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30 Meditations on the Writings of C.S. Lewis: 30 Daily Reflections
by Rueben P. Job Norman Shawchuck Perry BramlettA number of years ago, friends and coauthors Bishop Rueben P. Job, Perry Bramlett, and Norman Shawchuck created together a spiritual reader pairing a collection of quotes from beloved author C.S. Lewis with their own unique spiritual reflections. After their deaths, their work was recovered and Abingdon is excited to share this story and this beautiful book posthumously with those looking for daily inspiration from excellent and thoughtful Christian writing. 30 Meditations on the Writings of C. S. Lewis combines three strong spiritual voices writing on topics of grief, joy, fear, loss, salvation, and love for today’s readers inspired by quotes from C.S. Lewis. The collection of thirty devotions begins each day with a short quote from Lewis followed by a reflection from Job, Bramlett, or Shawchuck in a beautifully designed book. This collection is perfect for starting any time of the year and is an excellent gift for the C.S. Lewis fan in your life.
The Wesleyan Journey: A Workbook on Salvation (The Wesleyan Journey)
by Maxie DunnamThe transforming work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer was a central theme of John Wesley's life and work. In The Wesleyan Journey: A Workbook on Salvation, beloved pastor and author Maxie Dunnam invites readers to spend time every day exploring Wesley’s understanding of salvation through prayer, study, and reflection. Based on John Wesley’s theology and the Bible’s teaching on what it means to be saved, this workbook will help readers consider anew God’s ever-present grace, the experience of acceptance, pardon, and forgiveness, and the lifelong journey to become more Christ-like. Through eight weeks, each with seven days of content for prayer and self-reflection, Dunnam leads us through Wesley’s understanding of salvation in the Bible, helping us see that full salvation is not a one-time experience of redemption but a lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus every day.
The Wesleyan Journey Pastor Guide: A Workbook on Salvation (The Wesleyan Journey)
by Maxie DunnamThe transforming work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer was a central theme of John Wesley's life and work. In The Wesleyan Journey: A Workbook on Salvation, beloved pastor and author Maxie Dunnam invites readers to spend time every day exploring Wesley’s understanding of salvation through prayer, study, and reflection. Based on John Wesley’s theology and the Bible’s teaching on what it means to be saved, this workbook will help readers consider anew God’s ever-present grace, the experience of acceptance, pardon, and forgiveness, and the lifelong journey to become more Christ-like. The Pastor Guide offers guidance and tips for pastors on how to use, promote, and share this study, with ideas for how to incorporate it into worship and invite people into the journey. It also contains short session guides and leader helps to facilitate group discussion through an eight-week study.
The Grace Guide: Live Your One Beautiful Life
by Susie DavisA guide for extending God’s grace to yourself and others. What would you like to say to your younger self? That God loves you. To love the woman you are becoming. To not be so hard on yourself and others. With The Grace Guide: Live Your One Beautiful Life, Susie Davis invites readers to experience the grace upon grace God has for their life. It is a spiritual guide for women to grow in the Lord by reflecting on memories both joyful and hurtful with challenges like writing a letter to your younger self, questions of self-examination, and prayers to consider how God showed up for them in special times. The Grace Guide shows readers how to love themselves like their good Father has always loved them and how to live their one beautiful life. Product Features: Includes a challenge to write a letter to your younger self. Offers spiritual guidance to learn to extend grace to yourself and others. Makes a great women’s gift.
