Download or read book The Big Book of Bad Baptist Preachers written by Jeri Massi and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2015-11-10 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Catalog of Child Molesters and Pedophiles in Baptist Churches. From the SBC minister who sexually tortured little boys and photographed them, to the Baptist pastor who ordered that child victims and their families be harassed, this book catalogs the shock and the shame.

Download or read book Goodbye Jesus written by Tim Sledge and published by . This book was released on 2018-03-15 with total page 474 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tim Sledge pulls back the curtain on Southern Baptist life as he chronicles nearly four decades of ministry in this highly personal, sometimes painful, and frequently provocative spiritual autobiography. Part memoir, part expos , part polemic-this is an account of failures as well as accomplishments-and very nearly a case study in how faith may begin, how it evolves, and how it can fall apart. Sledge traces the childhood origins of his sincere faith, his efforts at spiritual obedience, his theological education, his climb up the ladder in ministry, his insights into the challenges of growth-oriented leadership, and his pioneering work in faith-based recovery ministries that ultimately guided participants in 20,000 support groups across the U.S. A recurring theme in his story is coming to grips with the significance of being an adult child of an alcoholic. After a fall from grace and a growing awareness that faith no longer worked for him, his journey took a new direction that required examining alternatives to his former belief system including Deism, agnosticism, humanism, and atheism. Ultimately, he found new ways to live a positive, value-driven life and emerged as a new version of the same person he had always been, still interested in creating avenues for personal growth in the lives of others. Goodbye Jesus is a relatable and thoughtful read for those seeking to better understand the evangelical mindset, for Christians who are questioning their faith, for ministers trying to decide whether to stay or go, and for those who have left their faith and are dealing with its loss.

Download or read book Crushing written by T. D. Jakes and published by FaithWords. This book was released on 2020-05-05 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Follow God's process for growth and find hope in life's darkest moments with Bishop T.D. Jakes' uplifting stories and advice from his own faith journey. In this insightful book, #1 New York Times bestselling author T.D. Jakes wrestles with age-old questions: Why do the righteous suffer? Where is God in all the injustice? In his most personal offering yet, Bishop Jakes tells crushing stories from his own journey -- the painful experience of learning his young teenage daughter was pregnant, the agony of watching his mother succumb to Alzheimer's, and the shock and helplessness he felt when his son had a heart attack. Bishop Jakes wants to show you how God uses difficult, crushing experiences to prepare you for unexpected blessings. If you are faithful through suffering, you will be surprised by God's joy, comforted by His peace, and fulfilled with His purpose. Crushing will inspire you to have hope, even in your most difficult moments. If you trust in God and lean on Him during setbacks, He will lead you through.

Download or read book Your Best Life Now written by Joel Osteen and published by FaithWords. This book was released on 2007-09-03 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this remarkable New York Times bestseller, Joel Osteen offers unique insights and encouragement that will help readers overcome every obstacle in their lives.

Download or read book Schizophrenic written by Tom Brennan and published by Xulon Press. This book was released on 2016-02-26 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The independent Baptist movement needs a controlled burn. There are problems that have been building up like dry tinder. If we never address these problems in a controlled-burn fashion, they will eventually hurt more people than we can imagine. I believe this book will help ignite a flame that has the potential to protect our churches from a great deal of damage. Christians have grown frustrated with the arrogance and sin that has marked many of our churches for decades. As a result, they are either leaving their independent Baptist churches or trying to redefine what a fundamental, independent Baptist is. I have felt that frustration. Too much has been sacrificed by men and women of previous generations to simply abandon our heritage. Yet, so many problems have been ignored for so long that sometimes it appears there isn't much left to save.I believe this book will encourage you otherwise...- Dave Reyes, New Heights Baptist Church, Albuquerque, New MexicoThe deeply rooted love that Tom Brennan has for his independent Baptist heritage is clearly seen in his new book. He takes us on an introspective journey so that we may examine who we truly are. He's done his homework from a scriptural as well as a historical standpoint. He's also knowingly embarked on a journey that could very easily put him in the crosshairs of criticism for his brutal honesty and opinion; I applaud his courage in that regard. Amidst the simultaneous throwing the baby out with the bathwater on one side and an ostrich with his head in the sand on the other side, it's refreshing to see that someone has tackled the issues at hand in a loving, caring, and helpful way. This book will help your life and ministry.- Justin Soto, River City Baptist Church, Sacramento, Californi

