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Renewing Spiritual Perception with Jonathan Edwards: Contemporary Philosophy and the Theological Psychology of Transforming Grace (Transcending Boundaries in Philosophy and Theology)
by Ray S. YeoJonathan Edwards’ theologically sophisticated psychology of grace remains one of the deepest and most fertile theological psychologies in the Protestant tradition. The heart of his account lies in his foundational doctrine of spiritual perception where he locates the psychological core of the engraced Christian life. This work revisits Edwards’ doctrine from the perspective of recent work in the philosophy of emotions and other related philosophical sub-disciplines. The aim is to recover this often neglected theme in contemporary theology and renew it by bringing Edwards’ theological insights into conversation with various spheres of contemporary philosophical discussion. The account of spiritual perception that emerges from this interdisciplinary dialogue is one that seeks to revise, update and deepen Edwards’ own thinking on the matter in five major ways. The book concludes by arguing that the capacity for spiritual and emotional perception of the supreme good is grounded upon a wisdom-like seminal virtue centred upon the incarnate Christ (i.e., Christocentric wisdom). Such wisdom, on the renewed account, is considered the psychological core of transforming grace and the foundational basis upon which all other Christian virtues are formed.
Renewing the Christian Mind: Essays, Interviews, and Talks
by Dallas Willard Gary Black Jr.From Dallas Willard, one of the most important Christian intellectuals of the twentieth century, comes a collection of readings, interviews, talks, and articles--many previously unpublished.In his groundbreaking books The Divine Conspiracy, The Great Omission, Knowing Christ Today, Hearing God, The Spirit of the Disciplines, The Divine Conspiracy Continued, and The Allure of Gentleness, teacher, philosopher, and spiritual guide Dallas Willard forever changed the way many Christians experience their faith. Three years after his death, the influence of this provocative Christian thinker--"a man devoted to reestablishing the exalted place moral reasoning once held in the academy" (Christianity Today) remains strong.Compiled, edited, and introduced by his friend and fellow theologian, Gary Black, Jr., Renewing the Christian Mind is a collection of essays, interviews, and articles that brilliantly encapsulate Willard's spiritual philosophy and his contributions to theology.Renewing the Christian Mind offers insight into spiritual formation, avocation, and theology, and includes sections directed at specific audiences, from church leaders to laypeople looking for spiritual counsel and nurture. Reasoned, honest, thought- provoking, and illuminating, this important anthology is an invaluable introduction and companion to Dallas Willard's acclaimed body of work.
Renewing the Church by the Spirit: Theological Education after Pentecost (Theological Education between the Times)
by Amos YongIn most parts of the world and especially where Christianity is flourishing, Pentecostal and charismatic movements predominate. What would it look like for the Western world—beset by the narrative of decline—to participate in this global Spirit-driven movement? According to Amos Yong, it all needs to start with the way we approach theological education. Renewing the Church by the Spirit makes the case for elevating pneumatology in Christian life, allowing the Spirit to reinvigorate church and mission. Yong shows how this approach would attend to both the rapidly deinstitutionalizing forms of twenty-first-century Christianity and the pressing need for authentic spiritual experiences that marks contemporary religious life. He begins with a broad assessment of our postmodern, post-Enlightenment, post-Christendom ecclesial context, before moving into a detailed outline of how a Spirit-filled approach to theological education—its curriculum, pedagogy, and scholarship—can meet the ecclesial and missional demands of this new age.
