This book is a call for preachers to learn the importance of keeping their eyes on the vision of Jesus and biblical prophets when preaching - that of doing justice, caring for others, and being equitable. The book attempts to make a biblical argument for the importance and the content of prophetic preaching, and argues that the issue is not preaching from a text taken from the prophetic corpus but preaching on the themes that echoed over and over from the biblical prophets themselves.

Scholars and believers alike often ask difficult questions regarding God's formal dealings with mankind: - Why did God work through prophets anciently, through Christ Himself when He was on the earth, and through His apostles after His death but then suddenly end the prophetic voice? - How can God be the same yesterday, today, and forever if He so radically changed His approach to guiding His children? - What happened to the original, clear message delivered from God to Adam after the Fall regarding the principles, practices, and rites required of His children? - If God's complete, error-free plan still exists, how would we know, and how is it possible for humanity to decipher such a plan, given the numerous avenues available to worship our Creator? Where Have All the Prophets Gone? explores these issues by looking at the core practices and texts that reveal both the origins and the path traveled by early Christianity. With a critical but refreshingly open eye, the author identifies the current "state of the kingdom" and opens the window on a unique hope that God is indeed constant in both His love and His methods. Scott Petersen joins a growing list of Christian writers who are looking carefully at the enormous treasure of early Christian writings now available in English. However, few of these writers have scoured this collection as thoroughly and carefully as he has. Noel B. Reynolds, Ph.D., Executive Director, Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts Scott Petersen's Where Have All the Prophets Gone? is the result of painstaking and careful research from many original and secondary sources. Petersen has done an important work by opening the history of Christianity for our understanding and showing the implications of that history for us today. James Faulconer, Professor of Philosophy, Brigham Young University Scott Petersen has approached an old topic with new eyes, adding wonderful insights into Judeo-Christian religious history from Old Testament through modern times, written from a faith-based perspective. John A. Tvedtnes, Senior Resident Scholar, Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts

ABOUT THE BOOK This book traces the unique contributions of the prophets of God in both the Old and New Testaments. It also traces the movement of the church away from prophets toward the model of priests and pastors. This shift has impacted the church in ways few of the faithful understand. The author also presents Jesus as the Master Prophet of whom all others prophesied. In the final chapters, the views of prophets by various faith groups today is discussed, with the writer adding his own view. Finally the work closes with an appeal for churches to be more prophet-friendly. They are urged to teach the faithful about prophecy and prophets and the clergy are urged to exercise the gift of prophecy as they lead the church in these critical days. Every Christian and church could benefit from this timely and urgent message. ABOUT THE AUTHOR The author is a retired military chaplain, senior pastor and teacher. He has served aboard numerous ships, including three aircraft carriers, as well as on several of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard bases. He has ministered as a chaplain of the FBI Academy; the Coast Guard Station on the island of Attu; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; and in the Viet Nam War. Dr. Cook has written three other books: Salt of the Sea, Chaplaincy: Being God's Presence in Closed Communities, and Jonah: The Man Whose God and Heart Were Too Small. He lives in a log cabin with his wife, Ruth, to whom he has been happily married for 57 years.

Scholars and believers alike often ask difficult questions regarding God's formal dealings with mankind: - Why did God work through prophets anciently, through Christ Himself when He was on the earth, and through His apostles after His death but then suddenly end the prophetic voice? - How can God be the same yesterday, today, and forever if He so radically changed His approach to guiding His children? - What happened to the original, clear message delivered from God to Adam after the Fall regarding the principles, practices, and rites required of His children? - If God's complete, error-free plan still exists, how would we know, and how is it possible for humanity to decipher such a plan, given the numerous avenues available to worship our Creator? Where Have All the Prophets Gone? explores these issues by looking at the core practices and texts that reveal both the origins and the path traveled by early Christianity. with a critical but refreshingly open eye, the author identifies the current state of the kingdom and opens the window on a unique hope that God is indeed constant in both His love and His methods. Scott Petersen joins a growing list of Christian writers who are looking carefully at the enormous treasure of early Christian writings now available in English. However, few of these writers have scoured this collection as thoroughly and carefully as he has. Noel B. Reynolds, Ph.D., Executive Director, Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts Scott Petersen's Where Have All the Prophets Gone? is the result of painstaking and careful research from many original and secondary sources. Petersen has done an important work by opening the history of Christianity for our understanding and showing the implications of that history for us today. James Faulconer, Professor of Philosophy, Brigham Young University Scott Petersen has approached an old topic with new eyes, adding wonderful insights into Judeo-Christian religious history from Old Testament through modern times, written from a faith-based perspective. John A. Tvedtnes, Senior Resident Scholar, Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts

Author M. L. Steinbrugger has been a construction materials salesperson for over eighteen years. A product of the "baby boomer" generation, he has seen a lot of change over his lifetime. It wasn't until the past three or four years that he began to write about his observations and life experiences. He is the father of five grown children and the grandfather of six, with a set of twins on the way. His passions include riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle side by side with his oldest son, Danny, writing poetry, and seeing his grandchildren grow and change as time goes by. "Where Have All the Prophets Gone?" is his second book, the first being "My Normal Life," released in 2005. Each of his books share some of his true-life experiences and what he has learned from those experiences. Steinbrugger's faith-based writings are thought provoking and insightful, and should inspire anyone needing a touch of hope. He admits his opinions may step on some toes, but believes every now and then that's what it takes to wake people up!

The Hebrew prophets of ancient Israel strove to convey God’s point of view to the people and the powers at a time when injustice, deceit, malfeasance, and crushing the poor and the oppressed was prominent—much like today! The prophets spoke courageously and emphatically about God’s profound and unrelenting concern and compassion for human beings. Much influenced by the theology of prophecy developed by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, this book discusses the nature, meaning, and relevance of ethical prophecy at a time when democracy—in the United States of America and elsewhere—is under vicious assault from the religious and secular right and authoritarian politicians who openly flirt with and support murderous dictators, sexism, homophobia, racial bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred of Muslims both in word and practice. An examination of the contributions of eight powerful personalities from the period of American slavery through the post-civil rights era—Angelina Grimké, Ida B. Wells, Abraham J. Heschel, James Baldwin, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Óscar Romero, and Alice Walker—offers a recipe for addressing this state of affairs.

The Old Testament prophetic books play a key role in revealing God’s plan of salvation. They occupy a significant portion of the biblical canon, similar in size to the entire New Testament. Yet most believers stay clear of this part of Scripture. They avoid traveling through this forest of oracles and visions. Many preachers also struggle to navigate this unfamiliar territory. Preachers feel much more at ease unpacking the intricate arguments of the Pauline epistles or following the thrilling adventures of biblical narratives rather than exploring the prophetic books. The church, however, needs to hear and respond to the beauty, depth, and relevance of the prophetic message. This book not only provides convincing reasons for preaching the prophets today but also offers concrete guidelines to empower preachers (small group leaders, youth workers, etc.) to communicate the message of the prophets with hermeneutical precision, theological depth, genre sensitivity, and pastoral pulse. This book motivates and equips preachers to travel with confidence through this uncharted territory and to help God’s people enjoy the scenery of this part of God’s word.