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Drawing upon real-life stories from his extensive restorative justice work in many countries and cultures, Dr. Mark Umbreit illuminates the power we all have to make profound shifts in the troubles that rob our lives of zest, joy, meaning, and fulfillment. Using personal stories of anguish, trauma, and woundedness, Umbreit demonstrates again and again how he and others have transformed the toxicity of violation into its life-giving properties through restorative practices and facilitated dialogue.

Leadership is vital, but how do you know which leadership theory or practice is right for you? How should you go about assessing the quality of a leadership practice? How can you evaluate leadership ideas to ensure that they line up with Scripture? How can you assess a leadership model and know it will work in your ministry setting? Evaluating Leadership provides a solution to these problems. It introduces the Leadership Assessment Matrix, which helps you assess whether a leadership theory, principle, or practice is suitable for your team and your specific context. Drawing on extensive experience and research, Evaluating Leadership delves deep into the problem, explains the model, and demonstrates how it can be applied. If you have ever had questions about how to evaluate leadership ideas or practices, this book is the book for you.

Indigenous peoples of Brazil have come to faith in Christ in large numbers in recent decades. As Christianity takes root in each culture, it may incorporate expressive forms of music and art, which can range from those identical to earlier cultural forms to those which are fully imported. But what happens when musicians and artists of a local indigenous community fuse elements from a variety of genres and create their own music? Are they just imitations of external forms? Or are they authentic creations from elements that have now become their own sounds, too? Christian musicians among the Xerente (pronounced Sheh-´ren-teh) have created their own fusion genre(s) to express their faith, communicate the gospel, and edify their churches. Their music includes elements from their cultural tradition as well as from (secular) genres of the northeastern region of Brazil. Is it, then, authentically Xerente? As we discuss in this book, independent of tangible markers or its long history, the authenticity of an art form can be demonstrated through a number of connections with the community and signposted by its meaning and function among the people, as well as the competence and agency of the people in their artistic choices.

"Here sleeps the Indian Manuel Quintin Lame Chantre, October 7, 1967. He was a man who did not bow his head before injustice." In the Colombian Andes, Indians wrote that epitaph on the cross above Lame's grave because he led them in a just struggle against "civilization" against the "whites" and their system that has oppressed and dehumanized the Indians. The first part of this book is a thorough introduction to Lame's life, his thought, and his historical context: the world of the Indians of the Colombian Andes. The second part of the book contains "Los Pensamientos," a work written by Lame about a series of theological themes: nature, injustice, God, rebellion, oppression, hope, liberation . . . Gustavo Gutierrez has written: "One day a theology should develop that comes from the poor themselves. Liberation theology is just one step along the way in this search. I see it as a kind of theological crutch, to be used until the poor create a theology of their own experience, their own world." Lame's work answers Gutierrez's call. It is a theology that "comes from the poor themselves," and in its originality, boldness, and propheticism, Lame's theology surpasses that written by those with ties to the unjust "civilization" that Lame spent much of his life combating.

In a Tiantai theology, conventional truth is conventionally arisen, which means that such truth is never set once and for all, but is to be cherished and rethought in new circumstances, whether interreligious or scientific--but always in critical consonance with its ancient embodiments. Contexts shift frameworks, but life in Christ is translatable across cultures. Christian faith and theology discourage the assumption that the point of it can be clearly pinned down. God's appearance to Elijah out of the whirlwind is an eternal reminder of the paltriness of all human perspectives. Symbolic worlds of faith and wisdom are not themselves finished products. Because it has a past and a future, the cosmos itself is unfinished. Christian creeds ought not be defended as last-word ideological positions and bastions against relativity, but instead recognized in their cultural contexts and affirmed as grammars of communal and personal assent.

Family physician Raymond Downing offers a bold critique of western medicine and sees medical care as one of the fallen "principalities and powers" in need of redemption. But Downing's hope lies beyond biomedicine--in biblical healing, especially the healing miracles of Jesus. In conversation with the Bible, Ivan Illich, William Strongfellow, Susan Sontag, and others, Downing revisits how Westerners approach medicine. He sees suffering and healing as essentially spiritual experiences at the roots of death and life.

