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Be the Message
by Rick Warren Chris Shook Kerry ShookMaybe you're troubled by the disconnect between the words you speak and the life you live. Maybe you'd like to see your faith become more active and life-changing in the world around you. Pastor Kerry and Chris Shook felt that way. Even though their calling involved preaching and teaching, they became weary of sermons and words. They felt a gap between what they were saying and the needs of people around them. They decided to do something about it. Be the Message is their story of waking up to the gospel--not just a gospel of words and sermons, but the gospel of intention and action and people. They discovered a profound secret: You Are the Gospel As they explored the deeper truths of scripture, the verse "the word of God lives in you" came alive. Digging deeper, they discovered that the gospel message is really about life message--your life lived out. God's call to you is simple: Be the Message Be the Message opens up a new world of understanding about what God calls you to. As the Shooks learned, the gospel is not about what you say. It's about who you are and what you do--and how you can be God's hands and feet in the world. What would happen if we talked about God less and walked with God more? Be the Message reminds us that Christianity was meant to be a faith of action, not a faith of words. Yet often we sacrifice doing something for the sake of talking about it. When we actually act out on our faith, we find our faith grows even more. You can do more than nothing. People's lives are changed when you allow your life to be the gospel to the world. Living out the gospel in the world today is both simple and costly. The Shooks explore that paradox through biblical stories and their own experience of making a decision to live out the gospel in practical ways. Choosing to be the gospel changed their family, church and personal relationships with God. How can it change your life?
Be the Message Devotional
by Chris Shook Kerry ShookThe Gospel is not a well-crafted sermon. It is a life well lived. It is you. Drawn from the book Be the Message, this thirty-day devotional will help you cultivate your life message and live it out. Over the course of a life-changing month, you will learn how the messes in your life can become a door of hope, discover new ways to love those in front of you, and find out how God is calling you to take a stand in the world. Using Scripture, illustrations, and practical action steps, the Be the Message Devotional can bring you to a deeper understanding of how your life can make a difference and be the gospel to the world. How will God live out his message through you?From the Hardcover edition.
Be the Parent: Seven Choices You can Make to Raise Great Kids
by Kendra SmileyInstead of tuning in to Super Nanny or Nanny 911, pick up this humorous yet biblically-solid book of parenting advice. Kendra Smiley, author of High Wire Mom and Aaron's Way, once again hits on a subject that moms and dads are longing to hear: how can I be a better parent and raise great and godly children? With wisdom gleaned both as parent and teacher, Kendra suggests seven proactive choices parents can make to help reduce family stress and avoid parenting emergencies. Each chapter ends with a dash of advice from her husband, John, who offers a dad's point of view. Whether exhausted and struggling or just longing to improve their skills, Be the Parent is the perfect resource for moms and dads seeking to positively impact their children. Includes survey responses from real parents.
Be the Parent: Seven Choices You can Make to Raise Great Kids
by Kendra SmileyInstead of tuning in to Super Nanny or Nanny 911, pick up this humorous yet biblically-solid book of parenting advice. Kendra Smiley, author of High Wire Mom and Aaron's Way, once again hits on a subject that moms and dads are longing to hear: how can I be a better parent and raise great and godly children? With wisdom gleaned both as parent and teacher, Kendra suggests seven proactive choices parents can make to help reduce family stress and avoid parenting emergencies. Each chapter ends with a dash of advice from her husband, John, who offers a dad's point of view. Whether exhausted and struggling or just longing to improve their skills, Be the Parent is the perfect resource for moms and dads seeking to positively impact their children. Includes survey responses from real parents.
