This book offers a way to engage with the Bible as a set of sacred texts that can serve as a song sheet for believers in exile-those people Bishop John Shelby Spong calls the «church alumni association.» This includes those internally displaced persons of faith who have not yet become spiritual refugees but who feel the pressure to conform to traditional expressions of faith that no longer serve as springs of living water for the journey of life ...
This book is about that treasured doctrine of Pentecostalism: baptism in the Holy Spirit, understood as a work subsequent to conversion to Christ. Since James Dunn's publication of Baptism in the Holy Spirit, there has been heated response from Pentecostals in defense of the doctrine. Key players are Roger Stronstad, Howard Ervin, David Petts, James Shelton, Robert Menzies, and ex-Pentecostal Max Turner. This book reviews Pentecostal critic ...
African American scholar Anthony Bradley understands the growing interest in the intersections of theology and economics emerging in light of Christianity's commitment to loving the poor. Local and global disparities in human flourishing call for prudential judgments that wed good intentions with sound economic principles. This book tackles the issues of race, politics, contemporary culture, globalization, and education by wedding moral the ...
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 ...
The stories of transgender people reach back to the beginnings of recorded history. At this particular point in time the psychiatric, medical, and secular worlds are beginning to appreciate the authenticity of Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Bisexual, and Queer people. Sadly, many Christian churches and denominations continue to oppress and vilify the LGTBQ community. This is the story of a transgender man who has been an ordained elder in The United ...
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 explo ...
Pastors and ministers have one of the most challenging jobs on Earth. Of all their tasks, one responsibility they cannot neglect is teaching the word of God. Unfortunately, church leaders seldom have enough time to prepare Bible studies for their congregation. This book is a quick resource to help fill that gap. These thematically arranged Bible studies each contain an introduction to a topic and a list of relevant Scripture readings for that to ...
Along the Road-Tales from the Journey is a practical guide for patients and families going through some very serious and difficult issues. It is here to enable focus and meaning in a time that is fraught with confusion and pain. It is also for people who are not involved in hospice–people that recognize the value of keeping track of the journey for others to have «in case» they should suddenly be removed from the trail of life. It is for those w ...
". . . that you may become partakers in the divine nature" 2 Peter 1:4 "The theme of deification intimately touches on human identity and the actualization of humanity's ultimate purpose. It is predominantly an anthropological and soteriological expression of Christian theology. At the same time, it testifies to the identity of a Christian God, divine universal design, and God's economy, where the trinitarian and ch ...
