Pastoral Helps
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Great I Am
$13.95Add to cartWho is Jesus Christ? These fourteen chapters answer that question in his own words: I AM the light of the world … I AM the way, the truth and the life … I AM the Good Shepherd … I AM the alpha and the omega…, Why a book on the I AM sayings of Jesus? Because so much of our religious emphasis today focuses on “feeling more fulfilled …” or “improving our relationships with others.” While these are important and have their place in our discussions, this book puts the emphasis on the place of God in our lives.
The questions are practical: What shall I believe? What shall I do? And so Lavin writes for the people in the pews as well as for their pastors.
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Psalms Were Made For Lent
$12.95Add to cartThe Psalms have long been recognized as a rich resource for individual spiritual enrichment and for magnificent corporate liturgical expression in the life of the church.
The Psalms Were Made For Lent provides a collection of six sermons which translate some of the deep themes inherent in the Psalms into meaningful language for the average person sitting in the congregation.
The book includes:
Six sermons based on the Psalms
Liturgical responses with each sermon (Call to Worship, Call to Confession, Prayer of Confession, Declaration of Pardon)
Three hymns based on the Psalms, which can be sung to well-known hymn tunesAltogether this resource invites the congregation to experience the Psalms in a new and meaningful way.
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Life Of Christ And The Death Of A Loved One
$12.95Add to cartPastors will receive solid theological and practical assistance with the important task of creating and presenting the funeral homily. Because time is usually limited for meditation creation, they will find invaluable help time and again from this volume.
The first part of the book addresses the actual art of crafting a funeral homily with a step by step description or the process. The second part consists of actual sermons written using the process. Besides illustrating the methods, Schmitz, provides starting points for constructing sermons based on the liturgical year. Also included are canticle and music suggestions which highlight each homily’s theme and give insights into planning the entire funeral service.
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Come Dine With Jesus
$12.95Add to cartWhy did Luke include ten occasions of Jesus sharing meals with people, seven of those scenes found only in Luke? How many hundreds or thousands of times did Jesus eat with other people? These ten occasions must have been preserved in the Christian community and related to Luke because Jesus had used them to meet deep, widespread needs or to convey important truths. Luke clearly recognized that Jesus had some purpose, some meaning to convey in these mealtime conversations. While all four Gospels show this theme, Luke gives the most specific examples.
In the ten meals addressed by Scott, we see the importance Jesus placed on meeting people socially and interacting with them in their personal settings. Found in these occasions are strong bonds of affection and sharp confrontations. It is in the intimacy of sharing a meal that emotions are brought to the surface: indignation, thanksgiving, forgiveness, sorrow, overflowing joy. Scott shows Jesus exposing these emotions and meeting them with searching insight, sometimes confirmation, sometimes deserved reproof, and always his offer of healing grace.
Included with each sermon is a litany that is coordinated with the teaching of the meal. Also included at the beginning of each chapter is a suggested “Worship Focus” — one or two easy to find objects which serve to illustrate Jesus’ purpose at each meal.
Originally written for midweek Communion services during Lent, they also are quite suitable for Communion services throughout the year.
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Preaching To A Church In Crisis
$13.95Add to cartThe title of John Killinger’s newest book, Preaching To A Church In Crisis, is meant to underline the uniqueness of the present situation in mainline Protestantism, and perhaps the urgency of it, but not to sensationalize it. He makes the point that inasmuch as the mainline churches for so many years established the social and political norms in our country, as well as the spiritual norms, any crisis in their existence becomes a major crisis in modern Christendom, and, by extension, in American life as a whole.
In the opening chapters of the book Killinger creates a general understanding of the malaise now affecting our churches. He then extrapolates from that understanding a sense of the moods and feelings affecting the people in America’s congregations. Answering the question of what influence the disintegration of the mainline church has on the psyche of the persons attending these congregations, he places the preacher in a better position for thinking about preaching and what its hallmarks must be in order to speak truly and effectively for the gospel in our time.
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Pray Like Jesus
$15.95Add to cart13 Chapters
Additional Info
Is it humanly possible to pray like Jesus?
Since God knows what we need even before we pray, why bother to pray?
To what extent does one’s relationship with God affect one’s prayers?
With questions like these, John Brokhoff takes you on a 13-chapter journey of prayer in Pray Like Jesus.This book will help develop more effective prayer for persons and groups. It examines and studies the nature of Jesus’ prayers. It examines methods and techniques Jesus used. It explores a theology of prayer, and a study of prayers in the Bible, which culminates with a study of the Lord’s Prayer.
This book is ideal for personal use, group study or a sermon series. Each chapter concludes with a series of discussion questions.
Chapter titles include:
The Contents Of Prayer
The Variety Of Prayer
Prayer And Healing
The Power Of Prayer -
Counseling Families Across The Stages Of Life
$38.99Add to cartThis case-study book which will be used both as a resource for clergy and other pastoral workers and for those in training in those fields. The case studies translate technical material into real-life situations while highlighting practical implications for pastors. The authors provide readers with treatment options, referral procedures within the context of the religious community and beyond, and additional national, self-help, and cross- cultural resources, emphasizing those available on the internet.
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Prayers For Healing
$7.95Add to cartNo one truly knows how vital prayers can be to mental, physical, and spiritual health until they find themselves seriously ill. While people will often say that they are praying for those who need healing, what is really needed is for someone to pray with them. But there are many people who simply don’t know what to say or feel uncomfortable when lifting up the sick in prayer. Prayers For Healing helps readers tap into this powerful resource by examining why we should pray for healing and how to do it effectively. This brief booklet includes a healing service with prayers and Bible readings that’s an excellent template for pastors and laypersons to use in church services, the home, a hospital, or a nursing home. Her approach lends itself equally well to use by a whole congregation or just one or two individuals.
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Jesus The Pastor
$22.99Add to cartThere are times when the best training, the wisest principles, and the most effective procedures break down in the face of the realities of pastoring. How often have you wished not for a method, but a mentor? Someone caring enough to join you in the trenches and wise enough to guide you unerringly through your most impossible problems? A pastors’ pastor. There is such a person: Jesus. Remember his promise never to leave you or forsake you? He’s ready to take it personally if you are. Jesus the Pastor may well be the book that transforms your ministry. Read it if you’re ready to admit that your toolbox of personal resources is limited. And prepare for one of the most wonderful surprises of your life. Because the Good Shepard stands ready to equip you with his power, his insight, his very heart–so you can fulfill with undreamed-of effectiveness the calling he himself placed within you.
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Funeral And Wedding Handbook
$23.95Add to cartIf you’re looking for a planning resource to help you deal with funerals and weddings, this book is worth its weight in gold. Pastors are repeatedly called on to perform these ceremonies in an infinite variety of circumstances, yet there’s no “one-size-fits-all” service, so it’s a constant challenge to come up with meaningful and appropriate material that witnesses to the Lord’s power. In this book an experienced minister shares a wealth of ideas that help you tailor services to individual needs, making these complicated occasions ones of impact and success for your ministry.
