The Sunday Book Table provides Christian literature and music which is selected to help people grow in the 5 purposes of our spiritual community. Please find below a short description of some of the recommended books we offer under our 5 purposes of Community, Growth, Missional, Participative, and Worship.
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A New Kind of ChristianMcLaren, pastor and author of The Church on the Other Side, proposes that postmodernism is the road to take in order to move on from the current stalemate between conservative evangelical and liberal Christians. His books are part of his activist work to promote "innovation, entrepreneurial leadership and a desire to be on the leading edge of ministry." Here he has adopted the fictional tale of an earnest, very conservative pastor who has become so burned out in his church life that he is planning to quit the pastorate. Instead, he makes friends with his daughter's science teacher, who leads him to an enthusiastic embracing of postmodernism as applied to the Christian message. In this fictional conversation, McLaren describes this process as a journey of Holy Spirit-guided faith "through the winds and currents of change." His conservative pastor character comes to accept the Bible as a premodern text that presents its message in story and does not have to conform to our modern expectations. The book's attention-grabbing format is an effective mode of presenting McLaren's ideas.
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Blue Like JazzI never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened. In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God.
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BoundariesIn order to call themselves good Christians, many people have drawn overly flexible boundaries (unwilling to say no, always accommodating others' needs) or overly rigid boundaries (to the point of being righteous and judgmental). Psychologists and inspirational speakers Cloud and Townsend show readers how to set reasonable boundaries in order to follow the true path of Christianity. This book has become immensely popular, most likely because it makes personal boundaries easier to define and is filled with spiritual purpose. Some cautions: the format can be overly self-helpish for such a complex discussion and the authors at one point imply that judicious spankings may be an acceptable form of setting boundaries with children. However, many Christians will probably find themselves grateful for this biblical context of boundaries.
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CaptivatingEvery little girl has dreams of being swept up into a great adventure, of being the beautiful princess. Sadly, when women grow up, they are often swept up into a life filled merely with duty and demands. Many Christian women are tired, struggling under the weight of the pressure to be a "good servant," a nurturing caregiver, or a capable home manager.
What Wild at Heart did for men, Captivating is doing for women. Setting their hearts free. This groundbreaking book shows readers the glorious design of women before the fall, describes how the feminine heart can be restored, and casts a vision for the power, freedom, and beauty of a woman released to be all she was meant to be. By revealing the core desires every woman shares-to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a grand adventure, and to unveil beauty-John and Stasi Eldredge invite women to recover their feminine hearts, created in the image of an intimate and passionate God. Further, they encourage men to discover the secret of a woman's soul and to delight in the beauty and strength women were created to offer.
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Dare to Journey (Devotional)START AN INNER REVOLUTION. Change begins on the inside. But our busy lives leave us with few resources to power even the mildest of inner revolutions. Henri Nouwen's thoughts and insights offer a refreshing journey to a place where change is not only possible, but imminent. Written as a set of 'conversations,' these daily readings will transport you from a state of spiritual restlessness and seeking to retreat, renewal, re-evaluation and prayer. As you come full circle through this process, you will be empowered to re-engage yourself in the tasks of life with new fervor and hope-and move ever closer to Christ.
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EpicIn Epic, a retelling of the gospel in four acts, John Eldredge invites us to revisit the drama of life, viewing God not only as the author but also as the lead actor, exploring His motives and His heart. Eldredge examines the power of story, the universal longing for a "plot" that makes sense deep inside us, our desire for a meaningful role to play, our love of books and movies, and how all of this points us to the gospel itself.
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FacedownGod wants us to be more than aware of His presence. He implores us to be awestruck by it-literally consumed with passion and adoration! How do we reach this state? By totally surrendering to God through worship. Facedown shows why we need to go deeper into the wonder, awe and mystery of God's presence. Only then will we find ourselves lying prostrate before the Lord-facedown in worship. The premise of Matt Redman's newest book is grounded in three biblical examples-Ezekiel 1, Daniel 10 and Revelation 7-which all reveal that the worship going on before the heavenly throne is facedown. All believers will be exhilarated by this heaven-sent beacon as it lights their way to being undone by God's eternal glory.
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Hearing God"God spoke to me." "The Spirit spoke to my heart." "God revealed the idea to me." Being close to God means communicating with him--telling him what is on our hearts in prayer and hearing and understanding what he is saying to us. It is this second half of our conversation with God that is so important but that can also be so difficult. How do we hear his voice? How can we be sure that what we think we hear is not our own subconscious? What role does the Bible play? What if what God says to us is not clear? The key, says best-selling author Dallas Willard, is to focus not so much on individual actions and decisions as on building our personal relationship with our Creator. In this updated classic, originally published as In Search of Guidance, the author provides rich spiritual insight into how we can hear God's voice clearly and develop an intimate partnership with him in the work of his kingdom.
Features & Benefits
* provides insight into God's direction in daily life
* aids in learning to hear God's voice
* gives guidance for developing a richer relationship with God
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How to Read the Bible for all it's WorthThis volume guides readers in understanding the literary dimensions of the Bible by incorporating techniques for interpreting Scripture, while it also maintains faithfulness to literary genres.
