This book reveals how the medieval papacy grew from modest beginnings into an impressive institution in the Middle Ages and deals with a wide field. It charts the history of the papacy and its relations to East and West from the 4th to the 12th centuries, embraces such varied subjects as law, finance, diplomacy, liturgy, and theology. The development of medieval symbolism is also discussed as are the view of eminent political scientists of the period. This re-issues reprints the revised, 3rd edition of 1970.

This comprehensive guide will facilitate scholarly research concerning the history of Christianity in China as well as the wider Sino-Western cultural encounter. It will assist scholars in their search for material on the anthropological, educational, medical, scientific, social, political, and religious dimensions of the missionary presence in China prior to 1950.The guide contains nearly five hundred entries identifying both Roman Catholic and Protestant missionary sending agencies and related religious congregations. Each entry includes the organization's name in English, followed by its Chinese name, country of origin, and denominational affiliation. Special attention has been paid to identifying the many small, lesser-known groups that arrived in China during the early decades of the twentieth century. In addition, a special category of the as yet little-studied indigenous communities of Chinese women has also been included. Multiple indexes enhance the guide's accessibility.

Outreach 2018 Recommended Resource of the Year (Leadership) A Top Ten Book for Parish Ministry in 2017, Academy of Parish Clergy The practice of ministry requires pastors and Christian leaders to serve as moral theologians in their communities. Ministers must preach about morally challenging texts, teach about moral issues and conflicts, offer moral counsel, and serve as an example regarding the shape of faithful Christian life. Grounding pastoral ethics in spiritual formation and spiritual disciplines, this book provides tools for facing the day-to-day demands and seizing the opportunities of being a moral teacher. An essential text for practical ministry courses.

A practical, road-tested vision and process to equip church leaders to reinvigorate their church How can churches stay healthy and dynamic over the long-term? What's needed to avoid or reverse church stagnation and decline? While some churches are vibrant and growing, many more are struggling, especially after Covid. The congregation might be declining and ageing, there's little success in reaching out to with the gospel, and more time is spent on inward facing problems than loving God and loving others. But the potential that could be released is huge. David Brown draws on his experience revitalising a church in central Paris to offer a vision and a process for church revitalisation, with a focus on UK and European contexts. Whether you are church planting, in a well-established and thriving church, or looking to turn around a church in decline, Brown provides biblically grounded wisdom along with change management principles for long-term health. When we reapply God's priorities to the church, we unleash new life and energy in following Christ in community.

Discover God's Plans for Israel, the Church, the End Times, and Beyond In his book Israel and the Church, bestselling author and native Israeli Amir Tsarfati illuminates God's current and future plans for His chosen ones-the Jewish people and the Christian church. With this instructive companion, you'll learn more about why these topics are so relevant today. Get ready to... understand and apply Bible prophecy to your daily life grow more aware of how God is working in Israel right now learn why it's so vital that Christians support Israel appreciate God's faithfulness to both the Jewish people and Christians To accurately comprehend what God has in store for the future, it's vital to understand His promises to Israel for all time. The Israel and the Church Study Guide will help you do exactly that, equipping you to explore the Bible's many revelations about what we can expect in the days and ages to come.

This companion training manual to Real-Life Discipleship provides unique guidance and insight to pastors, church leaders, and their disciples as they work to create an effective discipleship program.With a thorough, results-oriented process that can be applied in other contexts and cultures, this manual explains the necessary components of disciplemaking so that every church member can play a part in reaching others for Christ.This leader's resource shows you how to cultivate new leaders for the future and equip them to make disciples.

Find freedom and healing from painful memories and relational struggles and learn how your past has uniquely prepared you to experience more joy.

Tragedy and pain inevitably touch our lives in some way. We long to feel whole, but more often than not, the way we've learned to deal with our wounds pushes us away from the very restoration we need most. Renowned psychologist Dr. Dan Allender and counselor and teacher Cathy Loerzel present a life-changing process of true connection and healing with ourselves, God, and others.

With a clear, biblically trustworthy method, Allender and Loerzel walk you through a journey of profound inner transformation--from the shame and hurt of old emotional wounds to true freedom and healing. Drawn from modern research and their pioneering work at The Allender Center, they will help you identify your core trauma in one of the three outcast archetypes--the widow, orphan, or stranger--and chart your path of growth into the God-given roles of priest, prophet, or leader.

This book will help you learn:

• What to do about feeling out-of-place and directionless
• How your coping mechanisms create a false sense of health
• How to embrace your divine calling and find lasting reconciliation
• How your heart wounds are your unique invitation to true strength and purpose.

Your past pain does not dictate your life. Answer the call to healing and discover your life's beautiful story and a future of hope and freedom.

