Pastoral Helps
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Last Pastor : Faithfully Steering A Closing Church
$32.00Add to cartGail Cafferata was heartbroken when the church she pastored voted to close its doors. It may have been the right decision, but it led to a million questions in her mind about her call, leadership, and future. She began to think that other pastors who close churches perhaps go through this same experience. This led her to obtain a grant from the Louisville Institute to conduct a sociological study of over 130 pastors in five historically established denominations (Episcopal, Lutheran, United Methodist, Presbyterian, and United Church of Christ) who were called to serve churches that closed. This book tells the results of that study, which consisted of many interviews, and the hard-won lessons learned by these courageous pastors.
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What Is Jesus Doing
$40.99Add to cartHow do we understand Jesus’ present activity in a challenging, post-Christian context? Leading thinkers in pastoral theology, homiletics, liturgical theology, and missiology consider how to recognize the divine presence and join in what God is already doing in all areas of church ministry. With deep theological reflection, personal stories, and practical suggestions, this is a compelling interdisciplinary conversation.
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Loving Your Community
$20.00Add to cartAre you and your church making a difference in your community? Are you meeting needs in a positive, proactive, and loving way? Too often when churches are presented with a need outside their walls, they operate on the principle of “Say no unless you have to say yes.”
Don’t want that to be your church’s legacy in your community? Drawing on more than 30 years of service to the community surrounding Faith Church in Indiana, pastor Stephen Viars shows you how to develop a dynamic, giving relationship with your community, one in which your natural response to needs is “Yes! How can we help?”
No matter the size, location, demographics, or issues in your community, the approach found in this practical book will help you improve people’s lives, draw them into productive conversation about the hope you have in Christ, and glorify God.
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Collected Sermons Of Walter Brueggemann Volume 3
$44.00Add to cartThis collection features sixty sermons by Walter Brueggemann, preached mostly in the last five years. For his final public appearances, he preached at various churches and the Festival of Homiletics, including his last address there in 2018. Most of these are based on lectionary texts, with numerous sermons on Advent-Christmas and Lent-Easter texts. Preachers will find inspiration in the handful of sermons covering special occasions or themes, including confirmation, evangelism, and funerals.
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Leaders Journey : Accepting The Call To Personal And Congregational Transfo
$27.99Add to cartThis book helps pastors and church leaders understand the role their personal transformation as Jesus’s disciples plays in effective congregational leadership. It shifts the focus of leadership from techniques and charisma to spiritual transformation and developing emotional maturity so leaders can effectively lead congregations to embrace change. End-of-chapter discussion questions are included. The first edition sold more than 20,000 copies and has been regularly used as a textbook over the past fifteen years. The second edition has been revised throughout and includes a greater emphasis on Bowen Family Systems Theory.
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Collected Sermons Of David Bartlett
$46.00Add to cartThis collection of fifty-two sermons shows beloved New Testament scholar David Bartlett at his best. Bartlett, who died in 2017, spent his career teaching and mentoring preachers at The University of Chicago Divinity School, Yale Divinity School, Union Presbyterian Seminary, and Columbia Theological Seminary, as well as serving as a pastor in American Baptist churches. Thus, he has generations of friends and former students who knew him for his quick wit, passion for justice, and deep knowledge of the Bible.
Those traits show through in these sermons. As Nora Tisdale says in the foreword: “All of the sermons in this volume give witness to David’s passion for preaching that is solidly grounded in the biblical text. Most of them actually begin, as Karl Barth urged preachers to begin, with the biblical text. If they don’t begin there, they always get there fairly quickly. And David’s interpretations of texts often surprise the reader with their freshness and clarity.”
In addition to individual sermons, several multiweek sermon series, including a series on Who Is Jesus? and Great Words of the Faith, are included.
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Little Book For New Preachers
$14.99Add to cartOne of the central tasks of pastoral ministry is preaching the Word of God. Yet those who are called to ministry may feel unprepared, unable, or unwilling to step into this role. In this brief introduction to homiletics, seasoned preacher Matthew Kim provides proven insight and guidance about the importance and history of preaching, the characteristics of faithful preaching, and the personal habits of a faithful preacher.
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Pastor As Public Theologian
$22.00Add to cartMany pastors today see themselves primarily as counselors, leaders, and motivators. Yet this often comes at the expense of the fundamental reality of the pastorate as a theological office. The most important role is to be a theologian mediating God to the people. The church needs pastors who can contextualize biblical wisdom in Christian living to help their congregations think theologically about all aspects of their lives, such as work, end-of-life decisions, political involvement, and entertainment choices.
Drawing on the Bible, key figures from church history, and Christian theology, this book offers a clarion call for pastors to serve as public theologians in their congregations and communities. It is designed to be engaging reading for busy pastors and includes pastoral reflections on the theological task from twelve working pastors, including Kevin DeYoung and Cornelius Plantinga.
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Know What Youre FOR Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartWhat do you want to be know FOR? This is a great question for any leader of an organization to ask, whether it is a church, a business, or a nonprofit. After all, when an organization is able to close the gap between what they are known for and what they want to be known for, it results in unprecedented growth.
However, as Jeff Henderson reveals in the Know What You’re FOR small-group study (DVD/video downloads sold separately), this is also a great question for believers in Christ to ask themselves. All too often today, people in the world know more about what those in the church are AGAINST than what they are FOR. Instead of perceiving believers as being people of grace, love, and acceptance, they see them as angry, pessimistic, and intolerant. Certainly, as believers in Christ, we are called to state the truth about the condition of the world and its problem with sin . . . but the Bible is clear we are also to love others, extend grace, and get along as much as possible.
Back in the days of the early church, the believers also struggled with how to “draw the line” when it came to accepting the sinner but not the sin. The Christians even held a council in Jerusalem to discuss the issue and whether Gentiles were required to following Jewish practices to follow Jesus. It was the ruling of James, the brother of Christ and leader of the church, “that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God” (Acts 15:19). The early church decided to be FOR bringing people into the family of God instead of putting up unnecessary barriers that would keep them out.
Today, we are called to do the same . . . in our work lives, our relationships, our community, and our world. In this hypercritical and cynical world, we are called to be a group for who and what we’re FOR. It’s a powerful strategy for business . . . but more importantly, it is a revolutionary way to live.
Designed for use with Know What You’re FOR Video Study (sold separately).
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Jesus Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartIn this six-session video Bible study (DVD/digital downloads sold separately), bestselling author Max Lucado explores the life and character of Jesus, helping participants become more familiar with the man at the center of the greatest story ever told. As Max explains in this study, for thirty-three years Jesus felt everything that we have ever felt: weakness, weariness, rejections. He got colds. His feelings got hurt. His feet grew tired. His head ached.
To think of Jesus in such terms almost seems irreverent. It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation. Clean up the manure from around the manger. Wipe the sweat out of his eyes. Pretend he never snored or hit his thumb with a hammer. There is something about keeping Jesus divine that keeps him distant, packaged, and predictable.
But we have to remember that by Jesus becoming human, God made it possible for us to see him and hear his voice. If we want to know what matters to God, all we need to do is look in the Bible to see what matters to Jesus. If we want to know what God is doing in our world, we need only ponder the words of Jesus. By learning more about the person Jesus was and is, we come to understand more clearly the people we were created to be.
Jesus will inspire group members to spend time at the foot of the cross and search the heart of the one who would rather die for them than live without them.
Designed for use with the Jesus Video Study (sold separately).
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Growing A Healthy Church (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cart19 Chapters
Additional Info
Sheep Swapping. Shuffling of the Saints. Whatever you call it, many churches are growing only because Christians transfer from one church to another. What’s more, many churches aren’t growing at all.The problem, according to authors Dann Spader and Gary Mayes, is that too many church calendars are filled with out-dated, mediocre programs that have become more of a burden than a blessing. That, coupled with the fact that these programs minister almost exclusively to Christians, leaves little for the non-Christian ‘seeker’ to get excited about.
Growing a Healthy Church is not a list of trendy new programs for your church agenda. It is a journey of rediscovery. Dann Spader and Gary Mayes look closely at the four stages of spiritual growth in relation to outreach. Using the innovative “M-level” system, these gifted men show how a church can minister to all individuals regardless of their levels of maturity in potential service. This helps eliminate the mistakes of forcing new Christians into service that may overwhelm them or may leave the mature Christian unchallenged.
Proven successful through SonLife and churches who have used this system, this resource will help you focus on the simplicity of Christ’s ministry, enabling you to build an effective discipline strategy for your church.
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Grace Of Les Miserables Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$14.99Add to cartVictor Hugo’s Les Miserables is a truly epic story. Whether you’ve tackled the 1,400-page 19thcentury novel, witnessed the Broadway musical (and memorized its soundtrack), or seen the several screen adaptations of it, you already know the power of its story.
In the six-week Lenten study The Grace of Les Miserables, author and pastor Matt Rawle dives into six ideals found in the story–grace, justice, poverty, revolution, love, and hope–each represented by a character in Hugo’s story. As these imperfect and relatable characters interact, we can see how these ideals work together (perhaps even in spite of each other) out in the world.
In keeping with his previous works, Matt Rawle brings us to the intersection of Church and Pop Culture by drawing parallels between the iconic story and musical and our Christian calling, inspiring us to both understand our faith and live it out in the world.
The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study including session plans, activities, and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options.
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Grace Of Les Miserables
$16.99Add to cartVictor Hugo’s Les Miserables is a truly epic story. Whether you’ve tackled the 1,400-page 19thcentury novel, witnessed the Broadway musical (and memorized its soundtrack), or seen the several screen adaptations of it, you already know the power of its story.
In the six-week Lenten study The Grace of Les Miserables, author and pastor Matt Rawle dives into six ideals found in the story–grace, justice, poverty, revolution, love, and hope–each represented by a character in Hugo’s story. As these imperfect and relatable characters interact, we can see how these ideals work together (perhaps even in spite of each other) out in the world.
In keeping with his previous works, Matt Rawle brings us to the intersection of Church and Pop Culture by drawing parallels between the iconic story and musical and our Christian calling, inspiring us to both understand our faith and live it out in the world.
A DVD, Leader Guide, youth resources, and Worship Resource Flash Drive are also available for a six-week study.
