Holy Smoke! Unholy Fire!

Holy Smoke! Unholy Fire! PDF Author: Robert, C McKibben
Publisher: Energion Publications
ISBN: 1893729397
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 180

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Book Description
Dr. Bob McKibben shares from his heart his understanding of the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit within the local church. Combining his experience as pastor, study, and a commitment to sound Biblical principles, Bob provides a checklist for pastors and churches to use in ministry and worship as they encounter the wonderful presence of the Holy Spirit. This is a pastoral rather than a theological work. Sure enough, it has theology in it. The focus, however, is on caring for the Body of Christ as it experiences the abundant grace of God and the magnificent gifts of the of the Holy Spirit.

Holy Smoke! Unholy Fire!

Holy Smoke! Unholy Fire! PDF Author: Robert, C McKibben
Publisher: Energion Publications
ISBN: 1893729397
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 180

Get Book Here

Book Description
Dr. Bob McKibben shares from his heart his understanding of the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit within the local church. Combining his experience as pastor, study, and a commitment to sound Biblical principles, Bob provides a checklist for pastors and churches to use in ministry and worship as they encounter the wonderful presence of the Holy Spirit. This is a pastoral rather than a theological work. Sure enough, it has theology in it. The focus, however, is on caring for the Body of Christ as it experiences the abundant grace of God and the magnificent gifts of the of the Holy Spirit.

Holy Smoke! Unholy Fire!

Holy Smoke! Unholy Fire! PDF Author: Robert, C McKibben
Publisher: Energion Publications
ISBN: 1631993488
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 180

Get Book Here

Book Description
Dr. Bob McKibben shares from his heart his understanding of the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit within the local church. Combining his experience as pastor, study, and a commitment to sound Biblical principles, Bob provides a checklist for pastors and churches to use in ministry and worship as they encounter the wonderful presence of the Holy Spirit. This is a pastoral rather than a theological work. Sure enough, it has theology in it. The focus, however, is on caring for the Body of Christ as it experiences the abundant grace of God and the magnificent gifts of the of the Holy Spirit.

Soup Kitchen for the Soul

Soup Kitchen for the Soul PDF Author: Renee Crosby
Publisher: Energion Publications
ISBN: 1938434307
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 142

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Book Description
Soup Kitchen for the Soul combines testimony with a challenging scriptural foundation and follows it with specific guidance on how you can get out of your church and make a difference in your community. Each chapter builds on a Bible story and the author's personal experience, and ends with thought questions, and then action questions. References include specific ways in which you can take action on what you have been studying in the book. This book is suitable for personal or small group study, or could be used effectively by an entire church to transform their ministry. In the introduction Crosby says: "Upon entering Seminary, I was required to serve in the community and begrudgingly accepted my assignment, choosing to serve in a soup kitchen. While serving in the soup kitchen, God revealed himself to me in a profound and miraculous way. It was in restudying the scriptures with this new heart knowledge of God that allowed me to see a message of a mission for His people that we lack a connection with today. I began asking, 'What if ... What if I'm not the only one who doesn't understand the whole mission God has planned for us? What exactly are we supposed to be doing? Where in the Bible can we find directives on our missions for God? What if I wrote a book about radically new old ways of doing the gospel?'" Soup Kitchen for the Soul is that book.

In Changing Times

In Changing Times PDF Author: Ronald L Higdon
Publisher: Energion Publications
ISBN: 1631991566
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 161

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Book Description
Being in ministry means dealing with change. In fact, living itself means dealing with change. Church leadership, however organized, will have to deal with change. This book looks at the types of change that might occur in ministry and the difficulties involved and presents practical approaches to dealing with conflict and change in a postive, affirming, edifying way. Chapter titles such as "The Big Picture Provides Perspective," "The Dangers of Listening for the Applause," and "Major on Conversation, Candor, and Compassion" tell a story of practical experience applied to real-world situations. Each chapter includes suggestions for activities and items for reflection. Dr Ronald Higdon, author of Surviving A Son's Suicide, brings his five decades in ministry, including ten years of intentional interim ministry and ten years as an adjunct seminary professor, to extend his hands of encouragement and experience to other pastors. His is practical encouragement because he has lived what he teaches. This book is suitable for individual study, small group study, and particularly colleague fellowship groups.

