Holy Hype: Religious Fervor in the Advertising of Goods and the Good News defines and explores the intersection of the sacred—religious symbols, themes, and rhetoric—within the profane realm of advertising and promotion. Susan H. Sarapin and Pamela L. Morris trace the historical overlap of consumer and religious ideologies in society, offering detailed examples of its use throughout history through analyses of over a hundred collected advertisements, from monks selling copiers, to billboard messages from God, to angels and the worship of vodka. Throughout the book, the authors continually evaluate if and when the technique of ‘holy hype’ is effective through its use of recognizable sacred symbols that capture audiences’ attentions and inspire both positive and negative emotions. Scholars of communication, media studies, religion, advertising, and cultural studies will find this book particularly useful.

Daily readings for high school students, using Scripture as a springboard to reflect on God and Christianity in school life, dating, sex, parental relations, fears, peer pressure, and more.

Europe is a continent of ironies. There are beautiful, historic church buildings, but they are empty on Sunday mornings. Europeans have been surrounded by Christianity for centuries, but Christ is not in them. Is this the future of Christianity in Europe? May it never be! The author combines cultural analysis with a prophetic insight to propose a new direction for the European churches. The decline of Christianity in Europe has been necessary to shed excess baggage. The beautiful heritage of Christianity in Europe is truly wonderful, but that is not the essence of Christianity. Churches must return to the original priorities of the faith. Be a fisher of men. Do not assume that people already know about Christianity but are not interested. People may not be interested in religion, but Jesus has an irresistible appeal. Christianity cannot be reinvented, but churches can. If churches stop presuming that Europeans are already Christians and instead compete in the marketplace of ideas, they will be able to win back the hearts of the post-Christian Europeans. Europe is the most important mission field of the twenty-first century and the fiercest spiritual contest will take place in Europe. If you desire to be a servant of the Lord, ask him to send you into the harvest field of Europe. Exciting days are ahead of us.

The One Year Alive Devotions for Students helps students focus on God's Word with powerful, true-to-life illustrations from daily life in both high school and college settings. In our media-saturated culture, in which students are bombarded with all types of distractions, The One Year Alive Devotions for Students will change how they think about God and their world.

Most forms of religion are best understood in the con- text of their relationship with the surrounding culture. This may be particularly true in the United States. Certainly immigrant Catholicism became Americanized; mainstream Protestantism accommodated itself to the modern world; and Reform Judaism is at home in American society. In Evangelicalism, Richard Kyle explores paradoxical adjustments and transformations in the relationship between conservative Protestant Evangelicalism and contemporary American culture. Evangelicals have resisted many aspects of the modern world, but Kyle focuses on what he considers their romance with popular culture. Kyle sees this as an Americanized Christianity rather than a Christian America, but the two are so intertwined that it is difficult to discern the difference between them. Instead, in what has become a vicious self-serving cycle, Evangelicals have baptized and sanctified secular culture in order to be considered culturally relevant, thus increasing their numbers and success within abundantly populous and populist-driven American society. In doing so, Evangelicalism has become a middle-class movement, one that dominates America's culture, and unabashedly populist. Many Evangelicals view America as God's chosen nation, thus sanctifying American culture, consumerism, and middle-class values. Kyle believes Evangelicals have served themselves well in consciously and deliberately adjusting their faith to popular culture. Yet he also thinks Evangelicals may have compromised themselves and their future in the process, so heavily borrowing from the popular culture that in many respects the Evangelical subculture has become secularism with a light gilding of Christianity. If so, he asks, can Evangelicalism survive its own popularity and reaffirm its religious origins, or will it assimilate and be absorbed into what was once known as the Great American Melting Pot of religions and cultures? Will the Gospel of the American dream ultimately engulf and destroy the Gospel of Evangelical success in America? This thoughtful and thought-provoking volume will interest anyone concerned with the modern-day success of the Evangelical movement in America and the aspirations and fate of its faithful.

Studies have indicated that 75% of what an audience learns and remembers is a result of what they see, while 13% comes from what they hear. Drama puts both together and prepares the audience with a vivid sermon illustration that kindles their anticipation of the pastor's sermon. The majority of these mini-dramas run 3-5 minutes in length, with a few as long as 7 to 10 minutes. Each introduces the theme of the gospel lesson in the Cycle A lectionary. Written with wit, wisdom, and humor, they help to plant the scriptural message in an unforgettable, poignant, contemporary application. - Requires minimal preparation - Few props are needed - 2-4 characters are involved in each sketch Your wonderful drama left us all hungering for more. I assure you that the Lord is truly working through you. Bill Broaddus Brunswick United Methodist Church Brunswick, Ohio Through your gifts of drama you achieved a perfect blend of humor, pathos, conviction, and joy to present the gospel in a living and powerful way. Richard B. Linder Jr., Rector St. Matthew's Episcopal Church Brecksville, Ohio Robert F. Crowley is an actor, director, playwright, theater critic, poet, and teacher. He is the co-founder (with his wife Suanne) of Fisherpeople Drama Ministry, a drama troupe that tours the Eastern half of the U.S. and Canada. Crowley is director of Christian Arts, Visual Arts, Dance, and Writers at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Akron, Ohio. He is also playwright and advisor for L.I.O.N. Players and Joshua Force. Crowley received his M.A. degree in Theater from the University of Akron and his M.Div. degree in Biblical Studies from Ashland Theological Seminary.

Explore what the Bible really says about the Holy Spirit and what it means to see the power of the Holy Spirit at work in your life. Whether intentionally or not, many Christians today seek health, wealth, and happiness by summoning the Holy Spirit like a genie to grant their wishes. When things don't go the way they think they should, disappointment and disillusionment abound. But it doesn't have to be this way. In Knowing the Spirit, author, pastor, and speaker Costi Hinn shows you why a relationship with the Holy Spirit is the most important next step on your journey as a Christian. Using clear and sound interpretation of Scripture, Costi clarifies who the Holy Spirit is--and who he isn't--and answers some of the most important and most frequently asked questions about him, such as: What does the Holy Spirit do? Does the Holy Spirit speak today? What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit? What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? What does it mean to walk by the Spirit? What is praying in the Spirit? And more! This book is only the beginning of your journey of knowing and loving the Holy Spirit. With the solid and biblical foundation presented in these pages, the Holy Spirit is someone you will confidently walk with every day for the rest of your life.