Pastoral Helps
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Spiritual Leadership Today
$16.99Add to cart“If you are in a position of positive influence, if you exercise leadership in any way, your faith in God gives you a power-a hidden power-that will allow you to make an enduring difference in the lives of other people and organizations. But how does that power work?” So says Mel Lawrenz in this fresh look at leadership which offers practical and biblical guidance to believers who want to have a deep influence and who want to know: What is the proper use of authority and power? Where do good ideas come from? How can we deal with failure? What does God expect of us? Drawing from more than thirty years of experience in pastoral ministry, Lawrenz writes for Christians in any position of influence. This book provides a new baseline for 21st century Christian leadership, addressing issues such as: – building integrity – seizing opportunities – exploring new horizons – speaking into crises – receiving power – accepting authority – promoting truth – managing expectations – dealing with criticism Using real-life examples, key Scripture passages, and history, Lawrenz shows that when believers align their responsibility to lead with the teaching of Jesus and the work of God’s Spirit, their spiritual influence will have integrity and enduring effectiveness. “Lawrenz gives us hope that the leadership pendulum which has swung from ‘over- spiritualized’ to ‘de-spiritualized’ in recent generations may have finally come to rest where it always belonged-upon Jesus Christ.” – Skye Jethani, Senior Editor, Leadership Journal, from the foreword “It is exciting to think about believers at every level of society rising to a new call to exercise powerful spiritual influence. In his newest book Mel Lawrenz has given us all a new baseline for leadership that is personal, wise, and spiritual. It spans the generations and reaches across cultures. Just think what will happen if believers in positions of influence tie into the wisdom and the power that comes from God in order to bring restoration in our broken world!” – Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor, National Community Church in Washington, D.C.
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Leading With Story
$19.99Add to cartEighty percent of the world’s people-including seventy percent of Americans-are storycentric communicators; that is, they prefer to learn and are most likely to be influenced through stories, pictures, drama, and music rather than through reading and writing. Yet more than ninety percent of Christian workers communicate through a highly literacy-based approach. This disconnect overlooks a primary method of Jesus himself in the preparation of leaders and impedes the effective cultivation of leaders in the growing global church. Through engaging stories, biblical insights, leadership research, field-tested methods, and practical models of effective leadership development, Leading with Story offers unique solutions that will inspire and challenge any who want to raise up or to be raised up as Christ-centered leaders in this storycentric generation.
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Stop Wandering The Corridors Of Your Mind
$12.99Add to cartOne man’s personal journey of a life set free by Jesus Christ from the prison he had constructed in his mind. An engaging, brutally honest, and often funny account of the construction of a mental prison based on shame, embarrassment, twisted self-worth, and the results of real sin.
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Way : Walking In The Footsteps Of Jesus (Large Type)
$19.99Add to cartExpanded Large Print Edition
Travel with Adam Hamilton as he retraces the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Once again, Hamilton approaches his subject matter with thoughtfulness and wisdom, just as he did with Jesus’ crucifixion in 24 Hours That Changed the World and with Jesus’ birth in The Journey. Read The Way on your own or, for a more in-depth study, enjoy it with a small group or part of a 40-day church-wide emphasis during Lent and Easter or anytime of the year. Using historical information, archaeological data, and stories of the faith, Hamilton follows in the footsteps of Jesus from his baptism to the temptations to the heart of his ministry, including the people he loved, the parables he taught, the enemies he made, and the healing he brought. This 40-day focus will help you and your group grow deeper in their faith, learn more about the life of Christ, spend time daily reading and reflecting upon the Scriptures, and invite families, through the children’s and youth studies, to grow together in their faith. This new large print edition includes devotions for each chapter and photos from Adam’s trip to the Holy Lands. Additional resources include a DVD, devotional, youth and children editions, and a worship download to help with sermon planning.
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24 Hours That Changed The World (Large Type)
$19.99Add to cartExpanded Large Print Edition
Adam Hamilton guides us, step by step, through the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life in his popular, heartbreaking, and inspiring book. No single event in human history has received more attention than the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. In this book, Hamilton will help you experience and understand the significance of Jesus’ suffering and death like never before. He retraces the day that changed human history in his usual straightforward yet easy, conversational style that speaks to both long-time Christians and those who are simply curious about the story of Christ’s crucifixion. This new large print edition includes devotions for each chapter and travel notes from Adam’s trip to the Holy Lands. Support materials include Leader Guide, a DVD, materials for all ages of Youth and Children’s Ministries, plus many more resources. Adam Hamilton combines biblical story, historical detail, theological analysis, spiritual insight, and pastoral warmth to retell the narrative of Jesus’ last and greatest hours. – Leith Anderson, author of The Jesus Revolution Adam Hamilton’s 24 Hours That Changed the World delivers solid scholarship describing how the day of Christ’s crucifixion unfolded. It also suggests that our response to Christ’s work – when it appears evil has the upper hand – can be one of courageous hope and great courage. Read this book! – Mark Beeson, Lead Pastor of Granger Community Church in Granger, Indiana Adam Hamilton is, in my opinion, a national treasure. He embodies the kind of generous orthodoxy so many of us have been dreaming of and praying for. – Brian McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christian
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Redemption Of Scrooge Youth Study Book (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartIs redemption possible for Ebenezer Scrooge? Pastor and author Matt Rawle believes so as he discovers the teachings of Jesus in the words of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. Rawle dives deep into the dark, sad, greedy world of Scrooge and discovers a man in dire need of a second chance. Along with Scrooge, we meet the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future and in the process learn about living with and for others in a world blessed by Jesus. Rediscover and reinvigorate your Christian faith this Advent and Christmas season and look at this familiar classic through the lens of faith. The Youth Study Book interprets Scrooge, his struggles, and his redemption in a way that youth can relate to and understand, using humor, down-to-earth discussion, and examples from contemporary culture. For young people grades 6-12. Can be used with the adult-level DVD. Sessions include: The Ghosts of Christmas Past The Life of Christmas Present The Resurrection of Christmas Future God Bless Us, Every One
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Redemption Of Scrooge Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$14.99Add to cartIs redemption possible for Ebenezer Scrooge? Pastor and author Matt Rawle believes so as he discovers the teachings of Jesus in the words of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. Rawle dives deep into the dark, sad, greedy world of Scrooge and discovers a man in dire need of a second chance. Along with Scrooge, we meet the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future and in the process learn about living with and for others in a world blessed by Jesus. Rediscover and reinvigorate your Christian faith this Advent and Christmas season and look at this familiar classic through the lens of faith. The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the 4-week study for Advent, making use of the book and videos. Guide includes session plans and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options. Sessions include: The Ghosts of Christmas Past The Life of Christmas Present The Resurrection of Christmas Future God Bless Us, Every One
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Questions Preachers Ask
$32.00Add to cart“How do we preach in a way that affirms Christian theology while also honoring the insights of other faith traditions?” “How do we preach about and help create genuine Christian community in a social networking culture?”
Questions Preachers Ask examines many questions that are on the minds of preachers today, questions that focus on how to preach the gospel in a culture where biblical knowledge cannot be presumed and where the Bible is often viewed as untrustworthy. Well-known preachers, scholars, and authors, including Barbara Brown Taylor, Gail O’Day, Anna Carter Florence, Richard Lischer, Cleo LaRue, and Thomas Lynch, provide the answers.
This book, compiled to honor writer, preacher, teacher, and scholar Thomas G. Long at the end of his teaching career, addresses practical questions such as “How do we proclaim the good news to young adults who are on the margins of church or have left it?” and “How do we preach to faith communities that are highly diverse?” Perfect for preachers at any stage of their ministry, these essays offer hope and guidance for handling the difficult task of preaching in today’s congregations.
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Feasting On The Word Childrens Sermons For Year A
$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 A offers practical suggestions for preparing and delivering the children’s sermon. After explaining the purpose of the children’s sermon, noted Christian educator Carol Wehrheim provides a story for each Sunday of the church year based on the Revised Common Lectionary. In addition, she provides a few stories for special moments in the church’s life, such as when a mission group is commissioned, church leaders are ordained, or a death occurs. This resource provides pastors and other church leaders with fresh, engaging stories that children will understand and enjoy.
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Finding Your Way In Seminary
$25.00Add to cartThose considering seminary, those in seminary, and those preparing to graduate from seminary need help. They need help discerning their call, moving into the bewildering world of theological study, and balancing the competing claims of school, work, and family. This book proposes to offer that help, and more, because the seminary experience is evolving more rapidly than at any time in its history.
This book is an ideal textbook for introductory seminary or spiritual formation courses that the majority of seminaries now require of first-year students. The three sections of this book provide information and guidance to those who are discerning a call to ministry and considering theological education; introduces new seminarians to thinking theologically, forming supportive relationships, integrating what they are learning in school with their spiritual lives, and practical guidance on such matters is serving a local congregation while one is in seminary; and offers advice on negotiating the ordination process in different denominational traditions and making the transition from study to full-time ministry.
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Wonder Of Christmas Childrens Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$18.99Add to cartNo other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible. This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year. The Wonder of Christmas is a four-week all-church study for Advent with resources for all ages. The Children’s Leader Guide contains session ideas for younger and older children, including games, activities, craft ideas, and reproducible handouts.
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Wonder Of Christmas Youth Study Book (Student/Study Guide)
$9.99Add to cartNo other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible. This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year. The Wonder of Christmas is a four-week all-church study for Advent with resources for all ages. The Youth Study Book includes everything needed to conduct a four-session study including current examples that have meaning to young people grades 6-12. Can be used with the adult-level DVD.