Download or read book The Big Book Of Profaned Pulpit written by Mariko Imparato and published by . This book was released on 2021-03-13 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book articulates the utter lack of spiritual health in the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist Church (hereafter, IFB). Specifically, the utter lack of spiritual maturity and health is noted by the two most well-known pastors of the IFB; Jack Hyles & Jack Schaap. In this book about religious abuse, your will discover: As the author tells the story of his relationship with Jack Schaap, he also weaves in some solid teaching on why the IFB approach is in error and then counters that with what the Bible actually teaches and what they two men (Hyles & Schaap), should have been doing with their time instead of being narcissists and predators. The author describes the false notion by so many in the IFB that they actually thought that they "couldn't fall." These men in their positions of power actually had convinced themselves that they were above sin and the fall that comes from sin. This mentality fed their narcissism and ultimately led to their false belief that even in the event that they were to be caught, they would somehow get out of it. The narcissist's mind is one that sees themselves as being God's gift to mankind. So, in the minds of Hyles and Schaap, they were God's gift to the IFB. This mindset was ultimately the downfall for both men but most specifically Schaap as he is now in jail as a direct result of his own sin. And so much more! To anyone else becoming aware of the IFB cult-like mentality, this book should be tremendously helpful. Let's not waste any more time! Dive in and start reading!

Download or read book The Last Baptist Church written by Dirty Red and published by Trafford Publishing. This book was released on 2013-05-09 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I have written a 300-page book about black religious humor. I created two fictitious characters I called Reverend Cheese Head Brown and Deacon Jones. It’s a fictitious church in a make-believe Arkansas town named Turkey Scratch Arkansas. In the end, you will split your sides laughing, but to understand where I am coming from, you have to understand my background and the time and place that I was raised. I am going to help you, but first, I have to hurt you before I can heal you. Your first reaction will be to throw this book away and to curse me out, but that’s the pain we all must endure to pass the denial stage.

Download or read book Lewis on the Christian Life written by Joe Rigney and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2018-04-16 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: C. S. Lewis excelled at plumbing the depths of the human heart, both the good and the bad, the beautiful and the corrupt. From science fiction and fantasy to essays, letters, and works of apologetics, Lewis has offered a wealth of insight into how to live the Christian life. In this book, Rigney explores the center of Lewis's vision for the Christian life—the personal encounter between the human self and the living God. In prayer, in the church, in the imagination, in our natural loves, in our pleasures and our sorrows, God brings us into his presence so that we can become fully human: alive, free, and whole, transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

Download or read book Now That I m a Christian written by C. Michael Patton and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2014-02-28 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do we help our friends who have just become Christians or are young in the faith? In this concise and accessible book, Mike Patton unpacks the basics of the Christian faith, helping new believers think rightly about God and live fully for God as they begin their new life in Christ. In ten easy-to-read chapters, Patton introduces readers to the foundational teachings and life-giving practices of Christianity—from the doctrine of the Trinity to reading and understanding the Bible. Designed for individual use or small group discussion, this handbook on the Christian faith has the potential to become the go-to guide for new believers wanting to follow Jesus with their heads and their hands.

