Download or read book Creating Communities of the Kingdom written by David W. Shenk and published by MennoMedia, Inc.. This book was released on 1988-07-09 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: David W. Shenk and Ervin R. Stutzman weave into the biblical commentary practical applications gleaned from contemporary theology, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and communication theory. Includes questions for review, study, and discussion.

Download or read book Creating Local Arts Together written by Brian Schrag and published by William Carey Publishing. This book was released on 2012-06-26 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Creating Local Arts Together is a manual designed to guide an individual or group into a local community's efforts at integrating its arts with the values and purposes of God's kingdom. The practical, playful text reduces experience-based scholarly insights gained from multiple decades of incarnational ministry around the world into a flexible seven-step process. This manual is the second book in a two-volume set on the principles and practices of ethnodoxology. The first volume, entitled Worship and Mission for the Global Church: An Ethnodoxology Handbook, presents in textbook format the central "Foundations," "Stories," and "Tools" designed to equip readers in exploring more fully this important new field of research and ministry.

Download or read book True Inclusion written by Brandan Robertson and published by Chalice Press. This book was released on 2018-09-11 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: So your church website says you're welcoming, a rainbow flag flies out front, worship uses gender-inclusive language, and you make sure you greet the stranger next to you on Sunday mornings. But is all of that really enough? And what if those welcoming gestures actually keep visitors from returning and exclude dozens of other groups or people in your community? In True Inclusion, public theologian and pastor Brandan Robertson shares how to move your church from mere welcome to radical embrace. Pointing to a clear biblical imperative for radical inclusivity in the sanctuary and in the public square, Robertson presents a paradigm-shifting vision of community, "where nothing is simple, nothing is easy, but everything is beautiful." Learn practical, step-by-step approaches to becoming deeply, robustly, and richly inclusive of all people regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, political affiliation, and socioeconomic status. Written for people and communities at every stage of the journey, True Inclusion will challenge and inspire you to embody a gospel of radical embrace for all.

Download or read book The Tangible Kingdom written by Hugh Halter and published by Jossey-Bass. This book was released on 2008-07-21 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written for those who are trying to nurture authentic faith communities and for those who have struggled to retain their faith, The Tangible Kingdom offers theological answers and real-life stories that demonstrate how the best ancient church practices can re-emerge in today's culture, through any church of any size. In this remarkable book, Hugh Halter and Matt Smay "two missional leaders and church planters" outline an innovative model for creating thriving grass-roots faith communities.

Download or read book Creating Cohousing written by Kathryn McCamant and published by New Society Publishers. This book was released on 2011-05-17 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The cohousing ?bible” by the US originators of the concept.

Download or read book Design to Thrive written by Tharon Howard and published by Morgan Kaufmann. This book was released on 2009-12-08 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Social networks and online communities are reshaping the way people communicate, both in their personal and professional lives. What makes some succeed and others fail? What draws a user in? What makes them join? What keeps them coming back? Entrepreneurs and businesses are turning to user experience practitioners to figure this out. Though they are well-equipped to evaluate and create a variety of interfaces, social networks require a different set of design principles and ways of thinking about the user in order to be successful. Design to Thrive presents tried and tested design methodologies, based on the author’s decades of research, to ensure successful and sustainable online communities -- whether a wiki for employees to share procedures and best practices or for the next Facebook. The book describes four criteria, called "RIBS," which are necessary to the design of a successful and sustainable online community. These concepts provide designers with the tools they need to generate informed creative and productive design ideas, to think proactively about the communities they are building or maintaining, and to design communities that encourage users to actively contribute. Provides essential tools to create thriving social networks, helping designers to avoid common pitfalls, avoid costly mistakes, and to ensure that communities meet client needs Contains real world stories from popular, well known communities to illustrate how the concepts work Features a companion online network that employs the techniques outlined in the boo

Download or read book Building Successful Online Communities written by Robert E. Kraut and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2016-02-12 with total page 323 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How insights from the social sciences, including social psychology and economics, can improve the design of online communities. Online communities are among the most popular destinations on the Internet, but not all online communities are equally successful. For every flourishing Facebook, there is a moribund Friendster—not to mention the scores of smaller social networking sites that never attracted enough members to be viable. This book offers lessons from theory and empirical research in the social sciences that can help improve the design of online communities. The authors draw on the literature in psychology, economics, and other social sciences, as well as their own research, translating general findings into useful design claims. They explain, for example, how to encourage information contributions based on the theory of public goods, and how to build members' commitment based on theories of interpersonal bond formation. For each design claim, they offer supporting evidence from theory, experiments, or observational studies.

Download or read book Church Planting Road Map written by James R. Nikkel and published by Kindred Productions. This book was released on 2004 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Sent to Flourish written by Len Tang and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2019-10-22 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can church planters and their congregations flourish for the long haul? Written by a diverse team of scholar-practitioners and filled with real-world insights, stories, and questions for reflection and discussion, this guide gives church planters and their teams the tools to be theologically reflective, spiritually grounded, and missionally agile.