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Wonder Of Christmas Devotions For The Season
$9.99Add to cartNo other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible. This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year. The Wonder of Christmas is a four-week all-church study for Advent with resources for all ages. The devotional is a beautiful companion volume that functions beautifully on its own or as part of the church-wide experience offers four weeks of daily devotions on four elements of the Christmas story that evoke wonder and inspiration for reflecting the light of Jesus. Each devotion includes Scripture and a reflection and prayer.
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Wonder Of Christmas Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$14.99Add to cartNo other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible. This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year. The Wonder of Christmas is a four-week all-church study for Advent with resources for all ages. The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the study including session plans and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options.
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Wonder Of Christmas (Large Type)
$15.99Add to cartNo other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible. This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year. Chapters Include: The Wonder of a Name The Wonder of a Star The Wonder of a Manger The Wonder of a Promise The Wonder of Christmas is also perfect for an all-church study and includes resources for all ages, teaching video, worship ideas and visuals, and preaching guides, all areas of church life weave together for a wonder-filled Advent celebration. The adult study book is the centerpiece of the program, serving as the adult small group resource and the source of content for worship planners and leaders.
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Wonder Of Christmas
$14.99Add to cartNo other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible. This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year. Chapters Include: The Wonder of a Name The Wonder of a Star The Wonder of a Manger The Wonder of a Promise The Wonder of Christmas is also perfect for an all-church study and includes resources for all ages, teaching video, worship ideas and visuals, and preaching guides, all areas of church life weave together for a wonder-filled Advent celebration. The adult study book is the centerpiece of the program, serving as the adult small group resource and the source of content for worship planners and leaders.
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Redemption Of Scrooge
$15.99Add to cartIs redemption possible for Ebenezer Scrooge? Pastor and author Matt Rawle believes so as he discovers the teachings of Jesus in the words of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. Rawle dives deep into the dark, sad, greedy world of Scrooge and discovers a man in dire need of a second chance. Along with Scrooge, we meet the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future and in the process learn about living with and for others in a world blessed by Jesus. Rediscover and reinvigorate your Christian faith this Advent and Christmas season and look at this familiar classic through the lens of faith. Chapters include: The Ghosts of Christmas Past The Life of Christmas Present The Resurrection of Christmas Future God Bless Us, Every One
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Because Of Bethlehem Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartEach year, the Christmas season compels people to ask the Christmas questions. What’s the big deal about the baby in the manger? Who was he? What does his birth have to do with me? Of all the responses to these questions, there is one that stands out from the rest: Because of Bethlehem, God knows what it is like to be a human. When we talk to God about our challenges, our struggles, and our tough times, he understands, because he’s been there. He’s been here.
Because of Bethlehem, we have a friend in heaven. We have a Savior in heaven. Christmas begins what Easter celebrates. The child in the cradle became the king on the cross. Because he did, there are no marks on our record, just grace. Because of Bethlehem, we have the promise God is always near us. Always for us. Always in us. We may forget him, but he never forgets us.
No day is accidental or incidental. No acts are random or wasted. Just look at the Bethlehem birth. A king levies a tax. Joseph is forced to travel. Mary, as round as a ladybug, bounces on a donkey’s back. The hotel is full. The hour is late. The event is one big hassle. Yet out of the hassle, hope was born. Christmas reminds us that “everything works together for the good of those who love God” (Romans 8:28). And long after the Christmas guests have left, the carolers have gone home, and the lights have come down, that promise endures.
Sessions include:
*God Has a Face (chapters 2, 4)
*Worship Works Wonders (chapters 5, 6)
*God Guides the Wise (chapters 7, 8)
*Every Heart Is a Manger (chapters 11, 12) -
Grab Gather And Grow
$15.99Add to cartJim and Jen Cowart, authors of Start This, Stop That, offer a fresh strategy for developing community groups for your whole church and beyond. Harvest Church (www.harvestchurch4u.org), a young United Methodist congregation twenty miles southwest of Macon, met for seven years (on Sundays) on the move in a rented theatre. They learned about adaptive systems, digital tools, and flexible overhead. Since building a multipurpose facility on 43 acres near Warner Robins, Georgia in 2007, Harvest Church applied what they learned about mobility and sustained rapid growth to 2700 in worship attendance, with seven weekend services. They dispensed with a typical education wing (at significant cost savings) and classrooms in favor of four multipurpose rooms. They adapted a community groups strategy, which meets primarily in homes. Over 18 months they have expanded from 76 community groups to over 250 community groups. In this leadership book, Jen and Jim offer a five-part method for transforming a congregation through launching community groups. Community groups become a multiplication strategy because they nurture an urgent expectation outside the congregation to share the good news with persons not yet professing faith, while creating a well defined path for growth in discipleship. The book will include the following themes: Group Explosion – New Strategy for 100% plus group participation Overcoming Obstacles – Structuring for Maximum Growth vs Control – Crowd to Core Group Growth The Power of the Pulpit – This system is driven from the stage Living the 5 through Group Life – How the CG lives into Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry, Evangelism, and Worship Creating Infrastructure for Facilitators
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Way : Walking In The Footsteps Of Jesus (Expanded)
$14.99Add to cartNewly released in paperback, travel with Adam Hamilton as he retraces the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Once again, Hamilton approaches his subject matter with thoughtfulness and wisdom, just as he did with Jesus’ crucifixion in 24 Hours That Changed the World and with Jesus’ birth in The Journey. Read The Way on your own or, for a more in-depth study, enjoy it with a small group or part of a 40-day church-wide emphasis during Lent and Easter or anytime of the year. Using historical information, archaeological data, and stories of the faith, Hamilton follows in the footsteps of Jesus from his baptism to the temptations to the heart of his ministry, including the people he loved, the parables he taught, the enemies he made, and the healing he brought. This 40-day focus will help you and your group grow deeper in their faith, learn more about the life of Christ, spend time daily reading and reflecting upon the Scriptures, and invite families, through the children’s and youth studies, to grow together in their faith. This new edition includes devotions for each chapter and photos from Adam’s trip to the Holy Lands. Additional resources include a DVD, devotional, youth and children editions, and a worship download to help with sermon planning.
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24 Hours That Changed The World (Expanded)
$14.99Add to cartNewly released in paperback, Adam Hamilton guides us, step by step, through the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life in his popular, heartbreaking, and inspiring book. No single event in human history has received more attention than the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. In this book, Hamilton will help you experience and understand the significance of Jesus’ suffering and death like never before. He retraces the day that changed human history in his usual straightforward yet easy, conversational style that speaks to both long-time Christians and those who are simply curious about the story of Christ’s crucifixion. This new edition includes devotions for each chapter and travel notes from Adam’s trip to the Holy Lands. Support materials include Leader Guide, a DVD, materials for all ages of Youth and Children’s Ministries, plus many more resources. Adam Hamilton combines biblical story, historical detail, theological analysis, spiritual insight, and pastoral warmth to retell the narrative of Jesus’ last and greatest hours. – Leith Anderson, author of The Jesus Revolution Adam Hamilton’s 24 Hours That Changed the World delivers solid scholarship describing how the day of Christ’s crucifixion unfolded. It also suggests that our response to Christ’s work – when it appears evil has the upper hand – can be one of courageous hope and great courage. Read this book! – Mark Beeson, Lead Pastor of Granger Community Church in Granger, Indiana Adam Hamilton is, in my opinion, a national treasure. He embodies the kind of generous orthodoxy so many of us have been dreaming of and praying for. – Brian McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christian
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Transforming Discipleship : Making Disciples A Few At A Time (Expanded)
$22.99Add to cartIntroduction: A Story Of Transformation
Part I: The Discipleship Deficit: What Went Wrong And Why
1. The Discipleship Gap: Where Have All The Disciples Gone?
2. The Discipleship Malaise: Getting To The Root CausesPart II: Doing The Lord’s Work In The Lord’s Way: The Bible As A Method Book
3. Why Jesus Invested In A Few
4. Jesus’ Preparatory Empowerment Model
5. Paul’s Empowerment Model: Spiritual ParentingPart III: Multiplying Reproducing Discipleship Groups: Church-Based Strategy For Disciple Making
6. Life Investment: It’s All About Relationships
7. Multiplication: Through The Generations
8. Transformation: The Four Necessary Ingredients
9. Practicalities Of Disciple Making
10. The Role Of Preaching In Making DisciplesAcknowledgments
Appendix 1: Frequently Asked Questions
Appendix 2: Critical Considerations For Growing A Reproducing Disciple-Making Ministry
Appendix 3: The Importance Of Curriculum
NotesAdditional Info
Many church leaders, yearning for church growth, look to the latest evangelistic strategies or seeker-targeted worship services. But lack of growth might not be due to lack of concern for new people-it may be because we are not effectively discipling the people we already have.Greg Ogden address the need for discipleship in the local church and recovers Jesus’ method of accomplishing life change by investing in just a few people at a time. Ogden sets forth his vision for transforming both the individual disciple and discipleship itself, showing how discipleship can become a self-replicating process with ongoing impact from generation to generation.
This revised and updated edition includes a new chapter on discipleship and preaching.
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Skills For Effective Counseling
$55.00Add to cartEffective counseling depends on mastering basic relationship skills. In this integrative text, Elisabeth Nesbit-Sbanotto, Heather Davediuk Gingrich and Fred Gingrich break these skills into manageable microskills and connect them to insights and practices from Scripture, theology and spiritual formation.
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He Chose The Nails Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartEvery gift from God reveals his love. But no gift reveals his love more than the gifts of the cross. They came not wrapped in paper, but in passion. Not placed around a tree, but a cross. Not covered with ribbons, but sprinkled with blood.
Much has been said about the gift of the cross itself, but what of the other gifts? What of the nails, the crown of thorns? The garments taken by the soldiers? The garments given for the burial? Have we taken time to open these gifts? Jesus didn’t have to give them, you know. The only act required for our salvation was the shedding of blood. Yet he did so much more.