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Will Willimons Lectionary Sermon Resource Year A Part 2
$26.99Add to cartWill Willimon is widely acclaimed as one of the top ten preachers in the world. For each Sunday of the Christian year, Will provides just what you need to begin the journey toward a sermon. This guide will stoke, fund, and fuel your imagination while leaving plenty of room to insert your own illustrations, make connections within your congregational context, and speak the Word in your distinctive voice. Guidance from Will Willimon is like sitting down with a trusted clergy friend and asking, “What will you preach next Sunday?” Year A Part 2 is part of a six-volume set that includes years A, B, and C (2 volumes per year) in the Revised Common Lectionary. Part 1 includes the Pentecost through the end of the church year, Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday.
Each week of sermon resources includes:
1.Readings
2.Theme title
3.Introduction to the Readings
4.Encountering the Text
5.Proclaiming the Text
6.Relating the Text -
Grace For The Children
$20.99Add to cartThe church’s response to child and adolescent mental health disorders has too often been characterized by fear and misinformation rather than grace or wisdom. Psychologist Matthew Stanford educates Christians about a range of common mental health disorders–from both scientific and biblical perspectives–so that the church may offer young people hope, a holistic view of human nature, accessible care, and supportive community.
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How To Lead In A World Of Distraction Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartIn this six-session video study (DVD/digital downloads sold separately), pastor Clay Scroggins builds on the principles he established in his bestselling How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge and shows participants how to take the next step in their leadership growth by developing emotional awareness. As Clay notes, we are all surrounded by “white noise”–a soul-masking tool that keeps us from hearing the voices in our lives that we really need to hear. Our busy lives, the numbing nature of entertainment, and the urgency of ministry all work together to create a toxic cocktail of emotional distraction. And while many leaders have learned to tune out this “white noise,” in the process they have become “deaf” to the inner issues to which they need to attend.
Emotional healing begins with emotional awareness–our ability to identify and understand our feelings. Developing such emotional awareness comes from engaging in spiritual practices such as fasting, meditation, Sabbath keeping, prayer, and hospitality. As Clay states, such practices today are often viewed as “countercultural,” but they are solidly biblical and instrumental for helping us identify our emotions.
Through the practices described in this guide, leaders will unmask unpleasant emotions–robbing them of their stronghold–and learn how to pay close attention to the desires within. The result is that business, church, and ministry leaders will be empowered to replace the chaos in their increasingly busy lives with an emotional competence that leads to a calmer, less stressed, and more fulfilling life than ever before.
Designed for use with How to Lead in a World of Distraction Video Study (sold separately).
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Cry Of The Blind
$10.99Add to cartA Gods Life Publishing Title
Today there is a cry rising to God from the Blind Bartimaecus’s all cross our nation. The church as a whole is deafened to their cry. The love of money has caused many leaders to be more focused on having things rather than carrying the great commission of obeying Christ by evangelizing the lost. The Cry Of The Blind will encourage the church to refocus to the hearing the cry of the blind, initiate a plan of action to rescue them and thus fulfill the Great Commission.
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Big Gospel In Small Places
$22.99Add to cartChristian ministries increasingly prioritize urban areas–big cities and suburbs are considered more strategic, more influential, and more desirable places to live and work. As a ministry strategy, focusing on big places makes sense. But the gospel of Jesus is often unstrategic. Filled with helpful stories and practical advice, pastor Stephen Witmer lays out an integrated theological vision for small-place ministry today.
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Connections Year A Volume 2 Lent Through Pentecost
$55.00Add to cartDesigned to empower preachers as they lead their congregations to connect their lives to Scripture, Connections features a broad set of interpretive tools that provide commentary and worship aids on the Revised Common Lectionary.
For each worship day within the three-year lectionary cycle, the commentaries in Connections link the individual lection reading with Scripture as a whole as well as to the larger world. In addition, Connections places each Psalm reading in conversation with the other lections for the day to highlight the themes of the liturgical season. Finally, sidebars offer additional connections to Scripture for each Sunday or worship day.
This nine-volume series is a practical, constructive, and valuable resource for preachers who seek to help congregations connect more closely with Scripture.
This volume covers Year A for Lent through Pentecost.
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Jude Teen Girls Bible Study Book
$15.99Add to cartCalled. Loved. Kept.
God has commanded His beloved church to contend for the faith in a world of unbelief, and as we do, He will keep us from falling into the same deception.
Dive into themes of being called, loved, and kept, and learn how to point others to Jesus in grace and truth. We serve others well when we share the whole gospel with them, not just the parts our culture finds attractive.
Jude Teen Girls’ Bible Study Book includes content for seven sessions, personal study between group sessions, applicable Scripture, “How to Use this Study,” and a leader guide.
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Why Easter Matters Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$10.99Add to cartAs believers in Christ, we all would like to say that we trust in God. We would all like to claim that we believe God has our best interests in mind and that obedience to him is the best pathway to finding joy, peace, contentment, and fulfillment in life. But the truth is that we often find ourselves actively resisting the very God in whom we say we trust. Our hearts and our consciences tell us what is right–and what we need to be doing–but for some reason we tend to find ourselves going the other way.
This was true of people even back in the days of first-century Israel when Jesus walked the earth. In this four-session study (DVD/digital downloads sold separately), pastor Andy Stanley explores the lives of some of these individuals and reveals how the story of Easter became real to them when they found themselves caught up in the events of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. These characters include figures in the Gospels such as:
*Joseph Caiaphas, the powerful Jewish religious leader, who refused to embrace Jesus as the Messiah because it would have put an end to his influence and control.
*Judas Iscariot, who was more interested in his own personal gain than in truly following after God–and betrayed Jesus to the Jewish authorities as a result of his greed.
*The two criminals on the crosses next to Jesus, who found themselves in their last hours of life just twelve feet away from God-in-the-flesh.
*The disciples and other followers of Jesus, who found their world turned upside down when the one they believed to be the Messiah was first put to death . . . and then rose again.The stories of these men and women who were present in the greatest story ever known–the story of Easter–give us great insights into our own relationship toward God. They reveal the attitudes of our hearts and compel us to truly consider why Easter matters and the effect it has on our lives.
Sessions include:
1. The High Cost of Following Christ (John 12:25)
2. The Risk of Surrendering to God (Matthew 19:27)
3. The God Who Can Be Trusted (Luke 23:39-41)
4. The Foundation of Our Faith (Acts 1:8)Designed for use with the double disc Who Needs Christmas/Why Easter Matters Video Study (sold separately).
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Think And Eat Yourself Smart Workbook (Workbook)
$9.99Add to cartScience is beginning to understand that our thinking has a deep and complicated relationship with our eating. Our thoughts before, during, and after eating profoundly impact our food choices, our digestive health, our brain health, and more. Yet most of us give very little thought to our food beyond taste and basic nutritional content.
In this curriculum, Dr. Caroline Leaf helps participants avoid fads and focus on their unique nutritional needs and thought patterns in order to positively impact their own health through right thinking. Anyone who is tired of traditional diet plans that don’t work, who struggles with emotional eating, or who simply isn’t satisfied with their level of health will find in this program the key to discovering how they can begin developing a healthier body, brain, and spirit. Perfect for small groups who want something a little different.
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Healing Together : A Guide To Supporting Sexual Abuse Survivors
$12.99Add to cartSex is such an intimate topic historically wrapped in shame and when someone shares they were sexually abused, we may not know how to respond.
With recent #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements, we are learning just how many men, women, boys, and girls have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of a trusted person, often family members or leaders in the church. Sexual abuse is rampant in modern society and now–sometimes many years later–sexual abuse survivors are sharing their stories.
Anne Marie Miller is a survivor of childhood clergy sexual abuse and has shared her journey toward healing with audiences all over the world. After speaking with thousands of survivors and their loved ones, she saw the need for a fundamental and practical guide for helping supporters of sexual abuse survivors understand the basics of abuse, trauma, healing, and hope. Drawing from her own experience as a survivor and evidence-based research, Anne addresses these questions and more in Healing Together.
*What is sexual abuse?
*How can I help survivors?
*Who are predators and how do they groom victims?
*How does trauma affect survivors?
*What happens when someone doesn’t remember the details of their abuse?
*How does abuse wound the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of people who have been abused?
*When and how should authorities be contacted?
*How do you talk to your children about sexual abuse?
*What are the warning signs of abuse?
*Is healing possible?Whether you are a spouse, a family member, a friend, or a church leader looking for easy-to-navigate resources to understand and support sexual abuse survivors, you’ll find answers and hope in these pages.
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Sent To Flourish
$40.99Add to cartHow can church planters and their congregations flourish for the long haul? Written by a diverse team of scholar-practitioners and filled with real-world insights, stories, and questions for reflection and discussion, this guide gives church planters and their teams the tools to be theologically reflective, spiritually grounded, and missionally agile.
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Tending Soul Mind And Body
$28.99Add to cartThroughout his ministry, Jesus consistently demonstrated his concern and love for the whole person: soul, mind, and body.
That concern is carried forward today by pastors and church leaders, who are called to care for people in the midst of individual circumstances as well as seismic cultural shifts. How might that calling be informed by recent developments in psychology? How should the church attend to matters of mental health? How might psychology and counseling aid us in our spiritual formation? Based on the 2018 Center for Pastor Theologians conference, this volume brings together reflections by pastors, theologians, and psychologists who explore the relationships among three fields of study–theological anthropology, spiritual formation, and modern psychology. The result is a vibrant whole-person theology that can aid the church today in its centuries-old call to care for the soul, mind, and body.
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Beyond The Tyranny Of The Text
$25.99Add to cartPreachers and students of preaching need help communicating hope! They want their sermons to communicate the promises of scripture, so that people can envision a new world in which their lives will be transformed. Preachers want to experience a new sense of freedom in their preaching, and to extend liberation based on their reading and interpretation of the scripture.
James Henry Harris introduces interpretation theory and continental philosophy as a resource for preachers to resist and overcome interpretive oppression, and lays out a new theory of scriptural interpretation. He analyzes philosopher Paul Ricoeur’s hermeneutics as a helpful guide for modern preachers, and incorporates in his analysis of the lived experience of the Black church. Harris highlights the preaching of several 19th and 20th century Black women, including Jarena Lee, Maria Stewart, and Mary Evans.
Beyond the Tyranny of the Text develops a five-part method for preaching that stretches from preparation to proclamation, and demonstrates how this method for interpretational creativity emerges from fidelity to the text. Harris demonstrates his method with sermonic exegesis of the Book of Jonah. With this new process of reading, rereading, un-reading, writing, and un-writing the text, the author offers wisdom and tools for reflection and illumination.
