The Underground Church

Author : Brian Sanders
Publisher : Zondervan
Page : 271 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2018-03-06
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780310538080

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Underground Church by Brian Sanders Pdf

What If the Church Truly Empowered People to Engage in God's Mission? Something extraordinary has been happening in Tampa, Florida. A new expression of the church has been quietly growing. It's something of an experiment, but over the last ten years the church has been validating its ideas with sustained and growing results. At The Underground, being the church is not focused around a weekly gathering or church programs. It's about empowering individuals to respond to God's call to ministry and mission, especially to the poor and disadvantaged in our midst. While many churches talk about discerning calling and engaging in mission, very few are structured to make this their ministry focus. Underground Church is a new vision for the church rooted in its biblical mission to share the love of God and serve the poor. Sanders explores how to make structural changes, how to think about leadership, how to fund ministries, and how to truly engage people in God's mission. Filled with creative insights, he explains what it means to center the mission of the church around the callings of individuals to outward ministry - whether that involves leading Bible studies in the workplace, feeding the homeless, or working to free women and children from sex trafficking. This book will both tell the inspiring story of a church that is rethinking what church looks like while also outlining and uncovering the principles that transfer for every church and Christian community that hopes for more. It's the true story of a 10-year experiment that unpacks the possibilities of a church structured and streamlined for mission. X

Author : Tomáš Halík
Publisher : University of Notre Dame Pess
Page : 393 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2019-10-31
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9780268106799

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From the Underground Church to Freedom by Tomáš Halík Pdf

International best-selling author and theologian Tomáš Halík shares for the first time the dramatic story of his life as a secretly ordained priest in Communist Czechoslovakia. Inspired by Augustine's candid presentation of his own life, Halík writes about his spiritual journey within a framework of philosophical theology; his work has been compared to that of C. S. Lewis, Thomas Merton, and Henri Nouwen. Born in Prague in 1948, Halík spent his childhood under Stalinism. He describes his conversion to Christianity during the time of communist persecution of the church, his secret study of theology, and secret priesthood ordination in East Germany (even his mother was not allowed to know that her son was a priest). Halík speaks candidly of his doubts and crises of faith as well as of his conflicts within the church. He worked as a psychotherapist for over a decade and, at the same time, was active in the underground church and in the dissident movement with the legendary Cardinal Tomášek and Václav Havel, who proposed Halík as his successor to the Czech presidency. Since the fall of the regime, Halík has served as general secretary to the Czech Conference of Bishops and was an advisor to John Paul II and Václav Havel. Woven throughout Halík’s story is the turbulent history of the church and society in the heart of Europe: the 1968 Prague Spring, the occupation of Czechoslovakia, the self-immolation of his classmate Jan Palach, the “flying university,” the 1989 Velvet Revolution, and the difficult transition from totalitarian communist regime to democracy. Tomáš Halík was a direct witness to many of these events, and he provides valuable testimony about the backdrop of political events and personal memories of the key figures of that time. This volume is a must-read for anyone interested in Halík and the church as it was behind the Iron Curtain, as well as in where the church as a whole is headed today.

Author : Eugene Bach,Brother Zhu
Publisher : Whitaker House
Page : 272 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2014-09-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781629111582

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The Underground Church by Eugene Bach,Brother Zhu Pdf

The Chinese house church is one of the most misunderstood and controversial subjects in Christian world missions today. Questions about it abound, such as… How did it start? How does it work? How is it led? Why does it continue to experience revival? Is it necessary, now that China has extended religious freedoms? Much of the confusion is caused by the Chinese government, which deceives journalists and foreign missionaries with promises of religious freedom that are never kept. The truth is, the house churches of China are growing at a phenomenal rate. Never in the history of the world have so many people in such a short time left one belief system for another without a hostile revolution. Lives in China are being transformed daily by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the display of His miraculous power. The Underground Church demystifies the Chinese house church movement, with real-life examples and personal testimonies from Chinese Christians. The movement’s unique characteristics—both good and bad—are addressed, as well as how they have led to the church’s astonishing growth. Read and be amazed at what God is doing in China!

