Download or read book Vital Vintage Church written by Michael S. Piazza and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2016-02-10 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The prevailing witness is that the mainline church's days are numbered. This testimony is so frequently repeated that only a fool dare challenge it. The contrary view found in Vital Vintage Church, however, comes from someone who actually attends church every Sunday, someone who currently teaches in two mainline denominational seminaries, consults with dozens of mainline churches, and stands in the pulpit almost every Sunday of a mainline church where he is the senior pastor. From that vantage point, Rev. Michael Piazza has seen enough signs of hope to convince him that, if we can change the narrative of doom and gloom, many of our Vintage Churches are poised to experience a time of great renewal. It won't happen if we continue to do business as usual, but it also won't require us to abandon the church we love. Taking out the pews and the stained glass isn't the answer, but changes will be required. So, take a breath, take the plunge, and take it from one whose daily ministry is proving THERE IS HOPE FOR THE MAINLINE CHURCH!
Download or read book Tribal Church written by Carol Howard Merritt and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2007-09-10 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Carol Howard Merritt, a pastor in her mid-thirties, suggests a different way for churches to be able to approach young adults on their own terms. Outlining the financial, social, and familial situations that affect many young adults today, she describes how churches can provide a safe, supportive place for young adults to nurture relationships and foster spiritual growth. There are few places left in society that allow for real intergenerational connections to be made, yet these connections are vital for any church that seeks to reflect the fullness of the body of Christ. Carol Howard Merritt, a pastor in her mid-thirties, suggests a different way for churches to be able to approach young adults on their own terms. Outlining the financial, social, and familial situations that affect many young adults today, she describes how churches can provide a safe, supportive place for young adults to nurture relationships and foster spiritual growth. There are few places left in society that allow for real intergenerational connections to be made, yet these connections are vital for any church that seeks to reflect the fullness of the body of Christ. Using the metaphor of a tribe to describe the close bonds that form when people of all ages decide to walk together on their spiritual journeys, Merritt casts a vision of the church that embraces the gifts of all members while reaching out to those who might otherwise feel unwelcome or unneeded. Mainline churches have much to offer young adults, as well as much to learn from them. By breaking down artificial age barriers and building up intentional relationships, congregations can provide a space for all people to connect with God, each other, and the world.
Download or read book The Church of All Ages written by Howard A. Vanderwell and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2007-12-17 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many congregations today experience collisions between parents who ant to spend time with their children and age-segregated church programming, as well as between the children worshiping in their pews and the increasing number of seniors in the same pew. Among the questions these congregations struggle to address are these: Should we try to hold the generations together when we worship/ Is it even possible? Led by pastor and resource developer Howard Vanderwell, nine writers--pastors, teachers, worship planners, and others serving in specialized ministries--offer their reflections on issues congregational leaders need to address as they design their worship ministry. In addition, numerous sidebars illustrate the diversity of practices in the church today. Contributors do not propose easy answers or instant solutions. Rather, they guide readers as they craft ministries and practices that fit their own community, heritage, and history. Each chapter includes questions for reflection and group discussion, and an appendix provides guidelines for small group use. The thread that connects these varied contributions is the belief that there is no greater privilege for Christians than worshiping God, and there is no better way to do that than as an intergenerational community in which all are important and all encourage and nurture the faith of the others.
Download or read book Analog Church written by Jay Y. Kim and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2020-03-31 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As our culture begins to reckon with the limits of a digital world, it's time for the church to do the same. In our efforts to stay relevant in our digital age, have we begun to move away from transcendence? Pastor Jay Kim grapples with the ramifications of a digital church, from worship and Christian community to how we engage Scripture.
Download or read book Building a Healthy Multi Ethnic Church written by Mark DeYmaz and published by Fortress Press. This book was released on 2020-10-06 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Through personal stories, proven experience, and a thorough analysis of the biblical text, Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church illustrates both the biblical mandate for the multi-ethnic church and the seven core commitments required to bring it about. Mark DeYmaz, pastor of one of the most proven multi-ethnic churches in the country, writes from both his experience and his extensive study of how to plant, grow, and encourage more ethnically diverse churches. He argues that the "homogenous unit principle" will soon become irrelevant and that the most effective way to spread the gospel in an increasingly diverse world is through strong and vital multi-ethnic churches. Apart from ethnically and economically diverse relationships, we cannot understand others different from ourselves, develop trust for others who are different than us, and/or love others different than ourselves. Apart from understanding, trust, and love, we are less likely to get involved in the plight of others different than ourselves. Without involvement, nothing changes, and the disparaging consequences of systemic racism remain entrenched in our culture. Surely, it breaks the heart of God to see so many churches segregated ethnically or economically from one another, and that little has changed in the many years since it was first observed that eleven o'clock on Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in the land.
