Download or read book From Pew to Pulpit written by Clifton Floyd Guthrie and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A down-to-earth, practical introduction to the ins and outs of preaching for lay preachers, bivocational pastors, and others newly arrived in the pulpit. Recent years have seen a considerable increase in the amount of financial resources required to support a full-time pastor in the local congregation. In addition, large numbers of full-time, seminary trained clergy are retiring, without commensurate numbers of new clergy able to take their place. As a result of these trends, a large number of lay preachers and bivocational pastors have assumed the principal responsibility for filling the pulpit week by week in local churches. Most of these individuals, observes Clifton Guthrie, can draw on a wealth of life experiences, as well as strong intuitive skills in knowing what makes a good sermon, having listened to them much of their lives. What they often don't bring to the pulpit, however, is specific, detailed instruction in the how-tos of preaching. That is precisely what this brief, practical guide to preaching has to offer. Written with the needs of those for whom preaching is not their sole or primary occupation in mind, it begins by emphasizing what every preacher brings to the pulpit: an idea of what makes a sermon particularly moving or memorable to them. From there the book moves into short chapters on choosing an appropriate biblical text or sermon topic, learning how to listen to one's first impressions of what a text means, moving from text or topic to the sermon itself while keeping the listeners needs firmly in mind, making thorough and engaging use of stories in the sermon, and delivering with passion and conviction. The book concludes with helpful suggestions for resources, including Bibles, commentaries, other print resources and websites.

Download or read book It Happened In Church written by Patti Webster and published by Kensington Books. This book was released on 2010-04-19 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Laughter Happens. Even in Church. Quiet reflection and prayer aren't the only things that happen at religious services. As preachers and the faithful can tell you, some of life's funniest moments pop up in the place least expected--church! It Happened in Church: Stories of Humor from the Pulpit to the Pews brings together a collection of these most laugh-worthy accounts. From a churchgoer doing the limbo under a velvet rope to get to his pew, to congregation members stumbling blindly back to their seats after a preacher stomped on their glasses (you have to believe in the miracle of healing for it to work!), these stories will both tickle the funny bone and inspire the soul. Gathered from the friends, family, and personal experiences of Patti Webster, a third generation Christian leader, each story is topped off with scripture and reflection. You'll also find comic breaks and anecdotes from your favorite celebrities. As the stories show, humor really does have the power to heal and to teach. It Happened in Church is sure to bring both fits of laughter and bouts of clarity.

Download or read book Between Pulpit and Pew written by W. Paul Reeve and published by Utah State University Press. This book was released on 2011-05-23 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cain wanders the frontier as a Bigfoot-like hairy beast and confronts an early Mormon apostle. An evil band of murderers from Mormon scripture, known as the Gadianton robbers, provides an excuse for the failure of a desert town. Stories of children raised from the dead with decayed bodies and damaged minds help draw boundaries between the proper spheres of human and divine action. Mormons who observe UFOs in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries find ways to explain them in relation to the church’s cosmology. The millenarian dimension of that belief system induces church members to invest in the Dream Mine, a hidden treasure that a would-be heir to Joseph Smith wraps in prophecy of the end times. A Utah version of Nessie haunts a large mountain lake. Non-Mormons attempt to discredit Joseph Smith with tales that he had tried and failed to walk on water. Mormons gave distinctive meanings to supernatural legends and events, but their narratives incorporated motifs found in many cultures. Many such historical legends and beliefs found adherents down to the present. This collection employs folklore to illuminate the cultural and religious history of a people.

Download or read book Beware written by Eric Vaughn Washington and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-10-23 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sometimes truth get twisted in this life. Blurred. Manipulated. Lines get crossed. Things once seen black and white, may appear more gray. It may seem harder to recognize what's true or what's false. What's light and what's dark. The message in BEWARE: WITCHES in the PULPIT and SNAKES in the PEWS will challenge all mankind to identify the REAL church of Jesus Christ. BEWARE of the great deception in the pulpit. BEWARE of the great deception in the pews. Everyone that declares Jesus Christ, is not of His. Prophet Eric Vaughn Washington encourages you to READ BIBLE, STUDY BIBLE, PRAY BIBLE which ultimately give way for you to LIVE BIBLE.....Engage now in Holiness!!!

