Download or read book Challenging the Church Monster written by Douglas J. Bixby and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2007-09-01 with total page 127 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The church monster--according to Bixby--is the personification of a wide variety of problems which have arisen in local churches as a result of the heightened levels of conflict and anxiety with which they are dealing. His goal is to help pastors--as well as laity--to challenge the church monster by dealing with conflict and working through issues that are causing stagnation, early dismissal of pastors, and other discord that detracts from the mission and vision of the church. Bixby invites churches as well as shows them how to be open to the genuine and exciting possibilities that emerge from two core principles: downsizing and centralizing church government and developing a radical commitment to congregational decision making. This means fewer meetings, more ministry and less conflict, more community. He also offers fresh new ways for churches to function so that mission and ministry can once again become priorities, and people can begin to feel their time and energy are being used for something other than adding fuel to the fire of conflict within the congregation.
Download or read book Is God a Moral Monster written by Paul Copan and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2011-01-01 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A recent string of popular-level books written by the New Atheists have leveled the accusation that the God of the Old Testament is nothing but a bully, a murderer, and a cosmic child abuser. This viewpoint is even making inroads into the church. How are Christians to respond to such accusations? And how are we to reconcile the seemingly disconnected natures of God portrayed in the two testaments? In this timely and readable book, apologist Paul Copan takes on some of the most vexing accusations of our time, including: God is arrogant and jealous God punishes people too harshly God is guilty of ethnic cleansing God oppresses women God endorses slavery Christianity causes violence and more Copan not only answers God's critics, he also shows how to read both the Old and New Testaments faithfully, seeing an unchanging, righteous, and loving God in both.
Download or read book Under the Unpredictable Plant written by Eugene H. Peterson and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 1994-06-27 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Like Eugene Peterson's other books on pastoring, Under the Unpredictable Plant is full of stimulating insights, candid observations, and biblically grounded prescriptions. Yet this book emanates with a special poignancy out of Peterson's own crisis experience as a pastor. Peterson tells about the "abyss," the "gaping crevasse," the "chasm" that he experienced, early in his ministry, between his Christian faith and his pastoral vocation. He was astonished and dismayed to find that his personal spirituality, his piety, was inadequate for his vocation -- and he argues that the same is true of pastors in general. In the book of Jonah -- a parable with a prayer at its center -- Peterson finds a subversive, captivating story that can help pastors recover their "vocational holiness." Using the Jonah story as a narrative structure, Peterson probes the spiritual dimensions of the pastoral calling and seeks to reclaim the ground taken over by those who are trying to enlist pastors in religious careers.
Download or read book Mary s Monster written by Lita Judge and published by . This book was released on 2018-01-30 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A free verse biography of Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, featuring over 300 pages of black-and-white watercolor illustrations.
Download or read book The Perfect Pastor written by D. Thomas Owsley and published by Xulon Press. This book was released on 2007-09 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More than just a wonderful story, this book equips laypeople with the insights to relate to and support their pastor while providing pastors with a solid understanding for how to address the various expectations of church members. (Ministry & Pastoral Resources)
Download or read book I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church written by Paul Nixon and published by The Pilgrim Press. This book was released on 2007-03-01 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: God has called all of us to lead healthy, growing, spiritual churches. For this very reason, Paul Nixon refused to lead a dying church. Paul invites you to join his commitment in refusing, ever again, to lead a dying church. This commitment entails six choices: choosing life over death; choosing community over isolation; choosing fun over drudgery; choosing bold over mild; choosing frontier over fortress; and choosing now rather than later.
Download or read book On Monsters and Phantoms written by H G Roberts and published by . This book was released on 2021-05-18 with total page 486 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Harrison Roberts, like most of us, is good at hiding things, especially from himself. At six years old, still hurting from his father's abandonment, he is left in the care of a Monster who does the unthinkable, then threatens death if he ever reveals the truth. Harrison turns to Jesus for protection from his fears, real and imagined. As he grows, Jesus's voice drowns out the Monster's old threats. A new life emerges: one of love, music and ministry. For a while, Harrison buries the darkest demons from his traumatic past-the ones only God knows about. But when the blessings stop flowing and catastrophe strikes, Harrison spirals into an emotional crisis, questioning his sanity, mortality and his God. He must now navigate the threats from a new Monster: his own faith. What will he risk losing in order to know the truth and become who he is meant to be? On Monsters and Phantoms lifts the veil on a life forged by trauma, which sculpted a man into the image of someone not himself. A bold and honest look into adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and religious trauma, it peers into the soul of Christian fundamentalism, challenging you to question everything, and daring you to seek the answers.
