Jim and Casper Go to Church

Jim and Casper Go to Church PDF Author: Jim Henderson
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
ISBN: 1414330901
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 208

Get Book Here

Book Description
What does an atheist think about church? Jim Henderson decided that the best way to find out was to ask! So he recruited an atheist—Matt Casper—to visit twelve leading churches with him and give the “first impression” perspective of a non-believer. Week after week, this spiritual odd couple attended services at churches all over the country and documented their experiences at and reactions to each one. Along the way, they found the real value of their journey in the open and authentic friendship that developed as they talked, questioned, joked, and—most important—listened. Follow along with Jim and Casper on their visits, and eavesdrop as they discuss what they found. Their articulate, sometimes humorous, and always insightful dialogue offers Christians a new view of an environment where we’ve become overly comfortable: the church.

Jim and Casper Go to Church

Jim and Casper Go to Church PDF Author: Jim Henderson
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
ISBN: 1414330901
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 208

Get Book Here

Book Description
What does an atheist think about church? Jim Henderson decided that the best way to find out was to ask! So he recruited an atheist—Matt Casper—to visit twelve leading churches with him and give the “first impression” perspective of a non-believer. Week after week, this spiritual odd couple attended services at churches all over the country and documented their experiences at and reactions to each one. Along the way, they found the real value of their journey in the open and authentic friendship that developed as they talked, questioned, joked, and—most important—listened. Follow along with Jim and Casper on their visits, and eavesdrop as they discuss what they found. Their articulate, sometimes humorous, and always insightful dialogue offers Christians a new view of an environment where we’ve become overly comfortable: the church.

Everywhere in Chains

Everywhere in Chains PDF Author: James Casper
Publisher: Ignatius Press
ISBN: 1586178210
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 313

Get Book Here

Book Description
This highly thought-provoking, sometimes amusing and always life-affirming novel illustrates one family's experiences with America's criminal justice system. As Penelope searches for the truth about her father, she rattles the skeletons in her family's closet and shakes up the complacency of her community, which has tried to sweep the past under the rug. With both perception and compassion, the author creates a colorful cast of characters while challenging the wisdom of imprisoning the mentally ill. On the cusp of adulthood, Penelope begins to understand that she has grown-up in a web of silence. The denial in her family and small Minnesota hometown is so thick that she does not know how to cut through it, that is, until she begins a seemingly innocuous pen-pal correspondence with someone in another town. Little by little, Penelope unravels the secrets meant to protect her from the truth. She proves herself to be stronger and wiser than anyone could have predicted and leads the way to healing. Through the lives and interactions of the major characters, this story explores the sprawling psychological geography of America's criminal justice system and its profound effect on everyone it touches, even its most ardent proponents. While dealing with a serious, challenging subject, this book is also filled with warmth and likeable characters. The odyssey of Penelope concludes on a faith-affirming note with a parade of surprising revelations.

Pure Scum

Pure Scum PDF Author: Mike Sares
Publisher: ReadHowYouWant.com
ISBN: 1458732142
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 218

Get Book Here

Book Description
An exhilarating faith life is a tricky business. But ask anyone who's sought after it--from the founders and members of Scum of the Earth Church in Denver to the apostle Paul, from whose letters the church took its name--and they'll tell you it's worth it.In Pure Scum Mike Sares, pastor of Scum of the Earth, takes us along a faith journey, telling the story of how a pretty normal, middle-aged guy met and became friends with Reese Roper and other members of the band, Five Iron Frenzy, and got hoodwinked by FIF and the Holy Spirit into pastoring of a vibrant church full of artists and skater punks.For anyone--pastor, church leader or plain old Christian--who wants to share the amazing grace of God with the ""left-out"" and ""the right-brained,"" Mike's story will show you what this kind of exhilaration looks like, and more importantly, what it costs. It's a tricky business, but it's worth every step and misstep.

Sacrilege (Shapevine)

Sacrilege (Shapevine) PDF Author: Hugh Halter
Publisher: Baker Books
ISBN: 1441237461
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 240

Get Book Here

Book Description
It is safe to say most Christians do not live like Jesus did, have the same influence on people he had, or draw even the slightest curiosity from the on-looking world. Jesus's ability to woo people to him and win their hearts was directly related to how he challenged their assumptions about religion. He not only gave them a unique, personal way to follow him but also showed them how to participate with him in his mission. Sacrilege helps readers rethink what it really means to become like Jesus. It exposes the patterns of thinking that have held the church hostage for years and inspires readers to rethink the way they understand Scripture, family, spiritual formation, conversion, church, sin, and more.

