Modern critical biblical scholarship often points out how the church's teachings about Jesus have become encrusted with tradition so that it is hard to see what the core documents--the New Testament--really say about him. Now, with the insight of 200 years of modern critical scholarship and assuming an audience that includes both the well-churched and the non-churched, how should the church present the story and identity of the central personality of their faith, Jesus of Nazareth? Many people will be surprised at the story they hear.

    It's sad but true: The American church is shrinking...fast.  God-loving people are leaving in droves, and everything that attracted them in the past simply doesn't work anymore.  Is there anything the church can do to turn the tide?Why Nobody Wants to Go to Church Anymore reveals the truth about this steep decline, along with innovative ideas for changing the way people think about church.  Through startling statistics, compelling stories, and a surprising Jesus-based approach, you'll be stretched to redefine the way you do church.It all begins by embracing four simple acts of love: Radical hospitality Fearless conversation Genuine humility Divine anticipation  Far from theoretical musings, these practical acts show Jesus' love to people who crave it.  You'll see why they really work, how they're taking root in hundreds of communities around the country, and how you can help bring people back into a relationship with God.The time for changing the church is now.  And the one who can change it is you.

    Do you see motherhood as a mission and divine calling? Today's Christian moms come from a full range of personal and professional contexts, whether they are homemakers, full-time workers in the marketplace, or somewhere in between. Yet many Christian mothers are living missional lives, using their gifts and abilities to further God's kingdom by engaging the world around them. They artfully, passionately, and sometimes messily juggle multiple callings and demonstrate in their modern-day contexts how they are emulating the woman of noble character in Proverbs 31. The Missional Mom will affirm Christian mothers who desire to not only to build their homes in a Christ-like way, but also engage the world with their skills, abilities, and interests. It won't minimize the importance of a woman's role in her home, but it will encourage her to not ignore the stirrings God has planted within her to extend her influence.

    It is not a trivial subject; it is a matter of life and death. Many pastors and authors have attempted to expound upon it. Yet how difficult it is to comprehend God's grace that forgives all our sins every day and night, without preconditions, without works.Scholar and theologian Charles Ryrie writes on the subject of salvation with humility and compassion. He brings clarity where there is confusion. While he quotes carefully and accurately from a wide range of authors, his final authority is the Word of God.The gospel is the good news of the grace of God to give forgiveness and eternal life. So Great Salvation shows us that we can be confident of our salvation, certain we are forgiven by God, and sure we are destined for heaven.

    The whole audience began to pray. ...It was not many, but one, born of one Spirit, lifted to one Father above. ...God came to us in Pyeng Yang that night. ...Man after man would arise, confess his sin, break down and weep. Some threw themselves full length on the floor; hundreds stood with arms outstretched towards heaven. Every man forgot each other. Each was face to face with God.Everywhere the story was told the same Spirit flowed forth and spread. All through the city men were going from house to house, confessing to individuals they had injured, returning stolen property and money. The whole city was stirred."This account of the 1907, Pyeng Yang revival in Korea, is not an anomaly. Not even close. Such revivals of prayer and Spirit are our history and heritage and they continue to pulse us forward in the fulfillment of the Great Commission, even today. These revivals have brought entire cities to their knees and as they have swept across the universities they have left up to half the student body converted in their wake. This book is about such prayer, and such revivals, and preparing ourselves for another mighty movement of God's Spirit: a movement I believe we can, and will see, if we will meet God's criteria for revival and awakening." - Dan Hayes

    Your critics and nay-sayers and those negative voices in your head have defined who you are and stolen your hopeful future for far too long!The insecurity, shame, and judgment--That stops today.This simple guide will show you how your imperfect life matters in ways you never thought possible. It will help you see your scars, flaws, and failures as unfair advantages and gifts that you can bring to the world. Foster's examination of hope is one part challenge, two parts encouragement. He forces the reader to ask the following questions: How did I lose it? How do I get? How do I give it? Each question is broken down into core concepts that are essential to a life devoted to the power of second chances: awareness, discovery, ownership, forgiveness, acceptance and freedom.Packed full of unfiltered honesty and simple next steps, this manifesto for prodigals, imperfectionists, and hopesters will help you discover beauty in the brokenness.

