Download or read book Marks of a Movement written by Winfield Bevins and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2019-09-10 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Marks of a Movement calls us back to the disciple-making mandate of the church through the timeless wisdom of John Wesley and the Methodist movement. With a love for history and a passion for today’s church, Winfield helps us reimagine church multiplication in a way that focuses on making and multiplying disciples for the twenty-first century. Winfield Bevins reminds us of the vital multiplication lessons from the Wesleyan movement, one of the greatest missional movements the world has ever known. He highlights the necessity of discipleship as the starting point and the abiding strategic practice that is key to all lasting missional impact in and through movements. The Methodist movement is an example of the power of multiplying movements that utilize the strategy of discipleship. Within a generation, one in thirty people who were living in Britain had become Methodists, and the movement soon became a worldwide phenomenon. We in the Western Church need a movement of historic proportions once again. What would such a multiplication movement look like for us today? We must look to the past to gain wisdom for the future. And as we look at the pages of church history, there is no better example of a multiplication movement in the West than the Methodist movement of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Marks of a Movement highlights the lessons and key insights that enable us to learn from the past and reapply this timeless, biblical wisdom for today.
Download or read book Evaluating the Church Growth Movement written by Zondervan, and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2010-06-01 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What exactly is the Church Growth movement? This timely volume in the Counterpoints series addresses the history of the movement that has become such an enormous shaping force on the Western church today, and it explores--in a roundtable forum of leading voices--five main perspectives on the classic Church Growth movement: Effective Evangelism View - presented by Elmer Towns Gospel in Our Culture View - presented by Craig Van Gelder Centrist View - presented by Charles Van Engen Reformist View - presented by Gailyn Van Rheenan Renewal View - presented by Howard Snyder Each view is first presented by its proponent, then critiqued by the co-contributors. The interactive and fair-minded format allows the reader to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each view and draw informed, personal conclusions. Evaluating the Church Growth Movement concludes with reflections by three seasoned pastors who have grappled with the practical implications of Church Growth. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.
Download or read book Marks of Methodism written by Russell E. Richey and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In this synthesis of the prior volumes in the United Methodism and American Culture series, Richey and his colleagues challenge the caricature of Methodism as a nontheological tradition by teasing out the theological dimensions that are embedded in characteristic Methodist practices. Their articulation of the various implications of itinerancy, discipline, connectionalism, and catholicity will be central to all future considerations of Methodist ecclesiology. But just as important is the way in which they constantly move beyond description to challenge and provide resources for North American Methodists as we move into this new century."--BOOK JACKET.
Download or read book Church Planting Movements written by V. David Garrison and published by WIGTake Resources. This book was released on 2007 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: David Garrison, PhD University of Chicago, defines Church Planting Movements as rapidly multiplying indigenous churches planting churches that sweep across a people group or population segment. Garrison's Church Planting Movements: How God Is Redeeming a Lost World signaled a breakthrough in missionary church planting. After the publication of Garrison's book in 2004 it became impossible to talk about missions without referencing Church Planting Movements. Church Planting Movements examines more than two-dozen movements of multiplying churches on five continents. After presenting these case studies, Garrison identifies ten universal elements present in each movement. He then broadens the circle of examination to identify a further ten common characteristics, factors identified in most, but not all, of the movements. He concludes his examination with a list of "Seven Deadly Sins," i.e. harmful practices that stifle or impede Church Planting Movements. Important for evangelical readers, the author returns to his findings to see how they stand up to the light of Scripture. What he discovers is that Church Planting Movements are much more consistent with the New Testament lay-led house-church movements that swept rapidly through the Mediterranean world in the face of hostile opposition than today's more sedentary professional institutionalized Christianity. Learn more about Church Planting Movements from the book's website: www.ChurchPlantingMovements.com.
Download or read book Ordinary written by Michael Horton and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2014-10-07 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Radical. Crazy. Transformative and restless. Every word we read these days seems to suggest there’s a “next-best-thing,” if only we would change our comfortable, compromising lives. In fact, the greatest fear most Christians have is boredom—the sense that they are missing out on the radical life Jesus promised. One thing is certain. No one wants to be “ordinary.” Yet pastor and author Michael Horton believes that our attempts to measure our spiritual growth by our experiences, constantly seeking after the next big breakthrough, have left many Christians disillusioned and disappointed. There’s nothing wrong with an energetic faith; the danger is that we can burn ourselves out on restless anxieties and unrealistic expectations. What’s needed is not another program or a fresh approach to spiritual growth; it’s a renewed appreciation for the commonplace. Far from a call to low expectations and passivity, Horton invites readers to recover their sense of joy in the ordinary. He provides a guide to a sustainable discipleship that happens over the long haul—not a quick fix that leaves readers empty with unfulfilled promises. Convicting and ultimately empowering, Ordinary is not a call to do less; it’s an invitation to experience the elusive joy of the ordinary Christian life.