The Funeral And Wedding Handbook shows you how to …
* Deal with difficult funerals … suicides, infants, non-Christians, and many more
* Effectively comfort the hurting
* Plan memorable weddings from premarital counseling to the recessional march
* Be prepared for the overlooked details and unexpected events that often arise during funeral and wedding services -
Simple Science Sermons
$8.95Add to cartGuy Stewart, a science teacher for fifteen years, combines his love for science with his love for the Lord to create children’s messages that they will not soon forget. Presented in a light, bantering, and informational style, each presentation uses simple scientific principles to illustrate matters of faith in a magnificent, infinite creation. Each faith-affirming lesson includes the scripture that it is based on, a list of materials needed for the demonstration, the sermon, and the science behind the sermon.
A perfect resource for pastors and church school teachers … for Sunday morning worship, Sunday School classes, Vacation Church School, or home teaching.
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Religious Humor : 409 Bits Of Humor For Preachers Teachers And Public Speak
$12.95Add to cartAn extensive index will make this book of humor one of the most useful resources in your library. All of the key words in every story are in the index. The preacher, teacher or public speaker will have no difficulty finding the exact bit of humor needed to bring sparkle to a sermon, speech, lesson or monthly bulletin.
A sampling of the contents:
The world’s best after-dinner speech: I’ll take the check
One thing you can say about an egoist: He never talks about other people.
Preachers don’t talk in their sleep; they talk in their parishioner’s sleep.
Conversation heard after church: “Do you think Madilyn Johnson is tinting her hair?” “I don’t know; I didn’t see her.” “Do you think that dress Mrs. Hansen was wearing should be paraded before God-fearing people of the church?” “I didn’t notice that, either.” “A lot of good it does YOU to go to church.”
He dieted religiously: he quit snacking in church.
An old Scotchman lay dying. The pastor and family gathered around his bedside. Finally the old man motioned to his grandson. When the grandson reached the bed, the old Scotchman laid his gold watch in the boy’s hand. “Grandson, how’d you like to buy a good watch?” -
Pastoral Prayers For All Seasons
$19.95Add to cartHere is a resource for pastors, Sunday school teachers, or any church or worship leaders who need to pray on behalf of a congregation, class, or group, yet realize as the time draws near that they can’t quite find the right words.
Rolland Reece, a seasoned pastor with over 46 years of ministry, uses images and a structure that enable parishioners to easily follow the words in these pastoral prayers. They offer sensitivity and insight to the needs of the Sunday morning worshiper. These prayers are sure to provide just the spark of creativity that’s needed when time is short and inspiration seems to have dried up.
Prayers are arranged according to the seasons of the Christian year. Material for other special days such as Mother’s and Father’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Election Day, and Thanksgiving is also included.
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Preaching To A TV Generation
$13.95Add to cartThe gospel has always been conveyed primarily by speaking it to people. The problem is that in today’s world of television people listen and hear differently than they listened and heard in the past.
“When preachers understand the dynamics of this new world, then the gospel can ring with new vigor and life in our preaching,” writes the author.
Preaching To A TV Generation explores the changes brought to our society by television. It suggests what preachers can do in the face of these changes — in terms of language, structure, creativity and delivery.
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Proven Resources For Stewardship Promotion
$16.95Add to cartIt’s no secret that because stewardship is often viewed as little more than a euphemism for discussing money and budget matters, it’s an uncomfortable topic for many in the ministry. But Allan Weenink makes no apology for his zealous approach to stewardship — he believes that the spiritual dimension is just as important as the financial, and that cultivating the grace of generosity is vital for Christian ministry. Drawn from countless workshops and seminars conducted during Weenink’s years as a stewardship consultant, this book provides a wealth of proven “hands-on” material that will help you develop an effective stewardship model. It’s a practical ministry resource that will yield bountiful dividends!
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Learning From The Lizard
$10.95Add to cartThe Bible is filled with fascinating and intriguing references to birds, animals, and insects. This wonderfully illustrated resource discusses 25 of the most significant animals in the Bible using scriptural references and scientific research. Each message is attention-getting, inspiring, and enriching. Specific lessons for an animal are accompanied by a prayer and a detailed drawing. It’s a spiritual resource you’ll refer to again and again!
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Golf In The Real Kingdom
$12.95Add to cart‘ve never played a round of golf in my life, but after reading Robert Kopp’s insights, I’m almost persuaded to hit the links. One thing I am persuaded to do is recommend his book.
Michael Duduit, Editor
Preaching MagazineGood sermons are hard to come by — but Bob Kopp comes by them with uncanny regularity. Kopp understands our culture as few preachers do.
Tony Campolo, Professor of Sociology
Eastern College
St. Davids, PennsylvaniaThe Gospel is presented here not only as pertinent, but accessible; a perfect tool for reaching over to the next foursome, whose names may not be Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Paul G. Watermulder
First Presbyterian Church
Burlingame, California -
Turning Griping Into Gratitude
$20.95Add to cartRon Lavin provides an ideal resource for small groups who want to explore the Psalms, or for preachers who want to present an inspirational series of sermons. Discussion questions are provided at the end of each chapter, as well as a guide for leaders.
Says Lavin: “Griping is one of the most insidious and divisive things into which we easily fall, while gratitude is the most productive of attitudes. The Psalms are filled with the battle between griping and gratitude, a battle we all fight. The psalmists knew both attitudes, including the self-defeating nature of griping and the wonder and majesty of gratitude.”
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Wheres Noah
$19.95Add to cartWhere’s Noah? features the classic biblical story of Noah, the flood, and God’s salvation in a worship format that engages all generations. This resource features monologues, brief pithy sermons, the exchange of animal tokens, crossword puzzles, an Easter Sunrise play, and other creative worship/learning experiences.
Worship leaders, clergy, and drama players will find this a refreshing series for congregational unity and growth.
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Artisans Of The Crucifixion
$7.95Add to cartThese dramatic monologues offer a unique perspective on Jesus’ crucifixion. Viewed through the eyes of a Blacksmith, Carpenter, Stone Mason, Tanner, and Basket Maker, the presentations introduce the congregation to those who crafted items used in the crucifixion. These monologues are flexible, and few if any props are necessary.
Use these dramatic monologues for a unique perspective on the events of Jesus’ crucifixion. Viewed through the eyes of a Blacksmith, Carpenter, Stone Mason, Tanner, and Basket Maker, the presentations introduce the congregation to those who crafted the whip, wove the crown of thorns, forged the nails, constructed the cross, and chiseled out the tomb.
Pastors can present these monologues themselves or assign them to church members. They have the flexibility of being performed very simply or quite elaborately. Few if any props are necessary.
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Stay Out Of Court And Stay In Ministry
$12.95Add to cartStay Out Of Court And Stay In Ministry is written to help pastors prevent costly and career-ending lawsuits. It sets forth the most common legal claims asserted against religious organizations, and the defenses churches have successfully raised.
… We describe real-life legal claims against churches and analyze the outcomes, pro or con. We focus on the claims most frequently asserted against churches. Some of the trends defy conventional wisdom. For example, there are few suits for clergy malpractice, but many successful suits for slippery sidewalks. (from the Introduction)
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In The Carpenters Workshop 3
$12.95Add to cartThe creativity of preachers and worship leaders is vitally important in this day of competition with television, videos, and CD-ROMs. This third volume by Jerry Eckert is filled with scripts and suggestions for presenting the Gospel in a dramatic and exciting fashion. Using the style of presentation made famous by You Are There, some of these offerings are usable scripts for holiday special services. Unlike volumes one and two, this could be called a “play book.”
