Colecciones

A Spirituality of Caregiving

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 18:08:16 GMT

If you provide care for another person, whether you are a family member or a professional caregiver, you know that caregiving is hard, sometimes unappreciated work. But have you ever considered that it isn't easy to be the care receiver?

"Caregiving is … about forming a relationship with another whom we might never have chosen to know. It is about doing all we do practically with the intention of growing into a relationship of respect, listening, presence, and truthfulness," Henri Nouwen writes.

From the heart of Henri Nouwen comes wisdom for the caregiver about the transformational power of relationship in the unique bond between caregiver and care receiver. Interlacing stories from his own life and the lives of friends, Nouwen communicates warmth and compassion as he shares insights on what it means to be a caregiver and to be cared for.

Whether you have chosen to be a caregiver or were thrust into the role by circumstances, you'll see how important and life-changing your work is. You'll also be encouraged by this beloved author who has been called one of the most influential spiritual writers of our time.

Pausas para el Adviento

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 15:33:44 GMT

Hacer una pausa breve para detenerse unos minutos cada día puede ayudarnos a mantener el equilibrio en nuestras vidas, especialmente durante las temporadas del Adviento y de Navidad. En este libro, sencillo, pero no menos simplista, Trevor Hudson se centra en una palabra bíblica que nos ofrece regocijo a través de una meditación para cada día del Adviento. Sus perspicaces reflexiones sobre la palabra de cada día nos invitan a una comprensión más profunda del Adviento.

Hudson también explora brevemente las vidas y pensamientos de 4 personajes significativos en la historia de la Navidad, animándonos a sumergirnos en la historia dramática de esa temporada, y nos ofrece una práctica diaria sencilla que nos ayuda a involucrarnos en el drama del Adviento. El enfoque minimalista de Hudson y su escritura conversacional nos llevan a descubrir cómo podemos abrir nuestros corazones y nuestras vidas más generosamente a Dios.

A Spirituality of Fundraising

Tue, 24 May 2022 16:04:16 GMT

Do you serve on your church's stewardship committee or need to raise money for a mission trip or some other faith-based cause? Perhaps the thought of asking people for money intimidates you. It's time to change the way you think about fundraising.

"Fundraising is, first and foremost, a ministry," best-selling author and renowned spiritual teacher Henri Nouwen writes. "It's a way of announcing our vision and inviting other people into our mission."

Nouwen encourages us to see fundraising as spiritual work and approach it confidently. "Fundraising is precisely the opposite of begging," he points out.

Unlike most business/leadership books, A Spirituality of Fundraising is brief and can easily be read in one sitting.

Sections of this booklet include:

Fundraising as Ministry
Helping the Kingdom Come About
Our Security Base
People Who Are Rich
Asking
A New Communion
Prayer and Gratitude
Your Kingdom Come

Nouwen's insights will upend your thoughts about fundraising. Never again will you feel like you're begging for money. Instead, you'll see your work as true ministry. A must-read for leaders in churches, nonprofits, ministries, and businesses!

This book is also available as a workbook here.

The Henri Nouwen Spirituality Series

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:52:59 GMT

This series of 4 titles from beloved writer Henri J. M. Nouwen will help you with fundraising, caregiving, creating space for God in your life, and finding your true home in God.

A Spirituality of Fundraising
Instead of viewing fundraising as a chore, Henri Nouwen invites us to see it as a ministry—a way to ask others to join in our mission and support it financially. Essential for finance committees and anyone who raises money for mission trips, nonprofits, ministry, or business.

A Spirituality of Caregiving
Nouwen shares heartfelt insights on what it means to be a caregiver and a care receiver. His warmth, respect, and compassion for both sides of the caregiving relationship will transform how you view your vital spiritual work. Makes a great gift for caregivers.

A Spirituality of Living
Distraction may be the biggest hindrance to a growing relationship with God. In A Spirituality of Living, Nouwen reveals the secret to creating space for God in our lives: spiritual disciplines. He makes it easy as he mentors you in the disciplines of solitude, community, and ministry.

