Download or read book The Pastor s Ponderings written by Pastor Alta Chase-Raper and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2013-09 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of ponderings full of wit and wisdom to inspire you, make you smile, and even laugh out loud. Sit down, relax, and take a moment to stroll down a sun-dappled roadway, climb the steps to an old country church, wade in a clear mountain stream, listen to the rushing water as it pours over river rocks, smell the fresh air after a rain, and soak in the beauty and grandeur of God's masterpiece found in the ever-changing panorama of the Great Smoky Mountains. You will enjoy a bit of history as well as introductions to some interesting folks who call this mountain paradise home. You won't want to miss the story of burning the palm fronds for Ash Wednesday they sure smelled sweet, a bit like marijuana and the "noises in the night" among many others, too funny for words. Each one, a feel-good story, intertwined with God's own Word.

Download or read book Ponderings of a Pedaling Pastor written by Dennis Whitmore and published by Inspiring Voices. This book was released on 2015-08-04 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How often do you see what youre looking at? Imagine yourself relaxing in your favorite caf or sitting in your favorite chair at home. You immerse yourself in a story that only takes five minutes to read, but it stays on your mind all day. You mull over its insights, consider its lessons, and you may even say to yourself, I never thought of it that way before. Ponderings of a Pedaling Pastor is a collection of true stories and short reflections that will inspire you to reconsider many things you may not have thought to think about. Dennis Whitmore is the senior pastor of Hilltop Christian Fellowship in Clear Spring, Maryland. Born and raised in Baltimore, he graduated with a BS in business administration from Towson University. From health club trainer and manager to ordained ministry in 1995, Dennis has journaled and logged a collection of insights on life called Points to Ponder. At first they were among a series of ninety-second messages on a Christian radio station. Then the transcripts became a column in a local Hagerstown paper for fourteen years. Since 2008, they again are on the radio (WJEJ 1240 AM, Hagerstown, Maryland). They take five minutes to read but will keep you thinkingponderingall day. On my bike, in my devotion time, I long to know God. And in my searching He taught me to better understand me. Pastor Dennis P.D. Whitmore

Download or read book Ponderings from the Pastor s Partner written by Cheryl Hildbold and published by . This book was released on 2021-10 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Plastics garbage bags. Dust. The precious experience of baking cookies with a grandchild. These topics and many more have been gathered as a series of articles that can be read each day or as a group, these "ponderings" that reflect the intersection of family life and the Christian faith. They are a compilation of newsletter articles that Cheryl wrote each month over a period of 35 years while serving as a Pastor's wife. She writes of motherhood, marriage, friendships and much more. You will laugh, smile and sometimes cry as you read the insights that Cheryl reveals in God's Word and how her observations impact and influence our everyday life. You will see in these ponderings that a person doesn't need to pursue some great calling beyond loving the people that surround you and following what Jesus said and did.

Download or read book More Ponderings from the Pastor s Partner written by Cheryl A. Hildbold and published by . This book was released on 2022-10-14 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gathered as a series of articles that can be read each day or as a group, these ponderings reflect the intersection of family life and the Christian faith. This is a second compilation of ponderings, which are a collection of newsletter articles that Cheryl wrote over a period of 35 years while serving as a pastor's wife. She writes about motherhood, marriage, friendships, and much more. You will laugh, smile, and sometimes cry as you read the insights that Cheryl reveals in God's Word. Letters from her children, words spoken at her memorial service, and family photos help illustrate how Cheryl lived a life filled with love.

Download or read book Pondering Things About the Bible Christianity and Other Stuff written by Daniel Mitchell and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2014-09-21 with total page 569 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a book of essays pondering the meanings of the Bible, Christianity, and various related subjects. These essays were written during the period from November 2003 through June 2009 and posted to forums and blogs on the Internet. The essays were written because of a felt need to answer questions about the Christian message for myself and others. Sometimes irreverent, the essays cover a variety of topics but always with the intent to inform and entertain the reader without getting too involved with specific denominational viewpoints.