It's easy to think that emotional pain and feelings of hopelessness are modern issues. But two thousand years ago, Jesus ministered to people who were also longing for peace and happiness. His answer? God's peace--his Shalom, a word so important that it's translated seventy different ways in the Bible. This often-overlooked aspect of the Christian life is the foundation for deep, meaningful happiness. In this uplifting book, Jeremiah Johnston provides a biblical perspective on living a life of Shalom. Johnston reveals: * the peace Jesus offers vs. the peace the world promises but can't deliver * how to apply God's peace to our current situation and combat anxiety, fear, and hopelessness * how to protect this perfect peace in our lives when troubles try to steal it This book is also helpful for lay leaders, pastors, and everyone else who recognizes the church's incredible opportunity today to help individuals and families dealing with anxiety and depression.

The KJV Compact Reference Bible offers the literary beauty of the King James Version in a hand-sized volume that features Thomas Nelson's KJV Comfort Print, an exclusive font that was designed to be the easiest to read at any size. This edition is perfect for those who like to carry their Bibles with them throughout the day. With book introductions, extensive cross-references, a beautiful layout, and the words of Christ in red, this Bible packs a lot into a small package. Features include: END-OF-COLUMN CROSS REFERENCES - Find related passages quickly and easily SATIN RIBBON MARKER - Easily navigate and keep track of where you were reading PRESENTATION PAGE - Personalize this special gift by recording a memory or note BIBLE BOOK INTRODUCTIONS - Provide an overview and context for each book RED LETTER - Quickly identity the words of Christ printed in red BIBLE READING PLAN - Read through the Bible in a year with this simple guide CONCORDANCE - Find a word's occurrences throughout the Bible. Useful for locating passages MIRACLES and PARABLES of JESUS - Calls out important events during Jesus' earthly ministry FULL-COLOR MAPS - Have a visual representation of Israel and other biblical locations for better context Clear and readable 7-point KJV Comfort Print In 1611 the King James Bible was published and authorized by the monarch of England and Scotland. Today, more than 400 years since its initial publication, the KJV is considered one of the most influential and beautiful works of the English language and continues to be the favorite translation for millions of Christians worldwide.

We've all seen it before--experienced leaders failing due to some type of transgression. Author Tom Yeakley believes this happens because character flaws that were always present begin to come forward.Based on his 30-plus years of discipleship and coaching experience, Yeakley has developed Growing Kingdom Character to help current leaders challenge emerging leaders to intentionally developing their character.Teaching, exercises, and Bible study make this practical handbook a must-have for those involved in mentoring young leaders. The fruit will be integrity, maturity, and wisdom in a new generation of leaders.

Only you can do what He sent you to do. Throughout the Bible, God sent people like Joseph, Deborah, David, Jesus and Paul to accomplish His purposes on the earth. You, too, were born with a divine and distinct assignment to make a difference. Yet most of us have trouble recognizing what that actually is--let alone living it out day-to-day. Filled with practical insights and tangible takeaways, this book will help you discern how the Lord has uniquely equipped you--and for what purpose. You'll also learn how to master and maximize your gifts and discover how to joyfully carry out His call on your life each and every day. You were created to become a force of change in the lives of others--to reform, transform, ignite hope, solve problems, and bring healing and deliverance. It's time to find and fulfill the reason you are here. "A masterpiece of a book. LaJun and Valora will teach, train and equip you to hear from heaven and do the will of God for your life. This is a must-read."--JOE JOE DAWSON, ROAR Apostolic Network "The insight and strategies you will receive in this book are tools that will change your life."--ANDREW TOWE, author, The Triple Threat Anointing

How can we love our neighbors amid so much division and hurt? Loving your neighbor as yourself would be easy if your neighbors were all people you understood, people you agreed with, people like you. But what about playground bullies, colleagues, refugees, online adversaries? They're all our neighbors, and Jesus said to love them. Every one. But how? Lauren Casper believes the key is the lost art of empathy, stepping into other people's shoes and asking what if?-what if it were my child? What if it were me? Casper helps us discover how to identify our blind spots and tune our hearts to the stories around us; seek and extend forgiveness with grace and humility; and engage in diverse and meaningful relationships. Following these steps will enable us to connect in simple but life-altering ways, to respond to conflict with grace, bring about needed change, and shine God's unconditional love into a dark world.

Many of us think of activism as signing petitions, attending rallies or marches, or engaging in political agendas. But what does it look like to be moved by the things that moved God's heart in the day-to-day? How can we live in such a way that we are always, out of habit, contributing to a more just society? In this inspiring and accessible book, pastor J.W. Buck shows you how to engage in 7 practices to be a faithful activist in the world today, including choosing * thoughtful resistance over thoughtless compliance * loving your neighbor over fearing your differences * seeking forgiveness over revenge * resting over endless working * practicing nonviolence over violence * and more If you've wanted to get involved in justice work but aren't sure where to start, this practical and visually engaging book will show you how you can develop everyday habits drawn from the life of Jesus that make the world a better place.

