It has recently become acceptable, and even fashionable, to refer to one's church as "missional." But many churches misunderstand the concept, thinking of "going missional" as simply being a necessary add-on to church-as-usual. This domestication of what is actually a very bold paradigm shift makes missional nothing more than one more trick to see church growth. With a light hand and a pastoral spirit, Michael Frost points out how church practitioners are not quite there yet. He reestablishes the ground rules, redefines the terms accurately, and insists that the true prophetic essence of "being missional" comes through undiluted. This clear corrective will take ministry leaders from "not missional yet" to well on their way.
Make discipling culturally relevant. Christians who serve Jesus among people from a different culture than their own often struggle to find a good way to disciple people. Walking Together on the Jesus Road addresses this need by guiding readers through three essential practices for making disciples across cultures: listening to disciples to get to know them and their context, focusing on relationships with Christ, fellow disciples, and others, and enabling disciples to live out their faith in culturally relevant ways. These practices are the foundation for the long-term, intentional process of helping disciples from other cultures become more like Jesus. The book also engages with practical challenges, such as enabling disciples to find and belong to a nurturing community of faith, as well as contextualizing the way we teach the Bible.
Ralph Arguello is a one-time criminal, now married to San Antonio policewoman Ana, and a friend of private investigator Tres Navarre. When DNA evidence emerges, tying Ralph to a long-unsolved underworld killing on Mission Road, and Ana turns up murdered, Ralph runs to the only person he knows can help him. On the run from a city-wide manhunt, Tres arms himself and heads back to seedy Mission Road in a bid to discover what really happened eighteen years earlier and clear Ralph's name . . . but some secrets are better left buried. A classic of Texan tension, Mission Road is the dramatic sixth book in the multiple-award-winning suspense series by the internationally bestselling author of the Percy Jackson novels.
A confession and manifesto from a senior leader in the emerging church movement. A Generous Orthodoxy calls for a radical, Christ-centered orthodoxy of faith and practice in a missional, generous spirit. Brian McLaren argues for a post-liberal, post-conservative, post-protestant convergence, which will stimulate lively interest and global conversation among thoughtful Christians from all traditions.In a sweeping exploration of belief, author Brian McLaren takes us across the landscape of faith, envisioning an orthodoxy that aims for Jesus, is driven by love, and is defined by missional intent. A Generous Orthodoxy rediscovers the mysterious and compelling ways that Jesus can be embraced across the entire Christian horizon. Rather than establishing what is and is not “orthodox,” McLaren walks through the many traditions of faith, bringing to the center a way of life that draws us closer to Christ and to each other. Whether you find yourself inside, outside, or somewhere on the fringe of Christianity, A Generous Orthodoxy draws you toward a way of living that looks beyond the “us/them” paradigm to the blessed and ancient paradox of “we.”
Cathy Ross and Steve Bevans are two of the biggest names in the study of mission and missiology worldwide. Cathy is director of OxCEPT at Ripon College Cuddesdon and Steve Bevans is teaching missiology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. The contributors in the book consider mission through the lens of prophetic dialogue'. The book consciously tries to bring a fresh approach introducing some newer themes (identity, creation, migration) and bringing a different perspective on some older themes by grouping them in this way. It is theological rather than issues-based and involves both older and newer contributors. The book is aimed at scholars and students of missiology in the UK, the US and worldwide. It is also a contribution to the study of world Christianity and contextual theology. Contributors include Jonny Baker, Kirsteen Kim, Gavin d'Costa, Emma Wild-Wood, Robert Schreiter and S. Mark Heim.
Social justice and mission are hot topics today: there's a wonderful resurgence of motivated Christians passionate about spreading the gospel and caring for the needs of others. But in our zeal to get sharing and serving, many are unclear on gospel and mission. Yes, we are called to spend ourselves for the sake of others, but what is the church's unique priority as it engages the world? DeYoung and Gilbert write to help Christians "articulate and live out their views on the mission of the church in ways that are theologically faithful, exegetically careful, and personally sustainable." Looking at the Bible's teaching on evangelism, social justice, and shalom, they explore the what, why, and how of the church's mission. From defining "mission", to examining key passages on social justice and their application, to setting our efforts in the context of God's rule, DeYoung and Gilbert bring a wise, studied perspective to the missional conversation. Readers in all spheres of ministry will grow in their understanding of the mission of the church and gain a renewed sense of urgency for Jesus' call to preach the Word and make disciples.
