In 1987 the players of the National Football League went on strike, demanding better pay and the right to seek free agency. Determined to keep the league going, team owners pulled replacements from wherever they could be found, from the semi-pro leagues to bar stools, in order to create makeshift teams. For three weeks, “regular” men—truck drivers, school teachers, stockbrokers—were able to put on NFL helmets and jerseys, play in professional stadiums, and live their dreams. The replacemen...

This book presents the case for loving the local church. It paints a picture of the local church in all its biblical and real life guts, gaffes, and glory in an effort to edify local congregations and entice the disaffected back to the fold. It also provides a solid biblical mandate to love and be part of the body of Christ and counteract the "leave church" books that trumpet rebellion and individual felt needs. Why We Love the Church is written for four kinds of people - the Committed, th...

"You can be young, passionate about Jesus Christ, surrounded by diversity, engaged in a postmodern world, reared in evangelicalism and not be an emergent Christian. In fact, I want to argue that it would be better if you weren't."The Emergent Church is a strong voice in today's Christian community. And they're talking about good things: caring for the poor, peace for all men, loving Jesus. They're doing church a new way, not content to fit the mold. Again, all good. But there's mor...

Recent cultural interest in evangelicalism has led to considerable confusion about what the term actually means. Many young Christians are tempted to discard the label altogether. But evangelicalism is not merely a political movement in decline or a sociological phenomenon on the rise, as it has sometimes been portrayed. It is, in fact, a helpful theological profile that manifests itself in beliefs, ethics, and church life.DeYoung and other key twenty- and thirty-something evangeli...

This book presents the case for loving the local church. It paints a picture of the local church in all its biblical and real life guts, gaffes, and glory in an effort to edify local congregations and entice the disaffected back to the fold. It also provides a solid biblical mandate to love and be part of the body of Christ and counteract the "leave church" books that trumpet rebellion and individual felt needs.Why We Love the Church is written for four kinds of people - t...

There are books on how to worship God with our marriages, our money, and our sex lives. Books on how to “think biblically” about movies, television, and the arts. Books on how to vote Christianly and how not to vote Christianly. But there is little thoughtful, Christ-centered writing on the subject that drives most of men’s banter with each other and consumes the bulk of their free time- Sports.Written in the vein of Rick Reilly (Sports Illustrated), Chuck Klosterman (...

The inspiring story of Asian-American basketball player Jeremy Lin, who went from unknown underdog to rescuer of the New York Knicks in just a few weeks.

A Suburban Dad and an Ex Con Show What Discipleship Looks LikeTed is an educated thirty-something father of two who's been going to church his whole life. Dallas is a twenty-one-year-old former cocaine addict with a prison record who has recently become a Christian. When they agree to meet regularly for "discipleship," they know that chatting once a week in a coffee shop just won't cut it. Instead, they decide to get to know each other while restoring an old Triumph Spitfire. Fille...

One Man's Extreme Faith Challenges Believers to Live More Radical LivesFrom a warring tribal village in Africa to a Rob Zombie concert to a Guatemalan prison to a bombed out church in Sudan, Caleb Bislow shares firsthand stories of how God is working around the world. Some see Caleb's life and faith as extreme, but to him, sharing God's love in the most dangerous and despised places in the world is simply living a life of surrender.With humbleness and even some humor, Caleb...

From the creators of the popular Happy Rant podcast comes this collection of thought-provoking and often humorous discussions of Christian culture to help you gain valuable insight and clarity into the issues that frequently divide the church.Ted Kluck, Ronnie Martin and Barnabas Piper, hosts of the Happy Rant podcast, take their signature faith-based back-and-forth from the recording booth to the book page as they explore pastor trends, personality tests, politica...

Can Flex Deal with the Drama?Flex is a football player, not an actor. But he can fake it if it means getting to see KK, the girl he’s dating (sort of—it’s complicated), every day after school for about a month.This play isn’t for the weak, though. First, Flex has to deal with his nemesis, Actor Boy, the guy who greets girls with kisses on either cheek. C’mon, dude. Really?!?Then there’s the whole Shakespeare thing. What was “Bill” thinking when he w...

Sometimes, Church HurtsThe Church, the Bride of Christ. That description conjures up images of radiant white bride, eyes sparkling with peace and harmony, right? Maybe that’s why it’s such a gut-punch when that Bride behaves more like a grade school bully or a hot tempered drill sergeant.What do you do with that reality, a reality that sometime hurts? Ted Kluck and Ronnie Martin aren’t interested in 140 characters of tweetable comfort. They’d rather share t...