The hill of the cross is rich with God’s gifts. So let’s examine them. Let’s unwrap the gifts of grace as if—or perhaps, indeed—for the first time. And as we touch them—as we feel the timber of the cross and trace the braid of the crown and finger the point of the spike—we need to pause and listen. Perchance we will hear him whisper: “I did it just for you.”
Sessions include:
*He Chose to Be One of Us (Crown of Thorns)
*He Chose to Forgive Us (Nails)
*He Chose to Love Us Forever (Cross)
*He Chose to Give Us Victory (Empty Tomb) -
Book Of Comic Prayer
$19.95Add to cartThe Book of Comic Prayer takes a fresh look at prayer from an unexpected perspective: comic art, humor, and their relevance to today’s image-driven youth. Part explanation, part instruction, it explores the role of prayer and faith in mainstream and underground comics, and provides resources for incorporating comics and cartooning into curricula for children and youth. The Appendix includes an illustrated booklet created by one group of young people as a supplement to traditional forms of prayer and offers tips and tricks for creating books of comic prayer. The church has always used visual arts for prayer, worship, and education, and religious themes and figures still permeate popular culture. Comics, with their larger-than-life stories of villainy, morality, and heroism, have religious undertones ranging from explicit to metaphorical, offering opportunities to explore what post-modern prayer and faith look like and why they matter. Comics are inexpensive, accessible, and adaptable to church school, youth groups, Bible studies, prayer groups, camps, and VBS. There have been illustrated comic Bibles and religious books, but no single resource dealing with prayer’s individual and communal aspects as they relate to the comic art form. This is that book!
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Flipping Church : How Successful Church Planters Are Turning Conventional W
$18.00Add to cartAn innovative anthology written by successful church planters who have consistently and successfully challenged prevailing assumptions about healthy church development and “best practices.” This informative book gives insight into how they broke the mold of church planting. Includes chapters written by Michael Baughman, Olu Brown, Doug Cunningham, Kenda Creasy Dean, Mark DeVries, Amanda Garber, Trey Hall, Diane Harrison, Elaine Heath, Jerry Herships, Derek Jacobs, Matt Miofsky, David Rangel, and Owen Ross.
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Rethinking Celebration : From Rhetoric To Praise In African American Preach
$28.00Add to cart“This book is a clarion call for African American preachers to think more deeply about the aims and ends of their preaching-namely to stop putting so much emphasis on celebratory endings to our sermons and focus more on the substantive content in our sermons. Our so-called celebratory preaching, designed to excite the congregation into action through a highly emotional closing of the sermon, has had the opposite effect. Rather than inducing action, it has lulled generations of black congregants to sleep. While we are jumping up and down, shouting, and waving our hands in the air every Sunday during the worship hour, we seem not to notice the growing number of churched and unchurched alike who are becoming powerfully alienated from any form of institutional religion.”
-from the introduction“Celebration” is a term that has long been used to describe African American preaching, characterized by content that affirms the goodness and powerful intervention of God as well as style that builds from quiet beginnings to an emotionally rich crescendo in conclusion. Cleophus J. LaRue argues that while celebration is one of African American preaching’s greatest gifts to the larger church, too many black preachers have become content with the form of celebration-volume, vocabulary, pitch, speed, rhythm, and the like-to the neglect of its essence-the proclamation of the mighty acts of God in the lives of their congregations and communities. This kind of preaching, LaRue contends, fails to address the ongoing problems of the African American community and is powerless to prevent the growing disaffection of black America with the black church. In words both prophetic and practical, LaRue suggests ways to improve black preaching that honor both the form and the power of the African American homiletical practice of celebration. Preachers will learn how to use celebration more selectively and as part of a fully formed preaching practice rather than as a means of distracting the congregation from pressing social and theological questions. The book includes six illustrative sermons from LaRue as well as Paschal Sampson Wilkinson Sr., Brian K. Blount, and Claudette Anderson Copeland.
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Fellowship Of Differents
$22.99Add to cartIn this compelling book, Scot McKnight shares his personal experience in the church as well as his study of the Apostle Paul to answer this significant question: What is the church supposed to be?
For most of us the church is a place we go to on Sunday to hear a sermon or to participate in worship or to partake in communion or to fellowship with other Christians. Church is all contained within one or two hours on Sunday morning.
The church the Apostle Paul talks about is designed by God to be a fellowship of difference-how people differ socially-and differents-how people differ culturally. God did not design the church to be a two-hour experience on Sunday but a mixture of people from all across the map and spectrum: men and women, rich and poor, Caucasians or African Americans, and Mexican Americans, Latin Americans, Asian Americans, and Indian Americans, and a mixture of people with varying personalities and tastes. The church McKnight grew up in was a fellowship of sames and likes. There was almost no variety in his church. White folks, same beliefs about everything, same tastes in music and worship and sermons and lifestyle. Because of his experience, he writes incisively and compellingly.
The church is God’s world-changing social experiment of bringing unlikes and differents to the table to share life with one another as a new kind of family. When this happens we show to the world what love, justice, peace, reconciliation, and life together is designed by God to be. The church is God’s show-and-tell for the world to see how God wants us to live as a family. -
Teaching Outside The Box
$19.99Add to cartRather than tweaking the ways youth ministers communicate the gospel, Teaching Outside the Box, explores five distinct approaches to forming youth in the faith-approaches that open youth to experiencing the implications of the gospel in new ways. We’ll start by providing a new take on the instructional approach, and then introduce four additional approaches that are likely new to readers: community of faith, interpretive, liberation, and contemplative.
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Story Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartThe Story group Bible study provides groups of all sizes the opportunity to discuss and apply what they experience during the 31-week The Story church campaign.
To understand the Bible, says Frazee, you need bifocal lenses, because two perspectives are involved. The Lower Story, our story, is actually many stories of men and women interacting with God in the daily course of life.
The Upper Story is God’s story, the tale of his great, overarching purpose that puts the individual stories together like panels in one unified mural.
In 31 sessions, The Story video-based group study opens your eyes to God’s master plan unfolding in the lives of the Bible’s characters and in your own life.
Discover the heart of God’s Upper Story, and the joy that comes as you align your story with God’s. The Story Study Guide and DVD (sold separately) are designed for use by groups of all sizes, including small groups and Sunday school and adult education classes.
Designed for use with The Story Adult Curriculum Study DVD (9780310329527) sold separately.
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Small Church Youth And Family Ministry
$19.99Add to cartSmall Church Youth Ministry highlights the big impact small churches can have on the faith journey of their young people. It is designed to encourage and help small churches start, build and lead effective disciple making youth ministry. Topics include a biblical foundation, practical helps, tools and activities.
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Present Over Perfect Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$16.99Add to cartIn a culture that values speed, efficiency, image, and busyness, some of us are aching for another way to live: more intentional, more connected. Simpler, slower, richer. Many of us have believed the myth that achievement and success bring us contentment, only to find it’s actually things like connection and meaning, not success and achievement, that provide true peace and genuine happiness.
Present Over Perfect is bestselling author Shauna Niequist’s motto for how to live a rich, engaged, and loving life in the midst of what often feels terribly messy and imperfect.
As a wife, mother, friend, and writer, Shauna shares with vulnerability and transparency about the reality of living wholly present in our relationships with our families and the others we love. These five sessions will inspire participants to discover their own path to this more fulfilling way to do life.
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Psalm 3 KJV Preacher Edition
$39.99Add to cartThis eagerly anticipated volume of The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible(R) covers chapters 107-150 of the Psalms and is part three of a three-part series.
The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible(R) is much more than a commentary – it’s a comprehensive resource for expository and topical preaching.
Each volume organizes key points of Scripture passages in a systematic outline form, along with content synthesized from 200+ Bible commentaries, language sources, and reference works.
The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible(R) includes inspirational sermon points, practical life applications and dozens of supporting scriptures in every section.
This volume includes Psalms chapters 107-150 and contains Scripture printed in King James Version (KJV).
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Ministry Proverbs : Lessons Learned For Leading Congregations
$20.95Add to cartBiblical and cultural proverbs have been cherished throughout the ages. One reason for their enduring influence is that they reveal deeper wisdom through easy-to-grasp phrases. They form our lives by offering wisdom we can hold onto and use in life’s most complex situations. In the increasingly complex world of modern ministry, it has become harder for pastors and church leaders to act wisely when the models for ministry keep changing. Ministry Proverbs is a collection of 60 proverbs that the Rev. Dr. Graham Standish has developed over the years to guide his own ministry. These are proverbs such as “We are only responsible for our efforts. God is responsible for the results. So be responsible for your part, and let God be responsible for God’s part. Wisdom comes in learning to tell the difference.” Each proverb is followed by 4-6 paragraphs of reflection that take the reader deeper into the ramifications and applications of the proverb. The reflections are intended to help readers to apply the proverbs in their own ministries, and to remember them so that when they face a difficult or uncertain situation, they can tap into the wisdom.
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Exodus
$27.00Add to cartFocused Biblical Scholarship to Teach the Text Effectively
To craft informed sermons, pastors scour commentaries that often deal more with minutia than the main point. Or they turn to devotional commentaries, which may contain exegetical weaknesses. The Teach the Text Commentary Series bridges this gap by utilizing the best of biblical scholarship and providing the information a pastor needs to communicate the text effectively. By concentrating each carefully selected preaching unit into six pages of focused commentary, each volume in this series allows 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; sections dedicated to understanding, teaching, and illustrating the text; and full-color illustrations, maps, and photos.
The newest release in this innovative commentary series is T. Desmond Alexander’s treatment of Exodus.
