Books written by J. Ellsworth Kalas

Preaching from the Soul: Insistent Observations on the Sacred Art

If like Oscar Hammerstein said, “a bell's not a bell till you ring it, and a song's not a song till you sing it,” just as surely a sermon isn't a sermon until we preach it. I've read hundreds of sermons written by other persons, ...
All Creation Sings: The Voice of God in Nature

Encourages readers to open their ears and listen for God's messages in the world around them
Grace in a Tree Stump: Old Testament Stories of God's Love

Corrects the misconception that the God of the Old Testament is one of wrath and judgment by discussing such topics as "Grace in the Morning," "Gracious Commandments," and "Grace and God's Love for the Future," as found in the books of ...
Grace in a Tree Stump: Old Testament Stories of God's Love

In it he saw a tree so powerful that its height seemed to reach to heaven and its impressiveness to the ends of the ... Not only will its stump and roots remain in the ground , the stump will be held together with a band of iron and ...
Being United Methodist: What It Means, Why It Matters

In Being United Methodist, popular and beloved author J. Ellsworth Kalas uses his inimitable style to address a topic that sometimes is complicated even to those who have practiced it for years.
All Creation Sings: The Voice of God in Nature

2. Ursula Goodenough, The Sacred Depths of Nature (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998), 60. 3. Brian Doyle, Daily Guideposts, 2009 (New York: Guideposts, 2009), 167. 4. William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, act 3, sc.
The Ten Commandments from the Back Side

Ten Commandments from the Back Side
I Love Growing Older, But I'll Never Grow Old

The best is yet to be.
A Faith of Her Own: Women of the Old Testament

Stories of the women whose faith in God led the way
I Love Growing Older, But I'll Never Grow Old

One of the best signs of a thinking friend is that he makes you a better thinker. Good thinkers quicken the minds of ... They really want to know how you are, what is happening with your children, or whether yesterday was a good day.
New Testament Stories from the Back Side

Using an approach similar to his other "Back Side" books, J. Ellsworth Kalas opens up new possibilities of insight into selected New Testament stories by entering them through the "back side" -- through a unique starting point, a creative ...
Old Testament Stories from the Back Side: Bible Stories with a Twist

Brings a new perspective to selected Old Testament stories by exploring them from a unique starting point or from a different person's viewpoint.
Preaching in an Age of Distraction

How do we preach when all of us—hearers and preachers alike—are constantly distracted? J. Ellsworth Kalas offers wise insights for effective preaching in an age of distraction.
The Beatitudes from the Back Side

J. Ellsworth Kalas opens up new possibilities of insight into the beatitudes, Jesus' blessings from the Sermon on the Mount.
The Pleasure of God: Finding Grace in the Ordinary

We think we want to be alone, but we don't recognize the opportunities when they thrust themselves on us. ... But as surely as one can be lonely in the midst of a crowd (as most of us know, a crowd is sometimes the loneliest of places), ...
The Thirteen Apostles

In this engaging book from popular author J. Ellsworth Kalas, a portrait of each apostle as a servant in ministry, a human being, and individual are drawn from Scripture as well as historical writings and tradition.
The Will of God in an Unwilling World

But earl spent every weekday morning in the public library, reading—simply because he loved learning and loved to discuss ideas. earl should have been a teacher. with his love of knowledge and his capacity to communicate, he would have ...
Christmas from the Back Side

Author J. Ellsworth Kalas now opens up new possibilities of insight into the biblical Christmas story of Jesus' birth by entering the Gospel scriptures through the "back side"--Through an unique starting point, a creative retelling, a new ...
I Bought a House on Gratitude Street: And Other Insights on the Good Life

In I Bought a House on Gratitude Street, Kalas imparts insights gathered over the years through different means - “Some...have come to me by my seeking, some have been shared with me by people of wider experience, and some have been ...
Sermons on the Gospel Readings

He is the author of Percolated Faith (CSS) and Preaching to Skeptics and Seekers (Abingdon), as well as numerous journal articles on preaching and ministry. Honeycutt is a graduate of Clemson University (B.A.), Lutheran Theological ...