“May I answer these questions,” she writes, “and any questions you may have, by posing a different question: Are you willing to engage in the wrestle? In an ongoing spiritual wrestle?” In Worth the Wrestle, Sheri examines the process of asking good questions—whether those questions be doctrinal, procedural, historical, or intensely personal—and learning how to get answers. She demonstrates how to live by faith while seeking greater light and knowledge. And she testifies of principles that are worth wrestling for and of understanding that can be gained in no other way.

    And for Latter-day Saints, the Jesus Christ revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith is, in some very significant ways, a different kind of Christ than the Jesus of modern Christianity. The Christ of the restored gospel collaborated with Heavenly Parents for our salvation even before the foundation of the world, "does not anything" save it be for our benefit (2 Nephi 26:24), and is determined to patiently guide and nurture every one of God's children into an eternal heavenly family. Most significantly, this Christ does not rescue us from a condition of original sin or depravity. Rather, He is primarily a healer of the wounds incident to a long-planned sojourn, one intended to immerse us in the trials, pains, and soul-stretching of this mortal schoolroom. He is not only the most remarkable being in the history of religious thought; He is, in fact, The Christ Who Heals.

    But how can we know that is true? How can we gain a greater sense of the worth of every soul—including our own?In his latest book, Elder David A. Bednar offers a compelling look at a pattern the Lord uses to bless His people: He works with us on an individual basis, one by one. Demonstrating that pattern as it occurs throughout the scriptures, in the lives of many Church leaders, and in his own ministry, Elder Bednar opens our hearts to the Lord's love for us. He teaches that by ministering as the Savior does, one by one, we can be more powerful instruments in His hands to do His work.From a "guided tour" through scriptural illustrations to an array of touching personal accounts, this important new book offers hope and guidance for anyone who has ever wondered, "Do I matter to the Lord?"

    An explanation of the attributes of our Heavenly Father.

    In this colorful, inviting format, more than 20 of his best-loved stories come together under five major themes: Principles of Flight, Lift, Guidance on the Journey, Weathering the Turbulence, and Our Eternal Destination.

    Christians throughout the centuries have used grace to describe God's favor, goodwill, and love. However, grace is more than a description of God's attributes. It is the help, power, and strength He offers as we choose to engage with Him in striving to attain those attributes. It is the help, power, and strength He offers as we choose to engage with Him in striving to attain those attributes. Grace is different from the Atonement. It is not Christ's suffering, death, and Resurrection. Rather, grace is the power that flows from those sacred moments. Grace is not a priesthood ordinance, but essential ordinances invite greater and greater endowments of grace into our lives. Grace is a divine gift, but like any gift, it must be received.

    "Some of my gay friends—as well as some of the LDS friends—are a little surprised that I think it's possible to be a gay Mormon."In That We May Be One, Tom Christofferson shares perspectives gained from his life's journey as a gay man who left The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and then returned to it. After having asked to be excommunicated from the faith he was raised in, Tom spent two decades in a loving relationship with a committed partner. But gradually, the love of family, friends, and strangers and the Spirit of the Lord worked on him until he found himself one night sitting in his car in front of the bishop's house...This book is about the lessons Tom, his family, and his fellow Saints learned while trying to love as God loves. It is about the scope and strength of this circle of love and about how learning the truth of our relationship with God draws us to Him. For anyone who has wondered how to keep moving forward in the face of difficult decisions and feelings of ambiguity; for anyone who needs to better understand the redeeming power of our Savior, Jesus Christ; for anyone who seeks to love more fully; this book offers reassurance and testimony of God's love for all of His children.

    This short book explores the temple experience from three different vantage points: the why, drawing upon a fictional metaphor with parallels to the temple; the what, exploring the history of the endowment; and the how, applying the metaphor, Church history, and the endowment to us. This three-part approach allows readers to learn in a way that relates best to them individually and helps those who are new to the temple have a richer, deeper temple experience with room for continued growth. As illustrated by metaphor, history, and application, the Lord extends to each one of us a holy invitation: an invitation to enter His temple, to learn of Him and His ways, and to prepare to come back into His presence.

    Readers of this book will understand how the local church should participate in the conversion process through ordinary means, such as biblical preaching and intentional relationships.

    With topics including searching for the Savior, bringing the influence of the Lord into our families, and feeling God's grace in difficult times, Sister Marriott encourages readers with her warm, personable style and Southern charm.

    The local church is the engine of world missions. But where should a church begin?Churches don't need a complicated missions program. They need the Bible and the wisdom to know how to apply it. This book points to Scripture and offers practical steps for training and supporting missionaries, forming international partnerships, sending short-term teams, and engaging the nations both at home and abroad.Part of the 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches series.

    God intends for this compelling vision of His people singing—a people joyfully joining together in song with brothers and sisters around the world and around his heavenly throne—to include you. He wants you,he wants us, to sing.

    The discourses, given by women both well known and obscure, represent just some of the many contributions of women to Latter-day Saint thought. In addition to being a scholarly history, At the Pulpit is intended as a resource for contemporary Latter-day Saints as they study, speak, teach, and lead. These discourses allow readers to hear the historical and contemporary voices of Latter-day Saint women--voices that resound with experience, wisdom, and authority.

    Written for singles, newlyweds, and marriage veterans, Cheers to Eternity will help you bring new insights into your relationships, keep life in perspective, and make the rest of your life here and in eternity exciting, amazing and meaningful.

    Everyone who knew Jesus is now dead. Christianity has begun to spread, but there are serious threats to its survival. Christianity at the Crossroads examines the crucial issues that faced the second-century Church - a period often neglected or overlooked in other studies. It was during this period that the fledgling Church struggled to work out its identity and stay true to the vision of Christ and the apostles. Threatened by divisive controversies from within and fierce persecution from without, the Church's response to these and other issues not only determined its survival; it was to shape the beliefs, values and lives of millions of Christians throughout the world over the next two millennia.

    While considering ways of making the precepts of this divine book more readily available to the reader, a distinguishing format was devised to isolate the doctrinal precepts and at the same time render this rather complex volume of scripture more comprehensible for reading and pondering. Not one word, letter or even a punctuation mark of the actual text has been deleted or altered in the process. Only the formatting has been enhanced by adding wider margins for notes, two type sizes, and spaces between textual subdivisions. These contextual enhancements are designed to help the reader more readily visualize the context, speaker and doctrine of the Book of Mormon narrative.This edition of the Book of Mormon divides the text into 214 events or episodes. An event-based approach provides an alternate way to read the scripture text without the obvious

    That’s what you’re asked to give from now until Easter. Each 24-hour day has 240 “six minute” packages. During Lent, one of those will be given to the Lord. The centerpiece of each day (except Sundays) is the Passion according to Mark, which is on the right-hand page. We’ll walk through the whole Passion a little bit at a time, and offer some reflections with each piece. Once you get into it you’ll find this practice to be peaceful, even something to look forward to. You’ll also find that it helps to make your day go a bit better. Prayer does that.

    But how do you know it’s the mission Jesus gave?In The Life of the Church, Joe Thorn explains the mission of the church and the three rhythms for fulfilling it. The result is a simple, memorable model for church life and ministry, grounded in Scripture and aligned with historic practices.Useful for training in membership class, discipleship groups, and elder boards—and even for devotional reading—The Life of the Church is at once theological, practical, and experiential. Readers will not simply be informed, but led to a deeper conviction about their role in the body of Christ. Pastors will be equipped to refocus their ministries, and Christians to fulfill their purpose: be and make disciples. If you wonder what it means to be saved into a body of believers, why the various parts of a worship service matter, and how to engage in the world as a citizen of heaven, then The Life of the Church is for you. It answers this critical question: “Why does the church exist, and how does it shape my life?”

    Granby Presbyterian is a weary congregation without a pastor, overwhelmed by the prospect of finding someone who actually wants to be a pastor—not a manager, coach, or CEO. When Granby's pastoral search committee and Jonas connect through handwritten letters passed back and forth, something sparks between them—something so real and refreshing that even after Jonas and his family move to Granby, he continues the regular practice of writing letters to his congregation. Spanning seven years of his ministry at Granby Presbyterian, Jonas's letters ruminate on everything from fly-fishing to the Nicene Creed. They reveal the earthy spirituality woven into the joys and sorrows of the people of Granby, the community of the church, and Jonas's own unfolding story. Readers will discover what it means for a pastor and a church to do the slow work of ministry in community—anchored by a common place and buoyed by a life of faith that is meaningful, rooted, and true.

