Pastoral Helps
Showing 1151–1200 of 4114 results
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Parish Handbook
$35.99Add to cartA parish church gathers people together from across the community and is a site of resistance against the increasingly atomized and segregated society in which we live. The social and political revolution at the heart of parish life is people learning to relate to each other in the name of Christ.
Making clear that it is ordinary living which is at the heart of parish life, Bob Mayo provides an important and accessible resource for all involved in church leadership. Drawing on a wealth of experience and research, the handbook brings together sociological observation and theological insight to shape sound practical theological reflection. It will appeal to ordinands as much as practicing incumbents. -
Road To Growth
$24.00Add to cartChurch House Publishing
Based on his consultancy experience with churches and dioceses over the last three years and further research on the causes of church growth, Bob Jacksons new book shows how the Church at parish, diocesan and national level can overturn its old cycle of decline and begin a new cycle of growth. At its heart this book is about how local churches can thrive and grow in the early twenty-first century. Part 1 outlines the current context, offering a sharp analysis behind the reasons for church growth and decline. Part 2 describes churches which are already experiencing growth both in numerical and ministry strength. It looks at lessons learnt and what is at the heart of a resurgent, thriving Church. Parts 3 and 4 set out workable strategies and unpacks ways in which human and financial resources can be deployed to support and sustain the growth of the local church. This is not about glib, short-term solutions promising quick results. The goal of this book is to help transform fragile signs of hope for the Church into a solid road to growth.
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God At Work Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartThe lectionary Gospel readings for the first third of the season after Pentecost (Pentecost Sunday through Proper 12-Cycle A) launch us immediately into a series of teachings by Jesus, many in the form of a parable, about what it means to follow him in the Kingdom of God. Only three of the eight readings, for example, narrate distinct events in the ministry of Jesus. Given the heavy pedagogic emphasis in the other eight lections, it would be easy to treat discipleship as a thing or an object to be studied at a safe, intellectual distance. Nothing could be further from what author Kevin Mohr believes the Holy Spirit wants us to experience as we grapple with these readings. The parables and teachings of Jesus in Matthew, chapters seven through thirteen, illustrate what began at Pentecost: God is at work in the world through those who believe in Jesus Christ. Through these musings the reader might be able to catch enough of a glimpse of God at work to be caught up again into what God is doing in Christ Jesus through his church.
The sermons presented in God At Work are generally more topical or thematic than expository. All of them have been edited from their original context of sermons shared with the people of English Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bluffton, Ohio. But the liveliness and spirit of these messages have not been lost in the editing.
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Pickled Priest And The Perishing Parish
$11.95Add to cartJust as baby boomers comprise the largest generation in America’s history, they also represent the largest percentage of current senior pastors in American churches. Boomer pastors all over the country are struggling to transition from their roots in twentieth-century church culture to ministry and leadership in our challenging twenty-first century–and this transition must take place for traditional churches to be a relevant factor in world redemption.
In The Pickled Priest and the Perishing Parish: Boomer Pastors Bouncing Back, Senior Pastor Hal West, himself a baby boomer, offers essential insights and words of inspiration for pastors, leaders, and Christians who desire to see renewal and transformation in their churches, in America, and in themselves.
The challenges facing traditional churches and the boomer pastors who lead them are many– not the least of which are pastors’ ensconced perspective of their own spiritual formation, theological training, and experience. In his unique, conversational, and at times humorous tone, Pastor Hal West first offers proof through his own -pickled- perspective and then explores, with help from the lessons of biblical prophets like Isaiah and Nehemiah, how boomer pastors can and must bounce back.
Change is challenging, but in our day of cultural conflict, political corruption, and spiritual crisis, change is imperative. It falls to church leaders, regardless of their decades of experience in ministry and leadership, to approach transformation with an open mind and provide guidance, vision, and restoration to their churches and the souls they serve. -
Preaching The Luminous Word
$37.99Add to cartInsights from one of the most distinctive and eloquent scholar-preachers of our time Inviting serious theological engagement with texts from all parts of the Christian Bible, Preaching the Luminous Word offers fifty-one engaging sermons from noted preacher Ellen F. Davis. A brief preface sets each sermon in its geographic and liturgical context, highlights distinctive themes, and draws attention to elements of structure and rhetorical style. The sermons are arranged in canonical order and cover a wide scope of texts – Torah, Prophets, Writings (including Psalms, Proverbs, Lamentations, Song of Songs, and Job), Gospels, Epistles, and Revelation. Also included in the volume are five choice essays by Davis that discuss various aspects of biblical preaching. At once accessible, theologically informed, and richly instructive, these sermons will engage Christian readers at any stage of their faith journey.
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E-Giving Guide For Every Church
$12.99Add to cartThe purpose of this book is to help churches raise more money for ministry and mission by better using electronic media. Although philanthropy in the US is growing, churches continue to receive a declining portion of that philanthropy. Part of the challenge is that America is becoming significantly less dependent on paper currency (cash and checks) yet the church continues to count on paper currency as their primary media for donations. There have been warning signals for several years. Many churches face shrinking budgets and membership and are beginning to ask the right questions. The author’s goal is to capture this teachable moment with a resource that will encourage pastors and church leaders to utilize tools already available to change the trajectory of their resourcing; because nothing is more important than what God has called them to do. The banking and electronic giving industries have not made it easy for churches to understand their services or fees. This book will take the confusion and fear away and open churches to new possibilities.