Eckert writes: Very early in my ministry I was told at a Mental Health Association Conference how important the church is in the prevention of mental illness. Over the years I saw how that was true not just for young people but for all ages … my sermons became not only more pastoral but brought in as much of the real lives of the Bible times as I could find.
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Preachers Edge
$17.95Add to cartThe Preacher’s Edge puts to work the basic principles of oratory and persuasive speaking with creative pulpit techniques. It is written to be used by preachers for a revival and renewal of their preaching.
From this book one can learn how to reach and hold the attention of this “channel surfing” generation of congregational members.
This book is a celebration and affirmation of the role of preaching as the church moves into the 21st century. Reading it will modify the way in which the preacher delivers his message. And it will improve the attention span of those who hear the Good News in new and exciting ways.
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Sermons On The Be Attitudes
$12.95Add to cartThis captivating sermon collection explores the many blessings that we receive from God in our lifetimes through our experiences of both sorrow and joy. Terry’s brilliantly illustrated sermons will empower those in need with the confidence to conquer their adversities through their faith in Christ. He provides a rich, insightful exploration into each of the timeless beatitudes.
The beatitudes are thought to be central among the words of Jesus that turned upside down the values of the common social order. Many view these words as a summary of Christ’s ethical teachings. Terry produces a rich, insightful exploration into each of the timeless Beatitudes. Many view the Beatitudes as a summary of Christ’s ethical teachings, yet Terry emphasizes that they are much more than a set of commandments. They are rather promises that will be fulfilled in God’s time. They are not the “do-attitudes” he writes, but the “be-attitudes.”
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Behold The Man
$12.95Add to cartBehold The Man is a sermon/study series for Lent inspired by the words of Pontius Pilate about Jesus. The theme is carefully explored from the First Sunday in Lent through Easter Sunday.
For each Sunday a sermon, prayer, children’s sermon, order of worship and discussion questions are provided.
The purpose of these messages is to enable us to look at Jesus in the crucial times of his life and ministry. In beholding him as he was then we will be able to see him now.
Sections include:
* Behold the Man Who Was Tempted As We Are
* Behold the Man Who Takes Away Sin
* Behold the Man Who Taught By The Sea
* Behold the Man Who Trained Disciples
* Behold the Man Who Turned Toward Jerusalem
* Behold the Man Who Tried To Be King
* Behold the Man Who Took The Victory -
Open My Eyes
$13.95Add to cartHere are 52 unique messages for relating to children. They can be used by pastors on Sunday morning, by Sunday School teachers, or by mothers and fathers in the home.
Each Lesson Includes:
A statement of the purpose
The item of material used to illustrate the story
Possible times to use the story at home or church or special occasion
The scriptural reference or background of the lesson -
Turning Points
$12.95Add to cartIn these nine sermons preachers will find brilliant use of story to illustrate the Lenten message. Beringer focuses on different journeys throughout the New Testament and examines the “turning points” recorded there.
As is stated in the introduction, our Christian faith is a pilgrim faith. The author shows in modern parables how we are called by Christ to be a people on the move with him through time to eternity and the Kingdom of God. He shows that we are travelers on the road of faith, never quite arriving at our destination, but always growing and being transformed by each encounter with the living God.
Following each sermon is a set of discussion questions based on the preceding sermon and the scripture on which the sermon is based. These questions can be copied into the bulletin to help the congregation follow the sermon, used as small group discussion starters, distributed to worshipers as they leave church or be printed in weekly newsletters to reinforce the message given the previous Sunday.
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We Are The Church
$12.95Add to cartWe Are The Church offers 52 easy-to-use children’s object lessons for the entire church year. These lessons are based on New Revised Standard Version Second Lesson texts, mostly from Romans.
Each lesson offers clear directions:
Set in italic type, you’ll know when to “let the children answer, or give directions.”
Easy-to-find objects: A pile of play money, for example, for lesson number 18. This tells about being ransomed from futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold. (1 Peter 1:17-21)The table of contents lists the scripture passages used with each lesson title. All objects are easy to relate to with children and are fun to Use. For example, you may need a cowboy hat, toy building blocks, a microphone, a mask and a stuffed animal.
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Journeying Toward Renewal
$23.00Add to cartSabbatical leaves are becoming an increasingly common part of pastoral life, as both pastors and congregations recognize the renewed vitality that these times away can bring to their common ministry. Yet many pastors are still wary of seeking the opportunity for renewal leave, often due to a fear of the unknown-potential negative effects, an unexpected transformation of their call, anxiety of finding out they are not indispensable, or simply the uncertainty that comes ith “letting go.”
Melissa Bane Sevier has used her own sabbatical leave time to create a spiritually nourishing resource that helps to shepherd pastors through the unknowns of renewal leave. Drawing on her own journal entries and her own and others’ experiences of sabbatical, Journeying toward Renewal is a deeply personal guide that demonstrates powerful insight into the joys and stresses of pastoral ministry. Sevier provides not only engaging reflections on the experience of being on sabbatical, but also includes numerous thought-provoking exercises, activities, ideas, and other resources to help readers get the most out of their renewal leave. Foreword by William F. Brosend, Associate Director of the Louisville Institute.
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When Its Twilight Time
$14.95Add to cartThis book offers 30 meditations and complete orders of worship for use by clergy or lay persons at retirement centers. Each service includes and opening prayer, suggested scripture, hymns, easy-to-present meditations and appropriate closings. Along with 26 topically-based services, this volume features worship outlines for Easter, communion, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Worship themes include:
* If We Are Dreamers
* The Best Surprises
* The Larger Design For Living -
18 Special Worship Celebrations
$13.95Add to cartGod is constantly adding ingredients to our life of faith and creating a wonderful mixture of faith, hope and trust in Jesus. (from A Feast Of Worship)
As a quilt wraps us up in the warmth of its cover, we thank God and mothers for the warmth of their love. (from A Special Youth Service For Mother’s Day)
18 Special Worship Celebrations is a collection of worship resources that enhance the life of any congregation. It follows the style of The Weaving Of Hearts, the author’s popular first book of worship resources.
Themes include:
Morning devotional service
Memorial Day observance
Celebration of baptism
Installation of pastor
All Saints’ Day
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This New Life Together
$12.95Add to cartAs an anthology, this book fits many settings facing clergy. Included is a ceremony for an older and once widowed couple, a Protestant and Catholic wedding, an evening ceremony and a simple congregational vow for inclusion in a service. This anthology includes meditations from men and women clergy who are United Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, Episcopal and Roman Catholic.
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You Dont Look Like A Minister
$12.95Add to cartHere are candid observations and quips from a minister with over 35 years experience. These 36 delightful essays will be instantly recognized by anyone who serves a parish ministry.
Consider …
You can never hide the fact that you are a clergyman.
Maybe it’s the way we usually sit down front it could be the shameless way we sing hymns as though they were meant to be heard. I’ve gone to church in a sport shirt and pastel slacks and had people say to me, “You don’t look like a minister, but you sure do sing like one.”Personally, I’ve always thought of heaven as down, like down in the Caribbean in February.
