Art Religion

We are made for community. Deep within the heart of people is a longing to both know others and be known by them, and groups ministry has the opportunity to meet these needs in every church. Groups are an art, not a science. There's no one-size-fits-all formula for designing transformational groups that God uses to mold people into the image of Christ together.

Story captures our hearts and feeds our imaginations. It reminds us who we are and where we came from. Story gives meaning and direction to our lives as we learn to see it as an affirmation of God’s love. Drawing upon her own experiences, well-known tales in literature, and selected narratives from Scripture, Madeleine L’Engle gently leads the way into the glorious world of story in The Rock That Is Higher. Here she acknowledges universal human longings and considers how literature, Scripture, personal stories, and life experiences all point us toward our true home.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy has delighted millions of fans worldwide in book and movie form. With the theatrical release of the two-part film The Hobbit slated for 2012 and 2013, attention will once again turn to J. R. R. Tolkien's classic works. In a culture where truth is relative and morality is viewed as old-fashioned, we welcome the chance to view the world through hobbit eyes: we have free will, our choices matter, and living a morally heroic life is possible....

Frank Peretti is the ever-witty character Mr. Henry, telling some of the most popular and beloved stories from the Bible in his own unique style. There are four stories in this audiobook. The stories come alive as children meet characters from the Bible in a fun new way and learn lifelong messages of faith.

Hannah Whitall Smith originally wrote The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life in 1875 as an article for her husband's inspirational magazine. The book subsequently became a worldwide best seller that has influenced generations.

Michael Krasny has been telling Jewish jokes since his bar mitzvah, and it's been said that he knows more of them than anyone on the planet. He certainly states his case in this wise, enlightening, and hilarious book that not only collects the best of Jewish humor passed down from generation to generation but explains the cultural expressions and anxieties behind the laughs.

A follow-up to the bestseller Sigil Witchery, Visual Alchemy takes a deeper look at the extraordinary connection between art and magic. Laura Tempest Zakroff expands on her signature sigil witchery method, an accessible and intuitive approach to crafting effective sigils. She covers numerous topics, including how to connect to the artist within, draw inspiration to you, and easily incorporate art into your ritual practice. Featuring more than fifty shared magic sigils, this book empowers you to put aside fear and unleash the full potential of your imagination.

The Dark Night of the Soul explores not only the torments and elations of a soul’s spiritual journey, but also expounds on man’s relationship with God and the natural longing for union with the Creator. Known as a doctor of mysticism, St. John of the Cross uniquely and profoundly delves into the intimidating world of spirituality and Christianity. In this work there are ideas explored that bring light to the deep afflictions of the soul as well as the true exaltation and joy that occurs closer on the path to communion with God.

Salle Merrill-Redfield, the gifted creator of meditations to accompany The Celestine Prophecy and The Tenth Insight by her husband James Redfield, lends her expertise to introducing beginners to the art of meditation. These fifteen-minute meditations serve as an introduction to the fundamentals of meditative practice - breathing, relaxation, and creative visualization. Each session uses guided imagery to take the listener on a soothing journey that will reduce anxiety and promote spiritual awareness.

A collection of Zen stories to amuse and illuminate. Includes all the stories from classic Zen literature: 101 Zen Stories, The Gateless Gate, The Ten Bulls and Centering. Includes the soundtrack The Mysterious Sound of Wind In the Bamboo - a 43 minute collection of Zen inspired Japanese music by The Matsu Take Ensemble.

"I was 22 years old, a hard-on with a pulse: wretched vice-ridden, too much to burn and not enough minutes in a hour to do so. 1995 was a full 365-day year of drinking, fucking, lying, raging and exploration for me - not a dull one in the bunch. It was a time of self-shit: self-importance, self-absorption, self-indulgence and selfishness. I was the only person in the known galaxy and I wanted what the fuck I wanted sooner rather than later." The action begins in Iowa, where Corey Taylor committs each of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Few authors write with such sheer love of story and language as T. C. Boyle, and that is nowhere more evident than in his inventive, wickedly funny, and always entertaining short stories. Here are 14 new tales previously unpublished in book form. By turns mythic and realistic, farcical and tragic, ironic and moving, Boyle's stories have mapped a wide range of human emotions. The stories here reflect his maturing themes.

The Art of Friendship walks with you into a greater understanding of how God has equipped you to be a friend and to have meaningful friendships. With step-by-step guidance, you will begin to strategize how to fulfill your divine calling as a friend. And through God's Word, as you come to understand the depth and width and breadth of God as Friend, you will discover that the spiritual discipline of friendship is both life-changing and life-giving.

Frank Peretti is the ever-witty character Mr. Henry, telling some of the most popular and beloved stories from the Bible in his own unique style. There are four stories in this audiobook. The stories come alive as children meet characters from the Bible in a fun new way and learn lifelong messages of faith.

The Art of Self-Mastery presents 11 timeless classics and the greatest inspirational works of our time condensed and introduced by PEN Award-winning historian and New Though Scholar Mitch Horowitz.

Relax and find happiness amid the swirl of the modern world with this internationally best-selling guide to simplifying your life by a Japanese monk who embodies the wisdom of Zen. Drawing on centuries of wisdom, renowned Zen Buddhist priest Shunmyo Masuno applies the essence of Zen to modern life in clear, practical, easily adopted lessons - one a day for 100 days.

Scotland's beloved storyteller, George MacDonald, 19th-century Scottish novelist and poet, was reintroduced to 20th century Christians by C. S. Lewis, whose reading of MacDonald's Phantastes triggered his own spiritual awakening and conversion. Other renowned writers have voiced similar acknowledgements. G. K. Chesterton said of MacDonald, "If we test the matter of originality of attitude, George MacDonald was one of the three or four greatest men of the 19th century."

Movies do more than tell a good story. They are expressions of raw emotion, naked vulnerability, and unbridled rage. They often function in the same way as prayers, communicating our deepest longings and joys to a God who hears each and every one. In this captivating book, Filmspotting co-host Josh Larsen brings a critic's unique perspective to how movies function as expressions to God of lament, praise, joy, confession, and more.

In today's technology-driven culture, reading has become a lost art. With smartphones offering information at the tap of a finger, reading a book is often seen as a tedious and outdated activity. Christians are not immune to this problem, as many find it hard to read books - even the Bible - consistently and attentively. Recovering the Lost Art of Reading addresses these timely issues by exploring the importance of reading generally as well as studying the Bible as literature, giving practical suggestions along the way.

Leave a living legacy. Tension between older and younger generations has always existed - especially in the church. We have struggled with this for years, building up resentments and crippling those on both sides of the fight. We resist the thought that emerging and established leaders can, and must, work together. But these are critical days, and the church needs large-hearted leadership willing to move beyond personal struggles and emotional triggers for the sake of others.