Download or read book Holy Subversion Foreword by Ed Stetzer written by Trevin Wax and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2010-01-08 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christians are too often guilty of pledging their allegiance to the influential principalities and powers of this age rather than to Christ alone. In Holy Subversion, Trevin Wax challenges such behavior by urging a return to the subversive lifestyle of the earliest Christians. Their proclamation and demonstration that "Jesus is Lord" directly opposed the Caesar worship of their day. Today, Christians in the West must choose between Jesus and our "Caesars": self, success, money, leisure, sex, power. What would it look like, asks Wax, if today's church reclaimed the communal, subversive nature of the gospel, intentionally undermining all contenders for our devotion? How would the message that "Jesus is Lord" change our thinking about our jobs, our families, and our church participation? Here this gifted pastor-theologian offers help in taking our faith public, dethroning modern-day Caesars, honoring the Lordship of Christ, and understanding the church as the ultimate counterculture-an embodiment of Christ's supremacy over all.
Download or read book Gospel Wakefulness Foreword by Ray Ortlund written by Jared C. Wilson and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2011-10-06 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We may know the gospel. We may believe it—even proclaim it. But we also may assume the gospel and become lethargic. In this book Jared Wilson seeks to answer the central question, how do we experience and present the gospel in a fresh, nonroutine way in order to prevent ourselves and others from becoming numb? His answer may be surprising: "by routinely presenting the unchanging gospel in a way that does justice to its earth-shaking announcement." We don't excite and awaken people to the glorious truths of the gospel by spicing up our worship services or through cutting-edge, dramatic rhetoric, but by passionately and faithfully proclaiming the same truths we have already been given in Scripture. Wilson's book will stir churches to live out the power of the gospel with a fervent, genuine zeal. After an explanation of the term "gospel wakefulness," Wilson unpacks implications for worship, hyper-spirituality, godly habits, and sanctification, as well as other aspects of church life. Pastors, church leaders, and all in ministry, especially those who are tired or discouraged, will be uplifted, emboldened, and empowered by this book.
Download or read book Subversive Kingdom written by Ed Stetzer and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2012 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Noted missiologist/church researcher Ed Stetzer offers an accessible treatment of the doctrine of the kingdom of God, inviting readers to actively explore, advance, and live in this "subversive kingdom" today.
Download or read book Color Courageous Discipleship written by Michelle T. Sanchez and published by WaterBrook. This book was released on 2022-11-01 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover a Christ-centered approach to antiracism that will empower you to be transformed as you transform your world. “A clear biblical theology for why racial solidarity is integral to discipleship—one that is not influenced by the right or the left but by Jesus!”—Dave Ferguson, lead pastor of Community Christian Church So you’re for Jesus and against racism. But racism is such a fraught topic—can’t we just talk about Jesus? Michelle T. Sanchez has discovered through her own journey that it’s impossible to separate racial discipleship from our relationship with God. When we choose to courageously resist racism, we discover opportunities to encounter Christ in fresh and exciting ways. Color-Courageous Discipleship is our guidebook to a deeper connection with God through the adventure of racial discipleship. Grounded in the gospel, this practical and thought-provoking book • reveals multiple ways that the racial dynamics of our society have already formed us • explores what it means to biblically and proactively address racial inequity for the sake of God’s glory • equips us to engage in challenging conversations about racial reconciliation with grace and truth • offers hope, creative answers, and a path forward both individually and as beloved community Whatever your race or background, Color-Courageous Discipleship invites you to experience more of Jesus as you pursue racial righteousness in his name.
Download or read book Counterfeit Gospels written by Trevin Wax and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2011-04-01 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What if the biggest danger to the church of Jesus Christ is not blatant heresy, the moral failures of church leaders, persecution, the rise of Islam or the loss of our rights? What if the biggest threat is counterfeit gospels within the church, ways of thinking and speaking about the good news that lead to a gradual drift from the truth of Scripture? The gospel is like a three-legged stool. There’s the Gospel Story – the grand narrative of Scripture (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration). Within that overarching framework, we make the Gospel Announcement about Jesus Christ (His perfect life, substitutionary death, resurrection, exaltation). The gospel announcement then births the Gospel Community: God’s church – the embodiment of the gospel, the manifestation of God’s kingdom. A counterfeit gospel is like a colony of termites, eating away at one of the legs of this stool until the whole thing topples over. This book exposes six common counterfeits (Therapeutic, Judgmentless, Moralist, Quietist, Activist, and Churchless) that would get us off track. The goal of Counterfeit Gospels is to so deepen our love for the unchanging gospel of Jesus Christ that we would easily see through the many counterfeits that leave us impoverished. So come, love the gospel, recognize and overcome the counterfeits, and be empowered for ministry!
