Disappearing Church

Author: Mark Sayers
Publisher: Moody Publishers
ISBN: 0802493467
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 210

Book Description
When church and culture look the same... For the many Christians eager to prove we can be both holy and cool, cultural pressures are too much. We either compartmentalize our faith or drift from it altogether—into a world that’s so alluring. Have you wondered lately: Why does the Western church look so much like the world? Why are so many of my friends leaving the faith? How can we get back to our roots? Disappearing Church will help you sort through concerns like these, guiding you in a thoughtful, faithful, and hopeful response. Weaving together art, history, and theology, pastor and cultural observer Mark Sayers reminds us that real growth happens when the church embraces its countercultural witness, not when it blends in. It’s like Jesus said long ago, “If the salt loses its saltiness, it is no longer good for anything…”

Reappearing Church

Author: Mark Sayers
Publisher: Moody Publishers
ISBN: 0802497837
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 240

Book Description
What if the rise of secularism is good news for the church? For decades, we set our hopes on technology, politics, and the appearance of peace. We wanted to believe we were headed somewhere better—that progress was happening. But now as our technology ensnares and isolates us, our politics threaten to tear us apart, and our cultural decline continues to accelerate, people are understandably distressed. But throughout history these periods of decline traditionally precede powerful spiritual renewal—and even revival. What if all the bad news in this world is actually good news for the church? Discover why there’s reason to be wildly hopeful and how to prepare yourself and your church to be a part of renewal now and in the future.

Strange Days

Author: Mark Sayers
Publisher: Moody Publishers
ISBN: 0802495788
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 219

Book Description
What in the world is going on? These days the world has everyone spinning. Weekly terrorist attacks. The refugee crisis. Transgender bathrooms. Academic safe spaces. Tensions with Russia. A perpetually uncertain economy. The list goes on. It’s enough to make us crazy… or want to put our heads in the sand. But we can’t, because these are our times, and we must face them. So what many Christians are looking for is someone to communicate a way forward—someone who both understands culture and trusts the Bible. Mark Sayers is such a leader, one who “writes from the future.” He is a gifted cultural analysist who combines his biblical knowledge, curious mind, and pastoral heart to offer a guide to the times. Strange Days will help Christians slow down, get their bearings, and follow God with wisdom and tact in this wild world. “Take heart, for I have overcome the world,” Jesus said nearly 2,000 years ago. And that’s the message of Strange Days, the message the church needs today.

A Holy Meal

Author: Gordon T. Smith
Publisher: Baker Books
ISBN: 1441242791
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 128

Book Description
"This is my body," said Jesus at the Last Supper. What did he mean? Throughout church history, there have been various interpretations of his words. These differences have caused denominational ruptures that have yet to heal. In A Holy Meal, Gordon T. Smith shows that we cannot appreciate the Lord's Supper until we understand it. In light of the renewed attention given to the sacraments by all branches of the church, he examines the historic interpretations and seeks common ground among believers. In the process, he shows how the Lord's Supper can infuse new meaning into the church as it confronts the forces of postmodernism and secularism. A Holy Meal is essential reading for Christians who want to ponder the Lord's Supper again--perhaps truly for the first time.

The Road Trip that Changed the World

Author: Mark Sayers
Publisher: Moody Publishers
ISBN: 0802479391
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 278

Book Description
Can’t find no satisfaction? There’s no shortage of prescriptions for restlessness out there: Seek adventure. Live your life. Don’t hold back. Sound familiar? The Road Trip that Changed the World is a book challenging the contemporary conviction that personal freedom and self-fulfillment are the highest good. Like the characters in a Jack Kerouac novel, we’ve dirtied the dream of white picket fences with exhaust fumes. The new dream is the open road—and freedom. Yet we still desire the solace of faith. We like the concept of the sacred, but unwittingly subscribe to secularized, westernized spirituality. We’re convinced that there is a deeper plot to this thing called life, yet watered-down, therapeutic forms of religion are all we choose to swallow, and our personal story trumps any larger narrative. This is the non-committal culture of the road. Though driving on freely, we have forgotten where we’re headed. Jesus said His road is narrow. He wasn’t some aimless nomad. He had more than just a half tank of gas—He had passion, objectives, and a destination. Do you?

