California, long a Mecca for eccentric cults, has also hosted more than its share of unusual and unorthodox Christian evangelists and sects. From pre-Gold Rush days to the 21st Century, visionaries seeking to revive or transform the Faith have flocked to California's shores, or have emerged from its environs as native sons and daughters. Their often-idiosyncratic crusades have influenced not only Golden State history and culture, but Christianity as a whole. California Jesus tells the little-known yet fascinating stories behind the people and groups that populate Californian Christendom, including: * The Children of God -- Born on the Huntington Beach boardwalk, this "Jesus People" hippie-ministry turned to prostituting its members and molesting its children in the name of Christ * Bebe and C. Thomas Patten -- married evangelists, these Oakland-based Pentecostal preachers scammed penniless Okie immigrants and major banks alike for millions * Joe Jeffers -- a renegade Baptist minister who started a murderous religious war between his followers and a rival's, made headlines in lurid L.A. sex scandals, and claimed that "Yahweh" had stashed several billion dollars for him in the constellation Orion * The Metropolitan Community Church -- Gay L. A. evangelist Troy Perry challenges homophobia with a hugely controversial, and much-attacked sect that ministers Christ's love to sexual "outsiders" * Church of the Holy Family -- film-star Mel Gibson's schismatic, secretive Malibu parish, which claims to be literally more Catholic than the Pope * Holy Mountain -- a huge, bizarre, ever-growing folk-art monument in the Imperial Valley desert built by an aging drifter to glorify God's love, that's now become an international tourist destination * And many, many more! Filled with captivating anecdotes about the state's most colorful and controversial Christian pastors and sects, and accompanied by many rare photos and illustrations, California Jesus illuminates this absorbing yet little-discussed aspect of both state history and culture, and the Christian experience. Believers and doubters alike, as well as anyone interested in the Golden State's unique spiritual heritage, will find this work hard to put down.

See Yourself as Blessed in Every Season of Life

We all want to be blessed. We desire health, happiness, promotion, joy, financial security, peace, good relationships, and every quality signifying that blessing and abundance are flowing in our lives.

So how do you continue to live blessed even when you are going through life’s valleys?

Everyone faces difficult times—seasons where we don’t feel blessed. God wants to mold and shape you into a person who sees yourself as blessed, not because of your circumstances, but because this is your God-assigned identity!

In this classic book from Bishop T.D. Jakes, you will discover how to:

- walk in a blessed identity, no matter what season or circumstance comes your way.

- unlock inner strength to persevere, even when you feel like you can no longer go on.

- exchange your stress and worry for gratitude and thanksgiving.

- become a person God can trust with Heaven’s blessing and abundance.

Whether you are standing on the highest peak of victory, or feel like you are sinking into the valley of trial, once you start to see yourself as blessed, you will be positioned to thrive in every season!

In June 1949 the Soviet state arrested seven farmers from the village of Bila Tserkva. Not wealthy or powerful, the men were unknown outside their community, and few had ever heard of their small, isolated village on the southwestern border of Soviet Ukraine. Nevertheless, the state decided they were dangerous traitors who threatened to undermine public order, and a regional court sentenced them to twenty-five years of imprisonment for treason. In To Make a Village Soviet Emily Baran explores why a powerful state singled out these individuals for removal from society. Bila Tserkva had to become a space in which Soviet laws and institutions reigned supreme, yet Sovietization was an aspiration as much it was a reality. The arrested men belonged to a small and misunderstood religious minority, the Jehovah's Witnesses, and both Witnesses and their neighbours challenged the government's attempts to fully integrate the village into socialist society. Drawing from the case file and interviews with the families of survivors, Baran argues that what happened in Bila Tserkva demonstrates the sheer ambition of the state's plans for the Sovietization of borderland communities. A compelling history, To Make a Village Soviet looks to Bila Tserkva to explore the power and the limits of state control - and the possibilities created by communities that resist assimilation.

Pray your way to health and wholeness

Based on Pastor Prince's teaching on the Holy Communion, this new prayer guide will help readers put their faith into action when it comes to their heath. Day by day, Pastor Prince highlights simple, specific Scriptures you can pray to help increase your faith and partake of the benefits Jesus purchased on the cross.

Learn to walk with God, commune with the Holy Spirit, and meditate on the finished work of Jesus. Then watch His peace and power reign in your life.

Be encouraged and start walking in a greater measure of health today!