    Join the women of Hope House Women’s Shelter as they find love…with the help of a dog. A lot can happen in ten years. Rachel Goodman can testify to that. She’s been engaged, left at the altar, changed jobs, and moved three thousand miles away from friends and family to take the director position of Hope House Women’s Shelter. Throughout it all, Roxie, her golden retriever mix, has been her faithful companion and friend. A trip to the vet brings a scary diagnosis for Roxie, but it also introduces Rachel to Aaron Bradley. He understands what Rachel feels—he walked that road five years ago. They have an instant connection but can that sustain them into love?

    Here at last is a straightforward approach to being able to recognize God's will in your life, to know with more certainty the good things He has for you, what he wants you to do and how you can live your life with more purpose, joy, significance and blessing.Daniel Kolenda has been actively serving the Lord since he was a teen. God has given him keen insights through Scripture and his own experiences that will help you discover and follow God's will. You'll discover practical truths that will enable you hear His voice with more clarity and be able to make important decisions with more confidence and assurance. Start living in a way that lines up with God's favor. He WANTS TO BLESS YOU! With advice that is both practical and inspiring Daniel reveals:- Five secrets to discovering God's will - How to start moving in the right direction - What to do when God says wait - How to stay in the will of GodHe also answers the following questions:- How do I recognize God's will? - What if God calls me to do something I don't want to do? - What if I've already missed the will of God? - If I encounter resistance, does that mean I'm out of God's will? - How do I get from where I am now to where God wants me to be? - What should I do now while seeking God's will? - What if I've been waiting for a long time? - How do I stay in the will of God?Whether your journey takes you to the mission field or medical school...whether you become a construction worker, stay-at-home mom, businessman, teacher, chef, or pastor...YOU can experience the wonder of God's will for your life and live His adventure for you. It's time to go for it!

    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

    They traded the comforts of suburban southern California for the crowded cobblestone streets of the Middle East. They explored remote areas and they befriended nomadic tribes people, courageously bringing a message of hope and freedom to those needing to hear it.But none of those adventures would compare to where God led them next: a journey of visions, revelations, and sorrow. A journey into stage-four cancer, and a journey that beckoned them to walk the shrouded path through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Yet even there they discovered peace, grace, and a new hope for the lost around them.

    Heaven, How I Got Here is his story, told in his own words, as he looks back from Heaven on the day that changed his eternity, and the faith that can change yours.

    But, says Alan J. Roxburgh, these conversations still prioritize church success over mission--how can being missional grow my church? But to focus on such questions misses the point.In Missional, Roxburgh calls Christians to reenter their neighborhoods and communities to discover what the Spirit is doing there--to start with God's mission. He then encourages readers to shape their local churches around that mission. With inspiring true stories and a solid biblical base, Missional is a book that will change lives and communities as its message is lived out.

    Hear God’s voice today!

    Learn how current missions strategies have unwittingly kept millions of believers from fulfilling their roles in God's Kingdom.

    In the first volume of his trilogy of memoirs, Bishop Macedo surprises with profound revelations.He started off as a common Brazilian who decided to preach his faith in the streets and public squares. Now 35 years later, he leads a church active in over 200 countries with millions of faithful members, in the most remote places on the planet. How did it all begin?He has also became owner of the second largest television network in Brazil What are the dilemmas and challenges faced at the beginning of this journey? What is the origin of this belief that overcomes all limits? With 238 pages filled with intimate details of his life, Bishop Macedo also tells about the family illness that started the founding of the Universal Church. It also gives a report of the 11 days Edir spent in a police station in São Paulo. In the next two volumes of the trilogy, the founder of the UCKG will speak in detail about the growth of the church, the acquisition of TV Record and other unpublished stories of his past.