Pastoral Helps
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Lyrics For The Centuries Cycle B
$12.95Add to cartSome musicians come along and the music speaks to a particular decade. The lyrics of David span the centuries… His lyrics endure and forever surface in our liturgy. (from Chapter seven)
The ten sermons in this book are based on texts primarily from 1 and 2 Samuel. Titles include:
*Saul, The Tormented King
*When Saints Go Marching Forth
*R.S.V.P.
*The Strange Tactics Of GodThe sermons of Art Kolsti are among the most consistently thoughtful and stimulating ones that I have heard, but they also contain ideas and subtitles that can slip past die listener on first hearing. They will amply repay the thoughtful and intelligent reader.
Dr. James Munkres, Mathematics Dept.
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyArthur Kolsti’s sermons are all marked by their spiritual substance, apt historical and contemporary illustrations, concise wording, and grounding in careful expositions of Christian scripture and teaching. Kolsti is exquisitely skillful in the use of words and the Word.
Arthur J. Dyck
Professor of Population Ethics, Harvard University
Professor of Ethics, Harvard Divinity School -
Creative Bible Lessons In John
$22.99Add to cart1. Jesus Encounters Nathanial (John 1:43-51) Dealing With Doubt
2. Jesus Encounters The Money Changers (John 2:13-25) Respecting God
3. Jesus Encounters Nicodemus (John 3:1-36) Receiving New Life In Christ
4. Jesus Encounters A Nobleman’s Son And A Crippled Man (John 4:43-5.18) Coping With Crisis
5. Jesus Encounters The Crowd (John 6:46-60) Accepting God’s Incredible Gift
6. Jesus Encounters A Blind Man (John 9:1-41) Accepting God’s Love
7. Jesus Encounters Mary And Martha (John 10:40-11.46) Facing Death
8. Jesus Encounters Mary And Judas (John 11:57-12.11) Making Wise “Investments”
9. Jesus Encounters Peter (John 13:36-38; 15:18-16.4; 18:12-27) Handling Opposition
10. Jesus Encounters His Disciples #1 (John 15:5-17) Producing Fruit In Our Lives
11. Jesus Encounters His Disciples #2 (John 14:15-27; 16:5-16) Recognizing The Holy Spirit
12. Jesus Encounters Mary Magdalene (John 19:23-25; 20:1-3,10-18) Believing The Impossible99 Pages
Additional Info
Do you want to teach solid Biblical Truth to your kids without their eyes glazing over as soon as you say “open your Bible”? Now you can, with Creative Bible Lessons in John: Encounters with Jesus.Following in the successful path of Youth Specialties’ instant bestseller Creative Bible Lessons on the Life of Christ by Doug Fields, veteran family life and youth workers Janice and Jay Ashcraft have created 12 lively, ready-to-use lessons that actually make it fun to dig into Scripture. The Ashcrafts utilize creative learning techniques to spark your kids’ interest and keep them actively involved in lesson, including:
*Learning Games
*Discussions
*Video and Music
*Skits, Melodrama, and Roleplays
*”Digging Deeper” Investigations
*Interactive Worksheets
*And much more!These lessons are clear, easy-to-use, and complete. You’ll be able to build in-depth, creative Bible teaching into your busy schedule with Creative Bible Lessons in John: Encounters with Jesus.
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More Hot Illustrations For Youth Talks
$22.99Add to cartHot Illustrations for Youth Talks, Wayne Rice’s original collection of stories, parables, and anecdotes, was an instant bestseller. Youth workers clamored for more.
These illustrations cover the spectrum-some will make you laugh, some will make you cry, and all of them will make you think. What they all have in common is that they work with teenagers. They’re just the thing to your youth talks hat extra spark your looking for.
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Church For The Unchurched
$22.99Add to cart6 Chapters
Additional Info
CHURCH FOR THE UNCHURCHED
A rebirth of the apostolic way.This work shows that there is an apostolic way for a congregation to live out the gospel. This book calls for revolution–the revolution that must take place if the churches in America are to thrive and to fulfill the Great Commission. Church for the Unchurched is about the “abolition” of the laity.
God’s dream for his church from the earliest time has been that we practice the priesthood of all believers, that we be a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6). In its first 300 years of history, the church had no clergy. Rather, it was made up of believers who understood they were to be apostles, sent on mission by the living Christ. With the phenomenal growth of that early church, both numerically and in influence, two classes of Christians emerged, leaders and spectators. The spectators were supposed to learn sound doctrine, to pray, sing, listen to sermons, and pay the bills. But when the question is asked, as it often is, “Why doesn’t the church do something about…,” “the church” is synonymous with “the clergy.”
This book studies a number of apostolic congregations from various traditions and assorted geographical locations that are successfully reaching the unchurched. It is full of recipes that any serious congregation could copy and use. Reading this book could result in a Copernican revolution in the church-the empowerment of the laity.
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Prepare The Way Of The Lord
$12.95Add to cartThose looking for a resource that will deepen and enrich their spiritual life during the Advent/Christmas season will find that resource here. These reflections will strengthen the reader’s mental preparation and will serve as a starling point for prayer and meditation.
Pastors will be helped with themes and illustrations for Advent/Christmas preaching
Teachers will use this material in their classes to help renew the right spirit of Christmas among their students
Those who are seeking a deeper spiritual life will be uplifted and inspired by these daily meditations -
Fringe Front And Center Cycle B
$12.95Add to cartFor many years Professor Hoyer was editor and writer for Currents In Theology And Mission. In that publication he called the homiletical section “Preaching Helps.” But he explained that the emphasis was to be put on the second word. “It is more than a noun. It’s a verb,” he said. “Preaching does help! Preaching conveys both the wisdom and power of God.”
When sermons only talk about the gospel, they fail to utilize the power. They may be wise, but they don’t work the work of God. Medics who answer a 911 call do more than talk about CPR. They diagnose. Then they supply the breath of life. In these Gospel-based sermons Hoyer shows how to draw out the power of the word. His messages breathe life and hope into listening ears.
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Light In The Land Of Shadows Cycle B
$12.95Add to cartLight In The Land Of Shadows contains 16 sermons for Advent, Christmas, Epiphany and Transfiguration Sundays.
