Is There Any Room for Racism

I had this big guy come into my brick and mortar Christian bookstore ( Emmaus Road Christian Store )awhile back and asked me if I had the book “Gracism” written by “Anderson.” My first thought was he was looking for books written by Neil Anderson and my second thought was “I didn’t know Neil Anderson wrote a book on ‘Racism.’ My first response, of course, was “yes I do!” In saying that however, I discovered he wasn’t looking for books written by “Neil Anderson” but rather by “David Anderson.” I’m sure my face had a blank expression on it as I had to embarrassingly ask, “Who’s that?” He of course went on to tell me that he was “David Anderson.”

In my conversation with David I found that he is the pastor at Bridgeway Community Church and the host of a nationally syndicated radio show called Reconciliation Live. He and I had a great visit together and in the course of our visit I found out that he owns a vacation home in my area.

David Anderson’s book “Gracism, the Art of Inclusion” is now a part of my store’s library and I must say a very interesting read. In the introductory section of his book, Anderson states, “Gracism, unlike racism, doesn’t focus on race for negative purposes such as discrimination. Gracism focuses on race for the purpose of positive ministry and service.” I like that! Gracism is for the positive and not the negative. It is for ministry and service and not for discrimination.

When you look at someone, anyone, what do you see? What kind of glasses do you have on? We so often look at people and stereotype people by the way they look. We have preconceived ideas when we see someone of a “different” race than what we are? How about those of a different sex, religion, size? Racism is a sin. Most of the time people think that racism is a black/white situation. Racism is far from that. Yes whites are racist towards blacks, blacks towards whites, whites towards Asians, Asians towards Mexicans, yet get the picture. Over the course of time we have made many advances towards bridging the gap but we obviously have a ling way to go. Anderson talks about the “dot” that everyone has. Some are visible and others aren’t, but we still have them. David Anderson believes the answer to racism in the world today is “Gracism.”


Anderson defines racism as speaking, acting or thinking negatively about someone else solely based on that person’s color, class or culture. He states that grace is the unmerited favor of God on humankind. As Christians we are to extend to others favor and kindness. Anderson says that when one merges the definition of racism, which is negative, with the definition of grace, which is positive, a new term emerges – gracism (I think David Anderson should trademark the term). Anderson defines gracism as the positive extension of favor on other humans based on color, class or culture. We are to extend favor onto others and not have favorites. This is backed up by scripture such as James 2:8-9. Does not God show favor on those he chooses to show favor to?

We are living in a rapidly changing world. There are population projections showing a shift in the numbers of minorities rising and the current majority decreasing. The point being is that we live in a multicultural society. David Anderson gives a great insight in this. This insight is reflected in view of 1 Corinthians 12. When people read this passage of scripture, they read it in light of spiritual gifts. David Anderson makes some strong points that yes, spiritual gifts are prevalent in this passage, but so is multiculturalism. Paul preached to the Jew, the Gentile, the free, the slave, the rich and the poor. Take the time to open your Bible and read this passage with the idea of multiculturalism in mind.

How is your church doing in view of multiculturalism? Are your antennas up and are you aware of the diversities that exist within your fold?

1 Corinthians 12 has been one of my favorite scripture references for quite some time. It talks about the gifts that each of us as Christians has. We excite ourselves in discovering our own gifts and using them for the glory and the kingdom of God. Right after the Apostle Paul draws a parallel of the various body parts and the various spiritual gifts given to us, and prior to the close to the close of the chapter, he talks about the “weaker.” It is in this that David Anderson brings insight. In Gracism, the Art of Inclusion, Seven Sayings of a Gracist are examined in light of 1 Corinthians 12.

Saying One “I Will Lift You Up”
“Those parts of the body that seam to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor.” (1 Corinthians 12:22-23)
Special Honor is to be given to the humble. Special Honor is to be given to the down and outers, those living on the fringe, the minority, those who need special attention. These are the ones who go unnoticed, who are overlooked. Everyone is important in the body of Christ, not just those who stand out in the crowd.

Saying Two “I Will Cover You”
“The parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment.” (1 Corinthians 12:23-24)
Special Modesty is the way we speak about ethnic groups, genders and classes. Failure to do so and being critical does not develop unity within the body of Christ. We must ensure that we cloth ourselves with grace. The Apostle Paul mentions in Colossians that we must cloth ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We are to do this in reference to race, religion or ethnicity. As Christians we are to protect the most vulnerable within the body from embarrassment. We must check what we say and protect those who need protected.

