Résultats lu par "Lance Smith" dans Toutes les catégories

Award-winning author, Pastor, and Professor A. J. Swoboda has witnessed many young people wrestle with their core Christian beliefs. Too often, what begins as a set of critical and important questions turns to resentment and faith abandonment. Unfortunately, the church has largely ignored its task of serving people along their journey of questioning. The local church must walk alongside those who are deconstructing their faith and show them how to reconstruct it.

When Nicholas was a young boy, both of his parents died, and he used his inheritance to help others. As a grown man, he became a leader in the church. He was later imprisoned under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who imprisoned church leaders in an effort to stop the spread of the gospel. After Nicholas was released, he faced a new challenge: A wrong teaching had infiltrated the church. Nicholas had to stand for truth, but that, too, came with a price. However, it did not deter him from generously giving to those in need until his death.

When Patrick was a young boy, pirates invaded his home and made him a slave on the island known today as Ireland. While there, he recalled the Bible stories that his father had told him and dedicated his life to the Lord. Although he later escaped and returned home, he knew the Lord was calling him back to share the gospel with his captors.

He hunted down the followers of Christ and threw them into prison. However, as he made his way to Damascus to arrest more, Jesus appeared to him in a blinding light. Soon, Saul the persecutor became one of Christ’s boldest apostles, whom we know as Paul. God’s Courageous Apostle highlights some of the dramatic events in the life of the apostle Paul, who founded many of the first "underground" congregations and spent time in prison for his witness. His story will inspire children to share Christ with the lost.

He defended the faith and became Christianity’s first martyr. Stephen lived a life full of faith, performing miracles, boldly telling others about Jesus and even serving with others to help widows in their time of need. Then, his courageous witness was silenced. However, the gospel could not be stopped, as his martyrdom caused the gospel to be pushed outside the city walls of Jerusalem and into the surrounding region.

Jesus’ disciple Thomas rightly earned the title "Doubting Thomas" by refusing to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. He told the disciples, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, I will not believe." Soon after, Jesus appeared to Thomas, shattering his unbelief. Thomas became so convinced of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that he took the gospel to India, where he is believed to have died as a martyr at the hands of Hindu priests.

Buried beneath the sentimental cards and candy hearts lies the story of a man named Valentine who defied an imperial order prohibiting marriage. The emperor, known as Claudius the Cruel, needed all strong young men to enlist in Rome’s military, so he forbade them from getting married. When Valentine was caught marrying couples in secret, he was brought before the emperor. Valentine saw an open door to share the gospel with the emperor. Did the emperor choose to place his trust in Christ?

The history of the church is filled with stories. Stories of triumph, stories of defeat, stories of joy, and stories of sorrow. In this book, Dr. Stephen J. Nichols provides snapshots of the church through the centuries. You’ll meet fascinating saints, travel to curious places, examine precious artifacts, and watch as surprising turns of events unfold. This lively and informative journey not only captures the richness of Christian history, but also reveals a record of God’s providence and faithfulness to his people.

Whether you are a new Christian, or have been for a while and feel in need of a refresher, or have been around church for years but things have only just clicked into place for you, this inspiring and practical book will give you the essentials - what you really need to know if you're going to follow Jesus. Gary Millar shows listeners how letting the fundamental truths of the gospel take root in our hearts changes everything about the way we see God, ourselves, and the world around us.

Based partially upon other novenas associated with the painting of Maria Knotenloserin, or Mary, Untier of Knots, which have been written throughout the centuries in various languages, Novena to Mary, Untier of Knots is a fresh, newly edited text. The author has written it with the belief that the worth of any novena is not based upon the wording of the text, but rather upon the faith, hope, and love of the one who prays it.

As a young pastor, Matt Chandler knew he needed to learn how to help hurting people. He studied the Scriptures, and he learned from people at the Village Church who remained joyful in their suffering. And then suddenly he was having to live what he'd learned. This is the moving story of Matt's battle with a potentially fatal brain tumor. But it's also the stories of those who taught him, and teach him, how to walk with joy in sorrow.

This Christian classic, originally published in 1678, has become one of the most significant and influential books in the English language. Travel with Christian on the road to the Celestial City as he fights temptation, evil, spiritual terrors, and religious pitfalls, but also encounters such helpful characters as Hopeful, Faithful, and Charity.

In Thou Shalt Not Be a Jerk: A Christian’s Guide to Engaging Politics, Cho encourages listeners to remember that hope arrived—not in a politician, system, or great nation—but in the person of Jesus Christ.

In The American Puritans, Dustin Benge and Nate Pickowicz tell the story of the first hundred years of Reformed Protestantism in New England through the lives of nine key figures: William Bradford, John Winthrop, John Cotton, Thomas Hooker, Thomas Shepard, Anne Bradstreet, John Eliot, Samuel Willard, and Cotton Mather. Here is sympathetic yet informed history, a book that corrects many myths and half-truths told about the American Puritans while inspiring a current generation of Christians to let their light shine before men.

If we want to know the truth about God, we need a sound approach to incorporating what the whole Bible teaches. In this concise introduction to systematic theology, theologian Graham A. Cole explores how we move from Scripture to doctrine in order to shape what we believe, what we value, and how we live. He shows us the importance of having the right method: rooted in the word of God, consistent with church history, in the context of a broken world, dependent on divine wisdom, and ultimately aiming at pure worship.

Our emotions are complex. Some of us seem able to ignore our feelings, while others feel controlled by them. But most of us would admit that we don’t always know what to do with how we feel. The Bible teaches us that our emotions are an indispensable part of what makes us human―and play a crucial role in our relationships with God and others. Exploring how God designed emotions for our good, this book shows us how to properly engage with our emotions.

Youth ministry is an essential part of most evangelical churches. And yet, there is a surprising lack of resources written specifically for youth workers focused on viewing all aspects of youth ministry through a gospel-focused lens. Featuring contributions from a host of experienced youth workers from a wide variety of churches, this how-to manual offers guidance related to every facet of youth ministry, from planning short-term mission trips to working with parents.

Real-Life Discipleship explains what should happen in the life of every Christian and in every small group so that the church becomes an army of believers dedicated to seeing the world saved. With the overriding goal to train disciples who know how to make more disciples, this book offers proven tools and strategies from Real Life Ministries, one of America’s fastest-growing churches. Discover what the Bible says about true and effective discipleship with these strategies and practices.

Movements that unify millions and sustain national relevance over the course of decades are hard to come by. They’re even harder to plan and predict. But that is exactly what happened and is captured with stunning detail in this book. In Empower, Jeff Martin drills in to four key principles that can unlock a volunteer-led movement. How can you lead a movement? Empower will give you the four keys - value, simplicity, commonality, and ownership - to lead a movement of your own.

A unique middle-grade novel, The Edge of Everywhen tells the story of Piper, a 13-year-old self-proclaimed book nerd whose world has been upended after the death of her mother. She and her autistic little brother (and best friend) Phoenix cling to one another as they are forced to move 1,000 miles away from everything familiar and live with their rich, estranged aunt. Piper reaches to the books on her shelf for comfort, but it is one unique book, Novus Fabula, that offers true guidance as the omniscient narrator in the story.