Gordon Smith
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Your Calling Here And Now
$18.99Add to cartOur vocation is the outworking of how God has made us. It is not a goal on the horizon but a present reality that we are called to discern and explore. However, in the midst of our daily lives, finding meaning can prove both difficult and elusive, and we are often left wondering if we are missing out on God’s purpose for our lives.
Gordon Smith invites us to reflect on our vocation and step into God’s call in the present moment. When discerning our vocation feels overwhelming, Smith offers a simple question as a way forward: At this time and place, who am I meant to be, and what am I called to do?
Theologically and historically grounded, Your Calling Here and Now offers theological reflections and spiritual practices that will help you discern God’s call on your life. Whether you are navigating career transitions or looking for meaning in the ordinary, God has a purpose for your life for the here and now.
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Welcome Holy Spirit
$22.99Add to cartAs the renowned scholar Thomas Oden noted, “No subject of Christian teaching is more prone to fanaticism and novelty and subjectivism than that of the Holy Spirit.”
The Bible’s own metaphors for the Spirit are as elusive as they are evocative–wind, oil, flame, water, dove–making pneumatology a mysterious study. But shying away from the topic is no solution. Gordon Smith encourages us to seek both fresh understanding and fresh experience of the Spirit through openness to learning more, no matter what our theological tradition. In this way, as we hold biblical convictions firmly but gracefully, the guiding principles of discernment and humility will help us intentionally live Spirit-responsive lives day by day. Welcome, Holy Spirit is a much-needed master class with a trustworthy and encouraging teacher. How can we cultivate an understanding of the Holy Spirit that helps us experience the presence of the Spirit in worship, in witness, in joy and sorrow, in seasons of blessing and times of difficulty alike, all the while honoring the fullness of the Trinity? That is the objective of the reflections in this book: an attentiveness to the Spirit, not to replace Christ as the focus of our lives and worship but to bring us truly into the presence of the living and ascended Lord. It is to this end that we pray, “Welcome, Holy Spirit.”
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Institutional Intelligence : How To Build An Effective Organization
$28.99Add to cartInstitutions matter. But we often view them somewhat cynically, perhaps as a necessary evil.
In truth, institutions remain essential to human flourishing. They are the very means by which communities thrive, individual vocations are fulfilled, and society is changed for the good. We all must learn the wisdom of working effectively within institutions-what Gordon Smith calls institutional intelligence.
In this book Smith unlocks the essential elements of how institutions function in a productive, healthy manner. Focusing on the nonprofit sector, he shows how team leaders, directors, executives, board members, key stakeholders, and employees can avoid what is often their greatest source of stress on the job-working with the institutional character of their organizations.
Church staff, educators, and those in service agencies can all thrive by understanding these dynamics instead of fighting against them. By developing institutional intelligence, we and those around us can not only flourish personally but also fulfill a larger mission.
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Wisdom From Babylon
$25.99Add to cartWhat does it mean to provide leadership for the church in an increasingly secular context? When religion is privatized and secularism reigns in the public square, Christians are often drawn toward either individualist escapism or constant cultural warfare. But might this context instead offer a fresh invitation for the church to adapt and thrive? Gordon Smith is passionate about the need for capable, mature leaders to navigate and respond to a changing society. In this book, he draws on his extensive experience as a university president, pastor, and international speaker to open a multidisciplinary conversation about the competencies and capacities essential for today’s leaders. After analyzing the phenomenon of secularization in the West and charting common Christian responses, Smith introduces four sources of wisdom to help guide us through this new terrain: the people and prophets of Judah during the Babylonian exile, the early church in its pagan environment, contemporary churches across the Global South, and Christian thinkers in post-Christian Europe. From these resources he identifies practices and strategies-from liturgy and catechesis to mission and hospitality-that can give shape to faithful, alternate communities in such a time as this. In cultures fraught with fear and division, Smith calls for leaders who can effect change from the margins, promote unity and maturity among Christians, and provide a non-anxious presence grounded in the presence of Christ. Educators, church leaders, and anyone seeking to understand the times will find this book to be an indispensable resource for cultivating distinctively Christian leadership.
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Teach Us To Pray
$16.99Add to cartPreface: Practicing Prayer
1. Prayer And The Kingdom Of God
2. Praying In The Spirit
3. The Prayer Of Thanksgiving
4. The Prayer Of Confession
5. The Prayer Of Discernment
6. Prayer As Spiritual Practice
Afterword: Prayer As Petition
NotesAdditional Info
One of the most basic and vital dimensions of the Christian life is the practice of prayer. Frequently our prayers begin with a petition or request, so the content of our prayers is informed by our circumstances. But what if the opposite were true? What if we allowed our prayers to inform our lives? What would our lives be like if prayer altered our living and began to shape the contours and content of our daily experiences?Gordon Smith invites us to learn three movements of prayer-thanksgiving, confession, and discernment-in order to be formed and transformed by prayers that seek God’s kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven.” Whether you are a beginner in the life of prayer or further along, this small book is a resource for deepening your prayer practice.
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Consider Your Calling
$17.99Add to cartWhat on earth is God doing? Who are you? What is your stage of life? What are your circumstances? What is the cross you will have to bear? What are you afraid of? We ask these six critical questions?and then we ask them again?at points of transition in our lives. They all lead us to the one core question: What is the good work to which I am called? Gordon T. Smith, author of Courage and Calling, writes: “It is a good question because our work matters to us, to others and, of course, it matters to God. Work itself is good. It is vital to our human identity; and we are most ourselves, most who God calls us to be, living in what it means to know the salvation of God, when we know the grace of work well done.” However, Smith acknowledges that this is not a simple question to answer in the midst of our very complicated lives. That’s why he has written this brief and accessible book?to offer the support and insight we need as we ponder these six core questions in community with God and others. As a steward of your life, in attentiveness to the calling of God, how is God inviting you to engage the world?
