Best Evangelism
In Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, now expanded with bonus content, Nabeel Qureshi describes his dramatic journey from Islam to Christianity, complete with friendships, investigations, and supernatural dreams along the way. -- Mark Gabriel, , Author and former lecturer, University of Cairo. Fresh, striking, highly illuminating, and sometimes heartbreaking, Qureshi’s story is worth a thousand textbooks. His quest brought together several exceptional features: a very bright mind, extraordinary sincerity, original research, and a willingness to follow the evidence trail wherever it took him. This book gives westerners a glimpse of the richness of family and love in a devout Muslim home; it is an enviable picture of respect, devotion, and society. But Christians and Muslims alike are told stories about their religions when they are young, while few have ever personally researched the writings of their founding fathers to assess the validity that undergirds their respective faiths. But it is also a deeply personal heart-wrenching and tear-evoking saga of the life of a young Muslim growing up in the West, a gripping biography that is impossible to put down. We are introduced to the depth of spirituality, the love and honor of family, and the way a person “sees” and “feels” in a devout Muslim home. It reaches both East and West, teaching Christians about Islam from an insider’s perspective and helping Muslims understand the love and truth of Jesus. Nabeel Qureshi masterfully argues for the Gospel while painting a beautiful portrait of Muslim families and heritage, avoiding the fear-mongering and finger-pointing that are all too pervasive in today’s sensationalist world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For myself, I was reliving the search I had pursued forty five years ago, when my embrace of existentialism had left me so empty and purposeless that I had to reconsider the claims of Christ, just in case they might be true. I found myself anticipating each next step in Nabeel's intellectual journey, as each critical aspect of the truth of Christianity was substantiated by his investigations. I even experienced to a degree Nabeel's family conflicts, though for me it was my mother's amazement and bitter disappointment with my choice after college of seminary instead of medical school."
"The dedication at the beginning of the book, read by the author himself, had me bawling like a baby. I was unaware of how much disagreement about doctrine that there is within different Muslim beliefs and Qureshi walks through them carefully and respectfully."
"I have to say that as a Christian, before reading this book, I had very little knowledge of the Muslim faith and how Muslim children are raised."
"Nabeel’s testimony, the description of his journey in life as a young Muslim and the crisis of faith he experienced all impacted me strongly."
"He pursues the documented evidence with the commitment that whatever he finds he will believe in the God that is truth - even if he finds that the teaching that was a part of his life since birth may or may not be truth."
In Cold-Case Christianity, J. Warner Wallace uses his nationally recognized skills as a homicide detective to look at the evidence and eyewitnesses behind Christian beliefs. (. Gregory Koukl, President Stand to Reason, Speaker and author of Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing your Christian Convictions). "It's a fascinating process, with Jim drawing on his quarter century of police experience to explain how and why the evidence of history decisively tips the scales in favor of Christianity." (. Craig J. Hazen, Founder and Director of the Christian Apologetics Program, Biola University, author of the novel Five Sacred Crossings).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Years ago, a skeptic planted some seeds of doubts by asking me how I could believe the Bible that was hand-picked and assembled by people who clearly benefited and had a vested interest in seeing their movement continue and grow. When considered individually, the gospels may have holes, irregularities and unanswered questions, but when taken as a whole with support from the rest of the letters in the New Testament and other historic factors, they form a convincing proof of authenticity."