The Belonging Project - Women's Bible Study Guide with Leader Helps: Finding Your Tribe and Learning to Thrive (The Belonging Project)
by Amberly NeeseDiscover true community. Has the pursuit of the "perfect life" left you feeling depleted, disappointed, dissatisfied, and disconnected? Are you tired of being lonely and left out at work, home, church, and online? Are you hungry for true community, deeper connection with God, and friendships that are greater than just "likes" on social media? Are you ready for real connections with those around you? In this four-week Bible study, Amberly Neese provides biblical and practical help for cultivating meaningful relationships that glorify God through an exploration of four "one another" sayings in the New Testament: Love one another Serve one another Build up and strengthen one another Forgive one another In her trademark style, Amberly combines Bible study with delightful humor to create a refreshing and engaging experience that will encourage and equip women to pursue deeper relationships and true belonging. Other components for the Bible study, available separately, include a DVD. Bible Study Features: A shorter, four-week study is ideal for in-between or busy times. Accessible and friendly format. DVD features the amazing Amberly Neese, who masterfully combines solid Bible teaching and delightfully funny humor (in four 20-minute segments). Inspires and encourages women to pursue deeper relationships and true belonging for a more fulfilled, purposeful life. Helps women grow in their capacity to love, serve, and forgive. Study guide with leader helps includes group session guides, discussion questions, prayers, video viewer guides, and more.
The Art of Hospitality: A Practical Guide for a Ministry of Radical Welcome (The Art of Hospitality)
by Debi Nixon Yvonne GentileEngaging worship and intentional follow-up processes are important, but what compels guests to return to our churches is the warmth of our welcome and hospitality that goes beyond their expectations. The Art of Hospitality, a new comprehensive program developed by hospitality experts from the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, promises to guide a local church in exactly what the program’s title implies: the artform of creating radical hospitality that infiltrates the heart and culture of the entire church. Complete with techniques and strategic planning throughout, The Art of Hospitality will effectively change how you do church, leaving guests surprised, delighted, and eager to return. Loaded with key principles and methods honed by hospitality experts Debi Nixon and Yvonne Gentile in their work at The Church of the Resurrection, this guide is designed to engage staff across all ministry areas in creating a common language around the ministry of welcome. Additional components purchased separately include: The Art of Hospitality: Implementation Guide: Includes step-by-step implementation strategies for leadership teams tasked with developing and leading hospitality ministry. The Art of Hospitality: Implementation DVD: A supplemental DVD to accompany Implementation with visual training in all areas of hospitality. The Art of Hospitality: Companion Book: Three-chapter book for the congregation as a whole or small groups to coincide with a sermon series in order to prepare the hearts and minds of the people in the pews. This compelling and practical program has been created by two hospitality leaders with credentials to claim their expertise: Debi Nixon is the Executive Director of ShareChurch, and Yvonne Gentile is the Senior Director of Guest Connections at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection—the largest United Methodist Church in the United States with more than 22,000 members and 13,000 average weekly attendees across its campuses.
The Greeter and Usher Handbook: Creating a Ministry of Welcome
by Debi Nixon Yvonne GentileAn update to 2005’s The Usher’s Book: Creating a Welcoming and Safe Environment for Worship, The Greeter and Usher Handbook provides a guide to the responsibilities of those who are generally the first faces visitors encounter in church: the usher and the greeter. Intended for training use by church staff or volunteers, the text covers responsibilities related to all aspects of creating a welcoming atmosphere for visitors and new members.
