Religion & Spiritual

Brief Summary Five Ministry Killers and How to Defeat Them: Help for Frustrated Pastors--Including New Research From the Barna Group Before pastors reach burnout and leave the ministry, they experience frustration and disappointment in ministry. Charles Stone, a veteran pastor, helps his fellow pastors understand and meet these challenges, regaining hope and energy to continue their calling. Based on information from the Barna Group and additional research, Stone shows readers what pastors are saying about ministry and offers practical help to overcome the obstacles, rebuild community within the congregation, and persevere with joy. Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, says, "Read this book and be encouraged." ISBN:9780764208546 Author:Charles Stone

Brief Summary Some Christians effortlessly spend hours in contemplative prayer. Just being around them makes you wish you were that way. Or maybe you are that way, but others are far better at showing God's love in practical ways or courageously standing up for God's kingdom. Why can't you be like them? Maybe you weren't designed to be. In this revised and updated edition of Sacred Pathways, Gary Thomas strips away the frustration of a one-size-fits-all spirituality and guides you toward a path of worship that frees you to be you. Experienced spiritual directors recognize that all of us pray differently; if your devotional times have hit a snag, perhaps it is because you're trying to follow someone else's path. This book explodes the barriers that keep Christians locked into rigid methods of worship and praise. Sacred Pathways unfolds nine distinct spiritual temperaments—their traits, strengths, and pitfalls. Illustrated with examples from the Bible and from the author's life experience, each one suggests an approach to loving God through a distinctive journey of adoration. In one or more you will see yourself and the ways you most naturally express your relationship with Jesus Christ. You'll also discover other temperaments that are not necessarily "you" but that you may wish to explore for the way they can stretch and invigorate your spiritual life. Perhaps you are a Naturalist. Prayer and praise well up within you when you're walking a forest path or drinking in a mountain's jagged beauty. Or maybe you're an Activist. Taking a stand for God's ways is your meat and drink. Whatever temperament or blend of temperaments best describes you, rest assured it's not by accident. It's by the design of a Creator who knew what he was doing when he made you according to his own unique intentions. If your spiritual walk is not what you'd like it to be, you can change that, starting here. Sacred Pathways will show you the route you were made to travel, marked by growth and filled with the riches of a close walk with God. ISBN:9780310329886 Author:Gary Thomas

Brief Summary The Definitive Resource on Alternative Medicine for Christians Herbal remedies, supplements, and alternative therapies - Their specific uses - Which ones really work (and which ones don't) - What to watch out for Christian versus non-Christian approaches to holistic health Clinically proven treatments versus unproven or quack treatments Truths and fallacies about supernatural healing Ancient medical lore: the historical, cultural, and scientific facts And much, much more In today's health-conscious culture, options for the care and healing of the body are proliferating like never before. But which ones can you trust? Some are effective, some are useless, and some are harmful. Some involve forms of spirituality that the Bible expressly forbids. Others that are truly helpful have been avoided by some Christians who draw inaccurate conclusions about them. ISBN:09780310235842 Author:Donal O'Mathuna and Walt Larimore