We are born into this world with a natural longing to connect to God and other human beings. When children have a listening companion who hears, acknowledges, and encourages their early experiences with God, it creates a spiritual footprint that shapes their lives. How can we increase our capacity to engage children in spiritual conversations? In this book Lacy Finn Borgo draws on her own experience of practicing spiritual direction with children. She offers an overview of childhood spiritual formation and introduces key skills for engaging conversation-posture, power, and patterns-from a Christ-centered perspective. "When we are fully present and open to another, we will be changed," Borgo writes. "Indeed, as you listen to God with a child, the child will lead you into a fuller experience of God's love and acceptance." In this book you'll find: Sample interactive dialogues with children Ideas for engaging children with play, art, and movement Prayers to use together Whether you are a parent or grandparent, pastor or spiritual director, you will find this to be a friendly guide into deeper ways of listening.

This six-session small group Bible study, The Reason for God, captures live and unscripted conversations between Tim Keller and a group of people to address their doubts and objections to Christianity. Using literature, philosophy, and Scripture, Keller and the group explore the truth of Christianity.

In his New York Times bestselling book The Reason for God, Timothy Keller established himself as a modern-day C. S. Lewis who brings together faith and intellect, theology and popular culture, modern-day objections and historic Christian beliefs.

Now fans of the New York Times bestseller can find resources to help them engage with those same objections, drawing on recent scholarship and debates. The Reason for God small group Bible study can be used individually, with groups, or by any believer who is engaging with friends who don t share his or her beliefs.

Christians will be challenged to wrestle with their friends and neighbors hardest questions, and to engage those questions in ways that will spark an honest, enriching, and humbling dialogue, as is modeled during the DVD sessions.

While The Reason for God DVD (sold separately) captures a live and unscripted conversation between Timothy Keller and the six panelists discussing their objections to Christianity, this Discussion Guide will help small groups and individuals dig deeper into the objections of the Christian faith and to learn about both sides of the issues.

Sessions include:
1. Isn t the Bible a Myth?
2. How Can You Say There Is Only One Way to God?
3. What Gives You the Right to Tell Me How to Live My Life?
4. Why Does God Allow Suffering?
5. Why Is the Church Responsible for So Much Injustice?
6. How Can God Be Full of Love and Wrath at the Same Time? "

RE-VISIT HISTORY AS YOU TRACE THE TRACKS OF THESE CREATURES THROUGHOUT CULTURES IN ASIA, THE AMERICAS, AND EUROPE, LEARNING THE FACTS, AND REVEALING THE FALLACIES OF DRAGONS - TO DISCOVER THE TRUTH BEHIND THEIR LIVES AND LEGACY.

Since 11th September 2001, religious formation and education have again been up for discussion. The challenges of contemporary society not only demand enlightenment in religious matters, but also require education in practical tolerance for dialogue to take place between religions, without suspending the issue of truth. In a critical evaluation of PISA and other studies, the book establishes how much latitude there really is in the relationship between Church and State under European law and the laws of the member-states, and puts forward proposals for a a oereligious literacya in Europe.

Each summer, tens of thousands of American Jews attend residential camps, where they may see Hebrew signs, sing and dance to Hebrew songs, and hear a camp-specific hybrid language register called Camp Hebraized English, as in: "Let's hear some ruach (spirit) in this chadar ochel (dining hall)!" Using historical and sociolinguistic methods, this book explains how camp directors and staff came to infuse Hebrew in creative ways and how their rationales and practices have evolved from the early 20th century to today. Some Jewish leaders worry that Camp Hebraized English impedes Hebrew acquisition, while others recognize its power to strengthen campers' bonds with Israel, Judaism, and the Jewish people. Hebrew Infusion explores these conflicting ideologies, showing how hybrid language can serve a formative role in fostering religious, diasporic communities. The insightful analysis and engaging descriptions of camp life will appeal to anyone interested in language, education, or American Jewish culture.