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Funding Ministry With Five Loaves And Two Fishes
$18.99Add to cartThis book is for any pastor, church planter or lay leader struggling to do ministry with a lack of financial resources but hungry to reach the lost with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Clergy are trained to preach, teach, and lead a congregation in spiritual matters. However, it has become increasingly alarming that there is no training for clergy when it comes to the “business” matters of the church in regards to finances, debt reduction, fundraising, and building maintenance. The added and sometimes unexpected load for clergy can become cumbersome and extremely stressful. In addition, the decline of the church and the passing of key funders of churches leave many pastors with dying churches and few resources to do anything about it. Rosario Picardo has been in this very position starting a church in a movie theater with no people and very little financial support and revitalizing a dying congregation in a deteriorating physical structure. Through trials and failures, new creative ways of doing ministry and entrepreneurial thinking, God provided, and Picardo learned new ways for reaching the least and lost and growing disciples. In Funding Ministry with Five Loaves and Two Fishes, Picardo shares the lessons he’s learned with confidence that the Church is not dead; it’s just time for a new wineskin.
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Witness Of Preaching (Revised)
$42.00Add to cartThis is a newly revised edition of one of the standard introductory preaching textbooks on the market today. Beginning with a solid theological basis, veteran preacher and best-selling author Thomas G. Long offers a practical, step-by-step guide to writing a sermon. Long centers his approach around the biblical concept of witness. To be a preacher, Long posits, is to be a witness to God’s work in the world-one who sees before speaking, one whose task is to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about what is seen.”
This updated edition freshens up language and anecdotes, contains an extensive new analysis of the use of multimedia and its impact on preaching, and adds a completely new chapter on plagiarism in preaching. Included for the first time are four complete sermons, with Long’s commentary and analysis. The sermons were written and originally preached by Barbara Brown Taylor, Cleophus J. LaRue. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli, and Edmund Steimle.
With this third edition, The Witness of Preaching reaffirms itself as the essential resource for seminary students as well as new and experienced preachers.
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Worship Pastor : A Call To Ministry For Worship Leaders And Teams
$24.99Add to cartModern worship leaders are restless. They have inherited a model of leadership that equates leading worship with being a rock star. But leading worship is more than a performance, it’s about shaping souls and making disciples. Every worship leader is really a pastor.
The Worship Pastor is a practical and biblical introduction to this essential pastoral role. Filled with engaging, illustrative stories it is organized to address questions of theory and practice, striving to balance conversational accessibility with informed instruction.
*Part One presents a series of evocative “vignettes”–intriguing and descriptive titles and metaphors of who a Worship Pastor is and what he or she does. It shows the Worship Pastor as Church-Lover, Disciple Maker, Corporate Mystic, and Doxological Philosopher. *Part Two covers specific roles related to ministry within the worship service itself–the Worship Pastor as Theological Dietician, Caregiver, Mortician, Emotional Shepherd, War General, Prophetic Guardian, Missional Historian, and Liturgical Architect.
*Part Three looks at ministry beyond the worship service–the Worship Pastor as Visionary Teacher, Evangelist, Artist Chaplain, and Team Leader.While some worship leaders are eager to embrace their pastoral role, many are lost and confused or lack the resources of time or money to figure out what this role looks like. Pastor Zac Hicks gives us a clear guide to leading worship, one that takes the pastoral call seriously.
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Lay Counseling Revised And Updated (Revised)
$26.99Add to cartThis one of a kind resource provides pastors, church leaders, and non-professional counselors with everything they need to establish a program for lay counseling. This new edition has been thoroughly revised and updated in light of fresh research and outlines a practical training resource that can be used to train and equip lay counselors.
Filled with useful forms and questionnaires, it also provides a helpful and comprehensive survey of the programs and resources that are currently available.
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Training Missionaries : Principles And Possibilities
$25.99Add to cartMissionaries must know God, be able to relate well to other people, understand and engage with another culture, and be able to use the Bible in a way that informs all aspects of their lives and ministries. Missionary training must address each of these areas if it is to help Christians to be effective in taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. Effective training has been shown to prevent people from prematurely leaving the field. It also reduces the danger of cross-cultural workers uncritically exporting culturally bound forms of Christianity. This book details four key areas that every missionary training program, whatever its context, must focus on developing. It shows how these can be holistically addressed in a learning community where trainers and trainees engage in cross-cultural ministry together.
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Professional Guidelines For Christian English Teachers
$17.99Add to cart“This handbook is for people in the field of English language teaching who are looking for practical ways to be both committed followers of Jesus and ethical TESOL professionals. What do such teachers actually do in the classroom? What materials do they use? How do they relate to their students and colleagues in and outside the classroom? How can they treat students as whole people, with spiritual and religious identities? How can they set a high bar for ethical teaching? Professional Guidelines for Christian English Teachers has grown out of Kitty Purgason’s experience as a Christian seeking to follow the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, as a practitioner with a deep concern for excellence and integrity, and as a teacher trainer with experience in many parts of the world.”
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Choosing To Be Grateful Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartIn this latest collection of Cycle A gospel sermons for Pentecost (last third), Albert Butzer shows that we Christians live our lives with one leg in the ancient and sacred world of the Bible and the other leg in our modern, scientific world. The job of the preacher is to make holy sense of the intersection of these two worlds. It is a great honor and a sacred responsibility to do this, as well as a weekly lesson in humility.
