PEDRO CASTANEDA

Have you ever wondered why we Christians do what we do for church every Sunday morning? Why do we "dress up" for church? Why does the pastor preach a sermon each week? Why do we have pews, steeples, choirs, and seminaries? This volume reveals the startling truth: most of what Christians do in present-day churches is not rooted in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles.

Meals have always been important across societies and cultures, a time for friends and families to come together. An important part of relationships, meals are vital to our social health. Author Tim Chester sums it up: "Food connects." Chester argues that meals are also deeply theological - an important part of Christian fellowship and mission. He observes that the book of Luke is full of stories of Jesus at meals. These accounts lay out biblical principles. Chester notes, "The meals of Jesus represent something bigger."

Every forty seconds, someone takes his or her life. Anxiety, depression, and suicide are at all-time highs—and they're stealing our sons, daughters, friends, and spouses. With tender passion and bold hope, Jacob Coyne, founder of Stay Here, infuses life into the dark corners of mental health. Giving hurting souls a reason to live, he shows not only how Jesus brings life to the full, but also how anyone—regardless of their past or pain—can find healing.