Pastoral Helps
Showing 1351–1400 of 4114 results
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Sacred Marriage Participants Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartIn this six-session small group Bible study, Sacred Marriage, writer and speaker Gary Thomas invites you to see how God can use marriage as a discipline and a motivation to reflect more of the character of Jesus.
Your marriage is much more than a union between you and your spouse. It is a spiritual discipline ideally suited to help you know God more fully and intimately. Sacred Marriage shifts the focus from marital enrichment to spiritual enrichment in ways that can help you love your mate more. Whether it is delightful or difficult, your marriage can become a doorway to a closer walk with God.
Everything about your marriage-from the history you and your spouse create, to the love you share, to the forgiveness you both offer and seek by turn-is filled with the capacity to help you grow in Christ’s character.
In addition to life-changing insights, you’ll find a wealth of discussion questions in this Participant’s Guide that will spark meaningful conversation in your group, between you and your spouse, or to simply ponder by yourself. You’ll also find self-assessments, activities, and highlights all created to help you engage deeply and prayerfully with the content of this study. Designed for use with the Sacred Marriage DVD (sold separately).
Sessions include:
*God’s Purpose for Marriage
*The Refining Power of Marriage
*The God-Centered Spouse
*Sacred History
*Sexual Saints
*Marriage: The Love Laboratory -
God For The Rest Of Us Pastors DVD Kit
$19.99Add to cartThe Pharisees called Jesus “a friend of sinners.” He took it as a compliment. Would you? In these resources, Pastor Vince Antonucci and his unusual church that reaches out to people on the Las Vegas Strip explore a powerful question: what if God is not just for the faithful, church-going, or holier-than-thou types – what if God is for the rest of us? This small group study expands viewpoints, overcomes stereotypes, and models how to really love people like Jesus does. The Pastor’s Kit includes everything needed to plan a six-week teaching series around the concepts presented in the Small Group Study. It includes:
Special video message for pastors
Video guide for implementing a church-wide program
Six sermon outlines
Six short video clips to accompany each week’s sermon
Six sermon bumpers (short video clips to introduce each week’s sermon)
Digital art files to use in creation of bulletins and other promo materials -
Introduction To Christian Education And Formation
$24.99Add to cartA bold and unique hybrid among resources for Christian educators, students, and pastoral staff, this enterprising book blends the voices of a single author and ten contributing experts into a global conversation on Christian formation and nurture. It effortlessly transcends all ages and all cultures, as it positions Christianity vibrantly alive from cradle to grave. This introductory text on Christian education-formation includes extensive graphical illustrations and accompanying online appendixes, providing a wealth of resources not only to be used in the classroom but to be lived out in the life of the church in the world.
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Children Worship
$24.00Add to cartChildren Worship! offers planned experiences that help children understand what is expected in worship, how to participate, and what our words and actions mean. This thirteen-session worship education resource helps congregations incorporate young children into the worshiping community. Sessions focus on the six actions of worship and cover the following topics: Gathering, Giving, Praise and Thanks, Praying, Proclaiming, Responding, and Sending.
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Spent Matches : Igniting The Signal Fire For The Spiritually Dissatisfied
$22.99Add to cartSpent Matches explores the possibility that a few small paradigm shifts within the church might make the difference between extinction and effectiveness. In fact, taking a clue from the automobile industry, the church might be able to not only halt the rapid decay in attendance but also become an effective tool in achieving Jesus’ final command. For instance, the Hybrid car has become the answer to Detroit’s environmental and oil crisis issues. Finding the synergy between two technologies, gas and electric has created a new day for the auto industry. Likewise, Spent Matchesexplores how the church can find synergy between two seemingly competing thoughts: an invitation to come and a command to go. The Hybrid metaphor brings energy to the church’s mission and an explanation to the age-old argument of Missional versus Attractional methods.
Features include:
*Innovative ideas for growing the church
*Methods to reach those who may never have attended church
*Scripture passages that touch on the subject of church growth -
Understanding Gender Dysphoria
$25.99Add to cartIntroduction
1 Gender Identity, Gender Dysphoria And Appreciating Complexity
2 A Christian Perspective On Gender Dysphoria
3 What Causes Gender Dysphoria?
4 Phenomenology And Prevalence
5 Prevention And Treatment Of Gender Dysphoria
6 Toward A Christian Response: At The Level Of The Individual
7 Toward A Christian Response: At The Level Of The Institution
Notes
Author Index
Subject IndexAdditional Info
Few topics are more contested today than gender identity. In the fog of the culture war, complex issues like gender dysphoria are reduced to slogans and sound bites. And while the war rages over language, institutions and political allegiances, transgender individuals are the ones who end up being the casualties. Mark Yarhouse, an expert in sexual identity and therapy, challenges the church to rise above the political hostilities and listen to people’s stories. In Understanding Gender Dysphoria, Yarhouse offers a Christian perspective on transgender issues that eschews simplistic answers and appreciates the psychological and theological complexity. The result is a book that engages the latest research while remaining pastorally sensitive to the experiences of each person. In the midst of a tense political climate, Yarhouse calls Christians to come alongside those on the margins and stand with them as they resolve their questions and concerns about gender identity. Understanding Gender Dysphoria is the book we need to navigate these stormy cultural waters. -
Israels Mission Discovery Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartJoin renowned teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan as he travels through the land of the Bible. In each lesson, Vander Laan illuminates the historical, geographical, and cultural context of the sacred Scriptures. Filmed on location in Israel, the That the World May Know DVD series transforms participants’ understanding of God and challenges them to be a true follower of Jesus.