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Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series 10 Cycle A
$59.95Add to cartDavid Bales’ latest Lectionary Preaching Workbook: Series X, Cycle A invites teachers of the word to peer deep beneath the pages of scripture to consider broader perspectives and messages. Bales presents themes, summaries, exegesis, and a prayer, in each lectionary day, as resources to guide sermon development, always attempting to expose preachers to different perspectives and deeper knowledge.
As Bales carefully unpacks his thoughts upon each selected scripture passage, he combines his personal ideas with the time-tested analysis of other great Christian thinkers, resulting in a thoughtful and critical exposition on God’s word. This unique style empowers pastors to engage with God’s word, and the end result is a resource that will equip congregations to be challenged through a deliberate, well-informed message.
Written specifically as a preaching resource for Cycle A, the Lectionary Preaching Workbook will benefit any student of the word, and can be used for sermon starters, adult study groups, and individual Bible study.
Each chapter includes:
Revised Common Lectionary texts for the day
Scripture references and intensive exposition
Theme analysis and narrative illustration
Citation attributions to various apologists, teachers, and authors
A pastoral prayer -
Work Of A Disciple
$19.99Add to cartThe Walking with God series was developed as the curriculum for small groups at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. Since its release in 1992, it has been used by churches and small groups to help raise up devoted disciples of Christ. Group members who work through the program will lay a solid foundation for a lifelong walk with God.
While small groups may be formed for a variety of purposes, the goal of this curriculum is for groups to produce disciples-fully devoted followers of Christ-by studying God’s Word in community. To this end, the goal of the study is to produce disciples who walk with God, have a personal relationship with Jesus, and live in step with the Holy Spirit. It is also to produce believers who live the Word in all areas of life and contribute to the work that God is doing in the local church. Ultimately, the goal is to develop believers who impact the world and are prepared and eager to spread the good news of Christ to others.
This material will help develop these attributes in group members. Each lesson includes group Bible study and discussion questions in addition to devotions, reflections, and personal study for use by individuals between the group sessions.
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Building Spiritual Muscle (Student/Study Guide)
$12.00Add to cartThis six-session Bible Study and discipleship resource designed for youth will help work out their spiritual muscles and build their faith. Included in this resource are scripts for training and coaching the adult group leaders, as well as links to video clips of key speakers from the Youth 2015 event. The brief video clips will guide discussion for groups, with individuals setting their own learning and spiritual growth goals.This resource with help strengthen its users’ faith and develop leaders.
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Surprise Surprise Surprise Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartBut What Of Lazarus? (John 11:1-45)
For The Glow Of It (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21)
Friday (John 18:1-19:42)
Learning To Walk In The Dark And Remembering The Dark Is As Day To God (Matthew 26:14– 27:66)
Nicodemus Came By Night (John 3:1-17)Additional Info
Two voices, fourteen sermons…The lives of David and Marian Plant have been intertwined for 46 years, their mutual ministries, for even longer. Their voices were shaped by their ministry experiences that began together in shared, co-pastorate positions, and then matured into individual settled ministry positions and then again, moved into their own specialties of the last 20 years: Marian, in the teaching ministry and David in the interim and church revitalization ministry. Marian’s voice is one practiced well from a traditional setting of pulpit with written text in hand. David’s voice is one practiced in a relational style of informal conversation, often done without notes, and in back and forth dialogue with the gathered worshipers.
Their latest work, Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! provides fourteen cycle A gospel sermons for Lent/Easter. In these sermons you will see the mix of the lives of the Plants, committed to social justice, the important context of the role of the church as that which speaks for Christ, and the importance of the need for individuals to take up the challenge of living their faith more fully. There is no doubt that their mutual passions for addressing the ills befalling our culture and our world were foremost on their minds, and they could not but help influence one another’s work by virtue of their lives lived in the practice of ministry and marriage. They offer these words to you, as colleagues in ministry, even if only a sentence is valuable to you.
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Grace And Peace Cycle A
$17.95Add to cartEaster may be the highest holy day in the life of the church but in American culture that honor goes to Christmas. Christians often find themselves trying to straddle the divide between Christmas as “Christ Mass” and Christmas as a family gathering and a retail extravaganza. In Grace and Peace, Dean Feldmeyer’s latest collection of sermons for Cycle A, the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany are celebrated by acknowledging the secular, cultural parts of the season and, at the same time, they are first and foremost celebrations of God’s incarnation in the living Christ.
Sermon titles included
Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! (Matthew 24:36-44)
Less Fear; More Fruit (Matthew 3:1-12)
Preparing the Way (Matthew 11:2-11)
The New Moses (Matthew 1:18-25)
Jesus Incognito (Matthew 25:31-46) -
Beyond Fairness Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartThe stories of Jesus continue to challenge listeners toward new and better ways of living. The sermons of Beyond Fairness: The Stories Of Jesus express these stories, with joyful seriousness, in the hope they will encourage faithful discipleship. Preachers, teachers, and all who want to engage the stories of Jesus, will find these sermons to be bread for their journey beyond fairness toward grace for all.
Beyond Fairness includes sermons for Pentecost (middle third). These sermons could also be used by adult forums and small group Bible studies for helpful conversation.
