The spiritual practices and insights of the Anglican tradition make an extraordinary contribution to mission efforts in our postmodern, de-churched, never-churched, yet spiritually hungry society. In this timely and practical book, pioneers, leaders and theologians from the US and the UK share their stories and offer reflections for building a future-focused, mission-shaped church that is deeply rooted in sacramental traditions.
The combination of Fresh Expressions and the explosion of interest in monastic spirituality is resulting in the emergence of new monastic communities inspired by historic patterns of religious life, but reframed for the contemporary world. This worldwide movement is seen as a radical expression of ecclesial community and was named in Mission Shaped Church as one of the leading new forms of church that would help people reconnect with Christianity. A new monastic community may be a dispersed group of families and individuals meeting to share meals and worship, it might be a group connected virtually; it might be a youth group exploring monastic spirituality. In this book, leaders of traditional religious communities and emerging 'new monastic' communities tell their stories and reflect on how an ancient expression of being church is inspiring and shaping a very new one. Included are many well-known contributors: Graham Cray, Tom Sine, Shane Claiborne, Ray Simpson, Abbot Stuart Burns and others exploring intentional living in the UK and the US.
Mission Shaped Church, the groundbreaking report published in 2004 has sold over 20,000 copies and has changed the way mission is done. This title offers a resource for exploring and applying the insights from fresh style mission in the traditional wings of the church where various worship communities are being formed.
In a world marked by relativism, individualism, pluralism, and the transition from a modern to a postmodern worldview, evangelical Christians must find ways to re-present the historic faith. In his provocative new work, Ancient-Future Faith, Robert E. Webber contends that present-day evangelicalism is a product of modernity. Allegiance to modernity, he argues, must be relinquished to free evangelicals to become more consistently historic. Empowerment to function in our changing culture will be found by adapting the classical tradition to our postmodern time. Webber demonstrates the implications in the key areas of church, worship, spirituality, evangelism, nurture, and mission. Webber writes, The fundamental concern of Ancient-Future Faith is to find points of contact between classical Christianity and postmodern thought. Classical Christianity was shaped in a pagan and relativistic society much like our own. Classical Christianity was not an accommodation to paganism but an alternative practice of life. Christians in a postmodern world will succeed, not by watering down the faith, but by being a counter cultural community that invites people to be shaped by the story of Israel and Jesus. A substantial appendix explores the development of authority in the early church, an important issue for evangelicals in a society that shares many features with the Roman world of early Christians. Students, professors, pastors, and laypeople concerned with the churchs effective response to a postmodern world will benefit from this paradigmatic volume. Informative tables and extensive bibliographies enhance the books educational value. - Amazon.
Feel like the church is a mile wide but only an inch deep? Robert Webber offers the remedy by translating evangelism wisdom from the past into the future.
Mark Husbands and Jeffrey P. Greenman bring together select essays from the 2007 Wheaton Theology Conference, Ancient Faith for the Church's Future demonstrates the vitality and significance of the early church for contemporary Christian witness and practice. These fourteen essays provide for a significant evangelical ressourcement by considering the importance of the thought and practice of the patristic church especially for our (1) interpreting Scripture, (2) engaging in missional witness through hospitality, social justice and evangelism, (3) renewing our worship and prayer, (4) grasping afresh our salvation through Jesus Christ, and (5) authentically engaging our surrounding culture. Fresh and forward-looking, this book leads the way toward a deeply rooted church that points beyond contemporary evangelical accommodation to civil religion, privatism and enlightenment methodologies toward its true vocation to bear vital witness to God's present and coming kingdom. Contributors include Christopher A. Hall Brian E. Daley, S.J. D. H. Williams Michael Graves Peter J. Leithart Nicholas Perrin Christine Pohl George Kalantzis Alan Kreider John Witvliet Paul I. Kim D. Stephen Long Jason Byassee
In 1892, a young man left his home in the coastal foothills of Lebanon in search of a better life. Coming to America with his newlywed wife, he found work as a traveling peddler before settling on a small farm in central Nebraska. Years later, personal tragedy and an unexpected midnight visit from a saint changed the course of his life. Seeing the desperate need of his fellow Orthodox Christians and heeding God's call, he would spend the rest of his life traversing the Great Plains as a circuit-riding priest, known to his thousands of parishioners as Father Nicola Yanney. His legacy stands alongside that of St. Raphael Hawaweeny, his mentor, as a seminal force in the American Orthodox Church of our day.
Did you know there was a saint who used a dogsled for transportation? Or a saint who turned down a marriage proposal from the Roman emperor? How about the saint who jumped from building to building during a siege to bring the Eucharist to his parishioners? Discover all of these stories and more in 101 Orthodox Saints. Written for children and those with a childlike curiosity, this visual encyclopedia will enhance your family's understanding and celebration of the saints of the Church. Each page is filled with illustrations, icons, graphics, and fascinating facts about the martyrs, monks, and mothers who boldly lived out their Faith to the glory of God.From Ancient Faith Publishing, your source for books on Orthodox Christianity.
A history of the churches of Christ in America with emphasis on who they are and why. Fourteen chapters with pictures of Restoration leaders from both the 19th and 20th centuries.
Preface to the new edition -- Understanding the divine liturgy. Development of Christian worship in the Bible -- Worship in the early church -- Revelation and worship -- The royal priesthood -- Heavenly worship -- A journey through the liturgy. The interior of an Orthodox church -- The preparation service -- The liturgy of the word -- The liturgy of the Eucharist -- The Great Anaphora -- The Holy Communion -- The Thanksgiving -- Conclusion. A call to worship.
