What if the biggest danger to the church of Jesus Christ is not blatant heresy, the moral failures of church leaders, persecution, the rise of Islam or the loss of our rights? What if the biggest threat is counterfeit gospels within the church, ways of thinking and speaking about the good news that lead to a gradual drift from the truth of Scripture? The gospel is like a three-legged stool. There’s the Gospel Story – the grand narrative of Scripture (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration). Within that overarching framework, we make the Gospel Announcement about Jesus Christ (His perfect life, substitutionary death, resurrection, exaltation). The gospel announcement then births the Gospel Community: God’s church – the embodiment of the gospel, the manifestation of God’s kingdom. A counterfeit gospel is like a colony of termites, eating away at one of the legs of this stool until the whole thing topples over. This book exposes six common counterfeits (Therapeutic, Judgmentless, Moralist, Quietist, Activist, and Churchless) that would get us off track. The goal of Counterfeit Gospels is to so deepen our love for the unchanging gospel of Jesus Christ that we would easily see through the many counterfeits that leave us impoverished. So come, love the gospel, recognize and overcome the counterfeits, and be empowered for ministry!

The issue of idolatry has been with the human race for thousands of years; the subtle temptation is always to take what is good and turn it into the ultimate good, elevating it above all other things in the search for security and meaning. In this timely and challenging book, New York pastor Timothy Keller looks at the issue of idolatry throughout the Bible -- from the worship of actual idols in the Old Testament, to the idolatry of money by the rich young ruler when he was challenged by Jesus to give up all his wealth. Using classic stories from the Bible Keller cuts through our dependence on the glittering false idols of money, sex and power to uncover the path towards trust in the real ultimate -- God. Today's idols may look different from those of the Old Testament, but Keller argues that they are no less damaging. Culturally transforming as well as biblically based, COUNTERFEIT GODS is a powerful look at the temptation to worship what can only disappoint, and is a vital message in today's current climate of financial and social difficulty.

Historic heresies didn’t die or fade away. Each generation boasts its own. Even while these counterfeit teachings remain outside the accepted bounds of Christianity, modern-day versions plague churches.So how does a church leader or pastor understand and deal with these age-old controversies when they pop up in the congregation? In this book, Roger Olson describes the curses but also gifts that heresies bring the Church. While heresies can occasionally correct a version of orthodoxy, they are not simple confusions or misunderstandings about impenetrable mysteries of divine revelation. Instead they undermine the faith and are dangerous distortions. The author describes major heresies and how the church dealt with them, the players, and what pastors can do to address these faith issues in order to educate congregations about Jesus, God, and salvation. Also included are questions for individual or group study. Also available - a Leader guide with DVD in which Adam Hamilton hosts on-screen conversations with Roger Olson (9781501806360)

In our culture of personalization, where everything is customizable, Jesus is often reworked into what each individual wants Him to be. Jesus is aligned to a person's agendas and dreams, making it easier for him or her to agree with Him.

Do you associate religion and spirituality with guilt, shame, or abuse? Uncover the dark power of toxic spirituality and its lingering influence on your life... and learn how to heal from it and access a new intimacy with yourself and a renewed, free and life-sustaining spirituality. Raised in a strict fundamentalist family, Marc-Henri Sandoz Paradella studied theology in Geneva and then worked as a successful pastor in an evangelical church. After 15 years of pursuing this life mission, he came to realize the narrow-mindedness of his faith and the sufferings and frailties that were hidden behind the cover of religion. Then he decided to resign. However, it was only years later, as a result of dramatic life circumstances, that he became fully aware of the hidden dynamics of toxic spirituality that were still poisoning him from the inside. He shares his experiences with you, and describes how they became the portal to a deep inner healing and a renewed spiritual experience. Toxic Jesus is a thought-provoking book rooted in the author's deep personal experience. It shows how every religion can become toxic and promote shame, guilt and repression. It exposes how the poison of toxic spirituality hides behind religious façades and affects every person exposed to it. Finally, it guides you through the path of recovering from the damages caused by toxic spirituality. Toxic Jesus is the eye-opener you need to reconsider your spiritual history. It will help you to transmute the poison of toxic spirituality into healing and growth. If you like deep thoughts expressed in simple words and rooted in life experience, then you'll love this book.