Download or read book The Virtual Body of Christ in a Suffering World written by Deanna A. Thompson and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2016-11-01 with total page 131 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We live in a wired world where 24/7 digital connectivity is increasingly the norm. Christian megachurch communities often embrace this reality wholeheartedly while more traditional churches often seem hesitant and overwhelmed by the need for an interactive website, a Facebook page and a twitter feed. This book accepts digital connectivity as our reality, but presents a vision of how faith communities can utilize technology to better be the body of Christ to those who are hurting while also helping followers of Christ think critically about the limits of our digital attachments. This book begins with a conversion story of a non-cell phone owning, non-Facebook using religion professor judgmental of the ability of digital tools to enhance relationships. A stage IV cancer diagnosis later, in the midst of being held up by virtual communities of support, a conversion occurs: this religion professor benefits in embodied ways from virtual sources and wants to convert others to the reality that the body of Christ can and does exist virtually and makes embodied difference in the lives of those who are hurting. The book neither uncritically embraces nor rejects the constant digital connectivity present in our lives. Rather it calls on the church to a) recognize ways in which digital social networks already enact the virtual body of Christ; b) tap into and expand how Christ is being experienced virtually; c) embrace thoughtfully the material effects of our new augmented reality, and c) influence utilization of technology that minimizes distraction and maximizes attentiveness toward God and the world God loves.
Download or read book The Church the Body of Christ written by John MacArthur and published by . This book was released on 1979 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Marks of the Body of Christ written by Carl E. Braaten and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 1999 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Martin Luther once listed seven "marks" of the church-those defining ecclesial features that show where the true church is to be found. This insightful volume brings together essays by ten leading Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, and Orthodox theologians, each analyzing one of the seven traditional marks of the church and discussing how it is found, or not found, in today's churches. Writing about each "mark" of the church are these scholars: Gerhard O. Forde and Richard Lischer on proclamation; Susan K. Wood and John H. Erickson on baptism; K. Paul Wesche and Richard A. Norris Jr. on the eucharist; David S. Yeago on the office of the Keys; Carl E. Braaten on ordination; Robert W. Jenson on catechesis; and William J. Abraham on discipleship. The picture of contemporary church life that is developed by these authors is grim, but their analyses and practical suggestions are both constructive and necessary.
Download or read book Life in the Body of Christ written by Curtis C. Thomas and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thomas offers practical, biblical instruction on a wide range of issues involving individual and corporate participation and responsibility in the life of a local church. (Christian)
Download or read book How the Body of Christ Talks written by C. Christopher Smith and published by Brazos Press. This book was released on 2019-04-16 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In today's highly charged social and political environment, we often don't know how to talk well with others--especially with people whose backgrounds differ from our own. C. Christopher Smith, coauthor of the critically acclaimed and influential Slow Church, addresses why conversation has become such a challenge in the 21st century and argues that it is perhaps the most-needed spiritual practice of our individualistic age. Smith likens practicing conversation to the working of the human body. Bodies are wondrous symphonies of diverse, intricate parts striving for our health, and our health suffers when these parts fail to converse effectively. Likewise, we must learn to converse effectively with those who differ from us in the body of Christ so we can embody Christ together in the world. In community, we learn what it means to belong to others and to a story that is bigger than ourselves. Smith shows how church communities can be training hubs where we learn to talk with and listen to one another with kindness and compassion. The book explores how churches can initiate and sustain conversation, offers advice for working through seasons of conflict, suggests spiritual practices and dispositions that can foster conversation, and features stories from several congregations that are learning to practice conversation.
Download or read book Why Churches Die written by Mac Brunson and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2005 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Comparing physical poisons to the spiritual poisons, authors identify ailments that affect the body of Christ in order to prevent the breakdown and decay of the church.
Download or read book Rediscover Church written by Collin Hansen and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2021-07-28 with total page 149 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A Christian without a church is a Christian in trouble." Since a global pandemic abruptly closed places of worship, many Christians have skipped church life, even neglecting virtual services. But this was a trend even before COVID-19. Polarizing issues, including political and racial strife, convinced some people to pull away from the church and one another. Now it's time to recommit to gathering as brothers and sisters in Christ. In Rediscover Church, Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman discuss why church is essential for believers and God's mission. Through biblical references and personal stories, they show readers God's true intention for corporate gathering: to spiritually strengthen members as individuals and the body of Christ. In an age of church-shopping and livestreamed services, rediscover why the future of the church relies on believers gathering regularly as the family of God. Published in partnership with the Gospel Coalition and 9Marks.
