# data[].attributes.description
In this refreshingly candid look at what it takes to live a life of faith, John Ortberg takes an honest look at the misgivings and uncertainties that often shake our beliefs as we navigate through the highs and lows of life.Reflecting on his own bouts with doubt and uncertainty, Ortberg shares with readers his discovery that, rather than being a contradiction in terms, doubt and faith may be very much a part of each other. He challenges readers to consider how doubt can motivate us to study and learn, how questioning expands our understanding, and how uncertainty can lead to trust. These challenges point us toward the relief of being totally honest.The right kind of doubt can be a giftan action-generating truth that actually allows us to deepen our faith and intimacy with God. Written to challenge, comfort, and inspire readers, Know Doubt reveals uncertainty as a cause for celebration.

# data[].attributes.name
Start Becoming a Good Samaritan Participant's Guide

# data[].attributes.description
start> Becoming a Good Samaritan is a six-session small group Bible study like no other (DVD/digital video sold separately). Prepare to have your eyes opened, your heart stirred, your vision kindled, and your faith focused and invigorated like never before!

Love your neighbor. Change the world... It starts with you, today.

The homeless man wandering your streets. The disenfranchised roaming your neighborhood. The sick and forgotten pushed to the edge of your town. Lets get to work! In partnership with World Vision, start> Becoming a Good Samaritan is an unprecedented initiative that helps Christians live out Christs love in world-changing ways, right now, right where you live.

This experience will help you explore issues like poverty, social injustice, pandemic diseases, the environment and teach you how to start making a personal, street-level impact today. Inside are discussion questions, radical but commonsense ideas, and personal applications to help you live out your faith in ways that will change the community around you.

Sessions include:
Becoming a Good SamaritanCaring for the Sick Seeking Justice and Reconciliation Honoring the PoorTending to Gods Creation Loving the Forsaken
Designed for use with the Start Becoming a Good Samaritan Video Study (sold separately). In it, youll find John Ortberg hosting six emotionally packed sessions featuring Christian leaders like Eugene Peterson, Matthew Sleeth, Jim Cymbala, Chuck Colson, Joni Eareckson Tada, Rob Bell and many others.

# data[].attributes.name
Sense and Nonsense about Heaven and Hell

# data[].attributes.description
Thinking Clearly and Biblically about Eternity, Afterlife, and Death

Did you know that the original biblical languages use several words for heaven and hell that mean different things? Did you know that there are different beliefs about how many heavens and hells there are?

To make matters still more confusing, other religions and philosophies have contributed their own ideas to the mix until it's hard to separate sound biblical teaching from speculation, falsehood, and folklore.

Sense and Nonsense about Heaven and Hell by Kenneth Boaauthor of spiritual formation bestseller Conformed to His Imagehelps you cut through the clutter to see what the Bible really reveals about heaven and hell, salvation, and judgment.

In this book, you'll learn:
Why Jesus is the only means of understanding heaven or hell.Different biblical words for heaven and hell and what they likely meant to the authors who wrote them.A biblical understanding of whether "the fires of hell" are literal or figurative.What we can and can't know about heaven from what's been revealed in Scripture.A better understanding of God's judgment: who will go where, and why.

Get ready for some surprises! This book will help you set aside your preconceptions and pierce through the myths and misinformation to gain an accurate, truly biblical perspective on heaven and hell.

# data[].attributes.name
Creative Bible Lessons in Galatians and Philippians

# data[].attributes.subtitle
12 Sessions on Grace, Growth, Freedom, and Faith

# data[].attributes.description
Grace, growth, freedom, and faith are the themes of these 12 dynamic lessons based on the letters from Paul to the Christians in Galatia and Philippi.  As the next volume in the popular Creative Bible Lessons series, Creative Bible Lessons in Galatians & Philippians comes power-packed with the teachings of Paul.  Six lessons from each book will guide you and your students through many of the Gospels central truths, including:Liberation from the religious "rules and regulations" corralReconnecting with true freedom in ChristThe purpose of the law and moral boundariesHumility and friendshipSetting an example for othersJoy in spite of circumstancesTo help you teach each lesson are clips from easy-to-get videos . . . games for mixing and games with a purpose . . . in-depth, ready-to-use questions for small-group discussions . . . original role plays, scripts, and spontaneous melodramas--plus a lot of other activities to choose from that give your students not only an occasional  laugh, but also a taste of the extravagant grace of God as well as the kind of joy that literally overflows all over the place.

