The first edition of The Gospel According to Jesus won wide acclaim in confronting the 'easy-believism' that has characterized some aspects of evangelical Christianity. Over the past 50 years, a handful of books have become true classics, revered world-wide for their crystal-clear presentation of the Gospel and lauded for their contribution to the Christian faith. These extraordinary books are read, re-read, and discussed in churches, Bible study groups, and homes everywhere. John MacArthur's The Gospel According to Jesus is one of those books. In The Gospel According to Jesus, MacArthur tackles the idea of 'easy believism,' challenging Christians to re-evaluate their commitment to Christ by examining their fruits. MacArthur asks, 'What does it really mean to be saved?' He urges readers to understand that their conversion was more than a mere point in time, that, by definition, it includes a lifetime of obediently walking with Jesus as Lord. This 20th anniversary edition of MacArthur's provocative, Scripture-based book contains one new chapter
and is further revised to provide Christians in the 21st century a fresh perspective on the intrinsic relationship between faith and works, clearly revealing Why Jesus is both Savior and Lord to all who believe.
Drawing on his Roman Catholic background, personal interviews with Catholics and Evangelicals, and years of research, Chris Castaldo takes readers on a fascinating and practical exploration of the challenges and opportunities encountered by Catholics who become Evangelicals. He examines the five major reasons why Christ's followers often leave the Catholic Church, and shows how to emulate Jesus in practical ways when engaging Catholic friends and family. And, with humor and authenticity, he shares his own faith journey in order to help readers understand and work through their own.
For those who are tired of scratching their head in confusion or frustration about how their Catholic background may influence their walk with Jesus, and why on earth their Catholic family believes they've gone off the deep end, Holy Ground offers vast insight and practical help. More than providing historical perspective, theological reflection, and practical lessons, it shows readers how to emulate the grace and truth of Jesus Christ in relating to the Catholic people whom they love.
This book presents a biblical theology of discipleship that gives the 'big picture' of God's relationship with humanity. It surveys God's interaction with humankind from Eden, through the sequence of the biblical covenants, and on into the fulfillment that comes in Jesus. Throughout, the twin themes emerge---one of God's demand of righteousness and another of his prior, enabling grace. Discipleship to Jesus stands in relation to its Old Testament precedents, preserving continuity in the grace/demand interplay. Jesus' ministry to Israel is the fulfillment of the interactions between God and his people, assuming the roles of righteous King and gracious Servant.
Faithful discipleship to Jesus the King, therefore, must always involve responding to his bracing call for righteousness, but doing so in the ongoing experience of the Servant's prior, enabling grace. This book provides an understanding of Jesus that will facilitate ongoing experiences of transforming grace, which in turn will enable faithful discipleship. As such, it presents a view of Christian discipleship that is grounded in an informed Christology of Jesus, the Servant King.
How do we live out the message of Jesus in today's ever-changing culture?
The church is facing its greatest challenge---and its greatest opportunity---in our postmodern, post-Christian world. God is drawing thousands of spiritually curious 'imperfect people' to become his church---but how are we doing at welcoming them?
No Perfect People Allowed shows you how to deconstruct the five main barriers standing between emerging generations and your church by creating the right culture. From inspiring stories of real people once far from God, to practical ideas that can be applied by any local church, this book offers a refreshing vision of the potential and power of the Body of Christ to transform lives today.
'We now are living in a post-Christian America---and that means we must be rethinking ministry through a missionary mindset. What makes this book both unique and extremely helpful is that it is filled with real-life stories of post-Christian people becoming followers of Jesus---not just statistics or data about them.'
Dan Kimball, Author, The Emerging Church
'. . . John's 'get it' factor with people, lost or found, is something to behold! Reading this book filled me with optimism regarding the next generation of pastors and faith communities . . . '
Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church
No Perfect People Allowed is a timely and necessary word for church leaders in a post Christian culture. John Burke serves up quite a tasty meal full of the rich nutrients that will strengthen the Body of Christ.
Randy Frazee, Senior Pastor, Pantego Bible Church; Author, The Connecting Church and Making Room for Life
Ten days after the attacks on the World Trade Center Towers, I stood at Ground Zero and tried to take in the aftermath of one horrific day.
The thoughts of that made me cry out to God, No way! There's just no way evil can be that deep and that dark!
But strangely, while the ashes smoldered around me, and the grief of it overwhelmed me, a profound hope rose in my heart--the local church is the hope of the world.
