When Faith Turns Ugly Understanding Toxic Faith And How To Avoid It

Download or read book When Faith Turns Ugly: Understanding Toxic Faith and How to Avoid It written by Brian Harris and published by Authentic Media Inc. This book was released on 2016-04-01 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following the huge success of The Tortoise Usually Wins, 2012, and The Big Picture, 2015, in When Faith Turns Ugly Brian Harris explores why the Christian faith sometimes wears two masks - usually life-serving and transforming, but occasionally escapist, illusionary and even poisonous. What are the warning signs that faith is at risk of turning toxic? What do we mean by the conviction that the gospel liberates? Brian Harris' take on what constitutes life-serving faith is refreshing and will be appreciated by all who would like to be sure that their obedience to Jesus the Christ will help to build a world with a better name.

Download or read book Theological Education written by Andrew M. Bain and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2018-01-08 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume draws upon historical and theological sources and empirical research to provide a unique and diverse perspective on theological education in the twenty-first century. The volume develops and promulgates the best thinking about theological education by drawing upon the breadth of expertise represented by the faculty of colleges within the Australian College of Theology. This volume not only produces crucial insights for the future of theological education around the world but gives the Australian theological sector a voice to make its own unique contribution to the global dialogue about theological education.

Download or read book Toxic Faith written by Stephen Arterburn and published by Shaw Books. This book was released on 2011-04-13 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Experiencing Healing from Painful Spiritual Abuse When religion becomes a means to avoid or control life, it becomes toxic. Those who possess a toxic faith have stepped across the line from a balanced perspective of God to an unbalanced faith in a weak, powerless or uncaring God. They seek a God to fix every mess, prevent every hurt, and mend every conflict. Toxic Faith distinguishes between a healthy faith and a misguided religiosity that traps believers in an addictive practice of religion. It shows how unbalanced ministries, misguided churches, and unscrupulous leaders can lead their followers away from God and into a desolate experience of religion that drives many to despair. Toxic Faith shows readers how to find hope for a return to genuine, healthy faith that can add meaning to life. In the words of the author, “I want to help you throw out that toxic faith and bring you back to the real thing.”

Download or read book I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die written by Sarah J. Robinson and published by WaterBrook. This book was released on 2021-05-11 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.

Download or read book Blessed written by Kate Bowler and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2013 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gospels -- Faith -- Wealth -- Health -- Victory -- American blessing -- Megachurch table -- Naming names.

Download or read book The Big Picture written by Brian Harris and published by Authentic Media Inc. This book was released on 2015-04-03 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is an accessible exploration of the big building blocks of the Christian faith, differentiating between the important contours of a Christian worldview and secondary concerns imposed by culture and tradition. "Skilfully bringing together biblically-informed theology and the everyday world, Brian Harris unpacks themes of grace, creation and Christian hope in an engaging conversational manner. The result is a book that empowers us to live out our faith wherever we are." Stephen Garner, Laidlaw College, Auckland, New Zealand.

Download or read book The Tortoise Usually Wins written by Brian Harris and published by Authentic Media Inc. This book was released on 2013-04-05 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Tortoise Usually Wins is a delightful exploration of the theory of quiet leadership. Written for reluctant leaders, it interacts with three key biblical images of leadership - the leader as servant, shepherd and steward - and links them with some of the key virtues of quiet leadership - modesty, restraint, tenacity, interdependence and other-centeredness. Exploding the myth that the good is the enemy of the best, it argues that the reverse is more often true, with images of unattainable perfection crippling competent people from getting on with the task of doing genuinely good things. The book strips leadership of some of its mystique, arguing that the bulk of leadership is about helping groups decide the right things to do and then getting on and doing them in an atmosphere that brings the best out of others. Brian Harris is the principal of a highly regarded theological seminary and also pastors a thriving local church, so the book carries the wisdom of both professor and pastor, satisfying the reader both intellectually and practically. These insights are supplemented by interviews with significant quiet leaders from around the world, ensuring a rich feast for prospective and current reluctant leaders. 'Books on leadership are today two a penny. Just occasionally, however, one of these books might stand head and shoulders above most of the others, and to my delight The Tortoise Usually Wins falls into that category. Furthermore, so many books on leadership are written for natural leaders; whereas, as the author makes clear, most churches are led by "quiet leaders" who know they are not great, but nonetheless, are "tenacious and committed to the task and willing to work co-operatively with others to achieve it". I can see many church leaders benefitting from this book. I warmly commend this unusual book.' Paul Beasley-Murray, Senior Minister, Central Baptist Church, Chelmsford; Chair of Ministry Today UK