Responsibility is routinely overlooked, manipulated, and oversimplified. In Scandalous Obligation, Eric Severson explores the scope of Christian responsibility. This book delves into the slippery nature of obligation, the dilemma of competing calls for justice, and the perilous temptation to dismiss or avoid responsibility. Using examples from popular culture Severson casts an expansive and often daunting vision of responsibility that challenges the status quo.This book presses readers to consider the many complications that arise when Christians begin to understand the extent of their responsibility for the suffering that abounds in the world. It explores how Christians are to turn this approach to responsibility toward the clouds of injustice and pain that hang over our world today. With a brilliant use of Scripture, illustrations, and insights from classical literature and philosophy, Eric Severson makes us aware in this book that sin is not simply the breaking of rules, but is living with indifference to the needs of others when confronted by those needs.'--Tony CampoloProfessor Emeritus of Sociology, Eastern UniversityAuthor, Adventures in Missing the Point, Red Letter Christians In an era when so many Christians confuse their ethics with their politics, Severson summons the followers of Christ to once again take note of the 'alien at the gate.' Scandalous Obligation is a disturbing wake-up call to a church grown self-absorbed and complacent.'--Karl GibersonVice President, BioLogos FoundationCo-author, The Language of Faith and Science

Today pastors and church leaders have an unparalleled opportunity to shape a biblical vision for Kingdom giving. Based on the foundational premise that stewardship is the management of time, talents, and treasure, authors Stan Toler and Elmer Towns set forth a vision for pastors and church leaders to shape the thinking in the pews. Developing a Giving Church provides guidance for shaping a giving environment, suggestions for developing committed steward leaders, and counsel on biblical strategies. This vital stewardship resource merges insightful principles with proven methods for creating a climate for giving through stewardship education.

Boundaries with Kids will help parents: Recognize the boundary issues underlying child behavior problems Set boundaries and establish consequences with kids Get out of the nagging trap Stop controlling their kids---and instead help their children develop self-control Apply the ten laws of boundaries to parenting Take six practical steps for implementing boundaries with their kids Want to Paint a Happy Future for Your Children? Start Drawing the Line Today. One of the most loving things parents can do for their children is set firm boundaries with them. Boundaries with Kids will help the parents in your group raise their kids to take responsibility for their own actions, attitudes, and emotions. In eight sessions, Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend offer tools and insights for bringing order to problematic circumstances and cultivating healthier parent-child relationships in the home. This leader s guide gives you the clear, step-by-step instructions you need to maximize interaction, support, and insights within your group. Most of the preparation has been done for you---just follow the easy-to-use lesson plan, complete with helpful tips. Because this book includes the full text of the participant s guide, it s the only guidebook you need to track page-for-page with your group. Boundaries with Kids sessions: 1. Building Character in Kids 2. Kids Need Parents with Boundaries 3. The Law of Sowing and Reaping and the Law of Responsibility 4. The Laws of Power and Respect 5. The Laws of Motivation and Evaluation 6. The Laws of Proactivity and Envy 7. The Laws of Activity and Exposure 8. Six Steps to Implementing Boundaries with Your Kids"

Women are bombarded with ideas of perfection--and tips for how to achieve it--every day. From her work to her looks to her parenting, today's modern woman is expected to strive to be picture perfect in every way. As a result, calls for authenticity and imperfection are on the rise. Yet, deep down, most of us still want to achieve perfection. Why? The desire to be perfect, says Kim Hyland, is actually a God-given urge. After all, we were made for Eden. But there is a difference between perfection and perfectionism, which is our attempt to achieve perfection on our own, by our own strength, and for our own purposes--the original temptation in the Garden. In this freeing book, Hyland offers women a stirring manifesto for acknowledging their limitations and embracing the perfection of God through his grace. This is a book for every woman who gives 110% and yet feels shame when one little thing goes wrong.

Your words are like seeds. Every time you say them, they're taking root and growing. Are you planting good seeds? Are you seeing the increase, the health, the relationships, and the happiness you dream about? If not, check out what you’re saying. Whether you realize it or not, the words you speak today are setting the direction for the rest of your life.

