Book picks similar to
Have You Witnessed to a Mormon Lately? by James Spencer


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Found Art: Discovering Beauty in Foreign Places


Leeana Tankersley - 2009
    After a whirlwind courtship, a move across the world, and the unexpectedly difficult re-entry from a year overseas, Leeana finds her life (and her soul) has been changed forever.With an artist’s eye, Tankersley uses each chapter to piece together moments and memories from her journey—a handwritten note from Kuwait, a braid of fringe from a Persian rug, an original poem, a bit of basting thread, a swatch of black silk from a borrowed abaya, a mesquite leaf, a Navy SEAL trident, a receipt from the Russian-Georgian restaurant on Louisiana Street—to create a work of unexpected beauty.Found art emerges … a literary collage created from salvaged stories of loss, hope, and belief that just might change your soul, too.

Churchy: The Real Life Adventures of a Wife, Mom, and Priest


Sarah Condon - 2016
    Unflinchingly honest yet unfailingly hopeful, Rev. Sarah is a genre unto herself. You've never had this much fun going to church

A Place at the Table: Fresh Recipes for Meaningful Gatherings


Kelly Minter - 2019
    Her own lifelong love for cooking and gardening paired with her many travels to the Amazon with chef Regina Pinto has resulted in rich spiritual and culinary experiences that will inspire your cooking and gatherings. More than an ordinary cookbook, A Place at the Table offers readers a chance to not only approach mealtimes with accessible recipes from a renowned chef, but also hear heartwarming, personal stories from Kelly herself and enjoy some spiritual encouragement too. For Kelly, meals should be more than just ingredients and décor, though these enhance the experience. Food has historically gathered people together, and in this cookbook, Kelly points readers to just that—opening their tables so others can have a place to experience the love of God and fellowship of his people. After all, some of the most meaningful moments in the Bible were experienced around food. This cookbook offers a delicious, unfussy selection of both well-known and novel dishes, and it also includes personal favorites from Kelly and Regina. Featuring fresh, whole or homegrown components, Kelly prioritizes the value of flavors that can only come with seasonal ingredients. As a bonus, there is supplemental material throughout, where the reader can hear more from Kelly and Regina about broths, seasonal drinks, canning, décor, growing herbs, and more. In these pages, Kelly’s humor and warmth shine through in each story, and the stunning photography inspires all readers to put their hand to the joy of cooking, offering others not just a meal, but a place to belong.

I'm (No Longer) a Mormon: A Confessional


Regina Samuelson - 2012
    This is not as easy as one would imagine: She was born in the church, educated at BYU, married in the temple, and is raising more Mormons. She faced a serious conundrum: keep quiet (and avoid losing everything dear to her), or tell the world what being raised LDS does to a person's psyche, especially when they realize that everything they were taught and everything they hoped to believe is a lie. To expose the difficulty faced by Mormons who leave the Church and to seek support for their plight, Regina offers a first-person confessional memoir recounting her many atrocious experiences, managing to weave in enough humor to keep you turning pages, and enough brutal honesty to bring you to an understanding of what it is to be a Mormon, and to try to leave it behind...

Lead, Kindly Light: My Journey To Rome


Thomas Howard - 1994
    With grace, charm, and wit, Dr. Howard describes his journey from Evangelicalism to Anglicanism, and finally, to the Church of Rome. In a world saturated with fashionable unbelief, Howard's testimony inspires and informs. Fr. Richard Neuhaus calls it "a marvelously engaging remembrance.

The Episcopal Handbook, Revised Edition


Tobias Stanislas Haller - 2015
    Still providing helpful and insightful information about theEpiscopal ethos with a certain amount of whimsy and complete accessibility, this revision maintains the best features of the original work, but adds an update and an expansion on the church today.In addition to updating out-of-date references and correcting a few inaccuracies, the revision highlights Episcopal diversity—including more women and people of color in the biographical material—as well as focusing more on Episcopalians rather than Anglicans. Some new illustrations are included as well.Some material originally presented in tabular form has been adapted into a more accessible narrative format. This includes new sections on church governance, the origins of religious belief, and a capsule summary of church history. The glossary has also been expanded.The goal is to provide a book suitable for a wide range of uses and settings: for Sunday schools, confirmations, inquirer classes—and for everyone from visitors to vestries. The revision brokers an incredible compendium of information in an informal, user-friendly, and accessible format.For lifelong Episcopalians, newcomers, and those wishing to sample and explore thebeliefs and organization of the denomination.