At its core, Beyond the Tyranny of the Text challenges the field of homiletics and all preachers to un-write like Jesus Christ: to get in front of the text, to understand preparation and preaching as a creative and transformative enterprise.
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Lectionary Reflections Cycle A
$29.95Add to cartWith Lectionary Reflections, Cycle A, readers will delight in the process of preparing to preach from the lectionary. While it is academically informed and theologically sound, this volume is notable in how it engenders a sense of playful, holy curiosity.
Readers will get insightful commentary, ideas for a variety of ways to preach and teach the texts, and weekly questions and suggestions to get conversations going.
Duffield’s wit and palpable love for the Body of Christ will invigorate any pastor’s sermon writing process. If you’re preaching or teaching from the lectionary, this will be a go-to resource week after week.
Jill Duffield holds an M.Div. degree from Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia and a D.Min. degree from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas. She has pastored congregations in North Carolina and South Carolina. Jill won the James Solheim Award for Editorial Courage and the Award of Merit in Bible Reference for “Looking Into the Lectionary.” She is the current editor and publisher of The Presbyterian Outlook and is married to Grant. They are the parents of three children.
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Who Needs Christmas Study Guide
$10.99Add to cartThe details of the Christmas story are amazing . . . and can seem a bit unbelievable. There is the angelic announcement to Mary that she will give birth to the Messiah. The dream from God that convinces Joseph to take Jesus as his own son. The story of Zechariah, who lost his ability to speak for many months for doubting God’s word. The angelic host who announces Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. The wise men who visit Jesus and bring gifts. The madness of a king who tried to put an end to Jesus’ life.
The narrative of Jesus’ birth is both miraculous and incredible. But as pastor Andy Stanley explores in this four-session video study (DVD/digital downloads sold separately), when you look at all the events in the Old Testament leading up to this point in time, the unbelievable story of Christmas becomes quite remarkable. For the story does not begin with angels announcing Jesus’ birth in the Gospels but with God making a promise to a man named Abraham in the book of Genesis–a promise that all peoples in the world would be blessed through him.
It was only “when the set time had fully come” that God sent Jesus into the world “that we might receive adoption to sonship” (Galatians 4:4-5). God sent Jesus to do what laws and regulations, judges and prophets, and exile and punishment could not accomplish. He sent Jesus so that individual people could have a relationship with him. He sent Jesus, the author of life, to document his great love for his rebel race. He sent Jesus not merely to deliver us from the penalty and consequences of our sin, but to actually break the power of the enemy and free us from our slavery to sin.
Through Christmas, we are reminded God is active even when it seems like he is not. We are reminded that even when it seems God is silent, he is always working. And we are reminded that God sent Jesus not simply to be the Savior of the world but to be the Savior in our world. Through Christmas, we are reminded that God always keeps his promises to us.
Sessions include:
1. The Story Behind the Story (Genesis 12:3)
2. The Author of Life (Acts 3:15)
3. The Message of Christmas (Matthew 1:21)
4. Ready or Not . . . He Is Coming (Luke 1:37)Designed for use with the Who Needs Christmas/Why Easter Matters Video Study (sold separately).
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Everything You Need Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartMany Christians today feel unprepared and uncertain when it comes to living each day as followers of Christ. We often know what we are supposed to do, and even why we are supposed to do it. Yet when we lack confidence in ourselves and our spiritual development, we fail to live boldly as difference makers in our world.
As one of the world’s leading Bible teachers, Dr. David Jeremiah wants readers to know that this lack of confidence is both unnecessary and unhelpful. In fact, the Bible makes it clear that–in the same way skilled hikers pack all the necessary supplies before a journey–God Himself equips all believers with everything they need to walk and work with confidence as members of His kingdom.
Everything You Need continues Dr. Jeremiah’s focus on helping the church strive for spiritual victory through Christ. Using his signature depth, wisdom, and compassion, Dr. Jeremiah explores 2 Peter 1:5-10 to highlight seven critical tools God provides each of His people: virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. When we use the equipment God provides, we can live confidently in the knowledge that we will never stumble.
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Womens Ministry With Purpose
$14.99Add to cartWhat Does God Expect from Women’s Ministry?
While women’s ministry can easily get caught up in Bible study themes and Pinterest-worthy decor, God’s heart calls for a ministry that is rooted in him. In order to understand what women’s ministry should look like today, Gena explores Scripture to establish what this ministry was meant to be and how women are called minister to other women.
Every church needs a team of women who serve in God’s name. Women’s Ministry with Purpose will show you how to rediscover the true purpose of your women’s ministry and gain support from your church’s leadership. More importantly, it will breathe new life into leaders and volunteers, giving you practical advice for organizing, training, and supporting the women around you.
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Almost Christmas : A Wesleyan Advent Experience
$17.99Add to cartIn 1741, John Wesley preached his famous sermon titled “The Almost Christian” in which he encouraged people to follow Christ wholeheartedly. We should not be satisfied with being almost Christian but rather strive towards being altogether a Christian.
In Almost Christmas: A Wesleyan Advent Experience, author and pastor Magrey deVega leads a group of authors to explore how we can make the same commitment to Christ during Advent, connecting our Wesleyan heritage with the traditional Advent themes of Love, Hope, Joy, and Peace.
In this book, perfect for Advent, deVega and the other authors break down the barriers that prevent us from experiencing an “altogether” love, hope, joy, and peace in Christ in our lives and in the world around us. They demonstrate the promises God offers to us that makes those longings a reality, inviting us to claim those promises for ourselves this Advent and celebrate an altogether Christmas.
Chapters include:
*Altogether Love
*Altogether Hope
*Altogether Joy
*Altogether PeaceAdditional components for a four-week study include a DVD featuring Magrey deVega and the other writers and a comprehensive Leader Guide, as well as nativity hymns by Charles Wesley, litanies for lighting the Advent wreath, and prayers that can be incorporated into both worship and small group settings. A daily devotional and a youth study book are also available.
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God Is With Us (Large Type)
$11.99Add to cartGod Is With Us, originally published in 2016, invites you to explore your longing for God’s presence through a study of the lectionary Bible readings for Advent and Christmas. The hope of Advent is the fulfillment of that longing; we await the coming of Jesus as Immanuel, God With Us. Each week’s Scriptures call us to praise God as we actively await the coming of Christ and prepare our hearts and lives for his arrival. Through the readings, we hear the invitation to claim and celebrate the new hope we have in Jesus Christ.
The season of Advent offers opportunities to prepare for God’s coming in human form in the infant Jesus and for the fulfillment of God’s kingdom with the second coming of Christ. Hope is the focus of Advent worship, study, and prayer. We will discover the light that began in the manger, which continues as we look forward with hope to Christ’s return.
God Is With Us is based on the Revised Common Lectionary Scriptures for church year A, the first of a three-year cycle of Bible readings. The study includes commentary and reflection on readings from the Old Testament, the Gospels, and the Epistles. It offers the opportunity to explore these Bible readings in a five-session study. It will help participants understand, appreciate, and engage in meaningful and joyous celebrations of Advent and Christmas and to live each day in God’s hope through Jesus Christ.
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God Is With Us
$10.99Add to cartGod Is With Us, originally published in 2016, invites you to explore your longing for God’s presence through a study of the lectionary Bible readings for Advent and Christmas. The hope of Advent is the fulfillment of that longing; we await the coming of Jesus as Immanuel, God With Us. Each week’s Scriptures call us to praise God as we actively await the coming of Christ and prepare our hearts and lives for his arrival. Through the readings, we hear the invitation to claim and celebrate the new hope we have in Jesus Christ.
The season of Advent offers opportunities to prepare for God’s coming in human form in the infant Jesus and for the fulfillment of God’s kingdom with the second coming of Christ. Hope is the focus of Advent worship, study, and prayer. We will discover the light that began in the manger, which continues as we look forward with hope to Christ’s return.
God Is With Us is based on the Revised Common Lectionary Scriptures for church year A, the first of a three-year cycle of Bible readings. The study includes commentary and reflection on readings from the Old Testament, the Gospels, and the Epistles. It offers the opportunity to explore these Bible readings in a five-session study. It will help participants understand, appreciate, and engage in meaningful and joyous celebrations of Advent and Christmas and to live each day in God’s hope through Jesus Christ.
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Light Of The World (Large Type)
$18.99Add to cartIn Light of the World: A Beginner’s Guide to Advent, author, professor, and biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine explores the biblical texts surrounding the story of the birth of Jesus. Join her as she traces the Christmas narrative through the stories of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary, the journey to Bethlehem, and the visit from the Magi. These stories open conversations around connections of the Gospel stories to the Old Testament, the role of women in first-century Jewish culture, the importance of Mary’s visitation and the revolutionary implications of Mary’s Magnificat, the census and the stable, and the star of Bethlehem and the flight to Egypt.
The book provides a rich and challenging learning experience for small groups and individual readers alike. As part of a larger four-week study that is perfect for Advent, it includes a DVD and a comprehensive leader guide.
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Fierce Womens Bible Study Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$15.99Add to cartThe word fierce is trendy. It is used to describe women who are extreme athletes, high-level executives, or supermodels. Women at the top of their game. But what about the rest of us? Can we be fierce? Absolutely! In fact, women like us have been changing the world for thousands of years-many who received little fanfare yet lived fiercely anyway. In this six-week study we will look at lesser-known female characters in the Bible and the ways they changed the world by living into God’s calling, including:
*The midwives of Egypt (Shiphrah and Puah), who made hard decisions in the face of evil
*Deborah, who was an unlikely and powerful leader
*Naaman’s slave girl, who bravely points others to God’s healing power
*The Woman at the Well, who boldly repented and shared her faith
*Lois and Eunice, who parented with intentionality and effectiveness
*Dorcas, who showed kindness to those in need.As we explore their lives, we will discover how we too can live into our callings, honor the Lord, and even change the world through our courage, faithfulness, and obedience.
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Fierce Womens Bible Study Participant Workbook (Workbook)
$17.99Add to cartLearn from the fierce women of God who changed the world.
