Download or read book Hope after Faith written by Jerry DeWitt and published by Da Capo Press. This book was released on 2013-06-25 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Atheism's leading lights have long been intellectuals raised in the secular and academic worlds: Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the late Christopher Hitchens. By contrast, Jerry DeWitt was born and bred into the church and was in fact a Pentecostal preacher before arriving at atheism through an extraordinary dialogue with faith that spanned more than a quarter of a century. Hope After Faith is his account of that journey. DeWitt was a pastor in the town of DeRidder, Louisiana, and was a fixture of the community. In private, however, he'd begun to question his faith. Late one night in May 2011, a member of his flock called seeking prayer for her brother who had been in a serious accident. As DeWitt searched for the right words to console her, speech failed him, and he found that the faith which once had formed the cornerstone of his life had finally crumbled to dust. When it became public knowledge that DeWitt was now an atheist, he found himself shunned by much of DeRidder's highly religious community, losing nearly everything he'd known. DeWitt's struggle for identity and meaning mirrors the one currently facing millions of people around the world. With both agnosticism and atheism entering the mainstream—one in five Americans now claim no religious affiliation, according to a recent study—the moment has arrived for a new atheist voice, one that is respectful of faith and religious traditions yet warmly embraces a life free of religion, finding not skepticism and cold doubt but rather profound meaning and hope. Hope After Faith is the story of one man's evolution toward a committed and considered atheism, one driven by humanism, a profound moral dimension, and a happiness and self-confidence obtained through living free of fear.
Download or read book Journeying in Faith written by Alan Jamieson and published by . This book was released on 2004-01-01 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Alan Jamieson explores the kind of faith that is being built by many Christians who have left the Church, finding it limiting and at times oppressive.
Download or read book Journeying in the Wilderness written by Terri Martinson Elton and published by Fortress Press. This book was released on 2020-02-04 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Journeying in the Wilderness, author Terri Martinson Elton observes that faith formation in the church setting is contextual, and multiple forces are coming together today to create seismic contextual changes at record speed. These changes are disrupting aspects of our lives, challenging assumptions, and dislodging personal and communal practices. For the church to take seriously its call to form faith in each generation, it must be attentive to current contextual realities. Elton places confessional understanding of faith in dialogue with five contextually altering forces in order to provide a pathway for congregations to reimagine faith formation in the midst of twenty-first-century realities. The use of stories, nontechnical language, and biblical perspectives make this work accessible for congregational leaders and others who seek to explore new directions in forming faith. Processes and practices are offered to help both leaders and congregations contextualize their approach to their particular settings. Each chapter includes leadership competencies, shared practices, and group discussion questions.
Download or read book Seeking Spiritual Intimacy written by Glenn E. Myers and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2011-03-28 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Seeking Spiritual Intimacy Glenn Myers introduces us to the Beguines, a network of faith communities in Medieval Europe, where women organized their world around a simple life with Christ at the center. Learn from the insights of wise women of faith who, from their modest homes and communities, revitalized the faith of a continent.
Download or read book The Most Reluctant Convert written by David C. Downing and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2021-05-07 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his teens, a young man wrote, “I believe in no religion. There is absolutely no proof for any of them.” After serving in the trenches of WW1, the same young man said, “I never sank so low as to pray.” To a religious friend, he wrote impatiently, “You can’t start with God. I don’t accept God!” This young man was C. S. Lewis, the “foul-mouthed atheist” who would become one of the most eloquent Christian writers of the twentieth century. David C. Downing offers a unique look at Lewis’s personal journey to faith and the profound influence it had on his life as a writer and eventual follower of Christ. This is the first book to focus on the period from Lewis’s childhood to his early thirties, a tumultuous journey of spiritual and intellectual exploration. It was not despite this journey but precisely because of it that Lewis understood the search for life’s meaning so well.
Download or read book Pilgrimage written by Lynn Austin and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2013-11-05 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We all encounter times when our spirit feels dry, when doubt looms. The opportunity to tour Israel came at a good time. For months, my life has been a mindless plodding through necessary routine, as monotonous as an all-night shift on an assembly line. Life gets that way sometimes, when nothing specific is wrong but the world around us seems drained of color. Even my weekly worship experiences and daily quiet times with God have felt as dry and stale as last year's crackers. I'm ashamed to confess the malaise I've felt. I have been given so much. Shouldn't a Christian's life be an abundant one, as exciting as Christmas morning, as joyful as Easter Sunday? With gripping honesty, Lynn Austin pens her struggles with spiritual dryness in a season of loss and unwanted change. Tracing her travels throughout Israel, Austin seamlessly weaves events and insights from the Word . . . and in doing so finds a renewed passion for prayer and encouragement for her spirit, now full of life and hope.