Make your dreams come true! A Fork in the Road is a handbook for a successful, satisfying life. This book will not just motivate and inspire you, but it gives you practical steps for growing in areas that are necessary for fulfillment and success. Using proven Biblical wisdom, it helps you understand the underlying thought processes and the mindset that produces growth. God wants each person to prosper so that we can all be contributors and producers in society. When we learn to enjoy enriching the lives of others, we will in turn be rewarded with a rich and satisfying life. The book covers practical areas like innovation, personal financial management, people skills, vision and goal setting. Each area is filled with practical advice and real life stories that illustrate the principles taught. FROM THE BACK COVER Have you ever wished your life was different? Do you dream of having a bigger purpose, a better job, or a more meaningful life? Or maybe you have a goal or a dream, but don't know how to make it happen. Just like there is a proven path to the top of a mountain, there is a proven way to win in life! Wishing, praying, believing, and expecting is good, but things will not happen unless you consistently and persistently keep working towards your goal. This book gives you the life lessons you were not taught in school and that the church did not tell you. You are at a fork in the road and have the power to choose poverty or prosperity! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vidar Ligard has trained leaders and transformed people in East Africa since 1999. He has helped countless people grow into excellent leaders by teaching practical principles founded on the Word of God. Through Bible schools, seminars, character development, and coaching, Vidar's teaching is helping people come out of poverty, grow churches, build businesses, fight corruption, and mature leaders who reach thousands of people every day. Vidar and his wife, Cathrine, founded Safari Mission, a nonprofit mission organization based in Tulsa, OK. WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING "This teaching is empowering people" -Pastor Justus Kaloki "It's not only about spiritual matters. It's also about practical things. I was an overseer of less than 20 churches and today the churches have grown to over 100. The teaching is very practical, and it is helping people!" -Rev Titus Munuve "With this kind of teaching, people will understand what they are supposed to do" -Peter Kathuro
Discover the most powerful, yet simple tool for revealing happiness from within A personal mission statement is the most powerful tool you can develop in your life. By identifying your single motivating purpose and incorporating it into your philosophy, you will have the tools to achieve happiness and success on a daily basis. This book was written to teach you what a personal mission statement is, how to create one and, if you already have one, how to use it effectively. Create your own personal compass for life's adventures! A personal mission statement is a compass to guide your life. Though the terrain of life can change rapidly, using this compass will ensure you always find your way back home to happiness and success. Am I an expert in this field? I may not have letters like Ph.D. after my name, but I have discovered the secrets of creating personal mission statements, and the amazing power they have to change lives. I have made my own and use it daily. But, don't take my word for it, see what this reader had to say: ""You convinced me to review, rewrite and resume my Personal Mission Statement. Michal, I don't know how to thank you. You have given me so much....now to do it. May you be blessed with much more!"" - Nina Malinda, Malaysia Knowledge is great, but success requires action! There are plenty of resources available online with advice on creating a personal mission statement. In today's world we are overloaded with information, what we need is motivation to actually implement the knowledge we've gained. My book not only shares the "why," but also the "how." Another benefit of my book is that it includes the story of my personal struggle in crafting my own mission statement, offering encouragement as you create your own. Get started immediately Buy "A Personal Mission Statement: Your Road Map to Happiness" now and take the first step on your very own road to happiness.
An uninhibited portrait of growing up gay in 1980s Alabama: exploring art and sex with “more layered insight than the page count should allow” (Hanif Abdurraqib, MTV News). DeShawn lives a high, creative, and promiscuous life in San Francisco. But when he’s called back to his cramped Alabama hometown for his uncle’s funeral, he’s hit by flashbacks of handsome, doomed neighbors and sweltering Sunday services. Amidst prickly reminders of his childhood, DeShawn ponders family, church, and the men in his life, prompting the question: Who deserves love? A modern American classic, Since I Laid My Burden Down is a raw and searing look into the intersections of memory, Blackness, and queerness. “Performance artist Purnell beautifully captures a personality through introspection and memory in this slim novel . . . a compelling portrait of a particular disaffected kind of gay youth caught between religion, culture, and desire.” —Publishers Weekly “It’s a true novel, chaptered, and bound, that not only holds its own as queer literature, with its unapologetically misanthropic narrative, but also expands upon it.” —San Francisco Chronicle “An antidote to the rigamarole of gay lit.” —Mask Magazine “Slim yet potently realized, with a lot to ponder.” —The Bay Area Reporter “Since I Laid My Burden Down has a fearless (sometimes reckless) humor as Brontez Purnell interrogates what it means to be black, male, queer; a son, an uncle, a lover; Southern, punk, and human. An emotional tightrope walk of a book and an important American story rarely, if ever, told.” —Michelle Tea, author of Castle on the River Vistula