This book makes connections between Old Testament themes and contemporary issues. The preacher will find it exegetically sound yet filled with illustrations and insights. The lay person will find it comprehendible and useful for exploring ultimate issues within the context of meaningful Bible study.
(The) sermons are fleshed out in normal, everyday language, grammar and sentence structure — Yet the faithful preacher can take comfort in the fact that they are backed up by sound biblical exegesis. (from the Introduction)
Hal Warlick is a master at weaving a fascinating story or illustration into the sermon, dramatically portraying the scriptural message. This is Old Testament preaching at its best.
Sermon titles include:
Lighting A Fire In A Cold Room
All Dressed Up And Somewhere To Go
Any FAX From God Today?
Will We Enjoy Heaven?
Pain And Promise In The Hand Of God -
Minding The Soul
$26.00Add to cartDrawing on 40 years of experience, Ashbrook joins theological and pyschological theory with the fruits of brain research as he offers a comprehensive vision of pastoral counseling and a foundational principle for caregivers: You must remember who you are in order to be a “rock” for those hurting.
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Church Growth Handbook
$20.99Add to cartHere are twenty tested church-growth strategies that have been implemented by church consultant William Easum with more than 4,000 chuch leaders across the United States and Canada. The handbook provides diagnostic tools, which now can be used with the Complete Ministry Adult.
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Preaching Liberation
$26.00Add to cartIn Preaching Liberation, Harris is not talking about Liberation Theology but about the power of the Word Of God to transform and liberate the listener. Harris examines preaching in the African-American traditon and how the idea of liberation is deeply rooted in that tradition. 136 pages from the Fortress Press Resources for Preaching series
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God Images In The Healing Process
$19.00Add to cartWhat does it mean when a seriously ill person has a vision or other vivid experience of God? How should a caregiver respond? Armistead sensitively explores these questions, offering practical psychological and theological guidance for pastors and counselors. Discover how to empathize with care-seekers, interpret their religious language, and more.
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Claiming The Center
$28.00Add to cartCLAIMING THE CENTER, by Jack Rogers The thesis of this book is that the root cause of mainstream church decline is an internal confict of worldviews. Using the Presbyterian Church (USA) as an example Rogers argues that the worldview that some members have developed has caused them to see life in conservative terms, whereas others have acquired a worldview that gives a liberal interpretation of life. Confict occurs when Christian people make their theological elaborations or ideological application or experiential colorings the ultimate reference point rather than the religious worldview itself. Rogers writes: “Hope for reconciliation and renewal lies in both leaders and members claiming the center and reconstituting a common worldview. This begins by patiently returning to a common affirmation of the root religious worldview that is more fundamental than any ideological application. Recognizing that those who differe with us accept the same religous worldview could enable us to build together on a foundation of Jesus Christ, the head of one body.”
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Gift Of Anger
$32.00Add to cartAll people experience anger at some point in their lives, although the way in which anger is experienced and expressed is often shaped by social context and religious background. Carroll Saussy offers this book to assist people in learning how to evaluate, understand, and effectively express authentic anger. She explores the psychology, the ethical considerations, and some practical ways of dealing with anger and proposes a theology of anger that is instrumental in addressing injustice. She also identifies ways that anger can be harmful and ways it can provide an impetus for constructive action. A helpful three-step technique for evaluating and expressing anger is presented and illustrated
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Pastors Start Up Manual
$22.99Add to cartThe Pastor’s Start-Up Manual provides a blueprint for seminary students moving into their first pastorate with answers to questions such as: “What’s the first thing I should do when I get to the church”, “What should my first sermon include?”, “Should I unpack or start visiting menbers first?”. For seasoned clergy moving to a new church, The Pastor’s Start-Up Manual shows how to: learn the church’s history determine when it’s time to add additional staff help family members adjust to a new community minister within the larger community investigate multiple staff opportunities
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Sacred Cows Make Gourmet Burgers
$20.99Add to cart11 Chapters
Additional Info
William Easurn shows how an atmosphere of permission-giving, which signals the end of permission-giving, which signals the end of leaders as enablers, will help church leaders transcend bureaucracy and gratuitous regulations, and will enhance spiritual gifts rather than assign them. The sacred cows of control and regulation can be devoured, as leaders and people are converted to a new style of ministry. -
Leading Adult Learners
$20.99Add to cartA handbook for adult Sunday school classes, this book includes reproducible handouts as well as guidelines and training helps.
Leading Adult Learners offers practical help in determining what topics to study and the best teaching styles for particular age groups. It includes information about publicity and teacher and leader training, and also numerous survey questionnaires to help determine class format and study preferences. Guidelines/responsibilities for class officers are also provided.
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Team Ministry : Putting Together A Team That Makes Churches Grow
$16.99Add to cartUsing a step by step approach, Dick Iverson explains the biblical pattern for local chruch admisistration – a plurality of elders led by God’s “set man”. He provides a method for establishing a team ministry within any local chruch that includes 12 principles on how to maintain the leadership team once it is put into place. He concludes the text with information on how to discover and train young leaders within the church.
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Effective Keys To Successful Leadership
$14.99Add to cartLearn, from this dynamic model, what it takes to build an effective leadership team and healthy local church. Common ministry temptations and tensions are candidly discussed, emphasizing the need for personal vision and mission in your ministry.
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What Do You Say To A Burning Bush Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartMany who preach from the lectionary are drawn to the gospel for their sermon focus. Yet Steve Burt’s alluring treatment of these first lesson texts will stimulate the desire to proclaim the captivating tales drawn from these Old Testament lessons. In many ways it is easier for the contemporary hearer to identify with these Old Testament characters. They are less perfect, approachable, very human in their faith struggles and in many respects much like us.
Titles include:
* What Do You Do When Life Ain’t Fair? (Genesis 29:15-28)
* The Face of God (Genesis 32:22-31)
* Need Help Removing that Roadblock? (Exodus 14:19-31)
* But You Can’t Get Water Out of a Rock! (Exodus 17:1-7) -
Stained Glass Ceiling
$24.00Add to cartAs record numbers of women graduate from seminaries,they are increasingly filling positions once held exclusivelyby men. Purvis documents what happened in the lives of two congregations that appointed women senior pastors and the impact these appointments had on all concerned. She carefully assesses the changes and discerns the significance of female leadership as opposed to male leadership in these two settings.