Be the People: A Call to Reclaim America's Faith and Promise
by Carol M. Swain"Be the People is a courageous analysis of today's most pressing issues, exposing the deceptions by the cultural elite and urging 'We the People' to restore America's faith and values."--Sean Hannity"There are many good books but only a few really important ones. Dr. Carol Swain's Be the People is one of the latter. Brave, informed, candid, and thoughtful, she brings her fine academic mind to bear on the most pressing needs facing our country."--Tony Perkins"A courageous, challenging, and controversial call to Americans of all colors to return to their Creator and to come to their Judeo-Christian senses."--Dr. Peter A. Lillback"In Be the People Professor Carol Swain thoughtfully examines the biblical roots and religious significance of today's most pressing issues. Professor Swain shows how to make your voice heard and how to reclaim America's faith and values."--Lou DobbsAn insightful analysis of the forces of deception rapidly reshaping America's morals, social policies, and culture, with a call to specific action, written by a thoughtful and courageous Christian social scientist on the front lines of today's issues.Cultural elites in the media, academia, and politics are daily deceiving millions of Americans into passively supporting policies that are detrimental to the nation and their own best interest. Although some Americans can see through the smokescreen, they feel powerless to redirect the forces inside and outside government that radically threaten cherished values and principles.Drawing on her training in political science and law, Dr. Swain thoughtfully examines the religious significance of the founding of our nation and the deceptions that have infiltrated our daily lives and now threaten traditional families, unborn children, and members of various racial and ethnic groups--as well as national sovereignty itself--and provides action points for the people of this country to make the political system more responsive.The book is divided into two sections:Forsaking what we once knewRe-embracing truth and justice in policy choicesIt also covers key topics such as:America's shift to moral relativismAmerica's religious rootsAbortion's fragile facadeHistorical and biblical views on families and childrenErosion of rule of law, national security, and immigrationRacial and ethnic challengesReclaiming the future
Be the Refuge: Raising the Voices of Asian American Buddhists
by Chenxing HanA must-read for modern sanghas--Asian American Buddhists in their own words, on their own terms. Despite the fact that two thirds of U.S. Buddhists identify as Asian American, mainstream perceptions about what it means to be Buddhist in America often whitewash and invisibilize the diverse, inclusive, and intersectional communities that lie at the heart of American Buddhism. Be the Refuge is both critique and celebration, calling out the erasure of Asian American Buddhists while uplifting the complexity and nuance of their authentic stories and vital, thriving communities. Drawn from in-depth interviews with a pan-ethnic, pan-Buddhist group, Be the Refuge is the first book to center young Asian American Buddhists' own voices. With insights from multi-generational, second-generation, convert, and socially engaged Asian American Buddhists, Be the Refuge includes the stories of trailblazers, bridge-builders, integrators, and refuge-makers who hail from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds. <p><p> Championing nuanced representation over stale stereotypes, Han and the 89 interviewees in Be the Refuge push back against false narratives like the Oriental monk, the superstitious immigrant, and the banana Buddhist--typecasting that collapses the multivocality of Asian American Buddhists into tired, essentialized tropes. Encouraging frank conversations about race, representation, and inclusivity among Buddhists of all backgrounds, Be the Refuge embodies the spirit of interconnection that glows at the heart of American Buddhism.
Be-good-to-your-family Therapy
by R. W. Alley Kass P DotterweichThe wise and whimsical elves provide simple but substantial direction for making your family life all it can be.
Be-good-to-your-marriage Therapy
by R. W. Alley Kass P DotterweichMost married couples give careful attention to the practical aspects of their shared life, but do they give enough attention to their relationships? This book is a warm-hearted guide for couples who know the rules of love and romance, but need occasional encouragement to rekindle the sparkle and joy of their love.
Be-good-to-yourself Therapy
by R. W. Alley Cherry HartmanOur all-time bestseller! Do you feel bad if you express anger? Are you ashamed of your feelings? Do you harass yourself if you make a mistake or fail? Do you experience guilt when you put your own needs before those of others? Be-good-to-yourself Therapy will help you overcome the distorted notions that keep you from living fully and honestly.
Be-ha'alotekha: The JPS B'nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary (JPS Study Bible)
by Rabbi Jeffrey K. SalkinBe-ha'alotekha (Numbers 8:1-12:16) and Haftarah (Zechariah 2:14-4:7): The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary shows teens in their own language how Torah addresses the issues in their world. The conversational tone is inviting and dignified, concise and substantial, direct and informative. Each pamphlet includes a general introduction, two model divrei Torah on the weekly Torah portion, and one model davar Torah on the weekly Haftarah portion. Jewish learning—for young people and adults—will never be the same. The complete set of weekly portions is available in Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin’s book The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary (JPS, 2017).
Be-har: The JPS B'nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary (JPS Study Bible)
by Rabbi Jeffrey K. SalkinBe-har (Leviticus 25:1-26:2) and Haftarah (Jeremiah 32:6-27): The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary shows teens in their own language how Torah addresses the issues in their world. The conversational tone is inviting and dignified, concise and substantial, direct and informative. Each pamphlet includes a general introduction, two model divrei Torah on the weekly Torah portion, and one model davar Torah on the weekly Haftarah portion. Jewish learning—for young people and adults—will never be the same. The complete set of weekly portions is available in Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin’s book The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary (JPS, 2017).