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So Great A Cloud Of Witnesses
$21.95Add to cartChapters Included In This Book:
The Supplanter: Jacob
My House Will Serve The Lord: Joshua
The Sword Of The Lord: Gideon
The Outsider: Ruth And Boaz
The Sweet Singer Of Israel: DavidAdditional Info
One of the insights of people of faith is that God is active in history as he seeks to bring creation into conformity with his purpose. There have been those in every age who have discovered something of God’s purpose and have attempted to pass it on. Sometimes, God’s activity has been reported in supernatural terms, but fully as often, the activity of God is revealed in the faithful actions of human beings. For that reason, the Old and New Testaments are filled with the experiences of individuals who have discovered God’s presence in their individual circumstances.David Rogne’s So Great A Cloud of Witnesses will give readers an appreciation for the people of faith who are presented, and humbly recognize the cost borne by so many to deliver the faith to us. They are a great cloud of witnesses. They have played their part in relaying the faith to subsequent generations, and they are now filling the stands in the heavenly arena, eager to see how we continue the race.
Witnesses have been chosen from varied backgrounds so that it may be seen that people from all walks of life are called to live faithfully and to witness to God’s truth. The entire known story of some of these individuals, such as Joseph, the husband of Mary, may be just a few verses of Scripture. Some, such as the Wiseman and the Emmaus disciple, are not even named. Nevertheless, their witness is important. Rogne attempts to give life to the testimony of these less-well-known witnesses by giving them names and employing a little imagination. In every case, the subjects tell their stories as they might have experienced them.
Chapters included in this book:
The Supplanter: Jacob
My House Will Serve the Lord: Joshua
The Sword of the Lord: Gideon
The Outsider: Ruth and Boaz
The Sweet Singer of Israel: David -
God Unbound : Wisdom From Galatians For The Anxious Church
$12.99Add to cartJust as Paul led the Galatians through a radical cultural change to expand their view of God, themselves, and the church’s mission, Christians are challenged to do the same today. Elaine Heath urges the church to boldly follow the Holy Spirit’s leadership beyond buildings and programs to join what Jesus is doing in the world.
KEY FEATURES
–Each chapter has reflection questions for small-group discussion.
–The book could be used for leadership development over several weeks or months. -
Intercessory Prayer Youth Edition
$13.99Add to cartIs prayer really necessary? Why does it often take so long to get a prayer answered? What about praying for non-Christian friends? What exactly is intercessory prayer? Is everything that happens to me or my family allowed by God? Or is there something I need to do to make sure we’re safe? For students with questions about prayer, Getting in God’s Face takes them on a journey to find God’s answers to the big questions about prayer. Powerful stories and proven strategies for interceding with God will increase their understanding and their faith when they read of how God uses prayer to accomplish His purposes on earth.
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These Are Our Bodies Foundation Book
$34.95Add to cartOur 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, this book explores how we (as parents and adults) can explore issues of sexuality in the context of our faith. A sexuality education resource from a mainline/progressive denominational prospective aids the adult reader/teacher/parent in learning and using skills that enable them to embrace and affirm the wholeness of sexuality and to talk openly and honestly about the connection of sexuality and faith. This book, grounded from a theological perspective, focuses on foundational issues for addressing how we (and why we) are called to have these conversations in a faithful community to support families. The importance of looking at one’s sexuality throughout the lifespan through the lenses of decision making, faith and daily life, respect, growth and change, behavior, responsibility, values, prayer, and intentionality is be explored, offering a grounding as well as stand-alone resource for individuals and churches to build upon.
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Disciple Participants Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartA completely new ten-week Freedom in Christ curriculum for millennials
Frustrated that so many Christians fail to reach their potential? Looking for a great way to help new Christians get off to a flying start? “Disciple” is the perfect answer.
Designed to appeal to younger believers, it makes few assumptions about the maturity of their faith, and is highly suitable for use in a postmodern context. Varied, lively, and concise, it will enable new and young Christians to follow Jesus with conviction and passion. With a strong emphasis on authenticity, the focus is on becoming like Jesus, rather than on simply what we might do as Christians.
“Disciple” is based on the award-winning Freedom in Christ Discipleship Course. A proven and effective means for churches to help Christians become fruitful disciples, it has been used by hundreds of thousands all around the world. The same core content is now available in this new, shorter, age-focused format.
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Everyday Disciples : Covenant Discipleship With Youth
$14.00Add to cartEveryday Disciples: Covenant Discipleship With Youth by Chris Wilterdink resources pastors, youth leaders, and youth groups with information and planning materials related to Covenant Discipleship and accountability practices. Covenant Discipleship encourages youth to connect with Christ and one another through mutual accountability. It also encourages a networked support structure for living in the world as Christ followers.
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Growing Everyday Disciples
$12.00Add to cartGrowing Everyday Disciples: Covenant Discipleship With Children is a formational resource by Melanie C. Gordon, Susan Groseclose, and Gayle Quay that equips adults who serve in ministry with children ages 8-11 to guide children towards a mature faith through everyday acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Covenant Discipleship helps connect children with Jesus Christ and one another through ongoing mutual accountability and support for living in the world as Christ followers. The resource offers leaders in ministry with children suggestions for forming covenants, exploring accountability, evaluations, and a choice of plans to organize, maintain, and evaluate Covenant Discipleship groups with children. This resource also provides a brief background on discipleship, covenants, and society meetings of the Methodist Movement, and can be used as preparation for confirmation.
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Pilgrim Church And Kingdom
$14.95Add to cartCourse 8: Church & Kingdom: What does it mean to live as a child of the kingdom of God and follow in the way of Christ each day as a member of his church? How does it affect our life at work as well as at home? How does it affect what we do with the gifts we have been given, especially those gifts of time and talents, passions, resources, and money? How is the Christian faith changing us and shaping us so that we become more like Jesus? The importance of prayer, living out our faith, celebrating Sabbath, and reflecting generosity is explored. We look at how faith in the God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit shapes and changes all our relationships
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Intercessory Prayer Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$16.99Add to cartYour Prayers Are PowerfulI, God is all-powerful, why does He need us to pray? If we pray and nothing happens, does this mean that God isn’t listening? If you’ve ever felt that your prayers don’t count, Intercessory Prayer will show you just how vital your prayers are. In this book, pastor and teacher Dutch Sheets explains the nuts and bolts of prayer with wisdom, gentleness, and humor. This book will inspire you, give you the courage to pray for the “impossible,” and help you find the persistence to see your prayers to completion. Discover your role as a prayer warrior–it can mean the difference between heaven and hell for someone you know!
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Pilgrim The Eucharist
$11.95Add to cartCourse 6: The Eucharist: How do Christians know and worship God? The six sessions of Course 6 reveal reasons why the Eucharist is celebrated as a memorial of Christ’s saving passion and stands at the very heart of Christian worship. Session 1 looks at worship as communion with God. Session 2 explores the Eucharist as the pattern of all Christian worship. Session 3 looks at the intimacy we have with God in Holy Communion and how we are transformed by the encounter. Sessions 4 – 6 look at worship as a sign and foretaste of heaven, shaping our whole life, and how the whole of life is sacramental.
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Plan To Protect US Edition
$59.99Add to cartA protection plan for children and youth;
A protection plan for those who work with them.Plan to Protect (TM) is not about what we need to do to run programs and activities, and it is not about placing a hardship on your staff and volunteers. Abuse prevention and protection of children and young people is not something we have to do, but something we have the privilege of doing. It is a privilege to create a safe environment in order to have our communities trust us with their family members.
As you implement Plan to Protect (TM) your efforts are a ministry in itself to:protect children
protect young people
demonstrate your care for your staff and volunteers
demonstrate care to parents and family members
empower and nurture the healing of victim-survivors
demonstrate grace, restoration and welcome to the offender that comes into your church
demonstrate accountability and integrity and
bring Glory to God
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Face Of Forgiveness
$27.99Add to cartAcknowledgments
1. Whatever Happened To The Forgiveness Of Sins?
2. Covering Our Nakedness: Healing Through Therapy
3. Guilt And Shame
4. Opened Eyes And Downturned Faces
5. The Shame Of The Cross
6. “As One From Whom Others Hide Their Faces . . .”
7. Living Before Christ’s Face
Epilogue: Answer To Jane
Notes
Bibliography
General Index
Scripture IndexAdditional Info
The struggle to offer and receive forgiveness is not helped by theologies that focus solely on guilt and a therapeutic environment focused on human agency. Philip Jamieson argues that Christians need to think about the way Christ takes on human shame and restores our ability to face God and each other as redeemed persons. -
Music Architect : Blueprints For Engaging Worshipers In Song
$30.00Add to cartGuidance for Leaders Seeking a Richer Way to Employ Worship Music
Worship expert Constance Cherry offers comprehensive guidance to Christian leaders seeking a deeper, richer way to employ worship music in engaging ways for twenty-first-century worshipers. Following Cherry’s successful book “The Worship Architect,” this work helps Christian leaders think theologically and act pastorally about worship music in their churches. It addresses larger issues beyond the surface struggles of musical styles and provides tools to critically evaluate worship songs. The book is applicable to all Christian traditions and worship styles and is well suited to both the classroom and the local church. Each chapter concludes with suggested practical exercises, recommended reading, and basic vocabulary terms. -
Why Study Religion
$19.99Add to cartWhy Studying Religion Matters in a Pluralistic Context
This brief primer explains why Christian students should study religion, how they should go about it, and why it is important in our contemporary, pluralistic context. Senior religion scholar Terry Muck introduces the discipline and explains how it can be approached by Christian students. He explores the contemporary significance of studying religion in a complex, multicultural world and concludes by addressing the skills students must bring to the study of religion in the twenty-first century. Written in accessible prose suitable for undergraduates, this introduction can be used to supplement any standard religion textbook. -
Mission Of Jesus Discovery Guide
$18.99Add to cartJoin renowned teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan as he guides you through the land of the Bible. In each lesson, Vander Laan illuminates the historical, geographical, and cultural context of the sacred Scriptures. Filmed on location in Israel, the That the World May Know DVD series will transform your understanding of God and challenge you to be a true follower of Jesus.