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Real Hope In Chicago
$19.99Add to cartWhen Wayne Gordon and his wife started a Bible study for high school kids in North Lawndale, Chicago, people warned them that a white couple moving into a black neighborhood as a recipe for disaster. That was twenty-five years ago. Today, what began as the Gordons’ seedling Bible study has become the Lawndale Community Church. It has a staff of 150, has renovated more than 100 local apartments, has helped more than 50 young people graduate from college, runs a medical clinic that treated 50,000 patients in 1994, and has become a vital part of rebuilding an inner-city neighborhood into a community of faith and hope. Real Hope in Chicago is Wayne Gordon’s inspiring account of how people, white and black, rich and poor, old and young, worked together to transform a decaying neighborhood into a place where love is lived out in practical and miraculous ways. It offers an exciting model for interracial cooperation, urban-suburban church partnering–and real hope for the inner cities of our nation.
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Getting The Word Across
$31.99Add to cartIf you’ve had little or no speech training, here’s how to “get the Word across.” Offering practical lessons in disciplined speech, Jacks, a professor of speech communication in ministry, discusses various methods of effective oral interpretation, as well as voice and diction techniques to improve the impact of God’s Word on your audience.
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Taking Care : Monitoring Power Dynamics And Relational Boundaries In Pastor
$25.99Add to cartClarifies how to distinguish between healthy therapeutic relationships and ones which have become abusive.
Carrie Doehring propose an approach to pastoral counseling that focuses on taking care of ourselves and those we minister to by monitoring power dynamics and relational boundaries in our relationships. When we monitor the power struggles within us, between us, in our communities and cultures, and the ways in which we are pulled to disengagement and merger, we will be able to prevent abuse and neglect. We will also be more likely to experience empowering, empathic moments in our relationships, and use these to “get our bearings.”
Taking care by monitoring the interaction of power dynamics and relational boundaries is a theological task. It is one way of seeing our potential for sin and our capacity for violence. When empowering empathic moments come, we glimpse who God is: both the immanent God whose grace shines through our uniqueness and the uniqueness of our relationships, and the transcendent God who goes far beyond who we are.
Doehring uses case studies from the fiction of John Updike, Sinclair Ross, Toni Morrison, Iris Murdoch, and Margaret Atwood to reflect on power dynamics and relational boundaries in cases of clergy sexual misconduct, racism, and the dilemmas of faith in a post-modern context.
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Seek The Peace Of The City A Print On Demand Title
$19.99Add to cartThis is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable.
This volume sounds a ringing summons to today’s churches to give primacy once again to urban ministry. Informed by a high degree of theological and social- scientific insight and by a wealth of experience in the urban milieu, Villafae lays out a vision of a church that, unlike the trend today, refuses to retreat from the challenges of city life. Includes chapters by Douglas Hall, Efrain Agosto, and Bruce W. Jackson. Foreword by Harvey Cox.
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Help For The Small Church Pastor
$12.99Add to cartChurches of less than 150 remain the rule rather than the exception in American Christianity. However, seminaries don’t equip their students in every way that’s necessary to effectively lead smaller congregations — despite the fact that most seminary graduates will becomes small-church pastors. Help for the Small-Church Pastor offers pastors of small churches the guidance and encouragement they need. In this common-sense book, Steve Bierly draws from his eleven years in ministry to show what makes smaller congregations tick. Help for the Small-Church Pastor provides practical insights on uniquely “small-church” issues, such as– The characteristics of small churches – How to work effectively as an “insider” within the small church – How God is at work in powerful ways in smaller assemblies – How to motivate your church toward positive change and true growth – How to invest your own time and energy in the right directions – How your church can reach out to the community in ways that are practical and productive — “There are many ways for even the smallest congregation to be true to the church’s calling,” says Steve Bierly. Help for the Small-Church Pastor will steer you through the strengths and weaknesses of your small church to unearth its true riches.
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Theology And Pastoral Counseling A Print On Demand Title
$28.99Add to cartThis is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable.
This volume lays out an important new interdisciplinary approach to the relationship between theology and psychology in the work of pastoral counseling. Hunsinger sets forth a method for relating theology and psychology from a Barthian theological perspective. Her work shows that Barth’s theology provides a wealth of material for pastoral counselors who wish to bring a consistent theological perspective to the interpretive task.
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Surviving The Death Of A Child
$20.00Add to cartSurviving the Death of a Child is about enduring and surviving the most painful of all loses: the death of one’s child. This is the story of a journey from grief to healing. But more, it is a story of faith and love told so that others may find comfort and understanding when faced with this most devasting loss.
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Young Children And Worship
$32.00Add to cart1. Introduction
2. Getting Ready To Be With God
Worship Center Order
3. Presentations
Stories
4. Patterns And InstructionsAdditional Info
Young children need a special environment where they can meet and worship God. They should have their own experiences where their faith can be nurtured and they can be prepared to join in the full life of the congregation.Sonja M. Stewart and Jerome W. Berryman have taken the needs of children into account and devised. an exciting way to introduce three- to seven-year-olds to the wonder of worship. Their approach, which integrates religious education and worship, has been presented at numerous workshops and training sessions. Based on the authors’ experiences, the methods described here will be invaluable to teachers helping children understand and participate in worship. For their part, children will be led to experience God, using all their senses.
Activities are developed around the order of worship commonly used in Reformed churches: assemble in God’s name; proclaim God’s Word; give thanks to God; go in God’s name. Stewart and Berryman suggest
beginning with the most essential parts of the service, adding to these as the children progress. -
Teach Yourself New Testament Greek
$26.99Add to cartAn understanding of the New Testament’s original language pays rich dividends to those who want more out of the Bible. But few laypersons have a spare year or more to learn Greek in a formal academic setting. In this study guide, Macnair uses the same innovative, non-technical methods that successfully jump-start today’s “English as a Second Language” learners.
