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Institute for Faith and Learning
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    • Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture
      • 2022 Art Seeking Understanding
      • 2021 Living Accountably
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      • 2018 Stewardship of Creation
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      • 2016 Higher Learning
      • 2015 The Spirit of Sports
      • 2014 Faith and Film
      • 2013 Kierkegaard: A Christian Thinker for Our Time?
      • 2012 Technology and Human Flourishing
      • 2011 Educating for Wisdom in the 21st Century University
      • 2010 Human Dignity and the Future of Health Care
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      • 2007 Friendship
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    • The Christian Reflection Project
      • Acedia
      • Advent Ethics
      • Aging
      • Anger
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      • The Book of Acts
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Baylor BU Institute for Faith and Learning Media and Resources The Christian Reflection Project The Book of Acts
  • Faith Animating Online Education
  • Institute for Faith and Learning Video Archive
  • Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture Video Archive
  • Bill and Roberta Bailey Family Lecture in Christian Ethics
  • Recommended Reading
  • External Resources
  • The Christian Reflection Project
    • Acedia
    • Advent Ethics
    • Aging
    • Anger
    • Apocalyptic Vision
    • Attentive Patience
    • The Book of Acts
    • Caring for Creation
    • Catechism
    • Chastity
    • Children
    • Christianity and Islam
    • Christmas and Epiphany
    • Cities and Towns
    • Cloning
    • Consumerism
    • Death
    • Disability
    • Easter
    • Food and Hunger
    • Forgiveness
    • Freedom
    • Friendship
    • Gambling Culture
    • Generosity
    • Global Wealth
    • Health
    • Heaven and Hell
    • Hospitality
    • Immigration
    • Inklings of Glory
    • Lent
    • The Letter of James
    • Marriage
    • Membership
    • Monasticism Old and New
    • Moral Landscape of Creation
    • Mysticism
    • Parables
    • Patterns of Violence
    • Peace and War
    • Pentecost
    • Pornographic Culture
    • Prayer
    • Prison
    • Prophetic Ethics
    • Racism
    • Sabbath
    • Schools in a Pluralist Culture
    • Scripture
    • Sermon on the Mount
    • Singing Our Lives
    • Sports
    • Suffering
    • Traveling Well
    • Virtual Lives
    • Vocation
    • Where Wisdom Is Found
    • Women and the Church
    • Women in the Bible
    • Work

The Book of Acts

The Acts of the Apostles is a hidden treasure. John Chrysostom found it to be "replete…with Christian wisdom and sound doctrine" to guide believers.

Acts is thoroughly "missional," Steve Walton notes, for it "is focused on God’s mission, as God draws people into his orbit and brings them into his community." Chad Hartsock adds that Acts "recalls us to a radically selfless gospel whose mission is to reach the ends of the earth…which can be in a land far away, or among the socially marginalized neighbors who live in our shadows every moment."

Luke’s remarkable literary skills support his vision of discipleship. Timothy Churchill shows how recounting Paul’s Damascus road experience three times allows Luke to present the gospel in kernel form and point to the exalted Christ. Timothy Brookins admires the artistry of Paul’s speech in Athens. Andrew Arterbury and Joshua Jipp find important teachings in two of the stranger stories--Eutychus's death-fall and Paul’s shipwreck--by studying their recurring literary themes. Mikeal Parsons traces the themes in Acts not only to Luke’s Gospel, but also to "a plurality of Gospels, which Luke refers to as 'many.'"

The study guides and lesson plans integrate Bible study, prayer, and worship to help us explore Acts as a theological treasure that can shape our discipleship today. The guides can be used in a series or individually. You may download and reproduce them for personal or group use.

Download the entire Book of Acts issue and the set of five Study Guides. Or, download individual pieces by clicking the titles below.

Articles

  • "A Spirituality of Acts," by Steve Walton
  • "Reading Acts as a Sequel to the Fourfold Gospel," by Mikeal C. Parsons
  • "Paul and the Philosophers," by Timothy A. Brookins
  • "A Warning to the Wise: Learning from Eutychus's Mistake," by Andrew E. Arterbury
  • "Philanthropy, Hospitality, and Friendship," by Joshua W. Jipp

Art

  • "Spreading the Gospel 'To the Ends of the Earth,'" by Heidi J. Hornik, on Raphael's Cartoons (for Tapestries)

Hymn and Worship Service

  • Worship Service by Allison Buras
  • "As Christ and Church and Congregation" by Terry W. York and C. David Bolin

Inspirational Pieces

  • "Repetition for a Reason," by Timothy Churchill
  • "The Ever-Expanding Gospel," by Chad Hartsock
  • Other Voices, Quotations on the book of Acts

