Download or read book The Church and the Culture War written by Joyce A. Little and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Theologian Joyce Little examines the current conflict between American secular culture and the Catholic faith, with a view to enabling Catholics to understand why it is that such a conflict necessarily exists and what is at stake for both Catholics in particular and all Americans in general. The book focuses most specifically on the feminist movement, because feminism exemplifies in so many ways that relativism, subjectivism and individualism which characterizes the thinking of so many Americans today. Little argues that the secularism of our times is fundamentally anarchic and nihilistic and, as such, constitutes a frontal assault on the Catholic faith. Many Americans do not recognize the nihilistic character of the popular secular culture. Because secularism so often clothes itself in a host of catchwords which Americans find so appealing, the destructive character of secularism is not immediately obvious to them. Little shows why those who employ such language are wedded to a view of reality that is fundamentally chaotic and meaningless. The book emphasizes the importance of the dogma of the Trinity, and explains the trinitarian character of reality and the implications which flow from the fact that God is triune both in himself and as Creator. Little explains that the key conflict today is between the secular exaltation of human power and the Christian witness to a divine authority which transcends all things and demands our allegiance to it.

Download or read book The Church and Cultures written by Louis J. Luzbetak and published by Orbis Books. This book was released on 2015-03-31 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why should the church be concerned about cultures? Louis J. Luzbetak began to answer this question twenty-five years ago with the publication of The Church and Cultures: An Applied Anthropology for the Religious Worker. Reprinted six times and translated into five languages, it became an undisputed classic in the field. Now, by popular demand, Luzbetak has thoroughly rewritten his work, completely updating it in light of contemporary anthropological and missiological thought and in face of current world conditions. Serving as a handbook for a culturally sensitive ministry and witness, The Church and Cultures introduces the non-anthropologist to a wealth of scientific knowledge directly relevant to pastoral work, religious education social action and liturgy - in fact, to all forms of missionary activity in the church. It focuses on a burning theological issue: that of contextualization, the process by which a local church integrates its understanding of the Gospel (text) with the local culture (context).

Download or read book The Church and Cultures written by Louis J. Luzbetak and published by . This book was released on 2012-05 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ""The Church and Cultures: An Applied Anthropology for the Religious Worker"" by Louis J. Luzbetak is a comprehensive guide for religious workers who want to understand and engage with different cultures. The book provides a detailed overview of the field of anthropology and its relevance to the work of the church. It explores the ways in which culture shapes religious practices and beliefs, and how religious workers can adapt their approach to better serve diverse communities.The book is divided into four parts, each focusing on a different aspect of the relationship between the church and culture. Part one provides an introduction to anthropology and its relevance to religious work. Part two explores the role of culture in shaping religious practices, beliefs, and values. Part three examines the challenges of cross-cultural communication and the importance of cultural sensitivity in religious work. Finally, part four provides practical strategies for engaging with diverse communities and adapting religious practices to different cultural contexts.Throughout the book, Luzbetak draws on his extensive experience as a missionary and anthropologist to provide real-world examples and practical advice. He emphasizes the importance of building relationships with people from different cultures, listening to their perspectives, and adapting religious practices to meet their needs. The book is written in a clear and accessible style, making it an excellent resource for anyone involved in religious work or interested in the intersection of religion and culture.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Download or read book Cracking Your Church s Culture Code written by Samuel R. Chand and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-09-14 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Strategies for transforming a toxic church culture Why is it that the best strategic plans and good leadership often are not able to move churches in the desired direction? Sam Chand contends that toxic culture is to blame. Quite often, leaders don't sense the toxicity, but it poisons their relationships and derails their vision. This work describes five easily identifiable categories of church culture (inspiring-accepting-stagnant-discouraging-toxic), with diagnostic descriptions in the book and a separate online assessment tool. The reader will be able to identify strengths and needs of their church's culture, and then apply practical strategies (communication, control and authority, selection and placement of personnel, etc.) to make their church's culture more positive. Discusses how to diagnose the state of a church's culture Reveals what it takes to put in place effective strategies for creating a more positive church culture Author served on the board of EQUIP (Dr. John Maxwell's Ministry), equipping five million leaders world-wide. This important book offers a clear guide for understanding and recreating a healthy church culture.