The ad in the church supplies magazine said, “We put the van into evangelical.” It was from a company that sells buses and other vehicles to churches. If you can’t afford a van look what Peter did with only a pair of sandals and a heart of love.
During a sermon, a spider dropped down from the end of the microphone. Ordinarily, I can take spiders, but in the middle of a sermon, I don’t need any more distraction. I get enough sirens, coughers and bookdroppers — and people who sit there grinning and I can’t figure out why.
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Assessing Spiritual Needs
$15.95Add to cartHow do pastors, chaplains, and caregivers assess the spiritual well-being and needs of the people they minister to? George Fitchett presents a model for spiritual assessment that he and his colleagues developed, illustrated with case studies. He reviews a number of other models and provides a six-part framework for evaluating them.
Pastoral caregivers find that the effectiveness of their ministry is enhanced when they are able accurately to identify problem areas and needs in the spiritual lives of the people with whom they work. This book addresses many of the questions pastoral caregivers have raised about this timely topic and provides an informed and balanced approach for making decisions about spiritual assessment models and tools.
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53 Stories For Preaching Series 1 Year 1
$13.95Add to cart“Emilio Lopez received a surprise phone call from his bishop one day. “Would you be interested in a call to a white congregation in a neighborhood that is becoming Hispanic? I think you’re just the kind of pastor they need in these days of transition.””
(excerpt from the story “Light in the Life of Eternity”)
Following Shakespeare’s philosophy that “brevity is the soul of wit,” this anthology offers readers 53 succinct, insightful stories based on scripture passages. Each narrative faithfully updates the biblical theme in a modern setting from everyday life that everyone can relate to. Many feature surprise endings that will rivet the attention while strengthening believers’ faith. The brief stories in this well-rounded collection make excellent starting points or centerpieces for a sermon, and they’re also ideal for uplifting devotional reading.
The contributors to “53 Stories for Preaching” represent pastors and ordinary Christians from many denominations across North America. The 16 storytellers include:
Constance Berg
Dallas A. Brauninger
Charles W. Byrd
B. Kathleen Fannin
Susan K. Hedahl
Richard A. Jensen
James E. Sargent
Betty Lynn Schwab
Robert Beringer
Steve Burt
Cynthia E. Cowen
Peter C. Garrison
Sandra Herrmann
Paul Lintern
Henry Scholberg
John E. Sumwalt -
Parables Of Jesus And Their Flip Side
$12.95Add to cartWritten as a companion volume to Schmalenberger’s acclaimed CSS title The Miracles Of Jesus And Their Flip Side, this book takes an imaginative look at twelve of Jesus’ parables by examining their traditional interpretation (the “hit” side), and then turning them on their ear to see the “other side of the story” — a different perspective with relevance for our modern-day lives (the “flip” side).
For example, in addition to warning about the dangers of building on sand instead of rock, Schmalenberger considers how to rebuild after a flood. In the parable of the wedding banquet, he discusses the people who were invited live together after the undeserved feast. And in the parable of the lost sheep, he talks about how the shepherd needs the support of the “ninety-nine never lost” in order for him to go after the one lost sheep.
Schmalenberger’s punch, contemporary language, and narrative style produce hard-hitting and inspirational messages that offer a unique new twist in the interpretation of some old and marvelous gospel teachings — his “flip side” approach is sure to add freshness and sparkle to your preaching.
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Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit Series 3 Cycle A
$18.95Add to cartA well-told story can be motivational and inspirational, especially when it’s framed in familiar language that everyone can relate to. Constance Berg draws on her gift for storytelling to deliver modern parables that reach across cultural, class, gender, and social lines. Berg’s collection of tales illustrating biblical passages from Cycle A of the Revised Common Lectionary will touch your soul. Her stories are clear and easily understood – not only by those in the pew, but by anyone looking for insightful devotional reading.
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Childrens Sermons A To Z
$19.95Add to cartAnyone who has done children’s sermons will sooner or later hear from someone that “I learn more from the children’s sermon than I do from the real sermon.” And indeed, the truths of scripture are so simple that even a child can understand them. So it’s no accident that children’s sermons have become a central part of the worship service in many churches.
Brett Blair and Tim Carpenter offer a year’s worth of object lessons that engage children and impart profound lessons for all ages. Two sermons are provided for each Sunday in Cycle C of the Revised Common Lectionary, one based on the Second Lesson and one based on the Gospel. The messages are structured in two parts: the “lesson” uses an object to draw out active responses from children, then the “application” connects that object to the assigned scripture reading. Each message includes a clear statement of its exegetical aim.
Bright, innovative, perceptive, creative, grace-filled Brett Blair and Tim Carpenter are all of those and much, much more, and that is reflected beautifully in their new book Children’s Sermons A To Z.
James W. Moore
Pastor, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church Houston, Texas -
Praises From The Psalms
$10.95Add to cartJulia Bland comes to the aid of busy pastors and teachers with more practical, easy-to-prepare children’s messages and activity pages. Based on the Psalms, the lessons call youngsters’ attention to the many blessings we enjoy every day and teach them to praise God for all he does for us. Puzzles and coloring pages keep their interest while reinforcing the message.
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Word Is Near You
$14.95Add to cartThe testimony of the entire Bible is that God searches for hearts, but even God has trouble with us because we are so fickle. The other side of this is that man has tried to find God, too. “Man is incurably religious,” we are told. And so he is, so we are. In times past people have ransacked the universe searching for God. They recited incantations or burned incense or spilled blood, all in an effort to find God. And all the while, God was close by to be found. This is what Paul was saying in Romans 10. “The word is near you,” he says. “It is in your mouth and in your heart.” (from “The Word Is Near You”)
For Don Aycock, the sermon is the church’s “verbal instrument of growth.” This book offers over 20 messages that are not intended as literary examples, but rather as flesh-and-blood efforts to proclaim the Word of God. Aycock is an inventive and experienced preacher who employs many fascinating illustrations — but they are always used to shed light on the biblical text at the heart of his message.
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Fire For The Choir
$14.95Add to cartOne of the eternal challenges facing church choir directors is how to recruit new members, and then, how to keep them interested and retain them. No matter how large or small the congregation, it is the energy and commitment of a music program’s participants that ultimately determines how successful it is.
While there are plenty of books about the musical techniques of choir directing, there are precious few that deal with the organizational nuts-and-bolts and the people skills required for a smoothly functioning music program. Ellis Dillard Thompson, a veteran choir director and music educator, shares his tried and proven methods for getting choir members excited — to keep them serving and loving it! He focuses on the role of a church musician as a spiritual leader, and stresses that the road to true success involves basing a music program on spiritual values that uplift, inspire, and motivate participants. And as a bonus, Thompson includes three original choral responses that you can copy and use.
This is an excellent guide that is designed for anyone who participates in music ministry: choir directors, choir members, organists, pastors, music committee members, and worship committee members.
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Come Let Us Worship
$21.95Add to cartArranged according to the seasons of the church year, this volume presents several worship aids for every Sunday: a call to worship, and invocation, a ritual of friendship, an offertory sentence and prayer, a benediction, and a pastoral prayer. Each is designed to make the Sunday morning worship experience meaningful and uplifting.