Download or read book Witchcraft in the Pews written by George Bloomer and published by Whitaker House. This book was released on 2017-01-03 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Deception, witchcraft, and occult practices reign worldwide—and these evils have even infiltrated the Christian church! So, fasten your seatbelt as you read the most provocative book of our time, in which you will learn to recognize: Ministers who use intimidation and fear Controlling power in families Spiritual discernment and its many uses Manipulative media techniques Distractions coming from Satan It's time to take a stand and engage in spiritual warfare. Bishop Bloomer shows how to prevent others from unfairly taking advantage of you.

Download or read book Hiding in the Pews written by Steve Austin and published by Fortress Press. This book was released on 2021-09-21 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2012, Steve Austin, then a pastor, nearly died by suicide. His experience launched him on a journey that opened his eyes to the widespread problem of mental illness and how those who live with it are often treated in congregations. He began to wonder: if church folks had talked openly about mental health, therapy, suicide prevention, recovery from abuse, and other difficult issues, would that have changed his story? In Hiding in the Pews, people with mental illness--some of whom might be pastors themselves--will find comfort as they learn they are not alone. Those who know someone with mental illness will gain wisdom about how to be a safe presence. Those who hold the most power in church communities--pastors, board members, and lay leaders--will be challenged and equipped to transform their congregations into places of healing, where it is safe for people to be vulnerable about their suffering. Austin draws on his own experience, as well as on interviews with eighty current and former church leaders and members. Each chapter covers a topic or theme about mental illness and the church and includes practical applications to guide leaders on a journey toward transforming church culture. When a church champions vulnerability and establishes safety within its walls, especially for those who are suffering, the loving power of God heals. Austin offers hope that faith communities will be the first places people think of when they need a sense of safety and belonging.

Download or read book Lament written by Sally Ann Brown and published by Westminster John Knox Press. This book was released on 2005-01-01 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lament, so prominent in the Christian canon, is neglected in the public worship and witness of most North American congregations. These essays by Princeton Theological Seminary faculty attest to the diverse ways in which lament is understood and practiced, and invite their recovery in all elements of the church's ministry.

Download or read book Resurrecting Excellence written by L. Gregory Jones and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2006-03-09 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Resurrecting Excellence aims to rekindle and encourage among Christian leaders an unselfish ambition for the gospel that shuns both competition and mediocrity and rightly focuses on the beauty, power, and excellence of living as faithful disciples of the crucified and risen Christ. Drawing on ancient traditions and on contemporary voices, L. Gregory Jones offer both a theology of excellence and portraits of pastors, lay leaders, and congregations that embody "a more excellent way."--Publisher's description.

Download or read book Political Melodies in the Pews written by David L. Moody and published by Lexington Books. This book was released on 2012-09-27 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book explores the views that Christian theology is a theology of liberation and by means of this spiritual deliverance, an innovative, yet, revolutionary voice (Gospel hip hop) has emerged from the pews of the Sunday morning worship hour in the Black church. It is the author’s contention that the emergence of Christian hip hop based ministries has taken on the role of a new liberating theological theme among youth within the Black community.

Download or read book Prophetic Crack written by Julia McMillan and published by Thorncrown Publishing. This book was released on 2010-10 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using the analogy of a crack-cocaine addict's journey from addiction to recovery, Prophetic Crack describes the unhealthy emotional, hermeneutical, and legalistic manipulations of church leaders that may lead to "pushing" a toxic faith that inadvertently may lead to church addiction. It also outlines a clear path to recovery and restoration for both "pushers" and "addicts." Using Acts chapter 16, verse 16 as a foundation for her research, Dr. McMillan has explored the causes and effects of church addiction and paralleled its destructive patterns to that of the crack cocaine addict. You ll find the similarities astonishing! The foreword is written by Dr. Claudette Anderson Copeland and the book is published by Yorkshire Publishing.

Download or read book What Do They Hear written by Mark Allan Powell and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2010-09-01 with total page 85 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: PREACHING Powell provides a startling study of how differently the pastor and the congregation interpret Scripture, how this difference affects what the congregation hears in the sermon, and how to bridge this gap with equally startling practical steps. This remarkably fascinating book reveals how significant social location—such as age, gender, nationality, race, and education—is when interpreting the Bible. Illustrated with two studies, Mark Allan Powell demonstrates how this plays out most dramatically in the gulf, often quite wide, between the preacher and the congregation. Every preacher who reads this book will appreciate as never before the significance of social differences in the reception of his or her sermon, will see the unmistakable need to bridge this gap, and will receive clear instruction on how to do just that.

