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Jonathan Marshall, born in 1978, earned his PhD in 2008. He has taught courses at Biola University (La Mirada, CA) and Eternity Bible College (Simi Valley, CA); currently, he serves as Associate Pastor in the Camarillo Evangelical Free Church (EFCA; Camarillo, CA).

""Faith means making a virtue out of not thinking. . . . And those who preach faith, and enable and elevate it are intellectual slaveholders, keeping mankind in a bondage to fantasy and nonsense that has spawned and justified so much lunacy and destruction."" -- Bill MaherMany seem unaware that contemporary critiques of Christianity are relevant mostly to its modern offshoots (whose followers have to some extent earned Bill Maher''s unflattering caricatures). To its detriment, Christianity is increasingly identified in people''s minds with these more recent expressions. As a result, a growing number of people are turning away from Christianity and, indeed, religious faith altogether.Drawing from an eclectic group of theologians, clergy members, monastics, and lay scholars, this edited volume re-introduces Christianity to a modern audience. It presents a more authentic, experiential side of Christianity to the religious skeptic; a side that eschews blind faith, legalism, and judgment; a side that is rarely given a hearing in the ongoing debate with today''s skeptics. Re-Introducing Christianity is also directed at modern Christians, and refutes their most frequently expressed criticisms of what the contributors boldly, but humbly, call the Apostolic Faith.Amir Azarvan is a political science professor at Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and is the editor of Contemporary Faith Magazine (www.contemporaryfaith.com).

Everyone in this world must deal with loss. The hardest loss is losing those we love. There are not many books written about a son's love for his mother, but here in Praying With Mom, Michael Chung chronicles the journey of a son through the last years of his mother's life. Through prayer, tears, time, and love, this book is a "voyage of the soul" into how a son spent the last years with his mother and how his God brought him through it all. Many people have trouble with their faith when experiencing the trials of loss, and some even abandon it, being angry at God for not doing more. In Praying With Mom, the author discusses from his heart and soul how he dealt with the suffering of losing the love of his mother.

This work has several objectives: to understand what the problem of idol meat at Corinth involved, to establish the attitude of the Corinthians to this issue - what course of conduct had they followed or proposed to follow and how did they seek to defend their position? - to explain the reply of Paul to the Corinthian inquiry, and, finally, in the process of the exegesis and in the conclusions this study will seek to identify fundamental norms and themes which are operative here as a part of Paul's ethical thought.

This book is a history of the Whore of Babylon image found in the book of Revelation, with an emphasis upon the use and influence of the text on the Brethren of the nineteenth century. The Brethren developed a multi-layered exegesis of the text, using Babylon as a form of vituperative rhetoric through which to vilify all other Christians in order to define their own religious identity. Those with divergent doctrinal beliefs belonged to an epistemological Babylon; those polluted by the world belonged to secular Babylon. Babylon was contagious! It is from the pens of these writers that the Secret Rapture of the Church doctrine developed as a biological ""fight or flight"" response, and a psychological ""fear and fantasy"" response. Whilst the Brethren of the nineteenth century are the central focus, the book will have a wider appeal to those interested in the history of exegesis, hermeneutics, and Apocalypse studies, for it also offers an overview of hermeneutical approaches to the reading of Revelation, a survey of Babylon''s ""afterlife"" throughout the history of the church, and new insights into the ways in which readers, texts, and contexts interact in the broader context of sectarian biblical exegesis.""James Harding is an excellent teacher and a fine scholar with an extraordinarily wide range of interests. This book brings together the apocalyptic book of Revelation with its Brethren readers in the modern world to provide an instructive tale of the tensions between purity and unity in the Christian church, and of the ability of the text of Scripture to evoke powerful emotions and new perspectives when applied in different historical and geographical contexts.""--Graham Tomlin, Bishop of Kensington, President, St. Mellitus College""The complex relationship between biblical texts, individual readers and ''interpretative communities'' is often explored in ways disconnected from the realities of historical and social context. In this book, by contrast, Harding shows by precise and well-documented example how one particular image from the book of Revelation was used by one particular historical community to vilify the other and in the process define the self. The archival work is a particularly strong feature of this study as it roots theory in documented evidence.""--Kenneth G.C. Newport, Professor, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Executive Dean of Education, Liverpool Hope UniversityJames Harding is lecturer in missiology at St Mellitus College, London, and an Anglican priest in the Church of England.

