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You Can Be Free: Overcoming Temptation and Habitual Sin by the Power and Promises of the Gospel
by Kirby KellyBeat the cycle of habitual sin as Kirby Kelly guides you through how God's strength can win back your freedom and bring you everyday peace. Find rescue and relief through a practical battle plan to defeat that sin that feels stuck on repeat and win back your life.Tired of the same cycle over and over again? Of the endless spirals of self-destructive sin? In You Can Be Free, discover a real-life battle plan to break the spiritual bondage of habitual sin.You're not alone. So many Christians are desperate to find a way to overcome recurring sin in their lives, a dominating factor when it comes to coping mechanisms in today's society. Kirby Kelly has been there, and she's created a battle plan to help others break free from unhealthy thoughts, behaviors, and cycles to find God's actual peace in their lives.Leading from the front, Kelly offers her own story first and shares biblical strategies to:Connect and confessStay in boundsKnow your enemyKnow your GodKnow yourself Set your green and red light zonesTurn around and come homeMakeover your mind Kirby Kelly offers practical, tactical advice to the questions: How does one break, and stay, free? And how does one truly overcome what they thought they broke free from, only to see its disappointing return in their life? Through theology, hope, and God's guidance, there is a way to become vulnerable with your community, grow spiritually and personally, and welcome God's promise of freedom.
You Shall Be as Gods: Pagans, Progressives, and the Rise of the Woke Gnostic Left
by Erick EricksonOur country doesn&’t have a partisan problem, a political problem, a social problem, or an economic problem. We have a spiritual problem.What in the world is happening? To many Americans, it feels as if reality itself has been turned upside down. Speaking truth, or even suggesting such a thing exists, is labeled as oppression and cause for social banning. Judeo-Christian values once taken for granted are not only routinely ignored, but openly attacked. Why is America being fundamentally transformed before our eyes?As Christianity has been pushed aside, the Progressive Left has developed a new pagan religion complete with all the trappings: creeds, confessionals, sacraments and mantras, liturgies, shunnings, sacred books, redemptive rituals, and priests and priestesses. But the radical roots of the new secular religion are ancient. We&’ve seen it all before. In You Shall Be as Gods, Erick Erickson traces the religion&’s roots from Paganism and Gnosticism through the Age of Enlightenment all the way into the Postmodernism of the 21st century. At the heart of the ancient religion is a self-centered culture.The Christian church today has been weakened by compromising with the neo-pagan religion, leaving the faithful confused and ill-prepared to counter the claims of society&’s present-day doctrine. Yet there remains a significant remnant, perhaps even a silent majority, in America that refuses to bow to the rising belief system.Just as in Rome and countless societies throughout history, the religions present two opposing stories of reality which necessitates conflict. In an era where the &“Christian thing&” to do seems to be to go along and get along, Erickson makes clear that the two cultures cannot peacefully coexist and calls the reader to speak the truth in love.
You Will Always Belong
by Matthew Paul TurnerFrom the national New York Times bestselling author of When God Made You comes a lyrical, beautifully illustrated story reminding children that their worth comes from who they were created to be from the very beginning, with all their unique gifts and personalities.You belong! You do.You have light inside you.You can join the big story and help God make things new.When you know who you areand your people do too,That light that you shineis your power, your truth.You Will Always Belong is a joyous reminder that we were created by God with infinite beauty and purpose from the day we were born, just by existing as who we are, with all of our quirks and differences. In this hopeful and encouraging children's book, parents and kids alike will be encouraged to live confidently and freely as their whole selves, certain that God created everyone exactly as they are supposed to be. In You Will Always Belong, children will discover:• The truth that we matter to God and were designed with purpose• Encouragement towards acceptance and contentment• The gentle reminder that the people who truly love us love ALL parts of us
Your Life is God's Story: Trusting God’s Plan Through Life’s Ups and Downs
