Retelling the Story Bundle (3 Volumes)
Ramsey, Russ
Publisher's Description
The Retelling the Story series explores the narrative arc of the Bible from Genesis through Revelation in compelling language that is faithful to the text of Scripture. Russ Ramsey's dynamic narratives, including The Advent of the Lamb of God, The Passion of the King of Glory, and The Mission of the Body of Christ, trace Jesus' birth and life, as well as the early disciples' missionary call in the book of Acts.
Written in the form of daily devotional readings, the stories are told afresh to help readers hide God's word in their hearts by way of their imaginations.
Titles Included in This Set
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Cover TypePaperback
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ISBN
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PublisherInterVarsity Press
Endorsements (28)
“Russ Ramsey's Retelling the Stor[y] is a worthy addition to the tradition of scriptural retellings, such as Eugene Peterson's The Message and Sally Lloyd-Jones's The Jesus Storybook Bible. . . . The three installments of the Retelling the Stor[y] series are beautifully written and easy to read without being condescending, simplistic, or taking too many liberties. As a commentary engages the mind, Ramsey's books capture the heart. The stories here, in service to the scriptures, refreshed my soul, gave my heart joy, and lit my eyes. If Russ Ramsey's goal is to help his readers understand scripture better and to have their 'eyes open to the beauty of mercy and grace,' he succeeds.”
See AllTommy Welty
Fathom Magazine July 2018
“Ramsey's ability to knit the accounts of the gospels into a highly readable, easily accessible, and grace-saturated narrative is a blessing for all. Telling the story of Jesus in bite-sized readings that can easily accord with anticipation and celebration of the Easter season makes this book a special gift.”
See AllBryan Chapell
president emeritus, Covenant Theological Seminary
“Ramsey has written a captivating narrative of the life of Jesus in a biographical style that captures the life of Jesus so vividly, at times you'll wonder if Ramsey sat down and spoke with all the people involved in the story. It's the story of a real man who walked this earth and died on a cross bearing the wrath we deserve. Historical and faithful to Scripture, The Passion of the King of Glory is a wonderful Bible-reading companion for the Lenten season.”
See AllTrillia Newbell
author of United and God's Very Good Idea
“It gives me great pleasure to endorse the life and writing of Russ Ramsey. We have been in the trenches together caring for the 'called out ones.' Russ gave us gospel immersion and fruits of deep care with The Advent of the Lamb of God. He continues this life-giving pattern of grace and service with this new, beautifully written book pointing to the Hero King Jesus.”
See AllCharlie Peacock
coexecutive director, Art House America; TV producer; record producer for Switchfoot and The Civil Wars
“Many of us have wondered at some point, What would it be like to live when Jesus did? With purity to biblical truth and perceptive insight into how the human heart works, Russ Ramsey answers that question. He tells the story of Jesus dwelling among us—a story filled with political intrigue, baffling miracles, relational complexities, and heartbreaking suffering—by presenting old truths in engagingly fresh ways. Read this book! And then share it with others who need to witness Jesus anew.”
See AllJani Ortlund
speaker at Renewal Ministries; author of Fearlessly Feminine and His Loving Law, Our Lasting Legacy
“With a writer's imagination and skill, a theologian's backbone, and a disciple's devotion, Ramsey weds knowledge to emotional resonance and information to immanence in this moving account of Jesus' life.”
See AllDan Doriani
professor of theology, Covenant Theological Seminary
“I don't know anyone who can make the stories—and the Story—in Scripture feel as present, as alive, and as sweeping as Russ Ramsey. His prose, his grasp of history and theology, not to mention his love of Jesus, do more than merely draw me into his book—they make me want to read the Bible.”
See AllAndrew Peterson
singer and songwriter
“There is a graceful simplicity to Ramsey's prose—and to his retelling of the old familiar story—that enables him to truly move his readers with the potency of the gospel. Here is a quiet voice that can shake stone.”
