Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide


Book Description

Do you want to invite God into every part of your day? Learn how to see Jesus in all facets of your life—from faith and family to finances and full-time work. Christian spirituality isn’t just about attending church on Sunday. Instead, it takes practice to discover God’s hand in every part of your day and recognize his presence. In Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Celebrating the Spirituality of Everyday Life, you can learn how to experience biblical Christianity in all seasons. Through an informal, memoir-style collection of stories, you’ll acknowledge, discover, and celebrate God in every aspect of your day. Join author Peter DeHaan as he shows us how to bridge the sacred-secular divide by offering us personal illustrations and real-life examples of how we can see God in the everyday. Whether in work, health, family, or holiday celebrations, you’ll discover how to appreciate the blessings, challenges, and insights God reveals to you no matter what season you’re in. In Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide, you’ll discover how to: - embrace God’s presence each day - celebrate the unique family and purpose God gave you - practice seeing God in His creation - uncover God’s hand in the details of our personal struggles - explore how you can live a more holistic and balanced life Through these short, insightful narratives on faith, family, work, seasons, holidays, creation and more, you’ll explore how to celebrate the everyday spiritual aspects of life so that you can rediscover the everyday spirituality of yours. Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide includes a discussion guide for a small group study or personal application. Learn to embrace God’s presence in your everyday reality so that you can pursue a balanced, passionate, and prioritized life with Jesus. Begin Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide and discover how God is working in your world. Get your copy today. [This book was first published as Woodpecker Wars.]




SacredSecular


Book Description

What would it mean to conceive of the sacred as a source of knowledge that is as vital as the secular? What insights does a contemplative approach yield in analysing neoliberal globalisation or Hindu fundamentalism? Is a dew drop sacred, or is it secular? In today’s charged atmosphere many believe that the sacred is best kept firmly apart from the realm of the secular. SacredSecular: Contemplative Cultural Critique offers a contrasting view. It argues that the two are indivisible and can productively interweave in illuminating key contemporary issues. Essays investigate the quotidian (trash, cut flowers), the philosophical (advaita, karma), the economic (work, globalisation) and the political (war, violence). Mani invites us to rethink the prevailing view that secularism is the only progressive response to religious authoritarianism. SacredSecular proposes a conceptual approach in which body, mind, heart, nature, matter and spirit are not merely equals, but equally crucial to crafting an inclusive vision and practice. This book addresses several audiences: scholars of contemporary Indian society and culture, spiritual practitioners striving to integrate their practice with their politics, and all those interested in contemplating the present and what it portends for our collective future.




Secular, Sacred, More Sacred


Book Description

The sacred-secular divide continues to threaten the health of the global church, disempowering lay Christians and undermining the call to integrate all aspects of life under the lordship of Christ. Theological educators seeking a path out of this dichotomy will find themselves both challenged and encouraged by this collection of essays drawn from the 2018 ICETE conference in Panama City. Within its four sections, contributors explore biblical frameworks for integration, urge seminaries to value identity formation as much as skill acquirement, call for a robust theology of work, and challenge theologians to consider their responsibility to the world beyond the church’s borders. Filled with thought-provoking questions and practical suggestions, this book is an excellent resource for all those pursuing a holistic approach to theological education.




Development, Civil Society and Faith-Based Organizations


Book Description

This book examines the role of faith-based organizations in managing international aid, providing services, defending human rights and protecting democracy. It argues that greater engagement with faith communities and organizations is needed, and questions traditional secularism that has underpinned development policy and practice in the North.




Whole-Life Mission for the Whole Church


Book Description

The sacred-secular divide permeates our churches, our seminaries, and our lives. By perpetuating the false belief that there are some areas of life that are not important to God, some callings that are second-class, and some spheres of society that are not worth engaging, the sacred-secular divide diminishes our understanding of God, discipleship, missiology, and the gospel itself. Seeking to liberate the global church from the power of this dichotomy, Whole-Life Mission for the Whole Church provides theological educators with the tools they need to combat the sacred-secular divide in the very realm where it is so often generated: the classroom. Filled with contributions from practitioners around the world, this book contains a wealth of insight into both the nature of the problem and the possibilities for its solution. The approaches suggested here are biblically rooted, contextually appropriate, and experientially tested, offering an excellent resource for educators desiring to transform their institutional cultures, curriculums, and classrooms into environments that envision, empower, and liberate the whole church for its role in the mission of God.