Download or read book Mission Drift written by Peter Greer and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2014-02-10 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Christianity Today 2015 Book Award Winner Is your organization in danger of Mission Drift? Without careful attention, faith-based organizations drift from their founding mission. It's that simple. It will happen. Slowly, silently, and with little fanfare, organizations routinely drift from their purpose, and many never return to their original intent. Harvard and the YMCA are among those that no longer embrace the Christian principles on which they were founded. But they didn't drift off course overnight. Drift often happens in small and subtle ways. Left unchecked, it eventually becomes significant. Yet Mission Drift is not inevitable. Organizations such as Compassion International and InterVarsity have exhibited intentional, long-term commitment to Christ. Why do so many organizations--including churches--wander from their mission, while others remain Mission True? Can drift be prevented? In Mission Drift, HOPE International executives Peter Greer and Chris Horst tackle these questions. They show how to determine whether your organization is in danger of drift, and they share the results of their research into Mission True and Mission Untrue organizations. Even if your organization is Mission True now, it's wise to look for ways to inoculate yourself against drift. You'll discover what you can do to prevent drift or get back on track and how to protect what matters most. "No organization is exempt from the danger of drifting away from its original mission. In Mission Drift, Peter and Chris provide solid guidance for remaining laser-focused on core values--from the board level to daily organizational culture. This book is a timely message for any organization working hard to remain Mission True." --Wess Stafford, president-emeritus, Compassion International "Peter Greer and Chris Horst have identified one of the deepest challenges any leader faces: how to ensure that an organization stays true to its mission, especially when that mission becomes countercultural." --Andy Crouch, executive editor, Christianity Today "Essential reading for twenty-first-century believers if we are to gain new vision, unity, and strength. Mission Drift is spine straightening, mind clearing, and courage inspiring. This book is true-north wisdom for leaders--and a gift of hope for the world God loves." --Kelly Monroe Kullberg, founder, The Veritas Forum and author, Finding God Beyond Harvard "Many of us in leadership have learned--often painfully--that our mission needs to be built into every aspect of our organization, from leadership to receptionist, from hiring to implementation. We can't afford not to follow the lessons in this valuable book." --Richard Stearns, president, World Vision U.S. and author, The Hole in Our Gospel "Keeping an eternal perspective is essential in our work. Mission Drift gives a clear message inspiring and challenging us to intentionally keep Christ at the center of all efforts." --David Green, founder and CEO, Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. "Written with clarity, boldness, and urgency, the authors provide insight into and examples of the causes and solutions to drift using the stories of real organizations...A must-read! Recommend this book to every business and church leader."--CBA Retailers+Resources "This book is a must-read for leaders, easy to read, practical, engaging and inspirational. The principals outlined not only apply to major corporations, but also to any organization, church and even to one's own personal life. Mission Drift . . . will be well worth the effort and time, and you will find yourself wanting to begin implementing what you've learned to safeguard your organization from drifting away from its mission."--Foursquare.org

Download or read book Wandering Or Pondering The Path Of Life written by Douglas Terrill and published by Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.. This book was released on 2017-12-20 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our society reveres education. Teaching the mechanics of knowledge, like math, English, and science occupies much of the public schools teaching time. But life is not about earning all the money you possibly can. How do you measure success? What is the purpose of life? These questions must be pondered before one stops wandering through life, and starts walking the path of life which leads to the greatest reward a person can possibly receive, the gift of eternal life. Matthew 6:19-21 is a directive of the Creator of life pointing us to the path of life we should be walking, and working for the treasure that will last for all eternity, laying up treasure in heaven. For where our treasure is, there will be our heart. Can you think of a greater reward in heaven, after meeting your Savior, than to welcome each member of your family into heaven when time on earth ends for each?

Download or read book The Power of Crying Out written by Bill Gothard and published by Multnomah. This book was released on 2011-11-09 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A prescription for explosive and effective prayer" —Pat Boone “The Power of Crying Out will bless and inspire you with a deeper understanding of God’s grace and power. Bill Gothard’s book has reawakened in me a strong desire to cry out to my Lord with passion and expectancy.” —Dr. Gary Smalley, counselor and bestselling author When members of the early church cried out to God in urgent need, the place shook with the power of their supplication. In this compelling vision for modern-day supplication, Bill Gothard recognizes the key truth that only God's almighty power can rescue His children in times of distress. Using illustrations from Scripture and testimonies from everyday people, Gothard demonstrates the power of crying out—and how God can shake the world of those who cry out to Him today. His compelling teaching will revolutionize the way you pray—for all time!

