Bücher von Steve Harper

A spiritual practice for serious-minded (but busy) people.Everyone needs renewal, even the most committed among us. The spiritual life requires regular practice and a bit of time. Coming Alive: Daily Meditations for Spiritual Renewal offers five brief meditations each week for focused reading, reflection, and prayer. Each entry centers on a passage of scripture or spiritual writing. The meditations are deep, insightful, and beautifully simple, as readers have come to expect from Steve Harper's writing. This timeless book offers a gently challenging daily habit, which leads to renewal of spirit and mind. Coming Alive features- Brief readings, about 10 minutes per day- Undated readings, so readers can determine their own pattern of practice- Spiritual depth and wisdom from ancient and contemporary sources- Foreword by Brian McLarenFrom the Foreword:"e;Steve Harper's new book beautifully focuses in on the real core of the spiritual life: Not dogma, not rules and regulations, not duties or guilt, not pressure or obligation ... but life, life to the full, what I like to call aliveness."e;--Brian McLaren

WINNER: Independent Press Award 2023 (Performing Arts - Film, Theater, Dance & Music)Honored by:The American Fiction Awards (Finalist - Anthology) and The Hollywood Book Festival (Runner Up - Anthology) A collection of unexpected, insightful and engaging short plays by award-winning playwright and television writer Steve Harper. Can Plays Save the World? Award-winning TV writer, producer and playwright Steve Harper presents this collection of 17 comic and dramatic plays which are thought-provoking, funny and explosive. With characters ranging from playwrights of color in space to a computer-generated President, these works have delighted audiences across the country. This collection is a resource for theater professionals, students, and audiences hungry for a dynamic new take on American life. Described as "an anthology of hope" by The Classical Theatre of Harlem's Director of Literary Programs, A Few Short Plays to Save the World is a vibrant gift to anyone who loves theatrical storytelling.

Ethel and Bill Brown await the arrival of Violet's new young man - the posh Trevor who works in fine art - and Ethel has made a splendid tea to impress Trevor.

Can Skipper the pilot complete the raid and get his crew safely home? The crew: Eric the nose gunner wants to end the war with a profit. Norman the flight engineer dreams of using his basic flight training to fly Lily home on a “wing and a prayer”. Joe the radio operator has been recommended for officer training, and worries about the youth and inexperience of his fellow crewmen. Arthur is just out of flight training, and this is his first mission. Taff is the mid-upper gunner. He may appear to be the clown of the crew, but there is a bit more to Taff than that. Finally, there is Tony in the rear turret with his movie-star good looks. Tony has a lot on his mind, he is in trouble, and he can’t even tell his  friends why. So apart from that, the flack and the Luftwaffe, everything should be “Tickety Boo”. Bon Chance Lily.

