But this is not just another harrowing story about an excruciating childhood and the ravages on a life it produces. The difference is that Mez not only escaped from his 'trial by parent' but he discovered a hope that has transformed his life. He in turn has helped others find hope in their lives. Mez's story is told with a frankness and wit that hides much of the pain and despair that was his everyday experience. Nevertheless, although his story at times may sicken you, his first brushes with the faith that restored him will make you laugh out loud! Mez's life involved abuse, violence, drugs, thieving and prison - but you don't have to fall as far as him in order to climb out of the traps in your life. Do you like happy endings? Mez still suffers from his experiences but you'll be amazed at how far you can be restored from such a beginning.

    But simply having block parties or spending more time downtown is not enough to describe what it means to be a missional people. What is needed is a reformation of the way we actually live our lives as Jesus followers. We need to see a way of living faithfully to God's mission in the world, right here, right now.In this inspiring yet practical book, Alan Hirsch and Lance Ford equip believers to live missionally regardless of situation, vocation, or location, making the concept of being missional accessible to the whole body of Christ. Touching on issues of discipleship, spirituality, and church at every level of experience, Right Here, Right Now calls readers to be the people God has made them to be.

    Written in 1927 as a follow up to his Missionary Methods, Allen's "Spontaneous Expansion of the Church" is a must-read classic that has stood the test of time.

     Writings from more than 150 mission scholars and practitioners (over 60 of them new to this edition) portray the history and anticipate the potential of the global Christian movement. Every one of the 170 articles and side bars offers practical wisdom enabling Christians to labor together in bold, biblical hope to finish the task of seeing that Christ is named and followed among all the peoples of the earth. The Fourth Edition contains over 60 articles and sidebars that are new to this edition. Many articles have been updated and revised.

    Often we say, “It’s just the season of life I’m in.”  But did you know that just as God has purposes for the seasons of nature, he also uses seasons in your life to grow you, work with you, and talk to you?  Richard Blackaby explains in The Seasons of God how understanding the principles of the seasons can offer us hope, direction, insight, and intimacy with God himself.  It’s a thoughtful exploration of God’s patterns at work in our lives—how His will is being carried out in the best way…at the best time.Your plans, your relationships, your career, your ministry—all have their unique God-intended moment. God’s Word expresses it this way: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” So what’s your season of life? And what is God telling you through the season you’re in?

    This national interview survey of unchurched people sheds insight on who the unchurched next door are, what objections they raise, and how to connect with them taking into account their various faith stages based on the Rainer scale with rankings from U5 to U1.

    On the one hand are those who say the church must focus on evangelism and discipleship alone. On the other hand are those who advocate concentrating almost solely on societal reform. In this classic book, John Stott shows that Christian mission must encompass both evangelism and social action. He begins with careful definitions of five key terms--mission, evangelism, dialogue, salvation and conversion. Then, through a thorough biblical exploration of these concepts, Stott provides a model for ministry to people's spiritual and physical needs alike. Ultimately, Stott points to the example of Jesus, who modeled both the Great Commission of proclamation and the Great Commandment of love and service. This balanced, holistic approach to mission points the way forward for the work of the church in the world.

    How believers respond in the face of persecution reveals everything about their level of faith and obedience.The Insanity of Obedience is a bold challenge to global discipleship. Nik Ripken exposes the danger of safe Christianity and calls readers to something greater. The Insanity of Obedience challenges Christians in the same, provocative way that Jesus did. This book dares you—and prepares you—to cross the street and the oceans with the Good News of Jesus Christ.Some of Jesus’ instructions sound uncomfortable and are potentially dangerous. We may be initially encouraged by His declaration, “I am sending you out.” But how are we to respond when He then tells us that He is sending us out “like sheep among wolves"?In light of the words of Jesus, how can modern day believers rest comfortably in the status quo? How can we embrace casual faith in light of the radical commands of Jesus which are anything but casual? Ripken brings decades of ministry experience in some of the most persecuted areas of the world to bear on our understanding of faith in Jesus. The Insanity of Obedience is a call to roll up your sleeves . . . and to follow and partner with Jesus in the toughest places on this planet."We have the high privilege of answering Jesus’ call to go," Ripken says. "But let us be clear about this: we go on His terms, not ours. If we go at all, we go as sheep among wolves." Jesus gives us Himself.  And He gives us the tools necessary for those who dare to journey with Him.