Contents 1 Introduction: The Dismantling and Reassembling of the Categories of New Testament Scholarship 2 Kerygma and History in the New Testament 3 LOGOI SOPHON: On the Gattung of Q 4 GNOMAI DIAPHOROI: The Origin and Nature of Diversification in the History of Early Christianity 5 One Jesus and Four Primitive Gospels 6 The Structure and Criteria of Early Christian Beliefs 7 The Johannine Trajectory 8 Conclusion: The Intention and Scope of Trajectories

This book provides a concise introduction to the main ideas and issues in philosophical theology. While covering a wide range of classic and contemporary perspectives, the text stresses a historical approach, focussing primarily on the development of philosophical theology in the Judeo-Christian tradition.Edward L. Mller is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of Colorado.

""In this superb commentary on Sayers, Laura Simmons brilliantly helps church members and leaders of all sorts recover the task of speaking biblical truth clearly. Not only did this book inspire me immensely with Sayers''s (and Simmons''s) keen theological insights into such topics as how the writing process illustrates the Trinity, but it also offers great suggestions for future study of Sayers. A concise glossary of recurrent doctrinal deviations helps us avoid and combat them, and encouraging excerpts from Sayers''s letters show us the kind of people we need to be to serve God in our present circumstances. This is an exceedingly timely book.""--Marva J. Dawn, teaching fellow in spiritual theology, Regent College, Vancouver""As the institutional church falters, lay theology becomes increasingly important, infusing dogma with new life. In twentieth-century England, the list of such lay thinkers was impressive--Chesterton, Lewis, Eliot, and the least known of this group, Dorothy Sayers. With the publication of Creed without Chaos, readers now have access to the breadth of Sayers''s theology, particularly as expressed in her voluminous letters. In the process, Simmons has provided an important resource for America''s twenty-first-century church.""--Robert K. Johnston, Professor of Theology and Culture, Fuller Theological Seminary""Simmons has done us a great service in writing the first full-length, comprehensive survey of the theology of Dorothy L. Sayers. This enterprise has difficulties. Most of the devotees of Lord Peter Wimsey and many who appreciate the translations of Dante are not interested in theology, and theologians raise their eyebrows and say, ''Sayers?'' For Sayers, however, the novels, the theology, and the translations were all ''variations upon a hymn to the Master Maker,'' and Simmons celebrates the hymn and the value of its theological variations for the twenty-first century.""--Canon John Thurmer, former chancellor of Exeter Cathedral""A thorough evaluation of Sayers''s theological contribution is long overdue. In recent years, attention has been paid to important features of her life, literary work, and fictional writings. This volume, the fruit of more than a decade of investigation into Sayers''s thought, draws on the full range of both her creative writings and her informative letters. In doing so, it further enhances Sayers''s reputation as one of the twentieth century''s most significant and vigorous apologists for the Christian faith.""--Robert Banks, senior research and development fellow, Center for the Study of Christian Thought and Experience, Macquarie University, Sydney, AustraliaLaura K. Simmons (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is Professor of Christian ministries at George Fox Evangelical Seminary.

In this essay the author, George Huntston Williams, explores the views of nature which have been held throughout the history of the Christian church.George Huntston Williams (1914-2000) was Hollis Professor of Divinity at Harvard University. Among his works were The Radical Reformation, St. Anselm, Norman Anonymous, and The Role of the Laity. He was an editor of Harvard Theological Review, and of Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies, and a contributor to the Library of Christian Classics. Wilderness and Paradise in Christian Thought is an expansion of Dr. Williams'' presidential address to the American Society of Church History. It was delivered on the fiftieth anniversary of Frederick Jackson Turner''s famous paper presented to the American Historical Society on the influence of the frontier on American history.Rev. James D. Smith III (ThD, Harvard) is professor of church history at Bethel Seminary San Diego and associate pastor of La Jolla Christian Fellowship.

