Books
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Parables Of Jesus And Their Flip Side
$12.95Add to cartWritten as a companion volume to Schmalenberger’s acclaimed CSS title The Miracles Of Jesus And Their Flip Side, this book takes an imaginative look at twelve of Jesus’ parables by examining their traditional interpretation (the “hit” side), and then turning them on their ear to see the “other side of the story” — a different perspective with relevance for our modern-day lives (the “flip” side).
For example, in addition to warning about the dangers of building on sand instead of rock, Schmalenberger considers how to rebuild after a flood. In the parable of the wedding banquet, he discusses the people who were invited live together after the undeserved feast. And in the parable of the lost sheep, he talks about how the shepherd needs the support of the “ninety-nine never lost” in order for him to go after the one lost sheep.
Schmalenberger’s punch, contemporary language, and narrative style produce hard-hitting and inspirational messages that offer a unique new twist in the interpretation of some old and marvelous gospel teachings — his “flip side” approach is sure to add freshness and sparkle to your preaching.
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Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit Series 3 Cycle A
$18.95Add to cartA well-told story can be motivational and inspirational, especially when it’s framed in familiar language that everyone can relate to. Constance Berg draws on her gift for storytelling to deliver modern parables that reach across cultural, class, gender, and social lines. Berg’s collection of tales illustrating biblical passages from Cycle A of the Revised Common Lectionary will touch your soul. Her stories are clear and easily understood – not only by those in the pew, but by anyone looking for insightful devotional reading.
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Lectionary Worship Aids Series 6 Cycle A
$30.95Add to cartPreparing to lead a congregation in worship Sunday after Sunday can be a formidable and pressure-filled responsibility. That’s why busy worship planners will love this all-new edition of a favorite CSS reference. It’s a handy, easy-to-use resource with several prayers and a worship theme relating to the assigned scriptural passages for every Sunday and major observance in Cycle A of the Revised Common Lectionary. For each First Lesson, Second Lesson, and Gospel text there’s a call to worship, an invocation/collect, a prayer of confession, an offertory prayer, and suggested hymns. But that’s not all: each day’s material also includes the appointed psalm, words of assurance, a pastoral prayer, and a benediction. This complete collection offers a wide selection of practical aids for creating sincerely reverent and more meaningful worship.
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Lectionary Worship Workbook Series 3 Cycle A (Workbook)
$30.95Add to cartIf you want to make your Sunday morning services come alive, this remarkably inventive volume is exactly what you’ve been searching for. It’s a terrific library of resources that takes the weekly lectionary texts and puts them into the mouths, ears, and hearts of the people. For each week there’s a complete selection of written liturgical material (calls to worship, litanies, prayers, and benedictions) to supplement and strengthen your worship planning — all specifically tailored to the day’s scripture readings. But that’s not all! There’s also a wealth of musical suggestions, including hymns chosen from a wide variety of denominational hymnals, psalm settings, and appropriate anthems for the choir. You’ll even find ideas that draw upon the other creative arts (dance, art, drama) to glorify God and enhance worship. This is an outstanding exegesis of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving and Schifrin’s fertile imagination produces practical worship material that engages the congregation and encourages active participation.
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Childrens Sermons A To Z
$19.95Add to cartAnyone who has done children’s sermons will sooner or later hear from someone that “I learn more from the children’s sermon than I do from the real sermon.” And indeed, the truths of scripture are so simple that even a child can understand them. So it’s no accident that children’s sermons have become a central part of the worship service in many churches.
Brett Blair and Tim Carpenter offer a year’s worth of object lessons that engage children and impart profound lessons for all ages. Two sermons are provided for each Sunday in Cycle C of the Revised Common Lectionary, one based on the Second Lesson and one based on the Gospel. The messages are structured in two parts: the “lesson” uses an object to draw out active responses from children, then the “application” connects that object to the assigned scripture reading. Each message includes a clear statement of its exegetical aim.
Bright, innovative, perceptive, creative, grace-filled Brett Blair and Tim Carpenter are all of those and much, much more, and that is reflected beautifully in their new book Children’s Sermons A To Z.
James W. Moore
Pastor, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church Houston, Texas -
Praises From The Psalms
$10.95Add to cartJulia Bland comes to the aid of busy pastors and teachers with more practical, easy-to-prepare children’s messages and activity pages. Based on the Psalms, the lessons call youngsters’ attention to the many blessings we enjoy every day and teach them to praise God for all he does for us. Puzzles and coloring pages keep their interest while reinforcing the message.
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Word Is Near You
$14.95Add to cartThe testimony of the entire Bible is that God searches for hearts, but even God has trouble with us because we are so fickle. The other side of this is that man has tried to find God, too. “Man is incurably religious,” we are told. And so he is, so we are. In times past people have ransacked the universe searching for God. They recited incantations or burned incense or spilled blood, all in an effort to find God. And all the while, God was close by to be found. This is what Paul was saying in Romans 10. “The word is near you,” he says. “It is in your mouth and in your heart.” (from “The Word Is Near You”)
For Don Aycock, the sermon is the church’s “verbal instrument of growth.” This book offers over 20 messages that are not intended as literary examples, but rather as flesh-and-blood efforts to proclaim the Word of God. Aycock is an inventive and experienced preacher who employs many fascinating illustrations — but they are always used to shed light on the biblical text at the heart of his message.
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Fire For The Choir
$14.95Add to cartOne of the eternal challenges facing church choir directors is how to recruit new members, and then, how to keep them interested and retain them. No matter how large or small the congregation, it is the energy and commitment of a music program’s participants that ultimately determines how successful it is.
While there are plenty of books about the musical techniques of choir directing, there are precious few that deal with the organizational nuts-and-bolts and the people skills required for a smoothly functioning music program. Ellis Dillard Thompson, a veteran choir director and music educator, shares his tried and proven methods for getting choir members excited — to keep them serving and loving it! He focuses on the role of a church musician as a spiritual leader, and stresses that the road to true success involves basing a music program on spiritual values that uplift, inspire, and motivate participants. And as a bonus, Thompson includes three original choral responses that you can copy and use.
This is an excellent guide that is designed for anyone who participates in music ministry: choir directors, choir members, organists, pastors, music committee members, and worship committee members.
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Drama For All Seasons
$12.95Add to cartIn a time when our culture is becoming dominated by visual modes of communication such as television, movies, videos, and computer games, church people are recognizing the need to keep up with the trends. Drama is a useful tool in the work of the church: it adds interest and variety; it can reveal new insights on spiritual truths; and it appeals to all ages while being non-threatening for those unused to regular church services.
This collection of easy-to-perform sketches includes both seasonal drama and pieces for any time of the year. They’re suitable for worship services, social programs, or other occasions, as well as just-for-fun reading. Most have a performance time of less than five minutes, and few props are required.