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RelatAble Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$10.99Add to cartLet’s face it: relationships are tricky. We have problems in our relationships with friends. We have conflicts with our parents. We have unresolved issues in some relationships and wonder if reconciliation is even possible. We want to make our relationships healthier, more meaningful, and more fulfilling, but we don’t know where to start. The good news is that because God put us on this planet to interact with others, we know that he has a plan for how we can build stronger relationships. He has given us a model in Christ for how we can become the kind of people who move through life with the ability to connect with others. He can do something within our hearts to shape us into the kind of people that others want to be around. But we have to be willing to change our ways and adopt the mindset of Christ. In this six-session video-based study, pastor and author Louie Giglio explores the fundamental questions of what makes us relatable to others. He reveals that the degree to which we are able to share our lives, love others, and extend mercy in all situations is determined by the degree to which we are able to receive the gift of grace that God has extended to us. He shows how God can change our perspective on relationships, bring us peace in the midst of conflict, and help us restore relationships that seem broken beyond repair.
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Living Out The Message Of Christ Participants Guide 8 (Student/Study Guide)
$7.99Add to cartA Program for Implementing a Christ-Centered Recovery Ministry in Your Church
Alcoholism – Divorce – Sexual Abuse – Codependency – Domestic Violence – Drug Addiction – Sexual Addiction – Food Addiction – Gambling Addiction and others.There is a way the church can help the hurting move beyond their wounds to experience the healing and forgiveness of Christ. Since 1991, more than 200,000 people have participated in the Celebrate Recovery programs offered at more than 3,500 churches, prisons, and rescue missions.
Drawn from the Beatitudes, Celebrate Recovery helps people resolve painful problems in the context of the church as a whole.
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Moving Forward In Gods Grace The Journey Continues Participants Guide 5
$7.99Add to cartA Program for Implementing a Christ-Centered Recovery Ministry in Your Church
Alcoholism – Divorce – Sexual Abuse – Codependency – Domestic Violence – Drug Addiction – Sexual Addiction – Food Addiction – Gambling Addiction and others.
There is a way the church can help the hurting move beyond their wounds to experience the healing and forgiveness of Christ. Since 1991, more than 200,000 people have participated in the Celebrate Recovery programs offered at more than 3,500 churches, prisons, and rescue missions.
Drawn from the Beatitudes, Celebrate Recovery helps people resolve painful problems in the context of the church as a whole.
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Looking For Lovely Teen Girls Bible Study Book (Student/Study Guide)
$15.99Add to cartLooking for Lovely: Collecting the Moments that Matter explores the ordinary people of the Bible to discover the beauty in each life. This seven-session study for girls examines people of various professions-fishermen, gardeners, women, soldiers, and ultimately Jesus to find the lovely in everyday life. Every moment matters. Every individual matters. We can’t put life on pause to avoid the difficulties, but we can be people of influence in and through all circumstances. There are moments of suffering, perseverance, character building, and hope in every life. In our everyday, normal lives, looking for lovely is discovering God and connecting with Him in the midst of the positive and negative circumstances we face. God asks that we trust His timing and lean in as He turns the soil in our lives to make everything beautiful in His time. In the end, it is not about outside circumstances but actually about our hearts.
Features:
Seven sessions (Bible study book includes 6 weeks of homework, 4 days per week; 7 video sessions optional and available for purchase)
Group material that guides questions and discussion with a small group
Optional digital download bundle for group use optional and available for purchase
Personal study segments for 6 weeks, 4 days per week to complete between group sessions
Women’s version also available
4 color cover / 2 color insideBenefits:
Girls will discover lovely in the mundane and difficult moments of life
Engage in a more personal relationship with God as you discover scriptural truths
Encourage spiritual growth in girls through the individual time in the homework and the group sessions
Understand that God sometimes calls us to do hard things but they are worth finishing
Laugh through times of perseverance and discover the beauty in the journey
Trust God’s timing and lean in as He makes everything beautiful in His time -
Missionary Mindset : What Church Leaders Need To Know To Reach Their Commun
$17.00Add to cartDoug Ruffle writes A Missionary Mindset using the timeless principles of E. Stanley Jones and transfers them for use today. Teaching us to approach the mission field as if we were from a different country and learning a new culture, a new way of communicating, and a new way to connect people to the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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1st Things First
$13.99Add to cartAs the young Ken Kamau devoured books on leadership, he became increasingly aware that they were written by and for people who were way ahead of where he was in his life and ministry. He needed to know how one begins to be a leader, not how one continues to lead a large and successful ministry. He has now written the book he would have wanted to read as a young pastor. His key thesis is that if you want to be a blessing to the kingdom, you have to get the basics right. Before you step into the spotlight of ministry life, you need to work on the backstage of your life. So he writes about learning from mistakes and from successes, learning how to be led as well as how to lead, and building and safeguarding a strong marriage. He also deals with the practical issues involved in building and nurturing a strong support team, even in a small church with few resources. The book is infused with humour and practical wisdom acquired the hard way, and also with a passion to fulfil the Great Commission. It thus speaks even to those who are not pastors, for we too are called to serve God faithfully, listen to his word, and use the lessons God has been teaching us to reach out to those who need to hear the message of God’s love. We too need to live out that message with integrity in our day-to-day lives.
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More To Your Story Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartJoin bestselling author Max Lucado on a journey through the promises of the New Testament and discover your place in God’s plan. Everything changes when you see how your story fits within God’s. Designed for use with the 6-session DVD study.
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Longevity In Leadership
$15.99Add to cartEverybody knows that leading is challenging. Leaders are out front, showing people and organizations new places where they can and should go. They have to inspire people to challenge themselves to do more things or to increase their abilities in order to achieve specific goals.
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Preachers Guide To Lectionary Sermon Series Volume One
$47.00Add to cartPreachers get the best of lectionary and topical series preaching with this comprehensive manual of sermon series ideas based on the Revised Common Lectionary. Designed to frame consecutive weeks of lectionary texts into seasonal and short-term series, a diverse group of twelve preachers outline multiple thematic series plans for each lectionary year. Each series plan provides a series overview, chart that outlines each segment of the series, tips and ideas, scriptural references, and a brief sermon starter. The series honors holy days and seasons and responds to typical patterns of church attendance, maximizing visitor retention and member engagement. Pastors can honor their commitment to lectionary preaching while taking advantage of the benefits series preaching can offer with this truly unique resource.
Contributors include:
Theresa Cho, Pastor of St. John’s Presbyterian Church, San Francisco, California
Bob Dannals, Rector of St. Michael’s and All Angels Episcopal Church, Dallas, Texas
Magrey R. DeVega, Pastor of Hyde Park United Methodist Church, Tampa, Florida
Brian Erickson, Pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Mihee Kim-Kort, Presbyterian Minister and Campus Ministry Leader at University of Indiana, Bloomington, Indiana
Jessica LaGrone, Dean of Chapel at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky
Cleophus J. LaRue, Professor of Homiletics, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey
Jacqueline J. Lewis, Senior Minister, Middle Collegiate Church, New York City, New York
Katherine Willis Pershey, Pastor of First Congregational Church, Western Springs, Illinois
Paul Rock, Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, Kansas
Martin Thielen, Pastor of First United Methodist Church, Cookeville, Tennessee
Winnie Varghese, Priest and Director of Community Outreach at Trinity Wall Street, New York, New York -
Equipping Church : Serving Together To Transform Lives
$22.99Add to cartPicture your church as a place where the priesthood of believers finds its expression in creative and powerful ways. Picture leaders and staff equipping and unleashing people to minister in ways consistent with how God designed them. Think of the effectiveness, vitality, and contentment that come when the body of Christ nurtures itself through the healthy give-and-take of each member. In The Equipping Church, Sue Mallory describes the benefits, the structure, and the culture of an equipping church and shows how your congregation can become one. This book is about limitless possibilities. Think “vision.”
What might your church look like if its members became vital, fully empowered partners in ministry? How can you help them discover and release their full potential? How would their roles change–and yours?
AN EQUIPPING CHURCH IS A CHURCH WHERE:
* pastors and leaders enable church members to share in ministry
* people’s gifts, talents, and life callings are matched with areas of service
* ministry opportunities are recognized and developed
* the culture encourages the growth of a broad array of ministries
*a well-designed system addresses needs of every kind, both individual and corporate *the pastor doesn’t have to be all things to all peopleUnpacking insights and principles uncovered by Leadership Training Network over the last several years, Mallory helps you customize an equipping system and culture in your church. You’ll proceed from preparation (what you need to know), to foundations (what you need to change), to construction (what you need to do). In the process, Mallory takes you inside the story of her own church, Brentwood Presbyterian, to observe the different stages of their trial-and-error journey and how it has transformed their approach to “doing church.” See how they dealt with various concerns that arose along the way, and meet men and women whose lives have been changed because Brentwood took the ministry road less traveled. Each chapter includes a section of “Equipping Principles,” questions for discussion and reflection, and a summary of different equipping churches from around the country. With the accompanying Equipping Church Guidebook, this book will be a mile marker in your church–and the gateway to a more effective and biblical approach to ministry.
