Power Church

Every generation has an uncanny tendency to view themselves as more enlightened than those that have gone before. The Church certainly has made mistakes all through history - and yet, no insights which we possess would be possible without the efforts, and even some of the mistakes, of our ancestors. The first volume of 2,000 Years of Christ's Power covers the period from the 1st Century AD to the start of the Middle Ages.

Parents of any age or at any stage can cultivate the same virtues in prayer that Saint Monica discovered during her long wait for God's answer for her child. This devotion includes eighteen contemporary reflections, meditations taken from the writings of Saint Augustine, and prayers adapted from the liturgy and other ancient sources.

God’s people are called to a togetherness and commitment that transcends all natural boundaries ― whether ethnic, generational, or economic. But such a community can be enjoyed only when it relies on the power of God in the gospel. In The Compelling Community, pastors Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop cast a captivating vision for authentic fellowship in the local church that goes beyond small groups.

In a breakthrough book first published in 1991, the authors address the dynamics in churches that can ensnare people in legalism, guilt, and begrudging service, keeping them from the grace and joy of God's kingdom.

Few things in life are more frustrating than knowing you need to change, wanting to change, and trying to change, but not changing. Craig Groeschel knows what it's like to be caught in that demoralizing cycle. That was his own story—until he discovered practical principles for experiencing lasting change. Since then, Craig has helped countless others find true change in their relationships, habits, and thoughts. A powerful blend of biblical wisdom and fascinating psychology, The Power to Change will equip you to start living the life God wants for you.

In a time when technology penetrates our lives in so many ways and materialism exerts such a powerful influence over us, Robert Cardinal Sarah presents a bold book about the strength of silence. The modern world generates so much noise, he says, that seeking moments of silence has become both harder and more necessary than ever before. Silence is the indispensable doorway to the divine, explains the cardinal in this profound conversation with Nicolas Diat, and he seeks to restore to silence its place of honor and importance.

Power has a God-given role in human relationships and institutions, but it can lead to abuse when used in unhealthy ways. Speaking into current #MeToo and #ChurchToo conversations, this book shows that the body of Christ desperately needs to understand the forms power takes, how it is abused, and how to respond to abuses of power.

For too long the Religious Right has masqueraded as a social movement preoccupied with a number of cultural issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage. In her deeply reported investigation, Katherine Stewart reveals a disturbing truth: this is a political movement that seeks to gain power and to impose its vision on all of society. America’s religious nationalists aren’t just fighting a culture war, they are waging a political war on the norms and institutions of American democracy.

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.

In The Priesthood Power of Women, author Barbara Morgan Gardner explores teachings of the living prophets and scriptures to increase our understanding of God's power as it operates in the temple, the Church, and the family. Her well-documented research demonstrates that women have more authority and power in all those settings than they may have previously supposed.

Americans have been leaving their churches. Some drift away. Some stay home. And some have been searching for—and finding—more authentic ways to find and follow Jesus. This is the story of one such “radical outpost of Jesus followers” dedicated to service, the Sermon on the Mount, and working toward justice for all in this life, not just salvation for some in the next. Part of a little-known yet influential movement at the edge of American evangelicalism, Philadelphia’s Circle of Hope grew for forty years, planted four congregations, and then found itself in crisis.

Arguing from Scripture and history, Dr. Boyd makes a compelling case that whenever the church gets too close to any political or national ideology, it is disastrous for the church and harmful to society. Dr. Boyd contends that the American Evangelical Church has allowed itself to be co-opted by the political right (and some by the political left), and exposes how this is harming the church's unique calling to build the kingdom of God.

How have so many Christian leaders and institutions been lured by toxic and abusive power? Why are so many Christians tempted to chase worldly success and status? Because, according to Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel, rather than seeking kingdom power embodied by Jesus, we have embraced a form of power that is antithetical to the cross. Christians have succumbed to the temptations of power and forgotten Jesus’ seemingly contradictory path to power - first giving it up.

Will God ever use me again? How can I invest my broken life? Does my life matter? Have you ever asked yourself these questions? All too often, churches, organizations, and companies abandon their broken leaders at the very moment the person becomes most useful. In Redemptive Leadership, Dr. Harv Powers explains Why God uses only broken leaders How God uses brokenness to transform the lives of others The process to become a redemptive leader Redemptive leadership rests on the hope that out of the ashes of our lives, transcendent influence emerges. God uses all the events of our lives, both ...

You are invited to witness the enormous power of the early church when it connected to the ultimate power. Then you are invited to request and experience it for yourself. You will again witness the enormous power of the early church as you listen to The Acts of the Apostles, a remarkable commentary on the book of Acts. Then you are invited to request it and experience it for yourself and your church.

In the Closet of the Vatican is a fascinating description and evaluation of financial, sexual and political misconduct throughout the Catholic Church at a time when new revelations are being uncovered each and every week. This audiobook explores the underlying causes and includes interviews with numerous Cardinals and other individuals, some of whom cannot be named. Martel reveals financial scandals in the Vatican bank; political collusion with unsavoury regimes, including Castro’s Cuba and Pinochet’s Chile; sexual abuse and hypocrisy over homosexuality.

"This book is a masterful description of the distinct difference biblical leadership makes. Mike Ayers has addressed this issue in a scholarly, yet very practical way. We have needed these pages that focus so clearly on the Word of God and the biblical description of leadership.” —James T. Draper Jr.President Emeritus, LifeWay Christian Resources" "In Power to Lead, Mike Ayers shares a wealth of practical wisdom, but he goes first and foremost at the most important component of biblical leadership—the heart. This challenging and insightful work is a must-read for anyone wanting to ...

NECESSARY CHANGES The Need and Power of Repentance The most fundamental of all of our beliefs as a follower of Jesus Christ is the need and necessity for repentance. This one need is so primal and basic that it was the first word that Jesus spoke when He introduced the Kingdom of God on earth. Repentance then is the root of the necessary changes that we should make, face, and embrace as believers in Jesus Christ. But what is it? How does it work? When does it take place? These questions and many more will be addressed in the pages yet to come. This book is not a theological treatise on the ...

Though shalt covet. “Pride Horizon church has been my family's place of worship for as long as I can remember. My church leaders have always taught me to practice the morals of a God-fearing man. Then Pastor James insists I see him privately in his office after church and explains he has a new teaching for me now that I'm eighteen--a rite of passage that will show my devotion to my leaders, to the church, and to the Lord. A rite of passage all the men of Pride Horizon have gone through before me. Pastor leads the way, by taking off both sets of his shirts and hanging them on the rack ...

In Making Sense of the Bible, Adam Hamilton invites us into an honest conversation about the Bible. The book begins with foundational questions such as: How and when was the Bible written? Who decided which books made it into the scriptures and why? How literally must we read it? And, is the Bible ever wrong? From there, Hamilton considers the real questions people frequently ask that continue to divide Christians and denominations alike