Book picks similar to
Hidden Sorrow, Lasting Joy: The Forgotten Women of the Persecuted Church by Anneke Companjen
non-fiction
paperback
nonfiction
favorites
Lifestories: Finding God's "Voice of Truth" Through Everyday Life
Mark Hall - 2006
The Brother Lawrence Collection: Practice and Presence of God, Spiritual Maxims, the Life of Brother Lawrence
Brother Lawrence - 2008
The Practice and Presence of God is one of the most beautiful and touching stories of Christian devotion ever written. Brother Lawrence was a Carmelite Brother known for his profound peace and deep relationship with God; many came to seek spiritual guidance from him. The wisdom that he passed on to them, in conversations and in letters, would later become the basis for the book. These two translations will help the reader find a more complete understanding of this wonderful and enduring story. The Spiritual Maxims of Brother Lawrence are beautifully spiritual teachings that can help anyone have a closer relationship with God. And the short biography that closes out the books offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of Brother Lawrence.
The Cross of Christ
John R.W. Stott - 1986
I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. . . . In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it? With compelling honesty John Stott confronts this generation with the centrality of the cross in God's redemption of the world -- a world now haunted by the memories of Auschwitz, the pain of oppression and the specter of nuclear war. Can we see triumph in tragedy, victory in shame? Why should an object of Roman distaste and Jewish disgust be the emblem of our worship and the axiom of our faith? And what does it mean for us today? Now from one of the foremost preachers and Christian leaders of our day comes theology at its readable best, a contemporary restatement of the meaning of the cross. At the cross Stott finds the majesty and love of God disclosed, the sin and bondage of the world exposed. More than a study of the atonement, this book brings Scripture into living dialogue with Christian theology and the twentieth century. What emerges is a pattern for Christian life and worship, hope and mission. Destined to be a classic study of the center of our faith, Stott's work is the product of a uniquely gifted pastor, scholar and Christian statesman. His penetrating insight, charitable scholarship and pastoral warmth are guaranteed to feed both heart and mind.
Fight for the Forgotten: How a Mixed Martial Artist Stopped Fighting for Himself and Started Fighting for Others
Justin Wren - 2015
Like many kids, Justin was bullied as a child, but had a dream that kept him going. Fueled by the anger he felt toward his tormenters, Justin trained hard and propelled his dream of becoming a UFC fighter into reality. But the pain from his childhood didn't dissipate and Justin fell into a spiral of depression and addiction, leading him on a path toward destruction. After getting kicked out of his training community, his career was in shambles and he had nowhere else to go, so Justin attended a men's retreat, and it was there he found God.As Justin began piecing his life back together, he joined several international mission trips that opened his eyes and his heart to a world filled with suffering deep in the jungle of the Democratic Republic of Congo. There he came across the Mbuti Pygmy tribe, a group of people persecuted by neighboring tribes and forced into slavery. His encounter with the Pygmy tribe left him wondering who was there to help them and in that moment Justin stepped out of the ring and into a fight for the forgotten.From cage fighter to freedom fighter, Justin's story is a deeply personal memoir with a bigger message about a quest, justice, and the amazing things that can happen when we relinquish our lives to God.
Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart: How to Know for Sure You Are Saved
J.D. Greear - 2013
D. Greear. He struggled for many years to gain an assurance of salvation and eventually learned he was not alone. “Lack of assurance” is epidemic among evangelical Christians.In Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart, J. D. shows that faulty ways of presenting the gospel are a leading source of the confusion. Our presentations may not be heretical, but they are sometimes misleading. The idea of “asking Jesus into your heart” or “giving your life to Jesus” often gives false assurance to those who are not saved—and keeps those who genuinely are saved from fully embracing that reality.Greear unpacks the doctrine of assurance, showing that salvation is a posture we take to the promise of God in Christ, a posture that begins at a certain point and is maintained for the rest of our lives. He also answers the tough questions about assurance: What exactly is faith? What is repentance? Why are there so many warnings that seem to imply we can lose our salvation?Such issues are handled with respect to the theological rigors they require, but Greear never loses his pastoral sensitivity or a communication technique that makes this message teachable to a wide audience from teens to adults.
Stay the Path: Navigating the Challenges and Wonder of Life, Love, and Leadership
Bobbie Houston - 2017
Yet seeing yourself as a leader, discerning what one is meant to do, and navigating one's role as a woman and leader can be a challenging task. Drawing on the wisdom of 40 years of ministry, Bobbie Houston helps all women to discover their specific purpose and divine calling in Stay the Path. She shares the truths and experiences that have kept her and her husband, Brian Houston, on course, on point, and focused on the path before them. Readers will be able to recognize and believe in their unique gifts. Packed with personal stories, helpful advice, and leadership strategies for women, this book will challenge readers to claim their God-given potential and lead with confidence, poise, and grace.
