Here is Friedrich Nietzsche's great masterpiece The Anti-Christ, wherein Nietzsche attacks Christianity as a blight on humanity. This classic is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand Nietzsche and his place within the history of philosophy. "We should not deck out and embellish Christianity: it has waged a war to the death against this higher type of man, it has put all the deepest instincts of this type under its ban, it has developed its concept of evil, of the Evil One himself, out of these instincts-the strong man as the typical reprobate, the 'outcast among men.' Christianity has taken the part of all the weak, the low, the botched; it has made an ideal out of antagonism to all the self-preservative instincts of sound life; it has corrupted even the faculties of those natures that are intellectually most vigorous, by representing the highest intellectual values as sinful, as misleading, as full of temptation. The most lamentable example: the corruption of Pascal, who believed that his intellect had been destroyed by original sin, whereas it was actually destroyed by Christianity " -Friedrich Nietzsche

Clergy, worship or music committees, organists, and choir or music directors will find this a practical and invaluable guide to the role and power of music to express and form faith. Clark researched twenty-four Episcopal and United Methodist congregations to discover how churchgoers express their faith through music. Discover how music can either enhance or detract from tradition and faith experience. Explore how it can shape your congregation's character.

The Profits of Religion: An Essay in Economic Interpretation is a snapshot of the religious movements in the U.S. before its entry into World War I. The book is the first of the "Dead Hand" series: six books Upton Sinclair wrote on American institutions. The series also includes The Brass Check (journalism), The Goose-step (higher education), The Goslings (elementary and high school education), Mammonart (art) and Money Writes (literature). The term "Dead Hand" ironically refers to Adam Smith's concept that allowing an "invisible hand" of individual self interest to shape economic relations provides the best result for society as a whole. In this book, Sinclair attacks institutionalized religion as a "source of income to parasites, and the natural ally of every form of oppression and exploitation." Most clergymen are hypocrites, but they are not entirely to blame. Like other men, they are victimized by "the competitive wage-system, which presents them with the alternative to swindle or to starve." Sinclair savages the Episcopal establishment for transforming the proletarian Jesus into a defender of wealth and privilege, and for a long history of alliance with political power in England and the United states. Turning to the "nonconforming" Protestant sects, adherents of "The Church of the Merchants" are focused on achieving prosperity within the existing economic system. So are the devotees of the mostly California-based 'new religions' or 'cults', including New Thought.

Discipleship is costly. Are we willing to critique and even challenge much we've been taught for the sake of the kingdom? For this is the radical nature of the discipleship to which Jesus calls us. He did not allow the outside culture to hold him captive; instead he established the kingdom of God and turned the world on its head. Jesus was untamed, and he calls his church to be the same.
In this provocative and compelling book, internationally known missiologists Alan and Debra Hirsch overthrow culturized understandings of theology and culture, and cast a vision for a distinctly mission-shaped way of living the Christian life. Written for any Christian serious about issue of discipleship, "Untamed" covers such topics as church, humans as bearers of the image of God, family life, culture, and sexuality. Through it all they seek to answer the question, how are we to think and live day to day as followers of Jesus?
Each chapter ends with suggested practices to help readers begin to live out the book's principles as well as questions for group discussion.

This comprehensive guide helps you tap into your church's greatest resource -- its families! With clear, practical tips on how to build strong family foundations, enrich family ministries and connect families to others, this book reveals a whole new way of thinking about community-based family ministries.

In "What The Preacher Forgot To Tell Me: Identity and Gospel in Jamaica, author Faith Linton identifies what she believes is a deficiency in the historical preaching of the Gospel in Jamaica, and other Caribbean countries, that has impacted the success of the Gospel there. It is her conviction that many of those to whom the gospel is preached lack just what the ancient Athenians lacked-a heightened awareness of the one, true God and of them as He originally designed them. They lack a sense of kinship, of belonging to their Creator, and therefore of what they are to Him and what they owe to Him. She examines the principal of preaching the Gospel message by beginning at the beginning-in Genesis, with our creation. When people do not appreciate the significance of their being created in His image, the consequences are that they have no clear, healthy sense of their spiritual identity or of the lofty purpose for which they were created. If the message preached does not fill this gap, the understanding of the gospel will be distorted. Hearers may be driven to repentance strictly out of the fear of hell. Or, they may seek self-centred satisfaction and happiness by allying themselves with Christ, but they will not be motivated to please God. When a person is not allowed to see how closely connected they are to God, who made them like Himself, they continue to feel alienated from Him even after salvation. They feel unable to relate closely to Him in an intimate way. Her personal experience bears this out. Faith's book identifies this problem with clarity and conviction as she describes how this principle has impacted Jamaica and the Caribbean communities and offers what she hopes is a transformational solution.

