Wayne Flynt tells the story of his life and his courageous battles against an indifferent or hostile power structure with modesty but always with honesty. In doing so he tells us the story of how Alabama institutions really are manipulated, and why we should care.

Intimidated by the Great Commission? Cringe at the idea of evangelism on the street corner or going door-to-door? Pastor Jeff Johnson will transform your commitment to sharing the good news of Jesusas individuals and as a congregation. Identify the evangelism style that suits your personality, learn from biblical and contemporary role models who employ the same strengths, and discover the joy in introducing family, friends, or strangers to the life of faith. Includes questions for small-group discussion.

You are about to experience so many answered prayers that your friends will insist you have ridiculous faith!

Ordinary People Extraordinary God tells the true stories of 17 modern-day heroes who encountered God's transforming love in their broken state and answered His call. They may never be as renowned as biblical heroes or regarded as especially gifted by the world's standards, but each of these ordinary, modern-day heroes contains infinite value in the eyes of God. He has transformed them by His redeeming love, gifted them for service, and used them for His glory in amazing ministries which have blessed thousands. You, too, are one of God's ordinary people, redeemed and transformed by the blood of Jesus. But is fear of failure and disappointing Him holding you back from living your destiny and serving in the Kingdom? If so, this book will challenge and encourage you with the reality that you are good enough and gifted enough. All it takes is a yes. Allow the stories in Ordinary People Extraordinary God to increase your faith as you step into the transforming work of a loving God.

“A triumph. This novel’s haunting strength will hold the reader until the very end and make Faith and her story impossible to forget.” —Richmond Times Dispatch “Extraordinary.” —Orlando Sentinel From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult (Nineteen Minutes, Change of Heart, Handle with Care) comes Keeping Faith: an “addictively readable” (Entertainment Weekly) novel that “makes you wonder about God. And that is a rare moment, indeed, in modern fiction” (USA Today).

In spite of a diving accident that has left her paralyzed for more than thirty years, Joni Eareckson Tada has been able to build a life of faith and purpose. The peace she has found as she confronts the painful realities of life as a quadriplegic has made her a hero to many people. In Ordinary People, Extraordinary Faith, Joni lets us know who her heroes are. Inside she tells the stories of people who inspire her with their faith and courage. Although Joni has met many famous "heroes of the faith" through her ministry, the lives she shares here are not the Billy Grahams of the world. They are a mother, a housewife, a nursing home resident, a child. Some are missionaries or pastors; others are bank tellers or data entry clerks. All of these people have touched Joni's life and the lives of others as they found their faith rise to the occasion – to forgive an assailant, to find strength despite the debilitating effects of cerebral palsy, to choose love in the face of racial prejudice, and to discover in the midst of questioning that God Himself is the answer to all questions.

Randall Balmer was a late convert to sports talk radio, but he quickly became addicted, just like millions of other devoted American sports fans. As a historian of religion, the more he listened, Balmer couldn't help but wonder how the fervor he heard related to religious practice. Houses of worship once railed against Sabbath-busting sports events, but today most willingly accommodate Super Bowl Sunday. On the other hand, basketball's inventor, James Naismith, was an ardent follower of Muscular Christianity and believed the game would help develop religious character. But today those religious roots are largely forgotten. Here one of our most insightful writers on American religion trains his focus on that other great passion—team sports—to reveal their surprising connections. From baseball to basketball and football to ice hockey, Balmer explores the origins and histories of big-time sports from the late nineteenth century to the present, with entertaining anecdotes and fresh insights into their ties to religious life. Referring to Notre Dame football, the Catholic Sun called its fandom "a kind of sacramental." Legions of sports fans reading Passion Plays will recognize exactly what that means.