Download or read book Church on the Edge of Somewhere written by George B. Thompson and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2007-11-19 with total page 149 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most congregations today exist in what George Thompson calls the "middle of anywhere." They live comfortably with their surrounding culture, focusing their energies on serving the needs of their current members. These congregations have many strengths and gifts that they can exercise without changing a thing. But Thompson envisions a deeper, more prophetic call for congregations to explore the meaning of being in the world but not of it--a church on the "edge of somewhere." Thompson sees a church that is deeply engaged in ministering to the community while calling on others to commit to doing the same. By analyzing the interaction between a congregation's focus of identity and their stance with the world, Thompson has created a helpful grid for congregations to place themselves on today's cultural map. A congregation that sees itself as existing on the margins of society will look different than one that sees itself as embedded in society. A congregation that hears a call to serve the surrounding community will look different from one that focuses on its internal needs. Knowing where they stand now is the key for congregations to discover where they must go in the future to fully live out their call to be God's people in the world.
Download or read book Discipleship on the Edge written by Darrell W. Johnson and published by Regent College Publishing. This book was released on 2004 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Revelation is probably the most read, but least understood book of the Bible. History is replete with examples of how not to interpret it, and books featuring end-of-world prophecy claims based on Revelation consistently top the bestseller lists. But how can the message of such an enigmatic book be applied to our lives today? In Discipleship on the Edge, Darrell W. Johnson drives home the challenging and practical message of Revelation in thirty carefully crafted sermons. Paying careful attention to the original context of Revelation and the circumstances surrounding its composition, Johnson shows that the book is not a "crystal ball" but rather a "discipleship manual." Thoroughly researched and yet accessible, this collection of sermons is a helpful resource for pastors and small group leaders who are looking for models to help them preach and teach the message of Revelation in a time when there is much confusion about the end times. Darrell W. Johnson serves as Scholar-in-Residence at The Way Church and Canadian Church Leaders Network in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A popular conference and retreat speaker, he has also served as the preaching pastor for a number of congregations in North America and the Philippines, as well as serving as Adjunct Professor of Preaching for the Doctor of Ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and a Teaching Fellow at Regent College. His other books include Experiencing the Trinity and Fifty-Seven Words That Change The World.
Download or read book The Out of Bounds Church written by Steve Taylor and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2010-12-21 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What’s Going on Out There?Author Steve Taylor takes trips to the edge of the church envelope and sends us back what he’s finding inside the emerging church around the globe. From the revival of ancient spiritual practices to the rise of multimedia, each of his posts sketches a view of the body of Christ in wild flux. Topics include: birth; pilgrimage; community; creativity; DJing; and leading and following.
Download or read book Cultivating a Cutting Edge Children s Church written by Dick Gruber and published by Morning Joy Media. This book was released on 2012-02 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1992 Dick Gruber's Children's Church: Turning Your Circus into a Service hit the market, challenging children's leaders worldwide. Gruber's experience and insight have provided godly direction for the children's church service to generations of children's leaders. The practical application of that work is still being realized in churches today. In Cultivating a Cutting-Edge Children's Church, Gruber has reviewed and updated the core of his first book, adding more insights, more information, and more inspiration for children's leaders of today and for those of the future. This book will help the children's church leader develop a life-changing service in which boys and girls will be inspired to worship, develop ministry gifts, and respond to the work of God's Holy Spirit. Gruber's heart for children and those who serve them is evident on every page of this writing.
Download or read book Treasures in Clay Jars written by George B. Thompson Jr. and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2012-02-21 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thompson, a prolific author of church leadership resources, believes the continuing decline in membership of mainline denominations and the increasing number of multicultural and multiracial churches call for a new way of thinking: ministers must begin to see their ministry differently in order to do their ministry differently. Treasures in Clay Jars is designed to provide persons in training for ministry with a paradigm-shifting framework to interpret and work effectively with the complex dynamics of local faith communities. Thompson takes an innovative approach by utilizing explicit and relevant conceptual and theoretical tools from the social sciences--sociology, economics, and cultural anthropology--to engage future pastors to minister effectively to twenty-first-century congregations. The book discusses congregations in five different ways: as social group, as bearer of meaning, as locus of exchange, as collective capacity, and as complex organization. A study guide is included for church leaders who would like to engage their congregations in this new paradigm of ministry.
Download or read book The Edge of Time written by Loula Grace Erdman and published by TCU Press. This book was released on 1988 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book SAILING ON EDGE Or JUMP JUMP ON THE HIGH SIDE written by Richard Dailey and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2011-02-28 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Futuring Your Church written by George B. Thompson Jr. and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2015-06-09 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A vision is not a mission statement," declares George Thompson. In the throes of establishing their congregational identity, many church leaders resort to developing a mission statement which gets put in a file drawer and forgotten until the next budget review. The problem is that mission statements focus on concrete achievements; a vision, in contrast, establishes the larger picture of aim, broad purpose, and hopes. In Futuring Your Church, church leaders explore the congregation's heritage, its current context, and its theological bearings. From the insights gleaned, members can discern what God is currently calling their own church to do in this time and place. Once this vision is found, Thompson provides a simple organization model for applying the vision--for making it work. A practical, helpful tool for futuring authentic ministry.
