Sociology professor and spiritual director Susan Phillips walks us through our circus-like cultural landscape to invite us into a cultivated life of spirituality and attentiveness. God extends to us an invitation to live in the garden of grace, and these pages unfold the spiritual practices that can lead us into a new and delightful way of living.
In this comprehensive history, Charles Cotherman traces the stories of notable study centers and networks, as well as their influence on twentieth-century Christianity. Beginning with the innovations of L'Abri and Regent College, Cotherman sheds new light on these defining places in evangelicalism's life of the mind.
Listening is an essential skill for healthy relationships, both with God and with other people. But it is more than that: listening is a way of life. Adam McHugh places listening at the heart of our spirituality, our relationships and our mission. Heed the call to the listening life, and hear what God is doing in you and the world.
In The Gospel in the Western Context, Gert-Jan Roest focuses on discerning a Western contextual gospel, an endeavour that is very relevant to the current state of Christianity in the postmodern and post-Christendom West. After giving an in-depth analysis and synthesis of how Hendrikus Berkhof and Colin Gunton read the Western context and contextualize their Christology, he develops a gospel-centred model for reading the context. Meanwhile, he makes a creative and much-needed attempt to connect the two disciplines of systematic theology and missiology and convincingly shows that both disciplines cannot only enrich one another but also can give church practitioners insight and wisdom for their tasks.
A unique and incisive exploration of the place and nature of friendship in both its personal and civic dimensions In Towards Friendship-Shaped Communities: A Practical Theology of Friendship, distinguished theological researcher Anne-Marie Ellithorpe delivers a constructive and insightful exploration of the place and nature of friendship as innate to being human, to the human vocation, and to life within the broader community. Of particular interest to members and leaders of faith communities, this book responds to contemporary concerns regarding relationality and offers a comprehensive theology of friendship. The author provides an inclusive and interdisciplinary study that brings previous traditions and texts into dialogue with contemporary contexts and concerns, including examples from Indigenous and Euro-Western cultures. Readers will reflect on the theology of friendship and the interrelationship between friendship and community, think critically about their own social and theological imagination, and develop an integrative approach to theological reflection that draws on Don Browning’s Fundamental Practical Theology. Integrating philosophical, anthropological, and theological perspectives on the study of friendship, this book presents: A thorough introduction to contemporary questions on friendship and discussions of co-existing friendship worlds Comprehensive explorations of friendship in first and second testament writings, as well as friendship within classical and Christian traditions Practical discussions of theology, friendship, and the social imagination, including explorations of mutuality and spirit-shaped friendships Considerations for outworking friendship ideals within communities of practice, from the perspective of strategic (or fully) practical theology Perfect for graduate and advanced undergraduate students taking courses on friendship or practical theology, Towards Friendship-Shaped Communities: A Practical Theology of Friendship will also earn a place in the libraries of scholars of practical theology and community practitioners, including ministers, priests, pastors, spiritual advisors, and counselors.
God is speaking in our everyday world. How can we become more attuned to listening for God's voice? Keith Anderson walks us through key biblical themes that help us see and experience how God is present with us if we would only listen, paying attention to the moments that make up our days. Listen—and step into a world alive with God's presence.
Making Sense of It All invites us to experience a good God who actively woos us to himself, even (or especially) through our heartaches and setbacks. With a pastor’s heart and fifty years of pastoral ministry, Richard Hipps weaves together biblical truths, storytelling, and the wisdom of fellow strugglers to draw us closer to God’s heart. His reflections will have you affirming with him that God is trustworthy—that a good God is telling a good story that will have a good ending.
Have you ever wondered who God had in mind before you came to be? Dominic Done examines seven gifts that, when practiced through the help of the Holy Spirit, will restore you, cause you to flourish, and empower you to come alive to the story you were made for. How is the health of your soul? Is the deepest part of you flourishing—or is it languishing and gasping for air? Life lately has been filled with exhausting challenges: personal loss, political division, economic turmoil, faith deconstruction, and isolation. And our soul feels it. Yet in the face of uncertainty, the Bible assures us we can thrive inwardly. Jesus promised his followers the abundant life. But how do we find it? How can we flourish in difficult times? In Your Longing Has a Name, author Dominic Done casts a beautiful vision of hope, revealing seven gifts God has provided for the health of the soul. He weaves together A unique approach to understanding our purpose Fresh language designed for current times of crisis and spiritual uncertainty Soulful theology that focuses on our identity in Christ rather than rules-based legalism Deeply moving personal stories, biblical insights, and relatable discussions on the human ache for meaning Examples from history, literature, art, and culture Your Longing Has a Name paints a picture of hope during a time of crisis and confusion and helps us find ways for our soul to come alive.
Sometimes life feels overwhelming and chaotic. Sometimes we veer off course, neglecting our most important relationship with Jesus. We may feel out of control, wondering how to get back on track, how to draw closer to our Creator and Savior. The liturgical calendar provides a way to get back on track, a way to reorder our habits. It does not matter your denomination; the liturgical calendar offers all of us this opportunity to reorder our lives around Jesus. Will you join me on a spiritual Christmas journey, a journey of recentering our hearts and minds on Jesus, a journey starting in Advent and ending on Epiphany? The Book of Colossians provides a unique lens for this wonderful time of year. Paul grounds his letter in the sovereign and glorious nature of Jesus. And, as we reflect on the Book of Colossians during Christmas, we are invited to slowly ponder the incarnation, our glorious God who shed the heavens and for a stable, the Word who became Flesh and dwelt among us. Will you join me on this Christmas journey?
Leaders: Are you feeling overwhelmed in this post-pandemic world? The one-size-fits-all approaches no longer work. You need creative strategies based on godly wisdom that bring people together and break new ground. In The Ways of the Leader, Bill Mowry unpacks four competencies for everyday leaders in churches, ministries, communities, and businesses. To generate wisdom as a leader, you must become a lifelong learner who views your life and leadership as God's classroom for discovery; collaborator who engages people to explore, create, and implement new approaches; cultural detective who examines assumptions and values where you lead and live; and ministry innovator who discovers solutions that are crafted to the specific needs of your community. Rise up against the chaos of today as you nurture the wisdom to choose what is good (what brings life and nourishes people) and right (what is just and fair) and impact those right where you are with practical solutions.