Download or read book The bruised reed and smoking flax 1630 written by Richard SIBBES and published by . This book was released on 1818 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book How Not to Read the Bible written by Dan Kimball and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2020-12-01 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is Reading the Bible the Fastest Way to Lose Your Faith? For centuries, the Bible was called "the Good Book," a moral and religious text that guides us into a relationship with God and shows us the right way to live. Today, however, some people argue the Bible is outdated and harmful, with many Christians unaware of some of the odd and disturbing things the Bible says. Whether you are a Christian, a doubter, or someone exploring the Bible for the first time, bestselling author Dan Kimball guides you step-by-step in how to make sense of these difficult and disturbing Bible passages. Filled with stories, visual illustrations, and memes reflecting popular cultural objections, How (Not) to Read the Bible is a lifeline for individuals who are confused or discouraged with questions about the Bible. It also works great as a small-group study or sermon series.
Download or read book The Living Church written by John Stott and published by Inter-Varsity Press. This book was released on 2021-04-30 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What exactly is a living church? Author John Stott explains, 'We need more radically conservative churches: "conservative" in the sense that they conserve what Scripture plainly requires, but radical in relation to that combination of tradition and convention that we call 'culture'. Scripture is unchangeable, but culture is not.' 'The Living Church' brings together a number of characteristics of what the author calls 'authentic' or 'living' church. The marks, being clearly biblical, are timeless and need to be preserved. We are encouraged to become learning churches, caring churches, worshipping churches and evangelising churches. John Stott unpacks the Bible's wisdom rigorously with a teacher's skill and applies it faithfully with a pastor's heart. Becoming a living church is not an impossible goal.
Download or read book The Spirit Within You written by James I. Packer and published by . This book was released on 2018-05-10 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The authors of this book approach their theme with the conviction that 'the gift of the Spirit to indwell God's people, corporately and individually, is the supreme and crowning blessing held forth by the Gospel.' Yet as they frankly acknowledge, the doctrine of the Spirit is tragically neglected by the Church in our day, while in some quarters strange and distorted views about the Spirit's operations are being propagated and are gaining ground. In face of this situation they set out to examine afresh what the Bible has to say about this vitally important subject. But what they offer here is no mere academic study. They seek to relate the biblical teaching to the contemporary situation and to clarify certain issues - more especially by the Penecostal movement." - from the Introduction
Download or read book A New Day in the City written by Donna Claycomb Sokol and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2017-05-16 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many urban congregations remember days of fame and fortune—days when their prominence downtown or in city neighborhoods mattered. Population shifts, the decline of congregations and neighborhoods, and demographic changes depleted the dreams of many urban churches. But not all churches gave up hope. Many congregations are struggling to survive, but thousands of urban churches are thriving again. Churches with revived hope learn to let go of nostalgic dreams and tired habits and to walk with God into a new day of vibrant mission and ministry. Donna Claycomb Sokol and Roger Owens share lessons they’ve learned on the job and from other urban pastors. Along the way, they challenge clichés about church leadership and strategic planning by showing what congregational renewal can look like and how it can become a reality. Each chapter features a set of practical guidelines for leading a congregation to address the questions that matter most. “The urban church can be quite a challenge. I know because I’ve served a couple. Now, two thoughtful pastors with actual urban church experience take an affectionate, positive, honest, and hopeful look at the urban church and give practical wisdom for the revival of languishing urban congregations. There’s a remarkable revival of the urban church in North America. Donna and Roger can help you be part of it!” —William H. Willimon, Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry, Duke Divinity School, Duke University, Durham, NC; retired bishop, The United Methodist Church “Three things excite me most about this book: First, these two young pastors understand the strategic importance of urban ministry and are passionately committed to it. Second, they show that when you turn from tired ‘church growth’ and corporate paradigms, choosing rather to model your ministry on Jesus, new life happens. And third, they explain that transformation is about journeying faithfully with the questions rather than looking for quick-fix techniques. This book could change your ministry.” —Peter Storey, South African church leader; W. Ruth and A. Morris Williams Distinguished Professor Emeritus of the Practice of Christian Ministry, Duke Divinity School, Duke University, Durham, NC