A Spirituality of Homecoming
If you've ever felt lonely or alienated, Henri Nouwen has good news for you. "Come home to God, and you will no longer feel like a stranger to yourself or the world," he writes. In A Spirituality of Homecoming, Nouwen explores essential elements of Christian discipleship and shows how to find your true home in God.

Compañerismo en Cristo Guía del líder

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:28:43 GMT

Compañerismo en Cristo, Libro del participante también está disponible para miembros de grupos pequeños.

Usted explorará a profundidad las Escrituras, aprenderá a escuchar a Dios por medio de ellas, y permitirá a su vida ser formada por la Palabra. Experimentará nuevas dimensiones de la oración, practicará nuevas formas de abrir su vida a Dios, y aprenderá lo que significa practicar la presencia de Dios. Usted reflexionará sobre el llamado de Cristo a su vida y descubrirá de nuevo los dones que Dios le ha dado para que lleve a cabo su ministerio personal.

Usted y los miembros de su grupo crecerán juntos como comunidad cristiana y adquirirán destrezas para dirigir grupos pequeños en la iglesia como espacios para la dirección espiritual.

Compañerismo en Cristo ofrece una poderosa experiencia de renovación a través de las prácticas espirituales que le ayudan a compartir más plenamente la vida de Cristo y traer lo que ha aprendido a todas las áreas de la vida de la iglesia. Esta jornada espiritual de 28 semanas le guiará a tener un tiempo diario con Dios por medio de las lecturas individuales y la meditación, y le permitirá reunirse semanalmente con otras personas de su comunidad de fe para participar en una exploración más profunda.

Compañerismo en Cristo provee oportunidades diversas y creativas para aprender las disciplinas espirituales de oración, lectura de la Escritura, estudio, adoración, ministerio y conferencia cristiana. En algunos momentos tendrá nuevas experiencias con la oración, descubrirá sus pensamientos y deseos más íntimos, y recordará dónde ha estado Dios presente de manera especial en su vida. En otros momentos, usted y los miembros de su grupo compartirán historias comunes, preguntas y descubrimientos en su relación con Cristo. Cada semana comenzará con una presentación interesante y desafiante por un escritor/a reconocido en el área de formación espiritual.

Los escritores de estas lecturas son Gerrit Scott Dawson, Adele González, E. Glenn Hinson, Rueben P. Job, Marjorie Thompson y Wendy M. Wright. Además de esa presentación, Compañerismo provee lecturas diarias de las Escrituras y preguntas para dirigirle en su meditación personal. La semana concluye con una sesión de dos horas donde usted puede compartir sus ideas, reflexionar junto a sus compañeros y compañeras y participar en una variedad de experiencias de aprendizaje como grupo.

Compañerismo en Cristo es uno de los recursos más versátiles y completos en el área de formación espiritual. Incorpora lo mejor de la tradición cristiana. Un aspecto único de esta experiencia es que su búsqueda y aprendizaje espiritual serán apoyados por otras personas en su grupo que son verdaderamente compañeras en Cristo.

Compañerismo en Cristo Libro del participante

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:28:33 GMT

Compañerismo en Cristo, Guía del líder también está disponible.

El libro del participante incluye 28 semanas de lecturas y ejercicios dividas en 5 secciones. Los temas de cada semana son presentados por autores reconocidos quienes tienen conocimientos amplios sobre cada tema. En estos capítulos introductorios, escritores como Gerrit Scott Dawson, Adele González, E. Glenn Hinson, Rueben Job, Marjorie Thompson y Wendy Wright combinan el testimonio personal con lo mejor de la tradición cristiana, para ofrecernos el trasfondo para los ejercicios de la semana. Después de la sección de introducción, usted encontrará cinco ejercicios que le ayudarán a meditar más profundamente sobre la temática de cada semana y a preparase para la reunión semanal del grupo. Los ejercicios combinan la lectura de la Escritura, practicas espirituales específicas, y preguntas para que usted reflexione y comente en su diario. Estos ejercicios deben tomarle unos 30 minutos cada día.

