Table of Contents
Foreword Chris Hodges xi
1 Jesus Said What? 1
Part 1 The Parable of the Two Sons
2 Lost Things Matter 23
The Heart of the Father: Turned toward the Missing
3 The Father's Economy 47
The Grace (Not Shame) of the Loving Father
4 Throw a Party 67
The Father Throws Parties; Older Brothers Throw Fits
Part 2 The Parable of the Sower
5 Seeds, Soil, and Such 91
The Seeds Always Work; The Soil Does Not
6 Turning Over the Soil 115
We Don't Turn Hearts; We Do Turn Over Heart Soil
7 Seeds among Stones and Thorns 133
The Culture of the Kingdom Prepares the Soil; Anything Else Spoils It.
Part 3 The Parable of the Talents
8 It's All His 153
When It's All Over, It's All His
9 What's Yours Is Not Mine 173
If We Don't Have It, God Doesn't Want Us to Have It
10 Don't Just Grow … Grow Faithful 188
It's God's Job to Grow His Church; It's Our Job to Grow in Faithfulness
Acknowledgments 203
Notes 205