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| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Jesus > Religion Jefferson Bethke, 2013-10-14 Abandon dead, dry, religious rule-keeping and embrace the promise of being truly known and deeply loved. Jefferson Bethke burst into the cultural conversation with a passionate, provocative poem titled Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus. The 4-minute video became an overnight sensation, with 7 million YouTube views in its first 48 hours (and 23+ million in a year). Bethke's message clearly struck a chord with believers and nonbelievers alike, triggering an avalanche of responses running the gamut from encouraged to enraged. In his New York Times bestseller Jesus > Religion, Bethke unpacks similar contrasts that he drew in the poem--highlighting the difference between teeth gritting and grace, law and love, performance and peace, despair, and hope. With refreshing candor, he delves into the motivation behind his message, beginning with the unvarnished tale of his own plunge from the pinnacle of a works-based, fake-smile existence that sapped his strength and led him down a path of destructive behavior. Along the way, Bethke gives you the tools you need to: Humbly and prayerfully open your mind Understand Jesus for all that he is View the church from a brand-new perspective Bethke is quick to acknowledge that he's not a pastor or theologian, but simply an ordinary, twenty-something who cried out for a life greater than the one for which he had settled. On this journey, Bethke discovered the real Jesus, who beckoned him with love beyond the props of false religion. Praise for Jesus > Religion: Jeff's book will make you stop and listen to a voice in your heart that may have been drowned out by the noise of religion. Listen to that voice, then follow it--right to the feet of Jesus. --Bob Goff, author of New York Times bestsellers Love Does and Everybody, Always The book you hold in your hands is Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz meets C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity meets Augustine's Confessions. This book is going to awaken an entire generation to Jesus and His grace. --Derwin L. Gray, lead pastor of Transformation Church, author of Limitless Life: Breaking Free from the Labels That Hold You Back |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Love That Lasts Jefferson Bethke, Alyssa Bethke, 2017-10-10 In Love That Lasts, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus > Religion Jefferson Bethke and his wife, Alyssa, expose the distorted views of love that permeate our culture and damage our hearts, minds, and souls. Drawing from Jeff’s “prodigal son” personal history and from Alyssa’s “True Love Waits” experience, the Bethkes point to a third and better way. Blending personal storytelling with biblical teaching, they offer readers an inspiring, realistic vision of love, dating, marriage, and sex. Young people today enter adulthood with expectations of blissful dating followed by a romantic, fulfilling marriage only to discover they’ve been duped. They learned about love and sexuality from social media, their friends, Disney fairy tales, pornography, or even their own rocky past, and they have no idea what healthy, lifelong love is supposed to be like. The results are often disastrous, with this generation becoming one of the most relationally sick, sexually addicted, and divorce ridden in history. Looking to God’s design while drawing lessons from their own successes and failures, the Bethkes explode the fictions and falsehoods of our current moment. One by one, they peel back lies such as, the belief that every person has only one soul mate, that marriage will complete you, and that pornography and hook-ups are harmless. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: To Hell with the Hustle Jefferson Bethke, 2019-10-15 In a society where hustle is the expectation, busyness is the norm, and constant information is king, we've forgotten the fundamentals that make us human, anchor our lives, and provide meaning. Jefferson Bethke, New York Times bestselling author and popular YouTuber, has lived the hustle and knows we must stop doing and start becoming. Our culture makes constant demands of us: Do more. Accomplish more. Buy more. Post more. Be more. In following these demands, we have indeed become more: More anxious. More tired. More hurt. More depressed. More frantic. But it doesn't have to be that way. To Hell with the Hustle is your wake-up call to slow down and reclaim your life in an overworked, overspent, and overconnected world. If you're feeling overwhelmed with the demands of work, family and community or if you're tired of being anxious, lonely, and burned out, To Hell with the Hustle will give you the tools you need to: Proactively set boundaries in your life Get comfortable with obscurity Find the best way to push back against the demands of contemporary life Discover the importance of embracing silence and solitude Handle the stressors that life throws at us Join Bethke as he discovers that the very things the world teaches us to avoid at all costs--silence, obscurity, solitude, and vulnerability--are the very things that can give us the meaning, the peace, and the richness we're truly seeking. Praise for To Hell with the Hustle: Ever feel like you need to work harder, put in more time to get ahead, or do everything in your power to be the best? That's the hustle. It can push you to places you don’t want to go, and I've gone there more than I care to admit. In his latest book, To Hell with the Hustle, Jefferson Bethke will help you understand why the hustle can seem so alluring, show you how to avoid the traps it's created in our culture, and find true joy chasing after Christ instead. --Craig Groeschel, pastor of Life. Church and New York Times bestselling author |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: This Thing Called Christianity Jefferson Bethke, 2020-06-02 Join New York Times bestselling author Jefferson Bethke as he tears back the worn canvas of religion, lets an unsalvageable, phony frame of distractions fall away, and unfolds for the reader the breathtaking meaning and worth of the Christian faith. We're all searching for our greater purpose in life, but society pushes cheap, false narratives instead: your worth is measured by your success, winning brings happiness, put yourself first. But Bethke tells us that when we buy into those empty promises, we don't realize that the picture of life we've been sold is incomplete. We were made for so much more. A continuation of his bestseller It's Not What You Think, Bethke invites us to find our true purpose by seeing Jesus in a new light, taking us on a journey from the creation of the universe in Genesis to the great feast of celebration in Revelation. Along the way, Bethke gives us the tools we need to: Reflect on our role in God's story Embrace faith as a blend of mystery, truth, grace, and beauty Discover the blessings of rest, worship, and fellowship Reexamining Christianity from the very beginning as revealed in the Bible, Bethke discovers a story far more beautiful, compelling, and fulfilling than we could ever imagine. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Called to Stay Caleb Breakey, 2013-10-01 Will You Stay? Caleb Breakey prays to God you do. In Called to Stay Breakey takes a refreshingly honest look at the church, the problem of Millennials leaving, and the stark reality of why the church desperately needs them. He holds nothing back as he unleashes an ambitious rallying cry to heal the church and inject his generation’s desire for truth, passion, and conviction into other believers. Caleb knows that answering the challenge of his own generation leads to a transformed church. And a changed church can change the world. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: The Insanity of God Nik Ripken, Gregg Lewis, 2013 An amazing story of a missionary couple's journey into the toughest places on earth is combined with stories about remarkable people of faith they encountered to challenge and inspire those curious about the sufficiency of God. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: 31 Ways to Show Him What Love Is Jefferson Bethke, Alyssa Bethke, 2022-01-25 In Alyssa Bethke's newly revised edition of 31 Ways to Show Him What Love Is, readers will discover practical and inspiring tips for bringing more romance, joy, and vibrancy to their marriages. In 31 Ways to Show Him What Love Is,Alyssa Bethke gives wives thirty-one specific tips for strengthening and deepening their relationship. Each day readers find a new suggestion for encouraging and loving their husbands. Topics include serving each other, offering forgiveness, laughing together, praying for one another, affirming each other through words, and even making a favorite snack. From serious to lighthearted, each tip challenges readers to make their marriage a priority and reminds them of the importance of a healthy, vibrant relationship. Designed with new covers and revised content, these books take readers on a one-month journey that will bring them closer to their husbands than ever before. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: When God Made the World Matthew Paul Turner, 2020-01-28 From the author of the bestselling children's book When God Made You comes a rhythmic, whimsical journey through creation--for little readers who love science and wonder and the beginnings of all things. For spiritual parents who are looking for a different kind of creation book, Matthew Paul Turner's When God Made the World focuses on the complex way that God created our vast and scientifically operating universe, including the biodiversity of life on our planet and the intricacies of a vast solar system. Scottish illustrator Gillian Gamble brings the natural world to vibrant life with rich colors and poignant detail certain to stretch young minds and engage imaginations. Planet Earth, God made a blue and green sphere, And designed it to orbit the sun once a year. God made daytime and nighttime, climates and seasons, And all kinds of weather that vary by region. God made continents and oceans, islands and seas, A north and south pole that God put in deep freeze. God carved rivers and brooks, mountains and caves, Made beaches with sand and huge crashing waves. God made tropics and plateaus, glaciers and meadows, marshes and tundras and erupting volcanos. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Nothing to Prove Jennie Allen, 2017 Allen understands the daily struggle so many of us face with the fear that we are not enough. And she invites us into a different experience, one in which our souls overflow with contentment and joy--Amazon.com. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Satisfied Alyssa Joy Bethke, 2021-06-15 Stop focusing on what you lack and start feeling grateful and satisfied with what you have! Touching on topics like fear, worry, dissatisfaction, anxiety, and body image, Alyssa Bethke walks you through issues that rob you of your joy and helps you recognize them for what they are: distractions. With all of its expectations and contradictions, this world can take a major toll on us. Be skinny, but not too skinny. Work and hustle but stay home and be a good mom. Be wild and free while tidy and pure. Love your husband but be independent. In Satisfied, Alyssa Bethke shares a compelling collection of relatable essays that will help you embrace and cultivate beauty in your life. Along with healthy recipes and cozy home images, Satisfied will provide you with the knowledge that you are not alone in your fight to be fulfilled. Alyssa shows you the ways in which you are enough—not only for those around you, but for yourself. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Love Is Jefferson Bethke, Alyssa Bethke, 2022-01-25 Retitled, repackaged, and including new content, Love Is delivers a compelling message that urges Christians to reject the distorted views of love that have damaged our hearts, minds, and souls and to embrace God’s biblical definition of what love truly is. So many young people enter adulthood with expectations of blissful dating followed by a romantic marriage but then discover they’ve been duped. Because they learned about love and sexuality from faulty sources—social media, their friends, Disney fairy tales, pornography, or even their own rocky past—they have no idea what healthy, lifelong love is supposed to be like. The results are often disastrous, with this generation becoming one of the most relationally sick, sexually addicted, and divorce ridden in history. Looking to God’s design while drawing lessons from their own successes and failures, the Bethkes explode the fictions and falsehoods that have led to broken relationships. One by one, they peel back lies that include: the belief that every person has only one soul mate, that marriage will complete you, and that pornography and hook-ups are harmless. Drawing from Jeff’s “prodigal son” personal history and from Alyssa’s “True Love Waits” experience, the Bethkes blend personal storytelling with biblical teaching to offer readers an inspiring, realistic vision of love, dating, marriage, and sex. Including a new chapter filling readers in on the Bethke’s married relationship today, this updated edition offers a solidly biblical view of romantic love. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Love Like That Les Parrott, 2018-09-04 What can the Bible teach us about unconditional, everlasting, life-changing love? Join #1 New York Times bestselling author Dr. Les Parrott as he shows us that we all deserve Love Like That. In this authentic, practical book, Dr. Parrott provides a simple plan to improve all of your relationships--with spouses, family, friends, coworkers, and even strangers. Dr. Parrott takes proven findings from psychology and sociology and blends them with biblical teaching to reveal five transformative ways of relating to people demonstrated by Jesus himself. In Love Like That, Dr. Parrott gives you the tools you need to love like Jesus, because when you do: You become less detached and more mindful You become less exclusive and more approachable You become less judgmental and more grace-full You become less fearful and more bold You become less self-absorbed and more self-giving Dr. Parrott teaches us that loving like Jesus can be a daily reality for anyone who chooses it. Why? Because this love isn't elusive. It isn't pie-in-the-sky. It isn't out of reach or relegated to untouchable saints. It's real. Jesus gives us practical examples of how to love in extraordinary ways. And you're likely closer to it than you know. Praise for Love Like That: From the first vulnerable sentence, this heart-felt message from Dr. Parrott will compel you to not only be a better person, it will show you exactly how you can do just that. --Dave Ramsey, #1 bestselling author and radio host Refreshingly honest and incredibly practical. This book is for everyone who wants to love like Jesus but never thought they could. I've personally benefited from this helpful book, and you will too. --Lysa TerKeurst, president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and bestselling author of Forgiving What You Can't Forget With an incredible blend of contemporary social science and a deep understanding of Scripture, Les Parrott's writing will help you see beyond what you may be tempted to settle for. And he'll show you the way, step-by-step, to realizing the kinds of relationships we all long for. --Lee Strobel, New York Times bestselling author of The Case for Christ |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Dad Tired and Loving It Jerrad Lopes, 2019-09-03 Do You Want to Be a Spiritual Leader? Start Here Have the day-to-day realities of being a dad and husband left you frustrated or just plain worn out? You’re not alone. Jerrad Lopes felt that way too…until he started blogging about his struggles and discovered thousands of other men who want to be good husbands and fathers but don’t know where to start. You will learn that spiritual leaders realize their story isn’t the story—it’s all about Jesus point their wives, children, community, and world toward God stumble their way through spiritual leadership rather than doing nothing seek humility rather than striving for perfection refuse to let their sin and shame stop them from leading their family look for adventure in the kingdom of God, not in the world create gospel-centered memories with their wife and children When you begin to understand the bigger picture of God’s purpose for you in your marriage and family, you’ll see that the good news of Jesus makes it possible for you to love and lead without fear and discouragement. Get equipped and encouraged as you become the man God is calling you to be—even when you’re dad tired. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Marriage After God Aaron Smith, Jennifer Smith, 2019-06-04 What if God has purposed your marriage for something so much more than happily ever after? Since the very beginning, God's design for marriage has been for husbands and wives to be ambassadors of holy love to a hurting world. Still, too many couples stop short at happy and wonder why they feel unsatisfied. Rather than you and me against the world, God calls each couple to the rich and meaningful mission of you and me for the world. In Marriage After God, Aaron and Jennifer Smith, popular marriage bloggers at HusbandRevolution.com and UnveiledWife.com, transparently share their own journey of turning a marriage in crisis into a marriage built on Christ's redemptive love. With fresh biblical insight and intimate stories of their own struggles and victories, this book will guide you toward a God-centered, ministry-minded, and thriving marriage. Throughout Marriage After God, you'll learn to: Discover the signature marks of a marriage after God Find principles for building an unshakable marriage foundation Let God's story take the lead in your love story Recognize the tools God has already equipped you with for a missional life together Filled with timeless wisdom, this thorough and practical book will empower you and your spouse to dream, decide, and do as you step hand in hand into God's ultimate purpose for your marriage. God has created your remarkable, romantic, and redemptive relationship to be a powerful light to a dark and hurting world. Let Marriage After God be your invitation to marriage as God intended--a life-saving, hope-inspiring, and transforming force of God's love. Praise for Marriage After God: This book is an incredible resource for anyone trying to grow or step into a healthier and more life-giving marriage. Aaron and Jen pull no punches; are honest, raw, and authentic; and show that a marriage in pursuit of Jesus can change the world. --Jefferson Bethke, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus > Religion There is a short list of books I'm stashing away for my three small kiddos to read when they are older--Marriage After God is one of them. Dear couples of the world, you have picked up a treasure! This book will give you clear direction to live out God's will for your marriage. There is no greater gift you can give yourselves than to run after Him together. Marriage After God will show you how! --Lara Casey, author of Cultivate and Make It Happen |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Welcoming the Future Church Jonathan Pokluda, 2020-03-17 If you're not reaching the future of the church, your church has no future. As much sting as that statement has, it's hard to argue with. Yet many churches have no idea how to attract and retain younger generations. If you want to understand how to reach, teach, and empower young adults in your church, Jonathan JP Pokluda is ready to show you how. Sharing stories of successes and failures during his years of ministering to Millennials, JP offers you transferable principles that will help you mobilize the next generation toward Jesus. He encourages and equips you to - be real - teach the whole truth - hold traditions loosely - find young leaders - give the ministry away - and so much more Tomorrow's church is out there, waiting for you to care, to reach out, to understand their struggles, and to show them why today's church needs, wants, and cherishes them. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Giving Up Whiteness Jeff James, 2020-10-06 Jeff James was one of the good white guys. At least that's what he thought. But when he asked a black friend how to become an antiracist, he had to think again. Simple, she shot back, get rid of whiteness. Thus began his journey to discover, name, and dismantle the racial category that had defined and advantaged him for a lifetime. In Giving Up Whiteness, James leads readers on an intimate, humble, and disorienting investigation of what it means to be white in twenty-first-century America. He begins to wonder what forces shape his own and other white people's choices: about where to live, who to marry, and what church to join. With a blend of honest storytelling and incisive critique, James guides readers through the questions he encountered: What privileges accrue to people categorized as white? How have some Christians bolstered white supremacy through misreading of Scripture? How does whiteness make itself invisible? And is it possible to give it up? The things we can't see yield the most power, so it's time to take a hard look at whiteness. Ultimately, James writes, white people like him have a lot of work to do, and it's past time to get started. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry John Mark Comer, 2019-10-29 ECPA BESTSELLER • A compelling emotional and spiritual case against hurry and in favor of a slower, simpler way of life—from the New York Times bestselling author of Practicing the Way “Prophetic, practical, and profoundly life giving . . . provides a way forward that creates hope, hunger, and a vision of a beautiful life. I consider this required reading.”—Jon Tyson, lead pastor of the Church of the City New York and author of Beautiful Resistance “Who am I becoming?” That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer. Outwardly, he appeared successful. But inwardly, things weren’t pretty. So he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words: “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life.” It wasn’t the response he expected, but it was—and continues to be—the answer he needs. Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness, as a root of much evil. The perfect read to help you start the new year off right, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry is a fascinating roadmap to staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Free of Me Sharon Hodde Miller, 2025-07-01 Our me-centered culture affects every area of our lives--our relationships, calling, self-image, even our faith--and it negatively impacts each one. The self-focused life robs our joy, shrinks our souls, and is the reason we get stuck in insecurity. In Free of Me, Sharon Hodde Miller invites us into a bigger, Jesus-centered vision--one that restores our freedom and inspires us to live for more. Drawing from personal experience and Scriptural insight, Sharon helps readers · understand how self-focus sabotages seven areas of our lives · learn four practical steps for focusing on God and others · experience freedom from the burden of self-focus If you've been yearning for more than a self-help faith, then this paradigm-shifting message of true fulfillment is for you. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Divine Direction Craig Groeschel, 2017-02-07 Master the decisions that will make your life everything God wants it to be. Every day we make choices. And those choices accumulate and eventually become our life story. What would your life look like if you became an expert at making those choices? In this inspiring guidebook, New York Times bestselling author Craig Groeschel shows how the choices that are in your power, if aligned with biblical principles, will lead to a life you've never imagined. Divine Direction will help you seek wisdom through seven principles. You'll consider: One thing to stop that's hindering you How to start a new habit to re-direct your path Where you should stay committed And when you should go even if it's easier to stay The book also includes criteria that will help you feel confident in the right choice, and encourages you with principles for trusting God with your decisions. What story do you want to tell about yourself? God is dedicated to the wonderful plan he's laid out for you. The achievable and powerful steps in Divine Direction take you there one step at a time, big or small. Spanish edition also available. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Raising Passionate Jesus Followers Phil Comer, Diane Comer, 2018-03-06 Hope and practical help for parents whose greatest longing is to shepherd their children into a vibrant faith in God. For Christian parents, there is no greater joy than seeing their children learn to walk with the Lord. And there is no greater fear than that their children will walk away from God. After serving together in pastoral ministry and raising their now-grown children, Phil and Diane Comer know those hopes and fears well. Like all new parents, they were intimidated and unsure about how to take on the task of spiritually training their young children. But now, with all four of their children grown and establishing their own households of faith, Phil and Diane have embarked on a quest to help the next generation of parents raise passionate Jesus followers. Drawing on years of pastoral counseling, teaching, leading, and decades of watching families from the perspective of pastors and leaders in ministry, Phil and Diane instruct, guide, encourage, and offer hope and practical help to Christian parents. Raising Passionate Jesus Followers