by Tim DilenaBiblical stories and powerful testimonies that encourage faith in God's plan for your life.In Your Life is God's Story, pastor and teacher Tim Dilena guides readers through the faith-building journeys of eleven Bible characters whose ordinary and painful experiences led to unforeseen results. Alongside the Bible stories are powerful testimonies from Tim and people in his life.Your Life is God's Story gives readers a new set of lenses to view experiences and events in life with hope. The hope is seeing how God gets ordinary people to their intended destinies. Readers will gain a renewed passion for persevering through life's challenges to trust God's process.Together, they illustrate how God has a perfect plan for everyone.Your Life is God's Story includes:Stories from 11 biblical people whose destinies were unclear throughout most of their livesExperiences of ordinary believers who have trusted the process, living through big trouble and getting to the other side to give praise to GodQuestions for further reflection and study at the end of every chapter
Yukon Wilderness Evidence (Crisis Rescue Team #5)
by Darlene L. TurnerSolving a cold case could rob her of her future. When skeletal remains are uncovered in the Yukon forest, forensic botanist Keeley Ash is called to the crime scene—and ends up abducted. She never expects her ex, paramedic Brett Ryerson, to come to her rescue, or her gathered evidence to be linked to a cold case. And when their son—who Brett never knew existed—is kidnapped, they&’ll stop at nothing to save him and outrun the hunters determined to silence Keeley. From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.Crisis Rescue Team Book 1: Fatal Forensic InvestigationBook 2: Explosive Christmas ShowdownBook 3: Mountain Abduction RescueBook 4: Buried Grave SecretsBook 5: Yukon Wilderness EvidenceBook 6: K-9 Ranch Protection
Zainab’s Traffic: Moving Saints, Selves, and Others across Borders (Atelier: Ethnographic Inquiry in the Twenty-First Century #16)
by Emrah YildizWhat is the value—religious, political, economic, or altogether social—of getting on a bus in Tehran to embark on an eight-hundred-mile journey across two international borders to the Sayyida Zainab shrine outside Damascus? Under what material conditions can such values be established, reassessed, or transgressed, and by whom? Zainab’s Traffic provides answers to these questions alongside the socially embedded—and spatially generative—encounters of ritual, mobility, desire, genealogy, and patronage along the route. Whether it is through the study of the spatial politics of saint veneration in Islam, analysis of cross-border gold trade and sanctions, or examination of pilgrims women’s desire for Syrian lingerie accompanying their pleas with the saint in marital matters, the book develops the idea of visitation as a ritual of mobility across geography, history, and category. Iranian visitors’ experiences on the road to Sayyida Zainab—emerging out of a self-described "poverty of mobility"—demonstrate the utility of a more capacious anthropological understanding of ritual. Rather than thinking of ritual as a scripturally canonized manual for pious self-cultivation, Zainab’s Traffic approaches ziyarat as a traffic of pilgrims, goods, and ideas across Iran, Turkey, and Syria.
Zen in the Vernacular: Things As It Is
by Peter Coyote• Shows how Zen offers a creative problem-solving mechanism and moral guide ideal for the stresses and problems of daily life• Shares the author&’s secular, vernacular interpretations of the Four Noble Truths, the Three Treasures, the Eightfold Path, and other fundamental Buddhist ideasDuring the nearly 3,000 years since the Buddha lived, his teachings have spread widely around the globe. In each culture where Buddhism was introduced, the Buddha&’s teachings have been pruned and modified to harmonize with local customs, laws, and cultures. We can refer to these modifications as &“gift wrapping,&” translating the gifts of Buddha&’s teachings in ways sensible to particular cultures in particular times. This gift-wrapping explains why Indian, Tibetan, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, and Indonesian Buddhism have significant differences.In this engaging guide to Zen Buddhism, award-winning actor, narrator, and Zen Buddhist priest Peter Coyote helps us peer beneath the Japanese gift-wrapping of Zen teachings to reveal the fundamental teachings of the Buddha and show how they can be applied to contemporary daily life. The author explains that the majority of Western Buddhists are secular and many don&’t meditate, wear robes, shave their heads, or believe in reincarnation. He reminds us that the mental/physical states achieved by Buddhist practice are universal human states, ones we may already be familiar with but perhaps never considered as possessing spiritual dimensions.Exploring Buddha&’s core teachings, the author shares his own secular and accessible interpretations of the Four Noble Truths, the Three Treasures, and the Eightfold Path within the context of his lineage and the teachings of his teacher and the teachers before him. He looks at Buddha&’s teachings on our singular reality that appears as a multiplicity of things and on the &“self&” that perceives reality, translating powerful spiritual experience into the vernacular of modern life.Revealing the practical usefulness of Buddhist philosophy and practice, Zen in the Vernacular shows how Zen offers a creative problem-solving mechanism and moral guide ideal for the stresses and problems of everyday life.
