It is a common misconception that Lutheran theology is inherently antinomian, or unconcerned with Christian ethics. This unfortunate caricature of the doctrine of the Reformation has been furthered by certain strands of Lutheran theology, which reject the third use of the law and the necessity of expounding Christian ethics in preaching. In this book, Jordan Cooper challenges the claim that Lutheranism emphasizes justification at the expense of sanctification, demonstrating that the two kinds of righteousness are a historical Lutheran framework that gives prominence to both salvation by grace and one's duty to serve the neighbor in love. Through an evaluation of Luther's writings, the confessional documents, Lutheran Orthodoxy, and contemporary writers, Cooper demonstrates that an emphasis on the passive nature of one's relationship to God does not diminish or negate the necessity of sanctified living. This is done not by departing from Lutheran teaching, but by delving deeper into historic Lutheran theology as found in the scholastic tradition.

Summer Institute of Theology 2021

Textbook for Ethics and the Followers of Christ course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson.

Happy Times is created for preschoolers and the adults in their lives. Each bimonthly issue is filled with hands-on activities, crafts, stories, and more that encourage a child’s faith growth. Children will look forward to activities they can do independently, along with projects that need grown-ups' help.

6 issues per year.

This resource encourages a deeper understanding of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ by harmonizing the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John so as to assemble as many details as possible into a chronologically meaningful sequence.

Fall '25
Recommended FLBC textbook for Youth Ministry Methods course, taught by Mrs. Michelle Olson.

The most authoritative and easy-to-use Bible pronunciation guide available-for use with any version of the Bible in English.

It is not unusual for a person to have at least one acquaintance who is Jewish. How does one go about sharing his or her faith in Christ the Messiah with Jews? The harvest fields are ready.

This book searches Scripture to show what God has revealed about physical death, eternal judgment, and our destination after death. Written in easy-to-understand language, the book covers topics such as near-death experiences, the Bible's description of the suffering of hell, and the eternal joys of 20 heaven, and emphasizes the importance of evangelism. Includes subject and Scripture indexes.

God does not need our worship, praise, or service. But we do need His service, His presence, His gifts. Whatever praise we give to God, whatever honor is due His name, is our response to God’s service to us. The church service is more than a meeting place; it is the manifestation of the New Testament church on earth as Christ calls His bride around Word and Sacraments.

Who goes to heaven? Is there really a hell? Explore what the Bible really says about heaven and hell. This Scripture-based study opens students' eyes to the glory of heaven and the reality of hell. 6 sessions.

Three experienced biblical language professors inspire students and pastors to learn, retain, and use Hebrew for ministry, setting them on a lifelong journey of reading and loving the Hebrew Bible. Written in a conversational style, Hebrew for Life offers practical guidance, inspiration, and motivation. It provides effective strategies to help readers learn biblical Hebrew, maintain current knowledge, and enjoy reading the Old Testament in its original language.

This companion volume to the successful Greek for Life incorporates research-tested strategies for learning, presents methods not usually covered in other textbooks, and surveys helpful resources for recovering Hebrew after a long period of disuse. It will benefit anyone who is taking (or has taken) a year of Hebrew.

Fall ’25
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring ’25
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I and Hebrew II courses taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Fall ’24
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew II course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring '24
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

Spring '23
Required FLS textbook for Hebrew I course taught by Pr. Brian Lunn.

How can we accept the death of someone we love and go on living without them? Written especially for those who are flooded with questions and emotions as a loved one nears death.

Here is an authoritative, unforgettable biography of Martin Luther, the great religious leader, who entered a monastery as a youth and who, as a man, shattered the structure of the medieval church. Luther spoke out against the corrupt religious practices that then existed. His demand that the authority for doctrine and practice be Scriptures, rather than Popes or Councils, echoed around the world and ignited the Great Reformation. Accused of heresy and threatened with excommunication and death, Luther maintained his bold stand and refused to recant. In his crusade to eliminate religious abuses, he did more than any other man to establish the Protestant faith. With sound historical scholarship and penetrating insight, Roland Bainton examines Luther's widespread influence. He re-creates the spiritual setting of the sixteenth century, showing Luther's place within it and influence upon it. Richly illustrated with more than 100 woodcuts and engravings from Luther's own time, Here I Stand dramatically brings to life Martin Luther, the great reformer.

