Pastoral Helps
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Divergent Church : The Bright Promise Of Alternative Faith Communities
$18.99Add to cartNew faith communities are appearing across the U.S.. Many of them bear little resemblance-on the surface-to ‘church’ in its conventional form. But when we look a little deeper we see striking continuity with the most deeply rooted practices of the Christian faith in community. What are those practices? What do these unconventional, alternative faith communities look like? How are they, perhaps, indicators of a hopeful new future for the church? And what can we learn from them? Authors Kara Brinkerhoff and Tim Shapiro spent more than a year researching and exploring these questions, closely examining the life of a dozen alternative faith communities across the country. They include new monastic communities, food-oriented communities, affinity group communities, house churches, hybrid churches and others. They are creative, ingenious, innovative, clever, dynamic and transformative. But they represent human expressions of activities that have always been part of human religious congregations: hospitality, learning, storytelling, care, leadership, worship and honoring place. This fascinating book goes beyond simply analyzing current trends. It reveals how innovative Christians are engaging in time-honored practices, creating new types of communities, which will shape the church to come. Further, it shows us how we too might innovate while holding true to the essential practices of our gathered faith. This is an instructive picture of Christian community, past, present and future.
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Love Big Be Well
$24.99Add to cartJonas McAnn is a weary pastor without a congregation, trapped in a dead-end insurance job. Granby Presbyterian is a weary congregation without a pastor, overwhelmed by the prospect of finding someone who actually wants to be a pastor–not a manager, coach, or CEO.
When Granby’s pastoral search committee and Jonas connect through handwritten letters passed back and forth, something sparks between them–something so real and refreshing that even after Jonas and his family move to Granby, he continues the regular practice of writing letters to his congregation.
Spanning seven years of his ministry at Granby Presbyterian, Jonas’s letters ruminate on everything from fly-fishing to the Nicene Creed. They reveal the earthy spirituality woven into the joys and sorrows of the people of Granby, the community of the church, and Jonas’s own unfolding story.
Readers will discover what it means for a pastor and a church to do the slow work of ministry in community–anchored by a common place and buoyed by a life of faith that is meaningful, rooted, and true.
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Daniel Dilemma Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartAs Christians, how do we not only stay engaged with the ever-shifting, ungodly culture around us but also influence it for good? How do we stand strong without becoming brittle and dogmatic? How do we love people vastly different in their attitudes and lifestyles without compromising our biblical beliefs? These questions are being asked by Christians today from breakfast tables to water coolers to Bible study groups.
The book of Daniel provides us with clear answers. At the young age of sixteen, the Babylonians enslaved Daniel and took him from his homeland. Yet for the next seventy years of his captivity, Daniel remained firmly dedicated to God and his faith without yielding to the pagan influences of the culture around him. In so doing, he demonstrates to us today how we can remain standing strong when everyone around us is bowing down to cultural idols.
And Daniel did it without becoming rude, insulting, or angry! He understood the goal wasn’t to be right but to have influence. Christians are likewise called to take a stand today to reveal God’s truth and light, not their own. Daniel showed grace and truth to the people around him-just like Jesus did, and just like we’re called to do to a world in desperate need of the gospel.
Sessions include:
*God Never Changes
*Maintaining Our Identity
*Keeping Our Focus
*Staying Free of Pride
*Making the Most of Our Time
*Imitating Christ in All We DoDesigned for use with the Daniel Dilemma Video Study (sold separately).
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Integrative Preaching : A Comprehensive Model For Transformational Proclama
$25.00Add to cartThis book offers a compelling conceptual model of biblical preaching that helps preachers better understand what they are doing when they step into the pulpit. Kenton Anderson, an experienced preacher and professor, explicates the integrative preaching model he has been honing for a lifetime. His fresh, holistic approach aims at whole-person transformation and is well suited for contemporary listeners. The book includes theoretical underpinnings and practical guidance to both instruct students and motivate working preachers. Sample sermons show how the model unfolds in actual sermons.
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Sensible Shoes Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartIntroduction
Reading For Week One: Chapter One
Week One Group Discussion
Reading For Week Two: Chapter Two
Week Two Group Discussion
Reading For Week Three: Chapter Three
Week Three Group Discussion
Reading For Week Four: Chapters Four And Five
Week Four Group Discussion
Reading For Week Five: Chapters Five And Six>
Week Five Group Discussion
Reading For Week Six: Chapters Six And Seven
Week Six Group Discussion
Reading For Week Seven: Chapter Seven
Week Seven Group Discussion
Reading For Week Eight: Chapters Eight And Nine
Week Eight Group Discussion
Reading For Week Nine: Chapter Nine
Week Nine Group Discussion
Reading For Week Ten: Chapter Ten
Week Ten Group Discussion
Reading For Week Eleven: Chapter Eleven
Week Eleven Group Discussion
Reading For Week Twelve: Chapter Twelve And Epilogue
Week Twelve Group DiscussionAdditional Info
Have you enjoyed the journey with Meg, Mara, Charissa, and Hannah? This companion guide will take you deeper into their world and give you an opportunity to try out the spiritual practices that you’ve seen them engage at New Hope Retreat Center.Sensible Shoes Study Guide includes twelve weeks of daily Scripture reading, prayer, and reflection questions (five days a week) that correspond to the disciplines the women practice in the book. A group discussion guide concludes each week. Engaging the lives of these characters in their spiritual journeys will offer both a window and a mirror into your own life and relationship with Christ.
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Hiding In The Hallway
$16.99Add to cartWritten specifically to missionary teens, Hiding in the Hallway offers MKs a biblical context for faith in light of their unique circumstances, challenges, and opportunities. Filled with personal anecdotes, former MK Jeanne Harrison champions gospel relevancy and the need for MKs to continue to filter their lives through a biblical worldview. Covering seven key areas relevant to the missionary teen life both on and off the missions field, this book also includes a chapter for parents to help foster discussion.
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Weak Enough To Lead
$20.99Add to cartThe Bible’s version of leadership is pretty different from – and, more often than not, alien to – that of the business world. It is also different from our usual assumptions about what makes a great leader in the church, where we tend to focus on preaching ability, strategic hutzpah, and managerial savvy. But what if the Bible actually points toward a different set of characteristics necessary for leadership? What if our weakness is an essential qualification? Do we know our limitations, our inabilities? Do we see clearly our vulnerable, broken selves? Do we really believe that God’s strength is perfected in our weakness, and do we lead with that as a core belief? James Howell’s Weak Enough to Lead is not a list of ‘leadership principles’ from the Bible. This book is an examination of stories about leaders from the Old Testament, followed by a consideration of the spiritual dispositions of those leaders. What dispositions do we see in these women and men? Which ones are helpful to us? Which are problematic? Which might me imitate or avoid, not only so that we might lead well, but that we might honor God and be faithful or even holy? Howell identifies eight distinct dispositions of Old Testament leaders, men and women, and shows how we can adopt them in our own lives and ministries. He roots this unique exploration of leadership in a prayer of Jehoshaphat: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
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Spiritual Secrets About Suicide
$14.95Add to cartDo you struggle with suicidal thoughts? Do you know someone who is depressed? Do you minister to people who are contemplating suicide? Then Spiritual Secrets About Suicide was written for you! Spiritual Secrets About Suicide will put spiritual tools into your suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention toolbox.
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Multiplying Churches In Japanese Soil
$15.99Add to cartSince the beginning of missionary efforts in Japan in the sixteenth century, the Japanese church has experienced periods of quiet flourishing and periods of intense persecution. Arguably, however, it has never managed to take root as a truly indigenous church-despite great effort toward that aim.
In Multiplying Churches in Japanese Soil, John Mehn asks the question: Why? What factors have contributed to the Japanese remaining largely unreached? Mehn examines the current state of affairs and then, with some careful analysis and case study, delves into effective models and leadership for planting churches in Japan that not only grow, but are also equipped to reproduce and multiply.
Within these pages, discover mission strategy, kingdom perspective, and hope for the church in Japanese soil.
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Preaching As Reminding
$20.99Add to cartAcknowledgments
Introduction
1. God Remembers (and Forgets)
2. We Forget (and Remember)
3. The Lord’s Remembrancers
4. Style As A Tool For Stirring Memory
5. Story As A Tool For Stirring Memory
6. Delivery As A Tool For Stirring Memory
7. Ceremony And Symbols As Tools For Stirring Memory
Conclusion
Sources Cited
Author Index
Subject Index
Scripture IndexAdditional Info
Jeffrey D. Arthurs’s Preaching as Reminding is a remarkable contribution to the field of homiletics, ably synthesizing and integrating insights from biblical theology, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, media studies, the classical rhetorical tradition, and contemporary cultural analysis. Arthurs equips today’s preachers to stir the hearts, minds, and memories of their listeners to obedient and joyful action. He shows that ‘memory’ in the Bible is not merely a matter of cognitively recalling the past, but rather reengaging existentially with the great redemptive events of the faith. This book is recommended to seminarians, pastors, and all those who are called to proclaim the gospel. -
Emboldened : A Vision For Empowering Women In Ministry
$18.99Add to cartForeword By Scot McKnight
Introduction: A Burden For The ChurchPart I: Emboldened Women
1. This Is Our Story
2. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
3. Breaking Stereotypes
4. Overcoming Opposition
5. An Emboldened Sisterhood
6. Marriage, Family, And Singleness In MinistryPart II: A Vision For An Emboldened Church
7. An Emboldened Mission
8. An Emboldened Imagination
9. Emboldened Colaborers
10. An Emboldened ChurchAcknowledgments
Appendix: Books To Read
NotesAdditional Info
Throughout Scripture and church history, women have been central to the mission of God. But all too often women have lacked opportunities to minister fully. Many churches lack visible examples of women in ministry and leadership.Tara Beth Leach, senior pastor of her denomination’s flagship church, issues a stirring call for a new generation of women in ministry: to teach, to preach, to shepherd, and to lead. God not only permits women to minister-he emboldens, empowers, and unleashes women to lead out of the fullness of who they are. The church cannot reach its full potential without women using their God-given gifts. Leach provides practical expertise for how women can find their place at the table, escape imposter syndrome, face opposition, mentor others, and much more.