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Letters from a SkepticGreg Boyd longed for his father to know Christ. But as a former atheist turned believer, Greg understood Ed Boyd's reservations. So he offered a unique invitation: His father could write Greg with any questions on Christianity, and he would in turn deliver a thoughtful response. What began as an intimate correspondence between father and son soon captivated seekers everywhere.
Letters from a Skeptic presents a profound defense of the Christian faith. Throughout, readers will discover a conversation that not only brought Ed Boyd to Christ, but impacted thousands of lives around the world.
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Love, Sex, and Relationships
Dean Sherman has written an excellent book about the complicated world of dating. This is a balanced, Biblical approach to relationships in general, with specific reference to how singles should interact with other singles.
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My Utmost for his Highest (Devotional)Few have understood the nature of sanctification, or the nature of God, better than Oswald Chambers. His insights into holiness, absolute devotion, and the pursuit of God have inspired countless Christians, challenging them to give their "utmost for His highest." Devotions for a Deeper Life is a collection of some less known writings by this beloved Christian author. Excerpted from articles published in God's Revivalist in the early 1900's, this year's-worth of daily devotions bears Chambers' characteristic stamp of practicality and profundity, freshness and fire. Here are the meditations of a man of the Bible and a man of prayer, reflections as timeless as the illuming ministry of the Holy Spirit. More than just a devotional, Devotions for a Deeper Life is a treasury of truths that will open your spiritual eyes to the incredible, full scope of Christ's work, of the Holy Spirit's guidance and power, and of God's calling on your life that bids you rise higher than you've ever thought possible.
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Prayer: Finding the Heart's True HomeThere are hundreds of books on prayer, and much of the advice they contain is likely to be the same. So what distinguishes these books? Call it a kind of wisdom, a sense that here's someone who knows something of God's heart. A good example can be found in this fine book by the Quaker writer and teacher Richard Foster. The author of the bestselling Celebration of Discipline explores various aspects of prayer, which he defines in one place as "the human response to the perpetual outpouring of love by which God lays siege to every soul." Beginning with the simplest forms of prayer--what he calls "ordinary people bringing ... ordinary concerns to a loving and compassionate Father"--he then explores the deeper places where prayer becomes not simply petition but a way of life. He writes of prayer of adoration and rest, sacramental prayer, meditation, and contemplation, and in the final section of the book moves outward into ministry, where prayer meets the needs of the world. In each chapter Foster defines, describes, and gives helpful examples. Above all he writes with grace--in both the artistic and spiritual senses.
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Questions of LifeQuestions of Life has helped thousands of men and women around the world find answers to these questions and many more. In fifteen compelling chapters Nicky Gumbel points the way to an authentic Christianity that is exciting and relevant to today’s world.
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RelationshipsDesigned for college students, young adults, singles, and dating couples, this book teaches the basics of healthy relationships, including friendship, dating, sexuality, and relating to God; it is accompanied by a 48-page workbook.
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Searching for God Knows WhatIn Searching for God Knows What, Donald Miller's provocative and funny new book, he shows readers that the greatest desire of every person is the desire for redemption. Every person is constantly seeking redemption (or at least the feeling of it) in his or her life, believing countless gospels that promise to fix the brokenness. Typically their pursuits include the desire for fulfilling relationships, successful careers, satisfying religious systems, status, and escape. Miller reveals how the inability to find redemption leads to chaotic relationships, self-hatred, the accumulation of meaningless material possessions, and a lack of inner peace. Readers will learn to identify in themselves and within others the universal desire for redemption. They will discover that the gospel of Jesus is the only way to find meaning in life and true redemption. Mature believers as well as seekers and new Christians will find themselves identifying with the narrative journey unfolded in the book, which is simply the pursuit of redemption.
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Seizing Your Divine MomentIn this inspiring book, Erwin McManus uses the biblical account of Israel's war with the Philistines ("1 Samuel 13 and 14") and the characters of Saul and Jonathan to demonstrate the difference between living a life of purpose and adventure, and living one of apathy and missed opportunity. In the midst of a less-than-hopeful battle, Saul - who should have been leading - rested beneath a pomegranate tree as Jonathan seized the divine moment that would impact the future of Israel. Through this story McManus artfully illustrates the eight characteristics of an adventurer's heart, what he calls "the Jonathan factor." Using powerful examples from his own life and ministry, along with fresh biblical teaching, McManus asserts that God crafts divine moments specific to each of us - priceless opportunities for us to actively engage in God's big-picture plan. Apathy and apprehension prevent us from being all we are meant to be for God's kingdom. But by developing these characteristics, Christians can move from mundane to miraculous living.
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The Bondage BreakerThe Bondage Breaker leads readers away from the shadows and shackles in their lives and toward the freedom that comes when they
- realize they have the right to be free
- confront the power of Satan
- fight the temptation to do it their way
- trade deception for grace
- affirm their identity in Christ
Neil Anderson ultimately helps people break negative thought patterns, control irrational feelings, and break out of the bondage of sinful behavior. Those struggling will discover how to embrace the promise of Jesus to win the spiritual battles that confront them.