Jesus Freaks: Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus, the Ultimate Jesus Freaks
D.C. Talk - 1997
It is a book for teenagers about martyrdom, containing dozens of profiles of figures ranging from Stephen, whose martyrdom is described in the Book of Acts, to "Anila and Perveen," two teenage Pakistani girls and Christian believers. In 1997, Perveen was killed for running away in order to avoid marrying a Muslim man; Anila was imprisoned for helping her friend escape. In an introduction to the book, Michael Tait explains its purpose: "In a world built on free will instead of God's will, we must be the Freaks. While we may not be called to martyr our lives, we must martyr our way of life. We must put our selfish ways to death and march to a different beat. Then the world will see Jesus." The book's design is hip and easy to read, and its summary of Christian persecutions that continue today is useful--and frightening.
Too Blessed to be Stressed: 3-Minute Devotions for Women
Debora M. Coty - 2016
Coty pack a powerful dose of comfort, encouragement, humor, and inspiration into your day. Minute 1: scripture to meditate on Minute 2: a short devotional reading Minute 3: a prayer to jump-start a conversation with God This portable package makes a fabulous any-occasion gift for every woman.You’ll find the spiritual pick-me-up you desire in Too Blessed to Be Stressed: 3-Minute Devotions for Women.
Church History in Plain Language
Bruce L. Shelley - 1982
It combines authoritative research with a captivating style to bring our heritage home to us.
Keys to Bonhoeffer's Haus: Exploring the World and Wisdom of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Laura M. Fabrycky - 2020
Fabrycky, an American guide of the Bonhoeffer-Haus in Berlin, takes readers on a tour of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's home, city, and world. She shares the keys she has discovered there--the many sources of Bonhoeffer's identity, his practices of Scripture meditation and prayer, his willingness to cross boundaries and befriend people all around the world--that have unlocked her understanding of her own life and responsibilities in light of Bonhoeffer's wisdom. Keys to Bonhoeffer's Haus tells his story in new ways and invites us to think beyond him into our own lives and civic responsibilities. Fabrycky shows readers how to consider what befriending Bonhoeffer might mean for us and the ways we live our lives today. Ultimately, through her transformative tour of Bonhoeffer's Berlin, she inspires readers to discover and embrace responsible forms of civic agency and loving, sacrificial action on behalf of our neighbors.
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
Timothy J. Keller - 2008
The End of Faith. The God Delusion. God Is Not Great. Letter to a Christian Nation. Bestseller lists are filled with doubters. But what happens when you actually doubt your doubts?Although a vocal minority continues to attack the Christian faith, for most Americans, faith is a large part of their lives: 86 percent of Americans refer to themselves as religious, and 75 percent of all Americans consider themselves Christians. So how should they respond to these passionate, learned, and persuasive books that promote science and secularism over religion and faith? For years, Tim Keller has compiled a list of the most frequently voiced “doubts” skeptics bring to his Manhattan church. And in The Reason for God, he single-handedly dismantles each of them. Written with atheists, agnostics, and skeptics in mind, Keller also provides an intelligent platform on which true believers can stand their ground when bombarded by the backlash. The Reason for God challenges such ideology at its core and points to the true path and purpose of Christianity.Why is there suffering in the world? How could a loving God send people to Hell? Why isn’t Christianity more inclusive? Shouldn’t the Christian God be a god of love? How can one religion be “right” and the rest “wrong”? Why have so many wars been fought in the name of God? These are just a few of the questions even ardent believers wrestle with today. In this book, Tim Keller uses literature, philosophy, real-life conversations and reasoning, and even pop culture to explain how faith in a Christian God is a soundly rational belief, held by thoughtful people of intellectual integrity with a deep compassion for those who truly want to know the truth.
Making Jesus Lord: The Dynamic Power of Laying Down Your Rights
Loren Cunningham - 1989
Decades later, Loren's vision has grown into an interdenominational movement of Christians from around the world who are dedicated to presenting the gospel to this generation. Loren speaks and teaches internationally, and his missionary travels have taken him to every nation on earth. We live in a world where the exaltation of individual rights has become an obsession. Because personal rights do hold great value, we can perform no greater act of faith and worship than to consciously lay down these rights at the feet of the One who has gone before us! Loren Cunningham details prove steps to a life of freedom, joy, and intimate fellowship with God.
Ocean Star: A Memoir
Christina Dimari - 2006
"Ocean Star" is the story of how God found her in the midst of an abusive childhood, became the loving parent she never had, and revealed himself in tangible ways through her amazing life journey. Filled with insightful symbolism, "Ocean Star" will help Christians and non-Christians find hope, humor, and healing in a powerful true story of a broken life made new.
Holiness
J.C. Ryle - 1877
Ryle served the Lord in ministry in the Church of England for almost the entire length of the Victorian Age. Although Ryle was committed to all forms of evangelism, his heart beat strongest for mass evangelism in the cities. Much of his immediate influence on Victorian evangelism stemmed from his prolific number of tracts. Several million copies of his more than 200 different tracts were distributed in a variety of languages throughout the Land.Bishop Ryle's desire, and his answer to the issues of his day, was the pursuit of personal revival of Scriptural holiness. This holds just as true for today, as it was in his time.
God's Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why Some Fail
Roberts Liardon - 1997
Roberts Liardon faithfully chronicles their lives along with their teachings, their spiritual discoveries, and many revealing photos. William J. Seymour, Aimee Semple McPherson, Smith Wigglesworth, and Kathryn Kuhlman are just a few of the charismatic faith leaders you'll meet in this book. Get ready to see how God worked in the lives of these generals!