Download or read book Frederick Douglass written by D. H. Dilbeck and published by UNC Press Books. This book was released on 2018-02-01 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From his enslavement to freedom, Frederick Douglass was one of America's most extraordinary champions of liberty and equality. Throughout his long life, Douglass was also a man of profound religious conviction. In this concise and original biography, D. H. Dilbeck offers a provocative interpretation of Douglass's life through the lens of his faith. In an era when the role of religion in public life is as contentious as ever, Dilbeck provides essential new perspective on Douglass's place in American history. Douglass came to faith as a teenager among African American Methodists in Baltimore. For the rest of his life, he adhered to a distinctly prophetic Christianity. Imitating the ancient Hebrew prophets and Jesus Christ, Douglass boldly condemned evil and oppression, especially when committed by the powerful. Dilbeck shows how Douglass's prophetic Christianity provided purpose and unity to his wide-ranging work as an author, editor, orator, and reformer. As "America's Prophet," Douglass exposed his nation's moral failures and hypocrisies in the hopes of creating a more just society. He admonished his fellow Americans to truly abide by the political and religious ideals they professed to hold most dear. Two hundred years after his birth, Douglass's prophetic voice remains as timely as ever.
Download or read book Vintage Hughes written by Langston Hughes and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2004-01-06 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents selected works from "The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes," and "The Ways of White Folks."
Download or read book Beyond Belief written by Elaine Pagels and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2004-05-04 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Beyond Belief, renowned religion scholar Elaine Pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest Christian texts, arguing for an ongoing assessment of faith and a questioning of religious orthodoxy. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, Pagels returns to her investigation of the “secret” Gospel of Thomas, and breathes new life into writings once thought heretical. As she arrives at an ever-deeper conviction in her own faith, Pagels reveals how faith allows for a diversity of interpretations, and that the “rogue” voices of Christianity encourage and sustain “the recognition of the light within us all.”
Download or read book Detroit Gesu Catholic Church and School written by Patricia Montemurri and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2017 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a reconfigured farmhouse just a mile outside of the city limits of Detroit, a Jesuit priest and 25 men, women, and children gathered to celebrate Sunday mass on March 19, 1922. The Reverend John McNichols named the Catholic mission church Gesu, the Italian word for "Jesus." Gesu became one of Detroit's landmark parishes. Its history illustrates the Motor City's boom, bust, resilience, and resurgence. It was the home parish of four Detroit mayors, powerful members of Congress, auto industry titans, sports legends, artists, authors, and actors. At its peak in the mid-1960s, Gesu School enrolled 1,600 students. Because of Detroit's decline and its racial and economic struggles, Gesu is one of only four Catholic elementary schools that remain in the city. But as Detroit rebounds, Gesu School is growing again.
Download or read book Welcome to a Reformed Church written by Daniel R. Hyde and published by Reformation Trust Publishing. This book was released on 2010 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Daniel Hyde traces the historical roots of the Reformed churches, their key beliefs, and the ways in which those beliefs are expressed. The result is a roadmap for those newly encountering the Reformed world and a primer for those seeking to know more about their Reformed heritage.
Download or read book Letter to a Christian Nation written by Sam Harris and published by Alfred A. Knopf. This book was released on 2006 with total page 57 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A criticism of Christianity from the secularist point of view.
Download or read book Detroit s Holy Family Church written by Bonnie Leone and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2008 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The traditions of the Sicilians and Italians have been present in Detroit and Holy Family Church since the early 1900s. The church being the very root of their soul, they have maintained their ancestors' culture and the rituals they brought with them over 100 years ago. Some of these customs date back hundreds of years in their homelands of Cinisi, Terrasini, Trapani, and many other cities. Bonnie Leone was born, raised, and still resides in Detroit. Originally appointed by Gov. John Engler to the position of Wayne County jury commissioner, Leone is a member of several genealogical societies, tracing some of her ancestors as far back as the 1500s. Her strong sense of history, art, and tradition brought her to this church, so that she may help to preserve and protect the traditions of the last 100 years of the Sicilians in Detroit.