Download or read book Pastor Paul Theological Explorations for the Church Catholic written by Scot McKnight and published by Brazos Press. This book was released on 2019-09-03 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Being a pastor is a complicated calling. Pastors are often pulled in multiple directions and must "become all things to all people" (1 Cor. 9:22). What does the New Testament say (or not say) about the pastoral calling? And what can we learn about it from the apostle Paul? According to popular New Testament scholar Scot McKnight, pastoring must begin first and foremost with spiritual formation, which plays a vital role in the life and ministry of the pastor. As leaders, pastors both create and nurture culture in a church. The biblical vision for that culture is Christoformity, or Christlikeness. Grounding pastoral ministry in the pastoral praxis of the apostle Paul, McKnight shows that nurturing Christoformity was at the heart of the Pauline mission. The pastor's central calling, then, is to mediate Christ in everything. McKnight explores seven dimensions that illustrate this concept--friendship, siblings, generosity, storytelling, witness, subverting the world, and wisdom--as he calls pastors to be conformed to Christ and to nurture a culture of Christoformity in their churches.

Download or read book Wise Church written by Scot McKnight and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2021-03-31 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Wise Church is about rethinking church cultures so they become more of a wisdom culture. The topics vary as widely as church life itself: letter writing as pastoral care, the work life of congregants, evangelism, music, church economics, spiritual formation as the pursuit of wisdom, racial justice, marriage, learning how to teach like Jesus, gospeling like the apostles, and the wise use of social media. These studies are by pastors and scholars pondering wisdom, but more than that, they are pondering the life we all live in a wise way. We and our churches need wisdom, not simply because we live in an ever-changing world, but because the God we worship is himself wise. Wise church cultures reflect the wisdom of God back into the world, a world looking for wisdom." With contributions from: Jeff Bannman Jeremy Berg Brandon Evans Pete Goodman David Johnston Ernest F. Ledbetter III Julie Murdock Joshua Little John M. Phelps Ivan Ramirez Bill D. Shiell

Download or read book Reading for Preaching written by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2013-11-30 with total page 147 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Reading for Preaching Cornelius Plantinga makes a striking claim: preachers who read widely will most likely become better preachers. Plantinga -- himself a master preacher -- shows how a wide reading program can benefit preachers. First, he says, good reading generates delight, and the preacher who enters the world of delight goes with God. Good reading can also help tune the preacher's ear for language -- his or her primary tool. General reading can enlarge the preacher's sympathies for people and situations that she or he had previously known nothing about. And, above all, the preacher who reads widely has the chance to become wise. This beautifully written book will benefit not just preachers but anyone interested in the wisdom to be derived from reading. Works that Plantinga interacts with in the book include The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini Enrique's Journey, by Sonia Nazario Silence, by Shusaku Endo "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" by Leo Tolstoy "Narcissus Leaves the Pool" by Joseph Epstein Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo . . . and many more!

Download or read book The Pastor as Minor Poet written by M. Craig Barnes and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2008-12-30 with total page 147 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today's pastors -- often expected to be multitasking marvels who can make their churches "successful" -- are understandably confused about their role. Craig Barnes contends that the true calling of a pastor is to help others become fully alive in Christ, to be a "minor poet," or poet of the soul. As such, pastors are to read the major poets of Scripture and history in light of the dust and grit of daily parish life. The Pastor as Minor Poet eloquently calls pastors to search for a deeper understanding of what they see -- both in the text of Scripture and in the text of their parishioners' lives. A critical part of this poetic vision involves discerning key subtexts beneath these texts, which allows pastors to preach the heart of the Word and to understand the hearts of their people. Written with a seasoned pastor's depth of understanding and a poet's sensibility and sensitivity, this book will minister to and inspire pastors everywhere.