Women who read this book will be inspired to use their gifts to edify the body of Christ and advance the kingdom of God. Men who read it will be inspired to embolden the women in their midst. When women teach, preach, lead, evangelize, pastor, and disciple, the church’s imagination expands to better reflect God’s story and hope for the world.
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Revelation
$27.00Add to cartThe Teach the Text Commentary Series utilizes the best of biblical scholarship to provide the information a pastor needs to communicate the text effectively. The carefully selected preaching units and focused commentary allow pastors to quickly grasp the big idea and key themes of each passage of Scripture. Each unit of the commentary includes the big idea and key themes of the passage and sections dedicated to understanding, teaching, and illustrating the text.
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Faithful : Christmas Through The Eyes Of Joseph
$19.99Add to cartFrom his beginnings as a humble carpenter to his all-important role as the earthly father of Jesus Christ, Joseph’s place in the nativity story is sometimes overlooked but contains valuable lessons for all of us. Join Adam Hamilton as he examines Christmas through the eyes of Joseph. Absent from much of the biblical narrative, Joseph never spoke a word, but his courageous actions were crucial to the birth of Christ and God’s salvation plan for humanity. As you read this book, you will understand how Joseph’s story is much like our own. In life, we encounter circumstances that we would never have chosen for ourselves. At times it can be tempting just to walk away. Joseph provides us a great example of humbly obeying God even when we don’t understand and faithfully moving forward in the strength that God provides. Exchange your doubt for courage this Advent and Christmas season. Learn to accept and glorify God’s will even when circumstances make it difficult to do so. Additional components for a four-week adult study include a comprehensive Leader Guide and a DVD featuring author and pastor Adam Hamilton. Chapter topics include: A Carpenter Named Joseph Engaged to a Virgin Named Mary A Dreamer of Dreams The Journey to Bethlehem The Birth of Joseph’s Boy The Flight to Egypt
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No Silver Bullets
$16.99Add to cartWhat if I told you that you were only one step away from unlocking new levels of maturity and growth in your church?
The myth of the silver bullet still exists because we desperately want it to. We all prefer quick fixes and bandage solutions to the long, hard, slow work that produces real change. So the moment we learn about a new ministry or strategy and see its effect in another church, we run to implement it in our own. Unfortunately, this impulse is usually met by opposition, skepticism, and ultimately, rejection.
What if the solution isn’t a new model or a complicated strategy, but a shift in perspective? What if you could keep your church’s current vision, values, and model, and simply make a few micro-shifts…leading to macro-changes?
This book explores five micro-shifts that have the potential to produce macro-changes in your church. As you read, you will discover how to integrate these micro-shifts into the life of your church, starting with the way you disciple. You will finish by developing a plan to structure, communicate, and evaluate these changes to insure that they take root and pave the way for lasting change and kingdom impact.
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Imagine Church : Releasing Dynamic Everyday Disciples
$14.99Add to cartJesus Christ has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for two millennia, and his birth the pivot of our calendar. He is the focus of Scripture and the heart of mission, the message that countless Christians cross land and sea, continents and cultures, to deliver.In masterly surveys, John Stott looks at the New Testament witness, at the way the church has portrayed Christ down through the centuries, and at the influence Christ has had on individuals over the last two millennia. Finally, turning to the book of Revelation, he asks what Jesus Christ should mean to us today. Here is the fruit of a lifetime of biblical study, rigorous Christian thought and devotion to the person of Jesus Christ.
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Gods Country : Faith Hope And The Future Of The Rural Church
$19.99Add to cartWith the poetic force of Kathleen Norris and the pastoral warmth of Eugene Peterson, Kansas pastor Roth sets forth a vision for vibrant rural churches, for ministry in congregations that bear a profound sense of both loss and possibility, and for harvesting fruits of transformation and renewal. Rooted in stories from Scripture, his own ministry, and interviews with rural church leaders, Roth offers a sturdy theological and practical alternative to church-growth strategies that rely on success stories and flashy metrics.
Reclaiming God’s vision for the rural church, Roth writes, means learning how to praise, abide, watch, pray, grow, work the edges, die, befriend, and dream. In God’s Country, rediscover the stunning abundance of God’s presence in rural communities. Name the ways that the rural church testifies to God’s glory and goodness. Learn to live and love and minister right where you are, no matter how small or unassuming it may seem.
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Be A Better Leader
$22.99Add to cartThe purpose of this book is to enable Christian leaders to understand their psychological type, using the MBTI (Myers-Briggs) personality indicator, and to use this information to generate new insights into their own experience and performance. It will enable leaders to develop better strategies to maximise their strengths and to work with their recognised weaknesses. A significant amount of stress is experienced by Christian leaders. This book will help them to focus on those aspects of their work that are energising and life-giving. Part One of the book introduces the theories of psychological type and how these apply to Christian leaders. Part Two include detailed profile descriptions of each of the 16 MBTI personality types and explores the ‘comfort zone’ for that type and difficulties experienced by that type ‘outside of the comfort zone.’ Each type description is written with the role of the Christian leader in mind and covers aspects of their role, eg their experiences of worship, prayer, pastoral responsibilities, administration and working with others.
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Clergy In A Complex Age
$18.99Add to cartThis highly readable book explains the scope and detail of the newly revised Guidelines for the professional conduct of the clergy, which shape and define how clergy should act and behave. The book brings together a number of experts in the field, who draw on the Ordinal (as the basis of the Guidelines), writing engagingly on key elements in the life of clergy today. Paula Gooder wrestles with the exhilaratingly tricky question, “What would Jesus do?’ John Pritchard responds with characteristic humour and wisdom to the challenge of remaining “white hot in our desire for God year after year’.Robert Innes draws on his unexpected call to the ministry while meditating on Jesus’ self-sacrificial pastoral leadership.Paul Butler writes with authority and compassion about the complexities of safeguarding.Jamie Harrison reflects on the humility, cost and joy of “telling the story of God’s love’.Russ Parker finds that blessing others means being vulnerable and empathetic to the pain common to us all. Stephen Cherry offers witty yet powerful insights on giving leadership.Kate Bruce writes captivatingly on imagination as indispensable to the life of faith.Magdalen Smith illuminates the creative tension of living faithfully in public and private.David Walker assures us that the very wounds we bear from our journeys so far enable us to minister to others. “Faithful relationships are fundamental to maintaining and improving the life of the Church. It is my fervent desire that increasing trust, particularly that which flows from trustworthy clergy, will transform God’s world.’ Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, from the Foreword
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Messy Christmas : Three Complete Sessions And A Treasure Trove Of Ideas For
$25.99Add to cartChristmas can be complicated. Parties, gifts, and family tensions dominate the season. So maybe it’s time we explore what Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany are really about. The Messy Church series provides resources to help your church bring together people of all ages and stages of faith, allowing them to experience a creative and fun-filled Christian community. Messy Christmas offers your church a tool to create a unique, come-as-you-are experience built on :
creativity-allowing space for all to play and create
celebration-worshiping God and his redeeming work in Jesus
hospitality-sharing a meal where all are welcomeThese three once-a-month sessions include Christmas prayers, global action suggestions, games and competitions, Christmas food crafts, and many other ideas to experience joy during this time of the year. This season, give your community the gift of a messy church!
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All Things New Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$10.99Add to cartAll Things New is a revolutionary four-session video Bible study built on a simple idea: heaven is not the eternal church service in the sky. It is, in fact, not religious at all. Jesus referred to the next chapter of our story as “the renewal of all things” (Matthew 19:28). This means, literally, the renewal of the earth we love in all its beauty, the renewal of our own being, and the renewal of all those things that make for a rich life-music, art, food, laughter. All that we hold dear shall be renewed.
Most Christians (and most people, for that matter) do not really look forward to their future because their views of heaven are vague, religious, and appallingly boring. Our hope begins to surge when we understand that for the believer nothing is lost. Heaven is not a life in the clouds; it is not unending worship services with singing. Rather, the life we long for-the paradise Adam and Eve knew-is precisely the life that is coming to us. And coming soon.
This study begins with a reframing of what “heaven” actually looks like. God does not say, “I am making all new things,” He says, “Behold-I am making all things new!” (Revelation 21:5). Familiar religious conceptions of heaven are gently dismantled, and the participant is invited into a new way of conceiving of their after-life. Imagery from fairy tales, books, and famous movies such as The Lord of the Rings is used to illustrate what “happily ever after” means in tangible, accessible, and-most important-desirable terms.As C.S. Lewis said, “We can only hope for what we desire.” The life we have been longing for is actually the very life that is about to be ours. The imminence of the coming kingdom of God is also clarified; living with an eager expectation of Christ’s return is the practical power of the Christian life.
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MultiChurch : Exploring The Future Of Multisite
$24.99Add to cartIs it time for your church to go multisite? It seems everybody is doing it these days, so how do you know if it is the right solution for your congregation? MultiChurch brings clarity to the multisite movement and assembles the lessons it has learned over the past fifteen years. It explores the opportunities presented by the various forms of multi-site church, identifies areas of concern, and concludes that multisite is not only a biblically sound ecclesiological model, but also a model that provides a compelling solution to contemporary reductionism in the church.
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Tears In The Desert
$13.95Add to cartAre you interested in Christian service or studying for the Christian ministry? This book is uniquely designed to help you prepare for the challenges ahead and is endorsed by a pastor who served his church for thirty-eight years and the presidents of two seminaries who will recommend it to their students.
Karl Heller’s new book, Tears in the Desert: Lessons from the Joys and Sorrows of God’s Call, provides an up-close and personal account from the frontline of pastoral ministry. This is a refreshingly candid account of why pastoral ministry is so very challenging and at the same time so very important. By recounting the triumphs and tragedies of his own ministry, Dr. Heller is an able and wise guide, especially for seminarians preparing for pastoral ministry.