Mainstream Christianity tends to define salvation exclusively in terms of substitutionary atonement (Jesus died for me so that I can go to heaven when I die).While this is not incorrect, nor unbiblical, this definition of salvation is incomplete. Where does Israel fit into salvation? And what about the covenant? Most importantly, what about the kingdom of God that Jesus preached fervently? How do all of these dimensions that are central to the biblical text and its message fit into the bigger picture of salvation? Salvation in Fresh Perspective: Covenant, Cross, and Kingdom reminds readers that salvation is not centrally about the believer, but about God and his World Renewal Plan. Salvation, when properly framed by the entire text that runs from Genesis to Revelation, is not all about me and Jesus, but about God and his plan to renew the creation through the Jewish Messiah and his covenant people. Salvation in Fresh Perspective seeks to bring back into focus the often forgotten dimensions of the great story of salvation.""It is a pleasure to commend this book to readers of all theological persuasions. Writing in a sprightly and engaging style, Ayars says things about the Biblical understanding of salvation that will irritate almost everyone in one way or another. Yet if the reader will not reject the irritation, but consider it carefully, it will like sand in the oyster, produce some pearls of fresh understanding and insight for which the author is to be thanked."" --John Oswalt, Visiting Distinguished Professor of Old Testament, Asbury Theological Seminary""We are indebted to Matt Ayars for taking the recent, and sometimes heated, conversation on the ''New Perspective'' on Paul and especially his Roman Epistle, to a novel but necessary level. That novel level is to move the discussion beyond one that is confined to the Pauline take on justification by faith, and reflect on how the contributions of the ''New Perspective'' may shed light and insight on the New Testament''s reading of what the Wesleyans call the sanctified life. In the process Matt helps us to see that the doctrine of penal substitution as an explanation of Christ''s Calvary death, while deeply enshrined in evangelical tradition, is on target but does not reflect the whole of biblical truth on this epochal event. Specifically, Matt demonstrates, magisterially in my judgment, that the penal substitution theory ends up emphasizing individual salvation (get saved and then you will go to heaven) to the exclusion of emphases such as salvation understood as also involving the reestablishment of Christ''s reign on earth. Also, he observes correctly that any understanding of salvation, using the term in its broadest sense, must emerge from a reflection not only on Christ''s priestly office (as in the penal substitution construct), but also from a reflection on Christ''s prophetic and especially his royal office. I highly recommend this text.""--Victor P. Hamilton, Professor Emeritus, Old Testament Studies, Asbury UniversityMatthew I. Ayars is the President of Emmaus Biblical Seminary of Haiti and currently completing his PhD on biblical Hebrew poetry, linguistics, and structural poetics at St John''s College (Nottingham).

Description:What does a Christianity constructed upon and pervaded by a theology of God's unconditional love look like? Aimed at a wide audience, A Faith Worth Living provides one portrait. Chuck Queen weaves together biblical interpretations, theological reflections, and spiritual observations drawn from stories, movies, literature, and common life experiences in his argument for an inclusive Christianity. In a simple, though scholarly informed style, he addresses Christians, students of religion, and spiritual seekers.Key elements of the presentation include: a transformative faith (holistic and non-dualistic), God's dream for the world (kingdom theology), Jesus' nonviolent atonement, the church as a kingdom community, universal salvation (judgment and the cosmic Christ), acceptance of other religious traditions, and the dynamics of a radical discipleship to the way of Jesus.Endorsements:""Why are there not hundreds of teachers and pastors saying what this book is saying? Chuck Queen is faith-filled, intelligent, and honest, and does not let theory get in the way of Christian good sense and Christian good love. Read and be fed!"" --Richard Rohr, author of Everything Belongs and The Naked Now. About the Contributor(s):Chuck Queen (MDiv, DMin) is a pastoral theologian and Christian minister best known in his local community for ""A Fresh Perspective,"" a column he writes biweekly for the Frankfort State Journal on issues of faith and spirituality. These articles can be read at www.afreshperspective-chuck.blogspot.com. Chuck loves helping Christians stuck in old paradigms embrace a more inclusive, credible, compassionate, and transformative faith.

Here's a guide for English grammar that reads as easily as a story. It is a fresh, simple approach to the basic fundamentals of proper English form. The author, an experienced, accomplished thirty-year business executive enjoying a second career as a university instructor, is in sync with the reader early through interesting stories and illustrations. He takes the reader on a personal, one-step-at-a-time journey through proper form. Proper Form, Pure and Simple targets the bright individual who got a slow start in English grammar and has never been able to move ahead. It is designed to communicate in understandable terms with the learner who is unsure of his or her language skills. It reaches out to the hesitant, on-the-job professional whose upward mobility requires using proper form. A careful study of this handbook will allow the bright individual to emerge from the embarrassing shadows of poor grammatical structure. This small primer has the power to pump confidence into the student who dreads writing or speaking because of the fear of making grammatical errors. It can rescue the talented executive who is marooned on a plateau because of the lack of skill with written and spoken language. This guide will enable the learner to gain a competitive advantage in a world that demands and rewards the use of proper form.

