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We are in this together¿all ages practicing, all ages becoming God's people.Often, intergenerational initiatives are seen as the next new church trend, or another programming tool for church growth and revitalization. Ultimately, though, intergenerational practice is at the core of what it means for us to be the body of Christ. God intends for all ages to participate in faith formation together; we are formed in our practice of intergenerationallity as we participate in the formation of becoming God's people.All Ages Becoming brings theologians, practitioners, and ministry leaders, representing diverse denominations, generations, cultures, and geographical locations, together to help us explore this adventure of intergenerational Christian practice. As you consider intergenerational practice in your own faith community, each chapter provides "Theology in Practice" sections with questions designed to help your community reflect, discuss, discover, experiment, reinvent, redesign, and continue in your community of practice.

Maybe you didn't read the word on the front cover. Maybe you felt it. You're not alone. I feel it too.While most of us don't want to admit it, we crave attention. Our social media-obsessed society is proof that people everywhere want to be seen. But this self-promoting system leaves many women feeling overlooked. In Overlooked, Whitney Akin helps you discover how the human need for attention and approval is God's intentional design and encourages you to live seen by the God who loves you.Overlooked guides you into a deeper understanding of El Roi, the God Who Sees, through the stories of Hagar, Moses, Paul, and Jesus by uncovering the transformative power of living each day in the attention of a holy God. Overlooked offers practical ways to implement a lifestyle of living seen characterized by confidence, meekness, obedience, and a gospel perspective. You'll learn how to use these characteristics to interact with humility and strength in the real, and digital, world around you. When you feel forgotten and unseen, Overlooked will help you...Understand why you long to be seen.Get real about the ways social media is hard on your heart.Tap into the true source of the attention and approval you long for.Implement practical ways to trade feeling overlooked for a lifestyle of living seen.You don't have to live overlooked anymore.

Jess and Ryan blended their families after losing their spouses to cancer in 2010.In Lovin' with Grit and Grace, they offer a his-and-hers perspective on this unexpected marital journey with their eight children, seven of whom have lost a parent, including their eighteen-year-old son Lucas who is profoundly disabled. They address many tough topics, like grief, addictions, and intimacy, with a vulnerable honesty that is a breath of fresh air in an age when most would rather avoid these difficult issues, with the topics following the acronym HIS/HERS:¿ Health ¿ Intimacy ¿ Sex¿ Household tasks ¿ Excitement ¿ Romance ¿ SpiritualityMany of their personal stories offer a lesson learned, a tried-and-true recipe that applies to the situation, and questions or takeaways for the reader to consider; but above all else, they explain why a love like theirs is worth celebrating and fighting for.

This brief commentary is intended to serve as a guide for those teaching Revelation in a Bible class or as a guide for personal study. Over the years, Dr. Fair has taught small group classes, congregational Bible classes, and university classes and has felt the need for a short commentary that bridges between some basic studies and the more scholarly and detailed commentaries. He has written this study guide with an eye on the reader who does not want to get bogged down in academic details and yet who wants something with meaning to it. He has stayed in contact with the latest research and publications in the field of Revelation. There are many perceptions of the story of Revelation, most of them having no basis in solid research. Dr. Fair approaches the study of Revelation with a practical and thoroughly researched point of view. The story of Revelation has little to do with the "end of the world," it is a story of deeply needed encouragement to struggling Christians living in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey. As we read and study this wonderful manuscript, we glean much of value for us today. Finally, this work is offered with the prayer that it will encourage Christians and others to realize the triumphant victory we have in Christ over Satan and his forces of evil that challenge us on every front of our lives; that it will offer hope to those who struggle under the pressures of life, and ultimately bring glory to God our Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.