# data[].attributes.author
Tim McLaughlin, Cheri McLaughlin, Jim and Yolanda Miller

# data[].attributes.subtitle
Six Questions Students Need to Ask about Life with God

# data[].attributes.description
Having the right person in a young persons life can make a huge difference. Jesus knew that, so he spent time with his young disciples, talking with them,listening to them, having fun with them being with them in everyday life.Imagine students in your ministry having wise, caring mentors in their lives. They can! Jesus model of how to transform lives is needed today more than ever before. This generation needs to discover how real faith plays out in the real world.Six important, thought-provoking sessions help junior high and high school students consider how God shows he is real, what he really wants from his followers, what his purposes are for their lives, why it matters what theybelieve, how he keeps them strong when life is hard, and the kind of people he wants in their lives.This student guide is supported by coaching and leaders notes in the book The Be-With Factor, but it can also be used alone. These questions help you initiate some of the most rewarding and genuinely lifechanging moments you and a student will ever experience.

# data[].attributes.description
Slowly she turned to face the door just as Graham came through at full stride. At the sight of him a wild kind of joy seized her. Graham halted on the threshold. He drew in his breath sharply, and in spite of himself, his pulse thundered at the sight of the tall, willowy figure. The last time he had seen Avril she had been a child. Here in her place was a graceful young woman. "Avril, my dear," he said, finding his voice. "Welcome home!" Fortune's Bride, the third in a series of award-winning novels by Jane Peart, is a revision of the story of Avril Dumont, a wealthy young heiress and orphan, who gradually comes to terms with her lonely adolescence. There is romance and heartbreak, true love and fulfillment in this story of Avril's seemingly unreturned but undaunted love for her bachelor guardian, Graham Montrose. Readers of Fortune's Bride will be smitten with the charm of the old South as they follow Avril's development into womanhood, and meet the people who give her a sense of self-worth. So skillfully drawn is the plot of this romance that the reader will suffer form ongoing suspense throughout Avril's story.

# data[].attributes.subtitle
A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes

# data[].attributes.description
Join New York Times bestselling author Shauna Niequist as she offers an enchanting mix of funny and vulnerable storytelling in this collection of recipes and essays about the surprising and sacred things that happen when people gather around the table.

Bread & Wine is a literary feast about the moments and meals that bring us together. With beautiful and evocative writing, Shauna celebrates the sweet and savory moments that happen when family and friends sit down together. She invites us to see how God teaches and feeds us even as we nourish the people around us, and she explores the ways that hunger, loneliness, and restlessness lead us back to the table again.

Part cookbook and part spiritual memoir, Bread & Wine sheds light on:
How sharing food together mirrors the way we share our hearts with each otherand with GodWhat it means to follow a God who reveals His presence in breaking bread and passing a cupWhat happens when we come together, slow down, open our homes, look into one anothers faces, and listen to one anothers stories
A satisfying read for heart and body, youll want to keep Bread & Wine close at hand all year round. Recreate the meals that come to life in each essay with recipes for any occasion, from Goat Cheese Biscuits and Bacon-Wrapped Dates to Mango Chicken Curry and Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Toffee.

For anyone who has found themselves swapping stories over plates of pasta, sharing takeout on the couch, laughing over a burnt recipe, and lingering a little longer for one more bite, this book is for you.