Saying Three “I Will Share With You”
“The parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment.” (1 Corinthians 12:23-24)
No Special Treatment makes a statement of “I refuse to accept special favors or perks that may hurt you” even if the refusal is emotionally difficult. No Special Treatment says that I will not express my rights, freedoms and privileges if they could hurt you. Perhaps difficult, it will cut to the heart of Gracism. It becomes personal. Gracism simply says that before I allow you to feel put down, less dignified, I will share with you.

Saying Four “I Will Honor You”
“God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it.” (1 Corinthians 12:24)
Greater Honor is given to those parts of the body that lack honor. Anderson writes that those in the body that lack honor are the poor, crippled, blind and lame. It is through grace greater honor to those. The rich, I’m sure, don’t think it’s fair. Those who are physically fit may find it hard to accept the fact that God honors those who lack in the physical. In certain parts of the world people of different ethnicities are the ones who lack honor. In certain parts of the world people with physical or mental handicaps are considered those who lack honor. We often teach our children that life is not fair. I now know that neither is God. God is not fair; and I’m glad he’s not. This is where GRACE comes into play. It is by God’s grace that I am saved and have eternal life. I most certainly didn’t deserve it. James 4:6 says that God gives grace to the humble. Those who are humble realize that they lack honor.

Saying Five “I Will Stand With You”
God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body. (1 Corinthians 12:24-25)
The emphasis of this saying is “no division” within the body of Christ. Division among believers is not of God. God hates division. God is one in his nature, we are called to be one with him, and therefore there is no room for division to exist among followers of Christ. If we allow or if we cling to division within the body of Christ, we align ourselves with the kingdom of darkness ruled by Satan. If we align ourselves with God we must align ourselves with unity. In John 17 Jesus prayed that all believers be of oneness. God does not want his children to fight and quarrel. If such is happening, I will be a person of reconciliation. Of which race, social group or culture did Jesus not die for? God, in his infinite wisdom, extended grace to everyone who will accept it. Because we are one in Christ, we must therefore say that there is no division among us and that “I will stand with you.”

Saying Six “I Will Consider You”
“God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.” (1 Corinthians 12:24-25)
This saying says that I will have equal concern for you. I will look at your circumstance, have the compassion of Jesus, and do whatever I can for you. It is being the “Good Samaritan” towards those who are downtrodden. A gracist who considers others does not live in their own world but rather looks for those who are struggling with the hope of showing equal concern for them. Equal concern is treating those who are hurt as if they were you own flesh and blood, your own family; because they are. Having equal concern is stepping out of my house and getting involved with those who are different than me. I will concern myself with your feelings and your dreams no matter what the circumstance or situation. Paul took Peter to task when Peter “removed” himself from the Gentiles when Jews arrived on the scene. By Peter doing this he even led Barnabas astray. In the body of Christ there are no “them” and “us.” I will consider you not only when it is convenient but always.

Saying Seven “I Will Celebrate With You”
“If one part suffers every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, overy part rejoices with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26)
As Christians, we must rejoice with others over their successes. When another racial group, ethnic group or gender group succeeds in some area, instead of becoming jealous and resentful, I should celebrate. In all the diversity in which we are a part of, we must rejoice with the successes of others, especially when it is not natural for us to rejoice in this way. Celebrating each other’s successes and wins is critical to unity. Jealousy and covetousness brew the poison that brings dissension to the body.

Becoming a Gracist is as easy as you want it to be. Central to it all is allowing the Holy Spirit to dwell within you and when the Holy Spirit convicts you of your need to extend God’s grace to those who are in need of grace, to do so. Gracism is the positive extension of favor on other human beings based on color, class or culture. Racism can be narrow in its definition. Grace is the opposite. Becoming a Gracist is becoming more like Christ.

David Anderson’s book, Gracism, the Art of Inclusion can be purchased online for only $15.30 at Emmaus Road Christian Store.

Multicultural Churches

David Anderson writes about multicultural leadership not from the perspective of an ivory tower intellectual, but as a hands-on practitioner who loves and believes in the body of Christ. . . . If you believe there is no solution to the race problem, I urge you to reconsider and to learn from someone who is on the frontlines of making multicultural ministry a reality in the church today. —Bill Hybels, founding and senior pastor, Willow Creek Community Church

Multiculturalism isn’t a trend, it’s a reality. Evidence of this country’s rich racial mix is all around us in our schools, our stores, our neighborhoods, our recreational facilities—everywhere except our churches. Heaven may include every culture, tongue, and tribe, but in the United States, Sunday morning remains one of the last bastions of ethnic separatism. It’s time to stop merely talking about multicultural worship and start living it.