Download or read book What Jesus Started written by Steve Addison and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2012-11-14 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year Sometimes we get so caught up in the power of Jesus shouting from the cross, "It is finished!" that we forget that Jesus started something. What Jesus started was a movement that began small, with intimate conversations designed to build disciples into apostles who would go out in the world and seed it with God's kingdom vision. That movement grew rapidly and spread wide as people recognized the truth in it and gave their lives to the power of it. That movement is still happening today, and we are called to play our part in it.
Download or read book The Mission of God Study Bible written by Ed Stetzer and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2012-06-01 with total page 5469 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Mission of God Study Bible encourages followers of Jesus Christ to see their everyday life from God’s perspective and have His heart for people. It’s a reminder that we live around people in desperate need of redemption and reconciliation with God, which can only be found in Jesus. The mission of God has never been just for specialists; it is for all believers to live out through their daily lives and by sharing the good news of what God has done through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus. Wherever you are, you are on mission. In The Mission of God Study Bible, readers will hear through more than 150 additional writings from today’s top thinkers, theologians, and leading voices in the church about what it means to live in the mission of God. Essay contributors include Matt Chandler, Tullian Tchividjian, Ed Stetzer, Linda Bergquist, Dave Ferguson, Christopher J.H. Wright, Matthew Barnett, and many others. Readers will also discover “Letters to the Church” from elder statesmen that speak to the grand narrative of God’s mission in Scripture. These words from Billy Graham, Jack Hayford, Erwin Lutzer, Calvin Miller, and R.C. Sproul will inspire you to live God’s mission daily.
Download or read book You Found Me written by Rick Richardson and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2019-06-18 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year Many bemoan the decline of the church. We hear a steady stream of reports about how droves of people, especially younger generations, are abandoning Christianity. But new research shows that unchurched Americans are surprisingly more receptive and open to the Christian faith than is commonly assumed. Researcher and practitioner Rick Richardson unveils the findings of the Billy Graham Center Institute's groundbreaking studies on the unchurched. A study of 2000 unchurched people across the country reveals that the unchurched are still remarkably open to faith conversations and the church. Even unchurched "nones" and millennials are quite receptive if they are approached in particular ways. In this book you will also find best practices from further research into the top ten percent of churches that most effectively reach the unchurched. People who were previously unchurched share what actually moved them to faith and Christian commitment. And the research shows that churches and organizations can be transformed to become places where conversion growth becomes the new normal. If people tell you "the sky is falling," don't believe them. In today's troubled world, unchurched and unbelieving people are newly receptive to hearing good news. You can lead the change that will help your church reach people—who then reach others.
Download or read book The Mission of God written by Ed Stetzer and published by Holman Bibles. This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A study Bible designed to help readers gain God's perspective and heart for people, with contributions from Matt Chandler, Tullian Tchividjian, Ed Stetzer, Billy Graham, Jack Hayford, R.C. Sproul, and many more.
Download or read book A Faith of Our Own written by Jonathan Merritt and published by FaithWords. This book was released on 2012-05-08 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every day, major headlines tell the story of how Christianity is attempting to influence American culture and politics. But statistics show that young Americans are disenchanted with a faith that has become culturally antagonistic and too closely aligned with partisan politics. In this personal yet practical work, Jonathan Merritt uncovers the changing face of American Christianity by uniquely examining the coming of age of a new generation of Christians. Jonathan Merritt illuminates the spiritual ethos of this new generation of believers who engage the world with Christ-centered faith but an un-polarized political perspective. Through personal stories and biblically rooted commentary this scion of a leading evangelical family takes a close, thoughtful look at the changing religious and political environment, addressing such divisive issues as abortion, gay marriage, environmental use and care, race, war, poverty, and the imbalance of world wealth. Through Scripture, the examples of Jesus, and personal defining faith experiences, he distills the essential truths at the core of a Christian faith that is now just coming of age.
Download or read book Heaven on Earth written by R. Alan Streett and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 2013-04-01 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The future hope of heaven is pulled into the here-and-now in this illuminating description of the kingdom of God. Popular teacher and author R. Alan Streett exposes half-truths about the kingdom that many believers have unwittingly accepted. He contrasts these with the testimony of Scripture: Jesus inaugurated the kingdom of God on the earth—it has already begun. As ambassadors of the kingdom, we are to fulfill our responsibilities and enjoy its benefits here and now. Salvation does not culminate with the soul escaping the body and living forever in heaven. Our bodies will eventually be transformed, and we will live with God on a restored earth. The church is like an embassy of heaven in a foreign country. In their life together, believers demonstrate kingdom realities to the world. Readers will find hope and direction in this fresh presentation of the historic teaching on the kingdom.