The Art of Hospitality Companion Book: A Practical Guide for a Ministry of Radical Welcome (The Art of Hospitality)
by Debi NixonEngaging worship and intentional follow-up processes are important, but what compels guests to return to our churches is the warmth of our welcome and hospitality that goes beyond their expectations. The Art of Hospitality, a new comprehensive program developed by hospitality experts from the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, promises to guide a local church in exactly what the program’s title implies: the artform of creating radical hospitality that infiltrates the heart and culture of the entire church. Complete with techniques and strategic planning throughout, The Art of Hospitality will effectively change how you do church, leaving guests surprised, delighted, and eager to return. Complementing the program study for leaders is a companion guide meant to prepare the congregations’ hearts and minds for a new way of doing church with radical hospitality. Broken into three chapters, this study is designed to coincide with pastor sermons and provide further reading and learning away from the pews. Free downloadable sermon starters will be available online (and in the Implementation Guide) for pastors as they design their sermon series. The three chapters are divided into the following: Biblical Hospitality The Ministry of Notice Three Questions: Why do people need Jesus?; Why do people need the Church?; Why do people need this church? Additional components purchased separately include: The Art of Hospitality: A Practical Guide for a Ministry of Radical Welcome Book: A foundational guide targeting pastors, staff, and lay leaders across all ministry areas of a church. The Art of Hospitality: Implementation Guide: Includes step-by-step implementation strategies for leadership teams tasked with developing and leading hospitality ministry. The Art of Hospitality: Implementation DVD: A supplemental DVD to accompany Implementation with visual training in all areas of hospitality. This compelling and practical program has been created by two hospitality leaders with credentials to claim their expertise: Debi Nixon is the Executive Director of ShareChurch, and Yvonne Gentile is the Senior Director of Guest Connections at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection—the largest United Methodist Church in the United States with more than 22,000 members and 13,000 average weekly attendees across its campuses.
The Art of Hospitality Implementation Guide: A Practical Guide for a Ministry of Radical Welcome (The Art of Hospitality)
by Debi Nixon Yvonne GentileEngaging worship and intentional follow-up processes are important, but what compels guests to return to our churches is the warmth of our welcome and hospitality that goes beyond their expectations. The Art of Hospitality, a new comprehensive program developed by hospitality experts from the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, promises to guide a local church in exactly what the program’s title implies: the artform of creating radical hospitality that infiltrates the heart and culture of the entire church. Complete with techniques and strategic planning throughout, The Art of Hospitality will effectively change how you do church, leaving guests surprised, delighted, and eager to return. The Implementation Guide contains step-by-step implementation strategies for leadership and teams tasked with developing and leading hospitality ministry. Additional components purchased separately include: The Art of Hospitality: A Practical Guide for a Ministry of Radical Welcome Book: Loaded with key principles and methods honed by hospitality experts Debi Nixon and Yvonne Gentile in their work at The Church of the Resurrection, this guide is designed to engage staff across all ministry areas in creating a common language around the ministry of welcome. The Art of Hospitality: Implementation DVD: A supplemental DVD to accompany Implementation with visual training in all areas of hospitality. The Art of Hospitality: Companion Book: Three-chapter book for the congregation as a whole or small groups to coincide with a sermon series in order to prepare the hearts and minds of the people in the pews. This compelling and practical program has been created by two hospitality leaders with credentials to claim their expertise: Debi Nixon is the Executive Director of ShareChurch, and Yvonne Gentile is the Senior Director of Guest Connections at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection—the largest United Methodist Church in the United States with more than 22,000 members and 13,000 average weekly attendees across its campuses.
Flow: The Ancient Way to Do Contemporary Worship
by Lester RuthIs there a way to do the prescribed or suggested orders of worship from denominational worship resources—such as the United Methodist Book of Worship, Evangelical Lutheran Book of Worship, the Book of Common Worship of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), or the Book of Common Prayer—in a way that feels legitimately and authentically contemporary? This practical, how-to book will help churches plan and implement passionate and invigorating worship. Step by step, author Lester Ruth and contributors Zachary Barnes, Andrew Eastes, Jonathan Ottaway, Adam Perez, Glenn Stallsmith and Deborah Wong break down the process of re-thinking what the official or recommended order of worship is truly suggesting, so pastors and worship leaders can plan and lead a service of Word and Table that feels genuinely relevant and attuned to the congregation’s culture. With this goal, Flow casts a new, but classic, understanding of traditional worship as well as spurs a reconsideration of how contemporary worship can be done by honoring the traditions of denominational congregations.