In this groundbreaking book, David Anderson invites us all—African-American, Asian, Caucasian, and Latino—to learn how to dance the dance of multicultural ministry. We’ve all got different moves, but that’s the beauty of diversity: the various gifts we bring, the wisdom of our heritages, the different creative ways we express the same Lord. Think it can’t be done? Think again. As Anderson demonstrates, it is being done successfully by more and more churches. Wherever your church is now on the multicultural continuum, you can join the ranks of those moving toward a diverse and thriving ministry. Combining frontline insights with inspiring stories, Anderson takes you and your church into the strategy-level realities of what it takes to make multicultural ministry work in your setting.

Do you hear the beat of the Spirit? God is calling your church to the dance of unity in diversity. Don’t hold back! Grab this book, get out on the dance floor, and let Multicultural Ministry show you the steps.

Multicultural Ministry can be obtained at Emmaus Road Christian Store for only $13.19 (while supplies last – 5 left)

Communicator’s Commentary Vol. 30 1 & 2 Corinthians

Book Description
General Editor Lloyd J. Ogilvie brings together a team of skilled and exceptional communicators to blend sound scholarship with life-related illustrations.
The design for the Preacher's Commentary gives the reader an overall outline of each book of the Bible. Following the introduction, which reveals the author's approach and salient background on the book, each chapter of the commentary provides the Scripture to be exposited. The New King James Bible has been chosen for the Preacher's Commentary because it combines with integrity the beauty of language, underlying Hebrew and Greek textual basis, and thought-flow of the 1611 King James Version, while replacing obsolete verb forms and other archaisms with their everyday contemporary counterparts for greater readability. Reverence for God is preserved in the capitalization of all pronouns referring to the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. Readers who are more comfortable with another translation can readily find the parallel passage by means of the chapter and verse reference at the end of each passage being exposited. The paragraphs of exposition combine fresh insights to the Scripture, application, rich illustrative material, and innovative ways of utilizing the vibrant truth for his or her own life and for the challenge of communicating it with vigor and vitality.

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Is There Any Room for Racism? (Part 1 of 3)

I had this big guy come into my brick and mortar Christian bookstore ( Emmaus Road Christian Store )awhile back and asked me if I had the book “Gracism” written by “Anderson.” My first thought was he was looking for books written by Neil Anderson and my second thought was “I didn’t know Neil Anderson wrote a book on ‘Racism.’ My first response, of course, was “yes I do!” In saying that however, I discovered he wasn’t looking for books written by “Neil Anderson” but rather by “David Anderson.” I’m sure my face had a blank expression on it as I had to embarrassingly ask, “Who’s that?” He of course went on to tell me that he was “David Anderson.”

In my conversation with David I found that he is the pastor at Bridgeway Community Church and the host of a nationally syndicated radio show called Reconciliation Live. He and I had a great visit together and in the course of our visit I found out that he owns a vacation home in my area.

David Anderson’s book “Gracism, the Art of Inclusion” is now a part of my store’s library and I must say a very interesting read. In the introductory section of his book, Anderson states, “Gracism, unlike racism, doesn’t focus on race for negative purposes such as discrimination. Gracism focuses on race for the purpose of positive ministry and service.” I like that! Gracism is for the positive and not the negative. It is for ministry and service and not for discrimination.

When you look at someone, anyone, what do you see? What kind of glasses do you have on? We so often look at people and stereotype people by the way they look. We have preconceived ideas when we see someone of a “different” race than what we are? How about those of a different sex, religion, size? Racism is a sin. Most of the time people think that racism is a black/white situation. Racism is far from that. Yes whites are racist towards blacks, blacks towards whites, whites towards Asians, Asians towards Mexicans, yet get the picture. Over the course of time we have made many advances towards bridging the gap but we obviously have a ling way to go. Anderson talks about the “dot” that everyone has. Some are visible and others aren’t, but we still have them. David Anderson believes the answer to racism in the world today is “Gracism.”


Anderson defines racism as speaking, acting or thinking negatively about someone else solely based on that person’s color, class or culture. He states that grace is the unmerited favor of God on humankind. As Christians we are to extend to others favor and kindness. Anderson says that when one merges the definition of racism, which is negative, with the definition of grace, which is positive, a new term emerges – gracism (I think David Anderson should trademark the term). Anderson defines gracism as the positive extension of favor on other humans based on color, class or culture. We are to extend favor onto others and not have favorites. This is backed up by scripture such as James 2:8-9. Does not God show favor on those he chooses to show favor to?

