The True Story Behind the Powerful Film ALL SAINTS

Newly ordained, Michael Spurlock's first assignment is to pastor All Saints, a struggling church with twenty-five devoted members and a mortgage well beyond its means. The best option may be to close the church rather than watch it wither any further. But when All Saints hesitantly risks welcoming a community of Karen refugees from Burma--former farmers scrambling for a fresh start in America--Michael feels they may be called to an improbable new mission.

Michael must choose between closing the church and selling the property--or listening to a still, small voice challenging the people of All Saints to risk it all and provide much-needed hope to their new community. Together, they risk everything to plant seeds for a future that might just save them all.

Discover the true story that inspired the film while also diving deeper into the background of the Karen people, the church, and how a community of believers rally to reach out to those in need, yet receive far more than they dared imagine.

The Reverend Michael Spurlock served All Saints Episcopal Church in Smyrna, Tennessee, for three years. He is currently on the clergy staff at Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue in New York City. Michael, his wife, Aimee, and their two children live in New York City..

This book is an illuminating guide on critical, sensitive and salvation-based topics that will intrigue, educate, inspire and above all promote the doctrine of salvation as the focal point of the entire Bible. The book highlights the fact that humanity's greatest need has never been the food that satiates his hunger, the building that gives him shelter, the status that makes him relevant or anything that caters to his physical needs, albeit it consists of topics that discuss humanity's daily needs and how they can be acquired in line with God's word. It adequately emphasises that the salvation of souls constitutes the greatest need and should occupy the top echelon of our priorities. The scripture says that faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). But what happens when the word is not correctly taught, or correctly taught but not completely broken down and hence not properly understood? This book breaks down biblical lessons in a manner that will be easily understood by readers. Many have read the Bible and taught from it wrongly because they missed the central theme of the Bible which is the salvation of our souls but the words in this book have been written to help the reader avoid reading the Bible amiss and achieve this precious and priceless gift - salvation - that will make existence in this world a meaningful one. The lessons readers will learn are drawn from the context of the scriptures, the express commands of God and from the lives and experiences of several biblical characters. Readers are made to examine some biblical characters' strengths and flaws, successes and failures and extract valuable lessons that will guide them on the journey through life. While people can scan through the Bible and get a general understanding of the stories within these chapters, this book will draw the readers' attention to vital lessons they may not have noticed.

Each word and phrase in the ESV has been carefully weighed against the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, to ensure the fullest accuracy and clarity

Wanneer jy tyd in God se teenwoordigheid deurbring en oor sy kragtige Woord mediteer, bou dit karakter, innerlike krag en ’n godvresende selfvertroue om enige lewensuitdaging te trotseer.

In stilwees en vertroue is 366 oordenkings deur die bekende evangelis Angus Buchan. Elkeen van die daaglikse teksverse, inspirerende oordenkings en diepsinnige gebede sal jou toerus met die krag van die Heilige Gees om sterk te staan teen elke dag se uitdagings. Nou is die tyd om God te vertrou. Bring daarom tyd saam met Hom deur, want ons krag lê in stil wees en vertroue hê (Jes. 30:15).

Bekroonde outeur Stephan Joubert help lesers in ’n Veilige vesting om opnuut te besef hoe groot God se sorg en liefde vir sy kinders is.

Te midde van ’n wêreld wat lyk of dit enige oomblik uitmekaar gaan val, staan een ding vas en seker: Ons dien ’n magtige en getroue God. Die 365 oordenkings lei lesers om weg te kyk van hulle eie swaarkry en krisisse deur slegs op God te fokus en hul geloof prakties uit te leef.

Daar ís hoop, daar ís ’n toekoms. Vind die troos en leiding wat slegs ’n liefdevolle hemelse Vader vir sy kinders kan gee.

Exploring the manifold relationships between religion and public administration, this topical book conceptualises and theorises the diverse influence of religions on the functioning of public administrative systems across the globe. International and comparative in approach, this book analyses the social and public dimensions to religion and its interplay with public administration as a field of social scientific inquiry and an area of professional activity. Taking methodological agnosticism as its sociological perspective to the study of the religious experience, chapters focus on Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Shintoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to examine diverse religious compositions across both secularised and non-secularised societies and political regimes. The book uses a distinctive theoretical lens to analyse the influence of religions on organisational fit, public service motivation, individual and organisational behaviours and values, bureaucratic discretion, government funding, the delivery of public services, and the dynamics of social cohesion overall. It provides a fresh perspective on religion as a source of legitimacy and basis of accountability, responsibility, and delegation of power in public administration, institutional quality, and ethics. Students and scholars interested in the religious dimensions to public administration, policy, governance and management will find use in this book’s theoretical analyses. Its empirical findings will also be valuable to policymakers working in public administration and leaders of faith organisations engaged in public services.

Dit is nie maklik om vandag ’n geestelike leier te wees nie. Roedolf Botha probeer die tye waarin ons leef navigeer aan die hand van die Markus-evangelie, met klem op die volgende kwessies: Hoe lei ons getrou aan die missie ons opgelê, wat is die ingesteldhede, aksies en toerusting wat ons nodig het en watter innerlike transformasie vra dit van ons? Hierdie toeganklike boek sal jou help om die duistere waters van ons deurmekaar tye die hoof te bied. “Roedolf Botha neem ons op ’n boeiende reis deur die Markusevangelie om die hartklop van egte leierskap ver en diep te ontgin” - Stephan Joubert

For many of us, believing in Jesus feels like the first step on a journey that can only get better and better with every step. Then trials come and it can be hard to keep walking. When faced with disappointment, disillusionment, doubt, and death, we may be tempted to turn back. The road ahead seems too hard, too long, too fraught with danger and difficulty. With great passion and deep understanding of the struggles believers go through, Rashawn Copeland encourages and inspires you to stay the course. In No Turning Back he shares practical and productive ways you can experience true and lasting growth based on the promises God makes to those who follow him. He shows you how to apply the truths of Scripture to be transformed by God's power, grow your identity in Christ, renew your mind, free yourself from your past, and become the person God has called you to be.

