Getting the Church Inside You

Getting the Church Inside You: Balancing Faith and Action offers a fresh, pastoral journey through Ephesians, blending biblical insight with real-life stories. Steven K. Parker invites readers to move beyond simply "going to church" and instead to let the gospel shape their identity, relationships, and daily rhythms. Readers will discover how to: Live with balance between belief and behavior, doctrine and discipleship. Embrace their identity as saints shaped by grace and peace. Find hope, inheritance, and power in Christ's larger story. Experience unity across cultural and personal divides. Practice spiritual disciplines that sustain healthy lives and churches. Engaging, practical, and deeply pastoral, this book helps believers embody the church in everyday life. What Others Say About This Book: Steven Parker has accomplished a rare feat with his accessible, practical study of Ephesians. Drawing on his decades of experience as a pastor and student of scripture, he combines the best of contemporary biblical scholarship with real-life examples of the pain, joy, trauma, and blessing of the Christian journey. The result is a commentary that pays attention to the context in which the Letter to the Ephesians was written and the context of contemporary readers. The chapter on spiritual warfare, in particular, is one of the most careful and nuanced treatments I have ever read. In an age when the divisions in church and society can seem insurmountable, Parker's study encourages us to recover what unites us in Christ. Ideal for adult education settings or personal study, this is a book that will serve the church well for many years to come. -David H. Jensen, Professor in the Clarence N. and Betty B. Frierson Distinguished Chair of Reformed Theology, Austin Seminary Author Bio: Steven K. Parker has served as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Weslaco, Texas, since 2008. With over thirty years in ministry, he is known for his pastoral voice, narrative preaching, and commitment to spiritual formation. A graduate of Hardin-Simmons University and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Steven writes to help believers live balanced, grace-filled lives shaped by Scripture and grounded in everyday faith.