"This book will be a classic in the field. It does something no other book has done—it shows, with one of the most impressive sets of data I have ever seen, what congregations do and how they go about doing it."—Michael Emerson, author of Divided by Faith "Ammerman demonstrates rare mastery in a book that is brimming with original research and original thinking. The material is well organized, and the author has an eye for the well-turned phrase. This is a book of great importance that gives us an unprecedented picture of lived American religion while challenging stereotypes and conventional wisdom."—James Wind, President of the Alban Institute, author of Finding a New Voice: The Public Role of Mainline Protestantism

In his thought-provoking book Pillars of Faith, Dr. Bailey opens up our understanding of God’s principles of faith. As we journey with him on the path to a more perfect way of faith, we are challenged afresh to enter into new realms of the Spirit where mountains are moved and faith becomes action!

Young people are leaving the church. College professors attack the Bible. A growing number question whether God exists. Christianity is being shaken to its foundations.Pillars of the Faith fortifies belief in God, Christ, and the Bible. It is written in a challenging way without a lot of technical terms. This book is volume one of the Faith Building Series. These books may be used for high school, college, young adult or adult classes.

Fr. Spitzer, President of Gonzaga University and a highly regarded spiritual teacher and writer, presents a practical, yet rich guide for helping busy people develop a regular and deeper prayer life. Based on many successful retreats and seminars he has given to much acclaim over the years, this brilliant Jesuit priest presents five essential means through which the contemplative and active aspects of our lives can be fused together for a stronger spiritual life.

"Five Pillars of Prosperity: Essentials of Faith-Based Wealth Building by Dr. M. Yaqub Mirza provides readers with a balanced and sensible approach to financial planning and security. The book is unique in that it is written by a leading Muslim financial expert who draws on Islamic teachings while showing how these Islamic values are consistent with Jewish and Christian values. Though the primary audience may be American Muslims, anyone interested in financial security will find this practical guide helpful in making wise financial decisions. Dr. Mirza presents a powerful and provocative case for arranging one's life - and the material pursuits - in ways that not only benefit the reader but also society at large. He shows how the attainment of wealth and prosperity can be achieved by following five key activities: Earning, Saving, Investing, Spending, and Giving. The author closes with a discussion on wealth building strategies and wealth preservation. Additionally, he has provided a section of resources and an extensive bibliography for further reading. The book is rich in investment strategies and advice and though the topic is often complex Dr. Mirza's writings are clear and accessible to a general audience"--

Personal friendships with Somali Muslims overcome the prejudices and expand the faith of a typical American Evangelical Christian living in the Horn of Africa. When Rachel Pieh Jones moved from Minnesota to rural Somalia with her husband and twin toddlers eighteen years ago, she was secure in a faith that defined who was right and who was wrong, who was saved and who needed saving. She had been taught that Islam was evil, full of lies and darkness, and that the world would be better without it. Luckily, locals show compassion for this blundering outsider who can't keep her headscarf on or her toddlers from tripping over AK-47s. After the murder of several foreigners forces them to evacuate, the Joneses resettle in nearby Djibouti. Jones recounts, often entertainingly, the personal encounters and growing friendships that gradually dismantle her unspoken fears and prejudices and deepen her appreciation for Islam. Unexpectedly, along the way she also gains a far richer understanding of her own Christian faith. Grouping her stories around the five pillars of Islam - creed, prayer, fasting, giving, and pilgrimage - Jones shows how her Muslim friends' devotion to these pillars leads her to rediscover ancient Christian practices her own religious tradition has lost or neglected. Jones brings the reader along as she reexamines her assumptions about faith and God through the lens of Islam and Somali culture. Are God and Allah the same? What happens when one's ideas about God and the Bible crumble and the only people around are Muslims? What happens is that she discovers that Jesus is more generous, daring, and loving than she ever imagined.

"To love [God] with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." –Jesus' words in Mark 12:33 Without question the crucial issue in living the Christian life is the condition of your heart. Actions may be temporarily deceiving, but ultimately our outward behavior will reflect what's inside, because our internal attitudes form who we really are. Those inner attitudes are also what God deems most important. In this book one of Christianity's most respected Bible teachers and pastors examines the foundational attitudes, or "pillars," of Christian character as outlined in God's Word. Pillars such as genuine faith, obedience, humility, selfless love, forgiveness, self-discipline, gratitude, and worship. To some degree each trait, on its own, marks a person as one of God's own and reveals an active, living faith. Each is an essential element of mature Christianity. But there is transforming power when you combine them in your everyday living as God commands. Your character will be grounded in godliness; you will see things from an eternal perspective; and your faith, your actions, your witness to others will be revitalized from the inside out.