The Human Face of Church

Author: Sara Savage
Publisher: Canterbury Press
ISBN: 1786223791
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 224

Book Description
Until now, Fresh Expressions has been about starting and sustaining mission initiatives among people with little or no church contact. As these projects mature, pastoral problems easily arise - how do you integrate the old with the new? How do you get an established congregation to change it views and practices? How do you cope with conflict? What if newcomers challenge set patterns of church behaviour rather than conform with them? The publication is structured for use for training in local churches, theological colleges and as a research tool in postgraduate study.

The Church of God and Its Human Face

Author: Martin Madar
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532657455
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 219

Book Description
The Church of God and Its Human Face is the first comprehensive study of perhaps the most original U.S. ecclesiologist of our times, Joseph A. Komonchak. In language accessible to a wide audience, the author offers an exposition of Komonchak’s thought on the church and explores its distinctive features, including its implications for church practice.

Speaking of Dying

Author: Fred Craddock
Publisher: Baker Books
ISBN: 1441238816
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 241

Book Description
The church does not cope very well with dying. Instead of using its own resources to mount a positive end-of-life ministry for the terminally ill, it outsources care to secular models, providers, and services. A terminal diagnosis typically triggers denial of impending death and placing faith in the techniques and resources of modern medicine. If a cure is not forthcoming, the patient and his or her loved ones experience a sense of failure and bitter disappointment. This book offers a critical analysis of the church's failure to communicate constructively about dying, reminding the church of its considerable liturgical, scriptural, and pastoral resources when it ministers to the terminally ill. The authors, who have all been personally and professionally involved in end-of-life issues, suggest practical, theological bases for speaking about dying, communicating with those facing death, and preaching about dying. They explore how dying--in baptism--begins and informs the Christian's life story. They also emphasize that the narrative of faith embraces dying, and they remind readers of scriptural and christological resources that can lead toward a "good dying." In addition, they present current best practices from health professionals for communication among caregivers and those facing death. The book includes a foreword by Stanley Hauerwas.

The Other Half of Church

Author: Jim Wilder
Publisher: Moody Publishers
ISBN: 0802498558
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 206

Book Description
Could brain science be the key to spiritual formation? Why does true Christian transformation seem fleeting? And why does church often feel lonely, Christian community shallow, and leaders untrustworthy? For many Christians, the delight of encountering Christ eventually dwindles—and disappointment sets in. Is lasting joy possible? These are some of the questions Michel Hendricks has considered both in his experience as a spiritual formation pastor and in his lifetime as a Christian. He began to find answers when he met Jim Wilder—a neurotheologian. Using brain science, Wilder identified that there are two halves of the church: the rational half and the relational half. And when Christians only embrace the rational half, churches become unhealthy places where transformation doesn’t last and narcissistic leaders flourish. In The Other Half of Church, join Michel and Jim's journey as they couple brain science with the Bible to identify how to overcome spiritual stagnation by living a full-brained faith. You'll also learn the four ingredients necessary to develop and maintain a vibrant transformational community where spiritual formation occurs, relationships flourish, and the toxic spread of narcissism is eradicated.

Media in Church and Mission:

Author: Viggo Sogaard
Publisher: William Carey Publishing
ISBN: 1645082423
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 304

Book Description
Although written before much of the revolution in digital media, this book provides a lot of useful strategic input for those involved in media and Scripture Engagement.

Faith in the Face of Empire

Author: RAHEB
Publisher: Orbis Books
ISBN: 1608334333
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 128

Book Description
A Palestinian Christian theologian shows how the reality of empire shapes the context of the biblical story, and the ongoing experience of Middle East conflict.

Human Resources

Author: Fowler, Carol L.
Publisher: Paulist Press
ISBN: 158768652X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 174

Book Description
Informs pastors and designated leaders about the infrastructure of human resources, spanning the legal, informational, and procedural dimensions of the field.

The Church of Facebook

Author: Jesse Rice
Publisher: David C Cook
ISBN: 1434700666
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 241

Book Description
This timely release explores the community-altering phenomenon of social networking sites and what it reveals about friendship, God, and our own hearts. With hundreds of millions of users, social networks are changing how we form relationships, perceive others, and shape our identity. Yet at its core, this movement reflects our need for community. Our longing for intimacy, connection, and a place to belong has never been a secret, but social networking offers us a new perspective on the way we engage our community. How do these networks impact our relationships? In what ways are they shaping the way we think of ourselves? And how might this phenomenon subtly reflect a God who longs to connect with each one of us? The Church of Facebook explores these ideas and much more, offering a revealing look at the wildly popular world of online social networking.

Death of the Church

Author: Mike Regele
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0310200067
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 296

Book Description
Our culture is changing at a dizzying rate. But the church seems to be left behind, caught in subcultural backwaters that have little or no impact on mainstream society. Based on the quantitative research of his group, Percept, Regele analyzes the forces in our culture and discusses how the church can fulfill its mission in the face of them.

Hidden Mercy

Author: Michael J. O'Loughlin
Publisher: Broadleaf Books
ISBN: 1506467717
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 296

Book Description
The 1980s and 1990s, the height of the AIDS crisis in the United States, was decades ago now, and many of the stories from this time remain hidden: A Catholic nun from a small Midwestern town packs up her life to move to New York City, where she throws herself into a community under assault from HIV and AIDS. A young priest sees himself in the many gay men dying from AIDS and grapples with how best to respond, eventually coming out as gay and putting his own career on the line. A gay Catholic with HIV loses his partner to AIDS and then flees the church, focusing his energy on his own health rather than fight an institution seemingly rejecting him. Set against the backdrop of the HIV and AIDS epidemic of the late twentieth century and the Catholic Church's crackdown on gay and lesbian activists, journalist Michael O'Loughlin searches out the untold stories of those who didn't look away, who at great personal cost chose compassion--even as he seeks insight for LGBTQ people of faith struggling to find a home in religious communities today. This is one journalist's--gay and Catholic himself--compelling picture of those quiet heroes who responded to human suffering when so much of society--and so much of the church--told them to look away. These pure acts of compassion and mercy offer us hope and inspiration as we continue to confront existential questions about what it means to be Americans, Christians, and human beings responding to those most in need.