Download or read book The Church in God s Program written by Robert L. Saucy and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 1974-08-21 with total page 155 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Church in God's Program is a biblical study covering the entire scope of the church - its beginning, government, ministries, and the new covenant.
Download or read book Edifying the Body of Christ written by Minister Brenda Johnson and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2019-09-23 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Edifying The Body of Christ is not only the title of this Christian book on the Holy Spirit, but it is also one of the gifts of Christ through men in Ephesians 4:10-13. Ephesians 4:10-13 tells us that as Jesus ascended to heaven, He gave various gifts to humanity for the perfecting and equipping of the body of Christ. Author and ordained minister Brenda Johnson passionately follows this mandate. In Edifying The Body of Christ, the Holy Spirit guides her. It unveils scripture to help believers fight the devil, obey the practical application of scripture, and help them understand God’s purpose for their lives. This book studies the Bible and the biblical truths that lie within it. Written in a style that can be easily read and understood, she covers the power of Christ in a believer's life and the fruit of the Spirit with scripture references. It is illumination and enlightenment for anyone who desires to learn more about Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and biblical truth. The scripture references are taken from the King James version of the Holy Bible unless otherwise indicated. Edifying The Body of Christ is born out of the abundance of God’s grace and a desire to build up the Body of Christ. All glory be to God.
Download or read book The Universal Christ written by Richard Rohr and published by Convergent Books. This book was released on 2019-03-05 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From one of the world’s most influential spiritual thinkers, a long-awaited book exploring what it means that Jesus was called “Christ,” and how this forgotten truth can restore hope and meaning to our lives. “Anyone who strives to put their faith into action will find encouragement and inspiration in the pages of this book.”—Melinda Gates In his decades as a globally recognized teacher, Richard Rohr has helped millions realize what is at stake in matters of faith and spirituality. Yet Rohr has never written on the most perennially talked about topic in Christianity: Jesus. Most know who Jesus was, but who was Christ? Is the word simply Jesus’s last name? Too often, Rohr writes, our understandings have been limited by culture, religious debate, and the human tendency to put ourselves at the center. Drawing on scripture, history, and spiritual practice, Rohr articulates a transformative view of Jesus Christ as a portrait of God’s constant, unfolding work in the world. “God loves things by becoming them,” he writes, and Jesus’s life was meant to declare that humanity has never been separate from God—except by its own negative choice. When we recover this fundamental truth, faith becomes less about proving Jesus was God, and more about learning to recognize the Creator’s presence all around us, and in everyone we meet. Thought-provoking, practical, and full of deep hope and vision, The Universal Christ is a landmark book from one of our most beloved spiritual writers, and an invitation to contemplate how God liberates and loves all that is.
Download or read book The Glorious Body of Christ written by Rienk Bouke Kuiper and published by Banner of Truth. This book was released on 1967 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Glorious' is probably the last adjective most modern writers would use to describe the Christian Church. Yet R. B. Kuiper chose his title, The Glorious Body of Christ, advisedly, for he wished to emphasize what he believed to be a sadly neglected aspect of the subject, that the Church of Christ is glorious. Dr. Kuiper, who died in 1966, was for many decades a teacher of theology, and his great concern was for the popular presentation of Christian doctrine. His own books went far to meet that need, including his God-Centered Evangelism (also published by the Trust) and For Whom Did Christ Die? on the extent of the atonement. In addition to his vigorous and clear style, Kuiper is also noted for the comprehensive way in which he treats his subject. The Glorious Body contains no less than fifty-three chapters, and among the aspects of the subject dealt with are unity, the marks of the Church, the offices of the Church, its responsibilities and privileges, and the Church and the world. Although this book is worthy of the widest possible circulation, it may be particularly commended as a manual for office-bearers in the Church.
