Social Ministry

Pro-life Christians, take heart: the pro-life message can compete in the marketplace of ideas - provided Christians properly understand and articulate that message. Too many Christians do not understand the essential truths of the pro-life position, making it difficult for them to articulate a biblical worldview on issues like abortion, cloning, and embryo research. The Case for Life provides intellectual grounding for the pro-life convictions that most evangelicals hold.

Pornography is powerful. Our contemporary culture as been pornified, and it shapes our assumptions about identity, sexuality, the value of women and the nature of relationships. Countless Christian men struggle with the addictive power of porn. But common spiritual approaches of more prayer and accountability groups are often of limited help.

Is a fetus a person? Is “pro-choice” a neutral position? For 40 years since the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, the abortion debate has been highly charged and politicized. Questions like these have become the common language of the public dialogue on this issue. In Compelling Interest, Roger Resler draws on original sources, including the actual transcripts, the majority and minority opinions, and comments by the lawyers and others involved to take a careful look at the real story.

Many of us recognize the declining influence of the church today. And while we may be interested in doing something to reverse the trend, few of us realize we are part of the problem - especially when we engage the culture in ways that prevent the joy of God from being seen. Greg Forster comes to our aid by first laying out the historical factors that have contributed to the church’s loss of influence in our society today. He then explores the significance of foundational practices such as preaching, worship, and discipleship.

From age-defying makeup to the latest diet fad, our culture continually tells women they need to have a flawless face and a supermodel figure. Exposing the lie of physical perfection for what it really is, True Beauty directs women to the truth of God’s Word, which proclaims an entirely different - and refreshingly liberating - standard for beauty. Carolyn Mahaney and her daughter Nicole Whitacre set forth a path to freedom from the false idols that society, the Devil, and the human heart have created.

Rob Bell's book, Love Wins, has generated a national conversation about ultimate issues, such as the nature of hell, heaven, and the ultimate destiny of humankind. Yet, the book has also created unnecessary confusion. God Wins is a response to the provocative questions Love Wins has raised. In God Wins, Mark Galli explores the important questions that are left unasked and the issues left uncharted.

Activists Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove show how prayer and action must go together. Their exposition of key Bible passages provides concrete examples of how a life of prayer fuels social engagement and the work of justice. Phrases like "give us this day our daily bread" and "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" take on new meaning when applied to feeding the hungry or advocating for international debt relief.

Lincoln led America through one of the most tumultuous times in our nation's history. Listening to his words today, it is clear we still have much to learn concerning what it means to be on God's side. Bestselling author, public theologian, and leading Christian activist Jim Wallis speaks directly into our current context, revealing the spiritual compass we need to effect lasting change in our society. He explains how the good news of Jesus transforms not only our individual lives but also our public lives.

Former Time magazine Jerusalem bureau chief Aikman takes a sober, balanced look at the Middle East, issuing a challenge to take a uniquely Christian approach to the Middle East rather than religious crusading.

No one signs up for the challenges of life, but in the real world, heartache is inevitable. We all want to live happily ever after. As Donna tells stories from her own life, you'll recognize your life, your struggles and broken dreams. She examines issues common to all women. If you're ready to discover a new approach to life--an approach that promises hope and healing--then This Isn't the Life I Signed Up For is for you.

As the culture changes all around us, it is no longer possible to pretend that we are a moral majority. That may be bad news for America, but it can be good news for the church. What's needed now, in shifting times, is neither a doubling down on the status quo nor a pullback into isolation. Instead we need a church that speaks to social and political issues with a bigger vision in mind: that of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Bible is unambiguously clear about marriage's definition and purpose. So, Christians are for marriage. The Bible's witness on marriage doesn't allow for same-sex marriage, not because the Bible gives attention to same-sex marriage, but because the biblical narrative on marriage doesn't conceive of same-sex marriage as within the realm of possibility. Yet, many Christians live among neighbors and under law-makers who disagree. So, what now?

It's difficult to hear the growing daily reports of evil in our society without a degree of fear. Seen from a human perspective, things appear hopeless. But as we consider the spiritual perspective of those same events, we can - and will - see what purpose those struggles serve in God's plan. In this book, pastor and author Phil Hotsenpiller will help you begin to connect the dots between biblical prophecies about lawlessness with current events.

A gifted communicator gives practical and biblical guidance to women of all ages in how to choose their words wisely and use their influence for the good of others. Women have a way with words. A woman’s strength, influence, and ability to change the world for better—in every season and in every relationship—lies in the words she speaks each day. But with that God-given power comes the need to use it wisely, and this book provides both biblical and practical guidance to that end.

An NFL tight end for the New Orleans Saints and a widely read and followed commentator on social media, Watson has taken the Internet by storm with his remarkable insights about some of the most sensitive and charged topics of our day. Now, in Under Our Skin, Watson draws from his own life, his family legacy, and his role as a father to sensitively and honestly examine both sides of the race debate and appeal to the power and possibility of faith as a step toward healing.

As director of the world's largest abortion clinic and the nation's most prominent abortionist, Dr. Bernard Nathanson presided over 60,000 abortions. As co-founder of the National Abortion Rights Action League, he helped make abortion legal. Then, in a conversion that made headkines and astonished both sides of the abortion debate, he renounced his profession to become a pro-life advocate. But Dr. Nathanson's journey was not over.

Preston Sprinkle jumps into a compelling, passionate study of God’s perspective on violence. Examining both the seemingly angry, violent God of the Old Testament and the peacemaking Jesus of the New, Preston takes us back to Scripture to discern how God has really called His people to think and live in the midst of a violent world. He asks us to join him in inviting God to challenge our presuppositions, to set aside our biases and backgrounds and fears.

We hear and say short Christian clichés all the time, such as “Jesus was a social justice warrior”, “Just have faith”, and “It’s not my place to judge.” These trite statements often go unquestioned. Sometimes they even substitute for truth, leading to a fragile and shallow faith. But what if a close study of these clichés could lead us to deep biblical truth? In Unquestioned Answers, Dr. Jeff Myers rethinks 10 popular Christian clichés.

The human body is an amazing gift, yet today, many people downplay its importance and fail to understand what Christianity teaches about our bodies and their God-given purposes. Many people misunderstand how the body was designed, its role in relating to others; and we lack awareness of the dangers of objectifying the body, divorcing it from its intended purpose.

Only when you and your mate know and respect each other's needs, choices, and freedom can you give yourselves freely and lovingly to one another. Boundaries are the "property lines" that define and protect husbands and wives as individuals. Once they are in place, a good marriage can become better, and a less-than-satisfying one can even be saved. Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend, counselors and authors of the award-winning best seller Boundaries, show couples how to apply the 10 laws of boundaries that can make a real difference in relationships.