LITMIR.BIZ

The intent of this work is to introduce the reader to an enhanced relationship with our Lord, Jesus. Incarnational living is coming to terms with who one is in relationship with Christ and then living that newfound excited spirit out within the community, and even the world. By learning to experience more of God, one experiences a form of conversion all over again. The experience is nothing short of breathtaking, and becomes increasingly desirable over and over. So much so, that it must be shared. This book helps direct the focus of desire toward the relational being of the Christian both with Christ internally and with humanity externally.

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A treatment of power, vulnerability, and suffering in the life and ministry of mid-career leaders offers a reminder of the need to rethink power. The push and pull of power dynamics, unless acknowledged and surrendered, can impact leaders' spirituality, relationships, character, and ultimately their faithfulness in ministry.
To supplement countless books on leadership models, techniques and motivation, this book offers a counter-narrative of power informed by and embedded in the message of the cross; it elaborates on a humble use of power and proposes a reframing of power as seen in Christ's downward ascent and cruciform strength. This book is of critical importance in the field of ministry formation (local and global) because it probes to the very core of our human condition, illuminating one of the chief perils in lives of position and leadership–the misconstrual and misuse of power–a reality that can be particularly destructive in spiritual and ministry contexts. 
The larger Christian community will also find relevance in this message as leaders of every ilk share common challenges in the struggles of power and control.
You will find a very personal and deeply reflective treatment on our common human condition, and an invitation to admit our inner and external struggles over the use and practice of power in ministry.

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Three far-reaching global trends–terrorism, pluralism, and globalization–have irrevocably altered how we live, think, and communicate in the twenty-first century. We now live in a «glocal» world: what happens globally impacts us locally, and what happens locally impacts things globally. These changes have profound implications for followers of Jesus. Rick Love offers biblical wisdom and practical insights on how to navigate the complexities of communication in this interconnected world. He also invites you to an inward journey that helps you better discern how the things of the heart relate to the work of the ministry. Glocal: Following Jesus in the 21st Century is a call to be a faithful follower of and a winsome witness for Jesus. Love will help you better embody and communicate a core message worth dying for, an integrated identity worthy living for, and a global dream worth suffering for.

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Each year many young Christians leave the comfort and security of their towns, cities, and communities to enter a new world: college. The college campus presents several challenges and obstacles that some young Christians find difficult to navigate. In Christ the Yard, students, ministry leaders, and others will find simple yet practical guides and examples to help them engage the college campus. Taken from the perspective of Greek organizations' intake process, Christ the Yard provides an insightful view into how liberating the life of a Christian can be when engaged like their Greek peers. By the end of this book, each reader will become encouraged to live life to the fullest on the Yard!

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Any body there? we may wonder as we watch people engage with their smart phones while being oblivious to what is going on around them. Anybody there? is the question facing the church as it wrestles with declining religious affiliation. Craig Mueller considers this contemporary context, and offers a response based in an incarnational spirituality accentuating the body and finding expression in corporate, multisensory liturgy.
Mueller creatively weaves together topics from our digital lives with personal and congregational stories and theological, liturgical, and spiritual reflections. Concepts such as virtuality, the analog, 24/7 connectivity, access, design, and GPS are juxtaposed with themes of embodiment, mortality, sabbath, mystery, beauty, and vocation.
Drawing on his experience as a pastor to millennials, his studies in liturgical theology, and his work on the effects of technology on daily life, Mueller proposes that corporate worship is an antidote to the distraction, fragmentation, and spiritual hunger in society today. As humans continue to merge with machines, participation in the Sunday liturgy reminds us of what it means to be human: a deeper connection to our bodies and the earth and a clear sense of purpose and mission for our everyday lives.

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If humans are not capable of immortality, then eschatological doctrines of heaven and hell make little sense. On that Christians agree. But not all Christians agree on whether humans are essentially immortal. Some hold that the early church was right to borrow from the ancient Greek philosophers and to bring their sense of immortality to bear on the interpretation of biblical passages about the afterlife. Others, however, suggest that we are inherently mortal, and only conditionally immortal. This latter view is usually associated with an annihilationist interpretation of the doctrine of hell and a rejection of eternal torment. In a philosophical analysis and argument, McLeod-Harrison proposes that humans are, indeed, immortal, but not essentially so. But neither are we immortal accidentally or conditionally. Instead, immortality is an enduring property–a property we cannot lose once created. McLeod-Harrison carefully delineates the sense of immortality he defends and provides a broadly Christian philosophical argument for it. The argument, if correct, leaves the recent suggestion that the unredeemed are annihilated on unsteady metaphysical feet. However, McLeod-Harrison does not defend eternal conscious punishment for the unredeemed, but suggests some ways to think about the possibility of a universal salvation.

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Do you believe that God wants you to be financially prosperous (Joshua 1:8)? Do you think that Christians must «forgive and forget» (Jeremiah 31:34)? Do you suppose that everything will work for your good (Romans 8:28), or wonder if God will ever give you more than you can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13)? If you do, best-selling author Robert Van Voorst will help you to reexamine these verses, and many others, to see what they really mean. This book treats twenty-four of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible. Each is given concise but careful treatment, including an explanation of how they are misunderstood, what their meaning is, and what this meaning says to us today. Each chapter has questions for reflection and discussion. Written especially for use in church classes and Bible study groups, but also suitable for individual reading, this book will stimulate your growth in the Christian faith and give you more confidence in understanding the Bible and applying it to your life.

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The Bluebonnet flower grows in very poor soil. One would never guess this truth but the bright, proud bonnets tell no lies. Not even the unkempt soil can keep a Bluebonnet from producing its lovely blossoms.
People can be similar to the Bluebonnet flower. They are born into poor soil and have to live with the challenges presented to them. Kids from neglectful or abusive families are Bluebonnet children.
We are trained in children's and family ministry that the parent is the primary faith nurturer. But what happens to a child who does not have a healthy parent to nourish them?
Whether you serve in a school, nonprofit program, or the local church, this book will equip you with helpful tools and inspire you with hope-filled stories. While the tale of the Bluebonnet child is heavy, in Christ there is hope. He is counting on you to shower them with the healing waters of His grace as they bloom through life.

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Luther and the Jews: Putting Right the Lies is a timely and important contribution to the debate about the legacy of the Protestant Reformation. It brings together two topics that sit uncomfortably: the life, ministry, and impact of Martin Luther, and the history of Jewish-Christian relations to which he made a profoundly negative contribution. As a Messianic Jew, Richard Harvey considers Luther and his legacy today, and explains how Messianic Jews have a vital role to play in the much-needed reconciliation not only between Protestants and Catholics, but also between Christians and Jews, in order for Luther's vision of the renewal and restoration of the church to be realized.

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All the Fullness of God: The Christ of Colossians focuses on the Christology of Colossians and its implications by examining the canonical text and answering the questions: What was the author's purpose in writing the letter? What is the letter's primary concern? How do its contents reflect or deviate from Paul's thought in his uncontested letters? The author of Colossians is favorably disposed toward the letter's recipients who have received the gospel from Epaphras, but now encounter alternative teachings. The author finds that church's Christology inadequate and writes to expand their understanding of the meaning of baptism into Jesus Christ and its implications. This study introduces Greco-Roman letter and literary forms; the geography, history, and demographics of Colossae; and provides excurses on several scholarly matters. It is comprised of five chapters (Part I) which set forth the argument and explain the text in its historical context, followed by nine reflections (Part II) which place each text in its context, then elucidate the meaning and application of the passage for contemporary readers.

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