Download or read book The Mystical Body of Christ written by Fulton J. Sheen and published by Ave Maria Press. This book was released on 2015-03-09 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Mystical Body of Christ captures the theological precision and communicative genius of Fulton J. Sheen (1895–1979), whose radio and television broadcasts, including Life Is Worth Living, have reached millions of homes since the 1950s. With more than thirty of his works still in print, Sheen is one of the most beloved Catholic evangelists of all time. This full-length and fully developed work on the Church as an extension of the Incarnation reveals Sheen’s accessible and theologically astute teaching style in the early years of his ministry. First published in 1935, the book’s themes of the Eucharist as a source of unity for the Mystical Body of Christ—the Church—and the link between the liturgy and works of social justice were echoed in the Second Vatican Council several decades later.
Download or read book The Body of Christ written by Reinder Bruinsma and published by Review and Herald Pub Assoc. This book was released on 2009 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With a clear, straightforward definition such as this, the subject of the church isn't one that most people would consider a "doctrine." For this reason, there aren't many books that deal with this crucial fundamental belief. This very readable and informative treatment of such a vital topic fills an important gap in Adventist literature. Reinder Bruinsma's far-ranging look at the doctrine of the church moves from Old and New Testament foundations for this doctrine up through church government and on to controversial issues such as ordination and church discipline. Fittingly, he concludes with the mission and future of the church. His fourfold approach-biblical and theological, historical, practical, and with an Adventist perspective-ensures that every facet of the doctrine is explored in detail. This thought-provoking discussion challenges those who call themselves "God's people" to examine their current understanding of the church and to prayerfully consider their roles as part of the body of Christ. Book jacket.
Download or read book The Humble Church written by Martyn Percy and published by Canterbury Press. This book was released on 2021-03-31 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this bold and provocative invitation, Martyn Percy imagines what the post-pandemic Church might look like and sets out what it needs to learn. It argues that the Church needs to stop obsessing about itself – its size, its strategies to shore up decline, its waning public influence – and rediscover how to live as the body of Christ. In other words, what does it need to do in order to become more like Christ? As Christ poured out his life for the sake of others, he considers ways in which the Church might imitate Christ in practice today. Whenever Jesus visited anywhere beyond the confines of the Jewish community he immediately became socially useful, and so this extols such virtues as humble service in the community, not because it is an effective way to grow the Church, but because it is faithful to Christ’s own example. Avoiding responses such as exasperation, righteous anger at shortcomings or wishful thinking about returning to the past, he sets out a vision for the Church's future that is both biblical and christological. Incisive, imaginative and engagingly written, this will resonate deeply with many lay and ordained members of the Church.
Download or read book Catechism of the Catholic Church written by U.S. Catholic Church and published by Image. This book was released on 2012-11-28 with total page 849 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over 3 million copies sold! Essential reading for Catholics of all walks of life. Here it is - the first new Catechism of the Catholic Church in more than 400 years, a complete summary of what Catholics around the world commonly believe. The Catechism draws on the Bible, the Mass, the Sacraments, Church tradition and teaching, and the lives of saints. It comes with a complete index, footnotes and cross-references for a fuller understanding of every subject. The word catechism means "instruction" - this book will serve as the standard for all future catechisms. Using the tradition of explaining what the Church believes (the Creed), what she celebrates (the Sacraments), what she lives (the Commandments), and what she prays (the Lord's Prayer), the Catechism of the Catholic Church offers challenges for believers and answers for all those interested in learning about the mystery of the Catholic faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a positive, coherent and contemporary map for our spiritual journey toward transformation.
Download or read book Models of the Church written by Avery Dulles and published by Image. This book was released on 2002-05-14 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is today a dramatic reexamination of structure, authority, dogma -- indeed, every aspect of the life of the Church is held up to scrutiny. Welcoming this as a sign of vitality, Avery Dulles has carefully studied the writings of contemporary Protestant and Catholic ecclesiologists and sifted out six major approaches, or "models," through which the Church's character can be understood: as Institution, Mystical Communion, Sacrament, Herald, Servant, and, in a recent addition to the book, as Community of Disciples. A balanced theology, he concludes, must incorporate the major affirmations of each. "The method of models or types," observes Cardinal Dulles, "can have great value in helping people to get beyond the limitations of their own particular outlook and to enter into fruitful conversation with others... Such conversation is obviously essential if ecumenism is to get beyond its present impasses." This new edition includes a new Appendix and Preface by the author.
Download or read book The Body of Christ written by Witness Lee and published by Living Stream Ministry. This book was released on 1998-02 with total page 10 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