Download or read book The Fragile Edge written by Suzanne Chazin and published by Kensington Books. This book was released on 2021-08-31 with total page 379 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A sniper attack propels Latino cop Jimmy Vega on a twisting hunt for a predator who stalks the unforgiving landscape of immigrant America. Probing beyond the hardships of the journey north, Suzanne Chazin’s taut and timely novel explores the perils that await the hopeful once they reach their destination—and the price they must pay to survive . . . Jimmy Vega straddles two worlds – the hardscrabble Bronx where he grew up as the child of a Puerto Rican single mother, and the upscale, mostly white, suburban county where he now serves as a police detective. Yet despite his sense of never belonging, he’s a good and decent cop—even if the multi-million-dollar civil suit he’s facing says otherwise. His own troubles take a back seat when Vega learns that a court officer has just been shot and killed while transporting a controversial judge across the courthouse lot. Vega quickly surmises that the judge was the real target. She’s earned the ire of alt-right hate groups for going soft on undocumented defendants accused of petty crimes. The sole witness to the sniper’s identity is a Guatemalan girl traveling by bus from the border. And now, she’s vanished—melted into a community fearful of the police. Her days are numbered if Vega can’t get to her before the killer does. But as Vega and his girlfriend, Adele Figueroa, head of the local outreach center, probe deeper into the shadowy farm community where immigrants toil in horrifying conditions, they tap into a chilling discovery. One that offers Vega a stark choice: keep quiet and be lauded as a hero, knowing he let the real villain go. Or risk everything for an ugly truth no one wants him to find . . .
Download or read book Small on Purpose written by Lewis A. Parks and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2017-05-16 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Small on Purpose: Life in a Significant Church is a joyful and honest look at the kingdom-enriching characteristics of small congregations. Lewis Parks demonstrates how to see and build upon those strengths. His premise is not better/worse. Instead, Parks shows us how life in a small congregation is profoundly significant and the important role these churches play. This book includes clear instructions on how leaders can streamline ministry to maximize the unique and powerful contributions small churches make in their communities. This book is inspiring and practical, a refreshing point of view for the church and church leaders. “Small on Purpose reimagines what it means to be a congregation of ninety, sixty, or thirty by not focusing on size. I especially appreciate Lewis Parks’s attention to why ‘soul care’ is critical for congregations under 150 as a means of discipleship and outreach. Parks sees soul care as a countercultural act that creates meaning for many who are seeking family-like relationships. This book challenges all congregations to take seriously the small things they are doing—like soul care—as a compelling way to move into the future.” —F. Douglas Powe Jr., Managing Director for The Institute for Community Engagement, Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington DC; author of New Wine, New Wineskins and Not Safe for Church from Abingdon Press “Lewis Parks writes with pitch-perfect tone about the life of small churches. He appeals to the experience of smaller congregations as gathering places of worship and service. There he sees signs of the Spirit moving, of tradition revivified through song and word, of pastoral care shared across a congregation. Above all, he offers transformative words and perspectives with which small churches can claim their distinctive witness.” —Thomas Edward Frank, University Professor and Chair of the Department of History, Wake Forest College, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC “In a time when the culture is becoming more and more individualistic, Lew Parks strikes a chord for the great value of the gathered community of faith that is strengthened week by week through their faithfulness to the gospel and to one another. Gather in your small church and read this together. Your life and your community will be enriched.” —Bill McAlilly, Bishop, Nashville Area Episcopal Office, The United Methodist Church
Download or read book The House at the Edge of the Woods written by Rachel Hancox and published by Random House. This book was released on 2024-04-01 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The unsolved mystery of a murder lies at the heart of this page-turning story of a young couple who are struggling to find happiness and meaning in their lives together . . . perfect for fans of Claire Douglas! ___________ When Ben was seven, his mother was murdered in the woods while he waited for her in their car. The case made the front pages, but her killer was never found. Thirty years later, Ben has a safe, grown-up life: a job, a ramshackle cottage and, most importantly, a happy marriage to Rebecca. His mother has receded to the corners of his mind, lingering only in the nightmares that won't quite go away. Then Rebecca takes on a new job, painting a fairy-tale fresco for a wealthy businessman who starts asking questions about Ben's mother . . . Is it time for the truth to come out - and for Ben to face the questions he's never dared ask before? ___________ Love for The House at the Edge of the Woods . . . * 'Breathtaking.' * * 'Full of twists and turns that keep the reader engaged and intrigued' * * 'Superb compelling reading. Excellent novel.' * * 'An intriguing premise and some thoughtful storytelling.' * * 'The unravelling of the story worked well ... I was fully satisfied by the end.' *
