Must the church be either charismatic or sacramental? In this book, Terje Hegertun argues that she has the privilege of being both. The Day of Pentecost formed her identity and shaped her conviction of being lifted on the arms of grace and pushed forward by the power from on high. In the midst of her vulnerability and failure, the worldwide faith community is a composition of the Spirit. One of the greatest gifts the church may offer the world is simply to be church: a charismatic-sacramental fellowship, a dwelling place of God's Spirit. A church nurtured by graceful charismatic and sacramental gifts fosters a mature congregational spirituality distinguished by hospitable relations. Thus, the Spirit of God plays the main role of being the comprehensive principle of Christian unity across denominational lines.

The Holy Spirit is a sine qua non in the life of the church and in all Christian life and experience. The importance of the experiential and praxis-oriented theology of the Charismatic Renewal and Pentecostalism cannot be overemphasized in the realization of the potentials of a Spirit-animated church. In fact, Charismatic Renewal in the Nigerian Catholic Church is an essential part of the changing face of the Catholic Church in Nigeria. This work is, therefore, using Charismatic and Pentecostal theology and praxes to argue for the renewal of the Nigerian Catholic Church. It avers that the praxis-oriented and experiential theology of the Charismatics and Pentecostals, which characterize them as Spirit-filled groups and churches, are enabling the Nigerian Catholic Church to realize the potentials of a Spirit-driven church. It upholds that the Nigeria Catholic Church through the Nigerian Catholic Charismatic Renewal, which is an indispensable part of the changing face of the Catholic Church in Nigeria, has wittingly or unwittingly begun the renewal of her pneumatological, ecclesiological, and liturgical doctrines and practices in accord with those of a truly Spirit-animated church.

Small group resources tend to overlook the spiritual side of small group leadership. And yet most would agree that spiritual preparation is the most important aspect of leading a small group. Only God’s supernatural power can draw people to the truth and liberate them to be all that God wants them to be. Only through the Spirit’s power can we expect to see the miracles that Jesus talked about when He said that if we would abide in Him, we would bear much fruit and even do greater works than He did while He was on earth. The key distinction of this book is the spiritual perspective it gives to small group ministry. So much of the literature about small groups relates to small group technique and only touches briefly on the Spirit’s power. This book is a practical reference guide to help small group leadership begin to move in the supernatural realm. The book’s first priority is to help small group leaders and members trust the Holy Spirit to lead them, empower them and work in their group. Small group facilitators often sense a lack of guidance, power and spiritual authority. Jesus knew His disciples would be powerless without a touch from the Holy Spirit, and so He told them to wait in Jerusalem, saying, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Small group leaders need a power boost to make small group ministry relevant and exciting. The second priority of this book is to help the facilitator identify and mobilize each small group member to use his or her own spiritual gifts. Small group facilitators often feel ill-prepared to identify spiritual gifts of the people in the group. I firmly believe that the small group atmosphere is the perfect place to develop the gifts of the Spirit in each member’s life, and so it is essential that the facilitator know how to do this. Whatever denominational or non-denominational label a church wears, the most important characteristic, in my opinion, is promoting individual sensitivity, devotion and dependence on the Holy Spirit. In a Holy Spirit-charged atmosphere, cell leaders are best raised up and members are encouraged to minister in their giftedness. This book has been written for those who are leading (facilitating) a small group, participating in a small group or considering joining a small group. Group members should read this book for two particular reasons: First, members make a significant contribution to the life of the cell. Each member will be intimately involved in causing supernatural events to happen—using the gifts, intercession, etc. In the life of the group, no one is to sit back and do nothing. The best cell leaders, in fact, rarely “lead” the entire cell, instead encouraging cell members to participate actively. Second, members are the next in line to actually lead the small group. I am assuming that the readers of this book are believers who desire God and are seeking to walk in the Spirit. I am also assuming that those reading this book are studying the Bible and growing in their relationships with the Lord. There are many great books dedicated to defining each spiritual gift in detail. Many other authors cover gifts beyond the scope of this book, such as voluntary poverty, hospitality, celibacy, missions, exorcism, martyrdom, artistic creativity, craftsmanship and music. Rather than cover every possible gift, this book will focus on how the Spirit uses gifts in the small group context and guides the leader to facilitate a Spirit-filled group. Because this book is written to lay leadership rather than senior leaders of the Church, I will not cover in detail the five-fold offices that Paul mentioned in Ephesians 4.8 Instead, the gifts I will cover in this book are explicitly listed in Scripture (the one exception is intercessory prayer, which I call a spiritual gift although some would disagree).

Engaging, scholarly, and theologically honest, this introductory textbook will be welcomed by students and professors alike. What do we really know about Jesus and how do we know it? Jesus in the Gospels and Acts: Introducing the New Testament explores these questions from the perspective of the New Testament--specifically the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, as well as the extracanonical gospels. Using language and concepts considerate of a religiously diverse undergraduate audience, the author explores issues of authorship, historicity, culture, and theology. Features include: "Check Your Reading" questions check the students' basic comprehension. "Do You Have the Basics?" puzzles check for comprehension through crosswords, word finds, sequencing, and matching activities. "Questions for Reflection" challenge the students to think more deeply about the reading's meaning and the implications for us today. "This book focuses on the central figure of the Christian Scriptures: Jesus. Arguably, no other figure in history has had more influence in shaping many of the religious and cultural norms in the world today. Whether you belong to a specific faith tradition or none at all, possessing a working knowledge of Jesus and the Gospels is important for religious, historical, and cultural literacy." --from the author's introduction

This condensed version covers the first half of the book, including a five-point strategy for attracting and spiritually maturing the unchurched, and is read by the author, the pastor of Saddleback Church. Read by Rick Warren.

So many contemporary leadership philosophies, even within the church, are based on worldly examples of success. These methods force church leaders to become businesslike CEOs, dramatic visionaries, or savvy stategists abandoning their true calling as teachers. This book calls readers to be what the Bible empowers them to be, teachers who follow Christ's example of leading by serving, suffering, and sacrificing for the sake of others.