Fresh Encounters presents a new and different model for praying together that has seen results in churches across the United States. Put it into practice at your church, and watch the transforming power of Jesus Christ work through united, worship-based prayer.

Revised with nearly half of its material newly written, "Fresh Encounter" is a discussion of how God brings spiritual revival to individuals and the church.

Just One Encounter Will Redefine and Redirect Your Life Do you find yourself longing for a word or touch from God? For a moment of clarity in His presence? Do you wonder why the stories of divine encounters you read in the Bible don't happen in today’s world? In the age of information and man-made wonders, we’ve replaced a vibrant relationship with God with a stale religion about God. We’ve disconnected from His Presence—and our lives show it. Revealing not only how believers are called to divine encounters but also how we are created for them, bestselling authors and internationally respected pastors Paul Manwaring and Bill Johnson of Bethel Church point the way back to experiencing God, showing how true encounter is at the heart of the Christian faith—and how you can live a lifestyle marked, and supernaturally shaped, by God’s presence. Through biblically-grounded teaching, Spirit-inspired wisdom, and uplifting encouragement, this modern-day classic helps you recapture the passion and power of the early church, empowering you to: Cultivate a vibrant relationship with the very real Person of God. Position yourself to experience true encounters with the Holy Spirit. Discern when these powerful moments are occurring. Discover the purpose each encounter plays in your life. Recognize encounters as signs of confirmation. Turn your Bible reading into personal experience. Fill your heart with divine delight in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Leave behind the stagnant religion of this age and run with reckless abandon back to the One who transforms you with His presence and then transforms the world through you.

A broad, definitive history of the profound relationship between religion and movements for social change in America Though in recent years the religious right has been a powerful political force, making “religion” and “conservatism” synonymous in the minds of many, the United States has always had an active, vibrant, and influential religious Left. In every period of our history, people of faith have envisioned a society of peace and justice, and their tireless efforts have made an indelible mark on our nation’s history. In Prophetic Encounters, Dan McKanan challenges simple distinctions between “religious” and “secular” activism, showing that religious beliefs and practices have been integral to every movement promoting liberty, equality, and solidarity. From Frederick Douglass, John Brown, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton in the nineteenth century to Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King Jr., and Starhawk in the twentieth, American radicals have maintained a deep faith in the human capacity to transform the world. This radical faith has always been intertwined with the religious practices of Christians and Jews, pagans and Buddhists, orthodox believers and humanist heretics. Their vision and energies powered the social movements that have defined America’s progress: the abolition of slavery, feminism, the New Deal, civil rights, and others. In this groundbreaking, definitive work, McKanan treats the histories of religion and the Left as a single history, showing that American radicalism is a continuous tradition rather than a collection of disparate movements. Emphasizing the power of encounter—encounters between whites and former slaves, between the middle classes and the immigrant masses, and among activists themselves—McKanan shows that the coming together of people of different perspectives and beliefs has been transformative for centuries, uniting those whose faith is a source of activist commitment with those whose activism is a source of faith. Offering a history of the diverse religious dimensions of radical movements from the American Revolution to the present day, Prophetic Encounters invites contemporary activists to stand proudly in a tradition of prophetic power.

Step into the remarkable world of an individual who touched the boundaries of heaven and earth. "Heavenly Encounters: Extraordinary Journeys of Faith" invites you on a captivating exploration of a life and ministry that transcends time and belief. In these pages, you'll embark on an incredible journey guided by profound spiritual experiences and divine revelations. Although you may not have met this extraordinary person personally, their remarkable life will spark your imagination and deepen your understanding of faith and the supernatural. This book unveils a testament to the astonishing power of visions and revelations, central to their ministry. Discover how these heavenly encounters fueled their unyielding determination to impact countless lives. Through their own writings, gain unique insights into their world—a realm where visions unlocked destinies and foreign languages flowed as tangible evidence of divine intervention. In the face of skepticism and ridicule, they continued to minister with unwavering faith. "Heavenly Encounters: Extraordinary Journeys of Faith" chronicles encounters with challenging crowds, notably in St. Louis, MO, where hostility met God's transforming presence. Experience moments when the most resistant hearts succumbed to the overwhelming power of divine encounters. Revel in the vivid recreation of the atmosphere at their meetings, where God's presence enveloped the room, leaving an indelible mark on all who were present. These encounters led to deliverance, miraculous healings, and profound transformations. As the church embraces an era of prophetic ministry, their legacy shines as a beacon of authenticity and purity. Their life and ministry serve as a reminder of the importance of discerning the fruit of encounters with the heavenly realm. Prepare to be inspired and uplifted as you journey through the extraordinary life and ministry of this remarkable individual. "Heavenly Encounters: Extraordinary Journeys of Faith" offers a compelling testament to the reality of the supernatural and a call to embrace the era of prophetic ministry within the church. Experience the power of genuine encounters with the third heaven and discover how these life-changing experiences can shape your own journey of faith. This book is an essential read for those seeking a deeper connection with the divine and a genuine encounter with the miraculous.

