The Best Christian Writing 2002

The Best Christian Writing 2002 PDF Author: John Wilson
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0060094834
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 338

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Book Description
Presents a compilation of writings that explore the variety of Christian belief, practice, and faith in modern society, with contributions from a wide range of Christian authors.

The Best Christian Writing 2002

The Best Christian Writing 2002 PDF Author: John Wilson
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0060094834
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 338

Get Book Here

Book Description
Presents a compilation of writings that explore the variety of Christian belief, practice, and faith in modern society, with contributions from a wide range of Christian authors.

The Throne, the Lamb & the Dragon

The Throne, the Lamb & the Dragon PDF Author: Paul Spilsbury
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 9780830877386
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 160

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Book Description
The book of Revelation has long intrigued, puzzled and even frightened its readers. Surely it is the most misunderstood book in the Bible. And some faulty interpretations of Revelation are so entrenched in the consciousness of Christians that they are regarded as "gospel truth" and provide riveting plot lines for end-time fiction. But behind the ancient multimedia show that is Revelation lies a message both simple and profound. It is told in a language and grammar of faith that was clearly understood by its first Christian audience. Much as a music video would scarcely have been understood by first-century citizens, though it is immediately understood by youthful audiences today, so we are puzzled by and misread Revelation. Paul Spilsbury has studied Revelation in the company of its best interpreters, those who have taken the time to enter the minds of the first-century Christians for whom it was originally written. And what has he found? Within the central images of a throne, a lamb and a dragon lies the answer-- the gospel clearly proclaimed the glory of God awesomely illumined the work of Christ memorably embodied the nature of evil hauntingly disclosed Here is a guide that will help us hear Revelation speak, once again inspiring grateful worship and calling us to costly discipleship.

Where Is God When It Hurts?

Where Is God When It Hurts? PDF Author: Philip Yancey
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0310864712
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 289

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Book Description
Gold Medallion Book Award Winner. Over a million copies sold. An inspirational classic for more than thirty years,?Where Is God When It Hurts??honestly explores pain—from physical wounds to emotional and spiritual pain—and sheds new light on God's presence in our suffering. "How can a loving God allow this to happen? God is either all-loving or all-powerful, but he can't be both." You've heard that question, and perhaps you've even asked it yourself. When a loved one dies, we receive a terminal diagnosis, or natural disasters strike, people often wonder whether God is the?cause?of suffering and why he doesn't immediately take away the pain or fix the situation. As a result, we become angry at the once-beloved God who betrayed us. Bestselling author Philip Yancey uses examples from the Bible and from his own experiences to show us how we can learn to accept—without blame, anger, or fear—what we don't understand. Along the way, he answers questions such as: Why is there such a thing as pain? Is pain a message from God? How should we respond to suffering? How can we learn to cope with pain? Where Is God When It Hurts??speaks to everyone who thinks that suffering doesn't make sense. With compassion and clarity, Yancey brings us one step closer to finding an answer when our pain, or the pain of those we love, is real and we are left wondering,?where is God when it hurts? "One of the most helpful treatments of the problem of evil that I've ever read. If I were looking around for something to give to individuals who are going through travail or difficulty, this is the book I'd recommend." —Dr. Vernon Grounds, former Chancellor of Denver Seminar

100 Christian Books that Changed the Century

100 Christian Books that Changed the Century PDF Author: William J. Petersen
Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Company
ISBN: 9780800757359
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 216

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Book Description
In the twentieth century, a vibrant evangelical culture emerged. The authors explore the key books that influenced the dramatic changes of the past one hundred years.

The Best Christian Writing 2004

The Best Christian Writing 2004 PDF Author: John Wilson
Publisher: Jossey-Bass
ISBN: 9780787969646
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 248

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Book Description
This collection of the finest contemporary Christian writing is "a prime example of diverse beliefs among Christians." — Los Angeles Times This year's volume brings together an elegant and engaging array of essays by Christian luminaries tackling relevant issues. These writers distill the riches of belief into lucid explorations of faith and truth, reflecting the many dimensions of today's Christianity. Includes contributions from a diverse group of distinguished writers: David Batstone J. Bottum Andy Crouch Scott Derrickson Jennifer Holberg Philip Jenkins Douglas Jones Jeremy Lott Frederica Mathewes-Green Wilfred M. McClay Kathleen Norris Julie Polter The Preacher James Calvin Schaap Lewis B. Smedes John D. Spalding Tim Stafford James R. Van Tholen Lauren F. Winner Albert Louis Zambone Wendy Murray Zoba

Where the Light Fell

Where the Light Fell PDF Author: Philip Yancey
Publisher: Convergent Books
ISBN: 0593238524
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 321

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Book Description
In this searing meditation on the bonds of family and the allure of extremist faith, one of today’s most celebrated Christian writers recounts his unexpected journey from a strict fundamentalist upbringing to a life of compassion and grace—a revelatory memoir that “invites comparison to Hillbilly Elegy” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). “Searing, heartrending . . . This stunning tale reminds us that the only way to keep living is to ask God for the impossible: love, forgiveness, and hope.”—Kate Bowler, New York Times bestselling author of Everything Happens for a Reason Raised by an impoverished widow who earned room and board as a Bible teacher in 1950s Atlanta, Philip Yancey and his brother, Marshall, found ways to venture out beyond the confines of their eight-foot-wide trailer. But when Yancey was in college, he uncovered a shocking secret about his father’s death—a secret that began to illuminate the motivations that drove his mother to extreme, often hostile religious convictions and a belief that her sons had been ordained for a divine cause. Searching for answers, Yancey dives into his family origins, taking us on an evocative journey from the backwoods of the Bible Belt to the bustling streets of Philadelphia; from trailer parks to church sanctuaries; from family oddballs to fire-and-brimstone preachers and childhood awakenings through nature, music, and literature. In time, the weight of religious and family pressure sent both sons on opposite paths—one toward healing from the impact of what he calls a “toxic faith,” the other into a self-destructive spiral. Where the Light Fell is a gripping family narrative set against a turbulent time in post–World War II America, shaped by the collision of Southern fundamentalism with the mounting pressures of the civil rights movement and Sixties-era forces of social change. In piecing together his fragmented personal history and his search for redemption, Yancey gives testament to the enduring power of our hunger for truth and the possibility of faith rooted in grace instead of fear. “I truly believe this is the one book I was put on earth to write,” says Yancey. “So many of the strands from my childhood—racial hostility, political division, culture wars—have resurfaced in modern form. Looking back points me forward.”