We are living in a rapidly changing world. There are population projections showing a shift in the numbers of minorities rising and the current majority decreasing. The point being is that we live in a multicultural society. David Anderson gives a great insight in this. This insight is reflected in view of 1 Corinthians 12. When people read this passage of scripture, they read it in light of spiritual gifts. David Anderson makes some strong points that yes, spiritual gifts are prevalent in this passage, but so is multiculturalism. Paul preached to the Jew, the Gentile, the free, the slave, the rich and the poor. Take the time to open your Bible and read this passage with the idea of multiculturalism in mind.

How is your church doing in view of multiculturalism? Are your antennas up and are you aware of the diversities that exist within your fold?

David Anderson’s book: Gracism, the Art of Inclusion can be purchased online for only $15.30 at Emmaus Road Christian Store.

Bringing Out the Winner in Your Child

Bringing Out The Winner in Your Child

John Croyle

Product Description

"Many parents I meet," says John Croyle, "feel discouraged and defeated in their relationships with their children. They want to be good parents, but they don’t know where to find that ‘something extra’ within. This book is meant to give you some positive principles that will help you find that. Then you in turn can bring out the winner in your child."

Bringing Out the Winner in Your Child challenges parents to examine their skills, recognize their inadequacies, and love their children enough to make the changes needed to provide a stable, peaceful home. Croyle’s life is an inspiring story of an All-American defensive end whose love for children prompted his coach, the legendary Bear Bryant, to advise him to "forget about pro football and follow your dream."

In 1974 Croyle founded Big Oak Ranch as a home for abused, neglected, or abandoned children. Since then it has been a refuge and a natural, loving environment for more than 1,500 children from ages six to twenty-one.

Croyle’s practical guide to raising children encourages parents to develop skills as guardian, disciplinarian, provider, and friend so they can provide their children with love, stability, protection, and wisdom. His wide-ranging experience is the basis for his many lessons in dealing with typical parenting problems. Croyle offers such valuable insights as how children listen with their eyes (not their ears), how children and adults speak different languages, how realistic boundaries can affect children in positive ways, and how discipline with love, not anger, creates an atmosphere of growth and trust.

His daughter, Reagan, was a four-year member of the women’s varsity basketball team at the University of Alabama. Croyle’s son, Brodie, was the top-rated high school quarterback in America when he graduated in 1990, and in 2002 he became the starting quarterback of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

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Boundaries With Kids

Boundaries With Kids
Cloud/Townsend

Description:

What the award-winning Boundaries has done for adult relationships, Boundaries with Kids will do for you and your children.

Here is the help you need for raising your kids to take responsibility for their actions, attitudes, and emotions. Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend take you through the ins and outs of instilling the kind of character in your children that will help them lead balanced, productive, and fulfilling adult lives.

Learn how to

• set limits and still be a loving parent
• bring control to an out-of-control family life
• apply the ten laws of boundaries to parenting
• define appropriate boundaries and consequences for your kids … and much more.

“Boundaries with Kids helps us give our kids the skills they need to live realistic and full lives in meaningful relationships. Not perfect—but healthy!” —Elisa Morgan, president of MOPS International, Inc.

Dr. Henry Cloud is a popular speaker, and co-host, with Dr. John Townsend, of the nationally broadcast New Life Live! Radio program, and cofounder of Cloud-Townsend Clinic and Cloud-Townsend Resources. His bestselling books include the Gold Medallion Award-winning Boundaries books and Making Small Groups Work. Dr. Cloud and his wife and two daughters live in Southern California.

Dr. John Townsend, clinical psychologist, entertaining speaker, and co-founder of Cloud-Townsend Resources, has authored or co-authored nineteen books, including the best selling Gold Medallion book 'Boundaries,' and Boundaries in Marriage. Dr. Townsend is a regular co-host on New Life Live Radio, and together with Dr. Henry Cloud he developed the Ultimate Leadership Program, a highly effective week-long workshop designed to accelerate the personal and professional growth of businesspeople, pastors, ministry, and small-group leaders. He also partners with Church Communications Network, which broadcasts his leadership and relationship talks and seminars to churches via satellite across North America. Dr. Townsend lives in Southern California.