Renewing the Covenant: A Kabbalistic Guide to Jewish Spirituality
by Leonora LeetA guide to how meditations and principles from the Kabbalah can be used to profoundly renew spiritual practice. - Reveals transformational meditations and visualization exercises based on the profoundest truths concealed in the Kabbalah. The covenant that bound God to the Patriarchs in a special relationship of obligation and empowerment was renewed by God with Israel at Sinai and Moab. Each of these three Jewish covenants can be associated with a particular spiritual practice: the Patriarchal Covenant with Father Isaac's practice of meditation; The Sinai Covenant of Holiness with the observance of the Sabbath required in its Ten Commandments, and the Moab Covenant of Love, comprising the entire Mosaic Torah, with the practice of prayer instituted there. In Renewing the Covenant, Leonora Leet shows how this ladder of increasingly demanding and potent covenantal practices can enable one to ascend to ever higher levels of mystical Judaism. At this threshold of a new millennium, increasing numbers of people are seeking a more direct connection with the Divine. To aid such a process, Renewing the Covenant provides new paths for entering the treasurehouse of Jewish spirituality and achieving higher consciousness, paths that can deepen the devotions of both nonobservant and traditionally observant Jews. This process of covenant renewal begins with effective kabbalistic techniques of meditation combining mantra with visualization, proceeds through the return to a reconstructed Sinai Sabbath, and arrives at the culminating practice of ritual prayer whose performance can fulfill the kabbalistic purpose of creation. When undertaken in the steps laid out by Dr. Leet, this process can help many to discover forms of spiritual practice precisely tailored for the modern world, as well as a new appreciation for the rich spiritual heritage of Judaism.
Renewing the Evangelical Mission
by Richard LintsThe "culture story" of evangelicalism during the second half of the twentieth century has been well told. It is important now to think about the theological mission of the church in an ever-increasing post-Christian and post-partisan context. What is the theologian's calling at the beginning of the third millennium? How do global realities impact the mission of evangelical theology? What sense can be made of the unity of evangelical theology in light of its many diverse voices?This collection of essays draws together a stellar roster of evangelical thinkers with significant institutional memory of the evangelical movement who nonetheless see new opportunities for the evangelical voice in the years ahead.Contributors:Os GuinnessMichael S. HortonRichard LintsBruce McCormackMark NollJ. I. PackerGary ParrettRodney PetersonCornelius PlantingaTite TienouKevin J. VanhoozerAdonis ViduMiroslav Volf
Renewing the Maya World: Expressive Culture in a Highland Town
by Garrett W. CookEach year in the Highland Guatemala town of Santiago Momostenango, Maya religious societies, dance teams, and cofradías perform the annual cycle of rituals and festivals prescribed by Costumbre (syncretized Maya Christian religion), which serves to renew the cosmic order.
Renovate: Building a Life with God (Renovate)
by Jacob ArmstrongRenovating a house can be an exciting and rewarding experience. But the act of renovation can often leave the house in a state of disarray, causing stress and frustration. In the same way, God wants to renovate your life by altering the “old you” and creating a “new you” with an improved heart. It’s not going to be easy, and your life might experience some disarray, but renovating with God is the opportunity of a lifetime. Using the Book of Nehemiah, popular author and pastor Jacob Armstrong explores the physical and spiritual renovation experienced by the nation of Judah. Nehemiah knew that his plan for renovating the wall and gates of Jerusalem would be hard work. But equally hard would be the spiritual renovation of the Jewish people as they returned to their homeland. Thankfully, spiritual renovation is not a do-it-yourself project. We need God's great power working through us to renovate our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. Chapters include: Never Too Late for a Renovation It Starts with Tears What to Know Before You Build When Others Don’t Like Your Plans Inviting Others to Come Home The Big Reveal Additional components for a six-week study include a comprehensive Leader Guide and a DVD featuring author and pastor Jacob Armstrong.
Renovate
by Léonce B. CrumpGod is not wiping this world away. He is in the midst of renovating it. Léonce Crump, lead pastor of Renovation Church in the urban core of Atlanta, invites you to do what God did when He wanted to make a difference in this world - move in. Whether you're a pastor looking to plant a church, a missionary preparing to serve in a far-off land, a family preparing to move into a new community, or a follower of Jesus simply looking to engage more deeply in your current neighborhood, Léonce reveals how our agendas can often sabotage achieving real change in our world. Léonce takes you on a journey to understand what he calls "the ministry of presence" which he himself learned the hard way after planting a church in one of the most violent areas of Atlanta. Léonce and his family found that, before we can preach or reach others, we must first know the story of a place and its people - especially since skin color, cultural norms, and economic status often isolate us more than bringing us together. From the Trade Paperback edition.
