Liking Jesus

Author: Craig Groeschel
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0310350751
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 257

Book Description
In Liking Jesus, a timely and life-changing book, New York Times bestselling author and pastor of Life.Church Craig Groeschel helps put Christ first again in today’s maxed out, selfie-centered world. The more you compare, the less satisfied you are. The more we interact online, the more we crave intimacy. The more filtered our lives become, the harder it is to be real. It’s time to refresh and rediscover what it means to be “like Jesus” and find true authenticity, a healthy self-image, and compassion for others in an age when we relate to each other so differently than ever before. Groeschel taps into some of the most leading-edge studies on the effects of social media on our emotions and friendships. He offers real-life examples of how we struggle with screens and likes, how these things mask our struggles with who we really are, and how we can reclaim a Christ-centered life. Packed with helpful topics like the “10 Commandments of Using Social Media to Strengthen Your Faith” and “Creating Safeguards for Your Digital Devices,” readers from ages sixteen to sixty will find Liking Jesus to be just the guide to bring balance and real-world engagement to everyday life.

They Like Jesus but Not the Church

Author: Dan Kimball
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0310298547
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 274

Book Description
Many people today, especially among emerging generations, don’t resonate with the church and organized Christianity. Some are leaving the church and others were never part of the church in the first place. Sometimes it’s because of misperceptions about the church. Yet often they are still spiritually open and fascinated with Jesus. This is a ministry resource book exploring six of the most common objects and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church and Christianity. The objections come from conversations and interviews the church has had with unchurched twenty and thirty-somethings at coffee houses. Each chapter raises the objection using a conversational approach, provides the biblical answers to that objection, gives examples of how churches are addressing this objection, and concludes with follow-through projection suggestions, discussion questions, and resource listings.

Liking Jesus Bible Study Guide

Author: Craig Groeschel
Publisher: HarperChristian Resources
ISBN: 0310095298
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 128

Book Description
We all love the benefits of technology. But even with the upsides, many of us suspect there are negative consequences beyond our control. The more we interact online, the more we crave face-to-face intimacy. The more we compare ourselves with others, the less satisfied we are. The more filtered our lives become, the more challenging it is to be authentic. In this small group video-based study, pastor and bestselling author Craig Groeschel shows how we can stay engaged with social media while still keeping our eyes focused on Jesus. In five sessions, he reveals how we can rediscover our understanding of the biblical principles life with Christ brings–contentment, intimacy, authenticity, compassion, and rest–and put God first in our social media saturated world. This study guide includes video discussion questions, Bible exploration, and personal study and reflection materials for in between sessions. Sessions include: Recovering Contentment Restoring Intimacy Revealing Authenticity Resurrecting Compassion Replenishing Rest Designed for use with the Liking Jesus Video Study (sold separately).

Jesus > Religion

Author: Jefferson Bethke
Publisher: HarperChristian + ORM
ISBN: 1400205409
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 240

Book Description
Abandon dead, dry, religious rule-keeping and embrace the promise of being truly known and deeply loved. Jefferson Bethke burst into the cultural conversation with a passionate, provocative poem titled "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus." The 4-minute video became an overnight sensation, with 7 million YouTube views in its first 48 hours (and 23+ million in a year). Bethke's message clearly struck a chord with believers and nonbelievers alike, triggering an avalanche of responses running the gamut from encouraged to enraged. In his New York Times bestseller Jesus > Religion, Bethke unpacks similar contrasts that he drew in the poem--highlighting the difference between teeth gritting and grace, law and love, performance and peace, despair, and hope. With refreshing candor, he delves into the motivation behind his message, beginning with the unvarnished tale of his own plunge from the pinnacle of a works-based, fake-smile existence that sapped his strength and led him down a path of destructive behavior. Along the way, Bethke gives you the tools you need to: Humbly and prayerfully open your mind Understand Jesus for all that he is View the church from a brand-new perspective Bethke is quick to acknowledge that he's not a pastor or theologian, but simply an ordinary, twenty-something who cried out for a life greater than the one for which he had settled. On this journey, Bethke discovered the real Jesus, who beckoned him with love beyond the props of false religion. Praise for Jesus > Religion: "Jeff's book will make you stop and listen to a voice in your heart that may have been drowned out by the noise of religion. Listen to that voice, then follow it--right to the feet of Jesus." --Bob Goff, author of New York Times bestsellers Love Does and Everybody, Always "The book you hold in your hands is Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz meets C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity meets Augustine's Confessions. This book is going to awaken an entire generation to Jesus and His grace." --Derwin L. Gray, lead pastor of Transformation Church, author of Limitless Life: Breaking Free from the Labels That Hold You Back