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Come Let Us Worship
$21.95Add to cartArranged according to the seasons of the church year, this volume presents several worship aids for every Sunday: a call to worship, and invocation, a ritual of friendship, an offertory sentence and prayer, a benediction, and a pastoral prayer. Each is designed to make the Sunday morning worship experience meaningful and uplifting.
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Who They Really Were
$15.95Add to cartWhen the problem of what to preach next Sunday raises its frowning head, solve it by calling on one of the hundreds of biblical characters standing in line at your study door, nearly beating it down with their clamorous “Take me! Take me!”.
Preaching on biblical personalities has an irresistible appeal, because audiences are more interested in people than in anything else. Jesus himself preached mainly about people (“a certain man had two sons …”); so there’s no excuse for making the Gospel dull — and with the help of Bodo’s book, preachers can add spice to the pulpit fare they serve up week after strenuous week. -
Reconciliation
$7.95Add to cartPrepare everyone in your congregation for a meaningful Lenten season with this collection of six sermon outlines, accompanied by program suggestions, worship aids, and a dramatic reading based on Mark’s passion narrative. The resources all stress the theme of reconciliation – with ourselves, between ourselves and God, in our families, in our churches, in our churches, in our communities, and in the world.
A companion daily worship and study guide is available.
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Little Animal Sermons
$10.95Add to cartBecause of the natural appeal of animals, they provide a means by which to capture children’s attention and teach biblical truths. With each lesson is a page for younger children to color and an activity page for older children.
Most children love animals. And because of the natural appeal of animals, they provide an attractive means by which to capture children’s attention and teach biblical truths.
These lessons provide an opportunity for pastors or Christian educators during Sunday morning worship, Sunday School, Vacation Church School, or any other time of interaction with young people.
Accompanying each lesson is a page for younger children to color and an additional activity page for older children.
“I found your manuscript appealing and interesting. We like the activities that accompany the good stories.
Albert Frederick Mutti
Bishop, Kansas Area
United Methodist ChurchLessons include:
The Turtle: Sheltered By The Presence Of God
The Dog, Pansy: Sheltered By God’s Word
The Penguin: Working Together
The Rhinoceros And The Tickbird: Working Together Though Not Alike
The Opossum: Playing Dead To Sin
The Squirrel: Gathering Treasures -
Is He Coming Soon
$10.95Add to cartWith the millennium and prophetic pronouncements about the Second Coming fast approaching, Piper provides a well-crafted examination of one of the most misunderstood books of the Bible, guiding readers through Revelation and offering “Points to Ponder” for more in-depth consideration.
This book offers a solid but easy-to-follow explanation of the text, and a scholarly but easy-to-understand approach to this important subject of “the last things.”
As your stack of millennium reading grows, put it all into perspective with Piper’s important reader’s guide to the Book of Revelation. Read and understand Revelation with the help of this well-crafted examination.
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This You Can Believe (Revised)
$22.95Add to cartThis newly revised study of the Apostles’ Creed, originally published in 1987, now contains seventeen chapters and study guides, significantly expanding upon the seven chapters of the original work.
When first published, this landmark book went through three printings as churches of many denominations found it to be an excellent guide not only for new members coming into the church, but also for long-time members who wish to have their faith reinforced and renewed.
This study guide is appropriate for youth, young adults, and seniors. It is a helpful resource for catechism classes, Sunday school classes, high school or adult Bible study classes, new member classes, or renewal of faith courses.
Brokhoff writes in contemporary language that will help the average person to come to an understanding of the Christian faith as recorded in the Apostles’ Creed. His work lends itself to personal study or group discussion.
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Ethics Of Assisted Death
$12.95Add to cartAre we ever justified in choosing to die by deliberate action? Is it ever right to aid those who request assistance in dying?
These questions are widely debated today, and in this book Cauthen sets forth the major arguments for and against physician-assisted death. Readers will find here all the essential information they need to approach this problem and form their own personal point of view.
Cauthen writes from a religious perspective and makes explicit the biblical and philosophical foundations for his thinking. He presents a cautious and reasoned case for changing the current law with respect to physician-assisted suicide and physician-administered death.
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Challenge Of Starting All Over Again
$12.95Add to cartThis sermon series for Lent/Easter is fast-paced and illustrated with stories and anecdotes that keep the attention of readers and listeners. With titles such as “The Challenge To Change,” “The Challenge Of Tragedy,” “The Challenge Of No-Fault Religion,” and “The Challenge To Live Again,” Fetty offers sermons that are certain to inspire personal growth and spiritual conviction.
Not many of us have the opportunity to stand at the crossroads of history. Not many of us have the opportunity to stand at the threshold of a new era. Not many of us are able to witness the dawn of a new age. And only a few of us are destined to be a potential leader of a new advance in history. All of us have our destinies of course, but only a few of us have a destiny potentially able to change the world…. (from Chapter Two)
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Onward Through The Fog
$9.95Add to cartThe Sundays of Lent don’t have to be boring! Follow the lectionary and provide your congregation with exciting worship experiences by using these positive yet sensitive dialogue sermons based on Cycle A of the Revised Common Lectionary. Wit and scripture are combined to encourage Christian growth and prod listeners into making a personal commitment. In addition to six sermon dialogues, worship planning aids are included for each Sunday, along with an Ash Wednesday worship service.
In addition to six sermon dialogues, worship planning aids are included for each Sunday, plus an Ash Wednesday worship service with the theme-setting sermon, “Onward! Through The Fog!”
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Preaching Matthews Gospel
$22.95Add to cartJensen’s research and insights provide a stimulating resource on Matthew’s Gospel. Jensen provides “Homiletical Directions” at the end of each chapter that will help the preacher find a focus and locate themes for preaching the text. Jensen points to the ways in which the biblical writers lock their stories together with other stories in order to give fuller meaning to their narratives. He covers material that is not included in the assigned lectionary texts and discusses the inter-relatedness of Matthew’s stories. These “narrative analogies” imply that preaching on Matthew’s Gospel may at times be a retelling of two or more Matthean stories.
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Holy Words What Do They Mean
$12.95Add to cartThe meaning of some church words is often taken for granted. We assume, for example, that everyone knows what HOLY or GLORY or SIN mean. But when we explore the history of these words we uncover a new depth of understanding.
Preachers and lay leaders will find this resource helpful in their sermon preparation and Bible study.
The index lists over 130 of the most frequently used words, numbers and phrases which have special significance in the biblical and religious writings.
Some examples are: amen, benediction, clergy, Eucharist, kyrie, love, Yahweh, and numbers such as 1, 3, 4, 10, 40, and 70 X 7.
An accompanying eight-lesson guide will help the user conduct a fascinating group study.
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No Deed Greater Than A Word
$16.95Add to cartThis book is written for preachers who suspect that the way they were taught to preach (and for the most part are still being taught to preach) simply does not work.
The author’s objective is to bring the Bible to life in the sermon in all of its dimensions. To do that the preacher must understand his listeners as well as his message. Those who explore Shepherd’s message will find themselves thinking about the sermon and preaching in an entirely new way.Shepherd presents his position with a firm grounding in biblical studies, literary criticism, and theology.