    In a world where religion is being pushed to the margins of society, we find loyalty to scriptural teachings, adherence to time-honored values, and belief in absolute truths in short supply.When respected religious educator and author Robert L. Millet talks with those who are troubled by newly public historical information, anti-Mormon propaganda, the Church's position on marriage, family, and gender issues, or other concerns, he’s empathetic and wants to help. He pleads, “When did we lose our believing hearts and confidence in the Lord’s servants? Whatever happened to faith?”From the author of Living in the Eleventh Hour and Grace Works, this timely book is all about faith—what it is, what is isn’t, how it is developed, and how we may remain solid and steadfast in our beliefs and convictions. His is a call to pay little heed to the way society is moving and an invitation to be a part of a counter culture of faith and devotion. Therein is safety and peace.

    The rejection stings. It leaves a mark. Yet this is exactly what the church has been saying to far too many people for far too long: "You're not welcome here. Find someplace else to sit." How can we extend unconditional welcome and acceptance in a world increasingly marked by bigotry, fear, and exclusion?Pastor John Pavlovitz invites readers to join him on the journey to find--or build--a church that is big enough for everyone. He speaks clearly into the heart of the issues the Christian community has been earnestly wrestling with: LGBT inclusion, gender equality, racial tensions, and global concerns. A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, Hopeful Spiritual Community asks if organized Christianity can find a new way of faithfully continuing the work Jesus began two thousand years ago, where everyone gets a seat.Pavlovitz shares moving personal stories and his careful observations as a pastor to set the table for a new, more loving conversation on these and other important matters of faith. He invites us to build the bigger table Jesus imagined, practicing radical hospitality, total authenticity, messy diversity, and agenda-free community.

    I’ll never forget what one student said…‘My denomination wants me to have an M.Div., but once they see I can grow a big church, I don't think they'll make me finish the program.’”The priorities of this future pastor were startling, but he’s not alone in them.In the years since that class, author and minister Skye Jethani has seen more and more pastors swallowed by the celebrity syndrome.Not long ago, ministers were among the most trusted and admired people in our culture. But not anymore. A 2013 study from Gallop revealed that Americans’ admiration for clergy has reached an all-time low. That, taken with reduced trust of institutional religion overall, makes it easy to see why ministers feel insecure about their calling. In response to this trend, some pastors have looked to emulate those who are praised by the culture—business leaders, entertainers, and social activists. This has led to a new understanding of what a minister should be. We’ve turned away from viewing our pastors as shepherds, and now expect them to be celebrities. Immeasurable will help ministers recognize the cultural forces shaping their view of the calling, and then reimagine what faithful church leaders can look like in the twenty-first century. Through short essays and reflections on the pastor’s soul and skills, this book will help prospective pastors explore their calling to ministry, and it will help veteran pastors reframe their vision for the work.Drawing on cultural dynamics, personal stories, and his own experience working in a church and with church leaders, Skye Jethani will address matters like ambition, anger, community, consumerism, fame, health, justice, platform, preaching, rest,simplicity, success, vision, and more.There are endless resources to help pastors do the practical work of ministry, but there are far fewer that speak to the pastor’s soul and spirit. Immeasurable provides affirmation and encouragement for church leaders faithfully serving God. It commends the true work of ministry—shepherding, teaching, encouraging—while redefining what we mean by success in ministry. It’s a book church leaders can return to again and again for insight and inspiration.

      Todd Wagner invites readers to experience the adventure, goodness, and fullness of life that God has intended for humankind from the beginning of time and especially today through His provision through His people. Weekly meetings of mostly bored adults who regularly attend services have nothing to do with God’s vision for His people. Wagner paints the picture of a perfect Father’s intention to bring His people into an adventurous life full of authentic relationships, powerful transformation, and seemingly impossible significance and meaning.

    Paul Scalia reveals a scholar's mind and a pastor's heart in these inspiring reflections on a wide range of Catholic teachings and practices. Rooted in Scripture, the beauty and truth of these insights places the reader on a path to a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God. While keeping the focus on the theology and teachings of the Church, Fr. Scalia also covers these topics:shows the unity that comes from the seven sacramentsprovides a road map to a life of graceencourages a strong devotion to our Blessed Motherprovides guidance on how to develop a continuous conversation with GodThese ponderings are coupled with powerful and moving introductory essays penned by highly regarded Catholics, each offering a glimpse into the Catholic faith realized. Rev. Paul Check, Jim Towey, Dr. Scott Hahn, Mary Ellen Bork, Gloria Purvis, Raymond Arroyo, Lizz Lovett and Helen Alvare each open a section of the book with a personal account of his or her interaction with the faith. Fr. Scalia's writings then offer insight into developing and growing one's faith and relationship with God. Additionally, Archbishop Charles Chaput offers a thought provoking foreword to help the reader with a meaningful journey through the many aspects of the Catholic faith presented throughout this book.

    Learn which signs have already occurred, which are transpiring now, and which will shortly come to pass in this new edition from best-selling author and master gospel teacher David J. Ridges. Strengthen your testimony and promote your own inner peace, stability, and happiness as you learn about this prophesied era of miracles.

    It explains the story of the gospel, its basic doctrines, and God’s work in salvation. Fresh yet consistent with classic expressions, it helps churches reclaim their essential identity and return from distracting pursuits.   Useful for training in membership classes, discipleship groups, and elder boards—and even for devotional reading—The Heart of the Church is at once theological, practical, and experiential. Readers will not simply be informed, but led to believe in, rejoice in, and be transformed by the truth of God for His gathered people.Without the gospel, the church does not exist. This book is Thorn’s full and detailed exploration of the message that is indispensable to the church’s life and identity. For any church lacking power, any Christian feeling dry, or any person seeking truth, The Heart of the Church brings relief, direction, and light, leading to worship.

    Instead, they want to be accepted as full participants in God's work, sharing in kingdom tasks in ways that use their gifts appropriately.In Gender Roles and the People of God, author, radio host, and professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Alice Mathews surveys the roles women have played in the Bible and throughout church history, demonstrating both the inspiring contributions of women and the many hurdles that have been placed in their path. Along the way, she investigates the difficult passages often used to preclude women from certain areas of service, pointing to better and more faithful understandings of those verses.Encouraging and hopeful, Mathews aims for an "egalitarian complementarity" in which men and women use all of their gifts in the church together, in partnership, for the glory of God.

    We all prefer quick fixes and bandage solutions to the long, hard, slow work that produces real change. So the moment we learn about a new ministry or strategy and see its effect in another church, we run to implement it in our own. Unfortunately, this impulse is usually met by opposition, skepticism, and ultimately, rejection.What if the solution isn't a new model or a complicated strategy, but a shift in perspective? What if you could keep your church's current vision, values, and model, and simply make a few micro-shifts...leading to macro-changes?This book explores five micro-shifts that have the potential to produce macro-changes in your church. As you read, you will discover how to integrate these micro-shifts into the life of your church, starting with the way you disciple. You will finish by developing a plan to structure, communicate, and evaluate these changes to ensure that they take root and pave the way for lasting change and kingdom impact.

    Word-Centered Church brings that answer into sharp focus. Written by Jonathan Leeman, editorial director for the reputable ministry 9Marks, Word-Centered Church offers a thorough treatment of one of God’s greatest concerns: growing His people and growing His church.As simple as the concept may seem, it’s one that many churches miss, and to their own detriment. Because when churches center everything they do on God’s Word—when the pulpit ministry gives direction to every aspect of the church’s life—growth happens God’s way. God’s Word is what creates the church, and it’s what sustains it, too.Theological and practical, Word-Centered Church focuses on how the church hears, responds to, discusses, implements, and is transformed by Scripture. It’s not about high-octane production, superstar personalities, or postmodern entreaties, but stuff that is really old, really good, and really powerful.Word-Centered Church is the ministry-model book that churches need, because it advances the model God designed. For anyone who wants to grow or help others grow, Word-Centered Church is indispensable.