Spring ’24
Optional* required FLBC textbook for History of Christianity course, taught by Pr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
* One out of a choice of six optional books will be required reading.

Spring ’22
Optional* required FLBC textbook for History of Christianity course, taught by Pr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
* One out of a choice of eight optional books will be required reading.

Spring '21

Required FLBC textbook for History of Christianity II course, taught by Pr. Robert Lee, Professor of Historical and Practical Theology.

This well-known classic biography of Martin Luther is a vivid portrayal of the man who, because of his unshakable faith in God, helped to bring about the Protestant Reformation.

Spring ’22
Optional* required FLBC textbook for Church History course, taught by Pr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
* One out of a choice of eight optional books will be required reading.

Spring '20

Required FLBC textbook for History of Christianity: Reformation to the 21st Century course, taught by Pr. Robert Lee, Professor of Historical Theology.

Spring '19

Required FLBC textbook for History of Christianity II course, taught by Pr. Robert Lee, Professor of Historical Theology.

What does it mean to be Lutheran? This classic book by Hermann Sasse presents a call for loyalty to the Lutheran Confessions and for the acceptance of the Bible as the true Word of God.

The authors use the truth of God's Word to examine such worldviews as Darwinism, Islam, New Age, atheism, pantheism, postmodernism, and moral relativism. By learning about other worldviews, Christians can better understand and witness to the people who hold those views. Readers will also see how such non-Christian worldviews influence their own beliefs, attitudes, and actions without their realizing it.

This accessible text, which combines hermeneutical theory with practical steps for exegesis, has been translated into eight languages and has been used in a variety of settings to teach students how to study the Bible responsibly. The authors outline a five-step hermeneutical procedure that includes: (1) historical-cultural and contextual analysis, (2) lexical-syntactical analysis, (3) theological analysis, (4) genre identification and analysis, and (5) application. The second edition adds co-author Karelynne Gerber Ayayo and includes updated material covering developments in hermeneutics over the past twenty years.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Hermeneutics course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

Fall '22
Required FLS textbook for Hermeneutics course taught by Dr. Jerry Moan, Professor of New Testament.

Fall '21
Required FLS textbook for Hermeneutics course taught by Dr. Jerry Moan, Professor of New Testament.

Fall '20
Required FLS textbook for Hermeneutics and Expository Preaching I course taught by Dr. Jerry Moan, Professor of New Testament.

During the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century, the Reformers’ most effective tool was the pulpit, and all of the Reformers were gifted preachers. This was especially true of Martin Luther, regarded as the father of the Reformation, who proclaimed the truths of God’s Word with great courage. This book shows the convictions and practices that fed Luther’s pulpit boldness, providing an example for all preachers in a day when truth once more is in decline.

Spring ’24
Optional* required FLBC textbook for History of Christianity course, taught by Pr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
* One out of a choice of six optional books will be required reading.

Spring ’22
Optional* required FLBC textbook for Church History course, taught by Pr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
* One out of a choice of eight optional books will be required reading.

A collection of 60 devotions written by college students concerning issues that challenge students on the college campus, intended to lift up God's Word for the strengthening of their faith as young people face challenges in today's world.

The ideas contained in secular humanism, Enlightenment, and German idealism have shaped Western universities and our society. But have they undermined biblical scholarship as well? The author presents an analysis of the relation of scientific method and biblical interpretation within the context of the history of ideas and offers a radical prescription for recovery.

Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought traces the development of Christian theology from its earliest days to the present. Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, this authoritative yet accessible textbook introduces the major theological movements, key ideas, and individual theologians of the Patristic Period, the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the Reformation and Post-Reformation, and the Modern Era up to the present day. Throughout the book, students explore central themes through numerous case studies, primary readings, and study questions at the end of each section.