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The Divine ConspiracyDallas Willard, an acclaimed theologian and professor of philosophy at the University of Southern California, fulfills the longing of many Christians who want to live as true disciples of Christ rather than distant dabblers. Likewise, he scoffs at consumer Christians who are simply banking on admittance to heaven as their payoff for attending church. Or worse still, those who use Christianity to advance their political agendas rather than their spiritual ones. But this is not a scolding book. Rather, Willard devotes his efforts to discussing specific and inspiring ways to develop a discipleship to Jesus--not as an act of sacrifice or even one of spiritual luxury--instead, as everyday people committed to the teachings of Christ. "The really good news for Christians is that Jesus is now taking students in the master class of life," writes Willard. "So the message of and about him is specifically a gospel for our life now, not just for dying. It is about living now as his apprentices in kingdom living, not just as consumers of his merits."
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The Life You Always WantedThis ECPA best-seller focuses on three primary questions: what does true spiritual life really look like?; what hinders me from living such a life?; and what practices can help me pursue such a life?
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The Purpose Driven LifeThe spiritual premise in The Purpose-Driven Life is that there are no accidents---God planned everything and everyone. Therefore, every human has a divine purpose, according to God's master plan. Like a twist on John F. Kennedy's famous inaugural address, this book could be summed up like this: "So my fellow Christians, ask not what God can do for your life plan, ask what your life can do for God's plan." Those who are looking for advice on finding one's calling through career choice, creative expression, or any form of self-discovery should go elsewhere. This is not about self-exploration; it is about purposeful devotion to a Christian God.
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The Raggamuffin GospelBrennan Manning wrote The Ragamuffin Gospel "for the bedraggled, beat-up, and burnt-out," the marginalized folks to whom Jesus ministered: the children, the ill, the tax collectors, the women. In other words, the ragamuffins. Manning understands better than most that behind our facades of order and self-assurance are inadequacies that can find healing only in Jesus. While the powerful and religious elite challenged him, Jesus embraced and healed and fed the needs of the ragamuffins. Jesus delivered love, healing, and, most of all, grace.
Grace is defined as "the freely given and unmerited favor and love of God." But, as Manning points out, we have "twisted the gospel of grace into religious bondage and distorted the image of God into an eternal, small-minded bookkeeper." In reality, God offers us grace immeasurable. Brennan Manning gently encourages us to embrace that grace in the face of our greatest needs. And Manning certainly knows whereof he speaks, having taken a journey from priesthood and academic achievement through a collapse into alcoholism. Manning came face to face with his need, finally abandoning himself to grace. And he invites us now to join him in a life of grace.
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The Sacred RomanceThe God who saves is also a God who woos His own to a relationship primarily of the heart. As we draw closer to Him, we must choose to let go of other less-wild lovers, such as perfectionistic driveness and self-indulgence. Eldredge and Curtis identify the lies offered by false loves and instruct us on the journey back to the Lover of our souls.In carefully crafted words and images, the authors entice the reader to his or her own journey of the heart, promising, It is possible to recover the lost life of our heart and with it the intimacy, beauty, and adventure of life with God.
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The Unquenchable WorshipperThe Unquenchable Worshipper issues a passionate call for a return to an unadulterated, first-love lifestyle of worship. In his first book release, respected worship leader and songwriter Matt Redman writes: "The revelation of God is the fuel for the fire of our worship. And there is always more fuel for the fire. When we open the eyes of our heart, God's revelation comes flying at us from so many different angles." Open the eyes of your heart and let the gut-level message of The Unquenchable Worshipper cause you, like martyred missionary Jim Elliot, to say, "Saturate me with the oil of Thy Spirit, that I may be aflame. Make me Thy fuel O flame of God." It's time to dive into the heart of worship-will you take the plunge?
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The Way of the Wild HeartI can fix it. I don't need directions. I can figure this out on my own. These thoughts that erupt from a man's bravado, from his deep urge to be a real man. Yet underneath this, there is a louder voice countering, You can't. You're not capable. You're weak. Many men-possibly all men-face two looming questions at some point in their life. What does it mean to be a man, and am I one?
The Way of the Wild Heart reaches out to "unfinished men" trying to understand and live their role as men and fathers. Exploring six biblically based stages, John Eldredge initiates men into a new understanding and ownership of their manhood and equips them to effectively lead their sons to manhood.
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Victory Over DarknessTen years ago a breakthrough book launched a ministry that has helped more than one million people overcome this world and win the battle for their hearts and minds. Now Neil Anderson has revised and expanded Victory over the Darkness for a new generation of readers, outlining practical and more productive ways to Christian growth based on Christ's promise: "You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." Victory Over the Darkness emphasizes the importance of believing and internalizing the cardinal truths of Scripture as a base from which to renew the mind and fend off Satan's relentless attempt to convince us that we are less than Christ empowers us to be.
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What’s So Amazing About GraceOn the heels of Philip Yancey's bestselling The Jesus I Never Knew comes his equally insightful exploration of grace, the most powerful force in the universe and our only hope for love and forgiveness.
