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Community And Church
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Book Synopsis Community as Church, Church as Community by : Michael Plekon
Download or read book Community as Church, Church as Community written by Michael Plekon and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2021-07-22 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Parishes of all denominations are in decline, shrinking, closing, dying. We know that there are increasing numbers, young and older, who are religious “nones” and “dones.” This book explores why the decline is taking place, why the distancing is going on. But it goes on to examine parishes from all over the country and from various church bodies that are resurrecting. The central theme of death and resurrection shapes the analysis of parishes covered. Parishes are resurrecting by reinventing their ministries, by repurposing their building to better serve their neighborhoods, thus replanting and reconnecting with them. All of this is the Spirit’s doing but through the community of sisters and brothers who make up each congregation of faith. Community as the core of church is the other reality shaping the book’s reflection. And community, a parish being with those around, living for more than its own survival are visions for going forward. Other aspects of congregational life are also examined, most importantly the pastors—how they serve when budgets shrink, how they are trained, how pastors act with the community not above it. No recipes are suggested for parish resurrection, but the stories of the parishes that have revived bear within numerous lessons for us in the future.
Book Synopsis Creating Community, Revised & Updated Edition by : Andy Stanley
Download or read book Creating Community, Revised & Updated Edition written by Andy Stanley and published by Multnomah. This book was released on 2009-03-25 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Five keys to building a small group culture that fosters meaningful, lasting connections within your church community. Small groups are the key to impacting lives in your church. But a healthy small-group environment doesn’t just happen. So pull up a chair. Let’s talk about how to make it happen. Bill Willits and bestselling author Andy Stanley share their successful approach, which has resulted in nearly eight thousand adults becoming involved in small groups at North Point Community Church in Atlanta. Simply put, the five principles have passed the test. This is not just another book about community; this is a book about strategy—strategy that builds a small group culture. Creating Community shares clear and simple principles to help people connect into meaningful relationships. The kind that God desires for each of us and that He uses to change our lives. Put this proven method to work in your ministry and enjoy the tangible results—God’s people doing life TOGETHER. “The small-group program at North Point Community Church is not an appendage; it is not a program we tacked on to an existing structure. It is part of our lifestyle. We think groups. We organize groups. We are driven by groups. Creating Community contains our blueprint for success. And I believe it has the potential power to revolutionize your own small-group ministry!” — Andy Stanley
Download or read book Church@Community written by Ed Delph and published by Creation House. This book was released on 2005 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Author Ed Delph challenges traditional mindsets about the church and its relation to the neighboring community in his new release, Church@Community. Dr. Delph proposes a paradigm shift in the way churches relate to the community at large. Instead of disengaging itself from secular activities, the church should be a sphere of influence in business, government, education, and entertainment. In this unique book on community reformation, Delph challenges conventionalism and the status quo. Based on the Book of Nehemiah, Church@Community addresses the need for Christian entrepreneurialism, diversity in the church, and strategic prayer. Written for pastors and leaders as well as anyone desiring to see transformation, church@Community raises a new standard for the body of Christ.
Book Synopsis The Influence of the Church on the Local Community by : Abraham G. Ndung'u
Download or read book The Influence of the Church on the Local Community written by Abraham G. Ndung'u and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2021-01-05 with total page 147 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The church is called to be the agency through which God is not only known but through which his kingdom is also advanced. This book, therefore, is an attempt to examine the church's influence on communities through social justice practices as part of advancing the gospel of the kingdom of God. The book brings out results of a study about a congregation's significant impact on a local community through varied social justice programs. The book also provides relevant recommendations on how such initiatives can be improved for a more effective kingdom-driven ministry to local communities. It is hoped that the example of J. Jireh Ministry Church provides a case worthy of emulation by other churches, congregations, and similar faith-based community organizations for ministering to social justice needs at the local level.
Book Synopsis The Beautiful Community by : Irwyn L. Ince
Download or read book The Beautiful Community written by Irwyn L. Ince and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2020-08-04 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The church is at its best when it pursues the biblical value of unity in diversity. Pastor and theologian Irwyn Ince boldly unpacks the reasons for our divisions while gently guiding us toward our true hope for wholeness and reconciliation. To heal our fractured humanity, we must cultivate spiritual practices that help us pursue beautiful community.
