Showing titles in Discipleship

Whether it's the news, social media, or well-intentioned friends, we're told daily to fear "others". We fear strangers, neighbors, the other side of the aisle, even those who parent differently. And when we're confronted with something that scares us, our brain sees only two options: attack or avoid. But either way, polarization intensifies. What if you could defy your own instincts and choose a third option - scandalous, disruptive, unthinkable LOVE?

From “living your best life” to “self-actualizing”, “finding your destiny”, and “waiting on the best to come”, the contemporary messages of the world exhort us to believe that we are promised and entitled the biggest and best life can possibly offer. But is that actually what Jesus promises? Is that even close to the message of the gospel?

Toward the end of the fourth century, a group of men and women began to withdraw from the halls of privilege and power into the desert to rediscover the essence of Jesus Christ. The stories and examples of these desert fathers and mothers are recorded for us. The desert fathers and mothers found a way to live radically, humanly, and beautifully in a spiritually desolate and confusing time. So can we. Streams in the Wasteland is for all those who thirst for a better way—the radical way of Jesus amid the desert of our age.

Rarely do we understand so much about a subject and practice it so little. This series on prayer can transform your life. Learn not only precepts about prayer but how to pray in an effective, powerful manner that will elicit supernatural results.

We hear and say short Christian clichés all the time, such as “Jesus was a social justice warrior”, “Just have faith”, and “It’s not my place to judge.” These trite statements often go unquestioned. Sometimes they even substitute for truth, leading to a fragile and shallow faith. But what if a close study of these clichés could lead us to deep biblical truth? In Unquestioned Answers, Dr. Jeff Myers rethinks 10 popular Christian clichés.

When student Tim Journeyman first wrote to family friend Dr. Paul Woodson, he didn't know it would start a fifteen-year mentorship that would shape his life and Christian faith. Within their candid letters are words of real-world wisdom—from a "senior saint" to a "junior saint"—covering various areas of living, from the theological to the everyday. Written as fictional correspondence between two men at different stages of life and faith, the novel Letters Along the Way provides important biblical perspectives.

Anyone can start a race, but it takes planning and training to finish it. A good long-distance runner knows the importance of planning his race. As he passes the starting line, he is already considering how he will cross the finish line. As he takes his first easy step, he has planned how he will take his last grueling step. As a Christian man, you are already running the race of life. You are not competing against other people but against the deadly enemies of the world, the flesh, and the devil. How do you plan to maintain your pace throughout this race?

What is the way forward for the church? Tragically, in recent years, Christians have gotten used to revelations of abuses of many kinds in our most respected churches―from Willow Creek to Harvest, from Southern Baptist pastors to Sovereign Grace churches. Respected author and theologian Scot McKnight and former Willow Creek member Laura Barringer wrote this book to paint a pathway forward for the church.

Does the Bible really teach that you're supposed to yield your rights? What's the right way to look at the issue of rights? Have you ever been accused of being bitter? Maybe you thought you really weren't, but how can you tell? Is that "root of bitterness" truly as insidious in your heart as some have suggested? How can you use other Scriptures to help you recognize it?

Discover the joy and simplicity of learning from Jesus in your living room. With a few friends, a Bible, the Holy Spirit, and place to meet, your house can be a gospel house.

Many today object to Christianity as a White, male-dominated religion that oppresses women and people of color. More than a White Man’s Religion not only debunks the mischaracterization of Christianity, but also shows how the gospel can inspire positive change desperately needed in our modern culture.

Our world has been torn asunder by racial, ethnic, and ideological differences. It is seen in our politics, felt in our families, and ingrained in our theology. Sadly, the church has often reinforced these ethnic and racial divides. To cast off the ugliness of disunity and heal our fractured humanity, we must cultivate spiritual practices that help us pursue beautiful community. In The Beautiful Community, pastor and theologian Irwyn Ince boldly unpacks the reasons for our divisions while gently guiding us toward our true hope for wholeness and reconciliation.

From your heart’s deepest cry to life’s joyful praises, nothing is off limits to Jesus.Knowing Jesus on a deeper, more personal level means sharing all aspects of your life with Him…every day. In Dear Jesus, Sarah Young exemplifies what it means to do this - to dialogue with the Savior. She begins each of the 120 devotionals by sharing intimate struggles and longings that weigh on the heart - being preoccupied with problems; being dissatisfied with oneself, and other spiritual issues.

Throughout our lives, we experience countless periods of waiting. Some moments are mere nuisances—others are daunting seasons filled with intense worry and doubt. We grow impatient by immovable traffic or crave an impending answer to a medical condition. Whatever our current circumstances, our innate response is to take action rather than stay still. In Waiting Isn't a Waste, author Mark Vroegop calls believers to resist the human urge for control and lean on Christ for comfort while we wait for the uncertainties of life to unfold.

How would it feel to enter into prayer with confidence and assurance - certain that God heard you and that your prayers would make a difference? It would likely feel amazing and unfamiliar. That's because often our prayers seem to be met with silence or don't appear to change anything. Either response can lead to disappointment or even despair in the face of our ongoing battles and unmet longings - especially when we don't know if we're doing something wrong or if some prayers just don't work.

In a society always seeking the new and novel, Christians can become more grounded and mature through a retrieval of our common tradition. Alex Sosler sets forth the "transcendentals" of truth, goodness, and beauty—along with community—to help listeners follow the way of Jesus. Weaving together church history, theology, and devotional practice, Sosler offers a holistic introduction to spiritual formation, encompassing biblical truth, the pursuit of the good life, the contemplation of God, and communal belonging.

In I Saw the Lord, Anne shares the revival lessons she has carried to audiences throughout the world, showing you how you can experience an authentic, deeper, richer relationship with God in a life-changing, fire-blazing revival. It begins here. Now. Open this book and hear the wake-up call. Then get ready for the fire of revival to fall on you!

In The Wolf in Their Pockets, Internet expert Chris Martin examines the many ways we are being changed by social media. With a biblically informed voice, Martin both exposes the ways the Internet is distorting our life in Christ, and shows us how to faithfully respond.

Discover how you can achieve true and lasting greatness…the answer might surprise you. In Welcome to the Basement, podcaster and thought leader Tim Ross shows you how you can achieve true and lasting greatness. But his tools and tactics might surprise you. Ross has put them to the test in his own life, and he's come to believe that the only way up is down, the only way in is out, and that downward mobility is your only hope for upward utility.

Why are so many Christian leaders burning out, losing faith, and abusing power? Rather than relying on our self-sufficiency and toughing our way through the tension, Mandy Smith invites us to confess it. As a pastor who also equips and encourages other pastors, Mandy feels the pain. Instead of offering more strategies to fix our problems, she reminds us of the call that first captured our imagination, directing our passions back to God and God’s people.