# data[].attributes.name
It's Easy Being Green, Revised and Expanded Edition

# data[].attributes.subtitle
A Guide to Serving God and Saving the Planet

# data[].attributes.description
Youve probably heard the story of the garden of Edenthe paradise that God created for humans to live in. There was plenty of room for everyone, there were trees and flowers and plenty of food. When you look out your window today you dont see the paradise God intended for us. This world is crowded, polluted, and headed for trouble. But its not hopeless. Emma Sleeth is only sixteen, and shes working hard to save our planet. She believes that were called by God to protect the resources that he gave us, and she wants to help you learn how to live a sustainable lifestyle. Shes speaking out to her generation in the hopes that you will be the ones who can end global warming and restore our world to the paradise that God desires for us. In It's Easy Being Green youll learn how to honor God in the choices you make and youll begin to understand the impact those choices have on the environment. Emma will help you see how you can make a difference at school, around the house, and all over the world as you make choices about everything from transportation to food to clothes. Imagine the kind of paradise you can help to create for the next generationfor your future children! Join Emma on the quest to serve God by saving the planet.

# data[].attributes.description
"The amazing lack of concern for purpose among homileticians and preachers has spawned a brood of preachers who are dull, lifeless, abstract and impersonal; it has obscured truth, hindered joyous Christian living, destroyed dedication and initiative, and stifled service for Christ." Jay Adams, from the book Preaching needs to become purposeful, says Jay Adams, because purposeless preaching is deadly. This book was written to help preachers and students discover the purpose of preaching has and the ways that the Scriptures inform and direct the preaching task. Preaching with Purpose, like the many other books of Jay Adams, speaks clearly and forcefully to the issue. Having read this book, both students and experienced preachers will be unable to ignore the urgent task of purposeful preaching. And the people of God will be the better for it.

# data[].attributes.name
Moms' Ultimate Guide to the Tween Girl World

# data[].attributes.description
Today's mom is faced with the task of helping her 8-to-12-year-old daughter grow up in a society that compels her little girl to grow up too fast. Moms' Ultimate Guide to the Tween Girl Years gives mothers practical advice and spiritual inspiration that will enable them to see their mini-women into adolescence strong, confident, authentic, and God-centered, even in a morally challenged society--without losing their childhoods before they're ready.

# data[].attributes.description
Uncover the passion and commitment early believers displayed as they claimed Jesus in the face of fierce consequences and powerful adversaries.

In the fifth volume of the series That The World May Know, travel with teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan to places like Caesarea Philippi, Sardis, Pergamum, Ephesus, and Laodicea in order to gain a new understanding of the Bible that will ground your convictions and transform your life.

This discovery guide includes passages of Scripture explored in the DVD (sold separately); questions for discussion and personal reflection; personal Bible studies to help you deepen your learning experience between sessions; as well as sidebars, maps, photos, and other study tools.

Lessons include:
Everything to Lose, Nothing to Gain Filmed in Caesarea PhilippiThe Salt of the Earth Filmed in SardisWhere Satan Lives Filmed in PergamumThe Mark of the Beast Filmed in EphesusHot or Cold Filmed in Laodicea
Designed for use with The Early Church Video Study (sold separately).

_______________

THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW

Join renowned teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan as he guides you through the land of the Bible. In each lesson, Vander Laan illuminates the historical, geographical, and cultural context of the sacred Scriptures.

Filmed on location in the Middle East and elsewhere, the That the World May Know film series will transform your understanding of God and challenge you to be a true follower of Jesus.

# data[].attributes.author
Ray Vander Laan, Stephen and Amanda Sorenson

# data[].attributes.description
The meeting place for the church of tomorrow will be a computer screen. Dont laugh, and dont feel alarmed. The real-world church isnt going anywhere until Jesus returns. But the virtual church is already here, and its poised for explosive growth. SimChurch invites you to explore the vision, the concerns, the challenges, and the remarkable possibilities of building Christs kingdom online. What is the virtual church, and what different forms might it take? Will it be an extension of a real-world church, or a separate entity? How will it encourage families to worship together? Is it even possible or healthy to be the church in the virtual world? If youre passionate about the church and evangelism, and if you feel both excitement and concern over the new virtual world the internet is creating, then these are just some of the vital issues you and other postmillennial followers of Jesus must grapple with. Rich in both biblical and current insight, combining exploration and critique, SimChurch opens a long-overdue discussion you cant afford to miss.

