George Barna

Frank Viola

Offering compelling historical evidence, the authors maintain that most of what Christians do in present-day churches is not rooted in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles.

Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices

Pagan Christianity?

Author Frank Viola gives readers language for all they knew was missing in their modern church experience. He believes that many of today's congregations have shifted from God's original intent for the church. As a prominent leader of the house church movement, Frank is at the forefront of a revolution sweeping through the body of Christ. A change that is challenging the spiritual status quo and redefining the very nature of church. A movement inspired by the divine design for authenticity community. A fresh concept rooted in ancient history and in God Himself. Join Frank as he shares God's original intent for the church, where the body of Christ is an organic, living, breathing organism. A church that is free of convention, formed by spiritual intimacy, and unbound by four walls.

Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity

Reimagining Church

pursuing the dream of organic Christianity

Reimagining church

Reclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom

Insurgence

The Origins of Our Modern Church Practices

Pagan Christianity

Unveiling the Purpose Behind Everything

God's Ultimate Passion

Epic Jesus

Leonard Sweet

Are you hungry to hear God’s voice, but don’t know how? Jesus Speaks teaches readers how to listen for the voice of Jesus and how you can grow in your ability to recognize and respond to his voice daily. While the Lord frequently speaks to us, we don’t really hear his voice until we recognize it. In Jesus Speaks, Sweet and Viola unpack the many ways the Lord speaks to his people today by exploring how the disciples interacted with the risen Jesus—from the Gospels to Revelation. They demystify the process in a warm, practical way, providing insights on how you can recognize the voice of Jesus in your own life. Separated into two sections, the first provides a big-picture look at how the resurrected Jesus spoke in the New Testament, while the second contains short, actionable chapters filled with scriptural quotes and references. Both sections work together to help you recognize and respond to the voice of Jesus in your everyday life. Readers will be able to: Gain a firm foundation in the scriptures, learning how Jesus spoke to his disciples Dispel myths and misinformation surrounding what it means to hear the voice of Jesus today Grow the ability to recognize God’s voice and learn how to respond Essential for Christians seeking to improve their relationship with Jesus, Jesus Speaks is the long-awaited third volume in the JESUS trilogy: Jesus Manifesto; Jesus: A Theography; and Jesus Speaks.

Learning to Recognize and Respond to the Lord's Voice

Jesus Speaks

The Practice of the New Testament Church

Rethinking The Wineskin

Jesus says, “The Scriptures point to me!” (John 5:39 NLT). But what does that mean exactly? The twenty-seven books of the New Testament are largely a commentary on the Old Testament, and each part of the Bible is a signpost to Jesus. Once this is properly understood, everything changes, including our own identities. In this magisterial work you will discover a Jesus who is larger, more glorious, and more challenging than most of us have ever imagined. Biographies of Jesus generally have been written by those trying to investigate the historical Jesus with little attention given to the grand narrative of Scripture. On the flip side, those interested in tracing the theology of Scripture are typically disinterested in historical Jesus studies. These two approaches have yet to converge...until now. Jesus is written for the average reader as well as scholars. Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola (authors of Jesus Manifesto) unfold the greatest story ever told in a fresh and invigorating way. So whether you are a seasoned Christian, a new believer, or someone who is intrigued by Jesus, this book unveils the discoveries of a lifetime, transforming the tired and familiar way we have read the Bible into an electrifying journey of rediscovering Christ. Introducing a new kind of Jesus biography. In this compelling work, authors Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola reclaim the entire Bible as a gripping narrative about Jesus Christ. Virtually every other “Jesus biography” begins with the nativity account in Bethlehem. In this groundbreaking book, Sweet and Viola begin before time, in the Triune God, and tell the complete interconnected story of Jesus from Genesis to Revelation. Jesus: A Theography is the first book ever written to combine historical Jesus studies with biblical theology, crafting together one breathtaking saga that tells the Jesus story in both Old and New Testaments. This flagship book demonstrates clearly that every bit of Scripture is part of the same stunning drama, what the authors refer to as the theography of Jesus Christ.

