Author: James B. Twitchell
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1416545727
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 337
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Book Description
Not so long ago religion was a personal matter that was seldom discussed in public. No longer. Today religion is everywhere, from books to movies to television to the internet-to say nothing about politics. Now religion is marketed and advertised like any other product or service. How did this happen? And what does it mean for religion and for our culture? Just as we shop for goods and services, we shop for church. A couple of generations ago Americans remained in the faith they were born into. Today, many Americans change their denomination or religion, sometimes several times. Churches that know how to appeal to those shopping for God are thriving. Think megachurches. Churches that don't know how to do this or don't bother are fading away. Think mainline Protestant churches. Religion is now celebrated and shown off like a fashion accessory. We can wear our religious affiliation like a designer logo. But, says James Twitchell, this isn't because Americans are undergoing another Great Awakening; rather, it's a sign that religion providers-that is, churches-have learned how to market themselves. There is more competition among churches than ever in our history. Filling the pew is an exercise in salesmanship, and as with any marketing campaign, it requires establishing a brand identity. Successful pastors ("pastorpreneurs," Twitchell calls them) know how to speak the language of Madison Avenue as well as the language of the Bible. In this witty, engaging book, Twitchell describes his own experiences trying out different churches to discover who knows how to "do church" well. He takes readers into the land of karaoke Christianity, where old-style contemplative sedate religion has been transformed into a public, interactive event with giant-screen televisions, generic iconography (when there is any at all), and ample parking. Rarely has America's religious culture been examined so perceptively and so entertainingly. Shopping for God does for religion what Fast Food Nation has done for food.
Author: Jay Payleitner
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
ISBN: 0736977287
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 178
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Book Description
How Do You Spend Your Time and Money? Do you think there’s no connection between your choices as a consumer and your priorities in life? Think again. The everyday items you buy—or choose not to buy—say A LOT about who you are as a person and what’s important to you. Consider bestselling author Jay Payleitner’s creative ideas for purposeful purchases, such as… A shower curtain of the earth to remind you of God’s love for the world Comfort food that evokes memories and connects generations The ubiquitous smartphone and whether you need the latest and greatest model Encounter these and 49 other finds on your way to realizing your shopping list from God isn’t about acquiring more material goods, but about living a good life filled with faith and wisdom.
Author: Deborah Kimmett
Publisher: Douglas & McIntyre
ISBN: 1771624000
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 307
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Book Description
Window Shopping for God is a memoir by your average people-pleasing, meaning-of-life-seeking, downward-facing-dog-posing stand-up comedian. Deborah Kimmett has worshipped a lot of deities. After emerging from a rigidly Catholic childhood, she danced with witches, whirled with Sufis and explored the Power of Now like there was no tomorrow. Whether describing her teenage fear of demonic possession (and wardrobe hack for thwarting the Prince of Darkness), the perils of a comedy career (alcoholism, alienation, sexism, etc.), or her reconciliation with her estranged brother as he faced terminal illness (just to up the stakes), Kimmett's writing is unflinchingly honest, laugh-out-loud funny and deeply relatable. As she says, “if you disassociate from your body, it’s called trauma. If you disassociate and get paid for it, it’s called a comedy career.”
Author: James B. Twitchell
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1416545727
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 337
Get Book Here
Book Description
Not so long ago religion was a personal matter that was seldom discussed in public. No longer. Today religion is everywhere, from books to movies to television to the internet-to say nothing about politics. Now religion is marketed and advertised like any other product or service. How did this happen? And what does it mean for religion and for our culture? Just as we shop for goods and services, we shop for church. A couple of generations ago Americans remained in the faith they were born into. Today, many Americans change their denomination or religion, sometimes several times. Churches that know how to appeal to those shopping for God are thriving. Think megachurches. Churches that don't know how to do this or don't bother are fading away. Think mainline Protestant churches. Religion is now celebrated and shown off like a fashion accessory. We can wear our religious affiliation like a designer logo. But, says James Twitchell, this isn't because Americans are undergoing another Great Awakening; rather, it's a sign that religion providers-that is, churches-have learned how to market themselves. There is more competition among churches than ever in our history. Filling the pew is an exercise in salesmanship, and as with any marketing campaign, it requires establishing a brand identity. Successful pastors ("pastorpreneurs," Twitchell calls them) know how to speak the language of Madison Avenue as well as the language of the Bible. In this witty, engaging book, Twitchell describes his own experiences trying out different churches to discover who knows how to "do church" well. He takes readers into the land of karaoke Christianity, where old-style contemplative sedate religion has been transformed into a public, interactive event with giant-screen televisions, generic iconography (when there is any at all), and ample parking. Rarely has America's religious culture been examined so perceptively and so entertainingly. Shopping for God does for religion what Fast Food Nation has done for food.
