Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Tons of doable ideas!!!
This is one of those books that certainly gives everyone enough ideas to be able to help in multiple ways.Our group has women of all ages and it is nice to find a book that can offer a variety for all groups and ages.It is categorized nicely into 'types of service projects', duration, and time of year.I do agree that in a few places it seems the same projects are repeated just using different wording or within a different category, but regardless it is still an excellent resource and if anything that will allow you to find what your looking for even quicker.

helpful but repetitive
This book has some good service ideas for small groups, but it repeats many of them and just changes the context.

A much needed book for anyone wanting to serve...
Our church, Sunday School class, small group, homeschool mom's group,service club, youth group, etc., etc. can all use this book!!This book offers over 100 eaasy and effective outreach ideasIt is arranged so that it is very easy to use too.It is based on John 13:34-35 where we are commanded to "Love each other"and goes on to explain that love is not just a feeling but also an action!This book offers activities that can be completed in one day, over a short period of time and also on a recurring basis.The activities are labeled according to the season they might be best used and according to the type of service you are wanting to do.Are you wanting to get to know people?Serve behind the scenes by really doing things for people?Honor people like veterans, Sunday school teachers, seniors? Support single moms and widows? Give of your time to those in need?A valuable resource for anyone wanting PRACTICAL ideas to reach out and share God's love with those around them.

Practical
The book is very practical and easy to read.It also is very well organized. You can very easily pick up the book and implement the ideas within minutes. I highly recommend this book to anyone who desires to make a difference with their small group.

Idea-Packed Resource!!!
This book is small in size and MIGHTY in ideas!Both in the number of ideas AND the quality of ideas.The intent is how small groups can serve...in the community, the church, the small group, friends and family, and specific needs.However, I am finding SEVERAL additional uses!My family and I can easily use these ideas for devotions and service projects!These are not daunting service ideas...they are easy to step into and make an impact on people's lives!PLUS, there are reflection questions to help everyone consider the personal application...AND there is a great graphic-based coding system to identify particular types of projects/ideas (based on duration, types of service, and seasons).Incredible resource!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Are there false, fruitless and even deceptive predators in the pulpits of the modern church?If so, are these deceivers leading multitudes to the worship of false gods through their damnable heresies? Are "seeker-friendly" churches creating a new class of "Christians" who have no concept of authentic, Biblical Christianity? Are there leaders who are building their own kingdoms in lieu of God's and doing so on your dime? Are we hearing the full counsel of the LORD from those in leadership, or the psychology and programs of mere men? Are beguiling emissaries in our midst drawing believers away from pure devotion and intimacy with Jesus Christ? Do these things exist within your local fellowship?Are you truly being instructed in the right ways of the LORD?Explore the answers to these and many more questions in this bold, insightful, and resourceful look at the church world today.WHAT YOU WILL GAIN FROM READING THIS BOOK:What specific erroneous teachings are circulating in the church world and how to identify and expose them How to discern the genuine leaders who truly follow the Word and Spirit of God, from the false and fruitless who are using God's money to build their own kingdoms How to please the LORD by positioning and establishing His written revelation as final authority in your personal life How to discern and cease wasting your brief existence on this earth supporting wolves in sheep's clothing How to serve God with a loving and concerned heart from the foundation of divine immutable truth "Todd has addressed the number one issue of today's Christian culture. A subtle enemy has been invading our Christian churches and lulling Christians to sleep. This book is a dynamic tool for the discerning Christian who wants to be an effective servant of the LORD."Dan White ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Sojourners Magazine, published by Thomson Gale on February 1, 2007. The length of the article is 800 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Mainline vitality.(Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church is Transforming the Faith)(Book review)
Author: Jason Byassee
Publication: Sojourners Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 36Issue: 2Page: 45(2)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Ecclesiastical law; Law / General; Religion / Christian Church / Canon ... Read more

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This booklet focuses on what is probably the most puzzling paradox of all: if God is good, how is the existence of evil explained? Its effects are everywhere to be seen in the world, from individual behaviours to exploitation, tyranny and terror on an international scale. How should Christians understand the problem of evil and more importantly, how should they respond to it? Drawing on the Bible and theological tradition, here is an essential guide that touches on the big questions of good vs. evil, death and judgement, heaven and hell. ... Read more

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There is a new movement growing within the Body of Christ today.Those who are the leaders of this movement call themselves "The Emerging Church" and it is growing at a tremendous pace.These leaders believe that when a dramatic change in culture takes place within a society, a new church will emerge from the old in order to meet the needs of that new culture.This book is designed to help members of traditional churches understand the different aspects of the movement and provide some guidance on how to respond to what they are presenting. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Trustworthy Resource
I trust Ron Wright.His diligence and clarity as a businessman only intensifies as he studies and teaches the Word of God.His heart is for the local church, the Gospel of Christ, and the Text of Scripture.Out of this passion comes a careful evaluation of the Emergent Church Movement.The reader will find a balanced approach, relevant sources and a gracious spirit.This tool will provide pastor and layman alike the tools to have a "conversation" of this contemporary movement.

