Showing titles in Social Issues

In love, Jesus came to redeem sinful people and restore a fallen world, and he invites all of his followers to join this good work. But how can believers effectively care for their neighbors when life is so marred by sin and suffering? Is it possible for ordinary Christians to participate in God’s mission to restore a broken world? From a theological perspective, Go and Do Likewise explores God’s grand story of redemption to uncover how ordinary Christians can extend God’s compassion to those in need.

Ed Shaw shares his pain in dealing with same-sex attraction—and yet he is committed to what the Bible says and what the church has always taught about marriage and sex. He shows us that obedience to Jesus is ultimately the only way to experience life to the full. He also challenges missteps that the church has often made in its understanding of the Christian life and of sexuality. We have been shaped by the world around us, and urgently need to re-examine the values that drive our discipleship in the light of the Bible.

Critical theory and its expression in fields such as critical race theory, critical pedagogy, and queer theory are having a profound impact on our culture. Contemporary critical theory's ideas about race, class, gender, identity, and justice have dramatically shaped how people think, act, and view one another—in Christian and secular spheres alike. In Critical Dilemma, authors Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer illuminate the origins and influences of contemporary critical theory, considering it in the light of clear reason and biblical orthodoxy.

History is clear: Whenever the church has aligned itself with worldly, coercive power, it ends up on the wrong side of important justice issues. But when the church cooperates with God's power through his presence among the least powerful, its witness for Jesus transforms the world into a better place. In Reckoning with Power, David Fitch unpacks the difference between worldly power, or power over others, and God's power, which engages not in coercion but in love, reconciliation, grace, forgiveness, and healing.

For over two decades, Skot Welch has been a key advisor on diversity and inclusion around the world, in everything from the arts and entertainment to the church to Fortune 500 companies. With wisdom and a humble graciousness, he challenges us to rethink the way we talk about race and ethnicity, empowering you to celebrate both your identity in Christ and diverse cultural makeup; embrace a new kingdom language that is biblically grounded and culturally relevant; explore a Christ-centered perspective on hard but crucial questions; and build a united, diverse community.

The Bible tells us that the congregation gathered around God's heavenly throne will be "a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language," all singing the praises of the Lamb. God's intention has always been to delight for all eternity in a redeemed community of ethnic diversity. But this diverse community shouldn't have to wait until eternity to begin! It can be a reality in our own local churches here and now. Patterned after a worship service, In Church as It Is in Heaven gives biblical warrant for such a community.

Sabrina and her new husband were both widowed when their families blended, so grieving was expected. They recognized the losses suffered in their families would take time to heal. What they have since learned is that every blended family experiences grieving―whether you are widowed or divorced. And the process usually takes longer than expected. Sabrina vulnerably shares her personal experiences and struggles, revealing her mistakes and fears that she had early on in her new marriage and with her new family.

Jesus told his followers that the entirety of the Old Testament’s law is encapsulated in the commands to love God and to love their neighbors as themselves. In Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal, Matthew T. Martens argues that love of neighbor must be the animating force for true reformation of the criminal justice system, obligating us to seek the best for both the criminally victimized and the criminally accused.

"Statesmen... may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand." -John Adams. What does it mean to be a nation "under God"? Where have we been as a nation, and where are we going? Using unforgettable accounts of both famous and little-known Americans, Under God tells the stories of men and women of faith who forged our nation.

While social media has many benefits, it often serves as a breeding ground for divisiveness and hostility. Hidden behind our screens, we are often tempted to type things we would never say aloud. With wisdom from the Proverbs, Pastor Jeff Johnson offers five practical questions that can help us cultivate heavenly wisdom in our use of social media.

A gift of hope and encouragement to all parents and their children, on the 5th Anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy.

Spurgeon and the Poor is a fascinating study into the life and ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, exploring his understanding of the place of benevolence in the ministry of the local church. Alex DiPrima examines the way Spurgeon's belief that gospel preaching and soul-winning formed the church's mission informed his view of social concern as a compelling argument for its power.

Drawing on the author's experience as a mother walking with and learning from her own transgender child, as well as working with hundreds of families across the country doing the same, this book helps parents navigate the emotional, spiritual, and logistical landscape of raising a gender-diverse child.

Čtyřicet zlepšováků, jak zdokonalit svět, které autor nenavrhuje politikům, ekonomům ani jiným mocným tohoto světa, ale rovnou pánu Bohu, jsou vtipnou sondou do našich strachů, komplexů, a slabostí, kterými si komplikujeme životy. Někdy přitom stačí i jedna nečekaná událost nebo změna úhlu pohledu, aby nám na světě bylo líp. Úsměvná a přitom hluboká audiokniha v podání Miroslava Táborského je svěží obranou našich každodenních slabostí, u nichž stačí jen kousek, aby dostaly opačné znaménko.

Newly married couples face a tremendous challenge that is seldom talked about. In our social media-driven world, it’s easy to think that everyone else has it together in their marriages and wonder if maybe you made a mistake. The truth is, most couples don’t enter marriage with the communication or attachment skills needed to deal with the integration of two lives. Newly married couples will help a couple learn how the different “merge points” in their marriage can actually strengthen their relationship so that they can enjoy a thriving marriage.

From one of the most respected thinkers and public intellectuals of our day comes a book that is both a cultural critique of the state of our country and a robust summons to resist complicity. As we move through the world, we constantly weigh our conscience against what David Dark calls "deferential fear"—going along just to get along, especially in relation to our cultural, political, and religious conversations. 

We are living in unprecedented times when Christian leaders are renouncing their faith and large numbers of believers are falling away. Is this the final apostasy prophesied by Jesus and Paul? And can we do anything to help those struggling with their faith? In Why So Many Christians Have Left the Faith, Dr. Michael L. Brown confronts the problem of “Christian deconstruction” with solid, faith-building answers and honest responses to difficult questions.

But Where Are You Really From? is a thought-provoking book about identity from CEO of Christian Aid, Amanda Khozi Mukwashi. Through telling the story of her experience as a Christian black woman with Zambian heritage, born and living in the UK, she explores issues of race and culture and how it feels to be judged on skin colour when identity is made up of so many things.

Something is terribly wrong in the world—we all feel it. The elite controlling our society commit heinous crimes with no punishment while Christians silently await a rescue rapture. Most in the Church expect increasing cultural demise before we escape. However, through His prophets of old, God already showed us what would happen—we just got the ending wrong. This book presents compelling, yet provocative evidence that Christians fail to discern the times, leading to unfulfilled destinies and needless fear-based paralysis.

As a parent, you want your child to be happy and successful. You might focus on their clothes, curfews, and crushes. But do you know that there is something more important to fight for—your child’s soul? God gave you this child, and He will equip you to raise them. Don’t let fear, shame, or anxiety make you feel inadequate for the task.