In our age when the church can too often seem like a poor copy of the world, Chad Bird challenges us to reclaim the astounding originality of our ancient, backward faith. Where the world stresses the importance of success, Bird invites readers to embrace nine specific failures in the areas of our personal lives, our relationships, and the church. Why? Because what human wisdom deems indispensable is so often an impediment to our spiritual growth, and what it deems insignificant is so often essential to it. With compelling examples from the Bible and today, Bird paints an enticing picture of the counterintuitive, countercultural life that God wants for us. He helps readers delight in all of the ways that Jesus turned the world upside-down, allowing us to experience true freedom, not from our weaknesses but in the midst of them.

It's Time to Turn the Tides of Evil The enemy is hard at work sowing suffering, corruption, depravity, and despair around the world. Each day you see his handiwork touted in the headlines and infecting the lives of the people around you. And each day your desperation for God to move—and your feelings of helpless insignificance—grow. But God has a plan, a secret weapon against the onslaught of evil: You. Having traveled the world over as both a pastor and a global humanitarian leader, Sarah Bowling has seen evil defeated firsthand by ordinary, everyday people surrendered and submitted to Christ. In How to Keep Your Faith in an Upside-Down World, Sarah emboldens you to do just that: transform your community through the love and power of Jesus, confronting the evil around you and igniting a revolution that echoes into eternity. Through profound biblical truth, her own experiences, and modern and historical examples, Sarah equips you to: Overflow with courage Step into significance Live with passion and power Recapture hope Impact and inspire change around you No one in the Kingdom is too insignificant to be used for His glory. This present darkness only has power if you stay silent. It’s time to stand up, speak out, and become the revolutionary force of change that turns the tide of evil in your land.

Over the centuries, people have been turned off by Christianity because of its role in institutionalized religion. What if the person of Jesus could be separated from two thousand years of horrendous acts committed by people who say they follow Him? What impact would that have on a society that is increasingly global-minded, cynical, and post-Christian? Fábio Muniz was raised in Brazil and has spent years in Canada, Spain, the U.S. and Japan. Learn from his experience with atheists, agnostics and people burned out on religion around the world as he demystifies one of the most controversial people of all time. By living out our lives as the people we were created to be, we can allow evangelism to happen organically. Read this book to see why Jesus was not the founder of Christianity, how our life is our mission and our mission is our life, the reason our lives should never be compartmentalized, and why it's not always necessary to talk about the Old Testament when talking about the historical person of Jesus Christ.

The Upside-Down Kingdom calls readers to imagine and embody the reign of God on earth as it is in heaven. Since its publication in 1978, The Upside-Down Kingdom won the National Religious Book Award and has become the most trusted resource on radical Christian discipleship. In this completely updated anniversary edition, author Donald B. Kraybill asks: What does it mean to follow the Christ who traded victory and power for hanging out with the poor and forgiving his enemies? How did a man in first-century Palestine threaten the established order, and what does that mean for us today? Jesus turned expectations upside down. The kingdom of God is still full of surprises. Are you ready? Free downloadable study guide available here.

A valuable new companion journal for the best-selling Falling Upward In Falling Upward, Fr. Richard Rohr seeks to help readers understand the tasks of the two halves of life and to show them that those who have fallen, failed, or "gone down" are the only ones who understand "up." The Companion Journal helps those who have (and those who have not) read Falling Upward to engage more deeply with the questions the book raises. Using a blend of quotes, questions for individual and group reflection, stories, and suggestions for spiritual practices, it provides a wise guide for deepening the spiritual journey. . . at any time of life. Explains why the second half of life can and should be full of spiritual richness Offers tools for spiritual growth and greater understanding of the ideas in Falling Upward Richard Rohr is a regular contributing writer for Sojourners and Tikkun magazines This important companion to Falling Upward is an excellent tool for exploring the counterintuitive messages of how we grow spiritually.

"Upside-Down Zen" invites readers to explore the vivid spirit of Zen Buddhism in fresh ways. Recalling, in another vein, the warm, lyrical style of Lin Jensen's "Bad Dog!, " author Susan Murphy offers a multifaceted take on the spiritual, grounded in the everyday. She uses her skills as storyteller, filmmaker, and poet to uncover the connections between Zen and Western cinema, as well as between Zen and traditions as diverse as Australian aboriginal beliefs and Jewish folktales. In the process, she finds spirituality where it has always belonged -- wherever life is happening. Murphy helps readers make sense of Zen koans, the often oversimplified and misunderstood teaching stories of the tradition, and highlights their wisdom for any reader on the spiritual path. A strong new voice in Western Buddhism, Murphy speaks for the many "unrecorded" women of Zen while bringing a lively, literate approach to a sometimes daunting genre.