2015 Book Award for Excellence in Missiology, American Society of Missiology Named an Outstanding Mission Book of 2015, International Bulletin of Mission Research In 1900 many assumed the twentieth century would be a Christian century because Western "Christian empires" ruled most of the world. What happened instead is that Christianity in the West declined dramatically, the empires collapsed, and Christianity's center moved to Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific. How did this happen so quickly? Respected scholar and teacher Scott Sunquist surveys the most recent century of Christian history, highlighting epochal changes in global Christianity. He also suggests lessons we can learn from this remarkable global Christian reversal. Ideal for an introduction to Christianity or a church history course, this book includes a foreword by Mark Noll.

Helping believers navigate today's media-saturated culture, Brett McCracken presents a biblical case for wisdom. Using the illustration of a Wisdom Pyramid, he points readers to more lasting and reliable sources of wisdom-not for their own glorification, but ultimately for God's.

Stories shape us and give us meaning - but is it coincidence that the same seven basic plots repeat over time and across the world? What if stories not only reveal something about human psychology, but also give us clues to the meaning of the reality we live in? Discover how these archetypal stories - Overcoming the Monster, Rags to Riches, The Quest, Voyage and Return, Comedy, Tragedy and Rebirth - are not only universal, but also found in the story of Christ. What if Jesus' story is where myth becomes history and can give true meaning to all our lives? Explore for yourself the explosive claim that the life of Jesus isn't just another story, but the true story that satisfies our deepest longings.

There are many things that make up a great leader. The ability to motivate, to see the big picture, to delegate. But perhaps just as important, if not more so, is the leader's emotional intelligence (EQ). How we feel impacts how we lead, and how those we lead feel about themselves when they're around us affects how well they follow our leadership. It follows then that if we want to be the most effective leaders, we must be emotionally mature.

In this practical book, church leadership expert Aubrey Malphurs shows church and ministry leaders how to assess, understand, and improve both their own EQ and that of their followers, so that they can inspire the very best in their churches and organizations.

The United Methodist Church has been in conflict over lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender inclusion issues since 1972. That year, in response to the gay liberation and gay rights movements, wording was added to the UMC Book of Discipline (the compilation of denominational policies and doctrines) characterizing homosexuality as "incompatible with Christian teaching." Since then, United Methodist ministers have been forbidden to perform same-sex commitment ceremonies (and United Methodist churches forbidden to host them), a rule has been passed that non-heterosexual United Methodist ministers must be celibate, and the UMC has forbidden the funding of any program or organization "supporting" homosexuality. These policies have been met with significant resistance by those fighting for GLBT inclusion. In this groundbreaking book, Udis-Kessler examines this struggle, analyzing both sides of this divisive debate among one of the most prominent religious organizations in the United States.

An easy-to-learn, easy-to-use tool for in-depth Bible study Beloved and acclaimed for more than five generations, the Thompson (R) Chain-Reference (R) Bible is unparalleled in its ability to enrich personal devotions, topical study, and sermon preparation. This unique reference Bible enables you to search the breadth of Scripture's teachings on thousands of topics and allows you to follow those topics throughout the entire Bible. With over 100,000 references, covering over 8,000 topics, the chain-reference system is an ideal tool for comprehensive topical study. The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible also offers a library of additional study resources that allows readers to interpret the Bible using related scripture passages rather than consulting a commentary. The KJV Thompson Chain-Reference Bible, Large Print is printed in the KJV Comfort Print (R) typeface for easy reading. Expertly designed specifically to be used for the King James Version (KJV) text, Comfort Print offers an easier reading experience that complements the translation. This Bible also features a fresh, two-color design that preserves the original look of the chain-reference system, while making each page cleaner and easier to read. Features: Complete text of the King James Version (KJV) Easy-to-understand chain-reference system with over 100,000 references Alphabetical and numerical indexes highlight study materials for over 8,000 topics, each with its own topic number, for exhaustive topical study An extensive study resource section includes biographical sketches, illustrated studies of the Bible, a concordance, Bible harmonies, and many other helpful study tools Fresh, two-color page design 66 book introductions 16-page full-color map section with map index Line-matched text for enhanced readability Words of Jesus in red Presentation page for gift-giving Gilded page edges Two double-sided satin ribbon markers, each 3/8-inch wide European bonded leather cover lies flat when open Thumb indexed to make finding the books of the Bible easier Exclusive KJV Comfort Print typeface Print size: 10.5

2021 Book Award Winner, The Gospel Coalition (Public Theology & Current Events) Christians are often thought of as defending only their own religious interests in the public square. They are viewed as worrying exclusively about the erosion of their freedom to assemble and to follow their convictions, while not seeming as concerned about publicly defending the rights of Muslims, Hindus, Jews, and atheists to do the same. Andrew T. Walker, an emerging Southern Baptist public theologian, argues for a robust Christian ethic of religious liberty that helps the church defend religious freedom for everyone in a pluralistic society. Whether explicitly religious or not, says Walker, every person is striving to make sense of his or her life. The Christian foundations of religious freedom provide a framework for how Christians can navigate deep religious difference in a secular age. As we practice religious liberty for our neighbors, we can find civility and commonality amid disagreement, further the church's engagement in the public square, and become the strongest defenders of religious liberty for all. Foreword by noted Princeton scholar Robert P. George.