    TEMPLES ARE FILLED with ancient symbols that point directly to the Atonement. These symbols are all around— in scriptures, cultural motifs, and architectural details. C. Robert Line, doctor in sociology of religion, o ers help to those wanting to make sense of certain aspects of the temple and the endowment. By showing how these symbols all point back to Christ’s Atonement, he aims to enrich and enliven the worship experience that Church members can and should expect when they attend the House of the Lord. Learn to recognize the true meanings of temple symbols, such as the circle in the square motif, the tree of life, and sacred temple clothing, and allow their meanings to bring you closer to Christ.

    We're not after the -art of thinking about God a little differently.- We're here to uncover the needs God created within us--needs for meaning, intimacy, honesty, humility, justice, compassion, and more--and how he designed us to find those needs fulfilled in him.This is the art of living Jesus' spirituality.God gives us the key in the Greatest Commandment, but we've got to do this stuff in the right order. Imagine I invite you to my sweet cabin by the lake. To start hanging out in that cabin, you need to get the key from me, pack your car, follow the GPS, and so on. There's a natural order to it. It's the same with the Greatest Commandment.We begin upward, with loving God. The God. God of the Old Testament, God of the New Testament. God the Trinity--Father, Son, Holy Spirit. We continue inward, with understanding our true identities in Jesus. And when we get those things right, God's Spirit sends us outward, on mission into the world.These three movements--upward, inward, and outward--mirror the Greatest Commandment and help us learn the art of living harmoniously together in a chaotic world.

    The pastor of a dying church doesn't need to be told it is dying; he needs to find the way forward--and he needs hope.Author and pastor Andrew Davis offers readers the lessons he's learned in his own journey of leading church transformation, including- keeping Christ's ownership of the church central- being humble- choosing your battles wisely- empowering godly men to join in leadership- making prayer a priority- focusing on the Word- and moreChurch decline is not inevitable. Revitalize gives pastors the spiritual support they long for and the practical advice they need to turn their churches around and position them for greater health in the future.

    However, on account of its difficult and archaic style, it is scarcely read today. The time has come to translate it into modern English so that Hooker may teach a new generation of churchmen and Christian leaders about law, reason, Scripture, church, and politics. In this second volume of an ongoing translation project by the Davenant Trust, we present Book I of Hooker's Laws, for which he is perhaps most famous. Here he offers a sweeping overview of his theology of law, law being that order and measure by which God governs the universe, and by which all creatures-and humans above all-conduct their lives and affairs. In an age when the idea of natural creation order is under wholesale attack, even within the church, Hooker's luminous treatment of the relation of Scripture and nature, faith and reason is a priceless and urgently-needed gift to the church.

    Like the Elvises who roam the streets of Vegas, these counterfeit christs look and sound like Jesus, but they couldn’t be further from the real deal.In Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up? 12 False Christs, author Matthew Richard exposes these false christs for what they are . . . mere impostors. Richard reveals to readers who the real Jesus of the Bible is, but also reveals to us twelve false christs who are embraced, loved, promoted, and revered, even by well-meaning Christians.“My hope is that readers will connect with the different stories in this book, but will do so in a way that they can see how people’s false theology and bad presuppositions lead to taking up false christs,” says Richard. “In other words, this book attempts to combine the art of story and the discipline of theology, so that the reader can see flesh-and-blood examples of how easy false theology can lead someone into idolatry.”

    This is followed by studies of Scripture, the ministry of the Spirit, the nature of Biblical Theology, the work of Christ, adoption, the nature of the Christian life and other important doctrines. The final section discusses various aspects of preaching, including preaching Christ from the Old Testament, the importance of theology, reaching the heart, and concludes with a decalogue for preachers. All this, as the epilogue makes clear, is set within the context and goal of doxology.

     After years of panic attacks, digestive problems, heart palpitations, and sleepless nights, author Gary Zimak discovered that a personal relationship with Jesus keeps his worrying under control and fills him with peace. And he believes that what works for him can work for you, too. Whether you're facing financial hardships, health issues, personal insecurities, or the million and one little things that keep you up at night, God wants you to know that he has a plan for your happiness and peace. He can see you through anything-- even your anxiety! When we listen to God's voice in the Bible, speak to him in prayer, and spend time in his presence, our lives change in powerful ways. These daily reflections will help you do just that. It's time to stop worrying and start living!

    The Bees of Rainbow Falls reminds us that we matter to our community, that goodness is found all around us, and that new life emerges out of the small and sublime. With the quirky curiosity of a beekeeper and the thoughtful care of a pastor, he gently welcomes readers to step into their own neighbourhoods. What if the very best gift was waiting for you just beyond your front door?

    So why do we want to be alone? The Bible tells the story of the immense power of human relationships and God's love for the church. Douglas Bursch presents a timely, insightful and practical theology of community. He examines the relational implications of human existence, sin, salvation, discipleship, evangelism and other key biblical concepts. Doug also shares unfiltered stories concerning his personal weaknesses and the relational struggles he has faced as a pastor. Each chapter contains thought-provoking questions that can be used by individuals, pastors, small groups and college classes for further in-depth discussions. Doug's writing cuts to the heart of why community is so valuable but so costly. The Community of God: A Theology of the Church From a Reluctant Pastor is an indispensible resource for creating healthy Christian community in an increasingly individualistic world."Doug Bursch is one of the best thinkers of our day. He artfully mixes a sound theology with a practical application in a complex, combustible 21st Century culture that desperately needs a clarion voice." - Glenn Burris Jr., President of The Foursquare Church"Doug is unafraid to question the deep things of our faith but always does so as a committed believer. He's interesting, passionate and practical all at the same time." - Dr. Steve Schell, Senior Pastor of Northwest Church; host of Life Lessons and author of Preaching Through Romans

    Wesley began with Three Simple Rules (or "General Rules"), and followed this instruction a year later with the Five Marks of a Methodist (or "Character of a Methodist"). Wesley observed the need for continuous renewal of relationships with God and others, so he established a recurring annual process for God's people to make One Faithful Promise: The Wesleyan Covenant for Renewal. The study by Heath turns to the practices at the center of Wesley's understanding of spiritual growth: the means of grace.This book/study guides readers through the five means of grace that John Wesley called "instituted," meaning these are spiritual practices in which Jesus himself participated and which he encouraged his followers to do. One of the beautiful aspects of Wesley's theology is that spiritual practices are seamlessly integrated with practices of loving our neighbors well. This is why Wesley said there is no holiness but social holiness. A life of genuine prayer inevitably leads to a life of hospitality, mercy, and justice.Through this book/study participants will consider how each of the five means of grace help us as communities of faith to pray more deeply and live more missionally as followers of Jesus Christ. These means are the ordinary channels that God uses to draw us into a fruitful relationship. These five means or channels are:1. Prayer 2. Searching Scripture 3. Receiving the Lord's Supper 4. Fasting 5. Conferencing (communion, fellowship) "Surely John Wesley wanted his teachings to be presented in clear and understandable ways. Elaine Heath's teaching on the Five Means of Grace are simple and engaging with deep truths. Your group will love it!" - Jennifer Cowart (Executive pastor at Harvest Church, a United Methodist congregation in Warner Robins, GA, near Macon. She co-preaches and directs Discipleship and Emerging Ministries at Harvest UMC.)"Elaine Heath is one of the church's great teachers and prophets. With engaging stories and clear understanding of Scripture she invites us to experience God's love through ancient practices that we desperately need. I will be using Five Means of Grace with my congregation as an invitation for those seeking a deeper pathway into discipleship." - Rev. Jacob Armstrong, Providence United Methodist Church, Mount Juliet TN.