    What if I told you evangelism is less about delivering a polished presentation and more about having a real conversation?  What if I told you that God has created you to bring glory to himself by sharing Jesus with others, and that you don’t need years of training to obey what he already made you to do? God created you for his glory to advance his gospel with the gifts, talents, and opportunities he gave you. You live at this time in history for a purpose bigger than yourself. In these pages you will read how to connect the gospel story with your story, and how to talk about that story in normal conversations with people you know.  No gimmicks. Nothing clever.No need to freak out. Just you, Jesus, and others—in conversations that matter.

    It's time to rethink normal.Suffering and exclusion are normal in a believer's life. At least they should be. This was certainly Jesus' experience. An it's the experience of countless Christians around the world today.No matter your social location or set of experiences, the biblical letter of 1 Peter wants to redefine your expectations and reinvigorate your hope.Drawing on years of ministry in a Muslim-majority nation, Elliot Clark guides us through Peter's letter striking insights for today. Whether we're in positions of power or weakness, influence or marginalization, all of us are called to live and witness as exiles, in a world that's not our home. This our job description. This is our mission. This our opportunity.A church in exile doesn't have to be a church in retreat.©2019 The Gospel Coalition (P)2019 eChristian

    . .The American dream-quickly becoming your worst nightmare!Financial stress, social pressures, and the never-ending anxiety of life . . .Looking like good Christians, but powerless and miserable behind closed doors.In search of authentic Christianity, author Jim Hohnberger and his family found the restorative power of God's love. As a result, the Hohnbergers have helped others remove life's draining distractions, and countless lives have been transformed.Part personal memoir and part handbook for cultivating an intimate relationship with the Creator, Escape to God will challenge and inspire you to put aside the card-punching religion of "Churchianity" and experience the indescribable peace and empowerment God intends for His people.If you are fed up with going through the motions, dive into an intimate fellowship with the Creator. Are you ready to escape to God?

    In this book he tells remarkable stories of dramatic conversions, and he gives instruction on how to prevail in prayer and overcome sin. Discover how you can have more power from God.

    He describes the preaching of the Puritans (thoroughly biblical, unashamedly doctrinal, experimentally practical, holistically evangelistic, and studiously symmetrical), the primary methods of evangelism (plain preaching and catechetical evangelism), and the inward disposition of the Puritan evangelist (dependent on the Holy Spirit and prayerful). Table of Contents: 1. Introduction: Puritan Evangelism Defined Characteristics of Puritan Preaching 2. Thoroughly Biblical 3. Unashamedly Doctrinal 4. Experimentally Practical 5. Holistically Evangelistic 6. Studiously Symmetrical The Method of Puritan Evangelism 7. Plain Preaching 8. Catechetical Evangelism The Inward Disposition of the Puritan Evangelist 9. Dependency on the Holy Spirit 10. Men of Prayer

    Some church music is dull. But here’s the thing: If Jesus had been boring, the disciples wouldn’t have followed him and the Pharisees wouldn’t have killed him. So if you’re bored, don’t waste another minute. If your church service feels like a failed pep rally that never leads to the actual game, then it’s time for you to follow Jesus onto the field where the opposition is real and the stakes are extraordinary. It will get messy. It won’t always be comfortable. But you’ll make a difference. And you’ll discover that nobody’s bored out there. Nobody.

    Ellen Rosenberger grapples with the real problems, needs, and emotions that missionaries experience. She brings to light the struggles that are not talked about but are very real. She writes openly about depression and burnout, exploring the difficulties of transitions and overcoming conflict. Ellen addresses abuse, struggles with faith, and grief. By talking about these normally overlooked issues, Missionaries Are Real People aims to bring clarity and healing to silent hurts. Maybe you are a missionary who longs for someone to understand your struggles and name your issues. You think, I can’t let anyone know I am struggling with this, especially because I’m a missionary! Perhaps you feel debilitated by the stereotype that “missionaries are perfect” as you are living in the reality of your own brokenness and imperfection. You might feel as though you cannot express the under-the-surface issues that you are facing on the mission field. Having grown up on the mission field and having spent most of her adult life there, Ellen knows what it’s like to have struggled to live under the pressure to be perfect. She’s felt the pain of hidden struggles and masked-over issues. And she’s experienced freedom and healing in being vulnerable about her imperfections as a missionary. This book is not about methodology or theory, but about real life stories and experiences. It’s about the multi-faceted dynamics of missionary relationships with all their joys and struggles. Missionaries Are Real People unveils the unspoken realities of missionary life. Not for the sake of shaming but for the purpose of restoring. The time is now to break down stereotypes, to speak up for what is really going on, and to seek solutions. Let’s not delay another day. There might be a missionary’s life that depends on it.