The Dark Side of Discipleship


Book Description

There's a dark side to Christian discipleship church members ignore to their peril. The New Testament has much to say about why and how Christ's followers must deal with the devil. Learning to take the evil one seriously without obsessing over him is crucial to the spiritual endurance training we all need if we are to someday hear Jesus say to us: "Well done, good and faithful servant!" Specifically, pastor/theologian Gary Tyra argues in this work that key to overcoming Satan is a balanced, Spirit-empowered engagement in what he refers to as the four cardinal components of Christian discipleship. Understanding the various ways the devil attempts to derail our experiences of worship, nurture, community, and mission can serve to motivate us with respect to them! With the help of the Holy Spirit, church members can cultivate a "lifestyle spirituality" that enables them to don the "full armor of God" and engage in several critical "close-quarters combat tactics" the New Testament encourages. In the end, The Dark Side of Discipleship is a no-nonsense yet inspirational New Testament theology of spiritual warfare that can serve Christ's church as a powerful aid to the spiritual, moral, and ministry formation of contemporary Christians.




Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership


Book Description

The Christian world has been rocked by the number of prominent leaders, in both church and parachurch organizations, who have been compromised by moral, ethical, and theological failures. This pace-setting volume addresses this alarming problem and offers Christian leaders valuable guidance in dealing with the inherent risks of their work. Using biblical and current examples, the authors describe the characteristics of five types of leaders and the problems that are most likely to develop if their particular dysfunctions develop unrestrained. McIntosh and Rima offer a series of steps for leaders to consider so they can take control of their dark side and learn to harness its creative powers. This edition includes a new introduction, updated information throughout, a self-assessment tool, and other additional material. Includes endorsements from John Maxwell, Leighton Ford, Leith Anderson, and Rob Angel.




Hope When Life Unravels


Book Description

Written by a pastor and father who has walked a painful road, Hope When Life Unravels explores the encouraging, upside-down truths of the book of Job, and other key Bible passages, to remind us of the ways God is present in our pain. Why does God allow suffering? And why does God seem to go silent when we're in pain? In Hope When Life Unravels, Dr. Adam Dooley, pastor and host of the daily radio broadcast A Better Way, searches for answers to our biggest questions about suffering as he shares his son Carson's story of battling leukemia. Adam speaks openly about the gut-wrenching struggle his family endured for three years of life-threatening illness and how God met them in their hours of need--even when it wasn't in the ways they wanted. And, along with his own story, Adam takes readers through the story of Job, unpacking insights about God's character, his love, and how we can stay connected to him even during seasons of pain. Both inspiring and comforting, Hope When Life Unravels invites us to draw closer to a God who is often active in our lives in times when we have trouble seeing him the most.




The Life Jesus Made Possible


Book Description

To the faithful follower of Jesus, life is anything but ordinary as he or she experiences the things of heaven transforming the things of earth. Followers of this untamed King grow to expect the Spirit to show up and demonstrate God's love, truth and power in tangible ways every day. In this Kingdom the guilty experience forgiveness, the wounded are healed, the bound are set free and the fearful are overwhelmed by God's transforming love...Are you ready to explore and experience the Kingdom within your reach? Assuming you are, let's begin our journey to discover what it can mean to live the life Jesus made possible! - From the introduction "This is an intensely practical and applicable book that helps Christians activate their God-given agency by seeing where God is at work and joining him in His quest to transform the world, inch-by-inch, in the context of everyday life. Dynamic!" - Alan Hirsch, Author & Activist ..".Bill Randall is challenging us to go beyond belief to actively engage, announce, and advance the Kingdom of God, moving the gospel message from the 'then and there' to the 'here and now'..." - Dr. Terry Wardle, President, Healing Care Ministries ..".The Life Jesus Made Possible will embolden you to take up your call as an apprentice of Jesus in his magnificent Kingdom and find yourself transformed by the Spirit along the way. A must read for everyday missional people." - Christiana Rice, Author, Coach and Trainer with Thresholds "Bill Randall's powerful new book, The Life Jesus Made Possible, unearths the real meaning of the normal Christian life and teaches us how to walk in our divine mandate as world changers and history makers..." - Kris Vallotton, Author and Senior Leader, Bethel Church, Redding, CA ..".There is a select group of books that work on the reader like a well-guided retreat, The Life Jesus Made Possible is one of them." - Dr. Robb Redman, Dean and Professor, South University




Discipleship


Book Description

Christians in the West', claims David Watson, 'have largely neglected what it means to be a disciple of Christ. The vast majority of western Christians are church-members, pew-fillers, hymn-singers, sermon-tasters, Bible-readers, even born-again believers or Spirit-filled charismatics, but not true disciples of Jesus.' 'The call to discipleship is a call to God's promised glory. This is not a day in which to play religious games. Time is running out fast.'




Just War as Christian Discipleship


Book Description

This provocative and timely primer on the just war tradition connects just war to the concrete practices and challenges of the Christian life. Daniel Bell explains that the point is not simply to know the just war tradition but to live it even in the face of the tremendous difficulties associated with war. He shows how just war practice, if it is to be understood as a faithful form of Christian discipleship, must be rooted in and shaped by the fundamental convictions and confessions of the faith. The book includes a foreword by an Army chaplain who has served in Iraq and study questions for group use.




