A collection of ponderings full of wit and wisdom to inspire you, make you smile, and even laugh out loud. Sit down, relax, and take a moment to stroll down a sun-dappled roadway, climb the steps to an old country church, wade in a clear mountain stream, listen to the rushing water as it pours over river rocks, smell the fresh air after a rain, and soak in the beauty and grandeur of God's masterpiece found in the ever-changing panorama of the Great Smoky Mountains. You will enjoy a bit of history as well as introductions to some interesting folks who call this mountain paradise home. You won't want to miss the story of burning the palm fronds for Ash Wednesday they sure smelled sweet, a bit like marijuana and the "noises in the night" among many others, too funny for words. Each one, a feel-good story, intertwined with God's own Word.

A collection of ponderings full of wit and wisdom to inspire you, make you smile, and even laugh out loud. Sit down, relax, and take a moment to stroll down a sun-dappled roadway, climb the steps to an old country church, wade in a clear mountain stream, listen to the rushing water as it pours over river rocks, smell the fresh air after a rain, and soak in the beauty and grandeur of Gods masterpiece found in the ever-changing panorama of the Great Smoky Mountains. You will enjoy a bit of history as well as introductions to some interesting folks who call this mountain paradise home. You wont want to miss the story of burning the palm fronds for Ash Wednesdaythey sure smelled sweet, a bit like marijuanaand the noises in the night among many others, too funny for words. Each one, a feel-good story, intertwined with Gods own Word.

This brief, accessibly written volume introduces key figures, texts, and themes of the mystical tradition and shows how and why the mystics can speak to the church today. Jason Baxter, an expert educator and storyteller, explains that the mystical tradition offers a more robust understanding of God than our current shallow conceptions. Featuring engagement with primary sources and suitable for use in a variety of courses, this book argues that the mystics have much to say to contemporary Christians searching for authentic modes of spirituality.

How do we learn to risk, to trust, to pursue wholeness and excellence—to run with the horses and live life at its best? In a series of profound reflections on the life of Jeremiah the prophet, Eugene Peterson explores the heart of what it means to be fully and genuinely human. This special commemorative edition includes a new preface from Peterson's son.

"A prescription for explosive and effective prayer" —Pat Boone “The Power of Crying Out will bless and inspire you with a deeper understanding of God’s grace and power. Bill Gothard’s book has reawakened in me a strong desire to cry out to my Lord with passion and expectancy.” —Dr. Gary Smalley, counselor and bestselling author When members of the early church cried out to God in urgent need, the place shook with the power of their supplication. In this compelling vision for modern-day supplication, Bill Gothard recognizes the key truth that only God's almighty power can rescue His children in times of distress. Using illustrations from Scripture and testimonies from everyday people, Gothard demonstrates the power of crying out—and how God can shake the world of those who cry out to Him today. His compelling teaching will revolutionize the way you pray—for all time!

A Christianity Today 2015 Book Award Winner Is your organization in danger of Mission Drift? Without careful attention, faith-based organizations drift from their founding mission. It's that simple. It will happen. Slowly, silently, and with little fanfare, organizations routinely drift from their purpose, and many never return to their original intent. Harvard and the YMCA are among those that no longer embrace the Christian principles on which they were founded. But they didn't drift off course overnight. Drift often happens in small and subtle ways. Left unchecked, it eventually becomes significant. Yet Mission Drift is not inevitable. Organizations such as Compassion International and InterVarsity have exhibited intentional, long-term commitment to Christ. Why do so many organizations--including churches--wander from their mission, while others remain Mission True? Can drift be prevented? In Mission Drift, HOPE International executives Peter Greer and Chris Horst tackle these questions. They show how to determine whether your organization is in danger of drift, and they share the results of their research into Mission True and Mission Untrue organizations. Even if your organization is Mission True now, it's wise to look for ways to inoculate yourself against drift. You'll discover what you can do to prevent drift or get back on track and how to protect what matters most. "No organization is exempt from the danger of drifting away from its original mission. In Mission Drift, Peter and Chris provide solid guidance for remaining laser-focused on core values--from the board level to daily organizational culture. This book is a timely message for any organization working hard to remain Mission True." --Wess Stafford, president-emeritus, Compassion International "Peter Greer and Chris Horst have identified one of the deepest challenges any leader faces: how to ensure that an organization stays true to its mission, especially when that mission becomes countercultural." --Andy Crouch, executive editor, Christianity Today "Essential reading for twenty-first-century believers if we are to gain new vision, unity, and strength. Mission Drift is spine straightening, mind clearing, and courage inspiring. This book is true-north wisdom for leaders--and a gift of hope for the world God loves." --Kelly Monroe Kullberg, founder, The Veritas Forum and author, Finding God Beyond Harvard "Many of us in leadership have learned--often painfully--that our mission needs to be built into every aspect of our organization, from leadership to receptionist, from hiring to implementation. We can't afford not to follow the lessons in this valuable book." --Richard Stearns, president, World Vision U.S. and author, The Hole in Our Gospel "Keeping an eternal perspective is essential in our work. Mission Drift gives a clear message inspiring and challenging us to intentionally keep Christ at the center of all efforts." --David Green, founder and CEO, Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. "Written with clarity, boldness, and urgency, the authors provide insight into and examples of the causes and solutions to drift using the stories of real organizations...A must-read! Recommend this book to every business and church leader."--CBA Retailers+Resources "This book is a must-read for leaders, easy to read, practical, engaging and inspirational. The principals outlined not only apply to major corporations, but also to any organization, church and even to one's own personal life. Mission Drift . . . will be well worth the effort and time, and you will find yourself wanting to begin implementing what you've learned to safeguard your organization from drifting away from its mission."--Foursquare.org