"But, there are also a few "A-List" folks who have respectable education, write books, teach at Christian Colleges/Seminaries, debate Bart Ehrman or Richard Dawkins (two resume-making debaters for Christian apologists) and put on Alaskan cruises devoted to apologetics and worship via buffet. All that being said, when I started reading "Cold Case Christianity" by J. Warner Wallace, I already had an idea what to expect: Card-carrying evidentialist apologetics, mainly philosophical defense of Christianity, plenty of party-line towing with regards to the evidentialist apologists (i.e. Craig, Licona, Geisler, Habermas, Strobel, McDowell, Koukl, etc. The book has a very broad scope and serves as a great introduction to a wide variety of apologetic issues (i.e. the resurrection, the arguments for the existence of God, textual criticism, the problem of evil, etc.). His responses are clear and concise, and one gets the feeling from reading Wallace that he has had a lot of practical conversations with people regarding the issues under discussion. Wallace usually gives good explanations of the concepts he discusses, like philosophical naturalism (page 25), abductive reasoning (page 33), reasonable doubt (age 131), etc. Pages 135-136 give 2 good responses to the problem of evil: Wallace points to the presuppositional philosophical inconsistencies of the problem of evil (if objective evil exists for the problem to have substance in the first place, there must be a universal standard of "good" by which evil is judged), and also gives what I call the "Ten Trillion Year" response (God is eternal and judges good and evil from his eternal perspective; i.e. ten trillion years from now, the ten thousand years of evil that mankind endured will be considered inconsequential to the 9.9999999 trillion years of comprehensive and continuous good of paradise earth). I was also really pleased to see Wallace reference Edwin Yamauchi (page 209) and give a brief discussion of the actual problematic nature of archeological evidence; how most items from history don't actually survive as evidence and our picture of the past, as based on archeological artifacts, is actually amazingly incomplete and inaccurate. His list of books for further reading was great; 2 or 3 books per topic and not too overwhelming, though I did think that some of his books might be significantly above the reading level of someone who might find "Cold Case Christianity" a bit challenging. Going from a 5 page discussion of textual criticism to reading Metzger, Wallace and Comfort is a leap that will likely leave a lot people on their faces. On page 41 Wallace presents the Habermas/Licona "minimal facts" argument for the resurrection. I was sad that on page 66 Wallace includes the transcendental argument for the existence of God in his list of arguments, but doesn't present it to his readers. On page 136 he gives the "love" defense to the practical problem of evil: A world with love is better than a world without love, love requires freedom and in that freedom many choose not to love. That whole idea is simply assumed, and I've found that many an atheist/skeptic sees the flaw in this argument instinctively: if a world with love has a world where a majority of people don't experience that love but rather experience war, disease, abuse, suffering, etc., that doesn't actually seem better for most people than alternatives (i.e. not existing at all, being a mentally deficient creature that experiences comfort but not love, etc.). Everyone who is in apologetics circles for any amount of time hears the scary numbers: 80% (or more) of kids that grow up in church leave the church when they get to college and most apologists (including Wallace) think that the reason is a lack of apologetic instruction. I would suggest that this whole paradigm is mistaken and this leads me to my 2 serious points of disagreement with Wallace in the book: 5. Wallace seems to argue that the reason people disbelieve the scriptures is because of philosophical naturalism. He comments on this on pages 25-26, and he points to this idea throughout the book (like on page 208 where he suggests that skeptics disbelieve the Bible because of the presumption [without evidence] that the account is false unless corroborated, and this doubt stems from philosophical naturalism.). As a Christian apologist, I don't want people to abandon philosophical naturalism; I want people to repent of their sin and believe the gospel. This also manifests in Wallace's one strange idea; the "2 decision Christian" idea. On pages 253-255, Wallace talks about a criminal named Santiago who got saved at a crusade and then became a bank robber for several years but finally got caught by Wallace. What is shocking is Wallace's interpretation of the events: " Santiago made a decision to trust Jesus for his salvation, but he never made a decision to examine the life and teaching of Jesus evidentially. (page 255). Now this is the description of a guy who was a career criminal: "he made a decision to trust Jesus for his salvation" and Wallace says the problem was that " Santiago was a one-decision Christian". FINAL THOUGHTS: - I know that this review has a longer "con" than "pro" section, but I wanted to give a fair and critical review of a book that was deserving of a serious interaction (and I do so out of respect for Wallace as a co-laborer in the gospel and an effort to give helpful feedback, not out of some effort to belittle him). Wallace and I have some serious theological differences, but those differences don't really manifest with an overwhelming majority of the material in the book. I admitted that I had read it and had already reviewed it, and we got into a quick discussion about some of my issues with the book (as well as discussed some of the harsh responses from certain Calvinists, a category in which Wallace apparently places himself). I mentioned several of my personal questions that I had when I read the book (i.e. whether he gave the book of Revelation a late date...and he admitted that he wasn't informed enough on that issue to have an opinion) and then I basically focused on my serious question; the "two decision Christian" issue."