Inspiration

Inspiration PDF Author: Alden L. Thompson
Publisher: Energion Publications
ISBN: 163199199X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 451

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Book Description
• Is the Bible historically accurate? • Are there any contradictions in the Bible? • If we look too closely at the Bible might we find things that will destroy our faith? • Should I be afraid that some new archaeological discovery will prove the Bible wrong? • How much freedom do I have to interpret the Bible? Combining history, Scripture, and an understanding of human nature, Dr. Thompson takes on the difficult questions regarding the Bible and inspiration. He goes beyond the question of whether you can trust the Bible to ask whether you can trust yourself as you study. This unique study of inspiration uses internal evidence from the Bible text, its history, collection, and transmission to look at the way in which God works through prophets and Bible writers. As an experiential lens, he uses the experience of the Seventh-day Adventist community, of which he is a part, and its reception and use of Ellen White as God’s messenger. This provides an example of someone who produced an incredible volume of written material in her lifetime, yet maintained a great humility and understood her own spiritual experience as one of growth. However, Inspiration: Hard Questions: Honest Answers is not just for Seventh-day Adventists. The lessons, drawn from the experience of one community, have wide applicability as we look at a range of views on biblical interpretation, experience, tradition, and contemporary claims of a prophetic word. All communities of faith would do well to ask the hard questions addressed in this book and to learn from the history and experience of others. Ultimately, the author is addressing a question that comes to all of us: What is God’s will and how can I know it? Can I be certain? To find the answers we need, Dr. Thompson reminds us “We cannot just know Scripture, we have to know God.” In this Second Revised Edition, you will find a new “bridge” chapter, designed to invite readers outside of the Adventist tradition to join in the conversation, as well as a number of minor updates, and a set of beautiful photographs and drawings inspired by scripture, prepared for this edition by Wanda Thompson. It is not enough to determine how the inspiration of scripture works as a theological tenet or a doctrinal point. Ultimately, for God’s Word in scripture to accomplish its mission, we must each be inspired by it as well.

The Politics of Witness

The Politics of Witness PDF Author: Allan R Bevere
Publisher: Energion Publications
ISBN: 193843434X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 90

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Book Description
Can a church that is compromised through dependence on temporal, political power speak with a powerful prophetic voice in the world? As the body of Christ, the church has a prophetic role in the world. Prophets have always spoken clearly to people in power. They have been willing to challenge the decisions made by people who thought they were not accountable to anyone. Sometimes the prophets were respected, sometimes persecuted, but they were never ignored or regarded as irrelevant. So why is it that the church today cannot speak truth effectively to power? In The Politics of Witness, Dr. Allan R. Bevere asks these questions and proposes an answer. The church has come to depend too much on temporal power and has thus forgotten its divine authority. In finding this answer he goes back to the founding of the church and how it first became dependent on the state. He examines those who have followed, mostly building a political theory that takes the responsibility of ministry from the church and gives it to the state. You'll find some names in this that might surprise you. Any discussion of Christianity and the state will involve Emperor Constantine, but what about his modern lieutenants, such as Locke, Jefferson, Franklin, and others? While the theology applies to the church in any country, Dr. Bevere takes a particular look at the peculiarly American view that the United States of America is somehow God's chosen people, a nation of destiny in accomplishing the gospel mission. This book balances brevity with a broad intellectual and historical reach. You will be taken from the founding and foundation structure of Christian theology today to a proposal for how we, as the Church can reclaim our prophetic witness. In the current political atmosphere, every Christian needs to read this book.

Homosexuality

Homosexuality PDF Author: Joseph Walter Miller
Publisher: Energion Publications (EnerPower Press)
ISBN: 163199221X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 142

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Book Description
For many today the issue of homosexuality is easily and clearly settled in scripture. The issue, for them, is one of scriptural authority. One either obeys the command found in scripture or one does not. Yet for others, the scriptural commands are not nearly as clear as claimed, and the issue is not obedience, but rather interpretation. It is not whether one will obey God's will, once known, but determining if, in fact, traditional interpreters have discovered God's will. Joe Miller, Jr., a retired pastor with a deep concern from LGBT persons in his community and church, tackles this subject by examining not just the scriptures, but also the people who interpret them and the theology and science they use to do so. He believes that a scriptural case can be made for the full acceptance of LGBT, and that to truly follow Jesus and care for “the least of these” demands nothing less.