Be-hukkotai: The JPS B'nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary (JPS Study Bible)
by Rabbi Jeffrey K. SalkinBe-hukkotai (Leviticus 26:3-27:34) and Haftarah (Jeremiah 16:19-17:14): The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary shows teens in their own language how Torah addresses the issues in their world. The conversational tone is inviting and dignified, concise and substantial, direct and informative. Each pamphlet includes a general introduction, two model divrei Torah on the weekly Torah portion, and one model davar Torah on the weekly Haftarah portion. Jewish learning—for young people and adults—will never be the same. The complete set of weekly portions is available in Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin’s book The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary (JPS, 2017).
Be-midbar: The JPS B'nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary (JPS Study Bible)
by Rabbi Jeffrey K. SalkinBe-midbar (Numbers 1:1-4:20) and Haftarah (Hosea 2:1-22): The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary shows teens in their own language how Torah addresses the issues in their world. The conversational tone is inviting and dignified, concise and substantial, direct and informative. Each pamphlet includes a general introduction, two model divrei Torah on the weekly Torah portion, and one model davar Torah on the weekly Haftarah portion. Jewish learning—for young people and adults—will never be the same. The complete set of weekly portions is available in Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin’s book The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary (JPS, 2017).
Be-shallah: The JPS B'nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary (JPS Study Bible)
by Rabbi Jeffrey K. SalkinBe-shallah (Exodus 13:17-17:16) and Haftarah (Judges 4:4-5:31): The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary shows teens in their own language how Torah addresses the issues in their world. The conversational tone is inviting and dignified, concise and substantial, direct and informative. Each pamphlet includes a general introduction, two model divrei Torah on the weekly Torah portion, and one model davar Torah on the weekly Haftarah portion. Jewish learning—for young people and adults—will never be the same. The complete set of weekly portions is available in Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin’s book The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary (JPS, 2017).
Beacon of Light: An Amish Romance (The Long Road Home)
by Linda BylerThe second book in The Long Road Home series, a unique and gripping Amish romance trilogy set in the South at the turn of the century. At the end of Banished, Clinton has died and May is left to fend for herself in a city where she knows almost no one and has no way of earning a living. Not knowing where Oba had wound up and realizing she can't return to her uncle's home after all he'd put her through, she decides to journey to the Amish community where she spent her first years, before her parents' died. Perhaps the relatives who once turned her away had had a change of heart and would be willing to take her in or help her get settled on her own. After being shuffled from home to home, May finds a welcoming friend in Clara. Clara is single, having long since sworn off romantic relationships. She doesn't trust men, and it doesn't take her long to realize May had her own painful past, though for some time she doesn't know the full extent of what May suffered. Clara helps May to reintegrate into the Amish community, but May sinks deeper and deeper into depression as she tries to keep her dark past concealed. What will it take for May to finally face her past and begin to heal? Will she and her brother Oba ever see each other again? And could May ever open her heart to another man? In the midst of great darkness, May discovers a beacon of light. This unique Amish romance tackles heavy issues of abuse, racism, and the damage done when a community puts reputation over faith, but ultimately there is also hope, love, and the unflinching faithfulness of a good God.
Bead One, Pray Too: A Guide to Making and Using Prayer Beads
by Kimberly WinstonAn inspirational, hands-on how-to guide for making and praying with beads, for people of all faiths and traditions. There are almost as many forms of prayer beads as there are religions. In Bead One, Pray Too, author Kimberly Winston shows with stories and pictures how people of many faiths and traditions use prayer beads as a spiritual tool and a means of creative expression. Beginning with the Catholic rosary, Winston explores the history and the use of beads and specific prayers in various religions including Buddhism, Baha’i, Hinduism, Islam, and more. There are also easy-to-follow instructions, complete with detailed diagrams, to help you string your very own prayer beads.
Beads and Strands: Reflections of an African Woman on Christianity in Africa (Theology In Africa)
by Mercy Amba OduyoyeBeads and Strands, a selection of classic writings by the Ghanaian theologian, gathers a wealth of insights under three topical headings: Africa and Redemption; Global Issues in African Perspective, and Women, Tradition, and the Gospel in Africa. In her work Oduyoye brings Akan and other African traditions into correlation with Biblical stories, showing how African wisdom offers a new and deeply spiritually perspective into its timeless episodes and theme. Above all Bead and Strands offers access to how one of contemporary Africa's most noted women theologians sees the status and role of women in Africa today.