Author: Jesus For Sinners
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780979974335
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 112
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Book Description
Author: Roland Howard
Publisher: HarperCollins (UK)
ISBN: 9780006281740
Category : Cults
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
An exploration of what happens when the sophisticated comparison shopper goes searching for God. In this light-hearted book, Roland Howard is on a quest for a spirituality strong enough to cope with our cynical post-modern consumer culture. On the way, he has undertaken to guide us through the multitude of religious possibilities, from the weird to the ridiculous. Some search for truth in the rural lifestyle, some even live completely isolated from the modern world. Others simply serve the community, working to save the homeless and the lost, as the faithful have always done. There are even those who embrace the modern world, seeking God in cyberspace and in rave clubs with a different focus. Howard explores them all, with one eye on the experiences of their members, and one eye on the way they have influenced each other. Can we "pick and mix" our path to spirituality, or do some religious values still stand out as significant for humankind? The conclusion could be accepted by open minded Christians, as it simply lists the qualities that the seeker might wish to match against a religion or church.
Author: Jon Pahl
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1725224658
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 288
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Book Description
Christian historian Sidney Mead has observed: "In America space has played the part that time has played in older cultures of the world." In Shopping Malls and Other Sacred Spaces, Jon Pahl examines this provocative statement in conversation with what he calls the "spatial character" of American theology. He argues that places are always imaginatively constructed by the human beings who inhabit them. Sometimes this spatial theology works to our benefit; other times it poses spiritual risks. What happens when our banal "clothing of the sacred" violates our genuine need for comfort and intimacy? Or when we remember that the fleeting pleasures of a shopping trip or a Disneyland escape are designed to fill someone else's pocket rather than the spiritual emptiness in our own hearts? Pahl develops several ways to "clothe the divine from within the Christian tradition." He introduces a theology of place that reveals aspects of God's character through biblical metaphors drawn from physical spaces, such as the true vine, the rock, and the living water. Accessible and thought provoking, this enlightening book provides a better grasp of our particularly American way of lending religious significance to spaces of all kinds.
Author: Jay Payleitner
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
ISBN: 0736977287
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 178
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Book Description
How Do You Spend Your Time and Money? Do you think there’s no connection between your choices as a consumer and your priorities in life? Think again. The everyday items you buy—or choose not to buy—say A LOT about who you are as a person and what’s important to you. Consider bestselling author Jay Payleitner’s creative ideas for purposeful purchases, such as… A shower curtain of the earth to remind you of God’s love for the world Comfort food that evokes memories and connects generations The ubiquitous smartphone and whether you need the latest and greatest model Encounter these and 49 other finds on your way to realizing your shopping list from God isn’t about acquiring more material goods, but about living a good life filled with faith and wisdom.
Author: Celeste Jona
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 1524626767
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 28
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Book Description
Have you ever wanted to shop for the goodness of God and all that He offers to us as His children? His shopping cart is always available to receive what you need at anytime. He offers each of us an abundance for our lives that we can find by just reaching out and taking them off the shelf. Understanding the depth of what God gives to us is never fully attained, but it is the experience that carries us from glory to glory. God's Shopping Cart is just a glimpse of what has been attained and experienced in the lives of many and will be experienced in the lives of many others. The purpose of the book is the tap into the heart of children to build a foundation and into the souls of adults for a rejuvenation.
Author: Sylvia Bryden-Stock
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781962492164
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
When we bring the creator God into our daily life, each day becomes more exciting as we see him manifest what we need in creative ways. Inspired from the author's life experiences, the reader will tap into powerful information and biblical truths related to walking with God and expecting Him to help in time of need. Philippians chapter 4:19 tells us - "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