Author : Howard A. Snyder
Publisher : Asbury Theological Seminary
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2014-05-24
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 1628240873

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The Radical Wesley by Howard A. Snyder Pdf

John Wesley's model of the church. The book offers a guideline for Christians to work out their theology in day-to-day life. This analysis of Wesley's strategy for renewing the church offers inspiration to those working to bring about that renewal.

Author : D. E. Mungello
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 187 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2021-03-29
Category : History
ISBN : 9781538150306

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This Suffering Is My Joy by D. E. Mungello Pdf

Tracing the little-known history of the first underground Catholic church in China, noted scholar D. E. Mungello illuminates the period between the imperial expulsion of foreign Christian missionaries in 1724 and their return with European colonialism in the 1800s. Few realize that this was the first time in which Chinese, rather than Europeans, came to control their own church as Chinese clergy and lay leaders maintained communities of clandestine Catholics. Mungello follows the church in a time of persecution, focusing in particular on the role of Chinese clergy and lay leaders in maintaining communities of clandestine Catholics during the eighteenth century. He highlights the parallels between the 1724 and 1951 expulsions of missionaries from China, the first driven by a Chinese imperial system and the second by a revolutionary Communist government. The two periods also reflected foreign bias against the Chinese priests and laity and questions about their spiritual depth and constancy. However, Mungello shows that the historical record of incarcerated and interrogated Christians reveals a spiritually inspired resistance to government oppression and a willingness to suffer, often to the point of martyrdom.

Author : The Voice Martyrs
Publisher : Thomas Nelson Inc
Page : 304 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2003-12-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781418515621

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Hearts of Fire by The Voice Martyrs Pdf

Eight women from eight very different backgrounds. Yet the struggles they each faced rang with eerie similarity. These courageous women from across the globe-Pakistan, India, Romania, Former Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, Nepal, Indonesia-shared similar experiences of hardship, subjugation, and persecution, all because of their faith in Christ. Yet all of these women have emerged from adversity as leaders and heroines. The eight modern-day pilgrims featured in Hearts of Fire are the hidden jewels in the church universal. They are worthy role models of faith and passion, and women of every age will gain new strength and hope for their own times of crisis and trial as they read these inspiring stories. Each story concludes with thoughtful self-reflection questions for the reader.

Author : David Platt
Publisher : Multnomah
Page : 242 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 2010-05-04
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781601422217

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Radical by David Platt Pdf

New York Times bestseller What is Jesus worth to you? It's easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live, what their new lifestyle would actually look like. They would, he said, leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily... But who do you know who lives like that? Do you? In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple--then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a "successful" suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus. Finally, he urges you to join in The Radical Experiment -- a one-year journey in authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2003
Category : Christian biography
ISBN : 0849944228

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Hearts of Fire by Anonim Pdf

Eight women from eight very different backgrounds. Yet the struggles they each faced rang with eerie similarity. These courageous women from across the globe-Pakistan, India, Romania, Former Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, Nepal, Indonesia-shared similar experiences of hardship, subjugation, and persecution, all because of their faith in Christ. Yet all of these women have emerged from adversity as leaders and heroines. The eight modern-day pilgrims featured in Hearts of Fire are the hidden jewels in the church universal. They are worthy role models of faith and passion, and women of every age will gain new strength and hope for their own times of crisis and trial as they read these inspiring stories. Each story concludes with thoughtful self-reflection questions for the reader.

Author : Zhang Rongliang,Eugene Bach
Publisher : Whitaker House
Page : 240 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2015-07-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781629113388

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I Stand with Christ by Zhang Rongliang,Eugene Bach Pdf

"My name is Zhang Rongliang, and I am an unashamed follower of Jesus Christ.…It is considered quite dangerous to reveal the contents of this book, but these are stories that need to be told for God’s glory and for the encouragement of the church.” So begins this extraordinary first-person account by the prominent leader of one of the largest underground churches in China. A former Communist Party member, Zhang took a stand for Christ and was targeted for prison, work camps, and torture, all the while helping to build a network of millions of faithful believers. Spanning the time of Mao’s regime to today, Zhang testifies of God’s supernatural movements, of the sacrifice of countless Christians who loved and served Christ—regardless of the cost—and of the exciting new vision among believers in China to reach not only the Chinese but the entire world with the gospel.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Cornell University Press
Page : 319 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2021-03-15
Category : History
ISBN : 9781501754050