"I don't want to give away the details of the book in my review, but I'll use a few examples without specific details of why this book increased my faith: 1) Mr. Wallace connects, from an investigative aspect, seemingly unimportant pieces of various stories shared across multiple gospels and then shows how those pieces increase the likelihood that the gospels are authentic eye witness accounts. 2) Mr. Wallace makes it clear that the case for the truthfulness of a claim whether that claim be that the gospels are authentic eyewitness accounts or whether a particular perpetrator committed a murder is rarely made on one piece of evidence. After reading, I believe that one would be hard pressed to claim that Christ was not who he claimed and/or that the gospels aren't reliable evidence for the truthfulness of Christianity."
Timothy Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, addresses the frequent doubts that skeptics, and even ardent believers, have about religion. In this apologia for Christian faith, Keller mines material from literary classics, philosophy, anthropology and a multitude of other disciplines to make an intellectually compelling case for God. Written for skeptics and the believers who love them, the book draws on the author's encounters as founding pastor of New York's booming Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have been disappointed by so many Christian books I read- especially those that try to "prove" God."
"Tim Keller continues to be a clarion voice for our time."
"Keller has become a household name and for good reason, he is winsome, wise, and portrays biblical truth in simple yet profound ways."
"Author quotes CS Lewis a lot in this book."
"This book comes as close as possible to a proof of why the God of the Bible is real."
"The author begins with examining why it makes sense to believe in a personal God and from there makes a case for belief in Christ."
"A real thought provoking look at our belief in God."
"This book does an excellent job of talking in a straight forward way about the questions many have about Christian faith."
Best Non-Governmental Organization Policy
The astonishing, uplifting story of a real-life Indiana Jones and his humanitarian campaign to use education to combat terrorism in the Taliban’s backyard. Anyone who despairs of the individual’s power to change lives has to read the story of Greg Mortenson, a homeless mountaineer who, following a 1993 climb of Pakistan’s treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain villagers and promised to build them a school. Coauthor Relin recounts Mortenson's efforts in fascinating detail, presenting compelling portraits of the village elders, con artists, philanthropists, mujahideen, Taliban officials, ambitious school girls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It's a good children's book."
"This was a well written account and put forth a totally different solution to terrorism than the popular media presents."
"Both books offer extended examples of the heroics these men went to in order to safely escort/save Mortenson and Luttrell."
"Should be required reading in school."
"I thought it was far too full of flowery language and exaggeration, which was inappropriate for an account of real events."
"They need to be empowered to make their own decisions about schools, culture centers and health care, locally... not patronized as incapable so we have to do it for them. Would that not have been a greater good and left the local residents to direct their own futures? The poppy war lords had a vested interest and money as did many of the people with whom Mortenson came into contact. He had not been invited to do so and while the book is an interesting adventure, had it not been a book club selection, I would have stopped reading on ethical principles alone."
Best Christian Evangelism
In Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, now expanded with bonus content, Nabeel Qureshi describes his dramatic journey from Islam to Christianity, complete with friendships, investigations, and supernatural dreams along the way. -- Mark Gabriel, , Author and former lecturer, University of Cairo. Fresh, striking, highly illuminating, and sometimes heartbreaking, Qureshi’s story is worth a thousand textbooks. His quest brought together several exceptional features: a very bright mind, extraordinary sincerity, original research, and a willingness to follow the evidence trail wherever it took him. This book gives westerners a glimpse of the richness of family and love in a devout Muslim home; it is an enviable picture of respect, devotion, and society. But Christians and Muslims alike are told stories about their religions when they are young, while few have ever personally researched the writings of their founding fathers to assess the validity that undergirds their respective faiths. But it is also a deeply personal heart-wrenching and tear-evoking saga of the life of a young Muslim growing up in the West, a gripping biography that is impossible to put down. We are introduced to the depth of spirituality, the love and honor of family, and the way a person “sees” and “feels” in a devout Muslim home. It reaches both East and West, teaching Christians about Islam from an insider’s perspective and helping Muslims understand the love and truth of Jesus. Nabeel Qureshi masterfully argues for the Gospel while painting a beautiful portrait of Muslim families and heritage, avoiding the fear-mongering and finger-pointing that are all too pervasive in today’s sensationalist world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For myself, I was reliving the search I had pursued forty five years ago, when my embrace of existentialism had left me so empty and purposeless that I had to reconsider the claims of Christ, just in case they might be true. I found myself anticipating each next step in Nabeel's intellectual journey, as each critical aspect of the truth of Christianity was substantiated by his investigations. I even experienced to a degree Nabeel's family conflicts, though for me it was my mother's amazement and bitter disappointment with my choice after college of seminary instead of medical school."