One of the greatest spiritual battles right now is over perspective--the way you see possibilities, limitations, and what God is doing. This book will help you encounter God in such a way that you are able to walk in His original design for you, which is to not only commune with Him through conversation but to be aligned with His mind. When you share His thoughts and perceptions, you will be able to live the abundant, supernatural, super-empowered life God desires for you. Humans are unique in that we were not just made in the image of God; we reflect His very nature. If we understood our spiritual, neurological, psychological, and even physical connection to God, we could bring solutions to every problem humanity faces--and many would be practical, even scientific, solutions. In this book, Shawn Bolz shares a series of rich, divine encounters that have defined his spiritual perspective so others can be released into new ways of thinking and experience an expansion of their spiritual intelligence. To walk with God, you need to know not only His heart but also His mind. As believers, we were designed to commune with God, sharing not only conversation with Him but also His thoughts and perceptions--to know His mind through His Spirit. When Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the day, they didn't always need the verbal communication that so limits humanity today. They had inner communication from their connectedness. This is the kind of connectedness Solomon, Joseph, Daniel, Esther, and the apostle Paul experienced, and this is what God wants to restore to His people today. This book will help readers gain a fresh vision of their faith so they can walk out their spirituality exactly as God intended and take their place in the coming move of God.

Testing Fresh Expressions investigates whether fresh expressions of church really do what is claimed for them by the fresh expressions movement and, in particular, whether their unique approach helps to reverse trends of decline experienced by traditional churches. Part 1 examines those claims and untangles their sociological and theological assumptions. From a careful study of factors underlying attendance decline and growth, Part 2 argues that long-term decline can be resisted only if churches are better able to attract children, the non-churched or both. Part 3 tests the comparative ability of a group of growing parish churches and a group of fresh expressions to resist trends of decline and discovers some intriguing social dynamics common to both groups. Part 4 argues that fresh expressions do not fulfil the unique role often claimed for them but that they do have the capacity to help reinvigorate the whole church.

The Damascus road encounter between Jesus and Paul is foundational to understanding the early development of Christology, and, indeed, Christianity, since it is the first appearance of the post-ascension Jesus contained in the earliest Christian literature. This study examines the encounter as it is described in Paul's epistles and the book of Acts. Since Paul interprets his experience within the Jewish tradition, this study begins with a survey of epiphany texts in the Old Testament and other ancient Jewish literature. This reveals two new categories for appearances of God, angels, and other heavenly beings: Divine Initiative and Divine Response. This survey also finds two distinct patterns of characterization for God and other heavenly beings. These findings are then applied to Paul's accounts of his Damascus road encounter. Paul depicts the encounter as a Divine Initiative epiphany. This conclusion is significant, since it argues against the current view that the encounter was a merkabah vision. Paul's Christology in the Damascus road encounter is also significant, since Jesus is characterized as divine. Such divine characterization is not typical for heavenly beings in first-century CE epiphany texts. Thus, a high Pauline Christology appears to be present at a very early point. The three accounts of the Damascus road encounter in Acts also fit the pattern of Divine Initiative--not merkabah--and exhibit the high Christology of Paul's accounts. In fact, the three accounts in Acts are shown to form an intentionally increasing sequence culminating in the revelation that Paul was called to be an apostle by Jesus himself on the Damascus road.

There are the general purposes of God and the distinct purposes of God that He entrusts to specific individuals, groups of individuals, communities, and even to a Spiritual Movement. Both kinds of callings are documented in the Scriptures and all serve the economy of God’s purposes. To Zach Fomum and those that God called along with him, a distinct economy of the Gospel was entrusted that translated into a clear goal. The pursuance of that goal through obedience to God’s specific instructions has gradually clarified the will of God and the means of accomplishing His purposes. God’s will, God’s ways, our responsibility, who we must be, what we must do to please God, and accomplish our goal, are presented here as constituting our ministry. This is written for all who are part of our ministry, and for all who will be part of this ministry, so that we may serve in the same spirit for the same purpose and, by accomplishing the goal, bring glory to our Lord Jesus. God bless you.