God is inviting us to join in the transformation of global poverty. It's time to act.Jesus's words, "Blessed are you who are poor," are the seeds of a new reality. So how can God's people participate in this transformation of how to live and serve? Development in Mission offers a way forward and encourages readers to embrace a holistic approach to poverty alleviation. Gathering their diverse perspectives on international development, the authors construct a solid theological foundation for global mission. They distill principles for effective Christian engagement in several key sectors, including education, income and poverty reduction, water and sanitation systems, creation care, healthcare delivery, disaster relief, peacemaking, sports ministries, and others. Congregations, missionaries, nonprofit leaders, and Christians in the Global North will find fresh perspectives for engaging global vulnerability, poverty, and injustice faithfully and effectively. Along the way, readers will find that they are being transformed themselves as they join God's mission in the world. "This is the definitive new resource for holistic, global mission¿a must-read for every aspiring world-changer and missionary. Weaving their own vast cross-cultural experience in with solid biblical foundations and practical insights, the authors have created the best book for transformation I have read in a long time." ¿Craig Greenfield,founder of Alongsiders International and author of How [not] to be a White Savior and Subversive Jesus "It's time for a radical shift in our approach to global development¿moving from short-term, quick fixes to relational and sustainable solutions. Development in Mission affirms Christ's call to go into all the world¿not as heroes, but as servants; not as problem solvers, but as active learners. The book unites theory and practice, biblical wisdom and global application, as we understand how to truly love our global neighbors." ¿Peter Greer, President and CEO of HOPE International and coauthor of Rooting for Rivals "Development in Mission is a tour de force into the complexity of poverty that confronts some two billion people in the world today. Lynn, Gailey, and Reese present an unvarnished look at the causes and implications of one of the world's greatest challenges, while guiding us toward proven solutions with a humility we must chase after in order to achieve results. This is more than a book; it's an invitation to participate in one of the greatest movements in history: ending poverty for millions in our lifetime." ¿Belinda Bauman,founder of One Million Thumbprints and author of Brave Souls; Stephan Bauman, former President and CEO of World Relief and author of Seeking Refuge

Through the centuries, marginalized Christian renewal movements have challenged the status quo of the religious establishment, often at great cost. These nonmainstream religious movements generally receive little attention in standard introductions, but Let Truth Prevail tells their story, surveying the history, beliefs, and practices of various medieval and post-Reformation European renewal movements:17th-century German Pietists18th-century Scottish restoration movementsHussitesHutteritesMagisterial Protestants and CatholicsMennonitesThe Moravian BrethrenThe Schwarzenau Brethren Swiss BrethrenTaboritesThe Unity of the BrethrenWaldensiansAllen Diles classifies these groups as restoration movements, calling attention to their enduring legacies. Each reacted against perceived corruptions in the church and sought to renew faithfulness to God's truth and his intended ideals as they applied Scripture to their historical context.Though Let Truth Prevail demonstrates the strengths of these renewal movements, the book also considers their limitations. Current readers can challenge their own self-understanding of history, God, faith, Scripture, and the practice of the Christian way by reflecting on these marginalized believers.

God the Creator reveals his true nature in the first five books of the Bible.While the broader story of the Bible-how God takes the first steps in reconciling the world-is known to many Christians, carefulreaders of the Pentateuch still have many questions. The first five books of the Bible are filled with violence, oppression, and humansuffering. The origin story of the Jewish nation is one of hardship and loss. The Transforming Word series doesn't shy away fromany of the details--it will encourage you to examine the Scriptures more closely and discover the God who sustains everything.This commentary series draws from the best in recent scholarship and is designed for the everyday student of the Biblewho is looking for an up-to-date, go-to resource as they read and study.

Engage All Generations suggests how every church can build on its potential and become a more vibrant witness of God's Kingdom. Divided into three sections, the book focuses on key growth edges in the unfolding conversation about intergenerational ministry: Learning and Growing Together,Praying and Playing Together, and Leading and Changing Together.Practical, accessible, encouraging, and thought-provoking, this book provides the crucial next building block in our understanding of intergenerational ministry. It is sure to benefit congregations already engaged in fostering intergenerational approaches and those desiring to experiment with becoming intentionally intergenerational.Like good intergenerational ministry, Engage All Generations has something for everyone. Whether you're new to the party or you've been tearing it up on the intergenerational dance floor for years, the wise practitioners in this book invite you to more deeply consider the current state of all-age ministry and to try out some moves that they've been practicing in their contexts. So join the party-and don't be afraid to attempt something new as you make your way onto the dance floor.