Download or read book Uprooted written by Grace Olmstead and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2021-03-16 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A superior exploration of the consequences of the hollowing out of our agricultural heartlands."—Kirkus Reviews In the tradition of Wendell Berry, a young writer wrestles with what we owe the places we’ve left behind. In the tiny farm town of Emmett, Idaho, there are two kinds of people: those who leave and those who stay. Those who leave go in search of greener pastures, better jobs, and college. Those who stay are left to contend with thinning communities, punishing government farm policy, and environmental decay. Grace Olmstead, now a journalist in Washington, DC, is one who left, and in Uprooted, she examines the heartbreaking consequences of uprooting—for Emmett, and for the greater heartland America. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Uprooted wrestles with the questions of what we owe the places we come from and what we are willing to sacrifice for profit and progress. As part of her own quest to decide whether or not to return to her roots, Olmstead revisits the stories of those who, like her great-grandparents and grandparents, made Emmett a strong community and her childhood idyllic. She looks at the stark realities of farming life today, identifying the government policies and big agriculture practices that make it almost impossible for such towns to survive. And she explores the ranks of Emmett’s newcomers and what growth means for the area’s farming tradition. Avoiding both sentimental devotion to the past and blind faith in progress, Olmstead uncovers ways modern life attacks all of our roots, both metaphorical and literal. She brings readers face to face with the damage and brain drain left in the wake of our pursuit of self-improvement, economic opportunity, and so-called growth. Ultimately, she comes to an uneasy conclusion for herself: one can cultivate habits and practices that promote rootedness wherever one may be, but: some things, once lost, cannot be recovered.
Book Synopsis Slow Church by : C. Christopher Smith
Download or read book Slow Church written by C. Christopher Smith and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2014-05-06 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In today's fast-food world, Christianity can seem outdated or archaic. The temptation becomes to pick up the pace and play the game. But Chris Smith and John Pattison invites us to leave franchise faith behind and enter the kingdom of God, where people know each other well and love one another as Christ loves the church.
Download or read book Liturgical Theology written by Simon Chan and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2006-07-12 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evangelicals, Simon Chan argues, are confused about the meaning and purpose of the church in part because they have an inadequate understanding of Christian worship. He calls evangelicals to develop a theology of worship that is grounded in a theology of the church. He guides the reader through worship practices and their significance for theology, spirituality and the renewal of evangelicalism in the postmodern era.
Book Synopsis Longing for Community by : David Greenlee
Download or read book Longing for Community written by David Greenlee and published by William Carey Publishing. This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding the strength and unity of the ummah-- the worldwide Muslim community--and its role in an individual's identity is essential in comprehending the struggles that Muslims undergo as they turn to faith in Jesus Christ. It has been a place of security, acceptance, protection, and identity; turning away from it entails great sacrifice. Where, then, will Muslims who choose to follow Jesus find their longing for community fulfilled: ummah, church, or somewhere in between? Longing for Community compiles the research and reflection of twenty missiologists, sociologists, anthropologists, and linguists--among them Muslims who have become believers in Jesus Christ-- presented at the second Coming to Faith Consultation in February 2010. The contributors explore the multiple levels and hybrid nature of social identity, pointing to the need to free our discussions from single- dimensional scales, which are far from adequate to describe the complex nature of conversion and lived-out faith. Beyond the issue of identity, the contributors offer important lessons from mission history, explore liturgy as an appropriate vehicle for teaching, discuss appropriate means of communication, and point to both the need and contextually appropriate possibilities of greater involvement of women in training and ministry.
Book Synopsis The Church of Facebook by : Jesse Rice
Download or read book The Church of Facebook written by Jesse Rice and published by David C Cook. This book was released on 2009-10-01 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This timely release explores the community-altering phenomenon of social networking sites and what it reveals about friendship, God, and our own hearts. With hundreds of millions of users, social networks are changing how we form relationships, perceive others, and shape our identity. Yet at its core, this movement reflects our need for community. Our longing for intimacy, connection, and a place to belong has never been a secret, but social networking offers us a new perspective on the way we engage our community. How do these networks impact our relationships? In what ways are they shaping the way we think of ourselves? And how might this phenomenon subtly reflect a God who longs to connect with each one of us? The Church of Facebook explores these ideas and much more, offering a revealing look at the wildly popular world of online social networking.
Book Synopsis The Compelling Community by : Mark Dever
Download or read book The Compelling Community written by Mark Dever and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2015-04-16 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The local church is meant to embody the vibrant diversity of the global church, transcending racial, cultural, and economic boundaries. Yet local churches too often simply reflect the same societal divisions prevalent in our world today—making them more akin to social clubs filled with like-minded people than the supernatural community the New Testament prescribes. Pastors Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop argue that authentic fellowship is made up of two crucial ingredients: commitment (depth) and diversity (breadth). Theologically rooted yet extremely practical, this book sets forth basic principles that will help pastors guide their churches toward the compelling community that we all long for.
