Download or read book Dirty Christians written by Daniel Brown and published by Dirty Christians, LLC. This book was released on 2015-04-02 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jesus Got His Hands Dirty. What About You? Jesus did not share the gospel with the poor, profane, and rebellious where they lived just so that we would share it only with the prim and proper, in churches. He did not suffer the agony of the cross so that we would live safely within the church walls, untouched by the hurting world around us. He was not raised from the dead to new life so that we would keep ourselves, His message, and His power out of reach of the people who need it. Jesus got His hands dirty, interacting with a messy world to reach those He loves. Today, our church services, music, look, attitudes, and actions are all are so clean and proper, it’s hard for anyone to be touched by them. In trying to be clean, we have forgotten how messy life can be. To be effective for Him, we must start serving as He did, where life is messy. Dirty Christians is a call for the people of Christ to... • Leave the safety of the church to venture out into the messiness of the real world of people with deep hurts, serious issues, and torn apart lives, and love them as He did • Chase after the life of service and love—the standard to which He has called us • Discover in the messiness of serving God why being Christlike cannot be an option, but must be a necessity • Experience the power of God as never before as we do what Jesus did and love as He loved Dirty Christians is not a “let’s feel good about ourselves” kind of book. If you’re up for the challenge to live Jesus out to this world, read it...and see what God can do through you when you dare to live out a messy faith. A native of southeastern Michigan, Daniel Brown lives in South Alabama where he and his wife, Debbie, pastor Anchor Assembly of God in Bayou La Batre. The father of two, and grandfather of five (so far), Daniel encourages Christians to get a little dirty while serving. He is currently working on his next book, Crude Church. www.dirtychristians.org Follow us on Twitter @dirtychristians Like us on Facebook at dirtychristiansministries

Download or read book Dirty Christianity written by Warren H. Stewart and published by . This book was released on 2012-10 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NO ONE IS TOO DIRTY FOR GOD'S LOVE! The church and modern Christianity has lost its authenticity! No one wants to tell their "dirty" stories of redemption anymore. We live in a broken world, full of fallen people who act as if they have no flaws once they have come to Jesus. There is not one perfect human being but Jesus Christ. Yet, Christians have hid behind the religious fallacy that we have to mask the past and act like we have been spotless since birth. People need to know that History changed our story. Were we not that "dirty" sinner before we found grace? Were we not the one who was in desperate need of saving? Were we not the one who felt unworthy to be loved by the God of the universe? Are we still not one who struggles with sin every now and then after coming to Jesus? So why have we forgotten our redemption story? Why are we afraid to reflect on where God brought us from? Dirty Christianity will challenge you on a prescriptive scriptural journey of transparency and authenticity to tell your redemption story and make the gospel relevant to those who desperately need the loving embrace of God the Father, the amazing grace through Jesus Christ and the refreshing filling of the Holy Spirit. In turn, this gospel that has changed your life just may grip you again.

Download or read book Messy Grace written by Caleb Kaltenbach and published by WaterBrook. This book was released on 2015-10-20 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sometimes, grace gets messy. Caleb Kaltenbach was raised by LGBT parents, marched in gay pride parades as a youngster, and experienced firsthand the hatred and bitterness of some Christians toward his family. But then Caleb surprised everyone, including himself, by becoming a Christian…and a pastor. Very few issues in Christianity are as divisive as the acceptance of the LGBT community in the church. As a pastor and as a person with beloved family members living a gay lifestyle, Caleb had to face this issue with courage and grace. Messy Grace shows us that Jesus’s command to “love your neighbor as yourself” doesn’t have an exception clause for a gay “neighbor”—or for that matter, any other “neighbor” we might find it hard to relate to. Jesus was able to love these people and yet still hold on to his beliefs. So can you. Even when it’s messy. “Messy Grace is an important contribution to the conversation about sexual identity for churches and leaders. Caleb's story is surprising and unique, and he weaves it together compellingly. He states his views clearly, leaves room for disagreement, and champions love no matter where you are in this conversation.” —Jud Wilhite, Sr. Pastor, Central Christian Church

