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Through twenty-five years of walking alongside those in conflict with their sexuality, Brad has come to understand what is at the heart of same-sex attraction: trauma. Little is understood about the concept of trauma and only recently has the method of trauma-informed care come to the forefront of helping others. People often react negatively to the concept of trauma being at the heart of any kind of gender identity or sexual confusion. Christians also struggle to understand and provide loving help to those who have sought to overcome attractions they do not desire. Believers need to be equipped with a deeper understanding of the foundations of same-sex attraction, whether they face these desires themselves or have loved ones for whom they care. An integral part of helping those with same-sex attraction is learning what we all have in common in experiences with trauma and our reactions to it. Brad draws from his own story, as well as his ministry experience, to add to the discussion in hopes of filling in the gaps that remain unfilled on the issue of same-sex attraction.

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The essays contained in this book provide an introduction to the history, challenges, and hopes of contemporary evangelical Arab Christians in Israel (and to a lesser degree in the West Bank). After opening with a general overview of Arab Christianity in the Holy Land, the following chapters treat different aspects of the evangelical Arab experience: the founding of the Convention of Evangelical Churches in Israel (CECI) as well as a theological seminary for the training of church workers (Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary [NETS]), the self-understanding of Arab Baptists in terms of their identity and relation to other groups in Israel, an Arab perspective on the relationship between Arab evangelicals and Messianic Jews, as well as the struggles, hopes, and fears of another «evangelical» community that is usually hidden from view, namely, that of Muslim converts to Christianity in Israel, the West Bank, and the Middle East in general. The final chapter offers a detailed bibliography on «Arabophone Christianity» in Israel and Palestine.

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Every Christian must not be ashamed to affirm that Jesus is the only Savior of the world. Here are the difficulties: How we can say that, when we do not even know how many other existing religions there are? And besides, isn't God all-loving? Isn't love all that matters in salvation? What hinders God from saving as many people through as many ways as possible?
We will find the answers in Romans 1:16-17, when we are exploring what Paul has said about the Gospel and its three unique qualities: it is powerful, it displays God's righteousness, and it is received by faith alone. Once we grasp these, and once we put love and righteousness hand in hand, we will understand why our salvation can be so firm and why the Gospel is so irreplaceable no matter what.

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The twenty-first-century church is increasingly placing recently trained seminary or locally trained clergy in smaller churches where they must stand alone without the training under a senior pastor. Since leadership in a church and academic preparation in seminary are two very different things, the church historically developed a history of offering «curacies,» or training assistantships, to help blend the two disciplines and merge classroom knowledge into practical application. Today, these formal assistantships are mostly a thing of the past. Curacy Express: A Training Resource for New Clergy reconfigures this training into a current model. New clergy serving in their own church and mentor clergy serving in another church work together over a course of thirty-three self-paced learning modules. In each module, the newly ordained person gains valuable skills, mentor's observations and reflections, new confidence, and leadership formation. The result is clergy trained to be competent and confident in their roles as clergy-in-charge.

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December 8, 2011. The dissident Vietnamese priest Nguyen Van Ly (age sixty-four) is deported from a rest home in the Archdiocese Hue to the concentration camp Nam Ha in the north of the country. Van Ly, who is half paralyzed after having suffered four strokes, still faces five years in prison for his peaceable struggle against the totalitarian communist regime–a peaceable struggle he has waged for nearly forty years.
We follow Father Ly, a nurse, and his guards through the twenty-four hour ordeal of getting from Hue to Nam Ha via ambulance. Arranged according to the liturgy of the hours, each chapter offers a glimpse into the life of Father Ly. This hagiographic journey, here placed in its context of Advent, offers hope for captive and oppressor. And it is hope especially that makes Father Ly realize his life's struggle for religious freedom is not in vain. Indeed, as a goodwill gesture before President Obama's visit to Vietnam, Father Ly will later be released on May 20, 2016.

