|
Books > Christianity > Christian institutions & organizations
Why are so many 20- and 30-something Christians disappearing from
the church?They are told how much the church wants young people,
yet there is growing suspicion among young believers about who is
in and who is out of the scope of Christian orthodoxy. Through this
suspicion, a rift between the generations has emerged. In the face
of frustration, of being cut out because they don't seem to fit,
young believers often take their gifts and leave the church.This
book helps those who feel displaced by this generational collision
to find a sense of place and welcome with a church that is still
becoming all that God wants it to be. If you are a young person who
wonders if there is a place in the church for someone like you, or
if you want to know if your own church can be the kind of body in
which young people are welcome, A Seat at the Table will give you a
new personal and kingdom perspective. Embrace the challenge to
re-imagine your relationship with the church in light of this
generational collision, not seeing it as an unredeemable rift, but
as an opportunity to give and receive hospitality.
First published in 1918 Whizzbangs and Woodbines presents a candid
portrait of life behind the lines on the Western Front by Reverend
Durell, then Rector of Rotherhithe, and Chief Commissioner of the
Church Army in France.The Church Army, along with its counterparts
the YMCA, TOC-H and Salvation Army played an important part in the
support and morale of soldiers in war. In addition to providing
spiritual support,the Church Army welcomed more than 200,000 men
each day to their recreation huts and provided visits and gifts to
the wounded, tents and hostels near the front lines, drove
ambulances, mobile canteens and kitchen cars.In addition to
voluntary Church services, for those who wished to attend, a simple
salvation from trench life was offered; music, singing, concerts,
card games,billiards and refreshments, all small measures of joy in
the midst of dangers and hardships and as vital to the continued
war effort as bullets and shells. For a packet of woodbines and a
cup of tea was restorative ammunition enough for the average
British Tommy.
A quiet reformation is gathering momentum across the UK and the
world...Church leaders from across the denominational spectrum are
coming together in friendship and prayer to seek God's will for
their towns and cities - and transformation is occurring! Beyond
the church, Christians in business, health and education, sports,
charities and the arts, are strategically collaborating to impact
their communities. Sharing common purpose and relational unity,
they are discovering the power of working together as one. This
inspirational collection of stories, of Christians bringing
cultural, social and spiritual transformation to the places they
love, will encourage and amaze. And this is only the beginning -
imagine what our communities could be like in 30 years! A Gathering
Momentum invites you to become part of the movement and join with
others to fulfil the mission of God for your city or town.
In our world, stories matter. Methods and systems are beneficial
because they provide structure and help keep us on the right road;
but the motivation and courage to keep walking the road, come from
the stories we hear and see and experience-stories that inspire
hope and bring us face-to-face with God. For ministers, the call to
preach is a call into a story that forms and shapes us. It's about
stumbling into revelation as life unwinds and scripture unfolds.
It's about listening to God's voice and then sharing it with
others. It's about recognizing that when people gather to hear a
sermon, God speaks. And it's about understanding that when He
speaks, He speaks through you. Preaching the Story That Shapes Us
is more than a textbook on preaching. It's an empowering call for
preachers to present a picture of the kingdom of God already at
work among us, recognizing that the work of preaching is not just
about arranging words--it's about people. With elegant prose and
crafted reason, Dan Boone weaves together scripture, personal
narrative, structure, and theological reflection to provide a
satisfying, efficient guide to narrative preaching. From exploring
the importance of biography to walking readers through creative
processes that shape the sermon, Boone shows preachers how to
awaken lives and share the stories of God that reveal who we are
and lead us to who we will be.
What does it mean to make Christlike disciples? Discipleship is a
common word in churches today. Pastors and leaders are continually
looking for resources to help their members develop a deeper
understanding of the Christian faith and a closer relationship with
Christ. But there's more to discipleship than studying and
following Christ's teachings. True discipleship is an invitation to
become like Christ; to absorb His passions, behaviors, and wisdom
by spending significant time with Him; to engage in a relationship
with Him that shapes you into His likeness and in turn, inspires
others to do the same. Walk with Me calls pastors, church leaders,
teachers, and parents to go beyond basic discipleship and begin to
intentionally teach others to be disciplemakers. It explores the
importance of teaching mature disciples how their Christ-influenced
responses to everyday situations can be used to show others who
Jesus is and what it means to be His disciple. With biblical
insight, author Hal Perkins explores the call to 'go and make
disciples of all nations' and demonstrates how changing the way we
act, think, and serve will not only help us fulfill the Great
Commission, but also answer the call to love God with all our
hearts and minds, and our neighbor as ourselves.
More than twenty-five years have passed since the publication in
1979 of "Brothers and Sisters to Us," the U.S. Bishops' statement
against racism, and during this time white Catholic theologians
have remained relatively silent on this topic. In this hard-hitting
study, prominent Roman Catholic theologians address white
priviletge and the way it contributes to racism. They maintain that
systems of white privilege are a significant factor in maintaining
evil systems of racism in our country and that most white
theologians and ethicists remain ignorant of their negative impact.
The Diaconal Church presents a highly topical debate about an
innovative model of church described in David Clark's book Breaking
the Mould of Christendom. Thirteen scholars from different
denominations discuss the themes which underpin the model of the
diaconal church. In the final chapter, Clark argues that the
diaconal church has a contribution of paramount importance to make
to sacred and secular institutions alike.
If there is one book you are going to read to understand the deep
currents affecting Christian life and witness today, this is it.
Paradigm Shifts in Christian Witness enlists the world's foremost
observers of global Christianity in the task of discerning in
short, incisive essays the most important patterns and paradigm
shifts as the Christian movement matures beyond both colonialism
and post-colonialism as a world faith translated into every culture
on earth. It also celebrates the life and work of Charles A. kraft,
one of the foremost cultural anthropologists, a man whose insights
have helped a generation of cross-cultural missioners and church
workers understand the processes involved in mission and the growth
of world Christianity.
|
|