The book is for those preachers who are dissatisfied with the way they were taught to preach, but are not sure why. Using practical examples from real sermons, the book uncovers many of the faults of traditional preaching styles and inspires a new approach to the sermon that unites preacher, congregation, and scripture under the powerful Word of God’s grace.
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Hoof N Mouth Disease
$20.95Add to cartStorytelling is older than the Bible, as much of the Old Testament consists of stories that arose out of an oral tradition, and Jesus was a master storyteller. So it makes sense that monologues capture the eyes, ears, and brains of the congregation. Stories captivate audiences – mention any character in the Bible and people recall a favorite story, not the theme of a moralistic three-point sermon. This book of creative monologues will help pastors connect with their listeners in a vital and vibrant way.
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Let The Children Come
$12.95Add to cartThe Children’s Sermon during the worship hour is one of the strongest attractions for young families in choosing a church to attend.
Robert Lantz understands how to talk to children. He brings the meaning and message of the scripture text to their level of understanding. When members of his congregation began asking for copies of his children’s sermons so they could use them as bedtime stories for their children, he decided it was time to put them into print.
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Joy Songs Trumpet Blasts And Hallelujah Shouts
$15.95Add to cartThis compelling sermons collection explores the art and uniqueness of African-American preaching. Readers will discover the ritual drama and the processes, form and substance of black storytelling that are pivotal elements coloring African-American culture. This is an intriguing, in-depth look into a unique art form.
To fully appreciate the empowering nature inherent in black sermons, Stewart explores the four distinguishing elements that make this genre “a four-cornered universe.” They are:
Poetic recitation
Imaginative insight
Spiritual pharmacology
Spiritual and social transformationStewart presents readers with some of his most captivating sermons, including:
Let It Shine
Advent’s “Invisible” Man
Take Off the Grave Clothes
African-American Spirituality: The African Gift to America -
Cosmic Witness
$20.95Add to cartHow have preachers handled questions about science and religion? Largely by ignoring them. But many people are asking questions about the significance of the Christian message in an age of technology.
Cosmic Witness will help…
Preachers by revealing those scriptural texts where faith intersects with science and technology.
Teachers who are looking for modern illustrations to help students understand the relationship between faith and science.
All who are interested in learning more about how the Bible addresses questions about technology and religion. -
Lenten Resources For Worship Leaders
$12.95Add to cartThese field-tested materials represent the creative effort of many denominations. Each includes ideas for preparation, items needed, suggestions for use, number of parts, and the time for best use.
This complete Lenten volume for busy ministers includes:
Shadows Around The Cross: A Tenebrae
A Good Friday Vigil
The Service Of Diminishing Lights — for Sundays in Lent
Justified By Greed: Monologue Of A Pharisee — for Lent
The Passover Haggadah: A Traditional Seder Service
Litany For Forgiveness
Litany For Palm Sunday
Litany For Easter
Meditation: Forgiveness Is Peace
Meditation: You Make The Difference
Litany Of Confession
Litany For Peace -
Mary Of Nazareth
$7.95Add to cartMary of Nazareth lived a dangerously demanding, yet holy life, She knew loneliness and poverty and endured extreme hardships of faith while maintaining a close relationship with God. During the crucifixion she knew raging and numbed pain which challenged her sanity. But her joy was overflowing after the Resurrection. Her story provides powerful information about God’s sovereignty in the universe toward those who believe in Him and seek Him.
Based primarily on the Gospel of Luke, the sole New Testament writer to interview and consider the female point of view, this dramatic monologue comes complete with an Order of Worship. It provides powerful insight into Mary’s suffering and, likewise, the joy she felt from her conquering on. The presentation is divided into five sections, making it possible to use as a five week series allowing five different women to participate instead of just one. It also provides hymn suggestions which help to amplify the monologue.
This easily yet effectively prepared service offers a profound experience any time during the Lenten season.
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Journey Of Lent
$15.95Add to cartThis book provides scripture-based reflections for each day of the Lenten season. It is an uplifting work for those who wish to enrich their personal prayer and meditation. It shows the Lenten season in its intended light — as a period of preparation, where we ready ourselves spiritually for life as Christians.
In this, Gribble provides a daily challenge to the one who is searching for a way to draw closer to God in everyday life. With each day’s reading he includes scripture passages, a theme and keenly stimulating thoughts for reflection.
More than simply a collection for personal meditation, it is also ideal for teaching and preaching illustrations.
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Lamentations : A Commentary
$45.00Add to cartThe Old Testament Library provides an authoritative treatment of every major and important aspect of the Old Testament. This commentary on Lamentations offers a fresh translation, discussing questions of historical background and literary architecture before providing a theologically sensitive exposition of the text. Adele Berlin is Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Maryland. She has served on the editorial boards for the Journal of Biblical Literature, Semeia, Hebrew Annual Review, Journal of the Ancient Near East Society, Hebrew Studies, and Jewish Quarterly Review.
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Bud Not Buddy
$8.99Add to cartThe Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winning classic about a boy who decides to hit the road to find his father-from Christopher Paul Curtis, author of The Watsons Go To Birmingham-1963, a Newbery and Coretta Scott King Honoree.
It’s 1936, in Flint Michigan. Times may be hard, and ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, but Bud’s got a few things going for him:
1. He has his own suitcase full of special things.
2. He’s the author of Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.
3. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: flyers advertising Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!!!Bud’s got an idea that those flyers will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road to find this mystery man, nothing can stop him-not hunger, not fear, not vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself.
AN ALA BEST BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS
AN ALA NOTABLE CHILDREN’S BOOK
AN IRA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD WINNER
NAMED TO 14 STATE AWARD LISTS -
Poet The Warrior The Prophet
$32.00Add to cart“Using poetry, story and philosophy to bring theology alive, this book shows that theology cannot be reduced to conventional forms, but is rather like the enigmatic illustrations of M.C. Echer, many of whose pictures the book reproduces. The book draws on the writings of Rainer Maria Rilke, Gabriel Garcia Marques, Emily Dickinson, Albert Camus, Sigmund Freud and the “”Tao Te Ching””, among other works, to show how good theology is best compared to the image of wild birds flapping their wings and refusing to be caged. This material was originally delivered at the 1990 Edward Cadbury Lectures in the University of Birmingham.”
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Opening Prayers : Collects In A Contemporary Language Scripture Related Pra
$17.00Add to cartThis much-praised and strikingly beautiful collection of prayers offers a satisfying resource to all who are looking for collects in a contemporary idiom. Dramatic in their imagery, richly biblical in their language and skilfully connecting the bible readings for the day, they will enrich worship by focusing hearts and minds on the scriptures read in church – and all this in a style which resonates authentically with the longings and hopes of these seeking God in today’s world. Clergy and worship leaders in many denominations now using the three-year lectionary will gladly welcome this splendid collection which includes prayers for every Sunday, holy day and major festivals of Years A, B and C.
