The Juvenilization Of American Christianity

Author : Thomas Bergler
Publisher : Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Page : 292 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2012-04-20
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780802866844

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The Juvenilization of American Christianity by Thomas Bergler Pdf

Pop worship music. Falling in love with Jesus. Mission trips. Wearing jeans and T-shirts to church. Spiritual searching and church hopping. Faith-based political activism. Seeker-sensitive outreach. These now-commonplace elements of American church life all began as innovative ways to reach young people, yet they have gradually become accepted as important parts of a spiritual ideal for all ages. What on earth has happened? In The Juvenilization of American Christianity Thomas Bergler traces the way in which, over seventy-five years, youth ministries have breathed new vitality into four major American church traditions -- African American, Evangelical, Mainline Protestant, and Roman Catholic. Bergler shows too how this "juvenilization" of churches has led to widespread spiritual immaturity, consumerism, and self-centeredness, popularizing a feel-good faith with neither intergenerational community nor theological literacy. Bergler s critique further offers constructive suggestions for taming juvenilization. Watch the trailer:

Author : Thomas E. Bergler
Publisher : Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Page : 189 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2014-11-27
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781467442022

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From Here to Maturity by Thomas E. Bergler Pdf

Expert guidance on how to grow up in Christ This book is a follow-up to Thomas Bergler’s acclaimed work The Juvenilization of American Christianity, which documents how church youth ministries over the past several decades have contributed to a process of adolescent spiritual traits becoming accepted and even celebrated by Christians of all ages. This “juvenilization” in the church is a real problem that must be addressed, says Bergler, and in his new book he addresses it head-on. Bergler’s From Here to Maturity is an accessible guide for helping both individuals and whole faith communities to grow spiritually. Bergler claims that spiritual maturity -- defined as “basic competence in the Christian life” -- is both desirable and attainable, and he effectively presents a biblical theology of spiritual maturity, identifying its traits from pertinent New Testament passages. Adapting Dallas Willard’s model of spiritual formation and applying it to congregational life, Bergler offers a wealth of practical, research-based guidance as to how Christian leaders can effectively foster spiritual maturity in their congregations. He also identifies six key faith-sustaining factors and provides a system for evaluating a church’s state of spiritual maturity and steps for improving it. Ecumenically friendly, From Here to Maturity will be useful to individuals and leaders from many different churches and theological traditions.

Author : Kenneth O. Gangel,James C. Wilhoit
Publisher : Baker Books
Page : 319 pages
File Size : 51,9 Mb
Release : 1998-02-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781441231758

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The Christian Educator's Handbook on Adult Education by Kenneth O. Gangel,James C. Wilhoit Pdf

Get historical insight and practical help for your adult Christian education needs.

Author : David P. Setran,Chris A. Kiesling
Publisher : Baker Academic
Page : 413 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2013-08-15
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781441242884

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Spiritual Formation in Emerging Adulthood by David P. Setran,Chris A. Kiesling Pdf

The shift from adolescence to adulthood, a recently identified stage of life called "emerging adulthood," covers an increasing span of years in today's culture (roughly ages 18-30) due to later marriages and extended education. During this prolonged stage of exploration and self-definition, many young adults drift away from the church. Here two authors--both veteran teachers who are experienced in young adult and campus ministry--address this new and urgent field of study, offering a Christian perspective on what it means to be spiritually formed into adulthood. They provide a "practical theology" for emerging adult ministry and offer insight into the key developmental issues of this stage of life, including identity, intimacy and sexuality, morality, church involvement, spiritual formation, vocation, and mentoring. The book bridges the gap between academic and popular literature on emerging adulthood and offers concrete ways to facilitate spiritual formation among emerging adults.

Author : Christian Smith,Bridget Ritz,Michael Rotolo
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 312 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2019-12-03
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780691194967

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Religious Parenting by Christian Smith,Bridget Ritz,Michael Rotolo Pdf

The purpose and nature of life -- Religion's value and truth -- Children, parenting, and family -- The whys and hows of religious transmission -- Theorizing cultural models -- Conclusion.

Author : Peter Kreeft
Publisher : Ignatius Press
Page : 204 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 2009-10-27
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781681490472

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Back to Virtue by Peter Kreeft Pdf

"We have reduced all virtues to one: being nice. And, we measure Jesus by our standard instead of measuring our standard by Him." For the Christian, explains author Peter Kreeft, being virtuous is not a means to the end of pleasure, comfort and happiness. Virtue, he reminds us, is a word that means "manly strength." But how do we know when we are being meek--or just cowardly? When is our anger righteous--and when is it a sin? What is the difference between being virtuous--and merely ethical? Back to Virtue clears up these and countless other questions that beset Christians today. Kreeft not only summarizes scriptural and theological wisdom on leading a holy life, he contrasts Christian virtue with other ethical systems. He applies traditional moral theology to present-day dilemmas such as abortion and nuclear armament. Kreeft restores to us what was once common knowledge: the Seven Deadly Sins have an antidote in the Beatitudes. By setting up a close contrast between the two sets of behaviors, Kreeft offers proven guidance in the often bewildering process of discerning right from wrong as we move into the questionable mores of the twenty-first century. He provides a road map of virtue, a map for our earthly pilgrimage synthesized from the accumulated wisdom of centuries of Christians, from Paul and the early Church Fathers through C.S. Lewis.