The word fierce is trendy. It is used to describe women who are extreme athletes, high-level executives, or supermodels. Women at the top of their game. But what about the rest of us? Can we be fierce? Absolutely! In fact, women like us have been changing the world for thousands of years-many who received little fanfare yet lived fiercely anyway. In this six-week study we will look at lesser-known female characters in the Bible and the ways they changed the world by living into God’s calling, including:
*The midwives of Egypt (Shiphrah and Puah), who made hard decisions in the face of evil
*Deborah, who was an unlikely and powerful leader
*Naaman’s slave girl, who bravely points others to God’s healing power
*The Woman at the Well, who boldly repented and shared her faith
*Lois and Eunice, who parented with intentionality and effectiveness
*Dorcas, who showed kindness to those in need.As we explore their lives, we will discover how we too can live into our callings, honor the Lord, and even change the world through our courage, faithfulness, and obedience.
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Light Of The World
$17.99Add to cartIn Light of the World: A Beginner’s Guide to Advent, author, professor, and biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine explores the biblical texts surrounding the story of the birth of Jesus. Join her as she traces the Christmas narrative through the stories of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary, the journey to Bethlehem, and the visit from the Magi. These stories open conversations around connections of the Gospel stories to the Old Testament, the role of women in first-century Jewish culture, the importance of Mary’s visitation and the revolutionary implications of Mary’s Magnificat, the census and the stable, and the star of Bethlehem and the flight to Egypt.
The book provides a rich and challenging learning experience for small groups and individual readers alike. As part of a larger four-week study that is perfect for Advent, it includes a DVD and a comprehensive leader guide.
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Almost Christmas Devotions For The Season
$12.99Add to cartIn 1741, John Wesley preached his famous sermon titled “The Almost Christian” in which he encouraged people to follow Christ wholeheartedly. We should not be satisfied with being almost Christian but rather strive towards being altogether a Christian.
In Almost Christmas: A Wesleyan Advent Experience, author and pastor Magrey deVega leads a group of authors to explore how we can make the same commitment to Christ during Advent, connecting our Wesleyan heritage with the traditional Advent themes of Love, Hope, Joy, and Peace.
In this book, perfect for Advent, deVega and the other authors break down the barriers that prevent us from experiencing an “altogether” love, hope, joy, and peace in Christ in our lives and in the world around us. They demonstrate the promises God offers to us that makes those longings a reality, inviting us to claim those promises for ourselves this Advent and celebrate an altogether Christmas.
The devotional contains 28 daily devotions for the four weeks of Advent corresponding to the themes of Altogether Love, Altogether Hope, Altogether Joy, and Altogether Peace. Written by pastors and other leaders, the devotions celebrate and bring together the season of Advent and the best of our Wesleyan heritage.
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Almost Christmas Youth Study Book (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartIn 1741, John Wesley preached his famous sermon titled “The Almost Christian” in which he encouraged people to follow Christ wholeheartedly. We should not be satisfied with being almost Christian but rather strive towards being altogether a Christian.
In Almost Christmas: A Wesleyan Advent Experience, author and pastor Magrey deVega leads a group of authors to explore how we can make the same commitment to Christ during Advent, connecting our Wesleyan heritage with the traditional Advent themes of Love, Hope, Joy, and Peace.
In this book, perfect for Advent, deVega and the other authors break down the barriers that prevent us from experiencing an “altogether” love, hope, joy, and peace in Christ in our lives and in the world around us. They demonstrate the promises God offers to us that makes those longings a reality, inviting us to claim those promises for ourselves this Advent and celebrate an altogether Christmas.
This Youth Study Book takes the ideas presented in the book and interprets them for young people grades 6-12.
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Almost Christmas : A Wesleyan Advent Experience (Large Type)
$18.99Add to cartIn 1741, John Wesley preached his famous sermon titled “The Almost Christian” in which he encouraged people to follow Christ wholeheartedly. We should not be satisfied with being almost Christian but rather strive towards being altogether a Christian.
In Almost Christmas: A Wesleyan Advent Experience, author and pastor Magrey deVega leads a group of authors to explore how we can make the same commitment to Christ during Advent, connecting our Wesleyan heritage with the traditional Advent themes of Love, Hope, Joy, and Peace.
In this book, perfect for Advent, deVega and the other authors break down the barriers that prevent us from experiencing an “altogether” love, hope, joy, and peace in Christ in our lives and in the world around us. They demonstrate the promises God offers to us that makes those longings a reality, inviting us to claim those promises for ourselves this Advent and celebrate an altogether Christmas.
Chapters include:
*Altogether Love
*Altogether Hope
*Altogether Joy
*Altogether PeaceAdditional components for a four-week study include a DVD featuring Magrey deVega and the other writers and a comprehensive Leader Guide, as well as nativity hymns by Charles Wesley, litanies for lighting the Advent wreath, and prayers that can be incorporated into both worship and small group settings. A daily devotional and a youth study book are also available.
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How Happiness Happens Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartIn this six-session video Bible study (DVD/digital downloads sold separately), bestselling author Max Lucado looks at several “one another” statements in the Bible that reveal how the happiest people on earth aren’t those who have the most but those who are willing to give the most away. While everyone craves happiness, and everyone benefits from it, the sad reality is that fewer people today are finding it. We have more possessions than ever before, better access to education, and greater advancements in technology and medicine. Yet the majority of us can’t find an adequate reason to check the “yes” box on a happiness questionnaire.
Our culture tries to convince us there is one way to happiness: aspire, acquire, desire, retire. Happiness depends on what we hang in our closet, park in our garage, and deposit in our bank account. It’s a path that always fails to deliver. Instead, Jesus provides a better way: “It is better to give than receive” (Acts 22:35 nkjv). Intentional, altruistic acts of service are the most reliable sources of well-being. It is a principle Jesus lived out in his own life. While he was accused of much, he was never described as being grumpy or perpetually somber. Rather, he said, “I came to give life with joy and abundance” (John 10:10 vce).God wants to bring joy to the people of this generation, and in his Word, he has given us practical and applicable ways to quarry that joy by giving it away. In this study, group members will look at several key “one another” statements given in the New Testament and discover how to make happiness happen in their lives. They will discover that while the world can be a lonely and disappointing place, they can be God’s representatives to bring about a cascade of kindness. While we cannot solve every problem, we can bring a few smiles to a few faces. In this way, we might even initiate a quiet revolution of joy.
This study guide is designed for use with the How Happiness Happens Video Study (sold separately).
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Preachers Guide To Lectionary Sermon Series Volume 2
$47.00Add to cartBoth lectionary preachers and topical preachers will enjoy the best of both worlds with this second volume of sermon series ideas designed to frame consecutive weeks of lectionary texts into seasonal and short-term series. With contributors from seven denominations, this comprehensive resource offers new perspectives and fresh ideas for diving deep into biblical themes in ways that make congregants eager to come back for the next sermon and to invite others as well. Twenty-eight series plans include thematic overviews, sermon starters, and ideas for worship and outreach, honoring holy days and seasons and addressing typical patterns of church attendance to maximize visitor retention and member engagement.
Contributors include: Amy K. Butler, Kyle E. Brooks, Carol Cavin-Dillon, Magrey R. deVega, Brian Erickson, Mihee Kim-Kort, Jasper Peters, Tuhina Verma Rasche, Bruce Reyes-Chow, Brandan J. Robertson, Martha K. Spong, and Anthony J. Tang.
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Preachers Bible Handbook
$47.00Add to cartWhen it comes to understanding a passage in the Bible, context is everything. What historical events surround a book’s composition? What larger literary unit is a given passage part of? What central themes explored by the book touch on the verses in question? If we don’t know the answer to questions like these, we are ill-prepared to speak to-and especially preach about-a passage’s meaning. The Preacher’s Bible Handbook aims to meet this need for extra help in preparing the sermon. Essays on each of the biblical books introduce the most relevant historical, literary, and theological facts about the book. Each is designed to aid the preacher in setting the stage for a sermon on any passage in the Bible.
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Connections Year A Volume 1 Advent Through Epiphany
$55.00Add to cartDesigned to empower preachers as they lead congregations to connect their lives to Scripture, Connections features a broad set of interpretive tools that provide commentary and worship aids on the Revised Common Lectionary.
This nine-volume series offers creative commentary on each reading in the three-year lectionary cycle by viewing that reading through the lens of its connections to the rest of Scripture and then seeing the reading through the lenses of culture, film, fiction, ethics, and other aspects of contemporary life. Commentaries on the Psalms make connections to the other readings and to the congregation’s experience of worship.
Connections is published in partnership with Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
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Defined Teen Guys And Young Men Bible Study Bible (Student/Study Guide)
$13.99Add to cartWho Are You?
When you introduce yourself to someone for the first time, you may start with your name, where you go to school, a sport or instrument you play, or your future plans. Each of those may help our culture define us, but are they enough? There are bigger questions culture can’t answer: “Who am I?” and “Why do I matter?” But first, you must answer, “Who is God?”
Scripture teaches that we’re all made in the image of God. We don’t define ourselves-the Creator does. Once you begin to understand who God is and what it means to be created in His image, you’ll begin to discover all God has called you to be. This Bible study will examine spiritual truths from the Book of Ephesians to lead you into a closer relationship with God and a better understanding and appreciation of your God-given identity-which is fulfilled in Christ.
Defined Teen Guys’ Bible Study Book includes content for eight sessions, personal study between group sessions, applicable Scripture, “How to Use this Study,” tips for leading a group, and a leader guide.
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Defined Teen Girls And Young Women Bible Study Bible (Student/Study Guide)
$13.99Add to cartWho Are You?
I am who God says I am.
I can do what God says I can do.
I can become exactly what God says I can become.You are a miracle. And that’s exactly what this study is about–your true identity. Who you really are. The culture will try to define you, your past may try to label you, the enemy will seek to deceive you, but no one has the authority to give you your name–your identity–except your Father. And He says that your uniqueness is an expression of His creative genius and is designed to reflect His glory.
Join Priscilla for eight weeks and begin to understand what it means to be created in God’s image and recreated in Christ’s image as His masterpiece. Once you discover who God says you are and the spiritual inheritance that you have, you can start walking in your true identity as a daughter of the most high King.
You’ll spend your whole life either trying to be and become something you were never meant to be, or discovering who you are in Him and living up to that standard by the power of His Spirit within you.
You are His!
And you were created for the purpose of reflecting God’s light to the world.
Like all of God’s miracles, your life will leave a lasting impact if you’ll simply be yourself, surrendered to God, molded by His Spirit, and on mission for Him.
Defined Teen Girls’ Bible Study Book includes content for eight sessions, personal study between group sessions, applicable Scripture, “How to Use this Study,” tips for leading a group, and a leader guide.