7 Love Letters from Jesus

Author: Rebecca Hayford Bauer
Publisher: Baker Books
ISBN: 1441267964
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 193

Book Description
Christians have been told again and again that Jesus loves them, yet many have not stepped into the security and intimacy that His love provides. Whether because of poor past relationships or a lack of good examples, many struggle to find intimacy with their Savior. Now, Rebecca Hayford Bauer invites readers to step into the best love story of all. 7 Love Letters from Jesus is an in-depth study of Revelation 2 and 3, a passage of Scripture that paints a metaphorical picture of courtship, engagement and marriage to the Lamb of God. It's also a passage that Christians have sometimes misread or misunderstood--but no longer! Readers will gain a new appreciation for these vivid images for their spiritual life and begin to see how Jesus views each and every person: as worthy of His relentless pursuit.

I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die

Author: Sarah J. Robinson
Publisher: WaterBrook
ISBN: 0593193539
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 257

Book Description
A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.

Jesus My Love

Author: Henry F. Jacobs Iii
Publisher: Hillcrest Publishing Group
ISBN: 1938223152
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 464

Book Description

The Book of Longings

Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0698408195
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 434

Book Description
“An extraordinary novel . . . a triumph of insight and storytelling.” —Associated Press “A true masterpiece.” —Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed An extraordinary story set in the first century about a woman who finds her voice and her destiny, from the celebrated number one New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings In her mesmerizing fourth work of fiction, Sue Monk Kidd takes an audacious approach to history and brings her acclaimed narrative gifts to imagine the story of a young woman named Ana. Raised in a wealthy family with ties to the ruler of Galilee, she is rebellious and ambitious, with a brilliant mind and a daring spirit. She engages in furtive scholarly pursuits and writes narratives about neglected and silenced women. Ana is expected to marry an older widower, a prospect that horrifies her. An encounter with eighteen-year-old Jesus changes everything. Their marriage evolves with love and conflict, humor and pathos in Nazareth, where Ana makes a home with Jesus, his brothers, and their mother, Mary. Ana's pent-up longings intensify amid the turbulent resistance to Rome's occupation of Israel, partially led by her brother, Judas. She is sustained by her fearless aunt Yaltha, who harbors a compelling secret. When Ana commits a brazen act that puts her in peril, she flees to Alexandria, where startling revelations and greater dangers unfold, and she finds refuge in unexpected surroundings. Ana determines her fate during a stunning convergence of events considered among the most impactful in human history. Grounded in meticulous research and written with a reverential approach to Jesus's life that focuses on his humanity, The Book of Longings is an inspiring, unforgettable account of one woman's bold struggle to realize the passion and potential inside her, while living in a time, place and culture devised to silence her. It is a triumph of storytelling both timely and timeless, from a masterful writer at the height of her powers.

Eight Ways of Loving God

Author: Jeanette Flood
Publisher: Ignatius Press
ISBN: 1621640450
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 387

Book Description
There is growing awareness that different people have different "love languages". What about God? Does He have a love language? Jeanette Flood answers this question by looking at the life and teachings of Jesus. With a conversational style and a dose of good humor, she describes eight love languages with fresh spiritual analogies and lessons from her own life. This work reveals that being a Christian means being in a relationship of love with Love Himself. Drawing on Scripture, Church teachings, and insights of the saints, it inspires readers to follow Saint Paul's advice to the Ephesians to "learn what is pleasing to the Lord" (Eph 5:10).

Loving Jesus

Author: Mark Allan Powell
Publisher: Fortress Press
ISBN: 9781451413717
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 212

Book Description
The essence of spirituality is loving God, says Powell. The Bible, the Talmud, and the Qu'ran all direct their followers not merely to believe in God, to trust God, to obey God, and to serve God but to love God. But how does one do that? Can we learn to love God? In this biblical spirituality for today, Powell's earnest plea is for Christians to revisit their faith not by blazing in religious enthusiasm but by harboring a steadier flame and deeper commitment. Living at the poetic heart of faith, he argues, entails seeing the coordinates of religious life love, understanding, truth, hope and especially devotion in a new way. Powell espouses the old-fashioned idea of piety. Drawing on his wide knowledge of the Bible and Christian tradition, as well as insights from his own journey, he shows how simple religious practices move us beyond the old certitudes of a naove and youthful faith into the less certain but more bracing terrain of a second naovete, a closer walk with Jesus.