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Generous Church : A Guide For Pastors
$18.99Add to cartOur possessions can create unbearable weight and affect our ability to serve and thrive. How do we defy gravity and find freedom? In this 4-week small group study and stewardship campaign, pastor and author Tom Berlin explores what is required to sustain a vibrant life, what we need versus what we want, and what we can do to avoid being pulled into the orbit of materialism. The Pastor Guide helps the pastor and leadership team think strategically about financial planning and giving beyond the annual campaign vision. Tom Berlin believes and teaches that the church, in order to inspire generosity in individuals, needs to be seen and understood as generous. People will embrace giving if they see the ways their gifts are used in the community and the world. Generous church… generous people. Sermon helps and fresh illustrations will be included, broken down into four segments: Think About It – How do I think through the key aspects of our church’s financial reality and plan? Communicate It – How do we tell our story so the whole congregation shares a vision who we are, what we do, and what changes we can make in the world with our people and resources. Plan It – What’s the short-term campaign plan, the annual plan, and our long-term plan for the financial and spiritual life of our congregation? – Manage It – How do we set up processes, reports, goals, and metrics to stay true to our plan?
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Little Handbook For Preachers
$22.99Add to cartNo function of the pastor is as visible and stress inducing as preaching. Being a good preacher requires learning the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical skills needed to effectively share God’s word with a congregation. It demands a commitment to the craft of preaching. But few pastors feel adequately prepared for this high-stakes responsibility when they begin their ministries. Mary Hulst knows what it takes to preach well. Forged by her experiences as a pastor, preaching professor and college chaplain, she recognizes the challenges of the pulpit. In this uniquely practical book, Hulst provides foundational concepts and tips that all pastors can use, whether they are ministry newcomers or seasoned professionals. Preaching can bring both you and your congregation great joy and satisfaction, week after week. And A Little Handbook for Preachers can help you deliver a better sermon by Sunday.
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Claiming Resurrection In The Dying Church
$22.00Add to cartHow do you minister faithfully to a congregation that is in decline? While many congregations struggle with trying to find the key to regrowth, pastor Anna Olson suggests that the answer may actually be to accept and embrace this moment for what it is. In this beautifully written work, Olson helps pastors recognize that, while the congregation might be going away, the community of which it is a part is still very much alive. Using her own experiences in a dying congregation, Olson encourages pastors to use this opportunity to explore new ways to minister, freely and selflessly, and provides a powerful model of what faithfulness to the gospel looks like. This hopeful book about letting go of false hope gives pastors the guidance they need for ministering effectively during the final stages of a church’s life.
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Transforming Community : The Wesleyan Way To Missional Congregations
$15.00Add to cartDrawing from the strength of their previous book, Transforming Evangelism, Henry Knight and Douglas Powe show us a Wesleyan way to form missional communities and congregations. Drawing from John Wesley’s own organizing abilities, this will better equip today’s congregations to be more transfomational. Each chapter also has study questions.
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Seeking Allah Finding Jesus Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$16.99Add to cartBuilding on the powerful story and arguments he shared in Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, Nabeel Qureshi and co-author Kevin Harney take viewers deeper into apologetics and evangelism among Muslims with this complete study course. In eight lessons coordinated to be used alongside the Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus Video Study, Qureshi and Harney explore Muslim culture, the most common Muslim objections to Christianity, and the core doctrines upon which Islam stands or falls. Compassionate and clear, the Seeking Allah Finding Jesus Study Guide will be a useful training tool for pastors, outreach leaders, and any believers wanting to winsomely engage Muslims in spiritual conversations. The Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus Study Guide develops in further detail the objections to Islam and case for Christianity that Qureshi introduced in Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus. When studied with the accompanying Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus Video Study, this accessible course is perfect for adult classes, small groups, segments in college or seminary courses, and motivated independent learners alike.
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Story : The Power Of Narrative For Christian Leaders
$17.99Add to cartLet me tell you a story.
Humans exist by story. Through it we cope, survive, and thrive. From daily stories to life stories, narrative is part of who we are and who God intended us to be. In Story, Jay Martinson uses a variety of narrative examples to demonstrate the power stories can wield when told in timely, relevant, and clever ways. The tips and instructions found in Story will be useful to Christian leaders who hope to evangelize, instruct, or mentor others for the sake of the gospel.
Each chapter ends with questions for discussion or reflection to help readers engage the text and learn to apply the book s principles to their individual contexts. So what are you waiting for? Start telling your stories.
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Fresh From The Word
$31.99Add to cartFresh From the Word gathers together Rosalind Brown’s acclaimed reflections on the Sunday Lectionary readings which appeared in the Church Times every week for three years. Now expanded and arranged for use in any liturgical year, and with an additional section for saints’ days and festivals, this comprehensive preaching companion provides an inspiring resource for worship throughout the year.
Noted for their insightful, distilled wisdom and practical focus, these scripture reflections draw on the breadth of the Christian spiritual tradition to illuminate the Lectionary readings and open up their meaning for Christian living today, offering a trusted guide for all who share in the ministry of the word.
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History Of Preaching 2
$54.99Add to cartA History of Preaching brings together narrative history and primary sources to provide the most comprehensive guide available to the story of the church’s ministry of proclamation. Bringing together an impressive array of familiar and lesser-known figures, Edwards paints a detailed, compelling picture of what it has meant to preach the gospel. Pastors, scholars, and students of homiletics will find here many opportunities to enrich their understanding and practice of preaching. Ecumenical in scope, fair-minded in presentation, appreciative of the contributions that all the branches of the church have made to the story of what it means to develop, deliver, and listen to a sermon, A History of Preaching will be the definitive resource for anyone who wishes to preach or to understand preaching’s role in living out the gospel.
Volume 2 contains primary source material on preaching drawn from the entire scope of the church’s twenty centuries. The author has written an introduction to each selection, placing it in its historical context and pointing to its particular contribution. Each chapter in Volume 2 is geared to its companion chapter in Volume 1’s narrative history. Volume 1, available separately as 9781501833779, contains Edwards’s magisterial retelling of the story of Christian preaching’s development from its Hellenistic and Jewish roots in the New Testament, through the late-twentieth century’s discontent with outdated forms and emphasis on new modes of preaching such as narrative. Along the way the author introduces us to the complexities and contributions of preachers, both with whom we are already acquainted, and to whom we will be introduced here for the first time. Origen, Chrysostom, Augustine, Bernard, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Edwards, Rauschenbusch, Barth; all of their distinctive contributions receive careful attention. Yet lesser-known figures and developments also appear, from the ninth-century reform of preaching championed by Hrabanus Maurus, to the reference books developed in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries by the mendicant orders to assist their members’ preaching, to Howell Harris and Daniel Rowlands, preachers of the eighteenth-century Welsh revival, to Helen Kenyon, speaking as a layperson at the 1950 Yale Beecher lectures about the view of preaching from the pew. “…’This work is expected to be the standard text on preaching for the next 30 years,’ says Ann K. Riggs, who staffs the NCC’s Faith and Order C
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History Of Preaching 1
$65.99Add to cartA History of Preaching brings together narrative history and primary sources to provide the most comprehensive guide available to the story of the church’s ministry of proclamation. Bringing together an impressive array of familiar and lesser-known figures, Edwards paints a detailed, compelling picture of what it has meant to preach the gospel. Pastors, scholars, and students of homiletics will find here many opportunities to enrich their understanding and practice of preaching. Volume 1 contains Edwards’s magisterial retelling of the story of Christian preaching’s development from its Hellenistic and Jewish roots in the New Testament, through the late-twentieth century’s discontent with outdated forms and emphasis on new modes of preaching such as narrative. Along the way the author introduces us to the complexities and contributions of preachers, both with whom we are already acquainted, and to whom we will be introduced here for the first time. Origen, Chrysostom, Augustine, Bernard, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Edwards, Rauschenbusch, Barth; all of their distinctive contributions receive careful attention. Yet lesser-known figures and developments also appear, from the ninth-century reform of preaching championed by Hrabanus Maurus, to the reference books developed in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries by the mendicant orders to assist their members’ preaching, to Howell Harris and Daniel Rowlands, preachers of the eighteenth-century Welsh revival, to Helen Kenyon, speaking as a layperson at the 1950 Yale Beecher lectures about the view of preaching from the pew. Volume 2, available separately as 9781501833786, contains primary source material on preaching drawn from the entire scope of the church’s twenty centuries. The author has written an introduction to each selection, placing it in its historical context and pointing to its particular contribution. Each chapter in Volume 2 is geared to its companion chapter in Volume 1’s narrative history. Ecumenical in scope, fair-minded in presentation, appreciative of the contributions that all the branches of the church have made to the story of what it means to develop, deliver, and listen to a sermon, A History of Preaching will be the definitive resource for anyone who wishes to preach or to understand preaching’s role in living out the gospel. “…’This work is expected to be the standard text on preaching for the next 30 years,’ says Ann K. Riggs, who staffs the NCC’s Faith and Order Commis
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How To Preach And Teach The Old Testament For All Its Worth
$18.99Add to cartMany preachers ignore preaching from the Old Testament because they feel it is outdated in light of the New Testament and difficult to expound. On the other hand, some preachers will preach from the Old Testament frequently but fail to handle it correctly, turning it into moralistic rules or symbolic lessons for our spiritual life. In How to Preach and Teach the Old Testament for All Its Worth, Christopher J. H. Wright proclaims that preachers must not ignore the Old Testament. It is the Word of God! The Old Testament lays the foundation for our faith and it was the Bible that Jesus read and used. Looking first at why we should preach from the Old Testament, the author moves on to show the reader how they can be preach from it. Covering the History, Law, Prophets, Psalms, and Wisdom Literature, interspersed with practical checklists, exercises, and sermons, he provides an essential guide on how to handle the Old Testament responsibly.