The God We Can Know Session 7 - Knowing God's Possibilities

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:18:48 GMT

This video segment takes us to the village of Bethany, 1½ miles east of Jerusalem. As the video opens, Rob Fuquay stands in front of a first-century tomb carved out of limestone. We learn that it is Lazarus's tomb. Fuquay recalls the story of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha, all good friends of Jesus. Lazarus becomes ill and dies. By the time Jesus reaches Bethany, Lazarus has been dead for four days. As he stands at the door to Lazarus's tomb, Fuquay says he's always wondered why Jesus took his time getting to Bethany—why he didn't spare Mary and Martha from their brother's death. He feels the emotion of Martha's words, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn't have died." She is disappointed in Jesus. "Do you know what it's like to be disappointed in God?" Fuquay asks. We go down into Lazarus's tomb with Fuquay as we ponder those words.

The scene shifts to the Garden Tomb. Over the years Christians have come here to pray, worship, and celebrate that Jesus is not dead—he is risen! The Garden Tomb reminds us that God does not have to sidestep death to be powerful. Christ's resurrection shows us that nothing can stop God from working. "Have you ever experienced God bringing new possibilities when you thought all hope was lost?" Fuquay asks. "That's the power of the one who said, 'I am the resurrection and the life.'" We review scenes from Lazarus's tomb and the Garden Tomb as we reflect on God's power to bring new possibilities into our lives.

The God We Can Know Session 6 - Knowing God's Way

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:18:39 GMT

At the beginning of this video, we see Rob Fuquay walking on an ancient Roman road—the Via Maris, one of the highways the Romans built in the Middle East. Jesus might have been thinking of this highway when he said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

We move with Fuquay to the Upper Room, where Jesus shared his last meal with the disciples and saddened them by telling them he was going away. Thomas asked, "Where are you going?" Jesus said, "I am going to prepare a place for you. You know the way to that place." Then Thomas asked, "But how can we know the way?" Jesus replied, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Fuquay remarks that this is probably the most controversial of Jesus' "I am" sayings.

Our next visit is to Jerusalem, where we peer over Fuquay's shoulder to see the Dome of the Rock, a sacred site for Muslims. Looking down, we can see the Western Wall, where many Jewish people come to pray and place written prayers in the wall. Nearby is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a major pilgrimage site for Christians. Fuquay leads us to think about how Jesus would handle encounters with people of other faiths.

Finally, Fuquay leads us along a path in the Galilean hills called the Jesus Trail. People come to walk this trail and remember many activities of Jesus' early ministry. Fuquay reminds us that Jesus came to teach us about knowing God's way, offering us a new way to live.

The God We Can Know Session 5 - Knowing God's Power

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:18:30 GMT

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower," Jesus declares in John 15:1. Grapes are one of the oldest agricultural products in the world—no wonder Jesus used the grapevine as an illustration of his relationship with his followers, Rob Fuquay says. The video opens in a vineyard at the foot of Mount Tabor in Israel. In this video segment, we travel with Fuquay to the Israel Museum, an outdoor model of Jerusalem as it was in Jesus' day. We also see the Cenacle, the site built to commemorate the upper room where Jesus shared the Last Supper with his disciples. Finally, we visit the owners of a vineyard as Fuquay talks with them about the care of grapevines. Pruning is an important part of maintaining healthy vines, the vineyard owners emphasize. Without pruning, the vine suffers. Jesus says the same is true in our spiritual lives. Fuquay leaves us to reflect on the importance of the connection we have with the Vinegrower (God) through Jesus.

