We must be reminded that there are forces outside the church warring against us. These forces at times can be and are merciless and treacherous. But we are informed through the word of God that we are more that conquerors in Christ Jesus. It is not just the outside forces which attack the church that present obstacles to the church that we want to emphasize and recognize, but primarily the inside forces that corrode and erode the infrastructure of the small church. It is tragic enough to deal with trouble from outside of the church, but it's worse when those who should work for the well-being of the church become part of the problem and not part of the solution. It's not the circumstances of life that people have little or no control over that directly holds the small church hostage, but it's the circumstances in life that people have a reasonable amount of, or a lot of control of, that holds the small church hostage. Through these writings, awareness, and enlightenment will come to this devastating quagmire that plagues many of our churches. We will no longer continue to be in danger of being The Church Held Hostage.

This book emphasizes the fact that a true faith in God can be accompanied through good works and wisdom heart from above. Let me point out that goods works do not prove a person's belief in God or relationship with Him, but having faith and a wisdom heart always leads to good works. Faith and a wisdom heart have to come first because when good works are done with wisdom heart from God, God always gets the glory. Every step in our lives is for the purpose of drawing us closer, conforming us to the image of Christ. Hardship is the tool which seems to best accomplish this goal. We all might prefer that God would shape us through praise and blessings, but we seem to respond best to hardship, It all part of the processes to grow in the Lord. It is hardship which reminds us of our dependence on God when we've begun to trust in our own abilities and understanding. It's hardship which brings us back to our knees in prayer after long seasons of silence. Its hardship which develops the character of a mature believer: remember James said "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4). As difficult as this truth may be to accept and understand, part of God's plan is for us to experience some hardship. Not all hardship can be said to come from God, but in our lost and fallen world where we come to God filled with pride and arrogance, hardship is often the only way to humble our spirit and soften our heart. Our Heavenly Father loves us enough to do whatever it takes to draw us closer to His side - even when this means being strengthened by hardship. Watch out for the Part II of this book (MY GOD, MY LIFE). Coming out soon

The vision for this impressive work on temple architecture in the Levant grew out of the author's work on Roman temple designs on the Iberian Peninsula and continual references to Semitic influences on the designs of sanctuaries both on the Peninsula and in North Africa. It was assumed that Phoenician colonization had brought with it the full flowering of Levantine architectural forms. As Mierse began to search for relevant material on the ancient Levant, however, he discovered that no overall synthesis had ever been written, and it was virtually impossible to recognize and isolate Semitic elements in architectural forms. This book addresses this need. The analysis presented here is comparative and follows the methodology most commonly employed by architectural historians throughout the twentieth century. It is a formalist approach and permits the isolation of lines of continuity and the detection of discontinuity. While Mierse relies heavily on this traditional method, he also introduces some approaches from the postprocessual school of archaeology in its attempts to discern an appropriate way for cult to be investigated by archaeology. The sanctuaries that this book presents were erected between the end of the Late Bronze Age (conventionally assigned the date of 1200 B.C.E.) and the annexation of the Levantine region into the Assyrian Empire (when Mesopotamia again became highly influential in the region). The topic concerns temples that were produced during the period when the Levant was its own entity and politically independent of Egypt, Mesopotamia, or Anatolia. During this period, the designs chosen for inclusion in this book must reflect local choices rather than resulting from imposed outside concepts. The architecture that emerged in the wake of the downfall of the Late Bronze Age and the subsequent reemergence of social cohesiveness manifested significant changes in form and function. The five centuries under review reveal exciting developments in sacred architecture and show that, although the architects of the first millennium B.C.E. maintained important lines of continuity with the developments of the previous two millennia, they were also capable of creating novel forms to meet new needs. Included in this fascinating volume are 90 pages of photos, drawings, floor plans, and maps.

