I Wonder Mind Freeing Encounters With God

Many Christian leaders today promote rigid doctrine that says, “Never doubt. Never question.” This insistence has been demonstrably disastrous for the church because the first step in any faith formation is to wonder. Nathan Aaseng revives the gift of wonder in seeking a fuller, more awesome experience of God. It welcomes unsettling questions, that are too often dismissed with pat answers.

“Shannan’s story feels at once familiar and spectacular, ordinary and exceptional. You will discover that at the same time her words make you squirm, you will wish you lived next door to her. You will want her wisdom and you will want her pickles.” —Jen Hatmaker (from the foreword) Shannan Martin had the perfect life: a cute farmhouse on six rambling acres, a loving husband, three adorable kids, money, friends, a close-knit church—a safe, happy existence. But when the bottom dropped out through a series of shocking changes and ordinary inconveniences, the Martins followed God’s call to something radically different: a small house on the other side of the urban tracks, a shoestring income, a challenged public school, and the harshness of a county jail (where her husband is now chaplain). And yet the family’s plunge from “safety” was the best thing that could have happened to them. Falling Free charts their pilgrimage from the self-focused wisdom of the world to the topsy-turvy life of God’s more being found in less. Martin’s practical, sweetly subversive book invites us to rethink assumptions about faith and the good life, push past insecurity and fear, and look beyond comfortable, middle-class Christianity toward a deeper, richer, and ultimately more fulfilling life.

In view of the destruction of the sources of life, ecology is no longer a marginal issue. In "Creation Set Free," Sigurd Bergmann creatively rethinks the discipline of theology in light of the ecological crisis. He is concerned throughout to see the cosmos as something involved in redemption rather a mere stage for the human salvific drama. After critically and constructively summarizing previous initiatives toward an ecological theology, Bergmann opens up an extraordinary dialogue between these initiatives and church father Gregory of Nazianzus. Through the neglected topics of sociality, motion, suffering, and the Spirit, the author brings to light Gregorybs thought on the liberation of creation. Finally, Bergmann connects ecological issues and patristic tradition with contemporary liberation theology.

In "Free to be Holy", Matt Lozano from Heart of the Father Ministries encourages everyone to pursue a life of holiness. Instead of teaching us how to “become holy,” this book boldly proclaims that we already made holy by the blood of Jesus. It is a guide to understanding how Jesus made us and how we can approach a life of holiness with confident faith and joyful hope. The compelling promise of this book is that the pursuit of holiness is not a struggle but an adventure of discovering who we really are in Jesus.

Men, do you find yourself wondering if God is present in your everyday life? Is He around even in the smallest of encounters? In his book, Right in Front of You, Ken Sadler II has provided real-life examples that show God is present every day, from the significant occurrences to ones that are minor. The daily devotionals are designed to be read in 5 minutes or less. The devotional starts out with an appropriate scriptural reading or inspirational saying. There is an action plan that relates to the devotional reading for that day. The action plan is simple and designed for immediate implementation. This book will inspire and motivate you to action.

There is a deepening crisis in mission as practiced by North American congregations. Many mission activities are more effective at satisfying church members than making a lasting difference, producing what's too often consumer-oriented "selfie mission." Too much effort is based on colonial-era assumptions of mission launched from a position of power. These practices are not just ineffective—they deviate from mission in the way of Jesus. Hunter Farrell and Bala Khyllep want to help free congregational mission from harmful cultural forces so churches can better partner with God's work in the world. They invite leaders to lay the foundation for more faithful and effective missions with three core elements: a Christ-centered theology of mission rooted in companionship an appetite and competence to engage across differences with cultural humility insights and strategies to accompany local and global neighbors in co-development Farrell and Khyllep deliver key takeaways from the latest mission research, inspiring examples from innovative congregations, and a set of step-by-step tools for churches to discern and implement sound practices that will work for them. The local church community is well-positioned to build a spreading circle of relationships centered in Jesus Christ. With this book, congregations of every Christian tradition will find practical help to direct their resources in truly life-giving ways as they seek the mission of God.

Sugar-Free Religion is part biographical, part religious instruction and part just a fun read. Denny believed we are called to be Christian change agents. As such, he believed we must be willing to relate not only to the beautiful people of this world, but to the not so beautiful, as well. We are called to give hope to the hopeless, and love to the unlovely. That is what Jesus did, and that is what he calls us to do. In short, the whole Gospel is not about following the right rules. It is about following Jesus and loving your neighbor. It is not about believing the right stuff; it is about personal life-changing relationships. Relational Theology was Dennys entire ministry. It is what he taught and how he lived. So if you really want to expand your consciousness and find your true authentic self, then why not try looking at every person you meet as a special gift from God? Every stranger is a wonderful opportunity for you to experience new joy, self-fulfillment and self-discovery. So reach out and touch someone! Comfort a friend who is hurting. Give hugs to everyone. Be kind to a lonely child. Visit the aged in nursing homes. Take flowers to someone who is sick. Bring cheer to someone who is dying. Give comfort to someone in grief. Gladly give yourself away. That is how you find your life, by losing it! Most of the stories and examples in the book come from first-hand experience. From Wilmington to Burlington and from Laurinburg to Oxford, he became a part of the lives of the parishioners he was sent to serve. So get ready to have your heart strangely warmed as you read the pages of his book. He will knock the sugar coating, the marshmallow fluffiness and even the sugar sprinkles from your faith. Open your heart and your mind for a new experience. Dont worry if a few things fall to the wayside. Thats OK, because from there you can begin to build your own bright, shiny faith---free of the stickiness. Experience now the joy of living a life without the ick. ---Judy Wise

The Song Index features over 150,000 citations that lead users to over 2,100 song books spanning more than a century, from the 1880s to the 1990s. The songs cited represent a multitude of musical practices, cultures, and traditions, ranging from ehtnic to regional, from foreign to American, representing every type of song: popular, folk, children's, political, comic, advertising, protest, patriotic, military, and classical, as well as hymns, spirituals, ballads, arias, choral symphonies, and other larger works. This comprehensive volume also includes a bibliography of the books indexed; an index of sources from which the songs originated; and an alphabetical composer index.