Sundays in America

Sundays in America PDF Author: Suzanne Strempek Shea
Publisher: Beacon Press
ISBN: 9780807072240
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 334

Get Book Here

Book Description
A spirited, spiritual pilgrimage to different Christian churches for a year of Sundays-from storefronts to mega-churches, from Massachusetts to Maui When Pope John Paul II died, Suzanne Strempek Shea, who had turned away from the Catholic Church of her childhood, recognized in his mourners a faith-filled passion that she wanted to recapture. She set out on a yearlong to visit a different church every Sunday for a year-a journey that would take her through the broad spectrum of contemporary Christianity lived in this country, from her New England home to the West Coast, the Deep South, the Midwest, and even to Hawaii. Beginning with a rousing Baptist Easter service in Harlem, including a sing-along at the Cowboy Church in Colorado's Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and a multimedia experience at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church, the largest church in the country, Shea approaches each congregation with the curiosity of a newcomer and with respect for each unique expression of faith. Sundays in America weaves the threads of Christianity in America into a vibrant tapestry, an essential guide for those seeking a new house for their worship, as well as a colorful road trip for the armchair explorer.

Mere Churchianity

Mere Churchianity PDF Author: Michael Spencer
Publisher: WaterBrook
ISBN: 0307459187
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 242

Get Book Here

Book Description
Have you left the church in search of Jesus? Studies show that one in four young adults claim no formal religious affiliation, and church leaders have long known that this generation is largely missing on Sunday morning. Hundreds of thousands of “church leavers” have had a mentor and pastor, however, in Michael Spencer, known to blog readers as the Internet Monk. Spencer guided a vast online congregation in its search for a more honest and more immediate practice of Christian faith. Spencer discovered the truth that church officials often miss, which is that many who leave the church do so in an attempt to find Jesus. For years on his blog Spencer showed de-churched readers how to practice their faith without the distractions of religious institutions. Sadly, he died in 2010. But now that his last message is available in Mere Churchianity, you can benefit from the biblical wisdom and compassionate teaching that always have been hallmarks of his ministry. With Mere Churchianity, Spencer’s writing will continue to point the disenchanted and dispossessed to a Jesus-shaped spirituality. And along the way, his teachings show how you can find others who will go with you on the journey.

Can You Be Gay and Christian?

Can You Be Gay and Christian? PDF Author: Michael L. Brown
Publisher: Charisma Media
ISBN: 162136593X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 305

Get Book Here

Book Description
How do we respond to gay people who tell us how much they love the Lord and experience God's power? What do we do with the argument that the Old Testament laws no longer apply? Brown provides solid biblical answers, clearly written and based on sound scholarship, in a compassionate way that causes the reader to wrestle with the issues and discover the biblical truth. He also provides practical guidelines for ministry, and shows readers how they can resist the gay agenda while reaching out to their gay friends and family.

Struggling with Evangelicalism

Struggling with Evangelicalism PDF Author: Dan Stringer
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830847677
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 154

Get Book Here

Book Description
Many today are discarding the evangelical label, and as a lifelong evangelical, Dan Stringer has wrestled with whether to stay or go. In this even-handed guide, he offers a thoughtful appreciation of evangelicalism's history, identity, and strengths, but also lament for its blind spots, showing how we can move forward with hope for our future together.

How to Be a Christian without Going to Church

How to Be a Christian without Going to Church PDF Author: Kelly Bean
Publisher: Baker Books
ISBN: 1441246533
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 249

Get Book Here

Book Description
As many--young people especially--leave the traditional church in droves, they often still long for a genuine Christian community in which to practice their faith and share their spiritual journeys with others. They want to be faithful but struggle to find a place where they flourish. Whether they've already left the church behind or are merely considering it, readers will find here both heartfelt encouragement and practical steps for finding or creating a community of faith that honors God and offers rest, love, and communion with other believers. Author Kelly Bean broadens our definition of church to include many alternative forms of Christian community. With true stories of those who have given up on church and what they're doing now, this book is also helpful for pastors and churchgoers to help them understand why people leave the church--and what might be done to help them stay.

I Once Was Lost

I Once Was Lost PDF Author: Don Everts
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830875662
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 136

Get Book Here

Book Description
Don Everts and Doug Schaupp tell the stories of postmodern people who have come to follow Jesus. They describe the factors that influence how people shift in their perspectives and become open to the Gospel. They provide practical tools to help people enter the kingdom, as well as guidelines for how new believers can live out their Christian faith.