Some sermon titles included in Beyond Fairness:
You Feed the Hungry (Matthew 14:13-21)
Stepping into Liminal Space (Matthew 14:22-33)
Who Are You Following (Matthew 16:21-28)
One Feisty Woman (Matthew 15:21-28)
What Are We Protecting? (Matthew 21:33-46)
The Stop and Think Chair (Matthew: 18:15-20 -
Prodigal Son Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartNearly two thousand years ago, Jesus told a simple parable about a father and his two sons. It was a story of rebellion, repentance, and unfathomable grace. This parable of the prodigal son stands out because it presents, in clear and inspiring terms, our struggle with sin, our need for repentance, and the Father’s inexhaustible mercy and love for us. Even those who know next to nothing else about the Bible know something about this tale. In this study, John MacArthur provides fascinating new insights into this parable and explores why so many of us recognize ourselves in its narrative. For believers, the prodigal son is a humbling reminder of who we are and how much we owe to God’s grace. For those who are conscious of their guilt but unrepentant, the prodigal’s life is a searing reminder of the wages of sin, the duty of the sinner to repent, and the goodness of God. For sinners coming to repentance, the father’s eager welcome and costly generosities are reminders that God’s grace and goodness are inexhaustible. For all of us, the elder brother’s attitude is a powerful warning that reveals how easily unbelief can masquerade as faithfulness. This five-session video-based study includes re-enacted vignettes from the parable with accompanying teaching from John MacArthur. With this study, experienced and new group leaders alike will be equipped to lead a life-changing study for their group members.
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Crossing Cultures In Scripture
$30.99Add to cartCrosscultural Mission from Eden to Eternity From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is a crosscultural book. Scripture is filled with narratives of God’s people crossing cultures in pursuit of God’s mission. Biblical texts shed light on mission dynamics: Sarah and Hagar functioning in an honor/shame culture, Moses as a multicultural leader, Ruth as a crosscultural conversion, David and Uriah illustrating power distance, the Queen of Sheba as an international truth-seeker, Daniel as a transnational student, Jesus’ crosscultural encounters as communication across worldviews, Paul in Athens as a model of contextualization, and much more. Missionary and missions professor Marvin Newell provides a biblical theology of culture and mission, mining the depths of Scripture to tease out missiological insights and crosscultural perspectives. Unlike other books that are organized topically, this text is organized canonically, revealing how the whole of Scripture speaks to contemporary mission realities. Comprehensive in scope, filled with biblical insight and missional expertise, this book is an essential resource for students and practitioners of crosscultual ministry and mission.
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Church As Movement
$30.99Add to cartForeword
Introduction
Prologue
Part I: Distributing
1. Movement Mentality
2. Polycentric LeadershipPart II: Discipleship
3. Being Disciples
4. Making DisciplesPart III: Designing
5. Missional Theology
6. Ecclesial ArchitecturePart IV: Doing
7. Community Formation
8. Incarnational PracticeEpilogue
Additional Info
A training resource to help readers plant missional-incarnational churches, written by leading thinkers and practitioners in the area of church planting and missional living. This book is a thorough, comprehensive manual to help those on the long and challenging journey of church planting to survive and thrive. -
Modern Psychopathologies : A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal (Revised)
$60.00Add to cart14 Chapters
Additional Info
Modern Psychopathologies is addressed to students and mental health professionals who want to sort through contemporary secular understandings of psychopathology in relation to a Christian worldview. Written by well-known and respected scholars, the book, in nine core chapters, provides an introduction to a set of disorders along with overviews of current research on etiology, treatment and prevention. Prior chapters give a context for the integration of Christianity and the scientific study of psychopathology, and articulate integrative themes discussed throughout the book, providing a foundation for the concluding vision for Christian health professionals and the church. This is a unique and valuable resource for Christians studying psychology and counseling, or providing counseling services, pastoral care, Christian healing ministries or spiritual direction. Though fully capable of standing on its own, it is also a useful companion volume to Modern Psychotherapies by Stanton L. Jones and Richard E. Butman. -
Lectionary Stories For Preaching And Teaching Series 2 Cycle A
$19.95Add to cartho doesn’t love a good story? Storytellers who excel at their craft have the ability to draw readers or listeners into the worlds they create, using characters and situations to entertain and enlighten us. Jesus, the Master Storyteller, often spoke using parables — short stories that conveyed spiritual truths. By drawing his listeners into his stories, he unlocked their minds and hearts to hear the truth he was relating to them.
This compilation of stories for the entire church year, written by Peter Andrew Smith, follows in that same tradition. The stories within CSS Publishing’s latest Lectionary Stories for Preaching and Teaching, Series II, Cycle A are inspired by the source gospel passages and serve to highlight and illustrate the gospel Jesus taught through his words and life. They can serve as a companion when studying the scripture, as illustrations for sermons, and as devotional material for personal or group use. Smith offers thought-provoking contemplations on Cycle A lectionary passages that draw out the biblical theme by relating it to aspects of modern life we have all experienced.
Some chapters included in this volume
Always Room for Another
Starting A New Life
Preparing for Temptation
The Taste of Cold Water
Because I Love You -
Feed My Lambs
$23.95Add to cartFeed My Lambs is a collection of 103 children’s object lessons, written in script form, so that those who desire to give fun and effective sermons will be able to easily prepare the message.
I hope to encourage people who might pick up Feed My Lambs to give children’s sermons a try. I think about how I went about it years back. I walked into a Christian bookstore, asked where the children’s sermon book section was, picked up a few books, and wondered if I were biting off more than I could chew. I want people to know they can. God will certainly bless them and all the little ones they are trying to help. Jesus said, “Feed My Lambs.”