The God We Can Know Session 4 - Knowing God's Care

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:18:22 GMT

This video segment begins in a sheep pen as Rob Fuquay talks about shepherding. Shepherds have been around for at least 6,000 years, he says. In Jesus' day, shepherds sometimes rented a safe place to keep their sheep at night, in an enclosure with a locked gate. Often several flocks of sheep were kept in the same enclosure. This setting brings life to Jesus' words "I am the good shepherd" and "I am the door and gate of the sheep."

We travel out to the countryside, where Fuquay remarks that shepherding was hard, dangerous work. Shepherds had to keep sheep on the move to keep them from overgrazing any one area, and this made them vulnerable to attacks. We see Qumran, the site where a shepherd boy discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947. This site is a good place to think about Jesus' image "I am the door to the sheep," Fuquay says.

The video winds up at the Lions Gate, the oldest gate in the wall around Jerusalem. In the time when Nehemiah rebuilt the temple, this was called the Sheep's Gate because it was the gate through which sheep were brought into the Temple for sacrifice.

The God We Can Know Session 3 - Knowing God's Guidance

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:18:14 GMT

In this video segment Rob Fuquay takes us to Jerusalem during the Feast of Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths. This festival commemorates and celebrates God's guiding the people of Israel through the desert, leading them with a pillar of fire. Fuquay notes that the feast is a reminder that we are still people on a journey.

We visit the Western Wall of Jerusalem, also known as the Wailing Wall. On top of that wall was the courtyard where Jesus stood on the Night of Grand Illumination and declared, "I am the light of the world." On the Night of Grand Illumination, giant torches lined the Temple courtyard and lit up the entire city of Jerusalem. Nearby the Sanhedrin was meeting on that night, plotting to put Jesus to death.

Fuquay reminds us of the drama taking place when Jesus said he was the light of the world. This session leads us to reflect on ways God has guided us in the past and continues to guide us in our daily lives.

The God We Can Know Session 2 - Knowing God's Satisfaction

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:18:06 GMT

This video segment takes us to the Mount of Beatitudes, the site that commemorates Jesus' feeding the 5,000. Fuquay notes that the crowd consisted of 5,000 men; with women and children, it could have been as many as 15,000 people. Besides the Resurrection, the story of Jesus' miracle of feeding the crowd is the only miracle story told in all four Gospels.

Next, we go with Fuquay to Capernaum, an outpost of Jesus' ministry that was located on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus came to Capernaum after the feeding of the crowd. Less than 24 hours after this miracle, people in the crowd asked Jesus, "What will you do for us?"

The last part of this video shows Fuquay standing on the banks of the Jordan River, a significant site because this is where the people of Israel entered the Promised Land after forty years of wandering in the desert. When the Hebrews finally reached the Promised Land, God's daily provision of manna stopped, and they had to seek God's provision in a new way. This video helps us explore the question "What does it mean to trust God and find our satisfaction in Jesus?"

The God We Can Know Session 1 - Knowing the Great "I Am"

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:17:58 GMT

In this video, Rob Fuquay helps us learn the background of the words "I Am" in scripture.

Filmed in the Holy Land, the video begins in the desert, where God spoke the words "I Am" to Moses. Through Moses's encounter with the burning bush, God called Moses to return to Egypt and tell Pharaoh, "Let my people go!" Moses asked God, "If the people ask who sent me, what shall I say?" God replied, "Tell the Israelites 'I Am' has sent you."

Twelve hundred years later, Jesus used the words "I Am" to refer to himself, employing images of bread, light, shepherding, and grapevines. Rob Fuquay takes us to Congregation Beth-El Zedeck in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he speaks with senior rabbi Dennis Sasso.

Jesus' language in the "I Am" statements is straight out of first-century Judaism, Sasso says, and Jesus' Jewish audience would have resonated with his statements. In Jewish teaching, the Torah is often referred to as the bread of life. Sasso explains that light symbolizes the soul. He also mentions the vine as a symbol of the people, or community, that God protects, nurtures, and keeps. The Ten Commandments open with the words "I Am," he notes. In this video you will hear cantor Melissa Cohen chant the opening words of the Ten Commandments in Hebrew.