Face to Face: Meeting Christ in Friend and Stranger
by Samuel WellsPastors, priests, and pastoral caregivers often accompany people who are struggling to negotiate experiences of sickness, bereavement or anxiety. There are no easy answers in such situations, no formulaic remedies, and no slick theological explanations. The process of being present, listening, and responding is demanding. It can require skills and wisdom beyond the ministers' own experience. Often, caregivers feel they receive as much or more than they give to the care seekers in such encounters. In Face to Face, Samuel Wells reflects theologically and pastorally on twenty such encounters in care giving that were both hugely challenging and hugely instructive for him. The result is a book of profound practical wisdom and understanding that will inform and enrich pastoral ministry for all who read it. An extended introduction on the nature and practice of pastoral ministry provides the foundation for the telling of these memorable and moving accounts.
Wondering about the Bible with Children: Engaging a Child's Curiosity about the Bible
by Elizabeth CaldwellWondering about the Bible with Children encourages natural curiosity and wonder as they read the biblical faith stories.This book addresses the following questions: How do we talk about miracle stories, healing stories, and the creation stories? What about violence? What’s my role in helping children learn about the Bible and feel comfortable asking questions about what they read? When kids ask about the relevancy of the Bible for today, what do we say? How we read and interpret the Bible with children may mean the difference between whether or not it will continue to be an important source for their faith development as they become young adults. We want to teach them in ways that they don’t have to unlearn later. Written by an expert in children’s ministry as a guide for anyone helping with the Celebrate Wonder Sunday school curriculum; however, it is relevant for all adults who want to explore ways to help children read, engage, wrestle, and grow into deeper understanding of the Bible. Wondering about the Bible with Children is for those who come to the Bible with souls open to be fed and who want their children to seek faith and wisdom.
Gospel Discipleship Participant Guide: 4 Pathways for Christian Disciples
by Michelle J. MorrisThere was a time when discipleship was taken for granted. It was assumed that people could be persuaded to believe and that each person would step into the path that took them to Jesus. That assumption is no longer valid. As early as the Gospels, Jesus and his biographers recognize that each person brings experience to the journey, which travels through different times and places. The discipleship path for each individual disciple is assessed and determined through this Gospel Discipleship Participant Guide while the Gospel Discipleship Congregation Guide serves as the implementation guide for church leaders. It also assesses the discipleship path for the congregation as a whole. By understanding what type of disciple you are, participants in Gospel Discipleship can clarify the path they need to walk. Some people love to go on mission trips; some people really thrive learning from a great teacher; some people connect to God through painting and music; and some people just want to have a cup of coffee and talk about life and eventually get around to talking about Jesus. Participants in Gospel Discipleship can be set free from the guilt of not feeling like a "real" disciple because they don't feel called to experience the journey the same way as everyone else. Instead, participants can become the disciple Jesus wants them to be. They can spend their valuable time and energy living and walking on the path where Jesus is calling them to follow.
Gospel Discipleship Congregation Guide: 4 Pathways for Christian Disciples
by Michelle J. MorrisEach congregation has a unique mission field. Several tools for developing disciples and for engaging in discipleship are available to churches; however, the resources assume that the churches using them are similar to the church that created them. With Gospel Discipleship, individuals and churches learn how to engage in self-reflection, which then defines a path that fits their context. The discipleship path for each individual disciple is assessed and determined through the Gospel Discipleship Participant Guide while this Gospel Discipleship Congregation Guide guides the implemntation of the program and assesses the discipleship path for the congregation as a whole. Therefore, the program leader(s) needs the congregation guide while individual particpants need their own participant guide. With Gospel Discipleship, churches can identify a pathway for discipleship applied from one of the four Gospel storytellers: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Each had a distinct approach to discipleship which can be applied to a given church's identity, vision, and mission. As disciples are encouraged by the church to step beyond the door and engage the needs of people, they can be sent forth confidently with an awareness of personal, unique gifts, and insights into the actual mission field where they participate with God in changing the world.
