American Pentecostalism began as a culturally isolated sect intent upon announcing the imminence of the world's end. The sect's early millenarian fervor gradually became muted in favor of flag-waving patriotism. At the end of the twentieth century it has become an affluent, worldwide movement thoroughly entrenched in popular culture. Edith Blumhofer uses the Assemblies of God, the largest classical Pentecostal denomination in the world, as a lens through which to view the changing nature of Anglo Pentecostalism in the United States. She illustrates how the original mission to proclaim the end resulted in the development of Bible schools, the rise of the charismatic movement, and the popularity of such figures as Aimee Semple McPherson, Charles Fox Parham, and David Du Plessis. Blumhofer also examines the sect's use of radio and television and the creation of a parallel Christian culture
In this heartwarming Christian romance, a widowed cowboy and a big city artist come together to renovate a smalltown Texas church. With two boys to raise, a fledgling contracting business to run and a family ranch to keep afloat, widower Drake Owens finds his hands aren’t just full—they’re overflowing. His latest job, renovating Sage Creek’s historic Trinity Faith church, gives him one more thing to take care of. When Austin artist Faith Nichols is hired to help him with the stained-glass windows, Drake can’t help being drawn to her talent and beauty. But he can’t fall for a woman who isn’t a believer. Can love restore her faith . . . and his heart?
THIS IS NO TIME TO RUN AND HIDE America seems to be crumbling from within. Having abandoned the Judeo-Christian values that are the foundation of its culture, our nation, in the eyes of many, is going the way of the great civilizations of the past. If our 250-year experiment in ordered liberty has really run its course, is it time to recognize the inevitable, pack up our families, and head for the hills, hunkering down through the dark days to come? Or is there hope for an American restoration? Tim Goeglein and Craig Osten, battle-hardened veterans of the culture wars, know as well as anyone that the decadence is undeniable. But they make the case that an American restoration is not only possible, but probable—if we act now. The key is for Christians to engage with the culture, not flee from it, to be the salt and light that will renew it from within. That engagement must take place especially at the local level, where real spiritual and cultural transformation occurs. If America returns to its spiritual foundations, the tumultuous times we live in will be nothing more than a bumpy detour in our nation’s history. This book is a roadmap for the way back. In this clear-eyed but hopeful guide to restoration, Goeglein and Osten explain how patriotic Americans, with God’s help, can renew fifteen critical components of our culture. Government will not provide the solutions we desperately need. The solutions lie in our churches, our communities, and our homes. The light for our path is faith. As that light pierces the darkness, America will experience a reawakening, regeneration, and renewal.
This message from Chuck Pierce and Robert Heidler likens our spiritual defense to that of the children of Israel while in battle. Within the ranks there were those who carried huge shields to protect the bulk of the army. And just as we fight spiritual battles today, there is a mighty shield we can carry to protect us. This shield of faith is one of the main ways we can resist our enemy's attacks. We are fully capable of resisting the enemy's attacks, but we must first be able to recognize how Satan fights. His main weapons are to create fear and doubt in us and to tempt us to become complainers and murmurers. If we succumb, our faith is weakened. The keys to increasing our faith are found in knowing the Word of God, which engenders praise, thankfulness, trust and obedience.
Many books have been written on conservative politics. Many more have been written calling Christians to holiness and spiritual revival. Few, however, have managed to combine a clear explanation of the conservative political perspective with its corresponding personal and spiritual virtue. In INDIVISIBLE, James Robison, the founder and president of LIFE Outreach International, partners with Jay Richards, Ph.D., a writer who has appeared in both the New York Times and The Washington Post. Together, they tackle tough, controversial political issues facing conservative Christians today, including abortion, stem cell research, education, economics, health care, the environment, judicial activism, marriage, and others. Written to appeal to a broad spectrum of believers, INDIVISIBLE not only argues political questions from a Scriptural standpoint, it also provides simple arguments that Christians can use to support their beliefs in public settings. Most significantly, Robison and Richards recognize that the point of origin for spiritual and moral transformation is the individual. "We are convinced by historical precedent that long term cultural change requires not merely sound thinking and public good works but rather, God's spiritual and moral transformation of us as individuals, which will then transform our churches, our communities, our culture, and ultimately our politics." James Robison is the founder and president of LIFE Outreach International, a worldwide Christian relief organization. He is also the host of LIFE Today, a daily syndicated television program that reaches 300 million homes in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia. He is the author of many books, including The Absolutes, True Prosperity, and Living in Love, and has spoken to millions of people through evangelistic crusades since entering public ministry in 1962. Jay W. Richards, Ph.D., is a Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute and the author of many books, including the award-winning Money, Greed, and God and The Privileged Planet. He is the executive director of the documentaries The Call of the Entrepreneur and The Birth of Freedom. He has been featured in the New York Times and the Washington Post and has appeared on Larry King Live. He has also lectured on economic myths to members of the U.S. Congress.