Renovate Leader Guide: Building a Life with God (Renovate)
by Jacob ArmstrongUsing the Book of Nehemiah, popular author and pastor Jacob Armstrong explores the physical and spiritual renovation experienced by the nation of Judah. Nehemiah knew that his plan for renovating the wall and gates of Jerusalem would be hard work. But equally hard would be the spiritual renovation of the Jewish people as they returned to their homeland. The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study including session plans, activities, and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options.
Renovate or Die: 10 Ways to Focus Your Church on Mission
by Bob Farr Kay KotanBe the Church Jesus calls us to be. Bob Farr asserts that to change the world, we must first change the Church. As Adam Hamilton says in the Foreword, "Read [this book] carefully with other leaders in your church...You'll soon discover both a desire to renovate your church and the tools to effectively lead your church forward." If we want to join Robert Schnase and claim radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity, we must also engage pastors and motivate churches. We must renovate and overhaul our churches and not merely redecorate and tinker with our church structure. With straight forward language and practical tips, this book will inspire and help you organize your church for new life on the mission field. Learn how to grow your church and discover the commitments that denominational leaders must make to guarantee the fruitfulness of local congregations.
Renovate Your Relationships: A Proven Guide to Setting Boundaries and Building Bridges with Those Who Matter Most
by Scott Vaudrey Md MaDoctor-turned-pastor Scott Vaudrey shows readers how to have stronger, more meaningful relationships by mastering the balance between building bridges and setting boundaries.We all have people in our lives who are difficult--a demanding boss, an annoying neighbor, a manipulative family member, or a controlling spouse. When you reach a point where something must change in that troubling relationship, how do you narrow the gap between where things are and where you want them to be?In Renovate Your Relationships, Scott Vaudrey draws on his experience as both an emergency-room physician and a pastor to reveal how we can diagnose the problems in our specific relationships and then master the balance between building bridges toward people and setting boundaries with them. Using real-life stories, illuminating dialogues, and ground-breaking practical tools, he unearths the root cause of our relational breakdowns and helps us make changes that enable us to move forward with a new, more productive pattern of relating.
Renovating Your Marriage Room by Room
by Dr. Johnny Parker, JrWhen considering building a home, couples look for the right architect, right builder, and the right decorator to make their dream house a reality. They work with these people to sketch out plans for the structure of the house; determine what materials to use in building the house; and which decorations to use how to make the house warm and cozy. Accomplishing their goal and making sure they get exactly what they are paying for is in part due to everyone working off of the same set of blueprints and plan while they are exercising their unique talents and skills in getting the house completed.With the same care and even more, couples should invest in building their marital houses. Making sure they are working from the same plan, laying a solid foundation in the process and doing the work needed to keep their house intact and standing strong.In Renovating Your Marriage, Dr. Johnny Parker speaks to you and your spouse about building a house of togetherness brick by brick from the foundation up. He encourages you to consider the two possible foundations upon which marriages are built; then walks you through an inspection of your marital house, room by room. Is your marital house standing on a firm foundation or has it been shaken? Are you in need of a marriage renovation? Dr. Parker wants to help you answer these questions and make the changes necessary to give your love a new look.
Renovating Your Marriage Room by Room
by Dr. Johnny Parker, JrWhen considering building a home, couples look for the right architect, right builder, and the right decorator to make their dream house a reality. They work with these people to sketch out plans for the structure of the house; determine what materials to use in building the house; and which decorations to use how to make the house warm and cozy. Accomplishing their goal and making sure they get exactly what they are paying for is in part due to everyone working off of the same set of blueprints and plan while they are exercising their unique talents and skills in getting the house completed.With the same care and even more, couples should invest in building their marital houses. Making sure they are working from the same plan, laying a solid foundation in the process and doing the work needed to keep their house intact and standing strong.In Renovating Your Marriage, Dr. Johnny Parker speaks to you and your spouse about building a house of togetherness brick by brick from the foundation up. He encourages you to consider the two possible foundations upon which marriages are built; then walks you through an inspection of your marital house, room by room. Is your marital house standing on a firm foundation or has it been shaken? Are you in need of a marriage renovation? Dr. Parker wants to help you answer these questions and make the changes necessary to give your love a new look.
