Download Free A Flexible Faith Book in PDF and EPUB Free Download. You can read online A Flexible Faith and write the review.

BONNIE KRISTIAN shows that a vibrant diversity within Christian orthodoxy-which is simply to say a range of different ways to faithfully follow Jesus-is a strength of our faith, not a weakness. It is all too easy to fail to grasp the diversity of the Christian faith-especially for those who have grown up in one branch of the church and never explored another. We fail to realize how many ways there are to follow Jesus, convinced that our own tradition is the one Christian alternative to nonbelief. A FLEXIBLE FAITH is written for the convinced and confused believer alike. It is a readable exploration of the lively theological diversity that stretches back through church history and across the spectrum of Christianity today. It is an easy introduction to how Christians have historically answered key questions about what it means to follow Jesus. Chapters will include 17 big theological questions and answers; profiles of relevant figures in church history; discussion questions; single-page Q&As-profiles of more unusual types of Christians (e.g., a Catholic nun or a member of an Amish community); and a guide to major Christian denominations today. As Bonnie shares her wrestlings with core issues-such as who Jesus is, what place the Church has in our lives, how to disagree yet remain within a community, and how to love the Bible for what it actually is-she teaches us how to walk courageously through our own tough questions. Following Jesus is big and it is something that individual believers, movements, and denominations have expressed in uncountably different ways over the centuries. In the process of helping us sort things out, Bonnie shows us how to be comfortable with diversity in the Body. And as we learn to hold questions in one hand and answers in the other, we will discover new depths of faith that will remain secure even through the storms of life.
Smith Wigglesworth was born to a very poor family. At the age of six he had to go to work. As a consequence, he never learned to read well until he was an adult. He became a plumber by trade. As a minister, Wigglesworth was hardly known outside of his hometown until 1907. In 1907, he received the baptism in the Holy Ghost, which changed his life forever. It was then, at the age of 48, that God moved Wigglesworth from a small relatively unknown ministry to conducting powerful meetings throughout the world, stirring the faith of thousands to receive healing and salvation. Wigglesworth would usually conclude a sermon by praying for the sick; regardless of what text he had ministered. Smith Wigglesworth's ministry centred on salvation for the unconverted, healing for the sick, and a call to believers to be baptized in the Holy Ghost. He was filled with God...with love, compassion, and faith. On March 12, 1947, Smith Wigglesworth, in perfect health, closed his eyes and slipped into eternity, at the age of 87.
For young Christians about to embark on the collegiate experience, David Horner provides a guide to thinking as a Christian. Carefully exploring how ideas work, he gives students essential tools for thinking critically, contextually and coherently, unpacking worldviews and discerning truth.
Images and analogies can provide concrete handles for making the Christian faith more plausible. Evangelist and apologist Rick Mattson has collected dozens of easy-to-use images for explaining Christianity. With practical tips on how to interact with your skeptical friends, this book provides a handy toolkit of evangelistic resources.
If God is transcendent, how can human beings speak meaningfully about him? The answer lies in analogy, which recognizes both similarity and dissimilarity between God and our God-talk. In his erudite study, Archie Spencer argues for a christological account of analogy as the answer to the problem of God's speakability.
Most Christian parents know that the best way to leave a God-honoring legacy to their family is to nurture their children's faith...but many don't know where to start! This new resource from Jim Burns, founder of HomeWord, will equip parents to start important conversations with their kids- family time with an eternal impact. Faith Conversations for Families makes it easy to invite God into quality family time. Each section of the book outlines an easy-to-follow dialog, which is flexible for children of different age groups. In addition, suggested activities and exercises make spiritual formation adaptable for kids with varying learning styles. The six family friendly topics included in this book are: *Who is Jesus and Why it Matters- Help parents talk with their kids about why His life, death and resurrection are so important. *What Prayer Is All About- Parents can introduce vibrant conversation with God into their family's time together *What It Means to Be Christian- Parents can lead their kids toward a faith commitment and spiritual growth, through open communication and exciting biblical expression. *A Strong Family- Parents can teach, guide and strengthen healthy bonds within the family *Loving and Serving Others- Parents can talk with their children about servant leadership and self-sacrifice and be challenged to serve in and outside of their home *Building Morals and Values- Parents can help their kids discern and navigate cultural influences that run contrary to a biblical worldview In the heart of every Christian parent is a desire to help their children grow spiritually. Faith Conversations for Families helps parents make that desire a beautiful reality.