See AllN. D. Wilson
author of Death by Living and Boys of Blur
“Ramsey's solid biblical teaching and storytelling have deeply impacted my journey as a Christian working in Hollywood. This is a book I will give friends to help them understand what I believe.”
See AllKorey Scott Pollard
TV producer and assistant director of Grey's Anatomy, House M.D., CSI, Monk, and Nashville
“This book succeeds at capturing and displaying the drama of Jesus—incarnate, dead, and risen—with memorable force.”
See AllRobert W. Yarbrough
professor of New Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary
“This book throws open the curtains on Jesus and invites us to taste and see the only love that is better than life. This isn't a great book just for the season of Lent, but for every season of life.”
See AllScotty Smith
teacher in residence, West End Community Church, Nashville, Tennessee
“Russ is a modern-day scribe, taking his cues from the words of Scripture to reimagine stories, narratives, and scenes for his readers. He doesn't embellish or exaggerate. He tells and retells familiar narratives with a new perspective. Ordinary Christians living ordinary lives need The Mission of the Body of Christ, which is written to be read during ordinary time. We need to reimagine, relive, and see God's mission for the church afresh, to be reminded there is nothing ordinary about the story in which we live. Russ does this beautifully as always.”
See AllLore Ferguson Wilbert
writer and speaker
“For those of us church folk who are overly familiar with the Bible, it's easy to forget (or maybe we never learned) the richness of Scripture's narrative. For those new to faith in Jesus, the Bible can overwhelm and the story of redemption, mission, and transformation gets easily lost. Russ seeks to be a 'faithful servant of Scripture' and is he ever. His retelling of the Bible's stories doesn't distract—it amplifies. This book draws the reader into God's transforming word and does so with the craft of an artist and a pastor's soul. I cannot recommend The Mission of the Body of Christ enough.”
See AllBarnabas Piper
author and podcaster
“The church isn't always a welcoming place for single women in their forties (like me). But the New Testament church is radically hospitable—a place for witness, unity, and love. The Mission of the Body of Christ is a vital contribution to this conversation. Salvation, after all, is a community-creating event. As Russ writes, 'The risen Jesus not only gave his people new life, he gave them each other.' And I'm thankful for that.”
See AllBethany Jenkins
vice president of forums and content, Veritas Forum
“Russ Ramsey's gift for retelling the stories of Scripture is second to none. This is as evident in everyday conversation with Russ as it is in his writing. I have never met an individual who loves Scripture more than this brother, and I am thankful to God for the gift of Russ and his books to the church.”
See AllAmanda Bible Williams
cofounder and chief content officer, She Reads Truth, He Reads Truth, and Kids Read Truth
“The best gift (among many) that Russ Ramsey offers the body of Christ is the gift of greater context. His writings have the power to lift readers from their present surroundings and set them down amid the clamoring, bustling, peopled streets of the ancient world. Ramsey's deep biblical knowledge and disciplined imagination serve to gently illuminate oft-overlooked nuances of culture, custom, and language, thereby allowing readers to experience these old stories as if for the first time.”
See AllDouglas McKelvey
author of Every Moment Holy: New Liturgies for Everyday Life
“With the voice of a storyteller and the affection of a pastor, Russ Ramsey brings the story of the early church to life in the present. With each character and scene, these pages provide a doorway for us to walk inside the narrative, inviting us to hear Paul's journey in a fresh way as we contemplate our own questions of faith.”
See AllSandra McCracken
singer and songwriter, Songs from the Valley, Psalms, Desire like Dynamite
“Russ Ramsey is a wonderful storyteller, and in The Mission of the Body of Christ he weaves together bits from the Old Testament and the Gospels with the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles to create a beautiful tapestry that imaginatively depicts the early days of the church. The gospel shines brightly in the pages of this book and the story of the gospel's impact on the world is told in the most engaging and enjoyable way I have ever read.”