Renovatio: 12 claves fundamentales para desarrollar un ministerio juvenil efectivo
by Abel López¿Se ha preguntado por qué muchas iglesias son efectivas en sus ministerios juveniles y muchas no? Todo líder de jóvenes enfrenta los retos de dirigir a una generación que constantemente está siendo bombardeada por las redes sociales y la presión de grupo. Luego de 25 años de experiencia ministerial con jóvenes, el autor Abel López está convencido de que tener un plan estratégico y balanceado para su ministerio juvenil provee la mejor oportunidad para que su población alcance los sueños de Dios en sus vidas.RENOVATIO comparte 12 claves que le ayudarán a desarrollar un ministerio juvenil exitoso. Algunas de estas son:Cómo entender la visión de la iglesia localLa importancia de un equipo de intercesiónFormas de enriquecer la vida espiritual de sus jóvenes¡Y mucho más!
The Renovation
by Terri KrausEthan Willis has made a career out of restoring old houses like the Carter Mansion so he's an expert with doors and windows. He knows his way around a toolbox, a construction site, and anything else having to do with rebuilding. If only he could do the same with his own life. Tragically widowed and left with a young son, he's done the best he could, but now that Chase has become a teenager that best somehow isn't quite good enough.For his part, Chase doesn't know what he'd do without baseball, his best friend Elliott and the secret hideaway even his dad doesn't know about. What he does know is that the reporter lady who suddenly started chatting with his dad can't be a good thing.In a small town where everyone knows everything, does an outsider--a young, cute, ambitious reporter-kind-of-outsider like Cameron Dane--even have a prayer of getting to know the handsome but moody builder? Does it matter that they both hold secrets from their pasts? And can Chase ever be freed from the hidden guilt of his mother's death? Only time, and a special kind of patience, will tell.
Renovation of the Church: What Happens When a Seeker Church Discovers Spiritual Formation
by Kent Carlson Mike LuekenCopastors Kent Carlson and Mike Lueken tell the story of how God took their thriving, consumer-oriented church and transformed it into a modest congregation of unformed believers committed to the growth of the spirit--even when it meant a decline in numbers. As Kent and Mike found out, a decade of major change is not easy on a church. Oak Hills Church, from the pastoral staff to the congregation, had to confront addiction to personal ambition, resist consumerism and reorient their lives around the teachings of Jesus. Their renewed focus on spiritual formation over numerical growth triggered major changes in the content of their sermons, the tenor of their worship services, and the reason for their outreach. They lost members. But the health and spiritual depth of their church today is a testimony of God's transforming work and enduring faithfulness to the people he loves. Honest and humble, this is Kent and Mike's story of a church they love, written to inspire and challenge other churches to let God rewrite their stories as well. Read it for the church you love.
Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ
by Dallas WillardThis book is an influential contribution from the late Dallas Willard that continues to break ground twenty years after its first release. <p><p>Helping us to understand how character is formed and where Jesus does his most significant work on our spiritual and emotional health, this book changed a generation's mind about what it means to follow Jesus—not a matter of sin management but a matter of drawing near and letting ourselves be shaped into the eternal people of God. <p><p>With reflections on the book's impact over its life from family, friends, and admirers of Dallas, and supplemental resources for the first time in print, Renovation of the Heart will continue its ministry of liberation-by-formation for years to come. This edition includes a foreword by John Mark Comer and an afterword by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson.
Renovation of the Heart
by Dallas WillardA bestselling author addresses a critical question for today: Why are so many Christians not growing closer to Christlikeness and still struggling with sinful strongholds? "Renovation of the Heart" establishes a foundational understanding of human nature and the process of bringing about change.