Through this six-session small group Bible study, 40 Days of Love, pastor Rick Warren teaches you how to constantly focus on authentically loving God and loving others your deepest desire and highest aspiration. So what is your number one priority in life? Your answer to that question reveals your dominant life value. Everyone has one whether hey realize it or not. It's what we unconsciously base our decisions on. God tells us that our dominant life value is to be loved. Jesus once said that of all the commands in the Bible, two are most important: Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. In this six-session study, Rick Warren shares practical, Christ-centered advice on how to authentically love God and love your neighbor as a normal way of life. With a focus on the spiritual truths of patience, kindness, truth, and forgiveness, you will learn to make love your dominant life value. This Study Guide is filled with helpful discussion starters, video overviews, a helpful Leader's Guide and much more. It's designed to be used with the companion 40 Days of Love DVD (sold separately). Sessions include: 1. Love Matters Most 2. Love Is Patient, Love Is Kind 3. Love Speaks The Truth 4. Love Is Forgiving 5. Love Is Not Selfish 6. The Habits of a Loving Heart

The Robertson Family Helps You Build a Faith-Shaped Life ... Korie Robertson and Chrys Howard explore five values from the Bible's most-loved parables of Jesus as they tell stories of the Robertson Family of the hit television show Duck Dynasty (R). In Willie's Redneck Rodeo VBS, you and your church will learn how to build a legacy of faith and apply five faith-shaped values into the lives of children. With their trademark humor and commitment to faith in Jesus, the Robertson family will challenge children to live a new kind of life. The five values are: Redonkulous Faith Radical Forgiveness Ravenous Prayer Real Obedience Rowdy Kindness The Willie's Redneck Rodeo VBS Director's Guide includes everything you need to run a five-day Vacation Bible School at your church. The guide includes: Planning timelines, supply lists, and rotation schedules to help you determine everything you need to do the VBS at your church Helpful tips on recruiting and training volunteers Registration sheets, budgeting worksheets, and sample promotional materials Detailed information and scripts for the opening and closing sessions including skits featuring the Robertson family and friends from the hit show Duck Dynasty (R) Detailed materials on how to conduct each of the stations SPECIAL NOTE: There is also an accompanying Faith Commander Children's Curriculum DVD that includes a second DVD for Willie's Redneck Rodeo that includes activity sheets, instructional materials, forms, photos, scripts, and more. It is only available in the Faith Commander Church-Wide Curriculum kit - ISBN: 9780310820307

Many people understand that, at the end of all things, Christ returns, God will create a new heaven and a new earth where those who have trusted in Christ will live with him for ever. But what about those who have "passed on" well before this? Where are they now? What does heaven look like? What will occupy us there? When David Oliver faced the death of his son Joel, at the age of 38, following a short and brutal fight with cancer, he set about researching and writing this powerful short book on heaven and committed to write whatever he discovered. Through a thorough examination of the relevant Bible texts, David provides us with a thrilling view of the future and a destiny well worth preparing for, which will enrich our vision and faith.

Joy is closer than you think because God is better than you may believe! We live in a culture that either tries to connect feelings of joy to empty and broken pleasures, or else it makes us feel guilty for feeling joyful at all. But both extremes are corruptions of the call to gladness that God gave us. With infectious humor, delight, and unfaltering wisdom, Candace Payne (aka "Chewbacca Mom") reveals biblical insights that lead to unshakable joy and freedom in every circumstance. Dispel the myths that joy is frivolous, laughter immature, and happiness unbiblical or undeserved; and open your heart to receive the freedom and joy that God created you to live in. John 15:11 says, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." In this six-session video Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), learn what it is to live a life expressed by the joy of knowing how much you are loved by God! The Defiant Joy Bible study challenges groups to get honest and real in their discussion time and to explore the truth in what Scripture says about happiness. It also includes a personal "Joy Lab" that makes homework a new daily practice in the art of encountering the abundance God intends for each of us when we know joy. Sessions include: Laugh It Up, Live It Out Know Hope, Know Joy Joy Is a Fighter Joy Is Not Arrogant, But She Is Confident Joy Embraces Sorrow You're Full of It Designed for use with the Defiant Joy Video Study (9780310090557) sold separately.

Martina Kumlehn undertakes the first study of the chequered history of the reception accorded to St Johna (TM)s Gospel in 20th century conceptions of religious education; in five individual studies she describes an arc from liberal religious education to symbol didactics. The sixth study proposes its own approach to bible didactics which engages with Paul Ricoeura (TM)s narrative theory to take up the particular narratology of St Johna (TM)s Gospel and reflect on it didactically. Placed within the area of conflict between phenomenology and semiotics, St Johna (TM)s Gospel is presented as a school of perception and a catalyst for pluralist readings.