The Zen of Ecopoetics: Cosmological Imaginations in Modernist American Poetry (Routledge Environmental Literature, Culture and Media)
by Enaiê Mairê AzambujaThis book is the first comprehensive study investigating the cultural affinities and resonances of Zen in early twentieth-century American poetry and its contribution to current definitions of ecopoetics, focusing on four key poets: William Carlos Williams, Marianne Moore, Wallace Stevens, and E.E. Cummings. Bringing together a range of texts and perspectives and using an interdisciplinary approach that draws on Eastern and Western philosophies, including Zen and Taoism, posthumanism and new materialism, this book adds to and extends the field of ecocriticism into new debates. Its broad approach, informed by literary studies, ecocriticism, and religious studies, proposes the expansion of ecopoetics to include the relationship between poetic materiality and spirituality. It develops ‘cosmopoetics’ as a new literary-theoretical concept of the poetic imagination as a contemplative means to achieving a deeper understanding of the human interdependence with the non-human. Addressing the critical gap between materialism and spirituality in modernist American poetry, The Zen of Ecopoetics promotes new forms of awareness and understanding about our relationship with non-human beings and environments. It will be of interest to scholars, researchers, and students in ecocriticism, literary theory, poetry, and religious studies.
Tazkiya Therapy in Islāmic Psychotherapy (Islamic Psychology and Psychotherapy)
by Bagus RiyonoThis book explores tazkiya therapy, a holistic psychological approach based on Qur’anic guidance and rooted in the understanding of human beings as multidimensional –that is, physical, psychological, social and spiritual beings.The book starts with a detailed explanation or the object, the process and the purpose of tazkiya therapy, along with an account of the boundaries and the enabling factors of the approach. Rather than a singular theoretical framework, tazkiya therapy is a dynamic and flexible approach that integrates multiple frameworks and disciplines to grow the human soul, cognition, emotion and behaviour. Although it is a multidimensional approach, the process of therapy is step-by-step, and the middle part of the book presents the key stages in the approach. Within these steps, the therapist is given seven different approaches that they can customise to the needs of the client depending on whether they need assistance with thinking patterns, emotional disturbance, a behavioural problem or a dysfunctional nervous system. The book ends with a comprehensive summary of the model, a series of case studies, a future outlook on training and an application for continuing the study and practice of tazkiya therapy.This book, based on the foundation that tazkiya therapy covers issues that are spiritual in nature and always connects to Allah in facilitating the healing process, will fulfil the needs of practicing Muslim psychologists, psychiatrists and students of psychology and Islāic studies.
Religion and Politics in the Contemporary United States (A Special Issue of<I> American Quarterly</I> <I> </I>)
by R. Marie Griffith, Melani McAlisterThis collection of essays from a special issue of American Quarterly explores the complex and sometimes contradictory ways that religion matters in contemporary public life.Religion and Politics in the Contemporary United States offers a groundbreaking, cross-disciplinary conversation between scholars in American studies and religious studies. The contributors explore numerous modes through which religious faith has mobilized political action. They utilize a variety of definitions of politics, ranging from lobbying by religious leaders to the political impact of popular culture. Their work includes the political activities of a very diverse group of religious believers: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and others. In addition, the book explores the meanings of religion for people who might contest the term—those who are spiritual but not religious, for example, as well as activists who engage symbols of faith and community but who may not necessarily consider themselves members of a specific religion. Several essays also examine the meanings of secular identity, humanist politics, and the complex evocations of civil religion in American life.No other book on religion and politics includes anything like the diversity of religions, ethnicities, and topics that this one does—from Mormon political mobilization to attempts at Americanizing Muslims in the post-9/11 United States, from César Chávez to James Dobson, from interreligious cooperation and conflict over Darfur to the global politics surrounding the category of Hindus and South Asians in the United States.
Divine Blood: A Novel of Science and Faith
by Martinez HewlettIt is an astonishing discovery: a bloodstained burial shroud entombed in the crumbling walls of a historic French Monastery. Carbon dating concludes the fabric is from the time of Christ. A molecular biologist conducts a daring experiment: the cloning of genetic material recovered from the cloth. Now two men--Father Laurent Carriere and scientist Josh Francis--are plunged into the center of a worldwide religious and political power struggle. But even as Washington and the Vatican vie for control of the relic, members of a secret society take steps to reclaim the holy artifact they have sworn to protect--by any means necessary. Selected by the Literary Guild® and the Doubleday Book Club®.
