Creating a Prodigal-Friendly ChurchMost of us have prodigals in our lives, whether a child, brother, sister, husband, wife, or friend. The ache for these dear ones is like no other. They may hurt us and disappoint us, but somehow we cannot stop loving them. And yet we cannot live their lives for them.The Prodigal-Friendly Church looks at why people leave the church, how we can retain them, how we can reach those who have already gone, and how we can help those who return feel like they belong. Jeff Lucas offers no easy recipes for success, but plenty of truthtelling, hope, and encouragement.This book discusses the principles of:• Reach: How do we reach those who’ve already left the church?• Return: How do we help people return to the church?• Retain: How do we retain the people we’ve worked so hard to reach? Ultimately we are called to bring our prodigals to the cross of Christ, for there we find the mingling of our own utter helplessness and God’s total power to intervene and save. When the Father’s house is filled with the Father’s love, there is hope that the prodigals will come home. |
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angry Aravis banquet beautiful become behavior believe Bible big brother Bree C. S. Lewis called catechumens celebrate challenge Chapter Christ Christian congregation create crowd culture Dary describes Donald Kraybill elder brother faith father fattened calf feel friends Gemma God’s gospel grace happened happy heart heaven holy homecoming human Hwin insist invited J. R. R. Tolkien Jeff Lucas Jesus Jesus’s Jewish journey kezazeh laugh laughter leaders lives look lost Luke Marcus Borg meal means N. T. Wright never Nicky ourselves parable party Paul’s perhaps Perlman person Pharisees pray prayer preaching Prodigal Come Home prodigal-friendly church prodigal’s question returning prodigals Saul Scripture sermon share sinners someone sound spiritual Steve Chalke story Sunday morning surely teaching there’s things Timberline Tony Campolo truth turned walked What’s wonderful word Yehiel Dinur Zacchaeus Zondervan