Biblical scholar Robert Wall and pastoral leader Anthony Robinson here join forces to bring the Acts of the Apostles forward to our time as a resource for congregational renewal and transformation.Featuring both careful exegetical study and exciting contemporary exposition, the fifteen chapters of Called to Be Church each first interpret the text of Acts as Scripture and then engage Acts for today's church. The book dives into many of the most vexing issues faced by the church then and now -- such issues as conflict resolution, pluralism and multiculturalism, sexuality, money, church and state, the role of the Holy Spirit, and more.Enhanced by study questions at the end of each chapter, Called to Be Church will lend itself especially well to small-group study within congregations. Pastors, lay readers, students, and ordinary believers alike will find the book helpful and inspiring.

This is a book - a first of its kind - to help kids understand and celebrate the birthday of the Church. The Day When God Made the Church is the story of Pentecost and how the Holy Spirit shaped, and continues to shape, who we are as God's Church.

For centuries, Christians have been challenged and inspired by the writings of the early church fathers. Their exhortations, thoughts, and meditations have been a beacon of light and hope to church leaders, laity, and theologians including Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Wesley. Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers presents selections of these writings in a format that makes them readily accessible for daily meditation. Its 366 sections include powerful Bible passages and devotional readings taken from the 38-volume series The Early Church Fathers, first published in 1885. While the language of each devotion has been updated for readability, the original meaning has been preserved. Short biographical summaries lend insight into the lives of the early church fathers. Also the book's subject index helps readers to easily locate selections on specific topics.

How the Catholic Church got started. Covers Sts. Peter and Paul; first Popes; the written and unwritten word; Council of Jerusalem; persecutions; religious life of early Christians; early popes and martyrs; birth of the New Testament.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 305-311) and index.

What do the music of Metallica and Bach, the film Crash, and stories about Batman have in common? According to author and pastor John Van Sloten, God can speak through all of them if we're listening. Out of his own often startling and sometimes wrenching journey of discovery, Van Sloten shows how God can speak to us through anything and everything heavy metal music, R-rated films, sports, and even the latest fashions. This book might just change the way you hear God's voice and how you live in today's world.