We Re Missing The Point

We live in an era in which being a Christian is neither popular nor politically correct. As a millennial, author Amy Skoll is watching an entire generation question their faith and walk away from the church as they struggle to reconcile biblical truth with political and cultural trends. But Skoll believes that it is possible to be effective ambassadors for Christ in a world that does not understand Christian beliefs, customs, convictions, and experiences—in spite of the difficulties inherent in that role. Missing the Point, therefore, offers a fresh take from the perspective of a millennial on how to create an attitude shift among believers and to help them think about the areas of life in which they might be missing the point. As ambassadors for Christ, we do not want to come across as insensitive to the culture and belief systems of those around us. But at the same time, it is our job to accurately represent the gospel without succumbing to a watered-down, empty version of Christianity in the process. With the guidance provided here, you can refresh your faith, amplify your love for God, restore your hope, and feel empowered to take on the mission of Christ in a world that is increasingly in opposition to Christianity and what it stands for.

An Incendiary Wake-Up Call to the World What if the Old Testament is a work of fiction, Jesus never existed, and Muhammad was a mobster? What if the Bible and the Qur'an are works of political propaganda created by Taliban-like fundamentalists to justify the sort of religious violence we are witnessing in the world today? What if there is a big idea that could free us from the us-versus-them world created by religion and make it possible for us to truly love our neighbors—and even our enemies? What if it is possible to awaken to a profound state of oneness and love, which the Gnostic Christians symbolized by the enigmatic figure of the laughing Jesus? Discover for Yourself Why the Gnostic Jesus Laughs

"We re Missing the Point: What s Wrong with the Orthodox Jewish Community and How to Fix It argues that many communities of Orthodox Jews today have lost sight of basic, indispensable aspects of what it means to be a Jew. Building from sources that should be unequivocal and unarguable, Rabbi Dr. Gidon Rothstein shows how a Judaism more focused on the core essentials would express itself differently from what we see today, in directing us more insistently toward a certain type of a God-centered focus, while also laying out many areas of autonomy and personal choice we similarly neglect. Working his way from sources to practical suggestions, Gidon Rothstein lays out a vision for how Jews can get back at least to making progress on the main road God wanted, instead of stumbling down side alleys"--front flap.

Examines how the complex issues of the world's culture has influenced the ministry and message of the Christian church on such topics as salvation, worship, the Bible, and sin.

2020 American Express NGen Leadership Award We don't care about what we don't see. Countless people are invisible to us. We overlook the poor and homeless, partly because we don't share much space with them. More seriously, we often choose not to see the realities around us. We hold misconceptions about who is deserving or not, or make false assumptions about people's poverty being their own fault. Terence Lester calls us to see the invisible people around us. His personal encounters and real-life stories challenge Christians to become more informed about poverty and homelessness, and to see the poor as Jesus does. When we see people through God's eyes and hear their stories, we restore their dignity and help them flourish. And when we recognize our own inner spiritual poverty, we have greater empathy for others, no matter their circumstances. Let love open your eyes. Discover how seeing leads us to act with compassion and justice—as God intends.

Comedy is how we cope with the absurdity of life. The person who cannot step back and see how ludicrous are most of the things we encounter in life is the person who gets mired and engulfed in them. Comedy lets us step back and see the whole picture. It reminds us of what is really important which certainly includes laughing and laughing often. These four comedies each take on several situations but exaggerate them until they become enlarged and laughable. To each are added an unusual use of standard theatrical tradition. A writer of one play becomes involved with his own characters. Another play actually moves backwards in time. Another comedy is actually two separate plays that come together while another claims to be a musical but has no singing whatsoever. Come along for the fun and laughter and lighten your burdens for a while.

Ben Jacobs was on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2009 when his world changed forever; he was severely injured during an explosion and was left hovering near death. While in the between place, an angel from God visited Ben and gave him the ability to see into other peoples memories. Upon returning to New York, Ben finds it difficult to handle the pain of his injuries and becomes one of the many who call the streets home. There are those who try to help Ben and encourage him to see God and the good in life. But one cold night, Ben stumbles onto a scene he cant quite comprehend: he sees his homeless friends from Vernal Hill being loaded onto a bus at gunpoint. Ben wonders what he should do. Certainly no one will believe his claims; hes a homeless alcoholic veteran with a bad brain and a strange angel living inside him. But hes also a witness to a conspiracy, and there are those in power who want him silenced. A novel of religious fiction, Were All Important centers on the importance of faith in life. It taps into the universal truth about the very essence of the human condition.