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Gospel Sermons For Children Series A
$12.99Add to cartGospel Sermons for Children is a part of the Gospel A Series. It will provide you with 60 age appropriate sermons with texts taken primarily from the book of Matthew as given in the Revised Common Lectionary. After the name of the Sunday and the reference for the Gospel text, these follow: Focus-A brief statement of the theme. Experience-What you and the children will be doing. Preparatin-What needs to be done ahead of time.
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Designing Effective Womens Ministries
$24.99Add to cart5 Parts
Additional Info
Do you have a vision for women’s ministry? Here’s how to make it a reality.For nearly 25 years, Elmbrook Church in Waukesha, Wisconsin, has supported a variety of ministries by and for women. Today their program stands as a model. Yet, as the authors of Designing Effective Women’s Ministries will tell you, it did not happen overnight, but through trial and error.
In this book, the authors share what worked for them and what didn’t. They explain how to start where you are, with what you have, and how to do what God wants you to do.
This book includes tips and techniques for establishing groups and programs that meet the needs of today’s women. The book shows how to develop programs that are specifically tailored to your church and your community.
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Peace : Christian Living In A Violent World
$6.99Add to cartDiscover the potential for peacemaking and peace in each day’s events and especially in the ways you touch one another’s lives. These are troubled times and violent times. Experience the power of God’s gift of peace as you probe ways to solve differences and pursue justice with faith and courage in daily life. Six lessons.
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Faith : Confidence And Doubt In Daily Life
$6.99Add to cartWhat does Christian faith have to do with our ordinary day-to-day life? This question is presented in personal ways for you and your small group. Explore faith in life-cycle experiences–moods and situations, joy and discouragement, confidence and doubt.
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Faithquakes
$26.99Add to cartIn this book Leonard Sweet invites the church to take more than a stand, but to begin to take an active role in compliance with the time we live in. With up-to-the-minute monitoring of changes and trends that affect our lives, Sweet provides refreshingly unconventional glimpses into the future that must be grasped by church leaders. We learn: how to pursue a more effective, “go and tell” evangelism that reaches the “cocooning” culture; how to rekindle Christian imagination through sensuality, virtual reality, and energized prayer, music, or spiritual experience; how the church can open house for all of God’s people, and more!
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Conflict Mediation Across Cultures
$32.00Add to cartAugsburger boldly suggests that we can even reach the point of enjoying differences once we learn how to understand the cultural, psychological and social background from which these emerge. Oh yes, the spiritual and religious issues are also a vital part of the total scenario which produces conflict.
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Hum : Call And Response In African America Preaching
$20.99Add to cartIn The Hum: Call and Response in African Preaching, Evans E. Crawford, with Thomas H. Troeger, relates his analysis of African American folk preaching by relying upon an indigenous scheme for evaluation. The call/response tension in black preaching (derived from a West African tradition) is what drives the musicality of speech in black churches. Crawford refers to this musicality as “hum thoughts” and one can imagine the choir responding with a low rumbling hum to the musical intonations of a motivated preacher.
Key features: a new volume in the Abingdon Preacher’s Library, edited by Thomas H. Troeger; a different approach to preaching, firmly rooted in the black experience; leads the reader to understand preaching as an oral event; uses the term “homiletical musicality” to describe the musical understanding of the way sermons are heard and the oral response they awaken in the listener; and, coins new phrases for describing the preaching event.
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Turnaround Strategies For The Small Church
$22.99Add to cartIn Turnaround Strategies for the Small Church, the author shows what kind of leadership, evangelism, and outreach will bring about a desirable turnaround. He provides specific actions that will develop the skills of those who minister in the life of a small church, and helps pastors and other church leaders evaluate their ministry objectively, thereby enhancing their daily practice of ministry.
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Godly Play : An Imaginative Approach To Religious Education
$19.00Add to cart1. Playing And Reality
2. An Adult At Play
3. Children At Play
4. The Spoken Lesson
5. The Unspoken Lesson
6. The Imagination And Godly Play
7. The Theology Of ChildhoodAdditional Info
Meaningful, lasting learning comes from childlike curiosity and play. The approach of this book is to make relgious instruction fun, spontaneous and deeply spiritual. Godly Play is a practical yet innovative approach to religious education–becoming childlike in order to teach children. -
Hiroshima And Nagasaki Memories And Questions
$12.95Add to cartOf all the anniversaries associated with the end of World War II-the liberation of the death camps, Hitler’s suicide, the forming of the United Nations organization, etc. — the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is the only event that engenders controversy among Americans.
This book of resources for the local church commemorated the tragic destruction of those two cities. Included is a chancel drama (dramatic dialogue) in which the pacifist Albert Einstein and the builder of the bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, debate its use. There is also an order of service which remembers the sufferings of those killed and injured without placing collective guilt and national recrimination. And there are several chapters of topics for discussion which canvass all viewpoints. All generations will find this material enlightening and fascinating.
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Diaconate
$54.95Add to cartHere is a highly readable, comprehensive, and definitive work on the diaconate. Drawing upon original sources., the book provides valuable insights into the development of the office of the deacon in the early church and situates it within the context of the church’s total ministry. The book ultimately proposes a restoration of the office to its original place as a full and equal order.
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Whispering The Lyrics Cycle A
$14.95Add to cartBased on texts from the Revised Common and Catholic lectionaries, Thomas Long provides inspirational messages to motivate and help preachers through their most difficult preaching time of the year, the seasons of Lent and Easter.
The road to Easter takes us through the most sacred stretch of the Gospel story, and the narratives simply overwhelm us … Congregations who blithely assume that their pastor eagerly relishes the chance to preach the passion and resurrection of Jesus are, for the most part, mistaken. To be sure the pews are more crowded as Easter approaches, the choirs are well-rehearsed and in full voice, and an electric charge courses through the sanctuary, but the preacher stands there with the obligation to proclaim the truths of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and it seems, at one and the same time, to be a set of claims too little to go on in a secular and cynical age and a range of mysteries too profound to speak. (from author’s foreword)
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Critique Of Modern Youth Ministry
$7.00Add to cartThe church today does not expect what it ought to from children and their parents, and this can be attributed in large part to a flawed concept of youth ministry. This booklet discusses the reasons behind this problem and presents biblical solutions.