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Women of the Catacombs by Anonim Pdf

The memoirs presented in Women of the Catacombs offer a rare close-up account of the underground Orthodox community and its priests during some of the most difficult years in Russian history. The catacomb church in the Soviet Union came into existence in the 1920s and played a significant part in Russian national life for nearly fifty years. Adherents to the Orthodox faith often referred to the catacomb church as the "light shining in the dark." Women of the Catacombs provides a first-hand portrait of lived religion in its social, familial, and cultural setting during this tragic period. Until now, scholars have had only brief, scattered fragments of information about Russia's illegal church organization that claimed to protect the purity of the Orthodox tradition. Vera Iakovlevna Vasilevskaia and Elena Semenovna Men, who joined the church as young women, offer evidence on how Russian Orthodoxy remained a viable, alternative presence in Soviet society, when all political, educational, and cultural institutions attempted to indoctrinate Soviet citizens with an atheistic perspective. Wallace L. Daniel's translation not only sheds light on Russia's religious and political history, but also shows how two educated women maintained their personal integrity in times when prevailing political and social headwinds moved in an opposite direction.

Author : William C. Fletcher
Publisher : London ; New York : Oxford University Press
Page : 332 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 1971
Category : Church and state
ISBN : UCSC:32106000204872

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The Russian Orthodox Church Underground, 1917-1970 by William C. Fletcher Pdf

Author : Robin Meyers
Publisher : Fortress Press
Page : 282 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2020-10-06
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781506463384

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The Underground Church by Robin Meyers Pdf

The Underground Church proposes that the faithful recapture the spirit of the early church with its emphasis on what Christians do rather than what they believe. Prominent progressive writer, speaker, and minister Robin Meyers proposes that the best way to recapture the spirit of the early Christian church is to recognize that Jesus-following was and must be again subversive in the best sense of the word because the gospel taken seriously turns the world upside down. No matter how the church may organize itself or worship, the defining characteristic of the church of the future will be its Jesus-inspired countercultural witness. Meyers debunks commonly held beliefs about the early church and offers a vision for the future rooted in the past. He proposes that the church of the future must leave doctrinal tribalism behind and seek a unity of mission instead. Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu says of this volume: "Robin Meyers has spoken truth to power, and the church he loves will never be the same."

Author : Brian Sanders
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 143 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2019-09-05
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1088455662

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Microchurches by Brian Sanders Pdf

When Jesus thought about the church, what did he imagine? Most churches are small, and rightly so. With power being redistributed in our time, networks of smaller enterprises are both growing and thriving. The yearning for participation and empowerment has us all looking for versions of church that make room for everyone. Perhaps, after all our hand wringing and insecurity about the size of our churches, we have missed the point. Microchurches can be strong, beautiful, accessible and potent portraits of just what Jesus had in mind, if not for all time, at least for ours. This book is a guide to understanding, appreciating and if you are up for it, starting a micro church.

Author : Richard Wurmbrand
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2004
Category : Communism and Christianity
ISBN : 0882643487

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In God's Underground by Richard Wurmbrand Pdf

Imprisoned by the Romanian Communists for his work in the Christian Underground, and subjected to medieval torture, Wurmbrand kept his faith and strengthened it. For fourteen years, he shared that faith with suffering cellmates and gave them solace. In solitary confinement, he tapped out his message of hope and Christian love. In Room Four, the "death room", he helped dying patients even though his lungs were riddled with tuberculosis and his body lacerated and bloody from whips and kicks. Anguished over the fate of his wife and son, he could still tell jokes and stories to make despairing prisoners laugh. Sorely tempted by the promise of release and reprieve, he refused to become a Communist collaborator. And the miracle is that he survived. With humble gratitude to God and Christ, he tells his personal story. It¿s an inspiring drama of triumphant faith.

Author : Carl Lawrence
Publisher : Bethany House Pub
Page : 169 pages
File Size : 41,9 Mb
Release : 1985-01-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 0871238152

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The Church in China by Carl Lawrence Pdf