Download or read book Navigating the Nonsense written by Douglas J. Bixby and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2016-04-08 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Navigating the Nonsense will change the way your church approaches conflict and communication. It will unlock the untapped potential that exists in your church. It is a book for clergy and lay leaders. It is for churches tired of getting a new pastor every four years. It is for pastors who are afraid conflict may derail the effectiveness of their ministry. It is for pastors who are afraid conflict with a small group of people may lead to an early departure from their pastorate. It is for church leaders who want to find ways to protect their pastors from disgruntled members. It is for leadership teams and boards that feel their ministries are frozen in place or in a permanent state of decline. It is for those who believe the church cannot focus on ministry if it is bound up by so much conflict. It is for anyone who is tired of feeling frustrated and wants their church to become more centrally focused on Jesus and his way of doing things.
Download or read book The Deadliest Monster written by J. F. Baldwin and published by Fisherman Press. This book was released on 2001-01-01 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster written by Bobby Henderson and published by Villard. This book was released on 2010-04-07 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Can I get a “ramen” from the congregation?! Behold the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM), today’s fastest growing carbohydrate-based religion. According to church founder Bobby Henderson, the universe and all life within it were created by a mystical and divine being: the Flying Spaghetti Monster. What drives the FSM’ s devout followers, a.k.a. Pastafarians? Some say it’s the assuring touch from the FSM’s “noodly appendage.” Then there are those who love the worship service, which is conducted in pirate talk and attended by congregants in dashing buccaneer garb. Still others are drawn to the Church’s flimsy moral standards, religious holidays every Friday, or the fact that Pastafarian heaven is way cooler: Does your heaven have a Stripper Factory and a Beer Volcano? Intelligent Design has finally met its match—and it has nothing to do with apes or the Olive Garden of Eden. Within these pages, Bobby Henderson outlines the true facts– dispelling such malicious myths as evolution (“only a theory”), science (“only a lot of theories”), and whether we’re really descended from apes (fact: Humans share 95 percent of their DNA with chimpanzees, but they share 99.9 percent with pirates!) See what impressively credentialed top scientists have to say: “If Intelligent Design is taught in schools, equal time should be given to the FSM theory and the non-FSM theory.” –Professor Douglas Shaw, Ph.D. “Do not be hypocritical. Allow equal time for other alternative ‘theories’ like FSMism, which is by far the tastier choice.” –J. Simon, Ph.D. “In my scientific opinion, when comparing the two theories, FSM theory seems to be more valid than classic ID theory.” –Afshin Beheshti, Ph.D. Read the book and decide for yourself!
Download or read book A Book to Change Your Life written by ; Dmin Sandidge and published by Xulon Press. This book was released on 2009-03 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What Others Say about This Book - Dr. Sandidge has written a very comprehensive book on leadership. Every pastor and church leader can find many tidbits of information that will improve their leadership skills. This book will provide help in building a ministry team approach. There are many helpful ideas for the church leader to develop other leaders for the church, and especially Bible teachers. A helpful and insightful book. Dr. Frank Schmitt Professor of Church Ministries Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and Graduate School 1971 University Blvd. Lynchburg, VA 24502 - Dr. Oneal Sandidge is not only a perceptive author, but he has also lived and worked in the field of Christian Education at numerous institutions of higher education. I have observed Oneal professionally, as a teacher and lecturer, for many years. He has character, insight and experience that qualify him to share concepts of the Christian ministry in general, and Christian education in particular, that will be life-changing for his readers." Dr. James B. Keiller, Vice President & Dean for Academic Affairs Beulah Heights University Atlanta, Georgia - Dr. Oneal Sandidge has written a great book for training pastors, church leaders, and ministry leaders for improving church ministry. This powerful book deals specifically with church ministry. Dr. Sandidge has used his exceptional skills from serving as Director of Christian Education, college professor, and ministerial experiences to suggest ways for rethinking ministry. This book will help pastors, church officials, ministry leaders, and those who teach church leadership. Any reader would benefit from this book. Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr., Senior Pastor of Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church and Professor Howard University - School of Divinity Washington, DC
Download or read book Conversation as Ministry written by Douglas Purnell and published by The Pilgrim Press. This book was released on 2003-10-22 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Douglas Purnell draws upon his experience as a pastor, counselor, and therapist to give both lay and ordained Christians the resources they need to engage in caregiving conversation; intentionally, deeply, and confidently. In "Conversation as Ministry: Stories and Strategies for Confident Caregiving," Purnell shares his reflections on the nature of pastoral conversation and he presents questions for specific conversations to help people focus on their intentions while engaging in pastoral conversation.
