Download or read book Imagine Church written by Neil Hudson and published by Inter-Varsity Press. This book was released on 2012-12-17 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can an ordinary church grow disciples who live their whole lives as followers of Jesus? Disciples whose faith shapes their attitudes as neighbours, colleagues and family members? Our time in church needs to equip us to be salt and light in our time out there. Drawn from the hard-won lessons of the Imagine project, this book offers help and hope from churches which have begun to do just that: * Lessons from three years' work with pilot churches * Practical ideas for your church * Real-life stories of churches and individuals It doesn't offer quick fixes. There aren't any. Instead, it offers new hope and little changes which change everything.

Download or read book Imagine Heaven written by John Burke and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2015-10-13 with total page 351 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It's obvious from the bookshelves and the big screen that heaven is on everyone's mind. All of us long to know what life after death will be like. Bestselling author John Burke is no exception. For decades, he has been studying accounts of people who have had near-death experiences (NDEs). While not every detail of individual NDEs correlate with Scripture, Burke shows how the common experiences shared by thousands of survivors clearly point to the God of the Bible and the exhilarating picture of heaven he promises. Imagine Heaven is an inspirational journey through the Bible's picture of heaven, colored in with the real-life stories of heaven's wonders. Burke compares gripping stories of NDEs to what Scripture says about our biggest questions of heaven: Will I be myself? Will I see friends and loved ones? What will it look like? What is God like? What will we do forever? What about children and pets? This book will propel readers into an experience that will forever change their view of the life to come and the way they live life today. It also tackles the tough questions of heavenly reward and hellish NDEs. Anyone interested in NDEs or longing to imagine heaven more clearly will enjoy this fascinating and hope-filled book.

Download or read book Imagine Church written by Neil Hudson and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2012-02-17 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can an ordinary church become a community of people who help one another live out their whole life at home, work, church, in the neighbourhood as followers of Jesus in his mission to the world?

Download or read book Think Orange written by Reggie Joiner and published by . This book was released on 2017-11 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What if the primary mission of the church is not to help the family, and the number one priority of the family is not to go to church?What if they are both designed to work together to show a generation who God is?It's not either/or. It's both/and.In Think Orange, Reggie Joiner shows how two combined influences can make a greater impact than just two influences separately. Church leaders who "think orange" make radical changes so they can ?Engage parents in an integrated strategySynchronize the home and church around a clear messageProvoke parents and kids to fight for their relationship with each otherRecruit mentors to become partners with familiesMobilize the next generation to be the churchWhen you think orange, you rethink the way you do ministry for children and teenagers.

Download or read book Crazy Faith written by Michael Todd and published by WaterBrook. This book was released on 2023-09-19 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Relationship Goals . . . Will you be remembered as a person who claimed to follow God but liked to play it safe? Or as a person who lived your life out on the limb and trusted God enough to live in crazy faith? Noah looked crazy when he started building the ark . . . until it started raining. It was crazy for Moses to lead a nation of people into the desert away from Egypt . . . until the Red Sea parted. It was crazy to believe that a fourteen-year-old virgin would give birth to the Son of God . . . until Mary held Jesus in her arms. There are many things that seem normal or average today that at one point in time seemed absolutely crazy. Smartphones, Wi-Fi, and even the electric light bulb were all groundbreaking, history-making inventions that started out as crazy ideas. Our see-it-to-believe-it generation tends to have a hard time exercising true faith—one that steps out, takes action, and sees mountain-moving results. Many of us would rather play it safe and stand on the sidelines, but it’s crazy faith that helps us see God move and reveals His promises. In Crazy Faith, Pastor Michael Todd shows us how to step out in faith and dive into the purposeful life of trusting God for the impossible. Even if you have to start with baby faith or maybe faith, you can become empowered to let go of your lazy faith, trust God through your hazy faith, and learn to live a lifestyle of crazy faith. With powerful stories of modern-day faith warriors who take their cues from biblical heroes, Michael Todd equips you to • believe for the impossible • choose hope over fear • be alert to the voice of God • cope with loss and doubt • develop a deeper level of trust in God • speak faith-filled declarations • inspire crazy faith in others God’s not looking for somebody to give Him all the reasons why His plans can’t happen. He’s looking for somebody to believe they will happen. In fact, He has so much He wants to do through you. The question is, Are you crazy enough to believe it?

Download or read book Changing the Church written by Mark D. Chapman and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-11-13 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume, dedicated to the memory of Gerard Mannion (1970-2019), former Joseph and Winifred Amaturo Chair in Catholic Studies at Georgetown University, explores the topic of changing the church from a range of different theological perspectives. The volume contributors offer answers to questions such as: What needs to be changed in the universal church and in the particular denominations? How has change influenced the life of the church? What are the dangers that change brings with it? What awaits the church if it refuses to change? Many of the essays focus on people who have changed the church significantly and on events that have catalyzed change, for the better or for the worse. Some also present visions of change for particular Christian denominations, whether over the ordination of the women, different approaches to sexuality, reform of the magisterium, and many other issues related to change.