Download or read book The Expulsive Power of a New Affection written by Thomas Chalmers and published by Gideon House Books. This book was released on 2015-06-17 with total page 25 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” — 1 John 2:15 Those who struggle with habitual sin are keenly aware of the despair and fatigue that comes from trying harder and harder to control the desire to do what is wrong in the eyes of God. For this person, there be times of limited success in overcoming sin, but eventually he/she falls back again into unhealthy patterns. In "The Expulsive Power of a New Affection", Thomas Chalmers argues that no matter how hard we may try, we’ll never overcome habitual sin in our lives unless we switch our affections from the world to Jesus Christ. Thankfully Christ loved us first and is more than willing to set us free if we’d only realize the true Gospel power that we can all have in our lives today.
Download or read book Journeying Between the Worlds written by Eagle Skyfire and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 2019-05-08 with total page 159 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Strengthen Your Connection to Nature, Your Inner Wisdom, and Sacred Spirits Through Shamanism Journeying Between the Worlds is written for beginner and intermediate practitioners and shares shamanic teachings in a way easily understood by people from any culture. This book contains practices that will open the door to dynamic, ever-evolving relationships with Great Spirit, your sacred self, and your ancestors. With simple exercises that help you build your skills and knowledge, this powerful guide teaches lessons based on spiritual concepts such as shamanic journeying, the Medicine Wheel, dreams and visions, Power Animals, the elements, shamanic tools, the three realms, and much more. Journeying Between the Worlds shows you how to make sacred connections with the natural world, divine beings, and your own soul.
Download or read book A Pilgrimage to Eternity written by Timothy Egan and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2019-10-15 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From "the world's greatest tour guide," a deeply-researched, captivating journey through the rich history of Christianity and the winding paths of the French and Italian countryside that will feed mind, body, and soul (New York Times). "What a wondrous work! This beautifully written and totally clear-eyed account of his pilgrimage will have you wondering whether we should all embark on such a journey, either of the body, the soul or, as in Egan's case, both." --Cokie Roberts "Egan draws us in, making us feel frozen in the snow-covered Alps, joyful in valleys of trees with low-hanging fruit, skeptical of the relics of embalmed saints and hopeful for the healing of his encrusted toes, so worn and weathered from their walk."--The Washington Post Moved by his mother's death and his Irish Catholic family's complicated history with the church, Timothy Egan decided to follow in the footsteps of centuries of seekers to force a reckoning with his own beliefs. He embarked on a thousand-mile pilgrimage through the theological cradle of Christianity to explore the religion in the world that it created. Egan sets out along the Via Francigena, once the major medieval trail leading the devout to Rome, and travels overland via the alpine peaks and small mountain towns of France, Switzerland and Italy, accompanied by a quirky cast of fellow pilgrims and by some of the towering figures of the faith--Joan of Arc, Henry VIII, Martin Luther. The goal: walking to St. Peter's Square, in hopes of meeting the galvanizing pope who is struggling to hold together the church through the worst crisis in half a millennium. A thrilling journey, a family story, and a revealing history, A Pilgrimage to Eternity looks for our future in its search for God.
Download or read book Mission Trips that Matter written by Don C. Richter and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Churches and other organizations are launching mission trips with ever-increasing frequency. Don Richter describes how those on mission can become servant-guests who embody Christ's love. He provides a number of aids to support that process, including: spiritual practices, mission trip stories, key biblical passages, activity and reflection suggestions "for the journey". Mission Trips That Matter will inspire and guide groups to reflect on their life together as they prepare for, engage in, and interpret short-term mission trips and service projects. Book jacket.
Download or read book God s Unfinished Book written by Ray C. Stedman and published by Our Daily Bread Publishing. This book was released on 2015-04-29 with total page 618 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Filled with adventure, the New Testament book of Acts tells of thrilling escapes, people in peril, conflict and intrigue, travel through the ancient world, storms and shipwrecks, and steadfast faith amidst overwhelming obstacles. Join Pastor Ray Stedman in what he calls God's unfinished book, as he brings the history, adventure, and profound but practical meaning of this book to life in readable, everyday language.
Download or read book Theological Violence in the 21st Century written by Scott T. Kelso and published by . This book was released on 2021-05-06 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: YOU HOLD IN YOUR HAND an analysis of two central truths. First, the betrayal of theological education in America leaving the vast majority of clergy bereft of the supernatural element in the Bible and in life. Upon entering active ministry in the local church, too many clergy are ill-prepared to meet the challenges of modern ministry, lacking very little power or confidence in the authority of the Bible to meet basic human needs. Secondly, having been absent in the most topsy-turvy period of the twentieth century, the 1960s Church all but caved in to the '60s revolution, changing America for generations to come. We are still seeing fruit from that seed sown from the sexual revolution, to the presentday political turmoil in government and in the streets, to the call of Socialism to govern our lives. It's all there in embryo in the 1960s. This book analyzes a path forward from the '60s chaos to a clear message of repentance while turning to the supernatural power of God as we enter a last-days' scenario. Anyone wondering why the Church has wobbled on the most important social issues of the day when the Bible is crystal clear on many of them will come away with a new perspective of understanding and a clear vision of how the individual Christian can make a real difference in the spiritual landscape of America. Come join the new revolution!
