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 Divided Nation written by Ken Ham and published by New Leaf Publishing Group. This book was released on 2021-06-15 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Divided Nation: Cultures in Chaos & A Conflicted Church provides families and their churches biblical mandates to awaken and arise as influencers in today’s turbulent times. As Christian persecution increases, the Body of Christ needs to prepare to take a bold stand. Ken Ham, CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis-US, the highly acclaimed Creation Museum, and the world-renowned Ark Encounter, sounds the call for Reformation bringing God’s people back to the authority of the Word of God beginning in Genesis. Can the church regain a position of influence among this generation of “truth seekers” who reject God and His Word? To combat today’s chaotic culture and the conflicted church, Ham addresses five specific issues: There is no neutral position There is no non-religious position There are ultimately only two religions Creation apologetics How to think foundationally to develop a truly Christian worldview Make a stand for the soul of this generation. Divided Nation shines an empowering light on the struggle of the church to retain young believers. Glean from it the issues that must be addressed and find clarity amid the chaos of the culturally conflicted church. “Divided Nation is an excellent call to Christians, pastors and thinkers alike to return to the supreme authority of God’s Word and the God of all truth.” Jack Hibbs – Calvary Chapel: Chino Hills, CA
Download or read book The Unstuck Church written by Tony Morgan and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Acclaimed church leader, blogger, founder and chief strategic officer of The Unstuck Group, Tony Morgan unpacks the lifecycle of a typical church, identifies characteristics of each phase, and provides practical next steps a church can take to move towards sustained health. Think about your church for a moment. Is it growing? Is it diminishing? Is it somewhere in between? Acclaimed church leader, blogger, and founder and chief strategic officer of The Unstuck Group, Tony Morgan has identified the seven stages of a church's lifecycle that range from the hopeful and optimistic days of launch, to the stagnating last stages of life support. Regardless of the stage in which you find your church, it carries with it the world's greatest mission--to "go and make disciples of all the nations . . ." With eternity at stake the Church should be doing most everything within its power to see lives changed forever. The Church should strive for the pinnacle of the lifecycle, where they are continually making new disciples and experiencing what Morgan refers to as "sustained health." In The Unstuck Church, Morgan unpacks each phase of the church lifecycle, and offers specific and strategic next steps the church leader can take to find it's way to sustained health . . . and finally become unstuck. The Unstuck Church is a call for honest an assessment of where your church sits on the lifecycle, and a challenge to move beyond it.
Download or read book Divided by Faith written by Michael O. Emerson and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2001 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Through a nationwide survey, the authors of this study conclude that US Evangelicals may actually be preserving the racial chasm, not through active racism, but because their theology hinders their ability to recognise systematic injustice.
Download or read book A Church Divided written by Matthew D. Hockenos and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2004-10-20 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book closely examines the turmoil in the German Protestant churches in the immediate postwar years as they attempted to come to terms with the recent past. Reeling from the impact of war, the churches addressed the consequences of cooperation with the regime and the treatment of Jews. In Germany, the Protestant Church consisted of 28 autonomous regional churches. During the Nazi years, these churches formed into various alliances. One group, the German Christian Church, openly aligned itself with the Nazis. The rest were cautiously opposed to the regime or tried to remain noncommittal. The internal debates, however, involved every group and centered on issues of belief that were important to all. Important theologians such as Karl Barth were instrumental in pressing these issues forward. While not an exhaustive study of Protestantism during the Nazi years, A Church Divided breaks new ground in the discussion of responsibility, guilt, and the Nazi past.
Download or read book Oneness Embraced written by Tony Evans and published by . This book was released on 2015-10-06 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With the Bible as a guide and heaven as the goal, Oneness Embraced calls God's people to kingdom-focused unity. It tells us why we don't have it, what we need to get it, and what it will look like when we do. Mr. Evans weaves his own story into this word to the church.
Download or read book The Morally Divided Body written by Michael Root and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2012-09-01 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the same time as Catholic and evangelical Christians have increasingly come to agree on issues that divided them during the sixteenth-century reformations, they seem increasingly to disagree on issues of contemporary "morality" and "ethics." Do such arguments doom the prospects for realistic full communion between Catholics and evangelicals? Or are such disagreements a new opportunity for Catholics and evangelicals to convert together to the triune God's word and work on the communion of saints for the world? Or should our hope be different than simple pessimism or optimism? In this volume, eight authors address different aspects of these questions, hoping to move Christians a small step further toward the visible unity of the church.