    The result? Church life becomes a predictable set of routines with predictable results. Church members struggle to reach the neighborhoods they drive through on their way to church programs, unable to penetrate their surrounding communities in a meaningful way. Reaching the Unreached recounts the stories, struggles, and triumphs of individuals and churches that have reinvented themselves to meet the world where it is, working to reach the ones that no one else is reaching.The search for the “silver bullet” of success has diverted us from tapping into the timeless principles found in the book of Acts, says author, pastor, and front-line church planter Peyton Jones. Yet the spiritual climate that Paul and the Apostles stepped into is not all that different from the brave new world the church faces today.From accidentally planting a church in a Starbucks in Europe, to baptizing members of the Mexican mafia in Long Beach Harbor, Jones has been on the frontlines of today’s missional movement and has lived to tell the tale. In Reaching the Unreached, he teaches church planters, pastors, and church leaders how to convert pew jockeys into missionaries and awake the sleeping giant of Christ’s church, one person at a time.Today there are two types of churches: those who put their proverbial heads in the sand, and those who champion 1st century principles, meet the challenges head on, and embrace the adventure of mission in community. Tomorrow, only one type of church will survive—those that accept the challenge to reach the unreached.

    In Better Than You Can Imagine, Patrick Quinn shares four truths:You have a gift that only you can give.Someone has a need that only you can meet.Joy is the journey where the gift and the need collide.The journey will break you … but it will also make you.Through story and biblical insight, Quinn helps readers apply these truths to their lives. Whether it’s time, money, or talent, everyone has something extra to give to others—and God has even more joy to give back.

    No more chapter and verse numbers. No more study notes. No more cross references or footnotes. No more red letters. Natural section breaks have been adjusted to reveal the inherent structure, showing the contours of each book in a way that traditional chapter-and-verse Bibles do not.The books of the Bible are arranged in an order that helps you see the unfolding drama more easily and book introductions are included to prepare you for a more in-depth reading experience. These “invitations” tell the story behind the story, unlocking the context of the book you’re about to read. The Books of the Bible uses Scripture from the New International Version (NIV), an accurate, readable and clear translation with the goal of delivering the same Bible reading experience today that the first recipients of Scripture would have had in their native languages.In The Books of the Bible, New Testament readers will enter the story of Jesus, his church, and his return. New Testament is part 4 (of 4) of The Books of the Bible series, which is a part of the church wide-campaign, The Community Bible Experience®.The Bible books included are:Luke-ActsThe letters of PaulMatthewHebrewsJamesMark1-2 PeterJudeJohn1-3 JohnRevelationFeatures:Single-column format for a clean, simple, elegant reading experienceBook introductions10.3-point type size

     Explore in this volume some answers to these questions: •What are the false traditions of our fathers today? •What is the difference between the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost? •How can you avoid being deceived? •Why do bad things happen to good people? •Why didn't that priesthood blessing heal you? •What is the difference between mercy and justice? •What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom? Mike also teaches how to successfully navigate the events leading up to the Second Coming of our Savior when we" Receive the Truth, and take the Holy Spirit for our guide"; as only those who learn to do this will stand in the day of His Coming, and abide that Day.

    The chapters are expanded from talks presented at the 22nd and 23rd annual conferences of the Brotherhood of Saint Moses the Black, a pan-Orthodox, multi-racial ministry.Different regional views on human value, race, and faith are at the heart of an ongoing national struggle over the identity and direction of the U.S. What insights can the Orthodox Church contribute as an expression of Christianity that was not involved in African slave trade or economy?

    as "the most influential American theologian of the twentieth century." In this companion volume to the forthcoming documentary film by Martin Doblmeier on the life and influence of Reinhold Niebuhr, Jeremy Sabella draws on an unprecedented set of exclusive interviews to explore how Niebuhr continues to compel minds and stir consciences in the twenty-first century. Interviews with leading voices such as Jimmy Carter, David Brooks, Cornel West, and Stanley Hauerwas as well as with people who knew Niebuhr personally, including his daughter Elisabeth, provide a rich trove of original material to help readers understand Niebuhr's enduring impact on American life and thought.CONTRIBUTORS (interviewees) Andrew J. Bacevich David Brooks Lisa Sowle Cahill Jimmy Carter Gary Dorrien Andrew Finstuen K. Healan Gaston Stanley Hauerwas Susannah Heschel William H. Hudnut III Robin W. Lovin Fr. Mark S. Massa, SJ Elisabeth Sifton Ronald H. Stone Cornel West Andrew Young

    From Hagar and the Hebrew prophets to Jesus in the wilderness to Francis of Assisi and Catherine of Siena, we see how escape from the toil and temptations of daily life can open our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts to the still, small voice of God. In the vast desert or a tiny room, solitude―frightening for some and a welcome reprieve for others―is far from an antisocial self-indulgence but rather is an opportunity for transformation and empowerment to serve God’s people ever more deeply.While most of us can’t take weeks―or even a few days―for private retreat, Holy Solitude offers readers thoughtful inspiration and practical devotional activities such as taking a solitary bus ride or baking a loaf of bread for a neighbor. Daily reflections introduce readers to figures in both Scripture and Christian history whose stories of discernment and discipline are a guide for our own spiritual practices as we seek to know God more fully and follow Christ more faithfully.

    Chand details the account of the construction of the Panama Canal, and draws parallels between it and successful leadership methodology. "More passion isn't the answer, and bigger dreams aren't always the solution. Every leader is asking two questions: How can we grow? How can we grow faster? The only way organizations can grow bigger and move faster is by accelerating the excellence of their systems and structures."—from Bigger Faster Leadership: Lessons from the Builders of the Panama CanalAn epiphany during a visit to the Panama Canal led Sam Chand—one of the country's most respected voices on ministry and marketplace leadership—to bold new insights on the life cycles of business or church organizations.Simply: The size and speed of an organization are controlled by its systems and structures.

    These short, beloved stories from Scripture include questions and answers to encourage family discussion, and can be used any of time of year, to assist parents in their efforts to bring the Holy Orthodox Faith to life in their homes, increasing understanding and inspiring love for Christ and His Church. Old Testament events and prophecies—many of which are shown to point the way to the birth of the Christ Child—together with New Testament events leading up to and including Christ’s Nativity, all serve to help Orthodox families enter more deeply into the spirit of the Nativity Fast, and to celebrate the feast of Christmas with greater understanding and inspiration. Elissa Bjeletich is a wife and mother, raising five daughters and working in the Sunday school at Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church in Austin, Texas.

    Blake White makes his biblical case that "Jesus Christ and His people are the fulfillment of all OT prophecy,” even the prophecies about the Jews. Now that Christ has come, it’s about your faith, not your family tree. Actually, that was God’s plan all along.

    Now our culture is much more pluralistic. In addition to these "others," many Westerners, disenchanted with Christianity, are more inclined than they were a generation ago to dabble in new spiritual alternatives that were not as readily available here before. Many Christians feel intimidated by these changes.Many Christians don't know how to engage their newest non-Christian neighbors in conversation, partly because they feel ignorant about the religions practiced by others. Significant Others seeks to fill this knowledge gap so readers will become more acquainted with the religious backgrounds of devout non-Christians they are meeting, as well as with the growing number of American people who claim no religious affiliation at all.Each chapter outlines the major world religions according to their significant founders or leading figures, significant beliefs and practices, significant sects and developments, and significant points of contact and points of contrast with Christian faith.

    Committed to loving and living in one place - the Langworthy estate in Salford - they have spent 18 years seeing Jesus' hope and healing transforming even the darkest and most desperate situations. At the heart of Ordinary Miracles is an understanding of Jesus' meal table, and how Langworthy Community Church has seen the most unlikely people welcomed into Jesus' Kingdom as they share at His table and invite others to do the same. Be encouraged by the radical inclusivity of Jesus' invitation and the remarkable miracles that happen when we eat with Him!

