to rest we do more than burn ourselves out. We misunderstand the God who calls us to rest--who created us to be people of rest. Let's face it: our rest needs work. Sabbath recalls our creation, and with it God's satisfaction with us as he made us, without our hurried wrangling and harried worrying. It also recalls God's deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, and with it God's ability to do completely what we cannot complete in ourselves. Sabbath keeping reminds us that we are free to rest each week.

Eighteen months in Tel Aviv, Israel, where a weekly sabbath is built into the culture, began Lynne M. Baab's twenty-five-year embrace of a rhythm of rest—as a stay-at-home mom, as a professional writer working out of her home and as a minister of the gospel. With collected insights from sabbath keepers of all ages and backgrounds, Sabbath Keeping offers a practical and hopeful guidebook that encourages all of us to slow down and enjoy our relationship with the God of the universe.

LYNNE M. BAAB
2007

What is the sabbath? A weekly day of rest and worship. A day to rejoice in abundance. A day to practice thankfulness. A day to slow down, take a deep breath, step aside from work and worries, and let the world go on without us, knowing that God is caring for everyone and everything. In this eight-session LifeGuide® Bible Study will help you to learn more about what sabbath is and how to practice it. More people of all ages are finding the sabbath to be a gift from God that brings a renewed awareness of who God is and who we are as God's beloved children. Come and discover God's gift of rest.

RUTH HALEY BARTON
2022

In our frenzied culture, the possibility of living in balanced rhythms of work and rest often feels elusive. This rings especially true for pastors and leaders who carry the weight of nonstop responsibility. Most know they need rest but might be surprised to find within themselves a deep resistance to letting go and resting in God one day a week, let alone for longer seasons of sabbatical.

The journey to a meaningful sabbath practice is slow and gradual, and it is a journey we need to take in community. Sharing her own story of practicing sabbath for the past twenty years, Ruth Haley Barton offers hard-won wisdom regarding the rhythms of sabbath, exploring both weekly sabbath keeping as well as extended periods of sabbatical time.

Sabbath is more than a practice—it is a way of life ordered around God's invitation to regular rhythms of work, rest, and replenishment that will sustain us for the long haul of life in leadership.

CAROL M. BECHTEL
2022

Sabbath reminds us to honor God who honors us by giving us a day each week to reset our pace, our priorities, and our lives. In Celebrating Sabbath: Accepting God’s Gift of Rest and Delight, Carol M. Bechtel leads us through a study of Sabbath over nine lessons. Participants will consider Sabbath anew and will come away renewed.

WENDELL BERRY
2014

Wendell Berry’s Sabbath Poems are filled with spiritual longing and political extremity, memorials and celebrations, elegies and lyrics, alongside the occasional rants of the Mad Farmer, pushed to the edge yet again by his compatriots and elected officials. With the publication of this new complete edition, it has become increasingly clear that the Sabbath Poems have become the very heart of Berry’s work.

WENDELL BERRY
2024

A companion to his beloved volume This Day and Wendell Berry’s first new poetry collection since 2016, this new selection of Sabbath Poems are filled with spiritual longing and political extremity, memorials and celebrations, elegies and lyrics, alongside the occasional rants of the Mad Farmer, pushed to the edge yet again by his compatriots and elected officials.

KATY BOATMAN
2022

School is hard. Homework is exhausting. Family doesn’t understand. Friends fight. Emotions are overwhelming. Anxiety is paralyzing. You just need a break. And that’s okay! You Can Rest. Katy Boatman gets it. She has felt all the fears, anxieties, and overwhelming stress. She has worked with preteen and teen girls since she was one and is here to help calm hearts and minds by moving focus to the one who brings true rest: Jesus. With a verse, devotion, and prayer each day, and journaling prompts throughout, this 100-day devotional helps readers reflect on their everyday anxieties from a biblical perspective, leading to hope in Christ.

WALTER BRUEGGEMANN
2017

In this new edition that includes a six-session study guide, popular author Walter Brueggemann writes that the Sabbath is not simply about keeping rules but rather about becoming a whole person and restoring a whole society. Brueggemann calls out our 24/7 society of consumption, a society in which we live to achieve, accomplish, perform, and possess. We want more, own more, use more, eat more, and drink more. Brueggemann shows readers how keeping the Sabbath allows us to break this restless cycle and focus on what is truly important: God, other people, all life. Perfect for groups or self-reflection, Sabbath as Resistance offers a transformative vision of the wholeness God intends, giving world-weary Christians a glimpse of a more fulfilling and simpler life through Sabbath observance.