The intent of this booklet is to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.
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Words For Worship
$18.99Add to cartThis collection by Arlene M. Mark is a ready resource for pastors and leaders to enrich and deepen worship together. When offered in bulletins, these words can become congregational statements that unify believers and nourish faith and discipleship. Responsive readings come from all ages of the church- our common Christian legacy.
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Wrinkled Wrappings
$12.95Add to cartWrinkled Wrappings is a series of pulpit messages for Advent and Christmas carved from the pen and emanating from the heart of a distinguished preacher whose messages inspire hope in the hearts of believers. Brokhoff is especially skilled at relating biblical stories to modern life. The flowing style of these sermons is peppered with gripping illustrations that catch us where we are and carry us along as he shines the light of God’s Word into our lives.
Sermons are based on texts from Mark, Luke, John, and Isaiah.
Sermon titles include:
You’re Going To Have A Baby
Good News For Bad Times
God With A Human Face
Happy Next Year? -
Who Me Do A Program 1
$17.95Add to cartThe title of this book is a cry often heard by leaders of organizations. This resource is a response to that cry. Designed to be a 12-month guide, there are programs for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, the Christmas season, Lent and more.
The programs are designed for easy implementation at women’s meetings, youth gatherings and congregational events. Leader’s helps are provided to indicate what props, songs and readers are needed. This collection of 15 programs is reflective, at times humorous, and includes skits, meditations and other suggestions to fit particular seasons.Programs for various months include:
* February — A Heart Filled With Love
* March — From Slavery To Sainthood
* May — A Humorous Look At Some Hopeful Women
* July — God’s Picnic Basket
* August — The Armor Of God
* October — In Pursuit Of The Right Spirit
* November — The Exodus Murmurs
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Preaching The Parables Series 2 Cycle A
$20.95Add to cartParables provide insights and lessons which are timeless. When they are employed in preaching the hearer receives images which are easy to remember. Preaching the Parables provides a means of communicating the teachings of Jesus for modern Christians.
With each parable Keeney includes:
Scripture Text -so readers don’t have to refer to the Bible
Theme
Context:
of the church year
of the passage or verse
of the other lections for the day
of the scriptures
of the pericope
Contemplation
Homily Hints
“Point of Contact”
“Points to Ponder”
Illustrative Materials -
Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series 5 Cycle A
$42.95Add to cartBigger, stronger, better! Russell Anderson has taken the most original and successful lectionary resource in history and improved on it. He has kept all of the traditional features that have made it a classic, such as: overviews of each liturgical season, commentaries compatible with the Revised Common and Roman Catholic lectionaries (plus Lutheran and Episcopal lections for those gradually converting to the Revised Common Lectionary), an introduction to the featured Gospel narrator (Matthew, in Cycle A), theological reflections for exploring the relationships between the texts, wide margins for note-taking and a stay-flat binding.
Instead of stopping there, though, he has added: a 7″ x 10″ one-size-fits-all format, a suggested sermon title for each week, a Sermon Angle which briefly explicates the theological theme for the day (sometimes providing two or three of them) and two to four illustrative stories per chapter.
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Invitations To The Light Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartThe fascination of story telling is felt in these eleven sermons for the Pentecost season. Vibrantly illustrated, they powerfully communicate the good news of God’s love. Wolkenhauer writes, “The use of story in preaching can be a memorable way to proclaim the Gospel. In these sermons I have sought a variety of examples for the use of story in sermons.
Included here are sermons for the final third of the Season after Pentecost, Christ the King Sunday, All Saints’ Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Reformation Sunday.
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Good News For The Hard Of Hearing Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartJesus spoke to people whose “hearts have grown dull, and their ears hard of hearing” — like today’s churchgoers who think they know what the preacher is going to say before the sermon begins. These sermons use parable and paradox, narrative and humor, imagination and solid biblical scholarship to tell the good news people don’t expect to hear.
I hear best what I want to hear and I shut out the things I don’t want to hear. I hear, “Great sermon, Pastor!” better than I hear, “I notice your hair is getting thinner” … I have no problem at all hearing the good news that I am forgiven. I have a really hard time hearing a parable that tells me I will suffer the tortures of the damned until I forgive. These sermons have been influenced by preachers who have gotten through to me despite my spiritual hearing impairment. Craddock, Buechner and Lowry … David Buttrick … Harry Emerson Fosdick … (from author’s preface)
Sermons in this book are based on lections for the middle third of the Season after Pentecost.
Sermon titles include:
Prayer and Compassion Fatigue — Matthew 14:13-21
Love Without Limits — Matthew 15:10-28
Good News: Life Is Not Fair — Matthew 20:1-16
Why Do We Ignore Warning Signs? — Matthew 21:33-46 -
Veiled Glimpses Of Gods Glory
$12.95Add to cartThis volume makes clear why Robert Grilley has won awards and wide acclaim for his preaching. These messages bring the reality of God to contemporary life.
He listens as we sometimes speak of how difficult it is to find God and how we receive only veiled glimpses of His glory. These sermons allow us to discover that the Almighty is actually trying to find us … as the love of One searching for absent sheep, crying aloud through the night in a familiar voice and reaching down steep ravines with his shepherd’s crook. It is the love of One waiting wistfully at the gate where the road winds in from a far country, tenderly whispering a name through choked tears and hoping that some day the silhouette of a long lost child will again appear on the horizon. -
Tenders Of The Sacred Fire Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartThese sermons are based on First Lesson lectionary texts for the first third of the Season after Pentecost, Cycle A.
[Bob Cueni’s] preaching meets the unspoken criteria most pew residents bring to a church sanctuary: 1) biblically rooted, 2) easy to understand, 3) tells me something about myself that I feel God wants me to know, and 4) encourages me to believe that I can apply this truth to my life…. His communication style evokes the highest praise pulpit residents can give their peers: “That will preach!”