Book Reviews

  • "A Story that Teaches: The Theology of Acts," by Holly Beers
    • Darrell L. Bock, A Theology of Luke and Acts: God’s Promised Program, Realized for All Nations
    • Luke Timothy Johnson, Prophetic Jesus, Prophetic Church: The Challenge of Luke-Acts to Contemporary Christians
    • C. Kavin Rowe, World Upside Down: Reading Acts in the Graeco-Roman Age
  • "Studying the Book of Acts," by Kathy Maxwell
    • J. Bradley Chance, Acts (Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary Series)
    • Beverly Gaventa, Acts (Abingdon New Testament Commentaries)
    • Mikeal C. Parsons, Acts (Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament)
    • Michael Mullins, The Acts of the Apostles

Study Guides and Lesson Plans (Download the set of five Study Guides)

  • "A Spirituality of Acts"
  • "Reading Acts as a Sequel to the Fourfold Gospel"
  • "Paul and the Philosophers"
  • "A Warning to the Wise: Learning from Eutychus's Mistake"
  • "Philanthropy, Hospitality, and Friendship"
Baylor BU Institute for Faith and Learning Media and Resources The Christian Reflection Project The Book of Acts
  • About
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      • 2021 Living Accountably
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      • 2019 The Character of the University
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      • 2017 The Bible and the Reformation
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      • 2016 Higher Learning
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        • Featured Speakers and Panels
        • Video Archive
      • 2015 The Spirit of Sports
        Back
        • Featured Speakers
        • Video Archive
      • 2014 Faith and Film
        Back
        • Video Archive
      • 2013 Kierkegaard: A Christian Thinker for Our Time?
        Back
        • Featured Speakers
        • Video Archive
      • 2012 Technology and Human Flourishing
        Back
        • Featured Speakers
        • Video Archive
      • 2011 Educating for Wisdom in the 21st Century University
        Back
        • Featured Speakers
        • Video Archive
      • 2010 Human Dignity and the Future of Health Care
        Back
        • Featured Speakers
        • Video Archive
      • 2009 Secularization and Revival
        Back
        • Video Archive
      • 2008 Bottom-Up Approaches to Global Poverty
      • 2007 Friendship
    • Bill and Roberta Bailey Family Lecture in Christian Ethics
      Back
      • Bailey Lecture Video Archive
    • Other Conferences and Events
      Back
      • IFL@25
        Back
        • Select Pictures from IFL@25
      • 2019 LFP National Conference
        Back
        • Presenters
      • Art & Soul
      • Pruit Memorial Symposium
        Back
        • 2001 Celebrating Augustine's Confessions
        • 2002 Christianity and Economics
        • 2003 The Schooled Heart
        • 2004 Slavery, Oppression, and Prejudice
        • 2005 Global Christianity
      • Baylor University Medical Ethics Seminar
        Back
        • 2016 Medical Ethics Seminar
        • 2017 Medical Ethics Seminar
        • 2018 Medical Ethics Seminar
      • One-Time Conferences
  • Programs
    Back
    • Communio: A Retreat for Baylor Educators
    • William Carey Crane Scholars Program
      Back
      • Additional Information
    • Missio
    • Forming Character in the Classroom
      Back
      • About the Program: Called to Character
      • Past Workshops
    • Reading Groups and Guest Speakers
    • Soundings Project
  • Media and Resources
    Back
    • Faith Animating Online Education
      Back
      • Starting Points
      • A Christian Imagination about Online Education?
      • Cultivating Character and Online Learning
      • Additional Resources
    • Institute for Faith and Learning Video Archive
    • Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture Video Archive
    • Bill and Roberta Bailey Family Lecture in Christian Ethics
    • Recommended Reading
    • External Resources
    • The Christian Reflection Project
      Back
      • Acedia
      • Advent Ethics
      • Aging
      • Anger
      • Apocalyptic Vision
      • Attentive Patience
      • The Book of Acts
      • Caring for Creation
      • Catechism
      • Chastity
      • Children
      • Christianity and Islam
      • Christmas and Epiphany
      • Cities and Towns
      • Cloning
      • Consumerism
      • Death
      • Disability
      • Easter
      • Food and Hunger
      • Forgiveness
      • Freedom
      • Friendship
      • Gambling Culture
      • Generosity
      • Global Wealth
      • Health
      • Heaven and Hell
      • Hospitality
      • Immigration
      • Inklings of Glory
      • Lent
      • The Letter of James
      • Marriage
      • Membership
      • Monasticism Old and New
      • Moral Landscape of Creation
      • Mysticism
      • Parables
      • Patterns of Violence
      • Peace and War
      • Pentecost
      • Pornographic Culture
      • Prayer
      • Prison
      • Prophetic Ethics
      • Racism
      • Sabbath
      • Schools in a Pluralist Culture
      • Scripture
      • Sermon on the Mount
      • Singing Our Lives
      • Sports
      • Suffering
      • Traveling Well
      • Virtual Lives
      • Vocation
      • Where Wisdom Is Found
      • Women and the Church
      • Women in the Bible
      • Work
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