*Included in Feed My Lambs
*Index of Seasonal Themes
*Notes to the Reader
*Index of Bible references
*Liturgical calendar suggestions
*Chapter-by-Chapter synopsis
*Some of the chapter titles in this book are:
*Having a Right Relationship with God
*Trust in the Lord and His Perfect Plan
*Our Sins and Jesus’ Forgiveness
*Talking with God
*Holidays -
DNA Of Pioneer Ministry
$35.99Add to cartSorted is a successful Fresh Expression of church based in Bradford, which has now sent out pioneers using the lessons learnt to begin planting a fresh expression in Thamesmead, London and begin a pioneering project in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Fresh Expressions story has been well-told, but there have been relatively few attempts to relate the experiences and methodologies the author and his team have learnt over 10 years of pioneering Sorted (3 fresh expressions of church), so that pioneers, missionaries and the wider Church may be better equipped and informed when pioneering fresh expressions, mission communities and church plants in a whole range of different contexts. Relevant and timely, this book aims to share these lessons and methodologies using the Sorted story. -
Spiritual Leadership Today
$16.99Add to cart“If you are in a position of positive influence, if you exercise leadership in any way, your faith in God gives you a power-a hidden power-that will allow you to make an enduring difference in the lives of other people and organizations. But how does that power work?” So says Mel Lawrenz in this fresh look at leadership which offers practical and biblical guidance to believers who want to have a deep influence and who want to know: What is the proper use of authority and power? Where do good ideas come from? How can we deal with failure? What does God expect of us? Drawing from more than thirty years of experience in pastoral ministry, Lawrenz writes for Christians in any position of influence. This book provides a new baseline for 21st century Christian leadership, addressing issues such as: – building integrity – seizing opportunities – exploring new horizons – speaking into crises – receiving power – accepting authority – promoting truth – managing expectations – dealing with criticism Using real-life examples, key Scripture passages, and history, Lawrenz shows that when believers align their responsibility to lead with the teaching of Jesus and the work of God’s Spirit, their spiritual influence will have integrity and enduring effectiveness. “Lawrenz gives us hope that the leadership pendulum which has swung from ‘over- spiritualized’ to ‘de-spiritualized’ in recent generations may have finally come to rest where it always belonged-upon Jesus Christ.” – Skye Jethani, Senior Editor, Leadership Journal, from the foreword “It is exciting to think about believers at every level of society rising to a new call to exercise powerful spiritual influence. In his newest book Mel Lawrenz has given us all a new baseline for leadership that is personal, wise, and spiritual. It spans the generations and reaches across cultures. Just think what will happen if believers in positions of influence tie into the wisdom and the power that comes from God in order to bring restoration in our broken world!” – Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor, National Community Church in Washington, D.C.
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Leading With Story
$19.99Add to cartEighty percent of the world’s people-including seventy percent of Americans-are storycentric communicators; that is, they prefer to learn and are most likely to be influenced through stories, pictures, drama, and music rather than through reading and writing. Yet more than ninety percent of Christian workers communicate through a highly literacy-based approach. This disconnect overlooks a primary method of Jesus himself in the preparation of leaders and impedes the effective cultivation of leaders in the growing global church. Through engaging stories, biblical insights, leadership research, field-tested methods, and practical models of effective leadership development, Leading with Story offers unique solutions that will inspire and challenge any who want to raise up or to be raised up as Christ-centered leaders in this storycentric generation.
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Stop Wandering The Corridors Of Your Mind
$12.99Add to cartOne man’s personal journey of a life set free by Jesus Christ from the prison he had constructed in his mind. An engaging, brutally honest, and often funny account of the construction of a mental prison based on shame, embarrassment, twisted self-worth, and the results of real sin.
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Way : Walking In The Footsteps Of Jesus (Large Type)
$19.99Add to cartExpanded Large Print Edition
Travel with Adam Hamilton as he retraces the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Once again, Hamilton approaches his subject matter with thoughtfulness and wisdom, just as he did with Jesus’ crucifixion in 24 Hours That Changed the World and with Jesus’ birth in The Journey. Read The Way on your own or, for a more in-depth study, enjoy it with a small group or part of a 40-day church-wide emphasis during Lent and Easter or anytime of the year. Using historical information, archaeological data, and stories of the faith, Hamilton follows in the footsteps of Jesus from his baptism to the temptations to the heart of his ministry, including the people he loved, the parables he taught, the enemies he made, and the healing he brought. This 40-day focus will help you and your group grow deeper in their faith, learn more about the life of Christ, spend time daily reading and reflecting upon the Scriptures, and invite families, through the children’s and youth studies, to grow together in their faith. This new large print edition includes devotions for each chapter and photos from Adam’s trip to the Holy Lands. Additional resources include a DVD, devotional, youth and children editions, and a worship download to help with sermon planning.