Download or read book The Divided Church written by Richard G. Hutcheson and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Richard Hutcheson and Peggy Shriver's research and interviews with a wide range of denominational and Christian leaders inform a dialogue over the state of the church today and offer hope for cooperation in Christian circles.
Download or read book The Divided Church written by Gregory Grinstead and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-09-26 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If you know a Christian who is Disillusioned, Discouraged or Distant, this book will help you help them. If you are a Christian who is Disillusioned, Discouraged or Divided from the Church this book will help you understand what happened and how to avoid it happening again. CHRISTIANS CAN SEE JESUS' PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH ANSWERED IN OUR GENERATION.
Download or read book Divided by God written by Noah Feldman and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. This book was released on 2007-05-15 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A brilliant and urgent appraisal of one of the most profound conflicts of our time Even before George W. Bush gained reelection by wooing religiously devout "values voters," it was clear that church-state matters in the United States had reached a crisis. With Divided by God, Noah Feldman shows that the crisis is as old as this country--and looks to our nation's past to show how it might be resolved. Today more than ever, ours is a religiously diverse society: Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist as well as Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish. And yet more than ever, committed Christians are making themselves felt in politics and culture. What are the implications of this paradox? To answer this question, Feldman makes clear that again and again in our nation's history diversity has forced us to redraw the lines in the church-state divide. In vivid, dramatic chapters, he describes how we as a people have resolved conflicts over the Bible, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the teaching of evolution through appeals to shared values of liberty, equality, and freedom of conscience. And he proposes a brilliant solution to our current crisis, one that honors our religious diversity while respecting the long-held conviction that religion and state should not mix. Divided by God speaks to the headlines, even as it tells the story of a long-running conflict that has made the American people who we are.
Download or read book A Kingdom Divided written by April E. Holm and published by LSU Press. This book was released on 2017-12-11 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Kingdom Divided uncovers how evangelical Christians in the border states influenced debates about slavery, morality, and politics from the 1830s to the 1890s. Using little-studied events and surprising incidents from the region, April E. Holm argues that evangelicals on the border powerfully shaped the regional structure of American religion in the Civil War era. In the decades before the Civil War, the three largest evangelical denominations diverged sharply over the sinfulness of slavery. This division generated tremendous local conflict in the border region, where individual churches had to define themselves as being either northern or southern. In response, many border evangelicals drew upon the “doctrine of spirituality,” which dictated that churches should abstain from all political debate. Proponents of this doctrine defined slavery as a purely political issue, rather than a moral one, and the wartime arrival of secular authorities who demanded loyalty to the Union only intensified this commitment to “spirituality.” Holm contends that these churches’ insistence that politics and religion were separate spheres was instrumental in the development of the ideal of the nonpolitical southern church. After the Civil War, southern churches adopted both the disaffected churches from border states and their doctrine of spirituality, claiming it as their own and using it to supply a theological basis for remaining divided after the abolition of slavery. By the late nineteenth century, evangelicals were more sectionally divided than they had been at war’s end. In A Kingdom Divided, Holm provides the first analysis of the crucial role of churches in border states in shaping antebellum divisions in the major evangelical denominations, in navigating the relationship between church and the federal government, and in rewriting denominational histories to forestall reunion in the churches. Offering a new perspective on nineteenth-century sectionalism, it highlights how religion, morality, and politics interacted—often in unexpected ways—in a time of political crisis and war.
Download or read book The Divided Church written by Mark Jones and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2017-10-05 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Will both Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal Christians be willing to let certain beliefs be shaken concerning the baptism in the Holy Spirit? Will they consider any clearly scriptural teaching that threatens certain long-standing denominational viewpoints? Will they dare to be challenged to open their hearts and teaching to the scriptures? Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal Christians have been reaching out to build the Body of Christ since the first century. Today, however, the differing viewpoints concerning the power of the Holy Spirit have left Christians few options but to choose between one of two sides as they find their place in the Body of Christ. The Bible shows us a different picture! It reveals that current-day Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal Christians both have room to grow in their teachings concerning this great New Testament miracle called the baptism in the Holy Spirit! As Christians from both sides of this exciting subject come to terms with the biblical truth, an exciting and powerful Church will be seen.