STUART BRYAN
2009

Sundays are feast days. But sometimes, that's awfully hard to remember. We often get too busy trying to keep track of all the rest of our obligations and restrictions. Yet, as Stuart Bryan explains, this is not the emphasis of Scripture. The Lord's Day is a day of freedom, a day defined by thanksgiving—for God's grace, for the opportunities to share that grace with others, and for the hope we have in the glorious rest to come. A Taste of Sabbath is a short defense of sabbath celebration, which includes practical suggestions for you and your family as to how to better remember the rest which the Lord has given us.

MARK BUCHANAN
2007

Many of us have endless demands and stifling daily routines. Learn why Sabbath is essential to our full humanity and faith, a rhythm of work and rest set by God that if restored to our lives will bring prolonged life, enriched relationships, increased fruitfulness, and abundant joy.

In The Rest of God, you’ll:

· Form a deeper relationship with God by understanding Sabbath’s true purpose
· Learn how Sabbath allows us to live more fully into our status as free people, released from the grueling, incessant demands of life
· Connect Sabbath to the ultimate rest—heaven
· Receive practical advice for restoring Sabbath in your life

With this book, Buchanan reminds us that Sabbath is about much more than going to church on Sunday. It's about the much-needed time to be still. The gift of Sabbath is essential to our full humanity and faith. God, knowing that and knowing how easily we might neglect it, made it a command. Begin your own journey of restoration and renewal!

KATHLEEN CASEY
2006

The most ancient of Judeo-Christian traditions can have real meaning in our hectic contemporary lives once we realize that the significance of Sabbath is our relationship with God. Kathleen Casey invites us to explore Sabbath as more than a day of rest or obligation. Discover, as she did, that Sabbath is a gift from God, a time apart from our busy everyday lives when we can get to know God, explore values, contemplate life's big questions, and express love and gratitude. In these thirteen reflections, each with scripture, a meditation activity, and meditation questions, Casey invites us explore the gifts God gives us through the celebration of Sabbath.

D.A. CARSON (editor)
1999

A series of authors assert the premise that Sunday is "a new day of worship that was chosen to commemorate the unique, salvation-historical event of the death and resurrection of Christ, rather than merely being another day for celebrating the Sabbath."

ASHERITAH CIUCIU
2022

Do you feel too busy to pray? Then you’re invited to find REST in God’s loving presence. In Prayers of Rest: Daily Prompts to Hear God’s Voice, Asheritah Ciuciu offers you a respite from your spiritual to-do list. She provides guided prayers that will focus your mind and heart on Scripture. Using a memorable acronym and daily Bible verses, this prayer devotional will guide you through worship, confession, stillness, and surrender. You’ll learn to:

Recite God’s Goodness
Express Your Neediness
Seek His Stillness
Trust His Faithfulness

Don’t let distractions pull you away from God. When the duties of life begin to weigh on your mind... that’s exactly when you need to rest in the Lord.

JESS CONNOLLY
2024

You know the cycle: You start the day already exhausted and end it defeated, all the while telling yourself things will get better if you can just power through this week. But then the weeks turn into months, and you start to believe you'll never be able to stop, slow down, or catch your breath. You wouldn't even know how if you tried.

Yet God has made you for a life of abundance, not a life of exhaustion. It's time to quit the unsustainable pace and receive God's gift of realistic rest. With relatable stories and eye-opening insights, bestselling author and speaker Jess Connolly shows you:

· how to find the source of your fatigue
· scripts for saying no and strategies for protecting your peace
· practices for bringing realistic rest into your daily and weekly rhythms

You can break the cycle of living like you're constantly on the hook. This book will show you how to find new rhythms so that you can experience the abundant life God intended for you. Come to Jesus to find rest for your weary and burdened soul.

JOHN ELDREDGE
2022

Between false promises of ease and comfort on one side and the sheer busyness and stress of daily life on the other, people today are facing a shortage of peace, happiness, and strength. In Resilient, Eldredge reveals a path toward genuine recovery and resilience through Jesus himself.

