Denominational Concerns
Showing 401–450 of 559 results
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Dear Diotrephes : Whats Our Position
$21.99Add to cartThese letters were written to various friends, critics, and inquisitors who were trying to learn our position on the prevailing issues in the Church of Christ. Asking for help was enough to uncover other issues. Everyone felt compelled to “take a stand” on every issue. I was searching for help due to my failing eyesight and a concern for my wife and six children. When I asked whether James 5:14 had really “passed away,” as they said, where could I go for help? I learned that hardly any of them believed the Bible. They just said they did. I was told that there were 27 branches of us. The introduction of the healing question doubled the number, so we had 54. The Holy Spirit question caused further division, so we had 108 sects. Speaking in tongues, professional clergy, and fellowship issues made 216 socioreligious sects. Voila! How is that for growth?
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For All The Saints
$15.95Add to cart“We have been drifting into a muddle and a mess, putting together bits and pieces of traditions, ideas and practices in the hope that they will make sense. They don’t. There may be times when a typical Anglican fudge is a pleasant, chewy sort of thing, but this isn’t one of them. It’s time to think and speak clearly and act decisively.”
With these robust words Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham, throws down a challenge to current liturgy and practice surrounding All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, and sets out to clarify our thinking about what happens to people after they die. Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory, what it means to pray for the dead, what (and who) are the saints, are all addressed in this invigorating and rigorously argued book. -
Who Runs The Church
$24.99Add to cart“Many Protestants, individually and denominationally, are divided by differences regarding the form of church government. While these differences are not necessarily as divisive as theological and doctrinal issues, they are significant to churches and church leaders and affect the way Christians do God’s work. This book in the highly acclaimed Counterpoints series offers insights and contrasts into four kinds of church government: (1) episcopalianism (hierarchical, with priests, bishops, and archbishops), (2) presbyterianism (a representative form at multiple levels-church, classis/presbytery, synod/general assembly), (3) single-elder congregationalism (pastor-led local autonomy), and (4) plural-elder congregationalism (another form of local autonomy). Each form of government is explored through (1) description, (2) historical development, (3) hermeneutical assumptions, (4) biblical and theological foundations, (5) an understanding of the nature, number, and relationship of church officers, (6) the practical implications. The contributors are Peter Toon of the Anglican Church (episcopalianism), L. Roy Taylor of the Presbyterian Church in America (presbyterianism), Paige Patterson of the Southern Baptist Convention (single-elder congregationalism), and Samuel E. Waldron of the Reformed Baptist Church (plural-elder congregationalism).” EDITOR: Cowan, Steven B.
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Lifetime Of Blessing
$20.99Add to cartIn the same successful formula as ‘World of Blessing’, Geoffrey Duncan has compiled blessings from a great variety of resources to commemorate every conceivable stage of life from planning and praying for a child to bidding loved ones farewell. aaIn between there are a wide range of thanksgiving and blessing prayers for pregnancy, the birth of a baby, adoption and fostering, christening or naming ceremonies,godparents, growing up, starting school, birthdays, confirmation or church membership,friendship, love, work, leaving home, engagement, marriage, moving house, anniversaries, the big’O’s(!)and all important occasions in life-joyful or sad. aaA unique pastoral and personal resource that will be used over and over again.
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Way Of Life In The World
$20.99Add to cartIn this introduction to the core habits, beliefs, and ways of looking at the world that distinguish the people called Methodist, Carter contends there are six essential practices in the United Methodist tradition: Searching the Scriptures; Generosity with the poor; Testimony; Singing; Holy Communion; Christian conferencing.
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From The Parish
$17.99Add to cartForeword
IntroductionPART ONE: ”You Have Made Public Profession Of Your Faith…”
1.Who In The World Are We? Lutheran Nonnegotiables
2.Christ’s Choice For Life: Law And Gospel Applied
3.True Confession: The Spirit Of Augsburg
4.Rerooting In The Community: A Mission Strategy Grows In Brooklyn
5.A Lutheran Spiritual Face In The Public Arena
6.From Pentecost To Politics: How One Parish Tackled The Pornography ProblemPART TWO: ”Do You Intend To Continue In The Covenant God Made With You In Holy Baptism?”