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.
It started with a Tootsie Roll. The day then-18-year-old Faith Hakesley was to testify in court against the well-liked Catholic priest who had raped her, a court guard pressed a Tootsie Roll into her hand. It was the first glimmer. The little piece of candy reminded her of the Scripture about "faith the size of a mustard seed," and this bit of encouragement, by way of the guard, but really from God, gave her the courage she needed to endure the trial. In Glimmers of Grace: Moments of Peace and Healing Following Sexual Abuse, Faith shares what she has learned about the gifts God wants to give victims throughout their journey of healing. Practical, personal, and versatile, Glimmers of Grace accompanies readers step by step from acceptance to true freedom. In each reflection, you'll explore the healing gifts God offers, including: Hope Kindness Perseverance Self-compassion Joy Each reflection includes a gratitude prompt, positive affirmation, achievable to-dos, and journaling questions to help you embrace each gift. Like Faith, you can learn, slowly but surely, to see where and how God is speaking to you and find hope and healing after sexual abuse. Glimmers of Grace can also help spouses, friends, loved ones, or anyone who works with abuse victims gain perspective and understanding. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Faith Hakesley is a wife, homeschooling mother of three, and blogger. In 2008, she was one of five victims of clerical abuse to meet privately with Pope Benedict XVI during his trip to Washington, D.C. She is passionate about sharing her personal story of healing in order to offer hope, healing, and peace to those who are suffering. Visit her website www.faithhakesley.com for more information.
"There has been a breakdown in American public life that no election can fix. Americans cannot even converse about politics. All the usual explanations for our condition have failed to make things better. Bruce Ledewitz shows that America is living with the consequences of the Death of God, which Friedrich Nietzsche knew would be momentous and irreversible. God was this culture's story of the meaning of our lives. Even atheists had substitutes for God, like inevitable progress. Now we have no story and do not even think about the nature of reality. That is why we are angry and despairing. America's future requires that we begin a new story by each of us asking a question posed by theologian Bernard Lonergan: Is the universe on our side? When we commit to live honestly and fully by our answer to that question, even if our immediate answer is no, America will begin to heal. Beyond that, pondering the question of the universe will allow us to see that there is more to the universe than blind forces and dead matter. Guided by the naturalism of Alfred North Whitehead's process philosophy, and the historical faith of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we can learn to trust that the universe bends toward justice and our welfare. That conclusion will complete our healing and restore faith in American public life. We can live without God, but not without thinking about holiness in the universe"--
This groundbreaking walk through Scripture by former physician and carpenter Dr. Matthew Sleeth makes the convincing case that trees reveal more about God and faith than you ever imagined. “Christians looking to reconnect to the natural world will relish Sleeth’s passionate call to Christian stewardship of the Earth.”—Publishers Weekly Fifteen years ago, Matthew Sleeth believed that science and logic held the answers to everything. But when tragedy struck, he opened the Bible for the first time and was surprised to find that God chose to tell the gospel story through a trail of trees. There’s a tree on the first page of Genesis, in the first psalm, on the first page of the New Testament, and on the last page of Revelation. The Bible’s wisdom is referred to as a tree of life. Every major biblical character and every major theological event has a tree marking the spot. A tree was the only thing that could kill Jesus—and the only thing Jesus ever harmed. Reforesting Faith is the rare book that builds bridges by connecting those who love the Creator with creation and those who love creation with the Creator. Join Dr. Sleeth as he explores the wonders of life, death, and rebirth through the trail of trees in Scripture. Once you discover the hidden language of trees, your walk through the woods—and through Scripture—will never be the same.