Dear Church

Dear Church
Author: Lenny Duncan
Publisher: Fortress Press
Total Pages: 166
Release: 2019-07-02
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1506452574

Lenny Duncan is the unlikeliest of pastors. Formerly incarcerated, he is now a black preacher in the whitest denomination in the United States: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Shifting demographics and shrinking congregations make all the headlines, but Duncan sees something else at work--drawing a direct line between the church's lack of diversity and the church's lack of vitality. The problems the ELCA faces are theological, not sociological. But so are the answers. Part manifesto, part confession, and all love letter, Dear Church offers a bold new vision for the future of Duncan's denomination and the broader mainline Christian community of faith. Dear Church rejects the narrative of church decline and calls everyone--leaders and laity alike--to the front lines of the church's renewal through racial equality and justice. It is time for the church to rise up, dust itself off, and take on forces of this world that act against God: whiteness, misogyny, nationalism, homophobia, and economic injustice. Duncan gives a blueprint for the way forward and urges us to follow in the revolutionary path of Jesus. Dear Church also features a discussion guide at the back--perfect for church groups, book clubs, and other group discussion.

The Blessing of Humility

The Blessing of Humility
Author: Jerry Bridges
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Total Pages: 139
Release: 2016-06-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1631466240

From the bestselling author of The Pursuit of Holiness We all admire humility when we see it. But how do we actively practice it? Esteemed and established author Jerry Bridges takes a deeper look into the Beatitudes to find a pattern for humility in action. He thoroughly explains what humility is, what the Bible says about it, and the different ways we can exhibit humility in a fallen world. A must-read for Christians in every stage of their journey with Jesus, The Blessing of Humility draws connections between Christ’s teachings, and shows readers how to put humility into daily action. You will glean convicting and lifechanging insights about: Mourning over personal sin Hungering and thirsting for righteousness Showing meekness Demonstrating mercy And more Now with an added study guide for personal use or group discussion so you can dive deeper into this staple of Jerry Bridges’s classic collection. “The writings of Jerry Bridges are a gift to the church. He addresses a relevant topic with the wisdom of a scholar and the heart of a servant.” —Max Lucado, pastor and bestselling author “The Blessing of Humility gives us Jerry Bridges at his best.” —Eugene Peterson, bestselling author “This is not just a message on humility. It breathes of a person who is humbly living out the message that he has put to pen.” —Tom Hughes, author and lead pastor of Christian Assembly, Los Angeles “Throughout this wonderful book, Jerry Bridges shows us the grace found when we walk humbly with Christ and the joy that comes from resting in his finished work on the cross.” —C. J. Mahaney, author and pastor

Evaluating the Church Growth Movement

Evaluating the Church Growth Movement
Author: Zondervan,
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 308
Release: 2010-06-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310872154

What exactly is the Church Growth movement? This timely volume in the Counterpoints series addresses the history of the movement that has become such an enormous shaping force on the Western church today, and it explores--in a roundtable forum of leading voices--five main perspectives on the classic Church Growth movement: Effective Evangelism View - presented by Elmer Towns Gospel in Our Culture View - presented by Craig Van Gelder Centrist View - presented by Charles Van Engen Reformist View - presented by Gailyn Van Rheenan Renewal View - presented by Howard Snyder Each view is first presented by its proponent, then critiqued by the co-contributors. The interactive and fair-minded format allows the reader to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each view and draw informed, personal conclusions. Evaluating the Church Growth Movement concludes with reflections by three seasoned pastors who have grappled with the practical implications of Church Growth. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

Simple Church

Simple Church
Author: Thom S. Rainer
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Total Pages: 296
Release: 2011-06
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0805447997

Now in paperback, this multi-awarded national best seller shares a clear message from case studies of 400 North American congregations: church is done best when it's kept simple.

Leadership for Growing Churches

Leadership for Growing Churches
Author: Clarence Bouwman
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2016-03-02
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1498233880

Would a book on how to lead a successful business answer the question of how to grow a church? The Apostle Paul would think not. Taking seriously God's instruction in the Scriptures Paul had, the apostle instructed Titus what he had to do to grow the church in Crete well--and it was not to follow a business model. This publication seeks to assist today's reader as he works his way through Paul's letter to Titus. Along the way we'll grapple with such questions as -How do you make a church prosper? -What should leadership in a church look like? -What role are individual members to play in the Lord's church? -How does one handle dissent in a church? -How does the church thrive in a culture of deceit? A fresh look at this letter's answers can only be beneficial as one seeks to grow God's way in today's business-minded world.

The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia (Illustrated)

The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia (Illustrated)
Author: William Mitchell Ramsay
Publisher: DigiCat
Total Pages: 349
Release: 2022-11-13
Genre: Religion
ISBN:

The Seven Churches of Asia, also known as the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse and the Seven Churches of Revelation, are seven major churches of Early Christianity, as mentioned in the New Testament Book of Revelation. All of them are located in the Asia Minor, present-day Turkey. This book examines seven messages John of Patmos sent to those churches. According to Revelation 1:11, on the Greek island of Patmos, Jesus Christ instructs John of Patmos to: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamum, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea." Writing, Travel, And Letters Among The Early Christians Transmission Of Letters In The First Century The Christian Letters And Their Transmission The Letters To The Seven Churches Relation Of The Christian Books To Contemporary Thought And Literature The Symbolism Of The Seven Letters Authority Of The Writer Of The Seven Letters The Education Of St. John In Patmos The Flavian Persecution In The Province Of Asia As Depicted In The Apocalypse The Province Of Asia And The Imperial Religion The Cities Of Asia As Meeting-Places Of The Greek And The Asiatic Spirit The Jews In The Asian Cities The Pagan Converts In The Early Church The Seven Churches Of Asia Origin Of The Seven Representative Cities Plan And Order Of Topics In The Seven Letters Ephesus: The City Of Change The Letter To The Church In Ephesus Smyrna: The City Of Life The Letter To The Church In Smyrna Pergamum: The Royal City: The City Of Authority The Letter To The Church In Pergamum Thyatira: Weakness Made Strong The Letter To The Church In Thyatira Sardis: The City Of Death The Letter To The Church In Sardis Philadelphia: The Missionary City The Letter To The Church In Philadelphia Laodicea: The City Of Compromise The Letter To The Church In Laodicea

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Letter from Birmingham Jail
Author: Martin Luther King
Publisher: HarperOne
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2025-01-14
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780063425811

A beautiful commemorative edition of Dr. Martin Luther King's essay "Letter from Birmingham Jail," part of Dr. King's archives published exclusively by HarperCollins. With an afterword by Reginald Dwayne Betts On April 16, 1923, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., responded to an open letter written and published by eight white clergyman admonishing the civil rights demonstrations happening in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. King drafted his seminal response on scraps of paper smuggled into jail. King criticizes his detractors for caring more about order than justice, defends nonviolent protests, and argues for the moral responsibility to obey just laws while disobeying unjust ones. "Letter from Birmingham Jail" proclaims a message - confronting any injustice is an acceptable and righteous reason for civil disobedience. This beautifully designed edition presents Dr. King's speech in its entirety, paying tribute to this extraordinary leader and his immeasurable contribution, and inspiring a new generation of activists dedicated to carrying on the fight for justice and equality.