Download or read book Growing God s Church written by Gary L. McIntosh and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2016-01-12 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It's no secret that the evangelism methods of yesterday are not yielding the kinds of results they did in the 1970s and 1980s. So how are new Christians hearing the Gospel today? How are they finding churches? And what makes them stay at a church? The answers to these questions have the power to dramatically alter the way we do outreach. And Dr. McIntosh has them. Based on ten years of scientific research, Growing God's Church shows pastors and church leaders how people are actually coming to faith in the 21st century. It covers factors such as our motive for ministry, the priorities churches set for themselves, the reality of churchless Christians, generational and gender-based differences in evangelism effectiveness, the name of your church, the influence of pastors, and much more. The appendix includes a copy of the survey that provides the basis for McIntosh's arguments and an overview of the study is provided in the first chapter.
Download or read book The Rise and Fall of Movements written by Steve Addison and published by 100movements Publishing. This book was released on 2019-04-25 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A ministry is what you can do with the help of others. A movement is what God can do when you let go of control and multiply disciples and churches. Drawing on the life and ministry of Jesus, and with reflections on past and present movements, Steve Addison provides a roadmap for leaders who want to multiply disciples and churches to the ends of the earth. Whether pioneering on the edge, riding a wave of expansion, or stuck in suffocating decline, The Rise and Fall of Movements addresses each phase in the movement lifecycle, helping leaders identify their stage and align themselves with God's purposes.
Download or read book Five Marks of a Methodist written by Steve Harper and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2015-03-17 with total page 33 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Five marks confirm our identity as genuine and fruitful followers of Christ: 1. A Methodist Loves God 2. A Methodist Rejoices in God 3. A Methodist Gives Thanks 4. A Methodist Prays Constantly 5. A Methodist Loves Others This brief book, suitable for sharing with others, provides a meditation on each of these characteristics. Prayerfully apply them to your journey with Jesus. If you are part of the worldwide Methodist or Wesleyan family, these five marks will grant a greater knowledge and appreciation for why and how you follow Jesus. If you are located in another part of the body of Christ, you can emerge with a solid foundation to keep your spiritual house standing strong. Christians marked by these five habits, when taken together, have character. Each chapter ends with questions for reflection or discussion. “Steve Harper goes to the very heart of faithfulness as he describes and then calls upon all those who follow Wesley to live. It is lives of integrity that are the result of following these marks. Harper rightly says this will give the ring of truth to our daily living. He then goes on to identify the “marks” or “practices” that when followed will result in a life of righteousness, goodness, peace, and joy. It is a way of living in God’s gracious presence that he encourages for everyone, and it is a way of living I choose for myself.” —Rueben P. Job, author of Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living
Download or read book The Gospel According to Mark written by and published by Canongate Books. This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 73 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The earliest of the four Gospels, the book portrays Jesus as an enigmatic figure, struggling with enemies, his inner and external demons, and with his devoted but disconcerted disciples. Unlike other gospels, his parables are obscure, to be explained secretly to his followers. With an introduction by Nick Cave
Download or read book Exchanging Our Country Marks written by Michael A. Gomez and published by Univ of North Carolina Press. This book was released on 2000-11-09 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The transatlantic slave trade brought individuals from diverse African regions and cultures to a common destiny in the American South. In this comprehensive study, Michael Gomez establishes tangible links between the African American community and its African origins and traces the process by which African populations exchanged their distinct ethnic identities for one defined primarily by the conception of race. He examines transformations in the politics, social structures, and religions of slave populations through 1830, by which time the contours of a new African American identity had begun to emerge. After discussing specific ethnic groups in Africa, Gomez follows their movement to North America, where they tended to be amassed in recognizable concentrations within individual colonies (and, later, states). For this reason, he argues, it is possible to identify particular ethnic cultural influences and ensuing social formations that heretofore have been considered unrecoverable. Using sources pertaining to the African continent as well as runaway slave advertisements, ex-slave narratives, and folklore, Gomez reveals concrete and specific links between particular African populations and their North American progeny, thereby shedding new light on subsequent African American social formation.