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Paradoxes For Living
$24.00Add to cart“To be strong, we have to be weak.” “To become mature, we have to become children.” “To live, we have to die.” N. Graham Standish challenges readers to explore these and other biblical examples of paradox. With questions for reflection, discussion after each chapter, and helpful appendixes, this book is ideal for either personal or group study.
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Reading Hebrews And James
$33.25Add to cartReading Hebrews and James provides a clear path through the unique and often divisive Letter to the Hebrews and Letter of James. Isaacs’s commentary on these two letters expertly considers questions of authorship and historical context while also making both Hebrews and James undeniably relevant for today’s faith. Preachers and teachers alike will benefit from the essential study that Reading Hebrews and James offers
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Resolving Conflict In Marriage
$16.99Add to cartHave years passed since your marriage was filled with romance? Have conflicts arisen–trouble with the kids, problems with money, or struggles in your intimate relationship? Do you find yourselves divided as a couple for days, even weeks? Are the two of you focusing on who is at fault rather than what can be done? If this is your story, now is the time to resolve the conflicts in your marriage. Darrell Hines calls on you to recognize the spiritual forces that are intent on destroying your marriage. He challenges you to rediscover and reconnect with the foundational principles that keep a marriage together. He identifies key ways to prevent and confront conflict. Find a place of agreement and move on! Discover today how you can begin walking together in a new, stronger commitment! Learn how to build a relationship that faces difficulties, ovecomes them, and emerges stronger than ever! This book is a must-read for all married couples… and a powerful gift for those about to make wedding vows.
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Terrorism Jihad And The Bible
$17.99Add to cartSeptember 11, 2001 saw the deadliest attack ever launched on American soil, leaving us asking questions such as: Why did God permit such a thing to happen? Was the attack a divine judgment or was it merely an atrocity perpetrated by the forces of evil? How can human beings be capable of such diabolical savagery in the name of religion? And what is the right course of action for our government to take? John MacArthur points us to the Bible for answers to these and many other questions arising out the recent atrocities. He educates readers to the roots of the conflict, linking the religious and political issues that underlie the current turmoil to the Old Testament.
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Greek For Preachers
$29.99Add to cart“This dynamic book will help you bring the New Testament to life in your sermons by alerting you to pulses of meaning that are lost in English translation. The heart of the book is ten clear, practical, and well-illustrated principles for uncovering dimensions of significance of the greek text. Designed for beginners and pastors with little experience, the authors introduce readers to the alphabet, to Greek words, and to making use of Greek through an Interlinear Greek/English New Testament.”
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Open Doors : For Preaching Teaching And Public Speaking
$12.95Add to cartEffective illustrations open pathways into the sermonic process that allow the light of God’s Word to enter. And for busy pastors, the ability to locate the “perfect” illustration that brings instant clarity is worth its weight in gold. This collection of dynamic quotes, quips, and anecdotes from Derl Keefer’s thirty years in the pulpit is a treasure that you won’t want to be without!
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Step At A Time
$12.95Add to cartIn his practical and easy-to-follow book Glenn Borreson offers a plan for increasing giving in a congregation through personalized stewardship letters. His example, timeline, and step-by-step procedures will provide an excellent resource for any pastor who wants to help his or her congregation grow in Christian stewardship. Borreson’s suggestions not only help to increase giving, they also do it in a non-threatening way. I recommend his program enthusiastically.
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Angel At McDonalds
$7.95Add to cartAngel At McDonald’s is a provocative drama that is a striking parable about belief in something that seems impossible and the courage to do what God commands. Two young women who are decorating a community center in an underprivileged neighborhood encounter three angry toughs who resent the girls’ “kindness.” With the gentle insistence of an angel who gives them an unusual assignment, the girls confront their fear and tell the skeptical ghetto kids about Jesus. And despite initial wariness, the message finds a home in some of their hearts.
This play can be presented as part of a worship service or as the entertainment at a church dinner or other gathering. It can be staged as elaborately or as simply as you wish, and lends itself to a readers’ theater format. Angel At McDonald’s is an excellent discussion starter that is sure to generate many viewpoints about our preconceived ideas of what constitutes “missions.” And it connects the occasion of Christ’s birth to the birth of new spiritual life. With realistic dialogue and situations, it’s perfect for use with teenagers.
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Advent Conversations
$7.95Add to cartIf you’re looking for a fresh way to make lighting the Advent wreath a meaningful and relevant part of the worship service, this is just what you need. Richard Hull has written brief conversational dialogues that relate the wisdom of the prophets found in the Advent lectionary readings to modern life. In each “conversation” two people reflect on the assigned reading and talk about life and faith, leading to the lighting of the candles. The presentations are accompanied by an informative essay explaining the background and history of the Advent wreath. Covering all three lectionary cycles, this is an excellent resource for any size congregation — and they’re also great for devotional use by families in the home. Best of all, the informal tone of the writing will make worshipers feel like participants instead of observers. Use these dialogues to discover ancient truth in a contemporary setting.
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What Do You Mean Study The Bible
$11.95Add to cart“Anything but the Bible!” — that was the attitude of Katherine Bailey Babb’s high school age Sunday School class. When she realized just how ignorant these teenagers were of some of the basic background of the faith they professed, Babb created a fun and enjoyable curriculum for studying the Old Testament that would fill in the gaps in their knowledge. And it works! Her field-tested approach will make the Hebrew Bible an exciting field of study for your youth.
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On Eagles Wings
$13.95Add to cartIt’s a difficult time to make decisions when a loved one dies. Yet families must make many choices in a short period of time, including ones about the funeral service itself. Those who are frustrated by the process of selecting Bible texts and themes for their loved one’s prayer vigil now have a resource to help guide them in their hour of need. On Eagles’ Wings provides ten thematic prayer services designed for use at funeral vigils or as alternative funeral services. Each service is complete and ready to use (including a bulletin format), yet there is flexibility for individual input. Brief descriptions of each service’s theme help family and clergy select the one most appropriate for the deceased. And the services can be led by either clergy or lay leaders, an especially helpful feature for congregations that are serviced by part-time clergy.
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Tenebrae For Modern Times
$7.95Add to cartTenebrae For Modern Times combines scripture, contemporary language, and prose poetry in an innovative setting. Within the framework of a standard worship service, short reflections by six apostles are echoed by the musings of six contemporary people with similar concerns. This juxtaposition reveals that little has changed in almost 2000 years – there are still taxes to pay and family situations to deal with. Questions central to our lives are addressed: “How do I find time for my family?” “How can I find time for church work?” and “How can I bring God into my life?” The service does not require a sermon, and there are suggested hymns and choral anthems for the church musician. The format allows for participation by many readers, yet the service is very adaptable for use by small congregations. No props or costumes are required, though the service may be performed in costume if desired. This truly distinctive Good Friday resource combines the past, present, and future into a poignant worship experience. Good Friday is an important day in the lives of Christians, and Marie Asner’s Tenebrae For Modern Times is a powerful way to make that day significant and meaningful in our lives. She causes us to think deeply about our own relationship with the Lord with her references to Jesus’ disciples as well as modern people who struggle. Each of us will be touched and changed by her inspired writings.
