But you might not love what you think.In this book, award-winning author James K. A. Smith shows that who and what we worship fundamentally shape our hearts. And while we desire to shape culture, we are not often aware of how culture shapes us. We might not realize the ways our hearts are being taught to love rival gods instead of the One for whom we were made. Smith helps readers recognize the formative power of culture and the transformative possibilities of Christian practices. He explains that worship is the "imagination station" that incubates our loves and longings so that our cultural endeavors are indexed toward God and his kingdom. This is why the church and worshiping in a local community of believers should be the hub and heart of Christian formation and discipleship.Following the publication of his influential work Desiring the Kingdom, Smith received numerous requests from pastors and leaders for a more accessible version of that book's content. No mere abridgment, this new book draws on years of Smith's popular presentations on the ideas presented in Desiring the Kingdom to offer a fresh, bottom-up rearticulation. The author creatively uses film, literature, and music illustrations to engage readers and includes material on marriage, family, youth ministry, and faith and work. He also suggests individual and communal practices for shaping the Christian life.

    Jackie grew up fatherless, experienced gender confusion, and embraced both masculinity and homosexuality with every fiber of her being. She knew that Christians had a lot to say about all of the above. But was she supposed to change herself? How was she supposed to stop loving women, when homosexuality felt more natural to her than heterosexuality ever could?At age nineteen, Jackie came face-to-face with what it meant to be made new. And not in a church, or through contact with Christians. God broke in and turned her heart toward Him right in her own bedroom in light of His gospel.Read in order to understand. Read in order to hope. Or read in order, like Jackie, to be made new.

    . .” —Dr. R. C. Sproul, founder, Ligonier MinistriesCan I judge without being judgmental?We live in a world that tolerates everything but judgment. What we don’t realize is that right judgment is the key to right living. Who Are You To Judge? is Lutzer’s word to a culture that hates being told how to live and to a church called to purity.After explaining the difference between judging and being judgmental, Lutzer guides Christians in discerning various critical issues, including miracles, matters of doctrine, and godly engagement with entertainment and culture.With a passion for biblical truth and intolerance for lies, Lutzer is compelling and gut-honest. Who Are You to Judge? calls us to not only embrace the truth, but also to live according to it, speaking the truth in love to a world so desperately in need of both.

    We were formed from the dust, but we were made for life with God. We often accept less. We make promises and set goals to try and grow, but holiness seems impossible. But the Christian life is not about looking or feeling like a Christian. It’s about abiding in God.If communion with God is your goal, self-help strategies and personal resolutions will fail you. But Jesus Christ will not.Drawing deeply from Scripture and narrating their own experiences, Pastor Jamin Goggin and theology professor Kyle Strobel wrote this book to be a companion for your journey with Jesus in the truth of yourself – as his beloved dust. This is not weighing tasks and rewards, but is a process of patience, prayer, and openheartedness.Prayerfully read this book. Prepare your heart for the gifts God has for you. Beloved Dust invites readers to discover the fundamental simplicity and radical transformation of being with God. "Beloved Dust is an intelligent vision for life with God through prayer, and many of its rich images have stayed with me long after I put down the pages." - Shauna Niequist, author of Bread & Wine “In BELOVED DUST, Kyle and Jamin tell us the truth about who we are and why we're here in a way that will draw you closer to God.    Here is great wisdom on spiritual growth and friendship with God; written by two people whose friendship for each is evident—and who will become your friends before the end of the book.” - John Ortberg, author of Soul Keeping  "This is a important look at the most important aspect of life—what a genuine relationship with God really looks like. Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel address our expectations and frustrations about spiritual growth in a hopeful, empowering way. Beloved Dust strikes the rare balance of being rich and deep while remaining practical and engaging. This book delivers on what it means, and doesn’t mean, to grow in a relationship with God.” - Jud Wilhite, author of Pursued, sr. pastor of Central Christian Church  In a culture of pop Christianity that serves a fast food gospel for consumers wanting drive-by spirituality, Goggin and Strobel defy expectations. Their book leads the reader on a slow, inward journey to discover the deeper hunger in their souls--a hunger for God himself. It is a beautiful and gracious exploration of prayer that everyone seeking a truer, deeper, and more authentic life with Christ should read. This book will draw you into a richer communion with God as it did for me, and that is the highest compliment I can possibly offer.  -Skye Jethani, author of WITH and FUTUREVILLE.  "This book in your hands will remind you to stop, to revel in God’s fatherly presence, and to just be. That God is God and you are you, and that you are his, and that our dustiness is a beautiful thing. I am thankful for Jamin and Kyle’s gift to us within these pages." -Tsh Oxenreider, author of Notes From a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World

    Mary Magdalene was weeping at the tomb, asking for the dead body of Jesus. Whom was she asking? Jesus Himself, yet she did not know it. In his matchless way, Oswald Chambers reflects on the truth and the enormous power of prayer.

