Search Results for: Church
Showing 226–300 of 673 results
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5 Views On The Church And Politics
$19.99Add to cartFew topics can grab headlines and stir passions quite like politics, especially when the church is involved. Considering the attention that many Christian parachurch groups, churches, and individual believers give to politics-and of the varying and sometimes divergent political ideals and aims among them-Five Views on the Church and Politics provides a helpful breakdown of the possible Christian approaches. Readers will find themselves equipped to think more deeply about the relationship between church and state in a way that goes beyond mere policy debates and current campaigns. General Editor Amy Black brings together five top-notch political theologians in the book, each representing one of the five key political traditions within Christianity:
*Anabaptist (Separationist)-Thomas Heilke
*Lutheran (Two Kingdom)-Robert Benne
*Catholic (In Tension)-J. Brian Benestad
*Reformed (Integrationist)-James K. A. Smith
*Black Church (Prophetic)-Bruce FieldsEach author addresses his tradition’s theological distinctives, the role of government, the place of individual Christian participation in government and politics, and how churches should (or should not) address political questions. Responses by each contributor to opposing views will highlight key areas of difference and disagreement. Thorough and even-handed, Five Views on the Church and Politics will enable readers to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the most significant Christian views on political engagement and to draw their own, informed conclusions.
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Beyond The Local Church
$18.00Add to cartForeword
Introduction
1. The Power Of A Balanced Anatomy
The Biblical Genius And Design For Apostolic Structures And Movements
2. Limping Or Leaping Through Time
The Encouragement Of Apostolic Missionality In History
3. Mother Teresa Wasn’t A “Para-Catholic”!
Why “parachurch” Is A Dirty Word
4. So What Is “Apostolic”?
The Oft-neglected Essential To Authentic Missionality
5. Holy Discontent And Sanctified Ambition
The Apostolic Imperative Of Ephesians
6. Setting Visionaries Free
Pioneering As A Second Decision Entrepreneur
7. Finding Second Decision People
How To Engage And Release Apostolic Leaders
8. Running Together!
The Exponential Leverage Of Interdependence
9. Movements Of God
The Extraordinary Results Of Apostolic Gifting Lived Out In Apostolic Structures
10. The Momentum Of Movements
To Kill Or To Multiply, That Is The Question
Conclusion: Be A History Shaper
AcknowledgmentsAdditional Info
Many people have given up on the church. But that doesn’t mean that they’ve given up on God or Christianity. In many cases, it was merely that local church congregations were not the best context for missional people to live out their sense of God’s call.The good news is that God is raising up vibrant movements of Christians in a vast array of vocations around the world: disciple-making ministries, missions, relief and development, social activism, advocacy and much more. These are all strategic ways to live for the kingdom-in venues beyond the local church.
Wherever movements of the gospel have occurred, visionary people and apostolic structures have been essential. Mission leader Sam Metcalf shows how God has always worked through entrepreneurial individuals and organizations that launched out in fresh ways. He gives biblical and missiological foundations for missional movements, showing that what has often been called “parachurch” is an equally valid manifestation of the church. Affirming the strengths of apostolic personalities, Metcalf shows how they can be deployed to cross cultural barriers, renew secular societies and transform the nations with the power of the gospel.
God may be inviting you to join what he is doing around the world. Answer the call and discover how God can use you beyond your imagination.
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Apostolic Church Planting
$18.00Add to cartPreface
Introduction
1. What Is Church Planting?
2. How’s Your Ecclesiology?
3. Practices Of Team Members
4. Pathway To Planting
5. Stages Of Planting
6. Planned Role Changes
7. Church Multiplication Cycle
8. Methods
9. Where To Begin?
10. Pastoral Development
11. Strategy Development
12. Ethical Guidelines
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Notes
Bibliography
About The AuthorAdditional Info
Church planting is not just about gathering new communities of people who are already Christians. In the book of Acts, church plants begin with sharing the gospel. Planting churches flows naturally out of making disciples.Missionary church planter J. D. Payne explains the process and stages of church planting, with biblical foundations and practical steps for planting teams. He provides a pathway for the multiplication of disciples, leaders and churches. Here are church planting strategies and activities that are simple, highly reproducible and can be implemented by ordinary team members, not just by charismatic leaders.
This guide can be used for planting in contexts among any given people group, domestically or internationally. It is an ideal resource for teams to work through together as they follow God’s call in their community.
Read more: http://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=4124#ixzz3ZOJH0pFd
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Christian Ethics And The Church
$32.00Add to cartThis book introduces Christian ethics from a theological perspective. Philip Turner, widely recognized as a leading expert in the field, explores the intersection of moral theology and ecclesiology, arguing that the focus of Christian ethics should not be personal holiness or social reform but the common life of the church. A theology of moral thought and practice must take its cues from the notion that human beings, upon salvation, are redeemed and called into a life oriented around the community of the church. This book distills a senior scholar’s life work and will be valued by students of Christian ethics, theology, and ecclesiology.
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Paradox Of Church And World
$44.00Add to cart“Ultimately,” or so H. Richard Niebuhr wrote as early as 1929, “the problem of church and world involves us in a paradox; unless the church accommodates itself to the world, it becomes sterile inwardly and outwardly; unless it transcends the world, it becomes indistinguishable from the world and loses its effectiveness no less surely.” In the same context he went on to state: “The rhythm of approach and withdrawal need not be like the swinging of the pendulum, mere repetition without progress; it may be more like the rhythm of the waves that wash upon the beach; each succeeding wave advances a little farther into the world with its cleansing gospel before that gospel becomes sullied with the earth.”
Niebuhr’s thought on the paradox of church and world is an essential piece of our understanding of twentieth-century theology in America. In this volume, Jon Diefenthaler collects for the first time over forty writings that trace the lineage of Niebuhr’s thought, presents them in a single place, and makes a case for their enduring value in a post-church religious environment. The volume is a treasury of little–known and hard-to-find pieces, making scholarship and understanding easier.
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Early Church Discovery Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartThis five-session small group Bible study, Early Church, by noted teacher and historian, Ray Vander Laan, is volume five of the 12-part Faith Lessons series. In this volume, Vander Laan uncovers the passion and commitment early believers displayed as they claimed Jesus in the face of fierce consequences and powerful adversaries.
Filmed on location in Israel, Faith Lessons is a unique video series that brings God’s Word to life with astounding relevance. By weaving together the Bible’s fascinating historical, cultural, religious, and geographical contexts, teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan reveals unique insights into the Scriptures’ significance for modern believers.
The sessions on this DVD were filmed on location in Caesarea Philippi, Sardis, Pergamum, Ephesus, and Laodicea.
These illuminating “faith lessons” afford a new understanding of the Bible that will ground your convictions and transform your life. The Faith Lessons video series is ideal for use in small groups, personal and family Bible studies, and adult Sunday school. Individual believers and families will gain vital insights from long-ago times and cultures through this innovative approach to Bible study.
This Discovery Guide is designed for use with the Early Church DVD (sold separately).
Lessons include:
*Everything to Lose, Nothing to Gain – Filmed in Caesarea Philippi
*The Salt of the Earth – Filmed in Sardis
*Where Satan Lives – Filmed in Pergamum
*The Mark of the Beast – Filmed in Ephesus
*Hot or Cold – Filmed in Laodicea -
Counterfeit Christianity : The Persistence Of Errors In The Church
$21.99Add to cartHistoric heresies didn’t die or fade away. Each generation boasts its own. Even while these counterfeit teachings remain outside the accepted bounds of Christianity, modern-day versions plague churches.So how does a church leader or pastor understand and deal with these age-old controversies when they pop up in the congregation? In this book, Roger Olson describes the curses but also gifts that heresies bring the Church. While heresies can occasionally correct a version of orthodoxy, they are not simple confusions or misunderstandings about impenetrable mysteries of divine revelation. Instead they undermine the faith and are dangerous distortions. The author describes major heresies and how the church dealt with them, the players, and what pastors can do to address these faith issues in order to educate congregations about Jesus, God, and salvation. Also included are questions for individual or group study.
