Showing results by narrator "John Behrens" in All Categories

The adventurous and gifted Samson—whose story is told in four chapters of the book of Judges—never had the intention of fighting against God. He was just a fun-loving guy looking for a good time. Like so many strong men today, he didn’t think his sin was any big deal. But it's clear as you hear his story that the older he got, the more sin held him in its grip. The Samson Syndrome is a set of twelve tendencies or challenges that strong men will always face.

This book is an insider's critique of the evangelicals' misuse of the Bible. By revealing evangelical distortions of the Bible, this book seeks to restore the dignity of the Christian faith and to renew public interest in Jesus, while calling evangelicals back to his teaching.

From conservation to protecting endangered species to sustainable living, A Christian's Guide to Planet Earth offers a faith-based framework for viewing our responsibility to the natural world as well as practical, biblical ways we can care for the magnificent creation around us. Drawing on science and Scripture, this hope-filled and listener-friendly guide helps us navigate questions about caring for and respecting God's world.

Jefferson Bethke gives husbands 31 specific tips for strengthening and deepening their marriage relationship. Each day, listeners find a new suggestion for encouraging and loving their wives. Topics include serving each other, offering forgiveness, laughing together, praying for one another, affirming each other through words, and even making a favorite snack. From serious to lighthearted, each tip challenges listeners to make their marriage a priority and reminds them of the importance of a healthy, vibrant relationship.

Are you looking for a way to strengthen and cultivate your faith? The Weekly Faith Project is a 52-week guided faith journal that offers a life-changing journey through reflection prompts and inviting questions to guide you into a deeper relationship with God.

We celebrate when wrongdoers are shamed and cringe at shamelessness in public figures yet too often suffer with our own private burden of shame. What are we to make of this powerful, confounding emotion? Is shame good or bad? In For Shame, author Gregg Ten Elshof brings clarity to shame and rediscovers the unexpected virtues hidden within it.

When it comes to interacting with guests, churches typically gravitate toward one of two camps: the over-the-top, shock-and-awe, let-us-entertain-you approach or the oh-man, some-people-just-showed-up underwhelming experience. Each extreme has drawbacks: On one end, people become the center of the universe. On the other, hospitality is effectively ignored in deference to the "serious business" of worship. People Are the Mission proposes a healthy middle, one where guests are esteemed but the gospel is the goal. 

Do you want to reignite your passion for the local church and see your congregation live out the Great Commission by growing and making disciples? If so, implementing the revolutionary Intentional Growth Planning™ operating system will benefit you, your church, and your community! Just as laptops and smart phones have an operating system, the church needs a biblically based operating system where its various programs and activities can effectively plug in to.

For those suffering from early-stage Alzheimer's, for their friends and family, community and church, this book will help you understand the disease itself, how to love and care for those affected by it, and how to see the hope that's greater than it: we may forget, but God always remembers. With pastoral tenderness and gospel confidence, Dr. Benjamin Mast shares his expertise on the subject and displays the power of the gospel that remains intact even when memory fades.

Jesus cannot be dismissed as one in a long line of religious gurus peddling peace, fulfillment, and a better version of yourself. You Don’t Get Your Own Personal Jesus, excerpted from J.D. Greear’s book Not God Enough, captures the liberating truth that God is exactly who he says he is. God is not just a slightly better, slightly smarter version of you. He is infinite and glorious, and an encounter with him won’t just change the way you think about your faith. It will change your entire life.

Moving from Kuwait to Charleston, South Carolina, had been an adventure. Surrendering his life to Jesus Christ was actual treason. And yet, Jesus brought Fazal the most powerful peace he had ever experienced: “It filled the room. It grew roots in my heart and in my soul. It intoxicated me.” In this riveting memoir, Fazal describes how God used extraordinary means to bring a young, underachieving, Muslim immigrant through Desert Storm, across the oceans, into college, and ultimately to pastor a Christian church in North Carolina.

Psychologist, father, and blogger Kelly Flanagan is best known for the beloved letters he writes to his children. Tenderly crafted, Loveable comes across like an extended love letter to the listener, who is all too ready to hear three essential truths: you are enough, you are not alone, and you matter.

Many believers accept traditional Christian sexual morality but have very little idea why it matters for the Christian life. In Faithful, author Beth Felker Jones sketches a theology of sexuality that demonstrates sex is not about legalistic morals with no basis in reality, but rather about the God who is faithful to us.

In Mere Sexuality, author and pastor Todd Wilson presents the historic Christian consensus about human sexuality, the Great Tradition of the church for centuries as taught in each of its major expressions—Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant. Wilson highlights the stunning shift of opinion on issues of sexuality in the evangelical church and why this break with the historic church is problematic for the future of Christianity.

Are you ready for a project that will actually change your life? The Weekly Prayer Project is a 52-week guided prayer journal that explores different types of prayers found in the Bible, with journaling prompts that guide you to reflect on God's work in your life and to pray with intention. This yearly prayer journal focuses on prayers of gratitude and thankfulness to prayers of lament and intercession.

Turn debilitating stress into remarkable strength through proven resilience routines taught by a critical incident instructor and first responder leader. Transform your personal and professional life with insights gained from some of the most stressful professions you can imagine.

At some point in our lives, we all hear some version of "You can't do it". When that influential voice (whether outside or inside you) tells you why you can't - maybe that's the perfect reason why you can. At 27, actor, viral YouTuber, and one of the top former Vine stars Marcus Johns wants to shift our perspective on the resistance and obstacles that discourage our most powerful contributions.

To overcome the radically different challenges of inequity, division, and scarcity of resources that will only increase in the future, the most successful and valuable leaders are those with the traits to be rebuilders. Taking Charge of Change is written for anyone seeking to be the driver of real change and an integral part of rebuilding the structures and foundations of American communities and companies throughout the decade ahead.

Many of us are tired, stressed, and overworked. When we look for help, we find suggestions designed to maximize our lives even further. The Good News of Our Limits offers a better solution: embracing our God-given limitations and learning to accomplish fewer, more significant things, and in the process find greater peace, joy, and effectiveness.

In this updated version of As a Gentleman Would Say, John Bridges and Bryan Curtis offer simple reminders and new ideas for any man who is eager to navigate the obstacle course of his own words.