Book Synopsis The Other Half of Church by : Jim Wilder
Download or read book The Other Half of Church written by Jim Wilder and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2020-08-04 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Could brain science be the key to spiritual formation? Why does true Christian transformation seem fleeting? And why does church often feel lonely, Christian community shallow, and leaders untrustworthy? For many Christians, the delight of encountering Christ eventually dwindles—and disappointment sets in. Is lasting joy possible? These are some of the questions Michel Hendricks has considered both in his experience as a spiritual formation pastor and in his lifetime as a Christian. He began to find answers when he met Jim Wilder—a neurotheologian. Using brain science, Wilder identified that there are two halves of the church: the rational half and the relational half. And when Christians only embrace the rational half, churches become unhealthy places where transformation doesn’t last and narcissistic leaders flourish. In The Other Half of Church, join Michel and Jim's journey as they couple brain science with the Bible to identify how to overcome spiritual stagnation by living a full-brained faith. You'll also learn the four ingredients necessary to develop and maintain a vibrant transformational community where spiritual formation occurs, relationships flourish, and the toxic spread of narcissism is eradicated.
Book Synopsis The Community of Jesus by : Kendell H. Easley
Download or read book The Community of Jesus written by Kendell H. Easley and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2013-09-15 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Intended for upper division college students, seminarians, and pastors, The Community of Jesus delivers a biblical, historic, systematic, and missional theology of the church. Today the word church provokes wide-ranging reactions and generates discussion on a variety of issues among Christians and non-Christians alike. In order to sort through this maze of responses and topics, a biblical and theological foundation must be laid that provides a clear vision of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ and its significance in God’s eternal purpose. With extensive pastoral, teaching, missions, and administrative experience, this team of contributors carefully sets forth the biblical teachings concerning the church and then builds on this core material, relating the theology of the church to salvation history, church history, God’s glory, and God’s mission: • Paul R. House, “God Walks with His People: Old Testament Foundations”• Andreas J. Köstenberger, “The Church According to the Gospels”• Kendell H. Easley, “The Church in Acts and Revelation: New Testament Bookends”• David S. Dockery, “The Church in the Pauline Epistles”• Ray Van Neste, “The Church in the General Epistles”• James A. Patterson, “The Church in History: Ecclesiastical Ideals and Institutional Realities”• Stephen J.Wellum, “Beyond Mere Ecclesiology: The Church as God’s New Covenant Community”• Christopher W. Morgan, “The Church and the Glory of God”• Bruce Riley Ashford, “The Church in the Mission of God”
Book Synopsis Church/School/Community by : Lia McIntosh
Download or read book Church/School/Community written by Lia McIntosh and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2021-08-17 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: YOUR CHURCH, MINISTRY, OR ORGANIZATION CAN BECOME A FORCE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE. LEARN HOW AND START NOW! Pastors, other leaders, and people in every community yearn to bring change. To influence people and systems for good. To work for morally rooted social change. What is the best way to do this work? Together. Collaborative efforts between churches, schools, and other organizations are critically important for our future. Lia McIntosh makes the case for this claim and instructs leaders who are ready to start, as she lays out a principle-based framework built on the seven virtues (or principles) of Kwanzaa. Each chapter includes a summary of key points, plus a list of questions and suggestions for discussion, further inquiry, or action. The book closes with a full list of practical suggestions and instructions for putting the principles into action immediately. It is designed for leaders and teams to read and work through together, resulting in plans and action. The book is also filled with stories revealing the depth of need and the extraordinary results of positive change. It is inspiring, motivating, and instructive. Church/School/Community promises to help us move forward: - A historical review of the intersections of Faith and education, reminding us how the church has always been on the forefront of education. - An explanation of the Opportunity we have to change a student’s life, especially before the 3rd grade. - A challenge to Rethink the church’s role in education, moving from mercy to justice to advocacy. - Exploring the question, What can we do? And learning the practices that are essential for this work. - A challenge for faith communities to practice Advocacy, placing students at the center, and reviving the church. - A warning for us to Resist the urge to turn inward, reminding us that life is found by giving ourselves away. - Renewing our commitment as Americans to Democracy. Modeling it for students so they understand the power of their voices, their capacity to develop skills, and their responsibility to shape the future. Actionable and transformational. This book is a valuable tool for people and organizations who want to create an “ubuntu” way of looking at the world. Through healthy community, school and church partnerships, McIntosh offers a practical guide for leaders to discern the community’s assets and needs and bring good into the world. A must-have resource. --Kim Jenne, director of connectional ministries, Missouri Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church We are at our best when we partner with others for the sake of self, neighbor and community. We should have no expectation of meaningful change or transformation apart from profound partnering. McIntosh rehearses and re-envisions the power of church, school and community linking arms, where each helps