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Amos The Philosophical Churchmouse
$17.99Add to cartLiving under a church pew can give you an interesting-and enlightened-view of Christianity – just as long as it doesn’t resemble what Amos calls, “church-ianity.” Amos is a mouse, but he doesn’t merely wander about, searching for communion crumbs. Amos is a philosopher, and he has plenty of time to consider the meaning of it all, especially since he also has plenty of opportunity hearing about the wisdom of life in Jesus. Amos is not just a philosopher; he is also a poet. Although he has some difficulty using a keyboard (he’s not fond of capital letters or punctuation marks), he has important things to discuss. In “Amos Meets an Agnostic,” the clever mouse tries to share his view of faith in God. “Life in the Pit” challenges us to realize that even bad days can be redeemed as part of God’s intended purpose. Amos adores free verse, almost as much as he loves talking about Jesus. He tackles everyday emotions, theological concepts, biblical issues, and current topics with the help of his church pew pals. When your house is beneath a church pew, you must retain a certain amount of wit to get by. Amos the philosopher has it, as well as an intelligent, Christian perspective on a world filled with dark corners, trap-door spiders, and lurking alley cats.
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Family The Church And The Real World
$14.99Add to cartFamily life is both messy and holy!
If you embrace only the holiness, or if you just get lost in the messiness, then you miss the fullness of the experience that is living as a family – both in the domestic church and the Institutional Church. Here you’ll find inspiration from Scripture and modern advice that does more than just tell you how family life is “supposed” to be. This book gives you real, practical wisdom on how to navigate the holy messiness of family life.
Insights have been gathered from experts in every area of family life, including: Dr. Sean Reynolds, Dr. Greg and Lisa Popcak, Lisa Hendey, Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle, Dr. Don Paglia, Christopher West, Fr. Andrew Wisdom, Dr. Tom Neal, and Greg and Jennifer Willits. You’ll discover that Catholic Church teaching on marriage and family is rooted in our ultimate calling – to love with all we can muster, even through those messy moments.
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Holy Yet Sinful Church
$22.95Add to cartThis text examines three key moments in the developing theology of the church’s holiness and sinfulness in the twentieth century: the ressourcement movement of the 1930s to the 1950s, the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), and the pontificate of John Paul II (1978-2005). The aim of this text is to make accessible the works of Emile Mersch, Henri de Lubac, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Yves Congar, Karl Rahner, and Charles Journet that discuss the holiness and sinfulness of the church and to demonstrate how these works were influential in composing the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium.
The author then considers how this developing theology is put into practice in Pope John Paul II’s millennial program, which centers on admitting that the church in its members has sinned and needs to seek forgiveness.
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Fully Engaged : Missional Church In An Anabaptist Voice
$18.99Add to cartMission happens when congregations fully align themselves with God’s purposes. As the missional church movement matures, Anabaptists bring a time-honored theological tradition, a contemporary spiritual vitality, and practical stories of witness to the conversation. How are churches and individuals living out Christ’s call to engage locally and globally? And how is it changing them in the process?
Featuring the voices of missional Mennonite leaders, Fully Engaged offers stories and analysis about how mission is taking shape in local congregations and contexts. A diverse chorus of Anabaptist pastors and laypeople explores the roots, tools, and applications of the missional movement. From nurturing church planting to creating a missional culture to preaching for missional engagement, Fully Engaged offers insights and ideas for churches looking for direction.
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Unmoved : A Passionate Plea To The Listless Church In America
$9.99Add to cartTotal Fusion Ministries Press
Josiah Martin, in his book “UNMOVED: a Passionate Plea to the Listless Church in America,” presents his solution to reversing the decline of the church and the resulting freefall of morality in American culture. “If we [Christians] were to wield but a fraction of the power that we claim to possess, which is our Christian birthright, this world would neither be found in want nor in need of revival today,” Martin writes. “In Genesis, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. We weren’t so shrewd. We squandered ours away and have nary a bean to show for it.” – UNMOVED: Chapter 9 Martin believes that the reason the church is in decline is not that God doesn’t exist, but that Christians don’t believe in His full power. “The reason the church has lost its relevance in America is that members have become merely hypocritical play actors, and the world can spot a fake from a mile away,” he said. “Apathy and hypocrisy have reached epidemic levels in America.” With his new book, Martin hopes to challenge believers to passionately pursue and serve Christ, motivate them to experience personal revival and equip them with the tools and knowledge they need to become the catalyst of lasting change in the church. Martin is an author, speaker and revivalist living in Big Prairie, Ohio, who has been working in full time ministry since the age of 15. He has served with Rock of Ages Prison Ministry and currently serves as the youth pastor at GODSWORD Bible Church. -
Charts Of Modern And Postmodern Church History
$29.99Add to cartChart of Modern and Postmodern Church History provides a powerful visual tool for understanding the historic foundations on which contemporary Christianity rest. From geography, to theology, to doctrines both orthodox and heretical, to key figures and movements over the last three hundred years, the broad comprehensive scope of modern church history comes across simply, clearly, and with impact.
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7 Churches Of Revelation Pamphlet
$4.99Add to cartEnjoy having an easy-to-understand overview on the seven churches in Revelation!
Packed with quick-reference charts, simple summaries, and a full-color map, this quick-reference pamphlet explains Jesus’ message to each of the seven churches and shows key information at a glance! Perfect for personal use, small groups, or to add depth to any Revelation Bible study.
The book of Revelation contains seven letters from Jesus to 7 churches in Asia Minor. In these letters, Jesus addresses the spiritual health of each church-He praised, encouraged, challenged, and warned each church so that they may be faithful to the end. As Christians today, it is important that we too check the spiritual health of our walk with God as we continue to wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus.
From the faithful church of Philadelphia to the lukewarm congregation of Laodicea, enjoy having a solid overview at your fingertips that covers the cultural background and the relevant application of this key part of the Book of Revelation.
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Worship Together In Your Church As In Heaven
$25.99Add to cartIf we hope to share the message of Christ with people in this changed world, we must examine and reshape our worship. Our communities and our neighborhoods are becoming increasingly multicultural. Is the same thing true at your church? Is the worship at your church reflective of heaven?
The Bible is clear that one day people from every tribe, language, and nation will gather together to worship Jesus together in heaven. More often than not, however, our worship here on earth is segregated, preferential, one-dimensional, and united around a musical style rather than the person of Jesus Christ. This kind of worship is not only incomplete, but it is dangerous, leading us farther and farther away from the kind of worship that heaven is about. Multicultural worship doesn’t just happen. The church is in need of pastors, worship leaders, and worshipers who, with their hearts fixed on heaven, will not settle for the separate but equal mentality in worship.
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Spiritual Friendship : Finding Love In The Church As A Celibate Gay Christi (Rep
$16.99Add to cartFriendship is a relationship like no other. Unlike the relationships we are born into, we choose our friends. It is also tenuous–we can end a friendship at any time. But should friendship be so free and unconstrained? Although our culture tends to pay more attention to romantic love, marriage, family, and other forms of community, friendship is a genuine love in its own right. This eloquent book reminds us that Scripture and tradition have a high view of friendship. Single Christians, particularly those who are gay and celibate, may find it is a form of love to which they are especially called.