"The dedication at the beginning of the book, read by the author himself, had me bawling like a baby. I was unaware of how much disagreement about doctrine that there is within different Muslim beliefs and Qureshi walks through them carefully and respectfully."
"I have to say that as a Christian, before reading this book, I had very little knowledge of the Muslim faith and how Muslim children are raised."
"He shares his story for those who wonder “is it worth sacrificing everything for the truth?” I highly recommend this book."
"What a great book."
Best Christian Prophets
In a series of profound reflections on the life of Jeremiah the prophet, Eugene Peterson explores the heart of what it means to be fully and genuinely human. Peterson, now retired, was for many years James M. Houston Professor of Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The unreasonably demand on speed and low cost production, cut throat competition and unfair practices are squeezing our desire and passion to stay in business."
"Continuing on and finding out that life could and many times will be hard to figure out but by putting your faith and trust in the Lord you will be reward and blessed."
"I found this book very helpful."
"Interesting perspective on Jeremiah that isn't always considered."
"Magnificent."
"I enjoy any book by Peterson."
"This is an amazing study on Jeremiah, but not just Jeremiah, on those with prophetic personalities."
Best Apologetics Christian Theology
Lewis, the most important writer of the 20th century, explores the common ground upon which all of those of Christian faith stand together. In 1943 Great Britain, when hope and the moral fabric of society were threatened by the relentless inhumanity of global war, an Oxford don was invited to give a series of radio lectures addressing the central issues of Christianity. He describes those doctrines that the four major denominations in Britain (Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic) would have in common, e.g., original sin, the transcendent Creator God, and the divinity of Jesus as well as his atonement and bodily resurrection.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It is a timeless classic that is as true today as when it was originally penned by Lewis as a series of talks given in London over the BBC during the challenging days of WW2. As you work through this great book take some time to digest the material in each chapter and reflect upon the material that Lewis covers and the thoroughness of his argument and perspectives."
"He expertly (and extensively) uses metaphor to help mere humans understand the incomprehensible facts about God. Lewis's explanation of Christian doctrine from the ground up helps the Christian fill in the blank parts of their theological understanding."
"Dr. Lewis covers important Christian teachings and avoids getting bogged down with controversies and esoteric theological language."
"Lewis wrote this book, he was oblivious to how couples behaved /dealt with each other as he had not been in a serious relationship or marriage."
"Lewis reaches the real world of the believer in spite of the horrid and disgusting false facade that institutions, organizations and the "so called" smear over the faith."
"This book is a very interesting read for Christians, regardless of your religious background."
"A health issue, which was misdiagnosed, made reading nearly impossible for the last twenty five years, though life has it's own way of taking up time in any case. I didn't know if these were novels, theological texts, apologetic tomes, or... just what to expect."
"Mere Christianity is a GREAT book, but DO NOT BUY THIS VERSION."
Best Christian Historical Theology
In this practice the spirit of prayer was regarded as of first importance and the best form of prayer, for living prayer is the characteristic of genuine spirituality.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I thought about Enoch walking with God when reading Valley of Vision, I read and see many who walked with God though likely not as Enoch, yet this masterful work by these servants of the Lord have allowed me to have a better understanding and desire to truly WALK WITH GOD."
"Beautiful bonded leather, one bookmark, gold gilded pages, very clear printing, and prayers/devotions that will make you learn and/or cry."