# data[].attributes.description
The Reality Check series makes just one assumption: that youre serious enough about your spiritual journey to investigate Christianity with an open mind. This isnt about joining anyones religious clubits about being real with yourself and with the others in your group. Since no one has all the answers, theres plenty of room for discussion. After all, if there is any truth to the Bibles stories about Jesus, then one thing hed welcome are questions and opinions that come from honest, earnest hearts.What does it take to win at life? A good education? A lucrative career? A loving family? Jesus had a lot to say about winningand losingin life. He also had a way of connecting with his listeners through stories that cut straight to the heart of their personal lives and values. Winning at Life revisits six of those stories. Some will challenge you. Some will encourage you. All of them offer a clearer vision of what life is really about.Winning at Life includes these sessions: Rollover Investments Four Kinds of Dirt An Unexpected Homecoming Warning Signs Lame Excuses Unlikely Hero For the Group LeaderReality Check is for spiritual seekers of every persuasion. Uncompromisingly Christian in its perspective, it steers wide of pat answers and aims at honesty. This innovative and thought-provoking series will challenge you and those in your group to connect heart to heart as together you explore the interface between Jesus, the Bible, and the realities of this world in which we live.

# data[].attributes.description
The faith God calls us to is far more than glowing positivism that shields us from life's struggles. It is one that guides us into a deepening intimacy with the God who sustains us in the broad sweep of life.

Bestselling author Gary Thomas helps us sharpen our spiritual vision and fortify our commitment to Christ by examining ten disciplines God uses to forge a fire-tested faith. A biblical view of these disciplines can safeguard us from disillusionment when - not if - difficulties surface in our lives.

Sharing scriptural insights, the wisdom of Christians through the centuries, and cogent personal observations, Thomas explores the disciplines of: selflessness, waiting, suffering, persecution, social mercy, forgiveness, mourning, contentment, sacrifice, hope and fear.

As Thomas reminds us, faith is about something other than a smooth ride through this fallen world. Rather, authentic faith is shaped, tempered, and purified in the flames of struggle. This eye-opening look at what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus will encourage you, bolster your faith, and help you rise above shallow attachments to fix your heart on things of eternal worth.

# data[].attributes.description
The Reality Check series makes just one assumption: that youre serious enough about your spiritual journey to investigate Christianity with an open mind. This isnt about joining anyones religious clubits about being real with yourself and with the others in your group. Since no one has all the answers, theres plenty of room for discussion. After all, if there is any truth to the Bibles stories about Jesus, then one thing hed welcome are questions and opinions that come from honest, earnest hearts.Whatever your opinion is of Jesus, you cant deny his impact. Men left their careers to follow him. Prostitutes and extortionists reformed their ways. Grief-stricken women regained lost loved ones. One religious leader sought his wisdom while others sought to kill him. Taking a compelling look at six very different encounters with Jesus and their impact on real, flesh-and-blood people, Sudden Impact helps you consider how you might respond if Jesus entered your own world and turned it upside down. Sudden Impact includes these sessions: The Professor The Roof Smashers The Corpse Soldiers and Criminals The Prostitute The Blue-Collar Man and the IRS AgentFor the Group LeaderReality Check is for spiritual seekers of every persuasion. Uncompromisingly Christian in its perspective, it steers wide of pat answers and aims at honesty. This innovative and thought-provoking series will challenge you and those in your group to connect heart to heart as together you explore the interface between Jesus, the Bible, and the realities of this world in which we live.

