This book is intense. It is not soft. It contains real stories about us that are less than flattering. We talk about problems more than solutions. This is not done in order to be divisive, or to grumble. The aim of this book is to promote honesty for the sake of the Gospel. It contains strong language and descriptions that WILL be offensive to some. This book is written this way because… 2. This is the way we really talk, and this is the kind of stuff that we really talk about. We want you to know who we are and where we come from. We are Matt and Toby from the band Emery, and Pastor Joey Svendsen. Certain paragraphs are written from one perspective, but everything in these pages comes from one collective voice. We have spent the last twelve years in a mix of bars, nightclubs, churches, tour buses, church counseling sessions, greenrooms, youth groups, Christian retreats and festivals, wild parties, prayer circles, and circles of people doing hard drugs. We recommend that you read the articles that we reference. They are the prequel to this book and will provide you with some experience of our approach. 3. We believe that the Church is awesome and is carrying out Jesus’ mission. We fully support the church. In fact, all three of us work and/or serve at large mega-churches. We believe that Jesus changes people, frees them from their sin, and makes them more like Him. We have seen and experienced this first-hand. We believe that Jesus commands us to make disciples and to teach all that He has commanded, which is why… 4. We had to write this book. We feel called and led by God to build BADCHRISTIAN. Jesus’ victory, as well as the change we see in believers’ lives, is REAL, so we don’t need to pretend that we are better than we are. We don’t need to be defensive about our institutions or ourselves. We have to tell the truth and we know that by telling the truth, He is glorified. 5. This is not a book of Theology. This is not Christian Inspiration. This is Matt, Toby, and Joey being themselves. We know that you will disagree with individual points we make or approaches we take. We also admit that we may be wrong, and we humbly ask you to stick it out with us as brothers and sisters. Again, this book is mostly just an assessment of some current problems in Christian culture. Our next book, THE BADCHRISTIAN MANIFESTO, will roll out our plans and potential solutions. For now, we have decided to just give you a personal look at who we are and how we think. Our agenda is the Gospel, and the aim of this book is simply to tell it like we see it: that you are worse than you think you are, and that Jesus is better than you think He is.

    along with a glossary of the important characters and terms used in the original book. Just in case that’s not enough for you, I’ve also included a list of possible study questions (book club discussion topics) and quotes from the book that I found interesting.Wrapping it all up is a discussion of the critical reviews for Killing Jesus as well as my overall opinion of the book. Plus much more!Whether you’re reading this for a book club, school report, or just want to get a quick preview before diving into the full length book, you can use this book review and study guide to get the most out of your experience reading Killing Jesus by Bill O'Reilly.I hope you enjoy this review summary book...~ Anthony Granger ~

    Here's how to read this book: From left to right. That’s the first step. The second is equally as important: with a guarded heart. “The Bereans were open-minded in that they received the Word with all readiness and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Open-minded but heart guarded. Don’t fully accept my or anyone else’s word for it. I received many popular Western teachings that bound me. The Bereans took what they heard and searched the Scriptures to “find out whether these things were so.” This is good practice. Also, I believe the Holy Spirit will “ring a bell” within you, testifying to truth-that-sets-you-free. Third step: expect to experience the person of Jesus. I have included prompts at the end of each chapter for you to engage the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in an experiential way. With each prompt, let the eyes of your heart open-wide for a fresh-wave of glory-enjoyment; this little practice can shake loose heaps of dormant head-knowledge. For a real knowledge, truth must be awakened in the heart. Just a few minutes of heart-connection with God could change your entire life. I’ve included blank space for you at the end of each chapter to write down anything that happens. Fourth step: listen to music! This book is intrinsically linked to my music record: Love Secrets; thirteen songs about God’s love. And now: thirteen chapters. Each chapter of this book is titled after a song from the album and explores in detail the truths I sing about. I’ve arranged the order of chapters differently from the album for a more fluid reading experience. I would recommend listening to the corresponding song during the prompts at the end. You can listen to Love Secrets on every music platform. Fifth and finally: have fun. You’ll notice this book is not prim and proper. I hope you giggle and enjoy the goofy banter. Book instructions complete.

    That they individually have value, and their life has meaning that goes beyond what they see or have been told to believe. But that's just the life-changing message Debbie Lindell passionately shares and champions. Every woman, no matter her history, social status, or position in society, was beautifully and magnificently designed by her Creator to live an amazing life. In She Believes, Lindell shares with women the beautiful truth of God's love for them, empowering them to live out their own unique purpose and bring change to their homes, their workplaces, their communities, and the world. With personal stories and biblical truth, Debbie invites women to trust God's Word--and discover the incredible, abundant life that he created them to live.

    What not to say. When it is best to remain silent. Or what to do when you ve said something you wish you could now take back.Beyond just a How not to gossip study, Karen will teach what the Bible says about the many ways we are to use our words and the times when we are to remain silent. Using our speech to interact with friends, co-workers, family and strangers will be covered along with the many places we use our words such as in private, in public, online and in prayer. Even the words we say silently to ourselves. Unsolicited opinion-slinging, speaking the truth in love, not saying words just to people-please and dealing with our verbal anger are sub-topics that will also be addressed.Each session will feature a different character from the Bible, using them either as an example of someone to emulate or whose verbal actions we should avoid replicating."

    Amy rescues these children and provides a safe, healthy home for them.

