Posted by admin in Uncategorized May 19th, 2010

Sometimes great inspiration comes not from holy books but from works by authors and philosophers who are struggling with issues like morality, ethics, and the meaning of good and evil. These spiritual books are a must-read for anyone looking to deepen their faith and explore the big questions in life.

1. Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl
Viktor Frankl’s brutal personal experiences in a World War II concentration camp are detailed here, as is his theory of logotherapy, which posits that the search for meaning in one’s life is the primary drive of existence. His harrowing time there helped him develop a belief that hope for the future is the only way to survive the despairs of the present. This slender but stirring volume has sold more than 10 million copies around the world.

2. Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis
A titan in the field of modern Christian writing, C.S. Lewis appears twice on this list, first with his masterful defense of faith, Mere Christianity. Beginning with observations of a moral law, Lewis builds a case for the existence and necessity of God. The book was adapted from a series of radio addresses Lewis gave on the BBC between 1941 and 1944.

3. My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers
Oswald Chambers’ book is broken into daily devotionals for easy reading and regular inspiration. The information is also available online.

4. The City of God, Saint Augustine
One of the oldest volumes on the subject, Saint Augustine’s The City of God from the early 5th century was a major theological work examining the conflicting “pagan” religions of the time and arguing that the real focus of Christianity is on the afterlife and not political matters.

5. Blue Like Jazz, Don Miller
Subtitled “Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality,” Don Miller’s biographical work explores his understanding of God and Jesus through the lens of the emergent church and a younger approach to interacting with the world.

6. Traveling Mercies, Anne LaMott
A memoir writer like Miller, Anne LaMott is known in Christian circles and the mainstream for her fresh, honest attempt to wrestle with faith and to work out what it means to be in the world. Traveling Mercies talks about her life and her journey from disbelief to faith.

7. The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis’ brief novel uses an interesting spin on Christian morality by presenting a series of letters from a senior demon to a younger one on the methods of temptation. The book is one of Lewis’ most loved, though it’s a bracing read and stern reminder of the importance of making moral choices.

8. Tuesdays With Morrie, Mitch Albom
Sports writer Mitch Albom’s moving examination of life and death through the eyes of a mentor became a nonfiction best-seller and eventually a TV-movie.

9. The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer
German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship is a hallmark of Christian and spiritual writing that examines Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and its practical application today. It’s Bonhoeffer’s best-known work.

10. The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God is A.W. Tozer’s attempt to implore readers to pursue deeper spiritual relationships, and though he wrote more than 40 books, this remains one of his most popular. The entire text is available online.

11. I and Thou, Martin Buber
Martin Buber’s influential spiritual text discusses the nature of human relationships. He reasons that the goal of all relationships is to draw us closer to God, and he breaks down the sense of self into forms used for approaching other people. It’s a compelling, thought-provoking book.

12. Pensees, Blaise Pascal
Literally meaning “thoughts,” Pascal’s Pensees is a fragmented but compelling collection of wisdom that he was working on assembling into a cohesive book but remained incomplete when he died in 1662. This book is the source of Pascal’s Wager, in which he posits that it makes more sense to live as though God exists.

13. Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton
Chesterton’s bibliography covers a variety of areas, including journalism, sci-fi, and philosophy, but his apologetics entry, Orthodoxy, is one of his bigger titles. He believed that Christianity was an “answer to a riddle” and something that helped him understand human needs better.

14. The Sabbath, Abraham Joshua Heschel
One of the 20th century’s leading rabbis, Abraham Heschel’s The Sabbath is a meditation on the sacredness of celebrating shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath. He argues that his religion is one that respects time, not location, and that resting for a day to focus on community and family is a necessary part of having a health relationship with God.

15. The Four Quartets, T.S. Eliot
These four poems were published over six years, and many believe them to be T.S. Eliot’s last great accomplishment of his career. The poems — “Burnt Norton,” “East Coker,” “The Dry Salvages,” and “Little Gidding” — mix theology and literature in arguing that Christ is necessary for man’s salvation. The frank religious nature of the poems put off some critics, including George Orwell, but won over many others.

16. Waiting for God, Simone Weil
Simone Weil was born to agnostic parents and was almost caught by surprise when she converted to Christianity at 23. Her book Waiting for God is a description of her journey toward spiritual enlightenment

17. Christ and Culture, H. Richard Niebuhr
The Niebuhr brothers were two of the most important theologians of the 20th century. H. Richard Niebuhr’s Christ and Culture is a classic text in which he delineates the ways in which Christians interact with the culture of the world around them, based on his examination of the way we perceive history and construct our stories. He discusses five principal views, ranging from Christ against culture to Christ transforming culture.

