People don't abandon faith because they have doubts. People abandon faith because they think they're not allowed to have doubts. Even as a pastor, Austin Fischer has experienced the shadows of doubt and disillusionment. Leaning into perennial questions about Christianity, he shows that doubt is no reason to leave the faith—instead, it's an invitation to a more honest faith.
Late pastor Ron Dunn's acclaimed book clarifies the differences between true and counterfeit faith, showing faith's rewards to be more about experiencing God's presence than in earthly blessings.
After working with thousands of struggling Latter-day Saint members, the authors have written a book offering hope and answers for those struggling with faith crisis. In a head-to-head, behind-the-scenes-battle, 20th century traditional leaders resisted intellectual progressives working in the Church History Department and at BYU.
Trusting Jesus is hard. It requires following the unseen into an unknown, and believing Jesus's words over and against the threats we see or the fears we feel. Through the imaginative retelling of 35 Bible stories, Not by Sight gives us glimpses of what it means to walk by faith and counsel for how to trust God's promises more than our perceptions and to find rest in the faithfulness of God.
True faith is hard. More than mere sentimentalism, faith often calls for a deep and resilient trust in God—especially when the going gets tough and the road is dark. In Things Not Seen, author Jon Bloom encourages readers with 35 imaginative retellings of stories from the Bible that illustrate the importance of living by faith. A follow-up to the author's previous book, Not by Sight: A Fresh Look at Old Stories of Walking by Faith, this inspiring volume explores the lives of Abraham, Moses, Saul, John the Baptist, and more—helping readers remember God's promises, rely on his grace, and follow his leading regardless of the circumstances. The book includes a foreword by popular author and blogger Ann Voskamp.
Working from the experiences of the later mystics Keating offers the spiritual sense of scripture elaborated by the Fathers and Mothers of the Church, which has been used repeatedly to illustrate insights useful to the various stages of spiritual development. This rich storytelling tradition traces a spiritual journey, outlining a way of listening to God by sharpening the habit of contemporary prayer.
2012 was the hardest and best year of my life. I did not see this crisis coming, but am glad it came before it was too late. Throughout this difficult time I discovered my Heavenly Dad likes me just the way I am. Even though my path went through deep waters, God was with me every step of the way. I discovered I cannot hide my toxic issues for eventually they will leak out and hurt those who are closest to me, primarily my wife and children. The more I comprehend the grace of God, the more I am equipped to confront my own baggage and wounds. I hope this book will encourage and affirm others who are going through similar valleys and tribulations. These hard journeys are normal for the Christian. Every person of note in scripture endured at least one life changing crisis. God uses difficult times to work deep in our hearts, reveal more of Himself, and transform us into the image of His Son. When we draw near to God, let Him bear our burden, ask for help from the body of Christ, and acknowledge our stuff, our recovery will begin. May God help us to do the necessary work of confronting our issues with the help of God and our brethren. For as we do, our wives and children will flourish in a safe home where they can love and honor their husband and father without fear.
The Victorian crisis of faith has dominated discussions of religion and the Victorians. Stories are frequently told of prominent Victorians such as George Eliot losing their faith. This crisis is presented as demonstrating the intellectual weakness of Christianity as it was assaulted by new lines of thought such as Darwinism and biblical criticism. This study serves as a corrective to that narrative. It focuses on freethinking and Secularist leaders who came to faith. As sceptics, they had imbibed all the latest ideas that seemed to undermine faith; nevertheless, they went on to experience a crisis of doubt, and then to defend in their writings and lectures the intellectual cogency of Christianity. The Victorian crisis of doubt was surprisingly large. Telling this story serves to restore its true proportion and to reveal the intellectual strength of faith in the nineteenth century.