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24 Hours That Changed The World (Large Type)
$19.99Add to cartExpanded Large Print Edition
Adam Hamilton guides us, step by step, through the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life in his popular, heartbreaking, and inspiring book. No single event in human history has received more attention than the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. In this book, Hamilton will help you experience and understand the significance of Jesus’ suffering and death like never before. He retraces the day that changed human history in his usual straightforward yet easy, conversational style that speaks to both long-time Christians and those who are simply curious about the story of Christ’s crucifixion. This new large print edition includes devotions for each chapter and travel notes from Adam’s trip to the Holy Lands. Support materials include Leader Guide, a DVD, materials for all ages of Youth and Children’s Ministries, plus many more resources. Adam Hamilton combines biblical story, historical detail, theological analysis, spiritual insight, and pastoral warmth to retell the narrative of Jesus’ last and greatest hours. – Leith Anderson, author of The Jesus Revolution Adam Hamilton’s 24 Hours That Changed the World delivers solid scholarship describing how the day of Christ’s crucifixion unfolded. It also suggests that our response to Christ’s work – when it appears evil has the upper hand – can be one of courageous hope and great courage. Read this book! – Mark Beeson, Lead Pastor of Granger Community Church in Granger, Indiana Adam Hamilton is, in my opinion, a national treasure. He embodies the kind of generous orthodoxy so many of us have been dreaming of and praying for. – Brian McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christian
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Redemption Of Scrooge Youth Study Book (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartIs redemption possible for Ebenezer Scrooge? Pastor and author Matt Rawle believes so as he discovers the teachings of Jesus in the words of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. Rawle dives deep into the dark, sad, greedy world of Scrooge and discovers a man in dire need of a second chance. Along with Scrooge, we meet the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future and in the process learn about living with and for others in a world blessed by Jesus. Rediscover and reinvigorate your Christian faith this Advent and Christmas season and look at this familiar classic through the lens of faith. The Youth Study Book interprets Scrooge, his struggles, and his redemption in a way that youth can relate to and understand, using humor, down-to-earth discussion, and examples from contemporary culture. For young people grades 6-12. Can be used with the adult-level DVD. Sessions include: The Ghosts of Christmas Past The Life of Christmas Present The Resurrection of Christmas Future God Bless Us, Every One
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Redemption Of Scrooge Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$14.99Add to cartIs redemption possible for Ebenezer Scrooge? Pastor and author Matt Rawle believes so as he discovers the teachings of Jesus in the words of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. Rawle dives deep into the dark, sad, greedy world of Scrooge and discovers a man in dire need of a second chance. Along with Scrooge, we meet the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future and in the process learn about living with and for others in a world blessed by Jesus. Rediscover and reinvigorate your Christian faith this Advent and Christmas season and look at this familiar classic through the lens of faith. The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the 4-week study for Advent, making use of the book and videos. Guide includes session plans and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options. Sessions include: The Ghosts of Christmas Past The Life of Christmas Present The Resurrection of Christmas Future God Bless Us, Every One
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Questions Preachers Ask
$32.00Add to cart“How do we preach in a way that affirms Christian theology while also honoring the insights of other faith traditions?” “How do we preach about and help create genuine Christian community in a social networking culture?”
Questions Preachers Ask examines many questions that are on the minds of preachers today, questions that focus on how to preach the gospel in a culture where biblical knowledge cannot be presumed and where the Bible is often viewed as untrustworthy. Well-known preachers, scholars, and authors, including Barbara Brown Taylor, Gail O’Day, Anna Carter Florence, Richard Lischer, Cleo LaRue, and Thomas Lynch, provide the answers.
This book, compiled to honor writer, preacher, teacher, and scholar Thomas G. Long at the end of his teaching career, addresses practical questions such as “How do we proclaim the good news to young adults who are on the margins of church or have left it?” and “How do we preach to faith communities that are highly diverse?” Perfect for preachers at any stage of their ministry, these essays offer hope and guidance for handling the difficult task of preaching in today’s congregations.
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Feasting On The Word Childrens Sermons For Year A
$24.00Add to cartMany pastors are confused about what to say during children’s time in churches. Feasting on the Word Children’s Sermons for Year A offers practical suggestions for preparing and delivering the children’s sermon. After explaining the purpose of the children’s sermon, noted Christian educator Carol Wehrheim provides a story for each Sunday of the church year based on the Revised Common Lectionary. In addition, she provides a few stories for special moments in the church’s life, such as when a mission group is commissioned, church leaders are ordained, or a death occurs. This resource provides pastors and other church leaders with fresh, engaging stories that children will understand and enjoy.
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Finding Your Way In Seminary
$25.00Add to cartThose considering seminary, those in seminary, and those preparing to graduate from seminary need help. They need help discerning their call, moving into the bewildering world of theological study, and balancing the competing claims of school, work, and family. This book proposes to offer that help, and more, because the seminary experience is evolving more rapidly than at any time in its history.
This book is an ideal textbook for introductory seminary or spiritual formation courses that the majority of seminaries now require of first-year students. The three sections of this book provide information and guidance to those who are discerning a call to ministry and considering theological education; introduces new seminarians to thinking theologically, forming supportive relationships, integrating what they are learning in school with their spiritual lives, and practical guidance on such matters is serving a local congregation while one is in seminary; and offers advice on negotiating the ordination process in different denominational traditions and making the transition from study to full-time ministry.
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Wonder Of Christmas Childrens Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$18.99Add to cartNo other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible. This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year. The Wonder of Christmas is a four-week all-church study for Advent with resources for all ages. The Children’s Leader Guide contains session ideas for younger and older children, including games, activities, craft ideas, and reproducible handouts.