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Last Supper : A Maundy Thursday Portrayal
$7.95Add to cartWith The Last Supper, you won’t just hear about this familiar story, you’ll see it and feel it! It’s an insightful look at one of the most poignant moments in the life of Jesus. Glimpses into the personalities and backgrounds of the disciples emphasize the human qualities that we share with them. It’s also a visual portrayal of the sacrament of Holy Communion. This is a dramatic way to celebrate Maundy Thursday, as the program deftly combines a depiction of the Last Supper with a tenebrae service conclusion. In addition to the pastor, there are parts for 14 men and one woman. Character synopses and a seating chart for the portrayal are included.
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Men Mentoring Men Again
$21.95Add to cart“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘… Go therefore and make disciples….’ “
The need for mentoring has never been greater in our society. Men Mentoring Men Again helps meet that need by effectively challenging and equipping men to take their roles as spiritual “fathers” and “brothers” in Christ seriously.
Bill McCartney
Founder and President, Promise KeepersThis guide goes beyond Men Mentoring Men to consider pressing issues men face. How does a man overcome habitual sins? How do men cope with the busyness of life? What’s a godly man’s role in the workplace? Men using this resource will develop a spiritual growth plan, as well as learning to wage spiritual warfare, to fast and pray, and to walk in obedience. Best of all, Dr. Donovan’s teachings are presented in terms that any man can understand and apply.
Men Mentoring Men Again is a resource designed to assist Christian men in fulfilling Christ’s commission. It is not merely information — it is an action-oriented guide which requires relationship and mutual accountability. Each session will challenge men to share their victories and their struggles … to maintain a daily journal as well as being committed to regular Bible reading.
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Clearer Vision
$12.95Add to cartThe Introduction to this volume of Lenten sermons suggests a method of congregational involvement in the scriptural texts which will engage and edify the members of any church.
Ash Wednesday
Wanting To Be Seen
First Sunday In Lent
Adam And Jesus See Temptation
Second Sunday In Lent
Second Sight
Third Sunday In Lent
Seeing The Whole Person
Fourth Sunday In Lent
Seeing The Unseen
Fifth Sunday In Lent
Seeing Light In Darkness -
Simply Wonderful : Five Childrens Sermons And Activity Pages For Advent And
$10.95Add to cartFamily-oriented churches which welcome children and include them in their worship and programming are always faster growing and more vibrant. For pastors and teachers whose time is limited, these children’s messages are ready to use with little or no preparation.
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Services For The Advent Wreath
$17.95Add to cartHow does a pastor who follows the lectionary make the Advent wreath relevant to the rest of the service? Here is a very easy-to-use resource which includes every Sunday in Advent, as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It provides bulletin inserts, litanies, prayers, scripture readings, and flexible and easy-to-use original choral introits, which can be sung by a choir, ensemble duet, or as a solo.
This resource covers all three years of the lectionary cycle. It is adaptable for any size congregation, large or small.
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Beyond Shame And Pain
$17.95Add to cartThis book is unique among books on forgiveness. In addition to being Christian, it is based on a very solid foundation of clinical and social psychology. Based on 26 years of teaching and clinical practice, it condenses some of the best insights into reader-friendly prose, using case examples to illustrate primary points.
Forgiveness, like apple pie, is something most people want more of, but few know how to achieve genuinely. This book will provide fresh ideas on how to appropriate more of his psychologically powerful commodity to a discouraged world.
It’s time we let forgiveness out of church and psychology out of the laboratory and clinic. I hope my book does both. — Dr. John Berecz
Though written for a general audience, this book will also appeal to pastors, pastoral counselors, social workers, physicians, nurses, and any in the helping professions who approach their work from a Christian perspective.
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Preaching Lukes Gospel
$24.95Add to cartPreachers and Bible teachers will find this book helpful in guiding them to be biblical storytellers. Testimonies to the value of Dr. Richard Jensen’s book have been numerous and include the following:
Rather than preach about the biblical text one is encouraged and equipped to proclaim the biblical narrative. His book is refreshingly practical and biblical. It stimulates biblical preaching, preparation and proclamation. The preacher is moved from telling a story to telling the story.
Pastor Paul Gunsten
St. Philip Lutheran Church
Roanoke, VirginiaI really appreciate the direction each chapter opens for possible preaching emphasis. I thought the first few chapters might just be flukes … but each succeeding one holds its own. Thanks!
Pastor William Lawson
Trinity Lutheran Church
Green Bay, WisconsinThrough a process of “narrative analogy” Dr. Jensen shows how the stories in the appointed texts of the Revised Common Lectionary relate to the other stories in Luke/Acts. In so doing, he opens up new discoveries for preaching.
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Many Faces Of Evil
$16.95Add to cartEvil and suffering are a part of everyone’s experience. Kenneth Cauthen breaks new ground in exploring the torments and terrors of this life. Some of his positions may be considered daring and controversial. But his approach, while creative, is rooted in a deeply biblical faith as he interprets the meaning of suffering and the relationship of God to human anguish.
This book will be a useful resource for counselors, pastors, teachers and others who are called upon to help people cope with tragedy. It will be helpful to individuals who are attempting to understand the torment or suffering in their own lives.
The author addresses many difficult questions and illustrates his answers with fascinating real-life examples:
How is evil related to suffering?
What is God’s responsibility in causing and overcoming evil?
How does faith provide a basis for hope in the midst of suffering?
Why is evil a part of our world? -
Best Wedding Meditations
$12.95Add to cartThis resource book for busy pastors provides homilies for marriage services, as well as two unique orders of service and a service for a fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Ministers from around the United States have contributed to this collection of classics. Each of the homilies is biblically based and can be used as is or adapted to different circumstances.
The contents include:
A Contemporary Wedding Service
Marriage Likened To A Wedding Cake
Leeches Or Lovers
Marriage As A Crisis
We Belong To Each Other
Let God Be The Go-between
A Motto For Marriage
Living In Harmony
The Greatest Of These Is Love
Love, Honor, Forgive
Dearly Beloved and more -
Attitude Adjustments
$9.95Add to cartThese four playlets treat serious subjects in a thought-provoking yet humorous manner. Each one is followed by a suggested order of worship, prayer, litany, and “meditation.” The subjects covered are: Greed, Pride, Guilt, and Forgiveness.
They are excellent resources for:
Retreats
Seminars
Youth meetings
Men’s or women’s gatheringsThis resource will be helpful in every church library or reference shelf.
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Christians Christians Everywhere How Do Your Gardens Grow
$7.95Add to cartChristians, Christians, Everywhere, How Do Your Gardens Grow? helps congregations to get the proper focus on stewardship for youth through a suggested order of service to be presented by youth.
Within the service are songs, a skit and meditation, all centered on a gardening theme.
