Rick Warren famously wrote, "It's not about you." But much of the Western church seems to disagree, having settled for a self-centered message of personal fulfillment. With incisiveness and a passionate love for the church, pastor and author Byron Forrest Yawn offers a compelling call away from narcissism and back to the powerful and transforming gospel of Jesus. He shows the difference between... Sunday-morning life coaches selling self-help seminars, and preachers proclaiming God's redemptive work through Christ promises of prosperity and comfort, and a realistic and helpful perspective on suffering escape from unbelievers and their godless world, and redemptive engagement with people As Byron exposes the false gospel of "suburbianity," he offers readers a better alternative: to look beyond themselves and embrace God's call to be His image-bearers and ambassadors, partnering with Him as He restores people and all creation to His original design.

Rick Warren famously wrote, “It’s not about you.” But much of the Western church seems to disagree, having settled for a self-centered message of personal fulfillment. With incisiveness and a passionate love for the church, pastor and author Byron Forrest Yawn offers a compelling call away from narcissism and back to the powerful and transforming gospel of Jesus. He shows the difference between... Sunday-morning life coaches selling self-help seminars, and preachers proclaiming God’s redemptive work through Christ promises of prosperity and comfort, and a realistic and helpful perspective on suffering escape from unbelievers and their godless world, and redemptive engagement with people As Byron exposes the false gospel of “suburbianity,” he offers readers a better alternative: to look beyond themselves and embrace God’s call to be His image-bearers and ambassadors, partnering with Him as He restores people and all creation to His original design.

The father-daughter relationship is a truly special one—what a dad does can have a tremendous influence on helping his daughter to grow into a confident woman who does well in life. So what does a daughter need most from her dad? What does a dad need to watch for and be aware of? Byron and Robin Yawn look to Scripture and life stories for practical principles that will help fathers become all they can be for their daughters. Among the topics they cover are... the importance of being a male role model a daughter can look up to the need to carefully balance sensitivity and strength the keys to good and meaningful father-daughter communication the character qualities a daughter needs most in her dad the ways a father can prepare his daughter for adulthood A superb resource for helping fathers navigate this relationship in a way that results in lifelong joy and blessings.

Like an ecosystem, cities develop, change, thrive, adapt, expand, and contract through the interaction of myriad components. Religion is one of those living parts, shaping and being shaped by urban contexts. The Routledge Handbook of Religion and Cities is an outstanding interdisciplinary reference source to the key topics, problems, and methodologies of this cutting-edge subject. Representing a diverse array of cities and religions, the common analytical approach is ecological and spatial. It is the first collection of its kind and reflects state-of-the-art research focusing on the interaction of religions and their urban contexts. Comprising 29 chapters, by a team of international contributors, the Handbook is divided into three parts: Research methodologies Religious frameworks and ideologies in urban contexts Contemporary issues in religion and cities Within these sections, emerging research and analysis of current dynamics of urban religions are examined, including: housing, economics, and gentrification; sacred ritual and public space; immigration and the refugee crisis; political conflicts and social change; ethnic and religious diversity; urban policy and religion; racial justice; architecture and the built environment; religious art and symbology; religion and urban violence; technology and smart cities; the challenge of climate change for global cities; and religious meaning-making of the city. The Routledge Handbook of Religion and Cities is essential reading for students and researchers in religious studies and urban studies. The Handbook will also be very useful for those in related fields, such as sociology, history, architecture, urban planning, theology, social work, and cultural studies.

A powerful and compelling new voice in Christian publishing, with a message urgently needed by today's Christian men. Every man encounters significant struggles in life—struggles that result in poor choices and decisions. Frequently these mistakes can be traced back to a common problem—a father who (even unintentionally) failed to provide counsel or a positive role model. In What Every Man Wishes His Father Had Told Him, author Byron Yawn offers vital input many men wished they had received during their growing-up years. This collection of 30 simple principles will help men to... Identify and fill the gaps that occurred in their upbringing Benefit from the hard-earned wisdom of others so they don't make mistakes Prepare their own sons for the difficult challenges of life The 30 principles in this book are based in Scripture and relevant to every man. They include affection, courage, balance, consistency, and more. A true must-read!

The father-daughter relationship is a truly special one--what a dad does can have a tremendous influence on helping his daughter to grow into a confident woman who does well in life. So what does a daughter need most from her dad? What does a dad need to watch for and be aware of? Byron and Robin Yawn look to Scripture and life stories for practical principles that will help fathers become all they can be for their daughters. Among the topics they cover are... the importance of being a male role model a daughter can look up to the need to carefully balance sensitivity and strength the keys to good and meaningful father-daughter communication the character qualities a daughter needs most in her dad the ways a father can prepare his daughter for adulthood A superb resource for helping fathers navigate this relationship in a way that results in lifelong joy and blessings.

“Page-turning . . . Set against the political and religious turmoil of the times, the Thoenes’ story vividly reimagines the evolving friendship between Jesus and Lazarus.” —Publishers Weekly LAZARUS—the man Jesus raised from the dead in one of the most extraordinary encounters with The Living Savior in all of Scripture. But the life of Lazarus holds interest well beyond this miraculous event. Living in Bethany, near Jerusalem, Lazarus witnessed many of the most important events of Jesus’s life and ministry. Lazarus owned a vineyard and devoted his life to caring for its vines and fruit. But he encountered another man—Jesus—whose vineyard was the world, its fruit the eternal souls of men. When Lazarus’s story and the story of Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection touch in When Jesus Wept, we are offered a unique vision into the power and comfort of Christ’s love. Brock and Bodie Thoene’s most powerful and climactic writing project to date, When Jesus Wept, captures the power and the passion of the men and women who lived through the most important days in the history of the world.

A guide for believers who want their wedding to portray the relationship of Christ with the church and to reflect the gospel to all in attendance.

You probably know that Jesus did miracles, but do you know why? Reading about Jesus' miracles is like pointing at constellations in the sky. We look at the stars themselves, not the finger pointing at them. This constellation of seven miracles in John's Gospel shows us who Jesus was and why it matters. It is the miracle worker we're to see, not just the miracles. Why was his turning water into wine not a party trick? Why did he walk on water instead of staying on shore? Why did he cry when raising Lazarus back to life? Each miracle in John's narration is a story that had to be told. The Jesus you meet in these pages is full of power and compassion, glory and approachability, grace and truth. Whether you've known Jesus a long time, are new to faith, or just curious about him, He Made the Stars Also draws upon John's seven sign events to show you why Jesus remains so compelling.

I have had the opportunity to travel and have visited churches from Hawaii to Maine, from Fairbanks to Florida, and many in between. I have met many beautiful people, pastors, missionaries, and strong churches changing the culture and community. In some of the churches, a new pattern was noticed. Groups of churches that had different names, different logos, in different locations, but were being unified under new purposes, new directions, and new messages. Traditional Christianity, the faith of our Fathers, was being set aside for this new agenda. Not all churches were willing to compromise, but there were many that were. So the cross was substituted for legacies, the gospel for self-help, and the Almighty for the Almighty Dollar. This direction was warned about in the Bible, from countless stories in the Old Testament, to all of the books in the New Testament, excluding Philemon. But the warnings are being set aside so people can create institutions unto themselves, legacies can be created, and the sheep can be fleeced. Remnants and strongholds of traditional Christianity can still be found in churches all across America. But other churches, oftentimes large and powerful, are rising up alongside these churches to deliver a new Americanized gospel, a 'new me first' message, and create new wealth. They are the Compromised Churches, and they are the greatest threat facing Christianity today.