In this fresh approach to Christian spirituality, John Driver shows that the spirituality of the disciples and the early Christian church included every dimension of life. Grounded in the example of Jesus himself, this holistic approach to spirituality finds expression in the visible witness of the Christian community, and in the daily lives of faithful Christians who seek to embody Christ's presence in the world in service to others. This approach to Christian spirituality was recovered in a remarkable way by the radical reformers of the sixteenth century - the Anabaptists - and it continues to find expression among a wide variety of Christian groups around the world today. Life Together in the Spirit will inspire, challenge, and encourage you to experience the presence of the Spirit in all of its dimensions. This edition, revised and expanded with responses and reflections from church leaders and scholars around the world, is the seventh publication in the "Global Anabaptist-Mennonite Shelf of Literature," an initiative of Mennonite World Conference. Contributors include Mvwala C. Katshinga (Democratic Republic of Congo), Christina Asheervadam (India), Rafael Zaracho (Paraguay), Hermann Woelke (Uruguay), Paulus Pan (Taiwan), Patricia Uruena (Colombia), and Nellie Mlotshwa (Zimbabwe).

Jonathan Edwards is one of the most extraordinary figures in American history. Arguably the most brilliant theologian ever born on American soil, Edwards (1703-1758) was also a pastor, a renowned preacher, a missionary to the Native Americans, a biographer, a college president, a philosopher, a loving husband, and the father of eleven children.George M. Marsden -- widely acclaimed for his magisterial large study of Edwards -- has now written a new, shorter biography of this many-sided, remarkable man. A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards is not an abridgment of Marsden's earlier award-winning study but is instead a completely new narrative based on his extensive research. The result is a concise, fresh retelling of the Edwards story, rich in scholarship yet compelling and readable for a much wider audience, including students.Known best for his famous sermon -Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, - Jonathan Edwards is often viewed as a proponent of fire, brimstone, and the wrath of God. As Marsden shows, however, the focus of Edwards's preaching was not God's wrath but rather his overwhelming and all-encompassing love. Marsden also rescues Edwards from the high realms of intellectual history, revealing him more comprehensively through the lens of his everyday life and interactions. Further, Marsden shows how Edwards provides a window on the fascinating and often dangerous world of the American colonies in the decades before the American Revolution.Marsden here gives us an Edwards who illumines both American history and Christian theology, an Edwards that will appeal to readers with little or no training in either field. This short life will contribute significantly to the widespread and growing interest in Jonathan Edwards.

Shaker Fancy Goods tells the story of the Shaker Sisters of the nineteenth and early twentieth century who responded to the economic perils of the Industrial Revolution by inventing a lucrative industry of their own-Fancy Goods, a Victorian term for small adorned household objects made by women for women. Thanks to their work ethic, business savvy, and creativity, the tireless Shaker Sisters turned a seemingly modest trade into the economic engine that sustained their communal way of life, just as the men were abandoning the sect for worldly employment. Relying on journals and church family records that give voice to the plainspoken accounts of the sisters themselves, the book traces the work they did to establish their principal revenue streams, from designing the products, to producing them by hand (and later by machine, when they could do so without compromising quality) to bringing their handcrafts to market. Photographs, painstakingly gathered over years of research from museums and private collections, present the best examples of these fancy goods. Fancy goods include the most modest and domestic of items, like the pen wipes that the Sisters shaped into objects such as dolls, mittens, and flowers; or the emeries, pincushions, and needle books lovingly made back in an era when more than a minimal competency in sewing was expected in women; to more substantial purchases like the Dorothy cloaks that were in demand among fashionable women of the world; or the heavy rib-knitted sweaters, cardigans, and pullovers that became popular items among college boys and adventurous women.

To some Western evangelicals, the practices of Eastern Orthodoxy seem mysterious and perhaps even unbiblical. Then again, from an Orthodox perspective, evangelicals lack the spiritual roots provided by centuries-old church traditions. Are the differences between these two branches of Christianity so sharp that to shake hands is to compromise the gospel itself? Or is there room for agreement? Are Eastern Orthodoxy and evangelicalism at all compatible? Yes, no, maybe---this book allows five leading authorities to present their different views, have them critiqued by their fellow authors, and respond to the critiques. Writing from an Orthodox perspective with a strong appreciation for evangelicalism, Bradley Nassif makes a case for compatibility. Michael Horton and Vladimir Berzonsky take the opposite stance from their respective evangelical and Orthodox backgrounds. And George Hancock-Stefan (evangelical) and Edward Rommen (Orthodox) each offer a qualified perhaps. The interactive Counterpoints forum is ideal for comparing and contrasting the different positions to understand the strengths and weaknesses of these two important branches of Christianity and to form a personal conclusion regarding their compatibility. The Counterpoints series provides a forum for comparison and critique of different views on issues important to Christians. Counterpoints books address two categories: Church Life and Bible and Theology. Complete your library with other books in the Counterpoints series."