Cynthia E. Cowen writes that her goal for this resource is to enable youth to participate in a worship service based on the theme of sowing and reaping in the Kingdom of God.
This resource helps participants and the congregation to understand the process of growth in the giving of our talents and offerings to the work of the church.
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And You Welcomed Me
$37.99Add to cartThis book presents a collection of early Christian texts regarding hospitality and its practices. The range of experts both in time and space shows just how central a role of hospitality played in Christian life throughout the early centuries. Yet this book is not a set of instructions for hospitality, nor does the word “hospitality” even appear in many of these excerpts, and this in itself is good cause for reflection for us today. The excerpts come from letters, diary accounts, instructions, sermons, travelogues, and community records and rules. They are windows into a world of early communities that saw it as their moral duty and also privilege to care for the sick, to safeguard the pilgrim, and to host the stranger. Abram and Sarai hosting the three angels at Oaks of Mamre, and Jesus and his disciples feeding the crowds are two familiar biblical examples, but this book also delves into lesser know texts that offer rich insight to those willing to read and then integrate the early fathers’ and mothers’ wisdom and hospitality into their own lives.
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Saint Benedict On The Freeway
$18.99Add to cartHow can we heal the rift between our daily lives and the sacred? How can we live a life capable of hearing “the still small voice” of God while experiencing the speed and sensory overload of modern life? This book is Ware’s answer to these questions. She acknowledges that others have addressed the questions; on the one hand there are books which have significant depth but speak in academic or “in-group” language and provide little help adapting these insights to everyday life. On the other hand, there are practical “how-to” exercises which assist in very particular spiritual experiences but which do not offer integrated, sustainable, life-changing patterns. St. Benedict On The Freeway fills this gap. It “translates into twenty-first century life spiritually formative practices worked out in the past, creatively adapting those disciplines to contemporary daily life.” This adaptation is the heart of Ware’s book. She attempts first to draw attention to our own awareness of God. She discusses how a “Rule” functioned for Benedict’s time, and how it can function for us as a liberating reminder of God instead of another repressive and burdensome taskmaster. Ware also asks how the hours of prayer–vigils, lauds, prime, terce, sext, none, vespers, compline–can increase our spiritual awareness even if our ‘community’ does not stop for prayer at designated times during the day. And, Ware explores prayer in dimensions beyond the spoken word.
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Ministry Is A High Calling Aim Low
$22.00Add to cartKurt Schuermann writes with humor and grace about the everyday happenings in a pastor’s life. After being forced to purge his book collection by a move to a smaller office, Schuermann discovers a dark truth about himself: he is addicted to ten-step books. In this book he collects the things that he has found to be true since he threw away his collection of ten-step and how-to books. Topics of the fifty-two reflections include the minister’s call, church-growth seminars, and the local church.
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Magdalene Gospel : Meeting The Women Who Followed Jesus
$19.00Add to cartMary Ellen Ashcroft paints a portrait of the Saturday after the crucifixion and before the resurrection of Jesus. Mary Magdalene and the other women followers of Jesus have gathered together to comfort one another in this time of unspeakable loss and sadness. As each woman shares her story, it becomes clear that her experience as a follower of Jesus has changed her life forever.
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Life Injections 1
$15.95Add to cartWritten by a priest and hospital chaplain with many years of experience, this series of inspirational messages confronts a wide range of human emotions. Zajac not only connects scripture to the human experience, but he nudges the reader/listener to change his thinking or to alter her lifestyle. He injects hope and peace into lives wearied by pain and suffering and heartache. Heavy doses of captivating illustrations make this a book for inspiration and enjoyment.
This book will be a useful resource for …
the preacher who wishes to sensitively address difficult issues
the counselor who seeks to help the distressed
any individual who seeks answers and comfort and solaceTitles include:
Bad Habits
Tears
Antidotes For Perfectionism
One Day At A Time
Maalox Moments
What To Do About The Loss Of Someone Special -
Angels We Have Heard
$7.95Add to cartIf you’re looking for a fresh new approach to telling the old, old story — what better way to celebrate the Christmas message than to do it from the viewpoint of the angels? From the promise to Abraham to its fulfillment in Bethlehem, angels are a vital part of the story. Angels We Have Heard is a beautiful service that combines many of the traditional elements of Christmas worship with brief dialogues between angels and a number of characters relating to the Christmas narrative. Along with candlelight, an optional communion celebration, and many of the favorite carols we all love to sing, the encounters described in the scriptures between angels and Abraham, Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds are paraphrased. There’s also a short closing exchange between an angel and a contemporary person that sheds light on the meaning of Christ’s birth for our modern times.
This easy-to-use service is adaptable for any size congregation — while a number of speaking parts are specified, it’s easy to combine parts and use just two readers, allowing the participation of as many or as few as you wish. There’s also a convenient order of service for use in bulletin preparation. And while designed for worship use, the drama of the angels speaking with and to different people through the ages can be used in other settings such as youth meetings or church school. Very little (if any) rehearsal is required — this is a simple and versatile way to make the pageantry and drama of the biblical story come alive in your Christmas worship.
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Community Ministry : New Challenges Proven Steps To Faith Based Initiatives
$29.00Add to cartIn this era of “faith-based initiatives,” congregations increasingly find themselves in the business of establishing and supporting community ministries-daycare for infants and toddlers, respite care for elders, and programs for housing rehab and home repair, tutoring, and social justice advocacy. In this volume, Carl S. Dudley revises and updates his earlier book, Basic Steps toward Community Ministry, which Loren Mead called “the most valuable book on parish ministry I’ve seen in a decade.”
Once again, Dudley offers guidance for congregational leaders who need to create tools, get started, and take next steps to respond to God’s call to extraordinary ministry in their community. With thought-provoking discussions about congregations as learning organizations, the relationship between ongoing faith formation and social action, examples from outstanding new ministries, and an updated resource list, Dudley rounds out this essential, practical, and readable manual. Foreword by James P. Wind, President of the Alban Institute.
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How To Keep A Spiritual Journal
$14.99Add to cartThis revised edition of a thorough guide offers steps for anyone interested in keeping a spiritual journal, from recommendations for notebooks to ways to work through common frustrations and writer’s block. Ron Klug relies on his experience as a workshop leader, journal keeper, and author to create a book that is both helpful and wise.
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Moving Beyond Church Growth
$18.00Add to cartAre unrealistic expectations for church growth sapping your morale and putting you at risk of burnout? Do you sense dissension within your congregation? Issuing a clarion call to church leaders for bold new thinking, Olson envisions faith communities that are radically centered on God, profoundly compassionate and engaged, and sustained in relationship.
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When Mothers Pray
$18.00Add to cartWhen Mothers Pray is a book of hope, inspiration, and stories that will revitalize the prayer life of readers. Many women experience hopelessness when they pray for their children and see no discernible results-yet praying is one of the most vital things we can do for our kids. Now with a lovely new contemporary cover, this bestselling book offers encouragement and a larger perspective as moms from around the world share their own personal stories, struggles, and ultimate victories. Women will find new motivation to refresh their prayer lives-and to make a difference in the lives of their children as they intercede for them.