A Theography

Jesus

From the bestselling author of Reimagining Church comes an essential guide that provides practical, effective tools for finding vibrant Christian communities. Driven by a passion for the body of Christ, Frank Viola has written some of today's most authoritative and celebrated works on the growing home, organic, and missional church movements. Now Viola shares practical keys to a healthy and successful church plant. Viola contends that many congregations today are struggling to survive, not because of bad planning, but poor planting. He presents an essential guide for starting and nourishing organic churches in any culture. Drawing from both Scripture and a wealth of experience, Viola offers real-world tools, insights, and practical suggestions so churches won't just grow, but thrive.

A Comprehensive Guide to Starting and Sustaining Authentic Christian Communities

Finding Organic Church

ôSo that in everything He might have the supremacy.ö ùColossians 1:18 Christians have made the gospel about so many thingsùthings other than Christ. Religious concepts, ideas, doctrines, strategies, methods, techniques, formulas, "its" and "things" have all eclipsed the beauty, the glory, and the reality of the Lord Jesus Himself. On the whole, Christians today are starved for a real experience of the living Christ. We know a lot about our Lord, but we don't know Him very well. We know a lot about trying to be like Jesus, but very little about living by His indwelling life. JESUS MANIFESTO presents a fresh unveiling of Jesus as not only Savior and Lord, but as so much more. It is a prophetic call to restore the supremacy and sovereignty of Christ in a worldùand a churchùthat has lost sight of Him. Every revival and restoration in the church has been a rediscovery of some aspect of Christ in the process of answering the ultimate question that Jesus put to His disciples: "Who do you say that I am?" Read this book and see your Lord like you've never seen Him before.

Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ

Jesus Manifesto

When He came to earth, Jesus Christ was rejected in every quarter in which He stepped. The Creator was rejected by His own creation. “He came to His own and His own received Him not,” said John. For this reason, Jesus Christ had “no where to lay His head.” There was one exception, however. A little village just outside of Jerusalem named Bethany. Bethany was the only place on earth where Jesus was completely received. God’s Favorite Place on Earth is a retelling of Jesus’ many visits to Bethany and a relaying of the message it holds for us today. Frank Viola presents a beautifully crafted narrative from the viewpoint of Lazarus, one of the people who lived in Bethany with his two sisters. This incomparable story not only brings the Gospel narratives to life, but it addresses the struggle against doubt, discouragement, fear, guilt, rejection, and spiritual apathy that challenges countless Christians today. In profoundly moving prose, God’s Favorite Place on Earth will captivate your heart with its beauty, charm, and depth. In this book you will discover how to live as a “Bethany” in our world today, being set free to love and follow Jesus like never before.

God's Favorite Place on Earth

Mary DeMuth

Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ met face-to-face with people just like you. Broken, imperfect, sometimes fearful and without hope. The Day I Met Jesus is a beautifully crafted narrative that chronicles the remarkable encounters of five women in the Gospels who were desperate to find wholeness, security, and purpose. Like all of us, these women struggled with the regrets of their pasts, the stresses of their presents, and the worries of their tomorrows. Join Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth on a fascinating journey back in time as they retell the dramatic accounts of five women who met Jesus. Each narrative is told from each woman's unique perspective, yet tightly grounded in the Gospel accounts and faithful to first-century history. Elegantly written and profoundly stirring, this book blends creative narrative with uncommon insight, spiritual depth, and practical application. If you are someone who seeks a renewal of hope, faith, and love, The Day I Met Jesus will make your Bible come to life and usher you into a fresh encounter with your Lord.