Download or read book Abraham written by Bruce Feiler and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2009-10-13 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this timely, provocative, and uplifting journey, the bestselling author of Walking the Bible searches for the man at the heart of the world’s three monotheistic religions—and today’s deadliest conflicts. At a moment when the world is asking “can the religions get along?” one figure stands out as the shared ancestor of Jews, Muslims, and Christians. One man holds the key to our deepest fears—and our possible reconciliation. Abraham is that man. Bruce Feiler set out on a personal quest to better understand our common patriarch. Traveling in war zones, climbing through caves and ancient shrines, and sitting down with the world’s leading religious minds, Feiler uncovers fascinating, little known details of the man who defines faith for half the world. Both immediate and timeless, Abraham is a powerful, universal story, the first-ever interfaith portrait of the man God chose to be his partner. Thoughtful and inspiring, it offers a rare vision of hope that will redefine what we think about our neighbors, our future, and ourselves.
Download or read book Tourism Religion and Spiritual Journeys written by Dallen Timothy and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2006-09-27 with total page 331 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Religion and spirituality are still among the most common motivations for travel - many major tourism destinations have developed largely as a result of their connections to sacred people, places and events. Providing a comprehensive assessment of the primary issues and concepts related to this intersection of tourism and religion, this revealing book gives a balanced discussion of both the theoretical and applied subjects that destination planners, religious organizations, scholars, and tourism service providers must deal with on a daily basis. Bringing together a distinguished list of contributors, this volume takes a global approach and incorporates substantial empirical cases from Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, New Ageism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and the spiritual philosophies of East Asia. On a conceptual level, it considers, amongst other topics: contested heritage the pilgrim-tourist dichotomy secularization of pilgrimage experiences religious humanism educational aspects of religious tourism commodification of religious icons and services. A vibrant collection of essays, this outstanding book discusses many important practices, paradigms, and problems that are currently being examined and debated. It raises an array of significant and interesting questions and as such is a valuable resource for students, scholars and researchers of tourism, religion and cultural studies.
Download or read book Journey in Prayer written by John Smed and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2020-05-05 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An Evangelism Tool for a New Generation. Today’s seekers are far more likely to be open to prayer than a traditional gospel presentation. This beautifully designed book is unintimidating, inviting, and effective. It’s a seven-day journey through the Lord’s prayer. Each day explores a new petition in the Lord’s prayer and helps show the reader the prayer’s importance and impact. The author offers reflection questions, prayer prompts, and sample prayers to help readers begin and deepen their personal journeys in prayer. It’s a perfect resource for anyone exploring the Christian faith or young Christians learning to pray. Plus it works well one-on-one and in small groups.
Download or read book Blue Ocean Faith written by Dave Schmelzer and published by Front Edge Publishing. This book was released on 2017-02-28 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: People and churches across America are discovering that their secular friends and neighbors have been unknowingly waiting for the chance to experience the good God. Blue Ocean Faith is a network of churches that have seen thousands of secular people—from Harvard deans to public housing residents—connect with God. Blue Ocean founder Dave Schmelzer details six profound paradigm shifts that unlock a depth of connection to God that’s new for many churchgoers and that’s unprecedented for their secular neighbors. Embracing centered-set faith, becoming solus Jesus, and taking a third-way approach to LGBTQ congregants are among the game-changers that empower this rich life of faith. Rather than retreating from or drawing lines against our increasingly secular world, people of faith can join Jesus—as followers like Saint Francis of Assisi have done for millennia—in joyfully entering the world around them with profound wonder and an equally-profound offer of a life that really is life. “Blue Ocean Faith is a riveting book about an exciting new movement of churches emerging out of the ashes of American evangelicalism/fundamentalism. This could be a charter document for a new kind of Jesus movement. Everyone should read it,” writes David P. Gushee, Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics and Director of the Center for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University. With plenty of engaging storytelling, Schmelzer brings together ancient and cutting-edge insights in a book that might revitalize your experience of God, open up your connection to your neighbors and your city … and maybe even kick off a new Jesus movement.
Download or read book Surprised by Christ written by A. James Bernstein and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 335 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Raised in Queens, New York by formerly Orthodox Jewish parents, Arnold Bernstein went on his own personal quest for the God he instinctively felt was there. He was ready to accept God in whatever form He chose to reveal Himself-and that form turned out to be Christ. But Bernstein soon perceived discrepancies in the various forms of Protestant belief that surrounded him, and so his quest continued-this time for the true Church. With his Jewish heritage as a foundation, he studied and evaluated, and eventually came to the conclusion that the faith of his forefathers was fully honored and brought to completion only in the Orthodox Christian Church. Surprised by Christ combines an engrossing memoir of one man's life in historic times and situations-from the Six-Day War to the Civil Rights Movement to the Jesus Movement in Berkeley-with a deeply felt examination of the distinctives of Orthodox theology that make the Orthodox Church the true home not only for Christian Jews, but for all who seek to who seek to know God as fully.
