Michael T. Cooper

The ten essays in this book force us to re-examine from a biblical standpoint what it means to love mercy and act justly (Micah 6:8) in response to the needs of the poor and oppressed of the world.

From the Foreword by Craig Williford, President, Trinity International University In The Peaceable Christian, you will read some new perspectives and arguments for understanding how Christians might approach the use of violence-how we might slow down our apparent quickness to use violence, and instead, while properly confronting evil and injustice, set peacemaking as the ultimate goal. This is a book that explores how politics may overly shape current Christian thinking on this subject. And in response the authors argue that biblical and theological thinking should be the starting point for understanding our political responses to peace and war, not vice versa. Following an interdisciplinary approach, the diverse authors of this book suggest how seeking to become peacemakers may be a wiser path than the traditional approaches of just war or pacifist total nonviolence approaches. In this book you will gain perspectives from a philosopher, Bible scholar, multicultural expert, a psychologist, and an educator as they share their unique views on this crucial topic. They honestly and candidly explain that this book will not answer all your questions. But it will challenge your presuppositions and current thinking. And it will renew your interest in this topic while encouraging you to become a peacemaker.

Have you ever wondered about the origins of Christmas and the traditions celebrated in Western cultures? What about the myth of the jolly, old fellow who flies with incredible speed in a sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer? What about the story of St. Nicholas of Myra and his remarkable generosity? And, what about those remarkable events surrounding the Nativity? Are they trustworthy or just fanciful stories. Unwrapping the First Christmas is a little book that helps readers answer these questions and many more. Written for Christians around the world, Unwrapping the First Christmas shares the origins of many Western traditions and myths like the Christmas tree, mistletoe, and Santa Claus that have found their way into popular culture and often distract people from the very first Christmas. After explaining the American fascination with Santa Claus and the origins of traditional Christmas, Dr. Cooper explains the case for the date of the very first Christmas as well as answers the questions about the heavenly host and star of Bethlehem. In the end, he shares four Advent devotionals that will inspire you and your family to learn about the true story of the birth of Jesus. To challenge your understanding of the Christmas story, he provides a fun test that families and friends can use around the Christmas tree to test their knowledge of what is the most remarkable miracle in the history of humanity.

If you want to understand the power of church planting movements, the place to begin is the first-century city of Ephesus. In this winsome study, Ephesiology offers readers a comprehensive view of the empowering work of the Holy Spirit in the most significant city of the New Testament, and compels us to ask the question: how can we effectively connect Christ to our culture?

This is not another methodology or attempt to recontextualize evangelicalism. Rather, it is a journey from the inception of the church in Ephesus as it became a movement grounded in God’s mission and led by those who multiplied generations of disciples. In Ephesiology, Michael T. Cooper focuses on Paul and John as missiological theologians who successfully connected Jesus’s teaching with the cultural context and narrative of the people in Ephesus. Their ability to relate the God of all creation to the people resulted in “the Way,” transforming the religious, intellectual, economic, and social fabrics of the Ephesian society.

Through this study of a movement, discover how the Holy Spirit still changes lives, cities, and the world.

In this insightful book, Dr. Cooper embarks on a journey of spiritual discovery through the lens of discipleship in a Christian context. Beginning with an illuminating introduction that probes the essence of discipleship, the book's chapters traverse a rich terrain of faith, purpose, and action. From understanding God's will and engaging with people to the preparation required for a life of discipleship, the book delves into unity, witness, godliness, prayer, respect, continuous learning, embracing suffering, and the transformative power of multiplication. Each chapter offers profound insights into these aspects of discipleship, illuminating the path for readers seeking to deepen their faith and commitment. The concluding chapter underscores the central mission of discipleship: making disciples, providing a powerful call to action for all those seeking to follow Christ's path in a meaningful way.

Letters to Churches invites readers to rediscover the theological and missional vitality of the earliest Christoform communities. Far from being primitive or disorganized, the first- and second-century ekklēsia was theologically mature, spiritually resilient, and fully engaged in the motus Dei. Through careful engagement with 1 Clement, Ignatius’s Letters, and Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians, Dr. Michael T. Cooper reveals how these early writings offer profound insights for the movement leaders today.

Written in the aftermath of apostolic ministry, these letters reveal a movement grounded not in hierarchy or innovation but in faithfulness – a church that led communally, lived theologically, and endured missionally. Cooper shows that the earliest Christians already possessed a robust ecclesiology shaped by Scripture, unity, and moral integrity. Their leaders served not as administrators but as witnesses, embodying the humility and patience of Christ.

Letters to Churches calls contemporary church planters, missionaries, and movement practitioners to recover that same Christoformvision of leadership and community. In an age often captivated by strategy and growth, this book reminds us that the mission of God advances not through novelty but through faithfulness. The church that endures in holiness, humility, and love continues the same mission that began in Antioch, Philippi, Corinth, and across Asia Minor: the enduring mission of the Triune God in the world.