A WORKBOOK to Help You Explore and Reflect on Life's Most Important Theological Questions. How do we know the Bible is God's Word? What is sin and where did it come from? How is Jesus fully God and fully man? What are spiritual gifts? When and how will Christ return? If you've asked questions like these, then systematic theology is no abstract term. It's an approach to finding answers every Christian needs to know. The Bible Doctrine WORKBOOK accompanies Wayne Grudem's highly regarded Bible Doctrine. Following the textbook's structure, the WORKBOOK features review material and exercises for every chapter, and all major areas of Christian doctrine are covered, including: The Word of God God Humanity Christ and the Holy Spirit The Application of Redemption The Church The Future The WORKBOOK maintains the clear writing, friendly tone, and frequent applications to life found in the textbook. Students will benefit from this hands-on engagement with the important teachings in Bible Doctrine.

Publishers Weekly starred review "A top-notch Christian look at immigration, humane and full of heart."--Publishers Weekly Many American Christians have good intentions, working hard to welcome immigrants with hospitality and solidarity. But how can we do that in a way that empowers our immigrant neighbors rather than pushing them to the fringes of white-dominant culture and keeping them as outsiders? That's exactly the question Karen Gonzalez explores in Beyond Welcome. A Guatemalan immigrant, Gonzalez draws from the Bible and her own experiences to examine why the traditional approach to immigration ministries and activism is at best incomplete and at worst harmful. By advocating for putting immigrants in the center of the conversation, Gonzalez helps readers grow in discipleship and recognize themselves in their immigrant neighbors. Accessible to any Christian who is called to serve immigrants, this book equips readers to take action to dismantle white supremacy and xenophobia in the church. They will emerge with new insight into our shared humanity and need for belonging and liberation.

The Celebrate Recovery Participant's Guides are essential tools for the personal recovery journey. In the six lessons in Guide 1: Stepping Out of Denial Into God's Grace, you will experience the first 3 of the 8 recovery principles: 1 Realize I'm not God. I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable. "Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor" (Matthew 5:3). 2 Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to him, and that he has the power to help me recover. "Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). 3 Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ's care and control. "Happy are the meek" (Matthew 5:5). By working through the lessons and exercises found in each of the four Participant's Guides you will begin to experience the true peace and serenity you have been seeking, restore and develop stronger relationships with others and with God, and find freedom from life's hurts, hang-ups, and habits. All the scriptures have been updated to the new NIV 2011 version.

The landscape of North America is filled with small established churches that struggle to move forward. With God's help, some of those established churches are experiencing renewed life and growth. SHIFT tells the stories of nine churches that broke free from previous patterns of plateau and decline in order to experience vibrant renewal. These churches encountered common movements - or shifts - which were vital in the renewal process. Written as a resource for pastors and lay leadership teams, SHIFT provides practical information, powerful stories, and insightful questions to help your church SHIFT forward.

This book offers a historical assessment and balanced critique of contemporary church movements, especially in light of missional ecclesiology. An expert on Lesslie Newbigin and an expert on contemporary church models show how Newbigin's ideas have been developed and contextualized in three popular contemporary church movements: missional, emergent, and center church. In addition, the authors explain that some of Newbigin's insights have been neglected and need to be retrieved for the present day. This book calls for the recovery of the missionary nature of the church and commends church practices applicable to any congregation.

Churches have made many converts but far too few real disciples. Many Christians struggle to take hold of basic biblical truth and live it out. We often take a painfully long time to mature. This is not because we lack resources or teaching, but because we struggle to connect with truth This is where the Freedom in Christ course comes in. It is specifically designed to help Christians take hold of who they are in Christ, resolve personal and spiritual conflicts through genuine repentance, and move on to maturity. This revised and updated edition of the popular course takes into account comments from the many who have used and reused it, and is accompanied by a completely new 3-disk DVD set. PRICE INCLUDES VAT

What keeps women from being their best? Joyce has been helping women better themselves by helping identify emotional barriers and physical, mental, and spiritual obstacles in their lives for years. Now she provides another answer-confidence.

Our society has an insecurity epidemic, women in particular. Compensating by pretending to be secure-a common response-only leads to feelings of shame. Lack of self-confidence causes great difficulty in relationships of all kinds, and in marriage instances can even lead to divorce.

In THE CONFIDENT WOMAN, Joyce explores the seven characteristics of a woman with confidence, which include a woman who knows she is loved, who refuses to live in fear, and who does not live by comparisons. Joyce explains that confidence stems from being positive in your actions and living honestly, but most importantly from having faith, in God and in ourselves.

"Whoever Saves a Life, It Is Considered as If He Saved an Entire World"

Dr. Rick Hodes arrived in Africa more than two decades ago to help the victims of a famine, but he never expected to call this extremely poor continent his home. Twenty-eight years later, he is still there.