There are a lot of books about leadership out there. I wanted to stir the pot and make some suggestions that I have not heard yet.Leadership is not about sticking qualities all over yourself, like dozens of ""yellow sticky notes"": ""Today I will learn time management. Tomorrow I will develop integrity."" Mere information is not enough to change us. Data may lead to transformation, but it is not enough to transform us on its own. Leadership is not about ""trends"" and ""buzzwords."" Leadership is about personhood. Personhood is where this transformation truly takes place.Leadership may perseverate into any one of these things (stickies, trends, information, data, and buzzwords), but it is ultimately and ideally about personhood. This may be a philosophical category that the church has left off discussing, but it meant a lot to the ancients. We need to stir some of their depth back into our existence.One's genuine ability to lead comes from one's genuine transformation into the kind of person that is needed for the particular form of leading at hand. Different traits will be called forth from the leader depending on the situation, place, time, and people. It is the person who is the leader and not the trait or characteristic that is the leader. ""Being"" is critical; not just ""doing."" I think a lot of our current reading on leadership is simply about skill-sets. They are important discussions, but that is not all there is. Do not get me wrong, I am not saying you must be perfect to lead. If that were the case, I would not be able to write this book. What I am saying is that your identity is where your true leading comes from, and if you are in a transformational relationship with Jesus the chances are good that your person and identity will deepen over time.

Description:The notion and phrase of ""entering the stream"" has long been an image for merger and union. Most often it is meant to sum up the idea of union with the Divine Principle or God. Less often, yet still common, it is used to image the union of ideas, bodies, and movements.The sense that one thing folds into or flows into another and gets lost is still a major underpinning toward the belief that there is some ""ah ha"" moment in life where we are able to drift out of simple, commonplace existence and enter the field of ALL knowing. We believe that there can be and is a moment of merger (a born-again instant), an awakening to something outside of what it means to be singularly dual.It is not by chance that the two sacramental rites within Christianity that have the deepest roots in the gathered community over time--reaching down into the loam of our existence--are Baptism and Eucharist. The first--the initiation rite--is about dissolving into God and His mercy and forgiveness. We enter into Him and the fullness of His Kingdom. We are overwhelmed by the waters and emerge a new creature. The second--the continuation rite--is about God dissolving into us. He enters us bringing the fullness of His Kingdom. We ingest God (depending upon your theology) in either image or fact and we emerge a new creature.The poems that follow are about this ""axis of consumption,"" this ""axis of dissolving"" in our lives. We are swallowed up by God. We swallow up God.Endorsements:""We live our lives, day to day, thinking tens of thousands of thoughts. And as Deepok Chopra, the renown Hindu philosopher, so brilliantly stated, we are not merely a collection of thoughts, we are the thinker of those thoughts. It's the space in between those thoughts where you and I, as individuals, dwell . . .It is my sincere hope for you that, as a searcher for both the meaning in and meaning of life, you will continue to read what you now hold in your hands. It is an exceptional book written by an exceptional person. Tom's gift of writing both insightful prose as well as eloquent poetry will transform you and take you to a place very few in life will ever arrive: face to face with yourself and your God.""--Glenn WalshAdjunct Professor of Humanities and World ReligionsTemple UniversityAbout the Contributor(s):Tom Johnson-Medland is the Food Services Manager for Pocono Plateau Camp and Retreat Center in Cresco, Pennsylvania. He is the author of Turning Within (1998). Tom continues to publish articles on end-of-life issues, spiritual direction and formation, and food service management. He lives at the camp with his wife Glinda and sons Zachary and Josiah.

Description:""Go and make disciples . . ."" It's one of the most familiar phrases in the Bible, but one of the most puzzling and challenging to see fulfilled. How does one ""make"" a disciple? What's the cost? What's the reward? Why do so many Christians struggle with this Great Commission directive from the Lord? This book presents seven clear, biblical principles of ministry for serious Christians who want to have significant personal ministries. It gives encouragement, motivation, and practical instruction for success in making disciples for Jesus Christ. These are principles such as ""Be what you want others to be,"" ""Give your life to people, not just your knowledge,"" and ""Don't use people to build your ministry; use your ministry to build people."" This book will deepen your appreciation for the power of lay ministry and help you be a disciple-maker for Christ, right where you are. Endorsements:""Jim Cunneen is passionate and insightful when it comes to lasting ministry. Using Jim's principles, I am privileged to personally have laborers for Christ multiplying in Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, China, Indonesia, Chicago, Wichita, etc. Please read this book! This is the way Jesus did it.""-Ron ShimkusCampus Director and Staff Trainer, RetiredThe Navigators""There are many theoretical treatises on discipleship that approach the topic from a distance. Here is a guide for making disciples that is not only absolutely biblical, but that is eminently practical and life-changing when first lived out by an average, radical Christian, and then shared with another person who wants to know God and live for him.""-W. Thomas WarrenAuthor of Sin Less: The Christian's War Within""James Cunneen gives us all practical and scriptural guidance in personal disciple-making from his lifetime of experience. This book is a field manual for those who want to see Christ change lives, not just adjust theologies. It is significant help to any Christian in ministry, including pastors!""-Joel C. HunterSenior PastorNorthland-A Church Distributed""This book will show you what Jesus meant when he said, "" Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men."" It will give you a toolbox for discipleship that will not grow old or wear out. With Jim's help I have used these tools for more than twenty-five years and have seen the fruit.""-Fred Franz Governing ElderNorthland-A Church Distributed ""If you want to impact lives for eternity, then this is the man to learn from. Read and apply and your life will take on new purpose and meaning to the glory of God!""¬-Pete AlwinsonSenior PastorWillow Creek Church, Winter Springs, FloridaAbout the Contributor(s):James Cunneen is involved in evangelism and disciple-making in the Central Florida area with Life To Life Ministries.

