Download or read book Means of Grace as Formative Holiness written by Aimee Stone Cooper and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 182 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Within the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition broadly, and the Church of the Nazarene specifically, occasional confusion, distrust and skepticism has arisen concerning “spiritual formation.” Some of the underlying issues may reflect a lack of understanding regarding what Christian spiritual formation is and is not, where the language comes from, what is meant by traditional Christian disciplines of formation, and how those practices relate to holiness theology and sanctification. The purpose of this dissertation is to thoughtfully and practically engage this subject through the lens of John Wesley, for whom the means of grace are a practical marriage of God’s work and our participation, and are centered directly in the stream of orthodox Christianity. These practices are an invitation for all Christians, but especially for those who value holiness of heart and life. The aimed-for outcome is that Nazarenes will re-discover Wesley’s means of grace practices and wholeheartedly embrace them with the purpose of pursuing growth in grace toward holiness of heart and life. Section 1 presents a storied representation of the problem, provides an overview of spiritual formation within the Church of the Nazarene, and flushes out the aforementioned problem. Section 2 engages an overview of solutions for Christian formation from a Wesleyan perspective, and within the Church of the Nazarene specifically. Section 3 outlines an overview of John Wesley’s means of grace and offers an application within the Church of the Nazarene; namely, that Wesley’s means of grace are essential practices for both personal and corporate entities wishing to grow in holiness. Sections 4 and 5 outline the specifics for a Small Groups curriculum engaging Wesley’s means of grace practices for an ongoing spiritual formation / discipleship experience. Section 6 offers suggestions for further research, additional reading, and the limits of this project. The Artifact is the abovementioned curriculum.
Download or read book Possibilities of Grace written by Asbury Lowrey and published by . This book was released on 1884 with total page 490 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Reformed Systematic Theology Volume 4 written by Joel Beeke and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2024-05-06 with total page 1203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Accessible Study of Ecclesiology and Eschatology from a Reformed Perspective Reformed Systematic Theology explores key Scripture topics from biblical, doctrinal, experiential, and practical perspectives, helping readers grow in their understanding and application of the truth presented in God's Word. Written by Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley, each volume presents a comprehensive yet accessible study of the Reformed Christian faith that ministers to the whole person―head, heart, and hands. The final volume, Church and Last Things, unpacks important topics around ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church) and eschatology (the doctrine of last things), including the biblical significance of church membership, Jesus's model for the church, and 7 practical lessons from Revelation. A set of all 4 Reformed Systematic Theology volumes is also available. Biblical and Theological: Explains key passages of the Holy Scriptures and draws extensively from historic Reformed and Puritan sources Easy to Understand: Explores central points of ecclesiology and eschatology from a simple, accessible, comprehensive, and experiential approach Part of the Reformed Systematic Theology Series: Volumes cover the entire scope of systematic theology based on 8 central themes: revelation, God, man, Christ, the Holy Spirit, salvation, the church, and last things Also Available as Part of the 4-Volume Reformed Systematic Theology Set
Download or read book Through the Lens of Grace written by Linda Christene Diane Bond and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To see life through the lens of grace is to gain a new perspective of ho God shapes his children in the image of his Son. Spiritual formation is a process, a journey with God's people, which calls for faith and participation, but all is of grace. This portfolio testifies to spiritual formation being God's work. Through our involvement in spiritual disciplines and the nurturing of the Christian community are indispensable, they too are means of grace. The journey of spiritual formation of the individual Christian within the community of faith is explained in the writings of A.W. Tozer as well as the Model of Spiritual Formation in the Salvation Army. The goal is Christlikeness, a goal which requires adversity and suffering to deepen our faith and further our witness. Interviews with eight Salvationists on adversity and suffering in their lives underscore the themes of grace and faith. My spiritual autobiography is a personal witness that faith is enriched through God's means of grace, most certainly through life's challenges. To be like Jesus is the ultimate goal, the divine purpose for which we were created and the means by which we serve. I have used the New International Version for the Scripture quotations unless otherwise stated. The glossary of items will be helpful in understanding Salvation Army terminology. Other than italics used for through the lens of grace, all others are from the books referenced. Where hymns or songs are quoted, the acronym SASB stands for Salvation Army Song Book. In citing Salvation Army books, or particular references in the tables, SA will be used through the legal name is The Salvation Army.
Download or read book The Means of Grace and the End to be Aimed at in Using Them written by Means and published by . This book was released on 1864 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Sanctifying Grace and the Grace of the Ministry A Sermon on Matt Vii 22 23 written by John JACKSON (successively Bishop of Lincoln and of London.) and published by . This book was released on 1847 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A Longing for Holiness written by John Wesley and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: John Wesley, founder of Methodism, offers essential biblical truths for all Christians. These selected writings reveal Wesley's understanding of Christianity for all to explore.
