LITMIR.BIZ

This literary effort is one man's testimony about the extraordinary privilege it is to be a clergyperson or priest in a local parish. The vocation of parish pastor has been for Robert Leverenz a most exciting, humbling, fulfilling life. The story following is uniquely his own and he does not write this to bring to bear the destructive dynamic of competition with others. This book is for anyone who is impressed by the ministries of the church or has had disconcerting moments with pastor and parish; it helps one understand the humanity and the divinity embodied in a community of Jesus followers.

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It is never surprising that even after years of sitting in the pews of America's churches basic understanding of who Jesus is and how he expects us to live day to day escape laymen and leaders alike. Being Transformed focuses on teaching basic biblical principles, with concert biblical examples that reinforce lessons taught. It can be used as an individual study for believers of all ages or taught in groups for exciting youth Bible challenges. This exciting pocket-size manual is a valuable tool written specifically to help believers walk out their faith one day at a time.

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This book is for anyone who yearns to enter more fully into the world Jesus inhabited, not as an intellectual exercise, but as an aid to authentic personal devotion. The King of the Jews ponders five defining moments from the ministry of Jesus and lingers at a series of events that, historically, must have unfolded rapidly. Within twenty-four hours of his arrest, Jesus was dead, yet these events are so momentous that they repay careful meditation: first upon the night of trials, and then the seven sayings from the cross, and finally, the ten thrilling post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. Each meditation adds up to a whole message that presents the King who came to take his throne and who does finally take it. But he takes it not by force, but by facing down evil through the agony of the cross, and now invites the hurting to share in his triumph.

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The stories of Jesus, placed in the context of the familiar and factual, are filled with metaphors that audiences can understand and appreciate. Metaphors not only inform and persuade, but also fire up readers' imaginations and get them involved as participants. Humans are primed to think and feel metaphorically, and so Garden of the Soul aims to metaphorically explore five landscapes that feature prominently in the Bible. Each metaphorical landscape throws light on an aspect of spiritual life. The bountiful garden speaks of growth, the flowing river calls for unceasing prayer, the raging sea mirrors the turbulence of a journey of faith, the barren desert transforms by emptying life's clutter, and the high mountain challenges readers to scale its peak to glimpse a transcendent vision of God. This book will inform, enrich, and challenge readers' spiritual lives throughout their journey from garden to mountain.

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This book briefly characterizes the many different ways Christianity is currently understood and practiced. These include approaches that center primarily on beliefs and doctrine, those that focus on the support of personal wellbeing, versions of Christianity that nurture special kinds of community in response to particular group identities, those that give attention to Christians' role in society, and those that offer different ways of thinking about the role and function of the church. Long then considers how these traditions relate to each other in both ecumenical and interfaith encounters. He concludes by developing a theological foundation for recognizing and celebrating what is valuable in each of these many diverse approaches. Written primarily as a resources for adult education groups in parish settings, this book will also be of interest to professionals, scholars, and lay readers alike. It considers the strengths and possible limitations of each approach and the challenges that all Christians confront in facing the future.

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Waiting on the Spirit of Promise is a study of the life and ministry of Abraham Cheare (1626-1668), containing selections from Cheare's works, and rescuing an important seventeenth-century Baptist from obscurity. Cheare has been overshadowed by other more celebrated Baptist contemporaries, but as the pastor of the Particular Baptist work in Plymouth, Devon, Cheare played a key role in the advance of the Baptist cause in the West Country in the 1650s. His Sighs for Sion is an excellent illustration of early Baptist piety. With the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Cheare, like many other Dissenters, suffered arrest for his refusal to give up preaching. Cheare's prison writings reveal both a sturdy faith in God and a deep-seated piety. Despite the fact that he was incarcerated in a series of «nasty prisons,» Cheare used this time of suffering to deepen his walk with God and so provide a model for his congregation of Christian integrity and joy in the midst of trial. To the very end of his life, Cheare eagerly awaited further outpourings of the Spirit of Promise upon the Church and looked forward to that day when his Lord Jesus would make all things right.

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Christmas is a charming and memorable season for children, and it is perfectly reasonable for well-informed adults to enjoy cribs, candles, carols, decorated trees, presents, and family feasts. It is not possible, however, to be a well-informed adult believer without adding to the value of the Christmas celebration by searching for the deeper meaning of the gospels, a meaning that is beyond the comprehension of young children. Gospel Overtures offers a detailed analysis of the Christmas stories in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, as well as suggestions for personal reflection. Christianity is primarily a religion for adults, and the gospel narratives are intended to inspire adult faith. Gospel Overtures is intended to help readers appreciate the depth of the gospels and to grow as believers.

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Evangelical Christian Education provides five of the most significant mid-twentieth-century foundational texts from the leading experts in the field of Evangelical Christian education.
Charles B. Eavey – Frank E. Gaebelein – Findley B. Edge – Lois E. LeBar – Lawrence O. Richards

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When we read the Bible as a parable, as a series of object lessons told merely to prove a point, we miss something. When we treat the people within the Bible as mere «characters» in a story, we lose something incredibly important.
Object lessons are clean and simple. People, on the other hand, are messy and complicated. When we look at the life of Simon Peter, we see one of the messiest people in the entire New Testament. Peter walked on water and sank into the waves. He proclaimed who Jesus was and completely missed the point. He pledged his undying devotion to Christ, and even drew a sword in defense of his Lord, and then he abandoned Jesus and denied him three times.
Peter is also the rock on which Christ would build his church–the same church of which Paul says we are a part.
So come. Walk with Peter. Fish with him. Follow a strange rabbi, though it might cost you everything. Walk on water, though you might sink. Go to Jerusalem, though death awaits you. Stand with Peter as God uses him to build his church, and watch that church grow.

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"Spirituality" is in the news today as more and more people claim to be «spiritual» but not «religious.» Rolls-Royce Spirituality is about being spiritual and religious through the ideals of Christian faith. Aspiring toward Christian spirituality is like hoping to drive a Rolls-Royce automobile someday. To own one is to possess the best car in the world–the dream of every car enthusiast. Attaining «Rolls-Royce spirituality» is living near to the ideals of the Christian life as taught by Saint Paul in his list of the «fruits of the Spirit» in Galatians 5:22ff. The list includes words familiar to everyone–love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Exploring their inner spiritual meaning reveals a deeper understanding that goes far beyond mundane faith. This volume explores these understandings and provides practical skills that make «Rolls-Royce spirituality» not only a desire, but also a real-life possibility for those who wish to transcend their mundane Christian faith.

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