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Defined Who God Says You Are Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$14.99Add to cartDefined: Who God Says You Are – Leader Guide is an 8-week Bible study guiding kids to find their identity in Christ, based on selected passages from Ephesians.
“Who am I?” is a question that many kids are being challenged to answer. To answer this question, we must first ask “Who does God say I am?” Beginning in Genesis, the Bible tells us that we are each made in God’s image, but that image has become distorted by sin. The only way to restore what was broken is through a relationship with Jesus.
Through Defined: Who God Says I Am, kids will discover who God created them to be and what is true about their identity because of their relationship with Jesus.
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Revolutionary Kingdom Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$15.99Add to cartWhat exactly is a disciple, and how will we know if we have made one? There are three core values that a disciple embodies: undiluted devotion to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, a Kingdom of God worldview, and a missional lifestyle.
In Revolutionary Kingdom: Following the Rebel Jesus, author and Pastor Mike Slaughter explores why we must exchange comfortable cultural worldviews and values for the radical requirements of living out the Kingdom of God on Planet Earth. When God’s people get serious about this call, it’s revolutionary. Jesus himself was the most radical revolutionary who ever lived and provided us a vision of a kingdom worth dying for.
Welcome to the revolution!
The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study including session plans, activities, and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options.
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Shades Of Light Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartThis six-week study guide is an opportunity for you to reflect on how the experiences of the characters in the novel resonate with your own experience. Daily Scripture readings and reflection questions are accompanied by an invitation to explore creativity through art and prayer collage. You’ll also be introduced to the practice of visio divina (meditating on art) through a weekly link to a piece of art by Vincent van Gogh. With simple spiritual practices, this guide offers a healing balm for those in the midst of difficult seasons.
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Will Willimons Lectionary Sermon Resource Year A Part 1
$26.99Add to cartWill Willimon is widely acclaimed as one of the top ten preachers in the world. For each Sunday of the Christian year, Will provides just what you need to begin the journey toward a sermon. This guide will stoke, fund, and fuel your imagination while leaving plenty of room to insert your own illustrations, make connections within your congregational context, and speak the Word in your distinctive voice. Guidance from Will Willimon is like sitting down with a trusted clergy friend and asking, “What will you preach next Sunday?” Year A Part 1 is part of a six-volume set that includes years A, B, and C (2 volumes per year) in the Revised Common Lectionary. Part 1 includes the First Sunday in Advent through the Easter season.
Each week of sermon resources includes:
1.Readings
2.Theme title
3.Introduction to the Readings
4.Encountering the Text
5.Proclaiming the Text
6.Relating the Text -
Gospel Sermons : On Faith The Holy Spirit And The Coming Kingdom
$24.00Add to cartIf you want to pick a theological fight with someone, enter into a discussion about eschatology. You’ll encounter a kaleidoscope of opinions and, more likely than not, outright disagreement. On one end of the spectrum there are the doomsday naysayers who, in warning us to get ready for the end, have determined in advance the very signs of Christ’s return. On the other end are those who idealize God’s future to such an extent that it has virtually no relevance for faith.
Enter Johann Christoph Blumhardt. Blumhardt cuts through both end-time speculation and eschatological indifference with a passionate plea to make room, here and now, for God’s coming kingdom. Blumhardt’s whole approach toward “last things” is so out of the ordinary that it fills one with an authentic exhilaration that defies the staid confines of conventional Christianity. These sermons articulate not just a theology of hope but are refreshing, compelling insights into the prophetic vision of the great outpouring of the Spirit upon all flesh. With confidence and holy expectation, Blumhardt reminds us that we can experience now, and even hasten on, the presence of God’s future. We need only pray for it, watch for it, and live for it. It is at hand!
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Soul Friendship : A Practical Theology Of Spiritual Direction
$30.99Add to cartSpiritual direction is a burgeoning ministry in today?s church where the emphasis is on joining in with what God is already doing in the world ? an approach that presupposes spiritual discernment.
This guide explores spiritual direction from biblical and theological perspectives and aims both to inform teaching and equip practitioners with greater reflective skills. Written by two experienced teachers and practitioners, it includes:
*God and Spiritual Direction – divine presence and absence, discerning God, relationship and the Trinity, images of the Holy Spirit;
*Humanity and God – being made in the image of God, sin, addiction, desire, freedom, psychology in direction;
*The Bible and Spiritual Direction – scripture as a source and authority for direction; uses and abuses of the Bible in direction;
*Spiritual Direction across the Christian traditions;
*Spiritual Direction and the Church – boundaries, accountability and safeguarding. -
Love Talk Workbook For Women Newly Updated And Expanded (Workbook)
$12.99Add to cartWe set off to crack the code for meaningful conversation . . . a plan that would move our communication from good to great. And we found it. A deep and simple plan for everything a loving conversation has to offer. We call it Love Talk. –Drs. Les and Leslie Parrot
This women’s workbook will help you personalize the concepts you encounter in the Parrotts’ book Love Talk and put them to work in your relationships. Inside, you’ll find exercises, assessments, self-tests, tips, applications . . . all the tools and guidance you need to:
*Identify your personal communication style
*Understand how it interacts with that of your partner
*Talk your way to a healthier, stronger relationshipLove Talk is like no other communication book you’ve ever read. The fruit of years of research by two foremost relationship experts (who also happen to be husband and wife), this book forges a new path to the heart of loving conversation. You’ll begin by identifying your security need and determining your personal communication style. Then you’ll put together everything you discover to learn how the two of you can speak each other’s language like never before.
This very day, you can begin an adventure in communication that will draw the two of you closer, and closer, and closer . . . consistently, in a way that creates the depth and connection you long for in your relationship.
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Love Talk Workbook For Men Newly Updated And Expanded (Workbook)
$12.99Add to cartWe set off to crack the code for meaningful conversation . . . a plan that would move our communication from good to great. And we found it. A deep and simple plan for everything a loving conversation has to offer. We call it Love Talk. –Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott
This men’s workbook will help you personalize the concepts you encounter in the Parrotts’ book Love Talk and put them to work in your relationships. Inside, you’ll find exercises, assessments, self-tests, tips, applications . . . all the tools and guidance you need to:
*Identify your personal communication style
*Understand how it interacts with that of your partner
*Talk your way to a healthier, stronger relationshipLove Talk is like no other communication book you’ve ever read. The fruit of years of research by two foremost relationship experts (who also happen to be husband and wife), this book forges a new path to the heart of loving conversation. You’ll begin by identifying your security need and determining your personal communication style. Then you’ll put together everything you discover to learn how the two of you can speak each other’s language like never before.
This very day, you can begin an adventure in communication that will draw the two of you closer, and closer, and closer . . . consistently, in a way that creates the depth and connection you long for in your relationship.
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Revolutionary Kingdom : Following The Rebel Jesus
$17.99Add to cartWhat exactly is a disciple, and how will we know if we have made one? There are three core values that a disciple embodies: undiluted devotion to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, a Kingdom of God worldview, and a missional lifestyle.
In Revolutionary Kingdom: Following the Rebel Jesus, author and Pastor Mike Slaughter explores why we must exchange comfortable cultural worldviews and values for the radical requirements of living out the Kingdom of God on Planet Earth. When God’s people get serious about this call, it’s revolutionary. Jesus himself was the most radical revolutionary who ever lived and provided us a vision of a kingdom worth dying for.
Welcome to the revolution!
Additional components for a six-week study include a DVD featuring Mike Slaughter and a comprehensive Leader Guide.
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Mountaintop Moments Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$15.99Add to cartMountaintop moments–those moments when we experience the power, love, and grace of God in a way difficult to capture with words. They give us a sense of God’s presence in our lives and often changes our perspective of who God is and who we are.
In this book, Dr. Ed Robb connects personal mountaintop experiences in our spiritual life with the mountains in the Old and New Testament and the events related to this sacred places.
The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study including session plans, activities, and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options.
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Mountaintop Moments : Meeting God In The High Places
$18.99Add to cartMountaintop moments-those moments when we experience the power, love, and grace of God in a way difficult to capture with words. They give us a sense of God’s presence in our lives and often change our perspective of who God is and who we are.
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Truth Plus Love Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartChristians today are facing a crisis of influence. In our rush to speak truth to today’s tensions, cultural issues, and trending controversies, it becomes all too easy for us to focus on proving our points rather than extending God’s grace. Conversely, when we seek only to love but never proclaim a better way, we short-circuit God’s plan. As believers in Christ, we need to be known for both truth and love.
In this six-session video Bible study (DVD/digital video downloads sold separately), evangelist Matt Brown draws on the example of the apostle Paul to show how believers can influence their world with the truth while living in a way that reveals their love. In the first half of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he issued no imperative commands except to “remember.” Paul did not instruct the believers to do anything new but only to remember the gospel they had received. But in the second half of his letter, he issued forty imperative commands, instructing them to “[speak] the truth in love [and] grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15 esv).
Truth Plus Love is the formula for transforming our lives and influencing the world for Christ. It begins as we seek to develop the fruit of the Spirit in our lives: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 esv). As the Holy Spirit develops these traits within us, it transforms our character and makes us appealing ambassadors for Christ. We naturally begin to draw others to love of Christ within us . . . and to the truth found in God’s Word.
Designed for use with the Truth Plus Love Video Study (sold separately).
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Story Of Reality Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartBiblical Christianity is more than just another private religious view. It’s more than just a personal relationship with God or a source of moral teaching.
Christianity is a picture of reality. It explains why the world is the way it is. When the pieces of this puzzle are properly assembled, we see the big picture clearly. Christianity is a true story of how the world began, why the world is the way it is, what role humans play in the drama, and how all the plotlines of the story are resolved in the end.
In The Story of Reality Study Guide, together with the accompanying Story of Reality and Story of Reality Video Study, bestselling author and host of Stand to Reason Gregory Koukl explains the words that form the narrative backbone of the Christian story. Each session identifies the most important things that happen in the story in the order they take place, beginning with an examination of reality, and God, and moving though man, Jesus, the cross, and resurrection.
If you are already a Christian, do you know and understand the biblical story? For those still seeking answers to the questions of life, this is an invitation to join a story that explains the world in a way nothing else will. Be a part of the story that can change your life forever.