    Missionary Sarah Young had been journaling her prayers for years when she began "listening" for what Jesus was saying to her within the words of Scripture. In this Bible, 260 scenarios pose life struggles to which Sarah Young gives answers from her Savior--words that Jesus has lovingly laid on her heart--words that have comforted and inspired Sarah and many others around the world.Features include:260 prayers with devotions by Sarah Young Hundreds of inspiring scriptures highlighted throughout the text New King James Version(R) (NKJV) in paragraph format Index to devotions Two-color text Presentation page Ribbon markerPart of the "Signature Series" line of Thomas Nelson BiblesThe New King James Version--More than 60 million copies sold in 30 years

    Now, for the first time, he puts his life's work into a response to the question everybody ultimately asks: how do I pray?This down-to-earth introduction to life's greatest adventure will guide you deeper in your relationship with God, helping you to become more centred and still, clearer in discerning God's voice, more able to make sense of your disappointments and more expectant for miraculous breakthroughs too. It's full of honest, hard-won wisdom interspersed with real-life stories - some humorous, others moving - to equip and inspire your prayer life. Journeying through the Lord's Prayer, and accompanied by online videos from The Prayer Course, which has been used by more than a million people, it unpacks nine essential aspects of prayer: stillness, adoration, petition, intercession, perseverance, contemplation, listening, confession and spiritual authority.From one of today's most visionary communicators, for those who've been praying for years as well as those who want to pray but don't know where to begin, How to Pray is the simple, life-changing guide you've been waiting for.

    It's the story of how one man confronted the devil, in the authority of the name of Jesus, and experienced extraordinary results. "I highly recommend that all believers who are hungry for a harvest of souls and for keys to unlocking Satan's grip on the lost read this book." --Cindy Jacobs " "Listen to Me, Satan " may well be regarded in the future as one of the most important, if not "the" most important, revival books of the decade." --C. Peter Wagner""""

    Jena Morrow has a Savior. He came to give her abundant life.This is not a polished tale of victory but an honest, true story of fragility. Hollow recounts Jena’s daily struggle with anorexia and the God who is able and willing to reach down into the dirt. A central theme of Hollow is the surrender of control to Jesus Christ. His Word is interwoven throughout the story as rebuttals to the lies that besiege those engaged in any addiction.  In addition to her point of view, Jena includes those of her friends, family, and former therapists providing  an undercurrent of hope.Written in an easy conversational voice, Hollow will resonate with those in the midst of a struggle and those who stand beside them.

    But the Bible is full of stories and passages where God’s people started their prayers with amen. Why? As Beth Guckenberger shows, amen is more than just a way to punctuate a conversation with the God of the universe. Amen is a declaration of who God is and who we are in relation to him. It is a moment of submission and worship; we say “So be it” to a Sovereignty that holds all things, and we acknowledge “It is as you say” to him who holds our lives.In Start with Amen, Guckenberger unpacks what the Bible teaches us about the moment we say amen to God. Using key Scripture passages mixed with fresh teaching and personal stories, she invites you to experience a new richness in your conversations with God. For amen is more than just a word; it is an invitation from God, complete with all God requires from us and all he longs to share.

    Help, Thanks, Wow ...in 30 minutes is the concise guide to quickly understanding the three simple prayers outlined in Anne Lamott's best-selling book, Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers. Understand the thought-provoking ideas behind Help, Thanks, Wow:* Learn what it means to pray, and the life-opening power of prayer, independent of your faith or lack thereof.* Inspirational stories convey Lamott's personal insight and exploration of faith.* Discover how the three essential prayers help us endure difficult times and continue to move ahead. In Help, Thanks, Wow, best-selling author Anne Lamott demystifies prayer, declaring that there are no rules--a higher power can be called anything, and people can believe in any religion they'd like (or none at all) and still pray.Prayer can take countless forms, but Lamott believes that it all boils down to three essential prayers: Help, Thanks, and Wow. Help is an admission of powerlessness and a plea for assistance; Thanks is a cry of gratitude; and Wow is the experience of awe.A thought-provoking spirituality guide for people of all faiths and creeds, Help, Thanks, Wow examines the importance of the three prayers vital to enduring hardship and experiencing a transformative sense of gratitude and wonder in the world.Help, Thanks, Wow ...in 30 minutesDesigned for those whose desire to enrich their faith exceeds the time they have available, Help, Thanks, Wow ...in 30 minutes enable readers to rapidly understand the essential ideas behind critically acclaimed books. With a condensed format and chapter-by-chapter synopsis that highlights key insights, this summary helps readers easily devote time to growing their faith.

    Drawing on nearly 40 years of teaching and ministry experience, pastor-scholar Sam Storms answers 25 challenging questions Christians are often too afraid to ask, addressing thorny issues ranging from the eternal destiny of infants to the roles of demons and angels.The robust, thoughtful answers provided in this book offer a helpful alternative to relying on simplistic explanations, and will encourage you in the search for truth and clarity on such tough topics.

    As we use the Book of Common Prayer, Black says, "we discover we are not alone, and this liturgical current of worship, prayer, and praise will indeed take us where we want to go-union with the God we seek to love." Welcome to the Book of Common Prayer shows readers everything from where to find the Sunday collect to how to pray the Daily Office. But it's more than a how-to. It offers history and background that help make the prayer book a more meaningful part of the worship life of individuals and congregations.With thoughtful reflection questions, this is a perfect volume for parish study groups.

    Have his ear. Belong to his body.Three seemingly unremarkable principles shape and strengthen the Christian life: listening to God's voice, speaking to him in prayer, and joining together with his people as the church. Though often viewed as normal and routine, the everyday "habits of grace" we cultivate give us access to these God-designed channels through which his love and power flow--including the greatest joy of all: knowing and enjoying Jesus.A study guide for individual and group study is also available.