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When Children Pray
$16.99Add to cartFor Christian parents eager to see their children come closer to the Lord, Cheri Fuller’s When Children Pray is a godsend. There’s no better testament to the power and effectiveness of children’s prayers than these stories of how God answers the prayers of our children and youth. Most important, this book prepares parents to teach their children how to pray-not merely the mechanics, but understanding and claiming the power of their heavenly Father through prayer. Busy parents and those with questions about their own prayer commitments will find When Children Pray, now in an updated, contemporary cover, especially helpful in passing on a legacy of faith to the next generation.
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Ephesians : Believers Church Bible Commentary
$29.99Add to cartEphesians presents a volatile mix of assurance, exhilarating worship, and forceful exhortation. The letter convinces Thomas R. Yoder Neufeld that the grace-gift of faithfulness leads to worship. Power, peace, and new creation are gifts of grace equipping the church to participate in God’s reconciling embrace. This commentary guides readers to a life-changing encounter with Ephesians, probing interpretations, refreshing Christian teaching, and calling everyone to “walk” accordingly, with a song in heart and throat.
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Theopoetic : Theology And The Religious Imagination
$12.95Add to cartMany today have difficulty in relating to religious language. This can happen when we reduce religious meaning to a specific kind of spiritual experience or give undue importance to one aspect of human life. The reduction of life to human will or intellect is often accompanied by the turn to mystical practices and cults.
Amos Wilder calls for a renewal of our deep religious imagination as we reflect on biblical faith and on the basic needs and longings of contemporary persons. This requires a new appreciation for mystery and for deep speaking to deep. Wilder assumes that the depths of biblical truth have scarcely begun to be plumbed and have untapped power to renew life even in our technological Western societies. This requires that we go beyond the objective, surface meaning to the deeper orientation:
Before the message, the vision;
before the sermon, the hymn;
before the prose, the poem.
–Amos WilderChapter titles:
1.Theology and Theopoetic
2.The Recovery of the Sacred
3.Contemporary Mythologies and Theological Renewal
4.Traditional Pieties and the Religious Imagination
5.Ecstasy, Imagination, and Insight
6.Theopoetic and Mythopoetic -
Best Funeral Meditations
$10.95Add to cartThis collection of best funeral meditations provides a wide range of messages that address almost every death situation from the anticipated to the tragic. These classic meditations have been gathered from the writings and contributions of pastors, church leaders, and teachers of many denominations.
Among the situations addressed are:
For the nominal church member
For a little child
For a non-Christian
For the death of a child shortly after birth
For a college student killed in an auto accident
For a sixteen-year-old shot to death
For a woman who committed suicide
For a church member who served others
For a 40-year-old cancer patient
For a man who loved the outdoors
For a Sunday morning worship service following a death
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They Worshiped Him
$7.95Add to cartIn today’s “hurry-up” world, it seems we rarely take the time to think of other people and “walk a mile in the other man’s shoes.” If we did, what would we see? They Worshiped Him revisits the nativity story from the perspective of the people who were actually there. In this dramatic retelling, we glimpse the innermost thoughts and feelings of some of the very common people whose lives were forever changed by a most extraordinary event. What did the shepherds feel? What did others think of them? Were they perceived as “eccentric”? And what about the wise men who followed the star? Did they have an entire entourage, or did people treat them like three dottering old men? And what about Mary and Joseph; how did this unusual pregnancy affect them? They Worshiped Him answers many of these questions while reminding us of the biblical characters’ humanity.
The singing of favorite seasonal carols is woven into the drama, encouraging audience participation. And it’s an adaptable work that can be staged as elaborately or simply as you wish. While there are speaking parts for 12 angels, 5 animals, 6 shepherds, 3 magi, the innkeeper, Mary, Joseph, and a narrator, roles can easily be combined for use with any size congregation. Staging instructions are included.
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Dont Stop Laughing Now
$16.99Add to cartA sequel to She Who Laughs, Lasts, this book offers the same winning recipe, blending laughter and inspiration, to whip up a delicious blend of fun and faith for readers hungry for more. Contributors include a variety of male and female authors, the most hilarious of whom are Barbara Johnson, Patsy Clairmont, Chonda Pierce, and Becky Freeman.
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Every Knee Shall Bow
$7.95Add to cartThe scene for this Christmas play and worship service is a familiar one: a nativity display in a town square. As different individuals or families approach the manger scene they hear the voice of God speaking his words of truth, encouragement, and hope to their own unique needs and circumstances. When the members of your congregation hear God’s message to these individuals, they will hear God speaking to them as well. The service includes the congregational singing of familiar Christmas carols.
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Be All That You Can Be
$12.95Add to cartThough the title sounds like a promotional campaign for the U.S. Army, that’s not its intent. Instead, what is contained in this book are road marks for the journey into a new and stronger sense of what it means to be fully alive. All people are created with inherent purpose, promise and potential. All are endowed with abilities to do more and be more than we sometimes dare imagine. Herein are sermons intended to help readers and listeners discover their own powers and possibilities, to own them, to cultivate them and to live within them.
The chapters do not form an exhaustive list of human potentials. They do, however, provide an important inventory of what we all were created to become and can become, if we choose.
Chapter titles include:
You Can Be Articulate — Based upon Mark 7:31-37
You Can Be Intelligent — Based upon 2 Chronicles 1-11
You Can Be Like Children — Based upon Mark 10:13-16
You Can Be Beautiful — Based upon Hosea 14:1-7
You Can Be Well Fed — Based upon 1 Corinthians
You Can Be Eternal — Based upon 2 CorinthiansReaders will sense their own calls to be more than they have been thus far and the extraordinary power of One who promises to make the journey with them.
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Chrismons They Point To Jesus
$8.95Add to cartThis book provides patterns, instructions and background information for twenty different Chrismons, or “monograms of Christ.” It also includes a church program for presenting and explaining the meanings of these Christian symbols. The program includes children and adults and incoorporates the singing of the Christmas hymns.
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When Families Pray
$16.99Add to cartIt is a parent’s greatest responsibility. Yet in this era of high-speed communication, few of them know how to connect their own families with God. Cheri Fuller shows how to discover the essence of prayer and experience the joy of communing with the Savior, as a family, for life. Thought-provoking questions will help parents and their kids see God in a new light. Scripture, present-day stories of answered prayer, and inspirational quotes will encourage families to begin a refreshing and rewarding lifelong walk with God.
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Primeval Saints : Studies In The Patriarchs Of Genesis
$14.00Add to cartJames Jordan reveals the fascinating weave of lives that bind together the heroes and villains of Genesis, as they progressively image and reverse one another in an ascending narrative of action, a narrative all too commonly broken apart and missed. And yet this book is not just about the heroes of Genesis. Throughout, Jordan draws a picture of how Christian culture should be imagined and lived in our own day, from creativity and work to tyranny and freedom. You will never be able to read Genesis in the same way again.