7.Life By Drowning: The Baptized Christian In The World
8.Children Of A Greater God: Catechesis Of The Confessional Heart
9.A River Runs Through It: Evangelism From The Font
10.Bonhoeffer, Youth, And The Church: The Mundane Communio Sanctorum
11.Walking On Water: Mentoring The Next Generation
12.The Habit Of Ecstasy; The Practice Of Prayer; The Journey Of FaithPART THREE: ”To Live Among God’s Faithful People….’
13.The Community Of Grace
14.The Community Of The Word
15.The Faithful Community
16.The Disciplined Community: Law, Gospel And The Solus Christus
17.Confraternities Of Grace: Small Group Ministry
18.Family ValuesPART FOUR: ”To Hear The Word And Share In His Supper….”
19.Eating And Drinking Among The Tombstones
20.Full Communion On The Way Home
21.Embodied Ecumenism: The Unity Of Christ’s Body At The Local Level
22.Assisting Ministers: Identity And Function
23.To Carry God In The Mouth: Singing The FaithPART FIVE: ”To Proclaim The Good News Of God In Christ….”
24.Bishop And Parish
25.The Triune Shape Of The Church: Episcope And The Trinity
26.Lost And Found: Growth And Evangelism
27.Evangelism, Church Growth And The Swinging Door
28.Hirtabrev. Following Jesus To The Breach
29.Hirtabrev. Come To The Table: Koinonia As Missionary AccountabilityPART SIX: ”To Serve All People, Following The Example Of Our Lord Jesus…”
30.The Diaconate: Consecrated DPs
31.Diakonia: A Mom-and-Pop Theological Store
32.Priests And Deacons: Earthly And Heavenly Partnership
33.Servants Of Jesus: Diaconal People Among UsPART SEVEN: ”And To Strive For Justice And Peace In All The Earth.”
34.Parish Schools: Christ, The City, And The Child
35.To Take Care Of The Body: Social Ministry And Evangelism Through The Parish Social Ministry Committee
36.Requiem
37.A Tale Of Three Houses
38.Give Me That Stranger: The Ministry Of Word And Sacrament CAdditional Info
This is a book about the parish, written from the heart of parish life. Its heart is an edited collection of Lutheran Forum articles, with other published work and new material adding dimension to some of the themes explored in these pages. This collection provides diverse soundings of parish life in the Gospel and suggests a Lutheran theology of the parish, but one that is accessible and relevant across the ecumenical diversity of the One Body of Christ. For pastors and lay readers, this book seeks to support the ministry of congregations, as well as inspiring and provoking dialogue in local parishes. -
On Being A Priest Today
$16.95Add to cartThis important book on priestly identity embraces the many contemporary and denominational varieties of priestly ministry; male and female, paid and unpaid, parish and work-based, catholic, evangelical, charismatic. Examining the “root,” the “shape,” and the “fruit” of priestly identity, On Being a Priest Today is essential reading for priests, priests in training, and everyone considering the ministry. Part One “roots” a priest’s human and church life in the theological convictions derived from the Christian understanding of God as being for and with others. Part Two explores the “shape” of priestly life in relation to worship, word, and prayer, each supported by the three key virtues of love, faith, and hope. Part Three examines the “fruit” of priestly life by focusing on three fundamental features of priestly identity: holiness, reconciliation, and blessing.