A Field Guide to Methodist Fresh Expressions
by Michael Adam BeckAccording to Fresh Expressions U.S., "a Fresh Expression is a form of church for our changing culture, established primarily for the benefit of those who are not yet part of any church." Fresh Expressions are introducing people to Jesus, expanding the kingdom, and revitalizing churches. Congregations need a practical and theological resource that can help them cultivate Fresh Expressions. As consultants who work nationwide and as innovative pastors, authors Michael Beck and Jorge Acevedo awaken congregational leaders and ministry teams to a distinctive Wesleyan approach for the Fresh Expressions movement. In Wesleyan Fresh Expressions, they show congregations how to cultivate and customize fresh expressions that fit their local context. They motivate ministry teams to take risks, experiment, and when necessary, fail well. On April 2, 1739, John Wesley went to a field just outside what was then the city limits of Bristol, England. There he tried a missional innovation called field preaching. Thousands of people showed up, many of whom who had no connection with a church. Today, most Methodists and other Wesleyans don’t know their own story. Lost in the milieu of divisive issues that threaten to tear the church apart, Wesleyans have forgotten their DNA as a renewal movement, born not from doctrinal disputes but from a missional imperative. In this sense, the Fresh Expressions movement is the most "Methodist" thing in the denomination today. This iteration of the Spirit is taking it to the fields again. Wesleyan Fresh Expressions will help guide the way.
Kairos Care: A Process for Pastoral Counseling in the Office and in Everyday Encounters
by Aaron PerryWhile some people might become pastors to offer counsel, I expect that many pastors see counseling as a daunting, disorienting, and even dreaded part of the job. It can even be scorned by some who consider this pastoral work an unnecessary distraction from leadership and mission. Yet pastoral counseling is a non-negotiable component of pastoral ministry that provides an excellent opportunity to display the love of Christ. Kairos Care teaches a theologically sensitive, practically formed framework for providing focused, time-limited pastoral care and counsel. To keep this framework tangible, this book offers a kairos diagram that illustrates the model for counsel. While the kairos diagram is readily found online, it has been modified to fit a pastoral counsel context for ease of use.
Embody: Five Keys to Leading with Integrity
by Karoline M. LewisPastors and other leaders feel trapped in systems and institutions where actions and decisions often seem to have little to do with the scripture they read or the theology they profess. They are swept into leadership norms that resemble business models more than mission. They see in others and (sometimes) recognize in themselves the disconnect between their own theology and their leadership. They feel unable to fully integrate their beliefs with their behavior. Many leaders—younger ones, especially—are frustrated and disillusioned by this disconnect. They see hypocrisy all around them, and in themselves. They see that our culture is at a critical juncture, which gives ministry a greater sense of urgency. But they want to do things differently, to be what they believe. They want to embody their Christian beliefs in every decision, every act of ministry leadership. The functional authority of scripture must be evident in the way church leaders lead, both within the congregation and in the public square. lead our churches. The way we church leaders lead proves the bible does—or does not—matter. In Embody, Karoline Lewis shows how to frame leadership in the church and public square theologically, and from the perspective of incarnation. She shows how leadership can be a direct line between what you believe and what you do. She incorporates examples of Jesus' leadership and the Paraclete in the Gospel of John, showing how leadership was achieved by walking beside. Embody offers practical things for the reader to consider and do, instruction and guidance for how to make the ‘integration steps’ necessary in order to become an embodied leader, and exploration of core components of embodied leadership.
Easter Mysteries: Participant Guide to the Film with Leader Helps (Easter Mysteries)
by John O’BoyleThe story is a celebration that sheds a new light onto the biblical figures of Christ’s story in human terms—ordinary people with hopes, dreams, and fears, uncertain of what lies ahead. This participant guide to the film will lead you through viewing Easter Mysteries, a musical production by Tony Award–winning Broadway producer, John O’Boyle, with additional information, insightful questions, lyrics, and notes from the producer. Brought to life by a cast of Broadway veterans, the production helps groups consider the story of Jesus’s last days and resurrection with fresh eyes. The video can be watched in one event with discussion at intermission and after the conclusion or viewed in three segments in a small-group setting. The guide includes a summary of each act with discussion questions, selections from the key lyrics, and leader helps in the back for planning a one-night event or a three-session group study.