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Who They Really Were
$15.95Add to cartWhen the problem of what to preach next Sunday raises its frowning head, solve it by calling on one of the hundreds of biblical characters standing in line at your study door, nearly beating it down with their clamorous “Take me! Take me!”.
Preaching on biblical personalities has an irresistible appeal, because audiences are more interested in people than in anything else. Jesus himself preached mainly about people (“a certain man had two sons …”); so there’s no excuse for making the Gospel dull — and with the help of Bodo’s book, preachers can add spice to the pulpit fare they serve up week after strenuous week. -
Reconciliation
$7.95Add to cartPrepare everyone in your congregation for a meaningful Lenten season with this collection of six sermon outlines, accompanied by program suggestions, worship aids, and a dramatic reading based on Mark’s passion narrative. The resources all stress the theme of reconciliation – with ourselves, between ourselves and God, in our families, in our churches, in our churches, in our communities, and in the world.
A companion daily worship and study guide is available.
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Little Animal Sermons
$10.95Add to cartBecause of the natural appeal of animals, they provide a means by which to capture children’s attention and teach biblical truths. With each lesson is a page for younger children to color and an activity page for older children.
Most children love animals. And because of the natural appeal of animals, they provide an attractive means by which to capture children’s attention and teach biblical truths.
These lessons provide an opportunity for pastors or Christian educators during Sunday morning worship, Sunday School, Vacation Church School, or any other time of interaction with young people.
Accompanying each lesson is a page for younger children to color and an additional activity page for older children.
“I found your manuscript appealing and interesting. We like the activities that accompany the good stories.
Albert Frederick Mutti
Bishop, Kansas Area
United Methodist ChurchLessons include:
The Turtle: Sheltered By The Presence Of God
The Dog, Pansy: Sheltered By God’s Word
The Penguin: Working Together
The Rhinoceros And The Tickbird: Working Together Though Not Alike
The Opossum: Playing Dead To Sin
The Squirrel: Gathering Treasures -
This You Can Believe (Revised)
$22.95Add to cartThis newly revised study of the Apostles’ Creed, originally published in 1987, now contains seventeen chapters and study guides, significantly expanding upon the seven chapters of the original work.
When first published, this landmark book went through three printings as churches of many denominations found it to be an excellent guide not only for new members coming into the church, but also for long-time members who wish to have their faith reinforced and renewed.
This study guide is appropriate for youth, young adults, and seniors. It is a helpful resource for catechism classes, Sunday school classes, high school or adult Bible study classes, new member classes, or renewal of faith courses.
Brokhoff writes in contemporary language that will help the average person to come to an understanding of the Christian faith as recorded in the Apostles’ Creed. His work lends itself to personal study or group discussion.
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Challenge Of Starting All Over Again
$12.95Add to cartThis sermon series for Lent/Easter is fast-paced and illustrated with stories and anecdotes that keep the attention of readers and listeners. With titles such as “The Challenge To Change,” “The Challenge Of Tragedy,” “The Challenge Of No-Fault Religion,” and “The Challenge To Live Again,” Fetty offers sermons that are certain to inspire personal growth and spiritual conviction.
Not many of us have the opportunity to stand at the crossroads of history. Not many of us have the opportunity to stand at the threshold of a new era. Not many of us are able to witness the dawn of a new age. And only a few of us are destined to be a potential leader of a new advance in history. All of us have our destinies of course, but only a few of us have a destiny potentially able to change the world…. (from Chapter Two)
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Onward Through The Fog
$9.95Add to cartThe Sundays of Lent don’t have to be boring! Follow the lectionary and provide your congregation with exciting worship experiences by using these positive yet sensitive dialogue sermons based on Cycle A of the Revised Common Lectionary. Wit and scripture are combined to encourage Christian growth and prod listeners into making a personal commitment. In addition to six sermon dialogues, worship planning aids are included for each Sunday, along with an Ash Wednesday worship service.
In addition to six sermon dialogues, worship planning aids are included for each Sunday, plus an Ash Wednesday worship service with the theme-setting sermon, “Onward! Through The Fog!”
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Preaching Matthews Gospel
$22.95Add to cartJensen’s research and insights provide a stimulating resource on Matthew’s Gospel. Jensen provides “Homiletical Directions” at the end of each chapter that will help the preacher find a focus and locate themes for preaching the text. Jensen points to the ways in which the biblical writers lock their stories together with other stories in order to give fuller meaning to their narratives. He covers material that is not included in the assigned lectionary texts and discusses the inter-relatedness of Matthew’s stories. These “narrative analogies” imply that preaching on Matthew’s Gospel may at times be a retelling of two or more Matthean stories.
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Holy Words What Do They Mean
$12.95Add to cartThe meaning of some church words is often taken for granted. We assume, for example, that everyone knows what HOLY or GLORY or SIN mean. But when we explore the history of these words we uncover a new depth of understanding.
Preachers and lay leaders will find this resource helpful in their sermon preparation and Bible study.
The index lists over 130 of the most frequently used words, numbers and phrases which have special significance in the biblical and religious writings.
Some examples are: amen, benediction, clergy, Eucharist, kyrie, love, Yahweh, and numbers such as 1, 3, 4, 10, 40, and 70 X 7.
An accompanying eight-lesson guide will help the user conduct a fascinating group study.
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No Deed Greater Than A Word
$16.95Add to cartThis book is written for preachers who suspect that the way they were taught to preach (and for the most part are still being taught to preach) simply does not work.
The author’s objective is to bring the Bible to life in the sermon in all of its dimensions. To do that the preacher must understand his listeners as well as his message. Those who explore Shepherd’s message will find themselves thinking about the sermon and preaching in an entirely new way.Shepherd presents his position with a firm grounding in biblical studies, literary criticism, and theology.
The book is for those preachers who are dissatisfied with the way they were taught to preach, but are not sure why. Using practical examples from real sermons, the book uncovers many of the faults of traditional preaching styles and inspires a new approach to the sermon that unites preacher, congregation, and scripture under the powerful Word of God’s grace.
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Hoof N Mouth Disease
$20.95Add to cartStorytelling is older than the Bible, as much of the Old Testament consists of stories that arose out of an oral tradition, and Jesus was a master storyteller. So it makes sense that monologues capture the eyes, ears, and brains of the congregation. Stories captivate audiences – mention any character in the Bible and people recall a favorite story, not the theme of a moralistic three-point sermon. This book of creative monologues will help pastors connect with their listeners in a vital and vibrant way.
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Let The Children Come
$12.95Add to cartThe Children’s Sermon during the worship hour is one of the strongest attractions for young families in choosing a church to attend.
Robert Lantz understands how to talk to children. He brings the meaning and message of the scripture text to their level of understanding. When members of his congregation began asking for copies of his children’s sermons so they could use them as bedtime stories for their children, he decided it was time to put them into print.
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Joy Songs Trumpet Blasts And Hallelujah Shouts
$15.95Add to cartThis compelling sermons collection explores the art and uniqueness of African-American preaching. Readers will discover the ritual drama and the processes, form and substance of black storytelling that are pivotal elements coloring African-American culture. This is an intriguing, in-depth look into a unique art form.