Download or read book Serious Times written by James Emery White and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2005-11-09 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Does your life matter? How can you make a difference? James Emery White shows how you can live a life of significance at the front lines of what God is doing in the world today.

Download or read book Two Kingdoms written by Robert G. Clouse and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 1993 with total page 680 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Three of today's foremost church historians have succeeded in producing an invaluable introdution to church history that focuses on the influence of the church on culture and the impact of society on the church. A unique study that affirms that church history is not exclusively European or American--but is truly a global story--with global significance.

Download or read book Christ and Culture written by H. Richard Niebuhr and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 1956-09-05 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This 50th-anniversary edition, with a new foreword by the distinguished historian Martin E. Marty, who regards this book as one of the most vital books of our time, as well as an introduction by the author never before included in the book, and a new preface by James Gustafson, the premier Christian ethicist who is considered Niebuhr’s contemporary successor, poses the challenge of being true to Christ in a materialistic age to an entirely new generation of Christian readers.

Download or read book A Church Called Tov written by Scot McKnight and published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. This book was released on 2020-10-06 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Scot and Laura do an amazing job of teaching us what a good church looks like.” —Beth Moore What is the way forward for the church? Tragically, in recent years, Christians have gotten used to revelations of abuses of many kinds in our most respected churches—from Willow Creek to Harvest, from Southern Baptist pastors to Sovereign Grace churches. Respected author and theologian Scot McKnight and former Willow Creek member Laura Barringer wrote this book to paint a pathway forward for the church. We need a better way. The sad truth is that churches of all shapes and sizes are susceptible to abuses of power, sexual abuse, and spiritual abuse. Abuses occur most frequently when Christians neglect to create a culture that resists abuse and promotes healing, safety, and spiritual growth. How do we keep these devastating events from repeating themselves? We need a map to get us from where we are today to where we ought to be as the body of Christ. That map is in a mysterious and beautiful little Hebrew word in Scripture that we translate “good,” the word tov. In this book, McKnight and Barringer explore the concept of tov—unpacking its richness and how it can help Christians and churches rise up to fulfill their true calling as imitators of Jesus.

Download or read book Many Colors written by Soong-Chan Rah and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2010-09-01 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The United States is currently undergoing the most rapid demographic shift in its history. By 2050, white Americans will no longer comprise a majority of the population. Instead, they'll be the largest minority group in a country made up entirely of minorities, followed by Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans. Past shifts in America's demographics always reshaped the county's religious landscape. This shift will be no different. Soong-Chan Rah's book is intended to equip evangelicals for ministry and outreach in our changing nation. Borrowing from the business concept of "cultural intelligence," he explores how God's people can become more multiculturally adept. From discussions about cultural and racial histories, to reviews of case-study churches and Christian groups that are succeeding in bridging ethnic divides, Rah provides a practical and hopeful guidebook for Christians wanting to minister more effectively in diverse settings. Without guilt trips or browbeating, the book will spur individuals, churches, and parachurch ministries toward more effectively bearing witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News for people of every racial and cultural background. Its message is positive; its potential impact, transformative.

Download or read book Creating a Missional Culture written by JR Woodward and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2013-09-20 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Once upon a time, Moses had had enough. Exhausted by the challenge of leading the Israelites from slavery to the Promised Land, Moses cried out to God, "What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? . . . If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me" (Exodus 11:11, 15). If that sounds hauntingly familiar to you, you may be the senior pastor of a contemporary church. The burden of Christian leadership is becoming increasingly unbearable--demanding skills not native to the art of pastoring; demanding time that makes sabbath rest and even normal sleep patterns seem extravagant; demanding inhuman levels of efficiency, proficiency and even saintliness. No wonder pastors seem and even feel less human these days. No wonder they burn out or break down at an alarming rate; no wonder the church is missing the mark on its mission. In Creating a Missional Culture, JR Woodward offers a bold and surprisingly refreshing model for churches--not small adjustments around the periphery of a church's infrastructure but a radical revisioning of how a church ought to look, from its leadership structure to its mobilization of the laity. The end result looks surprisingly like the church that Jesus created and the apostles cultivated: a church not chasing the wind but rather going into the world and making disciples of Jesus.

