Taking a broad look at what the twenty-first-century church is doing on the mission field, the assumptions people make about Christianity, and what it takes to adapt effectively to various cultural contexts, this work helps Christians understand the changing face of Christianity and how that affects short-term missions.

    In "Postmodernism 101: A First Course for the Curious Christian," Heath White offers a brief and accessible introduction to the ideas of postmodernism and its relationship to Christianity. White paints the historical and philosophical background underlying postmodernism in understandable, but not oversimplified, language. He then describes what postmodernism means to our view of self, language, thought, the search for knowledge, and culture. White invites Christians who otherwise might have avoided postmodern theorizing into this important dialogue with questions for further thought after each chapter and suggestions for future reading. This book is ideal for students as well as curious pastors and lay readers.

    Stinson and Jones draw upon the expertise of seventeen scholars and practitioners to provide the biblical and theological foundation for doing so, followed by practical steps in implementing foundational insights. Among the seventeen contributors are Albert Mohler, Robert Plummer, Bruce Ware, and James Hamilton.

    Though it is intensely personal, he decided to publish it in the hope that some of those who sit on the mourning bench for children would find his words giving voice to their own honoring and grieving. What he learned, to his surprise, is that in its particularity there is universality. Many who have lost children have written him. But many who have lost other relatives have done so as well, along with many who have experienced loss in forms other than the death of relatives or friends. The sharply particular words of Lament, so he has learned, give voice to the pain of many forms of loss. This book, Lament For A Son, has become a love-song. Every lament, after all, is a love-song. Will love-songs one day no longer be laments?

    If the church is to speak meaningfully to youth and in turn reap the many benefits that young people have to offer, then its ministry must be predicated on passion — the Passion of Christ, the passion of youth, and the passionate faith that results when these two things come together. The uniqueness of Practicing Passion lies in its relocating youth ministry in practical theology rather than in educational theory or psychological or social development. While youth ministry has routinely capitalized on the passions of adolescents, little attention has been given to the theological mooring that youth need to connect with the church and hold firm amid the growing demands of popular culture. Focusing on the theological resonance between the Passion of Christ and adolescents’ experience of passion, Dean develops a framework for youth ministry that draws on the historic practices of the Christian community as a “curriculum of passion.” Offering a compelling new model for reaching, discipling, and empowering today’s young adults, Practicing Passion is a vital resource for anyone already engaged in or preparing for youth ministry.

    Newbigin describes the Christian mission as the declaration of an open secret—open in that it is preached to all nations, secret in that it is manifest only to the eyes of faith. The result is a thoroughly biblical attempt to lead the church to embrace its Christ-given task of presenting the gospel in our complex modern world. This revised edition includes a helpful index and a new preface.

    Here's the Bible that shows you how.My Daily Catholic Bible, Revised NAB Edition offers a reading plan that divides all of Sacred Scripture into 365 segments, one for each day of the year; features two small, manageable readings for each day, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament; offers an insightful quote from a saint for every day.There's never been an easier way to read the Bible. You don't have to start on January 1. Begin reading on any calendar date and twelve months later you'll have made your way through all seventy-three books of the biblical canon. And a place for a check mark next to each entry makes it simple to keep track of your progress. Plus, you'll know exactly where to start in again if you miss a day or two!

    It includes community, service, worship, proclamation, and instruction for all the members of the church from birth to death.

    In this fascinating take on theodicy, John Swinton reminds readers that the experience of evil and suffering precedes pontification on its origin. In Raging with Compassion Swinton argues for a practical theodicy, one embodied in the life and practices of the Christian community. This practicality does not seek to provide an explanation for the existence of evil, but rather presents ways in which evil and suffering can be resisted and transformed. This, he insists, will enable Christians to live faithfully with unanswered questions as they await Gods redemption of the whole creation. Swinton explores essential practices of redemption -- lament, forgiveness, thoughtfulness, hospitality, and friendship -- drawing out their practical implications for the faithful resistance of evil. Enhanced by case studies from current events and by Swinton's own experience as a pastor and mental health nurse, this book seeks to inspire fresh questions about the Christian traditions, as well as new responses and modes of practice to our broken, fallen world.

    Innovative teachers Craig Gross and Jason Harper will separate the religious from the real as they show how this simple truth is worth our undivided attention. The authors weave Jesus' narrative with their own stories of serving among the "least of these" in this inspiring summons to world-changing faith. Join them as they encounter shut-ins, drunks, inmates, porn stars, and others while striving to follow Christ in their daily lives. Christian and non-Christian readers alike will experience God's love and be challenged to take seriously the call of Jesus. Individuals, small groups, congregations, and church classes will find the companion DVD an indispensable resource for learning about the world-changing love of Jesus through captivating stories and interviews. In these four films, viewers will meet face-to-face with some of the folks they encounter in the book Jesus Loves You . . . This I Know. Each film is three to five minutes long and is followed by questions for groups that wish to use the films as discussion starters. Also ideal for use in sermons.

    When he retired forty years later, it was nearing 20,000.Though Bob's ministry was a clear success, he'd be the first to say it wasn’t perfect. In After 50 Years of Ministry he shares why. He reflects on the best of what he’s learned—sometimes the hard way—about ministry and leadership, like how to:Respond to criticismProtect your marriageStop comparing yourself to other pastorsHandle a staff moral failurePrioritize preaching in your scheduleBuild trust with your eldersMake the best use of downtimeHilarious, warm, and full of great stories and illustrations, After 50 Years of Ministry is sage advice from a faithful servant of God. If you are in leadership of any kind, don’t miss this chance to learn from one of the best.

    Marty, who regards this book as one of the most vital books of our time, as well as an introduction by the author never before included in the book, and a new preface by James Gustafson, the premier Christian ethicist who is considered Niebuhr’s contemporary successor, poses the challenge of being true to Christ in a materialistic age to an entirely new generation of Christian readers.

    Experts in each approach show how to assess, conceptualize, counsel and offer aftercare to a hypothetical client with a variety of complex issues.

    However, instead of ravines or rivers, the teacher must span both cultural boundaries and great gulfs of time between the present and the past of Moses, David, Jesus, and Paul. This bridge must reach even further. The student must be able to cross both into the past and into his own future. God's Word is "living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12). It is contemporary, relevant. But it is the teacher who has the task of helping the student to see its vast treasures. This is no easy task, but it can be done through creative Bible teaching.Together, Richards and Bredfeldt have written a book on bridge-building that reveals a detailed five-step process by which Christian educators can construct a bridge across time, geography, and culture.

    Perfect for new and longtime temple worshipers alike, this priceless volume is guaranteed to help you use the temple experience and its rich symbolism to find healing and hope that will let you see yourself more truthfully, then seek God more trustingly.