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Live Smart : Preparing For The Future God Wants For You (Reprinted)
$14.00Add to cartA Guide to Living Wisely While You’re Young
As a professor and youth director, author Dan Dumas has seen that young people have high expectations for themselves. They want their lives to matter, and there’s no reason our expectations for them should be any different.This book presents practical tools and biblical advice to middle school and high school-aged readers so they can make the most of their youth. It covers everything from making the right friendships to how to think about education and how to invest in their relationships with God. The habits a person forms when they’re young can last a lifetime–now’s the time to make it count.This book is ideal for parents and youth pastors to give to young people to read on their own or study in groups. -
Stepping Aside Moving Ahead
$18.99Add to cartHenri Nouwen’s statement that too many clergy are “lonely ministers practicing lonely ministry” can be amplified in the years leading up to and immediately following retirement. Although there are books about retirement in general, clergy have unique personal and professional dimensions to retiring. Stepping Aside, Moving Ahead provides a clergy-oriented context. The author begins with letters from clergy nearing retirement about the issues they are facing and structures the book in the following way: Opening Letters from clergy Foundations (the formative dynamics that create a good retirement) Movements (the formative transitions that lead to a good retirement) Actions (the specific behaviors that produce a good retirement) Outcomes (the attitudes which emerge from a good retirement)
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Changeover Zone : Successful Pastoral Transitions
$17.99Add to cartUtilizing the metaphor of a relay race, The Changeover Zone provides step-by-step, hands-on application of techniques and principles that bring about successful pastoral transitions-passing the baton from one pastor to her/his successor. While the concepts apply to any type of pastoral transition, the techniques are specifically designed to improve the transitions when new churches are going through their first pastoral change and when churches are receiving a new pastor following a long-tenured pastor. The first section teaches the key action steps for each party involved in a transition; the second section focuses specifically on new churches going through their first pastoral transition and; the third section focuses more on long-tenured pastorates and draws the distinctions and similarities between existing churches and new churches going through a pastoral change. Drawing on years of experience the authors introduce the reader to best practices that any church, pastor, or denominational office can implement.
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Talking God : Preaching To Contemporary Congregations
$19.95Add to cartToday’s church has a digital dilemma: We live in an age where “new media” is inescapable, yet many still perceive these new forms of communication as either an unmanageable challenge or at odds with the mission of the church. Clergy and lay leaders alike can be at a loss as to what methodologies, practices, and adjustments are necessary to engage today’s congregations. How can we effectively meet the challenges of our present context?In Talking God, Fr. Cutie, whose wide following spans both traditional and new media, starts where preaching the gospel has always started, with a preacher and an audience, and examines the challenges digital communications pose to all involved in the craft of preaching, including the way contemporary audiences receive and listen to the message preached. Is the 21st century church responding to this evolution by seeking to understand the present-day “listening context” and the often overwhelming “media culture” in which it is called to preach? Must preachers and teachers of the Word of God evolve in style and practice to continue being effective communicators of the gospel? Has the world changing around us changed our methodology or even our message?
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Ways Of The Word
$37.00Add to cartPreaching, and the discipline of preaching, is at a crossroads. The changing realities of church and theological education, the diversity of our classrooms, and our increasingly complex community contexts leave us in search of tools to help train a rising generation of preachers for a future whose contours are far from clear. The questions are immense: How to support preachers in contexts that are diverse religiously, culturally, and ethnically, both inside and outside the church? How to help students take varied contexts seriously as they are formed as leaders?
In Ways of the Word, a dynamic team of master preachers brings much-needed help. Different in race, gender, age, and tradition, both Sally A. Brown and Luke A. Powery speak with one voice their belief that preaching is an Spirit-empowered event: an embodied, vocalized, actively received, here-and-now witness to the ongoing work of God in the world.
They aspire to help students and preachers alike to reflect on a journey of learning by doing. They aim to help preachers to become more attuned to the Spirit, more adept in preaching’s component skills, and more self-aware about all that is at stake in proclaiming the redemptive work of God in specific contexts.
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Move : What 1000 Churches Reveal About Spiritual Growth
$24.99Add to cartOne of the church’s primary responsibilities is to foster genuine spiritual growth in people’s lives. Today’s pastors bring tremendous effort and passion to this task, but they are often disappointed by people who sit in the pews for years, knowing about Jesus but never really knowing him. In 2004, Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago undertook a three-year study to measure spiritual growth called the REVEAL Spiritual Life Survey. Over the next six years, additional data was collected from over a quarter million people in well over a thousand churches of every size, denomination, and geographic area. Move presents verifiable, fact-based, and somewhat startling findings from the latest REVEAL research, drawing on compelling stories from actual people-congregation members of varying spiritual maturity, as well as pastors who are equally candid as they share their disappointments and their successes. It provides a new lens through which church leaders can see and measure the evidence of spiritual growth. The local church is uniquely equipped to foster spiritual growth and challenge people to pursue a life of full devotion to Christ. Move helps pastors and church leaders inspire and direct that challenge with confidence as they lead their congregations to move closer to Christ.
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Think Tank : 100 Adaptable Discussion Starters To Get Teens Talking
$19.99Add to cartGod, the Great Storyteller, chose to communicate with us through story – in fact a great library of stories, filled with heroes, villains, sex, violence, intrigue, sacrifice and redemption. The Think Tank gives young people an opportunity to meet that incredible Bible narrative – perhaps for the first time. This book contains 100 stories designed to provoke discussion, followed by penetrating questions which relate the stories to biblical bedrock. The stories are in four parts: * WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? – Unbelievable stories, all absolutely true! * INSPIRING INDIVIDUALS – Stories of celebrities, public figures and other people of note making a positive difference. * WHAT WOULD YOU DO? – Ethics explored through stories, many based on real events. * AT THE MOVIES – A major bonus: 25 movie clips that pack a punch with young people, and all the background and questions you’ll need to facilitate discussion around them.
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Ideas Factory Revised And Updated
$19.99Add to cartThe Ideas Factory is a priceless resource for youth leaders. 100 adaptable discussion starters provide a brief story, usually factual, followed by a series of provocative questions. Each story explores a topic pertinent to young people, such as drugs, truancy, or parental relationships; or an important biblical concept, such as giving, the afterlife, or love. The questions begin with general issues, before moving on to what the Bible has to say. Extra questions are included for use with unchurched young people. The last 25 discussion starters provide a journey through the main stories and themes of the Bible.
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When God Doesnt Fix It Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartFor years, recording artist Laura Story believed common Christians myths such as God always promises happy endings, we can avoid pain if we serve God, and God will fix our problems if we just pray hard enough. But this all changed in 2006 when she her husband, Martin, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He would never be the same. The fairytale life Laura had dreamed was no longer possible, yet through her broken dreams she was able to find joy and a deeper intimacy with Jesus than she knew was possible. In When God Doesn’t Fix It, Laura examines what the Bible says about God and why our lives often don’t turn out the way we expect. She examines the brokenness of some of the heroes of our faith-men like Abraham, Joseph, David, and Paul-and shows how despite their flawed stories, God used them in extraordinary ways. This was not because of their faith but because of the faithfulness of their God. God may not fix everything. In fact, our situation might never change or get better. But we can get better regardless of our situation.
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Pilgrim The Beatitudes
$14.95Add to cartPilgrim is a teaching and discipleship resource that helps inquirers and new Christians explore what it means to travel through life with Christ. A Christian course for the twenty-first century, Pilgrim offers an approach of participation, not persuasion. Following the practice of the ancient disciplines of biblical reflection and prayer with quotes from the Christian tradition throughout the ages, Pilgrim assumes little or no knowledge of the Christian faith. Individuals or small groups on the journey of discipleship in the Episcopal tradition can use Pilgrim at any point. There are many different aspects to helping people learn about the Christian faith. We have taken as our starting point Jesus’ summary of the commandments. We are called to offer our lives to God through loving God with all our mind, soul, strength, and heart, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Learning about Christian faith and growing in Christian faith is about more than what we believe. It’s also about the ways in which we pray and develop our relationship with God, about the way we live our lives and about living in God’s vision for the Church and for the world. Course 4. The Beatitudes: The Beatitudes is a short but profoundly beautiful and influential collection of sayings by Jesus. They sum up his teaching about what it means to live as a child of God’s kingdom. The authors of this course believe that following Jesus requires us to engage with this important text, so that it is restored to a central place in the life of the Church. We believe that the Beatitudes, and trying to live them out, is one of the best ways of loving God with all your heart and understanding the Christian vision for the world.
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Shaped By The Gospel
$22.99Add to cartIt is easy to assume that if we understand the gospel and preach it faithfully, our ministry will necessarily be shaped by it-but this is not true. Many churches claim to be gospel-centered but do not have a ministry that is shaped by, centered on, and empowered through the gospel. The implications of the gospel have not yet worked their way into the fabric of how that church does ministry.
Gospel-centered ministry is more theologically driven than program driven. To pursue it, we must spend time reflecting on the essence, the truths, and the very patterns of the gospel itself. The gospel is neither religion nor irreligion, but something else entirely-a third way of relating to God through grace. In Gospel-Centered Church, bestselling author and pastor Timothy Keller addresses several current discussion and conflicts about the nature of the gospel and shows how faithful preaching of the gospel leads to individual and corporate renewal.
This new edition contains the first section of Center Church in an easy-to-read format with new reflections and additional essays from Timothy Keller and several other contributors.
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Healing The Wounded Heart Workbook (Workbook)
$19.00Add to cartFirst published in 1989, Dan Allender’s The Wounded Heart has helped hundreds of thousands of people come to terms with sexual abuse in their past. Now, more than twenty-five years later, Allender has written a brand-new book on the subject that takes into account recent discoveries about the lasting physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual ramifications of sexual abuse.
With great compassion Allender offers hope for victims of rape, date rape, incest, molestation, sexting, sexual bullying, unwanted advances, pornography, and more, exposing the raw wounds that are left behind and clearing the path toward wholeness and healing. Never minimizing victims’ pain or offering pat spiritual answers that don’t truly address the problem, he instead calls evil evil and lights the way to renewed joy.