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Wonder Of Christmas Youth Study Book (Student/Study Guide)
$9.99Add to cartNo other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible. This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year. The Wonder of Christmas is a four-week all-church study for Advent with resources for all ages. The Youth Study Book includes everything needed to conduct a four-session study including current examples that have meaning to young people grades 6-12. Can be used with the adult-level DVD.
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Wonder Of Christmas Devotions For The Season
$9.99Add to cartNo other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible. This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year. The Wonder of Christmas is a four-week all-church study for Advent with resources for all ages. The devotional is a beautiful companion volume that functions beautifully on its own or as part of the church-wide experience offers four weeks of daily devotions on four elements of the Christmas story that evoke wonder and inspiration for reflecting the light of Jesus. Each devotion includes Scripture and a reflection and prayer.
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Wonder Of Christmas Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$14.99Add to cartNo other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible. This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year. The Wonder of Christmas is a four-week all-church study for Advent with resources for all ages. The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the study including session plans and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options.
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Wonder Of Christmas (Large Type)
$15.99Add to cartNo other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible. This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year. Chapters Include: The Wonder of a Name The Wonder of a Star The Wonder of a Manger The Wonder of a Promise The Wonder of Christmas is also perfect for an all-church study and includes resources for all ages, teaching video, worship ideas and visuals, and preaching guides, all areas of church life weave together for a wonder-filled Advent celebration. The adult study book is the centerpiece of the program, serving as the adult small group resource and the source of content for worship planners and leaders.
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Wonder Of Christmas
$14.99Add to cartNo other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible. This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year. Chapters Include: The Wonder of a Name The Wonder of a Star The Wonder of a Manger The Wonder of a Promise The Wonder of Christmas is also perfect for an all-church study and includes resources for all ages, teaching video, worship ideas and visuals, and preaching guides, all areas of church life weave together for a wonder-filled Advent celebration. The adult study book is the centerpiece of the program, serving as the adult small group resource and the source of content for worship planners and leaders.
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Redemption Of Scrooge
$15.99Add to cartIs redemption possible for Ebenezer Scrooge? Pastor and author Matt Rawle believes so as he discovers the teachings of Jesus in the words of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. Rawle dives deep into the dark, sad, greedy world of Scrooge and discovers a man in dire need of a second chance. Along with Scrooge, we meet the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future and in the process learn about living with and for others in a world blessed by Jesus. Rediscover and reinvigorate your Christian faith this Advent and Christmas season and look at this familiar classic through the lens of faith. Chapters include: The Ghosts of Christmas Past The Life of Christmas Present The Resurrection of Christmas Future God Bless Us, Every One
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Thriving In The Second Chair
$20.99Add to cartThe number of second chair leaders in churches and other ministries continues to grow rapidly. Churches operate with the leadership of paid and unpaid staff who are not the senior or lead pastor. Laity, licensed local pastors, and program ministry leaders are critical to the health and success of churches. In a new trend, there are far more executive pastors today than ten years ago. The campus pastor, another type of second chair leader, is also a rapidly growing group. Thriving in the Second Chair identifies and explores ten “key factors to thrive” (KFT’s) that determine whether someone truly thrives or barely survives in this vital but complex position. These ten factors are grouped into three sections: (1) the relationship with the first chair, (2) the definition and key meta-skills for the role, and (3) the personal and spiritual attributes that sustain leaders. Each factor is described in a separate chapter that includes the conceptual framework, real-life examples from the author’s own second chair ministry as well as that of many others, and practical steps to move toward thriving. Readers will be encouraged and equipped as they discover the keys to Thriving in the Second Chair.
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Because Of Bethlehem Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartEach year, the Christmas season compels people to ask the Christmas questions. What’s the big deal about the baby in the manger? Who was he? What does his birth have to do with me? Of all the responses to these questions, there is one that stands out from the rest: Because of Bethlehem, God knows what it is like to be a human. When we talk to God about our challenges, our struggles, and our tough times, he understands, because he’s been there. He’s been here.
Because of Bethlehem, we have a friend in heaven. We have a Savior in heaven. Christmas begins what Easter celebrates. The child in the cradle became the king on the cross. Because he did, there are no marks on our record, just grace. Because of Bethlehem, we have the promise God is always near us. Always for us. Always in us. We may forget him, but he never forgets us.
No day is accidental or incidental. No acts are random or wasted. Just look at the Bethlehem birth. A king levies a tax. Joseph is forced to travel. Mary, as round as a ladybug, bounces on a donkey’s back. The hotel is full. The hour is late. The event is one big hassle. Yet out of the hassle, hope was born. Christmas reminds us that “everything works together for the good of those who love God” (Romans 8:28). And long after the Christmas guests have left, the carolers have gone home, and the lights have come down, that promise endures.
Sessions include:
*God Has a Face (chapters 2, 4)
*Worship Works Wonders (chapters 5, 6)
*God Guides the Wise (chapters 7, 8)
*Every Heart Is a Manger (chapters 11, 12) -
Way : Walking In The Footsteps Of Jesus (Expanded)
$14.99Add to cartNewly released in paperback, travel with Adam Hamilton as he retraces the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Once again, Hamilton approaches his subject matter with thoughtfulness and wisdom, just as he did with Jesus’ crucifixion in 24 Hours That Changed the World and with Jesus’ birth in The Journey. Read The Way on your own or, for a more in-depth study, enjoy it with a small group or part of a 40-day church-wide emphasis during Lent and Easter or anytime of the year. Using historical information, archaeological data, and stories of the faith, Hamilton follows in the footsteps of Jesus from his baptism to the temptations to the heart of his ministry, including the people he loved, the parables he taught, the enemies he made, and the healing he brought. This 40-day focus will help you and your group grow deeper in their faith, learn more about the life of Christ, spend time daily reading and reflecting upon the Scriptures, and invite families, through the children’s and youth studies, to grow together in their faith. This new edition includes devotions for each chapter and photos from Adam’s trip to the Holy Lands. Additional resources include a DVD, devotional, youth and children editions, and a worship download to help with sermon planning.