Download or read book 1 Corinthians written by Ralph F. Wilson and published by . This book was released on 2014-02 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The church at Corinth was troubled. It was five years old, but had divisions, doctrinal problems, and all kinds of disorder. One faction tried to justify going to prostitutes, which was widely accepted in their culture. Others thought they were so spiritual that they should avoid sex in marriage in favor of celibacy. Speaking in tongues was rampant, while most other spiritual gifts were being neglected. Idolatry was reclaiming some of the new believers. Observing the Lord's Supper was a farce. This church had serious problems. More than that, many of the Corinthians resented Paul's influence and tried to minimize his apostolic authority. This is one of his most spirited letters -- harsh in spots as Paul seeks to steer this young congregation away from pitfalls that threaten to destroy it. More than anywhere else in Paul's letters, you'll find instruction on church unity, balanced worship, the Lord's Supper, church discipline, the resurrection and Christ's coming, divorce and marriage. The Letter contains numerous notable verses: "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some" (9:22). "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man..." (10:13). "The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread..." (11:23-26). "Love is patient, love is kind..." (13:4-8). "We shall all be, changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet..." (15:51-52). And many, many more.... 1 Corinthians is a long letter -- sixteen chapters -- but Paul's most important epistle for shaping the Christian church. This study explores First Corinthians in 15 lessons. Helpful thought and discussion questions make it useful for personal enrichment and by small groups and classes. Extensive research contained in the footnotes makes it a goldmine for teachers and a boon to preachers involved in sermon preparation.
Download or read book A Divided Church in a Twisted World written by Sherri Martin and published by . This book was released on 2018-06-17 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The church body is supposed to be, and is alluded to in Scripture, the bride of Christ. Yet with all the disjointed positions and people, coupled with the great gulf of division within her, she looks more like the bride of Frankenstein. That, my friends, is not the bride Jesus is coming back for. Rather, He is coming back for a unified one. So, we all see the divisions, the warring among the various churches, and the subsequent doctrines which develop from the said wars, leaving us pondering things such as: "Can this ever be fixed?" "Which church is right?" "Which one is wrong?" "Who is wrong?" "Who is right?" And most importantly, "What can I do to change things?" What is most remarkable is that unity is so easy to achieve that we cannot believe it. Yet it is. Of course, should we really have thought otherwise? After all, God's plan of redemption and salvation is easy. Jesus said, "Take my yoke upon you for my burden is light and my yoke is easy" (Matthew 11:30). Basically, all that was said to say this: unity is not only doable; it is easy and enjoyable. As you read this book, you will see it contains a wealth of information regarding the many divisions within the church body we see and know all too well today. Through insight, scripture, and experience, the author takes you on a walk through these divisions, demonstrating how the body of Christ got here to begin with. Further, the depiction of what unity truly is, and its effects are thoroughly examined, all while defining what unity is and is not. This is crucial in the hour we live in as many false doctrines are arising, and if not careful, we can be led astray. That is why this book and the answers found within it are a timely message for today's church, especially as it brings much-needed comfort and strength to those left bewildered in a divided church or has been left hurt from one.
Download or read book Preaching to a Divided Nation written by Matthew D. Kim and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2022-08-09 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We live in angry times. No matter where we go, what we watch, or how we communicate, our culture is rife with division and polarization. Unfortunately, Christians appear to be caught up in the same animosity as the culture at large. While our faith calls us to Christian unity, the hard fact remains: our churches are tragically divided across class, ethnic, gender, and political lines. As these social chasms grow--both inside and outside the church--the role of the preacher becomes paramount. This book issues a prophetic call to pastors to use the influence of their pulpits to promote reconciliation and unity in their churches and communities. Two scholar-practitioners who are experts in homiletics and reconciliation present a practical, 7-step model that empowers faithful leaders to bring healing and peace to their fractured churches and world. The book includes questions for reflection, salient illustrations, and an accountability covenant. It also includes useful appendixes on preaching themes, preaching texts, and sample sermons from three leading preachers: Ralph Douglas West, Rich Villodas, and Sandra Maria Van Opstal.
Download or read book Divided We Fall written by Luder G. Whitlock and published by P & R Publishing. This book was released on 2017 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Division. Polarization. Strife. That's life-as-usual in today's world. But it shouldn't describe the church. It's time for Christians to listen, reach out, and work together for the common good. But how can God's people achieve true unity in a fallen world? What sort of cooperation is actually possible? Luder Whitlock has an answer-a good one-and an appeal. He shows how we can learn from studying God's views on church unity and from historical schisms as well as agreements. And, once we embrace the goal of unity, Whitlock points us to specific, realistic steps we can take to realize a united community under God. Book jacket.
Download or read book The Doctrines That Divide written by Erwin W. Lutzer and published by Kregel Publications. This book was released on with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lutzer examines various controversies that exist within the broad spectrum of Christianity, presenting the issue and the biblical understanding of the doctrine.