Compañerismo en Cristo Guía del líder - PDF

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:16:11 GMT

Compañerismo en Cristo, Libro del participante también está disponibles para miembros de grupos pequeños.

Usted y los miembros de su grupo crecerán juntos como comunidad cristiana y adquirirán destrezas para dirigir grupos pequeños en la iglesia como espacios para la dirección espiritual.

Compañerismo en Cristo Libro del participante - PDF

Wed, 18 May 2022 21:16:05 GMT

Compañerismo en Cristo, Guía del líder también está disponible.

Which Way, Lord?

Tue, 17 May 2022 01:12:25 GMT

As Christians, we hunger to know and live out God's purposes for our lives. But how do we know for certain that our choices are moving us in the right direction?

Which Way, Lord? is a 6-session churchwide or small-group study that will help you understand God's desire for your life by unpacking your experiences alongside those of the apostle Paul.

Through many detours, adversity, and time spent thinking about his life, Paul completely reoriented his understanding of faith and God's purpose for his life. God placed Paul in a community that shared God's love with him, and Paul underwent several years of training in preparation for his ministry.

Discover how to discern and follow God's leading, explore ways God can use you and your life experience, respond to God's signals, endure hardships and doubts, and persevere with hope and faith. Rediscover the truths that you are wonderfully made, created for purpose, and equipped to live a life of significance. Join us in traveling together to find your purpose.

What is included in the study?

BOOK INCLUDES:

Exploration of biblical stories about the life and missionary journeys of Paul
Fuquay's personal experiences of learning and discerning to follow God's will
Servant Spotlights—stories from Christians who discerned and lived out God's purpose for them
Reflection questions

THE DVD FEATURES:

Age-level guides for children, youth, and adults
6 sessions filmed in Turkey, Israel, and Greece. Fuquay explains the significance of various locations in Paul's missionary journeys, enlightening viewers with tidbits about the history and culture of Paul's time. The video sessions for this study are as follows:
- Session 1: "Consulting Your GPS" — 14:05
- Session 2: "Understanding Yourself" — 11:51
- Session 3: "Facing Adversity" — 13:53
- Session 4: "Dealing with Detours" — 9:40
- Session 5: "When You Doubt Yourself" — 11:35
- Session 6: "Tenacity" — 16:07

To purchase the DVD click here.

For more information and samples, visit WhichWayLord.UpperRoomBooks.com.

Take the Flag

Tue, 17 May 2022 01:11:59 GMT

The spiritual life is often compared to a race. Pastor Rob Fuquay sees a parallel between the flags used in auto racing and the signals God sends us in our fast-paced lives.

The purpose of Take the Flag is not to turn readers into race fans but to help them become stronger disciples of Jesus Christ by paying attention to the signals God gives us each day.

In this Bible-based, 7-week churchwide series, Fuquay uses the flags from auto racing as a way to discuss different aspects of our life of faith. With wisdom and humor, these seven dynamic lessons will put you on course for your faith journey, helping you navigate the bumps and turns ride out the delays and pit stops, and ultimately take the checkered flag of a victorious life.

What is included in the study?

BOOK INCLUDES:

Exploration and commentary on the flags from auto racing and the symbolism in each racing flag and the parallel in our spiritual life.
Fuquay's personal experiences to discern God’s signals in their life of faith.
Reflection questions

THE DVD FEATURES:

Age-level guides for children, youth, and adults
Each of the 7-video sessions include teaching and commentary by Rob and quick flag stories by auto racing professionals about their experiences with the flags: Ed Carpenter, Jerry Cook, Conor Daly, Austin Dillon, Scott Dixon, Matt Kenseth, Larry McReynolds, Danica Patrick, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The sessions also include additional personal sharing by:
- Michael McDowell
- Chocolate and Caron Myers
- James Hinchcliffe
- Ann Schrader
- Cliff Champion
- Nick Terry
- Sam Hornish Jr.