the other become a better version of itself, and where the whole is more than the sum of the parts. --Gregory V. Palmer, bishop of the West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church This is a book worth reading! The Missouri Annual Conference has emphasized church/school partnerships and this book is a helpful, practical guide to our work. It paints a picture of fruitful and vital ministry. --Bob Farr, bishop of the Missouri Conference of The United Methodist Church Lia McIntosh shows up as a coach, encourager and cultural connector in every moment of her life, including this book. Churches are looking to create significant partnerships with their local communities, and schools are frequent partners. This book provides a framework for thinking through these connections, plus action steps to take. I'll be recommending this wonderful piece to every church leader I know! --Derrek Belase, director of connectional ministry, Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church Concepts and words are often misleading specially in a period when individualism is on the rise, and an abiding sense of togetherness is slipping away from the human family, Rev. Lia McIntosh calls 21st century readers to rethink about the centrality of community and formation of human connections through church, Academic circles and Ecclesial movements. This is a timely and much needed people – oriented piece of literature whose horizon is three –fold, faith – as – a portal for community formation, learning and instruction as an opportunity for community formation, and national and Global engagements as localities of community formation. This book is both a gift and legacy giving to all whose eyes will read the pages of this well – thought out work. --Israel Kamudzandu, associate professor and Lindsey Pherigo Chair, Saint Paul School of Theology, Leawood, KS Church/School/Community is a timely and much-needed resource. It is a must read for those who are committed to being World Changers in this heightened state of racial injustice, political division, and denominational uncertainty. McIntosh creatively utilizes the Kwanzaa principles as a plan and blueprint to strengthen churches and transform communities. As the National Director of SBC21 I highly recommend reading this critical book that can forge vital partnerships between church, school and community. --Michael L. Bowie, Jr., national executive director, Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century, The United Methodist Church
Book Synopsis Serve the Community of the Church by : Andrew D. Clarke
Download or read book Serve the Community of the Church written by Andrew D. Clarke and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2000 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume explores the nature of leadership in the Christian community, especially as it was variously taught by Paul and practiced in the congregations of the first century. Exploring valuable ancient source material as well as the New Testament texts, Andrew Clarke describes the theories and practices of organization and leadership in key areas of first-century society-the city, the colony, associations, Jewish synagogues, the family-and discusses the extent to which these models influenced the first-century Christians as they sought to define the parameters and distinctives of their own communities.
Book Synopsis Community, State, and Church by : Karl Barth
Download or read book Community, State, and Church written by Karl Barth and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2004-10-05 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Karl Barth was the master theologian of our age. Whenever men in the past generation have reflected deeply on the ultimate problems of life and faith, they have done so in a way that bears the mark of the intellectual revolution let loose by this Swiss thinker. But his life was not simply one of quiet reflection and scholarship. He was obliged to do his thinking and writing in one of the stormiest periods of history, and he always attempted to speak to the problems and concerns of the time. In June 1933 he emerged as the theologian of the Confessional movement, which was attempting to preserve the integrity of the Evangelical Church in Germany against corruption from within and terror from without. His leadership in this struggle against Nazism also made it necessary for him to say something about the totalitarianism that the Soviet power was clamping down upon a large part of Europe. In this indirect way, a Barthian social philosophy emerged, and this theologian, who abjured apologetics and desired nothing but to expound the Word of God, was compelled by circumstances to propound views on society and the state that make him one of the most influential social thinkers of our time. David Haddorff is Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at St. John's University, New York. He is the author of several articles and reviews, and the book: Dependence and Freedom: The Moral Thought of Horace Bushnell (1994). Table of Contents: Introduction by David Haddorff - Karl Barth's Theological Politics 1 Gospel and Law 71 Church and State 101 The Christian Community and the Civil Community 149 Bibliography 191
Book Synopsis Being the Church in a Multi-ethnic Community by : Gary McIntosh
Download or read book Being the Church in a Multi-ethnic Community written by Gary McIntosh and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The face of America is growing rapidly more diverse, and many churches are wondering what it means to carry out the Great Commission in a community where different ethnicities are represented. Being the Church in a Multi-Ethnic Community is an introductory guide, a basic primer for pastors and congregation leaders who are wrestling with how to reach the ethnic groups next door and welcome them into the multi-ethnic body of Christ. Gary L. McIntosh and Alan McMahan offer a research-based overview of the issues, challenges, and essential principles for developing multi-ethnic churches in the United States. Rather than being a one-size-fits-all, this book describes a variety of approaches for bringing multiple ethnicities together into a single congregation. Learn how your church can be effective in welcoming disciples of all ethnicities.