Download or read book Disappearing Church written by Mark Sayers and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2016-01-19 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When church and culture look the same... For the many Christians eager to prove we can be both holy and cool, cultural pressures are too much. We either compartmentalize our faith or drift from it altogether—into a world that’s so alluring. Have you wondered lately: Why does the Western church look so much like the world? Why are so many of my friends leaving the faith? How can we get back to our roots? Disappearing Church will help you sort through concerns like these, guiding you in a thoughtful, faithful, and hopeful response. Weaving together art, history, and theology, pastor and cultural observer Mark Sayers reminds us that real growth happens when the church embraces its countercultural witness, not when it blends in. It’s like Jesus said long ago, “If the salt loses its saltiness, it is no longer good for anything…”

Download or read book A Peculiar People written by Rodney R. Clapp and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 1996-11-12 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rodney Clapp asks and answers the question, How can the church provide a significant alternative to the culture in which it is embedded?

Download or read book The Culture of Theology written by John Webster and published by Baker Academic. This book was released on 2019-10-15 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: John Webster, one of the world's leading systematic theologians, published extensively on the nature and practice of Christian theology. This work marked a turning point in Webster's theological development and is his most substantial statement on the task of theology. It shows why theology matters and why its pursuit is a demanding but exhilarating venture. Previously unavailable in book form, this magisterial statement, now edited and critically introduced for the first time, presents Webster's legendary lectures to a wider readership. It contains an extensive introductory essay by Ivor Davidson.

Download or read book Church Girl Culture Vs Christ written by Saphina Carla and published by . This book was released on 2020-10-18 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Church Culture Vs Christ, author Saphina Carla sheds light on common ideologies that have supplemented the Christian faith. In it, she discusses her own faulty beliefs that had to be readjusted by Christ and not by church girl culture - a culture of cosmetic Christianity that can often prioritize false piety, over transparency and truth. Her goal is to make taboo church topics - - not so taboo. The goal is to remove the pressures of perfection when it comes to women of faith and to restore biblical truth in places where it's been set aside for shallow formulas. Above all, her goal is for Christ to be glorified. Saphina Carla is a writer, blogger, and Christian content creator. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and is of Haitian descent. She started her journey of salvation at nineteen years old after God delivered her from an abusive relationship. Her aim is to promote biblical truth while providing a safe space to have authentic dialogue within the church, especially as it relates to the taboo and the uncomfortable.

Download or read book The Cultural Church written by F. Lagard Smith and published by . This book was released on 2015-04 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In what direction are we being blown by the winds of change now waiting through the church? - Is the church influencing culture, or is culture influencing the church? - What lies behind current calls for a "new hermeneutic"? - Is there a better way to understand Scripture? With calls for sweeping changes in the way we understand Scripture, this just may be the most important book of the decade. It is must reading for every church leader and Christian concerned with the future of the church at the brink of a new century! F. LaGard Smith is the author of some thirty books, ranging from devotionals to doctrinal discussions to commentaries on current legal and social issues. He is best known as the compiler and narrator of The Daily Bible, the NIV in chronological order. Smith has taught in both graduate and undergraduate university programs for over thirty years.

Download or read book Culture Shift written by Robert Lewis and published by Jossey-Bass. This book was released on 2005-04-13 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Culture Shift, written for church leaders, ministers, pastors, ministry teams, and lay leaders, leads you through the process of identifying your church’s distinctive culture, gives you practical tools to change it from the inside-out, and provides steps to keep your new culture aligned with your church’s mission. Real transformation is not about working harder at what you’re already doing or even copying another church’s approach but about changing church culture at a foundational level.

Download or read book Leading Across Cultures written by James E. Plueddemann and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2012-10-04 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Missiologist James E. Plueddemann presents a roadmap for crosscultural leadership development in the global church. With keen understanding of current research on cultural dynamics, he integrates theology with leadership theory to apply biblical insights to practical issues in world mission.