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Don’t’ Give In – God Wants You To Win! by Thelma Wells

Don’t Give in – God Wants You to Win!
Thelma Wells

Popular author and conference speaker Thelma Wells inspires readers to fight the good fight of faith and win the raging wars that they battle each day as the enemy tries to steal their joy, kill their hopes and dreams, and destroy their lives. In her personable and enthusiastic style, Wells helps readers understand:

what spiritual warfare is
why they fight
who they are fighting
how to dress for the war
how to win the war
who ultimately is in control of the fight

Don’t Give In—God Wants You to Win! will cause readers to understand that the battles they fight are really not theirs. Those battles belong to the God of “Peace, be still,” who will give them the strategies and courage they need to resist Satan’s tricks.
Wells writes for anyone fighting battles over family, relationships, finances, health, broken dreams, disappointments, and just the dailyness of life that can cause so much distress and hurt. Through instruction from God’s Word and stories of modern–day as well as biblical people, Wells shows how to relinquish those troubles to the only Person who can guarantee winning strategies for life.

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The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children

The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children

Stormie Omartian

In this important follow–up to her book The Power of a Praying® Parent (over 1.7 million sold), Stormie Omartian addresses the areas of concern parents have for their grown children and shares how to lift them up to God. With stories from other parents and insight gleaned from personal experience, Stormie helps parents pray with the power of God’s Word over their adult children and their
· career choices and sense of purpose
· marriages and other vital relationships
· parenting skills and leadership
· struggles, addictions, or emotional trials
· faith commitment and prayer life

Each year thousands of parents watch their grown children step out into the world and wish they could do more to support them. They can. Every parent can rest in the power of prayer to turn their child over to the care, protection, and guidance God provides.

Stormie Omartian is the bestselling author of The Power of a Praying® series (more than 13 million copies sold worldwide), which includes The Power of a Praying® Wife and The Power of a Praying® Husband. Her many other books include Just Enough Light for the Step I’m On, The Prayer That Changes Everything®, The Power of a Praying® Woman, The Power of Praying® Through the Bible, and The Power of Prayer to Change Your Marriage. Stormie and her husband, Michael, have been married more than 35 years and are the parents of two adult children.

View other Stormie Omartian materials

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Eat This and Live

Eat This and Live

Dr. Don Colbert

Today we have an abundance of options when it comes to the food we eat. But all foods are not created equal. In fact, some food should not even be labeled food but rather “consumable product” or “edible, but void of nourishment.”

In Eat This and Live! Dr. Don Colbert provides a road map to help you navigate this often treacherous territory. Based on the key principles for healthy eating in Dr. Colbert’s New York Times best seller, The Seven Pillars of Health, this practical guidebook to food includes “Dr. Colbert Approved” foods and restaurant menu choices, along with helpful tips, charts, and nutrition information that will make it easier for you to stay healthy and lose weight.

Now is the time to build the rest of your life on this wonderful pillar of health—living food!

View other Dr. Colbert Books

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One Yard Short

One Yard Short

Les Steckel

Coach Les Steckel understands that life is difficult. It's marked by disappointments and defeats. But what's important is what you do with those defeats. One Yard Short is the amazing story of Les Steckel. A coach for 32 years, with 23 of those seasons coaching in the NFL, Steckel has been through his shares of ups and downs, having experienced the pain and disappointment of job loss time and time again in a way that only professional sports coaches know.

A lesser man would have given up and become bitter, but in the midst of each disappointment, each "failure," God was there, picking him up, dusting him off, telling Coach Steckel that He believed in him and that there was a special plan for his life. In One Yard Short, Coach Steckel teaches readers through his own life lessons and football experiences how to hear God's voice in the midst of disappointments and failures.

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It’s Your Time

It’s Your Time

Joel Osteen

ACTIVATE YOUR FAITH
ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS
INCREASE IN GOD'S FAVOR

Get your hopes up. Raise your expectations. Expect the unexpected. In challenging times, it may be hard to see better days ahead.

You may feel as though your struggles will never end, that things won't ever turn around for you.

This is exactly the moment when you should seek and expect God's blessings.

It's your time to declare your faith, to look for God's favor and to give control of your life to Him so that you can find fulfillment in His plans for you!

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How to Talk Confidently With Your Child About Sex

How to Talk Confidently With Your Child About Sex
Lenore Buth

The books in the new Learning About Sex series aid parents and teachers in the often-difficult task of introducing and explaining the wonderful, God-given gift of sexuality. You want your children to know your wishes and God's plan for their sexuality but today's movies, music, and books may not contain information you want your children to have. "How to Talk Confidently with Your Child about Sex" helps you find the right words to ensure that your children have a Christ-centered understanding of one of God's most precious gifts.