    The feeling is that we are struggling against something--someone-else. As if there's a force-a person- that wishes us ill. In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul describes justsuch a person: Sin, a cosmic tyrant who constrains our moral freedom, confuses our moral judgment, and condemns us to slavery and to death.Commentators have long argued about whether Paul literally means to say Sin is a person or is simply indulging in literary personification, but regardless of Paul's intentions, for modern readers it would seem clear enough: there is no such thing as a cosmic tyrant. Surely it is more reasonable tosuppose Sin is merely a colorful way of describing individual misdeeds or, at most, a way of evoking the intractability of our social ills.In The Emergence of Sin, Matthew Croasmun suggests we take another look. The vision of Sin he offers is at once scientific and theological, social and individual, corporeal and mythological. He argues both that the cosmic power Sin is nothing more than an emergent feature of a vast human network oftransgression and that this power is nevertheless real, personal, and one whom we had better be ready to resist. Ultimately, what is on offer here is an account of the world re-mythologized at the hands of chemists, evolutionary biologists, sociologists, and entomologists. In this world, Paul's textis not a relic of a forgotten mythical past, but a field manual for modern living.

    They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths." --2 Timothy 4:3-4Jesus Christ is coming back. It is certainly a Christian's greatest hope during these difficult times. The Bible warns us that the last days will be tumultuous--wars and rumors of wars will spread (Matthew 24:6). In our age, the world seems to be spinning out of control, creating fear, confusion, and uncertainty. In addition to violence, pestilence, and epidemics, the Bible predicts a great "falling away" from God in the end times. Bible teachers call that "the great apostasy." Are we seeing evidence today in the church of this massive rejection of sound and wholesome teaching? Mark Hitchcock, former lawyer and popular Bible teacher, examines the evidence from the teachers of our time. Are today's teachers allowing people to follow their own desires by telling them what they want to hear, as the Bible clearly predicts? Are major portions of the church ready to abandon sound and wholesome teaching?Mark explores the writings of church leaders in America and is stunned by what he discovers. The great apostasy is coming, but is it closer than we imagine? What does that mean for the future? Let Mark Hitchcock be your steady guide to the difficult days ahead.

    Citing examples from the scriptures and from his own life, President Uchtdorf encourages sisters throughout the world—grandmothers, mothers, aunts, and friends—to never underestimate the power of their influence for good, especially in the lives of children and youth.

    This book connects preteen girls with the women of the Bible, showing them that they are created in the image of God to do mighty things in this world.

    Inconsistency in the Torah

    Brian J. Wright overturns that premise by examining evidence that demonstrates communal reading events in the first century. Wright disproves the simplistic notion that only a small segment of society in certain urban areas could have been involved in such communal reading events during the first century; rather, communal reading permeated a complex, multifaceted cultural field in which early Christians, Philo, and many others participated. His study thus pushes the academic conversation back by at least a century and raises important new questions regarding the formation of the Jesus tradition, the contours of book culture in early Christianity, and factors shaping the transmission of the text of the New Testament. These fresh insights have the potential to inform historical reconstructions of the nature of the earliest churches as well as the story of canon formation and textual transmission.

    When tests arise, it is easy to ask yourself why—why must I face this trial? Why does God allow suffering? When questions seem to go unanswered, it can become a burden on belief rather than a catalyst for personal progression. In Answers Will Come, readers are invited to experience one woman’s powerful journey from the depths of doubt to a rediscovery of the light of faith. Through personal narrative, sacred scripture, and the inspired words of church leaders, readers are reminded that every believer’s path to God is paved with questions. It’s up to you where those questions will take you…

    Condemned. Controlled. Describing church, believers and nonbelievers deploy stinging terms to define an imperial, culturally privileged, and powerful American force. Church has become synonymous with shame, exclusion, and hostility. This is not the church of Jesus. American Christians are victims of a deliberate and shortsighted scheme designed to identify and defeat religious, cultural, and sexual Others. From the language of "makers and takers," to "if you're not for us, you're against us," to the continual suggestion that we are soldiers in a constant series of wars--the war on women, the war on the family, the war on Christians, the war on Christmas, the war on terror, and much more--Christians are near the heart of enmity. The New Testament, however, seeks to create an alternative community--a community devoid of fear, wherein God's love and acceptance are mediated to all people through the grace of Jesus. In Unarmed Empire, Sean Palmer reclaims the New Testament's vision of the church as an alternative community of welcome, harmony, and peace. Unarmed Empire is for everyone who's been misled about church. It's for everyone who feels blacklisted by believers, everyone who has been hurt. It's for everyone longing for a purer experience of church. "Sean Palmer has made a beautiful discovery. He discovered a pearl of great price buried in the back yard of Christianity. He wants to share that treasure with you through his new book, Unarmed Empire. If you share in this discovery, you'll discover why he is so passionate about it. You'll want to share it too." --Brian D. McLaren, author of The Great Spiritual Migration "Sean Palmer is a skilled storyteller, a deep thinker, an insightful writer, and a faithful follower of Jesus. In Unarmed Empire, Palmer sagely assesses the church--both as it was intended to be, and as it is. While acknowledging the church's faults, flaws, and failures, Palmer nevertheless casts a hopeful vision of the church as it can be, reminding us that no matter how lost we are, we can always find our way Home." --Sarah Thebarge, author of The Invisible Girls and WELL: Healing Our Beautiful, Broken World from a Hospital in West Africa "Brilliantly weaving together story, memoir, cultural criticism, biblical exegesis, and theological commentary, Sean Palmer has written the best book about the church I have ever read. By turns pastoral and prophetic, Unarmed Empire is a manifesto for the church, an urgent plea to become God's 'beloved community.'"  --Richard Beck, author, blogger, professor of psychology, Abilene Christian University "This book is frustrating. It's frustrating because it chafes against our fallen nature's quest for power. It's frustrating because it confounds conventional wisdom's preservation of status quo. Mostly, it's frustrating because it's so biblical and Christ-centered that there's no way for a follower of Jesus to dismiss it. Caveat Lector: Let the Reader Beware! This will not be easy to absorb, but it is necessary if we ever hope to become the beloved community imagined in Scripture."  --John Alan Turner, Church Consultant, Author of Crazy Stories; Sane God Sean Palmer is a thoughtful, provocative writer, speaker, and podcaster who has been named by Christian Standard magazine as one of its "40 Under 40" leaders. Sean is the Teaching Pastor at Ecclesia Houston, a multi-site church in Houston, TX. You can read more from Sean at www.missioalliance.org, listen to his podcasts, Not So Black & White, and follow him on Twitter (@seanpalmer).

    We hardly ever think of it as world-changing--and neither does society. Yet this is exactly what the first-century ekklesia was.In these vital, eye-opening pages, bestselling author Ed Silvoso takes you back to the first days of the church. Digging into Scripture, he shows how the New Testament church--devoid of buildings, professional clergy, and religious freedom--was able to transform the hostile, pagan places into which it was born and set in motion a process that changed the world forever.Even more, Silvoso offers a roadmap back to becoming the ekklesia Jesus called his church to be. In the midst of the social, economic, political, and moral chaos in our world today, we possess the hope that people and nations so desperately need--and we can become the revolutionary, transformational, life-giving voice Jesus called us to be.A new, in-depth curriculum kit--which features a DVD with 12 brand-new teaching sessions, a group guide for both leaders and participants, and a copy of the book--is also available. Expounding on the book's dynamic teachings, each kit contains everything you need to equip your group to transform the world around them.

    However, the culture of many churches fails to attract those they are helping to the very faith that motivates this compassion. Even when people from poorer or working class backgrounds start on a journey of faith, many churches struggle to create an inclusive environment where they can feel welcomed and at home. With biblical insight and practical examples A Church for the Poor, by Martin Charlesworth and Natalie Williams, presents a vision of the church as a place where people from all sections of society can find a home and play a part. It is a call to rethink our traditions and transform the church to reach the poor in Britain today.

    So rather than attending worship at a local church, they attend to their spiritual needs elsewhere. Instead of being fed by a single denomination, they feast upon a smorgasbord of spiritual beliefs. And while these disaffected believers have not rejected the existence of God or the need for meaningful spirituality, they have strongly rejected whatever it is they think the church today has to offer.

    Sometimes in the excitement and focus of major life events like missions and marriage, the temple experience becomes secondary. However, your temple endowment can and should be a deeply meaningful experience.Using entertaining stories and insightful teachings from the scriptures, this book helps teens and young adults replace their fears and questions about the temple with the faith and confidence necessary to make and keep eternal covenants and to experience all the blessings of temple worship.