"I love the deep prayers of our forefathers."
"Frequently, I will choose a prayer on the basis of a specific need or feeling and then, after reviewing the lists of articulated reasons for praise, thanksgiving, and petition, come away both encouraged and educated."
"The book was delivered in mint condition, shrink wrapped and perfect in every way."
"Right up there with Pilgrim's Progress."
"I owned this book and remembered keeping it next to me even during my rest at night."
"With virtually every one of the prayers recorded in the book my heart cries out in agreement and with longing to know God as these men did."
Best Christian Sermons
The essence of his dynamic ministry is relived through the complete volume of his life teachings.Sermons have been gathered from archives around the world to create this unequaled treasure. Smith Wigglesworth (1859-1947), known as the Apostle of Faith, had an international evangelistic and healing ministry.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Really impactful of knowing God's presence and His glory in the Holy Spirit!"
"Just as described and came well within the time limit."
"Awesome book."
"Any minister or Christian , who desire to work in faith and power should read this book."
"It's a wonderful book full of insight and inspiration to a closer walk with our Lord!"
"Excellent book great inspiration for all."
"I am in the beginning of reading this book and am inspired to draw closer to the Lord at every reading."
Best Christian Preaching
Imagine having a team of 30 Moody Bible Institute professors helping you study the Bible. Not many commentaries can do that. This new commentary by the faculty of Moody Bible Institute is a worthy addition to this category of good single volume commentaries. Going through verse by verse at times, the commentary explains the texts, highlights some of the original languages' nuances, and also connects the theme to other passages in the Bible. Issues such as learning to apply timeless principles from Old Testament laws and regulations; contrasting the consequences of godlessness versus the promises of godliness; highlighting devotional material from the Psalms; wisdom from Proverbs with scholarship material from other commentaries apart from their own; a structural framework on understanding the Song of Solomon with an explanation of the different interpretative methods; and many more, making the commentary a very integrated one that aims to bring the central teachings across. Each book begins with some explanation on authorship, approximate dates, who the intended audiences are, the purpose of the book, and how the book contributes to the overall thrust of the Bible. This part alone makes this commentary an excellent primer to begin any in-depth studies of each book. On top of that, the books of the Bible are of different genre and commentary will have to be adapted according to the way and purposes the book are written. That is why it is very difficult to apply any one standard commentary for all the books. After all, students of the Bible learn best not by becoming dogmatic over their own philosophy but to be humble to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit can use anyone to teach us, including using this excellent 1-volume commentary on the Bible. As with the use of commentaries, even though there is an increasing use of electronic references, I feel that having a printed commentary is valuable too. The Moody Bible Commentary, a comprehensive one-volume commentary of the whole Bible, provides an objective look at the historical and cultural backgrounds of each book and help readers interpret Scripture in light of Scripture. The Moody Bible Commentary includes an outline of each book of the Bible, an introduction to each book, and then a more in-depth commentary following the outline given. In the New Testament, charts help readers grasp “The Eight Signs in John” as well as “Jesus’ Seven I Am Claims.” And, readers come to a clearer understanding of the book of James with the chart outlining “Parallels Between James and the Sermon on the Mount.” Of course The Moody Bible Commentary wouldn’t be complete without the Scripture index and subject index at the end, which help readers easily navigate the extensive volume. If you are looking for a one-volume commentary on the entire Bible, The Moody Bible Commentary fits the bill.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The new Moody Bible Commentary (MBC) is a large, handsome, well formatted, brief Bible reference work that includes useful intros, bibliographies and indexes. Believer's Bible Commentary (BBC) by William MacDonald (more devotional, NKJV). The Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC) by Walvoord and Zuck (more scholarly, NIV). Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary (NNIBC) by Radmacher, Allen & House (like Nelson's NKJV Study Bible). Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable (FREE online, more comprehensive, NASB). ILLUSTRATIONS. *** The MBC includes 80 black and white illustrations. HIGH HOPES. Based on a similar work by Dallas Theological Seminary staff, the 2 volume Bible Knowledge Commentary, I had great expectations for this commentary by Moody's faculty. For example: OLD TESTAMENT (OT). In Genesis 6:2, the Moody Bible Commentary discusses 4 viewpoints of who the "sons of God" are. The MBC doesn't mention that the Greek Septuagint (LXX) translates "sons of God" as "angels" and "Nephilim" as "giants." The MBC doesn't mention that "sons of God" in Hebrew (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7) always refers to angels. Even Moody Press's shorter 1962 "Wycliffe Bible Commentary" actually exegetes Genesis 6 with a Hebrew word study and relevant cross references. The MBC on 2 Samuel 15:7 doesn't give the manuscript evidence (Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, Syrian, Latin) for why some translations say "forty years" (KJV, NKJV, NASB) and others read "four years" (NIV, ESV, HCSB). *** At 1422 pages, the MBC OT commentary is longer than the BBC at 1150 pages, and the NNIBC at 1128, but shorter than the BKC at 1575. Since the MBC is based on the NASB translation, some authors may not discuss alternative translations (e.g. dispensation for stewardship) or the many longer NT readings found in the KJV, NKJV and World English Bible. *** At 580 pages, the NT commentary is shorter than many one or two volume commentaries (BBC 1183; BKC 979; NNIBC 634), but longer than most Bible handbooks. ADVICE. The MBC may be OK as a backup commentary. After many years of use, I can highly recommend: Believer's Bible Commentary (BBC) by William MacDonald (more devotional, NKJV). and. The Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC) by Walvoord and Zuck (more scholarly, NIV). "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.""
"A nice, explanatory commentary."
"Very cumbersome BUT an extremely useful tool to understanding the bible."
"Both Michaels who oversaw this project have done a great job with this commentary."
"I really love this commentary on the entire Bible!"
"Michael Rydelnik is a joy...Moody Bible commentary is an outstanding Bible reference book.Open Line Radio program. with Michael Rydelnik airs on Sat Morning in my area......happy with purchase, the price, the delivery, excellent."
"Paper is average, no photos, but content is head-on, and doesn't avoid difficult passages."
"A solid study help, gives helpful commentary."
Best Christian Discipleship
According to Pastor Mark Batterson in this expanded edition of The Circle Maker, "Drawing prayer circles around our dreams isn't just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for God. Mark Batterson is the New York Times best-selling author of fifteen books, including The Circle Maker , In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day , and Chase the Lion .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"great book...we use it for our nightly devotional...got 2 and gave the other as a gift!"
"God is challenging us to step into the roll of Senior Pastor."
"This book really challenges us to pray for everything and to not put God in a box."
"Life changing book."
"This book helped me to see how small my prayers were and spurred me to take several giant steps forward."
"My coach reccommend this book to read."
"Anything we can do to pray for our children is worth 5 stars."
"Some may call it "gimicky" but if you read the book thoroughly, Batterson shows that this is not a gimick, it is persevering in focused and intentional prayer."
Best Christian Pastoral Counseling
In Through the Eyes of a Lion, Pastor Levi Lusko shares the eye-opening truth of the power of hope in a world that is often filled with pain, suffering, and loss. Part memoir but all overtly instructive and deeply inspirational, Through the Eyes of a Lion gives readers the tools they need to face their fears and turn their journey into a roar story. -Max Lucado Pastor and New York Times bestselling author. 'Levi has framed up some practical thoughts and shares some experiences that can help us not only to cope with the pain of loss but to... thrive as a result.'.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"From "cue the eagle" to "pain is a microphone" and "run toward the roar" the pages are full of tidbits of wisdom and key phrases that will stick with you long after you finish reading. Whether you're struggling under the weight of seemingly unbearable pain, or facing the everyday difficulties of life, this book offers renewed hope--for both your present and your future."
"Through the Eyes of a Lion reflects Levi's strength of character with authenticity of his voice - if you read this book with an appreciation and understanding of the richness of his enthusiasm and care for you that exudes from his preaching pulpit, you'll spend less time thinking about a critical literary review or dreaming up book club questions and more energy running to a God that soothes and heals your pain."
"Levi Lusko and his family endured anguish yet they are using it to help others and glorify God."