Download or read book More Than Communion written by Scott MacDougall and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-05-21 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The dominant contemporary model for ecclesiology (theological views of the church itself) is the ecclesiology of communion. MacDougall argues that communion ecclesiologies are often marked by a problematic theological imagination of the future (eschatology). He argues further that, as a result, our ways of practising and being the church are not as robust as they might otherwise be. Re-imagining the church in the light of God's promised future, then, becomes a critical conceptual and practical task. MacDougall presents a detailed exploration of what communion ecclesiologies are and some of the problems they raise. He offers two case studies of such theologies by examining how distinguished theologians John Zizioulas and John Milbank understand the church and the future, how these combine in their work, and the conceptual and practical implications of their perspectives. He then offers an alternative theological view and demonstrates the effects that such a shift would have. In doing so, MacDougall offers a proposal for recovering the 'more' to communion and to ecclesiology to help us imagine a church that is not beyond the world (as in Zizioulas) or over against the world (as in Milbank), but in and for the world in love and service. This concept is worked out in conversation with systematic theologians such as Jürgen Moltmann, Wolfhart Pannenberg, and Johannes Baptist Metz, and by engaging with a theology of Christian practices currently being developed by practical theologians such as Dorothy C. Bass, Craig Dykstra, and those associated with their ongoing project. The potential for the church to become an agent of discipleship, love, and service can best be realised when the church anticipates God's promised perfection in the full communion between God and humanity, among human beings, within human persons, and between humanity and the rest of creation.

Download or read book The Message of Worship written by John Risbridger and published by Inter-Varsity Press. This book was released on 2015-07-24 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The invitation to worship God is the highest privilege of human beings - a privilege squandered by sinful rebellion, but also gloriously restored to us through the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Biblical worship is a response to God's revelation of himself, empowered by the Holy Spirit, which finds expression in every aspect of human life and experience. At the same time, there is a great deal of music and song in the Bible. Music is a wonderful gift of God in creation, and there is every reason to embrace its riches and harness its power responsibly for the glory of God and the blessing of his people. However, Christians have often been divided over the theology and practice of worship, with differing views about spiritual gifts, the place of liturgy, priorities attached to various functions of the church, the weight given to congregational and 'whole-life' worship, and the role and style of music. While many of these areas are touched on in John Risbridger's excellent exposition, his intention is not to court controversy, but simply to allow Scripture to speak, in the hope of establishing as much common ground as possible. He follows a loosely trinitarian structure, in which the main sections explore the connection between worship and the purpose of the Father, the supremacy of the Son and life of the Holy Spirit. Each section concludes with two chapters on the Psalms, in which we hear a variety of 'voices', and learn to join their distinctive song.

Download or read book Becoming a Future Ready Church written by Daniel Yang and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2024-10-22 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Are Church Leaders Missing the Generational Handoff? There's Still Hope. Are we building institutions that will meaningfully serve the next generation of believers and their leaders? How does a church thrive in a culture where we have to earn credibility? How do we create a sense of belonging to the body of Christ and a strong sense of identity for the next generation? Becoming a Future-Ready Church is a blueprint to guide you through eight critical shifts to help lead your church into the future with wisdom and hope. It describes several major converging trends that will greatly impact the church in America over the next few decades: the Great Resignation of Boomer leaders from churches, the shrinking percentage of Christians in America, and the change in felt needs among rising generations shaped heavily by anxiety, skepticism, and fragmentation. Missiologist and pastor Daniel Yang, religion journalist Adelle Banks, and church researcher Warren Bird have come together in Becoming a Future-Ready Church to help church leaders evaluate whether their ministries are entrenched in strategies that worked well in the past but need to be adapted for the future. By helping us ask better questions about the issues and needs facing the church, they reveal practical ways in which the next generation of church leaders can gain a sturdier foothold as they navigate into the future.

Download or read book Imagine written by Steve Turner and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2016-12-28 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Imagine art that permeates society, challenging conventional thinking and standard morals to their core. What if this art was created by Christians? In this revised and expanded edition of a contemporary classic, Steve Turner shares his bold vision for Christians in the arts. If Jesus is Lord of all of life and creation, then art is part of his cultural mandate.

