Popular author Ben Campbell Johnson discusses how the will of God relies on the depths of the human psyche. He addresses in specific terms how one may use intuition, imagination, and memory to ascertain the leading of God's will. Johnson claims that once God's will is sensed, one must trust that God will continue to give guidance. For each chapter, a series of reflection exercises is provided along with a brief guide to the process of discernment.

This is a story of a man who sought the meaning of his life in the culture in which he was reared, a variety of vocations, alcoholism and eventually a faith in God. His encounter with God liberated him from alcoholism, made him open to God's call and to preparation for his life's work. He attended a theological school and discovered that he did not wish to be a preaching minister but a pastoral counselor. This decision led him into hospital chaplaincy, psychoanalyst, Erickson Ian Hypnosis, Nero Linguistic Programming plus a dozen other streams of influence that liberated his own life and provided a foundation for his life long work as a pastoral counselor. His family has been one of his major teachers. His wife stood with him through his days of alcoholism and has been for him a constant source of inspiration and hope. This book sets forth the numerous influences, which have flowed into this man's life and have given birth to a kind of therapy that is effective down to earth and healing. His work is characterized by an emphasis on inner personal communication, attentive listening, speaking the truth in love. More than any other comment, people say this man models what he teaches.

About This Book This book is an invitation to Christians and Muslims to engage in dialogue in order to build relationships of understanding and trust. In a trusting environment all issues can be constructively discussed and resolved. The author first appeals to Christians, who constitute the dominant religion in American culture, to learn about Islam. In order to appreciate Muslims and engage in productive projects with them, Christians must take the initiative in creating trusting relationships. The dominant faith because it comes from a position of strength must make the first move to get the conversation started. The inspiration for this book came from several sources. First, many Christians know nothing about Islam and most Muslims have not seriously studied Christianity except what is said in the Holy Koran. Second, globalization has forced all of us to deal with people from different cultures and religious traditions. Third, the shock of 9/11 caused both Muslims and Christians to realize the importance of understanding each other. If we are to live together in this world, we must learn to relate to the other. Fourth, the radical social and economic changes in our world could be interpreted as a signal that God is bringing the peoples of earth together. The possibility of God's moving the faiths closer together provides enormous motivation for people to participate in this Divine Initiative This book is divided into five sections: a personal story, a brief sketch of Islam, a brief sketch of Christianity, four interviews, and a guide for healthy dialogue between different faiths. Chapter One relates the author's own awakening. Chapter Two sets forth the essential aspects of Islam with which Christians should become acquainted. Chapter Three presents the essentials of Christianity that Muslims need to understand. Chapter Four reports four interviews - two men and two women, two Muslims and two Christians, two lifelong believers and two persons converted to the other faith. Chapter Five offers guidelines for productive conversations between Muslims and Christians. This book may be used in a variety of ways to enlarge the interfaith dialogue. At the most basic level it can inform the reader about the basics of Islam and Christianity and the importance of dialogue between the two religions in the 21st Century. Just one person understanding the other's faith can drive away the fear and suspicion that possesses so many Americans. Individuals can use this text to initiate informed conversations with Muslims or Christians. Further, the text may be used successfully by a group of Muslims or a group of Christians for an informed discussion among themselves. A single faith conversation can prepare a group of believers for an interfaith dialogue. The material in this text provides appropriate content for conducting a seminar on Understanding Islam or Understanding Christianity. The book describes the success that these seminars have had in creating understanding between persons of the two faiths. Acting on the information in this book will enable us to have a better world in which to live and rear our children. Many persons contributed to the subject matter and the spirit of this book. The writings of Karen Armstrong, John Esposito, and Ezra Reza offer rich insights concerning Islam. The author credits a number of Muslim and Christian friends for the tone given to the book. Among these are women and men who showed him the spirit of Islam through their conversations and support. Other leaders in the interfaith movement offered suggestions which have made this a better book. No book is timelier on Christian/Muslim relations than this one. It is written in simple, easy to understand language and it suggests practical ways that persons committed to the two faiths can encounter each other. This information comes at a time when the world is rapidly changing and needs help in making the neces

Companions in Contemplation invites you to join the author on the pathway into a deeper union with God. This book offers the spiritual seeker four things: what is meant by contemplation, what we experience in contemplation, biblical texts that describe images of contemplation and reflections on ideas that push the boundaries of our relationship with God. If you are seeking a deeper relationship with God, the guidance in this book will not give you the path but it will point the way for you to find it. Once you have begun to follow your own path, you will find that the meditations and reflections contained in the various sections will inform and challenge you. This is not a book to read like an academic treatise; it is a book to be practiced, to test its suggestions in your own experience. As you make your way through the pages you will find that you share many of the author's experiences, but you will find the courage to persevere on your own path that you are discovering day by day.

The author tells his story in the form of a confession. He confesses to God the emptiness of being without faith, the joy of finding light in darkness, the pain of a marriage breaking apart, the manifold ways that God has spoken to him and guided his life. His story offers a patter for anyone who wishes to write a spiritual autobiography. Commended by clergy and laity alike.