Drawing on wisdom from Scripture and Christian tradition, and illustrated throughout with powerful, true stories of grit and survival, Resilient will help you:

· Tap into the river of life that God promises his people
· Learn to be patient with yourself--genuine recovery from spiritual and emotional trauma takes time and intentionality
· Create a plan to foster resilience in your day-to-day life
· Discover deep wells of freedom and strength through Christ who lives within us

Thriving requires a resilient soul. This book will help you find the resilience you long for when the world has gone mad--and discover in Jesus himself the strength that prevails.

JAMIE ERICKSON
2022

Hygge [HYOO-guh] has become a cultural buzzword. When many read about this Danish practice, their shoulders lift in excitement, then fall in exhale. In a culture of rush, hygge appeals to their desire for rest—for slow living, shared moments, and fostered friendships. Hygge has strong ties to beauty, contentment, and well-being. It’s warm and inviting. Hygge is the opposite of hustle. It eschews abundance. It savors. It takes things slow and envelopes you in sanctuary. Hygge is home. When you sit in a comfy chair by the fire, that’s hygge. When you arrange a fresh bouquet of wildflowers on a bedside table, that’s hygge too. Candles, soft furnishings, natural light, fresh-baked pastries, intimate gatherings with friends—these are what come to mind when you think of hygge. But hygge can be so much more.

In Holy Hygge, author Jamie Erickson unites the popular Danish practice with the deep, theological truths of the gospel. She unpacks the seven tenets of hygge: hospitality, relationships, well-being, atmosphere, comfort, contentment, and rest. In addition, Erickson shows how the external veneer of a lifestyle can create a life-giving home only when placed under the hope of the gospel. Holy Hygge provides practical ideas for using hygge to gather people and introduce them to faith in Christ. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions, Scripture references, and a prayer.

RICHARD GAFFIN
2009

Calvin's views on the Sabbath are the subject of claim and counterclaim. This book brings together two controversial themes: Calvin's ideas on Church/state relationships, and on the sabbath. Richard Gaffin traces the development of the beliefs of Calvin through his comments and writings, and also helps us to understand the relationship between the ten commandments and the New Testament. Calvin's conclusions have a much wider implication than just what you do on Sunday! You might also be surprised by Griffin's analysis!

JUSTO L. GONZÁLEZ
2017

In this accessible historical overview of Sunday, noted scholar Justo González tells the story of how and why Christians have worshiped on Sunday from the earliest days of the church to the present. After discussing the views and practices relating to Sunday in the ancient church, González turns to Constantine and how his policies affected Sunday observances. He then recounts the long process, beginning in the Middle Ages and culminating with Puritanism, whereby Christians came to think of and strictly observe Sunday as the Sabbath. Finally, González looks at the current state of things, exploring especially how the explosive growth of the church in the Majority World has affected the observance of Sunday worldwide. Readers of this book will rediscover the joy and excitement of Sunday as early Christians celebrated it and will find fresh, inspiring perspectives on Sunday amid our current culture of indifference and even hostility to Christianity.

ROBERT HALDANE
2021

Haldane proves the Lord’s Day is a permanent obligation, afterward embodied in the Ten Commandments and recognized by Jesus and His apostles, and that the change of day does not void the fourth commandment. He sets forth how beautifully the Sabbath day depicts the patience, goodness, and mercy of Jehovah. Most divine institutions point out the consequences of sin, but the Sabbath traces its origin to the time when man walked in innocence in the immediate presence of the Lord. We are to remember an institution forgotten in the bondage of Egypt—to keep holy a day God claims as His inalienable property, a claim restated by Jesus Christ for us.

TRICIA HERSEY
2022

What would it be like to live in a well-rested world? Far too many of us have claimed productivity as the cornerstone of success. Brainwashed by capitalism, we subject our bodies and minds to work at an unrealistic, damaging, and machine‑level pace –– feeding into the same engine that enslaved millions into brutal labor for its own relentless benefit.

In Rest Is Resistance, Tricia Hersey, aka the Nap Bishop, casts an illuminating light on our troubled relationship with rest and how to imagine and dream our way to a future where rest is exalted. Our worth does not reside in how much we produce, especially not for a system that exploits and dehumanizes us. Rest, in its simplest form, becomes an act of resistance and a reclaiming of power because it asserts our most basic humanity. We are enough. The systems cannot have us.