Being the heartland of India since its evolution, Madhya Pradesh has witnessed rise and fall of many civilizations and cultures in its wide spread valleys of Narmada bounded by the oldest mountain range of Vindhyachal hills in the North & Satpuda hills in the South. Since Paleolithic period to till now, Madhya Pradesh has been the playground for various phenomena both natural and manmade of human settlement and development. The story of human development started with the expression of rock dwellers on the walls of rock shelters, which transcended into the chant of Vedic hymns in the green valley of River Narmada. Madhya Pradesh is full of the remains of thousands of temples erected by the Pratihara, Parmaras, Kachchhapghatas, Kalchuris, & Chandellas rulers in between 7th century to 14th centuries. Starting with Gupta Dynasty the temple architecture kept on flourishing and reached its zenith during Chandellas rulers who ruled in the Northern Region of Madhya Pradesh. The remains of these temples are still lying un-noticed, though; many have been protected and conserved. The Shiva - Yogini Temple of Vyas Bhadora is one of such temples, which was lying un-cared since very long. Built in grayish granite this temple group is known for its grandeur and exactness. Located at 90 km from the site of Khajuraho temple groups, the temples of Vyas Bhadora could not shine until the Directorate of Archeology Archives & Museum Bhopal declared the site a protected monument in 1989. The book attempts to recollect this Chandellas masterpiece of temple architecture and bring it into the notice of archeologists, tourists and temple lovers. Once renovated and conserved, the site is going to be a seat of attraction for those who are curious to know and understand the glory of medieval India. The main attractions of Vyas Bhadora temple group are the twin temples of Lord Shiva and temple of Chausath Yoginis. The twin temple of Lord Shiva is unique which share the same jagati and mahamandap but different identical mukhamandapas and sanctums. Similarly, the Yogini temple built in a square and having 69 brackets to house the images of Chausath Yoginis and other deities is chef d'oeuvre of temple craft. However, unfortunately none of the images is available presently at the site. The symmetry of temple construction is fascinating.

Temples for a Modern God is one of the first major studies of American religious architecture in the postwar period, and it reveals the diverse and complicated set of issues that emerged just as one of the nation's biggest building booms unfolded. Jay Price tells the story of how a movement consisting of denominational architectural bureaus, freelance consultants, architects, professional and religious organizations, religious building journals, professional conferences, artistic studios, and specialized businesses came to have a profound influence on the nature of sacred space. Debates over architectural style coincided with equally significant changes in worship practice. Meanwhile, suburbanization and the baby boom required a new type of worship facility, one that had to attract members and serve a social role as much as it had to to honor the Divine. Price uses religious architecture to explore how Mainline Protestantism, Catholicism, Judaism, and other traditions moved beyond their ethnic, regional, and cultural enclaves to create a built environment that was simultaneously intertwined with technology and social change, yet rooted in fluid and shifting sense of tradition. Price argues that these structures, as often mocked as loved, were physical embodiments of a significant, if underappreciated, era in American religious history.

Comprehensive description and history of the major medieval church at Edington, Wiltshire, England, and of its sponsor, William of Edington, bishop of Winchester. The church is architecturally important because its fabric spans the 14th-century transition from Decorated to Perpendicular style. It is celebrated for the beauty of the building itself and the high quality of its monuments.

Read the Bldg Blog interview with Mary Beard about the Wonders of the World series(Part I and Part II) Built by the decree of Constantine, rebuilt by some of the most distinguished architects in Renaissance Italy, emulated by Hitler's architect in his vision for Germania, immortalized on film by Fellini, and fictionalized by a modern American bestseller, St. Peter's is the most easily recognizable church in the world. This book is a cultural history of one of the most significant structures in the West. It bears the imprint of Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini, and Canova. For Grand Tourists of the eighteenth century, St. Peter's exemplified the sublime. It continues to fascinate visitors today and appears globally as a familiar symbol of the papacy and of the Catholic Church itself. The church was first built in the fourth century on what is thought to be the tomb of Peter--the rock upon which Christ decreed his church shall be built. After twelve hundred years, the church was largely demolished and rebuilt in the sixteenth century when it came to acquire its present-day form. St. Peter's awes the visitor by its gigantic proportions, creating a city within itself. It is the mother church, the womb from which churches around the world have taken inspiration. This book covers the social, political, and architectural history of the church from the fourth century to the present. From the threshold, to the subterranean Roman necropolis, to the dizzying heights of the dome, this book provides rare perspectives and contexts for understanding the shape and significance of the most illustrious church in the world.