This Is a Soul tells the remarkable story of Rick Hodes's journey from suburban America to Mother Teresa's clinic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. As a boy, Rick was devoted to helping those in need, and eventually he determined that becoming a doctor would allow him to do the most good. When he heard about famine in Africa, that's where he went, and when genocide convulsed Rwanda, he went into the refugee camps to minister to the victims. When he was told that Ethiopia was allowing its Jews to emigrate to Israel, he went to help. While there, he was drawn to Mother Teresa's mission in Addis Ababa. It was there that Rick found his calling when he began caring for the sickest children in one of the world's poorest countries. But he did more than that--he began taking them into his home and officially adopted five of them.

This Is a Soul is also a book filled with great joy and triumph. When Rick's kids return from surgery or life-saving treatments, he is exultant. "Seeing these people after surgery is like going to heaven," he says.

Marilyn Berger went to Africa to write about Dr. Hodes, but while there, she became involved with the story. When she came upon a small, deformed, and malnourished boy begging on the street, she recognized immediately that he had the exact disease Rick could cure. She took him to Rick, who eventually arranged for the boy to have a complicated and risky surgery, which turned out to be incredibly successful. The boy's story--intertwined with Rick's, and Marilyn's as well--is unforgettable in its pathos and subtle humor.

This Is a Soul is not just a story of the savior and the saved, it is a celebration of love and wisdom, and an exploration of how charity and devotion can actually change lives in an overcrowded, unjust, and often harsh world.

The World Is Desperate for What You Have As believers, we have received unimaginable grace from the Father. Unfortunately, we often separate our spiritual life from our everyday lives. We fail to value the grace given to us, and we miss the opportunity to bring heaven to earth. And then we wonder what light we can bring to a world in deep darkness. With depth and insight, Dr. John Jackson shows that grace distributed is the key to sweeping social change, hope and revival. Through biblical teaching and prophetic revelation, Dr. Jackson helps you partner with the Holy Spirit to step into the fullness of all God has called you to be--and to unleash the redemptive presence of Jesus in your home, workplace and community. God wants to use you right now, right where you are. It's time to become a heavenly ambassador that shares the grace you've been given with a world aching for transformation. "In this catalytic book lies an essential message for the Church today. I highly recommend it."--KRIS VALLOTTON "This Spirit-filled and deeply vulnerable book is a gift to us all. Don't miss it!"--MARGARET FEINBERG "Discover your God-given abilities and use them to usher the grace and love of Christ into the here and now."--SAMUEL RODRIGUEZ

Discussion around the bestseller The Benedict Option by Rod Dreher has led many people to want to know more about Benedictine principles.??????? Listen, my child. I want you to put the ear of your heart to the solid ground of the master's wisdom (what I received, I'm passing on to you). It's advice from a spiritual father who loves you-the sort of counsel you receive by letting it shape your whole life. Listening is hard work, but it's the essential work. It opens us up to the God we've rejected by only listening to ourselves. If you're ready to give up your addiction to yourself, this message is for you: to listen is to equip yourself with the best resources available to serve the real Master, Christ the Lord. So begins the famous opening paragraph of Benedict's Rule in Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove's vital, new, contemporary paraphrase. The entire text of the Rule is here plus a lengthy introduction from Jonathan, and detailed explanatory notes throughout that explain difficult passages. The result is a classic re-introduced that will enliven any 21st century expression of religious community.

In a day when denominations are searching for identity, Created for Mission explores the purpose and mission of a district in the context of the global church.Bob Broadbooks and Gustavo Crocker challenge the assumptions and operational mind-set of every denominational leader who wants to move from the status quo to an outwardly focused organization.With practical advice and a clear model for healthy leadership, transform your district from purely administrative to an effective missional agency.

Christianity Today 2019 Book Award Winner This introductory guide, written by a leading expert in medieval theology and church history, offers a thorough overview of medieval biblical interpretation. After an opening chapter sketching the necessary background in patristic exegesis (especially the hermeneutical teaching of Augustine), the book progresses through the Middle Ages from the eighth to the fifteenth centuries, examining all the major movements, developments, and historical figures of the period. Rich in primary text engagement and comprehensive in scope, it is the only current, compact introduction to the whole range of medieval exegesis.

Church leadership is a demanding and challenging role. There are many responsibilities involved in leading a church, which can be difficult to maneuver without the proper tools and resources.Written with Bible-based truths and helpful insights, Foundations of Church Administration is both an exploration of those responsibilities and a practical guide to navigating through them. Each chapter is authored by a notable expert in the field who, with sound experience and effective steps, helps church leaders efficiently succeed in the many facets of their responsibilities.In this honest exploration, church leaders will find a new perspective on church administration that will help them dig deeper and develop a long-lasting and effective practice of leading and administrating a church.

John Paul II: The Encyclicals in Everyday Language, an Orbis bestseller, now includes the Pope's most recent encyclical Fides et Ratio ("Faith and Reason"). Father Donders gives us the gist of this complex encyclical and the twelve that preceded it in easy-to-read sense lines. In a penetrating epilogue entitled "The Man and the Message", Father Donders offers a profound interpretation of John Paul II's legacy and the unity of his thirteen encyclicals. Here Donders shows that the pope's teaching is best understood as an expression of his fundamental intuition into the meaning of Christianity.