Rest Is Resistance is rooted in spiritual energy and centered in Black liberation, womanism, somatics, and Afrofuturism. With captivating storytelling and practical advice, all delivered in Hersey’s lyrical voice and informed by her deep experience in theology, activism, and performance art, Rest Is Resistance is a call to action, a battle cry, a field guide, and a manifesto for all of us who are sleep deprived, searching for justice, and longing to be liberated from the oppressive grip of Grind Culture.

ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL
2005

Elegant, passionate, and filled with the love of God's creation, Abraham Joshua Heschel's The Sabbath has been hailed as a classic of Jewish spirituality ever since its original publication-and has been read by thousands of people seeking meaning in modern life. In this brief yet profound meditation on the meaning of the Seventh Day, Heschel introduced the idea of an "architecture of holiness" that appears not in space but in time Judaism, he argues, is a religion of time: it finds meaning not in space and the material things that fill it but in time and the eternity that imbues it, so that "the Sabbaths are our great cathedrals.

MARIANNE HOWARD
2023

REST invites the reader into deeper intimacy with Jesus, the giver of rest. Jesus invites the weary and burdened to come to Him. This book will lead readers on a journey to understanding genuine soul rest and how to achieve this rest while examining and modifying spiritual, personal, and professional priorities, in order to move to abundant living and leading and develop an aggressive attentiveness to the presence of God.

DANIEL HOWE
2023

“One day a week, we lay aside our tools, wash off the sweat, stop pursuing our agendas, and feast and sing in honor of God.”

The world tells us that work is our identity. Career, income, and the toys they let us buy determine our success or failure. But God says otherwise. The Sabbath is his weekly message that the good things we have are his gift. Once a week he invites us to set aside our labor, trust him to provide, and celebrate his faithfulness.

In this book, Daniel Howe makes the case that the Christian Sabbath is not about what we’re forbidden from doing. It’s about what we get to do: honor and enjoy God’s gift of rest, and share it with others.

JON ENGLISH LEE
2024

This book contains a defense of the idea that God’s rest on Day 7 of the creation week is instructive for people today. More technically, this book argues for the propriety of weekly Sabbath rest. This means that the normal pattern to be followed by humanity is a week, consisting of seven 24-hour days, six of which are spent in work while the other day is devoted to rest. Theologians would use the language of God’s rest being a “creation ordinance,” which is a term that many theologians use, but none have defined.

To aid the discussion, this book defines a creation ordinance as a normative, but not uniformly observed, general pattern the exceptions to which must fulfill and contribute to the pattern’s fulfillment; moreover, the pattern must be confirmed, not negated or abrogated, by later biblical revelation.

After discussing methodological and hermeneutical presuppositions, the heart of the book begins in chapter 3 with biblical-theological analysis of Genesis 2, noting that God’s rest is the consummation of God’s creative work, God’s enthronement in his cosmic temple, and his consecration of the creation unto him. God’s rest ought to be imitated by mankind for several reasons: God’s intention behind the pattern, Mosaic authorship of Genesis, and the fourth commandment in the decalogue explicitly cites God’s rest in Genesis 2. Later, a detailed analysis is provided of the sabbath commandment in the old covenant. The sabbath ordinance takes on supplemental ceremonial importance under the Mosaic law.

Then, the book moves into the New Testament analysis, where Jesus is shown to be the giver of rest. Being the fulfillment to which all the Old Testament types were pointing, Jesus brings salvific rest through his perfect atonement. However, the fullness of Christ’s redemptive work will not be tasted until the eschaton, so the weekly sabbath pattern retains its typological value for new covenant believers.

The book concludes with a survey of significant historical events/theologians who contributed to the sabbath debate, followed by ecclesiological and personal implications of sabbath rest being seen as a creation ordinance.

KATHI LIPP
2024

Could you use a break from cooking (and everything else) once a week? Not only is rest vital for your mind and body, it’s good for your soul too. God designed us to enter into Sabbath rest one day per week, but as you know, meals still need to be made. Your family still needs to be fed. Sabbath Soup includes convenient, seasonal meal plans that take the guesswork out of shopping and cooking. More than just a collection of delicious recipes—including main dishes, breads, breakfasts, desserts, salads, sides, and yes, soups—this is your guide to establishing a weekly rhythm and routine of meal planning and prep that allows you to have a true day off. Do something good for your soul and experience the peace that comes with a full day dedicated to spending time with God, family, and friends. Savor your Sabbath as you proudly proclaim, “Soup’s on!”