Download or read book Dirty Faith written by David Z. Nowell and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2014-07-29 with total page 167 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Put Your Faith Into Action Do you ever feel like something in your faith is missing, that going to church, studying the Bible, and tithing just aren't enough? There has to be more, right? What would it look like to truly follow Christ and not just believe in him? David Nowell asked the very same questions, and was led to minister to the "least of these," whom God loves deeply. In Dirty Faith, Nowell shares powerful stories of faith in action, and encourages us to move with him from the sidelines to the front line, to get our hands dirty helping the hopeless, the disenfranchised, and the poor. Loving as God loves is central to the gospel, whether that means taking in foster children, ministering to inmates at the local jail, or something else God has in mind just for you. Let this inspiring book help you find what's been missing in your faith. "David Nowell has challenged not only our view of the church's responsibility in light of the worldwide plague of violence on children--from poverty to homelessness to prostitution--he has challenged our view of Jesus Christ. Nowell's Jesus has dirt under his fingernails and calluses on his hands. The Word becoming flesh is not just incarnation, it is a holiness that is willing to be stained by the brokenness of a world that would abuse an innocent child. I want my staff to read this book. It will challenge them to do what is required of them, and then some." --Dr. Walter Crouch, President/CEO, Appalachia Service Project "Filled with unforgettable stories from the field, Nowell's writing will both break your heart and lift your vision. Dirty Faith is a must-read for those who want to put their faith into action by serving others." --Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer, senior pastor, The Moody Church

Download or read book Dirty God written by Johnnie Moore and published by Thomas Nelson Inc. This book was released on 2012-12-31 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Moore draws on both Scripture and his extensive experience with other cultures and religions to show how the God of the Bible is unique in his willingness to be near us in all of our messiness.

Download or read book Jesus with Dirty Feet written by Don Everts and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 1999-04-01 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unencumbered by religious language, Don Everts presents an easy-to-read, positive and unapologetic introduction to Jesus and shows why making a decision about him is so important.

Download or read book Dirty Christianity written by Warren H. Stewart Jr and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2012-10 with total page 215 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NO ONE IS TOO DIRTY FOR GOD'S LOVE! The church and modern Christianity has lost its authenticity! No one wants to tell their "dirty" stories of redemption anymore. We live in a broken world, full of fallen people who act as if they have no flaws once they have come to Jesus. There is not one perfect human being but Jesus Christ. Yet, Christians have hid behind the religious fallacy that we have to mask the past and act like we have been spotless since birth. People need to know that History changed our story. Were we not that "dirty" sinner before we found grace? Were we not the one who was in desperate need of saving? Were we not the one who felt unworthy to be loved by the God of the universe? Are we still not one who struggles with sin every now and then after coming to Jesus? So why have we forgotten our redemption story? Why are we afraid to reflect on where God brought us from? Dirty Christianity will challenge you on a prescriptive scriptural journey of transparency and authenticity to tell your redemption story and make the gospel relevant to those who desperately need the loving embrace of God the Father, the amazing grace through Jesus Christ and the refreshing filling of the Holy Spirit. In turn, this gospel that has changed your life just may grip you again.

Download or read book Dirty Glory written by Pete Greig and published by NavPress. This book was released on 2016-10-18 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: U. K. Book of the Year 2017! For many Christians, prayer is an obligation that has little bearing on everyday life. The story of the 24/7 prayer movement demonstrates in gripping detail how prayer is far more than an obligation and how God is far more interested in prayer than we are. Continuing to chronicle the life and extraordinary ministry of the 24/7 prayer movement for a readership anxiously awaiting this title, Pete Greig tells story after story of God’s faithful interaction with human prayer to change lives and cultures.

Download or read book Persecuted Christians Past and Present written by Larry Squyres and published by Covenant Books, Inc.. This book was released on 2022-01-25 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We are persecuted for our belief in the Bible We are imprisoned for our belief in God. We are executed for our belief that Jesus is the Son of God. Inside this book are our stories of persecution, imprisonment, and death at the hands of those who believe in other gods. I have researched stories around the world in every country on today’s map, detailing the persecution that Christians are subject to. Today, in North America, we see persecution in many different forms. Even in our country of the United States, we see different forms of persecution that were not seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Soon, I believe we will see the same persecutions as we see today in other countries like India, China, and the Middle East. I invite you to read and see the persecution that Christians are subject to in 102 different countries.