See AllNed Bustard
creative director, Square Halo Books; author of Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups
“Russ Ramsey has this lovely, compelling way of helping us see and savor Christ in all of Scripture. If you want to grow in your knowledge of the Bible, to be swept up into the grand story that it tells, and to see how it gives meaning to both your story and our story, then let The Mission of the Body of Christ be a mentor and companion in this quest. I can't recommend it highly enough.”
See AllScott Sauls
senior pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church; author of Jesus Outside the Lines and Befriend
“Russ Ramsey is a kind of songwriter of prose. The lyrical nature of his writing makes his Bible teaching memorable, accessible, and evocative. This volume will help you to understand and explain the story of our church through the book of Acts. It will also prompt you to love Acts and Jesus all the more.”
See AllRussell Moore
president, The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission; author of Onward: Engaging the Culture Without Losing the Gospel
“Russ Ramsey is that rare kind of writer: both an astute theologian with a comprehensive knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and a masterful storyteller. In beautifully written prose, he takes us on a trip through the history of redemption, bringing to life the true tale of a Divine Lover who comes to rescue his people. As a loving pastor, Russ shepherds this great story as well or better than any writer. Not only is he that skillful, he's that full of care, which is no small thing.”
See AllAndi Ashworth
coexecutive director, Art House America; author of Real Love for Real Life: The Art and Work of Caring
“The Advent of the Lamb of God offers readers a sterling opportunity to walk through God's story of redemption. Ideal for personal or family devotions, the stories are told with imagination, verve, and gospel-driven joy.”
See AllDan Doriani
pastor; professor; author of The Sermon on the Mount: The Character of a Disciple
“Ramsey deftly retells the story of Jesus with a pastor's heart and an artist's touch. In this book, real people sigh and cry, tremble and rejoice. It captured my heart. My family will treasure it for years to come.”
See AllRandall Goodgame
singer and songwriter
“Russ Ramsey tells a story you've heard a hundred times and still haven't heard enough. With remarkable attention to the facts of the matter—the water dripping from John the Baptist's beard, the heft of Abraham's knife, the groans of a girl giving birth on a stable floor—Russ brings to life the story that brings us to life. Here is glory made visible, tangible, audible. Which is to say, here is the Incarnation.”
See AllJonathan Rogers
author of the Wilderking Trilogy, The Charlatan's Boy, and The Terrible Speed of Mercy
“When Andrew Peterson sings 'Behold the Lamb of God,' three worlds collide: ours, Abraham's, and Jesus'. Russ Ramsey's book opens the doors between those worlds and helps us bring them together.”
See AllMichael Card
singer and songwriter; author of Inexpressible
“So many authors write like they're on a mission to prove something about their own brilliance. Not Russ Ramsey. He's doing something entirely different. Even the simple preface is a study in how calming, winsome, and selfless writing can be. Put this book in your hands and feel loved.”
See AllCharlie Peacock
coexecutive director, Art House America; record producer for Switchfoot and The Civil Wars
“What better way to prepare our hearts for Christmas than to do what Russ has done so well in The Advent of the Lamb of God—rehearse the magnificent story that begins centuries before, the magnificent story woven through all of the Bible. The story of how God loves his children and has come to rescue them.”
See AllSally Lloyd-Jones
author of The Jesus Storybook Bible
“Russ Ramsey has that rare gift—the ability to animate the imagination. May you and yours take up this book, read it, and be renewed.”
See AllScott Sauls
author of Jesus Outside the Lines
About the Author
Russ Ramsey and his wife and four children make their home in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the author of Struck, Behold the Lamb of God, and was awarded the 2016 Christian Book Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association for his book Behold the King of Glory. Russ grew up in the fields of Indiana and studied at Taylor University and Covenant Theological Seminary (MDiv, ThM). He is a pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and his writing has appeared at The Rabbit Room, The Gospel Coalition, The Blazing Center, and To Write Love on Her Arms.