ERYN LYNUM
2025

In a world that prizes hustle and constant productivity, breaking the habit of hurry can seem far-fetched, and yet we still try to achieve it with life hacks to get more sleep and increase energy. But self-help strategies are not the solution to our exhaustion problem.

In this six-week Bible study, you'll explore the deep roots of rest found in Scripture and the outdoors while unearthing attainable rest for everyday life. Through nature reflections, scriptural word studies, and guided journaling prompts, you will learn how to:

· Return to God’s original pattern of rest and work
· Turn seasons of waiting into restful growth
· Experience daily rest through selah pauses
· Practice Sabbath in a way that fits your lifestyle
· Live every day in God’s restful presence

God’s promise of rest offers a path out of hurry and exhaustion and into a life of peace and purpose. This is an invitation to live fully alive. Will you take it?

ALEXIS MCCROSSEN
2001

The mass protests that greeted attempts to open the 1893 Chicago World's Fair on a Sunday seem almost comical today in an era of seven-day convenience and twenty-four-hour shopping. But the issue of the meaning of Sunday is one that has historically given rise to a wide range of strong emotions and pitted a surprising variety of social, religious, and class interests against one another. Whether observed as a day for rest, or time-and-a-half, Sunday has always been a day apart in the American week. Supplementing wide-ranging historical research with the reflections and experiences of ordinary individuals, Alexis McCrossen traces conflicts over the meaning of Sunday that have shaped the day in the United States since 1800. She investigates cultural phenomena such as blue laws and the Sunday newspaper, alongside representations of Sunday in the popular arts. Holy Day, Holiday attends to the history of religion, as well as the histories of labor, leisure, and domesticity.

ADAM MABRY
2018

For some of us, resting seems like a waste of time—it means we're missing out on other things. For others, rest seems like a luxury—there's simply too much to do. And for almost all of us, we crave rest, but don't always know how to. This warm, realistic, humorous book shows us the huge spiritual, emotional and physical rewards of rest. It shows us how rest gives us time to spend with God and remember his grace. Discover how rest fuels our joy and confidence in God's sovereignty as we learn to depend on him, and not our own efforts, and are refreshed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Adam Mabry shows us how rest helps us make space for relationships, shared experiences and moments to remember; how it liberates us from the pressure of self-reliance; how it gives us a chance to think and reflect; and how it stops us from burning out. Finally, this book casts a realistic vision for rest that is less rule and more rhythm—less onerous restriction and more liberating art form. Adam Mabry helps us to learn the 'art of rest' with some practical suggestions. The world never stops. But we need to. And as Christians we can by having faith to hit pause and experience the rich rewards of God-given rest.

SHELLY MILLER
2016

This book is for anyone who is weary--who longs for rest but doesn't know how to make it a reality. Shelly Miller, a sought-after mentor on Sabbath-keeping, shows how even busy people can implement a rhythm of rest into their lives--from small windows of time to a whole morning or day. With encouraging stories from people in different stages in life, Miller shares practical advice for not only finding physical refreshment but also restoring your soul. You will learn:

· Simple ways to be intentional about rest
· Ideas for tuning out distractions and tuning in to God
· How meals and other times with friends and family can be Sabbath experiences

Sabbath is a gift from God to be embraced, not a spiritual hoop to jump through. Discover how genuine rest is possible today.

WAYNE MULLER
2000

In today's world, with its relentless emphasis on success and productivity, we have lost the necessary rhythm of life, the balance between work and rest. Constantly striving, we feel exhausted and deprived in the midst of great abundance. We long for time with friends and family, we long for a moment to ourselves. Millennia ago, the tradition of Sabbath created an oasis of sacred time within a life of unceasing labor. Now, in a book that can heal our harried lives, Wayne Muller, author of the spiritual classic How, Then, Shall We Live?, shows us how to create a special time of rest, delight, and renewal--a refuge for our souls. We need not even schedule an entire day each week. Sabbath time can be a Sabbath afternoon, a Sabbath hour, a Sabbath walk. With wonderful stories, poems, and suggestions for practice, Muller teaches us how we can use this time of sacred rest to refresh our bodies and minds, restore our creativity, and regain our birthright of inner happiness.

