Religion England

The Reformation restored the Scriptures to the people, but the job was only halfway finished. Today the church is awakening to the truth that ministry is not just the domain of clergy, but belongs to the entire body of Christ. God is moving her to complete her unfinished business of placing the ministry back in the hands of the people. Unfinished Business has played a pivotal part in helping the church reclaim ministry at the grassroots level.

England is an ancient land steeped in history and tradition, filled with prehistoric ruins, majestic castles, and a countryside sculpted from millennia of human habitation. Thus, it is not surprising that many believe England is a land filled with ghosts. The Ghosts of London: A Collection of Ghost Stories from the British Capital offers a sampling of the many strange ghost stories and unexplained phenomena that make London such an intriguing place.

Tornadoes. Tsunamis. Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Why does God allow such disasters to happen? We find ourselves asking, are these truly the acts of a loving and compassionate God? In An Act of God?, pastor and best-selling author Erwin W. Lutzer tackles this tough subject head-on, offering real answers as well as comfort and hope to those who struggle with challenges to their faith.

The parish, the lowest level of hierarchy in the medieval church, was the shared responsibility of the laity and the clergy. Most Christians were baptized, went to confession, were married, and were buried in the parish church or churchyard; in addition, business, legal settlements, sociability, and entertainment brought people to the church, uniting secular and sacred concerns.

In Detestable and Wicked Arts, Paul B. Moyer places early New England's battle against black magic in a transatlantic perspective. Moyer provides an accessible and comprehensive examination of witch prosecutions in the Puritan colonies that discusses how their English inhabitants understood the crime of witchcraft, why some people ran a greater risk of being accused of occult misdeeds, and how gender intersected with witch-hunting.

In Sticky Church, author and pastor Larry Osborne makes the case that closing the back door of your church is even more important than opening the front door wider. He offers a time-tested strategy for doing so: sermon-based small groups that dig deeper into the weekend message and tightly velcro members to the ministry. It’s a strategy that enabled Osborne’s congregation to grow from a handful of people to one of the larger churches in the nation - without any marketing or special programming.

According to Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, faithful action is always inspired and sustained by common convictions - the basic truths that have sustained God’s people throughout every generation. The Awakening of Hope re-presents Christian faith by beginning with stories of faithful witness and asking, "Why?" Why do Christians eat together? Why do we fast? Why would we rather die than kill? These questions help us see why creation and the fall, covenant, community, ethics, and evangelism matter.

In the new film Courageous (from the makers of Fireproof), four police officers are confident and focused when it comes to facing danger on the job. But leading their families at home in a God-honoring way? That takes courage. Because it is important to take a faithful, fearless stand in so many areas of life, pastor and Courageous executive producer Michael Catt offers Courageous Living as a closer look at biblical themes and characters that inspired the greatly anticipated movie.

Insights from Philip Yancey's personal pilgrimage away from and back to the church. Why are there so many more professing Christians than churchgoing Christians? Is it because something is wrong with the church? In his candid, thought-provoking manner, award-winning author Philip Yancey reveals the reasons behind his own journey back from skepticism to wholehearted participation in the church, and weighs the church's human failings against its compelling worth as the body of Christ.

"These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also." That was the startled cry, circa AD 50, from a hastily assembled mob in Thessalonica. These men who have turned the world upside down: their description of Paul and Silas. Holy vandals on the loose, anointed marauders running amok, men out ransacking Roman cities with the gospel. Above all, Your Church Is Too Safe is a biblical reflection and exhortation on why we should be like this.

John MacArthur, Jr. believes that peace is not only possible, it's a divine mandate. Drawing from a rich legacy of teaching and ministry, MacArthur puts aside cultural cures to uncover the source of our anxiety and stress. Based on solid Biblical insights, Anxious for Nothing shares how we can overcome uncertainty, defeat doubt, and be truly worry-free.

A concise guide to understanding how and why the ancient Christian faith makes sense for today and a blueprint for communicating truth to a "truthless" and cynical generation. The book is centered around six key principles: objectivity, rationality, veracity, authority, incompatibility, and integrity. In the ultimate apologetic, John MacArthur presents a case for Christianity that serves as a logical explanation as much as a solid defense.

History's final chapter will be written in Jerusalem. When an Iranian president thunders a murderous threat or an obscure Turkish drunkard has a dream in Mecca or a Jewish couple from Brooklyn lands at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, these events might seem disconnected. But they’re not. In Dateline Jerusalem, CBN News correspondent Chris Mitchell connects the dots and unveils Jerusalem as the epicenter and crossroads of the spiritual, political, and, yes, supernatural worlds. Jerusalem’s powerful draw has always transcended simple economics, military strategy, and religious affiliation.

So many voices today tell us that avoiding pain and dodging trouble are the best we can expect from life. Yet God is at work in us. He doesn't call us to a bland vanilla existence but to an exciting quest for the best thing in life—a heart that reflects the character qualities of Jesus Christ. The Quest for Character offers forty encouraging meditations on character qualities that can significantly change your life. Each brief devotional ends with helpful suggestions for refining your character and scripture readings to draw you into God's Word.

Noted author and pastor Andy Stanley points out that by investing energy into intentionally designed organizational systems, leaders can create powerful, sustainable ministries God can use to transform lives.

Is successful leadership measured simply by the outcomes a leader achieves, or is there another - more essential - yardstick for measuring success? In Redefining Leadership, author, pastor, and college president Joe Stowell shows us that the best leaders are driven by Christ-formed character, and that truly successful leadership is not defined by the standards of this world but by the counter-intuitive practices and perspectives of the Kingdom of Christ.

As a Christian man, how do you prioritize between what you are driven to do at work and church with what you are responsible for at home? Rich Wagner debunks the myth of a balanced life and shares a biblical model of becoming a hands-on leader of his family.

How does a believer compete and succeed in a secular workplace while still making his or her faith a priority? Through a collection of real-life stories and anecdotes, business professor and Chrisian counselor Dr. David Goetsch gives anxious believers the practical advice and reassurance they need to live strong in their faith while making a living.

A companion to Game Plan for Life NIV Bible, Joe Gibbs that will inspire and encourage sports fans and “regular Joes”. Most men want to know what it takes to be a success in life - not just with wealth and awards, but to be truly great as a husband, father, son, and neighbor. Coach Gibbs knows both success and failure, but he has learned that no matter how much you plan for your life, it’s God’s plan that will bring you happiness. Game Plan for Life Chalk Talks includes inspiring stories, practical application, a Scripture verse, and prayer.

Adrian Roger's last written manuscript before his passing in 2005 has been edited and brought together by his son Steve as a final joint work. When We Say Father takes the Lord's Prayer and breaks it down to its most basic components for readers to easily learn how to pray from the ultimate source, Jesus himself.