Spring ’26
Required FLS textbook for Historical Theology II course taught by Pr. Andrew Kneeland.

Fall ’25
Required FLS textbook for Historical Theology I course taught by Pr. Andrew Kneeland.

A History of Christian Missions traces the expansion of Christianity from its origins in the Middle East to Rome, the rest of Europe and the colonial world, and assesses its position as a major religious force worldwide. Many of the world’s religions have not actively sought converts, largely because they have been too regional in character. Buddhism, Islam and Christianity, however, are the three chief exceptions to this, and Christianity in particular has found a home in almost every country in the world. Professor Stephen Neill’s comprehensive and authoritative survey examines centuries of missionary activity, beginning with Christ and working through the Crusades and the colonization of Asia and Africa up to the present day, concluding with a shrewd look ahead to what the future may hold for the Christian Church.

Fall '24
Recommended FLBC textbook for History of Mission course, taught by Pr. Andrew Kneeland.

Presentation given by Loiell Dyrud at Word of Life Free Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota, on “Who We Are and Why We Do Things the Way We Do in the AFLC.”

"Be Holy, because I am holy." –1 Peter 1:16

How can God expect us to be as holy as he is? Isn't it unrealistic, given that he is infinitely pure and we are clearly imperfect? Such a standard seems either to ignore our frailty or to impose certain failure–until we understand how God views us. Then we are reminded that, thanks to what Christ accomplished on our behalf, our perfection is not the requirement for entering his kingdom. Yet that very grace still calls us to live righteously–for the sake of our well-being, yes, but most of all, because it glorifies God.

In this challenging yet heartwarming work, Bryan Chapell illustrates the principles of grace, the practices of faith, and the motives of love in living a life of holiness. You will journey through reassuring Scripture passages that show good works and obedience to be, not a means of establishing or maintaining salvation, but a grateful response to God's mercy. And in Bryan Chapell's encouraging words–drawn straight from the heart of God–you will understand that your holiness is not so much a matter of what you achieve as it is the grace that God provides. A grace so rich as to make the pursuit of his holiness your soul's deepest delight.

Summer Institute of Theology 2021

Textbook for Christ Centered Preaching course taught by Dr. Bryan Chapell.

Examines the meaning of holiness and explores God’s character, with insights on sin, justice, and grace. Six 30-minute messages on DVD.

How can a congregation be holy if not all members are believers? Do holy people make a congregation holy? This pamphlet explores these questions and more.

19" x 26" laminated chart. It includes four reproducible student worksheets on the back side.

Scriptural teaching about who the Holy Spirit is, His work in Old and New Testament times, spiritual gifts, and how Christians honor the Holy Spirit.

Fall '19

Required AFLTS textbook for Expository Preaching II course taught by Pr. Steven Mundfrom.

This collection of essays prepared by faculty of AFLC schools discusses Old and New Testament passages that deal with homosexuality, how the Church has viewed it in the past, the distinction between homosexual orientation and behavior, and help for those struggling with homosexuality.

In-between times. You've likely been here too. Waiting for a new job to start. Transitioning from engaged to married. Packing up your belongings but unable to move into that new house yet. The Book of Numbers is also about the in-between times and, most importantly, how to survive during them.

Author R. Reed Lessing helps you tackle the Book of Numbers with this chapter-by-chapter exploration in Hope in the Wilderness. With helpful maps, diagrams, and connections to the rest of the Bible, you'll be able to understand the beauty of Numbers. A study guide is included at the back of the book to help you lead this book with a small group or simply dig deeper into Lessing's insights by yourself.

80 minutes. Organized into 12 segments, this video combines dramatic footage from various motion pictures with commentary and narration to present a dramatic overview of 36 biblical events, from Creation to the Ascension of Christ, making it a useful evangelistic tool suitable for both personal and group study.