To fully appreciate the empowering nature inherent in black sermons, Stewart explores the four distinguishing elements that make this genre “a four-cornered universe.” They are:
Poetic recitation
Imaginative insight
Spiritual pharmacology
Spiritual and social transformationStewart presents readers with some of his most captivating sermons, including:
Let It Shine
Advent’s “Invisible” Man
Take Off the Grave Clothes
African-American Spirituality: The African Gift to America -
Cosmic Witness
$20.95Add to cartHow have preachers handled questions about science and religion? Largely by ignoring them. But many people are asking questions about the significance of the Christian message in an age of technology.
Cosmic Witness will help…
Preachers by revealing those scriptural texts where faith intersects with science and technology.
Teachers who are looking for modern illustrations to help students understand the relationship between faith and science.
All who are interested in learning more about how the Bible addresses questions about technology and religion. -
Greek For Preachers
$29.99Add to cart“This dynamic book will help you bring the New Testament to life in your sermons by alerting you to pulses of meaning that are lost in English translation. The heart of the book is ten clear, practical, and well-illustrated principles for uncovering dimensions of significance of the greek text. Designed for beginners and pastors with little experience, the authors introduce readers to the alphabet, to Greek words, and to making use of Greek through an Interlinear Greek/English New Testament.”
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Open Doors : For Preaching Teaching And Public Speaking
$12.95Add to cartEffective illustrations open pathways into the sermonic process that allow the light of God’s Word to enter. And for busy pastors, the ability to locate the “perfect” illustration that brings instant clarity is worth its weight in gold. This collection of dynamic quotes, quips, and anecdotes from Derl Keefer’s thirty years in the pulpit is a treasure that you won’t want to be without!
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Step At A Time
$12.95Add to cartIn his practical and easy-to-follow book Glenn Borreson offers a plan for increasing giving in a congregation through personalized stewardship letters. His example, timeline, and step-by-step procedures will provide an excellent resource for any pastor who wants to help his or her congregation grow in Christian stewardship. Borreson’s suggestions not only help to increase giving, they also do it in a non-threatening way. I recommend his program enthusiastically.
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Advent Conversations
$7.95Add to cartIf you’re looking for a fresh way to make lighting the Advent wreath a meaningful and relevant part of the worship service, this is just what you need. Richard Hull has written brief conversational dialogues that relate the wisdom of the prophets found in the Advent lectionary readings to modern life. In each “conversation” two people reflect on the assigned reading and talk about life and faith, leading to the lighting of the candles. The presentations are accompanied by an informative essay explaining the background and history of the Advent wreath. Covering all three lectionary cycles, this is an excellent resource for any size congregation — and they’re also great for devotional use by families in the home. Best of all, the informal tone of the writing will make worshipers feel like participants instead of observers. Use these dialogues to discover ancient truth in a contemporary setting.
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What Do You Mean Study The Bible
$11.95Add to cart“Anything but the Bible!” — that was the attitude of Katherine Bailey Babb’s high school age Sunday School class. When she realized just how ignorant these teenagers were of some of the basic background of the faith they professed, Babb created a fun and enjoyable curriculum for studying the Old Testament that would fill in the gaps in their knowledge. And it works! Her field-tested approach will make the Hebrew Bible an exciting field of study for your youth.
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On Eagles Wings
$13.95Add to cartIt’s a difficult time to make decisions when a loved one dies. Yet families must make many choices in a short period of time, including ones about the funeral service itself. Those who are frustrated by the process of selecting Bible texts and themes for their loved one’s prayer vigil now have a resource to help guide them in their hour of need. On Eagles’ Wings provides ten thematic prayer services designed for use at funeral vigils or as alternative funeral services. Each service is complete and ready to use (including a bulletin format), yet there is flexibility for individual input. Brief descriptions of each service’s theme help family and clergy select the one most appropriate for the deceased. And the services can be led by either clergy or lay leaders, an especially helpful feature for congregations that are serviced by part-time clergy.
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Clearer Vision
$12.95Add to cartThe Introduction to this volume of Lenten sermons suggests a method of congregational involvement in the scriptural texts which will engage and edify the members of any church.
Ash Wednesday
Wanting To Be Seen
First Sunday In Lent
Adam And Jesus See Temptation
Second Sunday In Lent
Second Sight
Third Sunday In Lent
Seeing The Whole Person
Fourth Sunday In Lent
Seeing The Unseen
Fifth Sunday In Lent
Seeing Light In Darkness -
Simply Wonderful : Five Childrens Sermons And Activity Pages For Advent And
$10.95Add to cartFamily-oriented churches which welcome children and include them in their worship and programming are always faster growing and more vibrant. For pastors and teachers whose time is limited, these children’s messages are ready to use with little or no preparation.
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Services For The Advent Wreath
$17.95Add to cartHow does a pastor who follows the lectionary make the Advent wreath relevant to the rest of the service? Here is a very easy-to-use resource which includes every Sunday in Advent, as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It provides bulletin inserts, litanies, prayers, scripture readings, and flexible and easy-to-use original choral introits, which can be sung by a choir, ensemble duet, or as a solo.
This resource covers all three years of the lectionary cycle. It is adaptable for any size congregation, large or small.
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Preaching Lukes Gospel
$24.95Add to cartPreachers and Bible teachers will find this book helpful in guiding them to be biblical storytellers. Testimonies to the value of Dr. Richard Jensen’s book have been numerous and include the following:
Rather than preach about the biblical text one is encouraged and equipped to proclaim the biblical narrative. His book is refreshingly practical and biblical. It stimulates biblical preaching, preparation and proclamation. The preacher is moved from telling a story to telling the story.
Pastor Paul Gunsten
St. Philip Lutheran Church
Roanoke, VirginiaI really appreciate the direction each chapter opens for possible preaching emphasis. I thought the first few chapters might just be flukes … but each succeeding one holds its own. Thanks!
Pastor William Lawson
Trinity Lutheran Church
Green Bay, WisconsinThrough a process of “narrative analogy” Dr. Jensen shows how the stories in the appointed texts of the Revised Common Lectionary relate to the other stories in Luke/Acts. In so doing, he opens up new discoveries for preaching.
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Many Faces Of Evil
$16.95Add to cartEvil and suffering are a part of everyone’s experience. Kenneth Cauthen breaks new ground in exploring the torments and terrors of this life. Some of his positions may be considered daring and controversial. But his approach, while creative, is rooted in a deeply biblical faith as he interprets the meaning of suffering and the relationship of God to human anguish.
This book will be a useful resource for counselors, pastors, teachers and others who are called upon to help people cope with tragedy. It will be helpful to individuals who are attempting to understand the torment or suffering in their own lives.
The author addresses many difficult questions and illustrates his answers with fascinating real-life examples:
How is evil related to suffering?
What is God’s responsibility in causing and overcoming evil?
How does faith provide a basis for hope in the midst of suffering?
Why is evil a part of our world? -
Best Wedding Meditations
$12.95Add to cartThis resource book for busy pastors provides homilies for marriage services, as well as two unique orders of service and a service for a fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Ministers from around the United States have contributed to this collection of classics. Each of the homilies is biblically based and can be used as is or adapted to different circumstances.