Title: Churches and Castles of Medi val France ... Illustrated.Publisher: British Library, Historical Print EditionsThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats: books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, maps, stamps, prints and much more. Its collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial additional collections of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 300 BC.The GENERAL HISTORICAL collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. This varied collection includes material that gives readers a 19th century view of the world. Topics include health, education, economics, agriculture, environment, technology, culture, politics, labour and industry, mining, penal policy, and social order. ++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library Larned, Walter Cranston.; 1895 viii. 236 p.; 8 . 010171.i.5.

All Souls Church, of Unitarian Universalist denomination, stands on East 80th and Lexington Avenue in the City of New York. The church's architecture is aptly described as New England Georgian and its cornerstone was laid in 1932. The congregation has a longer history, having been founded in 1819, and thus, has occupied three other church buildings in the borough of Manhattan. The story of All Souls can fill volumes. This is the story of All Souls' migrations and its churches' architectural histories. How did a small group of Unitarians build their first church in less than two years by 1821? How did they manage to construct a Gothic church for their second building when such a style was forbidden to be used for any sects that were not Episcopalian, Presbyterian or Catholic? What was the basis for the stature of their achievement in having their third structure, the first Ruskin-inspired edifice in the Americas? Does the architecture of the last building evoke core beliefs of the faith of Unitarian Universalism? What do the moves of All Souls say about Manhattan? Come and explore this exciting investigation in urban architectural history.

Built in 1894, the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, NJ, stands alone as a distinctive historic structure from the national Camp Meeting movement of the late 1800s. Authors Ted Bell, Cindy Bell and Darrell Dufresne provide a fascinating account of the history and development of this architectural treasure that occupies nearly an acre and is situated 1500 feet from the Atlantic Ocean. Included in the book are detailed diagrams and photos of the construction of the building, design aspects including original building contracts, and correspondence and observations by persons who were present at the time of its construction. www.oceangrovehistory.org Articles of Agreement and Specifications of Auditorium in Ocean Grove, NJ

The word Babri was literally used to define something abnormal, out of sense or mad. Three instances mentioned in Babar-Nama support this. Babar's journal is replete with precise detail with a telling image or idiom as "a bud resembling a sheep's heart," "fell like water on fire" which lingers in the reader's mind long after the event or anecdote has receded. Few of the phrases and words in the Babar Nama are now part of everyday language in India and Pakistan as "Namak Haram" means lack of trustworthiness, "hamesha" means always, "bakhshish" means gift, "maidan" means plain area, "julab" means laxative and the most important, which is of our use here, is "Babri/Baburi /Bavala" means related to unhealthy mental state or mad or abandoned or one who is abnormal. Babar writes about his infatuation, after his marriage in March AD 1500, for a boy as, "In those days I discovered myself a strange inclination - no, a mad infatuation-for a boy in the camp's bazaar, his name was Babri/Baburi being apposite. Until then I had no inclination of love and ... a couplet of Muhammad Salih came to my mind: When I see my friend I am abashed with shame; My companions look at me, I look away sans aim.

This couplet suited my state of mind perfectly. In that maelstrom of desire and passion, and under the stress of youthful folly, I used to wander, bareheaded and barefoot, through streets and lanes, orchards and vineyards. I showed civility neither to friends nor to strangers, took no care of myself or others." Babar clearly stated that guy's name was Bavara as he was of raging and flickering nature and Babar himself became Bavara or crazy for him to attain his sexual proximity....

That is why the term "Babri Mosque" is specially used only for the construction that was done according to Mughal architecture at Ramjanmabhoomi because it was made for Hindus not for Muslims. Babri Mosque means Mosques of infidels-insane Hindus.

My people perish for the lack of knowledge

In this in-depth study guide Pastor Thomas would like for the readers, student, or laity alike to have a good working knowledge of the word of God in these latter days. Through his simple yet inspiring words,
You will find out.... How to be saved Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Understand the gifts of the Spirit How to become a witnessing Church An A-Z Scripture reference guide for help in the word Understand the second coming of Christ Explain the tribulation period Understand what the bible says about Angels Understand what the bible says about Demons And much more This is a must read book. A lot of time and prayer and seeking the face of God have gone into this much needed study guide. To enhance, teach and bless the body of Christ in these latter days.

