On Being The Church Of Jesus Christ In Tumultuous Times

This collection of essays, sermons, and prayers urges the church today to be the sort of community that sustains a vigorous and continuing conversation within itself as to who has called it into being, to whom it is responsible, and what it is called to be and to do. Jones reminds the church that it is an alternative political community called into being by the Gospel. This collection explores what it means to be such an alternative community in tumultuous times, in times when it is tempting to look to the world for answers, and to confuse loyalty to the nation-state with loyalty to God. A theme throughout all the writings is that the church is the necessary context for becoming and being a Christian.

Nations are haemorrhaging refugees around the world. How displaced peoples are treated is under constant scrutiny– whether in the UK, the USA, and Australia, or Turkey, Colombia, and Uganda. How will the Church respond in these turbulent times? Resurrection Church Beirut in Lebanon was a small church of around one hundred people who then welcomed refugees from Middle Eastern countries, sacrificially served those in need in their community and saw the kingdom of God come. Through Pastor Hikmat’s leadership over the last decade, Resurrection Church has grown to over two thousand believers and the emphasis he brought on disciple-making has resulted in the church currently having two hundred and seventy life groups. Using his church’s powerful testimony, Pastor Hikmat Kashouh teaches us how to disciple refugees from Arab contexts. Jesus is drawing more and more people to himself in the Middle East through the ministry of churches like Resurrection Church in Lebanon, and through miraculous divine visitations of God. In this book the church has a resource to help love, serve and disciple refugees, equip emerging indigenous leaders and understand discipleship of people from non-Christian backgrounds.

How are we to live in these turbulent days? What will it look like to navigate the present crisis and its aftermath as followers of Jesus Christ? Living by Faith in Turbulent Times tackles these timely questions by taking us deep into the Bible's most famous passage on the nature of authentic faith, Hebrews 11. As we look to God's never-changing word for guidance and help for today, we find rich encouragement from key models of faith-men and women who walked with God and trusted his promises through fearful and challenging days. This new resource will not only strengthen followers of Jesus to walk by faith, but introduce others to the God who can be trusted in turbulent times.

Joe Jones, a retired and well-known systematic theologian, confesses he has a lover's quarrel with the church. In wide-ranging writings mostly dating since 2006, he forthrightly argues for a theologically sound understanding of the church. And he pursues a multi-faceted critique of the feckless ways in which actual churches--ministers and laity--balk and betray their rightful calling to witness in word and deed to God. He is especially critical of the practical ways in which congregations become no more than mirror images of their sociopolitical milieu, whether to the right or to the left. Hence the quarrel, trenchantly pursued in major essays, blogs, and spiritual reflections on his own past. But it remains crystal clear to Jones in his learned and profound confession that it is his beloved church with which he quarrels and about which he still has extravagant hopes. A Lover's Quarrel is a book appropriate for ministers and laity, students and professors, and learned skeptics.

This book offers an upper-level introduction to the Christian doctrine of the Church. This book is a rigorous comprehensive introduction to the doctrine of the Church by taking the tack of walking readers through the internal logic of ecclesiology. Rather than simply offering a compendium of perspectives on each issue that arises, the authors seek to teach and model thinking theologically, with the grain of scripture and ecclesial reflection, about the Church. The chapters are peppered with two to three excurses per chapter which consider a particularly pertinent issue that arises from the doctrine's development (e.g. the move from Jesus to the Church, schism and the rise of denominations, sacramental mediation) or contemporary concerns (e.g. the question of other religions, contemporary ecumenical questions, the emerging church). While the overall tone and content of the book articulate and invite discussion on the problematics of ecclesiology, these excurses will provide ample opportunity to examine and (where appropriate) untangle ecclesiological knots. The Guides for the Perplexed are clear, concise and accessible introductions to thinkers, writers and subjects that students and readers can find especially challenging - or indeed downright bewildering. Concentrating specifically on what it is that makes the subject difficult to grasp, these books explain and explore key themes and ideas, guiding the reader towards a thorough understanding of demanding material.

Well-documented story of the Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church. The second part of this work analyzes Vatican II and its effect on our world today. The turbulent history of the Catholic Church will come alive as the centuries unfold before the reader. God's tender care for His children amid life's storms and tumultuous times is evident and unmistakable.

In this updated edition of his classic book, New York Times bestselling author Dr. David Jeremiah offers biblically based, practical instruction for living a confident life in a world filled with chaos and crisis. Confidence can be hard to come by these days as millions of people experience immeasurable, unanticipated challenges. People are losing their jobs, their houses, and their life savings at an unprecedented rate. Violence, natural disasters, and moral depravity seem to be skyrocketing. In the midst of all this chaos, we need to know . . . what on earth should we do now? Bible teacher Dr. David Jeremiah brings a message of hope and confidence from the priceless counsel of the Word of God. If we rely on God's Word to advise us, calm us, and fill us with hope and trust in the One who understands what is happening, we can weather any storm. Dr. Jeremiah answers our most urgent questions, including: How can we weather this storm with a calm heart? What does it truly mean to “wait on the Lord”? What is Jesus saying to our chaotic world today? How on earth did we get into this mess? Can we take a broken world and rebuild it into something fruitful? Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World shows us all that with the power and love of Almighty God, we can live with confidence in this age of turmoil.