Click here to visit evolutionandchristianfaith.org "I'm an evolutionary biologist and a Christian," states Stanford professor Joan Roughgarden at the outset of her groundbreaking new book, Evolution and Christian Faith: Reflections of an Evolutionary Biologist. From that perspective, she offers an elegant, deeply satisfying reconciliation of the theory of evolution and the wisdom of the Bible. Perhaps only someone with Roughgarden's unique academic standing could examine so well controversial issues such as the teaching of intelligent design in public schools, or the potential flaws in Darwin's theory of evolution. Certainly Roughgarden is uniquely suited to reference both the minutiae of scientific processes and the implication of Biblical verses. Whether the topic is mutation rates and lizards or the hidden meanings behind St. Paul's letters, Evolution and Christian Faith distils complex arguments into everyday understanding. Roughgarden has scoured the Bible and scanned the natural world, finding examples time and again, not of conflict, but of harmony. The result is an accessible and intelligent context for a Christian vision of the world that embraces science. In the ongoing debates over creationism and evolution, Evolution and Christian Faith will be seen as a work of major significance, written for contemporary readers who wonder how-or if-they can embrace scientific advances while maintaining their traditional values.
More than anywhere else in the Western world, religious attachments in America are quite flexible, with over 40 percent of U.S. citizens shifting their religious identification at least once in their lives. In Changing Faith, Darren E. Sherkat draws on empirical data from large-scale national studies to provide a comprehensive portrait of religious change and its consequences in the United States. With analysis spanning across generations and ethnic groups, the volume traces the evolution of the experience of Protestantism and Catholicism in the United States, the dramatic growth of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam, and the rise of non-identification, now the second most common religious affiliation in the country. Drawing on that wealth of data, it details the impact of religious commitments on broad arenas of American social life, including family and sexuality, economic well-being, political commitments, and social values. Exploring religious change among those of European heritage as well as of Eastern and Western European immigrants, African Americans, Asians, Latin Americans, and Native Americans, Changing Faith not only provides a comprehensive and ethnically inclusive demographic overview of the juncture between religion and ethnicity within both the private and public sphere, but also brings empirical analysis back to the sociology of religion.
"Noone raises provocative questions about Christianity more kindly than PhilipGulley. " —Diana Butler Bass,author of Christianity for the Rest of Us “Everyserious Christian ought to read this book, ponder it,wrestlewith it, but above all, be grateful for its presence in today's urgentconversation about what we are and are becoming as a people of God.” —Phyllis Tickle, author of The GreatEmergence RenownedQuaker minister Philip Gulley, bestselling author of If the Church WereChristian, delivers a practical, insightful guide to developing aliving, flexible, personal Christianity—a faith that allows you to confront theprofound challenges facing every believer in today’s difficult world.
For years now, Christmas has been the only merry part of Mary’s life, but that’s all about to change… When Mary’s mom walked out on them, her dad started drinking and never stopped. The one bright spot in her miserable childhood was a charity called Sub-for-Santa. It restored her faith in magic and brought hope and love into their home. She’s run the program as an adult for nearly a decade to bring the same joy to children all over Atlanta. When the same man’s name pops up both the donor and the recipient list, she’s a little frustrated. How can she figure out where he belongs without hurting his feelings? After making the trek out to his address, she’s prepared to mark down ‘recipient.’ It is a trailer park, after all. But when he answers the door, it’s the ridiculously handsome, polished man she met last week. He’s also the first man she’s agreed to go on a date with in more than a year. He definitely doesn’t need anyone to bring his children Christmas gifts—he travels for work, hence the trailer. But Mary made a vow to herself long ago that she would never have children. She didn’t want to risk being like her parents. She knows she needs to walk away—he has two beautiful children, after all. But Luke doesn’t make it easy. Can Mary find enough faith in herself to do something she never thought possible? "Despite the complexities [of] this tale, Finding Faith reads like the honeymoon stage of a relationship. It's filled with laughter, an idealized reality, and an endless craving for the story to continue. Luke's and Mary's love offers a temporary euphoria that shows romance is sometimes found where it is least expected." --Publisher's Weekly USA Today Bestselling author, Elana Johnson said, "Finding Faith is a heartwarming and brilliant story about love, loss, and learning what you really want." NYT Bestselling Author, Victorine E. Lieske said, "A fun romance! I highly enjoyed it. Bridget knows how to tug at your heartstrings. A fantastic read!" KEYWORDS: Billionaire romance; clean billionaire romance; clean and wholesome romance; romantic women's fiction; inspirational romance; women's fiction; romantic comedy; chick lit; mistaken identity; single dad romance; single dad; holiday romance; christmas romance; sweet romance; contemporary romance; heart and healing; found family; faith in yourself; faith romance; family saga; recovering from trauma; You've Got Mail; billionaire romance next door; blue collar romance.