This major textbook is a newly researched historical study of Evangelical religion in its British cultural setting from its inception in the time of John Wesley to charismatic renewal today.

The Church of England, the Church of Scotland and the variety of Nonconformist denominations and sects in England, Scotland and Wales are discussed, but the book concentrates on the broad patterns of change affecting all the churches. It shows the great impact of the Evangelical movement on nineteenth-century Britain, accounts for its resurgence since the Second World War and argues that developments in the ideas and attitudes of the movement were shaped most by changes in British culture.

The contemporary interest in the phenomenon of Fundamentalism, especially in the United States, makes the book especially timely.

The Most Comprehensive Book Ever Written About Divine Healing

Divine Healing Made Simple is a training manual for the supernatural life, providing street-proven instruction for healing the sick in any type of setting. In addition to healing, the book teaches about prophetic ministry, street evangelism and making disciples.

This book takes a bold approach, addressing the difficult questions that many authors have avoided. Through dreams, online discussions and hands-on experience, the author has discovered the answers to some of the most common questions people have about Christian healing, deliverance and raising the dead. Three chapters are devoted to the problems of why some people are not healed and why some people lose their healing.

This is the first book on healing to harness the power of Facebook. By hosting discussion questions on Facebook, the author has collected the wisdom and experiences of hundreds of divine healing technicians. This may be the most comprehensive book on healing ever written.

Miracles are happening every day through the prayers of average men and women on the street and in workplaces. This book celebrates what God is doing today and shows you how miracles, signs and wonders can become a part of your everyday life. You'll be encouraged and given hope by the testimonies and dreams you'll read about. Here Is A Preview Of What You'll Learn: Misconceptions and Myths about Healing The Biblical Basis for HealingDreams and VisionsHealing and RelationshipsMotives for HealingFaith for HealingPower and Authority for HealingGod's Healing PresenceThe Word of KnowledgeHealing and EvangelismThe Gift of HealingStreet HealingHealing in the WorkplaceHealing in Health CareDeliveranceRaising the DeadProclaiming the KingdomMaking DisciplesPersistence and HealingHow to Receive HealingHow to Keep Your HealingWhy Some People Aren't HealedPrayer and FastingRecording Healing TestimoniesThe Future of HealingThe "Greater Works" Jesus Said His Disciples Would Do What Readers Are Saying:

" "I read the book and it is the most solid book, other than the bible that I have ever read. This will become my new handbook for all my future discipleship training "" David

" "I started reading the book last night and am loving it I needed a word from God, He led me to the "Persistence Pays Off" chapter and guess what? Today I prayed for a friend and through our persistence and faith she received 100% healing: D Yay Jesus "" Flaminia (UK)

" "I love the simplicity of this book- the raw honesty. There is no longer an 'us and them' in terms of who can heal and who can't."" Dommi (UK)

" "A book that will bring you to a simpler place and understanding of the truths behind healing the sick."" Cameron

" "The authenticity and pure heart of the author comes shining through in a way I truly appreciate."" Kody

" "Praying Medic is not just an example but he is a teacher as well. Solid teaching made simple. He leaves you with that feeling this isn't so hard, I think I can do this."" Mark

" "I have read a lot of books about healing, prayer, spirituality, and things supernatural. It is very rare that so many different aspects of the topics of healing and the supernatural workings of God are not just found in one book, but looked at from a very pragmatic, down-to-earth perspective."" Loire

" "Wonderfully down to earth. It's both incredibly practical and remarkably inspiring."" NWP