Additional Information

This guide shows parents ways to naturally share parental views on sexuality with children of all ages and developmental levels.

This is the parent guide for a series entitled Learning About Sex. Each book in the series helps children see sex as a good gift from God to be used responsibly. In a positive, Christ-centered manner, the Learning About Sex series helps teachers, parents, pastor and doctors cultivate open and honest communication about sex, present accurate, age-appropriate information and explain physiological and socio-psychological aspects of sex...


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http://www.emmaus-road.com/8003

What's So Amazing About Grace?

What’s So Amazing About Grace?
Philip Yancy

In 1987, an IRA bomb buried Gordon Wilson and his twenty-year-old daughter beneath five feet of rubble.

Gordon alone survived. And forgave.

He said of the bombers, "I have lost my daughter, but I bear no grudge ... I shall pray, tonight and every night, that God will forgive them." His words caught the media's ears--and out of one man's grief, the world got a glimpse of grace. Grace is the church's great distinctive. It's the one thing the world cannot duplicate, and the one thing it craves above all else--for only grace can bring hope and transformation to a jaded world.

In What's So Amazing About Grace? award-winning author Philip Yancey explores grace at street level. If grace is God's love for the undeserving, he asks, then what does it look like in action? And if Christians are its sole dispensers, then how are we doing at lavishing grace on a world that knows far more of cruelty and unforgiveness than it does of mercy?

Yancey sets grace in the midst of life's stark images, tests its mettle against horrific "un-grace." Can grace survive in the midst of such atrocities as the Nazi holocaust? Can it triumph over the brutality of the Ku Klux Klan? Should any grace at all be shown to the likes of Jeffrey Dahmer, who killed and cannibalized seventeen young men?

Grace does not excuse sin, says Yancey, but it treasures the sinner. True grace is shocking, scandalous. It shakes our conventions with its insistence on getting close to sinners and touching them with mercy and hope. It forgives the unfaithful spouse, the racist, the child abuser. It loves today's AIDS-ridden addict as much as the tax collector of Jesus' day.

In his most personal and provocative book ever, Yancey offers compelling, true portraits of grace's life-changing power. He searches for its presence in his own life and in the church. He asks,

How can Christians contend graciously with moral issues that threaten all they hold dear?
And he challenges us to become living answers to a world that desperately wants to know,
What's So Amazing About Grace?

What’s So Amazing About Grace? (book)

What’s So Amazing About Grace? (audio book)

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23 Minutes in Hell

23 Minutes in Hell
Bill Wiese

Product Description
What is hell like, and how does one avoid an eternity of torment? Bill Wiese shares his unforgettable experience during which God allowed him to see and feel the agony people endure in hell.

Wiese's visit to the devil's lair lasted just twenty-three minutes, but he returned from this with vivid details etched in his memory. He records an accurate account of his experience in this book, presenting more than three hundred scriptures that verify the horrors he endured and observed.

Additional Information
"My sincere hope is that this book is the closest you will ever come to experiencing hell for yourself." Bill Wiese saw the searing flames of hell, felt total isolation, and experienced the putrid and rotting stench, deafening screams of agony, terrorizing demons, and finally, the strong hand of God lifting him out of the pit.

"Tell them I am coming very, very soon!" Wiese’s visit to the devil’s lair lasted just twenty-three minutes, but he returned with vivid details etched in his memory. Since this life-changing ordeal, he has spent the last seven years studying the Scriptures to find answers and has listed more than 150 Bible verses referencing hell. Everyone is curious about the afterlife, and now Wiese shares his insights to commonly asked questions such as:

Is hell a literal burning place?
Where is hell?
Do you have a body in hell?
Are there Degrees of punishment in hell?
Are there children in hell?
Can Demons torment people in hell?
Can "good" people go to hell?
"Even if you don’t believe my story, I hope you will believe the Scriptures and avoid hell just the same."

Other books by Bill Wiese

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A Grief Sanctified: Through Sorrow to Eternal Hope

A Grief Sanctified: Through Sorrow to Eternal Hope
Richard Baxter and J.I. Packer

Product Description

Richard and Margaret Baxter had been married only nineteen years before she died at age forty-five. A prominent pastor and prolific author, Baxter sought consolation and relief the only true way he knew in Scripture with his discipline of writing. Within days he produced a lover's tribute to his mate and a pastor's celebration of God's grace. It is spiritual storytelling at its best, made all the more poignant by the author s unveiling of his grief.