The contents include:
A Contemporary Wedding Service
Marriage Likened To A Wedding Cake
Leeches Or Lovers
Marriage As A Crisis
We Belong To Each Other
Let God Be The Go-between
A Motto For Marriage
Living In Harmony
The Greatest Of These Is Love
Love, Honor, Forgive
Dearly Beloved and more -
Christians Christians Everywhere How Do Your Gardens Grow
$7.95Add to cartChristians, Christians, Everywhere, How Do Your Gardens Grow? helps congregations to get the proper focus on stewardship for youth through a suggested order of service to be presented by youth.
Within the service are songs, a skit and meditation, all centered on a gardening theme.
Cynthia E. Cowen writes that her goal for this resource is to enable youth to participate in a worship service based on the theme of sowing and reaping in the Kingdom of God.
This resource helps participants and the congregation to understand the process of growth in the giving of our talents and offerings to the work of the church.
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And You Welcomed Me
$37.99Add to cartThis book presents a collection of early Christian texts regarding hospitality and its practices. The range of experts both in time and space shows just how central a role of hospitality played in Christian life throughout the early centuries. Yet this book is not a set of instructions for hospitality, nor does the word “hospitality” even appear in many of these excerpts, and this in itself is good cause for reflection for us today. The excerpts come from letters, diary accounts, instructions, sermons, travelogues, and community records and rules. They are windows into a world of early communities that saw it as their moral duty and also privilege to care for the sick, to safeguard the pilgrim, and to host the stranger. Abram and Sarai hosting the three angels at Oaks of Mamre, and Jesus and his disciples feeding the crowds are two familiar biblical examples, but this book also delves into lesser know texts that offer rich insight to those willing to read and then integrate the early fathers’ and mothers’ wisdom and hospitality into their own lives.
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Ministry Is A High Calling Aim Low
$22.00Add to cartKurt Schuermann writes with humor and grace about the everyday happenings in a pastor’s life. After being forced to purge his book collection by a move to a smaller office, Schuermann discovers a dark truth about himself: he is addicted to ten-step books. In this book he collects the things that he has found to be true since he threw away his collection of ten-step and how-to books. Topics of the fifty-two reflections include the minister’s call, church-growth seminars, and the local church.
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Life Injections 1
$15.95Add to cartWritten by a priest and hospital chaplain with many years of experience, this series of inspirational messages confronts a wide range of human emotions. Zajac not only connects scripture to the human experience, but he nudges the reader/listener to change his thinking or to alter her lifestyle. He injects hope and peace into lives wearied by pain and suffering and heartache. Heavy doses of captivating illustrations make this a book for inspiration and enjoyment.
This book will be a useful resource for …
the preacher who wishes to sensitively address difficult issues
the counselor who seeks to help the distressed
any individual who seeks answers and comfort and solaceTitles include:
Bad Habits
Tears
Antidotes For Perfectionism
One Day At A Time
Maalox Moments
What To Do About The Loss Of Someone Special -
Angels We Have Heard
$7.95Add to cartIf you’re looking for a fresh new approach to telling the old, old story — what better way to celebrate the Christmas message than to do it from the viewpoint of the angels? From the promise to Abraham to its fulfillment in Bethlehem, angels are a vital part of the story. Angels We Have Heard is a beautiful service that combines many of the traditional elements of Christmas worship with brief dialogues between angels and a number of characters relating to the Christmas narrative. Along with candlelight, an optional communion celebration, and many of the favorite carols we all love to sing, the encounters described in the scriptures between angels and Abraham, Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds are paraphrased. There’s also a short closing exchange between an angel and a contemporary person that sheds light on the meaning of Christ’s birth for our modern times.
This easy-to-use service is adaptable for any size congregation — while a number of speaking parts are specified, it’s easy to combine parts and use just two readers, allowing the participation of as many or as few as you wish. There’s also a convenient order of service for use in bulletin preparation. And while designed for worship use, the drama of the angels speaking with and to different people through the ages can be used in other settings such as youth meetings or church school. Very little (if any) rehearsal is required — this is a simple and versatile way to make the pageantry and drama of the biblical story come alive in your Christmas worship.
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Community Ministry : New Challenges Proven Steps To Faith Based Initiatives
$29.00Add to cartIn this era of “faith-based initiatives,” congregations increasingly find themselves in the business of establishing and supporting community ministries-daycare for infants and toddlers, respite care for elders, and programs for housing rehab and home repair, tutoring, and social justice advocacy. In this volume, Carl S. Dudley revises and updates his earlier book, Basic Steps toward Community Ministry, which Loren Mead called “the most valuable book on parish ministry I’ve seen in a decade.”
Once again, Dudley offers guidance for congregational leaders who need to create tools, get started, and take next steps to respond to God’s call to extraordinary ministry in their community. With thought-provoking discussions about congregations as learning organizations, the relationship between ongoing faith formation and social action, examples from outstanding new ministries, and an updated resource list, Dudley rounds out this essential, practical, and readable manual. Foreword by James P. Wind, President of the Alban Institute.
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Moving Beyond Church Growth
$18.00Add to cartAre unrealistic expectations for church growth sapping your morale and putting you at risk of burnout? Do you sense dissension within your congregation? Issuing a clarion call to church leaders for bold new thinking, Olson envisions faith communities that are radically centered on God, profoundly compassionate and engaged, and sustained in relationship.
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Best Funeral Meditations
$10.95Add to cartThis collection of best funeral meditations provides a wide range of messages that address almost every death situation from the anticipated to the tragic. These classic meditations have been gathered from the writings and contributions of pastors, church leaders, and teachers of many denominations.
Among the situations addressed are:
For the nominal church member
For a little child
For a non-Christian
For the death of a child shortly after birth
For a college student killed in an auto accident
For a sixteen-year-old shot to death
For a woman who committed suicide
For a church member who served others
For a 40-year-old cancer patient
For a man who loved the outdoors
For a Sunday morning worship service following a death
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Be All That You Can Be
$12.95Add to cartThough the title sounds like a promotional campaign for the U.S. Army, that’s not its intent. Instead, what is contained in this book are road marks for the journey into a new and stronger sense of what it means to be fully alive. All people are created with inherent purpose, promise and potential. All are endowed with abilities to do more and be more than we sometimes dare imagine. Herein are sermons intended to help readers and listeners discover their own powers and possibilities, to own them, to cultivate them and to live within them.
The chapters do not form an exhaustive list of human potentials. They do, however, provide an important inventory of what we all were created to become and can become, if we choose.
Chapter titles include:
You Can Be Articulate — Based upon Mark 7:31-37
You Can Be Intelligent — Based upon 2 Chronicles 1-11
You Can Be Like Children — Based upon Mark 10:13-16
You Can Be Beautiful — Based upon Hosea 14:1-7
You Can Be Well Fed — Based upon 1 Corinthians
You Can Be Eternal — Based upon 2 CorinthiansReaders will sense their own calls to be more than they have been thus far and the extraordinary power of One who promises to make the journey with them.
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Chrismons They Point To Jesus
$8.95Add to cartThis book provides patterns, instructions and background information for twenty different Chrismons, or “monograms of Christ.” It also includes a church program for presenting and explaining the meanings of these Christian symbols. The program includes children and adults and incoorporates the singing of the Christmas hymns.
