Yes! There are poems and hymns in the New Testament! Large sections of Jesus' speeches are poetic-such as the Beatitudes, the Sermon on the Mount, and his final discourses in the book of John. The Epistles are also enriched with some excellent poems of the early Christians and of Paul, and the book of Revelation can boast of some outstanding hymns. When one reads the New Testament in the Greek text with an eye for poetry, many poetic passag ...
Answering the Call is the story of nineteen Catholic permanent deacons from the Diocese of Savannah (Georgia) whose lives underwent profound transformations as they embarked upon a journey of self-discovery which revealed to them both the awesome power of God and the holiness of everyday life. When these deacons, who come from vastly different spiritual, professional, and educational backgrounds, responded to God's call, they soon became aw ...
The messages in this book contain words of encouragement for anyone who is struggling with a physical affliction or a wide variety of other life altering challenges. It offers spiritual insight into how to maintain your hope in the midst of fear, disappointment, loss, and growing older. When you read this book, you will be drawn back into some of your own pleasurable childhood experiences. You will also have moments of laughter, and feel the uns ...
Pastor Blackstone is once again on a spiritual journey to the subcontinent of India. His primary purpose for going is a three-week teaching ministry at Kerala Baptist Bible College, but his real reason for going is a secret missionary trip into northern India. As with his other books about India, experience the insight and inspiration Pastor Blackstone gets from a monsoon storm, a bed and breakfast in a cardamom forest, a woman beggar, a little ...
Psalms for the Poor talk back to the blunt and beautiful phrases of the King James Bible. Sometimes personal, sometimes political, the original Psalms complain, question, curse, and adore: «Why do the wicked prosper?» «When I consider the moon and the stars,» «My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?» «The Lord is my shepherd,» «But I am poor and needy.» Luther's last words were, «We are beggars.» These poems are for the world's poor, ...
It is hardly noteworthy in contemporary discourse when the phrase, «We'll just have to agree to disagree» actually means, «We plan never to speak to each other again.» For members of Episcopal and other Anglican churches, however, the Anglican tradition's identity as a via media demands forthright engagement with difficult topics by Christians committed to remaining in prayerful relationship with each other. In the spring of 2013, Duke ...
The Church of the Nazarene embraces American attachments to democratic rule, individual initiative, efficiency, and a strong sense of responsibility as «a city on a hill.» It is also present in more than 150 world areas. These attributes are reflected in the astounding story of one of the founders of the denomination, H. F. Reynolds, who has been long hidden in the shadow of his early colleague, Phineas Bresee. While the church points to Bresee ...
Called to be a Pastor: Why it Matters to Both Congregations and Clergy is a how-to resource with a memoir touch, describing the essential but delicate partnership between clergy and congregation. This partnership requires nurture and attention to detail if the relationship is to prosper. Indeed, the congregation often holds the fate of their pastor's ministry success, much the same way fertile earth holds the fate of a freshly planted seed. ...
Few words inspire more fear in Americans these days than jihad. Its mere utterance conjures up images of car bombs exploding in crowded markets; Boeing 737s crashing into tall buildings; and flag-burning, gun-toting bearded Arab men shouting, «allahu akbar» and «Death to America!» But what if all our stereotypical images of jihad are wrong, and when rightly understood, jihad turns out to be the perfect lens through which to understand the life a ...
