Explore how Paul united the early church around the grace-filled message of the Gospel – and what that means for our divided world today.

In Come Alive: Galatians & Ephesians, we meet two messy church communities trying to work through uncertainty, crisis, and division – a situation that hits close to home today. Discover how Paul guides these communities through differences in social class, religious background, and ethnicity and unites them around the simple, grace-filled message of the Gospel.

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Paul was a biblical writer who didn’t shy away from controversy. He was bold, passionate, and direct, and many of his statements still stir up controversy today.

But as modern readers, we also tend to misunderstand Paul, missing the fact that his writings were BORN out of controversy: sordid affairs, ethnic and religious discrimination, cult influences, and real-life drama taking place in the newly formed communities of the early church. Though Paul’s doctrinal truths are timeless, they were inspired by very timely situations that we must understand to understand his teachings.

Two of Paul’s shorter letters, Galatians and Ephesians pack a big punch with a beautiful message of unity and life in Christ that intersects powerfully with our lives today.

Come Alive: Galatians and Ephesians Video Trailer

Talbot Davis

About Talbot Davis

I’ve been a preacher for half my life, but until 10 years ago, I didn’t comprehend the full richness and beauty of the Bible. Sure, I knew what the Bible said and what it was about, but it had never truly come alive to me. Have you experienced this disconnect?

This text is full of confusing, challenging, and downright weird stuff. It can even seem – dare I say – boring. But it only seems boring because we don’t understand what the Bible really is or how to read it.

I had always assumed the Bible was a mix of a how-to manual, a science textbook, and a self-help book. But it’s none of those things; it’s not even a book! The Bible is a library of books that capture a divinely inspired conversation between God and his people. It’s a story. And when we understand how to approach it and the context of the biblical world, we discover it’s far more interesting – and life-changing – than we ever imagined.

Talbot Davis was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. As a teenager, he was the two-time Texas state champion in tennis for boys’ 18-and-under. After graduating from high school in 1980, he attended Princeton University in Princeton, NJ, where he played varsity tennis for four years, served as team captain, and graduated with honors in English in 1984.

Talbot is a 1990 graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. In 32 years of full-time United Methodist ministry in the Western North Carolina Annual Conference, he has served two appointments: Mt. Carmel-Midway (1990-1999) and Good Shepherd (1999-present). Since 1999, Good Shepherd’s average worship attendance has increased from 500 per Sunday to 2,000 per Sunday. The church is known for its modern style of worship, ethnic and racial diversity, and radical impact projects. Prior to the Come Alive series, Talbot published six works, all with Abingdon Press: Head Scratchers, The Storm Before The Calm, The Shadow Of A Doubt, Solve, Crash Test Dummies, and Simplify The Message; Multiply The Impact.

Talbot has been married to Julie since 1984 and they have two adult children.

Reviews

What people
are saying…

If you've wanted to begin the habit of daily scripture reading--or if you started in the past but stalled because you found the Bible confusing--perhaps you need someone like Talbot Davis to walk alongside you and explain the who, what, when, where, and why of Paul's letters to the Galatians and Ephesians. And perhaps this book of conversations will make these letters "Come Alive" for you and jump-start your spiritual growth.

Jennifer Cabrera

Editor of the Alachua Chronicle

As a lifelong student of Scripture, I love it when I pick up a Bible study resource that clearly, simply, lovinginly, and substantively helps me engage the text with my head, heart, and hands. Davis has his ear simultaneously attuned to the words of Paul to the 1st century believers in Galatia and Ephesus and to the realities faced by faithful followers of Jesus today. I highly recommend Davis's study on Galatians and Ephesians to individuals looking for a deeper dive into Scripture and also for group study.

Brian Russell

Professor of biblical studies at Asbury Theological Seminary

Davis' work is engaging, deep and approachable. An excellent study for those seeking to grow closer to Christ.

Rev. Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory

Global Methodist Elder, Chairwoman of the Transitional Leadership Council for the GMC

I can't wait for the next Come Alive book. I am not a big reader but I have not been able to put "Matthew" down. I know it's a 90 day process but I can't wait. I have gotten so much out of it and it really brings Jesus and God deeply into my heart. Thanks so much for your work to lead us along

Stephen Deneale

Retired retail executive, Knoxville, TN

In his treatment of these letters from Paul, Talbot Davis offers exactly what serious lay Christians desire and need. This book is characterized by accessibility, accuracy, depth, and applicability. It is preeminently reliable and useful. I recommend it most highly.

David R. Bauer, Ph.D.

Ralph Waldo Beeson Professor of Inductive Biblical Studies, Dean of the School of Biblical Interpretation, Asbury Theological Seminary

Reverend Davis’ commentary and Bible Study is both breathtaking and illuminating. Whether you are reading the Bible for the first time or have read it thousands of times, Talbot's insights into Scripture are fresh and relevant, drawing the reader closer to Christ. Reading “Galatians and Ephesians” is like having your best friend, who is also a brilliant teacher, reading the Scriptures with you.

Dr. Scott Standard MD

Chief of Neurosurgery, Ascension St. Thomas

You love Jesus and you want to know more about God, but when you go to read the Bible, it’s a struggle. The world you encounter there is a world with a very different culture and very different values. It can be confusing, frustrating, and – let’s be honest – sometimes weird. Many Christians end up feeling like they’re not “getting anything out of it” or that what they were promised doesn’t line up with their lived experience.

But when we learn to approach the Bible in a different way, we discover it’s far more interesting and richer than we ever imagined. Come Alive will help you:

Discover a new way to approach the Bible

It’s not about the takeaway, but trust and transformation. It’s not about “how to” but “Who” to which it points.

Learn to read the Bible “literarily”

Not as a how-to manual, a science textbook, or a self-help book (actually, it’s not a book at all), but as a library of books that capture a divinely-inspired a conversation between God and His people.

Watch God change your life

When you start your day in the Word, you’ll find you’re less focused on the times and more on the timeless, less on the urgent and more on the ultimate.

Uncover how Paul’s message of unity in Christ intersects powerfully with our lives today

Get cultural context, insights, and reading prompts that help you de-weird the Bible and understand how God is speaking into your life today.