In this third volume of his ""Adventures in Spirituality"" trilogy, Dr. Robert Vande Kappelle travels from Amsterdam to Cairo in search of his cultural and spiritual roots, inviting readers to join him in exploring fabled places across the Mediterranean World. Despite the grave problems centered in this region, it is the birthplace of Western civilization and the source of the world's three guiding religions. Readers unfamiliar with the emergence and development of Western civilization will find Into Thin Places a compelling introduction; others will discover here a new perspective.Affirming the human quest for adventure, meaning, and wholeness, Professor Vande Kappelle beckons adventurers to enjoy the wonderful experiences described in the book's ""travel entries."" Those seeking historical and cultural perspective will want to examine the numerous ""explanatory entries"" scattered throughout the narrative. These vignettes expand and deepen the storyline, piquing curiosity about seminal events, persons, and places that helped shape Western sensibility.As Dr. Vande Kappelle points out in his closing chapter, our world is in a state of crisis, precipitated by numerous factors but primarily by the loss of the sacred. ""Whether the current crisis is curable is debatable, but it will clearly require massive cultural reorientation. More importantly, it will require a transformation of the human spirit and a commitment of will."" Into Thin Places encourages readers to find ""thin places""--places transparent to the divine--in their own transformative journeys of discovery.

Description:Have you ever met someone who changed your life? Have you ever met someone who left you speechless? Have you ever met someone who left you amazed? Have you ever met someone that left you awestruck?It was an everyday occurrence when real people encountered Jesus for the first time. Time after time they found their lives turned upside down after their encounter. There was the career fisherman who dropped his nets and found his cross. There was the crippled man taking his first steps. The blind opened their eyes to see Jesus for the first time. There was the woman who bled for more than a decade who rejoiced in her first day of relief. There was the father who welcomed his daughter back to life.The Gospel of Mark captures these encounters and more. These weren't everyday encounters. These were life-altering events that changed the course of history one life at a time. Mark shows everyday men and women left awestruck by their encounters with God in the flesh finding new life and fresh perspective each step of the way. The best part is that God still desires those encounters for us today.Endorsements:""Tim Cooper knows the Word of God and has the gift of putting it down on the 'bottom shelf' where everyone can be blessed by it. In his latest book he does just that as he takes these 'Jesus encounters' in the gospel of Mark and shows how they can transform your life, marriage, home, and church. You will be enriched as you use this book for personal devotions or in preparing to preach and teach the gospel.""--Wally RendelDirector of Church RelationsCincinnati Christian University""This latest book is just another reason I believe Tim Cooper is one of the best young leaders in the church today. His insight coupled with his understanding of scripture result in a compelling tool for today's journey.""--Philip LingThe Ling Group""When you encounter Jesus one-on-one, your life changes forever. It really does. As you read these pages you will clearly see that Tim's life has and that yours can, too!""--Mike BreauxTeaching PastorHeartland Community ChurchAbout the Contributor(s):Tim Cooper is the Lead Pastor of Momentum Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky-a community of hope, passion, and change-where he lives with his beautiful wife, April, three children, Makayla, Trace, and Lilly Grace, and their Golden Doodle, Summer.

