LITMIR.BIZ

There are few more loaded words in American life than «family.» Jesus grew up in one and honored his parents in fulfillment of the commandments. But his teachings on family life stand among the most jarring things he ever said. Jesus invites serious followers to «hate» mother and father. He predicts discipleship will bring division rather than peace to family life. He completely recasts the definition of kinship as «whoever does the will of God.» In an era when families face unprecedented challenges sticking together for the long haul, Jesus's words at first glance seem to welcome disintegration of the Christian household rather than offering healing and a clear way forward. This book examines the off-putting words of Jesus in the wider context of radical allegiance and baptismal priority. In a country where family devotion is akin to honoring the national flag, Honeycutt unpacks an old word for a new generation of Christians called to place Jesus first in all things. It's only then that we'll be able to truly help those who share a common roof and lineage.

Подробнее

Quick. What do these characters all have in common? An anguished ghost whose interest in measuring mountains led to his premature death. A retired educator who takes a part-time job inside the cozy confines of Wrigley Field's manual scoreboard. An obsessive orthodontist known to evangelize his prone patients. A bipolar father whose zany day includes an encounter with the police. And a victim of identity theft, reconsidering his vocation.
They're all pastors, of course.
Join storyteller Frank Honeycutt on a roller coaster ride inside the flawed lives and vivid imaginations of sixteen ministers struggling to keep and make sense of their faith. At times humorous, surprising, sad, and even warped, this fictional peek into the private lives of clergy sheds angular light upon the complicated theological motives guiding those called to lead God's people.

Подробнее

Five hundred years after Luther's famous posting of his 95 Theses in 1517, the church again faces an important crossroads. Sunday worship attendance is shrinking at alarming rates. There are now more «Elvis believers» in the US than Episcopalians and almost limitless spiritual options exist for those who seek faith and trust in something, but are hesitant to commit to a particular path leading to truth. The word prosthesis, normally associated with surgery, is also an apt word to describe the church's need to forge a theological identity that fits our current context. The church faces change and a transformed body, but not at the expense of the biblical richness and tradition that fueled the restlessness of the reformers. The essays gathered here, arranged around the seasons of the church year, address familiar challenges faced by all pastors and leaders in an era of transition, specifically in Christian formation and discipleship. Appropriate for group and personal reflection, 95 Prostheses employs humor and biblical accessibility with the skeptical outsider who may be considering Jesus and his church for the first time in mind.

Подробнее