18. The Nature and Destiny of Man, Reinhold Niebuhr
The older brother to H. Richard, Reinhold Niebuhr is a famous theologian and thinker known for his philosophies of a “just war.” (President Obama has cited Reinhold Niebuhr as one of his favorite philosophers.) Niebuhr’s The Nature and Destiny of Man, written against the backdrop of World War II, remains one his most famous works. He works through complex problems including the moral nature of humans and the call to live in harmony with God.

19. I Have a Dream, Martin Luther King, Jr.
One of the most socially relevant preachers of the 20th century, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches and addresses were gorgeous calls to action and justice based in biblical concepts of equality. This book includes his “I Have a Dream” speech, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” and the sermon “I See the Promised Land,” which King delivered the day before he was killed. A beautiful example of the socially transforming power of the gospel.

20. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Annie Dillard
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek finds Annie Dillard writing her own Walden, using her cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains as inspiration for thoughts on faith, humanity, and nature.

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Posted by admin in Uncategorized May 16th, 2010

There’s no such thing as a stereotypical mission trip. Although they all share a goal — to serve others — the sheer number of locations, organizations, and people to help means that there’s always a different trip to experience and a different way to help people while sharing the gospel. The ideas on this list cover a variety of mission trips. Some are suggestions for specific trips, while others are for groups that can connect you with those in need; some are for high schoolers and youth groups, while others are longer-term internships for college students. But they’re all fantastic resources for people looking to give back to the world around them. Contact each organization for more info.

1. North American Mission Board
The North American Missions Board is part of the Southern Baptist Convention, and their Student Mission Groups are dedicated to serving in a variety of areas, from performing construction and beautification projects in low-income neighborhoods to sending teams of students to aid in response to natural disasters like floods and fires.

2. War Week
Detroit is one of the most affected cities in the country in terms of urban decay and poverty, and War Week is designed to teach students about the community around them while also instructing them in door-to-door evangelism. Students visit and rebuild empty playgrounds and deserted lots, and the week is designed to help them spread their faith through the positive example of public service. War Week also features several speakers from churches nationwide.

3. Teen Missions International
Using the tagline “Mission trips for youth of all ages,” Teen Missions International is an interdenominational organization that’s sent more than 42,000 teens into the world on service projects since its inception in 1971. They operate an array of camps and mission trips divided by age group, and there’s also a trip for adults, though older teens and adults should be prepared for rugged conditions, including sleeping in tents and going without electricity.

4. Central Dallas Ministries
Headed by CEO and president Larry James, Central Dallas Ministries is a boots-on-the-ground group with more than 20 years’ experiences serving the poor and homeless. With an emphasis on community compassion, CDM is a great place for youth groups nationwide to spend time learning to give back and become servants. James also maintains a blog where he writes about spirituality, politics, and social justice.

5. Believers World Outreach
Believers World Outreach focuses on mission trips for both individuals and youth groups, with an emphasis on poor and developing regions like Uganda, Costa Rica, Belize, Mexico, and other spots around the world. These short-term missions are designed to help communities heal themselves by providing them with new buildings and medical care. BWO also is working to aid the citizens of Haiti in the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake.

6. Alongside Ministries International
Alongside Ministries primarily focuses on Europe for its mission trips, working in Albania, Estonia, France, Germany, and Scotland. Their emphasis is on evangelism and church planting in regions that don’t have many Christian churches or meeting places.

7. United Planet
United Planet works with mission trip groups for “short-term quests” that range from one to 12 weeks in duration. The organization is a secular one, so preaching and proselytizing aren’t allowed, but the service opportunities are still fantastic opportunities for church youth groups to learn about service in different parts of the world. The lessons learned can be applied back home with a religious angle.

8. Adventures in Missions: Real Life
Adventures in Missions offers a wide array of trips for youth groups that last up to two weeks, but their Real Life program goes much deeper, sending college-age students into the field for up to three months. Participants in Real Life do everything from plant churches to teaching English and working with victims of social injustices like sex trafficking, with destinations including the Philippines, Bolivia, and the Amazon jungles of Peru.

9. Awana
Awana’s internship program is designed for college-age students to spend a summer working with missionaries in Awana-registered churches. They’re designed to teach students about what it takes to run a church and serve a community, and locations are as diverse and far-flung as Hungary and South Korea.