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Presbyterian Trustee
$16.00Add to cart1. Biblical Models
2. Historical Background
3. The Responsibilities And Powers Of Trustees
4. Professional Ethics And Standards Of Conduct
5. Future Prospects: Administering Christ’s Church With JusticeAdditional Info
The Presbyterian Trustee is a brief, highly useful handbook for trustees in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the first to examine the office. Modeled after The Presbyterian Elder and the author’s own The Presbyterian Deacon, this book explores the biblical models of trustees, the historic background of the office, and the responsibilities of trustees today. Added features include a liturgy for the installation and recognition of trustees, a glossary, and a list of other recommended resources. -
Preaching Hebrews
$15.95Add to cartThe Rochester College Sermon Seminar and the series of books it has inspired have been built on the conviction that Christian preaching today needs revision. Such reforming begins with a close and faithful reading of Scripture, an engagement so serious that the world of Scripture ultimately sets agendas and invents expectations for meaningful life…In this present volume, too, we wish to grant the book of Hebrews the opportunity to pull all of us into the world it envisions, allowing it the power to judge, convict, and form us into a community God desires. This is not an easy task for several reasons, most notably the fact that the world of Hebrews is quite alien from our own…Like previous volumes in the Rochester Lectures on Preaching, the current work is divided into two parts. The first is a collection of four related essays meant to orient the reader to the world clearly conceived in Hebrews. The second half appropriates this orientation with sermons for particular Christian congregations.
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Unveiling Glory : Visions Of Christs Transforming Presence (Student/Study Guide)
$16.99Add to cartWhy did Jesus come to earth in the flesh and live among us? In what sense did he both embrace this world and reject it? How should our view of Christ form the way we live and act as Christians in our families, neighborhoods, nations, and churches? Unveiling Glory seeks to address these topics and others, boldly considering many of the problems facing Churches of Christ today and insisting that the key to their resolution lies in a deeper commitment to Jesus.
The introduction establishes the premise for the book when it declares that “approaching Christ with transformation in mind has not always been a key element in…our heritage. Yet we are convinced that whenever scripture is allowed to speak with its full voice, the notion of Christianity as transformation into the image of Christ becomes inescapable.” The book seeks to deliver on this promise, leading the reader through the important events in Jesus’ life and unveiling their significance for the Christian today.
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Preaching As Prophetic Calling
$20.95Add to cartPreaching as Prophetic Calling is the twelfth in a series of books devoted to presenting examples of preaching excellence from parishes throughout the Episcopal Church. This volume addresses the difficult and essential area of preaching a prophetic word. What does a prophetic sermon look like without being shrill, and without being filled with “musts,” “oughts,” and “shoulds”? This collection of sermons includes examples of prophetic preaching that are visionary and that speak in ways that offer radical comfort as well as radical challenge.
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Gift And Task Of Lutheran Higher Education
$19.00Add to cartWhy should Lutherans care whether there are any ”Lutheran” colleges and universities? Why should people who study, teach, and work in colleges and universities care whether they are ”Lutheran” or not? And, maybe most significantly, what does the continued robustness of Lutheran higher education have to contribute to the church and to life and work in the broader public arena? Tom Christenson has thoughtful and persuasive answers to all these questions, and more.
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Anglicans And Orthodox
$25.00Add to cartElizabeth I deliberately divided her episcopate at the outset of her reign between Geneva reformers and bishops who looked to the Fathers of the Early Church. Thereafter in the Church of England there would always be divines who would be drawn to the Orthodox East. Such men suffered mightily in the 17th century at the hands of the first Puritans and then Whigs when these gained political power, and their suffering impelled them more and more to ‘look to the East.’
This book traces the fortunes of the quest, through the study of Greek texts, involvement in the intricate politics of the Near and Middle East, deprivation and isolation in the Nonjuror schism, and finally the rejection by the Greek Patriarchs of requests for Orthodox Communion in the 1720’s.
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Methodist And Radical
$38.99Add to cartContributors from diverse backgrounds in the United States and around the globe reflect on radical and liberation traditions in Methodism in their own context. In conversation with contemporary Methodism and the Wesleyan heritage, each chapter focuses on the question how radical and liberation traditions provide new visions for the present and future of the church. Contributions include: Ted Jennings Jr., John J. Vincent, Joerg Rieger, Josiah Young Jr., Andrew Sung Park, Mercy Amba Oduyoye, Stephen Hatcher, Jose Miguez Bonino, Harold Recinos, Rebecca Chopp, Cedric Mayson, Jong Chun Park, and Jione Havea.