J. I. Packer has added his own astute reflections along with his edited version of this exquisite memoir that considers six of life's realities love, faith, death, grief, hope, and patience. He guides you in comparing and contrasting the world's and the Bible's ideals on coping with these tides of life. The powerful combination of Packer's insights and Baxter's grief gives you a beacon if you are searching for God, a pathfinder for your relationships, and a lifeline if you are grieving.

Other books on Grief

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Boundaries

Boundaries
Cloud/Townsend

This book presents a biblical treatment of boundaries, identifies how boundaries are developed, and how they become injured. It also shows Christian misconceptions of the function and purpose of boundaries, and provides a program for developing and maintaining healthy limits.

Description

Having clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. A boundary is a personal property line that marks those things for which we are responsible. In other words, boundaries define who we are and who we are not. Boundaries impact all areas of our lives: Physical boundaries help us determine who may touch us and under what circumstances -- Mental boundaries give us the freedom to have our own thoughts and opinions -- Emotional boundaries help us to deal with our own emotions and disengage from the harmful, manipulative emotions of others -- Spiritual boundaries help us to distinguish God's will from our own and give us renewed awe for our Creator -- Often, Christians focus so much on being loving and unselfish that they forget their own limits and limitations. When confronted with their lack of boundaries, they ask: - Can I set limits and still be a loving person? - What are legitimate boundaries? - What if someone is upset or hurt by my boundaries? - How do I answer someone who wants my time, love, energy, or money? - Aren't boundaries selfish? - Why do I feel guilty or afraid when I consider setting boundaries? Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend offer biblically-based answers to these and other tough questions, showing us how to set healthy boundaries with our parents, spouses, children, friends, co-workers, and even ourselves.

Dr. Henry Cloud is a popular speaker, and co-host, with Dr. John Townsend, of the nationally broadcast New Life Live! Radio program, and cofounder of Cloud-Townsend Clinic and Cloud-Townsend Resources. His bestselling books include the Gold Medallion Award-winning Boundaries books and Making Small Groups Work. Dr. Cloud and his wife and two daughters live in Southern California.

Dr. John Townsend, clinical psychologist, entertaining speaker, and co-founder of Cloud-Townsend Resources, has authored or co-authored nineteen books, including the best selling Gold Medallion book 'Boundaries,' and Boundaries in Marriage. Dr. Townsend is a regular co-host on New Life Live Radio, and together with Dr. Henry Cloud he developed the Ultimate Leadership Program, a highly effective week-long workshop designed to accelerate the personal and professional growth of businesspeople, pastors, ministry, and small-group leaders. He also partners with Church Communications Network, which broadcasts his leadership and relationship talks and seminars to churches via satellite across North America. Dr. Townsend lives in Southern California.

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The Purpose Driven Life

The Purpose Driven Life
Rick Warren

Outdated? I don’t think so! Published in 2002 the Purpose Driven Life is still as applicable today as it was when it was written. There are many great Christian self-help books available and The Purpose Driven Life is still one of the greatest; The Bible ranks #1.

Description
Rick Warren is often called "America's most influential spiritual leader." He and his wife, Kay, founded Saddleback Church in Orange County, California, which is now one of the largest and best-known churches in the world. He also wrote the #1 all-time bestselling hardcover book, The Purpose Driven Life.

You are not an accident. Even before the universe was created, God had you in mind, and he planned you for his purposes. These purposes will extend far beyond the few years you will spend on earth. You were made to last forever!

Self-help books often suggest that you try to discover the meaning and purpose of your life by looking within yourself, but Rick Warren says that is the wrong place to start. You must begin with God, your Creator, and his reasons for creating you. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense.

This book will help you understand why you are alive and God’s amazing plan for you—both here and now, and for eternity. Rick Warren will guide you through a perThe sonal 40-day spiritual journey that will transform your answer to life’s most important question: What on earth am I here for?

Knowing God’s purpose for creating you will reduce your stress, focus your energy, simplify your decisions, give meaning to your life, and, most importantly, prepare you for eternity.

The Purpose Driven™ Life is a blueprint for Christian living in the 21st century—a lifestyle based on God’s eternal purposes, not cultural values. Using over 1,200 scriptural quotes and references, it challenges the conventional definitions of worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. In the tradition of Oswald Chambers, Rick Warren offers distilled wisdom on the essence of what life is all about. This is a book of hope and challenge that you will read and re-read, and it will be a classic treasured by generations to come.