The Revealing Diaries of Five Women from the Gospels

The Day I Met Jesus

Bestselling author Frank Viola writes a time-tested field guide to weathering the storms of life. Whether it's the loss of a job, a child who has gotten into serious trouble, a relationship that's in peril, or a loved one with a debilitating illness, at some point, something in our lives will strip us of all control. Life comes apart at the seams, and hope begins to evaporate. Hang On, Let Go was written from the pit of numerous soul-piercing adversities in Frank's own life. In this volume, he draws from the insights he gleaned from the Lord, friends, and writers during his darkest days. The wisdom contained in this volume became the bread and butter Frank relied on, helping him to be developed by his trials rather than destroyed by them. Each short chapter explores a different aspect of the storm: When You Need to Regrip, Walking in the Darkness, Abandoning Fix-It Mode, The Story in Our Head, Just Breathe, and much more. This book is about how to react to intense trials in your life with two seemingly contradictory impulses: hang on, let go. How is that possible? . . . Read on. Frank explores the how and the why in this highly practical, incisive, no-nonsense guidebook on how to thrive during the inevitable pitfalls of life.

What to Do When Your Dreams Are Shattered and Life Is Falling Apart

Hang On, Let Go

Every person follows a script for living, a life guide that directs our behavior and shapes our choices. As believers, we find the original script for living woven throughout the Bible. Yet while the Christian message is simple, it can become complicated by our environment, our culture, and our religious ideas and traditions. For this reason, we are all in constant need of revising the scripts by which we live. Author Frank Viola believes we need to revisit and revise what it means to live the Christian life. Drawing from his rich background in ministry, Viola examines ten key areas that impact every believer and explores fresh ways to revise them. Conversational, insightful, and practical, Revise Us Again encourages us to examine those religious habits that we unconsciously pick up from others and rescript them with new habits that line up with our new nature in Christ.

Living from a Renewed Christian Script

Revise Us Again

A fascinating look at what will increase spiritual power in your life and ministry. In 48 Laws of Spiritual Power, best-selling author Frank Viola lays out the unchanging principles of tapping into God's power and releasing it to serve others. These laws are based on over thirty years of ministry experience--trench-tested in Frank's life and the lives of others who have spent decades in ministry. Though these laws may seem counterintuitive and uncommon, they will equip you to look for God's power in your ministry. In short, digestible chapters packed with secrets of effective and impactful ministry, 48 Laws of Spiritual Power will equip you with what you need for your ministry to thrive. With straight-to-the-point insights, the book provides a unique perspective on God's work and practical tools for overcoming the inevitable hardships that are part of any ministry. 48 Laws of Spiritual Power will: Help you access God's power in your personal life and release it in the lives of others Introduce you to uncommon wisdom that is rarely talked about in seminary or Bible college Give you a fresh look at how to transform your ministry with the power God is ready to grant you The key to effective ministry is God's power.

Uncommon Wisdom for Greater Ministry Impact

48 Laws of Spiritual Power

During His ministry on earth, Jesus of Nazareth spent most of His time healing the sick, casting out demons, training disciples, teaching the people, and preaching the kingdom of God. But what is Jesus Christ doing today? What is His present-day ministry? In Jesus Now, bestselling author Frank Viola gives us the first comprehensive treatment of what Jesus has been doing since His ascension until His second coming. In an easy-to-read format, Viola explores the seven aspects of Christ's ministry today and shows how each one benefits the saved and the unsaved. Open these pages and discover what the Lord Jesus Christ is doing now and how it will impact your life.

Unveiling the Present-Day Ministry of Christ

Jesus Now

Have you ever wondered why we Christians do what we do for church every Sunday morning? Why do we “dress up” for church? Why does the pastor preach a sermon each week? Why do we have pews, steeples, and choirs? This ground-breaking book, now in affordable softcover, makes an unsettling proposal: most of what Christians do in present-day churches is rooted, not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Coauthors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence and extensive footnotes that document the origins of modern Christian church practices. In the process, the authors uncover the problems that emerge when the church functions more like a business organization than the living organism it was created to be. As you reconsider Christ's revolutionary plan for his church—to be the head of a fully functioning body in which all believers play an active role—you'll be challenged to decide whether you can ever do church the same way again.

Frank Viola

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