"Just started the first chapter and can already tell this book is a life changer."
"This author writes from his heart concerning a great loss in His life!"
"Levi Lusko has an amazing ability to connect to his readers a d draw them in, even through the pain."
"Such powerful book in understanding pain and grief and how through the most tragic moments of our lives the Lord never leaves us or forsakes us."
"Wonderful book by a wonderful author."
Best Adult Christian Ministry
From a state of fear, weakness, and insecurity, Gideon emerged as Israel's hero, filled with God's presence and His passion for deliverance. Instead of ignoring, neglecting, or trying to escape your weaknesses, see them as the gifts that they are, given specifically and strategically by God to unlock the door of God’s strength. In other words, anyone and everyone See your weaknesses as God’s greatest strengths Instead of hiding from your weaknesses, find the God-given strength to face your fears and do what God is calling you to do Challenges participants to see God in a much bigger way, experience Him more fully, and tap into His power and presence in a fresh way. Priscilla Shirer, maestra de enseñanza bíblica y conferencista, tiene un diploma de Master en Estudios Bíblicos del Seminario Teológico de Dallas. También actúa como personaje principal en la película “Cuarto de guerra” ( War Room ).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Excellent study on the life of Gideon."
"Love this study."
"Good quality would purchase again."
"Love the deep Bible study in this series."
"the womens group loved it!"
Best Youth Christian Ministry
Featuring a new introduction by Neil T. Anderson, this freshly re–covered edition of his bestselling book The Bondage Breaker (more than 1.2 million copies sold) leads readers away from the shadows and shackles in their lives and toward the freedom that comes when they. Dr. Neil T. Anderson , Founder and President Emeritus of Freedom in Christ Ministries (FICM), is the bestselling author or coauthor of more than 60 books, including The Bondage Breaker ® (more than 1.3 million sold).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Bondage Breaker is the must have book."
"Excellent!"
"This book was wonderful and it really helped me to become free and to know who I am in Christ."
"Positive book."
"What a great book about our identity in Christ and the reality of the battles we face."
"Great book, easy read, great helpful information for prayer warriors, counselors, intercessors."
Best Children's Christian Ministry
Small Pine hoped to maintain its perfect form and be selected by the Queen as her Christmas tree. Richard H. Schneider has been a journalist and author for more than 50 years and has written more than 20 books for adults and children.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you're like me you want to expose your kids to a good story and a good moral...this has both and nice pictures."
"Beautiful story of what it means to give for the good of others and a wonderful Christmas story at the same time."
"I wanted to find a story with a Christmas theme."
"It's great for making children as well as adults understand the spirit of giving."
"This is my favorite Christmas story,"
"I used to read this to my son when he was little (he's now 30 with four kids of his own)."
"Beautiful artwork, lovely story with such wonderful meaning about charity and giving."
"I am usually not a complainer and have ordered many items I have been happy with but, I was so disappointed in the size of the books."