In Speak the Blessing: Send Your Words in the Direction You Want Your Life to Go, bestselling author Joel Osteen offers you unique insights into this profound truth: Your words have creative power. When you discover the power of speaking what God says about you, you give those words the right to come to pass. There is a miracle in your mouth. There is healing in your mouth, freedom in your mouth, and new levels in your mouth. But nothing happens until you speak the blessing.

Your words become your reality. Start blessing your future today. Use the words you speak to unlock the power within and create the life you were designed to live. The life-changing possibilities are limitless.

Point Them in the Right Direction Before They Walk Down the Aisle Married couples begin their lives together with a vow of lifelong love and devotion . . . but many walk down the aisle unaware of all that promise entails. Now you can help engaged couples make their vows with open eyes and hearts, fully prepared for the hard and rewarding work of building a strong and lasting Christian marriage. Created by FamilyLife, one of America's leading marriage and family ministries, Preparing for Marriage is a dynamic, comprehensive premarital education program designed to lay the foundation for biblical, fulfilling marriage. As a supplement to Preparing for Marriage, the Preparing for Marriage Leader's Guide is an invaluable tool for pastors, premarital counselors, mentor couples, and small group leaders. Inside is everything you need to help engaged couples establish a lasting relationship built on an unshakable foundation: Jesus Christ. The Preparing for Marriage Leader's Guide will help you: * Counsel an engaged couple or lead a small-group study for couples * Share God's unique blueprints for marriage and the home * Help couples discern God's will for their relationship * Provide practical guidance on finances, responsibilities, and intimacy * Evaluate a couple's readiness for marriage after counseling * Create a mentoring couples program and develop mentoring relationships * Build healthy, Christ-centered marriages in the Church

The only novel written by the legendary songwriter and performer, Johnny Cash-the incredible story of the apostle Paul. In this historical novel about the life of Paul before and after his conversion, discover the passionate, fiery, and destructive man once known as Saul of Tarsus. Paul's encounter with Jesus, the Man in White, knocked him to the ground and struck him blind. It also turned him into one of the most influential men in history. See the apostle Paul as you've never seen him before-through the creative imagination of one of the greatest singer-songwriters America has ever known. You'll also see Johnny Cash, the man in Black, as you've never seen him before-a passionate novelist consumed with the Man in White. Praise for Man in White: "[Johnny did] extensive research and study of the life of the apostle Paul, and amazed [me] as he talked about Paul and we shared the Scriptures together. When [Man in White] was first published several years ago, my wife and I both read it-then read it again!" -Billy Graham Biographical fiction exploring the life of Saul, the man who became the apostle Paul Painstakingly researched and historically accurate Draws on Old and New Testament references as well as cultural background information Includes an afterword by John Carter Cash, Johnny Cash's son

Common people. Maybe you heard their names in a childhood Sunday school class. They're not often the champions or the go-to sermon illustrations. They probably didn't stand at the foot of the cross or even hang next to Jesus on one of their own. But they pepper the pages of the Bible, reminding us that we're not alone.

Just like you and me, these ordinary people stumbled and struggled. They faced their own sin and came face to face with a God who not only wipes it away, but also makes the common extraordinary. They discovered that an encounter with the living God changes everything.

Dive into the lives of more than twenty of the Bible's most compelling characters through inspirational selections from the writings of bestselling author Max Lucado. An ideal companion volume to "Cast of Characters," this book features a whole new cast and the encouragement from their stories.

It's no secret that men and women are different. And it's no secret that they don't always get along because of these differences, even when they love each other. But having a successful marriage is not about finding the perfect person to marry. It's about loving someone in an unselfish, Christlike manner. Whatever we want out of marriage--unconditional love, forgiveness, passion--that is what we have to give to our spouse. Rick Johnson shows couples how to go beyond merely tolerating each other's differences to using those God-given differences to add spice and passion to their relationship.