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Ready Steady Grow
$15.99Add to cartDo you love your church and want to see it thrive?Are you keen to learn from someone whose own church has grown and started others too?Are you ready for the downsides as well as the inevitable joys?Ray Evans takes us on an interesting and exciting journey. He looks at the barriers to growth, as well as the hurdles of reorganization and structural changes that growing churches face. His findings are anchored in the Bible and the real world which we all inhabit.’Many have learned how to lead what they have,’ says Ray, ‘but they don’t know how to take it forward. You don’t see the glass ceilings until you crash into them, and the splinters bring pain everywhere.’In Ray, you will find a humble, wise and warm-hearted guide. This book will not only equip your church to grow, but will help prevent unnecessary disasters.
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Faithful : Christmas Through The Eyes Of Joseph (Large Type)
$20.99Add to cartFrom his beginnings as a humble carpenter to his all-important role as the earthly father of Jesus Christ, Joseph’s place in the nativity story is sometimes overlooked but contains valuable lessons for all of us. Join Adam Hamilton as he examines Christmas through the eyes of Joseph. Absent from much of the biblical narrative, Joseph never spoke a word, but his courageous actions were crucial to the birth of Christ and God’s salvation plan for humanity. As you read this book, you will understand how Joseph’s story is much like our own. In life, we encounter circumstances that we would never have chosen for ourselves. At times it can be tempting just to walk away. Joseph provides us a great example of humbly obeying God even when we don’t understand and faithfully moving forward in the strength that God provides. Exchange your doubt for courage this Advent and Christmas season. Learn to accept and glorify God’s will even when circumstances make it difficult to do so. Additional components for a four-week adult study include a comprehensive Leader Guide and a DVD featuring author and pastor Adam Hamilton. Chapter topics include: A Carpenter Named Joseph Engaged to a Virgin Named Mary A Dreamer of Dreams The Journey to Bethlehem The Birth of Joseph’s Boy The Flight to Egypt
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Leading A Multicultural Church
$18.99Add to cartOver the last 60 years the ethnic diversity of the western world has changed dramatically as a result of successive waves of immigration. The impact of this on the church is evident in the growing number of congregations that are now multicultural to a greater or lesser extent. This presents challenges as well as opportunities to those leading these congregations. This book aims to explore this within the context of both Scripture and society. It will also consider competencies and skills that may help leaders of churches and other Christian organisations unlock the potential that this diversity offers.Malcolm Patten has been a Baptist Minister for over twenty years and this book combines his congregational sociological research and his years of experience as a Pastor in multicultural churches. He will also be interviewing others who are involved in working with multicultural churches across the denominations (Anglican, Methodist, URC) as well as drawing in expertise from BME networks, the Evangelical Alliance, Churches Together and Independent churches with multicultural congregations such as Kensington Temple, Westminster Chapel and Emmanuel Church, Westminster.
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Online Mission And Ministry
$14.99Add to cartMany clergy and churches are now taking to the internet and social media to promote their churches or ministries, but few have thought through some of the difficult pastoral and theological issues that may arise.’Virtual vicar’ Revd Pam Smith guides both new and experienced practitioners through setting up online ministries and considers some of the issues that may arise, such as:Are relationships online as valid as those offline? Is it possible to participate in a ‘virtual’ communion service? How do you deal with ‘trolls’ in a Christian way? What is it appropriate for a clergyperson to say on social media?
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Wrestling With The Word
$18.99Add to cartMany biblical texts seem almost impossible to preach. They may be violent or terrifying or strange or abrasive. They may deal with matters simply beyond human experience. The preacher could well be tempted to choose an easier text on offer! But leaving taxing passages untouched means the Bible is effectively silenced. In Wrestling with the Word, well-known and accomplished preachers grapple with a range of notoriously difficult biblical Old and New Testament texts. As well as providing sample sermons – in an exhilarating variety of structural styles and voices – they offer ideas to help in the planning process of interpreting and applying such passages. ‘A well-constructed and delivered sermon has the potential to inspire people as few other experiences can.’The Rt Revd John Pritchard, from the Foreword
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What Clergy Do
$18.99Add to cartClergy have a pivotal role in creating and nurturing church communities in which all people can grow up into Christ. This book explores the nature of that role by considering key similarities with the essential but often conflicting demands of motherhood. Like mothers, clergy need to preserve and hold people faithfully, while encouraging them to grow, take initiatives and become more confident and self-supporting. This book will help clergy to think about how this is achieved through the myriad of ‘small’ things they do from day to day, highlighting skills such as comforting, cherishing and multi-attending – skills that are centrally important but often unarticulated and undervalued.
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Economics Of Neighborly Love
$20.99Add to cart13 Chapters
Additional Info
What does the good news of Jesus mean for economics?Too often, Christian teaching and ministry have focused only on the gospel’s spiritual significance and ignored its physical, real-world ramifications. But loving our neighbor well has direct economic implications, and in our diverse and stratified society we need to grapple with them now more than ever.
In The Economics of Neighborly Love pastor Tom Nelson sets out to address this problem. Marrying biblical study, economic theory, and practical advice, he presents a vision for church ministry that works toward the flourishing of the local community, beginning with its poorest and most marginalized members. Nelson resists oversimplification and pushes us toward more complex and nuanced understandings of wealth and poverty. If we confess the gospel of Jesus, he insists, we must contend anew with its implications for the well-being of our local communities. Together we can grow in both compassion and capacity.
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Messy Church : Fresh Ideas For Building A Christ Centered Community
$20.99Add to cartWe like the idea of community, but where do we start? The Messy Church series provides resources to help your church bring together people of all ages and stages of faith, allowing them to experience a creative and fun-filled Christian community. Messy Church, the first book in the series, offers your church a tool to create a unique, come-as-you-are experience built on:
creativity-allowing space for all to play and create
celebration-worshiping God and his redeeming work in Jesus
hospitality-sharing a meal where all are welcomeThis complete resource helps you share the love of God and his people with families in your community, creating an opportunity for connection and learning in a fun and welcoming environment. With instructions for starting a program at your church, Messy Church includes fifteen sessions for use throughout the year. Let’s get messy!
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Anxious For Nothing Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartAccording the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are reaching epidemic proportions. In a given year, 17% of Americans will feel the effects of a panic attack. Anxiety-related issues are the number one mental health problem among women and are second only to alcohol and drug abuse among men. Between 1997 and 2004, Americans more than doubled their spending on anti-anxiety medications from $900 million to $2.1 billion.
We are tense. Why? Change is one reason. Sociologists speculate the world has changed more in the last thirty years than it has in the last three hundred! Every day seems to bring new change and threats. We also face personal challenges-job loss, cancer, divorce, addiction, bankruptcy. Add to personal challenges those of a global nature imported into our lives every few seconds thanks to smart phones, TVs, and computer screens. In our parents’ day, the nightly news caught them up on world events. Now it is a matter of minutes.
Anxiety just comes with life. However, as God’s Word reveals, it doesn’t have to dominate life. In this six-session video-based Bible study, bestselling author Max Lucado looks at seven admonitions from the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:4-8 that lead to one wonderful promise: “The peace of God which surpasses all understanding.” As he unpacks each verse, he shows how God is ready to give comfort to help us face the calamities in life, view bad news through the lens of sovereignty, discern the lies of Satan, and tell ourselves the truth. We can be anxious for nothing, and discover true peace from God that surpasses all human understanding.
Sessions include:
1. Rejoice in the Lord Always
2. Let Your Gentleness Be Known to All
3. In Everything by Prayer… with Thanksgiving
4. The Peace of God… Will Guard Your Hearts
5. Meditate on These Things -
Grace For The Afflicted
$25.99Add to cartWhy has the church struggled in ministering to those with mental illnesses? Each day men and women diagnosed with mental disorders are told they need to pray more and turn from their sin. Mental illness is equated with demonic possession, weak faith, and generational sin. As both a church leader and a professor of psychology and behavioral sciences, Michael S. Stanford has seen far too many mentally ill brothers and sisters damaged by well-meaning believers who respond to them out of fear or misinformation rather than grace. Grace for the Afflicted is written to educate Christians about mental illness from both biblical and scientific perspectives. Stanford presents insights into our physical and spiritual nature and discusses the appropriate role of psychology and psychiatry in the life of the believer. Describing common mental disorders, Stanford probes what science says and what the Bible says about each illness. Consistent with DSM-5 diagnoses, this revised and expanded edition is thoroughly updated with new material throughout, including eight new chapters that cover bipolar disorderstrauma- and stressor-related disordersdementiacerebrovascular accidents (stroke)traumatic brain injurysuicidea holistic approach to recoverymental health and the church
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Family Therapies : A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal (Revised)
$60.00Add to cartPreface
Part 1: Foundational Considerations
1. A Christian Understanding For Family Therapy
2. Historical Foundations Of Family TherapyPart 2: Models Of Family Therapy
3. Bowenian Family Therapy
4. Strategic Family Therapy
5. Structural Family Therapy
6. Psychodynamic Family Therapy
7. Contextual Family Therapy
8. Experiential Family Therapy
9.. Solution-Focused Family Therapy
10. Cognitive-Behavioral Family Therapy
11. Narrative Family Therapy
12. Toward An Integrative Christian Family TherapyPart 3: Integration Of Family Theory With Critical Issues In Psychotherapy
13. Crisis And Trauma
14. Attending To Marital Conflict
15. Separation, Divorce And Remarriage
16. Individual Psychopathology
17. Substance Abuse
18. Gender, Culture, Economic Class And Race
19. Sexual IdentityPart 4: Casting A Vision
20. Casting A Vision For Christian Family Therapy
Author Index
Subject IndexAdditional Info
Christian therapists doing family therapy have never had a resource to help them navigate the various family therapy theories from a Christian perspective–until now. In this book Mark A. Yarhouse and James N. Sells survey the major approaches to family therapy and treat, within a Christian framework, significant psychotherapeutic issues. The wide array of issues covered includes crisis and traumamarital conflictseparation, divorce and blended familiesindividual psychopathologysubstance abuse and addictionsgender, culture, economic class and racesexual identity Calling for an integrated approach of “responsible eclecticism,” they conclude with a vision for Christian family therapy. A landmark work providing critical Christian engagement with existing models of family therapy, this volume was written for those studying counseling, social work, psychology or family therapy. Family Therapies will also serve as an indispensable resource for those in the mental health professions, including counselors, psychologists, family therapists, social workers and pastors. -
Lay Servants As Christian Transformation Leaders Participants Book (Student/Stud
$18.00Add to cartBuilding on the previous Lay Servant course “Does Your Church Have a Prayer?”, this Participant’s Book will guide Lay Servants seeking to be more empowered to lead their congregations toward vitality. Written with two distinct purposes, “Lay Servants as Christian Transformational Leaders” will first define the three types of Christian transformational leadership and the four qualities of Christian transformational leaders. Then the course will focus on congregational vitality, organizational life cycles, assessing current realities, and leading transformational change. The accompanying Leader’s Guide is in PDF form and is also available for downloading here.
