During his first seven years ministering to a suburban Houston congregation (2003-9), Matt Soper wrote a weekly essay commenting on current events, culture and the Christian faith. These essays touched on some of the most dramatic events and pressings issues of that decade, such as the capture of Saddam Hussein, the Abu Ghraib prison debacle, Hurricane Katrina, the fallout from the Danish cartoons of Muhammed, the Enron implosion, sports steroid scandals, the same-sex marriage debate, Barack Obama's historic election, and the 2007-8 recession. They also addressed more prosaic but always challenging issues and events in the life of regular people striving to live faithfully as part of an American congregation of Christians. The essays were written in real time as events unfolded, and they chronicle a preacher attempting to lead a community of Christians in thoughtfully engaging the world through eyes of courageous, rigorous and hopeful faith. Dr. Matt Soper was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. He earned bachelor's degrees in Business from Rhodes College and Biblical Studies from Austin Graduate School of Theology, a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from Abilene Christian University. He has served churches in New Milford, CT, Los Angeles, CA and Houston, TX. He is currently the Senior Minister of the West Houston Church of Christ. He and his wife, Angela, have two daughters.
The President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints discusses morality, testimony, being a missionary, service to others, profanity, personal journals, tithing, administration to the sick, and planning your life.
What should Christian witness look like in our contemporary society? In this timely book, Alan Noble looks at our cultural moment, characterized by technological distraction and the growth of secularism, laying out individual, ecclesial, and cultural practices that disrupt our society's deep-rooted assumptions and point beyond them to the transcendent grace and beauty of Jesus.
How does a boy learn to be a man? A man learns masculinity primarily from his father. But generations of boys who grow up without caring fathers or male mentors to emulate are left to guess what "men" are really like. They rely on cultural icons--larger-than-life images--as models of masculinity. As a result, they grow up mirroring overblown myths of manhood. Obsessed with being "man enough," they become philanderers, controllers, and competitors--constantly overcompensating for their loss of a true role model, yet sorely unprepared for family life. In Man Enough, psychiatrist and family therapist Frank Pittman explores what it is like to grow up male today. With great poignancy, humor, and candor, he weaves together case studies from his practice, examples from literature and films, plus personal vignettes from his own experiences as a father to examine these hyper-masculine men and to illustrate how they developed and how they can change. Dr. Pittman asserts that men can move past proving their masculinity and start practicing it by striving with the other guys rather than against them, achieving equality and intimacy with their mates--and by fathering. A man raises himself as he raises children and learns to understand and forgive his parents as he becomes one. An important book for men and women, Man Enough offers a new approach to issues of commitment, caring and control and creates a positive model for the fathers of tomorrow's men.
On August 14, 2011, when I was in Kandergrund in the Bernese Highlands in Switzerland an important connection became very clear to me. I recognized a spiritual cause for why we are losing part of our youth. I was very shocked. I thought of my children and grandchildren. Since then I have been intensively occupied with this subject.Now I believe that the same spiritual cause is behind many of our problems; specifically the personal problems, in the local churches and the world-wide church. It is the lack of the Holy Spirit. If this is the cause, then we should urgently address this issue. If the cause can be eliminated or considerably reduced, then many problems will become superfluous or will be resolved.
Trails to Testimony: Bringing Young Men to Christ Through Scouting - President Gordon B. Hinckley said, "There is no more significant work in this world than the preparation of boys to become men . . . who are qualified to live productive and meaningful lives." And President Thomas S. Monson underscores this thought when he says that "It's easier to build boys than to mend them." Bradley D. Harris, professor of recreational management and youth leadership at Brigham Young University, and past member of the LDS Young Mens General Board, challenges parents and youth leaders alike to rediscover the spiritual dimensions of Scouting-to focus on the close relationship that should exist between Scouting and the Aaronic Priesthood. The author's 22-year professional career with the Boy Scouts of America, combined with extensive experience within the Church in various priesthood leadership capacities, gives him invaluable insights into the responsibilities that parents and leaders have in bringing young men to Christ. "The family is the first institution charged with bringing young men to Christ. . . . Working in harmony, the family and the Aaronic Priesthood should create an atmosphere where young men's individual testimonies can . . . flourish." Trails to Testimony is a powerful guide for families and leaders entrusted with the sacred responsibility of teaching and guiding the young men of the Church.
You spend your time pining away for your one true love and suddenly...you're married and it is a lot more than you bargained for. Now is the hour you should be preparing to be a wife---to be a help meet. What does a good guy really look for in a girl? Are you a Dreamer, Servant or Go-to Gal? Do you know what to pray for your man-to-be? Should you tell a guy you like him? Can you know God's will in choosing a husband?
The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1970, volume 1, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee from January through July 1970. During this period Brother Lee remained in Los Angeles for the first two weeks of January, after which he traveled to Sao Paulo, Brazil, and remained there until early February. There is no record of his speaking in Sao Paulo. On his return to the United States he stopped in Houston, Texas, where he gave a conference, and then returned to Los Angeles in the middle of February, where he remained until the end of March. He then visited Mesa, Arizona, for a weekend conference. He returned to Southern California and ministered in Los Angeles and Costa Mesa until the last week in June. He traveled to Toronto, Canada, for one week and proceeded to visit Akron, Ohio, until the middle of July. There is no record of his speaking in Toronto. Brother Lee then returned to Los Angeles and ministered there until the middle of August. The contents of this volume are divided into eleven sections, as follows: 1. Eleven messages given in Los Angeles, California, from January 1 through 4. These messages were previously published in a ten-chapter book entitled The Fulfillment of God's Purpose by the Growth of Christ in Us. Two of the spoken messages were combined. 2. One message given in Los Angeles, California, on January 18. This message was previously published in The Ministry magazine, volume 2, number 8, August/September 1998, as the first part of a chapter entitled "Migration in God's Move." It is included in this volume under the title Fellowship on Migration. 3. One message given in Los Angeles, California, on February 24. It is included in this volume under the title Bearing Fruit for the Manifestation of the Triune God and Standing Against the Opposition of the Religious World. 4. One message given in Los Angeles, California, on April 19. This message is included in this volume under the title Abiding in the Anointing. 5. Seven messages given in Houston, Texas, from February 8 through 14. They are included in this volume under the title Fulfilling God's Purpose by Growing in Life and Functioning in Life to Build Up the Church. 6. Seven messages given in Mesa, Arizona, on March 27 through 29. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Enjoyment of Christ in Our Spirit for the Building Up of the Church as Revealed in the Gospel of Matthew. 7. Fourteen messages given in Los Angeles, California, from March 31 through June 5. These messages were previously published under the title New Testament Service. Part of chapter 5 and all of chapter 6 were published as a booklet entitled Finding Christ by the Living Star. 8. Nine messages given in Los Angeles, California, from April 3 through May 29. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Way to Grow in Life. 9. Three messages given in Costa Mesa, California, on May 30 and 31. They are included in this volume under the title Crucial Points concerning Christ, the Church, and the Two Spirits in John's Gospel and Revelation. 10. Eight messages given in Akron, Ohio, on July 3 through 5. There is no record of the first message in this series. The remaining seven messages are included in this volume under the title Basic Lessons concerning the New Testament Service. The first recorded message was divided into two parts for publication in this section. 11. Eight messages given in Los Angeles, California, on July 17 through 25. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Spirit and the Church. Brother Lee also gave seven messages in Los Angeles, California, during a period of informal training from April 1 through May 13. These messages, together with sixteen messages given from February 5 through May 21, 1969, were previously published in a book entitled How to Meet. The twenty-three messages were included in The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1969, volume 1.
