A thrill of hope—the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Hope is a word we see sprinkled throughout messages of the holiday season on Christmas cards, coffee mugs, and candles. But what is hope, really? Optimism? Positive thinking? Blind faith? What if hope were something more than any of these–something not only thrilling but life-changing?
In a world that feels weary and uncertain at times, A Thrill of Hope offers us a powerful understanding of God’s promised hope in the person of Jesus. Ideal for churches, small groups, or personal reflection, this 4-week Advent devotional invites individuals and communities to pause, breathe deeply, and wait for the new and glorious morning revealed to us in Christ.
A creative, Lectionary-based study, A Thrill of Hope was written by respected writers and pastors such as Dan Boone, Carla Sunberg, Jon Middendorf, Christine Hung, and more. Together, they invite us to hear the good news: the Spirit of hope lives in us all!
T. SCOTT DANIELS serves as general superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene. He previously served as senior pastor of Nampa College Church of the Nazarene and Pastoral Scholar in Residence at Northwest Nazarene University. He has pastored in Pasadena, California, and Richardson, Texas. He taught Theology and Ethics at Southern Nazarene University and served as dean at Azusa Pacific University and Seminary. He earned a BA in theology at Northwest Nazarene University and an MDiv and a PhD in theological ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary.
Jeren Rowell, ED.D., is president and professor of pastoral ministry at Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City. He served twelve years as superintendent of the Kansas City District for the Church of the Nazarene and twenty-five years as a local church pastor. Prior works include Thinking, Listening, Being: A Wesleyan Pastoral Theology and Preaching Holiness: Pastoral Considerations, both available from The Foundry Publishing.
Dr. Carla Sunberg is a historical theologian with a passion for holiness. She serves as a general superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene and was previously the president of Nazarene Theological Seminary. Sunberg has published several books with multiple publishers. Some of the most recent titles available from The Foundry Publishing include Teach Us to Pray, Color (with Daniel Gomis), Faithful to the Call, and Pulling Back the Curtain on the Former Soviet Union (with R. Franklin Cook).
Jon Middendorf is on staff at OKC First Nazarene, where has pastored and served since 1990. In addition, Jon serves as the lead consultant for Big Picture Training, a ministry designed to equip and encourage volunteer youth ministers.
Michael Palmer is the lead pastor of Living Vine Church of the Nazarene in California’s Napa Valley and a frequent contributor to the Foundry Community blog. He graduated from MidAmerica Nazarene University with a BA in intercultural ministry. Palmer and his wife, Elizabeth, have three children.
Shawn Smucker is the co-author of over 20 nonfiction books including Dying Out Loud and Refuse to Drown. His first novel, The Day the Angels Fell, is about a young boy’s obsession with finding the Tree of Life and bringing back his mother from the dead (Revell, 2017). He lives in the city of Lancaster, PA, with his wife and six children. You can see more writing from Shawn at shawnsmucker.com.
Timothy R. Gaines, PhD, is associate professor of religion at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, where he teaches courses in theology and ethics and directs the graduate program in theology and biblical studies. He also serves as associate pastor at Trevecca Community Church. Dr. Gaines has coauthored and co-edited multiple previous titles, including A Seat at the Table, Kings & Presidents, and Following Jesus, all available from The Foundry Publishing.
Shawna Songer Gaines, MDiv, serves as the lead pastor of Trevecca Community Church in Nashville, Tennessee. She previously served as chaplain at Trevecca Nazarene University, as co-pastor of Bakersfield Church of the Nazarene in California, and as a youth pastor in Chicago. She is the author of the Breathe series and the coauthor of two books, A Seat at the Table and Kings and Presidents, with her husband, Tim. Shawna speaks and preaches at events nationwide, and blogs at shawnasongergaines.com.
Robbie Cansler is an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene. She is a church planter and pastor who has also served in various leadership roles with Nazarene Women Clergy and Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy. Robbie is married to Mac, and together they have four children, who are a great joy of their lives.
Scott Dermer serves as the pastor of the Webster Groves Church of the Nazarene in St. Louis, Missouri. He is also a Ph.D. candidate in Historical Theology at Saint Louis University, where he is writing his dissertation on St. Augustine’s doctrine of grace. Scott is passionate about preaching and equipping the church to be a missional community that is deeply rooted in the historic Christian faith. He loves running and spending time with his wife and three children.
Audra Spiven
Albert Hung
Christine Hung
Christine Hung is the campus pastor at Trinity Church of the Nazarene in Rowland Heights, California. Christine has a love for studying Scripture and helping others interact with God’s Word in a meaningful way. Her innovative approach to group inductive Bible study has been featured in the Table Magazine and the Teach 2016 SDMI conference in Ohio. She is passionate about seeing lives transformed by the love of Jesus Christ and finds it a privilege to walk alongside those experiencing seasons of difficulty. Christine takes deep joy in her husband, Albert, and their 4 children: Elijah, Micaela, Genevieve, and Nathaniel. Some of her favorite things are superhero movies, donuts, walks with the family, and preaching.
Mark Fuller
Mark Fuller serves as senior pastor of Grove City Church of the Nazarene, the largest Nazarene church in North America. Previously he has led growing churches in Arizona and Texas. He received his BA from MidAmerica Nazarene University, his MDiv from Nazarene Theological Seminary, and recently received an honorary doctorate degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. He resides in Ohio with his wife and their twin daughters.
Melanie holds an MFA in creative writing from Lesley University. Her fiction has appeared in Family Circle magazine and numerous literary journals. She currently lives in New Hampshire, where she is a photographer, writer, wife, and homeschooling mother of four children. Melanie writes about her life adventures at thefrozenmoon.com and has two books, The Simplest of Acts and This Perfect Mess
Richard E. Buckner is the ministry product line editor of Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City. He has held this position for ten years, prior to which he served as the book coordinator and copy editor for Beacon Hill. Richard holds a BA and MA in religion from Southern Nazarene University and an MDiv from Nazarene Theological Seminary, where he served as reader for the professor of Christian history and graduated summa cum laude. He has edited numerous books for pastors and church ministries, including several textbooks.