    Experts Jackie Francois Angel and Bobby Angel will teach youhow to pray together as a couple, opening you up to the wonders that God bestows on your marriage.

    Many of those people don't know what to make of Jesus. They're hesitant to be in a church. They're not sure they belong. But over and over in the pages of the gospels, we see something extraordinary.People who were nothing like Jesus liked Jesus.Shouldn't that be true of his church as well?In Going Deep & Wide, Andy Stanley lays out a blueprint for becoming that kind of church. Going Deep & Wide offers practical steps to help church leaders create irresistible environments, define ministry goals, and communicate more effectively with unbelievers. Each section includes discussion materials that walk you more deeply into the content of Deep & Wide and invites conversations about how to apply what you've learned.

    He grew up in church, read through the entire Bible by age ten, and even did puppet shows to positive Christian music. As a young adult, he became a pastor and taught theology classes at a local university. But after watching friends die, losing two jobs, and seeing his own father diagnosed with cancer, Wade found his faith failing. He realized that his ideas about God were far too comfortable. They were good excuses to be safe and affluent, but not anything that could stand up to disappointment and suffering. Somehow, along the way, he had traded an ancient, powerful Christianity for a Christianity made in the image of success and well-being. In 'Failing Faith,' Wade uses humor and stories of personal pain to detail his journey to recapture what was lost—his journey to find a richer, more meaningful faith that bears the weight of depression, loss, and even comfort. For anyone whose faith was crushed by the real world. For anyone trying to reconcile a loving God in the midst of sadness. For anyone looking for a faith that finds its roots in Jesus rather than the American dream. Failing Faith is a unique, emotional, and often funny take on what it means to be a follower of Jesus in a dark, materialistic world.

    In fact, the vast majority of Christians report that they have never been personally discipled by a more mature follower of Jesus. Is it any wonder that they have a difficult time knowing how to disciple others?If making disciples of Jesus is the greatest cause on earth, how should we equip people to do it? This handbook is a practical guide for how to embrace the discipleship lifestyle – being a disciple of Jesus and how to make other disciples of Jesus. With contributions from pastors and teachers like Francis Chan, Jeff Vanderstelt, Bill Hull, Jim Putman, KP Yohannan, and Robert Coleman, the authors present seven elements that are necessary for disciple making to occur:Jesus—the original disciple maker and centerpiece of discipleship.Holy Spirit—fuels the disciple-making process.Intentionality—making disciples utilizing a strategy and a roadmap.Relationships—creating a loving, genuine connection with others who trust and follow Jesus.Bible—using the Word of God as the manual for making disciples.Journey—forging a traceable growth story from a new birth to spiritual parenthood.Multiply—reproducing the discipleship process so that the disciple becomes a disciple maker.Whether you are a parent who wants to disciple your children, a small group leader who wants to disciple those in your group, or a church leader who wants to disciple future leaders, the seven key elements in this handbook form a framework for understanding discipleship that can be applied in countless situations. In addition, there are questions provided in each section to help you think through how to apply the material to your disciple making efforts.

    

    Pilgrims Way

    From Luther's conversion to his nailing of the 95 theses to the Wittenberg chapel door, history jumps off the page through the vibrant illustrations of renowned paper artist Agostino Traini.

    In a culture of constant busyness, the lines have blurred between our work and personal lives, and we feel pulled in many directions.Yet we long for more time well spentunrushed time to be alone, relax with friends and family, and grow closer to God. Many of us seem to have forgotten the ancient spiritual practice that can help us regain balance in our lives: sabbath.For Sabbath's Sake dives into the heart of what keeps us from sabbath. With humor and honesty, J. Dana Trent reveals her own struggles with setting apart a day devoted to God, rest, and community. This book traces the rich history of sabbath, helps readers find ways to overcome barriers to this spiritual practice, and gives them achievable ways to build sabbath into their own lives.

    It rejects the pontifications of some salvation history that move the faithful toward an eschatological promise that, when looking back at history, makes sense of all Christian-led brutalities, mayhem, and carnage.Hope, as an illusion, is responsible for maintaining oppressive structures. This book struggles with a God who at times seems mute, demanding solidarity in the midst of perdition and a blessing in the midst of adversity. How can the Creator be so invisible during the troubling times in which we live-times filled with unbearable life-denying trials and tribulations? The book concludes with a term De La Torre has coined in other books: an ethics para joder-an ethics that f*cks with. When all is hopeless, when neoliberalism has won, when there exists no chance of establishing justice, the only choice left for the oppressed is to screw with the structure, literally turning over the bankers' tables at the temple. By upsetting the norm, an opportunity might arise that can lead us to a more just situation, although such acts of defiance usually lead to crucifixion. Hopelessness is what leads to radical liberative praxis.

    His deep insight, signature easygoing style, and humor bring a warmth and practical accessibility not often found in commentaries.Each volume combines verse-by-verse commentary, charts, maps, photos, key terms, and background articles with practical application. The newly updated volumes now include parallel presentations of the NLT and NASB before each section. This series is a must-have for pastors, teachers, and anyone else who is seeking a deeply practical resource for exploring God’s Word.

    shows how to develop a stronger relationship with God and more effective spiritual lifestyle by taking small steps that lead to big changes. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Geneva} span.Apple-tab-span {white-space:pre} Been running for Jesus a long time (I'm not tired yet) Been singing for Jesus a long time (I'm not tired yet) Been running by day and praying by night (I'm not tired yet) I've gotta get going, it's a mighty hard fight (No...I'm not tired yet) I've been serving God a long time (I'm not tired yet) I've been living for God a long time (I'm not tired yet) I've been praying to the Lord a long time (I'm not tired yet) It's an uphill journey but all I've got to say is (I'm not tired yet) The old spiritual song lifts you, but you are tired. Or maybe you're bored. You're still going to church. You're still praying. You're still serving. You're still giving. Deep within you, faith remains. But you feel a longing. You're not seeking fireworks. You're not a pew-sitter, safe in some spiritual comfort zone, looking for a thrill from the Lord. Your trust in God is secure. But you feel a longing for something more, deeper, fresher. If you've ignored these innermost feelings thinking they're no big deal, this basic yet dynamic program that Bishop Vashti McKenzie has implemented in more than two hundred churches with astounding results is for you. Individuals who have had many years of Christian life discovered a renewed sense of calling and purpose. Even new believers were invigorated in their faith-building process. Bishop McKenzie prescribes very small changes-such as adding a mere thirty seconds of prayer daily-that lead to radical closeness to God. And building an enjoyable, meaningful relationship with the Almighty doesn't mean striving for perfection. Small steps-but meaningful steps-collectively evolve into intimacy with God. And the big deal result is greater ability to biblically address life challenges. The big deal is that you're even more available to serve family, church, and community: truly in "no ways tired." Increasing spirituality is incremental, not monumental. Mustard-seed-like increases in positive actions (and corresponding decreases in negative ones) yield mountain-moving growth!

    The coauthors bring their knowledge and experience to the aid of readers: Bp John (Abdalah) distills his insights from his many years of marriage and pastoral guidance, as well as from the teaching of Fr Alexander Schmemann, and Nicholas G. Mamey contributes his perspective as a newly married man. Together, they take readers on a journey that prepares them to understand marriage, the great mystery that is an icon of Christ and his Church (Eph 5.32)The authors first establish the theological background needed to understand marriage in an accessible way. They then examine and explain the rich prayers and the liturgical actions of the wedding service, and conclude the book with pastoral guidance to help couples build their marriages securely on the Rock, the only foundation that cannot be shaken, our Lord Jesus Christ.This book is ideal for engaged couples, newlyweds, or those who wish to enrich their marriage at any point in their relationship. It is also an indispensable resource for pastors who help couples to prepare for marriage.

    He's written children's Bible-based storybooks for the "Their Side of the Story" collection and worked as a creative consultant for children's television programs. This book is guaranteed to entertain children for hours with chapters like "He Stands at the Door and Knock Knocks," "Matches Made in Heaven," and "Are You Smarter Than King Solomon?" A great gift for kids to share with their friends, and moms and dads might even find themselves laughing and learning too!