Beads of Healing: Prayer, Trauma, And Spiritual Wholeness
by Kristen E. VincentHealing from trauma begins with telling your story. Many trauma survivors carry deep wounds, such as fear, shame, grief, and anger. Even if they have had years of counseling and have healed from physical and emotional pain, they still may hold spiritual wounds. They may think of their trauma as God s abandonment. Some may wonder how they can ever trust a God who allowed something so awful to happen to them. Kristen Vincent shares her personal story of childhood trauma. She tells how, over 35 years later, she encountered God as never before and found healing and peace--through prayer, scripture reading, sharing with others she trusted, and reflection. In Beads of Healing Vincent offers ideas for readers to use prayer beads as a safe way to enter conversations with God, talk honestly with their Creator, and open themselves to God s healing love. Vincent s powerful story of healing extends hope to all trauma survivors, as well as those who have experienced loss, hurt, or other spiritual wounds. This book will also serve as a valuable resource for pastors, counselors, and others seeking to provide support for those who have experienced trauma. Includes a Leader s Guide with an outline for a 16-week study, links to instructions for making prayer beads, and a guide to using prayer beads. BEADS NOT INCLUDED.
Beam of Light: The Story of the First White House Menorah
by Elisa BoxerThe first piece of Judaica in the White House's permanent holiday collection was introduced for Hanukkah in 2022. This lovely picture book tells the history and importance of its creation.The official White House menorah is a symbol of strength and perseverance against seemingly insurmountable odds. It was created from a piece of reclaimed wood salvaged during a Truman-era renovation of the building. That beam of White House wood sat in storage for seventy years, through thirteen different presidents. It might have been destroyed, but instead it waited for its new purpose. And so, in 2022, it was transformed into a menorah that will shine its beams of light every year, celebrating the resilience and permanence of Jewish people in America and abroad.
Bear Awareness: Questions and Answers on Taming Your Wild Mind
by Ajahn BrahmThe bestselling author of Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung? and one of the world’s most beloved Buddhist monks answers meditators’ questions.In Bear Awareness English monk Ajahn Brahm answers actual questions from his meditation students––questions you may have had as well. While most mindfulness meditation teachers praise the benefits of bare awareness, he teaches bear awareness. He helps us make friends with the scary things that come up on the cushion, and he knows how to lift the mood with a well-placed stuffed teddy––or a well-timed pun. The intimacy of the question-and-answer format provides a fresh experience of learning from a master meditator. Whether he is urging readers to fly Buddha Air (sit back and relax on your way to nirvana), giving tips for dealing with panic attacks or depression, or extolling the bliss of meditation that is better than sex, he gives us permission to enjoy our lives and our practice.
Bear Witness: The Pursuit of Justice in a Violent Land
by Ross HalperinA high-octane true-crime story, Bear Witness follows two Christians who refuse to let fear or conventional wisdom stand in the way of their altruistic mission. The vast majority of Hondurans would have never dared to set foot in Nueva Suyapa, a mountainside barrio that was under the thumb of a gang whose bravado and cruelty were the stuff of legend. But that is precisely where Kurt Ver Beek, an American sociologist, and Carlos Hernández, a Honduran schoolteacher, chose to raise their families. Kurt and Carlos were best friends who had committed their lives to helping the poor, and when they accepted that nobody else—not the police, not the prosecutors, not the NGOs—was ever going to protect their neighbors from the incessant violence they suffered, they decided to take matters into their own hands. In magnetic prose, journalist Ross Halperin chronicles how these two do-gooders became quasi-vigilantes and charged into a series of life-and-death battles, not just with this one gang, but also with forces far more dangerous, including a notorious tycoon who commanded about a thousand armed men and a police force whose wickedness defied credulity. Kurt and Carlos would eventually get catapulted from obscurity to being famous power players who had access to the backrooms where legislators, ambassadors, and presidents pulled strings. Their efforts made some of the most violent neighborhoods on earth safer and arguably improved a profoundly corrupt government. But they were forced to compromise their principles in order to make all that happen, and furthermore, they acquired a large number of outraged critics and precipitated some heartbreaking collateral damage. A remarkable and dangerous feat of reportage, Bear Witness shows what happens when altruism, faith, and an obsession with justice are pushed to the extreme. “This gripping account—unbelievable, were it not true—of the transformative work of a small, unassuming nonprofit tells the story of what happened in one of the most violent communities in the world when it asked a question that had escaped everybody from the Honduran government to the US Department of State to the United Nations: What if we make the institutions of justice actually work for the people?” —David M. Kennedy