The gown of the Bride of Christ is being shredded by sibling rivalry within the Christian community. The Church's life is weakened and its witness compromised. This is nowhere more evident than the issue of homosexuality. Dr. Steve Harper laments this sad state of affairs and offers a way of love through the dilemma. His pastoral spirit and practical counsel offer guidance and hope for the future. "A dark picture is emerging--a contentiousness between professing Christians and a persecution of the homosexual community by professing Christians. In the season of Lent, the Holy Spirit broke my heart one morning by speaking into it these words, "My Bride, the Church, is being abused. Her gown is being torn to shreds by siblings who are trying to end up with the biggest piece of the cloth, and who would rather expose her nakedness than give up the fight. Enough is enough!" "I was stunned-- so much so that I kept the experience to myself. I'm old enough to know the difference between a passing feeling and a sacred impression." -- Excerpted from the introduction. "Steve Harper writes as an evangelical who loves the United Methodist Church. He has written a thoughtful, helpful, and surprising book on the church he loves and the ways it might wrestle with the issues that divide it." --Rev. Adam Hamilton, United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, Kansas "For The Sake of the Bride is a helpful reflection on the unity of the church concerning human sexuality. He risks moving deeply into the conversation, and he does so in a way that is evangelical (Christocentric) and mystical. His rediscovery of E. Stanley Jones's round-table discussion points a way beyond our tribalism. I hope you will read this book, for the sake of the bride--the church of Jesus Christ." --Bishop Kenneth Carter, The Florida Annual Conference, The United Methodist Church "Steve Harper has written a book for "just such a time as this." He provides a balanced theological reflection on the crisis facing The United Methodist Church today. Reflecting upon Scripture, tradition, and the work of E. Stanley Jones, Harper lovingly proposes a way forward." --Rev. Steve Manskar, Director of Wesleyan Leadership, Leadership Ministries, GBOD, The United Methodist Church "For the Sake of the Bride sets aside the all-too-easy rhetoric of division and antagonism and invites the divided church to fully engage the greater way of love that Jesus models and bids us follow. Harper writes with pastoral courage, sensitivity and genuine humility, inviting us not to a particular position, but to generous dialogue on behalf of the church we cherish." --Dr. Kandace Brooks, Senior Pastor, Tamoka United Methodist Church, Ormond Beach, Florida "Steve Harper succeeds in his desire to move the Church beyond the impasse of name calling and shouting and calls for schism, and brings us to the table, the Round Table, in a spirit of grace filled love, integrity, honesty and mutual respect for all parties. That's a difficult place for many to maintain, but it's where we all must meet." --Dr. Dan Johnson, Senior Pastor, Trinity United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Florida "Steve Harper reflects the evangelical and holiness traditions of American Methodists. From this framework of traditional Christian piety, he shows how we can reflect faithfully on these contemporary issues in ways that honor each other as the presence of Christ, the "Bride of Christ." This is a breath of fresh air amid the rancor that has too often polluted church conversations in recent years. His concern is that Christians damage the church--not just the institution of the church but the church as the body and "bride of Christ"--by the uncharitable and unprofitable conversation we too often carry on, especially over the issue of same-sex relationships." --Ted Campbell, Associate Professor of Church History, Perkins School of Theology "Steve Harper courageously shares his thoughts after weeks of prayerful reflection on a topic that has challenged the Church for millennia. Pay particular attention to his mention of E. Stanley Jones' use of the roundtable. Steve has renewed my own desire to be more loving and far less judgmental." --Robert G. Tuttle Jr., Emeritus Professor of World Christianity, Asbury Seminary "Invaluable . . . Steve Harper is 'spot-on' for what he describes as a need for a third way. In our social media-driven culture, selecting the enter button often creates environments fueled by vitriol, instead of love for the sake of the Bride." --Toni King, retired registered nurse, Department of Veterans Affairs "Steve Harper entrusts us with a deeply personal account about his unexpected, prayer-born call to reexamine the church's embattled position regarding same-gender relationships. Intimate, prayerful, and tenderly biblical--this book reminds us that we already share a way forward--and the way is Love." --Pam Hawkins, discipleship pastor and former associate editor ofWeavings, Belmont United Methodist Church, Nashville, Tennessee "Steve Harper does not provide easy answers to our problems, but challenges a polarized church to focus on Christ through our Wesleyan tradition." --Kyle Cuperwich, pastor, Bernardsville and Gladstone United Methodist Churches, New Jersey

This volume in the United Methodist Studies series challenges United Methodists to engage in life-transforming practices. The author explains a theme and underscores major emphases within the United Methodist denomination. This adult study is divided into four sections with suggestions for group discussion, and can be completed in 4 to 8 sessions. No leader's guide is needed. The sections are: 1 - Living from the Heart - This chapter examines the essence of prayer and devotional life for United Methodists: holiness of heart and life. The chapter is divided into two sections to enable this examination: Cimmunion (heart) and Compassion (life). 2 - Read and Pray Daily - Exploring these two central disciplines in Christian formation and the Wesleyan Tradition guides readers into practical expressions of what it means to read devotionally (lection divina) and pray continually (the life of prayer). 3 - Get Connected! - The idea of "e;connectionalism"e; is a significant part of our tradition. This chapter examines this idea from two vantage points of classic formation principles and the concrete structures Wesley used in early-Methodism, which still contain implications for today. 4 - Go On! - The cultivation of prayer and devotional life in United Methodism is not about "e;attainment"e; but rather about "e;journey."e; This chapter examines the pilgrimage motif through the two lenses of the biblical doctrine of Christian perfection, and the practical development of that message through an action/reflection model of Christian formation.

It's September 1918 on the Western Front, and Sergeant Tommy Atkins and Coporal Dave Rawlings are doing all they can to stay alive during the final months of the First World War. They receive an unexpected visit from an officer, Lieutenant Hargreaves, who announces that Tommy is to be awarded the Military Medal for his courage in combat.

Is There a Way to Heaven? The great evangelist John Wesley believed there is, and he developed his theology to help people make the journey from sin to salvation. In Wesley's "e;order of salvation,"e; God's grace is the keynote from start to finish.The Way to Heaven is a twentieth-anniversary revision of John Wesley's Message for Today. Dr. Steve Harper presents Wesley's writings and the ideas of Wesley scholars in language that is clear and accessible but never simplistic. Written in the spirit of Wesley, here are "e;plain words for plain people."e;The heart of this book is a thoughtful and inspiring look at Wesley's theology of grace and its power to transform. Included are two new chapters. "e;Vision and Means"e; explores Wesley's mission and methods, and "e;To Serve the Present Age"e; considers the impact and relevance of his message today. In addition, an updated reading list facilitates further study, and questions at the end of each chapter stimulate personal reflection and small group discussion.Ideal as a textbook or for personal study and reflection, this book will advance your knowledge and piety as you travel "e;the way to heaven."e;