Jesus did not say ""take and think."" He said ""take and eat."" This is embodied worship. It includes gestures, rites, kneeling, raising hands, and of course eating and drinking a holy meal with God. These activities are liturgies. Liturgy is the physical, embodied activity of worship--it's what we do in worship--everyone has a liturgy! As such, worship is the church's primary means of discipleship. Instead of fearing to kneel because it's ""Roman Catholic,"" or fearing to raise your hands because it's ""Pentecostal,"" perhaps we should simply see what God recommends in the Scriptures--then without fear and by faith (at the appropriate time) start kneeling, raising our hands, and eating a covenant meal with God (on a weekly basis). The hope is to replace a fear-driven approach to worship with a faith-driven, embodied worship that offers deep, robust, and beautiful worship experiences combined with the hope of great blessings. In doing so, we hope for nothing less than a new reformation--a reformation in worship.

This is a biographical storybook about Ted Studebaker. Ted grew up on a farm in western Ohio. He won awards as an athlete and was active in the local Church of the Brethren. In college, Ted studied subjects that would help him understand and serve the needs of other people. Many persons Ted's age were in the Army, the Air Force, the Navy, or the Marines. But Ted was not interested in being a soldier. As a Christian, he wanted to follow Jesus' example and teachings-to love all people, even enemies, and to return good for evil. Ted volunteered to serve his country for two years in a way that would help other people rather than hurt or kill them. He knew he was in danger. But doing what he felt was right was more important to Ted than his personal safety. This book will appeal to the child listening to the story, as well as to the adult reading it. The story of Ted Studebaker provides a positive role model for living peacefully with others. The author says, ""It has been my experience that when a child and an adult can share a literary experience deeply, a special bond develops as they discuss what they have read. ""I perceive this book as one that touches all persons, from the two-year-old who becomes excited about the tractor to the adult who marvels at Ted's faithfulness. ""Different portions of the book appeal to different developmental levels, allowing the book's significance to 'mature' with the child.""

In volume one of this multi-volume series, Marc Ellis explores the essence of the prophetic by intertwining the context of ordinary life and the explosive reality of Jewish identity, the Holocaust and Israel-Palestine. But Ellis's prophetic challenge extends to people of all faiths and backgrounds. For Jews, Christians and Muslims, where does the prophetic come from and how do we define it? Is the heartbeat of the prophetic, God or our own commitment? In our time where belief in God is more difficult does the prophetic suggest only the possibility of God? With or without God is the prophetic worth the suffering that comes the exile's way? Ellis's unfolding narration of the prophetic is unique and probing for those who take life, justice and faith seriously.

""But just as then the child born as a result of the flesh persecuted the one born as a result of the Spirit, so also now"" (Gal 4:29 CSB). Why do God's people suffer? In Galatians, Paul makes an argument from persecution for the authenticity of his gospel. Persecution demonstrates that Paul and the Galatians belong to God and have believed in the divinely revealed gospel. While Paul does not offer an explicit theodicy in Galatians, his argument from persecution requires an implicit one. Paul's theodicy can primarily be understood through his interpretation of earlier Scripture, especially the story of Isaac and Ishmael in Genesis. In Persecution and Cosmic Conflict, Joshua Caleb Hutchens examines the theme of persecution in Galatians and Paul's theological context in earlier Scriptures and early Judaism. Hutchens argues that Paul sees persecution as a manifestation of the cosmic conflict between God in Christ and the present evil age. Paul argues for this by appealing to earlier Scripture in Genesis. Hutchens offers a biblical-theological reading of Genesis that makes sense of Paul's usage of the book in Galatians.

No Christian is perfect and no Christian will be on this side of heaven. Every believer is a work in progress, being transformed from who they were to who they will yet be. The technical term is sanctification. Rooted in God's character and his design in and through creation, sanctification is the process by which a Christian develops into the person God wants him or her to be. Simultaneously challenging and joyous, sanctification does not happen overnight; neither is it a process with a defined end point. It is a lifelong pursuit. The beauty of God's work in sanctification is that God shapes one's life into something beyond expectation. By submitting to God's plan, believers become more like Christ and so fulfill God's purpose to glorify himself on the earth. The Blueprint of Grace serves as a primer to the beginning of the process of sanctification, how it unfolds, and how it ends.

Daniel is a book intended to be read thoroughly from beginning to end. The final verse (12:13) promises a restoration of what was lost in the first two verses (1:1-2). Between these bookends, with artistic flare, historical accuracy, and apocalyptic hope, Daniel encourages readers that God was, is, and always will be in control. The book's portrayal of God, its rich theology, and its contribution to the spiritual formation of God's people influenced Jesus, the New Testament writers, and the early church, and it deserves a place of prominence in the church today. With substantive exegesis, clear exposition, and relevant teaching outlines, Interpreting Daniel for Preaching and Teaching helps preachers and teachers to unpack Daniel's significance for the church today.