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Brief Guide To Ministry With LGBTQIA Youth
$20.00Add to cartDespite our best efforts to create welcoming and affirming congregations, the reality is that church can still be a harmful place to LGBTQIA youth.
Inside A Brief Guide to Ministry with LGBTQIA Youth, author Cody J. Sanders challenges pastors and church leaders to reflect on the various trials that adolescence brings for LGBTQIA youth. Designed for congregations that currently have a theologically and biblically affirming stance toward the LGBTQIA community, this unique resource provides insight and practical advice for tough questions like:
How does an affirming stance toward LGBTQIA people affect the day-to-day experience of teenagers in a church setting?
In what ways can a church’s youth ministry have a positive impact on the lives of LGBTQIA youth who want to fully live out their Christian faith and their gender identity?
How can a pastor, youth minister, or youth ministry volunteer embrace, nurture, and provide skillful care for LGBTQIA youth in a congregation or community?A glossary of terms to use when talking about LGBTQIA issues and a list of national and location resources that can be used to support LGBTQIA youth are included.
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Sharing Gods Blessing
$15.99Add to cartA tried-and-tested resource for the renewal of the local church. Faced with the unsustainability of many inherited patterns of church, the temptation may be to fall into despondency rather than seeking to regenerate patterns of mission and ministry. This book is the result of a two-year research project aimed at enabling local churches to regain a sense of confidence through exploring God’s blessing and how that might be shared with the communities they serve. In Part One, Robin explores the meaning of blessing and the power of face-to-face group conversations to transform church congregations. Part Two of the book contains outlines for five guided conversations for change on the theme of blessing. Part Three contains case study material of how this material has been used in different contexts, including for Mission Action Planning (MAP).
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Being A Chaplain
$16.99Add to cartChaplaincy – a place for those who have sold out, can’t hack church ministry and don’t believe in mission? Against the negative stereotypes, this book argues that chaplains are a valuable resource to the Church. Embedded in places as diverse as prisons, hospitals, educational establishments and the armed forces, chaplains often encounter social trends well in advance of the institutional churches. Their experiences and expertise can be very helpful for thinking about ministry, ecclesiology and the engagement with contemporary society. The first five parts of this book gather together stories of 22 chaplains working in a wide variety of contexts and from a range of Christian churches. The final part consists of four essays on key themes: multi-faith issues; the core skills needed by a chaplain; models of chaplaincy; and tensions that can arise in the work. This book is for chaplains, students, clergy and all those who are considering becoming a chaplain or have dealings with people in the role. It will be of considerable interest to anyone who wonders what exactly chaplains do, how and why they do it and what the churches can learn from their experiences.
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Shes Still There Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartPoor decisions, a lack of intentionality or planning, or a long-term denial of deep hopes and dreams can leave a woman, old or young, reeling from the realization that she is lost, disappointed, or simply numb. What’s a woman to do, if her life is not taking shape the way that she thought that it would despite all of the knowledge available and possibly even consumed? What happens when she looks at herself in the mirror, lingering just a little longer than usual and realizes that she no longer recognizes the person staring back at her? What does she do when she sees that, somehow, her life has drifted away from her hopes, dreams, or plans? How does she find the part of herself that she’s lost and realign her daily actions to the system of belief to which she subscribes? In this six-session study, Chrystal Evans Hurst will walk alongside women to simply hold their hand, to cheer them on, and to believe with them that they’re capable of still being the person she intended to be or discovering the girl she never knew was there in the first place. In each session, Chrystal will help women aim for godly womanhood, focusing not so much on a program, plan, or prize but instead shining the light on the journey. In this study guide, group discussion material and personal study questions emphasize the importance of the personal process and the beauty of that path as it is shared authentically from one girlfriend to another. It’s one thing to “know” you were created and designed for a purpose and have the power to reach the potential that lies within. It’s another thing to “do” what you were created to do. This study guide is designed to use with the She’s Still There DVD (sold separately).
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These Are Our Bodies Intermediate Parent Book
$12.95Add to cart* Faith formation resource for children on human sexuality * For use in congregational, home, and school settings This sexuality education resource from a mainline/progressive denominational prospective aids the leader, child (participant), and parent in learning about their body and using skills that enable them to embrace and affirm the wholeness of sexuality as part of who they are. Session plans will address facts about sexuality, vocabulary, decision making, faith and daily life, respect, growth and change, behavior, responsibility, values, prayer, and intentionality in an age appropriate manner for children and their parents. One Leader Guide will cover all ages, with three Parent Books (Preschool: 3- to 5-yearolds, Primary: 6- to 8-year-olds, and Intermediate: 9- to 11-year-olds), and two Participant Books (Primary and Intermediate ages).
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These Are Our Bodies Young Adult Leader Guide
$28.95Add to cart* Faith formation resource for young adults on human sexuality * For use in congregational and campus ministry settings Our inherent value and worth comes from God’s love for us, but our modern world is filled with sexual expression that too often leads us away from the life of Christ. As Christians seeking to live a life worthy of our calling and desiring to pass along these values to our children and youth, these books (Leader Guide and Participant Book) offer session plans with activities for Young Adults (ages 18-30) to explore issues of sexuality in the context of our faith, building on the foundational book of the same name and as part of the These Are Our Bodies program resource. Session topics include: * Holiness * Intimacy * Covenant * Love * Biology * Communication * What is Sacred? * Power and Parity * Mind, Body, and Soul * Brokenness and Shame * Our Bodies: Currency and Creators
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These Are Our Bodies Preschool And Elementary Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$34.95Add to cart* Faith formation resource for children on human sexuality * For use in congregational, home, and school settings This sexuality education resource from a mainline/progressive denominational prospective aids the leader, child (participant), and parent in learning about their body and using skills that enable them to embrace and affirm the wholeness of sexuality as part of who they are. Session plans will address facts about sexuality, vocabulary, decision making, faith and daily life, respect, growth and change, behavior, responsibility, values, prayer, and intentionality in an age appropriate manner for children and their parents. One Leader Guide will cover all ages, with three Parent Books (Preschool: 3- to 5-yearolds, Primary: 6- to 8-year-olds, and Intermediate: 9- to 11-year-olds), and two Participant Books (Primary and Intermediate ages). Session topics include: * We are Wonderfully Made * We are Complex * We are Changing * We are Knowledgeable * We are Equipped * We are Called * We are Growing Up
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Jeremiah-Lamentations NIV Preacher Edition
$39.99Add to cartWhat if you could study Jeremiah & Lamentations with your favorite Bible scholars from across the ages? With The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible, you can! This unique resource is designed to empower pastors and leaders to effectively preach and teach God’s Word. This is much more than a commentary – it takes the best scholarly works available and combines them in a single resource. Inside each volume of The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible, you’ll find: A verse-by-verse outline alongside each passage of Scripture that draws out key concepts. In-depth commentary synthesized from hundreds of trusted sources, including Matthew Henry, John MacArthur, Charles Spurgeon…and many more. Thoughts designed to provide practical application of Scripture for your congregation. Deeper studies that expand on original Greek sources, provide historical background, and explain key points. An Outline & Subject Index designed for topical study – perfect for quickly creating messages on a particular theme. There’s a volume of The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible series for nearly any sermon you can imagine. Explore the full series on our website at lmw.org
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Because Of Gracia Theme 3 A Film And Faith Leaders Guide
$5.99Add to cartA Film and Faith Leader’s Guide: Theme 3 Voicing Faith equips youth pastors and small group leaders to explore the key theme of Voicing Faith in public as presented in the award-winning film. This three-week guide inspires participants to confront fear and complacency even when faced with opposition from the world around them.
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These Are Our Bodies Primary Parent Book
$11.95Add to cartFaith formation resource for children on human sexuality – For use in congregational, home, and school settings This sexuality education resource from a mainline/progressive denominational prospective aids the leader, child (participant), and parent in learning about their body and using skills that enable them to embrace and affirm the wholeness of sexuality as part of who they are. Session plans will address facts about sexuality, vocabulary, decision making, faith and daily life, respect, growth and change, behavior, responsibility, values, prayer, and intentionality in an age appropriate manner for children and their parents. One Leader Guide will cover all ages, with three Parent Books (Preschool: 3- to 5-yearolds, Primary: 6- to 8-year-olds, and Intermediate: 9- to 11-year-olds), and two Participant Books (Primary and Intermediate ages). Session topics include: – We are Wonderfully Made – We are Complex – We are Changing – We are Knowledgeable – We are Equipped – We are Called – We are Growing Up
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Like A Phoenix Cycle B
$16.95Add to cartThe season after Pentecost has had several different names over the years. It has been called “Ordinary Time,” which meant that the Sundays were numbered, not that they were common or mundane. It has been called “Kingdomtide” as the celebration of the imminent nature of God’s Kingdom breaking forth in the world as both present and future reality. And it has sometimes just been called “The Time after Pentecost.” Whatever we choose to call it, it is often felt as a slow-down, or a sag in the enthusiasm and energy of the church. Rarely does anything new begin in the summer. It’s a time of waiting for vacations to end and school to begin again so we can get back to the business of doing ministry. The sermons in Like A Phoenix offer the goal of bringing new vigor and vitality into the life of the church even in the hot months of the year when everything and everyone is calling us to slow down and take it easy.