Writing with deep empathy and with fidelity to historic Christian teaching, Wesley Hill retrieves a rich understanding of friendship as a spiritual vocation and explains how the church can foster friendship as a basic component of Christian discipleship. He helps us reimagine friendship as a robust form of love that is worthy of honor and attention in communities of faith. This book sets forth a positive calling for celibate gay Christians and suggests practical ways for all Christians to cultivate stronger friendships.
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Radiant : Fifty Remarkable Women In Church History
$18.00Add to cartRadiant records the triumph of the gospel as Christian women faced kings and governors, soldiers and wild beasts, Japanese guards and Muslim raiders, fire, exile, the chopping block, Nazis, cannibals, riots and more. “Look to heaven and forsake the world” has been their cry for two thousand years, but being “spiritually minded” in this way hasn’t made these women ethereal — it’s made them invincible.
From South America to Europe, from China to Africa to the Wild West, in prisons and in throne rooms, the Christian heroines of Radiant have left a stunning legacy. These short and moving biographies for young people introduce fifty often unfamiliar champions of the faith: women like Ida Kahn, who opened the first clinic in a Chinese city of 300,000 people; Lady Anne Hamilton, who rode with the Covenanter cavalry at the decisive Battle of Berwick; and Anngrace Taban, who was forced to type secret battle plans for the Sudan People’s Liberation Army.
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10 Prescriptions For A Healthy Church
$18.99Add to cartIn 10 Prescriptions for a Healthy Church, authors Bob Farr and Kay Kotan offer the Top Ten prescriptions for issues seen during church consultations. Farr and Kotan share their expertise from working with churches to detail the most common concerns and obstacles found when consulting with congregations.
In their conversational style, Farr and Kotan offer a practical approach to fixing common problems, offering strategies sure to help congregations achieve success in specific areas of ministry. Proven success stories offer application, hope, and practicalities from benefiting congregations.
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Creative Giving : Understanding Planned Giving And Endowments In Church (Revised
$15.00Add to cartCreative Giving is a perfect book for church leaders who have no expertise in the area of planned or creative giving. It is an excellent resource for helping non-experts think about estate planning and stewardship within the mission and ministry of the church. A comprehensive guide, Creative Giving guides church leaders in understanding the transfer of wealth through planned giving. The authors equip church leaders with the tools to develop a creative giving program within the congregation.
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Welcome To The Orthodox Church
$19.99Add to cartThere are other introductory books about Orthodoxy, but they are all somewhat academic. This one comprehensively covers the history, theology, and practice without talking over your head. Mathewes-Green takes the original approach of bringing you into a typical church for a series of visits. That is how Christians learned the faith for most of history, by coming into a community and keeping their eyes and ears open. Designed primarily for newcomers to come to understand Orthodoxy and Orthodox Christians, this guide to the faith is also a non-threatening and accessible introduction to people already “in the pews.” Inviting rather than argumentative, Orthodox Christians will be giving this to their friends.
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Mission Drift : The Unspoken Crisis Facing Leaders Charities And Churches (Repri
$15.99Add to cartIs your organization in danger of Mission Drift?Without careful attention, faith-based organizations drift from their founding mission. It’s that simple. It will happen. Slowly, silently, and with little fanfare, organizations routinely drift from their purpose, and many never return to their original intent. Harvard and the YMCA are among those that no longer embrace the Christian principles on which they were founded. But they didn’t drift off course overnight. Drift often happens in small and subtle ways. Left unchecked, it eventually becomes significant. Yet Mission Drift is not inevitable. Organizations such as Compassion International and InterVarsity have exhibited intentional, long-term commitment to Christ.Why do so many organizations–including churches–wander from their mission, while others remain Mission True? Can drift be prevented? In Mission Drift, HOPE International executives Peter Greer and Chris Horst tackle these questions. They show how to determine whether your organization is in danger of drift, and they share the results of their research into Mission True and Mission Untrue organizations. Even if your organization is Mission True now, it’s wise to look for ways to inoculate yourself against drift. You’ll discover what you can do to prevent drift or get back on track and how to protect what matters most.
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Father Tims Church Survival Guide
$20.95Add to cartIf you have little tolerance for ecclesiastical blowhards; if you’ve ever fantasized about implementing a clergy rating system (CRS); if you’ve ever sought tips on surviving diocesan convention; if you’ve ever tried to weasel your way out of pledging; then this book is for you,” says author Tim Schenck. “My take on church life isn’t for everyone-clergy who take themselves too seriously will hate it. But know that it all comes out of a place of deep love for God and the Church. There are inevitably things that drive us nuts about such an imperfect (i.e., human) institution. Yet if we can’t observe and comment on our own foibles we’re left without much hope. And anyway if God doesn’t have a sense of humor, I’m hosed.””
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Exploring Church History
$19.00Add to cartContents:
Part I: Why We Study Church History-Purpose
1. The Church Strives To Be One Family
2. The Church Strives To Be A Holy People
3. The Church Strives To Be A Catholic Body
4. The Church Strives To Be An Apostolic Church
Part II: How We Study Church History-Method
5. A Church In Syria Illumines The History Of Christianity In The Middle East
6. A Stele In China Illumines The History Of Christianity In Asia
7. A Cave In Egypt Illumines The History Of Christianity In Africa
8. A Grave In Italy Illumines The History Of Christianity In Europe
9. A Fabric In Mexico Illumines The History Of Christianity In The Americas
10. A Battlefield In Fiji Illumines The History Of Christianity In OceaniaAdditional Info
Fortress Press’s Foundations for Learning series prepares students for academic success through compelling resources that kick-start their educational journey into professional Christian ministry.In Exploring Church History, Derek Cooper invites readers to consider the purpose and significance of church history in the lives of individuals and communities today. Rather than offering an exploration of bygone eras and outdated events, Cooper brings history to life by emphasizing how past events, individuals, and movements shape how we understand the world around us.
Exploring Church History is divided into three convenient sections to aid those approaching the field of church history for the first time. While the first and second sections offer theoretical reasons why and how we study church history, the third section puts theory into practice by introducing readers to the major contours of world Christian history.
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Transitioning Into A Prototype Church
$27.99Add to cartRevival Waves Of Glory Ministries
Bill Vincent is an anointed Prophetic writer that releases powerful fresh revelation in all he does. Bill released first his powerful book BUILDING A PROTOTYPE CHURCH and now Volume 2 TRANSITIONING INTO A PROTOTYPE CHURCH. You will be able to see into God’s heart of a new type of Church coming forth. This book will help anyone whom wants to be more than just an every day Church. God will truly transition your Church as you obtain all the in-depth revelations in this breakthrough book. May the Spirit of God help you as you begin TRANSITIONING INTO A PROTOTYPE CHURCH. -
Mommy When Can We Go To Church
$12.99Add to cartAn autobiography like no other.
How can a young girl dream of a future when she’s told she won’t have one? How can a family get on the right track-and stay on it-through a flurry of hardships faced so early in their growth together? This is all possible with the help of an inquisitive child.
The story of Jaime Adams’ life isn’t just of a child, but an entire family going through rough times-some would say, trials and tribulations. In Mommy, When Can We Go to Church? Jaime tells the tale of how faith, love, hope, and joy came together to give her a full life when she seemed to have no future.
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Rite Place : Kids Do Church Adults Do Too
$27.95Add to cartReady-to-use liturgies with music, for all seasons of the church year
* Offers a practical guide for child-directed, inclusive worship
Grace Episcopal Church, Oak Park, Illinois has become a model for how to
engage all generations in an experiential and fully inclusive Eucharistic liturgy. The
Rite Place is a 30-minute service designed for young children and their households
in response to the congregation’s desire to offer welcoming worship for all ages.