Over the Past few decades mainline Protestant congregations have not easily embraced the notion of spirituality. As much as any aspect of church life, spirituality has been misunderstood, misused, and resisted by both clergy and laity. Yet times are changing. Today many people feel a deep spiritual hunger and are out looking for fulfillment in a wide variety of settings. In this new context, mainline congregations need to awaken to the presence of the Spirit in their midst and equip leaders to nurture both the personal and corporate spirituality of their congregations. Beyond the Ordinary is explicitly written to help church leaders who have had no formal training in spiritual formation. Drawing from years of experience teaching Christian spirituality, Ben Campbell Johnson and Andrew Dreitcer explore the spiritual dimensions of leadership, looking in depth at the meaning of spirituality as it relates to the tasks of ministry. This friendly, inspiring book will enable readers to erase the negative stereotypes of spirituality and develop vital models and practices for the church today. The book introduces a faithful understanding and practice of the spiritual life to those who have not yet dipped into the well that is Christian spirituality. For those who have already tasted this water and still thirst, it offers a way to dip even more deeply. Chapters discuss the issues surrounding a meaningful spirituality for our changing times, the importance of holding prayer and mission in tension, and the crucial role of Scripture in the formation of our lives. The authors also underscore the importance of vision, myth, and discernment in the spiritual life of the church. And they discuss the power of spiritual practices like discernment and visioning for enhancing the spirituality of congregations and helping them become agents of social transformation. Intended for personal and group use by pastors, elders, other church leaders, and those preparing for service in the church, the book includes questions for reflection and discussion as well as journaling exercises to encourage learning and growth.

In this introduction to the heart of the gospel, readers are invited to discover for themselves what Jesus has done for the world and continues to do in the world today. The invitation is offered in the form of daily readings from the four gospel accounts of Jesus' story. The story itself is preceded by suggestions for reading and background aids for understanding the world in which Jesus carried out his earthly ministry. This is followed by brief accounts of how others responded to Jesus, along with the authors' answers to commonly-asked questions about the Christian faith.

This book seeks to help individuals live constantly in God's presence. Writing in the tradition of Brother Lawrence and those authors concerned with the realization of God's presence amid the daily round, Ben Campbell Johnson offers a collection of traditional spiritual practices that Christians have found helpful in fostering a more consistent relationship with God. Following introductory discussion of the reality and nature of spiritual awareness, including a fascinating excursus on the "art of wondering," each chapter of this book describes a spiritual posture that can aid people in recognizing and nurturing God's presence in their lives. Johnson explores ways of being with God, listening to God, and attending the divine presence. Each chapter concludes with suggestions for journaling designed to let readers experience each specific posture in a concrete way.

The greatest problem facing mainline churches today is not declining numbers, shifting social allegiances, or confused leadership. It is loss of vision. This bold yet constructive book urges pastors to again see their congregations as real expressions of "the body of Christ" and suggests ways to revise - and energize - their ministries based on this vision.. "Complete with discussion questions that make it ideal for use in a wide variety of educational settings, Imagining a Church in the Spirit will help church leaders successfully meet the cultural challenges that await us in the twenty-first century.

Many mainline churches today have members (both laity and clergy) who find it a problem to speak face-to-face about God. This creative book offers a theological foundation, practical suggestions, and a positive model for sharing faith. Ben Campbell Johnson combines evangelism and spiritual guidance in order to provide a fresh image and a new style of faith sharing. He gives a model of spiritual direction that offers a positive, attractive way of doing face-to-face evangelical work.

Popular author Ben Campbell Johnson views Christian life as a journey toward God and himself as one of the travelers. He describes how the spiritual life develops in relation to the events, perceptions, and interpretations of every day. Enriched by stories as well as biblical and personal examples, this clearly written book can guide Christians on their most important journey.

How can one discern if a calling truly is from God? How can one be alert to the fact that one call is ending and another is beginning? In this insightful book Ben Campbell Johnson gives inspiring, experience-based advice on these and other questions concerning the call of God.

Johnson begins by relating several stories of both laypersons and clergy who have experienced Gods call. He does so in order to underscore two significant points: God is still calling believers today, just as he did in earlier times, and Gods empowering call extends to clergy and laity alike. In the rest of the book Johnson explores various aspects of the call, offering spiritually wise observations on how best to discern and respond to the voice of God.

Although "Hearing Gods Call" is about a serious spiritual subject, Johnson never discusses it in a vague or nebulous fashion but always anchors it in instructive particulars. He uses numerous relevant anecdotes to illustrate his principal points, and he provides a thoughtful series of discernment exercises at the end of each chapter. The book concludes with an appendix that examines prominent biblical figures who experienced Gods call, including Peter, Paul, John the Baptist, and Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Filled with rich spiritual insights, many inspirational stories, and much practical advice, this book will help anyone seeking to hear Gods call with greater clarity and act on it with greater conviction.