There were many people and organizations helping out after the disaster. But a work of a deeper kind was happening behind the scenes in downtown Manhattan. The most important work of all was being done by pastors and church members, volunteers of churches, ordinary Christ followers. They were in the middle of all the misery, addressing the concerns of the soul.
It was happening 24 hours a day. That was the untold media story. So many other organizations met the external needs of people, but it was the church that reached out to care for the inner needs of their fellow human beings. The church became the physicians for the souls of people. That experience underscored, yet again, the convictions that have been forming in Bill Hybels for the past 30 years--that the church has an unique mission to fulfill on planet Earth. And that the future of our society depends on whether or not church leaders understand that and focus the vision of local churches accordingly.
Where Bill's heart beats the fastest is with leaders in local churches. He believes to the core of his being that local church leaders have the potential to be the most influential force in the world. If they 'get it,' churches will be the redemption centers for change that Jesus imagined them being.
So that's Bill's hope--that the spiritual gift of leadership will come alive in churches everywhere and, as a result, the church will become the force in the world against which the gates of hell cannot prevail.
Including practical theology of why living out of a place of authentic desire is central to living in the Kingdom of God, Rick McKinley will help you understand how your innermost desires shape your experience of following Jesus.
A Kingdom Called Desire will help you:
* Uncover your core desires
* Discover the freedom of living honestly before God
* Allow God's desires to shape your life
* See how your own unique personality, gifts, and experiences can be used by Jesus in his Kingdom
The results of McKinley's life-changing message can be seen in people from his own community at Imago Dei. While A Kingdom Called Desire will inspire you to see the practical display of Kingdom theology, it will also be deeply formational, allowing you to engage in your own personal journey and find healing and redemption in your unmet desires.
A Kingdom Called Desire will unleash you from stale religious duty, as well as cynical social activism, bringing you into a dynamic love relationship with Jesus, motivated by the fulfillment of authentic desire.
One of the most volatile issues facing the Western Church is also one of the least discussed: homosexuality. Many pastors, church members, and congregations have become tired of the debate surrounding this topic but do not really understand the issues. Pulling away from this controversy doesn't seem to help; it keeps cropping up.
Ninety percent of pastors are aware of members or visitors to their churches who struggle with homosexual tendencies, and the same percentage of churchgoers know a relative or friend who wrestles with this concern. The media, school systems, and nearly every sector of society will challenge Christians to give a reasoned response to the escalating gay agenda. For twenty-five years W. P. Campbell has studied and debated this topic as it relates to Christ's Church. He has come to the conclusion that it will not go away in our generation, but it can be coaxed to find its proper place in any congregation when it is tackled with a firm but loving grip. Homosexuality in the Church is a guidebook to help Christians and whole congregations do just that. It faces the heart of the controversy with the love and compassion of Christ and turns it into effective ministry.
Framed by the most significant biblical passages related to homosexuality and supported by science, psychology and sociology, each of the five parts of the book unfold a unique aspect of God's person and purpose. As our Creator, he has made us to be whole; as our King he has provided laws and guidelines to help us remain that way; as our Redeemer, his power can save us from sin; as our Guide, his light will guide us out; as our Strength, he will make our ministry effective.
As a resource for the church today, this book will:
* Provide readers with a comprehensive overview of the biblical data about homosexuality
* Inform readers about current scientific, psychological, and cultural findings related to same-sex
practice
* Teach readers Christ-like responses to gay rights activists in the Church and help them to know how
to avoid extreme stances about homosexuals and the Church that result in alienating others or in
supporting sexual sin
* Offer guidelines and tools to church leaders for mobilizing a congregation to study this topic and to
engage in ministry to recovering homosexuals
The challenge facing Christianity today is not a lack of motivation or resources, but a failure of imagination.
A growing number of people are disturbed by the values exhibited by the contemporary church. Worship has become entertainment, the church has become a shopping mall, and God has become a consumable product. Many sense that something is wrong, but they cannot imagine an alternative way. The Divine Commodity finally articulates what so many have been feeling and offers hope for the future of a post-consumer Christianity.
Through Scripture, history, engaging narrative, and the inspiring art of Vincent van Gogh, The Divine Commodity explores spiritual practices that liberate our imaginations to live as Christ's people in a consumer culture opposed to the values of his kingdom. Each chapter shows how our formation as consumers has distorted an element of our faith. For example, the way churches have become corporations and how branding makes us more focused on image than reality. It then energizes an alternative vision for those seeking a more meaningful faith. Before we can hope to live differently, we must have our minds released from consumerism's grip and captivated once again by Christ.