You're in love, and it's the real thing. You have made a joyous decision together--a decision destined to change your lives forever: You're getting married! Now, as you plan your wedding celebration, it is time to lay the foundation for a lifetime of love and romance. Today you can begin the important, lifelong task of building a strong Christian marriage. Created by FamilyLife, one of America's leading marriage and family ministries, Preparing for Marriage is a dynamic, comprehensive program designed to help you prepare for life together after the cake is cut and the guests head home. That is when the real adventure begins--the adventure of creating an intimate, lasting, and biblical marriage! Inside you'll find eight sessions of fun, romantic study that will help you target areas for growth in your relationship. You can work through Preparing for Marriage as a couple, with a pastor or premarital counselor, or with a small group. Don't just plan your wedding . . . prepare for your marriage!

Leading others in worship is a rewarding ministry, but it can also be a difficult ministry. Sometimes, the tension of worship styles, tones, and skills overcomes the meaning and message behind worship and communion with God. When a church is in the middle of this tension, it is often a struggle to find the balance between who and what God called us to be and the constantly changing demands of worship ministry.

Worship Where You're Planted seeks to recognize and respond to the situations that worship leaders encounter. Through exploration and insight, author Dave Clark tackles issues such as transitioning between worship leaders, navigating between traditional and contemporary music styles, and building rapport with the congregation. With wisdom and understanding, Clark helps small and midsize churches find comfort and connection as they lead their congregations in worship.

Healing from past wounds requires hard work. It involves effectively examining of an individual's past, as well as remaining conscientious of the changes in his or her present behavior, thinking, and spiritual life. But what if, after all of that listening and examining, you still don't know what to say, what to do, or where to start? The Pastoral Counseling Handbook offers the much needed message of hope for the hurting and for those who desire to help them. Based on the healing work of Christ, author Ruth Hetzendorfer uses her personal experience of years of counseling to provide the steps and ideas to help you gain understanding and wisdom, and more effectively counsel others.

Shortlisted for the 2016 Michael Ramsey Prize Smokey Mountain, the vast garbage dump in Manila has served for many years as an emblem of third world squalor - a metaphor for a planet slowly choking on garbage and waste. But for Fr Beltran, who served for three decades as a chaplain to the scavengers who survive off this reeking heap, it is also a metaphor of hope - an emblem of the will to survive, the ability to create joy and find meaning even in the midst of abject poverty. Faith and Struggle on Smokey Mountain describes the spiritual resilience of the scavengers of Smokey Mountain, and how they taught Beltran to read the Gospel with new eyes. The lessons he learned bear a message for all who struggle for a better world.

Answers to the most common questions and misconceptions about the Bible Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible is a short and readable introduction to the Bible-its origins, interpretation, truthfulness, and authority. Bible scholar, prolific author, and Anglican minister Michael Bird helps Christians understand seven important "things" about this unique book: how the Bible was put together; what "inspiration" means; how the Bible is true; why the Bible needs to be rooted in history; why literal interpretation is not always the best interpretation; how the Bible gives us knowledge, faith, love, and hope; and how Jesus Christ is the center of the Bible. Seven Things presents a clear and understandable evangelical account of the Bible's inspiration, canonization, significance, and relevance in a way that is irenic and compelling. It is a must read for any serious Bible reader who desires an informed and mature view of the Bible that will enrich their faith.

An engaging, richly illustrated account of parish churches and churchgoers in England, from the Anglo-Saxons to the mid-sixteenth century Parish churches were at the heart of English religious and social life in the Middle Ages and the sixteenth century. In this comprehensive study, Nicholas Orme shows how they came into existence, who staffed them, and how their buildings were used. He explains who went to church, who did not attend, how people behaved there, and how they-not merely the clergy-affected how worship was staged. The book provides an accessible account of what happened in the daily and weekly services, and how churches marked the seasons of Christmas, Lent, Easter, and summer. It describes how they celebrated the great events of life: birth, coming of age, and marriage, and gave comfort in sickness and death. A final chapter covers the English Reformation in the sixteenth century and shows how, alongside its changes, much that went on in parish churches remained as before.

For the better part of fifteen centuries, Christians read Scripture on two complementary levels, the literal and the spiritual. In the modern period, the spiritual sense gradually became marginalized in favor of the literal sense. The Bible came to be read and interpreted like any other book. This brief, accessible introduction to the history of biblical interpretation examines key turning points and figures and argues for a retrieval of the premodern spiritual habits of reading Scripture.

There is hope after trauma. Some of us can recall the exact moment our lives changed forever. The horrific accident. The miscarriage. The day they walked out. The moment our innocence was taken. Others of us can't remember a time when our lives weren't marked by trauma, abuse, or neglect. What happened to you was wrong and it hurt you, but it doesn't have to define you. You may be wounded, but you're not broken. You can overcome trauma and embrace a brighter future. Over the last decade, husband and wife team Evan and Jenny Owens have helped thousands of people overcome the trials, tragedies, and traumas of their past, and in this book, they show you how you can too. With empathy and insight, Healing What's Hidden offers a practical, step-by-step process to help you acknowledge your trauma, heal your invisible wounds, and reclaim your future so you can live beyond the anxiety, depression, and shame trauma leaves behind. Others are already experiencing healing. Now it's your turn.