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Lutherans Today : American Lutheran Identity In The Twenty First Century
$27.99Add to cartIn the middle of the twentieth century, American Lutherans were newsworthy enough to find themselves on the cover of “Time” magazine. Their claim to fame? In an era when American churches were beginning to look and act alike, Lutherans’ strong confessional nature and stress on theology as well as their liturgy and ethnicity set them apart. They were “Protestants with a difference” at a time when differences were supposed to be dissolving in the American melting pot.
Subsequent years have posed serious questions to Lutheran identity, as disputes about the true nature of Lutheranism and the meaning of the Lutheran confessions, the structure of ministry, ecumenism, sexuality, and multiculturalism have all left their mark on Lutheran denominations. In “Lutherans Today” several historians, social scientists, journalists, and other leading experts map out the place of Lutheranism in the landscape of contemporary American Christianity and explore the directions in which it is heading in the new millennium.
Presenting new and original research, the book is divided into two sections. The first examines change and movements within American Lutheranism. Distinguished church historian Mark Noll here sets the scene by arguing that the predicament of American Lutheranism has always been the struggle to remain faithful to the enduring witness of the European Reformation while also accommodating itself to the democratic pluralism of the New World. Six other chapters discuss the Missouri Synod, the “Lutheran Left,” the Called to Common Mission agreement, the evangelical catholic movement within Lutheranism, the rise of “megachurches,” and Lutheran charismatics.
The second section considers trends and issues related to Lutheran identity, including politics and the pastorate, the impact of immigration and multiculturalism, the loss of Lutheran identity at Lutheran colleges and universities, and conflicting patterns of commitment among Lutheran youth.
As a whole, “Lutherans Today” will be valuable not only to all Lutherans but also to those interested in the development and current state of religious life in America.
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John Wesley : A Theological Journey
$38.99Add to cartA chronological presentation of the development of Wesley’s theology. John Wesley remains a seminal figure, not only for “the people called Methodist,” but also within the larger Protestant tradition. Understanding his theology is a requirement for understanding the development of the Western Christian tradition in the modern period.
In recent years much work has been done to grasp the intricacies of Wesley’s theology. However, most of this work has been thematic in organization, studying Wesley’s thought according to a topical or systematic outline. The weakness of this approach, argues Kenneth J. Collins, is that it fails to demonstrate the evolution and changes of Wesley’s theology. What is called for is a historical presentation–one that examines the development of Wesley’s theology across the span of his long and eventful theological career.Drawing on an extensive examination of the primary sources, and demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the different contexts and social locations in which Wesley’s theology took place, John Wesley: A Theological Journey will be necessary reading for anyone wishing to understand the broad scope of the Methodist leader’s theological development and contribution.
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In One Body Through The Cross
$11.50Add to cartThe Princeton Proposal is a landmark statement on the present situation and future possibilities of modern ecumenism. Drafted by sixteen theologians and ecumenists from various church traditions, who met over a period of three years in Princeton, New Jersey, this document seeks to steer contemporary efforts at church unity away from social and political agendas, which are themselves divisive, and back to the chief goal of the modern ecumenical movement the visible unity of Christians worldwide, of all those who are reconciled “in one body through the cross.”
Since the study group that produced this statement was instituted and its participants were chosen by an independent ecumenical foundation, the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology, their “unofficial” work presents especially profound and creative reflection on the ecumenical task. With this report the study group members do not claim to speak for their churches, but hope to speak to all the churches out of shared concern for the founding ecumenical imperative “that they all may be one . . . so that the world may believe.”
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Radical Outreach : The Recovery Of Apostolic Ministry And Evangelism
$26.99Add to cartThis book tells how the contemporary church can reclaim its ancient witness through hands-on ministries with the unchurched.
When it comes to transforming people’s lives and leading them into active Christian discipleship, why does there seem to be such a difference between the church we read about in the New Testament and our own churches today? What was it about those earliest Christians that empowered them to spread the gospel with such startling results? One core reason, says George G. Hunter III, is that they reached out into the communities in which they lived. Instead of building fortress churches and inviting others to come join them inside the walls, the earliest Christians spread out, engaging in hands-on ministries to meet the needs of people where they were. The churches today that have reclaimed this apostolic ministry are the ones that do not rely on worship, or even preaching, to woo the unchurched into visiting them. Rather, they use outreach ministries — everything from recovery groups to English-as-a-second-language classes — to reach those most in need of the healing word of the gospel.