Download or read book Church Planting in Europe written by Evert Van de Poll and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2015-05-28 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Church leaders and those who endeavor to plant new churches in Europe today face tremendous challenges, not least because the church itself is considered by many to be outdated, irrelevant, or even an abusive sect. Drawing on a wealth of experience, Church Planting in Europe helps to answer the question of how churches can become more relevant to the societies in which they exist. From biblical and missiological reflections to case studies and practical examples, the book gives insights into many of the key issues that church planters and those concerned with "missionary" renewal of existing churches are grappling with. Special attention is paid to the sociocultural and religious characteristics of Europe, which is marked by secularization, new forms of spirituality, and a unique Christian heritage, asking, what are typical barriers and bridges for the communication of the gospel? The contributors represent a wide variety of backgrounds and contexts across Europe and this is reflected in the breadth of topics covered. The chapters were presented during the Mission in Europe Symposium in Belgium (July 2014), and the highlights of the discussions afterwards are also included. The result is a valuable resource for church leaders, mission practitioners, and theologians alike.

Download or read book Creating Community Revised Updated Edition written by Andy Stanley and published by Multnomah. This book was released on 2021-07-13 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn how to foster meaningful, lasting connections within your community, whether face-to-face or online, by creating a small-group culture through a proven five-step strategy. Now, more than ever, people need community. Though digital “connections” are skyrocketing in today’s culture, deep relationships are in steep decline. People are eating out (and on the run) more—and going into an office less. As evidence of the stress on our social fabric, rates of loneliness and isolation, along with mental health issues, continue to climb. Our need for community is clear, and people are turning to churches to find a place to connect, belong, and grow. You know that a healthy small-group environment doesn’t just happen. It requires a clear vision, a thoughtful plan, and an experienced guide. It takes intentional effort to make it a reality. This book lays out the plan you need, whether your group is meeting in person or digitally, to intentionally build meaningful, lasting connections and spiritual growth in your church community.

Download or read book Desiring the Kingdom Cultural Liturgies written by James K. A. Smith and published by Baker Academic. This book was released on 2009-08-01 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Malls, stadiums, and universities are actually liturgical structures that influence and shape our thoughts and affections. Humans--as Augustine noted--are "desiring agents," full of longings and passions; in brief, we are what we love. James K. A. Smith focuses on the themes of liturgy and desire in Desiring the Kingdom, the first book in what will be a three-volume set on the theology of culture. He redirects our yearnings to focus on the greatest good: God. Ultimately, Smith seeks to re-vision education through the process and practice of worship. Students of philosophy, theology, worldview, and culture will welcome Desiring the Kingdom, as will those involved in ministry and other interested readers.

Download or read book Creating Community written by Simon Reed and published by Lion Publishing Plc. This book was released on 2013-04-01 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Creating Community; shows how the insights of 'new monasticism' can help people deepen their connection with God and each other, and connect God with the whole of life based around the importance of a way (or rule) of life, a network of soul friends, and a rhythm of prayer.

Download or read book Seeds of the Kingdom written by Anna L. Peterson and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2005-11-17 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In these skeptical and disillusioned times, there are still groups of people scattered throughout the world who are trying to live out utopian dreams. These communities challenge the inevitability and morality of dominant political and economic models. By putting utopian religious ethics into practice, they attest to the real possibility of social alternatives. In Seeds of the Kingdom, Anna L. Peterson reflects on the experiences of two very different communities, one inhabited by impoverished former refugees in the mountains of El Salvador and the other by Amish farmers in the Midwestern U.S. What makes these groups stand out among advocates of environmental protection, political justice, and sustainable development is their religious orientation. They aim, without apology, to embody the reign of God on earth. The Salvadoran community is grounded in Roman Catholic social thought, while the Amish adhere to Anabaptist tradition. Peterson offers a detailed portrait of these communities' history, social organization, religious life, environmental values, and agricultural practices. She discovers both practical and ideological commonalities in these two comparatively successful and sustainable communities, including a strong collective identity, deep attachment to local landscapes, a desire to preserve non-human as well as human lives, and, perhaps unexpectedly, a utopian horizon that provides both goals and the hope of reaching them. By examining the process by which people struggle to live according to a transcendent value system, she sheds light on both the actual and the potential place of religion in public life. Peterson argues that the Amish and Salvadoran communities, geographically and culturally removed from the industrialized West, have relevance for the political and environmental problems of the developed world. These communities have succeeded in the face of significant internal and external challenges, offering important practical and theoretical lessons on how to achieve ecological sustainability and social justice in the wider world.

Download or read book Expanding God s Kingdom Through Church Planting written by Fred Herron and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2003-02-09 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using a biblical, strategic plan, this book presents a dynamic, effective plan for planting churches. It presents God's heart for kingdom expansion-planting local churches. Herron discusses characteristics and methods of successful church planters. He thoroughly diagrams how a potential church planter can survey a community with the intent of developing a heart for the community, how to plan strategically, and how to pray strategically. Also included are keys to effective church planting-strategic planning, gathering the core group, reaching the lost, structuring for disciple-making, and developing leaders. Common pitfalls are also discussed. Expanding God's Kingdom Through Church Planting is a book to be read, reread and shared. It deserves a "front row seat" on a bookshelf. Herron writes, "This book was written to provide a high-quality guidebook for church planters, churches that plant churches, schools that teach church planting, and denominational or post-denomination leaders that over church planting."

Download or read book OECD Rural Policy Reviews England United Kingdom 2011 written by OECD and published by OECD Publishing. This book was released on 2011-01-25 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book reviews governance structures and decentralisation; delivering public services; economic development; and the importance of improving connectivity in rural areas of the UK.

Download or read book Encountering Theology of Mission written by Craig Ott and published by Baker Academic. This book was released on 2010-05 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leading evangelical mission experts offer a comprehensive theology of mission text, providing biblical, historical, and contemporary perspectives.