Why should you join a church?

Becoming a member of a church is an important, and often neglected, part of the Christian life. Yet the trend these days is one of shunning the practice of organized religion and showing a distaste or fear of commitment, especially of institutions.

Jonathan Leeman addresses these issues with a straightforward explanation of what church membership is and why it's important. Giving the local church its proper due, Leeman has built a compelling case for committing to the local body.

Is there one correct way for the people of God to worship him? It turns out that Scripture offers many models and forms for worship, all of which are acceptable but not necessarily appropriate or functional in a particular setting. Barry Liesch, a professor of music at Biola University, helps his readers to grasp that fact and it's implications for worship in the church today. This is a one-of-a-kind book for many kinds of readers in all kinds of churches. It offers biblical perspective, historical awareness, musical and artistic sensitivity, authentic reverence, and creative stimulation for worship leaders, church musicians, study groups, pastors, worship committees, and a host of others who are interested in appreciating and renewing worship according to biblical models. Within each of the twenty chapters the author shares many suggestions for enhancing and transforming worship in the church today. Not only does he present the various biblical models and offer a wealth of suggestions, he takes up some of the major concerns of worship leaders, planners, and participants -- concerns such as the role of music, uses of symbolism, the appropriateness of dance, modes of celebration, expressions of reverence, and many others.

Este libro nos narra la vida de Toribio Romo, una victima de la persecucion contra la Iglesia en Mexico. El Papa Juan Pablo II lo canonizo en el ano 2000 y desde entonces muchos los han visto como un santo muy popular. Este libro describe el mundo en el que el vivio antes de su martirio en 1928. Nos muestra que la persecucion contra la Iglesia siempre produce el efecto contrario al que buscan los perseguidores.
Chronicles the life of Toribio Romo, a victim of persecution of the Church in Mexico in the 20th century. He was murdered in 1920, and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000. Today he is becoming well-known as the patron of immigrants. This booklet reconstructs the world in which he lived and examines the tumultuous relationship between church and state in Mexico at that time. It is a story of courage in the face of terrorism and an example of how persecution usually makes the Church stronger.
"Librito"
Desde el autor:
Imaginese ir a la iglesia el domingo por la manana y encontrar el templo cerrado y ninguna persona alrededor. Usted maneja hacia otra iglesia y encuentra la misma situacion: no hay ningun sacerdote, ninguna misa, ninguna boda, solo el miedo en los corazones de personas que quizas sean detenidos por practicar su religion.
Eso es lo que sucedia hace unos 80 anos en Mexico durante la Guerra Cristera, cuando la politica del gobierno era erradicar el catolicismo en esa tierra para siempre. El gobierno confisco las propiedades de la iglesia, prohibio la ensenanza religiosa, e hizo de todo para aterrorizar "al clero catolico deprimente" y sus "seguidores fanaticos." En algunos lugares el ejercito quemo estatuas y obras de arte religiosas. Los soldados bailaban alrededor del fuego poniendose atuendos religiosos que encontraban en la sacristia. Algunas veces iban en busca de sacerdotes y a los que encontraban los mataban.
La libro "El Martirio de Santo Toribio Romo"" (disponible en ingles y espanol) escrito por monsenor James Murphy, rector de la Catedral del Santisimo Sacramento, describe esos anos terribles de la historia mexicana, vista desde los ojos de un sencillo y pueblerino sacerdote que llego a ser una de las victimas: el padre Toribio Romo de Jalisco. La historia inicia en la pequena comunidad rural de Santa Ana donde Toribio nacio y crecio, y donde inicio su viaje de la pobreza al sacerdocio en la Arquidiocesis de Guadalajara.
El libro describe la lucha del padre Romo por conseguir educacion en un lugar que no habia escuelas y donde todos eran analfabetos; su interes por la Enciclica Rerum Novarum del Papa Leo XIII y los problemas que enfrento con parrocos conservadores y feligreses ricos; su experiencia como parroco durante la Guerra Cristera cuando a los catequistas los colgaban en los postes del telegrafo y su Obispo dirigia la arquidiocesis desde un escondite en las montanas. Tambien describe el brutal asesinato del padre Romo por tropas federales en febrero de 1928 en un remoto canon fuera del pueblo de Tequila donde servia en una improvisada capilla. El padre Romo fue canonizado martir por el Papa Juan Pablo II el ano 2000.
Este libro le interesara a cualquier persona que quiera saber mas sobre como los catolicos mexicanos sufrieron hace algunas decadas. Tiene un interes particular para los catolicos de California, porque unos 300 parientes del santo viven en el area de Sacramento, y una reliquia de Santo Toribio, la unica en los EE UU, se encuentra en el altar de la Catedral del Santisimo Sacramento, recien restaurada.
Santo Toribio ya es muy conocido por los inmigrantes mexicanos que cruzan a los Estados Unidos, muchos lo ven como su salvador en este tiempo donde el incremento de la seguridad en la frontera ha cobrado mas victimas entre los inmigrantes. En el 2002 el periodico "The New York Times" informo de numerosas historias que circulan en los caminos peligrosos de los inmigrantes, acerca de una figura misteriosa vestida con ropa oscura, que guia sin peligro a traves de la frontera a hombres que buscan una nueva vida en los EE UU. El unico pago que este extrano pide es una visita algun dia a Santa Ana, Jalisco. Cuando muchos de estos inmigrantes finalmente visitan ese pueblo para dar gracias, se quedan sorprendidos al reconocer el mismo rostro en el altar de la capilla de Santo Toribio. Historias como estas se multiplican, lo que hace que miles visiten la reliquia de Toribio en Santa Ana. Muchas voces se han levantado para pedir que sea proclamarlo oficialmente el santo patrono de los inmigrantes.

