It is not possible to look at the ministry of Jesus without noticing his concern for the poor and the sick. He not only had a huge sense of compassion for people who were suffering, but sent people out to heal the sick and tell them the Kingdom of God is near them. This concern for health and wholeness has inspired Christians through the ages as they have cared for the sick, founded hospitals, and been at the forefront of public health movements. In the nineteenth century, the church was one of the major influencers in initiating ministries of health, both ...

Imagine being able to connect everything you do in life with God's dream of shalom. Imagine all God's people seeing their family responsibilities, work, and community involvement as ministry. Imagine congregations that equip and empower people for ministry--not just in the church, but in all they do. Imagine leaders and members finding a renewed sense of joy, purpose, and vitality as they give themselves away for the sake of the Gospel. Dwight DuBois not only imagines these life-giving outcomes in fresh and powerful ways, he shows readers how to create an ...

Following the death of her best friend since high school, a religion professor re-examines her own personal beliefs about god. She realizes she doesn't want to be consoled by a 'transactional' god who exchanges 'right' belief and 'good' behavior for services upon request. She explores the concept of a 'transformative' god, one not aligned with any particular religion, who equips people to adapt to challenges and to spiritually grow from crises and traumas. Out of our experiences, something positive can emerge which helps us to be more empathic toward the ...

For many readers of the Bible, there are two major obstacles to the enjoyment of scripture: comprehension and relevancy. In A Lifetime of Genesis, Rabbi Zoob seeks to help the reader overcome these obstacles. In clear, logical prose, Rabbi Zoob explains the course of the Covenant of Abraham in Genesis and how each major player--Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah--has an impact on the development and continuity of the Covenant of Abraham. He solves the relevancy problem by sharing stories from his life that are connected to the ...

The places described in this series of sketches are those which come into view most frequently and prominently in connection with the Story of Redemption. The purpose has been to give in brief space and popular form, the most accurate and interesting information obtainable from the accumulations of the past and the records of recent investigation and discovery, as well as from the impressions gained from personal study and observation. --From the Preface

Should evangelical spirituality be grounded in doctrine, experience, neither, or both? If in one, which, and why not the other? If in both, how might the two co-exist without cancelling out each other's distinctives? If in neither, then what practical value does either have for the Christian life? In this book, the author has combined critical research, pastoral awareness, and thoughtful reflection to show how the radicalizations of doctrine and experience have not only polarized contemporary evangelicalism into two nearly irreconcilable camps, but also has ...

This book is a reading of Matthew's Gospel as though it were written to integrate with, advance, and conclude the existing body of Scriptures. Matthew is read as though John was the last prophet of God and Israel's last chance for repentance, and that Jesus was YHWH who had come to judge the Temple, priesthood, and covenant nation according to the terms of the covenant God made with Moses at Sinai. Through this lens, new interpretations are given to the infancy narrative, the Sermon on the Mount, the mission, the parables, and Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem ...

On March 11, 2011, from deep within the earth's crust, enormous forces drove tectonic plates toward over another. In the collision, one plate riding over the other displaced massive amounts of water. The displaced water began racing toward the Japanese shoreline, each mile exponentially increasing in its fury. Coming ashore in Japan, the tsunami swept aside everything in its path as if they were small toys. In sixteenth century Europe, there also was a collision of changing environmental, technological, educational, and political forces. Like the energy ...

The Second Vatican Council (1962-65) called for the renewal of all religious institutes in the Catholic Church. The Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) responded initially under the leadership of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Different interpretations of Vatican II caused divisions culminating in Lefebvre's departure from the congregation. From this difficult starting-point the Spiritans sought to redefine themselves in creative fidelity to their founding intention, the spirit of Vatican II, and the ""signs of the times."" Spiritan Life and Mission ...