Download or read book Saturate written by Jeff Vanderstelt and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2015-04-16 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What does living for Jesus look like in the everyday stuff of life? Many Christians have unwittingly embraced the idea that “church” is a once-a-week event rather than a community of Spirit-empowered people; that “ministry” is what pastors do on Sundays rather than the 24/7 calling of all believers; and that “discipleship” is a program rather than the normal state of every follower of Jesus. Drawing on his experience as a pastor and church planter, Jeff Vanderstelt wants us to see that there’s more—much more—to the Christian life than sitting in a pew once a week. God has called his people to something bigger: a view of the Christian life that encompasses the ordinary, the extraordinary, and everything in between. Packed full of biblical teaching, compelling stories, and real-world advice, this book will remind you that Jesus is filling the world with his presence through the everyday lives of everyday people... People just like you.
Download or read book School s for Conversion written by Rutba House and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2005-01-14 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout the history of the church, monastic movements have emerged to explore new ways of life in the abandoned places of society. School(s) for Conversion is a communal attempt to discern the marks of a new monasticism in the inner-cities and forgotten landscapes of the Empire that is called America.
Download or read book Faith Driven Entrepreneur written by Henry Kaestner and published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. This book was released on 2021-08 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "I'm excited about Faith Driven Entrepreneur. Anyone who is following the example of their creator God can find echoes of their work in this book." --Lecrae Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey. But it doesn't need to be. God has a purpose and a plan for all those entrepreneurial dreams and creative gifts he gave you. The work you do today--the company you've built, the employees you work with, the customers you serve, the shareholders you report to, all of it--serves as an active part of what God wants to accomplish on earth. You are not alone in this journey. Join other faith-driven entrepreneurs as, together, we identify the values, habits, and traits that empower us to successfully build businesses, serve our communities, and faithfully pursue a loving relationship with God; read stories that exemplify how those values, habits, and traits unfold in everyday life; and discover the potential God wants to unleash through our work. Each book purchase includes access to the eight-session Faith Driven Entrepreneur video series, a discussion guide to encourage conversation among peers, and an invitation to join a Faith Driven Entrepreneur Group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs.
Download or read book The Five Marks of a Man written by Brian Tome and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2023-10-10 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A boy doesn't automatically become a man at age 18. What differentiates a man from a boy is the way he lives. A boy lives day to day, wants to be MVP, plays, wants the reassurance of the crowd, and is a predator. A man has a vision for his life, is a team player, works, has the courage to take a minority position, and is a protector. These are the five marks of a man. It's not enough to just know them. A real man aggressively pursues them on a daily basis. Drawing from his own experience and the lives of others, pastor Brian Tome calls on men to examine themselves and take steps in the direction of a fully realized manhood that honors God, respects women, elevates others, and works purposefully for an end greater than their own satisfaction or pleasure. It's time for men to step into their honorable place in the world and lean into a new reality--one defined by strength, purpose, and honor.
Download or read book Ever Ancient Ever New written by Winfield Bevins and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2019-03-05 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For many years now, the church in North America has heard figure after figure concerning the steady flow of young people leaving the church. In the midst of these troubling figures, there remains a glimmer of hope for these youth as they transition into young adults. Ever Ancient, Ever New tells the story of a generation of younger Christians from different backgrounds and traditions who are finding a home and a deep connection in the church by embracing a liturgical expression of the faith. Author and teacher Winfield Bevins introduces you to a growing movement among younger Christians who are returning to historic, creedal, and liturgical reflections of Christianity. He unpacks why and how liturgy has beckoned them deeper into their experience of Jesus, and what types of churches and communities foster this "convergence" of old and new. Filled with stories illustrating the excitement and joy many young adults have found in these ancient expressions of Christianity, this book introduces you to practices and principles that may help the church as it seeks to engage our postmodern world.
Download or read book Planting Missional Churches written by Ed Stetzer and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2006-05-01 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Planting Missional Churches is an instruction book for planting biblically faithful and culturally relevant churches. It addresses the “how-to” and “why” issues of church planting by providing practical guidance through all the phases of a church plant while taking a missional look at existing and emerging cultures.
Download or read book Nine Marks of a Healthy Church 3rd Edition written by Mark Dever and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2013-08-31 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now in its third edition and featuring a new foreword by New York Times best-selling author David Platt, pastor Mark Dever’s classic book is not an instruction manual for church growth. Rather, it is a wise pastor’s recommendation for how to assess the health of a church using nine crucial qualities often neglected by many of today’s congregations. Church leaders and church members alike will resonate with the principles outlined here, breathing new life and health into the church at large. In this newly revised edition, fresh arguments have been added (for example on expositional preaching, about the nature of the gospel, on complementarianism), illustrations have been updated, appendices have been changed, and cover has been improved.