Download or read book Pastors in Transition written by Dean R. Hoge and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2005-05-02 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Whether they leave out of preference for another ministry or due to serious conflict, pastors who relinquish parish ministry face misunderstanding and even hostility. Pastors in Transition brings clarity to this little-examined aspect of the pastorate by examining the main reasons why pastors in five Protestant denominations have left parish ministry. The fruit of careful sociological research, Pastors in Transition presents the findings of the largest-ever study of recently ended ministries. More than 900 ex-ministers, representing the Assemblies of God, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the United Methodist Church, were surveyed or interviewed. Besides gathering facts and figures, the book contains personal stories, forthright opinions, and concrete recommendations from former pastors for strengthening parish ministry in the future.

Download or read book Scandal in the Pews written by Tracey T. Cooper and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-09-13 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scandal {skan-dl} an action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong causing general public outcry or outrageWe live in a society where there are scandals in Government, Corporate America, family and even amongst friends. But what happens when scandal takes place in your church, and leaders that you hold in high esteem are morally corrupEnter the world of Bishop Gregory Fortune, a prominent Pentecostal preacher, father, and husband of almost thirty years. He has two children by the love of his life, Sheila. Though not a complicated man, he has big dreams to grow his ministry to a level of greatness. Then, unexpectedly, his simple life is instantly upgraded when a rare beauty walks into the doors of his small sanctuary. From the onset, an educated Nadira Horton is a quiet spirit, yet she has the aura of a Boss that Gregory recognizes almost immediately.Hungry for success, Nadira takes the bull by the horns and sets her business plan into motion . At her direction, Gregory's lofty dream of having a massive ministry materializes, and Sheila basks in the glory of their success without having put in any actual work of her own. Suddenly, Nadira finds herself in love with Gregory, who has also fallen hard for her.All the while, Nadira's best friend Myka is caught up in her own scandal. Dreadful secrets force her picture perfect marriage to fade in the most horrendous way imaginable.The old saying, 'If the head isn't right the body isn't either, ' reigns true in this congregation. Exceeding Faith Ministries and its members are all experiencing scandal while occupying the pews. Who will be the one to remove their white gloves, slide on their gladiator suit, and clean up the mess that their choices have left behind?

Download or read book Empty the Pews written by Chrissy Stroop and published by . This book was released on 2019-12 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Science and Christianity in Pulpit and Pew written by Ronald L. Numbers and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2007-09-10 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: These essays address broad topics such as the popularization of scientific ideas, secularization and the development of the naturalistic worldview.

Download or read book The Divided Mind of the Black Church written by Raphael G. Warnock and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2020-11-03 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A revealing look at the identity and mission of the Black church What is the true nature and mission of the church? Is its proper Christian purpose to save souls, or to transform the social order? This question is especially fraught when the church is one built by an enslaved people and formed, from its beginning, at the center of an oppressed community’s fight for personhood and freedom. Such is the central tension in the identity and mission of the Black church in the United States. For decades the Black church and Black theology have held each other at arm’s length. Black theology has emphasized the role of Christian faith in addressing racism and other forms of oppression, arguing that Jesus urged his disciples to seek the freedom of all peoples. Meanwhile, the Black church, even when focused on social concerns, has often emphasized personal piety rather than social protest. With the rising influence of white evangelicalism, biblical fundamentalism, and the prosperity gospel, the divide has become even more pronounced. In The Divided Mind of the Black Church, Raphael G. Warnock, Senior Pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, the spiritual home of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., traces the historical significance of the rise and development of Black theology as an important conversation partner for the Black church. Calling for honest dialogue between Black and womanist theologians and Black pastors, this fresh theological treatment demands a new look at the church’s essential mission.

Download or read book Connecting Pulpit and Pew written by Karla J Bellinger and published by Liturgical Press. This book was released on 2014 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Whether you preach from a pulpit or sit in a pew, you hope (and pray) for a homily that connects the Good News with life. But what does it mean to connect? In a world that buzzes with the synapses of technological "connection," can the human touch of preaching make a difference anymore? Connecting Pulpit and Pew is a fresh look at the conundrum of Catholic preaching, asking six key questions: Why does Sunday preaching matter and to whom? Why is Catholic preaching such an uphill climb? How can we connect the gospel message with our young people? What are the struggles of clergy-on-the-ground in preaching? What is going on in the listener's head during the homily? And finally, what can each of us do to help "connection" in preaching become more common? New research speaks to those questions from the voices of youth, the experiences of lay leaders, and the words of priests and deacons. Karla Bellinger offers concrete ways to connect the pulpit and the pew so that preaching becomes an act of love within a community of caring. This practical book breaks open an important and necessary conversation.