When Christ Lives in Us: Cuando Cristo vive en nosotros
by Justo L. GonzálezThis study by renowned author Justo L. Gonzalez, emphasizes Jesus' life and ministry. Gonzalez explores how today's adult Christians may walk with Jesus in specific forms and acts of ministry. Written in both Spanish and English, this book contains eight sessions on the themes of: Calling, Praying, Feeding, Healing, Commissioning, Teaching, Witnessing, and Giving. The bilingual book is a combination student/leader book with discussion questions at the end of every session. Este estudio del reconocido autor Justo L. González resalta la vida y el ministerio de Jesús. González explora cómo los cristianos adultos (mujeres y hombres) de hoy pueden caminar con Jesús de forma concreta y con actos de ministerio definidos. Escrito en español e inglés, este libro contiene ocho sesiones sobre los siguientes temas: llamado, oración, alimentación, sanación, comisionamiento, enseñanza, testimonio y donación. Este libro bilingüe combina el libro del estudiante y del líder e incluye preguntas de discusión al final de cada sesión.
Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner's Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven (Sermon on the Mount)
by Amy-Jill LevineHow is the follower of Jesus to understand the words of the Old Testament? How are those words relevant to the New Covenant he is establishing? What might the words of the Lord’s Prayer have conveyed to his initial followers, and why is that historical information essential to the prayer two millennia later? In Sermon on the Mount, Dr. Amy-Jill Levine takes a detailed and colorful overview of Matthew 5-7, collectively known as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Through Dr. Levine’s engaging method of biblical interpretation, readers will come away with a solid understanding of the Sermon on the Mount in its historical and theological context. Chapters include: The Beatitudes The Extensions Practicing Piety Our Father Finding Your Treasure Living into the Kingdom Explore the major topics in the most popular sermon ever delivered and unpack how Jesus makes his points using a solid knowledge of Hebrew Scriptures and moral teachings. Additional components for a six-week study include a DVD featuring Dr. Levine and a comprehensive Leader Guide and a 40-day book of reflections.
Sermon on the Mount Leader Guide: A Beginner's Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven (Sermon on the Mount)
by Amy-Jill LevineHow is the follower of Jesus to understand the words of the Old Testament? How are those words relevant to the New Covenant he is establishing? What might the words of the Lord’s Prayer have conveyed to his initial followers, and why is that historical information essential to the prayer two millennia later? In Sermon on the Mount, Dr. Amy-Jill Levine takes a detailed and colorful overview of Matthew 5-7, collectively known as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Through Dr. Levine’s engaging method of biblical interpretation, readers will come away with a solid understanding of the Sermon on the Mount in its historical and theological context. Chapters include: The Beatitudes The Extensions Practicing Piety Our Father Finding Your Treasure Living into the Kingdom Explore the major topics in the most popular sermon ever delivered and unpack how Jesus makes his points using a solid knowledge of Hebrew Scriptures and moral teachings. The Leader Guide includes session outline for each group meeting with Scripture, prayer, opening activity, discussion questions, activity, and ending call to action.
Why There is No God: Simple Responses to 20 Common Arguments for the Existence of God
by Armin Navabi Nicki Hise• "Science can't explain the complexity and order of life; God must have designed it to be this way." • "God's existence is proven by scripture." • "There's no evidence that God doesn't exist." • "God has helped me so much. How could none of it be true?" • "Atheism has killed more people than religion, so it must be wrong!" How many times have you heard arguments like these for why God exists? Why There Is No God provides simple, easy-to-understand counterpoints to the most popular arguments made for the existence of God. Each chapter presents a concise explanation of the argument, followed by a response illustrating the problems and fallacies inherent in it. Whether you're an atheist, a believer or undecided, this book offers a solid foundation for building your own inquiry about the concept of God.