Download or read book The Art of Neighboring written by Jay Pathak and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2012-08-01 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Once upon a time, people knew their neighbors. They talked to them, had cook-outs with them, and went to church with them. In our time of unprecedented mobility and increasing isolationism, it's hard to make lasting connections with those who live right outside our front door. We have hundreds of "friends" through online social networking, but we often don't even know the full name of the person who lives right next door. This unique and inspiring book asks the question: What is the most loving thing I can do for the people who live on my street or in my apartment building? Through compelling true stories of lives impacted, the authors show readers how to create genuine friendships with the people who live in closest proximity to them. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter make this book perfect for small groups or individual study.
Download or read book The New Calvinism Considered written by Jeremy Walker and published by EP BOOKS. This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of all the various movements that have affected the evangelical Christian Church in the early years of the 21st century, the young, restless and reformed or 'New Calvinists' are among the most significant. Jeremy Walker acknowledges the difficulties of tackling this subject, which he approaches with some caution. He writes of his desire to provide 'a balanced and appropriately irenic assessment' as he considers the contribution of various personalities --from publisher description
Download or read book Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church written by D. A. Carson and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2009-05-26 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A careful and informed assessment of the “emerging church” by a respected author and scholar The “emerging church” movement has generated a lot of excitement and exerts an astonishingly broad influence. Is it the wave of the future or a passing fancy? Who are the leaders and what are they saying? The time has come for a mature assessment. D. A. Carson not only gives those who may be unfamiliar with it a perceptive introduction to the emerging church movement, but also includes a skillful assessment of its theological views. Carson addresses some troubling weaknesses of the movement frankly and thoughtfully, while at the same time recognizing that it has important things to say to the rest of Christianity. The author strives to provide a perspective that is both honest and fair. Anyone interested in the future of the church in a rapidly changing world will find this an informative and stimulating read. D. A. Carson (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is the author of over 45 books, including the Gold Medallion Award-winning book The Gagging of God, and is general editor of Telling the Truth and Worship by the Book. He has served as a pastor and is an active guest lecturer in church and academic settings around the world.
Download or read book The Qur an and the Christian written by Matthew Aaron Bennett and published by Kregel Publications. This book was released on 2022-04-26 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding Islam's sacred text is integral to understanding your Muslim neighbor Cross-cultural missionary and scholar Matthew Aaron Bennett blends the insights of Islamic believers, secular Qur'an scholars, and missionaries to Muslims, making The Qur'an and the Christian like no other resource for Christian ministry to Muslims. Combining these perspectives in one guide better equips Christians to communicate the biblical gospel to friends and neighbors who are adherents to Islam--both in and out of majority-Muslim cultures. The Qur'an and the Christian addresses issues both simple and profound, such as: 1. How the Qur'an came to be, including Muhammed and the Qur'an's textual precursors 2. The major themes of the Qur'an and how these shape the practice of Islam 3. The presence of Bible characters, Jews, and Christians in the Qur'anic text 4. Whether and how a Christian should read the Qur'an 5. Avoiding miscommunication with Muslims when the Qur'an and Christian teaching seem to overlap This book will help Christians learn how to explore Islamic faith with missiological wisdom and biblical precision. The Qur'an and the Christian will give believers the insight to deepen friendships, promote understanding, and clarify the biblical gospel among Muslim friends and neighbors.
Download or read book Surprise the World written by Michael Frost and published by NavPress. This book was released on 2016-01-14 with total page 141 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sharing your faith doesn’t have to be complicated. Christians are called to be a witness for Christ in daily life, to surprise people around us with the good news of the gospel. Yet putting that mission into regular practice can seem overwhelming. Author Michael Frost, a renowned expert on evangelism, offers refreshingly simple tactics to make evangelism fulfilling, exciting, and effective. Surprise the World teaches clear and practical tools for making evangelism part of your daily life. This short and easy read covers the BELLS method, along with thought-provoking questions and prompts for applying each habit. You’ll learn about each of the five habits: Bless others Eat together Listen to the Spirit Learn Christ Understand yourself as Sent by God into others’ lives Ideal for personal use or training groups on evangelism, the inspiring lessons in this book will transform your view of evangelism in daily life. “A timely wake-up call for believers. A concise and helpful encouragement to those seeking to live on-mission in their communities.” —Ed Stetzer, author and pastor “Eminently doable, entirely practical, and exceptionally effective!” —Felicity Dale, author of An Army of Ordinary People “If every believer developed a lifestyle that included these 5 habits, I’m convinced a great spiritual awakening would take place.” —Al Engler, mission director of Nav Neighbor
Download or read book Movements That Change the World written by Steve Addison and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2011-03-17 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Steve Addison gleans the characteristics of the dynamic missionary movement from biblical, historical and contemporary case studies. Addison shows how these factors recur in every period of Christian expansion, and suggests that Christianity's distinction as a historical movement lies in its power to outlast the centuries.