Counselors, pastors, and friends of those who have suffered sexual harm will find in this book the deep spiritual guidance they need to effectively minister to the sexually broken around them. Victims themselves will find here a sympathetic friend to walk alongside them on the road to healing.
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Healing The Wounded Heart (Reprinted)
$16.99Add to cartFirst published in 1989, Dan Allender’s The Wounded Heart has helped hundreds of thousands of people come to terms with sexual abuse in their past. Now, more than twenty-five years later, Allender has written a brand-new book on the subject that takes into account recent discoveries about the lasting physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual ramifications of sexual abuse.
With great compassion Allender offers hope for victims of rape, date rape, incest, molestation, sexting, sexual bullying, unwanted advances, pornography, and more, exposing the raw wounds that are left behind and clearing the path toward wholeness and healing. Never minimizing victims’ pain or offering pat spiritual answers that don’t truly address the problem, he instead calls evil evil and lights the way to renewed joy.
Counselors, pastors, and friends of those who have suffered sexual harm will find in this book the deep spiritual guidance they need to effectively minister to the sexually broken around them. Victims themselves will find here a sympathetic friend to walk alongside them on the road to healing.
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Thoughts From My Journey
$9.99Add to cartWith Thoughts from My Journey, Seattle business leader Ralph Palmen has gifted his readers with simple and profound words of wisdom that have a direct bearing on how we can live godly lives. Stemming from an intimate relationship with God and decades of experience and success in the business world, these devotional gems offer practical advice on dynamic Christian living, biblical management, leadership, and organizational development, and how to gain the cultural high ground in order to impact the world for Christ. Ralph Palmen is founder and president of the Palmen Institute, Inc. and co-founder of Express Employment Professionals.
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Ministry Training Academies
$11.95Add to cartMinistry Training Academies are dynamic ministries that train and release children to do ministry. They provide children with a unique opportunity to learn ministry through hands-on experience.
Ministry Training Academies also help to fulfill the purpose of the local church. Given that children make up approximately 25% of the church population, it would be unlikely for a church to fulfill what God has called it to do unless children are engaged in helping fulfill that purpose.
Can you imagine if every evangelical church equipped and released their children in ministry? Not only would there be radical changes in the church of Jesus Christ, there would be changes in homes, schools, and neighborhoods. Children who walk in newness of Christ as a believer AND partner with Him in ministry, will have a profound impact in their world.
Let’s stop doing ministry to our children and begin a chapter in church history where we begin doing ministry WITH children.
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1 Thing : A Revolution To Change The World With Love
$15.99Add to cartNeil Cole demonstrates the Church’s lack of influence on our society because believers are not bringing true transformative love to it, but rather a form of religious moralism. Neil details how real change was launched within the New Testament church and demonstrated in history, impacting harsh societal issues like slavery and the oppression of women. The author details how similar change can occur if we address today’s pressing issues with love rather than a moralistic posture.
Cole points out that the church has unrealistic expectations of imposing morality without spirituality to the lost. The church acts surprised when the unredeemed act like they are unredeemed. The real shock, Neil notes, is how the redeemed act like they are not. This book is a call for the church to respond in love toward the world and to not impose their own values on others, but rather live them out.
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Do This Remembering Me
$18.95Add to cartWhat do I do to help? Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, almost everyone knows someone with some form of dementia, yet few know how to answer that question, and very little material exists on providing spiritual care to adults with dementia-related diseases. Even seminaries rarely provide training or clinical pastoral education in this field. This book is an answer. It provides a hands-on manual that will give clergy, spiritual care providers, and family members an understanding of the ongoing spiritual needs of individuals with dementia, as well as practical tools such as how to create a religious service in a memory care unit and how one might plan a nursing home visit. Accessibly written, with real life applications and sample services for a variety of settings. More than just useful, the book inspires with shared stories that are tender, sad, funny-and sometimes all three at once, encouraging readers to develop spiritual care ministries for people with memory loss in congregations, homes, nursing facilities, or other communities-a ministry that will only gain in importance in the coming decade, as Baby Boomers age and the number of people with Alzheimer’s and dementia skyrockets.
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Serving A Movement
$18.99Add to cartOur goal as Christians is never simply to build our own tribe. Instead, we seek the peace and prosperity of the city or community in which we live through a gospel movement led by the Holy Spirit, a movement united by the gospel of Jesus Christ, a common mission to reach and serve others, and a commitment to be gracious and generous to those who disagree with you.
In Serving a Movement, best-selling author and pastor Timothy Keller looks at the nature of the church’s mission and its relationship to the work of individual Christians in the world. He examines what it means to be a “missional” church today and how churches can practically equip people for missional living. Churches need to intentionally cultivate an integrative ministry that connects people to God, to one another, to the needs of the city, and to the culture around us. Finally, he highlights the need for intentional movements of churches planting new churches that faithfully proclaim God’s truth and serve their communities.
This new edition contains the third section of Center Church in an easy-to-read format with new reflections and additional essays from Timothy Keller and several other contributors.
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Help Me Help Others
$12.99Add to cart“Help Me Help Others” was written for compassionate individuals who are looking for biblically-based, relational truths to use as they help those in distress. Dr. Wagner’s use of real-life examples, end-of-chapter contemplations, and easy-to-follow diagrams increase the ease with which these concepts can be understood and applied.
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Ministry Training Academies
$28.95Add to cartMinistry Training Academies are dynamic ministries that train and release children to do ministry. They provide children with a unique opportunity to learn ministry through hands-on experience.
Ministry Training Academies also help to fulfill the purpose of the local church. Given that children make up approximately 25% of the church population, it would be unlikely for a church to fulfill what God has called it to do unless children are engaged in helping fulfill that purpose.
Can you imagine if every evangelical church equipped and released their children in ministry? Not only would there be radical changes in the church of Jesus Christ, there would be changes in homes, schools, and neighborhoods. Children who walk in newness of Christ as a believer AND partner with Him in ministry, will have a profound impact in their world.
Let’s stop doing ministry to our children and begin a chapter in church history where we begin doing ministry WITH children.
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Necessary Nine : Things Effective Pastors Do Differently
$16.99Add to cartConventional wisdom is that leaders are born, not made. In reality, that is one small piece of the leadership puzzle. The fact is, approximately 10% of church leaders are naturally-gifted leaders who actually don’t need any help. Another 10% of church leaders do not have the capacity to lead nor learn to lead with the skill set needed for the 21st century church. This means approximately 80% of church leaders have the possibility of becoming a more effective church leader. This book is for them. The Necessary Nine contains nine simple axioms for effective pastoral and lay leadership for the church. These axioms have the greatest potential for fruitful ministry. These strategies are straightforward and easy to use. The reader will have “that’s true” moments and learn to put those insights into regular practice. It will help the reader with the simple leadership strategies that, if practiced over and over and over, will change the effectiveness of their leadership, the church and the world.
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She : Five Keys To Unlock The Power Of Women In Ministry
$22.99Add to cartWe are not all the same. The time has come for us to honestly name the ways we are different and similar so that we can serve together in unity, grace and trust. Women in ministry experience unique challenges in their church settings which continue to hinder their vocational, professional, and personal success. Women in ministry need a trusted and comprehensive resource not only to be able to survive but to thrive in their places of call. She provides theoretical, theological, and practical frameworks and strategies for flourishing as woman in ministry and engages critical reflection on the practice of ministry in light of current feminist theory, biblical interpretation, and experience. Covering everything from biblical arguments for and against women in the church to what not to wear, this book offers background information and tools for negotiating the many and varied issues that woman in ministry face, including leadership, the authority and office of the clergy, and structures and power in the church. A trusted and comprehensive resource for women in ministry, equipping them to thrive in their places of call, and for the men who serve alongside them.
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How Youth Ministry Can Change Theological Education If We Let It
$33.99Add to cartSince 1993, forty-nine theological seminaries have created opportunities for high school students to participate in on-campus High School Theology Programs (HSTPs) that invite them to engage in serious biblical and theological study. Many of the young people who take part in these programs go on to become pastoral or lay leaders in their churches. What has made these programs so successful – especially given the well-documented “crisis of faith” among young people today?
In this book thirteen contributors – many of whom have created or led one of these innovative theology programs – investigate answers to this question. They examine the pedagogical practices the HSTPs have in common and explore how they are contributing to the leadership of the church. They then show how the lessons gleaned from these successful programs can help churches, denominations, and seminaries reimagine both theological education and youth ministry.
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Discipleship That Fits
$24.99Add to cartFor far too long, the church has tried to make disciples using a one-size-fits-all approach. Some churches advocate 1-on-1 discipling, others try getting everyone into a small group, while still others training through mission trips or service projects. Yet others focus all their efforts on attracting people to a large group gathering to hear biblical teaching and preaching. But does one size really fit everyone? Based on careful biblical study and years of experience making disciples in the local church, Bobby Harrington and Alex Absalom have identified five key relationships where discipleship happens in our lives. In each relational context we need to understand how discipleship occurs and we need to set appropriate expectations for each context. Discipleship That Fits shows you the five key ways discipleship occurs. It looks at how Jesus made disciples and how disciples were formed in the early church. Each of the contexts is necessary at different times and in different ways as a person grows toward maturity in Christ: Public Relationships: The church gathering corporately for worship Social Relationships: Networks of smaller relationships where we engage in mission and live out our faith in community Personal Relationships: Small groups of six to sixteen people where we challenge and encourage one another on a regular basis Transparent Relationships: Close relationships of three to four where we share intimate details of our lives for accountability The Divine Relationship: Our relationship with Jesus Christ where we grow through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit Filled with examples and stories, Alex and Bobby show you how to develop discipleship practices in each relational context by sharing how Jesus did it, how the early church practiced it, and how churches are discipling people today.