This book has three parts: the theology of intergenerational worship, including
pastoral issues and how a church might get started to implement such a model;
the use of music as an integral piece to worship as formation; and complete
liturgies for Advent/Christmas/Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Maundy Thursday/
Good Friday, Easter, and the Season of Pentecost/Summer that are accessible for
other congregations to use in their own settings.For clergy, Christian educators, musicians, liturgists, Episcopal schools, chaplains,
children’s hospitals, seminaries, and faith formation organizations. -
Church Beyond Belief
$23.95Add to cartA new approach to evangelism, particularly useful with seekers and young adults
* Addresses “belonging before believing” and other new patterns for remaking
congregationsAs we move beyond the “emergent” or “missional” church paradigm, pastors and other
church leaders are discovering a new reality: people (especially younger generations)
are coming to church not as believers, but to find a place to belong-with or without
faith. This book describes the dilemma and the distractions that currently prevent
congregations from being the place where that sense of belonging can unfold and guide
newcomers in the discovery of faith.The authors argue that despite elaborate talk of change, spirituality, transformation,
and conflict resolution, congregations are still mired in old patterns of belonging. Using
broad-based career experiences, surveys of religious life, historical precedent, and
insights from social psychology about what it means to belong today, the book suggests
new and effective approaches to help churches make vital connections.For church leaders (lay and ordained) and seminarians across denominational lines.
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Setting Your Church Free
$15.99Add to cartSetting Your Church Free explores how corporate sin is robbing the spiritual vitality and fruitfulness of churches, keeping them from being free in Christ. Trusted authors Neil T. Anderson and Charles Mylander offer practical and life-giving tools for dealing biblically with corporate sin in the Church. Offering a balanced approach, this unique resource takes into account the reality of the spiritual world as well as the need for correcting leadership and administration problems. Readers will discover how to unite around a common purpose, deal with the power of memories that affect the present and future of the church, defeat Satan’s attacks and go forward with a strong, effective action plan. Churches that put these steps into practice will be set free from bondage to walk in the freedom Christ offers.
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Barefoot Tribe : A Manifesto For A New Kind Of Church
$15.99Add to cartWritten for the millennial generation, gathering the church around twelve key commitments to justice, sustainability, art, compassion, austerity, and a desire to make the world better by living out the love of Christ.
We are on the crest of an epic shift in humanity. As Jeremy Rifkin writes, “The Age of Reason is being eclipsed by the Age of Empathy.” The current millennial generation views the world as an extended family-increasingly interconnected through technology-and they live with a deep moral obligation to care for one another.
In The Barefoot Tribe, Palmer Chinchen issues a wake-up call to the church of today, highlighting this new wave of social justice leaders, who are not afraid to take action, take risks, and remake the world into one more like what Jesus had in mind.
Chinchen challenges the dispassion of the church of decades past, calling for one that does not withdraw into the safe confines of its sanctuary walls. Drawing on compelling stories from his life growing up in Liberia and various experiences from his own church, he maps out a new course that addresses the world’s needs in a way that is outside the norm for many evangelicals.
Conversational, fresh, and accessible, The Barefoot Tribe invites readers to join others also seeking to live a life of meaning and purpose in this world made smaller by technology.
Because with the power of the tribe…we can make the world a better place.
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Starting Missional Churches
$22.00Add to cartAll mission is local–the people of God joining the work of God in a particular place. In Starting Missional Churches Mark Lau Branson and Nicholas Warnes introduce us to seven missional churches and explore what it looks like to be salt and light where you are.
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Shrink : Faithful Ministry In A Church Growth Culture
$24.99Add to cartAmong followers of Jesus, great is often the enemy of good. The drive to be great—to be a success by the standards of the world—often crowds out the qualities of goodness, virtue, and faithfulness that should define the central focus of Christian leadership. In the culture of today’s church, successful leadership is often judged by what works, while persistent faithfulness takes a back seat. If a ministry doesn’t produce results, it is dropped. If people don’t respond, we move on. This pursuit of ‘greatness’ exerts a crushing pressure on the local church and creates a consuming anxiety in its leaders. In their pursuit of this warped vision of greatness, church leaders end up embracing a leadership narrative that runs counter to the sacrificial call of the gospel story. When church leaders focus on faithfulness to God and the gospel, however, it’s always a kingdom-win—regardless of the visible results of their ministry. John the Baptist modeled this kind of leadership. As John’s disciples crossed the Jordan River to follow after Jesus, John freely released them to a greater calling than following him. Speaking of Jesus, John said: ‘He must increase, but I must decrease.’ Joyfully satisfied to have been faithful to his calling, John knew that the size and scope of his ministry would be determined by the will of the Father, not his own will. Following the example of John the Baptist and with a careful look at the teaching of Scripture, Tim Suttle dares church leaders to risk failure by chasing the vision God has given them—no matter how small it might seem—instead of pursuing the broad path of pragmatism that leads to fame and numerical success.
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God Came Near Church Edition 10 Pack (DVD)
$49.95Add to cartIn the midst of the darkness and cold of the winter season, we celebrate the brightest holiday of all, Christmas, the birth of Jesus. Max Lucado presents heartening and devotional insights into a unique Advent experience. Filmed in the beautiful Blockley Church in England, the accomplished pastor and author weaves the biblical account of the first Christmas with common issues we face in our modern lives. Each episode brings you back in time with movie segments of biblical events as Lucado narrates relevant Scripture.
Each disc contains 6 sessions (Great Expectations, 4 weeks of Advent -Hope/Love/Joy/Peace, plus Christmas) and each session is 28 minutes long. A 32 page Discussion Guide in PDF format is on each disc as well. This church pack is a set of 10 discs – great for distribution to all church families and small groups!
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When The Church Was Young
$22.99Add to cartIf the word trinity isn’t in Scripture, why is it such an important part of our faith?
And if the Bible can be interpreted in many ways, how do we know what to make of it? And who decided what should be in the Bible anyway?
The Church Fathers provide the answers. These brilliant, embattled, and sometimes eccentric men defined the biblical canon, hammered out the Creed, and gave us our understanding of sacraments and salvation. It is they who preserved for us the rich legacy of the early Church.
D’Ambrosio dusts off the dry theology and brings you the exciting stories and great heroes such as Ambrose, Augustine, Basil, Athanasius, Chrysostom, and Jerome. This page-turner will inspire and challenge you with the lives and insights of these seminal teachers from when the Church was young.
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Why Church History Matters
$30.00Add to cartForeword
Abbreviations
Introduction
Part One: How We Understand The Tradition
1. What Is The Tradition?
2. How Have We Understood Tradition Historically?
3. How Do We Understand The Tradition Today?Part Two: Expanding Circles Of Inquiry
4. Who Am I? History And Christian Identity
5. A Great Cloud Of Witnesses: Christian Community Across The Centuries
6. Accountability Partners: Sharing Accountability With Historic Christians
7. Mentors And Friends: Historic Christians Broaden Our Horizons And Fill Gaps In Our UnderstandingPart Three: Tradition Serving The Church
8. Rightly Dividing The Word Of Truth: Christian Exegesis Across The Centuries
9. Tradition And Ministry Celebrate The Body Of ChristRecommended Resources For Ministry
Additional Info
Does it matter how Christians in other times and places thought? If the Bible alone is God’s revelation, why spend time studying the history? Aren’t history and tradition more a problem than a solution? For many Christians who believe the Bible is the only ultimate authority for faith and life, questions about the role and value of the church’s traditions can be difficult to tackle. But let’s be honest: even those of us who admit that church history is important are often too intimidated or busy to delve into it deeply. And for students, it’s sometimes difficult to see how church history matters in practical ways for future vocations inside and outside the the contemporary church. In this wide-ranging book, veteran teacher Bob Rea tackles these barriers to understanding and embracing the signifiance of the faith and practice of our spiritual forebears. Rea not only skillfully explains why church history matters — he shows why it should matter to you. -
Being Church Doing Life
$18.99Add to cartEvidence now suggests that contextual church plants have an important role to play in church growth. There is an increasing international interest in these new and different forms of church, often known as ‘Fresh Expressions’ or ’emerging church’. Author Michael Moynagh is a member of the UK national Fresh Expressions movement, a remarkable initiative that has attracted widespread attention around the world. In this inspiring volume he shares practical and comprehensive advice on how to start and grow new churches – however small – in every context of life. This popular introduction emphasizes practical aspects, telling many of the great stories that have emerged through practitioners. It will enthuse and help church leaders and individuals to start and develop these communities; and advise them on how to help them grow to maturity and become sustainable.