Download or read book Keep in Step with the Spirit second edition written by J I Packer and published by Inter-Varsity Press. This book was released on 2020-05-21 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). The Holy Spirit empowers us, guides us, and enables us to grow and endure in our relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ. Often the most misunderstood member of the Trinity, the person of the Spirit continues to attract attention today amidst church revivals and renewals. In this new edition of his classic Keep in Step with the Spirit, J. I. Packer seeks to help Christians reaffirm the biblical call to holiness and the Spirit s role in keeping our covenant with God. Packer guides us through the riches and depth of the Spirit s work, assesses versions of holiness and the charismatic life, and shows how Christ must always be at the centre of true Spirit-led ministry. A new chapter explores Christian assurance. With abiding relevance and significance, Keep in Step with the Spirit sets forth vital knowledge for healthy and joyous Christian living, through understanding and experience of God the Holy Spirit. Here is a book for every serious believer to read and re-read.
Download or read book If You Knew the Gift of God written by Cliff Ermatinger and published by Padre Pio Press. This book was released on 2018-07-18 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Looking at the lives of the saints we see their heroism, extraordinary virtue, profound intimacy with our Lord. They can seem distant, if not in time and place, then certainly in experience and stature. A common misunderstanding is to think of them as the fortunate few, almost as if they won the divine lottery. When we read of St. Paul running his race, we, the spiritual hoi polloi, run the danger of contenting ourselves with observer status in this most existential and dramatic of all contests. The problem is that we too often think holiness some arcane subject, when all along, the Church has clearly laid out its itinerary for us through her own spiritual masters and teaching. Knowledge of the spiritual life requires understanding of the Church's teaching on grace. Spiritual theology deals with understanding mechanics of this teaching and how to employ it. Lacking this understanding, we are left with the descriptive method that tends to convert the spiritual life into a disjointed collection of experiences. We end up with a more psychological-experiential presentation of the spiritual life than a theological one. When God created man according to his image and likeness, he made human nature in a specific way, with a spiritual structure, though natural, capable of receiving the supernatural structure imposed by grace. For example, the intellect, a purely spiritual yet natural faculty within our nature, receives the light of faith through grace and thus assents to truths that can only be known supernaturally. The light of grace affords us the ability to understand things that would otherwise remain hidden to our natural mind. In heaven, in fact, God gives the mind what is called the light of glory, the supernatural grace of being capable of beholding his Face without self-destructing; for no man can see my Face and live (Ex 30:20). A cornerstone of the Classical Tradition teaches us that grace builds on nature. What this means is that God created human nature in such a way that it would be capable of spiritual actions in the natural order - like having a conversation, thinking syllogistically, etc. When grace is superimposed on human nature, the spiritual elements of the human nature - namely, the intellect and the will, become capable of realizing supernatural actions, working above and beyond their own nature, while employing it more fully. The theological virtues of faith, hope, and love are examples of this, as are the infused virtues. All of this is thanks to grace. And grace is the beginning of holiness and, indeed, eternal life. The measure or the perfection of the spiritual life is the degree of participation by the individual Christian in the sanctity and perfection of God. In other words, how holy you are is determined by the degree of sanctifying grace you have. "It is the will of Jesus Christ that the whole body of the Church, no less than the individual members, should resemble Him." The more you are like God and participate in his nature, the holier you are." (From the Introduction). This book is based on the perennial teaching of the Church on the doctrine of grace: what it is; what it does; and how to grow in it. It draws from Scripture, the writings of Thomas Aquinas, Teresa of Avila, and John of the Cross.
Download or read book Generous Justice written by Timothy Keller and published by Penguin Books. This book was released on 2012-08-07 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Keller explores a life of justice empowered by an experience of grace.
Download or read book Christian Perfection written by John Wesley and published by . This book was released on 1921 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book 40 Questions About Church Membership and Discipline written by Jeremy Kimble and published by Kregel Academic. This book was released on 2017 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Addresses forty of the most common and thorny questions about church life Does church membership mean more than simply joining a social group? Does the church have a responsibility to discipline its members--and if so, what does that look like? Recognizing the many puzzling questions about the critical role of the church in the life of believers, Jeremy Kimble addresses forty key points. Each section considers questions of theology, ministry, and practicality, such as: · Is there a New Testament precedent for membership? · How does membership relate to baptism and communion? · Who should become a member? · How is discipline related to discipleship? · Should a believer associate with someone under church discipline? Like the other volumes in the 40 Questions & Answers Series, this book raises--and clearly answers--the most common and difficult questions that church leaders and members have. With succinct chapters, this is an eminently practical resource for any church leader, elder board, or new member seeking a foundational understanding of how the church should function.
Download or read book The Poor and the People Called Methodists written by Richard P. Heitzenrater and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Details the progression of Methodist's views toward poverty-stricken individuals between 1729 and 1999.