Description:Divorce, the termination of marriage, currently affects approximately one out of two marriages in the United States. There is no guarantee for those attending church required marital preparation classes or by celebrating a religious ceremony that the union will not conclude in the tragedy of divorce. As the Church lists marriage as a vocation (a call from God), it is quite evident that in many cases God is not a part of the lived out experience of many married couples. Though much literature has been written on this topic, December Roses details the thought processes associated with the planning and execution of a divorce and the painful emotions and feelings which occur, while at the same time providing a means of prayerful healing for those involved in the divorce situation.Divorce touches many issues and feelings. As marriages die and friendships are broken, the pain cries out for healing. Pastorally, through case study, reflection, and prayer, the issues inherent in any divorce are brought forward to the healing movements of God.As a priest for twenty-six years, I have witnessed, counseled, and cried with family, friends, and parishioners as divorce took its toll on very good people. This book is written with the faith that God is greater than our human moments of grief. Through God's compassion, healing is possible. Endorsements:""I am grateful to Father Hector for his unique and complex insights into marriage and divorce. In my experience, this is a one-of-a-kind reflection on the beauty of marriage and the horror of divorce. He relates all to the Word of God in scripture and thus gives solidity and truth to his understanding . . . This book is a must read for all seminarians and clergy whom he invites to 'open the door' and to identify with the human suffering shared by all.--Sister Josephine Stewart Sister of St. Mary of Namurauthor of Letting Go: The Way to Abundance""Father Hector hits an eloquent stride on a topic he knows well. This book contains clarity, God, humanness, and the emotional cacophony of divorce . . . told through the pen of a pastor. For those who ask what a celibate priest could possibly understand about marital relationships, the very rich answer is in December Roses.""--Greg Mills President of Catholic Divorce MinistryAbout the Contributor(s):Hector M. Medina is a Roman Catholic priest for the Diocese of Ft. Worth, Texas. Ordained in 1984, he has worked on the parish, diocesan, and national level with divorced persons. A composer with four songs listed with Oregon Catholic Press, he is currently pastor of St. Matthew Catholic Church in Arlington, Texas.

Sermon structure has been deemed an important component of preaching throughout the history of preaching by preaching instructors and practitioners alike. Many have made a case for the bearing that sermon structure has for the effective preaching of Scripture. However, sermon structure when incorporated in a sermon often is not as serviceable as it could and should be! This book provides instruction for how sermon structure can serve to principlize Scripture by using statements of theological principle in the sermon outline. Therefore, the timelessness and the timeliness of Scripture are prioritized through statements of theological principle providing doctrinal accuracy and personal relevance which are apparent in the outline of the sermon. How Effective Sermons Advance provides a thorough and comprehensive treatment on the highly significant matter of sermon structure.

Apostles! Didn't they all die out at the end of the first century? Didn't I hear a person using that title on my radio? Today, this theological debate rages: in these last days, is God again raising up apostles with first-century capabilities? Certainly Bertril Baird knows the answer. In a ministry spanning five decades, this ""Admiral"" has brought hope and deliverance throughout the Caribbean region, the Americas, Africa, and India. God has uniquely prepared him to take up this debate. Thanks to his countless stories, in-depth biblical and historical knowledge, as well as balanced perspective, you will gain fresh insights into the mindset, outcomes, and supernatural tools needed to exercise the Admiral Gift.

Description:Metrospiritual: The Geography of Church Planting is about church planting in the city. There is an outpouring of new expressions of church being started throughout metro areas across North America. Where are these new churches being started? Maybe a more subterranean question is, ""Why""? Why are churches being started where they are and why is there is a bias towards one part of the city and an overall neglect of other parts? Metrospiritual explores these questions and more as it builds off of recent research and surveys of hundreds of church planters in seven large cities in the United States and Canada. There is a deeper look at pivotal issues such as gentrification, the Creative Class, community transformation, urban renewal, and the role new churches play in all of these.Endorsements:""It is important for church planters who hope to affect their cities to put on new glasses. Sean Benesh has successfully provided such a tool. By looking at not only the raw data of a city but its life--its laments as well as what brings joy--along with a deep theological impetus, we are brought into the grand and possible challenge of planting in an urban context. Both needed and timely!""--Rob FairbanksPresidentChristian Associates International""I really enjoyed Sean Benesh's Metrospirtual: The Georgraphy of Church Planting. I found it fresh, challenging, and comprehensive of things that are critical in selecting and identifying the community in which to work and the issues at play in the community. I highly recommend every church planter to devour it slowly.""--Bob Roberts Jr.Senior Pastor NorthWood Church ""In recent decades there have been a number of helpful books on church planting. They generally fall into two categories: a successful church planter who presents a formula or a technical approach that is highly theoretical. Sean Benesh avoids both extremes. His approach is both accessible and based on good research. Throughout the book there are many personal anecdotes drawn from his own church-planting experiences in a number of cities. His concern is for the urban context. He knows how to exegete the city. And he identifies the Creative class as a primary group to engaged because they shape the culture and set a course for the future of the location. It is rare to find an author who is both a skilled practitioner and an academically trained theoretician.""--Eddie GibbsSenior Professor of Church GrowthFuller Theological SeminaryAbout the Contributor(s):Sean Benesh is planting the Ion Community, a church in metro Vancouver, BC, Canada. He teaches as an adjunct professor in the areas of a theology of the city, community transformation, and other urban issues. Sean has been involved in church planting both as a planter and a strategist, in addition to being a hiking and mountain biking guide.