    Associated with grumpiness, aches and pains, loneliness, and isolation it's not something we particularly look forward to or relish when we're there.Pastor and Bible teacher, Derek Prime, himself in his 80s, shows us that there is another way to view old age. He guides us through 26 Christian priorities that we should hold to in later life. With biblical wisdom and practical advice, he helps us to navigate the unique challenges and joys that old age can bring. This is a book to dip into, meditate on and read prayerfully as you let the truths it contains gently transform the way you live your old age.

    The main purposes was to adjudicate a theological controversy (Arminianism) concerning the way in which believers receive the benefit of Christ. The canons, therefore, are polemic in purpose, articulating Calvinistic beliefs in direct rebuttal of Arminianism. This confession is a very finely tuned piece of theological writing, ably delineating a biblically Reformed perspective on matters central to Christian life and experience.

    

    . . or the saints?True Reformers explores in detail the leaders who led the Church s rebirth from the ashes of Renaissance decadence and the turbulence and confusion caused by the Protestant Reformation.The saints of the Catholic Reformation show us just how powerful and beautiful is the human heart s free response to God s generous grace.Featured Saints St. Catherine of Genoa St. Thomas More St. Ignatius of Loyola St. Francis Xavier St. Philip Neri St. Charles Borromeo St. Pius V St. Teresa of Avila St. John of the Cross St. Francis de Sales

    By presenting African American Protestantism in the context of white Protestant fundamentalism, Doctrine and Race: African American Evangelicals and Fundamentalism between the Wars demonstrates that African American Protestants were acutely aware of the manner in which white Christianity operated and how they could use that knowledge to justify social change. Mary Beth Swetnam Mathews’s study scrutinizes how white fundamentalists wrote blacks out of their definition of fundamentalism and how blacks constructed a definition of Christianity that had, at its core, an intrinsic belief in racial equality. In doing so, this volume challenges the prevailing scholarly argument that fundamentalism was either a doctrinal debate or an antimodernist force. Instead, it was a constantly shifting set of priorities for different groups at different times.   A number of African American theologians and clergy identified with many of the doctrinal tenets of the fundamentalism of their white counterparts, but African Americans were excluded from full fellowship with the fundamentalists because of their race. Moreover, these scholars and pastors did not limit themselves to traditional evangelical doctrine but embraced progressive theological concepts, such as the Social Gospel, to help them achieve racial equality. Nonetheless, they identified other forward-looking theological views, such as modernism, as threats to “true” Christianity.   Mathews demonstrates that, although traditional portraits of “the black church” have provided the illusion of a singular unified organization, black evangelical leaders debated passionately among themselves as they sought to preserve select aspects of the culture around them while rejecting others. The picture that emerges from this research creates a richer, more profound understanding of African American denominations as they struggled to contend with a white American society that saw them as inferior.  Doctrine and Race melds American religious history and race studies in innovative and compelling ways, highlighting the remarkable and rich complexity that attended to the development of African American Protestant movements.

    Inside this unique resource author Lynn Japinga interprets the stories of various biblical women, including Eve, Rebekah, Dinah, Tamar, Miriam, Deborah, Jael, Abigail, Bathsheba, and Vashti. Along with providing an interpretation, Japinga demonstrates how the character's story has been read in Christian tradition and offers sermon ideas that connect contemporary issues to each story. This book is ideal for pastors who want to know more about the many women of the Old Testament and learn how to better incorporate them into their sermons.

    It is not enough todecide, “We are going to refocus in this direction.” Leaders must decidehow and what steps they will take. Who will do what, and when? Thisconcise and exceedingly practical new book can help. “Kay Kotanhas long enjoyed a well-deserved reputation among both laity and clergyas a passionate, positive change agent. In her new book, readers willfind a rich synthesis of her time-tested insights and hands-on work withlocal churches of all sizes and circumstances. If your church hasslipped into reverse or is stuck in neutral, Gear Up! can help get itdriving forward!” —Jim Ozier, Director of New Church Development, NorthTexas Conference, UMC; author of Clip In and The Changeover Zone fromAbingdon Press“Gear Up! is packed with practical information andchecklists designed to empower leaders and teams. This book should behanded to every church leader and board member so that they willunderstand the essential hows and whys of effective ministry in today’scomplex world.” —Blake Bradford, Assistant Director for ClergyDevelopment, Center for Vitality, Arkansas Conference, UMC“Thisis a tactical, practical, nitty-gritty, boots-on-the-ground,systems-oriented book. It gives you a series of diagnostics to run onyour church so that you can get on the road to faithful discipling.”—Cynthia Fierro Harvey, Bishop, Louisiana Conference, UMC“Healthysystems lead to healthy churches. Gear Up! is a systems manual to helpour churches be healthy so that we can fulfill our mission of makingdisciples who transform their community and the world.” —Kelly P. Brown,Director for Congregational Vitality, East Ohio Conference, UMC“KayKotan understands that sustained growth depends on healthy systems.Gear Up! provides helpful insights and checklists to diagnose the stateof your systems so that your church can ‘gear up’ for the long run.”—Phil Schroeder, Director of Congregational Development, North GeorgiaConference, UMC

    This book is for these churches. God's Not Done with Your Church will give you a vision of what God can and is doing through declining and dying churches. It not only offers a lifeline of encouragement but a strategic pathway toward new life, specifically through the ministry of church replanting. You may be exhausted and more than a little beat up, but God hasn't given up on his church... You shouldn't either.

    Gospel-centered Communion is an all-encompassing sacrament, and So Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ takes inspiration for each day's grace and obedience from eating and drinking the bread and the wine. These 720 succinct and powerful readings come from the past fourteen years of Douglas Wilson's pastoral ministry, and deal with the many applications of the Lord's Supper that are suited to personal devotions. These include gospel encouragement, pursuit of sanctification, motivation and exhortation, observations on the church calendar, family life and community, daily bread, means of grace, and much more. For daily devotions in the morning and at night, So Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ will lead every evangelical Christian to think about and meditate on the transformative implications of eating and drinking the body and blood of the Lord Jesus.

    His words formed the mission statement for the Church – it’s our main priority, our primary calling. So why do we struggle so much to do it? Why do we excel in many areas of ministry, yet not what is central? There are many reasons for this challenge, but perhaps the greatest is the tendency of the Church to separate community and discipleship – albeit often for legitimate reasons. Discipleship community is messy because people are messy; it was certainly the case with Jesus’ disciples and the Early Church. Despite these challenges the first Christians pressed on to embrace their calling, leading to an incredible transformation that is still changing the world. But in recent years, the church has tended to create alternatives in order to make our calling more efficient by reducing discipleship to a class or an individualized process. The only problem is that it’s lost its power. This book calls you to rediscover the impact of authentic discipleship community. It equips you to lead small groups that provide both relationship and discipleship. Whether or not you ever lead a small group, this resource trains you in a simple discipleship process that anyone can facilitate. Discipleship is not complicated, but it will take commitment – and it will bear lasting fruit. Best of all, you can do it! About the Author: Upon graduation from Baylor University in 2005, Drew Steadman began his full-time ministry serving in a variety of roles at Antioch Community Church in Waco, Texas. With over 13 years on Antioch’s staff, he currently serves as Director of Ministries and Director of US Church Planting for Antioch. He is passionate about discipleship and loves mobilizing people to reach their city, our nation and the nations of the earth … all through the local church. Drew and his wife, Bethany, are glad to call Waco, Texas home with their four children.

    

    He then examines the Church’s rites for burial and her prayers for the dead. Though they are often misunderstood, at the heart of the services Fr Alexander finds the paschal proclamation: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.”“For the Orthodox Church, the time has arrived not to reform the liturgy of death, nor to modernize it (God forbid!), but simply to rediscover it. To rediscover it in its truth and glory means in its connection with the faith of the Church, with the meaning—for the dead, for us, for the whole world and the entire creation—of Christ’s deathless death, and in connection with baptism and Eucharist, with Lent and Pascha, with the whole life of the Church and each one of us, her members. This rediscovery is needed first of all by the Church, but also by our secular culture, for which, whether we know it or not, we are responsible. How are we to rediscover it?”– Alexander Schmemann, The Liturgy of DeathContentsIntroduction by Alexis VinogradovChapter 1 The Development of Christian Funeral RitesChapter 2 The Funeral Rites and PracticesChapter 3 Prayers for the DeadChapter 4 The Liturgy of Death and Contemporary Culture AppendixThe Order for the Burial of the DeadFather Alexander Schmemann was a prolific writer, brilliant lecturer and dedicated pastor. Former dean and professor of liturgical theology at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary, he passed away in 1983 at the age of sixty-two. Father Alexander Schmemann’s insight into contemporary culture, church life, and liturgical celebration left an indelible mark on the Chrisitian community worldwide.