Many Christians have the underlying belief that if they are truly following Jesus, they will be exempt from suffering in this life. As a result, they are often surprised when they go through hard times and are likely to experience doubt, hopelessness, and anger toward God. But what if God's chosen means of blessing was through suffering? Would you choose that path? Through the author's personal story of suffering the loss of his twin sister in the prime of her life and through biblical examples of sufferers who have gone before, Haywood outlines in this book how God is faithful amidst our suffering and how the abundant Christian life here on Earth is still possible if we are willing to fight for it. No matter the battle you are facing, know this: God is fighting with you--going before you, standing in front of you, and guarding behind you. Even in your suffering, he is leading you to the abundant life he has promised. Based on that reality, you can view whatever situation you are in with hope.

Centuries after the ""triumph of industrialism,"" we find ourselves wrestling through a paradox of wealth and loss, of abundance and loneliness. The home, once the principle ""factory"" of society, stands now as a mere shell of its former function and authority. The family, once the bedrock of civilization, is more divided today than it has been at any point in human history.

In the face of such monumental shifts, corrupt philosophies, and entrenched interests, what can one family possibly do? Quite a bit, actually. We believe the answer can only come from families, and it can only start at home. The family economy is a concept so foreign to the modern industrial mind that it needs to be re-introduced and defined again as the solution that it has been for thousands of years. That is what this book intends to do.

"My God why have You forsaken me? I cry out by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest (Ps 22:1-2 NSAB). Familiar words amid our brokenness, fears, and discouragements. "If the Lord is with [me] as I had been told, why then has all this happened to [me]? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about?" (Judg 6:13). We've all been there--lost in the maze of our own pain and suffering, adversity, and tragedy, looking for answers and relief. Lord, Why? is a common response when catastrophe happens, and unexpected heartbreak strikes. We demand answers and reassurances of God's faithfulness, love, power. and wisdom. Lord, Why? asks the hard questions of hurting people. Where were You when I needed You? Don't You love me? How could You let this happen? What have I done to deserve this? and more. Questions are plentiful. Answers are in short supply, but the need to trust a loving, sovereign God through thick and thin and regain perspective remains a necessity for the healing of the wounded soul. This book will challenge and comfort those trying to make sense of grief and heartache.

Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose? How can I make a more significant impact? All these questions have to do with the topic of vocation. Vocation is more than what one does for a living in terms of one's career. Vocation is a lens that helps believers see the larger story of who they are regarding their calling with God through faith in Jesus and how they are now called to love and serve their neighbors through their everyday callings. Everyday believers seeking purpose and meaning in their lives will find this book helpful in empowering them to discover and live out their authentic calling in Christ in their daily lives. It will help them deepen their awareness of their ultimate identity in Christ and better discern their unique identity of God's workmanship. It also can help believers develop an empowerment plan to practice good self-care so that they can show up at their best in their daily callings. Finally, coaching can empower people to make a more significant kingdom impact in their different stations of life--Family, Church, Lifework, and Society.

Kenneth E. Bailey was both a missionary and a New Testament scholar. As a missionary, first in Egypt and later in Lebanon, Israel-Palestine, and Cyprus, he experienced firsthand the life of traditional Middle Eastern villagers, which led him to the conclusion that the village culture he witnessed in the twentieth century had hardly changed since the first century. Consequently, he was able to reinterpret Jesus's parables and life experiences through this traditional culture. In a remarkable series of acclaimed books, which include The Cross and the Prodigal, Jacob and the Prodigal, and Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes, Bailey showed that Jesus was the first mind of the New Testament who used story and metaphor to challenge the leaders of his day in ways often unappreciated by contemporary readers. This biography explains the origins of Bailey's key ideas and recounts his often fraught missionary career--one that included the austere and the sometimes harsh life in the simple villages of Upper Egypt, the perils of life in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), and being evacuated four times during the military conflicts in the region--that made possible his groundbreaking insights into the New Testament.