Download or read book RE IMAGINING CHURCH written by Gerald Rose and published by Christian Research Associati. This book was released on 2014-11 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many church leaders are confused. Patterns of ministry which worked so well in the past are no longer effective. Churches which grew rapidly have ceased to grow. The culture of the Western world has changed. At its heart is a change in the nature of authority: from tradition and reason to the authority of personal experience. This book explores the changes in culture and church life. Rev Dr Philip Hughes, the senior research officer of the Christian Research Association outlines the problem the churches are facing. Rev Gary Bouma, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Monash University, and an Anglican Priest, charts the origins of the problem. The large part of the book is the work of Rev Dr Gerald Rose, a senior minister in the Churches of Christ in Victoria, Australia. Through careful observation and detailed interviews of ministers, he describes a range of ministry responses to the changing culture. He explores, not one solution, but many: the ministry of intentional mission, of the charismatic movement, of ministry based in relationships, and of ministry rooted in classical spirituality. This is a book which should be read by church leaders, ministers and pastors of all denominations. It provides great insight into the nature of contemporary culture and outlines positive pathways for ministry in the Western context.

Download or read book Imagine That written by Manuel Luz and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2009-06-24 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why are we artists? How does God experience art? What is the artist’s calling in relation to God, the church, and the world? Drawing from his experiences performing Mozart, playing “dive bars", and leading worship and the arts in the church, author Manuel Luz seeks to answer the questions that artists often ask. Laced with humorous and sometimes poignant anecdotes, Imagine That is a thought-provoking journey through the convergence of art and faith. Luz has been a working musician, writer, pastor, and even amateur cartoonist for more than 40 years, and in Imagine That he lays out his case for a uniquely Christian approach to the vocation of artist, using theologically rich and artist-friendly language. In the end, Imagine That affirms and equips Christian artists for the special kind of ministry that only they can do.

Download or read book The Wind and the Rudder written by Dan Smith and published by Destiny Image Publishers. This book was released on 2012-09-18 with total page 149 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Are you prepared? A training and reference manual for the great nationwide revival—which has already begun. The Wind and the Rudder: How to Live in the Power of the Spirit without Becoming Weird gives you everything you need to be part of God’s current move! Many times the wind of God’s Spirit moved powerfully through an individual, in a city, or across a nation, only to see healthy, long-lasting revival aborted due to the lack of a strong rudder. This book provides the stabilizing force during times of dramatic renewal and revival. The focus of The Wind and the Rudder is two-fold:1. To help an ocean of Jesus-followers discover the thrill, the adventure, and the passion of the Spirit-filled life they are called to live.2. To help believers who have experienced the Spirit discover balance, understanding, and a new sense of mission. A great nationwide revival is arriving—you can prepare yourself to absorb the many benefits of this amazing harvest opportunity!

Download or read book Starting a New Church written by Ralph Moore and published by Gospel Light Publications. This book was released on 2002-09-06 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: According to the author perhaps our greatest responsibility is to evangelize our own generation. Yet established churches are not able to do that. In fact, rising generations of Americans live in ignorance of Jesus Christ and have no moral absolutes. Aggressive church planting, the author believes, is the answer to the problem, because new churches focus on the needs of each new generation and present biblical truth in the cultural context that best reaches those people. The objectives of this book are to lay down the challenge to consider becoming a church planter while at the same time screen out wishful thinking and focus on the practical challenges of church planting. This authoritative and edgy message is the next thing in evangelism.

Download or read book Online Mission and Ministry written by Pam Smith and published by SPCK. This book was released on 2015-02-19 with total page 135 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many clergy and churches are now taking to the internet and social media to promote their churches or ministries, but few have thought through some of the difficult pastoral and theological issues that may arise. 'Virtual vicar' Revd Pam Smith guides both new and experienced practitioners through setting up online ministries and considers some of the issues that may arise, such as: Are relationships online as valid as those offline? Is it possible to participate in a 'virtual' communion service? How do you deal with 'trolls' in a Christian way? What is it appropriate for a clergyperson to say on social media?

Download or read book Starting a House Church written by Larry Kreider and published by Gospel Light Publications. This book was released on 2007-04-05 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There’s a new way of doing church and it’s taking North America by storm! Here, a recognized authority on the house church movement and a popular speaker and pastor share their expertise in starting and maintaining a healthy house church. Together they look at current and future trends in the house church movement and provide best practice models for planting and leading house churches. Also, they explore how house churches are not always the same as simple cell-groups or small groups, especially in the areas of leadership and money. Readers will discover all the information they need to begin a house church in their community.

Download or read book The Soul of a Generation written by Ken Dornhecker and published by Xulon Press. This book was released on 2007-07 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With his finger directly on the pulse of young people, and the passion of a Christian evangelist beating in his heart, Dornhecker brings into sharp focus the tragedy of a generation on the brink of leaving the church. (Social Issues)