THIS 20 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: History of Freemasonry Part 3, by Albert G. Mackey. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766134911.

From concept to completion, your church will not undertake a more demanding or complicated task in terms of money, risk, and effort than it will in a building program. Preparing to Build will educate and guide the church through the process of becoming prepared to build in a manner that will save time and reduce costly mistakes.
They don't teach this in seminary and most church leaders are unequipped by experience or training to lead their church through a building program in the most optimum manner. Being prepared to build, in its simplest terms, means the church has objectively quantified as many of the variables as possible and developed a building plan strategy within the financial ability of the church.
A church that is prepared to build can articulate, based on factual analysis, what it needs to build to meet future needs, it understands the cost of construction, has measured its financial ability, and knows the vision can be built on the selected property. It's about the process. The result of an objective process is objective fact. In the absence of an objective process, all a church is left with is subjective opinion, and in a church of a few hundred people, you will have a few hundred opinions.
Preparing to Build discusses the process from visioning to selecting a builder and discusses topics including: space planning, design, financing, capital campaigns, land acquisition, organizing a building committee, and special information for smaller or start-up churches. The book concludes with several appendices, "including a readiness to build assessment."

Internationally renowned architect I. M. Pei commented that if Marcel Breuer's church for Saint John's Abbey had been built in New York instead of the north woods of Minnesota it would be world famous. Hamilton Smith, Breuer's longtime associate, wrote that the completed church was that rare thing, an architectural design fully realized, and he regarded it as Breuer's finest achievement. The junior member of the twelve-monk planning committee recounts in warm and frequently humorous detail how its members related to the Hungarian-born Bauhaus-trained architect who had no background in church architecture but shared their belief in the enduring quality of simple materials sympathetically used. How the strong architect-client relationship survived the strain of disagreement at a critical moment in completion of the church is the narrative high point in this informal record of four years in which the reader sees a masterpiece of modern church architecture take shape.

"Hilary Donald Thimmesh, OSB, is a native Minnesotan who became a monk of Saint John's Abbey in 1947. He was ordained priest in 1954, gained a doctorate in English from Cornell University in 1963, and taught courses in Chaucer and Shakespeare intermittently with administrative appointments until 2009. He currently heads the Benedictine Institute of Saint John's University."

For all creation are waiting for the Manifestation of the sons of God, maybe you have not realize how much important you are to the kingdom of God, the devil is aware of this and he had sent his host of Fallen Angels to deceive the Church, you're the salt of the earth and the light of the world, beware of the spirit of deception these are the times the true believers need to realize who they are in Christ, we will not sit down and watch the devil take the church into captive, stand-up and preach the truth to the lost. The devil knows that is time is shot, but we will not give him a chance to rule over the Church.

EVANGELISM MANUAL

This manual exemplifies the most effective methods of evangelism. It also provides many strategic plans and guidelines for effective evangelism. All believers, particularly those who aspire to be in leadership or are currently in ministry should own this evangelism manual. This manual is a much-needed resource in the field of evangelistic outreach. It seeks to give practical training and equipping to those who wish to fulfill the call of the Great Commission. The manual is useful for teaching, training, witnessing, follow-up discipleship, launching your own ministry, and even for acquiring personal knowledge of evangelism.

"Revelation and Trinity" provides a guide for the serious study of the systematic theologies of John Calvin and Karl Barth.

The controversial debate between Karl Barth and Emil Brunner drew attention to John Calvin's theology. Each one claims his theology is more faithful to Calvin's theology than the other. In "Revelation and Trinity," author Sang-Hwan Lee analyzes and interprets the theologies of Calvin's 1559 "Institutes" and Barth's "Church Dogmatics" and how they affect Christianity.

Originally a doctoral thesis, Lee's analysis demonstrates their conceptual basis in the revelation of the triune God to which the Bible and the Church attest, and he imparts the implications of this basis. "Revelation and Trinity" highlights the relationship that both Calvin and Barth find between the ontology of the living God in revelation and its noetic and conceptual possibility in faith.