Symbolic Blackness and Ethnic Difference in Early Christian Literature

Symbolic Blackness and Ethnic Difference in Early Christian Literature PDF Author: Gay L Byron
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134544006
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 248

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Book Description
How were early Christians influenced by contemporary assumptions about ethnic and colour differences? Why were early Christian writers so attracted to the subject of Blacks, Egyptians, and Ethiopians? Looking at the neglected issue of race brings valuable new perspectives to the study of the ancient world; now Gay Byron's exciting work is the first to survey and theorise Blacks, Egyptians and Ethiopians in Christian antiquity. By combining innovative theory and methodology with a detailed survey of early Christian writings, Byron shows how perceptions about ethnic and color differences influenced the discursive strategies of ancient Christian authors. She demonstrates convincingly that, in spite of the contention that Christianity was to extend to all peoples, certain groups of Christians were marginalized and rendered invisible and silent. Original and pioneering, this book will inspire discussion at every level, encouraging a broader and more sophisticated understanding of early Christianity for scholars and students alike.

God at Work

God at Work PDF Author: Gene Edward Veith Jr.
Publisher: Crossway
ISBN: 143351608X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 178

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Book Description
When you understand it properly, the doctrine of vocation—"doing everything for God's glory"—is not a platitude or an outdated notion. This principle that we vaguely apply to our lives and our work is actually the key to Christian ethics, to influencing our culture for Christ, and to infusing our ordinary, everyday lives with the presence of God. For when we realize that the "mundane" activities that consume most of our time are "God's hiding places," our perspective changes. Culture expert Gene Veith unpacks the biblical, Reformation teaching about the doctrine of vocation, emphasizing not what we should specifically do with our time or what careers we are called to, but what God does in and through our callings—even within the home. In each task He has given us—in our workplaces and families, our churches and society—God Himself is at work. Veith guides you to discover God's purpose and calling in those seemingly ordinary areas by providing you with a spiritual framework for thinking about such issues and for acting upon them with a changed perspective.

Twelve Ordinary Men

Twelve Ordinary Men PDF Author: John F. MacArthur
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 141856737X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 188

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Book Description
You don't have to be perfect to do God's work. Look no further than the twelve disciples, whose many weaknesses are forever preserved throughout the pages of the New Testament. Join bestselling author John MacArthur in Twelve Ordinary Men as he draws principles from Christ's careful, hands-on training of the original disciples for today's modern disciple, you! Jesus chose ordinary men--fishermen, tax collectors, political zealots--and turned their weakness into strength, producing greatness from people who were otherwise unremarkable. The twelve disciples weren't the stained-glass saints we imagine. On the contrary, they were truly human, all too prone to mistakes, misstatements, wrong attitudes, lapses of faith, and bitter failure. Simply put, they were flawed people, just like us. But under Jesus' teaching and touch, they became a force that forever changed the world. MacArthur takes you into the inner circle of the disciples--their selection, their training, their personalities, and their incredible impact. As MacArthur took a closer look at the lives of the twelve disciples, he found himself asking difficult questions along the way, including: Why did Jesus pick each of the twelve disciples? How did Jesus teach them everything he could in just eighteen short months? Can the lessons that Jesus taught the disciples can still influence our faith today? In Twelve Ordinary Men, you'll learn that disciples are living proof that God's strength is made perfect in weakness. As you get to know the men who walked with Jesus, you'll see that if he can accomplish his purposes through them, he can do the same through you.

Almost Christian

Almost Christian PDF Author: Kenda Creasy Dean
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199758662
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 266

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Book Description
Based on the National Study of Youth and Religion--the same invaluable data as its predecessor, Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers--Kenda Creasy Dean's compelling new book, Almost Christian, investigates why American teenagers are at once so positive about Christianity and at the same time so apathetic about genuine religious practice. In Soul Searching, Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton found that American teenagers have embraced a "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism"--a hodgepodge of banal, self-serving, feel-good beliefs that bears little resemblance to traditional Christianity. But far from faulting teens, Dean places the blame for this theological watering down squarely on the churches themselves. Instead of proclaiming a God who calls believers to lives of love, service and sacrifice, churches offer instead a bargain religion, easy to use, easy to forget, offering little and demanding less. But what is to be done? In order to produce ardent young Christians, Dean argues, churches must rediscover their sense of mission and model an understanding of being Christian as not something you do for yourself, but something that calls you to share God's love, in word and deed, with others. Dean found that the most committed young Christians shared four important traits: they could tell a personal and powerful story about God; they belonged to a significant faith community; they exhibited a sense of vocation; and they possessed a profound sense of hope. Based on these findings, Dean proposes an approach to Christian education that places the idea of mission at its core and offers a wealth of concrete suggestions for inspiring teens to live more authentically engaged Christian lives. Persuasively and accessibly written, Almost Christian is a wake up call no one concerned about the future of Christianity in America can afford to ignore.