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Pastors are schooled in theology and ministry, but few receive training in the fine points of church administration. Learning how to handle a congregation's finances "on the job" can be a harrowing experience. Yet efficiently managing your church's business affairs is a key element in keeping current members satisfied with their pastoral leadership -- and in attracting the new members you need for your church to grow in size and influence. In Basic Business Principles For Growing Churches, Arnold Cirtin shares expertise gained from more than four decades of corporate and academic experience. He provides a clear and helpful primer for pastors with limited training in business administration on such practical topics as accounting, fiscal management, and marketing. This is an indispensable book for pastors of small- and medium-sized churches (who typically are also their congregations' principal financial officers), as well as for church treasurers, trustees, and other financial board members. When you follow the guidelines in Basic Business Principles For Growing Churches, your church will be fiscally responsible, managed efficiently, and able to maximize its growing stewardship of God's resources. Arnold Cirtin is professor emeritus of accounting at Ball State University, and is a certified public accountant (CPA) in the states of Indiana and California. Cirtin is the author of Principles of Accounting Study Guide, as well as numerous articles in professional journals.

This third book outlines 12 specific retreats, with each one exploring a different theme--Seeking Forgiveness, Overcoming Anxiety, Called to Serve, among others.

An updated and modernized edition of the unparalleled classic with resurgent relevance for the twenty-first century Foxe's Book of Martyrs is one of the most influential and well-known books in history, as well as one of the top-sellers of the past, right up there with the Bible itself. Immensely popular in Foxe's own sixteenth century, its influence has been felt throughout literature. Copies of the original text (Acts and Monuments) were chained beside the Bible in churches of England, and even sailed with English pirates. This was not a book designed to comfort, but instead to present the truth of the persecution faced by Protestant Christians in hostile environments. The inscription from the 1563 edition--now commonly known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs--indicates the gravity of the task: "[In] latter and perilous days . . . the great persecutions and horrible troubles . . . [are here] gathered and collected according to true copies and writings . . . of the parties themselves that suffered." Foxe was committed to commemorating the ultimate sacrifice of those who gave their lives for the sake of their faith. Paul L. Maier brings his exceptional mind for history to bear on Foxe's work in this new edition. While abridgement of the original 2,100 pages was necessary, Maier does include every martyr, and text was changed only where modern readers may not readily understand the original archaic wording. John Foxe (1516-1587) was an academic and zealous student of the Scriptures, leading to his persecution as a Protestant by the Catholic rulers of his day. Beyond his work in pastoral ministry, Foxe continued to work on his martyrology until his death.