The video sessions for this study are as follows:

Session 1: "The Green Flag" — 10:17
Session 2: "The Yellow Flag" — 15:03
Session 3: "The Blue Flag" — 10:52
Session 4: "The Red Flag" — 10:43
Session 5: "The Black Flag" — 14:33
Session 6: "The White Flag" — 12:14
Session 7: "The Checkered Flag" — 12:15

To purchase the DVD click here.

For more information and samples, visit TakeTheFlag.UpperRoomBooks.com.

The God We Can Know

Tue, 17 May 2022 01:09:43 GMT

Getting to know God means getting to know ourselves. The more we know who God is the more we know who we are. The Gospel of John records several declarations of Jesus known as the "I Am" sayings. This 7-week study is designed for the entire congregation to explore each of those sayings and will help you find and form an answer to the most essential question in the Christian faith, "Who do you say I am?"

One by one, Jesus' statements grab our imagination, reveal more about his identity and purpose, and connect us to the God of Moses, who spoke the first "I Am." These significant yet ordinary images (bread, light, shepherd, vine, and more) give us insightful ways to experience Jesus and point us to a God who wants to be known.

What is included in the study?

BOOK INCLUDES:

Exploration and commentary on the images Jesus uses in the "I Am" statements
Fuquay's personal experiences to help connect the "I Am" sayings into your life
Reflection questions

THE DVD FEATURES:

Age-level guides for children, youth, and adults
6 sessions filmed on location in the Holy Land, allows you to travel with Rob Fuquay and actually see the places where Jesus stood when he disclosed his true identity, and in what context he spoke each "I Am." The video sessions for this study are as follows:
- Introduction: "Knowing the Great I Am" — 10:07
- Session 1: "I Am the Bread of Life" — 8:45
- Session 2: "I Am the Light of the World" — 6:35
- Session 3: "I Am the Good Shepherd" — 8:03
- Session 4: "I Am the True Vine" — 8:24
- Session 5: "I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" — 8:56
- Session 6: "I Am the Resurrection and the Life" — 7:59

To purchase the DVD click here.

For more information and samples, visit TheGodWeCanKnow.UpperRoomBooks.com.

A Spirituality of Fundraising

Tue, 17 May 2022 01:07:13 GMT

Nouwen encourages us to see fundraising as spiritual work and approach it confidently. "Fundraising is precisely the opposite of begging," he points out.

Unlike most business/leadership books, A Spirituality of Fundraising is brief and can easily be read in one sitting.

Sections of this booklet include:

Fundraising as Ministry
Helping the Kingdom Come About
Our Security Base
People Who Are Rich
Asking
A New Communion
Prayer and Gratitude
Your Kingdom Come

This book is also available as a workbook here.

Which Way, Lord? DVD

Sat, 14 May 2022 04:27:45 GMT

As Christians, we hunger to know and live out God's purposes for our lives. But how do we know for certain that our choices are moving us in the right direction?

Which Way, Lord? is a 6-session churchwide or small-group study that will help you understand God's desire for your life by unpacking your experiences alongside those of the apostle Paul.

What is included in the study?

BOOK INCLUDES:

Exploration of biblical stories about the life and missionary journeys of Paul
Fuquay's personal experiences of learning and discerning to follow God's will
Servant Spotlights—stories from Christians who discerned and lived out God's purpose for them
Reflection questions

THE DVD FEATURES:

Age-level guides for children, youth, and adults
6 sessions filmed in Turkey, Israel, and Greece. Fuquay explains the significance of various locations in Paul's missionary journeys, enlightening viewers with tidbits about the history and culture of Paul's time. The video sessions for this study are as follows:
- Session 1: "Consulting Your GPS" — 14:05
- Session 2: "Understanding Yourself" — 11:51
- Session 3: "Facing Adversity" — 13:53
- Session 4: "Dealing with Detours" — 9:40
- Session 5: "When You Doubt Yourself" — 11:35
- Session 6: "Tenacity" — 16:07

To purchase the BOOK click here.