In Reading for Preaching Cornelius Plantinga makes a striking claim: preachers who read widely will most likely become better preachers. Plantinga -- himself a master preacher -- shows how a wide reading program can benefit preachers. First, he says, good reading generates delight, and the preacher who enters the world of delight goes with God. Good reading can also help tune the preacher's ear for language -- his or her primary tool. General reading can enlarge the preacher's sympathies for people and situations that she or he had previously known nothing about. And, above all, the preacher who reads widely has the chance to become wise. This beautifully written book will benefit not just preachers but anyone interested in the wisdom to be derived from reading. Works that Plantinga interacts with in the book include The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini Enrique's Journey, by Sonia Nazario Silence, by Shusaku Endo "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" by Leo Tolstoy "Narcissus Leaves the Pool" by Joseph Epstein Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo . . . and many more!

Today, racial wounds from three hundred years of slavery and a history of Jim Crow laws continue to impact the church in America. Martin Luther King Jr. captured this reality when he said: “The most segregated hour of Christian America is eleven o’clock on Sunday.” Equipped with the gospel, the evangelical church should be the catalyst for reconciliation, yet it continues to cultivate immense pain and division. Weep with Me by Mark Vroegop is a timely resource that presents lament as a bridge to racial reconciliation in the world today. In the Bible, lament is a prayer that leads to trust, which can be a starting point for the church to “weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15). As Vroegop writes: “Reconciliation in the church starts with tears and ends in trust.”

“Who could argue with the message the authors draw from the Bible’s Christmas stories? Light in the darkest time of the year, hope in a period of creeping despair—these are powerful and universal themes that can give everyone a stake in Christmas.” —USA Today In The First Christmas Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan—top Jesus scholars and authors of The Last Week—help us see the real Christmas story buried in the familiar Bible accounts. Basing their interpretations on the two nativity narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Borg and Crossan focus on the literal story—the inner truth rather than the historical facts—to offer a clear and uplifting message of hope and peace. With The First Christmas readers get a fresh, deep, and new understanding of the nativity story, enabling us to better appreciate the powerful message of the Gospels.

Outside of his love for God and his family, Pastor Wayne Hoag's greatest love is for the Body of Christ. For forty-three years he has been a shepherd of God's flock. The past twenty-nine years he has served Sierra Bible Church in the mountain town of Truckee, California. Several years ago his attention was drawn to the New Testament admonitions that call God's children to either be or do something for their fellow believers in the local church. In fact, the call appears a total of twenty-nine times. Upon further study, Wayne became convinced that the twenty-nine one another admonitions were God's unique strategy to shape and mold His children into the image of His Son. He began to see that following the work of salvation in one's life, God then placed the new believer in a local fellowship where they would be further shaped and refined by and through their life with other believers. That is when the One Another Project was born. The Project was originally a ten week series of sermons that were then further explored in weekly home study groups. The questions that were asked and explored in the small groups are listed at the end of each chapter. Pastor Wayne has not only taught these truths to his Truckee congregation but also to others who want to more fully understand God's strategy of the One Another call. For further information and discussion about this topic please visit www.oneanotheronline.org. The key verse for this study is Romans 12:5, "...so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another." As you read may you grow in your understanding of just how much you need your brothers and sisters in Christ.