Since the season after Pentecost is drawn out it may be more difficult to come up with sermon ideas. This book will help ease the burden. A busy pastor will have more time to focus things other than sermon preparation, especially during the summer, with vacation time in full-swing.This book may be used for:
Sermon preparation
Independent or group study
Inspirational readingSome Sermon Titles Include:
Together in One Place (Acts 2:1-21)
Meeting Jesus (John 3:1-17)
Meet the Rose Family (Mark 3:20-35)
Little Start, Big Finish (Mark 4:26-34)
A Non-anxious Presence (Mark 4:35-41) -
Hearers To Kneelers To Chosen Cycle B
$12.95Add to cartCSS author, Ron Love’s Hearers to Kneelers to Chosen: The Transformed Life provides Second Lesson sermons for Cycle B for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. These sermons are filled with spiritual guidance and will help you serve your own congregation with fresh ideas.
Some sermon titles include:
“Cathedra” (1 Corinthians 1:3–9)
Wavering Notes by an Uncertain Trumpet (1 Corinthians 1:3–9)
Standing in the Forecastle (1 Thessalonians 5:16–24)
Soli Deo Gloria (Romans 16:25–27)
Abba! Father! (Galatians 4:4–7)
Our Magic Mirror (1 Corinthians 6:12–20) -
Saints Alive : Claiming The Saints For Protestant Preaching
$12.95Add to cartOver 20,000 visit the unincorporated farming community of Maria Stein, Ohio every year to visit the National Shrine of the Holy Relics, which displays around a thousand relics of Roman Catholic saints. Rev. Dr. Alex A. Gondola, Jr. would often visit this peaceful setting and, as he watched devotees come to honor these figures and pray, he realized he didn’t quite “get it.” Could there be spiritual enrichment for him, a Protestant, in a place like this?
Discover the answer for yourself in Saints Alive: Claiming the Saints for Protestant Teaching, sermons from a year Rev. Gondola devoted to preaching on one saint per month. He offers this volume as a companion for pastors and group leaders prepared to take a deep dive into matters of faith, calling and the hope Christ offers the world through his humblest of servants, from St. Augustine to Mother Teresa.
Seasonal sermons include:
St. Patrick: “Christ in All Things” for Lent
Nicholas of Myra: “An Advent Saint” for Advent
You and I: “Called to Be Saints” for Year End/New Year’s Day -
Because Of Gracia A Film And Faith Leaders Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$9.99Add to cartBecause of Gracia: A Film and Faith Leader’s Guide equips youth pastors and small group leaders to explore the key themes in this award-winning film through a life-changing discipleship curriculum. The nine-week guide contains three weeks of “Conversations” on three core topics from the film, Practicing Friendship (God’s Design for Relationships), Choosing Life (Teen Pregnancy and the Sanctity of Life), and Voicing Faith (Defending Christianity in Public). The Because of Gracia Leader’s Guide is designed for use with the related Because of Gracia Film and Faith Conversation Guide for students, a unique hybrid experience that offers complementary material for small group sessions, as well as daily reflections for students to use throughout the week in “conversation partner” pairs. The resulting 45-day experience allows young Christians to pursue discipleship with others, while helping them to wrestle with the difficult issues they’re facing today. The Because of Gracia curriculum was created to affirm that with God’s amazing and empowering grace, young people CAN live in a new way.
Take your students on a spiritual journey alongside Gracia, Chase, and the rest of Eastglenn High as they face life-altering decisions, learning that grace is both the gift of mercy when we fail and our empowerment to live in truth and light.
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Because Of Gracia A Film And Faith Conversation Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartThe Because of Gracia Film and Faith Conversation Guide is a different kind of resource from most movie discussion guides, and it’s different from most bible studies. It’s a 45-day experience to spark conversations on the challenges students face every day as Christians. Based on the themes of Because of Gracia, each week’s conversation has info on group activities and then follows up with five days of devotional reflections for a student and his or her conversation partner. Topics and conversations include Practicing Friendship (teen dating and relationships), Choosing Life (pro-life values and ministering to those facing teen pregnancy), and Voicing Faith (defense of one’s faith in public). These Because of Gracia conversations will help students know how to handle the life-altering choices they face everyday– friendships and relationships, dating and falling in love, how to choose life and support those facing teen pregnancy, and how to confidently voicing your faith and beliefs in public. So let this film and faith conversation be a part of their faith journey, and get real with these real-life questions on God, friendship, and love.
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Unboxed : Uncovering New Paradigms For Tomorrow’s Church
$18.99Add to cartWhy live like an artificial when you were designed to be an original? That’s the theme ministry leader entrepreneur Martijn van Tilborgh unpacks as he delivers this challenge for us to become “unboxed.” His premise? God is waiting to empower you to shed the shackles of personal limitations so you can become an authentic change-agent in this world.
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Lectionary Stories For Preaching And Teaching Series 2 Cycle B
$19.95Add to cart“A good story of faith … allows us to better see ourselves and our relationships while offering to us an opportunity to consider and know God. We enter into the story and emerge a different person.” – Peter Andrew Smith
Restaurant workers closing up for the night do their duty to prepare the store for the morning crew, despite their impatience to leave. An elderly man finds hope and encouragement in a congregation where he never quite felt like he belonged.
These are the simple, quiet vignettes Smith offers in his third collection of stories.Lectionary Stories for Preaching and Teaching: Series II, Cycle Bis inspired by the details Jesus draws from everyday life in the Gospel of Mark. Likewise, Smith delves into the ordinary to explore the extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit alive from moment to moment today.
Lectionary Stories for Preaching and Teaching is an accessible collection of stories ideal for inviting both experienced disciples and those young in the Christian faith alike to discover the Lord yet at work where and when we least expect Him.
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That Deacon Book
$14.99Add to cartIn many churches today, finding true, faithful servants to the church can feel like hunting for unicorns. Lots of people say they want to be like Jesus, but too few are willing to serve like him. “That Deacon Book” was written for pastors, staff, and lay leaders in mind. It can be handed to literally anyone in the church to great benefit.
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Journeying With Mark
$22.00Add to cartJourneying with Mark offers a brief and accessible guide to the Gospel of Mark. Perfect for personal reflection and sermon preparation, this inspiring resource follows the Revised Common Lectionary. Each chapter corresponds to a season of the liturgical year and the Gospel passages read during that season. The reader will find an introduction to the biblical text that looks at historical and literary themes; imaginative new ways to encounter Mark in preaching and study, including poetry; and reflections on the text’s meaning for contemporary Christian life. Each chapter ends with an action item, reflection questions, and a prayer.
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These Are Our Bodies Preschool Parent Book
$12.95Add to cart* Faith formation resource for children on human sexuality * For use in congregational, home, and school settings This sexuality education resource from a mainline/progressive denominational prospective aids the leader, child (participant), and parent in learning about their body and using skills that enable them to embrace and affirm the wholeness of sexuality as part of who they are. Session plans will address facts about sexuality, vocabulary, decision making, faith and daily life, respect, growth and change, behavior, responsibility, values, prayer, and intentionality in an age appropriate manner for children and their parents. One Leader Guide will cover all ages, with three Parent Books (Preschool: 3- to 5-yearolds, Primary: 6- to 8-year-olds, and Intermediate: 9- to 11-year-olds), and two Participant Books (Primary and Intermediate ages). Session topics include: * We are Wonderfully Made * We are Complex * We are Changing * We are Knowledgeable * We are Equipped * We are Called * We are Growing Up
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Gods Country : Faith Hope And The Future Of The Rural Church
$29.99Add to cartWith the poetic force of Kathleen Norris and the pastoral warmth of Eugene Peterson, Kansas pastor Roth sets forth a vision for vibrant rural churches, for ministry in congregations that bear a profound sense of both loss and possibility, and for harvesting fruits of transformation and renewal. Rooted in stories from Scripture, his own ministry, and interviews with rural church leaders, Roth offers a sturdy theological and practical alternative to church-growth strategies that rely on success stories and flashy metrics.
Reclaiming God’s vision for the rural church, Roth writes, means learning how to praise, abide, watch, pray, grow, work the edges, die, befriend, and dream. In God’s Country, rediscover the stunning abundance of God’s presence in rural communities. Name the ways that the rural church testifies to God’s glory and goodness. Learn to live and love and minister right where you are, no matter how small or unassuming it may seem.
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Going Deep And Wide
$14.99Add to cartEvery Sunday people walk onto your church campus and decide if they will return the following week before the preacher even opens his mouth. Many of those people don’t know what to make of Jesus. They’re hesitant to be in a church. They’re not sure they belong. But over and over in the pages of the gospels, we see something extraordinary.
People who were nothing like Jesus liked Jesus.
Shouldn’t that be true of his church as well?
In Going Deep & Wide, Andy Stanley lays out a blueprint for becoming that kind of church. Going Deep & Wide offers practical steps to help church leaders create irresistible environments, define ministry goals, and communicate more effectively with unbelievers. Each section includes discussion materials that walk you more deeply into the content of Deep & Wide and invites conversations about how to apply what you’ve learned.