Herb Miller Lubbock, TexasSermon titles include:
The Risky Business Of Faith — Genesis 12:1-9
When Life Doesn’t Go According To Plan — Genesis 21:8-21
Don’t Sell Your Inheritance For Cabbage Soup — Genesis 25:19-34 -
Jesus Epilogue To The Sermon On The Mount
$12.95Add to cartCharles Link takes the unique approach that the Lord’s Prayer is a further interpretation of Jesus’ Sermon On The Mount, summarizing the major themes of his teachings and providing a means for “signing on” to their morally demanding and culture countering ethics.
Designed with two six-chapter sections, its frequent references to the Lord’s Prayer make this book a useful companion to the Lord’s Prayer sermon series, A New Hearing Of An Old Prayer, by Thomas C. Short (CSS Publishing Co. 1995). In the first half of the book Link explores the realm of God. In the second half he outlines our role in that realm. Readers will particularly enjoy the author’s questions and group participation suggestions to stimulate their learning and growth. This book will give the Lord’s Prayer new meaning.
Chapter titles include:
Jesus As Teacher Of The Realm Of God
Trusting Our Parent-God
Forgiven Forgivers
An “Amen” People -
Mothers Of The Bible
$12.95Add to cartWe often hear of the lack of and the need for, strong role models in our society. This worship service, about 10 biblical women who overcame seemingly impossible situations by being faithful to God, provides just such role models, The traumatic experiences and depths of faith of these women, though poignant, are rarely considered in today’s society.
These 10 women came from various levels of society and had different types of problems. Yet, they all knew God as their only hope and refuge. An excellent resource for Mother’s Day, it is also great for other special occasions.
Characters included are:
* Hagar
* Sarah
* Moses’ mother
* Rahab
* Deborah
* Naomi and Ruth
* Hannah
* Esther
* Elizabeth -
Regarding Children
$28.00Add to cartThis series examines major changes that occur in the life cycle of a family: leaving home, becoming married, raising children, recommitting to a relationship–or committing to a new one–and living alone. Books address the major tasks of the family; rituals that enable effective transitions as those tasks change; beliefs and values from the Christian tradition that shape and are shaped by those family tasks; and pastoral opportunities in response to family life-cycle generations.
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1001 Humorous Illustrations For Public Speaking
$24.99Add to cartYou have something important to say. Are you sure your audience is listening? Clocks start ticking in the minds of your listeners the minute you begin your presentation. These clocks measure the amount of time you have to interest them before their attention wanders elsewhere. Could be three minutes. Could be thirty seconds. But make your audience laugh and they forget about their clocks. They are too busy listening. Make them laugh and they will listen. Humor is one of your most powerful tools as a speaker, and 1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking lets you wield it with power. Michael Hodgin has compiled hundreds of humorous anecdotes on dozens of topics and brought them together in one book. From “Ability” and “Accidents” to “Work” and “Worship,” Hodgin’s illustrations are arranged according to topic and indexed to help you quickly find the perfect anecdote. The book also provides space to record the times and places you use each illustration, so no one will hear you tell the same joke twice. Ideal for preachers, teachers, executives, and anyone else who speaks publicly, 1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking will keep your audience laughing — and listening to every word you say.
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Spiritual Life : The Foundation For Preaching And Teaching
$26.00Add to cartJohn Westerhoff offers this resource to help preachers and teachers revitalize their lives and ministries. Noting that the health of our spiritual life is based on our image of God, he asks readers to open their imaginations to new ways of knowing. Recognizing that the spiritual life can be fostered in many ways, he helps readers recognize which types of spiritual formation are most compatible with particular personality types.
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Preaching That Connects
$14.99Add to cartMaster the craft of effective communication that grabs attention and wins hearts. Like everyone else, preachers long to be understood. Unfortunately the rules first learned in seminary, if misapplied, can quickly turn homiletic precision into listening boredom. To capture both hearts and minds, Mark Galli and Craig Larson suggest preachers turn to the lessons of journalism. In Preaching that Connects they show how the same key used to create effective, captivating communication in the media can transform a sermon. Amply illustrated from some of today’s best preachers, Preaching that Connects walks through the entire sermon, from the critical introduction, to the bridge, to the illustrations and final application. Key points include the five key techniques for generating creative ideas, your six options for illustrations, and the ten rules for great story-telling — and why the transition sentence is the hardest sentence you’ll write. Preaching that Connects is for all who seek to hone their craft to communicate the truth of the Gospel effectively.
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Healers Harmed And Harmful
$21.00Add to cart“At a time when clergy misconduct is broadly reported, Conrad Weiser offers a straightforward, theoretically orthodox, and practical way of both understanding and addressing the issues. Leadership, laity, and clergy would be served well by reading and reflecting on Weiser’s wisdom.”
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Educating Congregations : The Future Of Christian Education
$22.99Add to cartA leading Christian educator offers a practical guide for revisioning a church’s educational program. After identifying the weaknesses in current education programs, Charles Foster offers an alternative vision that is more cooperative, more attentive to the whole of the congregation’s life, and that helps people critically correlate the Bible and Christian tradition to their own experience.
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Reclaiming The Bible
$30.00Add to cartIn this series of messages based on scripture, the author demonstrates the vital applications of the Bible for our own times. He illuminates the great words of faith for contemporary use–words like love, grace, and reconciliation. He interprets characters from the Bible, sheding modern light on the events of Jesus’ life. He also addresses social issues such as sexuality and violence, showing that the message of God’s grace is relevant for our time.
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I Come Away Stronger A Print On Demand Title
$39.99Add to cartMillions of Americans are joining small groups. Among the religious, prayer fellowships, accountability groups, house churches, Bible-study groups, and covenant groups are being touted as the wave of the future. But are small groups delivering what they promise? Are members really finding the support, encouragement, and deepening spirituality they seek? Or are the answers ambiguous?
I Come Away Stronger, the complement to Robert Wuthnow’s Sharing the Journey, presents fourteen case studies of small groups – from a women’s Bible study, to a peace fellowship, to a group for senior citizens. What small groups are like nationally and how their members understand spirituality can be gauged from the results of a national survey presented in the appendix.
This survey is given life and flesh in the extended portraits of each of the groups. These portraits are powerful and highly personal because they tell the stories, both collective and personal, of each group, revealing agreement and dissension, closeness and alienation, growth and stagnation. The result is an intimate inside look at the dynamics of small groups.
