We live in a wired world where 24/7 digital connectivity is increasingly the norm. Christian megachurch communities often embrace this reality wholeheartedly while more traditional churches often seem hesitant and overwhelmed by the need for an interactive website, a Facebook page and a twitter feed. This book accepts digital connectivity as our reality, but presents a vision of how faith communities can utilize technology to better be the body of Christ to those who are hurting while also helping followers of Christ think critically about the limits of our digital attachments. This book begins with a conversion story of a non-cell phone owning, non-Facebook using religion professor judgmental of the ability of digital tools to enhance relationships. A stage IV cancer diagnosis later, in the midst of being held up by virtual communities of support, a conversion occurs: this religion professor benefits in embodied ways from virtual sources and wants to convert others to the reality that the body of Christ can and does exist virtually and makes embodied difference in the lives of those who are hurting. The book neither uncritically embraces nor rejects the constant digital connectivity present in our lives. Rather it calls on the church to a) recognize ways in which digital social networks already enact the virtual body of Christ; b) tap into and expand how Christ is being experienced virtually; c) embrace thoughtfully the material effects of our new augmented reality, and c) influence utilization of technology that minimizes distraction and maximizes attentiveness toward God and the world God loves.

An acclaimed authority shows Christians how to discover and apply their unique passion, spiritual gifts, and relational style within the church. Expanded Edition.

Edifying The Body of Christ is not only the title of this Christian book on the Holy Spirit, but it is also one of the gifts of Christ through men in Ephesians 4:10-13. Ephesians 4:10-13 tells us that as Jesus ascended to heaven, He gave various gifts to humanity for the perfecting and equipping of the body of Christ. Author and ordained minister Brenda Johnson passionately follows this mandate. In Edifying The Body of Christ, the Holy Spirit guides her. It unveils scripture to help believers fight the devil, obey the practical application of scripture, and help them understand God’s purpose for their lives. This book studies the Bible and the biblical truths that lie within it. Written in a style that can be easily read and understood, she covers the power of Christ in a believer's life and the fruit of the Spirit with scripture references. It is illumination and enlightenment for anyone who desires to learn more about Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and biblical truth. The scripture references are taken from the King James version of the Holy Bible unless otherwise indicated. Edifying The Body of Christ is born out of the abundance of God’s grace and a desire to build up the Body of Christ. All glory be to God.

Ye Are the Body of Christ presents a deep understanding of the human body to explain biblical concepts pertinent to the body of Christ. When the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:27 concludes, Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular, this somehow echoes the words of King David in Psalms 139:14, I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Pauls comparison of the functioning of the natural body to the spiritual one gives insight into the conversations that must have taken place between the apostle of the gospel of uncircumcision and the beloved physician, Luke. In Ye Are the Body of Christ, a book tagged by some as being the first of its kind, the author skillfully uses his deep knowledge of the human body to prove biblical points concerning the Godhead, the meaning of the Crucifixion, and the biblical heart, and to demonstrate the significance of multiple diseases that have plagued humanity throughout the ages. How important is vision, naturally and spiritually speaking? How does our immune system correlate to the spiritual life? Is leprosy in the Bible the same as modern leprosy? What is the hidden message behind HIV/AIDS? Why do we develop cancer? Will we ever find a cure for cancer? What is the body of Christ? How should the body of Christ function? How should we care for the body of Christ? It is amazing how the author, who is both a physician and a minister of the gospel, can effortlessly navigate through his understanding of the human body and the magnificence of the spiritual realm. Once you understand the different aspects covered in Ye Are the Body of Christ, your walk with God will never be the same.

In today's highly charged social and political environment, we often don't know how to talk well with others--especially with people whose backgrounds differ from our own. C. Christopher Smith, coauthor of the critically acclaimed and influential Slow Church, addresses why conversation has become such a challenge in the 21st century and argues that it is perhaps the most-needed spiritual practice of our individualistic age. Smith likens practicing conversation to the working of the human body. Bodies are wondrous symphonies of diverse, intricate parts striving for our health, and our health suffers when these parts fail to converse effectively. Likewise, we must learn to converse effectively with those who differ from us in the body of Christ so we can embody Christ together in the world. In community, we learn what it means to belong to others and to a story that is bigger than ourselves. Smith shows how church communities can be training hubs where we learn to talk with and listen to one another with kindness and compassion. The book explores how churches can initiate and sustain conversation, offers advice for working through seasons of conflict, suggests spiritual practices and dispositions that can foster conversation, and features stories from several congregations that are learning to practice conversation.

One is his mother. Another is a friend. Still another is a stranger. They are among the seven people who witness Jesus' death on the cross. Their remarkable, life-altering stories are told here, in Being the Body of Christ: What the People of the Passion Teach us about Jesus Today. Drawing from Scripture and tradition, Marci Alborghetti creates tender, profoundly personal depictions of each encounter; we feel Mary's anguish as she holds her son's cold, tattered body and recalls rocking her newborn; we stand with John at the foot of the cross, somewhere between hope and despair. We feel the Centurion's bewilderment, Magdalene's grief, and Nicodemus' wrenching regret. "These are the people who can become our guides as we seek to commit ourselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually to Jesus and his teaching," says Alborghetti. Each chapter offers questions and topics for personal reflection or group discussion, making this an inspiring and cherished companion for all who seek deeper participation in the body of Christ. Book jacket.

Thomas offers practical, biblical instruction on a wide range of issues involving individual and corporate participation and responsibility in the life of a local church. (Christian)