Reframing a Relevant Faith

Reframing a Relevant Faith PDF Author: C Drew Smith
Publisher: Energion Publications
ISBN: 163199123X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 121

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Book Description
Many people expect faith to be inflexible and unchanging. It is relevant because it always has been, at least to them. To admit change is to bring on the end of faith and all of its benefits. Others believe that a relevant faith is by nature shallow and unrooted. Author and educator Drew Smith disagrees. He believes that it is both possible and necessary to reframe faith in such a way that it is relevant to our present society. At the same time, this reframed faith is still a historic faith. It is definitely not shallow and in fact is rooted deeply in the person and teaching of Jesus. Chapters look at why a faith should be progressive, how it can be rooted in the scriptures, the importance of the person of Jesus, and what this means for the mission of the church. Each chapter includes questions for reflection and discussion, making it easy to use this guide in group study. Those who are looking for an alternative to an anti-intellectual and narrow Christianity will find in this book an essential and friendly guide.

So Much Older Then ...

So Much Older Then ... PDF Author: Robert LaRochelle
Publisher: Energion Publications
ISBN: 1631997238
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 95

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Book Description
Pastor and author, Rev. Dr. Robert LaRochelle invites us into his ministry as he shares his experience with some of the most difficult and troubling questions and thought provoking comments he has faced. Through a series of preachings and conversations held in his local church in Connecticut, this book came to be. Within the chapters, Pastor LaRochelle offers his own reflection on each question or statement. He then explains, explores and comments about the discussions that took place on each of these topics, discussions that were actually part of his church's worship service that morning. These are real life spiritual issues and take the reader on a journey through the insights of a pastor and congregation in real dialogue with one another. The reader is encouraged to engage in conversations on these issues in their own homes, faith communities, through social media and in the various contexts in which they live their lives. To this end, suggested discussion questions will be offered at the end of each chapter. Here are some of the kinds of questions and comments addressed in this helpful book: "Pastor, my wife is in the hospital and they think her cancer has spread. Will you keep us in your prayers?" "My 16 year old son says he does not believe in God and never will." "I don't think you need to go to church to be a good person. I will never raise my kids to go to church." "Pastor, can you come and visit my dad? He is dying." "I am just so thankful for all of my blessings!" "I know that when I die, I am going to heaven, where I will see all my loved ones who have died or will die someday." "Some people say the church is a dying institution. What do you think, Pastor?" This exciting book provides an in depth look at a pastor's own self examination in the context of the real life struggles of a community of faith, a local church.

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes PDF Author: Russell L. Meek
Publisher: Energion Publications
ISBN: 1938434951
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 161

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Book Description
What is wrong with the author of Ecclesiastes? Why is there a book in the Bible that tells us that all is vanity? Who is the author? Ecclesiastes: A Participatory Study Guide is the ninth volume in the Participatory Study Series and the first that is a guide to an Old Testament book. There has been much controversy about the correct approach to interpreting Ecclesiastes. Is the author clinically depressed? Should you read the book when you're down in order to find someone who can join you in your misery? Is there anything uplifting in it? There are some who have thought the book doesn't belong in the Bible at all. Russell L. Meek takes a different approach. Through a serious study of the language and of the relationship between the text and that of other Bible writers, he discovers a much more positive message. It is still a book that can help you if you're looking at the troubles and problems of the world. But it is more than a place to find a companion in misery. In its text you can find help from someone who knows the way out, who knows how a person of faith, even if that faith is tried to the breaking point, can find enjoyment and rest in God. Its six lessons are thematic, covering issues such as the date, authorship and literary context of the book, the meaning of the key Hebrew word hebel, traditionally translated "vanity," the theme of death in Ecclesiastes, the way the author makes use of other scriptural text and why this is important to our understanding of the book, injustice, and how we should respond to the troubles of life. It is not just a theoretical study, but always examines how this Bible book can guide us in our lives. This study guide continues the tradition of the Participatory Study Series by helping to model different techniques and approaches for Bible study. The author doesn't just tell you what the text means; he shows you how to discover this and gives you the opportunity to interact with the Bible text for yourself. It's designed for use by small groups, but it is also suitable for individual study. As is the case with each volume in this series, it includes pointers to help with your own Bible study and lists of resources to help guide you.