Beard Theology: A holy history of hairy faces
by The Church Mouse'As informative as it is entertaining - read it, you won't regret it' Paula GooderBeards have had cultural and religious significance for thousands of years. A fascinating story is to be told of the religious significance of beards from the ancient civilisations to today. This book will survey beard theology from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and Mesopotamia, to the Jews of Jesus's day and through to the early Church fathers who strongly promoted the beard, the Latin church which outlawed it leading up to and after the Great Schism of 1054. We will pursue the story of the protestant reformers and leaders of the evangelical revival of the 19th century all had plenty to say about the beard.This largely untold and intriguing story of the religious significance of beards and will containa series of entertaining true historical stories, such as the cardinal who lost the papacy due to his beard, the female pharaoh who wore the fake beard and how beards were cited in the papal bull of excommunication that formalised the split of the Eastern and Western churches in the great schism.As well as providing a unique historical narrative, it also provides a subtle basis for reflection on current theological disputes and debates, gently inviting you to consider what parallels there areto the historical theological disputes which today seem trivial but caused heated passions in their day. It will entertain and inform in equal measure.'A profound exploration of the way beliefs turn to rules . . . smart, funny and absolutely fascinating' Cole Moreton
Bearded Gospel Men: The Epic Quest for Manliness & Godliness
by Jared Brock Aaron AlfordA Devotional That Dudes Will Actually Read!Is there a connection between hairiness and holiness? Some would say a hearty &“Yes!&” In fact, the world is in the middle of a beard mania. Events like Movember and Decembeard are becoming global movements and manly sites are appearing all over the internet. Is this just another fad? And what does it say that so many of the most famous Christian communicators have or did have a beard?Throughout history, Christian men have gloried in male pattern magnificence. Saint Benedict of Nursia wore a superb double forker. The benevolently-bushed Euthymius wouldn&’t allow clean-shaven monks to enter his Judean Desert monastery. St. Francis of Assisi had a beard, and now there&’s a Pope named after him. He&’s clean-shaven, but we&’re praying for him.Of all the great Christian men who wore beards, none stands so highly as the headless martyr Sir Thomas More. On the day of his beheading, the tufted knight supposedly positioned his beard away from his soon-to-be-severed neck, saying: &“My beard has not been guilty of treason, and it would be an injustice to punish it.&”But of course, Bearded Gospel Men is about far more than beards – it&’s about manliness and godliness. Through this 31-day devotional, men are inspired to rise to a higher calling. The humor and facial hair is the perfect means to have a broader conversation about living a faithful life.So, let&’s study some of these famous Bearded Gospel Men!
Bearing False Witness
by Rodney Stark<P>The following historical statements all appear in well-established textbooks, and have become part of our common culture. Which of them would you say are true? <P>* The Catholic Church incited and actively colluded in nearly two millennia of anti-Semitic violence, and Pope Pius XII is still rightfully known as ‘Hitler’s Pope’. <P>* Only recently have we become aware of ancient and remarkably enlightened Christian gospels, which narrow-minded Catholic authorities tried to suppress. <P>* Once in power as the official Church of Rome, Christians quickly and brutally persecuted paganism out of existence. <P>* The fall of Rome and the ascendancy of the Church precipitated Europe’s decline into a millennium of ignorance and backwardness, which lasted until the Renaissance. <P>* Initiated by the pope, the Crusades were but the first bloody chapter in the history of unprovoked and brutal Christian colonialism.
Bearing Fruit: Ministry with Real Results
by Tom Berlin Lovett H. Weems JR.Thousands of congregations are in serious trouble. Children are not being taught the faith. Disciples are not being made. Lives are not being transformed. The poor are not being blessed. Communities are not being redeemed. These congregations know something is terribly wrong. And in most cases, the problems have little to do with the pastor's prayer life or whether the pastor takes weekly Sabbath time. In fact, in many of these churches members deeply respect their pastors as sincerely spiritual people of utmost personal faith and integrity. But they need more from their pastoral leaders. They need leaders who define ministry in terms of fruitfulness as well as faithfulness. They need pastors and lay leaders who ask about the outcomes of any given ministry or program, not just its process. Mostly, they need a vision of ministry that focuses on changing people’s lives. Absent that vision, ministry will fail. In this helpful volume, Lovett Weems and Tom Berlin provide readers with the tools they need to assess the fruit their ministry bears in the lives of their congregations, their communities, and the world.