Renueva tu mente: Una perspectiva bíblica del mundo y de la vida
by Miguel NúñezComo creyentes, queremos vivir lo que creemos, pero ¿qué se nos hace tan difícil lograrlo? En Renueva tu mente, el pastor Miguel Núñez nos da el secreto de vivir en medio de la voluntad de Dios y gozar de la plenitud de vida de la cual Cristo nos habló.¿Por qué existe la dicotomía entre lo que el cristiano profesa cuando está en la iglesia y la manera cómo vive el resto de la semana? Porque en realidad, no es lo que profesamos lo que determina cómo vivimos, sino es la manera en que pensamos lo que determina la manera en que vivimos. La pregunta que surge de inmediato es: «¿Cómo lo hago?», «¿Cómo cambiar lo que pienso y vivir lo que creo?». En Renueva tu mente, el pastor Miguel Núñez explica cómo es posible renovar tu mente y lograr una perspectiva bíblica del mundo y de la vida.Renueva tu mente empieza con conceptos fundamentales de la importancia de tener una propia cosmovisión y entendimiento básico de la apologética o cómo defender tu fe.La segunda sección del libro nos presenta preguntas fundamentales que todo creyente debe saber responder:¿De dónde vengo?¿Para qué estoy aquí?¿Quién soy?¿Qué es bueno y qué es malo?¿Creó Dios el mal?¿Para dónde voy?El libro concluye con aplicaciones fundamentales de cómo vivir para tener el máximo impacto en el mundo.El pastor Miguel Núñez te invita a leer con atención este libro, pero al mismo tiempo, quiere desafiarte a que te dejes examinar por las verdades bíblicas que leerás. También te anima a que reemplaces, de una vez y para siempre, cada mentira que tengas asentada en tu corazón con la verdad correspondiente revelada por Dios en su Palabra.El resultado será la verificación de la voluntad de Dios que es buena, aceptable y perfecta. Si al descubrir dicha voluntad decides vivirla, habrás encontrado el secreto de la plenitud de vida de la cual habló Cristo.Renew Your MindAs believers, we want to live what we believe, but why is it so difficult for us to do so? In Renew Your Mind, Pastor Miguel Núñez gives us the secret to live in the midst of God&’s will and enjoy the fullness of life Christ spoke to us about.Why is there a dichotomy between what the Christian professes when he is in church and the way he lives the rest of the week? Because in reality, it is not what we profess that determines how we live, but rather, it is the way we think that determines the way we live. The question that immediately arises is &“How do I do it?&”, &“How do I change what I think and live what I believe?&” In Renew Your Mind, Pastor Miguel Núñez explains how it is possible to renew your mind and gain a biblical perspective on the world and life.Renew Your Mind begins with fundamental concepts of the importance of having your own basic worldview and understanding of apologetics or how to defend your faith.The second section of the book presents us with fundamental questions that every believer must know how to answer:Where do I come from?What am I here for?Who am I?What is good and what is bad?Did God create evil?Where am I going?
¡Renuévate! (Do the New You): Seis mentalidades que te convertirán en el ser que fuiste creado
by Steven FurtickEsa versión ideal de ti no es imaginaria en absoluto. En realidad, es tu ser auténtico el que intenta abrirse paso. Tampoco es una versión futura de ti mismo lo que tienes que perseguir. El verdadero tú puede ser nuevo para ti, pero no lo es para Dios. Es el ser que Él conoció desde el principio. En ¡Renuévate!, el pastor y autor de éxitos de ventas del New York Times, Steven Furtick, habla directamente del desafío de vivir la identidad y el llamado que Dios nos ha dado. En este reciente libro, él explora y analiza seis mentalidades prácticas que todos podemos adoptar para pasar de ser quienes somos hoy a donde Dios nos quiere llevar. Estas seis afirmaciones son verdades sobre ti mismo que puedes expresarlas en cualquier momento y en cualquier lugar: • No estoy estancado, a menos que me detenga. • Cristo está en mí, por lo que soy suficiente. • Con Dios, siempre hay un camino y por la fe lo encontraré. • Dios no está en mi contra; Él está conmigo, obrando a través de mí y peleando por mí. • Estar alegre es mi tarea. • Dios me ha dado todo lo que necesito para la temporada en la que estoy. Estas frases sencillas, poderosas y memorables cambiarán tu enfoque, tus sentimientos y tus acciones para alinearlos con la visión que Dios tiene de ti. Dios no solo te está llamando a ser tú mismo. Él te está llamando a renovarte, a ser tu nuevo yo: esa persona única y poderosa que Dios creó en ti. Find your God-given identity and calling and to grow into the person God