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Life Changing Faith For Today
$10.95Add to cartDavid Monge believes that many modern Christians no longer think carefully about scripture and tradition, because they don’t believe it is essential to their faith — and, he says, that’s strikingly similar to the prevailing situation which confronted Martin Luther 500 years ago. An excellent introduction for laypersons, Life-Changing Faith For Today examines Luther’s thought to discover how relevant it remains to Christians today — and why it is important to all people of faith, whatever their denominational background. Very simply said, the core of his message is that we do not choose God, but He chooses us. Despite our unworthiness, salvation is ours because God loves us beyond all human comprehension. And that’s why we need to rediscover Martin Luther — since his theology is solidly rooted in both the Bible and human reality, it points us back to a radically authentic Christian faith.
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Introduccion A La Teologia Cri – (Spanish)
$22.99Add to cartUna clara, concisa y atrayente introduccion a un campo que esta regresando una vez mas, especialmente entre los laicos comprometidos con el renovado interes en el crecimiento espiritual dentro del contexto de una tradicion eclesiastica. Como historiadores del cristianismo, los autores de este libro ofrecen una introduccion a las doctrinas cristianas tradicionales. Escrito en un estilo claro directo, este libro presenta una resea de las raices, los contextos particulares, y los entendimientos doctrinales de temas como la teologia, Dios, el ser humano, Jesucristo, la iglesia, y la esperanza
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Belonging To God
$44.00Add to cart1. Service For The Lord’s Day: Order With Liturgical Texts
2. Proclamation
3. Resources For The Liturgical Year
4. Special Occasions
5. Alternative Settings
6. Book And Music ResourcesAdditional Info
This exciting new resource for Presbyterian pastors, worship leaders, and educators demonstrates how to incorporate the new Belonging To God catechism into worship services-allowing for the full inclusion of children. The book provides prayers, calls to worship, baptismal resources, confirmation resources, graduation rites, and more, all based on the new children’s catechism. In addition, it includes suggestions for using the catechism in sermons-for children specifically and for the entire congregation-and offers bulletin suggestions, and annotated bibliography, and a comprehensive listing of other catechism resources. -
To God Alone Be Glory
$57.00Add to cartIn this highly useful text, the fruit of extensive study and research, Harold Daniels tells the fascinating story of the history of Reformed worship in America, from the 1600s to the present. He describes the development and objectives of the Book Of Common Worship and explores how the book itself serves as an agenda for liturgical reform within the church. In a substantive second part of the book, Daniels provides the sources of the prayers and other material used in the Book Of Common Worship. Persons involved in planning, presenting, studying, or teaching about Presbyterian worship will benefit greatly from having a copy of this comprehensive resource in their personal library.
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Launcelot Fleming : A Biography
$32.00Add to cartThis is an authorized biography of an accomplished and greatly-loved man – a figure who left his mark on the Church, in the academic world, in scientific institutions, and in the lives of countless people who enjoyed his friendship. Bishop, Antarctic explorer, geologist, sportsman, naval chaplain, and pacifist, Fleming helped to found VSO, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, the Prince’s Trust and the University of East Anglia. Much of the contemporary debate taking place between science and theology can be traced to his thought and initiative.
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Vestments For All Seasons
$29.95Add to cartVestments-the robes, stoles or other items worn by clergy, or cloths used at the altar-not only add beauty to a worship service, but are visual clues to the liturgical season and to the tone of a particular service. The most beautiful and meaningful vestments are often those made for a particular priest, serving in a specific sanctuary. But many shy away from trying to sew vestments, which seem too complicated and difficult to make.
In Vestments for all Seasons, Barbara Baumgarten demystifies the making of vestments-from designing and fitting patterns, to fabric and color selection, to putting on the finishing touches. She provides patterns and directions for producing special vestments for Advent and Lent, Easter, and Pentecost, and general instructions for designing and making vestments completely from scratch. A history of the development of vestments from Roman times to the present is included, as well as a full glossary describing the various vestments worn by clergy.