Apocalyptic Literature in the New Testament (Core Biblical Studies)
by Greg CareyEvery significant layer of the New Testament features the distinctive concerns of apocalyptic literature, including the expectation of a messiah, hope for a resurrection, expectation of a final judgment, and a spiritual world that includes angels and demons. Yet many contemporary readers shy away from things apocalyptic, especially the book of Revelation. This introduction considers the influence of apocalyptic literature throughout the Gospels and Acts, Paul's letters, and Revelation. It argues that early Christian authors drew upon apocalyptic topics to address an impressive array of situations and concerns, and it demonstrates--example after example--how apocalyptic discourse contributed to their ongoing work of contextual theology.
Come Back: Returning to the Life You Were Made For
by Roger RossAre there places in your life you need to come back from? Maybe it’s around family brokenness or a friend’s betrayal. It could be classmate drama or a family divorce. Perhaps money problems or health issues have caused a loss. Whatever the case, it feels like life has been against you. Come Back: Returning to the Life You Were Made For offers five elements that are crucial to renewal. Each element is paired with an ancient practice that has helped people for thousands of years in countless cultures navigate the tricky waters of transformation. These five practices are designed for everyday people. It’s not too late and you’re not too far gone. You were made for a turnaround. You don’t need a spiritual pedigree to start the journey. Here’s what you do need: A heart-felt desire to see your life change and an openness to the process. That’s it. The rest will be revealed along the way.
Gandhi: Portrait of a Friend
by E Stanley Jones Foundation"On the day that Mahatma Gandhi was killed, I arrived in Delhi just an hour and a quarter before the tragedy ... the greatest tragedy since the Son of God died on the cross." So begins this compelling account of Gandhi by E. Stanley Jones, the world-renowned missionary evangelist to India during 40 seething years of struggle. Based on an intimate knowledge and understanding, Jones's revealing interpretation was written in gratitude to Gandhi, who, although they often disagreed, showed Jones "more of the spirit of Christ than perhaps any other . . . in East or West." "Martin Luther King, Jr., told me he owed a debt to my father for his book on Mahatma Gandhi. He had read many books on Gandhi, read his writings, but it was that particular book of my father's that had triggered his decision to use the method of ... nonviolence in his civil rights movement for his people." --Eunice Jones Mathews "Highly recommended."--Library Journal "To understand the meaning of this great leader ... read this book of interpretation."--Kirkus "Jones ... possesses a great gift of sympathetically interpreting the East to the West."--[London] Times Literary Supplement
Genesis to Revelation: A Comprehensive Verse-by-Verse Exploration of the Bible (Genesis to Revelation series)
by Keith SchovilleStudy the entire books of Hebrews; James; First and Second Peter; First, Second, and Third John; and Jude, including the uniqueness of God's final revelation for the salvation of the people, essential instruction in the faith, strengthening faith in the midst of the difficulties of life, faith and works, fellowship with God and with other believers, encouragement to be ruled by love, and the spiritual health of the church. Some of the major ideas explored are: developing a personal relationship with Christ; running the race of life; your Christian experience; your influence in the life of your church; Jesus as a historical person; the second coming of Christ; and Christian hospitality. More than 3.5 million copies of the series have been sold. This revision of the Abingdon classic Genesis to Revelation Series is a comprehensive, verse-by-verse, book-by-book study of the Bible based on the NIV. These studies help readers strengthen their understanding and appreciation of the Bible by enabling them to engage the Scripture on three levels: What does the Bible say? Questions to consider while reading the passage for each session. What does the passage mean? Unpacks key verses in the selected passage. How does the Scripture relate to my life? Provides three major ideas that have meaning for our lives today. The meaning of the selected passages are made clear by considering such aspects as ancient customs, locations of places, and the meanings of words. The simple format makes the study easy to use. Updates will include: New cover designs. New interior designs. Leader Guide per matching Participant Book (rather than multiple volumes in one book). Updated to 2011 revision of the New International Version Translation (NIV). Updated references to New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible. Include biblical chapters on the contents page beside session lesson titles for at-a-glance overview of biblical structure. The simple format makes the study easy to use. Each volume is 13 sessions and has a separate leader guide.