Author : Bryan Wolfmueller
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 2016
Category : Evangelicalism
ISBN : 075864941X

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Has American Christianity Failed? by Bryan Wolfmueller Pdf

"Wolfmueller sounds the alarm against the false teaching and dangerous practices of Christianity in America. He offers a beautiful alternative: the sweet savor of the Gospel, which brings us to to the real comfort, joy, peace, freedom, and sure hope of Christ." -- Back cover

Author : Stephen Grunlan,Milton Reimer
Publisher : Wipf and Stock Publishers
Page : 459 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2001-04-02
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781579106270

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Christian Perspectives on Sociology by Stephen Grunlan,Milton Reimer Pdf

Author : Henry Chadwick
Publisher : Canterbury Press Norwich
Page : 352 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2010
Category : Religion
ISBN : IND:30000127028177

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Not Angels, But Anglicans by Henry Chadwick Pdf

Traces the history and development of Christianity in Britain from Roman times through twenty often turbulent centuries, conveying the character and contribution of Christianity in the landscape of contemporary Britain.

Author : Robert J. Banks
Publisher : Baker Academic
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 1994-02-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 0801045541

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Paul's Idea of Community by Robert J. Banks Pdf

Robert Banks's widely read Paul's Idea of Community: The Early House Churches in Their Cultural Setting is once again available to laypeople, pastors, and scholars alike. In this extensively revised edition Banks has rewritten chapters for clarity, taken into account recent scholarship on Paul's writings, updated and expanded the bibliography, and added an index. This new edition retains, however, all the freshness and vitality of the original.

Author : Neal McBride
Publisher : NavPress Publishing Group
Page : 204 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 1994-11
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 0891097694

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How to Build a Small Groups Ministry by Neal McBride Pdf

Written by a small groups expert, this book is designed to help anyone build a small-groups ministry from scratch--or completely revamp an existing small groups ministry. It includes 12 logical steps for organizing and administrating a successful small-group ministry, a case study featuring a local church in the midst of establishing a small-group ministry, and pages of worksheets for developing small-group plans.

Author : Michael Horton
Publisher : Zondervan
Page : 193 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2014-10-07
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780310517382

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Ordinary by Michael Horton Pdf

Radical. Crazy. Transformative and restless. Every word we read these days seems to suggest there’s a “next-best-thing,” if only we would change our comfortable, compromising lives. In fact, the greatest fear most Christians have is boredom—the sense that they are missing out on the radical life Jesus promised. One thing is certain. No one wants to be “ordinary.” Yet pastor and author Michael Horton believes that our attempts to measure our spiritual growth by our experiences, constantly seeking after the next big breakthrough, have left many Christians disillusioned and disappointed. There’s nothing wrong with an energetic faith; the danger is that we can burn ourselves out on restless anxieties and unrealistic expectations. What’s needed is not another program or a fresh approach to spiritual growth; it’s a renewed appreciation for the commonplace. Far from a call to low expectations and passivity, Horton invites readers to recover their sense of joy in the ordinary. He provides a guide to a sustainable discipleship that happens over the long haul—not a quick fix that leaves readers empty with unfulfilled promises. Convicting and ultimately empowering, Ordinary is not a call to do less; it’s an invitation to experience the elusive joy of the ordinary Christian life.

Author : Sam Haselby
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 352 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2016-12-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780190266509

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The Origins of American Religious Nationalism by Sam Haselby Pdf

Sam Haselby offers a new and persuasive account of the role of religion in the formation of American nationality, showing how a contest within Protestantism reshaped American political culture and led to the creation of an enduring religious nationalism. Following U.S. independence, the new republic faced vital challenges, including a vast and unique continental colonization project undertaken without, in the centuries-old European senses of the terms, either "a church" or "a state." Amid this crisis, two distinct Protestant movements arose: a popular and rambunctious frontier revivalism; and a nationalist, corporate missionary movement dominated by Northeastern elites. The former heralded the birth of popular American Protestantism, while the latter marked the advent of systematic Protestant missionary activity in the West. The explosive economic and territorial growth in the early American republic, and the complexity of its political life, gave both movements opportunities for innovation and influence. This book explores the competition between them in relation to major contemporary developments-political democratization, large-scale immigration and unruly migration, fears of political disintegration, the rise of American capitalism and American slavery, and the need to nationalize the frontier. Haselby traces these developments from before the American Revolution to the rise of Andrew Jackson. His approach illuminates important changes in American history, including the decline of religious distinctions and the rise of racial ones, how and why "Indian removal" happened when it did, and with Andrew Jackson, the appearance of the first full-blown expression of American religious nationalism.

Author : Thomas Doherty
Publisher : Temple University Press
Page : 280 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 2010-06-04
Category : History
ISBN : 9781592137879

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Teenagers And Teenpics by Thomas Doherty Pdf

The classic book on teenagers and their films, thoroughly revised and expanded.

Author : Robert Pogue Harrison
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 232 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2014-11-21
Category : History
ISBN : 9780226171999

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Juvenescence by Robert Pogue Harrison Pdf

Argues that humanity is growing steadily younger, as society retains more physical and mental characteristics of youth, which is a luxury required for flashes of genius and innovative drive.