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Voices Of This Calling
$20.00Add to cartPublished to mark the tenth anniversary of the ordination of women in the Anglican church, this work includes prominent clergy, both female and male, such as Lucy Winkett, Angela Tilby, Una Kroll, Rose Hudson-Wilkin and Rowan Williams. It tells women’s stories about the reality of life as a priest and reveals defining moments in their own personal journey. Influential men in the church also reflect upon the challenges and opportunities that women’s ministry has created for them.
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Echo Of The Soul
$21.95Add to cartFew issues have caused the church more difficulty through the ages than those surrounding the human body. Throughout much of Christian history, spiritual seekers have considered the body to be, at best, a hindrance to spiritual enlightenment, and, at worst, an enemy to be suppressed. Many of our contemporary negative preoccupations with physical appearance, image, and sexuality derive from this ancient and habitual denial of the notion that we were created in God’s image.
In Echo of the Soul bestselling author J. Philip Newell finds that the human body, like creation, is actually the dwelling place of God. Using the Old Testament Wisdom literature, which informed Celtic spirituality’s positive understanding of what it means to be human, Newell looks at each part of the body as a sacred text that reveals something of the Divine. Looking back to a time before Christians began to distrust their physicality, Newell shows that our most ancient texts challenge modern assumptions about love, beauty, sexuality, learning, wisdom, power, and responsibility, and bridges the body/spirit divide.
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60 Second Guide To Denominations
$14.99Add to cartThis easy-to-use, non-biased resource guide to all the major denominations in the US includes a summary of doctrinal beliefs, and is perfect for the new believer or the long-time Christian.
An alphabetical listing of over 300 denominations
Information concerning the church beliefs on over 20 major topics
Brief overview of church group history
Statements of faith
Stands on current issues and events of relevance for today
Contact information for denominational headquarters
A summary of doctrinal beliefs in a completely non-biased manner -
Believing In Jesus Christ
$17.00Add to cartThis book is a clear treatment, in nontechnical language, of the person and work of Jesus Christ, especially focusing on the nature of atonement. The chapters are arranged around several central questions: Who is Jesus? What do the Bible and the church tell us about him? Just what is in the nature of the salvation he offers, and how does it work? Most of all, what difference do the answers to these questions make for the church and for the world?
The Foundations of Christian Faith series enables readers to learn about contemporary theology in ways that are clear, enjoyable, and meaningful. It examines the doctrines of the Christian faith and stimulates readers not only to think more deeply about their faith but also to understand their faith in relationship to contemporary challenges and questions. Individuals and study groups alike will find these guides invaluable in their search for depth and integrity in their Christian faith.
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United Methodist Doctrine
$35.99Add to cartThroughout this book, Scott J. Jones insists that for United Methodists the ultimate goal of doctrine is holiness. Importantly, he clarifies the nature and the specific claims of “official” United Methodist doctrine in a way that moves beyond the current tendency to assume the only alternatives are a rigid dogmatism or an unfettered theological pluralism. In classic Wesleyan form, Jones’ driving concern is with recovering the vital role of forming believers in the “mind of Christ,” so that they might live more faithfully in their many settings in our world.
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Focus On Mark (Student/Study Guide)
$21.95Add to cartCombining scripture text with informative commentary, Focus on Mark is the perfect guide for in-depth adult study. Each book contains study questions, journal meditations, and group activities that encourage spiritual growth and a deeper understanding of God’s work.
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John Wesley On Christian Beliefs
$35.99Add to cartThis is the first volume of The Standard Sermons of John Wesley, transcribed into today’s English. The volumes in this series accurately transcribe Wesley’s eighteenth-century language into a form suitable for today’s readers. Volume 1, 1-20 contains the first twenty sermons, in which Wesley deals with theology. Appropriate for individual and small-group study.