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Essential Church : A Wesleyan Ecclesiology
$19.99Add to cartWith so many denominations and differing ideas about what the church is and does, arriving at a clear understanding of the church is a formidable challenge. The pastors and educators who have contributed to this book explore the meaning,purpose, and function of the church, as well as its structure. They address topics such as the kingdom of God, worship, and mission, in relation to the body of Christ, and give special attention to Wesleyan theological concerns.This theology of the church is an accessible resource for anyone, minister or layperson, who desires a better grasp of the church. This stimulating ecclesiology is a valuable addition to any theological library.
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Nuestra Fe : A Latin American Church History Sourcebook
$62.99Add to cartSpanning more than 500 years, this illustrated book covers the rich history of Christianity in Latin America. The authors use an analytical framework as they describe the institutional religious history for the period covered in that chapter, providing the context to look at other concurrent though non-institutional developments within Christianity. Each section includes sources that look at the way Christianity manifested and continues to manifest itself in the life of Latin American society, including its women, its enslaved and indigenous populations, and the modern-day marginalized sectors.
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Supernatural Manifestations In The Church
$17.95Add to cartSupernatural Manifestations in the Church will entice you to pursue the tangibility of the intangible. It may not be the manifestations you are seeking, but they will accompany you as you utilize what is already at work in your life. You can learn how to access the power of gifts, the gifts of revelation, and the utterance of gifts through your own prayer language. Tongues provide a necessary element in releasing the super to the natural. The apostle Paul spoke in tongues more than all the Corinthians. Was there a link between the spiritual revelation he received through this kind of praying and the writing of half the books in the New Testament?
Supernatural Manifestations in the Church contains exhilarating, real-life experiences in accessing the extraordinary working and moving of the Holy Spirit.
In Supernatural Manifestations in the Church, you will receive answers to the following questions:
*How can you access the supernatural in your own devotional life?
*How can you know you are not manifesting demons?
*What are these strange utterances all about?
*Will I need years of counseling to get free?
*Is there a special tongue for self-deliverance?
*If Jesus took care of the Devil, then what is this all about?We have relegated to the specialist what every believer has access to.
It is time to deal with the Devil.
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Elephants In The Church
$15.99Add to cartWhere Are the Truth-Tellers?
Our world is facing serious problems that pose genuine threats to our safety, our economy, our health, and our very survival. Sadly, partisanship and allegiances to special interests are preventing our nation from taking the needed action on such matters.
And where is the church at this perilous time in history? Instead of proclaiming God’s wisdom on the issues of our day, many of us are either too blinded by political affiliations or too afraid to let our voices be heard.
While resisting the predictable labels of Democrat and Republican, Bishop George Bloomer holds both sides accountable by boldly examining some of the most polarizing yet important issues of our time:
Abortion
Poverty and income inequality
Gay marriage
Racial relations
War and the military-industrial complex
Gun controlChristians will never succeed in impacting the culture if they remain emasculated by political correctness and afraid to speak the truth. Change is possible only when brave and audacious men and women are willing to confront evil and injustice through their words and their actions.
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Saint Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church
$60.00Add to cartSaint Alphonsus: Capuchins, Closures, and Continuity 1956-2011+ is the third volume of this comprehensive history of the parish. It focuses on the people, physical plant, and spiritual life of the parish. Volume 1, in German, celebrated the 50th Anniversary (1856-1906). Volume 2, in English, marked the 100th Anniversary (1856-1956) and included material from Volume 1.
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Slow Church : Cultivating Community In The Patient Way Of Jesus
$22.00Add to cartFast food. Fast cars. Fast and furious. Fast forward. Fast . . . church? The church is often idealized (or demonized) as the last bastion of a bygone era, dragging our feet as we’re pulled into new moralities and new spiritualities. We guard our doctrine and our piety with great vigilance. But we often fail to notice how quickly we’re capitulating, in the structures and practices of our churches, to a culture of unreflective speed, dehumanizing efficiency and dis-integrating isolationism. In the beginning, the church ate together, traveled together and shared in all facets of life. Centered as they were on Jesus, these seemingly mundane activities took on their own significance in the mission of God. In Slow Church, Chris Smith and John Pattison invite us out of franchise faith and back into the ecology, economy and ethics of the kingdom of God, where people know each other well and love one another as Christ loved the church.
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Liberating Black Church History
$20.99Add to cart“No serious scholar in biblical studies today can introduce students to his or her field without taking into account the contributions of African American scholarship. The long traditions of biblical interpretation in the black church, and the innovative research and writing performed by African-American scholars in recent years are now essential components of a critical study of the Bible.
Yet up to now, knowing how best to introduce the fruits of African American biblical scholarship to students, particularly those in the survey class, has been difficult. Good resources exist, yet too often they were not written with the needs of introductory students in mind. This book meets that need by providing an overview of the most important developments in African American approaches to biblical scholarship. Written with the needs of beginning students in mind, it will offer insight into the particular ways that African American scholarship has shaped the world of biblical study.”
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60 People Who Shaped The Church
$17.99Add to cartThe Church exists today in its current form because of the people who have come before us. Who were those people? Staid and dour scholars? Cultural movers and shakers? How does their contribution to history affect us today?
From a consummate storyteller comes this collection of inspiring biographical sketches of people who played pivotal roles in advancing the Kingdom of God on earth. In rich prose and spanning twenty centuries of church history, these engaging narratives range from the well-known to the obscure, highlighting personalities such as Josephus, Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, Galileo, John Calvin, Blaise Pascal, Jonathan Edwards, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, William Wilberforce, G. K. Chesterton, and many others. Readers will feel the past come alive and mingle in their minds with the present state of the Church, encouraging and galvanizing them to live their own faith courageously in our time–and shape the Church of the future.
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Autopsy Of A Deceased Church
$12.99Add to cartNo one wants to see a church die. And yet, far too many churches are dying. For more than twenty-five years, Dr. Thom Rainer has helped churches grow, reverse the trends of decline, and has autopsied those that have died. From this experience, he has discovered twelve consistent themes among those churches that have died. Yet, it’s not gloom and doom because from those twelve themes, lessons on how to keep your church alive have emerged.Whether your church is vibrant or dying, whether you are a pastor or a church member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church will walk you through the radical paths necessary to keep your church alive to the glory of God and advancement of Christ’s Kingdom!
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New Parish : How Neighborhood Churches Are Transforming Mission Discipleshi
$22.00Add to cartWhen . . . faith communities begin connecting together, in and for the neighborhood, they learn to depend on God for strength to love, forgive and show grace like never before. . . . The gospel becomes so much more tangible and compelling when the local church is actually a part of the community, connected to the struggles of the people, and even the land itself. Paul Sparks, Tim Soerens and Dwight J. Friesen have seen–in cities, suburbs and small towns all over North America–how powerful the gospel can be when it takes root in the context of a place, at the intersection of geography, demography, economy and culture. This is not a new idea–the concept of a parish is as old as Paul’s letters to the various communities of the ancient church. But in an age of dislocation and disengagement, the notion of a church that knows its place and gives itself to where it finds itself is like a breath of fresh air, like a sign of new life.