designed you to be all along with New York Times bestselling author and pastor Steven Furtick's inspiring advice. Do you ever get a glimpse of a version of you that doesn't quite exist yet - but something in you believes it could? The happier, kinder, less stressed, more courageous you? The ideal version of you isn't imaginary at all. It's actually the authentic you trying to break through. God knows the potential he placed inside of you, even if you don&’t yet. Accepting yourself as you are doesn't mean giving up on the possibility of growing into even greater things. And as you do, you meet the true you - the new you. And it may be new to you, but it&’s not new to God. It's the you he knew all along. In Do the New You, bestselling author and pastor Steven Furtick speaks directly to the challenge of living out your God-given identity and calling. He explores and unpacks six practical mindsets everyone can adopt to get from who you are today to where God is taking you. These six statements are truths you can speak over yourself any time and anywhere: • I&’m not stuck unless I stop. • Christ is in me. I am enough. • With God there's always a way and by faith I will find it. • God is not against me, but he's in it with me, working through me, fighting for me. • My joy is my job. • God has given me everything I need for the season I&’m in. These simple, powerful, memorable phrases will shift your focus, feelings, and actions to align with God&’s vision of you. God isn&’t just calling you to do you. He&’s calling you to do the new you—the unique and powerful person he created and called you to be.
Renunciation and Longing: The Life of a Twentieth-Century Himalayan Buddhist Saint (Buddhism And Modernity Ser.)
by Annabella PitkinThrough the eventful life of a Himalayan Buddhist teacher, Khunu Lama, this study reimagines cultural continuity beyond the binary of traditional and modern. In the early twentieth century, Khunu Lama journeyed across Tibet and India, meeting Buddhist masters while sometimes living, so his students say, on cold porridge and water. Yet this elusive wandering renunciant became a revered teacher of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. At Khunu Lama’s death in 1977, he was mourned by Himalayan nuns, Tibetan lamas, and American meditators alike. The many surviving stories about him reveal significant dimensions of Tibetan Buddhism, shedding new light on questions of religious affect and memory that reimagines cultural continuity beyond the binary of traditional and modern. In Renunciation and Longing, Annabella Pitkin explores devotion, renunciation, and the teacher-student lineage relationship as resources for understanding Tibetan Buddhist approaches to modernity. By examining narrative accounts of the life of a remarkable twentieth-century Himalayan Buddhist and focusing on his remembered identity as a renunciant bodhisattva, Pitkin illuminates Tibetan and Himalayan practices of memory, affective connection, and mourning. Refuting long-standing caricatures of Tibetan Buddhist communities as unable to be modern because of their religious commitments, Pitkin shows instead how twentieth- and twenty-first-century Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhist narrators have used themes of renunciation, devotion, and lineage as touchstones for negotiating loss and vitalizing continuity.
Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance
by Mustafa AkyolA fascinating journey into Islam's diverse history of ideas, making an argument for an "Islamic Enlightenment" todayIn Reopening Muslim Minds, Mustafa Akyol, senior fellow at the Cato Institute and opinion writer for The New York Times, both diagnoses “the crisis of Islam” in the modern world, and offers a way forward. Diving deeply into Islamic theology, and also sharing lessons from his own life story, he reveals how Muslims lost the universalism that made them a great civilization in their earlier centuries. He especially demonstrates how values often associated with Western Enlightenment — freedom, reason, tolerance, and an appreciation of science — had Islamic counterparts, which sadly were cast aside in favor of more dogmatic views, often for political ends. Elucidating complex ideas with engaging prose and storytelling, Reopening Muslim Minds borrows lost visions from medieval Muslim thinkers such as Ibn Rushd (aka Averroes), to offer a new Muslim worldview on a range of sensitive issues: human rights, equality for women, freedom of religion, or freedom from religion. While frankly acknowledging the problems in the world of Islam today, Akyol offers a clear and hopeful vision for its future.