The Fly in My Eye is a reflection of an illusion. It is the mirror of my creature self declaring itself as real to the eye of the beholder. Yet the human self would fade away into its parent nothingness but for the trance of the image it beholds. Enamored of its own appearance, regardless the truth of the echo, the affair with the dream continues. Narcissus sees himself time after time in the clouded pond and falls for it; hook, line and sinker. He is king in his own mind only. They say it's great to be the king, but of what, I say. If it be a ragged throne in a hellish realm, of what value to the soul is it? I have chosen to stand beside my King, instead of displacing Him. The position is not as exalted by the world, but instead of the king of hell, I claim Prince of the eternal Kingdom. I inherit now, and forever, the gifts of joy, peace, wholeness, and freedom. I relinquish title to the nightmare dream; giving up only pain, guilt, discord, and death. I choose to accept the reality of my eternal being and deny, once and for all time, the temporal, chaotic, and completely insufficient life of the world of man. I will stay for awhile, but only to convince you, my brothers and sisters, to join me and journey to a better reality. Know the fly you see in your eye is but a frail wisp of a dream, destined to fade away into the illusory mysts from whence it sprang, dissolving now as we lean in the direction of truth. Clear the reflecting fly from your eye and see henceforth with the one, eternal Mind that unifies us as brothers in Christ.

What if there were seven people who could walk you through steps to have an effective ministry through your church? What if these seven people were all definitively instructed by God? What if the directions had been written down in a clear manual for you to follow?Would you be willing to read those instructions?Seeing from the Summit presents seven biblical character-models direct from the pages of Scripture to help you and your church leaders to understand a clear model for building effective ministry in God's Church. Beginning with David and moving through Noah, Joseph, Ruth, and others, you will come to understand a systematic, scriptural model to better understand the purpose of the church, the calling of leaders, and the need to seek God's direction. Rather than presenting empty promises to build a church numerically, Seeing from the Summit deals in concrete, biblical, and spiritual concepts that grow individuals together in unity and launch them from the church in missional activity.

If life were easy, there would be no need for mentors, friends, or family. Inspiration and motivation would come naturally. Everything we ever wanted would simply come to us. But the reality is that life is a difficult journey we must travel. Sometimes the road will be smooth with a gusty wind at our back. At other times we will find ourselves mired in the mud. During those travels we use a map to find our way to the destination. This book is also a map to help guide you to that destination. It aims to inspire, motivate, and pull you from being mired in the mud. The stories you will find inside are like the many different routes on a map. While each has purpose and meaning, like the many different routes on a map, the stories will have different meanings for each of us. Simply allow the stories to be a guide for you to choose your own path. And while we may be on different paths; we each have the same destination in mind, which is a great life we all seek. So grab hold of the stories and allow them to be your guide as you travel through life. Live the journey and experience all the goodness that you pass along the way.

This book shares one pastor's journey to uncover the inherent barriers that cause many African American parishioners not to receive the help they need regarding their mental and emotional health. These barriers are revealing and may be surprising to clergy and counseling professionals. In this book, Kennard Murray examines the phenomenon of resistance to professional counseling in the African American community and the source of this resistance, the reasons parishioners seek out pastors for help during emotional distress, whether pastors feel adequately equipped to provide such counseling, and the need for training on making appropriate referrals. Also, the author identifies an emerging method of providing church-based pastoral counseling in local churches to address the barriers of resistance to seeking help in the community at large. The information contained within these pages will help not only African American pastors, but also pastors in rural communities where other counseling professionals are not readily accessible.

