Christians In The Crosshairs

An insightful and (surprisingly) encouraging biblical explanation as to why trouble and persecution are inevitable for Christians. Since they are a peculiar people, are in the world but not of the world, and follow a Master who is offensive to many, Christians are naturally the objects of disdain and hostility. Understanding the nature of the enmity between the world and the Christian is critical for living in a world where Satan is its prince. The book is an attempt to start a conversation about the reality of Christian persecution. It is a wake-up call to the modern church, especially in the United States. "My hope for all who read this volume," writes the author, "is a strengthened faith. One of the most surprising aspects of studying persecution has been its effect on me. I thought I would feel woeful and defeated after hearing of such great suffering. However, the opposite is true. The Gospel, with its resurrection power, is able to take the worst situations and reframe them in victory. Hearing stories of triumph through suffering has been nothing short of glorious."

Don't let detours become dead ends that hinder you from fulfilling your destiny! Christianity in the Crosshairs will help you to avoid the many tantalizing shortcuts that appear along life's way seeking to minimize cost, increase energy and save time. You will learn how to: Walk in faith as you face impossible situations. Remain faithful when others abandon the cause. Persevere in the midst of challenging situations. Enter into your own destiny and make your dreams come true. Overcome doubt and despair in the midst of hopeless circumstances. Tested in the fires of life these truths are not peppered with religious rhetoric but are living principles that will encourage, motivate and hopefully provoke you into action as you stand in the crosshairs of the Enemy who seeks to destroy your dream.

If life has ever made you feel like the prey instead of the hunter, maybe it's time to change your position. Maybe God keeps trying to set his crosshairs on you, but like the wary old buck, you keep avoiding Him and hiding. It's time to plan the best strategy of all, quietly resting In God's Crosshairs.

Is there a War on Christmas? This book surveys the history of the world's most popular festival and the never-ending battles it has engendered ever since its hotly-contested invention in the Roman Empire.

Themelios is an international, evangelical, peer-reviewed theological journal that expounds and defends the historic Christian faith. Themelios is published three times a year online at The Gospel Coalition (http://thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/) and in print by Wipf and Stock. Its primary audience is theological students and pastors, though scholars read it as well. Themelios began in 1975 and was operated by RTSF/UCCF in the UK, and it became a digital journal operated by The Gospel Coalition in 2008. The editorial team draws participants from across the globe as editors, essayists, and reviewers. General Editor: D. A. Carson, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Managing Editor: Brian Tabb, Bethlehem College and Seminary Consulting Editor: Michael J. Ovey, Oak Hill Theological College Administrator: Andrew David Naselli, Bethlehem College and Seminary Book Review Editors: Jerry Hwang, Singapore Bible College; Alan Thompson, Sydney Missionary & Bible College; Nathan A. Finn, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; Hans Madueme, Covenant College; Dane Ortlund, Crossway; Jason Sexton, Golden Gate Baptist Seminary Editorial Board: Gerald Bray, Beeson Divinity School Lee Gatiss, Wales Evangelical School of Theology Paul Helseth, University of Northwestern, St. Paul Paul House, Beeson Divinity School Ken Magnuson, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Jonathan Pennington, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary James Robson, Wycliffe Hall Mark D. Thompson, Moore Theological College Paul Williamson, Moore Theological College Stephen Witmer, Pepperell Christian Fellowship Robert Yarbrough, Covenant Seminary

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” It is the most dangerous and loving cause in the universe: rescuing sinners from eternal suffering and bringing them into the eternal joy of relationship with Jesus. Jesus himself said that for every person who does not believe, the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:36). And for the peoples of the world who have no access to the gospel, the wrath of God does just that. World missions is the marvelous venture of crossing cultures to rescue unreached peoples from eternal suffering, renovate their broken lives, and see them reflect God’s glory through joy in Christ. There is no better reason to lose your life and no greater way to live it. Cross captures, for a new generation, this great summons to the unreached and unengaged peoples of the world. Inspired by the inaugural Cross student missions conference, this book includes contributions from John Piper, David, Platt, Matt Chandler, Thabiti Anyabwile, Kevin DeYoung, D. A. Carson, and more.

What Would You Surrender for God? Christians in the Middle East, in much of Asia, and in Africa are still being martyred for the faith, but how many American Christians are willing to lay down their smartphones, let alone their lives, for the faith? Being a Christian in America doesn’t require much these days. Suburban megachurches are more like entertainment venues than places to worship God. The lives that American “Christians” lead aren’t much different from those of their atheist neighbors, and their knowledge of theology isn’t much better either. Matt Walsh of The Daily Wire exposes the pitiful state of Christianity in America today, lays out the stakes for us, our families, and our eternal salvation, and invites us to a faith that’s a lot less easy and comfortable—but that’s more real and actually worth something. The spiritual junk food we’re stuffing ourselves with is never going to satisfy. As St. Augustine said over a millennium ago, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him. Only God Himself can make our lives anything but ultimately meaningless and empty. And we will never get anywhere near Him if we refuse to take up our cross and follow Jesus. This rousing call to the real adventure of a living faith is a wake-up call to complacent Christians and a rallying cry for anyone dissatisfied with a lukewarm faith.

Pastor and former police officer Philip De Courcy calls on Christians to take refuge in God (Psalm 46:1), drawing on lessons he learned in law enforcement to affirm that true security is not the absense of danger, but the presence of God. Identifying the major dangers today's Christian faces—including crime, North Korea, Islamic terror, aggressive secularism, and spiritual warfare—De Courcy shows us how we can take cover in God-given promises and protections.

The greatest crisis is being separated from Christ. In the constant swirl of human suffering, the church has long wrestled with appropriate responses. As crises come and go, the need for the church’s theological, missiological, and practical readiness remains, so that people not only survive but thrive in the context of a crisis. Practicing Hope brings together global scholars and practitioners who share and think broadly about the church’s mission in a world rife with crises. Rather than harmonizing the voices of the contributors to provide general guidelines for generic crisis response, Practicing Hope allows the reader to hear multiple perspectives on complex issues such as sustainability, empowerment, human rights, biblical principles, and missio Dei (mission of God). These essays highlight that being separated from Christ is the focus that will keep the church from losing its raison d’être—its reason for being. This book provides a potent reminder that crises are not the end; sometimes they are the beginning of something better. In these chapters, you will fi nd stories of hope amid unimaginable darkness. Practicing Hope describes what it really means (not just in theory, but in practice) to be the salt of the earth and light of the world (Matt 5:14–15). We hope that you will be inspired, as Jesus said in the parable of the Good Samaritan, to “go and do likewise.”