Download or read book Heroes and Monsters written by Josh James Riebock and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2012-03-01 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every one of us is both a hero and a monster, and the world we inhabit is both beautiful and twisted. We are shaken by changes, losses, gains, insights, desires, mistakes, and transitions. And just when we've gotten settled back down, things get shaken up again. This is the life we've been given. So how do we make sense of life's unexpected nature, find a way to embrace the tension, and live with a sense of peace despite pain? In this stunningly honest, compelling, and ultimately hopeful book, Josh James Riebock explores issues of trust, obedience, intimacy, dreams, grief, purpose, and the unexpected stops along the journey that form us into the people we are. In a creative way, he shows readers that pain and beauty are so inextricably linked that to lose the former costs us the latter. Those grappling with life's inconsistencies and trials will especially find a welcome resonance between their lives and Heroes and Monsters. Riebock both validates their experiences and challenges them to live beyond them in this ever-changing life.
Download or read book Love Letter to a Conflicted Church written by Richard P. Olson and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2010-01-01 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book is organized into three divisions, and as the title implies, there is a brief letter in the form of a New Testament epistle to the contemporary church, a portion of which begins each chapter. The first division reexamines the gifts and redemptive possibilities of anger and conflict. The barriers to healthy anger-conflict are considered and addressed. In the second, attention is given to conflicts surrounding the Bible. There is a chapter on conflict and reconciliation in the Bible, followed by suggestions on how people who read the Bible differently from each other can resolve some of those differences. Consideration is also given to discovering biblical priorities for the contemporary church. The third division offers "vistas of change and reconciliation." Parables of hope and promise are provided. Insights from the studies of persons and communities as well as ethics and theology are summarized. There is reflection on those unresolved conflicts that continue in spite of our best efforts. Then moral imagination is engaged to visualize the opportunities for a church that moves beyond its present stalemates.
Download or read book They Like Jesus but Not the Church written by Dan Kimball and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2009-05-26 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many people today, especially among emerging generations, don’t resonate with the church and organized Christianity. Some are leaving the church and others were never part of the church in the first place. Sometimes it’s because of misperceptions about the church. Yet often they are still spiritually open and fascinated with Jesus. This is a ministry resource book exploring six of the most common objects and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church and Christianity. The objections come from conversations and interviews the church has had with unchurched twenty and thirty-somethings at coffee houses. Each chapter raises the objection using a conversational approach, provides the biblical answers to that objection, gives examples of how churches are addressing this objection, and concludes with follow-through projection suggestions, discussion questions, and resource listings.
Download or read book The Living Church written by and published by . This book was released on 1981-07 with total page 438 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Holy Clarity written by Sarah B. Drummond and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2009-06-22 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Holy Clarity, Sarah Drummond explores the most basic reason leaders of religious organizations conduct evaluations: To find and create God-pleasing clarity regarding the organization's purpose and the impact of its activities. Leadership and evaluation are not separate disciplines, she argues. Effective leaders evaluate because they need to know what is happening in their organizations and how those activities are effecting change. Drummond first describes the way in which our postmodern culture makes clarity difficult to obtain. She then looks at holy clarity from a biblical and theological perspective and make the case that it is a spiritual discipline that can stand on its own theological merits. She presents four approaches to evaluation that can help a leader to guide a community toward greater clarity, both when evaluating or analyzing programs and when planning and starting programs. Finally, she considers the work of clarification as a faith practice, one that can make a pastor or layperson not just a better leader, but a better Christian who is more firmly grounded in God. Each chapter concludes with a fictional case study that provides a jumping-off point for discussion and helps bring her theory to life. Holy Clarity provides an accessible resource as an entry point for those who are eager to learn the best practices of this crucial discipline.