This discussion is between two members of the church of Christ concerning church support of Orphan Homes and Homes for the Aged. This debate was held in Indianapolis, IN January 3-6, 1956. The First Proposition: It is in harmony with the Scriptures for churches to build and maintain benevolent organizations for the care of the needy, such as the Boles Home, the Tipton Home, and other orphan homes and homes for the aged that are among us. Affirmative: Guy N. Woods; Negative: W. Curtis Porter Second Proposition: It is contrary to the Scriptures for churches to build and maintain benevolent organizations for the care of the needy, such as the Boles Home, the Tipton Home and other Orphan Homes and Homes for the aged that are among us. Affirmative: W. Curtis Porter; Negative: Guy N. Wood

The church is called to grow in Christ. Yet too often, it ignores the practical dimensions of the faith. The church is one in Christ. Yet too often, it is divided by national, denominational, theological, and racial or ethnic boundaries. The church is a global body of believers. Yet too often, it privileges a few voices and fails to recognize its own diversity. In response, this volume offers a multi-denominational, multi-ethnic vision in which biblical scholars, theologians, and practitioners from around the world join together to pursue a cohesive yet diverse theology and praxis of spiritual formation for the global church. Be fed in your faith by brothers and sisters from around the world.

"Good preaching is the present Word of God to his people", argues J. I. Packer. And it is to communicate this that is our first calling. In this inspiring collection of essays, experienced preachers explore the different aspects of preaching.

Secular assumptions are being introduced piecemeal into our way of life. From the Millennium Dome (what exactly was it celebrating?) to the restrictions on the wearing of crosses and abolition of nativity plays, Christianity is being marginalised. Christian social initiatives at local levels are now so severely restricted that several Christian bodies issue guidelines on handling local council prejudice. There is a widespread if illdefined sense that a valuable heritage is slipping away.

Yet the Bible and Prayer Book are seminal for our language and literature; Christian social action predated the modern welfare state; our laws are based on Christian ethical systems. Christians should push back, re-engaging with politicians and opinion formers. Christians must be salt and light. Introverted Christianity must give way to engagement with the world, not defensively but with confidence and hope. It is time for a proper debate about the place of faith in modern Britain.

Robert Barriger es considerado un valioso punto de referencia para miles de pastores en Latinoamerica. Sin ninguna duda, el trabajo logrado por su iglesia le da autoridad para hablar sobre formas en las que una congregacion de creyentes puede convertirse en una influencia relevante en su comunidad, incluyendo el establecimiento de programas medicos, politicos y familiares como muy pocas congregaciones de America. Barriger es el pastor principal de Camino de Vida en Lima, Peru, una de las iglesias de mas impacto en el pais y en todo Sudamerica. Esta iglesia ha llevado a cabo una serie de proyectos de valor cultural y de influencia gubernamental en servicio a la comunidad. Barriger es de California, pero hace muchos anos hizo del Peru su casa donde vive con Su esposa, dos hijos y nietos. Su libro, La Iglesia Relevante, es una lectura sin duda requerida para cualquiera que quiere que su iglesia crezca en calidad como en cantidad y que busca que sea de un profundo impacto en la sociedad que la rodea."

Coad's work traces the history of the Brethren Movement, which began more than 170 years ago and has since spread throughout the world. The author considers some of the outstanding characters produced by the movement, as well as its signficance in relation to the whole Christian church.

This inspiring book by one of Christianity's most prolific authors brings to life many of those who played important roles in the "Eternal Drama of the Cross." This "journey" to Calvary dramatically introduces the reader to a deep and personal knowledge of faith.
96-page paperback - 5-1/8 x 7-3/8