is a manual full of practical, biblically based, and time-tested guidelines that parents will be able to turn to again and again through every stage of their children's development, including . . . Formulating a plan Laying the foundation, ages 0-5 Doing the framing, ages 6-12 Installing the functional systems, ages 13-17 Completing the finish work, ages 18-22 And keeping the front door open for your grown children |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Get Out of Your Head Bible Study Leader's Guide Jennie Allen, 2020-04-07 Stopping the spiral of toxic thoughts. In Get Out of Your Head, a six-session video-based Bible study, Jennie inspires and equips us to transform our emotions, our outlook, and even our circumstances by taking control of our thoughts. Our enemy is determined to get in our heads to make us feel helpless, overwhelmed, and incapable of making a difference for the kingdom of God. But when we submit our minds to Christ, the promises of goodness of God flood our lives in remarkable ways. It starts in your head. And from there, the possibilities are endless. This guide serves as a tool to prepare you in leading this Get Out of Your Head study and to encourage you along the way. It helps you as the leader to effectively point your group to the overarching theme of each lesson and point them to the themes of each study. This Get Out of Your Head Leader’s Guide includes: Session-by-session helps to guide your group through the study. Walk-through for using each piece of the study: Videos, Study Guide, and Conversation Card Deck. The vision for Get Out of Your Head. Tips for leading your group, and much more. This guide is designed for use with the Get Out of Your Head Video Study (9780310116394), sold separately. Streaming video, study guide, and conversation cards also available. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: 1–2 Thessalonians Matt Smethurst, 2017-08-15 The Knowing the Bible series is a resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God's Word. These 12-week studies lead participants through books of the Bible and are made up of four basic components: (1) reflection questions that help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) Gospel Glimpses that highlight the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) Whole-Bible Connections that show how any given passage connects to the Bible's overarching story of redemption, culminating in Christ; and (4) Theological Soundings that identify how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture. With contributions from an array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies will help Christians see and cherish the message of God's grace on every page of the Bible. Over the course of 12 weeks, this study connects Paul's letters to the Thessalonians to the lives of Christians today. These epistles encourage readers by reminding them of the salvation God will bring to all those whom he has called—strengthening them to pursue lives of holiness and love as they anticipate Jesus's return. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Father God Dave Patty, 2016-11-24 God uses many words to describe himself, but one is stunningly personal-Father. This is thrilling... and problematic. You don't have another Jesus, or another Holy Spirit, but you do have another father, and your experience with him changes the way you see God. Because of this, unknowingly, you may be Father deficient - lacking key resources God is offering, but you are still missing. With keen Biblical insight and inspiring stories Dave Patty shows you how to evaluate four key areas of your heart, and then unpacks the practical steps to deep transformation with Father resources from God. You will be amazed at the breadth of impact as you encounter this member of the Trinity in a new and deeply personal way. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Jesus according to the New Testament James D. G. Dunn, 2019-01-03 New Testament scholar James D. G. Dunn has published his research on Christian origins in numerous commentaries, books, and essays. In this small, straightforward book designed especially for a lay audience, Dunn focuses his fifty-plus years of scholarship on elucidating the New Testament witness to Jesus, from Matthew to Revelation. Dunn’s Jesus according to the New Testament constantly points back to the wonder of those first witnesses and greatly enriches our understanding of Jesus. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: The Visual Word Patrick Schreiner, 2021-06-01 The New Testament shouldn’t be complicated. So why are we often confused? Every Christian wants to love the Bible. But let’s face it: we sometimes get lost in all the names, places, and doctrines that we find in its pages. Who wrote this epistle? Which book is about justification? Joy? Jesus? Aren’t they all about him? The New Testament contains complex ideas and multiple genres. Keeping it straight can be hard to do. Wouldn’t it be nice if somebody who understands the big picture would put it together for us in one place? Biblical scholar and seminary professor Patrick Schreiner draws from his years of experience as a teacher to offer a simple and memorable way of understanding Scripture. And he doesn’t do it by throwing big words at you. The contours of the New Testament and its underlying structure are depicted in visual format along with Schreiner’s clear explanations. In The Visual Word, the Bible comes alive because you can see it pictured before your eyes. By taking a graphic approach, you’ll notice connections you’ve never seen before. Gain insights you’ve missed all these years. And discover an overall pattern that makes each separate piece fall perfectly into place. Don’t settle for mere summaries of the New Testament. Let Schreiner’s concise words and crisp images work together to help you encounter the Living Word in a fresh way. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot Mo Isom, 2018-03-06 Sex. In a world overwhelmingly obsessed with it, why is the church so silent about it? While our secular culture twists, perverts, cheapens, and idolizes sex, there are gaping holes in the church's guidance of young people. The result is generations of sexually illiterate people drowning in the repercussions of overwhelming sin struggles. Enough is enough, says Mo Isom. With raw vulnerability and a bold spirit, she shares her own sexual testimony, opening up the conversation about misguided rule-following, virginity, temptation, porn, promiscuity, false sex-pectations, sex in marriage, and more and calling readers back to God's original design for sex--a way to worship and glorify him. This book is for the young person tangled up in an addiction to pornography, for the girlfriend feeling pressured to go further, for the good girl who followed the rules and saved herself for marriage and then was confused and disappointed, for the married couple who use sex as a bargaining tool, for every person who casually watches sex play out in TV and movies and wonders why they're dissatisfied with the real thing, and for every confused or hurting person in-between. Sex was God's idea. It's time we invited him back into the bedroom. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: The Universal Christ Richard Rohr, 2019-03-05 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From one of the world’s most influential spiritual thinkers, a long-awaited book exploring what it means that Jesus was called “Christ,” and how this forgotten truth can restore hope and meaning to our lives. “Anyone who strives to put their faith into action will find encouragement and inspiration in the pages of this book.”—Melinda Gates In his decades as a globally recognized teacher, Richard Rohr has helped millions realize what is at stake in matters of faith and spirituality. Yet Rohr has never written on the most perennially talked about topic in Christianity: Jesus. Most know who Jesus was, but who was Christ? Is the word simply Jesus’s last name? Too often, Rohr writes, our understandings have been limited by culture, religious debate, and the human tendency to put ourselves at the center. Drawing on scripture, history, and spiritual practice, Rohr articulates a transformative view of Jesus Christ as a portrait of God’s constant, unfolding work in the world. “God loves things by becoming them,” he writes, and Jesus’s life was meant to declare that humanity has never been separate from God—except by its own negative choice. When we recover this fundamental truth, faith becomes less about proving Jesus was God, and more about learning to recognize the Creator’s presence all around us, and in everyone we meet. Thought-provoking, practical, and full of deep hope and vision, The Universal Christ is a landmark book from one of our most beloved spiritual writers, and an invitation to contemplate how God liberates and loves all that is. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: By Grace Alone Sinclair B. Ferguson, 2010 Are you truly amazed by God's grace? Or have you grown accustomed to it? These probing questions and more help us know if we're tasting, savoring, and delighting in God's amazing grace. In this book, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson offers those willing to delver into God's Word a deeper astonishment at being saved by grace alone. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Daring to Hope Katie Davis Majors, 2018-10-09 New York Times bestseller How do you hold on to hope when you don’t get the ending you asked for? When Katie Davis Majors moved to Uganda, accidentally founded a booming organization, and later became the mother of thirteen girls through the miracle of adoption, she determined to weave her life together with the people she desired to serve. But joy often gave way to sorrow as she invested her heart fully in walking alongside people in the grip of poverty, addiction, desperation, and disease. After unexpected tragedy shook her family, for the first time Katie began to wonder, Is God really good? Does He really love us? When she turned to Him with her questions, God spoke truth to her heart and drew her even deeper into relationship with Him. Daring to Hope is an invitation to cling to the God of the impossible—the God who whispers His love to us in the quiet, in the mundane, when our prayers are not answered the way we want or the miracle doesn’t come. It’s about a mother discovering the extraordinary strength it takes to be ordinary. It’s about choosing faith no matter the circumstance and about encountering God’s goodness in the least expected places. Though your heartaches and dreams may take a different shape, you will find your own questions echoed in these pages. You’ll be reminded of the gifts of joy in the midst of sorrow. And you’ll hear God’s whisper: Hold on to hope. I will meet you here. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: You Are Free Rebekah Lyons, 2024-02-20 We all want to know exactly what we were made for. Yet a calling feels like something for an exclusive few. You Are Free by Rebekah Lyons reminds us that God has plans for each and every one of us and that abiding in God's presence is how we run free. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Scary God Mattie Montgomery, 2018 Over and over again, people are introduced to the glory of God and they are overwhelmed, stunned, and terrified. They should be. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Through The Eyes Of A Lion Levi Lusko, 2015-09 Her parents called her Lenya Lion because of her ferocious personality and hair that had been wild and mane-like since birth. But they never expected that, five days before Christmas, their five-year-old daughter would suddenly go to heaven after an asthma attack. How do you walk out of the ER without your daughter? More a manifesto for high-octane living than a manual for grieving, 'Through the Eyes of a Lion' will help you turn your journey into a roar story by guiding you to look past what you can see with the naked eye. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: It's Not What You Think Bible Study Book Jefferson Bethke, 2015-10 Uncover the big picture God has drawn on the pages of Scripture and embrace the abundant life Jesus provides in the kingdom of heaven that's coming to earth. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: You Are Free Rebekah Lyons, 2017-02-21 You don't have to keep striving for freedom. You can live into the freedom you already have in Christ. In You Are Free, Rebekah Lyons--author of Rhythms of Renewal--reveals her journey of releasing stress, anxiety, and worry to uncover the peace that comes from Jesus Christ. Have you bought into the lie? So many of us do. We measure our worth by what others think of us. We compare and strive, living our lives for the approval of others. Pressure rises, fear and anxiety creeps in, and we hustle to keep up. But Jesus tells us that he gave his life to set us free, giving us purpose and calling us to live in that God-given freedom and purpose. Maybe we're afraid to live in this truth because we can't even believe it. Rebekah reminds us that Christ doesn't say we can be or may be or will be free. He says we are free. Do you dare to believe it? In You Are Free, Rebekah invites you to: Overcome the exhaustion of trying to meet others' expectations and rest in the joy that God's freedom brings Find permission to grieve past experiences, confess your areas of brokenness, and receive strength in your journey toward healing Throw off self-condemnation and step boldly into what our good God has for you Discover the courage to begin again and use your newfound freedom to set others free Freedom is for everyone who wants it--the lost, the wounded, and those weary from all of the striving. It's for those of us who gave up trying years ago and for those of us who are angry and hurt, burnt out by the Christian song and dance. You are the church, the people of God. You were meant to be free. Join Rebekah as she helps you discover the freedom that comes when we learn that God is enough. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Giving Up God... to Find God Kerry Walters, 2013 An exploration of the ways in which we genuflect to false gods, and what happens when we let them go and open ourselves to the experience of Love and Wisdom. Kerry Walters unmasks the golden calves we have been taught to worship and enlightens us living in presence of Spirit. The false gods are: the Genie god the Patriot god, the By-the-Book god My god the Designer god Whatever god Sunday School god Egghead god The more idols we remove from our interior shrines the more space we open up for the real God and spiritual values that make a difference in our lives. The tools are detachment and discrimination, alert attentiveness, patience, and trust. The benefit of reading this book is spiritual clarity and assurance. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Who Am I, Lord? Finding Your Identity in Christ Joe Heschmeyer, 2020-03-06 The question Who am I? is on the minds and hearts of people of all ages. And for good reason: The answer is important! Who we are - or who we think we are - drives our actions and shapes our relationships. While we are asking the right questions about identity, the world is busy feeding us the wrong answers: We are our political party, job title, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity - and the list goes on. But until we know why we were created, by whom, and for what purpose, we can never be truly satisfied. In Who Am I, Lord?, author and speaker Joe Heschmeyer tackles the question of identity by asking two even more important questions: Who is Jesus? Who does he say you are? Only when we understand who Christ really is can he show us who we are. Our identity in Christ opens us to the promises he has made us and leads us to the freedom to be who we were created to be. Who Am I, Lord? will answer the question of your identity in a way that will transform your life. Click here to register for the related webcast ABOUT THE AUTHOR Previously a litigator in Washington, D.C., and a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Joe Heschmeyer now works as an instructor for the Holy Family School of Faith Institute, helping people to grow in friendship with Jesus Christ and with one another through ongoing one-on-one discipleship, small gatherings, and large group formation. His writing has appeared in Catholic Answers Magazine, the Washington Times, Word on Fire, First Things, and Strange Notions. In 2014, he was named one of FOCUS' 30 Under 30. He cohosts The Catholic Podcast weekly and has run the blog Shameless Popery since 2009. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: From Lost to Found Nicole Zasowski, 2020-01-28 Being Lost is the First Step to Getting Found As a marriage and family therapist, one of Nicole Zasowski’s greatest joys is helping her clients grow in emotional freedom. What she couldn’t see for many years is that she was living her own life outside of that freedom, clinging to behaviors like shame, performance, and control in order to feel valued and safe. It was only when she was confronted with her own devastating pain and loss that Nicole realized her current way of life was failing her. She then discovered that sometimes God’s rescue looks like prying our fingers off what we think we want so that we can receive what we truly need. And often, on the far side of pain we don’t prefer, we find transformation we would not trade. In From Lost to Found, Nicole shares her story as she helps us name what we fear losing most, identify how our reactive behaviors are failing us, discover what joy we can find in letting go, and move forward in the freedom God has for us. God is writing a story of redemption in your life too. Find out for yourself that sometimes the greatest joy is found when we are drained of all misplaced hope and shallow identities. In the midst of pain or transition, discover a surprising path to healing as you lose your grip on comfort and control—and fall right into God’s transformative grace. Includes discussion questions for individual reflection or small group study |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Get Out of Your Head Jennie Allen, 2020-01-28 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD! You can choose hope in the midst of chaos. The visionary behind the million-strong IF:Gathering challenges you to exercise your God-given power to shift negative thinking patterns and take back control of your thoughts and emotions. “A must-have resource for anyone looking to get control of their thoughts.”—Lysa TerKeurst, #1 New York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries CHRISTIAN BOOK AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY COSMOPOLITAN Are your thoughts holding you captive? I’ll never be good enough. Other people have better lives than I do. God couldn’t really love me. Jennie Allen knows what it’s like to swirl in a spiral of destructive thoughts, but she also knows we don’t have to stay stuck in toxic thinking patterns. As she discovered in her own life, God built a way for us to escape that downward spiral. Freedom comes when we refuse to be victims to our thoughts and realize we have already been equipped with power from God to fight and win the war for our minds. In Get Out of Your Head, Jennie inspires and equips us to transform our emotions, our outlook, and even our circumstances by taking control of our thoughts. Our enemy is determined to get in our heads to make us feel helpless, overwhelmed, and incapable of making a difference for the kingdom of God. But when we submit our minds to Christ, the promises and goodness of God flood our lives in remarkable ways. It starts in your head. And from there, the possibilities are endless. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: The Elephant Gospel Deborah Ann Saint, 2017-01-16 The Gospel is more powerful, more redeeming, and greater than we live. I have been deeper in sin than most, like Paul, the woman at the well, and Peter after his denial. I have missed God, lived as an outcast sinner, and denied Gods presence and power in my life. Yet God has shown me His New Covenant of hope, the secret of hope I live by and love. If you or someone you love has an ugly, seemingly unforgivable past like mine, you too can know by evidence from the Bible that you can be forgiven. You can learn to live forgiven, with a clear conscience. The relief from all guilt and shame is a pivotal gift of the Gospel that we get the privilege of offering in turn to others! Are you or someone you care about down-trodden? Forgotten? Guilt-ridden? This book is for you. If youve had an abortion; if youre gender questioning; if youve been abused or addicted, its for you. It is for those society has given up on; its for the worst of us and the best of us. Its for those who think they are good enough and not sinners. All people everywhere can turn,look at Christs love, receive His forgiveness and know His salvation. He forgives murderHis grace changes everything! Uniquely conveying truths through a series of four elephant parables, this book seeks to reveal the magnitude of what is at stake when we live true to the real Gospel, and what happens when we understand and herald the Gospel in the power Christ entrusted to us. May we use it for His glory, to advance His kingdom; for He came to save, not condemn. |
| jesus religion jefferson bethke free: Take Back Your Family Jefferson Bethke, 2021-09-07 New York Times bestselling author Jefferson Bethke delivers a powerful critique of the Western notion of the nuclear family and calls us to a sweeping new paradigm that brings not only longed-for stability but also radical blessings to the world. The West's multi-century experiment with the nuclear family has failed. Its toxic hyper-individualism has left us with an unprecedented number of broken homes and rampant confusion over what a family is supposed to be. Jefferson Bethke delivers the solution we've been seeking: a plan for taking back our families from the modern myth that has derailed us and a vision for returning to the life-giving, biblical model of multi-generational teams. In Take Back Your Family, Bethke uncovers the historic events that led to our obsession with the nuclear family, then exposes the devastating effects of our current me culture. Now, writing from the visceral perspective of a father with three young children, he shares the values and strategies he and his family lean on in their quest to live as a community bonded by a shared mission, committed to mutually growing and thriving together. By returning to God's original design for families on earth, he says, we can participate in the kingdom work that restores and fulfills our innermost desires for connection, contentment, and meaning. |
Jesus - Wikipedia
Jesus [e] (c. 6 to 4 BC – AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, [f] Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names …
Jesus | Facts, Teachings, Miracles, Death, & Doctrines …
4 days ago · Jesus (born c. 6–4 bce, Bethlehem—died c. 30 ce, Jerusalem) was a religious leader revered in …
Jesus in Christianity - Wikipedia
One of the major reasons why Jesus spoke in parables to the Jews was explained to the disciples of Jesus by …
Life, teachings, and crucifixion of Jesus | Britannica
Jesus, In Christianity, the son of God and the second person of the Holy Trinity. Christian doctrine holds that …
Jesus Christ: Biography, Religious Figure, Incarnation …
Dec 18, 2024 · Jesus is a central figure in Christianity believed to be the incarnation of God. Read about …
Jesus - Wikipedia
Jesus [e] (c. 6 to 4 BC – AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, [f] Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. [12] He is …
Jesus | Facts, Teachings, Miracles, Death, & Doctrines | Britannica
4 days ago · Jesus (born c. 6–4 bce, Bethlehem—died c. 30 ce, Jerusalem) was a religious leader revered in Christianity, one of the world’s major religions. He is regarded by most Christians as …
Jesus in Christianity - Wikipedia
One of the major reasons why Jesus spoke in parables to the Jews was explained to the disciples of Jesus by Jesus himself. It is found in Matthew 13:13-14; there Jesus explains why he used much …
Life, teachings, and crucifixion of Jesus | Britannica
Jesus, In Christianity, the son of God and the second person of the Holy Trinity. Christian doctrine holds that by his crucifixion and resurrection he paid for the sins of all mankind. His life and …
Jesus Christ: Biography, Religious Figure, Incarnation of God
Dec 18, 2024 · Jesus is a central figure in Christianity believed to be the incarnation of God. Read about when and where Jesus was born, his age when he died, and more.
Jesus Christ - The Son of God and Savior of Mankind - Christianity
Learn all about the life of Jesus from His birth in Bethlehem to His death and resurrection. Discover the truths about the Son of God who became the Savior of the world. Get biblical answers to …
Life of Jesus - Wikipedia
The life of Jesus is primarily outlined in the four canonical gospels, which includes his genealogy and nativity, public ministry, passion, prophecy, resurrection and ascension.
Jesus - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jesus, also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, (c. 6 to 4 BC – AD 30 or 33) was a Jewish preacher and reformer of religion who is the central figure of …
Outline of Jesus - Wikipedia
Jesus is the central figure of Christianity, whom the teachings of most Christian denominations hold to be the Son of God and one in being with the Godhead. Christians regard Jesus as the awaited …
Topical Bible: Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth, also known as Jesus Christ, is the central figure of Christianity, believed by Christians to be the Son of God and the awaited Messiah (Christ) prophesied in the Old …