# data[].attributes.subtitle
A Quick Christian Guide for Relating to Latter-day Saints

# data[].attributes.description
In Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor, Ross Anderson seeks to help Christians relate to Latter-day Saints by giving insights into Mormon life and culture. Andersons work is supported both by his lifetime of experiences growing up Mormon and by current research that utilizes many Latter-day Saints own sources. This book explains core stories that form the Mormon worldview, experiences that shape the community identity of Mormonism, and how Mormons understand truth. Anderson shares how most Mormons see themselves and others around them, illuminating why people join the LDS Church and why many eventually leave. Latter-day Saints will find the descriptions of their values, practices, and experiences both credible and familiar. Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor suggests how Christians can befriend Latter-day Saints with confidence and sensitivity and share the grace of God wisely within their relationships. Anderson includes discussion questions for individuals and small groups, black and white photographs and charts, and an appendix that includes Are Mormons Christians? and Should I Vote for a Mormon?

# data[].attributes.description
The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context.

To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's world, each passage is treated in three sections:
Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context.Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible.Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved.
This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.

# data[].attributes.author
Gary V. Smith, James Bruckner, Mark J. Boda

# data[].attributes.description
A simple and sustainable path to a deep and satisfying walk with Christ

There are thousands of how-to books for improving various areas of life--self, relationships, finances, fitness, business, marriage, family. And there are nearly as many books written for believers offering a framework for the "right" approach to a new life in God.

What if it were possible, Pastor Stovall Weems asks, to boil it all down to one practical, uncomplicated principle that would yield the vibrant, purposeful spiritual life so many are looking for? What if, in our relationship with God, we had one simple and sustainable touch point to experience a deep and satisfying walk with Christ?

In The God-First Life, Weems shows that true success in our walk with God and in life in general is not an issue of need, but an issue of order. Brilliantly unpacking the simple Scripture in Matthew 6:33, Weems gives a fresh and practical perspective on what Christian "discipleship" is about. Bringing clarity, depth, and simplicity, Pastor Weems makes clear core truths that have been misunderstood by many Christians and non-Christians alike.

# data[].attributes.subtitle
Rib-Tickling Stories of Fun, Faith, Family, and Friendship

# data[].attributes.description
The best of the beststories, one-liners, and jokes from some of todays funniest Christian speakers and best-selling writers This new book, like its best-selling predecessors, is packed with the kind of smiles and smirks, chuckles and giggles that thousands of readers have come to love and expect. It  includes some of the funniest stories from todays Christian writers like Barbara Johnson, John Ortberg, Mark Buchanan, Patsy Clairmont, Becky Freeman, Chonda Pierce, and more. Whether the topic is kids, marriage, pets, church, parenting, aging, or lifes most embarrassing moments, the writers will help you keep life in perspective by revealing their own foibles, follies, and failings. Realizing that laughter and faith can go hand in hand, they offer real-life  anecdotes that will keep your world in balance evenand especiallywhen life gets tough.

# data[].attributes.author
Zondervan, Ann Spangler, Shari MacDonald

# data[].attributes.subtitle
A Transformational Journey through the Life of Mary

# data[].attributes.description
Youve never seen Mary, or her God, like this! Who is this God? Who is he who calls us to surrender and then leads us on a journey of twists and turns, ups and downs, unlike anything we could have ever expected? Who is this God who calls a young girl to birth a Savior and then watch him die on a Roman cross? Who is he who fulfills every promise and yet shatters every expectation?Come, join Mary, Jesus mother, on a journey of discovery. Hear the angels call, walk the long road to Bethlehem, give birth in a barn, search for a lost son, kneel at the foot of a cross, and experience the wind of the Spirit. Come, walk with Mary, and find your own journey in hers.Because life rarely turns out the way we planned ...Because we lose the wonder in the disappointments of life ...Because being highly favored does not mean being highly pampered ...Because Mary shows us Godpassionate, breath-taking, and unpredictable ...