Church Theology

A cross-section of five frontline leaders in the controversial emerging church movement shed informative light on their beliefs and basic message to help us understand whether it’s all about new methods or a new message or both.

To the Coptic Orthodox Church, Dogmas are not merely theological concepts concerning God, man, Church, eternal life, heavenly creatures, demons, etc., to be discussed among clergymen, scholars, and laymen. But dogmas are, in essence, daily experiences each member of the Church has to live. In other words, dogmas representing our faith in God through various aspects have one message, i.e., our communion with God the Father in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God, by His Holy Spirit. Thus, we conceive of our redemption, our membership in the Church, a deep understanding of the Holy Bible, ...

Uncover the transformative power of laughter with "The Laughing Pulpit - Using Humor to Enhance Preaching." This groundbreaking guide illuminates the profound yet often overlooked relationship between humor and preaching. With this essential resource, preachers can learn how to leverage laughter to communicate spiritual truths more effectively, create a deeper sense of community, and make their messages more memorable and impactful. A Harmonious Blend of Theology and Comedy: Explore how humor can illuminate spiritual truths, deepen religious understanding, and open hearts to profound ...

What if salvation isn’t limited to the elect? In Hope Beyond the Elect, Jonathan Ramachandran offers a bold, thought-provoking exploration of a long-overlooked question in biblical theology: Is there any hope of salvation for those not among the elect? Written for everyday churchgoers, this accessible volume simplifies and condenses scholarly research while remaining faithful to the conservative, early Christian view known as Chiliasm—the belief in a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ. Drawing from Scripture and quotes from early Church Fathers such as Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, and ...

The unity of the faith is about the basic beliefs of the Christian faith—what is foundational—about God and man and good and evil. The unity of the faith is not about making converts. It is not about what is fundamental for initial conversion, for being saved, or for entering into the kingdom of God.

This Christian devotional book contains more than 100 thoughtful quotes and proverbs of wisdom, prayer, thanksgiving, trust, praise, and worship hymns from Old Testament’s Biblical book of Psalms that can be great for anyone interested in living wisely.

The Church Is Flat is the first significant, researched study into the ecclesiology of the emerging church movement. Research into eight congregations is put into conversation with the theology of Jürgen Moltmann, concluding with pragmatic proposals for the the practice of a truly relational ecclesiology. Tony Jones visited eight emerging church congregations (Cedar Ridge Community Church, Pathways Church, Vintage Faith Church, Journey Church, Solomon's Porch, House of Mercy, Church of the Apostles, and Jacob's Well), facilitating interviews, focus groups, and surveys. After interpreting ...

Sustainable Church is a thorough Bible-based exposition of how the ministry of every church should be organically built around all of the Spirit-gifted followers of Jesus within that local body. It critiques the shallow pragmatism and unsustainability of nonorganic churches and biblically showcases the sustainability of the organic church.

A pastor is called to be a shepherd of God’s people in the local church. The gift of a godly pastor cannot be overemphasized — but the task of finding a faithful pastor is daunting. In this audiobook, seasoned pastor Mark Dever offers clear, biblical insight to churches in search of new leadership by providing six characteristics to look for in a new pastor, along with 11 suggestions of strategies to implement during the search process.

No doubt, over the past century, the Western world has seen tremendous advances in medicine and technology. But what if, in our insatiable urge to progress, we have lost what it means to be healthy? What happens when Big-Pharma and Big-Government work together in an unholy union of oppression and tyranny? The fact is, we are sicker than ever, and much of our modern “healthcare” has become nothing more than death-care. We have forgotten the natural, God-given systems in the body that can often be healed by simple protocols found in creation. Meanwhile, in an era long distanced from days ...

Pastor and author Bruce Miller provides practical biblical advice and theological background for difficult ministry decisions regarding complicated and often divisive issues about sexuality.

In this six-session DVD curriculum, author and pastor John R. W. Stott—recently named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine—addresses key areas of Christian beliefs in his typical clear, balanced, biblically based, and intellectually rigorous manner.

Many believe Charles Colson and Ellen Vaughn¿s The Body to be the watershed book of the past decade. It impacted the Church worldwide, encouraging Christians of diverse backgrounds to see themselves as part of the universal body of Christ. It challenged many to a new sense of unity, realizing that we blunt the Gospel message every time we divide over petty issues and personal turf.

Here is a perceptive evaluation of the new “emerging church” movement showing how we must not only interact with a fast-changing culture but also have our vision and practice of ministry shaped by biblical theology with Scripture as the norm.

The Word ‘tsumi’: A Japanese Problem in Translating and Understanding. (Series. Bridges ‘Me a criminal? No way!’ This shocking reply is at the core of this unique book—unique, because there is no other English book on the subject of tsumi , and its alternates and its unfortunate meaning of criminally guilty in Japanese. Unfortunately, it does not encompass the meaning of sin against God. Four hundred years have passed, and this deplorable translation is still used in Japanese churches today. These are some of the topics that are covered in this informative book: How Japanese ...

God called. He wants his church back. Many Christians have begun to recognize that God desires his church to function as an organism rather than an organization. After over 11 years of experience founding and facilitating a house church, author Keith Giles shares the insights he developed in the trenches. Filled with practical, real-world examples of how to plant and nurture an organic gathering, listeners will find a wealth of information to help them bring Jesus back to the forefront of every meeting.

In this compelling book, Jason Garwood unpacks the theological depth and practical application of the Disciples' Prayer, teaching believers how to pray with God's glory, kingdom, and will as the foundation. Rooted in Reformed theology and infused with pastoral insight, this book explores the richness of each petition—from daily dependence on God's provision to the transformative power of forgiveness and the ultimate victory over evil through Christ. Designed to inspire heartfelt worship and obedient living, The Disciples' Prayer invites readers to align their lives with God's purposes and...

Origen believes that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind. Christ who loved humanity, even when they were sinners and enemies, and sacrificed Himself on their behalf, is asking to have a personal relationship with every soul. Therefore, Origen attributes Christ to himself as his own, savior calling Him “my Christ.” The Apostle (St. Paul) declares what is written about Adam and Eve thus: “This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:32); He has loved her so that He gave Himself up for her, while she was yet disobedient, even as he says: “...

Dogmas are the interpretation of our experience of God, in the Crucified and Risen Jesus Christ. This experience through the ages does not alter, for Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8). The disciples and apostles (and bishops afterwards) did not sit around a table and agree to teach new dogmas, but rather they preached their Christian experience. As St. John says, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you" (1 John 1:3). Thus, all Christian dogmas produced are the church's experience of the Crucified and Risen Christ. "Truth" and "Love" at the...

In Faithful Witness, Phil Baker explains the theology of martyrdom that developed over the first 300 years of Christianity, and why that theology proved so powerful in the early years of the faith. Why did they choose faithfulness over fear? Why did they choose dying over killing? Why did they choose self-sacrifice over revenge? Why did they have such peace and joy in the midst of unimaginable torture? By AD 313, why had roughly 10 percent of the Roman Empire’s population embraced Christianity, when it was both illegal and incredibly dangerous to do so?