Pursuing Excellence For The Glory Of God

What is education? How and why do educators do what we do? And, in what way can and ought education be distinctively Christian? These are a few of the probing questions for which this book seeks answers. Among other contributions, Currivean's book explores a biblical philosophy of Christian education with unprecedented breadth and depth. To accomplish this objective, it considers what education is (chapter 1), what philosophy of education is (chapter 2), and what the ultimate goal of education is (chapter 3). Additionally, this book provides a never-before, Christian overview of twelve philosophies of education (chapters 4-15). Each of those chapters provides an introduction of a particular philosophy of education and some of that philosophy's exemplars. Each of those chapters also contributes a constructive, Christian critique. Chapter 16 highlights a biblical philosophy of Christian education--featuring some people, some principles, and some priorities for a biblical philosophy of Christian education, viz. pursuing excellence for the glory of God.

We are called to excellence in all aspects of our lives and activities, and not least in our character. Andreas Köstenberger summons all Christians, and especially aspiring pastors, scholars, and teachers, to a life of virtue lived out in excellence. Köstenberger moves through Christian virtues chapter by chapter, outlining the Bible’s teaching and showing how Christ-dependent excellence in each area will have a profound impact on one’s ministry and scholarship. Virtues covered include grace, courage, integrity, creativity, eloquence, humility, diligence, and service. This unique book is an important character check for all Christians engaged in teaching and ministry, and especially for those in training. Köstenberger’s thoughtful volume will be a valuable touchstone for readers, for one’s character is a critical matter in both scholarship and ministry.

Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses on the church door at Wittenberg in 1517. In the three years that followed, Luther clarified and defended his position in numerous writings. Chief among these are the three treatises written in 1520. In these writings Luther tried to frame his ideas in terms that would be comprehensible not only to the clergy but to people from a wide range of backgrounds. To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation is an attack on the corruption of the church and the abuses of its authority, bringing to light many of the underlying reasons for the Reformation. The second treatise, The Babylonian Captivity of the Church, contains Luther's sharp criticism of the sacramental system of the Catholic church. The Freedom of a Christian gives a concise presentation of Luther's position on the doctrine of justification by faith. The translations of these treatises are all taken from the American edition of Luther's Works. This new edition of Three Treatises will continue to be a popular resource for individual study, church school classes, and college and seminary courses.

Christianity 201: The Pursuit of Excellence is written to those who believe the Christian message and those who don’t. The book begins with Christianity 101- a section that helps the reader to understand what Christianity is and is not. It helps to remind people of the basics of the Christian worldview and how this worldview helps us in understanding reality as it is. Serving as an introduction for someone who does not know what the Christian message is, Tarfa explains some important themes and concepts within the Christian faith. With many people today believing that their Christian faith should be kept separate from everything else they do, Christianity 201: The Pursuit of Excellence reminds them that they are supposed to have one life and that 'the world ought to recognize us by our fruits'. Focusing on who God is, as revealed in His Word, and what He has done for us, this book explains practical ways that we can grow and learn more about God. With the emergence and growth of the postmodern philosophy, many people hold to the view that truth is relative. Tarfa shows the firm foundation of the Bible and why its truths are absolute. He sheds light to the different areas where we can apply God’s word in our friendships, leadership opportunities, actions, and thoughts, and how God’s Word should shape how you view the world and these areas. Taking a looks at some practical places where we could glorify God, Christianity 201 challenges the reader to excel in all areas including education, careers and other extracurricular activities. Tarfa examines the life of Daniel, a man who excelled at all he did for the glory of God, showing that the Bible is just as true and relevant in today’s world as it was then. The book shows ways that we can grow and be more like Christ in a world where many don’t place value. Tarfa says, “It saddens me when I see people looking for worldly things to build their lives on. The Bible clearly shows us how we ought to live our lives. The more we learn about God through His word, the more we learn about ourselves and the world. And the more we learn about ourselves, the more effective and efficient we can be. It is only when we start pursuing after God that we know we are on track to achieving excellence. He expects us to live for Him while we are here on earth. If we choose to live for anything else, we will have wasted our lives.” Christianity 201: The Pursuit of Excellence shows the limits of science and why this is important with regards to Christianity. Scientific discoveries and advancements in technology has not, and cannot take the place of God in our lives. Science by its nature cannot do that. Science proposes explanations for phenomena without giving justification for why it has the ability to provide these explanations. The more we learn good science, the more we realize that there is a high level of precision and specificity which comes only from a being capable of producing these effects. In Christianity, it is the God of the universe who made things the way they are. As Kepler, Newton and many of the early scientists mentioned, science is the study of what God has made. Even though these scientists lived a long time ago, their words and propositions are still as important and are worth considering in world where people want science and theology to be in different categories without any relationship. Science is a gift from God which we should not be using against Him. In this book Tarfa points to the Word which is logic and truth that ultimately leads us back to the Source of all Truth, Jesus Christ. Christianity 201: The Pursuit of Excellence is for Skeptics, new believers and believers that want to grow.

"Beyond a Whistle and a Prayer will forever change the way you look at sports and coaching. Society advocates sports as a means to instill virtue and character in our youth. But we all know that the system is broken to a large extent - from youth sports through college, and beyond. Too many coaches and parents are driven by the scoreboard, the win-at-all costs model. Is it any wonder that 70% of kids drop out of sports by age 12? Many of us remember the words and actions of coaches for a lifetime. What memories are you leaving with your athletes? Chris helps us make sense of why sports are broken and how they can be restored as a tool to positively impact lives. It all centers on coaches being transformed by biblical truths and implementing practical tools so they can field competitive teams while also loving their athletes well. Join the journey and learn to coach with joy." -Gilbert Tuhabonye: Author of This Voice in My Heart; 8-time NCAA All-American; Distance Running Coach

The essays are split into 6 sections, focusing on art & creativity, the artist's call, literature, music, cinema and faith & culture. The idea of the essays is to engage Christians to think through how their faith impacts their interaction with arts & culture.

"This study explored the life stories of positive student affairs campus leaders as they seek to foster positive workplaces and campus lives at their higher educational institutions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten student affairs positive leaders working within a range of higher educational institutions including: public community colleges, private research universities, public universities, private Jesuit colleges, and private Ivy League research universities. All participants obtained a threshold score on a self-assessment survey which successfully identified them as positive leaders, according to Cameron's (2012) positive leadership theory framework. Transcripts were analyzed using narrative analysis to identify four themes. The four major themes that emerged were as follows: positive student affairs communication, and positive meaning within student affairs, positive student affairs climate, and positive student affairs relationships. These findings align with the four tenets of Cameron's (2012) positive leadership theory framework as well as existing literature in the fields of positive psychology and positive organizational scholarship. These findings suggest opportunities for current and future student affairs leaders to learn from the life stories of the student affairs positive leaders interviewed with the hopes of improving the well-being of future higher educational professionals and students and enhancing campus climate across the country"--Author's abstract

A daily devotional guide that uniquely takes an expository, rather than a thematic or topical, approach to Scripture. Each reading provides insight, as well as suggestions for prayer and further study.