Reorganized Religion: The Reshaping of the American Church and Why it Matters
by Bob SmietanaUncover the ways the Christian church has changed in recent years—from the decline of the mainline denominations to the mega-churchification of American culture—and a hopeful reimagining of what the church might look like going forward. The United States is in the middle of an unprecedented spiritual, technological, demographic, political and social transformation—moving from an older, mostly white, mostly Protestant, religion-friendly society to a younger diverse, multiethnic, pluralistic culture, where no one faith group will have the advantage. At the same time, millions of Americans are abandoning organized religion altogether in favor of disorganized disbelief. Reorganized Religion is an in-depth and critical look at why people are leaving American churches and what we lose as a society as it continues. But it also accepts the dismantling of what has come before and try to help readers reinvent the path forward. This book looks at the future of organized religion in America and outline the options facing churches and other faith groups. Will they retreat? Will they become irrelevant? Or will they find a new path forward? Written by veteran religion reporter Bob Smietana, Reorganized Religion is a journalistic look at the state of the American church and its future. It draws on polling data, interviews with experts, and reporting on how faith communities old and new are coping with the changing religious landscape, along with personal stories about how faith is lived in everyday life. It also profiles faith communities and leaders who are finding interesting ways to reimagine what church might look like in the future and discuss various ways we can reinvent this organization so it survives and thrives. The book also reflects the hope that perhaps people of faith can learn to become, if not friends with the larger culture, then at least better neighbors. &“A superb examination of the future of Christian institutions…. A must-read for anyone invested in the fate of the American church.&” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Repackaging Christianity: Alpha and the building of a global brand
by Andrew AtherstoneThe story of Alpha is of major significance for understanding the place of religious faith in the modern world, but that story has never been told - until now.Since its launch in 1993, the Alpha movement has evolved from 'supper party evangelism' in the Kensington suburbs into a global brand of Christian outreach. Today, over a million people attend Alpha every year, but the history of its rise to popularity has never been documented. What caused such spiritual renewal in an age of scepticism? And what propelled Alpha into a phenomenon that is recognised across the globe?Alpha is far more than an introductory course to Christianity. At the core of its brand identity is a 'repackaging' of the Christian message for contemporary audiences. Innovation and cultural adaptability are built into Alpha's DNA, one of the chief reasons for its longevity and influence. Nimbly utilising the multimedia and digital revolutions, it has contextualised into cultures and languages across the planet. And led by charismatic, savvy individuals, it has attracted people from across the social spectrum, making waves in national media.Andrew Atherstone leaves no stone unturned as he presents this fascinating history. With exclusive access to original archives, Atherstone recounts the miraculous stories of HTB's early years, the first full account of Nicky Gumbel's conversion, and the strategic decisions that launched Alpha onto the global stage of Christian influence. With sharp historical analysis, Andrew Atherstone uncovers the story of Christian resurgence in our contemporary age.
Repackaging Christianity: Alpha and the building of a global brand
by Andrew AtherstoneThe story of Alpha is of major significance for understanding the place of religious faith in the modern world, but that story has never been told - until now.Since its launch in 1993, the Alpha movement has evolved from 'supper party evangelism' in the Kensington suburbs into a global brand of Christian outreach. Today, over a million people attend Alpha every year, but the history of its rise to popularity has never been documented. What caused such spiritual renewal in an age of scepticism? And what propelled Alpha into a phenomenon that is recognised across the globe?Alpha is far more than an introductory course to Christianity. At the core of its brand identity is a 'repackaging' of the Christian message for contemporary audiences. Innovation and cultural adaptability are built into Alpha's DNA, one of the chief reasons for its longevity and influence. Nimbly utilising the multimedia and digital revolutions, it has contextualised into cultures and languages across the planet. And led by charismatic, savvy individuals, it has attracted people from across the social spectrum, making waves in national media.Andrew Atherstone leaves no stone unturned as he presents this fascinating history. With exclusive access to original archives, Atherstone recounts the miraculous stories of HTB's early years, the first full account of Nicky Gumbel's conversion, and the strategic decisions that launched Alpha onto the global stage of Christian influence. With sharp historical analysis, Andrew Atherstone uncovers the story of Christian resurgence in our contemporary age.