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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Christian institutions & organizations > Christian mission & evangelism
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Surviving Persecution
(Hardcover)
Vernon J Sterk; Foreword by Charles E. Van Engen
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R1,306
R1,085
Discovery Miles 10 850
Save R221 (17%)
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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An essential new reference work for students and general readers
interested in the history, dynamics, and influence of
evangelicalism in recent American history, politics, and culture.
What makes evangelical or "born-again" Christians different from
those who identify themselves more simply as "Christian"? What
percentage of Americans believe in the Rapture? How are
evangelicalism and Baptism similar? What is the influence of
evangelical religions on U.S. politics? Readers of Evangelical
America: An Encyclopedia of Contemporary American Religious Culture
will learn the answers to these questions and many more through
this single-volume work's coverage of the many dimensions of and
diversity within evangelicalism and through its documentation of
the specific contributions evangelicals have made in American
society and culture. It also illustrates the Evangelical movement's
influence internationally in key issues such as human rights,
environmentalism, and gender and sexuality. Provides readers with
an understanding of contemporary American evangelicalism's history,
key individuals, organizations, and beliefs through detailed
coverage of more than 180 topics Documents the diversity of the
Evangelical movement under a common core umbrella of doctrinal
beliefs Displays the breadth of American evangelical interaction in
social and cultural issues and in debates in recent American
history
HOW CAN WE KNOW WE'LL GO TO HEAVEN? A recent poll indicated that
for every American who believes he or she is going to hell, there
are 120 who believe they're going to heaven. This optimism stands
in stark contrast to Jesus Christ's words written in the Bible:
"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy
that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For
the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and
those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13-14). The truth is that
according to the Bible we don't automatically go to heaven. In
fact, hell--not heaven--is our default destination. Unless our sin
problem is solved once and for all, we can't enter heaven. That's
the bad news. But once that's straight in our minds we're ready to
hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Jesus took upon himself, on the
cross, the hell we deserve so that we could experience for eternity
the heaven we don't deserve! THE ONLY TWO OPTIONS There are two
possible destinations when we die: heaven or hell. Can we really
know in advance where we'll go? John, one of the writers of the
Bible, said this: "I write these things to you who believe in the
name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal
life" (1 John 5:13). We can know for sure that we'll go to heaven
when we die. Do you? To sin means to fall short of God's holy
standards. Sin is what ended paradise in the Garden of Eden. And
all of us, like Adam and Eve, are sinners. "For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Sin separates us
from a relationship with God (Isaiah 59:2) and it deceives us and
makes us think that wrong is right and right is wrong (Proverbs
14:12). Sin has terrible consequences, but God has provided a
solution: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God
is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, loved us so much that he left the riches of
heaven to become a man and deliver us from our sin. "For God so
loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes
in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). He
came to identify with us in our humanity and our weakness, but he
did so without being tainted by our sin, self-deception, and moral
failings (Hebrews 4:15-16). Jesus died on the cross as the only one
worthy to pay the penalty for our sins demanded by the holiness of
God: "For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no
sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2
Corinthians 5:21). But in victory over death, God raised Jesus from
the grave, defeating the consequences of sin (1 Corinthians 15:3-4,
54-57). When Christ died on the cross for us, he said, "It is
finished" (John 19:30). In those times "It is finished" was
commonly written across certificates of debt when they were
canceled. It meant "Paid in full." Christ died so that the
certificate of debt consisting of all our sins could once and for
all be marked "Paid in full." THE CRITICAL DECISION Only when our
sins are dealt with in Christ can we enter heaven. We cannot pay
our own way. Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father except through
me" (John 14:6). "There is salvation in no one else, for there is
no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be
saved" (Acts 4:12). Because of Jesus Christ's sacrificial death on
the cross on our behalf, God freely offers us forgiveness. To be
forgiven, we must recognize and repent of our sins. Forgiveness is
not automatic. It's conditioned upon confession: "If we confess our
sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Christ offers to
everyone the gifts of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.
"Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the
water of life without price" (Revelation 22:17). There's no
righteous deed we can do that will earn us a place in heaven (Titus
3:5). We come to Christ empty-handed. We can take no credit for
salvation. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And
this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of
works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). This gift
cannot be worked for, earned, or achieved. It's dependent solely on
Christ's generous sacrifice on our behalf. Now is the time to make
things right with God. Confess your sinfulness and accept the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ on your behalf. You are made for a person
and a place. Jesus is the person, and heaven is the place. They are
a package-- they come together. You cannot get heaven without Jesus
or Jesus without heaven. "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call
upon him while he is near" (Isaiah 55:6). For all eternity you'll
be glad you did. If you understand what God has done to make
forgiveness and eternal life possible for you, you may want to
express it in words like these: "Dear Lord, I confess that I do not
measure up to your perfect standard. Thank you for sending Jesus to
die for my sins. I now place my trust in him as my Savior. Thank
you for your forgiveness and the gift of eternal life."
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Insider Movements
(Hardcover)
Jeff Morton; Foreword by Bassam Madany
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R968
R824
Discovery Miles 8 240
Save R144 (15%)
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The Book Living Every Moment Rightly for Jesus can be summarised
as: As a Christian, where ever you are, whatever you do, remember
you are the messenger. Your life should speak for Jesus. If we
belong to Christ, people must see changes in our lives (2
Corinthians 5:17). Christianity is about transformation which gives
us a new life, a new heart and a new self (Ephesians 4:22-24).
Apostle Paul tells us that this transformation involves renewal of
our minds (Romans 12:1-2). He goes further and says that this
renewal is about having a new mindset or attitude that you find in
Christ himself (Philippians 2:5-8). The Church is where Christians
are equipped for the Ministry of Jesus (Ephesians 4:11-12). People
cannot advance Spiritually apart from what they hear on the pulpit.
Christians bear fruit outside the four walls of the Church. They
have been commanded to carry the Good News (the Gospel) which has
transformed their lives to people around them through their
personal examples. Christians should not expect people around them
to accept their doctrine and ignore their personal examples. Our
personal examples are what will win souls for Jesus. Jesus is our
Saviour and King. He gave His life to pay for our sins and to serve
Him faithfully with passion will change the world. The crowd needs
God's grace (Joel LIVING EVERY MOMENT RIGHTLY FOR JESUS 3:14). To
serve the Lord faithfully with gladness is serving for the Kingdom
purpose. It is a call to serve as against volunteering which means
I am doing you a favour. To serve is a manifestation of
Christianity; Jesus served (Matt hew 20:28). As Christians, we are
all in the Ministry of Jesus. The change (transformation) in our
lives (new heart, new mind and new self) should be reciprocated in
our communities, workplace, political and social life just to
mention but a few. The Word of Spirit and of Power: "For just as
the sufferings of Christ fl ow over into our lives, so also through
Christ our comfort overflows" (2 Corinthians 1:5).
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