Breaking Down the Sacred-Secular Divide


Book Description

For many centuries a false distinction between "sacred" and "secular" has plagued the church, divided the Body, and discouraged the people of God. For over twenty years, Michael Baer has been writing and speaking about the integration of all of life as sacred under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He is one of the early founders of the modern Business as Mission movement, the founder of International Micro Enterprise Development (aka the Jholdas Project) and the author of numerous books on business, missions, and integrated Kingdom living.




Money Doctrines Ð Traditional versus Word of Faith Teaching


Book Description

There has been a significant volume of scholarly work conducted recently within the accounting literature on the role of money, investment and accounting within religious organizations. However, scant attention has been paid to modern Pentecostal understandings of money, investment and accounting. In this book we study the major money-related doctrines of American husband-and-wife televangelist Faith Teachers Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. We find the unique Copeland interpretation of ÒTreasures in HeavenÓ (Matthew 6:20) to be a complete inversion of the traditional or Anglican theological interpretation. While the traditional interpretation is that this verse refers to future rewards available after death, the Copelands argue that it refers to rewards existing now in the heavenly places in what they refer to as the believerÕs Òheavenly bank accountÓ. The Copelands also believe in a literal Òhundredfold returnÓ on monetary and other gifts made Òfor the gospelÕs sakeÓ (Mark 10:29-30).




Money Doctrines: Traditional versus Word of Faith Teaching


Book Description

There has been a significant volume of scholarly work conducted recently within the accounting literature on the role of money, investment and accounting within religious organizations. However, scant attention has been paid to modern Pentecostal understandings of money, investment and accounting. In this book we study the major money-related doctrines of American husband-and-wife televangelist Faith Teachers Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. We find the unique Copeland interpretation of "Treasures in Heaven" (Matthew 6:20) to be a complete inversion of the traditional or Anglican theological interpretation. While the traditional interpretation is that this verse refers to future rewards available after death, the Copelands argue that it refers to rewards existing now in the heavenly places in what they refer to as the believer's "heavenly bank account". The Copelands also believe in a literal "hundredfold return" on monetary and other gifts made "for the gospel's sake" (Mark 10:29-30).




The 52 Churches Workbook


Book Description

What would you learn if you visited 52 churches? How might that experience change the way you treated visitors at your church? But you don't need to go to a boatload of churches to find out. Church-reform advocate Peter DeHaan, PhD already has. The 52 Churches Workbook is the perfect tool to gain valuable insights without the pain and hassle of going to a different church every Sunday for an entire year. Merely thinking about making your church better isn't enough. It's time to act. With over 200 thought-provoking questions to propel you and your church forward, you'll discover:?How to greet visitors well.?The importance of making a good first impression and a parting memory.?The way one person can make the difference between success and failure.?Best practices from churches that treat visitors well, along with what to avoid.?Why a website is critical and shouldn't resemble a dating profile. The 52 Churches Workbook is the perfect companion for 52 Churches, but it also works great as a standalone book for those who haven't yet read 52 Churches. Don't go another Sunday without this essential resource. Perfect for leaders and members. Get The 52 Churches Workbook and take the first step to becoming a church that matters.




Dear Theophilus Books 1–5


Book Description

Do you desire a fresh take on the Bible? Are you looking for a daily reading that won’t bore you to tears? Your search is over. The Dear Theophilus series explores Scripture like you’ve never seen before. In Dear Theophilus Books 1–5: Exploring Luke, Acts, Isaiah, Job, and the Minor Prophets, lifetime student of the Bible and ABibleADay founder, Peter DeHaan, PhD., digs deep into the beloved Gospel of Luke to unearth 40 thought-provoking gems that can inform your beliefs and transform your life. Next, he builds on that foundation by exploring 40 more jewels from the book of Acts. Then, he examines Isaiah, the Minor Prophets, and the book of Job for 120 more nuggets of gold. Part devotional. Part Bible study. No fluff. Totally life changing. In this book, you’ll discover: - The way Luke viewed God, and how his view might change your view - How Jesus’s followers in Acts met daily in people’s homes and public spaces, which ignited church growth - The parallels between the books of Isaiah and Revelation, about peace, woe, and salvation - The Minor Prophets’ place in the biblical timeline—because the Bible doesn’t list them chronologically - How the book of Job resembles a play and the way that can enlighten our understanding of suffering, Satan, and God’s sovereignty. Explore the powerful way the words of these books of the Bible can speak to you today, as you increase your understanding and grow in faith. In Dear Theophilus Books 1–5, you’ll encounter eye-opening insights from passages you thought were familiar. Find fresh truths as you gain a broader appreciation of what the Bible says and how that ancient book is still relevant for us today. Ideal for both individual and group study, these books includes Scripture references and questions inviting readers to go deeper. Get the Dear Theophilus Books 1–5 box set today to deepen your understanding of God.