Dr. Jim Newcomer
VA Beach, VA ... Read more

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A prayer book to help the reader celebrate being Catholic through the Mass, the parables of Jesus, the sacrament of Reconciliation, the seasons and feasts, the lives of the saints, the Rosary, and prayers. ... Read more

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Full-color “Come Join Us” Postcard, 3-9/16 x 5-3/8, Package of twenty-five (same design)

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Exploring the history of resistance to racial and gender oppression--from a slave women in 19th-century America to a woman patient of Sigmund Freud, this book traces the failed promises of the American Revolution in the oppression of subordinate groups. Poling reviews resistance by analyzing communities that understand evil as the abuse of power. ... Read more

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You are not alone. A dazzling cloud of witnesses hovers nearby to encourage and remind us that God uses real people - ancestors of the spirit or ""saints"" - to achieve the divine purpose in surprising ways every day. This is a ""saints book"" like no other. W.Paul Jones regains the biblical idea of sainthood - God works through baffled, blemished people and events to bring news of joy, creativity and awe to a world in pain. An Eclectic Almanac for the Faithful is an exuberant month-by-month guide, describing saints ancient and modern in short, lively summaries. But Jones stretches beyond official church saints to include personalities from the world of contemporary politics and the arts. Gods hand is at work in the life of Martin Luther King Jr., George Orwell, Mahalia Jackson, Thurgood Marshall, George Frederich Handel, Anne Frank, Tecumseh, Thomas Merton and Maggie Kuhn, co-founder of the Gray Panthers. Jones goes even further, listing spirit-shaking events, some somber, others playful - Earth Day, the Oklahoma City bombing, global warming, April Fools Day. No human endeavor or sorrow is beyond the reach of God. Each days roster ends in a prayer of passion and zest. One declares: ""God, put me to your will, rank me with whom you will. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal."" His eclectic collection includes space to write down the names of mentors and luminaries in your own life. Enjoy this rousing roll call of heroes, who are blessed by a God who specializes, Jones says, in making us instruments of the divine vision ""in spite of ourselves. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An Eclectic Almanac
Interesting read, each day filled with info on Martyrs and others of faith. Protestant and Catholic alike. Also has space for journal or additional personal notes.
Refreshing approach!

Enlightening and enriching
Because I had previously found the book to be very enriching, I bought the copy for a friend, and she very much has appreciated it as well. ... Read more

Product Description

"Preach the Gospel always.  Use words if necessary." - St. Francis of Assisi

It's 1998 and Richard Stearns' heart is breaking as he sits in a mud hut and listens to the story of an orphaned child in Rakai, Uganda.  His journey to this place took more than a long flight from the United States to Africa.  It took answering God's call on his life, a call that hurtled him out of his presidential corner office at Lenox-America's finest tableware company-to this humble corner of Uganda. 

This is a story of how a corporate CEO faced his own struggle to obey God whatever the cost, and his passionate call for Christians to change the world by actively living out their faith.  Using his own journey as an example, Stearns explores the hole that exists in our understanding of the Gospel. 

Two thousand years ago, twelve people changed the world.  Stearns believes it can happen again.

ECPA 2010 Christian Book of the Year Award Winner!

Customer Reviews (65)

Informative & Challenging - A little long
It is always a joy to read and hear the stories of men and women who have come to encounter Christ in a deeper manner and as a result given their lives away for the sake of the gospel.While The Hole in Our Gospel is a rather hefty book that includes discourse on a myriad of topics, Richard Steans forces the reader to ask the question, "What are you living your life for?"It is for that reason alone that I am giving this book three and a half stars.

This book would be a great read for anyone trying to get a global perspective on key issues eradicating whole African sub-cultures, as well as individuals staring the problem of homelessness in the face.But more than that, Stearns really captures God's heart for these issues.The book is structured around Richard Stearns' personal testimony telling how he received the call of God in his life to transition from the CEO of a major corporation, Lenox, to the President of World Vision U.S.As he takes you through his story, he goes on to relate how the gospel has been diminished in the world as a whole.He says, "We have reduced the gospel to a mere transaction involving the right beliefs rather than seeing in it the power to change the world."This he says, sums up the hole many Christians have in their gospel

While overall I really enjoyed the book, it does end up feeling like a lengthy read due to the exposition he presents on different issues.In my opinion the answer of seeing the gospel rightly which he says in the title, "changed his life and might just change the world" could be presented in less than 300 pages.In fact, each and every Sunday pastors challenge believers in the local church to live their lives more wholeheartedly - to not just talk about being like Jesus, but to really let His life be our standard.Thus, the read became a little less entertaining as I sorted through the extra text that surrounded actually answering what the true gospel really is.