Genesis to Revelation: A Comprehensive Verse-by-Verse Exploration of the Bible (Genesis to Revelation series)
by C. M. Kempton HewittStudy the entire Book of Revelation starting with John's theology that teaches that Jesus, the exalted Christ, is the center of faith. Some of the major ideas explored are: personal religious experience; the living voice of God in the church today; advocating for what is right; distinguishing between good and evil; God's grace seeks to redeem; and covenant with God. More than 3.5 million copies of the series have been sold. This revision of the Abingdon classic Genesis to Revelation Series is a comprehensive, verse-by-verse, book-by-book study of the Bible based on the NIV. These studies help readers strengthen their understanding and appreciation of the Bible by enabling them to engage the Scripture on three levels: What does the Bible say? Questions to consider while reading the passage for each session. What does the passage mean? Unpacks key verses in the selected passage. How does the Scripture relate to my life? Provides three major ideas that have meaning for our lives today. The meaning of the selected passages are made clear by considering such aspects as ancient customs, locations of places, and the meanings of words. The simple format makes the study easy to use. Updates will include: New cover designs. New interior designs. Leader Guide per matching Participant Book (rather than multiple volumes in one book). Updated to 2011 revision of the New International Version Translation (NIV). Updated references to New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible. Include biblical chapters on the contents page beside session lesson titles for at-a-glance overview of biblical structure. The simple format makes the study easy to use. Each volume is 13 sessions and has a separate leader guide.
Genesis to Revelation: A Comprehensive Verse-by-Verse Exploration of the Bible
by C. M. Kempton HewittStudy the entire Book of Revelation starting with John's theology that teaches that Jesus, the exalted Christ, is the center of faith. Some of the major ideas explored are: personal religious experience; the living voice of God in the church today; advocating for what is right; distinguishing between good and evil; God's grace seeks to redeem; and covenant with God. Leader Guide includes: A verse-by-verse, in-depth look at the Scriptures. Background material, including word studies and history of the biblical setting. Answers to questions asked in the Participant Book. Application of the Scripture to daily life situations. Discussion suggestions. A variety of study options. Practical tips for leaders to use. More than 3.5 million copies of the series have been sold. This revision of the Abingdon classic Genesis to Revelation Series is a comprehensive, verse-by-verse, book-by-book study of the Bible based on the NIV. These studies help readers strengthen their understanding and appreciation of the Bible by enabling them to engage the Scripture on three levels: What does the Bible say? Questions to consider while reading the passage for each session. What does the passage mean? Unpacks key verses in the selected passage. How does the Scripture relate to my life? Provides three major ideas that have meaning for our lives today. The meaning of the selected passages are made clear by considering such aspects as ancient customs, locations of places, and the meanings of words. The simple format makes the study easy to use. Updates will include: New cover designs. New interior designs. Leader Guide per matching Participant Book (rather than multiple volumes in one book). Updated to 2011 revision of the New International Version Translation (NIV). Updated references to New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible. Include biblical chapters on the contents page beside session lesson titles for at-a-glance overview of biblical structure. Include larger divisions within the contents page to reflect macro-structure of each biblical book. Ex: Genesis 1-11; Genesis 12-50; Exodus 1-15; Exodus 16-40; Isaiah 1-39; Isaiah 40-66. The simple format makes the study easy to use. Each volume is 13 sessions.
Genesis to Revelation: A Comprehensive Verse-by-Verse Exploration of the Bible
by Keith SchovilleStudy the entire books of Hebrews; James; First and Second Peter; First, Second, and Third John; and Jude, including the uniqueness of God's final revelation for the salvation of the people, essential instruction in the faith, strengthening faith in the midst of the difficulties of life, faith and works, fellowship with God and with other believers, encouragement to be ruled by love, and the spiritual health of the church. Some of the major ideas explored are: developing a personal relationship with Christ; running the race of life; your Christian experience; your influence in the life of your church; Jesus as a historical person; the second coming of Christ; and Christian hospitality. Leader Guide includes: A verse-by-verse, in-depth look at the Scriptures. Background material, including word studies and history of the biblical setting. Answers to questions asked in the Participant Book. Application of the Scripture to daily life situations. Discussion suggestions. A variety of study options. Practical tips for leaders to use. More than 3.5 million copies of the series have been sold. This revision of the Abingdon classic Genesis to Revelation Series is a comprehensive, verse-by-verse, book-by-book study of the Bible based on the NIV. These studies help readers strengthen their understanding and appreciation of the Bible by enabling them to engage the Scripture on three levels: What does the Bible say? Questions to consider while reading the passage for each session. What does the passage mean? Unpacks key verses in the selected passage. How does the Scripture relate to my life? Provides three major ideas that have meaning for our lives today. The meaning of the selected passages are made clear by considering such aspects as ancient customs, locations of places, and the meanings of words. The simple format makes the study easy to use. Updates will include: New cover designs. New interior designs. Leader Guide per matching Participant Book (rather than multiple volumes in one book). Updated to 2011 revision of the New International Version Translation (NIV). Updated references to New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible. Include biblical chapters on the contents page beside session lesson titles for at-a-glance overview of biblical structure. Include larger divisions within the contents page to reflect macro-structure of each biblical book. Ex: Genesis 1-11; Genesis 12-50; Exodus 1-15; Exodus 16-40; Isaiah 1-39; Isaiah 40-66. The simple format makes the study easy to use. Each volume is 13 sessions.