The well-known idiom about death and taxes being the two certainties in life may require a revision with a potential third certainty--old age. Barring the unexpected or the unthinkable, people nowadays can expect to grow old with life expectancies increasing due to medical and scientific advances. Hence, old age is a timely and compelling subject that affects us all. But it can be a mixed blessing. We know of old people struggling with health issues or financial woes. In that sense, old age, like death and taxes, is not a comfortable topic. Yet, the Bible portrays God as having a high view of the aged. Utilizing a biblical hermeneutics of ageism, we can read Scripture to extract important lessons and principles not only as an encouragement to older readers but as a guide for younger readers in relating to senior members of the faith. Since aging is a global phenomenon, the personal points of view of the old people themselves living in Asia assume equal importance with those living in the West, particularly America. In fact, can we not all learn from each other, adopting good ideas from our global neighbors to strengthen our own lives and relationships?

If you lead any group in singing contemporary worship music, love to work toward self-improvement, or just want to learn more about your internal instrument, the voice, you've come to the right place. The vocal techniques you have learned can always be improved and this guide can assist you in the process. You don't have to accept a hoarse voice after service as normal. You possess the skills to manage that break your voice produces in that middle range. Your stylistically different sounds can be modified to better fit the feel of your church's band. You can increase the strength of your upper register. With an easy-to-understand format and the scientific breakdown you are curious about, this book can help improve your contemporary worship singing technique, health, and stylistic understanding, all while acknowledging the God who is the reason for it all.

A New Awareness is an endeavor of affection and generosity toward Sebastian Moore. The book examines his key theological insights and themes over seventy years and proposes that they are still relevant today for the Christian Community. He was a theologian and poet. He wrote about many theological topics: the significance of Jesus, the experiences of the disciples and their meaning for us, redemption, the Trinity, sexuality and ecclesiology, and original sin. But he is mainly known for being the theologian of desire: self-love to self-gift, desire is love trying to happen, to be myself for another, and the insight that there is no more wonderful reality than to be desired by the one you desire.

Deconstructive faith experiences are growing in number throughout global Christianity. Factors like globalization, individualism, education, post-colonial experiences, fundamentalism, connectivity, and others contribute to accelerate this trend and shape the environment of faith communities that find themselves amongst increasingly postmodern tendencies. Many pastors are deciding to ignore the situation by rejecting deconstruction altogether, while others are embracing it blindly. Since an overwhelming number of churches worldwide embrace Pentecostalism, Esteban Solis proposes a pastoral response from a distinctively Pentecostal perspective that engages deconstruction of faith critically while staying open to conceive it as a tool for Spirit-led discipleship that can produce a more mature faith. The book examines six affirmations made by Jacques Derrida that explain deconstruction. Each of these is contrasted with specific examples of cultural changes taking place in Costa Rica, Peter's experience at the house of Cornelius, and a Pentecostal perspective. By exploring a variety of authors, Solis identifies different tools that can help pastors to better understand the experience of deconstruction while engaging in discipleship practices that can produce mature believers in a postmodern era.

This book investigates potential neo-Darwinian fallacies, specifically regarding a priori assumptions, that may have led to weak scientific methodology and praxis. It was proposed that five concepts must be true for neo-Darwinism to be true. These are gradualism, the tree of life hypothesis, the evidence of microevolutionary change accounting for macroevolutionary change, time and chance, and methodological naturalism. Prima facie, these concepts have tremendous explanatory power. Yet, with an attempt to carefully examine these concepts, all five seem to be assumed a priori so as to dictate the outcome of neo-Darwinism rather than letting the evidence speak for itself. The evidence left by the Cambrian explosion, genomic potential, genetic entropy, irreducible complexity, genetic limits, cyclical change, probability theory, the epistemology of information, and the law of causality seems to pose a dilemma for neo-Darwinian assumptions.

This volume provides the historical background to its companion volume, Assessing the New Testament Evidence for the Historicity of the Resurrection of Jesus. It traces the history of historical apologetics for Jesus' resurrection from the first century through the twentieth century, focusing on its apogee during the Deist controversy in Europe. It explores which of the traditional arguments on behalf of the historicity of Jesus' resurrection are obsolete and which still merit consideration today. It includes a discussion of the problem of miracles, both their possibility and identification, which forms the backdrop for any contemporary case for the resurrection.

Dr. Joseph Barber Lightfoot was born in Liverpool, England, in 1828. He was educated at Cambridge and Oxford and became Lord Bishop of Durham in the Church of England. He served as minister in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, and later was Professor of Divinity at Cambridge University. He was one of the original members of the New Testament Company of Bible Revisers. Dr. Lightfoot is best known for his remarkable scholarship, evidenced in his Commentaries on Galatians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon.