Pastoral Helps
Showing 801–900 of 2244 results
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Eldership And The Mission Of God
$22.00Add to cartEvery church needs leadership. But leadership should not reside in a single pastor. The biblical model for church leadership is found in teams of elders who together guide the community into God’s mission.
Church leaders J.R. Briggs and Bob Hyatt provide a comprehensive picture of elders as agents of mission for their communities. Healthy eldership structures a church for mission. Elder teams model the kind of community the local church is intended to be, stewarding the gospel in a local context.
Looking at eldership through a missiological lens, Briggs and Hyatt unpack the role, character and posture of a mission-oriented elder. Elders oversee, shepherd, teach, equip and model for God’s people what life with Jesus looks like in a particular context. The authors provide practical guidance for how elders are selected, work together, make decisions, protect the congregation and invest in the lives of others.
Discover here a clear vision for what it means to be a faithful elder. May it help you and your church thrive in pursuing God’s mission in the world.
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Life Is Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartSimple Truths to Find Love, Enjoyment, Trust, and Peace with GodWhat is life? What are we here for? What is truly important? What will bring authentic satisfaction and lasting happiness? We all ask these questions, and we all have a right to come to our own conclusions. In this follow-up to his New York Times and USA Today bestseller Jesus Is ____, Judah completes this sentence as to what “life is,” revealing how it is to be loved and to love, to enjoy God to the fullest, to trust God in every moment, and to be at peace with God, others, and ourselves. Judah writes as a friend, welcoming to the discussion new believers, lifelong followers of Jesus, and even the merely curious. In Life Is _____, Judah shows us the irrational love of God and the life that he intends for us to have in the here and now. With excitement and humor, he looks at the stories in the Bible from a different angle and shows how life is all about loving God and loving others. This study guide is designed for use with Life Is _____: A DVD Study (sold separately) and includes leader helps, discussion questions, conversation starters, and between-session activities to enhance application of Judah’s teaching.
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Propel : Good Stewardship Greater Generosity
$17.99Add to cartChurches are hurting in multiple areas including dwindling finances and shrinking congregations. Seminaries are educating and training the future of ministry yet doing so with limited resources and declining enrollment. There’s an urgent need for resources aimed at addressing those hurts in specific ways. Tangible stewardship models resulting in greater generosity can offer financial peace and a thriving membership base, propelling ministry to new heights.
Propel offers solutions beyond the church’s walls to reach all areas of training and resources to support and sustain vital ministry, scholarship, education, and mission. Through creating a culture of generosity, Clayton Smith outlines detailed models to increase giving through various outlets including planned giving, vision casting, and capital campaigns.
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Creative Giving : Understanding Planned Giving And Endowments In Church (Revised
$15.00Add to cartCreative Giving is a perfect book for church leaders who have no expertise in the area of planned or creative giving. It is an excellent resource for helping non-experts think about estate planning and stewardship within the mission and ministry of the church. A comprehensive guide, Creative Giving guides church leaders in understanding the transfer of wealth through planned giving. The authors equip church leaders with the tools to develop a creative giving program within the congregation.
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Collected Sermons Of Walter Brueggemann 2
$44.00Add to cartThis collection presents over fifty powerful sermons from one of the most trusted preachers today, Walter Brueggemann. In it, Brueggemann continues his task of making the biblical text available to the church. He sees preaching as a performance of God’s good rule that, in an act of utterance and receptive listening, mediates the truthful, joyous reality of that rule. The sermons are organized according to the church year, starting with sermons for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany and followed by sermons for Lent and Easter and then Pentecost and Ordinary Time. Sermons for other occasions, such as ordinations, weddings, and graduations, are also included, along with a Scripture index. Whether a pastor or a person in the pew, the reader will find inspiration, reflection, and wisdom in Brueggemann’s powerful words.
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Me To We
$20.99Add to cartChurches with front doors that open up mission fields rather than buildings.When Christians answer the clarion call to be missional, too often it is primarily to feel good or to grow in their own faith. But ultimately we remain unsatisfied because, in the end, it’s still about “me”-my church, my faith, my salvation. Then sometimes inspiration dries up.
We forget that Jesus is the head of the Church, which exists at God’s pleasure and disposal. God is birthing a new Social Gospel, meant to reclaim mission and justice ministries as prime directives for the Church, and not with the naive thinking of the 19th or 20th centuries.
What are the characteristics of this new Social Gospel? There is an expectation that mission is “with” and not “for” others. There is an acknowledgement that tolerance is not a dirty word and we have to find a peaceable way to live in our intercultural world. It carries the Wesleyan impulse to change the world by working to build God’s kingdom in this world. It offers the grace and salvation of Christ to those in need, believing that none are free unless all are free. It means that we feed the hungry, educate to poor, and equip the powerless in tangible ways.
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Pastors Ministry : Biblical Priorities For Faithful Shepherds
$24.99Add to cartEvery pastor struggles with demands for his time, and how to determine priorities in ministry. Some choose to respond to the most urgent needs, while others seek a more balanced and intentional approach. But what determines these priorities? Where should a busy pastor look for wisdom in making decisions?
In the Pastor’s Ministry, pastor and author Brian Croft looks to the Scriptures to determine the top ten priorities for a faithful pastoral ministry. These biblically rooted responsibilities help pastors determine how to spend their time and with greater discernment respond to the demands of the church. Each of these priorities is rooted in a direct command of God’s Word, including:
*Guarding the Truth
*Preaching and Teaching the Word
*Praying for the Flock
*Setting an Example
*Visiting the Sick
*Comforting the Grieving
*Caring for Widows
*Confronting Sin
*Encouraging the Faint-Hearted
*Identifying and Training Other LeadersTo be successful and faithful in pastoral ministry, every pastor needs to understand these core callings and make them part of his regular practice. These ten responsibilities guide how a pastor schedules his time, helping him to lay the foundation for a biblically faithful ministry in his church.
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Feasting On The Word Worship Companion Year B 2
$42.00Add to cartThis is the sixth and final volume in the Feasting on the Word Worship Companion series, which provides liturgical pieces used in preparing for worship. It offers a multitude of poetic prayers and responsive readings for all parts of worship for churches that use the Revised Common Lectionary. In addition, the weekly entries include questions for reflection and household prayers for morning and evening that are drawn from the lectionary, allowing churches to include them in their bulletin for parishioners to use throughout the week.
During times of the year when two different tracks of Old Testament texts are offered by the Revised Common Lectionary, this resource offers an entire set of materials for both tracks. Also, a CD-ROM is included with each volume that enables planners to easily cut and paste relevant readings, prayers, and questions into worship bulletins.
Liturgy writers include:
Kimberly L. Clayton, Director of Contextual Education, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia; Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
David Gambrell, Associate for Worship in the Office of Theology and Worship, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Louisville, Kentucky; Presbyterian Church(U.S.A.)
Daniel M. Geslin, Pastor, Union Congregational Church of Hancock, Hancock, Maine; United Church of Christ
Kimberly Bracken Long, Associate Professor of Worship, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia; Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
L. Edward Phillips, Associate Professor of Worship and Liturgical Theology, Candler School of Theology, Atlanta, Georgia; United Methodist Church
Melinda Quivik, Liturgical Scholar, Houghton, Michigan; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Carol L. Wade, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Lexington, Kentucky; Episcopal Church -
Inhale Comfort Exhale Hope
$12.95Add to cartDeath rarely comes with simple answers, for its arrival is always a bold reminder that we live in an imperfect world. Yet there is hope found in the Savior, and in his promise we can be certain that the limitations of this world cannot shackle the power of God.
In the ten funeral homilies of Inhale Comfort, Exhale Hope! Mark Powell exposes the secrets of a broken world, reminding us that in the midst of the mess and the chaos, God’s presence delivers a redeeming hope. Powell doesn’t believe that the funeral homily should ever be an attempt to lecture or evangelize; rather, he asserts it’s a time to remind the brokenhearted to rely on solid scriptural truths found in the words of Jesus:
We will not be left orphaned. Death has no victory. We will be with the Lord forever.
The homilies in this volume will aid the pastor in preparation of funerals for:
* an unexpected death
* an elderly Christian
* the death of someone unknown to the pastor
* a suicide
* a child
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Mission Drift : The Unspoken Crisis Facing Leaders Charities And Churches (Repri
$15.99Add to cartIs your organization in danger of Mission Drift?Without careful attention, faith-based organizations drift from their founding mission. It’s that simple. It will happen. Slowly, silently, and with little fanfare, organizations routinely drift from their purpose, and many never return to their original intent. Harvard and the YMCA are among those that no longer embrace the Christian principles on which they were founded. But they didn’t drift off course overnight. Drift often happens in small and subtle ways. Left unchecked, it eventually becomes significant. Yet Mission Drift is not inevitable. Organizations such as Compassion International and InterVarsity have exhibited intentional, long-term commitment to Christ.Why do so many organizations–including churches–wander from their mission, while others remain Mission True? Can drift be prevented? In Mission Drift, HOPE International executives Peter Greer and Chris Horst tackle these questions. They show how to determine whether your organization is in danger of drift, and they share the results of their research into Mission True and Mission Untrue organizations. Even if your organization is Mission True now, it’s wise to look for ways to inoculate yourself against drift. You’ll discover what you can do to prevent drift or get back on track and how to protect what matters most.
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God Gave The Growth
$34.95Add to cartThe Episcopal Church has recognized that planting new churches is a high priority through the Mission Enterprise Zones initiative, which provides grant funding for new worshiping communities, in partnership with dioceses. While there is significant literature and training available for church planters in evangelical contexts, very little is available for planters in the Episcopal/mainline context. This book addresses how to rise up and train leaders for the difficult task of planting new churches in the twenty-first century. It answers the essential questions, such as why should we plant churches, what models of church planting are most successful, what kinds of leaders are necessary, and what problems can be expected. Through the author’s personal experience and interviews with diocesan experts and leaders in mainline denominations, it provides strategies, approaches, and problem-solving techniques.
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Raising Kingdom Kids Participants Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$9.99Read moreThis Participant’s Guide is a companion resource to the six-week DVD-based curriculum Raising Kingdom Kids with teaching by Dr. Tony Evans.
Recommended for every participant, this Participant’s Guide helps parents tackle the critical assignment of raising children who are spiritually strong and prepared to take on the assignments God has for their lives.
The six sessions included in Raising Kingdom Kids Group Video Experience provide practical examples and illustrations to help parents grow kids’ faith, with specific instruction in the power of prayer, wisdom, love of God’s Word, getting through trials, controlling the tongue, developing patience, and the surrender of service. One sample Participant’s Guide is included in the Group Video Experience, and an additional copy is recommended for each group member.
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Keep It Shut Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartFrom Bible times to modern times women have struggled with their words: what to say and how to say it. What not to say. When it is best to remain silent. Or what to do when you’ve said something you wish you could now take back. Beyond just a “How not to gossip” study, Karen will teach what the Bible says about the many ways we are to use our words and the times when we are to remain silent. Using our speech to interact with friends, co-workers, family and strangers will be covered along with the many places we use our words such as in private, in public, online and in prayer. Even the words we say silently to ourselves. Unsolicited opinion-slinging, speaking the truth in love, not saying words just to people-please and dealing with our verbal anger are sub-topics that will also be addressed. Each session will feature a different character from the Bible, using them either as an example of someone to emulate or whose verbal actions we should avoid replicating.
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School Of The Prophets (Reprinted)
$19.00Add to cartMining from years on the frontlines of prophetic ministry and overseeing Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, bestselling author Kris Vallotton takes you deep into the heart of one of the most crucial, compelling, and controversial gifts: prophecy. In this essential guide, he reveals often-ignored foundational truths and provides critical advanced training, including how to
* discern your calling and grow in your gift
* define your divinely appointed sphere of influence and depth of authority
* prepare for the common, but dangerous, spiritual attacks prophets face
* navigate potential relational difficulties as you step into your gifting
* see what true prophetic ministry looks like inside–and outside–the churchAlso available is a new, in-depth curriculum kit that expounds on the book’s vital teachings. Each kit contains a DVD with eight dynamic, 20-minute teaching sessions from Vallotton, a leader’s guide for facilitating groups, a participant’s workbook, and a copy of School of the Prophets. Ideal for small groups, church classes, and independent Bible studies.
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Pastoral Ministry For The Next Generation
$29.95Add to cartYounger pastors are looking for practical help in the language of their generation. Pastoral Ministry for the Next Generation integrates contemporary issues and biblical principles. Pastors of all ages will find details for the “how to’s” of nearly every aspect of church ministry. Pastoral ministry is timeless. Certain aspects of this life and work endure through all generations until the Lord returns. Yet, the milieu of ministry constantly changes. People expect their ministers to baptize them, marry them, and bury them, but marriage in today’s culture involves questions for next-generation ministers that their grandfathers never imagined. Next-Gen ministry requires thoughtful processing of biblical foundations and contemporary applications. Dr. Jere Phillips has incorporated thirty years as pastor and over sixteen years of teaching young pastors to provide a biblically based, future-focused approach. This book was written for young pastors but can help ministers of any generation, especially new pastors.
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Exploring Theology
$24.00Add to cartContents:
Introduction
What Is Theology?
How Do We Do Theology?
Theological Doctrines
ConclusionsAdditional Info
Fortress Press’s Foundations for Learning series prepares students for academic success through compelling resources that kick-start their educational journey into professional Christian ministry.In Exploring Theology, Elaine A. Robinson introduces readers to the study of theology as a central task of all Christians and one that deserves careful and consistent attention. Following a lively examination of what theology is and how we do it, Robinson provides a basic map of the major doctrines of the faith and asks readers to consider their own beliefs at this important point in their journey. She invites readers to think of theology as a stream into which we enter and which carries us deeper into the vast ocean which is the fullness of God.
Designed for those who are beginning a more serious study of theology, Exploring Theology helps readers navigate what might, at first glance, appear as a confusing or abstract subject. Navigational aids include an introduction to theological vocabulary, the sources and methods of theology, and tips for reading primary sources as a spiritual discipline. As a result of this journey, readers will be excited to delve more deeply into theology and will recognize the many ways that theology shapes how we live out the Christian faith in the world.
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Exploring Practices Of Ministry
$22.00Add to cartContents:
Introduction: Welcome To The Journey!: Foundations For Practices Of Ministry
1. A Map For The Journey: Theological Foundations For Practice
2. Agents Of Grace On The Move: The Practice Of Leading Worship
3. Heralds Of Truth And Transformation: The Practice Of Proclamation
4. Tour Guides For Fellow Travelers: The Practice Of Teaching
5. Companions In Healing: The Practice Of Pastoral Care
6. Navigators Into Uncharted Terrain: The Practice Of Leadership
Conclusion: On Our Way To Emmaus: Formation, Friendship, And FaithAdditional Info
Fortress Press’s Foundations for Learning series prepares students for academic success through compelling resources that kick-start their educational journey into professional Christian ministry. In Exploring Practices of Ministry, Pamela Cooper-White and Michael Cooper-White share insights from their extensive experience as parish ministers, church agency executives, and seminary educators in diverse multicultural and international contexts. Pamela, an Episcopal priest who teaches pastoral theology, care, and counseling, is also a pastoral psychotherapist with an extensive clinical background. Michael, a Lutheran pastor and seminary president, is also a pilot and flight instructor and has served as a chaplain with the Civil Air Patrol.The authors share their wisdom with seminarians and other readers seeking to deepen theological reflection and expand skills as ministry practitioners. While not all readers are preparing to be ordained ministers, most will engage in many of the practices described in the book: preaching and public speaking, teaching, leading liturgies, conducting ceremonies, counseling and offering pastoral support for persons undergoing life transitions, and serving as organizational leaders in congregations, chaplaincies, social ministries, and in the public arena. This book is a companion journal for pilgrims on the way to becoming confident practitioners of ministry.
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Exploring The Life And Calling
$19.00Add to cartContents:
1. The Calling Of A Professional Minister Of The Gospel Of Jesus Christ
2. Defining Our Praxis
3. Praxis One: The Spiritual Life
4. Praxis Two: A Life Of Meditation And Contemplation
5. Praxis Three: An Embodied Faith
6. Praxis Four: Life Together In The Flock Of The Good Shepherd
7. Praxis Five: Leaders As Apprentices To Jesus
8. Forging AheadAdditional Info
Fortress Press’s Foundations for Learning series prepares students for academic success through compelling resources that kick-start their educational journey into professional Christian ministry.In this introductory volume for the series, Black asserts that while the primary subjects of seminary and professional church work training may dominate the interests of students, students must engage in the principal pursuit of understanding, then applying, Christian theology. Black argues that the thread of theology must be distinctly woven through each of the other disciplines of biblical exegesis, ministerial leadership, spiritual formation, counseling, preaching, and worship.
The following books in this series provide insight into these other key components of the minister’s duties. Black, however, leads off by honoring ministers as leaders who follow in the footsteps of Christ. Just as Jesus was an expert in the issues of his day, demonstrated authority to speak on the matters he engaged, mentored other leaders in like manner, was emulated by his followers who witnessed the life he lead, and, therefore, initiated a revolution that has changed the course of human history, Black is convinced that ministers of the gospel have no less a calling on their lives today
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Exploring Church History
$19.00Add to cartContents:
Part I: Why We Study Church History-Purpose
1. The Church Strives To Be One Family
2. The Church Strives To Be A Holy People
3. The Church Strives To Be A Catholic Body
4. The Church Strives To Be An Apostolic Church
Part II: How We Study Church History-Method
5. A Church In Syria Illumines The History Of Christianity In The Middle East
6. A Stele In China Illumines The History Of Christianity In Asia
7. A Cave In Egypt Illumines The History Of Christianity In Africa
8. A Grave In Italy Illumines The History Of Christianity In Europe
9. A Fabric In Mexico Illumines The History Of Christianity In The Americas
10. A Battlefield In Fiji Illumines The History Of Christianity In OceaniaAdditional Info
Fortress Press’s Foundations for Learning series prepares students for academic success through compelling resources that kick-start their educational journey into professional Christian ministry.In Exploring Church History, Derek Cooper invites readers to consider the purpose and significance of church history in the lives of individuals and communities today. Rather than offering an exploration of bygone eras and outdated events, Cooper brings history to life by emphasizing how past events, individuals, and movements shape how we understand the world around us.
Exploring Church History is divided into three convenient sections to aid those approaching the field of church history for the first time. While the first and second sections offer theoretical reasons why and how we study church history, the third section puts theory into practice by introducing readers to the major contours of world Christian history.
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House To House
$15.99Add to cartA MANUAL TO HELP YOU EXPERIENCE HEALTHY SMALL GROUPS AND HOUSE CHURCHES
Updated! House to House documents how God transformed a small fellowship of young believers into a worldwide movement. DOVE International(R) grew from 25 people to a cell church of over 2300 and then transitioned into a family of small group churches and house churches networking together throughout six continents.Larry Kreider draws from thirty years of victories and defeats to provide an overall paradigm with which to “do” church, where every believer becomes a minister. To embrace this paradigm, the very core of what drives and moves the church is changed. It is not about being clergy run, but rather, church leadership exists to equip and release the believers to become the ministers through small groups and house churches and fulfill their God-given call.
The book’s view of small groups and house churches, based firmly on the scriptures, from their purpose of reaching people for Christ to making disciples to their impact on today’s world, will inspire believers, Christian leaders, and churches, traditional or contemporary, in years to come…transforming them from individual congregations, large and small, into church planting movements.
Includes study and discussion questions after each chapter. Use it as a handbook for small group and house church dynamics as well as an invaluable tool to train leaders.
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Me I Want To Be Participants Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$10.99Add to cartIn this five-session small group Bible study, The Me I Want to Be, John Ortberg reveals how you can become the unique, fully alive person God intended you to be. There is a me each of one of us wants to be- someone who’s more kind and generous, patient, and loving. But there is a gap between the me I am and the me I want to be. Oftentimes we find it easy to trust God to bridge the gap between and us and him, but we struggle to really live by grace and trust God to close the gap between the me I am and the me I want to be. Becoming God’s best version of you is both God’s desire and the greatest task of your life. And here’s the good news- he’s already working on it. Your life is God’s project, not yours. The Me I Want to Be small group Bible study is a powerful look at becoming the unique, fully alive, flourishing person God intended. Pastor and author John Ortberg teaches through fives sessions how you can move toward becoming God’s best version of you in four specific areas: your mind, your time, your relationships, and your experiences. Spiritual growth can seem difficult or intimidating, but John Ortberg’s humor and innovative thinking in The Me I Want to Be will leave you challenged, inspired, and hopeful about true spiritual growth happening in you and your small group. This Participant Guide is designed for use with The Me I Want to Be DVD (sold separately) and includes discussion questions for individuals and groups. When used together they provide you with a practical tool than can transform your faith.
Sessions include:
Discovering the Spirit
Renewing My Mind
Redeeming My Time
Deeping My Relationships
Transforming My Experience -
Actuality : Real Life Stories For Sermons That Matter
$20.99Add to cartStories have a limit, but your reach doesn’t have to.During seminary, stories from dorm life or a former part-time job might manage to suffice for illustrative sermon material, but once a consistent preaching ministry begins, pastors run dry on stories in a hurry. Within a breathtakingly short span of time, most preachers blow through their personal stories and relevant antidotes.
Of course, what preachers need are not canned Internet illustrations, but true-to-life stories inside in which listeners will be able to locate themselves, thus opening them up to receive into their lives the grace of God that alone proffers hope and joy. This book teaches preacher how to cultivate personal habits of becoming consumers of art, journalism, and literature while letting the Word of God shine with a reality that is aptly fitting of a Gospel designed to save the real world.
Of course, what preachers need are not canned Internet illustrations, but true-to-life stories inside in which listeners will be able to locate themselves, thus opening them up to receive into their lives the grace of God that alone proffers hope and joy. Preachers need the insights of skilled novelists, who in fresh ways reveal the sad dynamics inside dysfunctional families. They need the wisdom skilled journalists bring to profiles of poverty and desperation. They need the storytelling skills of filmmakers, whose art is pure narrative.
But to get to these riches, preachers need to be inspired to read and to watch and how to keep track of it all so they can fruitfully bring forward the right amount of insight in a perfectly timed sermon.
This book teaches the preacher how to cultivate personal habits of becoming consumers of art, journalism, and literature while letting the Word of God shine with a reality that is aptly fitting of a Gospel designed to save the real world.
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Understanding Bible By Design
$24.00Add to cartToday’s seminary and religious-education instructors are expected to design and redesign their courses more nimbly than in the past. We have to adapt our courses to novel learning environments, for more diverse learners, toward more diverse vocations. At the same time, institutional rewards for time invested in course design are fewer than ever. Understanding Bible by Design introduces the reader to Understanding by Design: an approach to course design that is proven time-efficient and grounded in the instructor’s most closely-held convictions about her subject matter’s “big ideas and essential questions.” This book’s contributors (one in Old Testament, one in New Testament, and one in Jewish Studies) demonstrate the value of Understanding Bible by Design for the Biblical Studies instructor, whether at seminary or university, face-to-face or online, from the intimate seminar to the massive MOOC.
Lester’s synopsis of course design and suggested action is followed by a collaborative dialogue with Jane S. Webster and Christopher M. Jones. Webster and Jones provide practical commentary regarding the successful implementation of Lester’s proposed approaches. As a group, Lester, Webster, and Jones create a text that extends pedagogical innovation in inspiring but practical ways.
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Effective Social Learning
$24.00Add to cartThe ground of higher education is shifting, but learning ecosystems around the world have much more space than MOOCs and trendy online platforms can fill, and Loewen shows how professors have an indisputable pedagogical edge that gives them a crucial role to play in higher education. By adopting the collaborative pedagogical process in this book, professors can create effective social learning experiences that connect students to peers and professional colleagues in real-time.
Loewen moves beyond surface questions about technology in the classroom to a problem best addressed by educators in bricks-and-mortar institutions: if students are social learners, how do we teach in a way that promotes actual dialogue for learning? Designing learning experiences that develop intercultural competencies puts the test to students’ social inclinations, and engagement with course material increases when it’s used to dig deeper into the specificities of their identity and social location. Loewen’s approach to inter-institutional collaborative teaching will be explored with examples and working templates for collaborative design of effective social learning experiences. This is done by collaborative dialogue with G. Brooke Lester and Christopher Duncanson-Hales. As a group, Loewen, Lester, and Duncanson-Hales create a text that extends pedagogical innovation in inspiring but practical wa
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Paraklasis Counseling Theory
$22.95Add to cartLearn how to stand by hurting people in their darkest hours and help them discover the root of problems quickly, touch their hearts, and help them: * Find Security * Discover Safety * Develop Significance Anxiety, frustration, tears, and anger can be replaced by peace and confidence.
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Before Amen Study Guide
$12.99Add to cartSome people excel in prayer. They inhale heaven and exhale God. They are the Seal Team Six of intercession. But for Max Lucado, a self-professed “recovering prayer wimp,” spending even a few minutes each day with God often seemed like a monumental task.
In Before Amen, Max reveals his struggles with prayer and how he discovered that it is not a privilege for the pious or the art of a chosen few but a simple tool everyone has been given to have a conversation with God. Through the use of a simple, easy-to-remember, pocket-sized prayer that he distilled from the prayers in the Bible, he shows how everyone can build a prayer life that is stronger, better and deeper.God wants to talk with you. Even now He taps at the door. Connecting with Him each day can mean all the difference in your life and how you experience God. God will change you through such moments! This study guide includes discussion questions, video notes, and in-between studies and is designed for use with Before Amen: A DVD Study (sold separately).
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Holy Rebellion : Redefining Excellence In Pastoral Ministry
$17.95Add to cartCan rebellion be holy? Certainly, as long as we rebel against things that God abhors. Built around seven powerful expressions of love, Holy Rebellion draws lessons from real-life ministry encounters. Wedged tightly into each story is the most powerful lesson a pastor could ever learn-the message of love. From cover to cover, Holy Rebellion takes the reader on a vivid journey through the most glorious victories and embarrassing blunders in pastoral ministry. From being compared to a primate and proof of Darwin’s theory of evolution, to falsely congratulating a woman on her pregnancy, the reader comes face to face with awkward and hilarious moments in ministry. This book also explores the imperfection of pastors who at times fail miserably. Books that gloss over the painful times in ministry that were self-induced do little to edify pastors who struggle with the consequences of their mistakes. Holy Rebellion is fresh, honest, and compelling.
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Grave Robber Participants Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.00Add to cartDo we believe that God still does miracles? Do we expect him to move in miraculous ways in our day-in and day-out lives? Maybe we’d like to see miracles, but it’s hard to see past our problems. All that is about to change, like water into wine.
“There are miracles all around us all the time,” says Mark Batterson, “but you won’t see them if you don’t know how to look for them.”
Now the bestselling author of The Circle Maker reveals the incredible power of the seven miraculous signs of Jesus found in the Gospel of John. Batterson shows how they were not simply something Jesus did in the past, but something he wants to do now, in the present. He shares true stories of people today who are experiencing miracles in their lives. And he brings to light countless miracles, big and small, that we take for granted every day that point us toward the One who healed the sick, calmed the storm, and yes, even raised the dead.
But this is more than a book about miracles. It’s a book about the only One who can perform them. Batterson cautions readers, “Don’t just seek miracles. Seek Jesus. And if you seek Jesus, miracles will find you.”
Nothing has changed since Jesus called Lazarus out of his tomb four days after his funeral. Our impossible situations still double as God’s greatest opportunity to reveal his glory. No matter how big the problem is, God is bigger still. Anyone who longs to see God work in miraculous ways today will love Batterson’s faith-building, life-giving message.
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Feasting On The Word Advent Companion
$34.00Add to cartThis new volume in the Feasting on the Word series provides an all-in-one pastor’s companion for Advent, including worship materials as well as sermon preparation tools. A complete order of service is provided for each of the four Sundays in Advent, plus Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hymn suggestions, sermon illustrations, and children’s sermon suggestions make this an invaluable resource for the Advent season.
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From This Day Forward Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$10.99Add to cartIs it possible to have a great marriage? Yes, but it is not likely if you treat marriage like everybody else does! In this five-session, video-based small group study, New York Times bestselling author and pastor Craig Groeschel gives you five commitments to make in order to fail-proof your marriage. You know the stats, and they are horrifying. 50% of marriages don’t make it. What other area of your life are you satisfied with 50% odds against you? The choices you make each and every day determine not only your relationship with God but also the quality of your marriage. The decisions you make today will determine the marriage you will have tomorrow. In this five-session study, you will discover five commitments that will absolutely fail-proof your marriage. If you make these commitments, you can and will have the marriage God wants you to experience. Sessions include: Seek God Fight Fair Have Fun Stay Pure Never Give Up If you and your spouse will earnestly choose to do all five of these things, you’ll discover a richer, deeper, more authentic relationship and a more rewarding, more passionate love life than you could have ever imagined. Don’t be a statistic. Don’t be average. Let’s get you that marriage that you always wanted. Starting right now—from this day forward.
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Blessed Are The Crazy
$17.99Add to cart1. Learning To Testify
2. Entrusting My Father To God’s Beloved Community
3. Caring For My Brother – How Would Jesus Do It?
4. Seeking The Holy Spirit On Death Row
5. Feeling Pain In God’s Presence
6. Blessed Are The CrazyAdditional Info
When do you learn that normal doesn’t include lots of yelling, lots of sleep, lots of beating? In Blessed Are the Crazy: Breaking the Silence about Mental Illness, Family, and Church, Sarah Griffith Lund looks back at her father’s battle with bipolar disorder, and the helpless sense of deja vu as her brother and cousin endure mental illness, as well. She seeks answers in her faith communities, from feeling pain in God’s presence, through seeing the Holy Spirit on Death Row as she witnesses her cousin’s execution.With a small group study guide and “Ten Steps for Developing a Mental Health Ministry in Your Congregation,” Blessed Are the Crazy is more than memoir – it s a resource for churches and other faith-based groups to provide healing and comfort. As Sarah writes, “This testimony is for anybody who has ever wondered how God can use craziness to teach us about the depths of human and divine love.”
Part of The Young Clergy Women Project.
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Shrink : Faithful Ministry In A Church Growth Culture
$24.99Add to cartAmong followers of Jesus, great is often the enemy of good. The drive to be great—to be a success by the standards of the world—often crowds out the qualities of goodness, virtue, and faithfulness that should define the central focus of Christian leadership. In the culture of today’s church, successful leadership is often judged by what works, while persistent faithfulness takes a back seat. If a ministry doesn’t produce results, it is dropped. If people don’t respond, we move on. This pursuit of ‘greatness’ exerts a crushing pressure on the local church and creates a consuming anxiety in its leaders. In their pursuit of this warped vision of greatness, church leaders end up embracing a leadership narrative that runs counter to the sacrificial call of the gospel story. When church leaders focus on faithfulness to God and the gospel, however, it’s always a kingdom-win—regardless of the visible results of their ministry. John the Baptist modeled this kind of leadership. As John’s disciples crossed the Jordan River to follow after Jesus, John freely released them to a greater calling than following him. Speaking of Jesus, John said: ‘He must increase, but I must decrease.’ Joyfully satisfied to have been faithful to his calling, John knew that the size and scope of his ministry would be determined by the will of the Father, not his own will. Following the example of John the Baptist and with a careful look at the teaching of Scripture, Tim Suttle dares church leaders to risk failure by chasing the vision God has given them—no matter how small it might seem—instead of pursuing the broad path of pragmatism that leads to fame and numerical success.
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Compass 3rd-5th Year 1 Quarter 1 Teachers Manual (Teacher’s Guide)
$12.49Add to cartCOMPASS is a series of Bible class curriculum that has been created from the ground up by faithful Christians. By taking the best practices from the different approaches to Bible class, COMPASS provides a fresh resource for quality Bible class programs. A chronological study through scriptures provides the foundation for understanding God, His interaction with mankind, and how students can relate to Him today. Each successive age group is presented with new Biblical texts, and a deeper study of Gods Word, allowing students to gain an understanding of the Bible narrative at an age-appropriate level. Each week students are challenged with memory work that will help them to hide God’s Word in their hearts. This includes the memorization of scripture, along with pertinent facts about the Bible that will serve students well as they learn to navigate scriptures throughout their lives. An end-of-quarter quiz will help students, teachers, and parents gain insight into progress in spiritual development and knowledge. COMPASS recognizes that students face different struggles each week and at each stage of life. Accordingly, each lesson begins by presenting a real-world problem or situation that is relevant to everyday life, then takes students to God’s Word to find solutions for that problem. After drawing out the key principles of the Biblical text, students are finally challenged to make specific application in their lives during the next week. Over the course of study, this produces a habit of spiritual growth and the everyday practice of Christianity. New COMPASS resources are being added all the time, so keep an eye out for other useful teaching tools!
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Breathe Bible Study Book (Student/Study Guide)
$14.00Add to cartThe Breathe Study Journal includes 5 sessions of teaching by Priscilla Shirer with 4 weeks of homework in a reflective, journaling format. One of the greatest challenges among women in our culture is taking time to stop and cease from all the activities and busyness and just breathe. We are in bondage to busyness. We constantly strive to complete the limitless to-do lists that hinder us from experiencing all that God has for us. We miss the moments because we rush ahead to the next thing. By neglecting time for tranquility, serenity, and repose, we limit our Christlikeness and miss out on some of God’s greatest gifts. It is time for us to breathe and build margin into our lives for God. In the Old Testament, God instituted principles and laws that would transform the Israelites’ mindset. He didn’t just want them legally free; He wanted them to be able to walk in the freedom and enjoy it. So God gave them many gifts, including boundaries in which to enjoy those gifts. Sabbath was intended as a gift, and it is still a gift to us today. If you are weary, worn out, and exhausted the concept of Sabbath will change your life.
Week 1 – The Freedom of Sabbath
Week 2 – Stops Along the Sabbath Journey
Week 3 – Double-Portion Friday
Week 4 – Coming Into Focus
Week 5 – Sabbath MarginFeatures:
Biblically-rooted and gospel-centered teaching
Leader material (guides to questions and discussion with small group)
5-session Study Journal with group components, personal components, and leader helps
Personal study segments include 4 weeks of homework in a study journal for reflection and to help the learner spend time alone with God and ScriptureBenefits:
Biblical truth that’s reliable
Can be used in a variety of ways and has a lot of flexibility. It can be used by a group of any size in a church or another setting, small group in a home, or a weekend away as an individual or with a small group of women.
An opportunity to explore the concept of Sabbath in both the Old and New Testaments
Great study for personal growth and reflection on an individual basis
For the weary, worn out, and exhausted this study could be life-changing as they acknowledge their bondage to busyness and learn that Sabbath was created by God before the fall
Sets boundaries for those who believe they must always be “doing” something for God -
Couple Therapy : A New Hope Focused Approach
$55.00Add to cartWhy You Need This Book
Part I: A Theory Of Change
1. Wanted: A Wise And Humble Counselor
2. A Sensible, Tested, And Effective Approach To Helping Couples
3. Make Therapy A Positive Growth Experience For Couples
4. Addressing The Couple’s ContextPart II: Beginning Counseling
5. Pre-counseling Interventions
6. The Intake
7. After The IntakePart III: Case Studies In Treatment Planning
8. The Wounded But Hopeful Couple
9. The Cool Virtues Couple
10. The Enrichment Couple
11. The “Should We Marry?” Couple
12. The Complicating Factor Couple
13. The Couple With A Psychological Disorder
14. The High Conflict Couple
15. The “Accept The Things I Cannot Change” Couple
16. The Kitchen Sink CouplePart IV: Interventions Within The Sessions
17. Session Management In The Hope-focused Couples Approach To Counseling
18. HOPE Interventions (Handling Our Problems Effectively)
19. BOND With Me: Bind Our Nurturing Devotion
20. Addressing Hurts In Relationships
21. Forgiving And Reconciling Through Experiencing Empathy (FREE)
22. Reconciliation And Rebuilding Trust With CouplesPart V: Conquering The Difficulties You’ll Face
23. Assessing Change Throughout Treatment
24. Resistance And Roadblocks
27. Pornography Use And Internet SexualityPart VI: Concluding Treatment Using The Hope-Focused Couples Approach
28. Termination
29. Post-Counseling Check Ups
30. It Works, But Is It True?Additional Info
Following on the heels of the successful Hope-Focused Marriage Counseling, Jennifer Ripley and Everett Worthington Jr. have written a new book that expands upon their previous theoretical approach while describing in detail many new practical interventions for couple counseling and enrichment. Weaving together classic cases outlined in Hope-Focused Marriage Counseling and over 75 brand new practical interventions, Ripley and Worthington root their practical examples in an even deeper theoretical framework and research in attachment and intimate bonds. Written with the couple counselor in mind, this book occupies a rare niche that is accessible not only to therapists and counselors but also to pastors and married couples alike. Both licensed clinical psychologists and experienced counselors, the authors base this follow-up work on the pillars of their Hope-Focused Couples Approach. The assessment tools included help facilitate improved marriages in many settings, and the combination of theory and real-life case studies easily integrates into the practices of professional counselors and researchers as well as into the lives of couples. -
Theology From The Trenches
$26.00Add to cartWhile urban pastors devote time and energy to all the typical demands of ministry, they also grapple with challenges endemic to city life. Achieving a measure of balance amid these competing demands and responsibilities can be daunting. Using his experiences as a pastor in urban settings for nearly three decades, Roger J. Gench offers pastors a close look at the challenges that come from being involved in urban ministry.
Throughout, he integrates memoir, sermons, and essays on social ministry, and reflections on the theology and spirituality of parish life. In each chapter, Gench offers his own stories and reflections and then invites readers to consider the relevance for their own ministry. Urban pastors will not only find themselves relating to Gench’s experiences but will also uncover practical help for their ministry.
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Distance In Preaching
$22.99Add to cartOver the last decade in his preaching classes, Michael Brothers has noticed a dramatic change in his students’ responses to preaching: as listeners they want not so much to be drawn in to a preached sermon as to be given room for their own interpretations and experiences.
In Distance in Preaching Brothers argues that critical and aesthetic distance as a hermeneutical tool is vital to hearing the gospel today and should be intentionally employed in sermon construction and delivery. Brothers explains this “distance” in the field of homiletics, equips teachers and students of preaching to evaluate the function of distance in sermons, and encourages preachers to practice the use of distance in their preaching. Insights gained from this book will give preachers greater room to speak the gospel so that their listeners get optimal space to hear the preached word.
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Black Dog
$13.99Add to cartThis book describes one man’s life experiences as he struggled with anxiety and depression. The book describes the mental, physical but most importantly the power of the Holy Spirit that eventually enabled John to develop resilience, and thus led him into the sunlight of a full and meaningful life. Anxiety and depression have always been taboo in society. Frequently, the subjects cannot be touched with a “ten-foot pole”, let alone be a subject for family discussion. Depression is seen as neither worthy of compassion nor understanding. For the author of this book, a familiar record plays. “Young man, depressed? Nonsense; you have everything you need; just buck up and face the world the way we all have to.” The message in this book is one of hope and of love, but most of all it demonstrates what is possible when you place your life, unconditionally, in the hands of Jesus Christ.
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G I F T S
$11.99Add to cartWhile there are many activities and voices vying for your children’s time and attention, there are few that are more important than you teaching your children to pray. Cultivating a vibrant relationship with their Creator is the key that opens the door for your children to have a fulfilling and purposeful life. In this book you will find a creative, delightful tool to use as you help your children learn to pray. They will enjoy the beautiful illustrations and thoughtful, rhyming text. You will appreciate the way the pattern for prayer is laid out in an easy-to-remember format. And together you will open the G.I.F.T.S. of prayer and find the One “who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we ask or can even imagine.”
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Leading Multicultural Teams
$17.99Add to cartChurches and mission agencies are increasingly characterized by cultural diversity. As a result, many Christians find themselves working as part of a multicultural team. Leading these teams is a complex challenge that requires team leaders to understand how to help multicultural teams thrive. Team leaders need to know how to help team members grow in particular qualities and acquire specific skills related to multicultural teamwork. This book integrates insights from the Bible, team theory, leadership, and intercultural studies to explain how leaders of multicultural teams can help their teams become enriching and enjoyable contexts to work in, at the same time as achieving their purpose.
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Preventing Suicide : A Handbook For Pastors Chaplains And Pastoral Counselo
$25.00Add to cartMany pastors, chaplains and pastoral counselors play a unique and vital role in suicide prevention, but most of them lack the necessary knowledge and skills for working with suicidal persons. Informed by her work as a psychologist, Karen Mason’s guide to suicide prevention is an essential resource for pastors.
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Starting Missional Churches
$22.00Add to cartAll mission is local–the people of God joining the work of God in a particular place. In Starting Missional Churches Mark Lau Branson and Nicholas Warnes introduce us to seven missional churches and explore what it looks like to be salt and light where you are.
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Setting Your Church Free
$20.00Add to cartSetting Your Church Free explores how corporate sin is robbing the spiritual vitality and fruitfulness of churches, keeping them from being free in Christ. Trusted authors Neil T. Anderson and Charles Mylander offer practical and life-giving tools for dealing biblically with corporate sin in the Church. Offering a balanced approach, this unique resource takes into account the reality of the spiritual world as well as the need for correcting leadership and administration problems. Readers will discover how to unite around a common purpose, deal with the power of memories that affect the present and future of the church, defeat Satan’s attacks and go forward with a strong, effective action plan. Churches that put these steps into practice will be set free from bondage to walk in the freedom Christ offers.
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Youth Ministry Management Tools 2.0
$39.99Add to cartYouth ministry isn’t just meeting with students and teaching them God’s truth. It also involves a myriad of administrative and operational details. Youth Ministry Management Tools 2.0 provides youth ministers and volunteers with helpful insights, advice, and practical resources to successfully manage a youth ministry. You’ll find sample budgets, release forms for trips, and clear direction for screening applicants for volunteer positions. Authors Mike Work and Ginny Olson provide you with quick and accessible answers to all of your management, administrative, and supervisory questions and needs. Sprinkled throughout the manual are brief personal anecdotes by actual, in-the-trenches youth workers, case studies of church-office debacles, pivotal lessons learned over decades of ministry, nightmare scenarios to avoid, and glorious successes to emulate. No other book provides everything a youth ministry leader needs in one place at such an affordable price. This revised and updated edition of a youth ministry classic includes bonus online content, copy-ready pages and forms, and loads of other highly practical material.
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Emotionally Healthy Woman Course Workbook (Workbook)
$12.99Add to cartGeri Scazzero knew there was something desperately wrong with her life. She felt like a single parent raising her four young daughters alone. She finally told her husband, “I quit,” and left the thriving church he pastored, beginning a journey that transformed her and her marriage for the better. In this eight-session video Bible study Geri provides you a way out of an inauthentic, superficial spirituality to genuine freedom in Christ. This study is for every woman who thinks, “I can’t keep pretending everything is fine!
” The journey to emotional health begins by quitting. Geri quit being afraid of what others think. She quit lying. She quit denying her anger and sadness. She quit living someone else’s life. When you quit those things that are damaging to your soul or the souls of others, you are freed up to choose other ways of being and relating that are rooted in love and lead to life. When you quit for the right reasons, at the right time, and in the right way, you’re on the path not only to emotional health, but also to the true purpose of your life. Sessions include:
Quit Being Afraid of What Others Think
Quit Lying
Quit Dying to the Wrong Things
Quit Denying Anger, Sadness and Fear
Quit Blaming
Quit Overfunctioning
Quit Faulty Thinking
Quit Living Someone Else’s Life -
Best Yes Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartNew York Times best-selling author Lysa TerKeurst leads small group participants to make wise decisions in the midst of endless demands.
Most of us spend a lot of our lives figuring out when to say yes and how to say no. But we don’t find space for our souls until we learn to step past the yes and no of daily decisions and seek out a third option: The Best Yes.The Best Yes is the choice that shapes all our other choices. It’s what allows us to play our necessary parts in God’s plan, to spend our energy and focus our passion on the assignments that really are ours. Too many of us confuse the command to love with the disease to please.In this six-session video-based Bible study Lysa TerKeurst shares how to make better use of the two most powerful words, yes and no.
Using Biblical teaching and practical insights this study will help you be more equipped to discern the best yes answers for your life.
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When Christians Get It Wrong Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$14.99Add to cartMore and more young adults have opted out of Christianity and the church. The reason? Christians. When young adults talk about the problems they have with Christianity and the church, they often name certain attitudes and behaviors they believe are practiced too often by Christians: judging others, condemning people of other faiths, rejecting science, injecting politics into faith, and being anti-homosexual. With his familiar style, Adam Hamilton tackles these issues and addresses the how’s and why’s of Christians getting it right when it comes to being Christ in the world. When Christians Get It Wrong Leader Guide offers session goals, leader helps, activities, Scriptures, and more, and is intended to be used with the DVD.
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Safe Sanctuaries In A Virtual World
$15.00Add to cartSafe Sanctuaries in a Virtual World, the latest addition to the Safe Sanctuaries series, addresses the challenges of ministry that have arisen in the face of rapidly changing technology, sometimes referred to as the digital age.
Technology now pervades our lives on almost every level; it is nearly inescapable and, as Melton and Foster point out, easily accessible and increasingly user-friendly and intuitive, streamlining the way we work and interact with one another and the world around us.
Safe Sanctuaries in a Virtual World is both timely and practical, covering topics such as
copyright in the digital age
the application of law to the life of the church
the basics of ministry in a virtual world
pornography
obscenity -
Thinking Listening Being
$19.99Add to cartThe tyranny of the urgent is a by-product of our fast-paced world. It affects many people, bu twhen it impacts pastors they are often tempted to ignore the critical needs of the pastoral disciplines that ensure the effectiveness of ministry. In Thinking, Listening, and Being: Wesleyan Pastoral Disciplines, Jeren Rowell offers theological reflections on what it means to live and work as a pastor. He examines different aspects of pastoral thinking, practice, and work, and challenges pastors to continually pursue prayer,the study of Scriptures, and theological reflection.’Working in this way,’ he writes, ‘could not only be a gift of love for the church but also an important model for parish pastors who are tempted to surrender first things to the urgencies and temptations of contemporary life.’
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Conflict Management For Faith Leaders
$14.99Add to cartIs conflict a dirty word? Does it bring to mind images of disagreement, fights, and shattered relationships? For ministry leaders, the likelihood of conflict comes with the job, but the result does not have to be destructive.Conflict Management for Faith Leaders is about handling conflict in a way that is positive and constructive. With this book readers will discover multiple techniques for assessing and managing conflict and learn guidelines for choosing which technique to use in a given situation.A practical resource for pastors and ministry leaders, Conflict Management for Faith Leaders acknowledges that leadership brings with it the risk of opposition. Packed with useful insights and stories based on the experiences of other faith leaders, this book is the ideal tool when the risk of opposition becomes reality.
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Discovering Christian Ministry
$34.99Add to cartWhat is the purpose of Christian ministry? Is itabout upholding traditional standards? Is it about meeting organizational goals? Or is it a mixtureof meanings and roles? With numerous ways of understanding ministry, getting a grasp on it canbe a difficult task.Discovering Christian Ministry not only gives a concise yet comprehensive definition of ministry but it also offers a ministerial vision that encompasses the personal, interpersonal and social spheres of your life.
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Visit The Sick
$12.99Add to cartOne of the marks of the ministry of Jesus was his compassionate care for the sick. Jesus brought healing and hope to individuals struggling with life-debilitating illnesses. Ministry to the sick should also be a mark of his followers, but in many churches today it is neglected or pushed to the periphery of ministry concerns. To counter our modern tendency to minimize or ignore sickness, pastor Brian Croft looks to paradigms of the past, at historical models of care that honor God, obey Scripture, and communicate loving care to those who are struggling with sickness and disease. Part of the Practical Shepherding series of resources, Visit the Sick provides pastors and ministry leaders with practical help to do the work of pastoral ministry in a local church. Visit the Sick provides biblical, theological, pastoral, and practical tools that aid a pastor, church leader, or caregiver in navigating through the spiritual as well as physical care of the sick and dying.
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Psalm 1 KJV Preacher
$39.99Add to cartWe have just released PSALMS – Volume 1 from our best-selling commentary of all time, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. If you’ve been collecting the volumes in this breakthrough set, you know that the Psalms are the only remaining books to be released. This is the first of 3 volumes on the Psalms and it covers Psalms 1-41.
Wait until you see the beautiful outline and supporting study materials for the beloved 23rd Psalm. It’s no wonder The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible is the world’s #1 sermon outline tool, with over 1 million copies in print. Only the POSB gives you detailed sermon outlines for every Bible passage with outlined sub-points, supporting Scripture, commentary and practical applications. It has become a favorite for not only preachers, but students and Bible teachers too.
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Mission Possible
$19.95Add to cartThroughout the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, we are often reminded of the importance of drawing near to God. But as the busyness of life absorbs into our homes, our relationships, and our spirits, it can be difficult to rely upon the grace of God and hear the voice of his Spirit. The promise of the season, though, is that through God’s revelation to us in Christ, we can discover a hope that empowers a broken world.
In nineteen sermons, Charley Reeb sets out to remind us that God’s mysterious ways are limitless in power. It is impossible to truly comprehend the possibilities of an immaculate conception or of God in the flesh, but when the church proclaims the message of redemption and displays God’s unmatchable love, it exposes a truth that begins to transform the heart of the world. This is the greatest calling of any believer — living a life that serves as light and hope.
Whether used as a sermon resource, a personal study and reflection guide, or as a curriculum for group and Sunday school study, Mission Possible! calls us into thoughtful discussion and seeks to move us deeper into the realm of the kingdom with a hopeful urgency that inspires us to breathe in God’s word and exhale his grace to a world in need.
The titles included in this book are:
Three Things You Can Count On (Mark 13:24-37)
While You Wait (Mark 1:1-8)
A Light in the Darkness (Newtown, CT, school shooting) (John 1:6-8, 19-28)
Nothing Is Impossible with God! (Luke 1:26-38)
The Joy of Christmas (Luke 2:1-14 [15-20])
The Power of Patience (Luke 2:22-40)
Addicted to Hurry (Matthew 25:31-46)
Less Is More (John 1:[1-9] 10-18)
The Power of Appreciation (Matthew 2:1-12)
The Wind (Mark 1:4-11)
Mission Possible! (John 1:43-51)
The Great Omission (Mark 1:14-20)
Defeating Discouragement (Mark 1:21-28)
Does Prayer Make Any Different? (Mark 1:29-39)
Unstoppable Love (Mark 1:40-45)
Prayer Changes Things (Mark 2:1-12)
Learn to Play Again (Mark 2:13-22)
True North (Mark 2:23–3:6)
The Cost of Discipleship (Mark 9:2-9) -
Some Things Ive Learned Since I Knew It All Cycle B
$14.95Add to cartThe Sermons In This Book Are:
The Advocate And The Street Where You Live (John 15:26-27; 16:4-15)
What Does The Kingdom Of God Have To Do With Anything Today? (John 3:1-17)
Family Ties And Good-byes (Mark 3:20-35)
Some Things I’ve Learned Since I Knew It All (Mark 4:26-34)
Close Calls (Mark 4:35-41)
So, You Want To Get Well? (Mark 5:21-43)
Without Conflict There Is No Story (Mark 6:1-13)
The Pointer (Mark 6:14-29)
Chaos And Solitude (Mark 6:30-34, 53-56)
Giving Up Control (John 6:1-21)
When I AM Speaks, You’d Better Listen (John 6:24-35)Additional Info
We are not in control.
That’s the message sent to us by the great I Am. He has set all things in motion. He knows our beginning and our end. But still, we often forget and instead choose to walk through this life as though we determine our own steps, our own fates.We can appropriate what God has accomplished.
The entire theme of the Bible can be summed up as God’s rule over us for our own good. But one aspect makes his dominion unique: He has given us a choice. We can rationalize our sin, or we can personally appropriate the grace and redemption given to us by Jesus’ death on the cross.We can be transformed by the Spirit.
When we acknowledge that life doesn’t work on our own terms, we understand that we are only ever fully equipped to battle the ways of the world when we are armed with the truth, love, and grace of the Spirit.In the eleven sermons for the season after Pentecost (first third) written for Some Things I’ve Learned Since I Knew It All, Lavin poignantly encourages pastors and congregations to embrace a holy reliance upon the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, reminding us that it is God who changes hearts. Man is merely the vessel. This resource, designed to challenge the believer, is not limited to the pastoral office. Instead, it can also be used for private devotions or small group study, encouraging all readers toward a critical look at our response to the words of Jesus.
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Slow Church : Cultivating Community In The Patient Way Of Jesus
$22.00Add to cartFast food. Fast cars. Fast and furious. Fast forward. Fast . . . church? The church is often idealized (or demonized) as the last bastion of a bygone era, dragging our feet as we’re pulled into new moralities and new spiritualities. We guard our doctrine and our piety with great vigilance. But we often fail to notice how quickly we’re capitulating, in the structures and practices of our churches, to a culture of unreflective speed, dehumanizing efficiency and dis-integrating isolationism. In the beginning, the church ate together, traveled together and shared in all facets of life. Centered as they were on Jesus, these seemingly mundane activities took on their own significance in the mission of God. In Slow Church, Chris Smith and John Pattison invite us out of franchise faith and back into the ecology, economy and ethics of the kingdom of God, where people know each other well and love one another as Christ loved the church.
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Pastors At Risk
$30.95Add to cartNearly 1 in 4 pastors will experience a forced exit from ministry within their vocational tenure. “Pastors-At-Risk” will alert you to what attitudes and actions have put thousands of pastors at-risk of losing their position in the church. It includes testimonials, success stories and practical solutions for dealing with these issues. It offers a solution for restoration to those who have gone from a place of risk in the church to a transition in ministry.
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Pastors At Risk
$14.95Add to cartNearly 1 in 4 pastors will experience a forced exit from ministry within their vocational tenure. “Pastors-At-Risk” will alert you to what attitudes and actions have put thousands of pastors at-risk of losing their position in the church. It includes testimonials, success stories and practical solutions for dealing with these issues. It offers a solution for restoration to those who have gone from a place of risk in the church to a transition in ministry.
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Psalm 1 NIV Preacher Edition
$39.99Add to cartWe have just released PSALMS – Volume 1 from our best-selling commentary of all time, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. If you’ve been collecting the volumes in this breakthrough set, you know that the Psalms are the only remaining books to be released. This is the first of 3 volumes on the Psalms and it covers Psalms 1-41.
Wait until you see the beautiful outline and supporting study materials for the beloved 23rd Psalm. It’s no wonder The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible is the world’s #1 sermon outline tool, with over 1 million copies in print. Only the POSB gives you detailed sermon outlines for every Bible passage with outlined sub-points, supporting Scripture, commentary and practical applications. It has become a favorite for not only preachers, but students and Bible teachers too.
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Food Foretelling Followers And Fulfillment Cycle B
$14.95Add to cartThe Sermon Titles Included In This Book Are:
Am I Eating Manna Or Bread From Heaven? (John 6:35, 41-51)
Who Do You Think He Is? (John 6:51-58)
Just Who Does This Guy Think He Is? (John 6:56-69)
Garbage In… Garbage Out Or You Are What You Eat (Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23)
Who Does Jesus Belong To Anyway? (Mark 7:24-37)
Six Days To Make A Decision For Christ (Mark 8:27-38)
Speaking Truth To Power And Hope To The Powerless (Mark 9:30-37)
Gouge-Your-Eye-Out Sunday (Mark 9:38-50)
And They Lived Happily Ever After… Or Did They? (Mark 10:2-16)Additional Info
Who is Jesus?
How do we care for the powerless?
Are we called to serve others?
Can we be redeemed from sin?Food, Foretelling, Followers, and Fulfillment: Jesus on His Way to Jerusalem revisits these daring ideas spoken by a man on his way to the cross. Jesus always challenged the presuppositions of those around him. He had come to transform the world in a way that no one had expected, and Jesus’ bold truths laid the foundations of the early church.
McCracken-Bennett sets out to answer those questions as he leads churches through the events of the middle of the season after Pentecost. The author exposes his conviction that a culture of discipleship can only be created through a careful understanding of Jesus’ character and mission. Through insightful dialogue, McCracken-Bennett considers the weight of Jesus’ words for anyone who claims to be a follower and challenges pastors and congregations to examine well-known scriptural truths in new and thought-provoking ways.
Whether one is looking for a sermon resource or simply pursuing a thoughtful reflection on scripture, Food, Foretelling, Followers, and Fulfillment: Jesus on His Way to Jerusalem expands our vision of Jesus by weaving a deep historical knowledge of scripture with present-day narratives and exposing the sustaining relevance of Jesus’ words in today’s culture.
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Helping The Struggling Adolescent (Expanded)
$26.99Add to cartHelping the Struggling Adolescent is your first resource to turn to when a teen you know is in trouble. Whether you’re a youth worker, counselor, pastor, or teacher, this fast, ready reference is a compendium of insight on teen problems from abuse to violence and everything between. Help starts here for thirty-six common, critical concerns. Topics are arranged in alphabetical order. Each chapter gives you essential information for several vital questions: What does the specific struggle look like? Why did it happen? How can you help? When should you refer to another expert? Where can you find additional resources? Arranged in three sections, this book first gives you the basics of being an effective helper, Then it informs you on the different struggles of adolescents. The final section–a key component of this book–supplies more than forty rapid assessment tools for use with specific problems. Helping the Struggling Adolescent organizes and condenses biblical counseling issues for teens into one extremely useful volume. Keep it in arm’s reach for the answers you need, right when you need them.
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Chapel Chats For Children Of All Ages
$22.49Add to cartFor over twenty years, thousands of children (and adults, too) were inspired by the Bible-based stories known as “Chapel Chats” that were shared by Pastor Jerald Borgie and his koala puppet, Jeremiah. Sixty-six of these “chats” along with fifteen illustrated graphics, drawn by artist, Brooke Plowman, are included in the book.
“Pastor Borgie has a reputation for drawing you into his stories, and his anecdotes are famously popular with both young and old. For many decades, he has invited children to have a seat before him, then his twinkling eyes would take over and a bond was formed. I’m pleased he’s taken this opportunity to share his favorites with a wider audience.”
Richard A. Swenson, MD, author of Margin -
Sermons For Special Days
$16.95Add to cartDavid Rogne’s Sermons for Special Days presents a wonderful opportunity for pastors and congregations to connect faith to their everyday lives.
If all truth is God’s truth, then David Rogne has compiled a marvelous resource that reaffirms this fact. Rich with literary and historical reference, each sermon seeks to engage listeners as it recounts events and stories, beautifully weaving modern and applicable themes within scriptural truths. While Rogne has designed his sermons to be delivered on special days — New Year’s Day, Mission Sunday, and Father’s Day, to name a few — the power of each sermon extends well beyond those events as Rogne reminds us that in order to have a life well lived, we must constantly examine the life we are living. A life lived in submission to Christ requires an obedience to the Great Commission, carrying the salvation message into the darkest parts of our world with a clear understanding of God’s message and a deep respect for those who have gone before us.
The unique aspect of Rogne’s collection of sermons is that they are not confined to the pulpit, for each sermon can be used in a small group setting or in private devotionals. Rogne’s reliance upon history, literature, and scripture will enlighten any student of the word, and each sermon will encourage congregations to embrace a dig-deep approach toward God’s truth.
The titles included in this book are:
New Year’s Day — Taking Stock (Acts 24:24-27)
Mission Sunday — Reaching Out (Romans 10:1-15)
Heritage Sunday — Charles Wesley (Psalm 100)
Mother’s Day — Soul-Shaping (Ephesians 6:1-4; 2 Corinthians 4:6-10)
Bible Sunday — Does God Have a Word for You! (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
Memorial Sunday — Heroes (Hebrews 11:1–12:2)
Music / Choir Recognition Sunday — Say It with Music (Ephesians 5:17-20)
Father’s Day — Good Foundations (Ephesians 5:25–6:4)
Independence Day — God’s Country (1 Peter 2:9-16)
Labor Sunday — More than Making a Living (Ecclesiates 2:18-23; John 5:17)
Stewardship Sunday — Increasing the Joy (2 Corinthians 8:1-15)
World Communion Sunday — Communion by the Sea (John 6:5-15, 25-35)
Reformation Sunday — Great Scot! (Malachi 3:1-4)
Thanksgiving Sunday — When the Good Times Roll (Deuteronomy 8:11-18)
Christmas Eve — Are You Ready for Christmas? (Titus 2:11-15)
Christmas — The Child with Four Names (Isaiah 9:1-7) -
Hearing Her Voice Revised Edition (Revised)
$16.99Add to cartBased on his study of a key word for ‘teaching’ in the New Testament—an activity often thought to be prohibited to women—and on various other kinds of public speaking in which women in Scripture clearly participated, scholar John Dickson builds a case for women preachers. Focused and purposefully limited in its conclusions, Dickson’s argument has potential to change minds and appeal to complementarians and egalitarians alike. The mediating and widely adoptable position in this original short work will appeal to pastors, Bible teachers, college and seminary students, professors, and lay leaders in the church with its fresh approach to the hot-button topic of women in ministry.
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New Parish : How Neighborhood Churches Are Transforming Mission Discipleshi
$22.00Add to cartWhen . . . faith communities begin connecting together, in and for the neighborhood, they learn to depend on God for strength to love, forgive and show grace like never before. . . . The gospel becomes so much more tangible and compelling when the local church is actually a part of the community, connected to the struggles of the people, and even the land itself. Paul Sparks, Tim Soerens and Dwight J. Friesen have seen–in cities, suburbs and small towns all over North America–how powerful the gospel can be when it takes root in the context of a place, at the intersection of geography, demography, economy and culture. This is not a new idea–the concept of a parish is as old as Paul’s letters to the various communities of the ancient church. But in an age of dislocation and disengagement, the notion of a church that knows its place and gives itself to where it finds itself is like a breath of fresh air, like a sign of new life.
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Attract Families To Your Church
$20.99Add to cartThis book will help church pastors and leaders navigate the changing tides in ministry to become the kind of church that families want to attend, where the church’s dynamic faith invites families who may then bring their friends. This means reaching out to all kinds of families, some with needs that only a church family can fulfill.
To grow and remain vital, churches need to attract families. But the cultural landscape has changed and any church may have two-parent families with children, blended families, boomerang families, adult children of divorce and their families or lack of families, single adults whose family is the church, grandparents parenting again, childless families, co-habitation families, and children with three legal parents. With practical helps and suggestions for ministries, worship, small groups, and even facilities, author and family expert Linda Ranson Jacobs will help you create a welcoming place for everyone.
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Soul Keeping Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartIn Soul Keeping, John Ortberg helps Christians rediscover their soul—the best connection to God there is—and find out why it’s hurting and why neglecting it has set so many believers so far back spiritually. In this six-session, video-based small group Bible study, Ortberg shows that caring for your soul is necessary for your Christian life. John shows participants what your soul is, why it is important, how to assess your soul’s health, and how to care for it so that we can have a meaningful and beautiful life with God and others. When you nurture your soul your life in this world will come to make sense again; you can find your way back to God from hopelessness, depression, relationship struggles, and a lack of fulfillment. Your soul’s resting place is in God, and John Ortberg wants to take participants to that home. This study guide includes discussion questions, video notes, and in-between studies and is designed for use with the Soul Keeping DVD (sold separately).
Sessions include:
Filling the Hole in Your Soul
Why God Made You With a Soul
What’s Soul Got To Do With It
Finding Your Soul’s True Home
Empty Souls and Full Garages
Why We Have a Soul, Brothers and Sisters -
Christianity And Developmental Psychopathology
$45.00Add to cartIntroduction
1 Overview Of Developmental Psychopathology And Integrative Themes Kelly S. Flanagan And Sarah E. Hall
Section I: Intrapersonal Influences
2 Temperament Amy Mezulis, Kaitlin A. Harding And Melissa R. Hudson
3 Emotion Regulation Sarah E. Hall
Section II: Interpersonal Influences
4 The Parent-Child Relationship Winston Seegobin
5 The Marital And Parental Dyad Mari L. Clements, Tara A. Guarino And Laura C. Bartos
6 Peer Relationships Kelly S. Flanagan, Sarah L. Kelly And Amy Peeler
Section III: Treatment And Prevention
7 Prevention And The Promotion Of Thriving Pamela Ebstyne King And Casey Erin Clardy
8 Intervention: Applying A Developmental Psychopathology Framework Sally S. Canning, Kelly S. Flanagan, Jennifer Hailey And Emely De La O
Section IV: Application From Theoretical Orientations
9 Psychodynamic And Attachment-Based Approaches To Treatment Jana D. Pressley And Kristin K. Vanden Hoek
10 Behavioral Approaches To Treatment Amanda M. Blackburn, Christine Weisgerber And Michelle Shelley
11 Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches To Treatment Donald F. Walker, Katherine Partridge, Anastasia Whitesell, Brittany Montes And Sarah E. Hall
12 Family Systems Approaches To Treatment Sandra Y. Rueger And David Van Dyke Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix CAdditional Info
Since its origin in the early 1980s, the field of developmental psychopathology has become a highly influential framework for approaching the clinical treatment of children. Until now there has been no effort to integrate this framework with a Christian understanding of psychopathology. The essays in this volume break new ground by providing Christian mental health professionals with a theoretically and empirically sound basis for working with children, adolescents and families. Throughout the book, the authors explore three integrative themes, looking at children as divine gifts, as persons and as agents in their own development. Given the deep biblical and theological interest in children and the “least of these,” there is great potential in this integrative work for mutual enrichment. Christian insights help to prevent the scientific study of the developmental process from being reductive. At the same time, research into the biological, sociocultural and psychological dimensions of human development can serve to inform and guide Christian practices of care and hospitality toward children and families. Christianity and Developmental Psychopathology makes an important contribution to a conversation that is still in its infancy. -
Christopraxis : A Practical Theology Of The Cross
$39.00Add to cartContents:
Part 1
1. A Theobiographical Starting Point
2. Setting The Terrain
3. Concrete Lived Cases Of Ministerial Encounters With Divine Action
4. Dominant Models Of Practical Theology
Part 2
5. A Christopraxis Practical Theology Of The Cross
6. Practical Theology Into Nothingness
7. The Concurring Of The Divine With The Human
Part 3
8. Critical Realism And Practical Theology
9. Human Action And Interdisciplinarity In Light Of A Critical RealistChristopraxis Practical TheologyAdditional Info
Finding practical theology not always able to present frameworks for understanding concrete and lived experience with divine action, Andrew Root seeks to reset the edifice of practical theology on a new foundation. While not minimizing its commitment to the lived and concrete, Root argues that practical theology has neglected deeper theological underpinnings.Christopraxis seeks to create a practical theology that is properly and fully theological, post-postmodern, post-Aristotelian, and that attends to doctrines such as divine action and justification.
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Give Me Jesus (Reprinted)
$18.00Add to cart100 years from now the only thing that will matter is a person’s relationship with Jesus Christ. The gospel is the good news that we can have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It’s the main thing. It’s the reason why we do ministry. It’s the reason why the church exists. It provides the hope that every child and every family needs.
What about your ministry? Is the gospel at the center of everything you do? How does that play out practically?
In Give Me Jesus, Ryan Frank and 10 ministry leaders share practical advice about keeping the Gospel at the center of Family and Children’s Ministry. It will change how you do ministry.
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In Season And Out Of Season
$32.00Add to cartA wise and practical guide to preaching in the Anglican tradition, illustrated with examples, that will inspire confidence and hone skills. It explores key aspects of preaching including: the importance of Scripture, the use of story, preaching at rites of passage, preaching through the liturgical year, and engagement with the wider world.
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Global Reformation : Transitioning The Church For Strategic Kingdom Advance
$15.99Add to cartDr. Munien’s book particularly stands out because of his extraordinary ability to impart with the greatest simplicity at the same time that he brings complete understanding to every reader from the Word of God. He examines the historical, cultural and scriptural foundations necessary to build the “Perfect Man” in the image of God’s pattern.
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Preaching The Farewell Discourse
$29.99Add to cartThrough the lens of John the Apostle’s Farewell Discourse found in John 13:31 – 17:26, seminary professor L. Scott Kellum provides a step-by-step illustration of how to produce an expository sermon series in Preaching the Farewell Discourse.
Kellum begins with foundational tools that will aid the journey from text to exposition and then describes how to employ discourse analysis to a hortatory document (like the Farewell Discourse) or an expository document.The latter part of the book finds Kellum implementing the theory on the Farewell Discourse of John’s Gospel, examining the process in three sections: analyzing the text, interpreting the text, and preaching the text.
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Quotable Wesley
$18.99Add to cartWhat did John Wesley think about alcohol, music, and popularity? What are his thoughts on education, free will, and joy? From ‘absolution’ to ‘zeal,’ Quotable Wesley is a treasury of quotations taken from Wesley’s letters, sermons, tracts, and journal entries on a variety of wide-ranging topics. Here is an essential resource for teachers, Christian leaders, pastors, and laypeople fascinated by the insights of this remarkable founder of the Methodist movement. Useful for sermon preparation, teaching, and individual reflection, this book is designed to supplement the library of anyone interested in Wesley and his work.
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Managing Stress In Ministry
$14.99Add to cartPastors are leaving ministry. Faced with pressures and stresses in their marriage and family, in their career and employment, in their personal sense of self-worth and success — all too often pastors leave ministry tired and discouraged. How can a pastor manage the stress that comes with ministry before the point of burn out? Managing Stress in Ministry will help pastors and spouses find fresh hope, discover new tools for coping with stress, and help them move forward to more effective life and ministry. Through real-life stories and clear application, authors David and Lisa Frisbie will help pastors identify key stressors that affect ministry and provide realistic ways to implement habits to lower stress level. Much-needed resource for anyone in ministry.
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Christianity And Psychoanalysis
$40.00Add to cart1 A New Conversation Earl D. Bland And Brad D. Strawn
2 Tradition-Based Integration Ron Wright, Paul Jones And Brad D. Strawn
3 Contemporary Freudian Psychoanalysis Brad D. Strawn
4 Ecumenical Spirituality, Catholic Theology And Object Relations Theory: A Threefold Cord Holding Sacred Space Theresa Tisdale
5 Self Psychology And Christian Experience Earl D. Bland
6 Intersubjective Systems Theory Mitchell W. Hicks
7 Relational Psychoanalysis Lowell W. Hoffman
8 Attachment-Based Psychoanalytic Therapy And Christianity: Being-in-Relation Todd W. Hall And Lauren E. Maltby
9 Psychoanalytic Couples Therapy: An Introduction And Integration Earl D. Bland
10 Brief Dynamic Psychotherapy Michael W. Mangis
11 Christianity And Psychoanalysis: Final Thoughts Brad D. Strawn And Earl D. Bland References
Author Index
Subject IndexAdditional Info
The past 30 years has seen a theoretical and clinical renaissance in psychoanalysis, as well as a flourishing of Christian engagement in the fields of psychology and anthropology. This volume of essays stages a new conversation between Christianity and psychoanalysis that opens up new ways of thinking about the rich mosaic of human experience.Unsurprisingly, given Sigmund Freud’s understanding of religion, the conversation between Christianity and psychoanalysis has long been marked by mutual suspicion. Psychoanalysis originated within a naturalist, post-Enlightenment context and sought to understand human functioning and pathology–focusing on phenomena such as the unconscious and object representation–on a strictly empirical basis. Given certain accounts of divine agency and human uniqueness, psychoanalytic work was often seen as competitive with a Christian understanding of the human person. The contributors to Christianity and Psychoanalysis seek to start a new conversation. Aided by the turn to relationality in theology, as well as by a noncompetitive conception of God’s transcendence and agency, this book presents a fresh integration of Christian thought and psychoanalytic theory. The immanent processes identified by psychoanalysis need not compete with Christian theology but can instead be the very means by which God is involved in human existence. The Christian study of psychoanalysis can thus serve the flourishing of God’s kingdom.
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United Methodist Deacon
$18.99Add to cartA Deacon Is Called And Sent
A Deacon Is Connectional
A Deacon Is Missional
A Deacon Is Examined And Equipped
The Meaning Of Ordination
A Deacon Is Appointed
Deacons Lead The Church
Epilogue: A Snapshot Of Deacons And Their MinistryAdditional Info
The United Methodist order of deacon represents the ever-evolving understanding of ordained ministry. But because of the continual changes, there is confusion about the call, roll, identity, and tasks of deacons. With vivid examples, this book gives a clear understanding of the order of deacon, beginning with a discussion of how its unique call sets apart persons for ordained ministry. -
Feasting On The Word Worship Companion Year A 2
$42.00Add to cartBased on the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year A, Volume 2 provides liturgical pieces used in preparing for worship. Written and compiled by an ecumenical team of 11 seasoned liturgy writers, this resource offers a multitude of poetic prayers and responsive readings for all parts of worship and is meant to complement existing denominational resources. In addition, the weekly entries include questions for reflection and household prayers for morning and evening that are drawn from the lectionary, allowing churches to include them in their bulletin for parishioners to use throughout the week.
During times of the year when two different tracks of Old Testament texts are offered by the RCL, this resource offers an entire set of materials for each track. Also, a CD-ROM is included with each volume that enables planners to easily cut and paste relevant readings, prayers, and questions into worship bulletins.
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Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course Leaders Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$12.00Add to cartThe Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course-Leader’s Guide is an introductory course designed to equip new church leaders and renew current leaders in The United Methodist Church. It can be used with adults and youth and is the foundational course for other leadership training courses.
This course covers the 3 three core categories of Lay Servant Ministries: Leading, Caring, and Communicating; it also emphasizes ministry in daily life and sharing faith stories. The plans in this Leader’s Guide are designed to be taught in 5 two-hour sessions. They can also be used over a weekend.
NOTE: This guide replaces the Lay Speaking Ministries Basic Course Leader’s Guide, DR551. If you have taught the Basic Course before, you will need to adjust your teaching plans to emphasize the core categories described above.
Session topics include
Ministry of the Baptized
priesthood of all believers
spiritual gifts
the need for a response to God’s call
the role of laity in ministryLeading
servant leadership
important roles in leadership
what it means to be a spiritual leader
Christian conferencingCaring
biblical basis for caring ministry
acts of compassion and justice
caring for creationCommunication
guidelines for respectful communication
listening skills
sharing faith storiesInto the World
understanding leaders’ role in fulfilling the Great Commission
importance of continued study and spiritual growth
role of hospitality
Appreciative Inquiry and Asset-Based Community DevelopmentAppendixes include two letters to participants (depending on whether the course is taught in 5 sessions or over a weekend), a sample format for Christian conferencing, evaluation forms for communication session, and resources (scripture, song, and meditation) for each session.
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Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course Participants Book (Student/Study Guide)
$12.00Add to cart“God calls you to a life of servanthood as a disciple of Jesus Christ. . Lay Servant Ministries is the first step for many laypersons toward their faith journey as they strive for a closer relationship with the Lord,” the authors write in the introduction.
The Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course is a foundational course designed to equip new church leaders and renew current leaders in The United Methodist Church. It explores
personal spiritual gifts
servant leadership
each leader’s role in developing future leaders
the importance of consistent spiritual practices
the core ministries of Leading, Caring, and Communicating
and much more.The Basic Course can be used for both adults and youth. Consisting of five two-hour sessions, it may serve as a short-term study for small groups, Sunday school classes, and new member classes.
NOTE: This book replaces the Lay Speaking Ministries Basic Course, DR551.
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Please Dont Tell
$20.99Add to cart“I’ve never told a soul, and you have to promise not to tell anybody.” “Pastor, I wanted you to know before we tell the kids, just in case they come to you.” “I’m so happy. Yes, finally, I’m pregnant. I just had to tell someone.” “Yes, it’s terrible, but am I going to explain it to our friends here at church?”
People need trusted persons as sounding boards and confidants. Not many weeks go by that someone does not confide a secret to a church leader, whether pastor, youth director, church secretary, choir director, or board member. While pastors have a unique role when it comes to confidentiality, listening to secrets is something that every church leader does. But there are both privileges and responsibilities in reporting, discerning the truth, and helping people bear the deep sins or temper the anger that threatens to overflow.
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Conflict : Causes And Cures
$19.49Add to cartConflict is serious and needs the church’s serious attention. Every eight hours a pastor is terminated. Every year over a thousand churches disband; often because of conflict.