Talking with God

Author: Adam Weber
Publisher: WaterBrook
ISBN: 1601429460
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 242

Book Description
Prayer seems like it should be so simple. Yet, when it comes to actually praying, so often it feels awkward and complicated. The truth is, prayer is simple. It's like talking. Talking with a good friend. Down-to-earth pastor Adam Weber offers an accessible, hopeful approach to one of life's greatest mysteries: talking with God. Now with a brand new bonus chapter and in paperback. This is a book on prayer for the person who longs to connect with God, but doesn't really know how. It's a book for the person who has a job, family, schedule, kids, deadlines, full inbox, and a million things to do and yet is curious about prayer and talking with God. What does it really look like to pray in the midst of all of life's craziness?

An Anthology of Christian Mysticism

Author: Harvey D. Egan
Publisher: Liturgical Press
ISBN: 9780814660126
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 736

Book Description
"A Pueblo book." Includes bibliographical references (p. 610-615) and index.

The Life of the Church

Author: Joe Thorn
Publisher: Moody Publishers
ISBN: 0802494676
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 102

Book Description
What should a church do? Look at your church’s calendar and you will learn something of its mission. But how do you know it’s the mission Jesus gave? In The Life of the Church, Joe Thorn explains the mission of the church and the three rhythms for fulfilling it. The result is a simple, memorable model for church life and ministry, grounded in Scripture and aligned with historic practices. Useful for training in membership class, discipleship groups, and elder boards—and even for devotional reading—The Life of the Church is at once theological, practical, and experiential. Readers will not simply be informed, but led to a deeper conviction about their role in the body of Christ. Pastors will be equipped to refocus their ministries, and Christians to fulfill their purpose: be and make disciples. If you wonder what it means to be saved into a body of believers, why the various parts of a worship service matter, and how to engage in the world as a citizen of heaven, then The Life of the Church is for you. It answers this critical question: “Why does the church exist, and how does it shape my life?”

All Authority

Author: Joey Shaw
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
ISBN: 1433690616
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 198

Book Description
Everybody who follows Jesus will encounter a myriad of “authorities” that directly challenge the authority of Christ. These other “authorities” may be parents, teachers, bosses, presidents, institutions, religions, or ideologies. In order to stay firm in devotion to Jesus, we must believe that He has supreme authority over all. Not partial authority, not most authority—all authority. On the basis of his authority, he commissioned his people to go and make disciples among every people group on earth. This is an impossible commission if it were not for the promise that he is with them forever. The doctrine of the supreme authority of Christ not only upholds the work of the church, it is the central message that the church preaches. “Jesus is Lord” is good news! Joey Shaw is the International Field Office Director for the Austin Stone Community Church and a regular contributor at Verge. Joey and his family live outside the United States where they serve unreached peoples for the glory of Christ.

Uncomfortable

Author: Brett McCracken
Publisher: Crossway
ISBN: 1433554283
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 228

Book Description
Does your church make you uncomfortable? It’s easy to dream about the “perfect” church—a church that sings just the right songs set to just the right music before the pastor preaches just the right sermon to a room filled with just the right mix of people who happen to agree with you on just about everything. Chances are your church doesn’t quite look like that. But what if instead of searching for a church that makes us comfortable, we learned to love our church, even when it’s challenging? What if some of the discomfort that we often experience is actually good for us? This book is a call to embrace the uncomfortable aspects of Christian community, whether that means believing difficult truths, pursuing difficult holiness, or loving difficult people—all for the sake of the gospel, God’s glory, and our joy.