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Renovate Participant Book (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartRenovating a house can be an exciting and rewarding experience. But the act of renovation can often leave the house in a state of disarray, causing stress and frustration. In the same way, God wants to renovate your life by altering the “old you” and creating a “new you” with an improved heart. It’s not going to be easy, and your life might experience some disarray, but renovating with God is the opportunity of a lifetime. Using the Book of Nehemiah, popular author and pastor Jacob Armstrong explores the physical and spiritual renovation experienced by the nation of Judah. Nehemiah knew that his plan for renovating the wall and gates of Jerusalem would be hard work. But equally hard would be the spiritual renovation of the Jewish people as they returned to their homeland. Thankfully, spiritual renovation is not a do-it-yourself project. We need God’s great power working through us to renovate our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. Chapters include: Never Too Late for a Renovation It Starts with Tears What to Know Before You Build When Others Don’t Like Your Plans Inviting Others to Come Home The Big Reveal Additional components for a six-week study include a comprehensive Leader Guide and a DVD featuring author and pastor Jacob Armstrong.
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5 Means Of Grace Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$13.99Add to cartJohn Wesley gave the Methodist movement (and all Christians in general) a discipleship pathway to follow. Wesley began with Three Simple Rules (or “General Rules”), and followed this instruction a year later with the Five Marks of a Methodist (or “Character of a Methodist”). Over the next decade, Wesley observed the need for continuous renewal of relationships with God and others, so he established a recurring annual process for God’s people to make One Faithful Promise: The Wesley Covenant for Renewal. Wesley confirmed the tendency in each of us for the love of God and others to grow cold, so that we drift away from the gift of God’s unmerited grace. So Wesley showed us ways to reorder our lives through the “means of grace.”
These means are the ordinary channels that God uses to draw us into a fruitful relationship. These five means or channels are:
1. Prayer
2. Searching Scripture
3. Receiving the Lord’s Supper
4. Fasting
5. Conferencing (worship together)This six-week, video-based study will help Christians (new and seasoned) to re-order their lives by recognizing and affirming the outward signs, words, and actions of an invisible divine grace. Through these “means” we receive God’s gifts together, and we experience the power of a spiritual relationship with God.
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Which Way Lord
$14.99Add to cartThe life and travels of the apostle Paul can help us find God’s purpose for our lives. God created every person with a desire for meaning and purpose. Most of us ask how and what do we do to live the purposeful life God intends for each of us? This 6-week church wide series is designed to help us intentionally consider the big question asked by everyone: “What is the purpose of my life?” It wasn’t the Damascus experience only that sent the apostle Paul into a life of evangelism, but the entirety of his life including his traditions, his education, his travels, and his challenges that shaped him for his ministry. Paul traveled a course covering roughly 10,000 miles to spread the Good News throughout the Mediterranean world. After years of prayer and discernment, Paul was certain of his purpose, but he had no idea how God’s plan for him would take shape. This series helps us unpack our life alongside Paul’s life, past and present, to find our purpose and passion. A perfect study series for back-to-school or the beginning of a new year, the series includes a book; DVD with video sessions filmed in Turkey, Israel, and Greece; age-level discussion guides for children, youth, and adults; sermon helps; worship media; daily devotions; and more. Rediscover you are wonderfully made, created for purpose, and equipped to live a life of significance, despite the adversity and detours you will encounter along the way. Join us as we travel to find our purpose together. For more information, visit RobFuquay.com.
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Which Way Lord
$12.99Add to cartThe life and travels of the apostle Paul can help us find God’s purpose for our lives. God created every person with a desire for meaning and purpose. Most of us ask how and what do we do to live the purposeful life God intends for each of us? This 6-week church wide series is designed to help us intentionally consider the big question asked by everyone: “What is the purpose of my life?” It wasn’t the Damascus experience only that sent the apostle Paul into a life of evangelism, but the entirety of his life including his traditions, his education, his travels, and his challenges that shaped him for his ministry. Paul traveled a course covering roughly 10,000 miles to spread the Good News throughout the Mediterranean world. After years of prayer and discernment, Paul was certain of his purpose, but he had no idea how God’s plan for him would take shape. This series helps us unpack our life alongside Paul’s life, past and present, to find our purpose and passion. A perfect study series for back-to-school or the beginning of a new year, the series includes a book; DVD with video sessions filmed in Turkey, Israel, and Greece; age-level discussion guides for children, youth, and adults; sermon helps; worship media; daily devotions; and more. Rediscover you are wonderfully made, created for purpose, and equipped to live a life of significance, despite the adversity and detours you will encounter along the way. Join us as we travel to find our purpose together. For more information, visit RobFuquay.com.
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Good Arguments : Making Your Case In Writing And Public Speaking
$22.00Add to cartThis brief introduction to making effective arguments helps readers to understand the basics of sound reasoning and to learn how to use it to persuade others. Practical, inexpensive, and easy-to-read, the book enables students in a wide variety of courses to improve the clarity of their writing and public speaking. It equips readers to formulate firmly grounded, clearly articulated, and logically arranged arguments, avoid fallacious thinking, and discover how to reason well. This supplemental text is especially suitable for use in Christian colleges and seminaries and includes classroom discussion questions.
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Will Willimons Lectionary Sermon Resource Year B Part 1
$26.99Add to cartWill Willimon is widely acclaimed as one of the top ten preachers in the world. For each Sunday of the Christian year, Will provides just what you need to begin the journey toward a sermon. This guide will stoke, fund, and fuel your imagination while leaving plenty of room to insert your own illustrations, make connections within your congregational context, and speak the Word in your distinctive voice. Guidance from Will Willimon is like sitting down with a trusted clergy friend and asking, “What will you preach next Sunday?”
Year B, Part 1 is part of a six-volume set that includes years A, B, and C (2 volumes per year) in the Revised Common Lectionary.
Each week of sermon resources includes:
1. Readings
2. Theme title
3. Introduction to the Readings
4. Encountering the Text
5. Proclaiming the Text
6. Relating the Text -
Mythical Leader : The Seven Myths Of Leadership
$19.99Add to cartPastor and popular blogger, Ron Edmondson exposes some of the common misunderstandings of leadership through stories from his own experiences, helping leaders develop healthier patterns of individual leadership.
Being a leader involves much more than holding a title. And simply having a leader doesn’t ensure success. This reality has never been more prevalent in the church than now, when so many churches are considered to be plateaued or dying.
Pastor and popular blogger, Ron Edmondson believes this is due to a misunderstanding of what leadership is and what it isn’t. In his work with hundreds of pastors and churches, the most common need he encounters is the need for more effective leadership in the local church. Seminaries may prepare pastors to preach, just as colleges may prepare teachers to teach, but who prepares pastors to lead?
Simply stated: The church needs better leadership.
In The Mythical Leader, Edmondson exposes some of the most common misunderstandings of leadership, shares stories from his own experiences, and will help church leaders develop healthier patterns to improve their individual leadership.
While most people may have a preliminary understanding of many of these myths, they often are not lived out with a great degree of depth in the life of the church leader. Don’t fall prey to these myths! If gone untreated they can be the very thing that prevents a good leader from leading well.
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Introverts In The Church (Expanded)
$20.99Add to cartIntroduction: Can Introverts Thrive In The Church?
1 The Extroverted Church
2 The Introverted Difference
3 Finding Healing
4 Introverted Spirituality
5 Introverted Community And Relationships
6 The Ability To Lead
7 Leading As Ourselves
8 Introverted Evangelism
9 Introverts In Church
Epilogue: Finding Our Place
Questions For Reflection And Discussion
Further Reading
NotesAdditional Info
Introverts are called and gifted by God. But many churches tend to be extroverted places where introverts are marginalized. Some Christians end up feeling like it’s not as faithful to be an introvert. Adam McHugh shows how introverts can live and minister in ways consistent with their personalities. He explains how introverts and extroverts process information and approach relationships differently and how introverts can practice Christian spirituality in ways that fit who they are. With practical illustrations from church and parachurch contexts, McHugh offers ways for introverts to serve, lead, worship and even evangelize effectively. Introverts in the Church is essential reading for any introvert who has ever felt out of place, as well as for church leaders who want to make their churches more welcoming to introverts. This expanded edition has been revised throughout and includes new research on how introverts lead and material for parenting and encouraging introverted children. Discover God’s call and empowerment to thrive as an introvert, for the sake of the church and kingdom. -
These Are Our Bodies Primary Participant Book (Student/Study Guide)
$11.95Add to cart* Faith formation resource for children on human sexuality * For use in congregational, home, and school settings This sexuality education resource from a mainline/progressive denominational prospective aids the leader, child (participant), and parent in learning about their body and using skills that enable them to embrace and affirm the wholeness of sexuality as part of who they are. Session plans will address facts about sexuality, vocabulary, decision making, faith and daily life, respect, growth and change, behavior, responsibility, values, prayer, and intentionality in an age appropriate manner for children and their parents. One Leader Guide will cover all ages, with three Parent Books (Preschool: 3- to 5-yearolds, Primary: 6- to 8-year-olds, and Intermediate: 9- to 11-year-olds), and two Participant Books (Primary and Intermediate ages). Session topics include: * We are Wonderfully Made * We are Complex * We are Changing * We are Knowledgeable * We are Equipped * We are Called * We are Growing Up
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Fear Of The Other Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$10.99Add to cartThis five-week DVD/video based small group study (DVD and Leader Guide) companion to the book, Fear of the Other: No Fear in Love invites readers to consider the Gospel command to love (and not merely tolerate) those considered to be “Other” or outside mainstream Christian culture. Rooted in the faith of Israel and the Christian story and vision, Willimon – in an onscreen conversation with Delia Catalina Ramirez, brings a non-technical, Wesleyan perspective to bear on what may be the hardest thing for people of faith to do: keeping and loving the Other as Other. Emphasizing the biblical mandate to receive Others in their particularity and difference as gifts and mysteries bearing the grace of God, this study also offers a strong critique of the privileged who all too often rush to language of reconciliation and evade the huge inequalities surrounding conversations and practices dealing with xenophobia and injustice. Rooted in the New Testament understanding of Gentile outsiders grafted into the covenant community, this study invites readers to an on-the ground faith that hearkens to a soliciting and revealing God – the God who comes to us again and again through so-called outsiders, strangers, immigrants, and those without status. The 5 video conversations between Will Willimon and Delia Ramirez focus on each of the five chapters of Fear of the Other: Session 1: Saved by the Other Session 2: The Other, My Enemy Session 3: Learning to Fear Like Christians Session 4: Loving the Other in Church Session 5: Jesus, the Other
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Beyond The Offering Plate
$26.00Add to cartEveryone knows that stewardship is more than money and finances. Nevertheless, seldom do we give time to explore the profound concept of stewardship in its many dimensions, including stewardship of time, work, body, mind, spirit, community, technology, and more. Beyond the Offering Plate does just that.
