Our whole society relies on discipline. People going to work each day, doctors following procedures, pilots checking equipment, all rely on each person following a set of rules – a discipline. Following Jesus is synonymous with living disciplined. The current times demand disciples, not just churchgoers or Christians. In this new book from Pastor Phil Pringle brings lessons from his 43 years in Church ministry, and serving the global Church.
Blade McCormick is not a nice guy.He's pure adrenaline and smells like smoke and leather--the kind of guy you look at and know he's going to be a combination of nasty and irresistible. The moment I allowed myself to touch his hot skin and kiss his full lips, I. Was. Done.Like currency, I've become part of a transaction. Blade took me to pay off a debt. I try to tell myself, Eve, you should hate him. He's a bad guy. But then again, I'm not a good girl. Blade's the president of the Disciples, the notorious motorcycle club. I should be frightened, yet somehow, he doesn't scare me. If anything, I think I scare him.It takes a lot of work to become the club's Queen, but I'll stop at nothing to have the King!
How can we transmit a living, personal Catholic faith to future generations? By coming to know Jesus Christ, and following him as his disciples. These are times of immense challenge and immense opportunity for the Catholic Church. Consider these statistics for the United States. Only 30 percent of Americans who were raised Catholic are still practicing. Fully 10 percent of all adults in America are ex-Catholics. The number of marriages celebrated in the Church decreased dramatically, by nearly 60 percent, between 1972 and 2010. Only 60 percent of Catholics believe in a personal God. If the Church is to reverse these trends, the evangelizers must first be evangelized-in other words, Catholics-in-the-pew must make a conscious choice to know and follow Jesus before they can draw others to him. This work of discipleship lies at the heart of Forming Intentional Disciples, a book designed to help Church leaders, parish staff and all Catholics transform parish life from within. Drawing upon her fifteen years of experience with the Catherine of Siena Institute, Sherry Weddell leads readers through steps that will help Catholics enter more deeply into a relationship with God and the river of apostolic creativity, charisms, and vocation that flow from that relationship for the sake of the Church and the world. Learn about the five thresholds of postmodern conversion, how to open a conversation about faith and belief, how to ask thought-provoking questions and establish an atmosphere of trust, when to tell the Great Story of Jesus, how to help someone respond to God's call to intentional discipleship, and much more. And be prepared for conversion because when life at the parish level changes, the life of the whole Church will change.
The Twelve Disciples - The Life and Ministry of Jesus' 12 Disciples Who were the 12 men who were the closest to Jesus? The Twelve Disciples takes you inside "the circle" to learn more about Jesus' devoted followers, their backgrounds, their strengths and weaknesses, their purpose, and their mission. The Twelve Disciples takes a look at the disciples' personalities, their encounters with Jesus, and the lessons we can learn from those who knew Jesus best while he was on earth. This bestselling resource is an excellent tool to help you learn about those who were the closest to Jesus and what it takes to be a disciple of Jesus today. 12 panels, fits inside most Bibles, 8.5 x 5.5 inches, unfolds to 33 inches long What do you know about the disciples who learned at Jesus' feet? The Twelve Disciples contains a close-up on the 12 ordinary men who Jesus trained to care for his church: Peter, James (son of Zebedee), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), John, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. What was the purpose and mission of the 12 disciples? Below are a few of the facts you will learn in this fascinating pamphlet: Each of the disciples were from the Galilee region except for Judas. The disciples were Jesus' main focus of instruction. Jesus was very aware of each one's strengths and weaknesses. Jesus trusted them to carry God's message of redemption to the ends of the earth. The Twelve Disciples reveals the personality and character of the disciples. For example, Peter was impulsive and courageous whereas John was bold yet vengeful. Each disciple had unique and personal encounters with Jesus that helps us learn more about how we can improve our relationship with Jesus today Peter was called to be a fisher of men (Matthew 4:19). James was with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46). Andrew told Jesus about the boy with five loaves of bread and two fish (John 20:19-25). Thomas affirmed that Jesus was Lord and God (John 21:2-7). What do you know about the 39 followers of Jesus, outside of the disciples, who are mentioned by name in the New Testament? Yes, there are 39 other key people who were significant to Jesus and the church, including: Cleopas, Joanna, Judas (brother of Jesus), Mary Magdalene, Luke, Apollos, and dozens of others. The Twelve Disciples provides information about these important people and Scripture references so you can learn more about the friends of Jesus and those who were instrumental in starting His Church. Glossy and full-color, every fact in The Twelve Disciples includes a Scripture reference. Each of these 12 men will give you new insights into how you life can change by walking with Jesus. This pamphlet is an ideal resource for a Sunday school class or a small group Bible study. Both my husband and I found [The Twelve Disciples] surprisingly rich in information and historical facts concerning the characters, lives and deaths of Jesus' 12 disciples. My husband found it useful too for his sermons and we were surprised by some facts that we didn't know about the so-much-studied disciples. Myrtia (Customer review from CBD.com)
"It is not the same thing to have known Jesus as not to have known him, not the same thing to walk with him as to walk blindly, not the same thing to hear his word as not to know it.... We know that with Jesus life becomes richer."-Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel In her first book, Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus, Sherry Weddell, cofounder of the Catherine of Siena Institute, captured the attention of Catholics across the globe as she uncovered the life-changing power that accompanies the conscious decision to follow Jesus as his disciple. Now, in the groundbreaking Becoming a Parish of Intentional Disciples, she has gathered together experienced leaders and collaborators whose exceptional field-tested wisdom and enthusiasm for transforming Catholic parishes into centers of discipleship and apostolic outreach is both inspiring and practical. The authors consider: The role of intercessory prayer in parish transformation How "fireside chats" can help a pastor connect with his parishioners and call them to personal discipleship and mission The co-responsibility of lay people andpastors in the work of making disciples The revolutionary impact of a discipleship approach to youth ministry How one parish successfully fostered a culture of intentional discipleship, and much more As Sherry asks in her own chapter, "Are we willing to answer the call and pay the price necessary to become a new generation of saints through which God can do extraordinary things in our time?"
As a pastor I see many people who stifle and stuff their feelings, particularly “negative” ones. Even more problematic is that they believe this is what God wants them to do. From an early age they received the message explicitly, or implicitly, that said God wants you to be happy all the time. The truth is this: God loves and accepts us in the whole breadth of our feelings, from joy to excitement, anger and sadness, and everything in-between. This message matters because it builds two essential qualities for authentic relationship: self-awareness and openness. Because God loves me and all my feelings there is nothing to hide or fear. Through accessible language and bright, beautiful pictures children and their parents are able to internalize this message of God’s love and acceptance.
Jesus gave his followers a command: “Follow me.” And a promise: “And I will equip you to find others to follow me.” We were made to make disciples. Designed for use in discipleship relationships and other focused settings, Multiply will equip you to carry out Jesus’s ministry. Each of the twenty-four sessions in the book corresponds with an online video at www.multiplymovement.com, where New York Times bestselling author David Platt joins Francis in guiding you through each part of Multiply. One plus one plus one. Every copy of Multiply is designed to do what Jesus did: make disciples who make disciples who make disciples…. Until the world knows the truth of Jesus Christ.
"If discipleship is a journey, this book belongs in the rucksack. . . Like the scriptures on which it is based, it deserves repeated reading." Stephen Cherry, Dean of Kings College, Cambridge This fresh and inspiring look at the meaning of discipleship covers the essentials of the christian life, including: faith, hope and love; forgiveness; holiness; social action; life in the Spirit. Written for the general reader by one of our greatest living theologians, this book will help you to see more clearly, love more dearly and follow more nearly the way of Jesus Christ.