ROB MUTHIAH
2015

Are you are a busy Christian trying to navigate the demands and values of a culture moving at hyper speed? Then this book is for you. This is a book for those who long for something more . . . or something less. Sabbath spirituality attends to that longing. The ancient practice of Sabbath contains within it incredible riches waiting to be rediscovered. But is a spirituality rooted in Sabbath realistic in our fast-paced world? Why is the idea of Sabbath even worth considering today? By bringing together stories, Scripture, and theological reflection, we will wrestle with these and other questions related to living the Sabbath in our nonstop culture. Sabbath is about rest, celebration, and relationships, but it is also about so much more. We will see how Sabbath leads us to wrestle with the gods of Consumerism, cage the animal of Technology, and pursue God's justice on behalf of all people. Throughout this book you will be invited to ponder and embrace specific weekly choices in relation to a rich understanding of Sabbath. From these choices emerges a Sabbath spirituality that comes to wonderfully color the other six days of the week as well.

ALEX SOOJUNG-KIM PARK
2018

Overwork is the new normal. Rest is something to do when the important things are done—but they are never done. Looking at different forms of rest, from sleep to vacation, Silicon Valley futurist and business consultant Alex Soojung-Kim Pang dispels the myth that the harder we work the better the outcome. He combines rigorous scientific research with a rich array of examples of writers, painters, and thinkers—from Darwin to Stephen King—to challenge our tendency to see work and relaxation as antithetical. "Deliberate rest," as Pang calls it, is the true key to productivity, and will give us more energy, sharper ideas, and a better life. Rest offers a roadmap to rediscovering the importance of rest in our lives, and a convincing argument that we need to relax more if we actually want to get more done.

CHED MYERS
2023

There is enough for everyone. That’s the vision woven into the warp and weft of the Bible, through the principles of Sabbath Economics.

This is God’s vision of human living, where the world is an abundant gift. It is a vision where we live with gratitude and accept our limits; where forgiveness is not just a spiritual matter but a practical reality for the systems of debt and ownership. It is a vision of good news for the poor.

In this concise and powerful collection of essays, Ched Myers grasps the nettle of Biblical stories and parables we prefer not to take literally, revealing an ancient standard of social justice waiting to be revived.

JOSEPH PIPA
1996

Are we missing out on God's blessing by the way we celebrate the Lord's Day - are we too legalistic or too lax? Is the Spirit grieved by our disrespect to God or frustrated by our thralldom to unnecessary restrictions? These and other questions are answered in The Lord's Day. Joey Pipa is known for his warm pastoral application of Scriptural principles. Here, he takes an authoritative look at the 'first day.'

PIP REID
2020

The Sabbath Activity Book is designed for parents and teachers looking to teach 3rd through 6th graders the importance of the Sabbath. It’s packed with activities, worksheets, coloring pages, crafts, puzzles, and illustrations to capture their attention and keep them engaged in learning. Designed to promote impactful discipleship, this Activity Book contains discussion questions that encourage kids to delve deeper into the Bible and its teachings, inspiring them to honor the Sabbath and spend time in God's Word.

RICH ROBINSON
2014

Christ in the Sabbath will take you on a “Sabbath tour” of the Bible. You’ll explore the themes of Shabbat (Hebrew for "Sabbath") and rest in both Old and New Testament and then discover what it has meant to Jews and Christians for centuries. Rabbinical comments and a variety of traditions provide clarity and credibility to the study of Sabbath.

This volume does not resolve all the differences among Christians concerning the place of the Sabbath today; instead, the journey undertaken in this book is designed to help you form your own conclusions—or inspire you to continue exploring the meaning and significance behind the Sabbath.

PRISCILLA SHIRER
2014

One of the greatest challenges among women in our culture is taking time to cease from all the activities and just breathe. We are in bondage to busyness. We constantly strive to complete the limitless to-do lists that hinder us from experiencing all that God has for us.

By neglecting time for tranquility, serenity, and repose, we limit our Christlikeness and miss out on some of God's greatest gifts. In the Old Testament, Sabbath was given to the Israelites as a gift, and it is still a gift to us today. If you are weary, worn out, and exhausted, then the concept of Sabbath will change your life.