Thin Places not only reveals the deeply scriptural, sacramental faith of the Celts, but also provides ways for us to learn from this ancient faith expression, applying fresh and lively spiritual disciplines to our lives today.

This in-depth study offers all serious Bible students a detailed and readable consideration of the book of Hebrews. Intended for preachers, university and seminary students, and adult Bible class teachers, Hebrews: Ancient Encouragement for Believers Today is a bridge commentarydelivering the best insights of contemporary scholarship in understandable, non-technical language. The author of Hebrews used four Psalms as a framework to re-tell the story of Jesus to a disheartened audience that was tempted to walk away. The same structure and intense focus on Jesus permeates and empowers this narrative commentary, bringing fresh encouragement to believers today. An international spectrum of Bible scholars and church leaders commend the meticulous scholarship and sound exposition in this book and note its tremendous clarity and simplicity, its wise application and elegant prose. Reviewers call it brilliant and a momentous accomplishment.

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus undoes barriers of impotent religion (or religion that can't produce life in us), so that he can have a more intimate relationship with his people. Some of those barriers are still in existence today and they are keeping people away from God instead of drawing them closer to him. If Jesus were to actually walk into your church, your home, or your life, are there things he would undo? Sooner or later that's the question we all must wrestle with. If Jesus is undoing something in our life, we can be sure that it's for our good and for God's glory. Let the undoing begin.

Why do some people overreact emotionally to normal life stresses? Have you ever felt as if your emotions are suddenly raging out of control and you seem powerless to do anything about it? Many people live with debilitating emotional upheaval and it hurts their health, their relationships and even their walk with God. They are looking feverishly for freedom and relief, yet often experience frustration and misunderstanding in the attempt. Strong Winds and Crashing Waves helps people understand the lingering effects of past traumatic wounding and provides the wounded with a pathway to freedom through the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Sharing from his own experience with post traumatic stress disorder,Terry Wardle writes candidly about the nature of deep emotionalstruggle and helps readers encounter the transforming Christ in the memories of past traumatic events.

Many writers have considered the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Pemberton, however, sets this philosophical issue aside to consider the practical. How do believers live out faith in prolonged seasons of pain and loss? How can we live with God when it hurts and continues to hurt? Drawing from his own daily struggle with chronic pain and years of reading and teaching the Psalms, Pemberton leads readers on a quest to recover a lost ancient resource for people of faith the language of lament. The book of Psalms brings out the reality and presence of lament in ancient days, indeed laments make up a third of the Psalter. Through the exploration and study of imagery and language, Pemberton revitalizes this forgotten tool to rejuvenate those who seek to connect with God in times of struggle.

Life is tense and offers no easy answers or quick fixes. The good news is that in a world of unrest and stress readers can find the peace for which they hunger. Tracie Miles, in this breakthrough book, helps women unload the pressure cooker of life and learn to rely on the peace that Christ promises all those who come to Him. Tracie maintains that the direction many women receive today is attached to temporary helps like meditation, relaxation strategies, breathing exercises, and support groups. "STRESSED-LESS LIVING" unpacks the truth found in Scripture about how to overcome fear, anxiety, and uncertainty, and shows the stressed-out woman how she can not only survive stress, but thrive in spite of it through faith in the promises of God.

While relating his own personal journey in understanding the nature of hell, Fudge leads the reader through the whole Bible to see what we have missed, then through church history to understand the origin of the other two views. Here are the basics: Life is short. Death is sure. Judgment is certain. Hell is real. And when John 3:16 says the options are eternal life or perish, we can take that at face value. At the end of the world, the good and bad alike are raised to face judgment. The righteous enjoy eternal life with God; the lost are sentenced to hell. But the God who gave his Son to die for sinners does not keep them alive forever to torment them without end. Instead, those in hell suffer such precise pains as divine justice may require, in a process that ends in extinction. This is the second death, the wages of sin. Eternal punishment is eternal destruction.

"Mom, you're so mean!" Do you struggle to instill loving boundaries and become discouraged when your child doesn't like you for them? Let "The Mean Mom's Guide" inspire you to dig in and stand your ground when parenting gets tough because a mean mom isn't always the mean you think it means.