Rich Church, Poor Church: Keys to Effective Financial Ministry


J. Clif Christopher - 2012
    Clif Christopher's nearly forty years in ministry as a pastor and President of Horizons Stewardship Company, he has witnessed the financial stewardship practices of thousands of churches. A few have exceptional records in acquiring and managing the necessary funds for mission and ministry, but the vast majority struggle every year to get by.In this important new work made even more relevant by our economic times, Christopher contrasts the traits of the most productive congregations with those who perennially fail to secure the funds to perform transformational ministry. Some churches practice the necessary financial habits that form the foundation of successful ministry, and others waste valuable resources and undermine ministry opportunities.Through Christopher's insight born out of years of experience and consultation, readers can assess the financial condition of their own churches.

The Purpose Room: A Meeting Place Where You Discover, Birth and Accomplish Your God-Given Purpose


Heather Lindsey - 2016
    I knew my purpose. I just didn't understand how I was going to get there in this small cubical doing data entry work at a dead end job in business casual clothes. " - Heather Lindsey We live in a society that makes it easy to compare your life to everyone else's social media "highlight" reels. If you feel "behind," I have written this book to remind you that you're exactly where you're supposed to be. You have God-given purpose. You have a plan. You don't need to copy or imitate anyone but Jesus Christ! He has assigned you with a specific purpose, and called you to solve a problem on this earth, for this generation! If you've struggled greatly with your purpose, Heather Lindsey can relate to you as she shares her years of living purposeless without Jesus, to becoming a first generation pastor, and best selling author to a worldwide ministry. She candidly shares her peaks, pitfalls, and what she has learned along the way as the Lord has revealed His purpose to her. If you've ever struggled with identifying, being afraid of, or walking in your purpose, this book is for you. The Purpose Room seeks to create a comfortable atmosphere for you to be honest about your talents, gifts, or insecurities, in order to confidently walk the path God has called you to. Regardless of where you are in life, The Purpose Room will help you to discover, accomplish and birth your God-given purpose.

Words of Life: Jesus and the Promise of the Ten Commandments Today


Adam Hamilton - 2020
    Jesus saw these commandments not as onerous burdens, but as guideposts to help us experience a good and beautiful life. These ten ancient "words" were given to us by a loving God who longed to set safe boundaries, create order out of chaos, help communities live peacefully, and protect us--often from ourselves.In this book of Scripture and inspiration, bestselling author Adam Hamilton brings modern eyes to the most important set of ethics in history. He considers the commandments in their historical context, considering the meaning of each commandment in Hebrew, unpacking how Jesus reinterpreted them, and showing how every thou-shalt-not was intended to point to a life-giving "thou shalt." He also explores how the latest research in science and psychology illuminates these commandments, rightly understood, as a way of ordering one's life beautifully in the present day. In a culture marked by workaholism, materialism, and social media-driven envy, God has given us a time-tested path that leads to gratitude, confidence, and peace.A landmark work from one of our most trusted biblical thinkers, Words of Life is an inspiring, thought-provoking read for anyone seeking to live a meaningful and joyful life.

Simple Student Ministry: A Clear Process for Strategic Youth Discipleship


Eric Geiger - 2009
    Fun is still allowed, by all means, but the ultimate emphasis on maturing faith is simply essential.The anecdotal comparisons are current and on-target (Starbucks’ well-publicized decision to retrain baristas in coffee making introduces the idea that youth leaders might also be wise to revisit the gospel essence of their ministry). And case study data gleaned from small to mega churches and parachurch ministries will give every youth leader a relatable reference point from which to begin the successful metamorphosis to Simple.

The Grasshopper Myth: Big Churches, Small Churches and the Small Thinking that Divides Us


Karl Vaters - 2012
    

Adam-Ondi-Ahman and the Last Days


Randall Bird - 2011
    Don't be left in the dark! This book takes a close look at this sacred site and sheds light on its name, geography, history, and future. Be prepared to meet Christ again on this sacred site.

A Change Is Coming


Hector Sosa Jr. - 2015
    was born in Puerto Rico. He began having visions of future events asa young boy, a gift he inherited from his mother. At age 13 he and his family joinedthe LDS Church, and the visions he had been receiving began to make sense as helearned more about the prophecies and doctrines taught by church leaders. Amongthe events he has foreseen are:�� Earthquakes in Utah�� A national financial collapse�� Plagues and sicknesses�� Concentration camps on U.S. soil�� An invasion from foreign troops�� The Saints prevail against the enemyHector's visions are specifically meant to serve as warnings to his own family, but hehopes that by sharing what he has seen, it will help others prepare for the challengingtimes that will soon come upon the world.

Provocative Church


Graham Tomlin - 2002
    The basic theme is that we need provocative churches which raise the question asked by the onlookers in Acts 2:12: What does it all mean?

Move Toward the Mess: The Ultimate Fix for a Boring Christian Life


John Hambrick - 2016
    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.