    Somehow we have allowed the frenetic pace of life to rob us of the quiet, restful moments with God we so desperately need. Keep a Quiet Heart features the rich devotional musings of one of America's favorite authors and points the way to a deep experience with God, away from the unsettling distractions of day-to-day living.

    But it's the foundation of our faith. In this new 365-day devotional, Tullian Tchividjian reminds you every day that the gospel is good news. It's God's message that He loves us even when we don't deserve it. These short readings each contain a truth from God's Word that will set you on a solid foundation for the day—a foundation of God's grace, goodness, and unconditional love.

    Lysa demonstrates the incredible power of two words--yes and no--and the way that these simple, daily decisions can shape the story of our lives.  Lysa has learned firsthand that there's a big difference between saying yes to everyone and saying yes to God. Drawing from applicable scriptures and her own personal experiences, Lysa teaches us that if we know and believe that God has a plan for each of us, we'll live it out--serving as living proof of His never-ending grace and kindness.Throughout The Best Yes, Lysa will give you the practical tools you need to:Stop people-pleasing by embracing a biblical understanding of loveEscape the guilt of disappointing others by learning the secret of the small noOvercome the agony of hard choices by grounding your decisions in wisdomGrow closer to God as you sharpen your own discernmentLearn to be intentional with your time, your choices, and yourselfIncorporate the Best Yes as a filter for your daily decision makingIf we take time to slow down and rise above the rush of the world's endless demands, we can rest assured that God's wisdom will help us make decisions that will still be good tomorrow. No matter what season of life you find yourself in, you deserve the chance to make decisions that bring out the best you.

    After over a decade of successful ministry, he had to make a painful self admission: although he believed in God, he was leading his church like God didn’t exist.To Christians and non-Christians alike, to the churched and the unchurched, the journey leading up to Groeschel’s admission and the journey that follows—from his family and his upbringing to the lackluster and even diametrically opposed expressions of faith he encountered—will look and sound like the story of their own lives.Now the founding and senior pastor of the multicampus, pace-setting LifeChurch.tv, Groeschel's personal journey toward a more authentic God-honoring life is more relevant than ever.Christians and Christian Atheists everywhere will be nodding their heads as they are challenged to take their own honest moment and ask the question: am I putting my whole faith in God but still living as if everything was up to me?

    Sometimes the words on the pages seem so distant from reality. In this practical and accessible book, Matthew Harmon trains believers to ask the right questions when reading their Bibles so that they see how it can transform their lives--even the passages that at first glance might seem irrelevant or disconnected from the modern world. Harmon explains the overall structure of Scripture, highlighting techniques we can use when reading to make the connection between the text and our hearts, ensuring that God's Word has its intended effect: growing us in godliness.

    Giving practical advice on how life together in Christ can be sustained in families and groups, Life Together is bread for all who are hungry for the real life of Christian fellowship.

    Unsurprisingly, this fact is as old as time--and that's why we see so many prayer circles within a multitude of church traditions. These gatherings are a trusted space where people seek help, hope, and peace, energized by God and one another.This book, curated by acclaimed author Sarah Bessey, celebrates and honors that prayerful tradition in a literary form. A companion for daily inspiration, this collection gives women permission to recognize the weight of all they carry, while also offering a broadened imagination of hope--of what can be restored and made new. Each prayer is an original piece of writing, with a short introduction from Bessey sharing exactly why she loves and looks up to the writer.This book is a literary hug, an invitation for respite, and a chance for readers to pause and celebrate who they are, beyond what they do.

    Sometimes our efforts feel never-ending, and the idea that we should be working for the Lord is often squeezed out.This book, based on a series of sermons by William Taylor, Rector of St. Helen's Bishopsgate, London, will help you see that being a Christian can make a difference to how we experience work. William argues that 'the Bible's teaching on work is not only liberating but also exhilarating and refreshingly realistic'.Whatever type of work you're involved in, you'll find this book full of wisdom on how to be a wise and godly worker.

    A worldwide bestseller published in countless sizes and bindings, translations and languages. Sworn by in court, fought over by religious people, quoted in arguments. The Bible is clearly no ordinary book. How can you begin to read and understand it as a whole? In this excellent overview, Vaughan Roberts gives you the big picture—showing how the different parts of the Bible fit together under the theme of the kingdom of God. He provides both the encouragement and the tools to help you read the Bible with confidence and understanding. And he points you to the Bible's supreme subject, Jesus Christ, and the salvation God offers through him.

    It's an ongoing attitude for daily living in Christ. True repentance puts us in right relationship with the Lord and enables us to walk in the fullness of His Spirit, growing and being used in His purpose for us.Previously published as Repentance and 21st Century Man, in this new edition Jack's widow, Rose Marie, has written an epilogue sharing Jack's own story of living out repentance on a daily basis. The principles learned in the fires of his life form the inspiration for this book.