Habits of Grace


Book Description

The Christian life is built on three seemingly unremarkable practices: reading the Bible, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. However, according to David Mathis, such “habits of grace” are the God-designed channels through which his glorious grace flows—making them life-giving practices for all Christians. Whether it’s hearing God’s voice (the Word), having his ear (prayer), or participating in his body (fellowship), such spiritual rhythms of the Christian life have the power to awaken our souls to God’s glory and stir our hearts for lifelong service in his name. What’s more, these seemingly simple practices grant us access to a host of spiritual blessings that we can only begin to imagine this side of eternity—and the incredible joy that such blessings bring to God’s children today.




Perfecting Training


Book Description

According to [Ephesians 4:11-16], we are first told that the gifts were given: 'And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers.' This is the initial step; then the result is unto the work of the ministry, that is, unto the building up of the Body of Christ. How could the Body be built up? By the growth in life. Then out of the growth in life the function will come, the operation in measure of each one part, to cause the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love. Thus, there is the initial stage and then there is the result. Between these two ends is the perfecting of the saints. If there is no perfecting of the saints, all the gifts given by the Head become vain. Also, there will be nothing to cause the growth of the Body in life that functions may come out to build up the Body in love. The crucial and central point in this portion of the Word is the perfecting of the saints. Throughout the past years the Lord has been leading us in the ministry to perfect the saints for the growth in life so that the functions may come out to build up the Body in love.




Holy Bible (NIV)


Book Description

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.




Radical


Book Description

New York Times bestseller What is Jesus worth to you? It's easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live, what their new lifestyle would actually look like. They would, he said, leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily... But who do you know who lives like that? Do you? In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple--then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a "successful" suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus. Finally, he urges you to join in The Radical Experiment -- a one-year journey in authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring.




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Book Description

Presents a translation and commentary to the oldest known extant Taoist text, Inward Training (Nei-yeh), which is composed of short poetic verses devoted to the practice of breath meditation and its resultant insights about human nature and the cosmos. Roth argues that Inward Training is the basis of early Taoism, and suggests that there may be more continuity between early philosophical Taoism and later Taoist religion than scholars have thought.







No More Faking Fine


Book Description

Scripture reveals a God who meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be. No More Faking Fine is your invitation to get honest with God through the life-giving language of lament. If you've ever been given empty clichés during challenging times, you know how painful it is to be misunderstood by well-meaning people. When life hurts, we often feel pressure--from others and ourselves--to keep it together, suck it up, or pray it away. But Scripture reveals a God who lovingly invites us to give honest voice to our emotions when life hits hard. For most of her life, Esther Fleece Allen believed she could bypass the painful emotions of her broken past by shutting them down altogether. She was known as an achiever and an overcomer on the fast track to success. But in silencing her pain, she robbed herself of the opportunity to be healed. Maybe you've done the same. Esther's journey into healing began when she discovered that God has given us a real-world way to deal with raw emotions and an alternative to the coping mechanisms that end up causing more pain. It's called lament--the gut-level, honest prayer that God never ignores, never silences, and never wastes. No More Faking Fine is your permission to lament, taking you on a journey down the unexpected pathway to true intimacy with God. Drawing from careful biblical study and hard-won insight, Esther reveals how to use God's own language to come closer to him as he leads us through our pain to the light on the other side, teaching you that: We are robbing ourselves of a divine mystery and a divine intimacy when we pretend to have it all together God does not expect us to be perfect; instead, he meets us where we are There is hope beyond your heartache, disappointment, and grief Like Esther, you'll soon find that when one person stops faking fine, it gives everyone else permission to do the same.




Journey of the Soul


Book Description

The healthy Christian life is one of continuing spiritual, emotional, and relational growth. But so many of us feel stuck or stagnated at one stage of the journey. It's not always clear to us where or why we are stuck, making it difficult to take the next step on our journey of the soul. That's where Bill and Kristi Gaultiere come in. After decades in private practice as counselors and therapists, they have developed a unique model for growing in grace. In Journey of the Soul, they draw on more than 70,000 hours of providing therapy and spiritual direction to show you how to identify your current stage of faith and the next steps to take based on your unique needs and struggles. With Scripture, self-assessments, and soul care practices to support your progress along the way, this insightful and inspiring book will be a treasured companion on your journey no matter where you are or how long you've been following Jesus.




Metaverse For Dummies


Book Description

Your first step to understanding what the metaverse is all about You've probably heard that the metaverse—a word that seemingly went from nonexistent to everywhere — is the next big thing in technology. What is it, anyway? Written by a leading futurist, Metaverse For Dummies unravels the mysteries of the metaverse, for the curious and for anyone looking to get in on the ground floor. Discover how to carve out your niche in the metaverse with easy-to-understand breakdowns of the major technologies and platforms, a guide to doing business in the metaverse, and explorations of what meta means for sports, education, and just about every other area of life. The book even gives you a guide to safety in the metaverse, including how much of your real life you should share in your virtual one. This book answers all the big questions about the metaverse, in simple terms. Explore the metaverse and the major players Get a look at how the metaverse will disrupt industries from gaming to online commerce Discover business opportunities on the metaverse Dive into metaverse gaming and virtual events—safely This book is a must for anyone looking for an approachable primer on what the metaverse is, how it works, and the opportunities within it.




Ministry Training Academies


Book Description

Ministry Training Academies are dynamic ministries that train and release children to do ministry. They provide children with a unique opportunity to learn ministry through hands-on experience. Ministry Training Academies also help to fulfill the purpose of the local church. Given that children make up approximately 25% of the church population, it would be unlikely for a church to fulfill what God has called it to do unless children are engaged in helping fulfill that purpose. Can you imagine if every evangelical church equipped and released their children in ministry? Not only would there be radical changes in the church of Jesus Christ, there would be changes in homes, schools, and neighborhoods. Children who walk in newness of Christ as a believer AND partner with Him in ministry, will have a profound impact in their world. Let's stop doing ministry to our children and begin a chapter in church history where we begin doing ministry WITH children.