In a concluding chapter, Wuthnow places the small group movement in the changing context of American religion and society, showing why is has emerged and where it is headed, raising crucial questions that religious leaders and group members need to ponder as the movement continues to grow.
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Guide To Retreat For All Gods Shepherds
$23.99Add to cartA Guide To Retreat is designed to assist you in a time of reflection, prayer, and renewal. The resources included are intended to help you turn more fully towards God, to drink more deeply of God, and to prepare you for faithful ministry.
The author examines facing the desert times in our lives, explores personal identity and its meaning in ministry, and much more. A book for conducting one’s own ministerial/spiritual retreat, facing such concerns as “When All I Hear is Silence,” “The Tension Between Doing and Being,” and “Who Really Calls and Sends?”
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Marriage Manual A Print On Demand Title
$23.99Add to cartThis book is divided into two parts: Part 1: Arranging the Wedding: Present day concerns and celebrations Ministry before and after the ceremony Making the service more personal Conducting the service Music and the wedding Guidelines for weddings and receptions This edition contains the newest liturgies available from a variety of denominations. Part 2: Model Services A Classical Service A Baptist Service An Episcopal Service A Lutheran Service A Presbyterian Service A United Methodist Service The Blessing of a Civil Marriage
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Funeral Manual
$25.99Add to cart1. The Christian Funeral Service
2. Planning The Service
3. Conducting The Service
4. Music And Other Resources
5. The Funeral Sermon
6. Developing A Church Policy On Funerals
7. A United Methodist Service
8. An Episcopal Service
9. A Presbyterian Service
10. A Unite DChurch Of Christ Service
11. A Baptist Service
12. A Lutheran Service
13. Service For The Burial Of A Child
14. A Free ServiceAdditional Info
This book seeks to furnish working pastors with a selection of funeral services and to guide them in planning and conducting the funeral service. The book also offers help in developing a funeral policy in a local church and resources for educating a congregation in death, dying, and the Christian funeral service. -
Hospital Visitation Manual
$24.99Add to cartThis book is written primarily to enable the working pastor to become more effective in giving spiritual care both at home and in the hospital. The first four chapters of this manual will help you get acquainted with the hospital community and learn steps in visiting the sick. It also explains the pastor’s role with the sick and the patient’s relationship to the illness. Part two of this manual offers guidelines on pastoral care for specific types of patients; Aids patient, Burn patient, Cancer patient, Coronary patient, etc. The last part deals with services, prayers, poems, hymns, and selected Scripture passages.
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Finneys Systematic Theology (Expanded)
$45.00Add to cartTrue to Scripture, true to reason, and true to life.
Discover why these writings have been the impetus for revivals around the world.
Students of revival agree that Charles Grandison Finney spearheaded one of America’s greatest revivals and influenced the course of history. Church rolls swelled in the wake of Finney’s revivals. He is often directly or indirectly credited with the conversions of around 500,000 people.
Finney’s theological convictions were born in the fires of revival and shaped by a keen lawyer’s mind committed to the full authority of the Bible. He gave his life to promote: “The return to and practice of Biblical Christianity in the power of the Holy Spirit for the sake of God’s kingdom and glory.” The distinctive truths that Finney preached brought such a deep conviction of sin that today’s church does well when it studies his position on the moral government of God, the nature of man, the atonement, sovereignty, attributes of love, unity of moral action and regeneration.
This expanded volume represents the complete 1878 edition, two lectures of truth from the earlier 1847 and 1851 editions, a comprehensive introduction from L.G. Parkhurst, Jr., plus appendixes, a glossary, and a scripture index.
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Giving Birth
$40.00Add to cartThe birth of a child is important in the lives of women, families, and communities. But as a metaphor for pastoral practice, it is a sadly underdeveloped theme in theology and ministry. The author offers a remedy for this lack with this unique work, urging the incorporation into worship of Scripture with allusions to birthing–which would enliven the church’s theology.
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Days Are Surely Coming Cycle C
$12.95Add to cartIn Bethlehem the rules are different. We get by giving. We win by losing. We live by dying. These are principles set forth by a God who comes to us, not under Herod’s golden crown, but Jesus’ thorny crown, not with legions of soldiers, but legions of angels, not in great Jerusalem, but in tiny Bethlehem. Let us begin our journey there. From the Advent 3 sermon
Robert A. Hausman writes that once again in Advent, we tell Israel’s story of hope against hope. We believe the promise of a shoot coming forth from a dead stump, of a king who executes justice.
“In faith we are ready to be called by the name, ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ We remember not only the promise, but also the fulfillment,” says the author.
The 17 sermons in this book are based on the First Lesson texts primarily from Isaiah and Jeremiah. The sermons follow the Revised Common Lectionary.
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Out Of The Cults And Into The Church
$20.99Add to cart10 Chapters
222 PagesAdditional Info
There are plenty of books that tell you what a particular cult believes. “Out Of The Cults And Into The Church” shows you the turmoil and adjustments that former cult members experience as they grow in Christian faith and come to terms with bilical truth. Drawing upon the composite experiences of former cult members from Mormonism, the Unification Church, Hare Krishnas, and her own experience, Janis Hutchinson provides a one-of-a-kind counseling tool for pastors, counselors, and friends seeking to understand and help both former cult members and active cult members who are “investigating” evangelical Christianity. “Out Of The Cults And Into The Church” answers the difficult questions faced by all who have left cults and those who counsel them. -
Hot Illustrations For Youth Talks
$22.99Add to cartYour search for lively, effective illustrations to spice up your youth talks is over. Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks is here! Veteran youth worker and nationally-known speaker Wayne Rice has carefully selected and crafted 100 of the best stories, parables and anecdotes available anywhere.
Rice has assembled this collection of illustrations from his personal files and from the files of some of youth ministry’s best speakers, including:
Tony Campolo, Ray Johnston, Les Christie, Rick Bundschuh, Chap Clark, Ken Kageler, Dewey Bertolini, Mike Yaconellie and many more.These illustrations cover the spectrum-some will make you laugh, some will make you cry, and all of them will make you think. What they all have in common is that they work with teenagers. They’re just the thing to give your youth talks that extra spark you’re looking for.