Written by ten engaging pastors, seminary professors, and church leaders, this unique resource offers a diverse and holistic approach to stewardship. In ten accessible chapters, readers will learn how they can faithfully and practically discuss and engage with stewardship on a regular basis. Ideal for church leaders, seminary students, and pastors, this book includes questions for reflection and applications for life together at the end of each chapter. Copeland adds a special section with biblical references and preaching themes at the end of the book.
Featured contributors include:
Margaret P. Aymer, Associate Professor of New Testament at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas
Kathleen A. Cahalan, Professor of Theology at Saint John’s University School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville, Minnesota
MaryAnn McKibben Dana, author of Sabbath in the Suburbs
David Gambrell, Associate for Worship in the Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
David P. King, Karen Lake Buttrey Director of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving and Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana
Neal D. Presa, pastor and former moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Ellie Roscher, Director of Youth and Story Development at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities in Minneapolis and author of How Coffee Saved My Life
Mary Hinkle Shore, pastor of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Brevard, North Carolina
John W. Vest, Visiting Assistant Professor of Evangelism at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia -
Because Of Gracia Theme 2 A Film And Faith Leaders Guide
$5.99Add to cartA Film and Faith Leader’s Guide: Theme 2 Choosing life equips youth pastors and small group leaders to explore the key theme of Choosing life as presented in the award-winning film.This three-session study guide empowers students to address the issues of unplanned and teen pregnancy with confidence, faith, and love.
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Science Of Virtue
$22.00Add to cartThe church and science have drifted apart over the past century. Today the church is often deemed irrelevant by those who trust science, and science is often deemed irrelevant by those whose primary loyalties are to the church. However, this book shows that the new science of virtue–the field of positive psychology–can serve as a bridge point between science and the church and can help renew meaningful conversation.
In essence, positive psychology examines how ordinary people can become happier and more fulfilled. Mark McMinn clarifies how positive psychology can complement Christian faith and promote happiness and personal flourishing. In addition, he shows how the church can help strengthen positive psychology. McMinn brings the church’s experience and wisdom on six virtues–humility, forgiveness, gratitude, grace, hope, and wisdom–into conversation with intriguing scientific findings from positive psychology. Each chapter includes a section addressing Christian counselors who seek to promote happiness and fulfillment in others.
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Mark His Word Cycle B
$15.95Add to cartJesus told his apostles to “count the cost” of following him. For the twelve, it meant leaving their jobs, their homes and families. It meant literally taking up a new life and leaving the old one behind.
What is the cost of following Jesus today?
Frank Ramirez challenges the modern Church as he explores that question in Mark His Word: Cycle B Sermons for Proper 16 through Thanksgiving Based on the Gospel Texts. Using analogies from the space race to a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov to the diary of a Civil War-era abolitionist preacher, Ramirez paints a variety of pictures of what it looks like to act in allegiance to the cause of Christ, to answer the call of the Holy Spirit no matter the consequences.
The pastor who utilizes Mark His Word will see a church reinvigorated in time for Advent, prepared to step forth courageously into the world to live and speak truth to a world dying to know it.
Lessons Include:
“No Turning Back” (John 6:56-69)
“For Us or Against Us?” (Mark 9:38-50)
“Give Thanks for What?” (Matthew 6:25-33) -
Developing A Powerful Praying Church
$8.95Add to cartBlackaby Ministries International
Today’s church faces challenges and crises it can only overcome through prayer. In their latest book, Blackaby and Fisher focus on the adjustments pastors and church leaders must make in their prayer life in order to see a rebirth of God-honoring, world-impacting …
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Feasting On The Word Childrens Sermons For Year B
$24.00Add to cartMany pastors are confused about what to say during children’s time in churches. Feasting on the Word Children’s Sermons for Year B offers practical suggestions for preparing and delivering the children’s sermon. After explaining the importance and purpose of the children’s sermon, noted Christian educator Carol Wehrheim provides a retelling of each Sunday’s Bible story- based on the Revised Common Lectionary-for the entire church year. In addition, she provides a few stories for special Sundays, including the Jewish Celebration of Purim, the Jewish Celebration of Passover, and Thanksgiving Day. This resource provides pastors and other church leaders with fresh, engaging stories that children will understand and enjoy.
Also available: Feasting on the Word Children’s Sermons for Year A and Feasting on the Word Children’s Sermons for Year C.
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Financial Management For Episcopal Parishes (Revised)
$39.95Add to cart* Written by CPA working exclusively with parishes of various denominations * Updated to reflect changes in tax law * What to do and how to do it for parishes of all sizes * Real-life examples Experience shows that open and transparent churches engender a greater feeling of trust and willingness on the part of the donor. The policies and processes in Financial Management for Episcopal Parishes, which can be implemented by any size church, allow clergy, vestry, and parishioners to establish and document procedures that enable a financially transparent organization. The book defines the roles of the clergy, staff, vestry, and congregation and outlines what needs to be done by them to design and implement a system of checks and balances for financial oversight and stewardship, in order to protect donations and assets. Throughout the book, real-life examples of processes and procedures that did not work (and why) make for enjoyable reading of an otherwise business-like subject. Every reader will recognize some of them in their own church life.
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It Has Not Yet Appeared What We Shall Be
$49.99Add to cart1. The Problem And Its Setting
2. Literature Review
3. Exegesis Of Pertinent Passages
4. A Reconsideration Of The Imago Dei
5. Implications And Practical ApplicationsAdditional Info
The doctrine of the imago Dei has been criticized for technically excluding people who suffer from severe cognitive disabilities. With such people in mind, Hammond reexamines the doctrine and sets forth a more accurate and inclusive understanding. This work concludes with implications and practical applications to help seminary professors, pastors, and church members include, embrace, and welcome people with severe intellectual disabilities and their families. -
Healing For Our Soul Gardens
$16.99Add to cartOne out of three to four women is sexually abused within her lifetime. Though we are all created to flourish and grow, sexual abuse leaves us broken, in pain, and bound by fear and anxiety. Self-blame and shame keeps the secret hidden.
But no one is too damaged to be restored. There is hope.
Kristin Clouse, a sexual abuse survivor, shares her story, and her professional experience as a licensed mental health counselor, to walk with women through the healing and restoration process. Includes study questions, moments of reflection, and creative activities. For use by individuals, counselors, or in a small group setting.
Understand how the abuse of your past relates to your life issues today.
Discover why your life feels chaotic, out of control, or anxiety driven.
Learn healthy ways to address a negative thought process and shame-led thoughts.
Develop new coping skills.
Restore your self-image to what God designed you to be. -
Imagining The Gospels Cycle B
$13.95Add to cartImagining the Gospels: Cycle B Sermons for Lent and Easter Based on the Gospel Texts is the latest from Rev. Timothy W. Ayers. As a pastor who writes his messages while also writing novels, children’s books, and short dramas, Rev. Ayers found himself working hard to visually create the picture of what was hap-pening in the gospel accounts. Why? These were people lis-tening to Jesus. They would have had emotions about the topics. They would have had little things they recognized when Jesus spoke about lambs, shepherds, and vines. Much like our congregants, there would be nods of recognition toward experiences in their lives. His goal was to get the listener to imagine themselves, with their feelings, and their rea-sons for being in church, to better use their cognitive skills, inside the stories.
At other times, Ayers sought to take them on a week by week journey through the Easter season. He didn’t assume they have a relationship with Christ. He didn’t assume they are vibrant, serving members of the congregation. He only assumed that the listener is seeking something they do not have. He was attempting to take them one step further on a journey from week to week.
At times Rev. Ayers brings humor to the scene in order to lighten the mood of the listener. The body relaxes when we laugh and that helps us to hear the message. Imagining the Gospels hopefully will achieve this.
This book will make life easier for any busy pastor during the Lent and Easter season, by providing a sermon for each and every Sunday, when attendance is likely to be at its highest.
This book has several intended uses:
Sermon ideas
Inspirational reading
Bible study with individuals or groupsSome Sermon Titles Include:
Beginning The Lenten Journey (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21)
Tearing The Sky To Get To You (Mark 1:9-15)
Did I Say That Out Loud? (Mark 8:31-38, Mark 9:2-9)
The Road To The Passover (John 2:13-22)
A Nod Of Recognition (John 3:14-21) -
Redemption To Transformation The Journey Of Lent And Easter Cycle B
$13.95Add to cartIf the Lenten journey is traversed successfully, then we can fully enter into the celebratory time of Easter. Yet, even as we observe these events we must acknowledge that the challenges of the Christian life are ever present. We should never forget British writer G.K. Chesterton’s admonition in What’s Wrong with the World (1910), “The Christian life has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.” The Easter season reminds us that despite the triumph of Christ there will always be challenges to our belief. We seemingly cannot believe unless we see; yet we know that faith often is beyond proof and, thus, beyond sight as well. We are also challenged to discover ways of transforming problematic situations and what appears to be defeat into triumph through the grace of God. Additionally, this great season of grace teaches us that we must continually evaluate what we do and keep our eyes fixed on Christ and his mission and message. Finally, as Jesus ascends to the Father, we come to realize that the Lord’s work in not complete and, therefore, each day presents us with the opportunity to do something to complete the master’s work.