Download or read book Pondering Proverbs Vol 2 written by Tom Hinkle and published by Courier Publishing. This book was released on 2021-03 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pondering Proverbs is not intended as a scholarly work, says author and pastor Tom Hinkle, but a labor of love. "I have tried to give some insight into what the Proverbs are telling us and have tried to give some practical thoughts about their teachings," writes Hinkle. "It has been a work that has given me a better understanding of the book of Proverbs, and I hope it will help others as they seek to know more about the wisdom God offers to each of us. "The grace of our Lord sustains us each day, and His wisdom guides us. I believe this study will help others learn to walk in God's wisdom and be a blessing to others. I hope others can be helped by what I have written, and that God will be honored." In this second of two volumes, Hinkle offers a comprehensive study of chapters 1-16 of Proverbs using the HEAR method (highlight, explain, apply and respond) popularized by Robby and Kandi Gallaty. Tom Hinkle has served as pastor of St. John's Bethel Baptist Church in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, since 2015, and previously served churches in Kentucky for thirty years.

Download or read book The First Christmas written by Marcus J. Borg and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2009-10-13 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Who could argue with the message the authors draw from the Bible’s Christmas stories? Light in the darkest time of the year, hope in a period of creeping despair—these are powerful and universal themes that can give everyone a stake in Christmas.” —USA Today In The First Christmas Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan—top Jesus scholars and authors of The Last Week—help us see the real Christmas story buried in the familiar Bible accounts. Basing their interpretations on the two nativity narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Borg and Crossan focus on the literal story—the inner truth rather than the historical facts—to offer a clear and uplifting message of hope and peace. With The First Christmas readers get a fresh, deep, and new understanding of the nativity story, enabling us to better appreciate the powerful message of the Gospels.

Download or read book Steward of Stories written by JoAnn Post and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2014-05-30 with total page 173 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawn from three decades of parish ministry experience, Steward of Stories opens the delightfully complex and nuanced world of the congregation to a wider audience beyond, but including, local parish pastors. Each chapter brings together dramatically different stories about ordinary ministry situations organized around a core thematic connection, including pastoral incidents focused on topics like "Paying Attention," "Marry Me," and "Time to Go." Linking these together is the interwoven wisdom of an experienced pastor who encourages readers to consider the theological and ministry challenges at stake for us all. Clearly written and highly accessible, these vignettes are meant for lay and clergy audiences alike, especially as they come together in their mutual life in Christian community. These are stories about real people drawn from actual events--accounts that will prompt thoughtful contemplation and conversation among the faithful about saints and sinners in everyday congregations and situations. Each chapter concludes with helpful questions for use in both educational settings and individual study. This book is ideal for personal reflection or group discussion and will stimulate a richer awareness of the challenges and opportunities we all face in the ministries we share.

Download or read book Pondering Westboro Baptist Church and Fred Phelps written by Andrew Bushard and published by Free Press Media Press. This book was released on 2019-07-06 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Westboro Baptist Church has earned an unforgettable reputation for their virulently anti-gay pickets. Westboro has even stooped to picketing funerals to spread their hateful message. Most people respond to this hate with more hate of their own, but through poetry, Pondering Westboro Baptist Church and Fred Phelps: 40 Poetic Reflections calls us to respond with understanding instead. This work strives to challenge common reactions and to stimulate new thoughtful dialogue. As Deepak Chopra stated, "you cannot change a problem at the level of consciousness that created it", and thus, if we seek to change Westboro's behavior, we need to take the high road. Preserving free speech, even the hate speech of Westboro Baptist Church, brings us closer to the God of the U.S. constitution and brings us inner peace. 42 pages; 40 poems.

Download or read book Wrecked for God written by Dianne Leman and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2021-03-02 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Growing up in a Christian home dictated by legalism and religious ideals, Dianne Leman set out to find something more than the fear of not being enough or doing enough to earn God's favor. In her search, she found that Jesus was bigger, better, and more beautiful than she had ever dared to dream--and it wrecked her for good. In her faith-altering book, Leman guides believers out of Christian lives of doing into union with the Lord Jesus Christ that provides rest, freedom, delight, and grace that is not exhausting but exhilarating. This non-striving guide will help you · lose your religion and strengthen your faith · pray in power · offer mercy to the "messy" people · and much more Break the shackles of religion, and embrace the fruitful, fulfilling life with Jesus that you never thought possible.