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There Are Millions Of Churches
$15.95Add to cartIntroduction
1. Facts And Figures
2. Whorshipping The Stars Rather Than God
3. Divisions And Doctrines
4. Why Are There So Many Churches?
5. Why The World Is Going To Hell
6. What The Hell
7. Going To Hell
8. The Dead Church
About The Author
Recommended BooksAdditional Info
Whether everyone will admit it or not, the traditional church is in deep trouble and has been struggling for years to survive. There is a small rise of some new, non-traditional churches that help us all realize that God truly has a new way of doing Church. There is no easy fixes but at the same time, there are real roots that are being revealed in this book. The Church does not need another program nor does it need another religious organization. We don’t need religious leaders but compassionate, Christ centered leaders. Bill is a prophet of God with a strong Word that all of the Church needs to hear. Bill reveals that there are so many Churches both big and small meeting and keeping silent while the World gets worse in many areas. The fact of the matter is the world and even some Churches are on the road to Hell. We must hear the urgency of all that God has laid on the heart of Bill Vincent and many prophetic voices like him. So many Churches in America why is America in such bad shape somebody is dropping the ball This why we can’t just go to Church as spectators when we’re asked to pray for a person or Country we need to take it seriously and really travail and intercede instead of shrugging it off and leaving it to the next person. This would be where someone would drop the ball. You know why bad things have happened in America because God is trying to wake this Country up and believe there is a higher power in this Country and it is not the President of the United States. -
Attract Families To Your Church
$20.99Add to cartThis book will help church pastors and leaders navigate the changing tides in ministry to become the kind of church that families want to attend, where the church’s dynamic faith invites families who may then bring their friends. This means reaching out to all kinds of families, some with needs that only a church family can fulfill.
To grow and remain vital, churches need to attract families. But the cultural landscape has changed and any church may have two-parent families with children, blended families, boomerang families, adult children of divorce and their families or lack of families, single adults whose family is the church, grandparents parenting again, childless families, co-habitation families, and children with three legal parents. With practical helps and suggestions for ministries, worship, small groups, and even facilities, author and family expert Linda Ranson Jacobs will help you create a welcoming place for everyone.
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Global Reformation : Transitioning The Church For Strategic Kingdom Advance
$15.99Add to cartDr. Munien’s book particularly stands out because of his extraordinary ability to impart with the greatest simplicity at the same time that he brings complete understanding to every reader from the Word of God. He examines the historical, cultural and scriptural foundations necessary to build the “Perfect Man” in the image of God’s pattern.
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Generous Spaciousness : Responding To Gay Christians In The Church
$24.00Add to cartCommitted Christians may respond differently to gay and lesbian Christians. How can we engage those with whom we might disagree and navigate our journey together in a way that nurtures unity, hospitality, humility, and justice?
Through her extensive experience in ministering to gay and lesbian Christians, Wendy VanderWal-Gritter has come to believe we need a new paradigm for how the church engages those in the sexual minority. She encourages generous spaciousness, a hope-filled, relational way forward for those in turmoil regarding a response to gay and lesbian Christians. This book offers a framework for discussing diversity in a gracious way, showing that the church can be a place that welcomes a variety of perspectives on the complex matter of human sexuality. It also offers practical advice for implementing generous spaciousness in churches and organizations.
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Sailboat Church : Helping Your Church Rethink Its Mission And Practice
$20.00Add to cartIs your church a rowboat church or a sailboat church?
Rowboat churches depend largely on human effort. In a time of often shrinking budgets and membership, rowboat churches frantically row harder against a current, often frustrated and disappointed at their efforts. Sailboat churches, on the other hand, take up the oars, hoist sales, and rely on the Holy Spirit to guide them.
Arguing that churches should be “sailboats,” author Joan S. Gray encourages readers to shift concern from the many daily, practical concerns of their local church to consider how new directions might be found by allowing the Holy Spirit to provide fresh ideas. The book includes 40 days of sailing prayers, quotes from Scripture, brief reflection questions, and an extensive bibliography that is arranged by theme. Perfect for groups to read together, this book will help leaders reframe their church’s mission and practice with the Holy Spirit as their guide.
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From The Early Church To The Reformation Student Edition (Student/Study Guide)
$49.00Add to cartOn its release, the seven volume A People’s History of Christianity was lauded for its commitment to raising awareness of the ways in which ordinary Christians have lived throughout more than twenty centuries of Christian History. Now, the essential material from that important project is available for classroom use.
This volume contains careful selections and abridgements of the original content organized to fit ideally into a course in Christian history. It provides a valuable overview on such topics as birth and death, baptism rites, food, power, heresy, and more. Students are both informed and inspired by seeing the importance of ordinary Christians in shaping Christianity across time.
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Church Shouldnt Suck The Life Out Of You
$15.99Add to cartUsing humor and frank honesty, Pastor Jim Minor describes how his own street outreach organization transformed from a vibrant, God-infused ministry into a conventional, safe church that almost sucked all the passion for ministry right out of him. Then, Jim explains how he got his passion back again.
Who is this book for?
*Pastors and ministry leaders who have lost their focus and have grown to resent the ministries to which they have been called
*Those in the pews who have lost the spark of their passion for God and find themselves merely going through the motions and “playing church”
*Non-churchgoers who stay away because they don’t want any part of a dry, lifeless religion that doesn’t make any difference in the world
If you identify with any of those categories, this book is for you!
Let Jim Minor cast a vision for what church can be. Discover that it’s possible to venture beyond the church walls, to interact with the lost and hurting, and to watch God do miracles in people’s lives. And in the process, church might even become fun and fulfilling once again.
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Underground Church
$19.99Add to cartThe Chinese house church is one of the most misunderstood and controversial subjects in Christian world missions today. Many questions about it abound, such as…
*How did it start?
*How does it work?
*How is it led?
*Why does it continue to experience revival?
*Is it necessary, now that China has extended religious freedoms?Much of the confusion is caused by the Chinese government, which deceives journalists and foreign missionaries with promises of religious freedom that are never kept.
The truth is, the house churches of China are growing at a phenomenal rate. Never in the history of the world have so many people in such a short time left one belief system for another without a hostile revolution. Lives in China are being transformed daily by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the display of His miraculous power.
The Underground Church demystifies the Chinese house church movement, with real-life examples and personal testimonies from Chinese Christians. The movement’s unique characteristics-both good and bad-are addressed, as well as how they have led to the church’s astonishing growth.
Be amazed at what God is doing in China!
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Last Shofar : What The Fall Feasts Of The Lord Are Telling The Church
$18.99Add to cartList Of Tables And Diagrams
Acknowledgments
Foreword By Donald Benson
Preface
Introduction
1. All Things Jewish – Our Unavoidable Roots
2. Prophecy – A Misunderstood Message
3. Everybody Has It “Right”
4. What Most Evangelicals Believe
5. The Day Will Finally Arrive – The Day Of The Lord
6. The Feasts Of The Lord – A Preview Of Coming Events
7. Making Our Case
8. The Clock Is Ticking – What Time Is It?
9. Are You Ready?
Epilogue – A Final Word
Appendices
Appendix I
Appendix II
Appendix III
Glossary
About The Authors
The Last Shofar! WebsiteAdditional Info
Dark clouds of global turmoil are causing many to question if the end is near. The Last Shofar! examines ancient biblical Feasts of the Lord that reveal God’s timing for the Second Coming of Christ and how it all ends. Its message to the Church is clear-get ready! The Last Shofar! is a unique practical guide to prepare for the end times. Chapter-based questions help the reader and small groups engage critical themes. -
Exploring Christian Theology The Church Spiritual Growth And The End Times
$17.00Add to cartDallas Seminary Professors Make Basic Theology Accessible for All
Theology doesn’t have to be complicated. In this book, trusted Dallas Seminary professors present a concise systematic theology that distills the essential spiritual truths in a way that makes sense to readers–students, lay people, and pastors. Here are introductions, overviews, and reviews of key tenets of orthodox protestant evangelical doctrines. The book also includes an annotated list of key applicable Bible texts, a quick-paced story of doctrine throughout church history, heresies or distortions to be aware of, and more.