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Spiritual Direction : A Guide To Giving And Receiving Direction
$17.99Add to cart1 The Ministry Of Spiritual Direction
2 Theological Perspectives
3 Focused Conversation
4 Attending To What Is Happening In Our Prayers
5 A Spiritual Direction Session
6 Pastoral Ministry, Evangelism And Friendship
7 The Qualities And Character Of A Director
8 The Qualities And Character Of A Directee
9 The Holy Spirit As Spiritual Director
For Further Reading
NotesAdditional Info
We Are Not Alone God is present with us. And God gives us companions on the journey. A spiritual director is one such companion, offering spiritual guidance to help make sense of the faith journeyinterpret the significant markers on the roadencourage us, particularly through the more difficult transitions and valleys of our pilgrimageand, most of all, to notice the ministry of the Spirit in our lives Gordon Smith writes: Even if we have been Christians and maturing in our faith for many years, we still need the encouragement and guidance that might come through spiritual direction. . . . Genuine humility is evident in our realization that we need a companion, a fellow pilgrim and Christian, who can help us discern and foster an attentiveness to God’s presence in our lives. This is the gift of spiritual direction. Whether you are a director, a directee or simply someone who wants to learn more about this ancient ministry, you will find this book to be a helpful guide. -
Called To Be Saints
$30.99Add to cartIntroduction
Chapter 1: Called To Be Saints: The Need For A Compelling Theology Of Holiness
Chapter 2: Union With Christ
Chapter 3: Holy People Are Wise People: An Invitation To Sapiential Holiness
Chapter 4: Called To Do Good Work: An Invitation To Vocational Holiness
Chapter 5: Learning To Love: An Invitation To Social Holiness
Chapter 6: Joy And The Ordering Of The Affections: An Invitation To Emotional Holiness
Appendix 1: Congregations And Transformation: The Church And The Call To Spiritual Maturity
Appendix 2: Christian Higher Education: A Passion For Wisdom And Spiritual TransformationAdditional Info
Evangelicals are known for their emphasis on conversion. But what about life after conversion and beyond justification? Desperately needed is a comprehensive theology of the Christian life from beginning to end, along with the means of formation and transformation. In Called to Be Saints, Gordon Smith draws on a distinguished lifetime of reflecting on these themes to offer us a theologically rich account of our participation in the life of Christ. Both profound and practical, this book is a trinitarian theology of holiness that encompasses both justification and sanctification, both union with Christ and communion with God. Smith unfolds how and why Christians are called to become wise people, do good work, love others and enjoy rightly ordered affections. If holiness is the ongoing journey of becoming mature in Christ, then there is no better guide than Smith. Christians in every walk of life will find this a rich resource for learning what it means to “grow up in every way . . . into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). -
Lords Supper : Five Views
$27.99Add to cartThe theological understanding of the Lord’s Supper is presented by members of five differing theological traditions: Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Pentecostal and Baptist. Each contributor responds to the others, helping readers to understand the convergence and divergence among the five traditions.
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Holy Meal : The Lords Supper In The Life Of The Church
$20.00Add to cart“This is my body,” said Jesus at the Last Supper. What did he mean? Throughout church history, there have been various interpretations of his words. These differences have caused denominational ruptures that have yet to heal.
In A Holy Meal, Gordon T. Smith shows that we cannot appreciate the Lord’s Supper until we understand it. In light of the renewed attention given to the sacraments by all branches of the church, he examines the historic interpretations and seeks common ground among believers. In the process, he shows how the Lord’s Supper can infuse new meaning into the church as it confronts the forces of postmodernism and secularism.
A Holy Meal is essential reading for Christians who want to ponder the Lord’s Supper again–perhaps truly for the first time.
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Voice Of Jesus
$28.99Add to cartJesus takes it for granted that you will hear his voice. But how do you hear it? How do you separate it out from the cacophony of other voices you hear everyday, including those of your own desires? Is your experience of Jesus’ voice something purely subjective, or is it something you can talk about with others and have them confirm?
Building on the rich spiritual tradition that spans the diversity of history and theology from Ignatius Loyola to John Wesley to Jonathan Edwards, Gordon T. Smith helps open your ears and heart to the depths of the inner witness of the Spirit. By learning to attend to the Spirit, Smith urges, you will learn to hear and heed the voice of Jesus in everyday life.Written with warmth and wisdom, this book speaks to the mind and heart of every Christian who longs for a closer, more intimate walk with Jesus
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Beginning Well : Christian Conversion And Authentic Transformation
$25.99Add to cartHow can Christians grow to maturity unless their conversion experience takes them past sin’s consequences to true spiritual transformation? The key, says Gordon Smith, is Beginning Well. His challenging and provocative survey of Scripture, spiritual autobiographies, and a range of conversion theologies (Protestant, Catholic, Reformed, Wesleyan) takes you beyond “minimalist” views to one that recognizes seven elements necessary for authentic transformation. A must-read for pastors, evangelists, and spiritual directors.
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Listening To God In Times Of Choice
$24.99Add to cartWe sometimes think there are only two ways to discern God’s will—the “divine blueprint” plan and the “grow in wisdom” school. Smith offers a third way! Drawing on centuries of teaching and experience, he suggests that discernment is a spiritual discipline—a deepening relationship that helps us see God’s will in crisis and in daily life.