Download or read book The Star Book for Ministers written by Edward Thurston Hiscox and published by . This book was released on 1878 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Purpose Driven Life written by Rick Warren and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2012-10-23 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover and fulfill your God-given purpose by joining the more than thirty-five million others who have embarked on a spiritual journey that started with this #1 New York Times bestselling book by Pastor Rick Warren. Before you were born, God knew what your life had in store for you. His hope for you is to discover the life he created just for you--both here on earth, and forever in eternity. Let Rick Warren guide you as you learn to live out your true purpose. The Purpose Driven Life is more than a book; it's a road map for your spiritual journey. Combining thoughtful verses from Scripture with timely stories and perspectives from Warren's own life, The Purpose Driven Life will help you discover the answer to one of life's most important questions: What on earth am I here for? Throughout The Purpose Driven Life, Warren will teach you to spend time getting to know yourself and your creator in order to live your life to the fullest. Unlocking your true purpose will also reduce your stress, simplify your decisions, increase your satisfaction, and, most importantly, prepare you for eternity. Designed to be read over the course of forty-two days, The Purpose Driven Life will help you see the big picture, giving you a fresh perspective on the way that the pieces of your life fit together. Every chapter of The Purpose Driven Life provides a daily meditation and practical steps to help you uncover and live out your purpose, starting with exploring three essential questions: The Question of Existence: Why am I alive? The Question of Significance: Does my life matter? The Question of Purpose: What on earth am I here for? Each copy of The Purpose Driven Life also includes thoughtful discussion questions, audio Bible studies that go along with every chapter, and access to a supportive online community, giving you the opportunity to dive even deeper into each life-changing lesson.

Download or read book The Great Controversy written by Ellen G. White and published by DigiCat. This book was released on 2022-05-29 with total page 589 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Great Controversy is a work by Ellen G. White, a founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, considered a prophetess or messenger of God among Seventh-day Adventist members. The book tells about the ever-persistent controversy between the good and the bad, represented by the opposition of Christ and Satan and the forces of angels that accompany them.

Download or read book Jayber Crow written by Wendell Berry and published by Catapult. This book was released on 2001-08-30 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “This is a book about Heaven,” says Jayber Crow, “but I must say too that . . . I have wondered sometimes if it would not finally turn out to be a book about Hell.” It is 1932 and he has returned to his native Port William to become the town's barber. Orphaned at age ten, Jayber Crow’s acquaintance with loneliness and want have made him a patient observer of the human animal, in both its goodness and frailty. He began his search as a “pre–ministerial student” at Pigeonville College. There, freedom met with new burdens and a young man needed more than a mirror to find himself. But the beginning of that finding was a short conversation with “Old Grit,” his profound professor of New Testament Greek. “You have been given questions to which you cannot be given answers. You will have to live them out—perhaps a little at a time.” “And how long is that going to take?” “I don't know. As long as you live, perhaps.” “That could be a long time.” “I will tell you a further mystery,” he said. “It may take longer.” Wendell Berry’s clear–sighted depiction of humanity’s gifts—love and loss, joy and despair—is seen though his intimate knowledge of the Port William Membership.

Download or read book Brothers We are Not Professionals written by John Piper and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2013 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: John Piper pleads with fellow pastors to abandon the professionalization of the pastorate and pursue the prophetic call of the Bible for radical ministry.

Download or read book Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome written by R. Kent Hughes and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2008-01-07 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every year thousands of God's servants leave the ministry convinced they are failures. Years ago, in the midst of a crisis of faith, Kent Hughes almost became one of them. But instead he and his wife Barbara turned to God's Word, determined to learn what God had to say about success and to evaluate their ministry from a biblical point of view. This book describes their journey and their liberation from the "success syndrome"-the misguided belief that success in ministry means increased numbers. In today's world it is easy to be seduced by the secular thinking that places a number on everything. But the authors teach that true success in ministry lies not in numbers but in several key areas: faithfulness, serving, loving, believing, prayer, holiness, and a Christlike attitude. Their thoughts will encourage readers who grapple with feelings of failure and lead them to a deeper, fuller understanding of success in Christian ministry. This book was originally published by Tyndale in 1987 and includes a new preface.

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 Bad Religion written by Ross Douthat and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2013-04-16 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Traces the decline of Christianity in America since the 1950s, posing controversial arguments about the role of heresy in the nation's downfall while calling for a revival of traditional Christian practices.