Leadership Directions from Moses: On the Way to a Promised Land
by Olu BrownAuthor Olu Brown shares principles from the story of Moses, to guide leaders through some of the most gut-wrenching situations they will face. Leadership Directions from Moses answers the question, ‘How can I remain effective in answering my own call, when people around me—some of whom are trusted friends and colleagues—will not (or cannot) stay on the journey we’ve set out to complete? How can I keep moving forward, when the path suddenly becomes so difficult?’ The book covers topics like how to help others leave gracefully, how not to be upended when others choose to leave, how to have difficult conversations, and how to find unexpected opportunity in the challenge of new vacancies. It is full of practical help, including examples from pastors and churches across the US. It is also filled with compassion and wisdom—a pastoral book for pastors facing this difficult, nuanced, and often-emotional topic.
Mastery: Daily Devotions for a Year
by E Stanley Jones FoundationJesus Christ lifted our fear by giving us the capacity to face things that happen to us and to make something out of them. In Mastery, E. Stanley Jones shows us how to attain the moral and spiritual mastery that came to the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. He demonstrates that mastery of living comes not by being tense and anxious, but by being receptive to the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. In daily inspirational readings, affirmations, and prayers for one full year, Jones offers us guidance in mastering our lives.guidance in mastering our lives.
Pastoral Care: Telling the Stories of Our Lives
by Karen D. ScheibChristian pastoral care is a narrative, ecclesial, theological practice (NET). As a narrative practice, pastoral care attends to the inseparable interconnection between our own lifestories, others' stories, the larger cultural stories, and God's story. As a ministry of the church, pastoral care is an ecclesial practice that derives its motivation, purpose, and identity from the larger mission of the church to bear witness to and embody God's mission of love that extends beyond the church for the transformation of the world. As a theological practice, pastoral care is grounded in God's love story. God's profound love for humankind heals our brokenness when human love fails and invites us into an ongoing process of growth in love of God, self, and neighbor. Intended for those who provide care with and on behalf of religious communities, author Karen Scheib focuses on listening and "restorying" practices occurring in the context and setting of congregations. By coauthoring narratives that promote healing and growth in love, pastoral caregivers become cocreators and companions who help others revise and construct life-stories reshaped by the grace of God. What Karen Scheib has done in this book is to reposition pastoral care as a theological activity performed in the context of the church. She draws deeply upon her Wesleyan theological heritage, upon an understanding of life in its fullness as growth in love and grace, and upon a "communion ecclesiology" undergirded by a communal understanding of the Trinitarian life of God. Thus grounded, she envisions pastoral care first as a rhythm of the life of the whole church and secondarily as a work of trained pastors. In her vision, pastoral care is rescued from a narrow understanding of it as exceptional acts of intervention performed only in moments of dire crisis. Instead, it becomes a "daily practice of pastoral care," an attending, in love, to the stories of others and a "listening for ways God is already present in a life story." Solidly theological, grounded in the life of the church, and eminently teachable - Karen Scheib has given us a great gift in this book." from the Foreword -Thomas G. Long, Bandy Professor of Preaching, Emeritus, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Right Here Right Now: The Practice of Christian Mindfulness
by Amy G. Oden Marjorie J. ThompsonChristians have always practiced mindfulness. Yet, from the popular landscape of mindfulness movement, you’d never know that. Where is the Christian voice in this fast-growing movement? Many Christians practice mindfulness outside of church and believe it does not belong to our faith tradition. This book reveals the Christian roots of mindfulness and the actual practices that, when reclaimed, deepen the life of faith and the power of our mission of love in the world. When we understand how radical it is to live in God’s presence right here, right now, our lives are transformed toward mercy, justice and abundant life. Amy Oden shows how the practice of Christian mindfulness begins with the teachings of Jesus and continues throughout Christian history. It also includes step-by-step instructions for the practice of Christian mindfulness today. Pastors and leaders will find this book useful on the ground as they curate current culture and guide Christians in spiritual practices.