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Mining For Gold
$14.99Add to cartThe stresses and burdens of Christian leadership leave many church leaders feeling discouraged, inadequate and broken. The expectations placed on them by the church, their congregations and by themselves can lead to ineffectiveness and burn out. The hierarchical, top-down form leadership paradigm that has been prevalent in culture and the church is now failing us. This needs to change. There is a global need for empowered and thriving leaders. There are many Christian leadership books, most of them emphasize a particular perspective or skill needed to be an effective leader. However, few leadership books tie together the foundation of identity with calling and empowerment. This book outlines a process and model that leaders can use to draw together identity, purpose, character and calling to become a healthy leader and to develop leaders around them. The book ties together biblical principles, God-given identity and ministry tools of coaching and mentoring to offer a fresh contribution and perspective for developing more and better leaders. As such this book will be especially helpful to the leader who feels stuck or lacks clarity, yet still longs to make a significant impact in their lives.
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Neighboring : Spiritual Practices For Building A Life Of Faith
$14.99Add to cart“While physical training has some value, training in holy living is useful for everything. It has promise for this life now and the life to come.” ~ 1 Timothy 4:8
Christians crave a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. Spiritual disciplines are activities and practices that guide you in your daily walk through life bringing you closer to Christ. They also help you to make a difference in our world. Practicing these spiritual disciplines opens you to God’s transforming love and help you experience Holy Living.Both the Old and New Testaments call the people of God to love God completely as well as love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Jesus gave his followers this commandment as well. What if by loving your neighbor, Jesus literally meant the precious people who live in your neighborhoods? What if by loving your neighbors Jesus meant all your neighbors regardless of age, socioeconomics, education or any other potentially divisive status? This book first defines what is meant by “neighboring”; and then looks at some ways that you live into and out of that spiritual practice. It further helps you cultivate the habit of being neighboring Christ-followers and suggests ways your church can be neighboring churches.
This is one of series of eight books. Each book in this series introduces a spiritual practice, suggests way of living the practice daily, and provides opportunities to grow personally and in a faith community with others who engage with the practice. Each book consists of an introduction and four chapters and includes questions for personal reflection and group discussion.
Other disciplines studied: Celebration, Confession, Discernment, Neighboring, Simplicity, Study, and Worship.
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Prayer : Spiritual Practices For Building A Life Of Faith
$14.99Add to cart“While physical training has some value, training in holy living is useful for everything. It has promise for this life now and the life to come.” ~ 1 Timothy 4:8
Christians crave a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. Spiritual disciplines are activities and practices that guide you in your daily walk through life bringing you closer to Christ. They also help you to make a difference in our world. Practicing these spiritual disciplines opens you to God’s transforming love and help you experience Holy Living.
We know we should pray, and for many people prayer is as natural as breathing. Yet however comfortable you feel with prayer, it can always take you deeper into your lives with God. This book explores the purpose of prayer, why you need to pray, the nature of prayer, and the results of prayer. It leads you to be open to the transformations prayer can bring in your life, and helps you better understand how to pray both individually and with others.
This is one of series of eight books. Each book in this series introduces a spiritual practice, suggests way of living the practice daily, and provides opportunities to grow personally and in a faith community with others who engage with the practice. Each book consists of an introduction and four chapters and includes questions for personal reflection and group discussion.
Other disciplines studied: Celebration, Confession, Discernment, Neighboring, Simplicity, Study, and Worship.
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Worship : Spiritual Practices For Building A Life Of Faith
$14.99Add to cart“While physical training has some value, training in holy living is useful for everything. It has promise for this life now and the life to come.” ~ 1 Timothy 4:8
Christians crave a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. Spiritual disciplines are activities and practices that guide you in your daily walk through life bringing you closer to Christ. They also help you to make a difference in our world. Practicing these spiritual disciplines opens you to God’s transforming love and help you experience Holy Living.
Deepen your understanding of worship so that you can worship more fully. First by defining the practice of worship. To define it gives you clarity and richness. Along with defining worship you explore the concept of a Godward life, a life of turning toward God for guidance moment by moment, day by day. Such a life is fuel for genuine worship. Next you focus on the way worship shapes you. Look at your formation as a disciple of Jesus with Jesus’ primary focus, which was the kingdom of God. As you are being formed into Christlikeness, you point to God’s action in the world and you grow in desiring what God desires. Finally, you explore the idea that worship can happen in unexpected places. As worship breaks out, your life becomes an increasingly joyful walk with God.This is one of series of eight books. Each book in this series introduces a spiritual practice, suggests way of living the practice daily, and provides opportunities to grow personally and in a faith community with others who engage with the practice. Each book consists of an introduction and four chapters and includes questions for personal reflection and group discussion.
Other disciplines studied: Celebration, Confession, Discernment, Neighboring, Simplicity, Study, and Worship.
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Sustainable Young Adult Ministry
$22.99Add to cartYoung adult ministry scares us.
Young adults seem like the elusive Holy Grail demographic in Christian ministry. We often treat them like another species, with an inscrutable culture all their own. To have a thriving ministry to young adults, we’re told, we’ll need to be up-to-date on all the latest trends. We’ll need to change up our worship style. We’ll need to make programs. But what if young adult ministry isn’t actually as enigmatic as we’ve been led to believe? What if it actually looks an awful lot like . . . faithful Christian ministry? Scott Pontier and Mark DeVries know firsthand the challenges of young adult ministry. In Sustainable Young Adult Ministry, they explore six common mistakes churches make in their efforts to reach this demographic–mistakes they themselves have made–and offer six paradoxes that upend our presuppositions and return us to a simpler, more biblical ministry model. Full of practical advice and complete with a wealth of additional resources, this book offers a fresh perspective on young adult ministry that is grounded in long ministry experience and in the timeless gospel of Jesus.
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Romans Womens Bible Study Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$15.99Add to cartWe live in a world full of bad news. The media recounts stories of natural disasters, violence, and conflict. In the midst of all this heartbreak, we can’t lose sight of the fact that God has given us good news. We call it the gospel. It reminds us that God loves us and longs to redeem our suffering. He stepped out of eternity and into time to send us His one and only Son. The gospel truths shared with the early church at Rome echo into our day, reminding us that we still have good news to embrace personally and to share with others.
In this six-week study of the Book of Romans, we will be highlighting significant concepts regarding the good news about faith, grace, daily life, God’s plan, relationships, and eternity. Whatever bad news we may receive, in Romans we will find good news to encourage and transform us.
Join Melissa in taking a posture of listening and learning as we approach this powerful book packed with good news? Let’s ask God to do a mighty work in and through us as we study so that we might be inspired with a spiritual renewal that spreads to those around us!
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Drawing From The Wells 2
$9.95Add to cartToday, many young ministers feel the need to minister to thousands of individuals to be successful. In truth, most of the churches within the United States have congregations of 125 parishioners or less. In the Church of God in Christ, ninety percent of congregations are less than one hundred members. In Drawing from the Well, author Bishop Nathaniel Wells offers a self-help guide on building a strong church and mega ministry, without mass numbers and in small communities.
Through scriptural examples and personal experiences, Wells discusses the key elements-for which Jesus has provided the insight and instructions-for creating a strong church foundation. He includes the importance of relying on the word of God, empowering parishioners, and keeping the personal and spiritual connection to people.
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Preaching With All Ages
$23.99Add to cartThe all-age talk is a task guaranteed to give preachers sleepless nights! Very few people feel they have a gift for it, and most lack confidence. This reflective and practical guide addresses these concerns, and aims to build a sure theological understanding, develop skills and grow confidence.
Twelve chapters explore different kinds of engagement – with the senses, with one another, with oneself, with scripture, with liturgy, with the church, with God, with challenging situations, and more to enable preachers make real connections with their listeners, whatever the age.
Each chapter is followed by a practical case study illustrating key principles and providing down-to-earth, tried and tested wisdom for all kinds of contexts and occasions.
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Traveling Home : Tracking Your Way Through The Spiritual Wilderness
$21.95Add to cartOffers readers a way to find their place in God’s story
A creative invitation to those who are on the margins of the church Recent research in the sociology of religion indicates that around one in five Americans are religiously “liminal,” that is, they are on the fence about affiliating with a faith or a congregation. Traveling Home is an invitation to those people who are standing on the edges or just coming into the Church. It makes a case for why Christianity can make a difference by taking the reader on a spiritual journey through the story and ancient wisdom of the Bible. It shows the reader how to find a place within this great cosmic adventure. Why Christianity at all? How do we understand where we fit into a bigger picture? Anyone asking these questions, including people exploring other liturgical traditions, will find this book of interest. It is also a tool for clergy teaching newcomer/inquirer classes.
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EveryWORD John : Scipture – Outline – Commentary
$39.99Add to cartFrom LMW, the publishers of The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible comes everyWORD, a starting point for pastors, teachers, and students of the Bible who are seeking a better understanding of every Word of scripture. Outlined verse-by-verse in the popular ESV translation, and including a comprehensive, easy-to-understand commentary drawn from hundreds of sources, everyWORD equips you to preach your best.
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Romans Womens Bible Study Participant Workbook (Student/Study Guide)
$17.99Add to cartWe live in a world full of bad news. The media recounts stories of natural disasters, violence, and conflict. In the midst of all this heartbreak, we can’t lose sight of the fact that God has given us good news. We call it the gospel. It reminds us that God loves us and longs to redeem our suffering. He stepped out of eternity and into time to send us His one and only Son. The gospel truths shared with the early church at Rome echo into our day, reminding us that we still have good news to embrace personally and to share with others.
In this six-week study of the Book of Romans, we will be highlighting significant concepts regarding the good news about faith, grace, daily life, God’s plan, relationships, and eternity. Whatever bad news we may receive, in Romans we will find good news to encourage and transform us.
Join Melissa in taking a posture of listening and learning as we approach this powerful book packed with good news? Let’s ask God to do a mighty work in and through us as we study so that we might be inspired with a spiritual renewal that spreads to those around us!
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Kingdom Single Group Video Experience Participants Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$9.99Add to cartThis participant’s guide for the video-based group study explores the message in the book Kingdom Single. It encourages singles to see themselves as complete in Christ and free to serve Him, and empowers them to live as Kingdom men and women in a morally corrupt culture.
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Shepherding Gods People
$23.00Add to cartThis comprehensive textbook on pastoral ministry for pastors, church leaders, and students articulates a biblical model for shepherding God’s people. Written by a leading psychologist and seminary professor who has served as a pastor for more than two decades, the book covers twelve major areas of pastoral ministry, highlights the essential work of the Holy Spirit, and focuses on the personal and family life of the pastor. It includes cross-cultural perspectives of special interest in our diverse world and a foreword by John Ortberg.