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Multigenerational Congregation : Meeting The Leadership Challenge
$26.00Add to cartCongregations need to learn new cultural languages and practices in order to speak to and be heard by new generations of people. But how do congregations enter the wilderness of ministry with these new generations when many of those in the entourage do not appreciate the trip?
In contrast to many writers about church growth, Rendle works with three important observations:
Most congregations are not “pure markets,” discrete groups with uniform values and behaviors, that can be targeted to the exclusion of all other audiences;
Some of the differences and discomforts experienced in the congregation are based on the members’ tenure, or length of membership, rather than their age;
Leadership in congregations is not a matter of marketplace savvy but of spiritual authenticity in which we continue to shape our faith tradition to be heard and understood by a changing culture.
Rendle shows us how to talk with and really understand one generational cohort while another cohort is present “looking over one’s shoulder.” Foreword by Lovett H. Weems, Jr., President, Saint Paul School of Theology. -
If Only That Horse Were A Member Of My Church
$12.95Add to cartEnter this provocative collection of inspirational and often amusing anecdotes, one-liners, poems, and parables, and share in the “Inspirations of Artichokes” and “The Strength of a Child,” learn to recognize “A Living Thief” and a “Burma Buddhist,” and experience the self-realization of “The Gossiping Preacher.”
These 201 gentle lessons in faith, love, and Christian living will touch your heart and tickle your funny bone.
The volume includes a handy topical index, and is perfect for pastors and laypersons who need a humorous or poignant anecdote, an illustration for a sermon or speech, a short message for a bulletin or newsletter — or a ray of sunshine on a rainy day.
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Engaging Anabaptism : Conversations With A Radical Tradition
$19.99Add to cart13 Chapters In 182 Pages
Additional Info
Once called the “deformation of the Reformation,” the Anabaptist tradition has come to enjoy new levels of attention and respect from leading theologians and ethicists. This book gives voice to these new perspectives. Here thirteen Protestant and Catholic scholars reflect on how their understanding of Christian faith has been shaped by their encounter with the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition.Written in an engaging, autobiographical style, the essays balance commendations with incisive critique. This collection, a model of ecumenical conversation, includes essays by Richard Mouw, Nancey Murphy, Samuel Escobar, Stanley Hauerwas, James Wm. McClendon Jr., and others.
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Great Omission : A Biblical Basis For World Evangelism
$18.99Add to cartIn The Great Omission, respected missions thinker Robertson McQuilkin answers the question, “How is it-with so many unreached peoples, there are so few Christians going?” He investigates the reasons so few attempt to carry the message of Christ to the multitudes who have never heard of him. Not only is McQuilkin well-versed on trends and strategies in world missions, he also knows how to present the challenge of world evangelism in an unforgettable way.
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Beyond Doubt : Faith-Building Devotions On Questions Christians Ask
$34.99Add to cartFrom the pen of award-winning author Cornelius Plantinga Jr. comes this book of flesh-and-blood Christian meditations with a theological spine. Building on the success of two earlier editions and now splendidly updated, Beyond Doubt unpacks the deep truths of the Christian faith by raising basic questions like these:
What is God like?
Why pray?
Male and female _ how are we related?
What is Jesus doing?
What is the shape of the godly life?
If the Lord is with us, why do we suffer?
How do we face death?
Plantinga addresses such questions through short, vivid meditations, each of which begins with a Bible verse and ends with a brief edifying prayer. Written in the graceful, polished prose that Plantinga is celebrated for, Beyond Doubt will help both new Christians and mature believers to grow in their faith. -
Faith Under Fire
$16.95Add to cartDaniel Simundson shows how the Bible can speak to the universal human experience of suffering. He examines various biblical responses to suffering and explains what the New Testament can add to the thought of such classic works as the books of Job, Ecclesiastes, and the prophets.
This book, written for the general reader, is full of wisdom also for caregivers, including clergy, counselors, and laypersons.
Contents:
1.The Basic Biblical View of Suffering
2.The Power of Negative Thinking
3.Suffering for Others
4.God, Job, and the Counselors
5.Is There Any Hope?
6.What Is New in the New Testament?
7.Comfort and Hope -
Lighten Our Darkness (Revised)
$24.95Add to cartRevised and with a Foreword by David J. Monge
In this great classic, Douglas John Hall analyzes the inadequacies and dangers of the officially optimistic society of North America and its officially optimistic religion. He then appeals to the thin tradition of Luther and Kierkegaard within Christian history as a way into the darkness of our time. He eloquently appeals to this theology of the cross as not only pointing toward a new image of human nature for Christians today but also affording us a glimmer of true light. Students, laypersons, clergy, and many others will find here a gripping critique of modern Western culture and a way toward genuine Christian faith in challenging times.
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Lite Worship Services For Advent And Christmas
$8.95Add to cartPopular CSS author Cynthia Cowen returns with three more imaginative programs that will spice up the Advent/Christmas season for any size congregation. Prepare Your Heart For Christmas is a service of carols and reflections that’s perfect for a midweek Advent program. Designed as a youth program, Advent Bells includes a brief skit with bell ringers and unique chorus songs. We Welcome The Light Of Christmas is a memorable family service for Christmas Eve with a humorous sketch about the Good News and a lost Frisbee which has turned into the Christmas star.
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Honey Bee Dance
$10.95Add to cartJulia Bland’s children’s messages are popular with pastors, Sunday school teachers, and parents all across the country. That’s because children love them and learn from the stories, drawings, and activity pages. Her work has been translated into Spanish and used by churches in Mexico and South America. The six lessons in this booklet, all based on Ephesians 4:32-5:2a, provide a perfect series for Vacation Bible School, a retreat, or a summer series for children. Using the busy, productive life of a honey bee as a metaphor for the life of a Christian, Bland offers charming lessons.
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He Took A Towel
$8.95Add to cartAppropriate for Maundy Thursday or any time throughout the year, this resource contains several sermons and a full-blown service of Holy Communion, Feetwashing, and Agape Meal (or Love Feast). Detailed bread recipes and instructions for all the preparations are included along with bulletin texts.
Examination Service And Feetwashing Service
Meditation: “Broken For You”
Service: The Lords Supper
Sermons Include:
“Seeing A Familiar Friend All Over Again For The First Time”
“Peter Asks A Question”
“No Forks Or Napkins” -
Through The Eyes Of A Child
$12.95Add to cartThe dialogues in this resource are designed for use between a youth and an adult (pastor, parent, or youth leader). Six bulletin formats are included with dialogue scripts.
Worship themes are:
Advent Past, Present, and Future
Jesus Came To Earth
Jesus Will Come Again
Lord Jesus, Quickly Come
Through The Eyes Of A Child (Christmas dialogue)
Through The Eyes Of A Child (Epiphany dialogue)