Twenty years ago, the summer of '77 was supposed to be the best summer of Summer Wilde's life. She and her best friends, Spring, Autumn, and Snow--the Four Seasons--had big plans. But those plans never had a chance. After a teenage prank gone awry, the Seasons found themselves on a bus to Tumbleweed, "Nowhere," Oklahoma, to spend eight weeks as camp counselors. All four of them arrived with hidden secrets and buried fears, and the events that unfolded in those two months forever altered their friendships, their lives, and their futures. Now, thirtysomething, Summer is at a crossroads. When her latest girl band leaves her in a motel outside Tulsa, she is forced to face the shadows of her past. Returning to the place where everything changed, she soon learns Tumbleweed is more than a town she never wanted to see again. It's a place for healing, for reconciling the past with the present, and for finally listening to love's voice. Praise for The Best Summer of Our Lives "Rachel Hauck sets the gold standard in inspirational fiction. The Best Summer of Our Lives is a nostalgic novel of friendship, romance, and the choices that define a life."--Brenda Novak, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author "The Best Summer of Our Lives blends faith and hope into a story about the seasons of life, the seasons of friendship, and the seasons of love."--Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Friends "The Best Summer of our Lives brought me back to my teenage years, with all the angst, the hope, and the friendships, and reminded me that the best times of our lives don't have to be perfect to be loved."--Susan May Warren, USA Today bestselling, award-winning author "Rachel Hauck fans will savor this sparkling story full of depth and heart!"--Lauren K. Denton, USA Today bestselling author of The Hideaway and A Place to Land

'Joanne Kraft always comes through with milk out the nose humor that is honest, authentic, and even educational She's one of my favorite writers.'--James N. Watkins Award-winning author and editor of Vista Just Too Busy is the story of the Kraft family's head-on collision with busyness and the 12-month experiment that changed their lives. When their children could recite the dollar value meals at McDonald s faster than the times-tables, Joanne and Paul Kraft knew something was very wrong. So, instead of continuing their busyness habit and fitting more into their schedules, they took a year off from all extracurricular activities and learned how to be a family again. In this book, readers will laugh their way to learning the 10 telltale signs that they're just too busy and find the courage to guard their families from the temptation of constant distraction.

Our kids are experiencing an unprecedented sense of isolation, interacting virtually in a world that seems ever more fearful with each news cycle. They absorb and internalize the stress and anxiety they see on their parents' faces and on the phone, laptop, tablet, and TV screens that are ever before their eyes. Not surprisingly, their mental and physical health are suffering. As parents, we want to know how we can help. Practical and encouraging, Raising Healthy Teenagers helps you understand the mental, physical, and social toll the past couple years have taken on your kids. Then it offers proven strategies to help your teen get back onto a healthy path by * reducing screen time and increasing green time * learning how to be a social being again * developing strategies to deal with disruptions in schooling * reclaiming a structured day * breaking the cycle of anxiety and depression * and much more

From popular humor writer and social media sensation Anna Lind Thomas comes the second book of charming and uproarious essays that capture our universal need for life to just slow down-we weren't ready for this! Anna Lind Thomas wants everyone to just calm down and give her a minute, okay? She's not ready for this! In fact, through her latest collection of laugh-out-loud essays, she'll prove she's never been ready for anything in her life. Adult decisions, marriage, parenting, crow's feet, large pores, skinny jeans--you name it, she ain't ready for it! Don't even get her started on that one time she appeared on national TV in a blazer two sizes too small because she thought she'd lose twenty pounds before the shoot. Good grief, she just wasn't ready! I'm Not Ready for This will give you the encouragement you need to: Embrace the unexpected aspects of life Appreciate the incredible power of vulnerability Let God push you forward, even if you feel like you're not ready Through her signature wit, charm, and painful relatability, Anna reminds us that no one's truly ready for anything--so we might as well go for it and see what happens. She bets it'll be real good--or at the very least, real funny.

Not since the Civil War has the United States been so polarized, politically and ideologically. At the heart of this fracture is a fascinating, paradoxical marriage between our country's politics and religions.

In "The Holy Vote," Ray Suarez explores the advent of this polarization and how it is profoundly changing the way we live our lives. With hands-on reporting, Suarez explores the attitudes and beliefs of the people behind the voting numbers and how the political divide is manifesting itself across the country. The reader will come to a greater understanding of what Americans believe, and how this belief structure fuels the debates that dominate the issues on our evening news broadcasts.