Empowered By Faith

What would happen if we actually lived our faith to its full potential? Not defined it, not discussed it, not preached it to others, but actually practiced it with simplicity and consistency each day of our lives? Imagine the impact we could have on those around us if, with God as our source, we would radiate his love, optimism, and grace in all our circumstances and relationships. Today Christians are often seen as negative and judgmental. That is not the character of Jesus! Our Lord has called us to lives of incredible potential filled with challenges worthy of his name---lives of passion, risk, growth, heart, depth, and deeds big and small, all designed to display what God's kingdom is really about to a watching world. That is what faith is about. It is the faith Dick Capen invites us to reach for---a faith not for superstars but for ordinary people. Capen offers a 'faith lift' that will change how you view your life, how you live it, and how it impacts others as you go about being who you were created to be.

Through the inspiring stories of eleven faithful women, Empowered will show girls that God is the true source of their power, strength, and purpose in life. In the pages of this book, girls will encounter women they may never have heard of and will learn some of the character traits that go along with the Christian walk. But they will also encounter a God who is faithful to complete the work He has begun in them. The stories in Empowered are about faithful women, but even more about a steadfast God. Girls don't have to do the things these women have done to live a life of purpose; by making a direct connection to their daily lives, readers will have a bigger and a more personal view of their Father and His love for them. The same God who was faithful to give Corrie ten Boom the love she needed to forgive her prison guard can help girls love the unlovable bullies at school. The love for Jesus that compelled Sophie Scholl to sacrifice her life for a higher cause can empower a young girl who sees injustice in the world around her. In a culture where the youth see value in terms of Instagram likes and viral videos, the life of Pandita Ramabai will show the value of humble worship. Empowered flips the popular idea of what it means to be a strong girl on its head, showing that real power comes from our loving Father through His Son and removing the pressure girls may feel to conquer the world on their own.

In this 60-day devotional, you'll see how faith and life intertwine through your whole self--physical, relational, spiritual, mental, and emotional. Through stories and Scripture, you'll be empowered in every part of your being to live fully as God created you to be.

What would happen if we actually lived our faith to its full potential? Not defined it, not discussed it, not preached it to others, but actually practiced it with simplicity and consistency each day of our lives? Imagine the impact we could have on those around us if, with God as our source, we would radiate his love, optimism, and grace in all our circumstances and relationships. Today Christians are often seen as negative and judgmental. That is not the character of Jesus! Our Lord has called us to lives of incredible potential filled with challenges worthy of his name—lives of passion, risk, growth, heart, depth, and deeds big and small, all designed to display what God’s kingdom is really about to a watching world. That is what faith is about. It is the faith Dick Capen invites us to reach for—a faith not for superstars but for ordinary people. Capen offers a “faith lift” that will change how you view your life, how you live it, and how it impacts others as you go about being who you were created to be.

After years of witnessing the sometimes rancorous controversy between the Evangelical and Pentecostal camps, authors Rich Nathan and Ken Wilson suggest it's way past time to recognize that there's really only one camp. It is unnecessary to choose between the biblical emphasis of the great Evangelical tradition and the spiritual vitality of the Pentecostal and Charismatic traditions. A new breed of believers called Empowered Evangelicals has arisen to combine the best elements of both traditions. In this revised and updated edition, Empowered Evangelicals examines the teaching and practice of empowered Evangelical churches and shows both Pentecostals and Evangelicals how to combine the best elements of both congregations.

Inspiration from the book of Hebrews on how to live by faith in Jesus. As Christians, we experience great joy in knowing God through Jesus and great hope in the promise of an eternity spent with God. Yet we still get weary in this life and can feel discouraged. Whether it's personal disappointment, opposition or just the costly grind of church life that gets us down, we all need help to keep going. This wonderfully encouraging book by Bible expositor Richard Coekin will spur you on to live by faith in Jesus as you examine the witnesses of Hebrews 11. The refreshing honesty of their stories will help you manage your expectations in a world of lies and spin. They will remind you of the glory and blessing that await you at the finishing line. And they will encourage you to see that Jesus is the real Hero of the faith and that his Spirit will enable you to endure through exhaustion, opposition and discouragement. Ideal for private devotional reading for those in need of refreshment, a timely gift for a discouraged Christian friend, and useful background reading to a small-group study of Hebrews 11.

Do you feel overwhelmed with the trials and difficulties of your life? Are love, joy, and peace no longer words that describe your innermost feelings? Do you struggle with self-control? Are there temptations in your life that your own willpower is inadequate to help you make the right choice? Do you often feel that you are -at the end of your rope- and that you can no longer -cope- with daily struggles? As a Christian, there is strength and power available to you through the Holy Spirit to meet the challenges listed above. Why, when, and how I receive this power from God through the Spirit are questions that this book addresses.

Today's families are big on commitment but short on time. We are inundated with enticing technology, an abundance of activities, and too many events to count. There doesn't seem to be much family time left, does there? With our schedules overflowing and anxiety weighing us down, how do we find family balance and connect with each other? How do we raise healthy families in the midst of our modern world? In Faith and the Modern Family, Craig Jutila offers sound advice for today's modern family and today's modern parents! Craig will guide you through the steps of setting a healthy life pace for your family, including setting priorities, modeling the behavior you want from your children, and planning for your family's future. Also included are downloadable resources--such as "Four Steps on Your Faith Journey" and "Rules for Maintaining a Healthy Social Media Account"--that you can use again and again. With faith and some expert advice, you can stay connected to your modern family in a healthy way!

In his insightful book, Damazio lays out for the serious student a broad discussion of what it means to be responsible for a group of "followers.

Professional ministers and their work as church leaders have dominated church and pastoral ministry studies. Lay ministry studies have been neglected. In the local church, lay ministries are often defined solely by their voluntary service in the local church, and even then are regarded as secondary to the work of the professional minister(s) leading the local church. This study proposes that the word "minister" should be applied to all believers and that professional ministers and their ministries should serve the larger group doing ministry: the laity. Lay ministry should not be understood only as that service done in the local church, but should be understood as a call received and obeyed by the laity to "do the work of ministry" in their work places and their neighborhoods, as well as their local churches. Following Amos Yong's theology of disability and the formation of the L'Arche communities found throughout the world, this God's Empowered People will show how the local church can welcome all in Christ's name into a community of the Spirit in which people are loved and respected for who they are. From such a welcoming, loving, and respectful community can come people of varying abilities who discover their special gifts of ministry, then take their gifts into the work world, market place, and neighborhoods to "do the work of ministry" in Christ's name. They will be able to go places and do things no professional minister could go or do, yet still need the professional minister to help prepare them to "do the work of ministry." Thus, professional and lay ministries are not competitive but complementary. In such a community of professional and lay ministries operating cooperatively, all have the opportunity to express wisely their gifts in their arenas of calling and influence.