Download or read book Twelve Little Ways to Transform Your Heart written by Susan Muto and published by Ave Maria Press. This book was released on 2016-08-29 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s “Little Way” has been embraced by people of all walks of life. In Twelve Little Ways to Transform Your Heart, author Susan Muto explores twelve facets of St. Thérèse’s simple spiritual path as a way to personal holiness and the secret to being a powerful witness to Christ in the world today. Though she lived only to the age of twenty-four and spent almost her entire life at her family home and in the Carmelite convent, St. Thérèse of Lisieux displayed a love for Jesus and a passion for his gospel that have made her the patroness of the missions. The “Little Flower’s” humility and childlike trust are still powerful examples of how ordinary people can grow closer to Jesus and respond to Pope Francis’s call for a new evangelization. The calls to holiness and to witness to Christ can seem daunting, but as Susan Muto—renowned speaker and expert on Carmelite spirituality—explains, Thérèse shows us that they are neither difficult nor dramatic. The Little Way can be lived by any of us, even with what Thérèse called the “ministry of the smile.” With deep insight and warm personal devotion, Muto explains the Little Way and will help you put twelve dimensions of it into practice, drawing others to Christ by living a simple, joyful life. These twelve ways, derived from the example of Thérèse, are: Learn to love the hidden life Appreciate what a treasure the ordinary is Trust in Divine Mercy as little children do Receive the sacraments devoutly day after day Abandon yourself to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Foster friendship with God and others Take up your cross and follow Jesus Pray unceasingly Simplify your life Let God free you to be your best self Commit yourself—body, mind, and spirit—to living the Gospel Leave a legacy of evangelical virtues others want to cultivate Muto features short quotations from the saint’s autobiography, poetry, letters, and prayers, as well as perceptive reflection questions and personal prayers to show how imitating Thérèse can make us a powerful force of love. Muto also offers practical spiritual advice for those who want to deepen their faith and are attracted to the simplicity of St. Thérèse’s Little Way.
Download or read book Possibilities of Grace written by Asbury Lowrey and published by Theclassics.Us. This book was released on 2013-09 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1884 edition. Excerpt: ... Greek Words Indicating Purity Examined And DEFINED. In this analysis the original word is defined according to its various significations, ' as used in the New Testament. Under each different sense given, a text is quoted containing the word, which is put in italics to distinguish it from other parts of the sentence. The scope of the passage will show the correctness of the rendering., [hagiadzo, ] from aytof, [Jiagios, ] holy. I. To separate, set apart, consecrate, sanctify-- to set apart from a common to a sacred use. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? ... Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater- the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Matt- xxiii, 17, 19. II. To esteem or reverence as holy or sacred. When applied to God as infinitely separated from all sin and wrong, and infinitely superior to all created beings. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Matt- vi, 9. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. 1 Peter iii, 15. III. To purify, cleanse from pollution, whether ceremonially, as under the Levitical dispensation, or personally and truly by the offering of the body of Christ. . For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, pnrge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God f Heb. ix, 13, 14. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once...
Download or read book Unchaining the Lion written by Caleb Eissler and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2015-10-16 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Does God exist? How can a good God allow pain and suffering? Can we trust the Bible? Is Jesus a copy of earlier pagan gods? Is Jesus the only way to God? What does the Bible actually say about homosexuality, transgenderism, and abortion? Did Jesus actually rise from the dead? After living as a strong Christian for most of his life, Caleb Eissler began to seriously doubt the very beliefs he had so tightly held to. When he entered college, he began wrestling with these very questions. Eissler realized that Christianity had to answer these questions and more if it was to be taken seriously. Ready to walk away from his faith if Christianity was found to be false, he embarked on a journey to find the truth. After years of research, Eisslers faith wasnt just sustained, but transformed. He not only found the claims of Christianity to be true, but also to be even more amazing than he had ever imagined. Eisslers doubt, research, and soul-searching fueled a new passion to help others rationally think through the same questions he had encountered. Unchaining the Lion is the culmination of Eisslers research and passion. Unchaining the Lion sets out to bridge the gap of misunderstanding between Christianity and secular culture by laying out the claims and evidence for Christianity, while addressing countless objections and questions along the way. To non-believers, Eissler provides a coherent and easy-to-follow explanation of the beliefs and the defenses of Christianity, while challenging them on their presuppositions about the world, the Bible, and God. To Christians, he provides a solid and deep defense of the claims of their faith that will surely help any believer. Unchain yourself from the shackles of doubt towards Christianity as Eissler shares a truth that the world must hear.
Download or read book The Holiness of God written by R.C. Sproul and published by NavPress. This book was released on 2023-09-05 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Central to God’s character is the quality of holiness. Yet, even so, most people are hard-pressed to define what God’s holiness precisely is. Many preachers today avoid the topic altogether because people today don’t quite know what to do with words like “awe” or “fear.” R. C. Sproul, in this classic work, puts the holiness of God in its proper and central place in the Christian life. He paints an awe-inspiring vision of God that encourages Christian to become holy just as God is holy. Once you encounter the holiness of God, your life will never be the same.