Get your copy today

Tags: healing for today, healing dreams, healing anointing, God's healing

Current facts about Mormonism *Over 11 million members. *Over 60,000 full-time missionaries---more than any other single missionary-sending organization in the world. *More than 310,000 converts annually. *As many as eighty percent of converts come from Protestant backgrounds. (In Mormon circles, the saying is, We baptize a Baptist church every week. ) *Within fifteen years, the numbers of missionaries and converts will roughly double. *Within eighty years, with adherents exceeding 267 million, Mormonism could become the first world-religion to arise since Islam. You may know the statistics. What you probably don t know are the advances the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) is making in apologetics and academic respectability. With superb training, Mormon scholars outclass many of their opponents. Arguments against Mormon claims are increasingly refuted as outdated, misinformed, or poorly argued. The New Mormon Challenge is a response to the burgeoning challenge of scholarly Mormon apologetics. Written by a team of respected Christian scholars, it is free of caricature, sensationalism, and diatribe. The respectful tone and responsible, rigorous, yet readable scholarship set this book in a class of its own. The New Mormon Challenge recycles no previous material and duplicates no one s efforts. Instead, responding to the best LDS scholarship, it offers freshly researched and well-documented rebuttals of Mormon truth claims. Most of the chapter topics have never been addressed, and the criticisms and arguments are almost entirely new. But The New Mormon Challenge does not merely challenge Mormon beliefs; it offers the LDS Church and her members ways to move forward. The New Mormon Challenge will help you understand the intellectual appeal of Mormonism, and it will reveal many of the fundamental weaknesses of the Mormon worldview. Whether you are sharing the gospel with Mormons or are investigating Mormonism for yourself, this book will help you accurately understand Mormonism and see the superiority of the historic Christian faith. Outstanding scholarship and sound methodology make this an ideal textbook. The biblical, historical, scientific, philosophical, and theological discussions are fascinating and will appeal to Christians and Mormons alike. Exemplifying Christian scholarship at its best, The New Mormon Challenge pioneers a new genre of literature on Mormonism. The Editors Francis J. Beckwith (Ph.D., Fordham University), Carl Mosser (Ph.D. candidate, University of St. Andrews), and Paul Owen (Ph.D., University of Edinburgh) are respected authorities on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the authors of various books and significant articles on Mormonism. Their individual biographies as well as information on the book s contributors appear inside. With contributors including such respected scholars as Craig L. Blomberg, William Lane Craig, J. P. Moreland, and others, The New Mormon Challenge is, as Richard Mouw states in his foreword, an important event for both Protestant evangelicals and Mormons that models to the evangelical community what it is like to engage in respectful and meaningful exploration of a viewpoint with which we disagree on key points. In recent years, Mormon scholars have produced a body of literature that has been largely ignored by evangelicals. This current volume takes a giant step forward in correcting this oversight in a way that is both intellectually vigorous, yet respectful. ---Ken Mulholland, President, Salt Lake Theological Seminary Intellectually serious evangelical responses to the faith of the Latter-day Saints have been depressingly rare. This book represents a significant contribution to a conversation that, really, has just begun. ---Daniel Peterson, Brigham Young University; Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS) Finally we have a book from evangelicals in which the authors have made"

Your Gifts Reveal God's Presence and Power The apostle Paul wrote, "There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. . . . To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (1 Cor. 12:4,7). But what are these spiritual gifts? How do you know if you possess them? And, if you do, how do you use them? In The Beginner's Guide to Spiritual Gifts, Sam Storms will help you answer basic and foundational questions about the what, why, and how of the unique gifts God gives to each of His children. You will discover the purpose of spiritual gifts in the Church and learn how to identify your special mix of gifting. In addition, you will find out how the Holy Spirit uses the supernatural manifestation of gifts to demonstrate God's presence and power among His people. God has gifted you . . . now learn how to use His good gifts for His glory!

Unique, Powerful Way All Believers Can Experience Breakthrough

In the Bible, Moses sang. Miriam sang. So did Deborah, David, Mary, Paul, the angels, and so many more. The Israelites went to war singing; they sang over victories, over happy moments and hard moments. They knew something we've lost sight of: When we learn to sing God's words back to Him, we align the deepest spaces of our hearts with the deepest places of His--and we experience breakthrough. So why do we relegate singing the Word to just worship teams?

Julie Meyer, a Dove-nominated artist and worship leader, has been teaching all believers how to do just this. She shows that you don't need to know how to read music or even sing in tune. All you need is Scripture and a willingness to engage God in song. As you do, you will see heartache turn into hope, despair into destiny, fear into fearlessness. You stand on the Word, pray it, and even memorize it. Now it's time to sing it.