10. Ambassadors in Missions
Ambassadors in Missions sends students to more than 250 countries to help those in need, and they also coordinate events here in the U.S., like a fall 2010 event in Detroit that will allow students to organize community outreach programs and participate in grocery distribution and service projects.

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Posted by admin in Uncategorized May 10th, 2010

Ah, summer camp. Whether it’s a week in the woods or two months by a lake, there’s something about the experience that’s a rite of passage for a lot of young people. That’s definitely the case with Christian camps, where middle schoolers and high schoolers learn more about their faith while also experiencing nature and growing closer together. There are many wonderful Christian camps available, but here are some of the best:

1. Pine Cove
With seven camps in northeast Texas and another three farther south, Pine Cove offers a variety of youth camps as well as family camps designed with a Christian emphasis. The youth camp locations are divided up by age, with some targeted for broad ranges like 3rd through 9th grade, while others are for more narrow age groups like students entering 10th through 12th grade.

2. Forest Glen
Another Texas outfit, Forest Glen is located in the Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville, about an hour north of Houston. They’ve been operating annual summer camps for churches and youth groups since 1971, and they’re also available for weekend retreats

3. Carolina Creek Christian Camp
Also near Huntsville (Texas is big on summer camps), Carolina Creek Christian Camp is a newer camp that’s only been around since 2000, but in that time it’s come to serve the needs of many youth throughout the state.

4. Hume Lake Christians Camps
Located in the Sierra National Forest of central California, about 90 minutes east of Fresno, Hume Lake Camps offer a gorgeous scenic backdrop for their spiritual events. Most camp sessions are a week long, with 10 sessions available throughout the summer. There are also a pair of men’s and women’s retreats in the fall, as well as family camp offerings for father-son and mother-daughter pairs. The location also means that Hume Lake runs winter camps as well, letting students play in the snow while also reminding them of their larger spiritual purpose.

5. Kanakuk Kamps
Based in Branson, Missouri, Kanakuk Kamps traces its roots to 1926. The coeducational camps are split by rough age groups, like 7-13 or 13-18, and they’ve even got a Facebook page set up for camp alumni to stay in touch.

6. The Wilds
Like a lot of camps on this list, The Wilds operates sessions for adults and families as well as the more common youth camps. That makes it ideal for church retreats and family getaways as well as a fun spiritual destination for teenage campers. The campus is located in the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina.

7. T Bar M Camps
Located near New Braunfels, Texas, a tiny town south of Austin, T Bar M Camps use great outdoor activities like rope courses to help teach campers to rely on each other and show humility, courage, and other Christian disciplines. The camp has been a favorite of teens statewide for years, and the weeklong sessions fill up quickly.

8. Hartland Christian Camp
Located in the Sierra Mountains of California, Hartland is a nondenominational camp and conference center that runs summer and winter camps for middle schoolers and high schoolers. Sessions run the typical week, and activities on hand include canoeing, hiking, archery, outdoor sports, and even a zip line.

9-11. Christian Camps and Conferences in New England
There are several outfits overseen by this northeastern outfit, including Brookwoods Camp for Boys, Deer Run Camp for Girls, and Moose River Outpost. Spread through New Hampshire and Maine, the camps offer teens the ability to spend up to eight weeks in the woods, though shorter programs are also available for campers interested in one-weel, two-week, or four-week adventures. The isolated beauty of the region is ideal for spending time with nature and developing spiritual relationships with fellow campers.

12. Woodland Christian Camp and Retreat Center
Nestled in the hills of western Georgia, Woodland Christian Camp was founded in 1969 and has since grown to include four campuses on 120 acres. Weekend camps are available for elementary schoolers, while teens in high school typically spend close to a week at the facility.

13. Thousand Pines Christian Camp
Running eight week-long sessions throughout the summer, Thousand Pines features guest speakers, group devotionals, and tons of outdoor activities for its campers. The camp is located in Crestline, California, north of San Bernardino and adjacent to the Los Angeles metro area.

14. Ironwood
Located north of Barstow, California, Ironwood Camp offers Christian teens a Western twist on the classic camp set-up, with activities like horsemanship and shooting ranges with lessons designed to complement their devotionals and spiritual growth.

15. Warm Beach Camp
People don’t often think of the Pacific Northwest as a camp destination, but Warm Beach Camp is changing that. Located at Warm Beach in Stanwood, Washington, the camp offers sessions for 4th-6th graders and another for 7th-9th graders. Offering activities like hiking and nature exploration, as well as some carefully monitored target practice with BB guns, the camp is a great choice for younger campers just beginning to develop spiritually.

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