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Relationships between people are frequently compromised as a result of religious viewpoints, but appropriate spiritual care requires bridges to understanding that will allow for trust and justice to become visible. The pattern for this book is shaped on the recognition that, while religious expressions differ markedly in their presentation, we can discern at the core of all religious expressions a supposition of sacred presence. It is therefore helpful for us all, in the daily events of our lives, that we approach people of other faiths with a degree of humility, recognizing that neither we, nor they, have a final answer to the question of faith. The book is divided into four parts, each part containing some chapters, in which elements of interfaith care are considered. Part one explores the complexities of interfaith engagement. Part two discusses ways for caring for each other in the search for meaning. Part three claims that spirituality is most difficult, if not impossible to define, but can be visible in a variety of experiences. The fourth part explores ways in which all that has gone before may be put into practice as spiritual care.

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The calling of elders is to be «shepherds of God's flock.» Yet across the world elders are struggling to do that well. This very practical investigation identifies the obstacles to pastoral care from the side of the clergy, the elders, and the people themselves. A practical way forward is developed using an approach that enables the local elders themselves to find a solution.

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This study explores the premise that the experience of being «born from above» in John's Gospel can be seen as mirroring the development of human subjectivity, particularly as understood through the psychoanalytic work of Julia Kristeva. It draws specifically on Kristeva's theory of how the human self/subject takes shape in infancy, her contention that subjectivity is a work in progress, and her insistence on abjection as a catalyst for developing selfhood. Examining the story of Mary of Bethany (as narrated in John 11-12) through this lens, this analysis seeks to better understand the concept of new birth and how it relates to being fully human.

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If you have been born again through faith in Jesus Christ, now reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ! Learn to think about your «new self» in Christ as God does. With a pastor's heart, Stuart C. Smith explains why the key to New Covenant sanctification is the important concept of biblical reckoning. Obedience to Paul's command in Romans 6:11 can transform your life. Reckoning is not something to do but something to think. So powerful is this thought that it inevitably leads to action. Learn how to overcome the power of sin by a stronger power, and the desire to sin by a stronger desire–adoration of Jesus Christ. Bring your thinking in line with your identity. You are a new creation in Christ, a saint, an adopted child of God, and victor over Satan. Learn about the Father's passion for you, and seek to satisfy his passion for a holy and pure bride for his Son. Midway through the book, these principles come alive in the experience of Cody, a young man who leaves his troubled past for a new life of freedom in Christ.

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Humans are happiest when they live virtuously. Building on the premise that the purpose of life is happiness conducive to the equitable flourishing of all humanity, Living Graciously on Planet Earth argues that the appropriate way to regard our abilities and moral opportunities is as gifts for the common good, to be used for the glory of God, guided by the biblical principles of stewardship and community. Utilizing a biblical approach and a Trinitarian perspective, while maintaining an appreciative eye to the contributions of the world's living religions, Dr. Vande Kappelle argues for a hierarchy of values necessary for gracious living in the twenty-first century.
Ancient wisdom claims there are seven primary virtues, four «natural»–prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance–and three «supernatural»–faith, hope, and love. As the natural virtues help us grow morally, the supernatural virtues are designed for transformation. Using insights from the Enneagram as well as from diverse scholars such as Karen Armstrong, Marcus Borg, James Fowler, Matthew Fox, C. S. Lewis, Robin W. Lovin, and Huston Smith, Living Graciously examines the seven virtues in biblical, social, and cosmic context. This book's uplifting message delivers the perfect antidote to the current social malaise, characterized by arrogance, suspicion, negligence, and consumption. In addition, this book addresses difficult questions such as «Do we live in a moral universe?»; «Is there a benevolent deity watching over us?»; «Is there a purpose to life on earth?»; and «Is there a summum bonum (a greatest good)»? The answers in this insightful presentation will challenge your thinking and energize your living.
Useful for individual or group use, each chapter contains aids to learning, including (a) a thesis statement indicating the central idea of the chapter, (b) a list of key biblical passages, (c) a chapter summary, and (d) questions for discussion and reflection.

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