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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Christianity > Christian institutions & organizations > Christian social thought & activity
Declining church attendance. A growing feeling of betrayal. For
Christians who have begun to feel set adrift and disillusioned by
their churches, Where Goodness Still Grows grounds us in a new view
of virtue deeply rooted in a return to Jesus Christ's life and
ministry. The evangelical church in America has reached a
crossroads. Social media and recent political events have exposed
the fault lines that exist within our country and our spiritual
communities. Millennials are leaving the church, citing hypocrisy,
partisanship, and unkindness as reasons they can't stay. In this
book Amy Peterson explores the corruption and blind spots of the
evangelical church and the departure of so many from the faith -
but she refuses to give up hope, believing that rescue is on the
way. Where Goodness Still Grows: Dissects the moral code of
American evangelicalism Reimagines virtue as a tool, not a weapon
Explores the Biblical meaning of specific virtues like kindness,
purity, and modesty Provides comfort, hope, and a path towards
spiritual restoration Amy writes as someone intimately familiar
with, fond of, and deeply critical of the world of conservative
evangelicalism. She writes as a woman and a mother, as someone
invested in the future of humanity, and as someone who just needs
to know how to teach her kids what it means to be good. Amy finds
that if we listen harder and farther, we will find the places where
goodness still grows. Praise for Where Goodness Still Grows: "In
this poignant, honest book, Amy Peterson confronts her
disappointment with the evangelical leaders who handed her The Book
of Virtues then happily ignored them for the sake of political
power. But instead of just walking away, Peterson rewrites the
script, giving us an alternative book of virtues needed in this
moment. And it's no mistake that it ends with hope." - James K. A.
Smith, author of You Are What You Love
Although our planet faces numerous ecological crises, including
climate change, many Christians continue to view their faith as
primarily a "spiritual" matter that has little relationship to the
world in which we live. But Steven Bouma-Prediger contends that
protecting and restoring our planet is part and parcel of what it
means to be a Christian. Making his case from Scripture, theology,
and ethics and including insights from the global church,
Bouma-Prediger explains why Christians must acknowledge their
identity as earthkeepers and therefore embrace their calling to
serve and protect their home planet and fellow creatures. To help
readers put an "earthkeeping faith" into practice, he also suggests
numerous practical steps that concerned believers can take to care
for the planet. Bouma-Prediger unfolds a biblical vision of
earthkeeping and challenges Christians to view care for the earth
as an integral part of Christian discipleship.
Vroue speel nog altyd 'n sentrale rol in ons samelewing. Hul rol as versorgers word erken, maar wat van oa in die kerk of sakewêreld? Het die vrou se rol oor die jare verander? Bettina Wyngaard ontleed die kwessie in 'n gesprek tussen toeka en nou en Bybel en grondwet. Sy gaan kyk na die sogenaamde "text of terrors" en hoe die eerste vroue bygedra het tot die vryheid wat vroue vandag het in alle sfere van die samelewing geniet. Maak nie saak hoe stadig hul vorentoe beweeg nie, hul beweeg.
Reclaiming an Evangelical History of Activism In recent years,
there has been renewed interest by evangelicals in the topic of
biblical social justice. Younger evangelicals and millennials, in
particular, have shown increased concern for social issues. But
this is not a recent development. Following World War II, a new
movement of American evangelicals emerged who gradually increased
their efforts on behalf of justice. This work explains the
important historical context for evangelical reengagement with
social justice issues. The authors provide an overview of
post-World War II evangelical social justice and compassion
ministries, introducing key figures and seminal organizations that
propelled the rediscovery of biblical justice. They explore
historical and theological lessons learned and offer a way forward
for contemporary Christians.
In a post-9/11 world, Christian. Muslim. Friend. lays out a path
toward authentic friendship between Christians and Muslims. Most
similar books either teach Christians to evangelize Muslims or else
downplay their Christian commitments. The author, who has lived and
worked among and befriended Muslims for more than fifty years,
offers readers a third way: holding onto the Christ-centered
commitments of their faith while cultivating peaceful friendship
with Muslims.
Tim Harlow, senior pastor of Parkview Christian Church, helps Christians rediscover the passionate savior of the Bible who is still relevant today.
For years Christians have asked, "What would Jesus do?" But what if we asked a better, more illuminating question: "What made Jesus mad?"
As much as we love a gentle, sweet image of Jesus, that picture isn't complete. Jesus got deeply angry at times. That shouldn't surprise us--but who he was mad at, and why, might. Jesus was most angry with people whose attitudes got in the way of his purpose: to seek and to save the lost, to unite us with God's amazing love. So, when he saw hypocrisy, greed, judging, and lack of mercy coming from the hearts of people who supposedly followed God and as a result pushed people away from him, Jesus went into orbit. Do we feel the same way?
Whatever the problem--tolerating injustice, shunning sinners, or ignoring the least among us--What Made Jesus Mad? opens our eyes to the issues that most angered Jesus and that should anger Christians as we align our hearts with his and get back to actually following the Savior.
Is conflict a dirty word? Does it bring to mind images of
disagreement, fights, and shattered relationships? For ministry
leaders, the likelihood of conflict comes with the job, but the
result does not have to be destructive.
Conflict Management for Faith Leaders is about handling conflict
in a way that is positive and constructive. With this book readers
will discover multiple techniques for assessing and managing
conflict and learn guidelines for choosing which technique to
use in a given situation.
A practical resource for pastors and ministry leaders, Conflict
Management for Faith Leaders acknowledges that leadership brings
with it the risk of opposition. Packed with useful insights and
stories based on the experiences of other faith leaders, this book
is the ideal tool when the risk of opposition becomes reality.
What is the purpose of Christian ministry? Is it about upholding
traditional standards? Is it about meeting organizational goals? Or
is it a mixture of meanings and roles? With numerous ways of
understanding ministry, getting a grasp on it can
be a difficult task.
Discovering Christian Ministry not only gives a concise yet
comprehensive definition of ministry but it also offers a
ministerial vision that encompasses the personal, interpersonal and
social spheres of your life.
The tyranny of the urgent is a by-product of our fast-paced world.
It affects many people, but when it impacts pastors they are often
tempted to ignore the critical needs of the pastoral disciplines
that ensure the effectiveness of ministry.
In Thinking, Listening, and Being: Wesleyan Pastoral
Disciplines, Jeren Rowell offers theological reflections on what it
means to live and work as a pastor. He examines different aspects
of
pastoral thinking, practice, and work, and challenges pastors
to continually pursue prayer, the study of Scriptures, and
theological reflection. "Working in this way," he writes, "could
not only be a gift of love for the church but also an important
model for parish pastors who are tempted to surrender first things
to the urgencies and temptations of contemporary life."
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