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.
Traditional Protestant theology has long answered the question, "What is the true church?" by pointing to the visible church--its location, nature, and structure. The recent increase of interest in missions, however, has raised the issues of the church's role and identity--its mission in the world. It is no longer enough to use orthodoxy as the criterion for the genuineness of the church, identifying the body of Christ by organization or clerical structure, perfection in lifestyle, or ecstatic experience of the Holy Spirit. Rather, says Norman Kraus, the mark of the true church is its authenticity--its ability to remain true to its original prototype in character and purpose. Thus, the church's mission is to be the authentic community of witness to the world. The Christian community affirms each individual as a person in Christ, and its objective for the world is the same as for itself: it calls the world to peace in Christ. The church in mission, then, must be a sign to the world of the kingdom of God. As an authentic community, it is a healing community, characterized and organized around its mission of reconciling witness rather than creeds, various practices, or preaching. Following Christ as its model, its message is salvation and reconciliation.
Balthasar puts his finger on the precise origin of all those elements in modern Christianity which see the real Jesus Christ as unknowable, the Gospels as merely the confused reflections of later Christians, and Christian tradition as a perpetuation of the mythology.
Introducing a major new doctrinal work written by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland who shares his apostolic witness of the central figure of the Book of Mormon-the Lord Jesus Christ. For most of a decade, Elder Holland has read the Book of Mormon repeatedly and thoroughly, focusing on all references to the Savior and his teachings. The result is an intelligent observation and thorough study of the Book of Mormon's contribution to our understanding of Christ. On the illustrated edition: Elder Holland's classic examination of Jesus Christ as the "principal and commanding figure" in the Book of Mormon is now available as an illustrated keepsake. This landmark book explores what the Book of Mormon reveals about the character, attributes, and mission or our Savior. In his warm and thoughtful style, Elder Holland explains why, more than any other book, the Book of Mormon "has taught me to love the Lord Jesus Christ and to consider the full wonder and grandeur, the eternally resonating power of the atoning sacrifice he made for us." Stunning full-color illustrations by Walter Rane, Robert Barrett, Simon Dewey, Joseph Brickey, and others bring vibrant new life to this beloved volume.
After proclaiming that God's Kingdom had come near, Jesus died on the cross. This is hard to reconcile with what Jesus announced at the start of his ministry. It can only be understood when we realize the relationship between the Kingdom of God and his death. Jesus said flesh and blood can't inherit the Kingdom of God, but only those who are born of the Sprit, and for this reason Jesus had to die on the cross. Jesus explained this to Nicodemus that only those who are born of the Holy Spirit can enter into the Kingdom of God. He came into the world to make it happen, because without the cross of Jesus there is no fulfillment of the Kingdom. The proclamation of Jesus, his works and his life have strong bearing on his mission. Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom of God had come near. He healed the sick, fed the hungry and gave hope to the poor. He lived a very basic life with his disciples and had no earthly possessions. This was the Kingdom that Jesus proclaimed. It gave the power back to the people, it gave them dignity and a life of joy and contentment. It was about the wellbeing of the whole community and where the leaders served others. Jesus explained the mysteries of his Kingdom through many parables, which turned the whole concept of the kingdom on its head and only a few were able to understand it then, as it is now. It was a new and unique concept for the disciples to grasp, but after his resurrection when he was with them for forty days, Jesus explained everything to them as recorded in the book of Acts. He instructed them to remain in Jerusalem till they were baptized by the Holy Spirit. Their empowerment which is usually understood in terms of Peter's bold preaching of the gospel was in fact more than that. It was to give them the courage to leave their earthly possessions and relationships and accept the other believers as their new family, where God lived with them and looked after their daily needs, spiritual as well as material. This was a very bold step for them to take. It was more daring than standing up to preach before a large crowd on the day of the Pentecost. The first church in Jerusalem became a place where God's Kingdom had come. They rejoiced together as they shared everything and God did mighty works among them. This would not have been possible, if they hadn’t left their own families and possession to join the new community of God’s people. The church lost the initial impetus that the early Christians had, in the way they lived and preached the good news of the Kingdom, especially during the post-Constantine period when the church leaders were seduced by the wealth that came from the state treasury. The way Jesus, the apostles and the early Christians had lived was completely forgotten or overlooked. The sixteenth century reformation tried to recover some of the important aspect the Christianity but it did not go far enough. At present the church has become its own worst enemy. Some churches are trying to destroy the very foundation of our salvation by denying the existence of historical Jesus. In others the faith in Jesus has failed to translate into a living reality. It judges the world harshly and does not reflect the values of God's Kingdom in its daily life. We need to reaffirm the apostolic faith and the community life of the early church. And become a community of God’s redeemed people who follow the principles of his Kingdom. This is the true life and witness of the church.
Evangelist and teacher McNeil thinks evangelism that only introduces people to Jesus is incomplete. The picture is much larger than that, she claims. Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman gives the full picture of reconciliation with God and with one another.
Is there evidence to believe the Gospels? The Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, John—are four accounts of Jesus’s life and teachings while on earth. But should we accept them as historically accurate? What evidence is there that the recorded events actually happened? Presenting a case for the historical reliability of the Gospels, New Testament scholar Peter Williams examines evidence from non-Christian sources, assesses how accurately the four biblical accounts reflect the cultural context of their day, compares different accounts of the same events, and looks at how these texts were handed down throughout the centuries. Everyone from the skeptic to the scholar will find powerful arguments in favor of trusting the Gospels as trustworthy accounts of Jesus’s earthly life.
In this lavishly illustrated large coffee-table volume, writer Gorny and photographer Rosikon embarked on a two year investigative journey to seek the truth behind all the relics associated with the passion of Christ. The authors investigated a rich body of documentary evidence found in various museums, archives and churches surrounding sacred objects believed to have been preserved since Jesus' lifetime, exploring and collaborating with historians and scientists in their attempt to verify the relics' authenticity. They reach their conclusions not so much on the basis of faith as on the evidence supplied by historical sources and expert scientific opinion. The relics associated with the Passion - the suffering, death and burial of Christ - have long proved something of an enigma for the scientific community. Relics investigated, and photographed, for this glorious volume include: the Cross, nails, crown of thorns, pillar of scourging, Christ's tunic, the Veil of Manoppello, the Sudarium of Oviedo, the famous Shroud of Turin burial cloth and more.
2008-God's Final Witness reveals the timing of catastrophic end-time events that will escalate worldwide and result in the total demise of the United States within two years. Ronald Weinland states that 2008 will mark the beginning of the final events that will thrust the world into the great tribulation, which will usher in World War III. This last war will be the result of clashing religions and the governments they sway. This latest book explains end-time prophecies and the reasons such destructive events must come to pass. It also tells of God's intervention to save mankind from his self-imposed destruction, the end of man's self-rule, and the beginning of God's government being established over all nations. 2008-God's Final Witness is a revelation of the Book of Revelation. Ronald Weinland states that he has been given the task of revealing the truth about those things John wrote. This book also reveals the Seven Thunders of the Book of Revelation, which the apostle John was not allowed to record.