The Twelve Disciples Bible Study


Book Description

Jesus called twelve ordinary men—and turned their weaknesses into strengths, their faults into testimonies, and their doubts into faith. Who were these men who walked with Jesus? What can we learn from their lives? Find out with The Twelve Disciples Visual Bible Study. From John and Peter to Matthew and Mark, enjoy digging deeper into the lives of each of Jesus' twelve disciples and learn more about:Their personalitiesWhy Jesus called each of themHow they servedThe lessons that we can learn from their mishaps and strengthsAnd more!All-Inclusive Ready-to-Use Bible Study on the Twelve Disciples Can Be Led By Anyone! This highly visual and informative introduction to the twelve disciples shows how Jesus called the Twelve individually—and uniquely—for life with him. See how Jesus entrusted them with authority despite all their mishaps and failures. Discover how these men's lives were radically changed in the midst of Christ's life, death, and resurrection; and celebrate the global effect they had for generations to come. Features include:6-session flexible Bible studyOptional reading plan for people with more time who want to go deeperLeader's guide is contained within each study guide, so no extra book purchase is requiredDiscussion questions for each session and lots of space for writingMost Bible studies on the twelve disciples don't include visuals. Imagine having one that does! Perfect for group and individual use, young adult study, homeschool, church library, to give to a friend, and more! 112 pages, 6 x 9 inches. Paperback, ISBN 978-1-62862-809-8. 5 Key Features of The Twelve Disciples Rose Visual Bible StudyPacked with Visuals & Graphics. Unlike other studies on the twelve disciples, which are mostly text, Rose's full-color visual Bible study is packed with full-color illustrations, timelines, and charts. Plus, it gives you all the key themes and important information at a glance!Clear and Easy to Understand. It's never been easier to dig deeper and get a solid overview of how each disciple plays a key role in the New Testament.Practical Life Applications. Start this life-changing Bible study today and discover the promises and blessings the Lord has for you in his Word.Flexible & Easy-to-Use Format. Whether you want a 30-, 60-, or 90-minute study (3 plans included), this book is designed to help you dive into Scripture and retain information. The format of The Rose Visual Bible Study Series helps you focus on key takeaways, applications, and important lessons.Anyone Can Lead This. Each Bible study contains a leader guide to help anyone guide their small group or church through discussions and important lessons. No additional purchase necessary! Packed with the do's and don'ts of leadership, group guidelines, 3 Bible study plans for flexibility, and more. This simple leader guide will get you and your group up and running in no time!Enjoy Rose Visual Bible Study's Simple, Easy-to-Use Format Each of the 6 sessions in every Bible study guides you (and your group) through the following sections:Introduction: Simple overview to get started.Read It: Key Bible passages and optional reading.Know It: Discussion questions with space for writing.Explore It: Summaries of key information, easy-to-read outlines, charts, full-color illustrations, and more.Live It: Devotional reading and life application questions, a short prayer, and space for note-taking and journaling.




A More Christlike God


Book Description

Whether our notions of ‘god’ are personal projections or inherited traditions, author and theologian Brad Jersak proposes a radical reassessment, arguing for A More Christlike God: a More Beautiful Gospel. If Christ is “the image of the invisible God, the radiance of God’s glory and exact representation of God’s likeness,” what if we conceived of God as completely Christlike—the perfect Incarnation of self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering love? What if God has always been and forever will be ‘cruciform’ (cross-shaped) in his character and actions? A More Christlike God suggests that such a God would be very good news indeed—a God who Jesus “unwrathed” from dead religion, a Love that is always toward us, and a Grace that pours into this suffering world through willing, human partners.




Blessing or Curse


Book Description

Life's trials and triumphs can seem accidental. One person may feel that life is a constant struggle in which pitfalls abound and someone seems out to get him. Another may feel that every day is a gift from God with special blessings just for her. That's because forces are at work in our lives: the blessings of a loving God or the curses of our spiritual adversary. This hugely popular classic work of Derek Prince helps readers recognize if there are curses at work in their lives and shows them how to get out from under those curses to live under God's blessings. This third edition of Blessing or Curse includes an extensive new study guide for small group or individual use.




Untamed (Shapevine)


Book Description

Discipleship is costly. Are we willing to critique and even challenge much we've been taught for the sake of the kingdom? For this is the radical nature of the discipleship to which Jesus calls us. He did not allow the outside culture to hold him captive; instead he established the kingdom of God and turned the world on its head. Jesus was untamed, and he calls his church to be the same. In this provocative and compelling book, internationally known missiologists Alan and Debra Hirsch overthrow culturized understandings of theology and culture, and cast a vision for a distinctly mission-shaped way of living the Christian life. Written for any Christian serious about issue of discipleship, Untamed covers such topics as church, humans as bearers of the image of God, family life, culture, and sexuality. Through it all they seek to answer the question, how are we to think and live day to day as followers of Jesus? Each chapter ends with suggested practices to help readers begin to live out the book's principles as well as questions for group discussion.