Supported by over thirty years of academic research and based on real-life experiences in ministry, Conflict: Causes and Cures presents practical perspectives, solutions, and resources for dealing with conflicted churches.
Dr. Smith shares the top ten causes of conflict in a lively case study format and discusses three necessary approaches to conflict-education, mediation, and restoration.Complete with scripture references and biblical applications, Conflict: Causes and Cures is essential reading for those who are concerned about this critical problem that confronts our churches today.
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Teaching The Way Of Jesus
$34.99Add to cartChristian religious education provides the content, processes, and settings to empower the church’s mission in the world-a mission that includes health care, peace with justice, and disciple-making ministries. Today, the field Christian Education is clear about its tasks of helping form and nurture faith that is then embodied in faithful practices. Research studies on Christian faith practices show how that participating in Christian community under-girds and complements thoughtful living through one’s life.
With an emphasis on practices and mission, this book offers readers concrete ways to empower vital faith formation in congregations as it describes current trends, which include richer diversity, entrepreneurial spirit, and interfaith dialog. This book will also help prepare students for leadership in the Church universal and in the field of Christian Education.
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Essential Bible Study Tools For Ministry
$49.99Add to cartThis up-to-date, highly selective bibliography is designed to acquaint students and ministers with major works, significant publishers and prominent scholars in biblical studies. It is the perfect guide for beginning a research project or building a ministerial library. References are included based on the following considerations: (1) usefulness for the theological interpretation of the Bible within the context of the faith of the church; (2) significance in the history of interpretation; and (3) representation of evangelical and especially evangelical Wesleyan scholarship.
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Sailboat Church : Helping Your Church Rethink Its Mission And Practice
$20.00Add to cartIs your church a rowboat church or a sailboat church?
Rowboat churches depend largely on human effort. In a time of often shrinking budgets and membership, rowboat churches frantically row harder against a current, often frustrated and disappointed at their efforts. Sailboat churches, on the other hand, take up the oars, hoist sales, and rely on the Holy Spirit to guide them.
Arguing that churches should be “sailboats,” author Joan S. Gray encourages readers to shift concern from the many daily, practical concerns of their local church to consider how new directions might be found by allowing the Holy Spirit to provide fresh ideas. The book includes 40 days of sailing prayers, quotes from Scripture, brief reflection questions, and an extensive bibliography that is arranged by theme. Perfect for groups to read together, this book will help leaders reframe their church’s mission and practice with the Holy Spirit as their guide.
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Voices For Good Friday
$19.99Add to cartCreative, interpretive worship for a fresh way of telling a familiar gospel story.These interpretive, dramatic monologues give voice to selected characters from the Gospels. Presented in a reproducible, copy-friendly format, the monologues provide a creative way to present Good Friday/Tenebrae services and to tell the story of the passion of Jesus Christ. The monologues can be presented as a collective work or can be used individually as sermon helps, Bible study presentations, and in other creative ways in worship settings.
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LeaderShifts : Mastering Transitions In Leadership And Life
$22.99Add to cartForeword by Dave Ramsey. Dealing with cultural and congregational shifts are life and death. Our world isn’t slowing down, so only those who are willing to maneuver the tectonic cultural shifts will have sustainable ministry. From his extensive experience and using the biblical story of Joseph as an extended metaphor, Bishop Joseph Walker shares practical wisdom designed to help leaders reach out and equip their church to share a relevant Christian message.
Shifting approaches to follow where God leads can also mean that leaders have to risk confronting cherished tradition, which Bishop Paul Morton calls “frozen success.” But shifting to meet new opportunities is also a delicate balance that acknowledges history while also being sensitive to those loyal people who have sustained the organization to this point. Effective leadership does not impose new ideas upon old systems without a strategy that enables everyone in the organization moving forward together. It’s not simply, “out with the old and in with the new.” Successful organizations do not forget their history, but they commit themselves to using it as a bridge to propel them to their destiny.
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People Pleasing Pastors
$18.00Add to cartPastors and church leaders often fall into the trap of people-pleasing. Charles Stones research on thousands of pastors and ministry leaders demonstrates the dangers of approval-motivated leadership. Bringing together biblical insights and neuroscience findings, Stone shows why we fall into people-pleasing patterns and what we can do to overcome these tendencies. With practical tools for individuals and teams, Stone offers concrete resources to help you and your leadership minimize people-pleasing and have more effective ministry.
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Loveology Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$10.99Add to cartIn the beginning, God created Adam. Then he made Eve.
And ever since we’ve been trying to figure out what to do next.
What did God intend in the Garden? How does God redeem the fallout in a post-Genesis 3 world? What is right and what is wrong in male/female relationships?
Loveology is just that—a theology of love that begins at marriage and works backward, dealing with marriage, love, sexuality, romance and dating, singleness, masculinity, and femininity.
The Loveology video study is an exploration of what the Bible says about sex and relationships for those who are tired of Hollywood’s message (sex is God), and the church’s message (sex is sin), and know there has to be an ‘Option C’. Portland pastor John Mark Comer asks the why questions, and offers intelligent, biblical, grace-and-truth answers.
This study guide is designed for use with Loveology: A DVD Study (sold separately) and contains video notes, individual or group reflection questions, and between session personal applications enhancing your journey through the video study.
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Mediating Faith : Faith Formation In A Trans Media Era
$29.00Add to cartThe church struggles with media. Whether it is a denomination negotiating the 24-hour news cycle or a church evaluating how Facebook or online games are influencing the youth group, media is raising questions and placing demands on communities of faith in ways that could not have been imagined just 20 years ago. Thus the importance of understanding media for the church has never been greater.
In Mediating Faith, church leaders of all kinds will find Clint Schnekloth an engaging and insightful guide to this new and sometimes wondrous world. In doing so he offers an evaluation and theological response to the trans-media era that highlights its potential to transform our work and world.Far from frightening, Schnekloth highlights the opportunities and the riches of this fascinating time.
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Pulse
$17.99Add to cartFrom managing the nuts and bolts of ministry to maintaining margin, Pulse brings the best in real-world wisdom, innovative ideas and leadership development for KidMin professionals from trusted experts in the field. In KidzMatter’s vanguard book release, the publishers of KidzMatter Magazine recruited 35-plus contributors to address critical topics, including ministry, curriculum development and working with parents. In addition to practical advice, Pulse tackles crucial matters of spiritual and professional development, leadership growth and building a foundation for long-term ministry fruitfulness.
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Handles : An Encouragement And Resource For Bible Teachers
$15.99Add to cartThis resource is more than a “how to” manual. It is an invitation to make a greater difference in human lives. Those who teach the Bible are not being told herein to “be real” but rather are invited into the private convictions and routine disciplines valued by the author, who himself is being altered by the patient handiwork of our Master teacher, Jesus.
Sometimes a Bible teacher will have great knowledge of the subject matter, even great passion, but simply not know how to effectively transfer it to an audience. Even when it is transferred, it may not be readily retained, or engender a desire in the recipients to use it, and pass it along to others.
Can this skill be learned?
Handles provides a practical strategy and plentiful examples of how to develop more effective lessons. It will be considered a learning resource and encouragement for new teachers as well as veterans. Whether you are assuming the responsible role of Bible teacher, leading a discipleship group, homeschooling, or investing quality time in any life-changing ministry as an instructor, Handles will become a desirable field manual.
Handles presents educated, entertaining and meaningful discussions with advice on how Bible study teachers can reach their students in the trenches of life through effective material and lesson strategy. The author’s own extensive background as a Bible study leader and his lessons for different age groups will demonstrate to readers the effectiveness of the book’s content.
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If God Be For Us
$12.49Add to cartThe Black Church will survive because it is all about faith and family. The Black Church is not simply a crowd of people that gather in a centralized location on Sunday mornings. For many, the Black Church is viewed as an extension of one’s immediate family. This extension of family is what gives the congregation a sense of community. I’m the grandson of a pastor. I grew up in the pews of the Baptist church. As a result, I have many mothers and aunts and uncles who are not blood relatives. But then again, they are blood relatives. They are my mother, father, sister, brother, cousin, uncle and aunt in the Lord. As our churches grow in number, we must also grow in ministry. The only way to do that is to grow in relationship one with the other.
The Black Church is a village. In the most traditional use of the word, villages are small groups of families who are situated together for sociability and defense. In the village, people look out for one another. In the village, there are many mothers and fathers. The village concept is such that the success of the individual is directly connected to the success of the group. Many Black Churches function as little villages. We help each other. We support each other. There is a sense of safety that the Black Church provides to Black communities. While all Black people do not attend Black Churches, the majority of Black families appreciate the proximity of this institution within its village. It is all about faith and family. The Black Church, the black family, will survive if God be for us.
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Ministerial Ethics
$7.00Add to cartIn this outstanding work, Dag Heward-Mills examines real-life situations in ministry today. He addresses practical issues like finances, politics, relating with the opposite sex and ministerial interactions. A commonsense guide to the principled practice of your calling, this book is a must for every Christian leader. It is highly recommended for Bible schools and the clergy in general.
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Listen Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$16.99Add to cartWe live in a world of noise. Everywhere we go, we hear sounds that compete for our minds and hearts. Listening to God requires a deliberate choice to shut out the chaos around us and focus our thoughts. Listen, by Rueben P. Job, is a 40-day experience created to offer help to those new to prayer, those with a daily prayer routine, and those whose lives seem too busy to pray. With a focus on listening prayer and prayer as a two-way conversation, the experience will assist individuals and groups in building and deepening a personal prayer practice and spiritual discernment. As we learn to listen, we find a new depth and fulfillment in our relationship with God and a new experience of God as guide and companion in our lives. The daily prayer pattern includes an invitation, silence, Bible reading, a story, guided time for reflecting and listening, and practical help for developing six specific prayer practices. Listen is perfect for use by individuals, small groups, or congregations during Lent, Easter, or any time of year.
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Listen : Praying In A Noisy World
$16.99Add to cartWe live in a world of noise. Everywhere we go, we hear sounds that compete for our minds and hearts. Listening to God requires a deliberate choice to shut out the chaos around us and focus our thoughts. Listen, by Rueben P. Job, is a 40-day experience created to offer help to those new to prayer, those with a daily prayer routine, and those whose lives seem too busy to pray. With a focus on listening prayer and prayer as a two-way conversation, the experience will assist individuals and groups in building and deepening a personal prayer practice and spiritual discernment. As we learn to listen, we find a new depth and fulfillment in our relationship with God and a new experience of God as guide and companion in our lives. The daily prayer pattern includes an invitation, silence, Bible reading, a story, guided time for reflecting and listening, and practical help for developing six specific prayer practices. Listen is perfect for use by individuals, small groups, or congregations during Lent, Easter, or any time of year.
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Problems Of Christian Leadership
$8.00Add to cartChristian leaders face challenges. But God works with us and through us to accomplish his purposes. Available here for the first time in English is John Stott’s practical wisdom for younger leaders. Speaking personally from his own experience, Stott addresses issues of discouragement, self-discipline, relationships and youth.