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24 Hours That Changed The World (Expanded)
$14.99Add to cartNewly released in paperback, Adam Hamilton guides us, step by step, through the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life in his popular, heartbreaking, and inspiring book. No single event in human history has received more attention than the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. In this book, Hamilton will help you experience and understand the significance of Jesus’ suffering and death like never before. He retraces the day that changed human history in his usual straightforward yet easy, conversational style that speaks to both long-time Christians and those who are simply curious about the story of Christ’s crucifixion. This new edition includes devotions for each chapter and travel notes from Adam’s trip to the Holy Lands. Support materials include Leader Guide, a DVD, materials for all ages of Youth and Children’s Ministries, plus many more resources. Adam Hamilton combines biblical story, historical detail, theological analysis, spiritual insight, and pastoral warmth to retell the narrative of Jesus’ last and greatest hours. – Leith Anderson, author of The Jesus Revolution Adam Hamilton’s 24 Hours That Changed the World delivers solid scholarship describing how the day of Christ’s crucifixion unfolded. It also suggests that our response to Christ’s work – when it appears evil has the upper hand – can be one of courageous hope and great courage. Read this book! – Mark Beeson, Lead Pastor of Granger Community Church in Granger, Indiana Adam Hamilton is, in my opinion, a national treasure. He embodies the kind of generous orthodoxy so many of us have been dreaming of and praying for. – Brian McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christian
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Grab Gather And Grow
$15.99Add to cartJim and Jen Cowart, authors of Start This, Stop That, offer a fresh strategy for developing community groups for your whole church and beyond. Harvest Church (www.harvestchurch4u.org), a young United Methodist congregation twenty miles southwest of Macon, met for seven years (on Sundays) on the move in a rented theatre. They learned about adaptive systems, digital tools, and flexible overhead. Since building a multipurpose facility on 43 acres near Warner Robins, Georgia in 2007, Harvest Church applied what they learned about mobility and sustained rapid growth to 2700 in worship attendance, with seven weekend services. They dispensed with a typical education wing (at significant cost savings) and classrooms in favor of four multipurpose rooms. They adapted a community groups strategy, which meets primarily in homes. Over 18 months they have expanded from 76 community groups to over 250 community groups. In this leadership book, Jen and Jim offer a five-part method for transforming a congregation through launching community groups. Community groups become a multiplication strategy because they nurture an urgent expectation outside the congregation to share the good news with persons not yet professing faith, while creating a well defined path for growth in discipleship. The book will include the following themes: Group Explosion – New Strategy for 100% plus group participation Overcoming Obstacles – Structuring for Maximum Growth vs Control – Crowd to Core Group Growth The Power of the Pulpit – This system is driven from the stage Living the 5 through Group Life – How the CG lives into Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry, Evangelism, and Worship Creating Infrastructure for Facilitators
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Transforming Discipleship : Making Disciples A Few At A Time (Expanded)
$22.99Add to cartIntroduction: A Story Of Transformation
Part I: The Discipleship Deficit: What Went Wrong And Why
1. The Discipleship Gap: Where Have All The Disciples Gone?
2. The Discipleship Malaise: Getting To The Root CausesPart II: Doing The Lord’s Work In The Lord’s Way: The Bible As A Method Book
3. Why Jesus Invested In A Few
4. Jesus’ Preparatory Empowerment Model
5. Paul’s Empowerment Model: Spiritual ParentingPart III: Multiplying Reproducing Discipleship Groups: Church-Based Strategy For Disciple Making
6. Life Investment: It’s All About Relationships
7. Multiplication: Through The Generations
8. Transformation: The Four Necessary Ingredients
9. Practicalities Of Disciple Making
10. The Role Of Preaching In Making DisciplesAcknowledgments
Appendix 1: Frequently Asked Questions
Appendix 2: Critical Considerations For Growing A Reproducing Disciple-Making Ministry
Appendix 3: The Importance Of Curriculum
NotesAdditional Info
Many church leaders, yearning for church growth, look to the latest evangelistic strategies or seeker-targeted worship services. But lack of growth might not be due to lack of concern for new people-it may be because we are not effectively discipling the people we already have.Greg Ogden address the need for discipleship in the local church and recovers Jesus’ method of accomplishing life change by investing in just a few people at a time. Ogden sets forth his vision for transforming both the individual disciple and discipleship itself, showing how discipleship can become a self-replicating process with ongoing impact from generation to generation.
This revised and updated edition includes a new chapter on discipleship and preaching.
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Skills For Effective Counseling
$55.00Add to cartEffective counseling depends on mastering basic relationship skills. In this integrative text, Elisabeth Nesbit-Sbanotto, Heather Davediuk Gingrich and Fred Gingrich break these skills into manageable microskills and connect them to insights and practices from Scripture, theology and spiritual formation.