Firsthand

Firsthand

Author: Ryan Shook

Publisher: WaterBrook

Published: 2014-07-15

Total Pages: 225

ISBN-13: 1601427220

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Stop copying someone else's religion. Start living out a faith that's all your own. A “firsthand” faith is never what somebody tells you it should be, even if that person is a parent, friend, or pastor. “Firsthand” means you went after it for yourself and now it’s all yours. That kind of faith is changes everything, but most people only find it by facing tough questions. Like: • If God is real, why does he feel far away? • Can I ever get past the dos and don’ts of church? • Why should I even try to follow God when I fail so often? • How do I experience a relationship with Christ that’s more than surface level? • Is it possible to have authentic faith when I have so many doubts? • How can I connect with others who take firsthand faith seriously? In these pages, Ryan and Josh Shook talk candidly about growing up in church only to realize that “how things are supposed to be” had stopped working for them. They set out to find what makes a young person’s faith stick—or not. Each chapter is designed to spark a discussion, and comes complete with personal inventories, Bible teaching, small-group discussion questions, and links to original video. Now includes bonus “Looking Back from Here” Q&A with the authors


Secondhand Jesus

Secondhand Jesus

Author: Glenn Packiam

Publisher: David C Cook

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 9781434766397

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When life derails, our thin view of God is challenged. We can walk away, or let our questions lead us home. As you wrestle with God, engaging Him for yourself, you--like Jacob, Job and David--will see rumors die and revelation come alive.


Discover the Mystery of Faith

Discover the Mystery of Faith

Author: Glenn Packiam

Publisher: David C Cook

Published: 2013-03-05

Total Pages: 120

ISBN-13: 1434707024

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What if the way we worship isn't just an expression of our faith, but is what shapes our faith? The Church has believed this about the way we worship and pray together for centuries: The way we worship becomes the way we believe. But if this is true, it’s time to take a closer look at what we say and sing and do each week. Drawing from his own discovery of ancient worship practices, Glenn Packiam helps us understand why the Church made creedal proclamations and Psalm-praying a regular part of their worship. He shares about why the Eucharist was the climactic point of their corporate “re-telling of the salvation story.” When our worship becomes a rich feast, our faith is nourished and no longer anemic. The more our worship speaks of Christ, the more we enter into the mystery of faith.


Determined - Women's Bible Study Participant Workbook

Determined - Women's Bible Study Participant Workbook

Author: Heather M. Dixon

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Published: 2019-04-02

Total Pages: 412

ISBN-13: 1501878875

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Live intentionally and embrace abundant life! Imagine waking up every single day convinced that the twenty-four hours ahead of you are a precious gift to be used wisely. Now imagine that you know exactly how to spend them to be a force for God’s good. All too often we wander through life without appreciating the gift of every moment we’ve been given. The result? An unsatisfying life, missed opportunities to experience the joy of being in sync with God, and days marked with apathy instead of passion. Our time on earth is measured. We should want to make every moment count—not only because we aren’t guaranteed the next one, but also because this is exactly how our Savior spent His time here. How, then, do we walk out unwavering joy-filled faith every day, determined to let go of the things that keep us from experiencing abundant life and fulfilling the plans God has for us? The answers are found in following the footsteps of the One who lived fully, because He was determined that we might do the same. In this six-week study of Luke, we will follow the life and ministry of Jesus as we consider the choices He made on His way to the cross. We’ll intimately connect with a Savior who remained laser-focused on His mission to love the world. In return, we’ll receive a model for intentional living that we can replicate to ensure we are living each day to the fullest and making a difference for God’s kingdom. And together we’ll determine to embrace the abundant life we are promised in Jesus. The participant workbook includes five days of lessons for each week, combining study of Scripture with personal reflection, application, and prayer. It’s time to stop wandering and start living!


Portable Faith

Portable Faith

Author: Sarah Cunningham

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Published: 2013-03-01

Total Pages: 186

ISBN-13: 1426771266

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Help church members to talk their faith into their everyday worlds. Portable Faith provides simple but effective ways to help people go public with their faith. Author Sarah Cunningham provides samples of activities and exercises that encourage people to meet others in the community—for example: begin by mapping out where your church members live; create a fellowship meal of ethnic foods that come from the church's surrounding community; start a reading group at work; or simply participate in a neighborhood watch. These activities are flexible and workable even with small budgets. They can be done by individuals, Bible study groups, Sunday morning classes, or by the entire church. By the end of the book, Sarah Cunningham hopes that readers will look at their church community with new eyes.


Becoming a Contagious Christian

Becoming a Contagious Christian

Author: Bill Hybels

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 236

ISBN-13: 9780310485001

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Not a book of theory or speculation, here is a proven action plan to impacting the spiritual lives of friends, family members, co-workers, and others. Powerful stories and teachings help readers to gain hope that their friends' lives can change, get free from the misconceptions of evangelism, discover a natural approach to communicating their faith, and more.


Learning from the Stranger

Learning from the Stranger

Author: David I. Smith

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Published: 2009-06-09

Total Pages: 195

ISBN-13: 1467423475

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Cultural differences increasingly impact our everyday lives. Virtually none of us today interact exclusively with people who look, talk, and behave like we do. David Smith here offers an excellent guide to living and learning in our culturally interconnected world. / Learning from the Stranger clearly explains what "culture" is, discusses how cultural difference affects our perceptions and behavior, and explores how Jesus' call to love our neighbor involves learning from cultural strangers. Built around three chapter-length readings of extended biblical passages (from Genesis, Luke, and Acts), the book skillfully weaves together theological and practical concerns, and Smith’s engaging, readable text is peppered with stories from his own extensive firsthand experience. / Many thoughtful readers will resonate with this insightful book as it encourages the virtues of humility and hospitality in our personal interactions — and shows how learning from strangers, not just imparting our own ideas to them, is an integral part of Christian discipleship.


Foundations for Faith

Foundations for Faith

Author: Navigators

Publisher:

Published: 1980

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 9780891090403

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Get God's perspective on who He is, His Word, the Holy Spirit, spiritual warfare, and Christ's return through this short Bible study.


Renewed - Women's Bible Study Participant Workbook with Leader Helps

Renewed - Women's Bible Study Participant Workbook with Leader Helps

Author: Heather M. Dixon

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Published: 2020-09-01

Total Pages: 243

ISBN-13: 1791006183

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Lessons from Naomi in the Book of Ruth. Few things make us feel as helpless as living with a story we don’t like. Maybe one that involves the loss of a loved one, an unwanted transition, a difficult diagnosis, or a dream that fell through. At one time or another, we all deal with disappointments and feelings that life is unfair or that we are being punished. In Renewed, a four-week study of the Book of Ruth, women glean wisdom from Naomi’s perspective, a woman who lived a story she didn’t choose or like. Forced to chart a new path as she mourned the loss of her husband and two sons, Naomi learned that the journey from bitterness to renewed hope and joy was rooted in God’s promise of redemption. With insight from her own journey of living with a story that is not easy, Heather teaches women to flourish even as they live hard stories through a willingness to trust that God can transform them and trade their heartache for hope. They will learn to rely on God’s movement in the details of their story, even when it can’t be seen, gain confidence to act in the part of their stories that they can change, and watch expectantly for God to redeem the parts they can’t. Components for this four-week Bible study, available separately, include a Participant Workbook with Leader Helps and a DVD with four 20 to 25-minute segments (with closed captioning).