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Multigenerational Congregation : Meeting The Leadership Challenge
$26.00Add to cartCongregations need to learn new cultural languages and practices in order to speak to and be heard by new generations of people. But how do congregations enter the wilderness of ministry with these new generations when many of those in the entourage do not appreciate the trip?
In contrast to many writers about church growth, Rendle works with three important observations:
Most congregations are not “pure markets,” discrete groups with uniform values and behaviors, that can be targeted to the exclusion of all other audiences;
Some of the differences and discomforts experienced in the congregation are based on the members’ tenure, or length of membership, rather than their age;
Leadership in congregations is not a matter of marketplace savvy but of spiritual authenticity in which we continue to shape our faith tradition to be heard and understood by a changing culture.
Rendle shows us how to talk with and really understand one generational cohort while another cohort is present “looking over one’s shoulder.” Foreword by Lovett H. Weems, Jr., President, Saint Paul School of Theology. -
Faith Under Fire
$16.95Add to cartDaniel Simundson shows how the Bible can speak to the universal human experience of suffering. He examines various biblical responses to suffering and explains what the New Testament can add to the thought of such classic works as the books of Job, Ecclesiastes, and the prophets.
This book, written for the general reader, is full of wisdom also for caregivers, including clergy, counselors, and laypersons.
Contents:
1.The Basic Biblical View of Suffering
2.The Power of Negative Thinking
3.Suffering for Others
4.God, Job, and the Counselors
5.Is There Any Hope?
6.What Is New in the New Testament?
7.Comfort and Hope -
Honey Bee Dance
$10.95Add to cartJulia Bland’s children’s messages are popular with pastors, Sunday school teachers, and parents all across the country. That’s because children love them and learn from the stories, drawings, and activity pages. Her work has been translated into Spanish and used by churches in Mexico and South America. The six lessons in this booklet, all based on Ephesians 4:32-5:2a, provide a perfect series for Vacation Bible School, a retreat, or a summer series for children. Using the busy, productive life of a honey bee as a metaphor for the life of a Christian, Bland offers charming lessons.
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He Took A Towel
$8.95Add to cartAppropriate for Maundy Thursday or any time throughout the year, this resource contains several sermons and a full-blown service of Holy Communion, Feetwashing, and Agape Meal (or Love Feast). Detailed bread recipes and instructions for all the preparations are included along with bulletin texts.
Examination Service And Feetwashing Service
Meditation: “Broken For You”
Service: The Lords Supper
Sermons Include:
“Seeing A Familiar Friend All Over Again For The First Time”
“Peter Asks A Question”
“No Forks Or Napkins” -
Literary Companion To The Lectionary
$29.00Add to cartThis beautiful book offers poems and literary pieces for Sundays and principal feasts throughout the liturgical year. Each selection relates to an aspect of the Scripture readings for the Eucharist in the Revised Common Lectionary, the Roman Catholic lectionary, and the Book of Common Prayer. Drawn from many centuries and many countries including Britain, Ireland, North America, Africa, and Australia, these readings bridging literature and liturgy can prompt private prayer or public worship through imaginative engagement. A short note before each passage connects with an idea, image, or story found in one of the biblical readings or the seasonal theme. From Robert Herrick to Brendan Kennelly, from Christina Rossetti to Emily Dickinson, from Dante to Monica Furlong, the poets, novelists, and playwrights gathered here bring an added dimension that graces the life of the church.
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Raising The Roof
$26.00Add to cartPastoral-to-program size change is frequently described as the most challenging of growth transitions for congregations. Now Alban senior consultant Alice Mann, author of The In-Between Church: Navigating Size Transitions in Congregations, addresses the difficulties of that transition in this resource designed specifically for a congregational learning team.
Conceptualized and developed by Mann for an Alban on-line seminar program test event conducted with 12 congregations in transition, her newest book features a five-step process enabling the learning team to engage a wider circle of congregational leaders and members in study, discernment, and planning. Never-before published resources include discussion of a major new concept-passive barriers to growth-plus Mann’s “System Change Index” tool to help congregations measure their progress from pastoral-size to program-size ways of operating.
From preparing the congregation’s board and members, selecting the person to guide the learning process, and recruiting the learning team, to creating and celebrating a plan for congregational learning and action, Mann provides all the resources a congregation needs to address this significant size transition period.
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Dont Forget The Child
$13.95Add to cartAlex Gondola says that in our modern culture we sometimes “experience Christmas at its worst: overcommercialized, expensive, exhausting, nearly devoid of spiritual significance.” In this collection of twenty cogent and inspiring sermons for Advent and Christmas, he reminds us of the key to putting the season in its proper perspective — “Don’t forget the child!” For it is only when we are drawn nearer to the child of Bethlehem, celebrating the simple beauties of the stable, that we can escape from the rush of the season into the divine light of saving grace heralded by the birth of God’s Son. This volume is an exceptional source of inspiration for sermon preparation, but it’s also excellent for personal devotions exploring the meaning of Advent and Christmas. It’s a great Christmas gift!
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Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series 7 Cycle A (Workbook)
$41.95Add to cartProviding a fresh, timely reflection every week on assigned scripture passages can be one of a pastor’s most daunting tasks. But when time or inspiration is flagging and you need the jump-start of creative ideas, the latest edition of the classic CSS resource Lectionary Preaching Workbook is just what the doctor ordered! Prominent pastor, former seminary president, and prolific author Jerry Schmalenberger draws upon the experiences of a lifetime in the ministry to help readers effectively share God’s Word with crisply written insights. He’s created an outstanding set of practical aids to help preachers with their weekly sermons. Each chapter includes a listing of the applicable Revised Common, Roman Catholic, and Episcopal lectionary texts; a theme for the day’s service; commentary on the Old Testament, New Testament, and Gospel lessons; suggestions on preaching possibilities; an outline of possible sermon moves; and additional illustrations to flesh out the message.
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Curious Commercials
$14.95Add to cartCurious Commercials approaches the Christmas event from a different perspective. Daniel Weitner doesn’t treat the nativity as a kind of warm and fuzzy feeling of longing for universal peace that envelops the earth around the end of the year or as a sign pointing to something greater in our lives. In trenchant messages that are liberally sprinkled with contemporary illustrations, he reminds us that to know what Christmas is all about, we don’t have to look outside Bethlehem…beyond the manger…or past the baby Jesus. Instead we should focus on the birth of Jesus the Redeemer – it is the wonderful event!
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2 Tenebrae Readings And Services
$7.95Add to cartTwo Tenebrae Readings And Services provides pastors and congregations with dramatic ways to remember the Passion of the Lord.
Tenebrae I – 9 reading parts
Tenebrae II – 12 reading partsParts are simple enough for both young people and adults. They are creatively drawn from the Bible narratives and present realistic human responses from those who would be his disciples.
These resources require very little preparation. They were conducted in the author’s congregation by calling the readers together an hour before the service.
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Speaking With Signs
$7.95Add to cartSpeaking With Signs is a unique series of six object lessons for children during the Lenten season … making worship more meaningful for them (and for adults). Each lesson brings them a story from scripture by focusing upon a symbol related to the Easter story. Lessons are based on texts from Matthew and John.
Objects include:
a lantern
a rope
a crown of thorns
dice and a robe
a stepladder and sponge
a spear
a picture of an empty tomb