You’ll love what Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks will do for your youth talks. And your kids will love you for it!
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Creative Bible Lessons From The Life Of Christ
$22.99Add to cartDo you want to teach solid Biblical truth to your kids without their eyes glazing over as soon as you say “open your Bibles”? Now you can, with Creative Bible Lessons on the Life of Christ. Veteran youth worker and Bible teacher Doug Fields has crafted 12 lively, ready-to-use lessons that actually make it fun to dig into Scripture. Fields utilizes creative learning techniques to spark your kids’ interest and keep them actively involved in each lesson, including: – Learning games . . . – Hilarious handouts – Art projects anyone can do . . . Challenging simulations – Thought-provoking worksheets . . . – Skits and roleplays These techniques are built into clear, easy-to-use lessons that keep your kids active as they absorb the Biblical truth of each lesson. Fields also provides you with a brief teaching outline in each lesson that you can present to bring the message home. Best of all, these lessons are so complete, they require very little preparation time. You’ll be able to build quality, creative Bible teaching into your busy schedule — with Creative Bible Lessons on the Life of Christ
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Everyday Anytime Guide To Christian Leadership
$12.00Add to cartThe Everyday, Anytime Guide to Christian Leadership is a book for you regardless of when or where you find yoursef leading. It provides a wonderful oppurtunity to learn about the real character of leadership from someone who models what he teaches.
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Islam : An Introduction For Christians
$19.99Add to cartWhat do Muslims believe? How do Muslims pray and worship? What are the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam? These and many other questions are answered in this informative introduction to Islam. Christians of all denominations will find reliable and up to date information on Islam and its relationship to Christianity. The first part of the book surveys the faith and life of Islam, exploring the subjects of the Qur’an, Muhammad, beliefs about God, justice and the law, women and family, death and eternal life. Part 2 tells about Islam in North America, both its early history and the current situatuion. Part 3 describes various groups and movements within Islam. Part 4 looks at Islam and Christianity, their encounters in history, the Bible and the Qur’an, and how Jesus is regarded by Muslims. Part 5 presents a Christian evaluation of Islam.
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Teaching For Spiritual Growth
$24.99Add to cartTeaching for Spiritual Growth deals with two important questions: 1) What does it mean to be spiritually mature ? and 2) What can the church do to help people grow spiritually? These questions are explored from the perspectives of theology, developmental psychology, and educational learning theory. The book integrates the three perspectives into a unified view of the teaching-learning process based on a biblical view of persons: 1. Theology: the divine side of spiritual growth. What does the nature of God tell us about teaching spiritual maturity? 2. Psychology: how God has designed people to grow. How does human development affect the process of achieving spiritual maturity? 3. Education: the learning process that produces spiritual growth. What is the process people go through to achieve spiritual maturity? The goal is to help readers develop a philosophy of Christian education that will be applicable to a variety of ministry contexts.
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Using Scripture In Pastoral Counseling
$20.99Add to cartDrawing on narrative biblical criticism and the psychology of narrative, the book suggests a model for pastoral counseling using Scripture to explore and release human possiblities. Detailed case studies are presented to depict the way the Bible can be used with counselees. Particular attention is given to pastoral counseling with individuals, marital couples, and families who bring to pastoral counseling a history of employing Scripture to bring order and meaning to their lives. Often, however, the biblical story seems to be secondary in their lives, and a more dominant and unhealthy story is primary. The method of using Scripture suggested in this book illuminates how the Bible story challenges and transforms unhealthy dominant stories that people bring to counseling.
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Community Of Joy
$22.99Add to cartIf congregations are to reach new generations of people, they must explore new styles of worship. Timothy Wright stikes a balance between liturgical worhip and worship that seeks to meet the needs of the unchurched and those who have a “hi-tech”, baby-boomer mentality. Written by a pastor in a vital and growing congregation, A COMMUNITY OF JOY suggests practical, innovative, and nontraditional forms of worship, enabling churches to minister more effectively.
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African American Church Growth
$20.99Add to cartAfrican American Church Growth offers 12 principles for prophetic ministry. Stewart contends that it is precisely the prophetic consciousness which appeals to many blacks of the post-civil rights era, and that emphasis on the prophetic will help bring the black church out of the disillusionment of a “post-civil rights malaise.”
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Social Context Of Pastoral Care
$40.00Add to cartBecause their work focuses primarily on the fields of theology and psychology, pastoral caregivers have often neglected to take into account the social forces that affect both the careseeker and the caregiver. Furniss introduces sociology as a third discipline to draw upon in their work. Biographical notes about key figures in sociology and a glossary are included.
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Old Wine In New Skins 1
$16.95Add to cart“Worship must be directly connected to our daily lives,” writes George A. Nye. “It must address our fears, our hopes, even our indifferences.”
Old Wine In New Skins provides pastors many resources to make the connection. These include 66 calls to worship, 13 preparations for pastoral prayers and 52 reflections.
Calls to worship categories include:
With praise and celebration
Using traditional hymns and praise hymns
Relating to a story
With a commitment theme
Involving personal preparation
By seasonA preparation for pastoral prayer section helps pastors broaden a congregation’s understanding of how to approach God in prayer. Thirteen “preparations” are provided, including one for Advent-Christmas.
Fifty-two short reflections cover eight major themes for countless pastoral uses. These are easily adopted for mini-devotions, sermon illustrations, and newsletter meditations.
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Living The Easter Faith
$12.95Add to cartLiving The Easter Faith is a series of Easter season sermons based on themes from Jesus’ parables. The parables demonstrate in a concrete and specific way the very heart and mind of the God revealed in Jesus.
“The Resurrection Age invites a new way of thinking and living in God’s world,” writes Donald William Dotterer. “Being Christian means that we adopt an alternative lifestyle. The parables of Jesus provide us with direction and insight for living the Easter faith.”
Sermons cover Easter Sunday through Easter 7. Texts are from Matthew, Luke and John. Sermon titles include “The Return Of The Lost,” “Counting The Cost,” and “Surprised By Grace.”
