Fixing Church 7.0: A Seven Week Study

Religion & Spirituality

Kemp, Bill

Christian Books & Bibles

Not Perfect Yet Publishing

Where's Mary? Perhaps, she is chasing demons. In the village of Bethany she is known as stable Martha’s crazy sister. Calm one moment, and driven to spiritual flights the next, Mary is on a mission. In nearby Jerusalem a plot is afoot to kill both Jesus and Mary’s brother, Lazarus. When a feast is given to honor Jesus for raising Lazarus from the dead, Mary dances in and pours a pound of expensive perfume upon Jesus’s head. Has she gone mad, again? Jesus healed my soul, Mary would say. But, he didn’t take my visions. Mary sees all.The next day, Mary shaves off her hair. She gathers up the clippings and runs to Jerusalem so that she can throw them at Jesus. He only smiles and sends her home again. A few days later, she has the most frightening vision. Courageous Mary leads her family in a race to save Jesus from the cross. But, his followers are scattered. Each must follow their own path. Her pragmatic sister Martha’s approach to the Jesus problem involves a stout club and a bribe. Her brother Lazarus moves more deliberately, still recovering from recently being dead. Lazarus needs doubting Thomas to help him save Jesus.And then there is Judas Iscariot, with the long black hair. Mary is not alone in finding him attractive. Judas thinks he can deal with deceitful Caiaphas. But, how will Mary deal with Judas?Mary Sees All: The race to save Jesus from the Cross, is the first in a series of fast paced Christian novels set in the middle east during the first century. The little village of Bethany, near Jerusalem, is home to Martha, the pragmatic clan leader, Mary, the wandering mystic, and Lazarus, who as a zealous teenager had trained to be a terrorist. The books also introduce us to Mark, the African born refugee who witnesses the growth and struggles of the first Christians, and in time writes a best selling account of Jesus’s life. Thoroughly researched, this new telling of the passion story illuminates the historical events and social customs that make this time period so fascinating. Bill Kemp avoids cliches, church-talk, and dogmatic interpretations. He doesn’t expect the reader to know the Bible or even to be religious. Adventurous and surprising, this dramatic novel introduces the reader to a diversity of characters, as well as, to the rarely mentioned secret that Jesus’s first followers weren’t always in agreement about him. As a story teller, Bill seeks to follow in the footsteps of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Mary Sees All: The Race to Save Jesus from the Cross (Bethany's People)

Literature & Fiction

Genre Fiction

Help! My Church is Leaving Me enables United Methodist church members and leaders become both informed and intentional in their actions regarding LBGTQ concerns.This book takes the reader behind the scenes of the LGBTQ debate in the United Methodist Church. It teaches spiritual discernment, listening skills, and small group process while encouraging the differing sides of the issue to rediscover their unity in Christ. Designed to be understood by laity, the book recounts how we got here, what we value, and how each local church's decisions about this social issue impacts their ongoing mission and ministry. It also addresses the more advanced subject of what to do next if we are not comfortable with where the denomination is heading.Help! My Church is Leaving Me, was completed shortly after the Special 2019 General Conference of the United Methodist Church. The concept has been to provide a timely tool box, so that congregations and clergy persons can begin to plan their next steps. Each of the five authors brings a particular expertise to the project, as well as a commitment to present their part with clarity, balance, and integrity. The book lends itself to small group study, with discussion questions highlighting the nine short chapters. Relevant cartoons, illustrations, quotations, and references for further reading are also provided. Further, updates will be provided quarterly as the denomination continues to adapt to its future. Additional resources are available at www.notperfectyet.com.

Help! My Church is Leaving Me: Adapting to a Changing UMC

Moore, Kathy

Coats, Darrell

Fort, Joe

Grace, Roger

Mary has left her chores. Perhaps, she is chasing demons. In the village of Bethany she is known as stable Martha's crazy sister. Calm one moment, and driven to flights of fancy the next, Mary is on a mission. In nearby Jerusalem a plot is afoot to kill both Jesus and Mary's brother, Lazarus. When a feast is given to honor Jesus for raising Lazarus from the dead, Mary dances in and pours a pound of expensive perfume upon Jesus's head. Has she gone mad, again? Jesus healed my soul, Mary would say. But, he didn't take away my visions. Mary sees all. The next day, Mary shaves off her hair. She gathers up the clippings and runs to Jerusalem so that she can throw them at Jesus. He only smiles and sends her home again. A few days later, she has the most frightening vision. Courageous Mary leads her family in a race to save Jesus from the cross. But, his followers are scattered, each following their own path. Her pragmatic sister Martha's approach to the Jesus problem involves a stout club and a bribe. Her brother Lazarus moves more deliberately, still recovering from recently being dead. Lazarus needs doubting Thomas to help him save Jesus. And then there is Judas Iscariot, with the long black hair. Mary is not alone in finding him attractive. Judas thinks he can deal with deceitful Caiaphas. But, how will Mary deal with Judas? Mary Sees All: The race to save Jesus from the Cross, is the first in a series of fast paced Christian novels set in the middle east during the first century. The little village of Bethany, near Jerusalem, is home to Martha, the pragmatic clan leader, Mary, the wandering mystic, and Lazarus, who as a zealous teenager had trained to be a terrorist. The books also introduce us to Mark, the African born refugee who witnesses the growth and struggles of the first Christians, and in time writes a best selling account of Jesus's life. Thoroughly researched, this new telling of the passion story illuminates the historical events and social customs that make this time period so fascinating. Bill Kemp avoids cliches, church-talk, and dogmatic interpretations. He doesn't expect the reader to know the Bible or even to be religious. Adventurous and surprising, this dramatic novel introduces the reader to a diversity of characters, as well as, to the rarely mentioned secret that Jesus's first followers weren't always in agreement about him. As a story teller, Bill seeks to follow in the footsteps of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. The Bethany's People historical fiction series will also include, Book 2: Martha Finds Rest telling the story of the early church, Book 3: Lazarus Dies First a prequel about the mad Herodian kings and the Zealots that opposed them, and Book 4: Mark Goes Everywhere which recounts the rarely told story of how Christianity came to North Africa. The author believes that bringing Jesus's relationships, actions, and teachings, into sharp focus against the backdrop of that distant era, can help any reader, no matter what their spiritual background, discover a deeper and more authentic understanding of God's grace and how we ought to live.

Martha Finds Rest: An Easter Story (Bethany's People)

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