JUDITH SHULEVITZ
2011

What is the Sabbath, anyway? The holy day of rest? The first effort to protect the rights of workers? A smart way to manage stress in a world in which computers never get turned off and work never comes to an end? Or simply an oppressive, outmoded rite? In The Sabbath World, Judith Shulevitz explores the Jewish and Christian day of rest, from its origins in the ancient world to its complicated observance in the modern one. Braiding ideas together with memories, Shulevitz delves into the legends, history, and philosophy that have grown up around a custom that has lessons for all of us, not just the religious. The shared day of nonwork has built communities, sustained cultures, and connected us to the memory of our ancestors and to our better selves, but it has also aroused as much resentment as love. The Sabbath World tells this surprising story together with an account of Shulevitz’s own struggle to keep this difficult, rewarding day.

A.J. SWOBODA
2018

We live in a 24/7 culture of endless productivity, workaholism, distraction, burnout, and anxiety--a way of life to which we've sadly grown accustomed. This tired system of "life" ultimately destroys our souls, our bodies, our relationships, our society, and the rest of God's creation. The whole world grows exhausted because humanity has forgotten to enter into God's rest.

This book pioneers a creative path to an alternative way of existing. Combining creative storytelling, pastoral sensitivity, practical insight, and relevant academic research, Subversive Sabbath offers a unique invitation to personal Sabbath-keeping that leads to fuller and more joyful lives. A. J. Swoboda demonstrates that Sabbath is both a spiritual discipline and a form of social justice, connects Sabbath-keeping to local communities, and explains how God may actually do more when we do less. He shows that the biblical practice of Sabbath-keeping is God's plan for the restoration and healing of all creation.

J. DANA TRENT
2017

In our culture of constant busyness, most of us feel like we're never caught up. The lines between home and work have blurred as we stay tethered to our mobile devices and computers. Many people use weekends to catch up on errands and other work that doesn't get done during the week. God's commandment to "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy" seems like a relic from a simpler time. Many Americans balk at the idea of setting aside a whole day for worship, rest, and time with those who matter most to them. Yet we long for more time to spend on what matters most—unrushed time to rest, reconnect with friends and loved ones, and deepen our relationship with God. An ancient spiritual practice exists that can help restore balance to our lives: the practice of keeping sabbath. But how exactly do we manage to build time for sabbath into our busy lives? Dana Trent explores this question in For Sabbath's Sake. With humor and honesty, Trent reveals her own struggles with setting apart a day devoted to God, rest, and community. This book traces the rich history of sabbath, helps you find ways to overcome barriers to this spiritual practice, and suggests achievable ways to build sabbath into your life.

GUY PRENTISS WATERS
2022

When it comes to the Sabbath, Christians have different ideas on what it means and how to observe it. For many people, it is a day to go to church and have fellowship with other believers. What they often miss, though, is that the Sabbath is intricately tied to rest and worship—both of which ultimately point to the Lord as our creator and redeemer.

In this addition to the Short Studies in Biblical Theology series, Guy Prentiss Waters offers an introductory study of the Sabbath from the creation of the world to the consummation of all things when Jesus returns. He shows how the Sabbath is observed through the major themes and genres of the Bible—creation, law, prophets, Jesus, and the apostles—and how that applies to our lives today. Waters teaches us about the Sabbath’s full restoration in the new heavens and the new earth and its continual reminder of the covenant that God has made with his people.

TRAVIS WEST
2025

Hebrew scholar and Old Testament professor Travis West believes that we’ve misunderstood what it means to truly Sabbath. In his book, The Sabbath Way, Travis takes readers on a spiritual journey to discovering radical rest is more than a weekly practice of taking a day off—it’s also a posture, a way of living every day. It means much more than sleeping in, taking naps, or chilling poolside for an afternoon; instead, the radical rest of Sabbath means putting rest—and delight, gratitude, and flourishing—first rather than last. Using personal story and expert knowledge, Travis shows Christians how to make Sabbath rest the metronome that establishes and maintains our life’s rhythms, apprenticing us to abundance our whole life long.

Readers of this book will discover how the Sabbath:

· Slows us down and helps us discover the things that make us feel most alive, freeing us from rigidity and legalism;
· Disrupts our cultural obsession with productivity and achievement and cultivates a more life-giving connection between our work and our worth;
· Inspires an unhurried, sacramental worldview that sees all of life as a gift;
· Safeguards neighborliness, creation care, awareness of God’s presence, justice, belonging and inclusiveness—enabling us to grow into the people God is calling us to be in our lives, our homes, our workplaces, our communities, and our world.