Download or read book Shadow s Edge written by TJ Green and published by Mountolive Publishing. This book was released on 2021-05-13 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As Shadow and Gabe become more involved with The Orphic Guild, they find out that the occult world is full of intrigue and far more complicated than they realised. Especially when it seems that someone wants the same thing that they do — the Trinity of the Seeker. Cause for concern? Absolutely not. If anything, Shadow is more committed than ever, and relishes pitting her wits against an unpredictable enemy. And Gabe? When they find instructions that could enable him to speak to his father, he and the Nephilim are more than ready to fight. Join Shadow, Gabe, and Harlan as they race against an occult organisation that is as underhand as they are. If you love paranormal action-packed fiction with plenty of mystery and lots of fun, you’ll love the White Haven Hunters. Grab your copy now. Keywords: urban fantasy, paranormal fiction, paranormal fantasy series, paranormal mystery, supernatural suspense, occult fiction, magic, action and adventure, spirits, ghosts, mild romance, mystery books, Cornish village mysteries, occult fiction, demons, contemporary fantasy, urban fantasy, humour, friendship, magic, spells, intrigue, English myths, legends and folklore, witchcraft, angels, Nephilim, fey, fairy, faerie, swords and sorcery, druids, alchemy,
Download or read book How to Get Along With Your Church written by George B. Thompson Jr. and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2013-01-01 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By culture, George B. Thompson Jr. means not just racial, ethnic, economic, or regional culture, but also a congregation's way of doing things--its history, customs, conventions, and procedures. In order to launch and maintain a successful ministry, pastors and other church leaders must come to grasp that unique culture of their parish. They must develop a "culture capital" within their congregations, meaning that they invest themselves deeply in how their church does its work and goes about its ministries. The author presses clergy to answer such questions as "How well do I know what I'm getting into?" and "Have I been adopted yet?" and even "Is it time to move on?" The book is ideal for pastors in solo settings, but pastors in multiple staff settings will also find the author's insights helpful.
Download or read book Edge of Taos Desert written by Mabel Dodge Luhan and published by UNM Press. This book was released on 1987-04-01 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1917 Mabel Sterne, patron of the arts and spokeswoman for the New York avant-garde, came to the Southwest seeking a new life. This autobiographical account, long out-of-print, of her first few months in New Mexico is a remarkable description of an Easterner's journey to the American West. It is also a great story of personal and philosophical transformation. The geography of New Mexico and the culture of the Pueblo Indians opened a new world for Mabel. She settled in Taos immediately and lived there the rest of her life. Much of this book describes her growing fascination with Antonio Luhan of Taos Pueblo, whom she subsequently married. Her descriptions of the appeal of primitive New Mexico to a world-weary New Yorker are still fresh and moving. "I finished it in a state of amazed revelation . . . it is so beautifully compact and consistent. . . . It is going to help many another woman and man to 'take life with the talons' and carry it high."--Ansel Adams
Download or read book A Serrated Edge written by Douglas Wilson and published by Canon Press & Book Service. This book was released on 2003 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Satire is a kind of preaching. Satire pervades Scripture. Satire treats the foibles of sinners with a less than perfect tenderness. But, if a Christian employs satire today, he is almost immediately called to account for his "unbiblical" behavior. Yet Scripture shows that the central point of some religious controversies is to give offense. When Christ was confronted with ecclesiastical obstinacy and other forms of arrogance, he showed us a godly pattern for giving offense. In every controversy, godliness and wisdom (or the lack of them) are to be determined by careful appeal to the Scriptures and not to the fact of someone having taken offense. Perhaps they ought to have taken offense, and perhaps someone ought to have endeavored to give it.
Download or read book Gadfly Reading Church Through Reading Jesus written by John George Arthur and published by John Hunt Publishing. This book was released on 2014-05-30 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: John Arthur is looking for a church. Not literally of course, those are quite easy to spot usually. He is looking for "a reading" of church through a reading of Jesus. He wants to examine whether the Jesus we have in the church is, well, big enough really. Are the relationships we pursue, with God and each other, the authentic and costly ones Jesus exemplified, or diluted by our expectations and culture? Have we formed an edgy activism around Jesus’ call to risk and journey, or a policy of endurance? Has the church fully accepted Jesus’ trust of an incomplete kingdom? Gadfly is a conversational essay, part philosophy, part social observation and lots of unconventional exegesis posing questions about the purpose of Bible reading, the nature of Jesus and their implications for church identity. It challenges the dry readings of systematic theology that dominate so much of the public expression of the Bible in our churches. Gadfly wants to replace this with a call to risk-laden intimacy - the missing sacrament of the modern church. ,
Download or read book Family Driven Faith written by Voddie T. Baucham Jr. and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2007 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More teens are turning away from the faith than ever before: it is estimated that 75 to 88% of Christian teens walk away from Christianity by the end of their freshman year of college. Something must be done. Family Driven Faith equips Christian parents with the tools they need to raise children biblically in a post-Christian, anti-family society. Voddie Baucham, who with his wife has overcome a multi-generational legacy of broken and dysfunctional homes, shows that God has not left us alone in raising godly children. He has given us timeless precepts and principles for multi-generational faithfulness, especially in Deuteronomy 6. God's simple command to Moses to teach the Word diligently to the children of Israel serves as the foundation of Family Driven Faith. - Publisher.