    E. P. Sanders proposes a methodology for comparing similar but distinct religious patterns, demolishes a flawed view of rabbinic Judaism still prevalent in much New Testament scholarship, and argues for a distinct understanding of the apostle and of the consequences of his conversion. A new foreword by Mark A. Chancey outlines Sanders's achievement, reviews the principal criticisms raised against it, and describes the legacy he leaves future interpreters.

    Christian Coon takes us through his own missteps and mistakes as the co-founder of the Urban Village Church--as well as those of others working to do the same--and shows how failure can serve as a springboard to new possibilities and even a closer connection to God and what leadership means. Woven together with honesty, humility, and humor, we learn to look on failure as an actual gift that can be the gateway to a deeper journey.

    That same troubling thinking had invaded the churches led by Timothy and Titus, so Paul's pastoral letters to them focus on the objective and universal truth revealed in Jesus. John Stott's teachings from The Message of Timothy & Titus and The Message of 2 Timothy are offered here as brief devotional readings suitable for daily use. Designed as a church resource for small groups, this book includes thirteen weekly studies that take you passage by passage through the pastoral letters, allowing readers to enjoy the riches of Stott's writings in a new, easy-to-use format.

    In Table Talk, Mike Graves claims if we could travel back to those earliest Christian gatherings, we would realize we are not just two thousand years removed; we are light-years removed from how they ate when gathered because eating was why they gathered in the first place, a kind of first-century dinner party.   Four characteristics of their Communion practices would leap out at us, traits that are scattered throughout the New Testament, but that often go unnoticed: how the meal was part of a full evening together, promoting intimacy; how it was a mostly inclusive affair, everyone welcome at the table; how it was typically festive, more like a dinner party; and how afterwards they enjoyed a lively conversation on a host of topics.     But Table Talk explores more than just Communion practices, because a new way of doing church is happening around the world, gatherings more horizontal than vertical. For two thousand years Christians have oriented themselves toward God in the presence of others; now a growing number of congregations, part of the dinner church movement, are orienting themselves toward each other in the presence of God. This book tells their story and helps us rethink our own. "Table Talk is a very important book, one every pastor, priest, and lay person would do well to read. Professor Graves invites the reader to rediscover the Jesus meal and, in the process, to reconsider what Christians do when they gather for worship. An excellent, helpful, and inspiring book!" --Adam Hamilton, Senior Pastor, Church of the Resurrection, author of Creed: What Christians Believe and Why   "Graves's voice is wonderful--appealing to lay persons of a diversity in age, but also one that will be appreciated by clergy and students. The historical and theological information is woven in a palatable way (to use a dining metaphor) that keeps us engaged and fascinated. It is--as it should be--conversational in a way that makes us want to chat with each other around a table (Eucharist and otherwise), break bread, look into each other's eyes, and know we are better because we did."  --Marcia McFee, Creator and Visionary of The Worship Design Studio    "In Table Talk, Mike Graves brings together a scholar's mind with a pastor's heart, and reintroduces us to the table at the center of Christian spiritual formation and worship. The appendix alone is worth the whole price of the book, offering us fresh ways to frame the meaning we find in a meal of bread and wine, thanksgiving and fellowship, remembering and joy." --Brian D. McLaren, author of The Great Spiritual Migration "Mike Graves's inviting and conversational tone sets the stage for his exploration of the dinner church movement that is springing up around the country. He knows the power of sharing a meal and the possibilities that emerge from talking about Scripture around a table instead of listening to a traditional sermon. In this compelling book, he urges the church toward gatherings that are intimate, festive, and inclusive, where people come together to share bread, insights, and stories. In a time of great ecclesial change, Mike Graves offers a joyful, egalitarian, and missional vision of worship--one that could transform the church. --Kimberly Bracken Long, Editor of Call to Worship: Liturgy, Music, Preaching, and the Arts Mike Graves is the Wm. K. McElvaney Professor of Preaching and Worship at Saint Paul School of Theology and Scholar-in-Residence at Country Club Christian Church, both in the greater Kansas City area.

    S. Lewis. It is a word that describes the parable of Christ-or rather, the event-in which the Lord Jesus Christ pronounced his condemnation on the barren fig tree. Had it been barren, leafless, dead, Christ would not have condemned it. He might even have spoken a word of life and brought it into newness. But this tree stood there gloriously adorned with leaves, telling everyone around that that they could come up to it in order to find a harvest of ripe fruits. But there was nothing but leaves. The appearance was there; of reality, there was nothing. The words spoken by Christ are frightening: 'there will never be a fruit on your branches until the end of the world.'"In these nine talks, Metropolitan Anthony challenges us to move beyond mere "churchianity" to a true and living faith. He helps us to find our lofty calling in the familiar words of the creed, and he points to a path forward, both for individual believers and for our communities.

    Ministers must preach about morally challenging texts, teach about moral issues and conflicts, offer moral counsel, and serve as an example regarding the shape of faithful Christian life. Grounding pastoral ethics in spiritual formation and spiritual disciplines, this book provides tools for facing the day-to-day demands and seizing the opportunities of being a moral teacher. An essential text for practical ministry courses.

    

    Thomas Cavanaugh felt called to learn how to evangelize, so he and his professor at Mount St. Marys Seminary, Dr. John Love, organized a New Evangelization Club. Its purpose was to learn how to engage students on college campuses. The mission trips were so successful that other seminaries have organized similar endeavors.This book tells their story and offers practical how-to guidelines on how to win friends for Christ. From immersing ourselves in prayer and Scripture in order to be the face of Christ to others, to how to approach people and listen closely to them, this book will be enormously helpful for becoming the kind of missionary disciples that Pope Francis has called us to be.

    If we have found this new life through Jesus, we have the opportunity to walk alongside the next generation, helping them to understand that each individual is God’s work of art and that He has a great plan for their lives. The way we can do that is through relationships. Relationship is the glue that enables us to have an intimate connection with Jesus and with the young people He has placed in our care.

    Now The Christian World around the New Testament brings together Bauckham's well-known work on Gospel origins, early Christianity, and patristic literature in one convenient volume. The book contains thirty-one studies that have been published over Bauckham's distinguished career. This affordable North American paperback by an internationally respected New Testament scholar will be published simultaneously with the prestigious European hardcover.

    Now you can find out what these miracles mean by examining their hidden symbolism and historical contexts. Develop a greater appreciation for these miraculous moments and a deeper faith in the One who made them possible.

    Blue Ocean Faith is a network of churches that have seen thousands of secular people--from Harvard deans to public housing residents--connect with God. Blue Ocean founder Dave Schmelzer details six profound paradigm shifts that unlock a depth of connection to God that's new for many churchgoers and that's unprecedented for their secular neighbors. Embracing centered-set faith, becoming solus Jesus, and taking a third-way approach to LGBTQ congregants are among the game-changers that empower this rich life of faith. Rather than retreating from or drawing lines against our increasingly secular world, people of faith can join Jesus--as followers like Saint Francis of Assisi have done for millennia--in joyfully entering the world around them with profound wonder and an equally-profound offer of a life that really is life.-Blue Ocean Faith is a riveting book about an exciting new movement of churches emerging out of the ashes of American evangelicalism/fundamentalism. This could be a charter document for a new kind of Jesus movement. Everyone should read it, - writes David P. Gushee, Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics and Director of the Center for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University.With plenty of engaging storytelling, Schmelzer brings together ancient and cutting-edge insights in a book that might revitalize your experience of God, open up your connection to your neighbors and your city ... and maybe even kick off a new Jesus movement.