The Spirit of God longs for you to be fully alive, and the world needs your unique vitality. The Sabbath is calling. Will you come?

BONNIE SMITH WHITEHOUSE
2022

Seasons of Wonder is designed to allow you to gather together weekly with your loved ones and expand your understanding of divinity, specifically the radical but faithful idea that everything is sacred. This devotional is designed around weekly contemplative activities as well as interactive and transformative practices that connect us to surprise, awe, and wonder, including:

• uncomplicated crafts that honor creation
• simple recipes to make together
• conversation guides to cultivate the gifts of storytelling, deep listening, mystery, and community
• accessible introductions to liturgical observations and rituals
• plus four additional weeks of activities that you can incorporate whenever they’re appropriate, such as birthdays, sick days, or when you’re traveling together or blessing your home.

Bonnie Smith Whitehouse invites us all to consider the life-changing idea that small, intentional moments of wonder are charged manifestations of the grand presence of Christ in me, in you, and in this dazzling, vast—and imperiled—blue planet we call our beloved home. By spending a short amount of time together with Seasons of Wonder every week this year, you can transform an ordinary meeting into a sacred gathering.

LAUREN F. WINNER
2007

“It's not just that Jesus was a Jew, Jesus still is a Jew. Engaging Jewish practice and tradition is one important way of overcoming the gaps that we sometimes feel exist between Jesus and ourselves.”—Lauren Winner

After her conversion from Orthodox Judaism to Christianity, Lauren Winner found that her life was indelibly marked by the rich traditions and spiritual practices of Judaism. She set out to discover how she could incorporate some of these practices into her new faith. Whether discussing attentive eating, marking the days while grieving, the community that supports a marriage, candle-lighting, or the differences between the Jewish Sabbath and a Sunday spent at the Mudhouse, her favorite coffee shop, Winner writes with appealing honesty and rare insight.

NORMAN WIRZBA
2006

Our traditional understanding of Sabbath observance is resting from our otherwise harried lives one day a week. But in Living the Sabbath, Norman Wirzba leads us deeper into the heart of Sabbath with a holistic and rewarding interpretation of what true Sabbath-keeping can mean in our lives today. Wirzba teaches that Sabbath is ultimately about delight in the goodness that God has made--in everything we do, every day of the week. He then shows how this understanding of Sabbath teaching has the potential to elevate all our activities so that they bring honor to God and delight to the world. With practical examples, Wirzba unpacks what that means for our work, our homes, our economy, our schools, our treatment of creation, and our churches. In doing so, he examines everything from the way chickens are treated in our food industry to the value of family mealtime. In the end, you will be equipped with a deeper theological understanding of Sabbath, as well as down-to-earth ways to live it out in your daily life. This book will appeal to clergy and laypeople alike who are seeking ways to discover the transformative power of Sabbath.

CHERYL WUNDERLICH
2017

Your to-do list is beyond taming, and your commitments are unavoidable. How could you allow yourself to rest in busy times like these? What would rest even look like in your life?

Author Cheryl Wunderlich knows these questions well. After years caught up in the whirlwind of family life, motherhood, work, and ministry, she couldn’t imagine allowing rest for herself—until cancer forced her to stop. In her crushing battle with exhaustion, she began to hear God’s still, small voice inviting her to hope, be restored, and to find deep soul-quenching rest in Him. God’s rest was her way back to life.

These 100 devotions offer prayers, Scripture verses, personal insights, and biblical perspectives on God’s loving gift and command to us: Rest. Be still. You can experience both rewarding work and rejuvenating rest. Accept God’s invitation, and taste the welcome relief of a life balanced in His rest.

CURTIS ZACKERY
2018

In the midst of a cacophony of noise, finding true soul rest is nearly impossible. With so many responsibilities and distractions vying for our attention, too many of us have built unhealthy cycles of rest. As a result, we burn ourselves out, striving and straining against God's intent for our lives. We can only sustain a life of purpose if we learn to truly rest.

In Soul Rest, Curtis "CZ" Zackery reveals how our misaligned view of rest has its roots in an identity that is out of rhythm with God. Taking steps toward understanding Sabbath in the way that God intends can dynamically affect every aspect of our lives. This thoughtful reflection on rest calls us to the hard work of self-examination, helping us move towards a purposeful and sustainable life with Jesus.