Fear is the devil's favorite tool in the toolbox of schemes he uses to destroy God's good plan for you. He uses it to hold you back and prevent progress in your relationships, career, and more.

In Do It Afraid, Joyce Meyer explains that fear is everywhere and affects everyone. It rules many people, but it doesn't have to rule you any longer. She will teach you how to:

• Understand fear and recognize how it works in your life.
• Confront those fears that are holding you back.
• Change your mindset for lasting freedom from some of the most common fears people face.

Remember, courage isn't the absence of fear; it is learning how to move forward in the presence of fear. Courageous people do what they believe in their hearts they should do, no matter how they feel or what doubts fill their minds. When you take ownership of your problems and open your heart to God, He will help bring light into darkness so that you can be free.

"A warm, profound and cleareyed memoir. . . this wise and sympathetic book's lingering effect is as a reminder that a deeper and more companionable way of life lurks behind our self-serious stories."-Oliver Burkeman, New York Times Book Review A remarkable exploration of the therapeutic relationship, Dr. Mark Epstein reflects on one year's worth of therapy sessions with his patients to observe how his training in Western psychotherapy and his equally long investigation into Buddhism, in tandem, led to greater awareness-for his patients, and for himself For years, Dr. Mark Epstein kept his beliefs as a Buddhist separate from his work as a psychiatrist. Content to use his training in mindfulness as a private resource, he trusted that the Buddhist influence could, and should, remain invisible. But as he became more forthcoming with his patients about his personal spiritual leanings, he was surprised to learn how many were eager to learn more. The divisions between the psychological, emotional, and the spiritual, he soon realized, were not as distinct as one might think. In The Zen of Therapy, Dr. Epstein reflects on a year's worth of selected sessions with his patients and observes how, in the incidental details of a given hour, his Buddhist background influences the way he works. Meditation and psychotherapy each encourage a willingness to face life's difficulties with courage that can be hard to otherwise muster, and in this cross-section of life in his office, he emphasizes how therapy, an element of Western medicine, can in fact be considered a two-person meditation. Mindfulness, too, much like a good therapist, can "hold" our awareness for us-and allow us to come to our senses and find inner peace. Throughout this deeply personal inquiry, one which weaves together the wisdom of two worlds, Dr. Epstein illuminates the therapy relationship as spiritual friendship, and reveals how a therapist can help patients cultivate the sense that there is something magical, something wonderful, and something to trust running through our lives, no matter how fraught they have been or might become. For when we realize how readily we have misinterpreted our selves, when we stop clinging to our falsely conceived constructs, when we touch the ground of being, we come home.

Just This is a collection of brief and evocative meditations and practices that invites us to cultivate the gift of waking up to the beauty of reality in all its glorious ordinariness. With his signature blend of contemplation, theology, and pastoral sensitivity, Fr Richard Rohr creates a spaciousness for the soul to grow into a kind of seeing that goes far beyond merely looking to recognising and thus appreciating. This is the heart of contemplation, the centerpiece of any inner dialogue that frees us from the traps of our perceptions and preoccupations. The contemplative mind does not tell us what to see; it teaches us how to see what we behold.

Not every Christian needs to go to seminary, but there are certain teachings of the Bible that every Christian should know. Whether you're a relatively new believer in Jesus or a mature Christian looking for a better understanding of basics of the faith, Christian Beliefs is for you.

This readable guide to twenty basic Christian beliefs condenses Wayne Grudem's award-winning book Systematic Theology, prized by pastors and teachers everywhere. He and his son, pastor Elliot Grudem, have boiled down the essentials of theology for everyday Christians and made them both clear and applicable to life. Each brief chapter concludes with questions for personal review or group discussion.

In this revised and updated edition of Christian Beliefs, you will learn about:

• The Bible and its authority for our lives
• The characteristics of God
• The importance of prayer
• Angels and the reality of spiritual warfare
• What it means that we are created in the image of God
• What God has done for us in Christ
• The purpose of the church
• What will happen when Christ returns
• The biblical understanding of heaven
• And much more

Christian Beliefs is the ideal book for every Christian who wants a solid foundation for understanding the most basic and essential teachings of the Bible.

Find power in your prayer like never before with this inspiring guide from #1 New York Times bestselling author Bishop T.D. Jakes.

In a time when women carry more influence than any other generation, the power of prayer has never been more important to remind us that we do not have to bear our crosses alone. We need prayer to stand guard over our hearts and minds and over the hearts and minds of our families.

Women today are shattering glass ceilings and forging new paths in the world. What Happens When a Woman Prays is a clarion call for women to continue their progressive march of empowerment by dreaming like their daughters and praying like their grandmothers.

Through exploring the lives of 10 prayer-filled women of the Bible, Bishop Jakes emphasizes the life-changing power that women have when they find their identity, their strength, their healing, and their voices in Christ.