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Planning For Rites And Rituals Year A 2019-2020
$39.95Add to cartAll-in-one liturgical season planner for worship
Advent 1 2019 through Christ the King Sunday 2020 Planning for Rites and Rituals is the indispensable companion for worship planning for the Episcopal Church, following the three-year Revised Common Lectionary cycle and the church calendar. Presiders and preachers, worship team leaders, musicians, Christian educators, sacristans, and altar guilds will find this to be the perfect resource, putting all the elements for planning worship and seasonal observances in one handy volume. SEASONAL HELPS for each season of the Christian year:
– Introductions and approaches to preparing liturgies for the season
– Ideas for creating an environment appropriate to the season
– Rites, blessings, prayers, and litanies for the season
– Pageants and festivals for notable days
– Seasonal checklist WEEKLY HELPS for every Sunday and feast day of the church year:
– Introductions to the day: overview, color, preface, collect
– Summary of the readings and psalm, including both lectionary tracks
– Inclusive intercessions for the Prayers of the People
-Ideas for the day for worship and formation
– Hymn suggestions for the day from The Hymnal 1982; Wonder, Love, and Praise; and Lift Every Voice and Sing II -
Rooting For Rivals
$18.00Add to cartFaith-based organizations are sometimes known for what we’re against–and all too often that includes being against each other. But amid growing distrust of religious institutions, Christ-centered nonprofits have a unique opportunity to link arms and collectively pursue a calling higher than any one organization’s agenda.
Rooting for Rivals reveals how your ministry can multiply its impact by cooperating, rather than competing. Peter Greer and Chris Horst explore case studies illustrating the power of collaborative ministry. They also vulnerably share their own failures and successes in pursuing a kingdom mind-set. Discover the power of openhanded leadership to make a greater impact on the world
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Smart Stepfamily Participants Guide Revised And Updated (Student/Study Guide)
$14.00Add to cartGet the Most out of The Smart Stepfamily
Discover the key steps to building a healthy family with stepfamily expert Ron L. Deal. This interactive workbook is guaranteed to help you benefit from The Smart Stepfamily book and DVD. It includes:
– discussion questions for before and after each DVD session
– space to take notes
– bonus question and answer section
– group leader instructions
– guidelines for facilitating effective groupsThrough eight engaging sessions, you’ll learn useable solutions for everyday living and glean valuable insight and practical tips for becoming a smart stepfamily.
Ideal for small groups, premarital counseling, or personal study. Use with The Smart Stepfamily book (Revised and Expanded Edition) and Small-Group DVD Resource (Revised and Expanded Edition).
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Escaping The Maze Of Spiritual Abuse
$15.99Add to cart‘Every time he wanted me to do something, he would quote scripture… I couldn’t argue with scripture, it was like arguing with God.’?The term ‘spiritual abuse’ is widely used across the Christian community. But what is it? ?Sometimes spiritual abuse involves leaders misusing their position, but ministers can also be the victims. Common factors include control through misuse of scripture, claims to divine authority, pressure to conform, and enforced accountability. Individuals may be isolated, and compelled to secrecy and silence. Drawing on a combination of extensive research, individual testimonies, and years of hands-on experience, Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys describe clearly the nature of spiritual abuse, and the best ways of countering it. Recovery is possible. But – how do we prevent spiritual abuse in the first place? What can leaders do to create safer places? Is there a link between theological ideas and harmful behaviors? How can leaders create opportunities for spiritual and emotional flourishing?
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Pastor In A Secular Age
$28.99Add to cartIn Faith Formation in a Secular Age, the first book in his Ministry in a Secular Age trilogy, Andrew Root offered an alternative take on the issue of youth drifting away from the church and articulated how faith can be formed in our secular age. In The Pastor in a Secular Age, Root explores how this secular age has impacted the identity and practice of the pastor, obscuring his or her core vocation: to call and assist others into the experience of ministry.
Using examples of pastors throughout history–from Augustine and Jonathan Edwards to Martin Luther King Jr. and Nadia Bolz-Weber–Root shows how pastors have both perpetuated and responded to our secular age. Root turns to Old Testament texts and to the theology of Robert Jenson to explain how pastors can regain the important role of attending to people’s experiences of divine action, offering a new vision for pastoral ministry today.
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Wedding Sermons And Marriage Ceremonies Volume 2
$16.95Add to cartWhen a pragmatic planner like Rev. Derl Keefer and skilled homily writer like Dr. Randall Hartman collaborate, the effect is a resource that provides all the nuts and bolts of a wedding ceremony with the power and beauty of meaningful scripture woven throughout.
For ministers working with couples who desire a high degree of direction, Wedding Sermons and Marriage Ceremonies, Volume 2 is ideal as each ceremony includes top-to-bottom instructions, from processional music to the sermon, vows, prayer and recessional. It is also a treasure trove of ideas for couples who need a spark of inspiration to develop a unique ceremony of their own.
Each of the 12 ceremonies in this volume is centered on a unique theme based in scripture.
Titles include:
*God’s Law of Love (Ceremony 1)
*Establishing a Lifetime of Value (Ceremony 2)
*Prescription for a Successful Marriage (Ceremony 7)
*Marriage Is More Than a Dream – It Is Love (Ceremony 8)
*God: The Foundation of Marriage (Ceremony 9) -
Study Of The Gospel Of Matthew
$24.99Add to cartMatthew is the only gospel to mention the word church, which by the time the gospel was written, had become the dominant factor in the lives of Christians. From the arrival of the Messiah to the healing of the devil-possessed man, The Study of the Gospel of Matthew is a verse-by-verse study that church and small-group members will be able to apply to their lives.
In Matthew’s version of the gospel, Jesus is presented as the suffering Servant and the only qualified representative of the kingdom of God. Readers will understand how Jesus came as the Son of God to pay the sin debt, served on earth as the suffering Servant, and fulfilled God’s plan for redemption. Designed as a practical and simple overview, readers and ministry leaders will appreciate the study’s enlightening, alliterative style.
Pastor Wesley has compiled a dozen other biblical verse-by-verse studies using the same alliterative style to help believers grow in their knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Study of the Gospel of Matthew is volume 1 of a three-volume series.
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Your Companion After Divorce
$5.99Add to cartThe Out of the Depths series addresses common pastoral crises in a faithful, encouraging, and factual manner that provides support to parishioners in crisis beyond the initial pastoral conversation. These inexpensive booklets can be given out to parishioners when they bring their recent diagnosis, crisis, or trauma to the pastor as a way to continue to provide care throughout the difficult season. Each booklet begins with a thoughtful consideration of the topic at hand, which is followed up by 30 brief devotions. These devotions are designed to be manageable in an overwhelming time, encouraging, and honest. The Out of the Depths booklets are essential care resources to be given out by pastors, Stephen Ministers, and congregational care teams. Key Features: Written by metal health professionals and pastors to help the reader process their trauma both psychologically and theologically. Includes accessible material describing the dynamics of the crisis situation and typical reactions, which provides the reader with a sense of grounding and direction through increased knowledge. The thirty short devotions creates a sense of companionship and hope in a difficult and lonely time. Knowing they are sharing a resource written by mental health professionals and pastors with personal experience provides pastors a trustworthy source of information. Easy for pastors/churches to keep in stock and distribute as needed, serves as a tangible reminder of the faith community’s care.
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How To Pioneer Single Copy
$7.50Add to cartA Church House Publishing Title
This five-part group study booklet is designed to encourage and equip local church communities who are contemplating setting up a pioneering church community, but are unsure how to get going or what will be involved.
It opens up the wise insights and practical know-how of Dave Male’s book ‘How to Pioneer’ to the wider church, introducing the basics of pioneer ministry to PCCs and congregations while encouraging their supportive participation. The booklet consists of five group sessions based on chapters of the original book:
1. You can do this
2. Focusing on your mission
3. Adapting to your context
4. Creating Jesus-centred communities
5. Enabling disciples of JesusAll pioneer enterprises depend on the active support of the home church team. This booklet will help generate essential backing for local mission projects.
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Taking It To The Streets
$17.99Add to cartReverend Harry “OG Rev.” Williams from Oakland, California, is called to the streets: to the hungry, homeless, addicted, incarcerated, and vulnerable. Bringing us face-to-face with both the injustices that plague our cities and the gospel of compassion that offers hope to the downtrodden, this introduction to urban ministry will inspire and equip a new generation to bring the life-giving good news of Jesus to our cities.
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Who Cares About HIV
$18.99Add to cartThis timely book gives a voice to those living with HIV who are too often ignored or misunderstood by the Church and other religious institutions – including those in positions of care who may have thought they were helping but have ended up doing more harm than good. The book exposes and challenges attitudes of institutional blindness and abuse and suggests some positive means of remedy, all of which have been formed and tested with the help of clients at the London HIV Chaplaincy. With its powerful combination of moving personal testimony and honest pastoral reflection, this book will encourage a more informed, sensitive and effective interaction with many who, for whatever reason, feel marginalized by our society and alienated by those who most want to help. As Rowan Williams says in his foreword, ‘This book is a proclaiming of the gospel as well as a call to judgement. It is necessary material for the self-examination and self-awareness of any Christian minister or community, if the Church’s claim to be what it is supposed to be is not to go on being so hollow for so many who need to hear that their agency and dignity are understood and honored.’
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Evidence That Demands A Verdict Study Guide
$12.99Add to cartFor more than forty years, Evidence That Demands a Verdict has encouraged and strengthened millions of people around the world. It has convinced skeptics of the Bible’s reliability, helped believers articulate their faith, and given them the vital facts they need to defend God’s Word and lead others to faith in Jesus. The book has now been revised and updated to include newly uncovered historical documentation, recent scholarship, and new and expanded chapters to address recent attacks on Christianity.
In this new eight-session video study (DVD/digital downloads sold separately), Josh and his son, Sean, help believers in Christ understand how the books of the New Testament came into being, how they differ from “Gnostic” and non-biblical texts, and why they can be sure that the New Testament books are historically reliable. They also examine how believers can know that Jesus existed, why the claims he made about himself are true, how he fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about himself, and how believers can know the resurrection took place.
This study is for anyone who has ever been stumped by someone’s arguments against Christianity or the Bible-or has wondered for themselves if the Bible’s depiction of Jesus is true and not just a made-up fairy tale. It has been specifically created to help Christians know what they believe, why it is true, and how they communicate biblical truth to a skeptical world.
