Jesus Christ said that He would build His Church and that it would never die out. Is today's Christianity, with its hundreds of denominations with widely differing beliefs and practices, the Church Jesus promised that He would build? -- Inside this Bible study aid booklet: -- A People Special to God -- The Historical Background of the Term Church -- 'Church' and 'Congregation' in the Scriptures -- A Spiritually Transformed People -- The Apostles: A Case Study in Conversion -- The Responsibility and Mission of the Church -- What is the True Gospel? -- Is Today the Only Day of Salvation? -- The Rise of a Counterfeit Christianity -- Changes in Christian Scholars' Perspective on God's Law -- Early Trends That Affected the Future of the Church -- The Church of God Today -- What Did the Early Church Believe and Practice? -- The Church as the Bride of Christ
What beliefs are core to the Christian faith? This book is here to help you understand the reason for your hope as a Christian so that you can see it with fresh sight and invite others into the conversation. A lot of Christians take their story—the narratives that give rise to their beliefs—for granted. They pray, go to church, perhaps even read their Bible. But they might be stuck if a stranger asked them to explain what they believe and why they believe it. Author, pastor, and theologian Mike Horton unpacks the essential and basic beliefs that all Christians share in a way that is easy to understand and applicable to our lives today. And in a way that will make you excited to be a Christian! Core Christianity covers topics like: Jesus as both fully God and fully man. The doctrine of the Trinity. The goodness of God despite a broken world. The ways God speaks. The meaning of salvation. What is the Christian calling? Includes discussion questions for individual or group use. This introduction to the basic doctrines of Christianity is perfect for those who are new to the faith, as well as those who have an interest in deepening their understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
It is said that the Bible is not a science book. That is true. Science books were written by men attempting to describe the things of God, while at the same time, removing God from the equation. The Bible does not function on such illogic. It has never issued a second, third or fourth edition. The Bible does not waiver or change based on scientific trends or theories of the day, for the Bible is ultimate truth and ultimate truth cannot change. According to John 1, Hebrews 1 and Colossians 1, Jesus is the maker of all things and Romans 1 says that we can get to know the Creator through the things that were made. If Jesus is the Creator and we can get to know the Creator through creation, should we not study what that creation is according to scripture? After all, Jesus himself disagreed with modern scientific claims. The fact that Jesus disagreed with modern science should not scare us as modern Christians. It should empower us to investigate the claims of modern science, knowing that if the two disagree, there is likely an evil cultural agenda at play, through the devil's use of our traditional media, social media and established scientific community. Years of research across many different biblical topics has yielded me two undeniable facts. One, the experts are not any closer to the available evidence than we are, and two, the Bible is never wrong. In addition, if we can use this available evidence to disprove modern science's claims through simple experimentation, does this not give us the right to speculate on other theories?We should all be more apt to lend credence to ancient accounts written by eyewitnesses over creating entire belief systems based on bias interpretations of numbers, readings and measurements, especially when those interpretations go against the scriptures and are in direct opposition to the experiences of our daily lives. Ultimately, we must choose whether theories backed by scripture, logic and experimentation are sufficient enough to trust our senses over culturally inspired artwork we see on screens or in textbooks.
Kids really do say the darndest things. And in this humorous book by Carey Kinsolving and friends, the reader will be amused and sometimes amazed at the whimsical yet wise ways that children view God. With material taken from Kinsolving's weekly syndicated column, Kids Talk About God is a delightful collection of children's answers to questions likme: How can God be everywhere at one time? What do angels look like? Who made God? Why do we die?
An original Christmas fable about when Santa first learns about Jesus' message of grace.Unexpectedly, Santa finds himself on a his own spiritual and philosophical journey full of humour, self-reflection, wonder and redemption.Complemented by the beautiful and engaging illustrations of Matt Boutros, this book hopes to inspire many a conversation about faith, philosophy and the messages of Christmas, between adults and children alike.