Overall, great book that I would recommend getting if your interested in these issues.In this second writing of The Hole In Our Gospel Stearns responded to some feedback he received and included a great Q & A section with his wife, Renee Stearns.Also in the book he includes a study guide, ways to respond to these overwhelming issues of injustice, as well a 16-page spread of colored photos that correlate to different stories he tells throughout the book.Well done - enjoyed your story!

To read other reviews of mine - visit my website at [...]

Inspired and motivated to act!!!
This book is about a man who set out to carve out a niche for himself in the corporate world only to find that God had other plans for him; plans that called for him to leave all that he had worked for to become an advocate for the poor children of the world.In his book, Richard shares the life lessons he's learned in this journey of discovery; to be moved and help beyond our zone of comfort, beyond the walls of our church and homes, just as the Gospel teaches.

I can't help but admire the humble nature Richard Stearns epitomizes.His story reminds me of one in the Bible when Jesus comes upon Simon Peter and his brother Andrew (Matthew 4:19) and beckons them to come and follow Him telling them he will make them fishers of men.Richard left a lucrative job to follow God's calling and although it seemed to be a difficult decision at first, it proved to be most rewarding.Reading this book was a blessing and very inspiring; leading me to realize that my Christian walk is not just about knowing God's word, but applying it and taking action to meet the needs of those God places before us.

(Memeber of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger program @ [...])

The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns
On Sunday mornings when I was a kid, my mom would make breakfast and I would plunk down in front of the TV to watch The Three Stooges...but some mornings they would be preempted by some sort of special program, what we now call infomercials.

I remember in particular when the TV station would air the ones about starving children all over the world. I hated those, because there I was, a kid myself, eating a plateful of food while looking at another kid with a bloated belly somewhere in the world, eating cornmeal mush with his or her fingers, with flies landing on them. I would then start to feel two conflicting feelings: anger and nausea. Anger that my morning ritual was being disrupted; anger that these other kids should be able to eat what I was eating. Nausea because I couldn't look at the hollow eyes of these kids without feeling sick; nausea because I felt guilty for knowing I would scrape scraps off my plate that these children would love to have.

When I requested The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns, I knew I would get some "behind the scenes" info on World Vision, the world help organization of which he is the president...I didn't realize I would be convicted to my core of just how little Western Christianity seems to care. Oh, our churches will have food drives to make baskets during Thanksgiving & Christmas; we'll even have a weekend of "awareness" where our youth groups will "camp out" in cardboard boxes to see "what it's like" to be homeless. But when many larger churches will spend tens of millions of dollars on an addition to their physical facility, while donating only a couple of thousand dollars to the effort to relieve suffering from many factors in another country...need I say more?

This book is incredible in its scope - Rich Stearns will, on one hand, give us statistics that will astound us, and then on the other hand, tell us a story that should move us to action. In particular, he points out that the citizens of the 10 wealthiest countries are 75 times richer than the citizens of the 10 poorest countries. In 1820, that disparity was 4 times richer rather than 75 times richer.
Also, he tells of how he, after only 6 months at the helm of World Vision, went to the village of Rakai in Uganda and met 3 brothers, the oldest being named Richard. They has lost both parents to AIDS, and their graves were literally right outside the hut the boys lived in.

Rich goes on to tell his story of how he left being CEO of very prestigious company to take the wheel of World Vision; he tells of the pain of his selfishness of NOT wanting to do it, but came to the conclusion that God was calling him to do it. He gives us ample information to be able to do something; to get involved...in something. I have a feeling that Rich would want us to help ANY organization, not just his own, in an effort to fill the Hole on Our Gospel, the hole being that the Gospel is less about us being comfortable in our pews every weekend for a couple of hours, and more about alleviating the hunger pangs of people who are in need...who are in need for no other reason than they were born in a poverty stricken country.

So, read this book...underline in it, make notes, read it and do something. For God's glory and the sake of people in need, do something.

I am a member of the Nelson Book Review Blogger program.

Not Just Moving and Thoughtful ....
Sterns made the "switch" from executive/good Christian family man to a "Half Time" hero. World Vision does some amazing things, but this is written to move readers from the sidelines to a player in the field of global poverty servant, and is not dependent on his NFP. AN easy read in style ... a hard read in action challenge. Have already given two copies to executive friends, and will order a few extra to hand out.

Grand theological read.
Richard Stearns shares an emotional and heartfelt story of his life from being CEO of 2 companies to being in the poorest countries when accepting the invitation to become President of World Vision and the dramatic effects it played in his life. This book is a humble look at what we as Christians should hold fast to as well the things that matter less should let go of. This is a grand book to read not only for it's content but for the ideologies that are forming within culture today toward social justice and Christianity. Richard Stearns forms solid theology in his accounts as to how we are to live as Christians with examples of Jesus and from his own life. ... Read more

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"O God be Merciful Unto Us", is suitable for SATB choir, with optional organ. ... Read more