This study guide is designed for use with the Evidence That Demands a Verdict Video Study (sold separately).
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Creative Ideas For The Family Eucharist
$40.00Add to cartFind everything you need to lead a Family Eucharist in this comprehensive and versatile all-age resource. Building on the new Eucharistic Prayers for use in services with children, it balances formality and informality to help you create engaging worship for all. Easily adaptable for large and small all-age congregations, it offers ready-to-use worship ideas and service outlines for themed occasions throughout the year. Imaginatively-planned and well-structured Family Eucharists are a key part of growing churches, and this resource will give you both the structure and the confidence to lead all-age worship well.
It includes:
-advice on recruiting and training leaders
-ways of getting children involved
-a guide to creating a basic structure
-suggestions for using music and props creatively
-themed services for different seasons
-imaginative service outlines for a variety of occasions, including a baptism in the context of a Eucharist
-downloadable scripts and illustrations for use throughout the year -
Bridgebuilding : Making Peace With Conflict In The Church
$27.00Add to cartThere is a prevailing culture of ‘niceness’ within churches which can lead to conflict avoidance, suppression and denial. Consequently, ministers and church leaders often struggle to handle tensions, difference and competing demands within their congregations.
Drawing on practical theology, conflict theory, family systems theory and experience, Bridgebuilding will help church ministers and church members find more fruitful ways of engaging with tensions and conflicts in the life of the Church. It offers numerous practical tools for transforming conflict into opportunities for personal and corporate growth.
It complements the ‘Growing Bridgebuilders’ training course developed by Bridge Builders with CPAS.
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Power Of Jesus Names Interactive Workbook (Workbook)
$9.99Add to cartWhat’s in a Name?
His name holds the power to heal and lift up. It comforts the brokenhearted. Jesus is a powerful name, but it’s not the only one the Son of God is known by.
This companion to Dr. Tony Evan’s The Power of Jesus’ Names DVD introduces you to many new facets of Jesus and His nature that are revealed by each of His names. Full of in-depth scriptural research and enriched by Dr. Evan’s relatable storytelling and practical application, you’ll find valuable insights through…
*questions that promote reflection and conversation
*relevant Scripture passages for reflection and discussion
*activities for further personal study and growthWhether in a group or on your own, you will come to a more intimate understanding of who Jesus is and what He came to do for you as you journey through The Power of Jesus’ Names.
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Sunday Comes Every Week
$23.99Add to cartSeasoned advice for pastors facing the weekly challenge of preparing sermonsFor pastors, a new sermon comes every week. Conventional wisdom says that pastors need to sequester themselves to prepare their weekly sermon without distraction. But veteran preacher Frank Honeycutt suggests just the opposite: prepare your sermons as part of a daily, lived experience in the community.Using the days of the week as a framework, Honeycutt describes practical and essential tasks leading up to the writing and delivery of the Sunday sermon-habits that will provide lasting spiritual nourishment for pastors who plan for a long career in parish ministry. With humor and candid acknowledgment of his own mistakes and doubts, Honeycutt reflects on the joys and hazards of ministry and explains how a faithful process of preaching shapes pastors for a lifetime of healthy ministry.Monday: ListeningTuesday: HearingWednesday: ExegetingThursday: NamingReflecting: A Pastor Looks BackFriday: WritingSaturday: RehearsingSunday: Offering
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Whats Next Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartIn this six-week video Bible study (DVD/digital downloads sold separately), bestselling author and pastor Chris Hodges reveals the critical steps that every Christian needs to take to deepen his or her walk with God.
As Chris explains, the journey toward deeper faith and spiritual maturity is a lifelong pursuit, with plenty of stops, obstacles, and bumps along the way. Inevitably, there comes a point when we find ourselves asking, “What do I do next? How do I stay motivated to grow deeper in my relationship with God when I feel complacent, intimidated, or confused? What can I do to get back on track when I hit a spiritual rut?”
In What’s Next?, Chris encourages believers to take the next step in their spiritual maturity to know God, find freedom, discover their purpose, and make a difference in the world. This begins by recognizing where we are in our spiritual journey so we can heed God’s instruction, listen to his voice, and follow his guidance. As we identify our present spiritual state–no matter where we may be on the spectrum–it enables us to hear from God and understand the next steps he wants us to take toward growth, health, and maturity.
What’s Next? is a field guide for both new believers and veterans in the faith on how to have a deeper and more intimate relationship with God and find the joy that comes from the journey.
Designed for use with the What’s Next? Video Study (sold separately).
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Nehemiah Code Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartWho is not in need of a new beginning? Whether it be broken relationships, integrity missteps, or loss, most of us will spend some or much of the next year trying to restore something. The good news is . . . it’s never too late for a new beginning.
Nehemiah was a civil servant from 2,500 years ago who applied principles found in the Bible for insight during hard times, help to start again, and encouragement to rebuild a life.
This enabled him to rebuild a broken city wall and, in the process, a lot of broken hopes. He has left us some secrets, a sort of hidden “code” that, if applied to our own experience, can enable us to rebuild broken walls in our own lives. His message to us across the centuries is plain and powerful . . . it is never too late for a new beginning!
The Nehemiah Code dives into a theme that will resonate deeply with a wide variety of readers-insight during hard times, help to start again, and encouragement to rebuild a life.
Topics include:
*Taking personal responsibility
*Moving out of your comfort zone
*Rebuilding team spirit
*Holding those around you accountable
*Doing what is right
*Finishing strongDesigned for use with the Nehemiah Code Video Study (sold separately).
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Seasoned Speech : Rhetoric In The Life Of The Church
$25.99Add to cartBeing a faithful disciple of Christ means having seasoned speech: practicing a rhetoric that beneficially and persuasively imparts the surprising truth of the gospel. James Beitler seeks to renew interest in and hunger for an effective Christian rhetoric by closely considering the work of five beloved Christian communicators: C. S. Lewis, Dorothy L. Sayers, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Desmond Tutu, and Marilynne Robinson.
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Always On : Practicing Faith In A New Media Landscape
$25.00Add to cartMany of us are “always on”–scrolling through social media, checking email, or searching the web. New media spaces can be sites and instruments of God’s unconditional love, but they can also nurture harmful conditions and become a source of anxiety, jealousy, and despondency. Always On provides useful tools for helping students and congregants understand the world of social media and engage it faithfully, enabling Christian communities to address its use in constructive, pastoral ways. The book includes discussion questions and sample exercises for each chapter.
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Find Your Way Discussion Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartNo matter where you are in life, you are not yet all you can be . . .
At some point, virtually everyone finds themselves struggling to find their way in life. Perhaps you’re just starting out and haven’t yet found your personal or professional path. Maybe you’ve been plugging away for years, trying to live someone else’s dream. Maybe you’re outwardly successful but plagued by a nagging, soul-level sense of dissatisfaction.
Carly Fiorina, who started as a secretary and later became the first female CEO of a Fortune 50 company, can help. Drawing on her own remarkable journey, Carly will show you how to:
*choose a path over a plan,
*use problems to propel yourself and your organization forward,
*overcome fear and procrastination,
*make smart decisions, and
*reclaim your power and use it for good.Carly Fiorina believes beyond a shadow of a doubt that your potential can be unleashed. In the Find Your Way Discussion Guide, she will show you the path to getting there.
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Redeemed Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartIn this five-session video Bible study (DVD/digital downloads sold separately), Will Graham, the grandson of renowned preacher Billy Graham, shares stories and teachings from his life about what it means to be redeemed in Christ–to experience God’s love and have a hope that transcends the daily struggles of this world. As Will has traveled the globe to share the good news of Christ, he has seen many “longing souls” from every background and walk of life. Yet regardless of whether he has spoken to people in the affluent cities or in the back alleys of third-world nations, a common trait has stood out: people are desperate for hope and goodness.
Deep inside our souls, we are all hungering for something, though we may not know what it is. Some of us try to satisfy that hunger by throwing ourselves into relationships, jobs, or hobbies. Some try to fill the hunger by engaging in destructive vices. Others try to fill the hunger by pursuing good deeds, positive social work, mentoring, or donating money to worthy causes. But as the psalmist writes, only God “satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness” (Psalm 107:9 nkjv).
The apostle Paul wrote, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” but because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we have “been justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ” (Romans 3:23-24 nkjv). When we accept God’s salvation, he sends the Holy Spirit to reside in our hearts and satisfies the longing we have in our souls.
As we experience this redemption and begin to walk in God’s ways, we find that he leads us to new places in our lives:
*A New Understanding of God’s Love
*A New Sense of Freedom from the Past
*A New Heart and Character
*A New Outlook on Difficulties
*A New Longing to Share Christ with OthersRedeemed will inspire and challenge group members to let go of their past, embrace the new future God has for them, surrender to the work he wants to do in their lives, confront their trials with prayer, and open their eyes to see the eternal needs of those around them in their world.
Designed for use with the Redeemed Video Study (sold separately).
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Pastoral Rule For Today
$25.99Add to cartHow can pastors thrive amid the demands of being preacher, therapist, administrator, and CEO? We need a contemporary pastoral rule: a pattern for ministry that encourages and enables pastors to focus on what is most important in their pastoral task. Written by three veteran pastors, this book gives examples of pastoral rules in communities throughout the church’s history, providing concrete advice on how pastors can develop and keep a pastoral rule today.
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Always On : Practicing Faith In A New Media Landscape
$29.99Add to cartMany of us are “always on”–scrolling through social media, checking email, or searching the web. New media spaces can be sites and instruments of God’s unconditional love, but they can also nurture harmful conditions and become a source of anxiety, jealousy, and despondency. Always On provides useful tools for helping students and congregants understand the world of social media and engage it faithfully, enabling Christian communities to address its use in constructive, pastoral ways. The book includes discussion questions and sample exercises for each chapter.
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Fruitful Boughs Broken
$23.99Add to cartResponding to failure in ministry is painful for all touched by it.
The journey toward failure is unchosen, undesired, and unplanned. When it occurs, we all ask ourselves this one question: why? The result of failure is the loss of many well-trained and adequately equipped men and women from churches. Often, they disappear into oblivion.
This has been true throughout history. It’s not a new problem. Witness the experiences of Abraham, David, Elijah, and Peter in Scripture. They served well, but they also failed, disappointing God and their associates. Modern pastors, too, become entrapped in situations of fear, loneliness, depression, and failure.
We must address ways to prevent failure and learn about possibilities for intervention in order to be the witnessing church that God intends us to be.