Motherhood Unexpected
by Deanna Smith(A NOVEL) All Claire wants is to be a mother, but her perfectly planned birth ends with a surprise. Forced to question everything that she has ever believed, she struggles through new motherhood. How can God still be good when nothing about this is even remotely good? Meanwhile, Claire's teenage sister Felicity goes too far with the wrong kind of guy. Faced with a life-altering decision, she can't help but wonder, "why me?" Julie counsels her daughters as they deal with the complications of sex, disability, broken expectations, and jealousy. However, a deeply buried secret won't leave her alone, causing her to have her own doubts. Three women face circumstances that leave them broken and desperate. Will they find peace with the unexpected before it's too late? "Motherhood Unexpected is an engrossing read engaging the secular and sacred aspects of motherhood. This book will allow you to breathe a sigh of relief that you are human, and point you in the direction of God. " --Gillian Marchenko, author of "Sun Shine Down" "Tackling life's toughest issues, this riveting page-turner answers the questions we all ask when the unexpected happens. Eloquent and humorous, this novel will captivate readers at every level. " --Patti Rice, blogger at "A Perfect Lily" "Humor, grace, and wisdom in abundance are threaded throughout Motherhood Unexpected. I laughed as well as cried while reading. As someone who has experienced multiple pregnancy losses, I know that Deanna has captured the heart of a mother's longing as well as her love. " --Jessica Fisher, blogger at "Life as Mom. com" and author of "On the Road to Joyful Motherhood"
Until Death Do Us Part
by Mary White WilliamsThere are many people who no longer believe in the sanctity of the marriage bond or the traditional wedding ceremony. Some have said that going through a wedding ceremony is a waste of time-why bother? Why go through the hassle of getting a marriage license or a blood test? I have an answer for all of those who may think those thoughts, or who may dare to ask those questions. First of all, you cannot drive a car, fly an airplane, or go hunting or fishing without a license. Getting a license allows an individual the privilege, the right, and the legal permission to do something. Living together without legal documentation is settling for less than God's best for you. In fact, it is an offense to God. “Common-law” marriage or “shacking,” although widely practiced and accepted in some states, is not a marriage in the sight of God. What it really is, is two people coming together-cohabiting without legal documentation. God's desire is for all of us to live happy and satisfied lives whether we choose to marry or remain single. In marriage, a couple can live together without guilt, thus honoring God. Hebrews 13:4 says, “Let marriage be held in honor (esteemed worthy, precious, of great price, and especially dear) in all things. And thus let the marriage bed be undefiled (kept undishonored), for God will judge and punish the unchaste [all guilty of sexual vice] and adulterous” (The Amplified Bible). Until Death Do Us Part was written as a guide for all who are satisfied in their singleness, for those who are believing God for that special person, and for those who desire a more fulfilling marriage.
The Prince of This World
by Adam KotskoThe most enduring challenge to traditional monotheism is the problem of evil, which attempts to reconcile three incompatible propositions: God is all-good, God is all-powerful, and evil happens. The Prince of This World traces the story of one of the most influential attempts to square this circle: the offloading of responsibility for evil onto one of God's rebellious creatures. In this striking reexamination, the devil's story is bitterly ironic, full of tragic reversals. He emerges as a theological symbol who helps oppressed communities cope with the trauma of unjust persecution, torture, and death at the hands of political authorities and eventually becomes a vehicle to justify oppression at the hands of Christian rulers. And he evolves alongside the biblical God, who at first presents himself as the liberator of the oppressed but ends up a cruel ruler who delights in the infliction of suffering on his friends and enemies alike. In other words, this is the story of how God becomes the devil--a devil who remains with us in our ostensibly secular age.