Exploring Christian Theology is useful for discipleship, catechism, membership training, preview or review of doctrine, or quick personal reference. It can also be used by ministry training programs, Bible colleges, or seminaries as an introductory primer to orient students in preparation for a more in-depth study of theology.
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Against The Church
$15.00Add to cartPastor Doug Wilson takes a hammer to some of our very favorite graven images, and (surprise, surprise) we’ve set up display cases for most of them in our churches: Liturgy, Tradition, Systematics, infant Baptism, and that crafty old Baal Doctrine.
Alongside a critique of philosophical assumptions about human nature, dualism, and grace, Wilson stresses the unavoidable and absolute necessity of individual hearts being born again. He concludes by laying out the case for the church. This isn’t contradictory, though — the only way to be effectually for the church is to master the case against it. After all, God Himself is the ultimate iconoclast.
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Birmingham Revolution : Martin Luther King Jrs Epic Challenge To The Church
$16.00Add to cartFrom time to time prophetic Christian voices rise to challenge our nations “original sin.” In the twentieth century, compelled by the Spirit of God and a yearning for freedom, the African American church took the lead in heralding the effort. Like almost no other movement before or since, Christian people gave force to a social mission. And, remarkably, they did it largely through nonviolent actions. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s words and historic efforts as the Moses of this civil rights movement stand out as perhaps the most significant instance of a modern Christian leader acting in a prophetic role to instigate political change. In many ways “The Letter from Birmingham Jail” stands at the center of that movement. In this book African American journalist Edward Gilbreath explores the place of that letter in the life and work of Dr. King. Birmingham Revolution is not simply a work of historical reflection. Gilbreath encourages us to reflect on the relevance of King’s work for the church and culture of our day. Whether its in debates about immigration, economic redistribution or presidential birth certificates, race continues to play a role in shaping society. What part will the church play in the ongoing struggle?
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Liturgical Spirituality : Anglican Reflections On The Churchs Prayer
$29.95Add to cartOf particular interest to scholars and practitioners across the Anglican Communion
with contributions from a wide breadth of scholarsLiturgical Spirituality is a collection of Anglican reflections on the spirituality of the liturgy,
inviting readers into the Church’s patterns of prayer, seasons of the year, and sacramental
action. With contributions from all over the world, from the North Atlantic to Australia,
the collection helps develop a comprehensive understanding of contemporary Anglican
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Esther Present Truth Church
$19.99Add to cartIn a season where the Church co-exists harmoniously with truth and error, this book provides us with a precision tool and well-calibrated instrument of change that is able to fine-tune the global Body of Christ. The Book of Esther is rich with revelation that is still valid and applicable for the day in which we live. Hidden within its pages is a powerful “present truth” message. The lives of the people involved and the conditions that are seen have spiritual parallels for the Church. Our destiny as the Body of Christ is revealed. The preparations and conditions we must attain to are all similar.
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Making Disciples In The 21st Century Church
$14.95Add to cartMore than a decade ago, Bill Hull wrote The Disciple Making Pastor. Hull criticized America’s Sunday attendance strategies as being totally inadequate and emphasized the need to make disciples. I resisted Hull’s teaching, thinking he lacked church growth insight. At that time, I primarily judged church growth success by how many were seated in a church in the worship service.
Yet now I applaud the concept of growing a church from the inside out and measuring success by disciples made and sent forth. The only command, in fact, of Christ’s great commission was to make disciples. The rest of the verbs in Matthew 28:18-20 are not in the command form but are actually participles. Jesus literally said, “having gone, make disciples.” (Matt. 28:18).
We know that the goal of the Christian life is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. While this is God’s ultimate plan, does he have a particular purpose for the cell-based church? I’ve been wrestling with this question for the past twenty-two years. This question confronts me every time I coach a pastor or pastors. In preparation for coaching, I ask myself, “What is my principal objective in helping this pastor?” “Where am I guiding this church?” “What am I trying to do?”
This book answers these questions.
I’ve come to the conclusion that the primary goal of cell ministry is to make disciples who make disciples. Christ’s last command to his disciples was for them to repeat the process and to reproduce new disciples. But how were they supposed to do that?
We in North America and the Western world often project our own cultural bias into Christ’s great commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Most discipleship books, in fact, assume that discipleship is an individualistic endeavor–between me and God. And yes, there is an important individual aspect (e.g., personal devotions, etc.). Yet in Matthew 28, Jesus was talking to a group of disciples. He wanted them to follow his example by making disciples in a group. Jesus molded twelve disciples in a group and then sent them house to house.
The early church followed Christ’s pattern by making disciples through the house churches that periodically celebrated together in public worship. In 2 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul tells Timothy to continue the discipleship process by passing on the pure gospel message to faithful men and women. Even though the term “disciple” is later replaced by words such as “brothers/sisters,” “Christians,” and “saints,” the concept remain
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Ezekiel Generation : The Fathers Heart For Israel And The Church In The Las
$19.99Add to cartThe Father’s Heart for Israel and the Church
You live in one of the most critical hours in human history… and God is calling you to participate!
For the body of Christ to be most effective in these last days, unity is essential. We all have key roles to play in the unfolding of G-d’s great agenda for history. Author Grant Berry is on a mission to help you find your place in this hour and see both Jew and Gentile unite to bring G-d’s end-time purposes to fruition.
In this critical book, you will discover:
*Why it is so significant that Israel and the Church strengthens their relationship
*The unique roles that Jews and Gentiles are purposed to play in the end times
*G-d’s burning heart to release His Kingdom through a united peopleThis book is a challenge to the global body of Christ. Will we continue with business as usual, or will we embrace the glorious call to see G-d’s family restored in these last days?
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Environmental Missions : Planting Churches And Trees
$24.99Add to cartEnvironmental Missions defines an emerging category in missions, one that takes seriously
both the mandate to evangelize the world and the responsibility of caring for God’s good earth.Lowell Bliss was a traditional church planting missionary in India when his best Hindu friend there died of malaria. This was just one of the events that led him to reexamine the politically charged term “environment,” understanding it now as simply “that which surrounds those we love, those for whom Jesus died.” In other words, the church is called to reach not only vulnerable people but the space in which they live and breathe.
Pointing to the narrative of Scripture and the history of missions, Bliss shows us that the gospel of Jesus Christ is good news for the whole creation, that we must unite two traditionally separate endeavors to fulfill the entirety of God’s commission, and that the challenge of the environmental crises of our day is also one of our greatest opportunities to reach the least reached with the love of Christ.