Best Christian Missions & Missionary Work
After spending over six hard years doing relief work in Somalia, and experiencing life where it looked like God had turned away completely and He was clueless about the tragedies of life, the couple had a crisis of faith and left Africa asking God, "Does the gospel work anywhere when it is really a hard place? The gripping, narrative account of a personal pilgrimage into some of the toughest places on earth, combined with sobering and insightful stories of the remarkable people of faith Nik and Ruth encountered on their journeys, will serve as a powerful course of revelation, growth, and challenge for anyone who wants to know whether God truly is enough. At times you will weep for our suffering brothers and sisters around the world who experience persecution for King Jesus as normal Christianity. At other times you will weep for joy at how the gospel continues to run wide across the globe in spite of demonic opposition. And, you will also weep as the anemic and tepid “Christianity” of the American Church is exposed for the shameful counterfeit it too often is. If you want a front row seat to the raw, potent, heart transforming power of Jesus, this book is a must read. You will fall under conviction as you read about the commitment of Christians in dark places who risk their own lives to share the good news of Jesus. In the end you will come away with a renewed sense of faith in God who truly is enough, even in the face of extreme persecution. In his book, The Insanity of God , Nik Ripkin takes us on a journey of extreme emotional highs and lows to demonstrate that our limited understanding of events in our lives is only one piece of God’s larger puzzle of fulfillment and salvation. This book puts our daily struggles into perspective and leaves us inspired and ready for the next challenge. We are in danger of rapidly losing what it means to feel compassion for those held in the grip of sin on this broken planet. Now Nik Ripken takes you on a personal, real life journey with Jesus into the dark, back-alleys of human depravity where only Christ’s love can overcome. With remarkable clarity, this gifted writer transports you into a world where, through the blood-stained glass of persecution, the light of Christ shines brightly. In The Insanity of God we are reminded of the power of the gospel to save using biographical sketches that most of us in the American church will struggle to comprehend. Deeply moving, intensely powerful and challenging describes the stories contained in these pages. This book will help you walk closely with Jesus and challenge you to take great risks for the sake of His name. Nik and Ruth Ripken have long been heroes of mine as I have watched and admired them from afar, drawing personal inspiration from their passion, faith, and resilience that comes from the Resurrection Lord they serve. Around the world, I have met countless young missionaries who trace their pilgrimage back to the influence of Nik and Ruth. The Insanity of God merges the Ripkens’ story with those of hundreds of other heroes of the faith who did not consider their present sufferings worth comparing to the glory that will one day be revealed in them. I pray that they will do for you what they have done for me: encourage you to shake off your slumber and press on to the high calling that is ours in Christ Jesus. This book rekindled my passion to do all that God is leading me to do for the nations, to expect and attempt great things. To the list of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, we may add our contemporaries who took God’s Word seriously, and at any cost! Nik Ripken has told a great story, and in doing so he has made it clear that the question every believer must answer is whether we have the courage to bear the consequences of obediently exercising our freedom to be salt and light to all peoples, wherever they live. After multiple occasions of participating in the Ripken’s persecution workshops with our team at East-West Ministries, I thought I was prepared for what I was about to encounter in The Insanity of God. In The Insanity of God, these stories literally come to life, carrying the reader on a dramatic, life-changing missionary journey with Nik and Ruth—across Africa and eventually around the world. Reading The Insanity of God led me to a wonderful, fresh encounter with Jesus—and with His calling upon my life to “go and make disciples of ALL nations,” especially those in greatest spiritual darkness where persecution of witness for Jesus is most intense. As I read these compelling stories of resurrected faith, I laughed out loud and I wept aloud as well. Men and women whose extraordinary faith in the resurrected Jesus enabled them to endure unspeakable persecution and yet not lose heart. Yet, this is also a book that is immensely personal as it challenges us all to consider the cost of complacency as compared to the reward of sacrifice. The Insanity of God tells an incredible story of faith lived out in the most difficult of circumstances. It showcases the power and glory of God no matter the context, challenge, or opposition. The Ripkens haven’t just lived this story, they have been students at each step of the way, learning from those who have suffered most and sharing those lessons with all of us. You will be struck anew with the unquenchable power of a great God to build His kingdom and bring glory to His name. Join a journey of discovery how God is spreading his kingdom in the midst of adversity, suffering and even the most atrocious persecution. It shares the experiences made in gathering the wisdom of 700 followers of Christ in 72 countries who are walking with Jesus in hard places. Just as a pearl is formed from a simple grain of sand with layer upon layer of deposits until it becomes a large and lustrous thing of beauty, God has worked in Nik’s life to reveal the beauty of His ways and thoughts which are different from our own. Few Christians take the call literally, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility given the current state of the persecuted church. Insanity of God is not for “safe” Christians, or those interested in pursuing comfort over the cross. Its message is one every believer needs to hear, and for those who are looking for evidence that God still loves this world, you’ll find it here. In some of the darkest places on earth members of the persecuted church experience a fellowship with Christ and life in abundance that few of us have known. As a follower of Christ, a husband, a father, and a missionary I was alternately encouraged and convicted by what I read.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Wether individually or globally a call to KNOW God is at work in even the darkest places. Inspiring, challenging and tear drawing...You think you have challenges and problems that are insurmountable?"
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