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This We Believe
$19.00Add to cartThis accessible introduction to the Christian faith offers a hands-on look at the whole story of the Bible in an effort to help the person in the pew grapple with what it means to be a Christian in a world of conflicting ideologies and competing claims. This We Believe presents eight beliefs that form the basis of the Christian faith in the Reformed and Presbyterian traditions. This thought-provoking book is sure to inspire conversations and prayers concerning the story of the Bible, our theological heritage as Reformed Christians, and the changing culture in which we live.
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William Sheppard : Congos African American Livingstone
$32.00Add to cartThis comprehensive biography of William Sheppard, the first African American Presbyterian missionary, presents the remarkable story of how an African American born in the South during the era of slavery emerged as one of the most distinguished Presbyterian leaders in American history. The book chronicles Sheppard’s journey to the Congo, details his efforts to challenge human rights violations, and describes his impact on the areas of religion, human rights, education, and art.
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Leading Beyond The Walls
$27.99Add to cartGood pastoral leadership is not a “by the numbers” proposition. It is a matter of heart and soul, of devoting the whole self to the vision God gives for the congregation in which one serves. Yet neither is it purely intuitive; it requires hard, careful thinking about the directions and details of the path down which God calls. When Adam Hamilton became pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, its membership consisted of himself and his family. Ten years later the church averages between five and six thousand worshipers per weekend. Throughout this remarkable period, Hamilton learned many serious lessons about both the broad visions and the specific details of pastoral leadership. Bringing a depth of analytical skills often lacking in visionary leaders, in this book he goes beyond simply telling the story of Church of the Resurrection. He shares the questions that he learned to ask about the largely unchurched population to which Church of the Resurrection has reached out. Further, he demonstrates what he learned by listening to the answers to these questions, and how doing so has made possible a number of strategically crucial decisions the church has made. One of those crucial decisions was to make more traditional forms of worship and praise the center of the congregation’s life. The result is that the example of Church of the Resurrection offers pastors and church leaders (especially those in mainline denominations) the realization that they need not completely change their liturgical and theological identity in order to reach out to the unchurched. Drawing on his own experience, as well as the detailed research on the characteristics of highly successful congregations he undertook during a sabbatical leave, Hamilton offers pastors and other church leaders solid, substantive thinking on steps that congregations can take to become centers of vibrant outreach and mission.Also available in:Adobe Ebook 9780687026753Microsoft Ebook 9780687027491
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Womans Place : Leadership In The Church
$17.99Add to cart“Women have achieved relative parity with men in virtually every area of society–except the church,” writes C.S. Cowles, challenging the long-held practice and belief that a Christian woman’s place is in the pew but not in the pulpit, lectern, boardroom, or other places of leadership. Through a careful study of key biblical texts, Cowles refutes what he terms the church’s “institutional discrimination against women” and calls for it to open leadership positions to “whomever the Holy Spirit should call and whomever evidences gifts for public ministry, without regard to race, social class, or gender.” “It is time for the church to discover the richness, beauty, and spiritual power that can be released only through the full expression of women’s unique gifts and special sensitivities.”
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Fire And Wind
$24.00Add to cartA collection of essays and sermons by prominent Presbyterian theologians and leaders on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and its application for the faithful today. This is a companion piece to Confessing the Faith Today (both are collections of presentations made at convocations on important topics).
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Discovering Hope : Building Vitality In Rural Congregations
$17.99Add to cartGod’s Spirit is breathing new vitality into rural congregations! Hear what 26 effective rural congregations have to say about God’s activity in and through them. In these stories, you can explore the best practices for vital ministry and identify action steps for your own setting.
Use Discovering Hope: Building Vitality in Rural Congregations on your own, in a group, or at learning events involving many congregations. For a “virtual visit” of the three congregations highlighted in chapter 1, see the companion video, Stories of Hope in Rural Congregations .
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Beyond Colonial Anglicanism
$38.95Add to cartProvocative writings by a cadre of international authors examine the nature and shape of the Communion today; the colonial legacy, economic tensions and international debt; sexuality and justice; the ecological crisis, violence and healing in South Africa; persecution and religious fundamentalism; and more.