Download or read book Unclean written by Richard Beck and published by Lutterworth Press. This book was released on 2012-05-31 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. Echoing Hosea, Jesus defends his embrace of the unclean in the Gospel of Matthew, seeming to privilege the prophetic call to justice over the Levitical pursuit of purity. And yet, as missional faith communities arewell aware, the tensions and conflicts between holiness and mercy are not so easily resolved. In an unprecedented fusion of psychological science and theological scholarship, Richard Beck describes the pernicious (and largely unnoticed) effects of the psychology of purity upon the life and mission of the church.

Download or read book Live Original written by Sadie Robertson and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2015-07-28 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The television personality and member of the Duck Commander family shares the list of principles that lead her to personal and spiritual growth and help her live the way God says to live.

Download or read book Jesus with Dirty Feet Discussion Guide written by Don Everts and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2003-07-25 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this discussion guide, a companion to the book Jesus with Dirty Feet, Don Everts and Douglas Scott offer ten sessions of candid inquiries into who Jesus was, what he was like and whether or not it matters.

Download or read book Messy Truth written by Caleb Kaltenbach and published by WaterBrook. This book was released on 2021-08-10 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the author of Messy Grace, a former pastor raised by gay parents, comes a compassionate playbook to help Christians, church staff, and ministry leaders create a culture of belonging without sacrificing theological convictions. What should we do? This is a question many Christians are asking as they face shifting societal norms, conflicting opinions, and often inaccurate scriptural interpretations regarding those who identify as LGBTQ+. Caleb Kaltenbach believes there’s a more helpful question:What am I willing to do to keep and build influence with ______________? Caleb knows our love for others is best measured by the lengths we’ll go to help them. He also recognizes that people find and follow Jesus better in community than in isolation. As a child raised by three activist gay parents, Caleb experienced firsthand the outrage of some Christians. That’s why he is committed to creating a sense of belonging for all people. True community can happen only when Christians are intentional in infusing their attitudes, systems, and values with grace and truth. This hopeful, practical book offers tools for encouraging church involvement, strengthening personal relationships, increasing empathy, and engaging in pivotal conversations about grace and truth with our whole community. Fostering a culture of belonging is a messy process, but it holds a massive possibility for everyone involved: a growing relationship with Jesus.

Download or read book Shadow Christians written by Jeff Iorg and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2020-11-10 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Are you a shadow Christian? Shadow Christians are people who work in the margins, in the shadows created by the spotlight shining on others. We often think they—we—are insignificant. But here’s the good news: God chooses and uses shadow Christians. There are some names in the Bible that everyone knows: Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses, Mary, Peter, Paul. But the Bible is also full of stories with unnamed characters. People who made a difference not in the spotlight, but in the shadows. If you’re a shadow Christian, you matter to God, and he wants to use you to make a difference.