Revitalizing the discussion on the theologies of Calvin and Barth and their relationship, Lee offers a critical assessment of the tenability of the oneness and the threeness of God in their theologies. "Revelation and Trinity" offers old and new insights into their theologies, and examines their relationship with a fresh discussion.

The churches of Rome constitute arguably the most important manifestations of art and architecture in the Western world. This book is a detailed description of 251 churches in Rome and the Vatican City, built or decorated between 1527 and 1870, and is based on extensive research in state, church and private archives, as well as an exhaustive survey of modern and historical bibliographical sources. Its aim is to provide a more complete picture of the construction and decoration of these churches than previously known. This entails not only providing the names of the architects who designed the churches, but also the names of the masons (muratori) and stone cutters (scalpellini), who built the churches and whose skills were essential for realising the architect's plans. This depth of information is carried through to the interior decorations. The interior of each church is then described in depth, on a chapel-by-chapel basis, and includes stucco work, marble revetment, monuments, metal work, fresco and painted decorations and altarpieces. For each church, a brief historical introduction is given and a general bibliography supplied. Archival research has brought to light a great number of works of art whose authorship and/or dates have hitherto been unknown, including works by well-known artists but also many that are unknown to scholars. A great number of works of art whose authorship has hitherto been unknown are published in this volume for the first time. An alphabetic index of artists (consisting of over two thousand names) is supplied, and includes the churches where their works are to be found and accurate biographical information for each artist. In addition there is an index of patrons, and a street and rione index. Also provided are the names and contact details of the archives consulted in researching this book. The book is intended to be used as a reference and resource book, as well as to be used by visitors to these churches. It is lavishly illustrated with photographs. Michael Erwee was born in Zambia. He received his doctorate from the University of Sydney and was awarded an Alexander von Humboldt post doctorate scholarship from the German Government. At present he is an independent researcher.

Whereas twelfth-century pilgrims flocked to the church of St-Lazare in Autun to visit the relics of its patron saint, present-day pilgrims journey there to admire its superb sculpture, said to have been created by the artist Gislebertus whose name is inscribed above one of the church doors. These two cults, of sculptor and of saint, form points of departure and arrival for Linda Seidel's study.
"Legends in Limestone" reveals how "Gislebertus, sculptor" was discovered and subsequently sanctified over the course of the last century. Seidel makes a compelling case for the identification of the name with an ancestor of the local ducal family, invoked for his role in the acquisition of the precious relics. With the aid of evidence drawn from the richly carved decoration of the building, she demonstrates how medieval visitors would have read a different holy narrative in the church fabric, one that constructed before their eyes an account of their patron saint's life.
"Legends in Limestone, " an absorbing study of one of France's most revered medieval monuments, provides fresh insights into modern and medieval interpretive practices.

1894. Sancta Sophia is the most interesting building on the world's surface. Like Karnak in Egypt, or the Athenian Parthenon, it is one of the four great pinnacles of architecture, but unlike them this is no ruin, nor does it belong to a past world of constructive ideas although it precedes by seven hundred years the fourth culmination of the building art in Chartres, Amiens, or Bourges, and thus must ever stand as the Supreme monument of the Christian cycle. The attempt here is some disentanglement of the history of the Church and an analysis of its design and construction; on the one hand, we have been led a step or two into the labyrinth of Constantinopolian topography, on the other, we have thought that the great Church offers the best point of view for the observation of the Byzantine theory of building.

Since ancient times, Hindus have expressed their love and devotion to their deities through beautiful ornamentation dressing and decorating the deities with elaborate clothing, jewelry, and flowers. In this pioneering study of temples in Vrindaban and Jaipur, India, Cynthia Packert takes readers across temple thresholds and into the god Krishna s sacred domain. She describes what devotees see when they behold gorgeously attired representations of the god and why these images look the way they do. She discusses new media as well as global forms of devotion popular in India and abroad. The Art of Loving Krishna opens a universe of meaning in which art, religious action, and devotion are dynamically intertwined."