<p>This volume offers much needed theological reflection on the phenomenon of conversion and transformation. Gordon Smith provides a robust evaluation that covers the broad range of thinking about conversion across Christian traditions and addresses global contexts. Smith contends that both in the church and in discussions about contemporary mission, the language of conversion inherited from revivalism is inadequate in helping to navigate the questions that shape how we do church, how we approach faith formation, how evangelism is integrated into congregational life, and how we witness to the faith in non-Christian environments. We must rethink the nature of the church in light of how people actually come to faith in Christ. After drawing on ancient and pre-revivalist wisdom on conversion, Smith delineates the contours of conversion and Christian initiation for today's church. He concludes by discussing the art of spiritual autobiography and what it means to be a congregation.</p>

Transforming Conversion: Rethinking the Language and Contours of Christian Initiation

Religion & Spirituality

Gordon T. Smith

Christian Books & Bibles

Baker Academic

God calls us first to himself, to know and follow him, and also to a specific life purpose, a particular reason for being. This second call or "vocation" has implications not only for our work or occupation, but also includes our giftedness, our weaknesses, our life in community, and what we do day to day. In this book Gordon Smith invites you to discover your vocation by listening to God and becoming a coworker with him. What is my calling? How do I live it out in the midst of difficult relationships or moral challenges? Will my vocation change as I enter a new stage of life? With competing needs and demands, how can I craft a balanced way of living?

Courage and Calling

Audible Studios on Brilliance Audio

<p>All Christians yearn to live at the center of God's will. But how to discern his will is an art that eludes many of us. And the advice we get often conflicts. Some people tell us to look for a divine "blueprint" - the one perfect plan for our lives that we need to find. We are encouraged to search the Scriptures and hunt for signs, trying to uncover the map of our lives that God has drawn.Others have rejected the blueprint school of guidance in favor of the "wisdom school". With minds renewed by the teaching of Scripture, we are to develop the wisdom necessary to make smart choices. We are told not to expect that there is just one answer to God's will for every decision we face. Several are possible.The difficulty with both approaches, writes Gordon Smith, is that they minimize the presence and voice of God in times of choice. Instead, he argues for a third way. Smith suggests that we develop discernment as a spiritual discipline. By stressing the personal aspects of growing in our relationship with God, we can understand His will, not just in times of crisis but throughout our daily lives.This book provides no magic formulas, no recipes for guaranteed success - just insight, gleaned from centuries of lived Christian experience, that will guide and encourage you in the art of discerning God's will.</p>

Listening to God in Times of Choice

GuildAmerica Books

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Gordon T. Smith. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Gordon T. Smith

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Gordon T. Smith. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Transforming Conversion: Rethinking the Language and Contours of Christian Initiation

Courage and Calling

Listening to God in Times of Choice