Download or read book Dirty Word written by Jim Parker Walker and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2008 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jesus said he came to heal the sick, not the well. And yet some churches have a feeling about them that is vaguely antiseptic, where there seems to be an unspoken pressure to censor any unpleasantness. Jim Walker wanted to build a church that was honest, that lived out its mission down in the muck of life where Jesus calls us to get our hands dirty. In the rough and often unpleasant neighborhoods of the South Side of Pittsburgh, Jim began finding people who wanted to live in a new way--passionate, committed, and totally devoted to God. The worshiping community they built together, now known as Hot Metal Bridge Church, is a place of harsh honesty and tender caring, of deep pain and great joy. In Dirty Word you''ll meet a street person named Fetus who has an encounter with Jesus at the communion table that leads him to change his name to Feed Us. You''ll visit the weekly Bible Fight Club where guys with plenty of tattoos take their Bible study very seriously, and find a new perspective on how the kingdom of God really looks, sounds and smells. Be forewarned: Some of the stories and descriptions in Dirty Word might offend you, or run afoul of your expectations of the clergy. But if you are equally offended by watered-down theology and pallid discipleship, Dirty Word offers a bracing challenge and a fresh evocation of hope. Dirty Word is a raw, uncensored look at an unapologetic way of being the church. From chapter 8 One Sunday, after worship Amanda and Eric approached me. Amanda is a twenty something with a mix of blond and black and red hair. Eric has the black and blue tint to his hair that I''ve always wanted and have never had the nerve to get. Both Eric and Amanda are eccentric and artsy, love old monster movies and rock n roll. "Pastor Jim", Amanda started, "We want to get involved in a Bible study. Is this church going to have any Bible studies?" I quickly got defensive. That''s what we pastors do when it is insinuated that we''re not providing the right products. "We already have Bible studies going on right now," I replied, "We have a study on Monday night, a study about Ephesians on Wednesday, and a study on Romans on Saturday nights at the coffee shop." Eric looked at me, politely, but pained, and said to me very gently and kindly "Yeah, we went to those...." "It''s just not what we''re looking for, Pastor Jim", Amanda said. "Well, what is it you''re looking for? Maybe we can get something new going." That''s when Amanda got bold. I braced myself. "To be honest, Pastor Jim, I don''t like those other studies because it''s just a bunch of people sitting around nodding at one other. I mean, everyone is just agreeing with each other. I feel like we''re being brain-washed or something." "What are you suggesting?" I replied, kind of confused. "I don''t know. We want to be part of a Bible study where no one agrees." "No one agrees?" "Sure, why don''t we have a study where everyone comes and we fight?" When we started Bible Fight Club, the purpose wasn''t, and still isn''t, discipleship. The club isn''t meant to be a place where we grow in our faith, per se. The point to the gathering is not to worship, and it''s not to study scripture and it''s not to fellowship. The point to Bible Fight Club is to fight. It is a time for debate, a time for wrestling, and for doubting and questioning the things that we sometimes we hold as gospel. Sometimes this even means the Gospel. For our church it has been a place where atheists, agnostics, believers, ''non-believers'', and believers of other faiths can come and toss in their two cents. To make sure that the argument is valued and that people are valued as well, we made the following rules: Bible Fight Club Rules 1. Respect: we love and respect each other, but not necessarily each other''s opinions. We respect the argument by being good listeners. 2. Say Anything: no judging and no holding grudges. The tattoo shop basement is a safe place where anything can be said. 3. Fight: all those in attendance must participate. No one is allowed to come and observe in silence. (Observers and silent onlookers skew the argument by inadvertently becoming a kind of jury that people try to convince.) 4. Get to the point: no speeches. "Make your point and shut up"--so others can speak. 5. Honor the Argument: phrases like ''Well, it''s all just a mystery'' or ''we''ll never know the answer, so why bother arguing'' do not honor the argument. Take a side and fight, no matter how ''mysterious'' you think the subject is. 6. Admit when you''ve been hit: At the end of the evening we take time to talk about the argument. Everyone must share something that was said that made them think. Sometimes this might mean having some humility. But that''s the point.

Download or read book Messy written by A. J. Swoboda and published by Kregel Publications. This book was released on 2012-04-13 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christianity is messy. Unanswered prayers. Painful choices. Unresolved regrets. We’re called to have faith, and yet we doubt. We try to be perfect, but we fall short. This is the chaos. It’s all around us. There’s no limit to it. And there’s no quick fix for it.Both annoyingly honest and refreshingly humorous, Messy reassures Christians that God can reveal Himself in their clutter. Author and pastor A.J. Swoboda offers biblical insight and vivid, personal stories to redefine faith from something that must be perfect to something that is imperfect, but can still give beauty, meaning, and purpose to a messy life. As entertaining as it is challenging, this book teaches Christians what it means to trust in each other, in grace, in hope, and in a Savior who defied the rules of death. Here’s to finding joy in your chaos!

Download or read book Why Christians Don t Vote for Democrats written by Professor Richard Miller, Rmn Ba Dipned and published by Xulon Press. This book was released on 2006-02 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why Christians Don't Vote For Democrats gently examines religious prejudice, defends religious liberty and challenges Democrats to end religious discrimination or remain on the wrong side of a just cause.