Description:The Passion of Christ is observed by people all around the world as one of the more significant days on the Christian calendar. In certain parts of the world, such as the Philippines, the re-enactments of the crucifixion can go so far as to include actual nails driven through the hands of participants as they wail in pain. Is this the way we are to learn about the crucifixion? Will a re-enactment teach us the truth of the cross?The text of John 18 and 19 teaches us clearly the facts of the crucifixion and is surrounded by intrigue and mystery. For too long, Protestant Christianity has neglected the years of scholarship in pre-reformation and post-reformation Roman research. In The Trials and Passion of Christ, Michael Cannon brings together the best of Protestant and Roman scholasticism to uncover significant details surrounding the trials and the drama of the crucifixion on Golgotha. This book is a journey, reading nearly like an eye-witness report, through the trials, the suffering, and the passion of Christ.Endorsements:""The Trials and Passion of Christ reads as easily as a series of sermons and is written by one who clearly has a pastor's heart for relating the Word to life for the sake of encouraging discipleship.""--Daniel M. Bell Jr.Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary""Michael Cannon is a master of biblical exposition, framing each chapter of The Trials and Passion of Christ with the perspective of a watchful first-century eye, blending the colors and tones of historical details and biblical insights with just the right shades of illustrative material to illuminate a vivid and compelling portrait of the suffering Lamb of God.""--R. J. Gore Jr.Professor of Systematic TheologyErskine Theological Seminary""Michael Cannon has written The Trials and Passion of Christ with scholarly attention, pastoral awareness, and devotional sensitivity to help the disciple of Jesus move closer to the divinely inspired revelation of the anointing work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. In writing this, the author helps us also move closer to Christ Himself. For this reason alone, though there are many others, I am bound to commend this work."" --Michael A. MiltonJames M. Baird Chair of Pastoral TheologyReformed Theological Seminary""The Trials and Passion of Christ brings you into the presence of each event as they unfold. Michael Cannon has written an insightful and inspiring treasure that will benefit Christians all over the world. His approach makes it easy to follow and allows the reader to gain tremendous revelation of John 18 and 19. This book should be used by ministers, adult class teachers, and Bible teachers. I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to get my copy!""--Albert L. DowningSenior Pastor, Oak Grove Baptist ChurchPontiac, South Carolina""Mike Cannon's The Trials and Passion of Christ is a wonderful study of our Lord's last moments on earth. His down to earth stories are those that many readers can relate to. I was able to close my human eyes and see the examples via 'spiritual eyes.' The study will be valuable to any minister preparing for sermons or Bible studies during the days leading up to our Lord's triumph over the grave and death. Any reader will be inspired by Jesus' suffering endured on our behalf. I strongly recommend this work.""--Samuel J. T. BooneChaplain (Colonel) USA--RetiredAbout the Contributor(s):Michael E. Cannon Jr. is ordained as a minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and serves as an instructor and supervisor at the U. S. Army Chaplain Center and School. He is the author of Abu Ghraib (1994), A Soldier's Catechism (1996), and The Prayer of Jesus (2010).

Prayer is an often practiced, more often neglected, and less often understood practice of Christendom. Counselors prescribe prayer as a means to reduce stress and lower blood pressure. Some approach prayer as Eastern meditation, some as an expression of tongues, and other traditions offer chants in a strict liturgical form. John 17 offers the reader an unusual opportunity to listen to a prayer. Some might say the prayer in John 17 is the prayer of all prayers, the true definition of the Lord's prayer. Drawing on classic commentators, Michael Cannon casts John 17 in a pastoral light showing the grace, wisdom, and love of Christ for his people as he pours his heart out before his heavenly Father on their behalf. While these were messages originally preached in the context of worship, they also serve as a detailed commentary on one of the most beloved passages of Scripture.

The Flood, Noah, angels, demons, dinosaurs, monsters, archaeology, ancient history, epic fantasy, John Stringer brings us a fearsome, captivating, ultimately redemptive and realistic glimpse at the war in heaven and the pre-Flood earth, where terrible nephaliim stalk the ground. Mankind suffers, and Unos works to redeem all things against a backdrop of angelic rebellion and war.Vitruvius Affluveum is a frustrated archaeologist who makes an incredible discovery near his exhausted excavation site at Nemrut Dag, Turkey, a discovery that captivates the world . . .In the skies above, the melody of heaven sang beneath the wings of the giant pterosaurs and was heard deep in the veins of the earth where rock flowed like liquid gold nursing the world and warming her skin. But archangels clashed, the Watchers came, and nephaliim were spawned. The earth groans in a travesty of darkness, death, and dread. Lost in the tide, One, God's precious, created man is lured away and abandons his one true hope.But the Throne has a plan . . .

Conditional Futurism introduces a new perspective of end-time theology (eschatology). The book holds to Christian futurism while integrating the Apocalypse of John with the conditional dynamics of prophecy taught in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and various other books throughout the Old Testament. The new paradigm concludes that the final antichrist (also known as the man of lawlessness, the beast, and the eighth king) may read the apocalyptic prophecy of his doom while deciding instead to repent of evil and turn to the Lord, which is a biblical option that would fulfill the divine purposes of the apocalypse. This cutting-edge scholarship also develops new biblical models of angels appearing as humans, the descent of Christ into hell, and the kings in Revelation that incorporate with this end-time theology that encourages hope in all circumstances.