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A Case for Christ

A Case for Christ
Lee Strobel

Using the dramatic scenario of an investigative journalist pursuing his story and leads, Lee Strobel uses his experience as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune to interview experts about the evidence for Christ from the fields of science, philosophy, and history. Winner of the Gold Medallion Book Award and twice nominated for the Christian Book of the Year Award.

Description:

If you were a journalist, how would you handle a news story so big it would utterly eclipse all other world events? How thorough would your investigation be? How many hard-hitting questions would you ask? How carefully would you consult with top experts to get detailed, accurate answers? Lee Strobel knows firsthand. It was as an award-winning reporter for the Chicago Tribune and an avowed atheist that he first investigated the greatest news story of all -- the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now, in The Case for Christ, he presents compelling evidence and expert testimony for the claims of Christianity. As a seasoned journalist with a Yale law background, Strobel systematically tracks down his leads and asks the blunt, tough questions you would want to ask -- questions that can make or break the Christian faith. He refuses contrived, simplistic answers. Instead, he pieces together hard facts through interviews with a dozen of the country's top scholars. Written in the style of a blockbuster investigative report, The Case for Christ is a provocative and spellbinding read, marshaling expert testimony and persuasive evidence. With unerring instincts, Strobel ferrets out: Historical evidence: Do we possess reliable documents concerning the life, teachings, and resurrection of Jesus? Scientific Evidence: Is there archaeological substantiation for the historical accounts about Jesus? Did Jesus perform miracles? Psychiatric Evidence: Did Jesus really claim to be God?

What evidence is there that he fits God's profile? Fingerprint Evidence: What does prophecy have to say about Jesus? Other Evidence: Jesus' death, the missing body, eyewitness accounts, and claims of personal encounters. The Case for Christ reads like a captivating, fast-paced novel.

But, it's not fiction.

It's a riveting journey to the truth about the most remarkable event in history: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And it's a revealing, personal testimony to his power to transform people yet today -- even the most case-hardened, cynical journalist.

Lee Strobel with a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a Master of Studies in Law degree from Yale Law School, was the award-winning legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and a spiritual skeptic until 1981. His books include four Gold Medallion winners and the 2005 Christian Book of the Year (coauthored with Garry Poole). He and his wife live in Colorado.

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Charlie's Touchdown

Charlie’s Touchdown
Mary Jo Stopher
A poor prognosis overshadows the joy of bringing home a new baby. Charlie’s congenital heart disease will surely take his life some day with the probability being within the first year. After questioning God as to why this happened, his parents eventually resign themselves to the fact that there are no answers. The advice of a friend helps Mary Jo focus on making life the best it can be for her son. She and her husband, Charles Sr., decide to treat Charlie as normally as possible.

Doctors offer no encouragement, as there is no operation to correct Charlie’s heart condition. When the Stophers move away for Charles Sr. to attend college, they are led to Dr. Cottrill, who gives them hope for the first time. She suggests an operation that would improve Charlie’s condition, but cannot correct the malformation. She shares her Christian beliefs and makes it clear that God is the one in charge. Mary Jo’s faith is challenged and she answers the call. Thus begin years of surgeries, trials and suffering for young Charlie and an inspiring spiritual journey for his mother. Charlie perseveres and becomes a happy child with a lifelong dream to play football. People watch as he endures much suffering in his life and they recognize the manifestation of God’s love shining through him. He leads an exciting life as The Kentucky Easter Seal poster child meeting celebrities such as Sam Bowie and Nancy Reagan along the way.

In Charlie’s Touchdown, Stopher observes her son being used to bring others closer to Christ. This honor humbles her to be open to God’s will even at the cost of losing her son. The depth of her soul is revealed as she shares moving spiritual insights and allows the presence of Christ to be seen in daily life. She recognizes that the suffering of the innocent is similar to the suffering of Christ. Therefore, as Charlie’s mother, she knew that a sword would pierce her heart just as it did Our Blessed Mother’s. A beautiful relationship grows between heaven and earth as abundant blessings are poured out and purpose is found in suffering.


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Before the Thunder Rolls

Before the Thunder Rolls
Devotions for NASCAR Fans
Inspirational insights gleaned from the popular sport of stock-car racing, authored by the former Nextel Cup series chaplain, Dale Beaver. Featuring anecdotes about the racers and crew members, all of whom make profound and witty connections between the behind-the-scenes details of the sport to the Christian life. Includes the eulogy preached at the funeral of the late, great Dale Earnhardt Sr.!

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