A roadmap for the millions of people coming out of traditional church and meeting in simpler ways. The author has 18 years experience meeting outside of traditional church. Topics include Biblical pastors, why "going to church" is not in the Bible, how to meet, why home churches don't survive, common pitfalls in home church, how to start, the essence of church life, tithing, and church leadership and government.
The perfect gift! A specially priced, beautifully designed hardcover edition of The Joy of the Gospel with a foreword by Robert Barron and an afterword by James Martin, SJ. “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus… In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come.” – Pope Francis This special edition of Pope Francis's popular message of hope explores themes that are important for believers in the 21st century. Examining the many obstacles to faith and what can be done to overcome those hurdles, he emphasizes the importance of service to God and all his creation. Advocating for “the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned,” the Holy Father shows us how to respond to poverty and current economic challenges that affect us locally and globally. Ultimately, Pope Francis demonstrates how to develop a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ, “to recognize the traces of God’s Spirit in events great and small.” Profound in its insight, yet warm and accessible in its tone, The Joy of the Gospel is a call to action to live a life motivated by divine love and, in turn, to experience heaven on earth. Includes a foreword by Robert Barron, author of Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith and James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage
Missiologist James E. Plueddemann presents a roadmap for crosscultural leadership development in the global church. With keen understanding of current research on cultural dynamics, he integrates theology with leadership theory to apply biblical insights to practical issues in world mission.
The Cape Town Commitment presents a statement of shared Biblical convictions, and calls Christians from all over the world to action. This Study Edition includes additional commentary and questions for further reflection.
It didn't take long for Tyler to realize he had no idea how to be married. When Tyler and Analee got married, they read marriage books, learned about each other's personality and habits, and exhausted three-step relational formulas. Yet a year and a half after their wedding, they had fallen into a pattern of fighting and unhappiness. Tyler knew he and his wife needed more than formulas and counseling sessions. They needed a vision for marriage that extended beyond just finding happiness and falling in love. They wanted a vision that dealt with the realities of life and gave them a picture of marriage worth fighting for. As a business professional who helps companies "rebrand" when their image doesn't match up with their identity, Tyler realized that marriage has an image that doesn't match up to what God designed it to be. Marriage Rebranded will help you replace four modern misconceptions about marriage with more timeless perspectives enlightened by biblical, personal, and historical studies. We need to rethink our modern brand of matrimony. It's time for us to develop a new vision for marriage-a vision that's worth fighting for.
The church is political. Theologians have been debating this claim for years. Liberationists, Anabaptists, Augustinians, neo-Calvinists, Radical Orthodox and others continue to discuss the matter. What do we mean by politics and the political? What are the limits of the church’s political reach? What is the nature of the church as an institution? How do we establish these claims theologically? Jonathan Leeman sets out to address these questions in this significant work. Drawing on covenantal theology and the ‘new institutionalism’ in political science, Leeman critiques political liberalism and explores how the biblical canon informs an account of the local church as an embassy of Christ’s kingdom. Political Church heralds a new era in political theology.
The Just Peace Companion is a guide for individuals and groups to come together around the notion and practice of 'Just Peace,' a holistic approach to peacemaking and social justice. Adopting a fully global perspective, the book elaborates on the insights and convictions of An Ecumenical Call to Just Peace (text also included), which is the culminating statement of the World Council of Churches' (WCC) decade-long effort to understand and address conflict, violence, and injustice. This second edition expands on the key biblical, theological, and ethical considerations of Just Peace. The book invites further exploration and critique, and it offers examples of best practices for building peace with justice. Like the Call itself, the Just Peace Companion centers on four crucial venues of Just Peace, focusing on peace in the community, in the marketplace, with the Earth, and among peoples. The project - and this new edition, which includes learnings from the landmark "International Ecumenical Peace Convocation" in Jamaica in May 2011 - was coordinated by former WCC general secretary Konrad Raiser. The book is divided into five sections, and includes the following: Vision for Just Peace * Signposts for Just Peace * Contexts of Just Peace * Just Peace Challenges * Just Peace Practices
In this book the authors explore some dynamic trends in society and church that are pushing believers into simpler ways of doing church. -- from back cover.