The cycle B second lesson sermons of Reverend Richard Gribble’s Redemption to Transformation: The Journey of Lent and Easter represent an understanding of the challenges presented us through this highly significant and very special journey. The church in its wisdom gives us this opportunity annually to review where we are and, after ascertaining our present position, the challenge to move to higher realms that are more consistent with our common Christian call to holiness. It is hoped that these reflections will be helpful to you as together we travel the path from Lent to Easter, and eventually to Christ and eternal life.
Redemption to Transformation: The Journey of Lent and Easter provides a second lesson sermon for every Sunday of cycle B, which will provide the following advantages:To give busy pastors ideas for their sermon creation
To make the day-to-day life of being a pastor easier
To free up time for counseling, visitation, or just your own leisureSome Sermon Titles Include:
Suffering Leads to Victory (1 Peter 3:18-21)
Enduring the Trails of Faith (Romans 4:13-25)
The Cost of Discipleship (Philippians 2:5-11)
Sacrifice Leads to Life (Hebrews 10:16-25)
Rising to New Life (1 Corinthians 15:1-11) -
Womens Voices And The Practice Of Preaching
$23.99Add to cartExpert, practical help for women who preach or lead worship
Many women preachers and worship leaders have trouble speaking; they struggle to fully use their physical voices. Maintaining that there is often a disconnect between the woman’s self-understanding as a preacher and her own body, Nancy Lammers Gross presents not only techniques but also a theologically empowering paradigm shift to help women fully embody their God-given preaching vocations.
Grounding her work in the biblical story of Miriam, Gross begins with a discussion of how women are instrumental in the work of God. She then tells stories, including her own, of women’s experiences in losing connection to their bodies and their physical voices. Finally, Gross presents a constructive resolution with exercises for discovering and developing a full-body voice.
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Clash Of Kingdoms Discovery Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartLike the Roman Empire, today’s governments or organizations can become centered on power and believe their messages are the “good news.” As Christians, we’re called to proclaim God’s name in all the earth (1 Chronicles 16:8), but how do we to do that in the midst of false gospels?
In this fifteenth volume of That The World May Know , discover how Paul communicated the Good News of Christ to Philippi, a Roman colony that worshipped false gods. Can you live the message as Paul did while he encouraged the church in Philippi to consider itself a colony of heaven, not Rome? Consider your citizenship-and the message you convey to the world-as Ray Vander Lann takes you deeper into the culture of ancient Philippi.
Experience the Bible in historical context, as you walk in the footsteps of the second missionary tour of the Apostle Paul in Greece-in locations like Philippi, Thessaloniki, and Delphi.
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Confident Identity : Christian Strategies To Forget Who You Aren’t And Disc
$21.95Add to cartA Christian counselor walks readers through the steps to find emotional healing when they feel insignificant or not good enough. Multiple assessments and exercises help people discover exactly who God made them to be.
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Grieving A Suicide (Expanded)
$18.99Add to cartIntroduction: For Survivors-the Other Victims Of Suicide
Part I: When Suicide Strikes
1. Shock
2. Turmoil
3. Lament
4. Relinquishment
5. RemembrancePart II: The Lingering Questions
6. Why Did This Happen?
7. Is Suicide The Unforgivable Sin?
8. Where Is God When It Hurts?Part III: Life After Suicide
9. The Spirituality Of God
10. The Healing Community
11. The Lessons Of SuicideEpilogue: Going On
Acknowledgments
Appendix: Resources For Suicide Survivors And Suicide Prevention
Questions For Reflection And Discussion
A Single-Session Discussion Guide For Suicide Survivor Groups
Notes
IndexAdditional Info
A 2003 Finalist in the United Kingdom Christian Book Awards! “Albert,” the neighbor said, “your mom needs you to come home.” That’s how it began for Albert Hsu when his father died. Anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide experiences tremendous shock and trauma. What follows is a confusing mix of emotions-anger, guilt, grief, and despair. Suicide raises heartrending questions: Why did this happen? Why didn’t we see it coming? Could we have done anything to prevent it? How can we go on? Many also wonder if those who choose suicide are doomed to an eternity separated from God and their loved ones. Some may even start asking whether life is worth living at all. After his father’s death, Hsu wrestled with the intense emotional and theological questions surrounding suicide. While acknowledging that there are no easy answers, he draws on the resources of the Christian faith to point suicide survivors to the God who offers comfort in our grief and hope for the future. For those who have lost a loved one to suicide and for their counselors and pastors, this book is an essential companion for the journey toward healing. This revised edition incorporates the latest statistics, has expanded resources for suicide prevention and mental health ministry, and now includes a discussion guide for suicide survivor groups. -
Isaiah 2 NIV Preacher Edition
$39.99Add to cartWhat if you could study Isaiah with your favorite Bible scholars from across the ages? With The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (NIV), you can! This unique resource is designed to empower pastors and leaders to effectively preach and teach God’s Word. This is much more than a commentary – it takes the best scholarly works available and combines them in a single resource. Inside each volume of The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible, you’ll find: – A verse-by-verse outline alongside each passage of Scripture that draws out key concepts. – In-depth commentary synthesized from hundreds of trusted sources, including Matthew Henry, John MacArthur, Charles Spurgeon…and many more. – Thoughts designed to provide practical application of Scripture for your congregation. – Deeper studies that expand on original Greek sources, provide historical background, and explain key points. – An Outline & Subject Index designed for topical study – perfect for quickly creating messages on a particular theme. There’s a volume of The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible series for nearly any sermon you can imagine. Explore the full series on our website at outlinebible.org
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World According To Jesus Cycle B
$12.95Add to cartJesus is the embodiment of what God means for our world. The gospel writers who penned the first four books of the Christian scriptures have given us a variety of insights into who Jesus was and is, and why he matters for contemporary humankind. Every thoughtful person defines the world according to him- or her-self. This series of sermons aims to present ‘the world according to Jesus.’
It is hoped that clergy tasked with proclaiming the good news of Jesus, and who follow the three-year lectionary cycle of gospel texts, will find the cycle B gospel sermons of The World According to Jesus: Twelve Sermons for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany as useful starting points for creative preaching. This will easily lighten the load for any pastor on the go during the busy season of Advent, when the holidays are in full-swing.
Uses for this book:
Sermon ideas or sermon starters
Inspirational reading
Independent and group Bible studySome Sermon Titles Include:
Stay Awake! (Mark 13:24-37)
Don’t Get Stuck! (Mark 1:1-8)
Get Out of the Jungle! (John 1:6-8, 19-28)
Jesus Matters (Luke 1:26-38)
Don’t Miss This (Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)) -
So That You May Believe
$15.95Add to cartThe sermons in this book employ a variety of homiletic strategies and form. They are theologically sound, engaging, and instructive for exploring various sermon constructions and preaching approaches. Teachers of homiletics and biblical interpretation can use these sermons as examples of unique strategies for interpreting and teaching the gospel.
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Freedom And Interim Ministry
$13.00Add to cartI have been both an interim minister and what is called a regular, installed minister. Without a doubt in my mind, I say that the interim minister has much more freedom than the regular, installed minister. In Freedom and Interim Ministry: 12 Freedoms of the Interim, I show how the interim minister has more freedom than the regular minister.
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Romans 1 KJV Teacher (Teacher’s Guide)
$17.99Add to cartThe Teacher’s Outline & Study Bible is perfect for use with a Sunday School class, small group Bible study, or any discipleship class, bringing God’s Word to life in an easy to understand format. Thorough research includes historical context, word studies, outline, and commentary designed to make your study and teaching preparation easy. Includes life applications, subjects for deeper study and compelling discussion questions. The gospel is for everyone. This unique study makes God’s Word clear, accessible, and teachable. “After 40 years of teaching the Bible, this tool is the best I have ever used, bar none!” -Charlie Chambers, Hot Springs, AR “The TOSB has really helped me and my discipleship class grow in the Lord Jesus Christ.” -Pastor Rick Rossilli, Traverse City, MI
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Tales For The Masses
$16.95Add to cartThe word “homily” comes from the Greek word meaning conversation. The stories in Tales For The Masses: Stories Connecting Scripture To Everyday Life largely contain dialogue – realistic conversations between family members, co-workers and neighbors of all ages. Here is a new collection of previously unpublished stories that connect Scripture to contemporary, everyday life. Tim writes for the parishioner who’s wondering “Why should I listen to you?” by imparting stories to which the parishioner can easily relate. Someone may ask you, “Who told you about me, anyway?” after hearing a homily or sermon with one of these stories in it. In this way, the Scripture message can be seen as relevant to all generations. In this book, author Tim Healy provides homilists and educators material they can use for their own reflection, to help people connect Scripture with what goes on in normal life, and to get people excited about worship because its relevance has been made transparent.
Just a few of the chapters included:
Murphy the Grump
Katie and the Spirit
Brother Dave
The Trophy
Hatred
Are You Going to Be Saved? -
Complete Guide To Godly Play 2 (Expanded)
$34.95Add to cart* Incorporates the latest in Godly Play(R) theory and practice. * Revised lessons throughout, plus one brand-new lesson. Godly Play(R) is an imaginative approach to working with children, an approach that supports, challenges, nourishes, and guides their spiritual quest. It is more akin to spiritual direction guidance than to what we generally think of as religious education. Revised and updated, The Complete Guide to Godly Play, Volume 2 offers new concepts, new terminology, new illustrations, and a new structure that stem from more than 10 years of using Godly Play with children across the world. 30 to 40 percent of the text is new or revised, including a new lesson, revised Introduction, and a new full Appendix.
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Failing Boldly : How Falling Down In Ministry Can Be The Start Of Rising Up
$20.00Add to cartThis book is a must-read for anyone who has ever tried to energize or grow a ministry. Christian Coon takes us through his own missteps and mistakes as the co-founder of the Urban Village Church–as well as those of others working to do the same–and shows how failure can serve as a springboard to new possibilities and even a closer connection to God and what leadership means. Woven together with honesty, humility, and humor, we learn to look on failure as an actual gift that can be the gateway to a deeper journey.