That'll Preach!: 5 Simple Steps to Your Best Sermon Ever
by Charley ReebExperienced preacher, teacher and author, Charley Reeb, gives readers a 5-step plan for writing and delivering a sermon that can transform lives for Christ. He covers preparation, sermon structure, storytelling, and how to ‘preach with presence’. He examines lectionary and topical preaching models, and shows the reader how to determine which model to use; he further instructs the reader to use the 5-step plan for each model. Finally, That’ll Preach! offers sermon outlines and full sermons, as examples to illustrate the book’s teaching. The entire book stems from the author’s view that sermons must be engaging in order to be effective. This laser focus results in a book that is powerful and immediately useful, concise and purposeful. It is a book for every preacher.
Voice, Word, and Spirit: A Pentecostal Old Testament Survey
by Brian Neil Peterson Rickie D. MoorePentecostalism is a movement that, in a little over a century, has encircled the globe and, either directly or indirectly, has impacted and influenced every quarter of Christendom. At its heart the movement bears witness to a contemporary experience of divine-human encounter in line with the prophetic claims of the Old Testament and the Pentecost testimony of the New—indeed an encounter with the power/the presence/the Spirit of God that is radically transformative enough, at both personal and corporate levels, to evoke a new way of seeing the world and, with it, a new way of reading the Word. In the post-modern situation that has forced all of us to a greater awareness of the contextual particularities of how we see and read things, with all of the limitation and the illumination that this can entail, it is time for offering a survey of Scripture, and the Old Testament in particular, that speaks both from and to the manifold global context of Pentecostal faith and practice. Here the authors are deft guides, affirming the integration of academic scholarship and charismatic spirituality. They present thoughtful readers with an overview of the Old Testament that is explicitly engaged with the faith and practice of the Pentecostal movement and the recent scholarship that has been generated by this contemporary, global, Christian movement, especially as it bears upon biblical interpretation. They invite readers to approach scripture reading with the expectation of being encountered and addressed by a Living Voice, flipping the primary goal of biblical study from ‘us interpreting Scripture’ to ‘Scripture reading and interpreting us.’ In addition to treating each Old Testament book individually, this textbook offers a brief chapter-length introduction to each of the four major book collections, as standardized in the Protestant Bible’s arrangement of Old Testament Scriptures: 1) Pentateuch; 2) Historical Books; 3) Poetical Books; and 4) Prophets.
We Pray with Her: Encouragement for All Women Who Lead
by Shannon Sullivan Emily Peck-McClain Danyelle Trexler J. Paige Boyer Jen TylerLeading while female—whether in business, politics, the home, local communities, or the church—can be incredibly life-giving and spiritually fulfilling, yet lonely and difficult. “We Pray with Her” means supporting all the hers, both established and just starting up the ladder, who are leading the charge in today’s culture. It is a commitment to let them know that they are not alone, and that we are praying with along with them. In a world of glass ceilings, harassment, and “boy’s clubs,” women often encounter obstacles when they seek to forge ahead in their work to leave a positive mark through their labor, personal efforts, and causes. Women business leaders, political candidates, clergy, and trailblazers of all kinds need the support and encouragement of their fellow women. We are not intended to walk through life alone, and by raising each other up in prayer we will in-turn be inspired in our own efforts, grow in our faith, be understanding of shortfalls, and celebrate successes along with our fellow women. This inspiring devotional is a collection of 100 entries written by the women of WePrayWithHer, a grassroots movement turned online collective of women faith leaders, explores themes such as call, vocation, persistence, resistance, and struggle. Whether you’re a woman leader looking for personal inspiration, in a supportive role to a leader, an aspiring leader, or a woman who wants to support her sisters in Christ, you’ll find a home within these pages. Join the movement with your prayers, by mentoring, and through daily acts of solidarity with the women in your life and community. In these readings you’ll be emboldened to support one another as we strive to live the life to which God has called us.