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Missional Quest : Becoming A Church Of The Long Run
$17.00Add to cartIntroduction: Before The First Step
Part I: Fostering A Missional Mindset
1. The Starting LinePart II: Fostering A Missional Posture
2. Stop And Go
3. AD 30 All Over Again
4. Won’t You Be My Neighbor
5. Home, Work And God’s Mission
6. Where Everybody Knows Your Name
7. Launching Pads
8. Follow The Follower
9. Have A Great Trip
Appendix
EndnotesAdditional Info
When Christ calls people, he invites them on a journey-a journey taken together in community. We have reached a point in history, however, when we think of the church as a fixed place where isolated individuals show up, consume a Christian message, drink some coffee, and get on with their lives. The times demand, and the gospel proclaims, that we recover our identity as a church that is a people on a quest for the kingdom of heaven, formed intimately by a loving God and called onto a long journey for the sake of our neighbors and our world. In The Missional Quest you’ll learn how to take your church on a long run, and how to sustain yourselves and one another along the way, through the power of God for the sake of the world. -
1 Corinthians 1-9 Challenging Church (Student/Study Guide)
$8.99Add to cartIntroduction
Why Study 1 Corinthians?
Timeline
1. Count Your Blessings – 1 Corinthians 1 V 1-9
2. Unite In “foolishness” – 1 Corinthians 1 V 10 – 2 V 16
3. Unite As God’s Community – 1 Corinthians 3
4. Recognise Real Ministers – 1 Corinthians 4
5. Don’t Go Soft On Sin – 1 Corinthians 5 – 6
6. Let Your Calling Count – 1 Corinthians 7
7. Use Your Rights – 1 Corinthians 8 – 9
Leader’s GuideAdditional Info
Even today, Jesus is still a figure of intense interest and admiration for millions. But then there’s His church. Church is a boring topic for most, and a reluctantly fulfilled duty for many.And we can understand why. Churches say they have the best news in the world, that they have the answer to our problems, that they are God’s embassies on earth; and yet churches are made up of people like you and me, who are grumpy, irritable, unfaithful, selfish, and worse.
And as that is sadly true of churches today, so it was of the church in Corinth. It was young, it was full of life, and it was just as full of problems. What would God say to such a challenging church? What did they need to be excited by, to listen to, to learn?
Use this seven-study guide to open up the first nine chapters of the letter of 1 Corinthians, to hear what God said to His church in Corinth, and what God still says to His church today.
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Good Pope : The Making Of A Saint And The Remaking Of The Church The Story
$15.99Add to cartOn the fiftieth anniversary of Pope John XXIII’s opening of the Vatican Council II in October 1962 and of his death in June 1963, as well as for his likely canonization in 2013, Greg Tobin celebrates the “Good Pope” as a profile of a greatly beloved religious figure who ushered in an era of hope and openness; and it is this “openness” that powerful internal forces have been battling ever since, causing many of the Catholic crises we see today.
This profile examines Pope John XXIII, the “Good Pope,” as a greatly beloved figure who ushered in an era of hope and openness in the Catholic church. Had the Good Pope’s reforms been accepted, the church could have avoided many of crises associated with it today.
Fifty years after he convened the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII remains one of the most beloved and remarkable figures in the history of the Catholic Church. Affectionately known as Il Buono Papa, or the Good Pope, John is remembered today by Catholics and non-Catholics alike as an enduring symbol of peace, ecumenicalism, and Christian spirituality. In The Good Pope, Greg Tobin recounts John’s remarkable story, from his impoverished childhood in Bergamo, Italy, and his successful tenure as a papal ambassador in war-torn Europe to his surprise ascendancy to the throne of St. Peter. In the process, he traces John’s legacy as the spiritual father of the modern Church and explains why the Good Pope and his great council are as vital, vibrant, and important to Catholicism as ever before. Meticulously researched and engaging, The Good Pope captures the heart, soul, and spirit of the man who ushered in a new era of religion in the twentieth century.
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Searching For The Indigenous Church
$13.99Add to cart“This book bubbles up out of the heart of a man who has been on pilgrimage in Central Asia’s heartland. He has walked the dusty caravan trails he writes about in this perceptive and challenging book . . . . I’ve walked beside him as together we’ve sought to see Christ plant His church among an unreached Central Asian people group . . . . Gene will challenge you to radically rethink what we mean . . . when we speak of indigenous churches.” -John Lee (pseudonym), Missionary, Central Asia
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Generous Ecclesiology : Church World And The Kingdom Of God
$35.99Add to cartGenerous Ecclesiology seeks to present a positive theological contribution to Anglican ecclesiology and missiology. It aims to do this by responding to issues raised by For the Parish and mission-shaped church in particular. This is because the editors are aware that the debate generated by these publications risks becoming polarised – with the dangers of either traditional practices/missionary innovation not being taken seriously. The book would respond to a theological need within the church; and open up a generous space for future reflection and practice. It would be rooted in the Anglican tradition and its imaginative response to context.
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Table Manners : Liturgical Leadership For The Mission Of The Church
$35.99Add to cartThere is a growing (if not urgent) need for those being trained for ordained (and lay) ministry to be provided with a more solid grounding in liturgical principles, and Simon Reynolds seeks to address this by demonstrating how good liturgical leadership can be the foundation from which all other theological, historical, pastoral and missiological issues arise.
Table Manners attempts to avoid being a ‘party’ book and will consciously avoid issues of churchmanship (except in pointing to what is positive in the various Christian traditions). Rather, it is written from the conviction that (i) a proper understanding of the Eucharist, and a theologically-informed approach to celebrating it (even if this manifests itself in many different styles), should mean that worshippers can go to churches of an unfamiliar tradition and yet still be caught up in the action, because what is essential and enlarging about good liturgical celebration would be recognisable; and (ii) that the success of presidency also demands the liturgical education of the whole people of God, because until they know what to ask for, their expectations will remain constrained.
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Elephant In The Church
$19.99Add to cartA church can be a dangerous place. The perils may be so obvious, they become “elephants” standing in the fellowship hall, lurking in the sanctuary, ready to spring into the pastor’s study, and tromp out of the choir room. The word “elephant” stands for an obvious truth or issue that is ignored or unnamed-a blind spot. Yet we allow elephants to occupy a large amount of space in the minds and hearts of those that tiptoe around them. Discussing common blind-spots of congregations and church leaders, the authors provide examples and illustrations for how to stop these “elephants” from ruining a ministry.
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Literacy Bible Reading And Church Growth
$18.99Add to cartThe story of Christianity from apostolic times to the present reveals that in virtually every country of the world a Bible-reading laity was an important factor in the growth of the church, both numerically and spiritually. The importance of the Bible in actual history is a challenge to the church today.
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Decline And Fall Of The Catholic Church In America
$24.95Add to cartThe Roots of the Crisis That’s Rocked the Pulpits and Emptied the Pews Many Catholics blame Vatican II for the decline of the Church in America these past 30 years: traditionalists say it caused too many changes, liberals say too few.
In this groundbreaking book, sociologist David Carlin shows that although Vatican II was the flashpoint for change in the Church, the roots of today’s crisis go deeper than anything that happened at the Council.
Basing his conclusions on sociological analysis rather than on theology or Church teachings, Carlin shows that in the 1960’s the Church in America was weakened by the triumph of tolerance as an American virtue (which led Catholics to downplay their uniquely Catholic beliefs for the sake of unity) and then was battered by a culture that, seemingly overnight, had become boldly secularist and even libertine.
Called by Vatican II to engage the culture in order to evangelize it, while pressed by the culture to downplay its Catholicity in the name of tolerance, the Church in America lost its way.
The result? A widespread loss of Catholic identity; weakening of fidelity to Church teachings; Catholics abandoning their faith; and a diminishment of the Church’s role as a moral voice in American society.
Carlin’s analysis has uncovered a problem that’s older and even more dangerous for the future of Catholicism than the deeds that have lately thrust the Church onto the front pages. Indeed, says Carlin, the scandals are merely symptoms of this deeper problem that will continue to drain the Church’s vitality long after the scandals are forgotten.
The Decline and Fall of the Catholic Church in America: essential reading for all who seek to understand the decline of their beloved Church and who hope to devise effective ways to restore her.