The That the World May Know video Bible study series is ideal for use by pastors and small group leaders, as well as anyone interested in deeper, biblical learning.
The Israel’s Mission Study Guide is designed for use with the Israel’s Mission DVD (sold separately).
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4 Portraits One Jesus Workbook (Workbook)
$19.99Add to cartThis workbook accompanies Mark L. Strauss’s Four Portraits, One Jesus. Following the textbook’s structure, it offers readings from the Gospels, activities, and exercises designed to support the students’ learning experience and enhance their comprehension of what can be known from the Gospels about the central defining subject of Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth. Four Portraits, One Jesus is a thorough yet accessible introduction to the four biblical Gospels and their subject, the life and person of Jesus. Like different artists rendering the same subject using different styles and points of view, the Gospels paint four highly distinctive portraits of the same remarkable Jesus. With clarity and insight, Mark Strauss illuminates these four books, first addressing their nature, origin, methods for study, and historical, religious, and cultural backgrounds. He then moves on to closer study of each narrative and its contribution to our understanding of Jesus, investigating things such as plot, characters, and theme. Finally, he pulls it all together with a detailed examination of what the Gospels teach about Jesus’ ministry, message, death, and resurrection, with excursions into the quest for the historical Jesus and the historical reliability of the Gospels.
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Trinity : The God We Dont Know
$15.99Add to cartMost people assume they know what they mean when they use the word “God.” They mean a powerful old guy in the sky ready to obliterate us if we do wrong but basically benevolent, if a little senile.
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity shows us God is vastly more interesting. God is actually fleshed among us in Jesus, poured out on us in the Holy Spirit’s intoxication of the church. God is three divine persons in perfect harmony and beauty-and God invites us into that unimaginable intimacy. We don’t know this God, but we should.
Trinity uses scripture, the Early Church tradition, and some modern theology to argue that God is weirder than we ever thought. God is a mystery whom we can’t understand but who can shape our misunderstanding to allow for faithful living and holy love of God and neighbor.
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Psalm 2 NIV Preacher Edition
$39.99Add to cartThis volume is part two of a three-volume series. Psalms Vol. 3 (ch. 107-150) is currently in progress and will be available late 2016.
The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible(R) is much more than a commentary – it’s a comprehensive resource for expository and topical preaching.
Each volume organizes key points of Scripture passages in a systematic outline form, along with content synthesized from 200+ Bible commentaries, language sources, and reference works.
The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible(R) includes inspirational sermon points, practical life applications and dozens of supporting scriptures in every section.
This volume includes Psalms chapters 42-106 and contains Scripture printed in New International Version (NIV).
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Circle Maker Student Edition (Student/Study Guide)
$16.99Add to cartPray Circles Around Your Greatest Dreams and Biggest Fears
Prayer can sometimes be a frightening thing-how do you approach the maker of the world, and what exactly can you pray for? In this student adaptation of The Circle Maker, Pastor Mark Batterson uses the true legend of Honi the circle maker, a first-century Jewish sage whose bold prayer saved a generation, to uncover the boldness God asks of us at times, and what powerful prayer can mean in your life. Drawing inspiration from his own experiences as a circle maker, as well as sharing stories of young people who have experienced God’s blessings, Batterson explores how you can approach God in a new way by drawing prayer circles around your dreams, your problems, and, most importantly, God’s promises. In the process, you’ll discover this simple yet life-changing truth: God honors bold prayers; bold prayers honor God. And you’re never too young for God to use you for amazing things.
Updated with discussion questions that tie to the Circle Maker video curriculum.
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Disaster Ministry Handbook
$30.99Add to cartWhen disasters happen, people turn to local churches as centers for response and assistance. When floods or tornadoes devastate an area, or when shootings and violence shock a community, knowing what to do can be the difference between calm and chaos, courage and fear, life and death. But few churches plan in advance for what they should do – until the storm hits.
Don’t get caught unprepared. If a natural disaster or human tragedy strikes your community, your church can minister to the hurting. Jamie Aten and David Boan, codirectors of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute, provide a practical guide for disaster preparedness. Disaster ministry is a critically important work of the church, preparing for the unthinkable, providing relief to survivors, caring for the vulnerable, helping communities recover. Filled with resources for emergency planning and crisis management, this book provides best practices for local congregations. By taking action in advance, your church can help prevent harm and save lives during a disaster.
The time to plan is now. Be prepared.
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Making Disciples Across Cultures
$24.99Add to cartCulture affects how we make disciples. We often unconsciously bring our own cultural assumptions into ministry and mission, not realizing that how we think and operate is not necessarily the best or only way to do things. In today’s global environment, disciplemaking requires the cultural humility and flexibility to adapt between different cultural approaches.
Charles Davis, former director of TEAM, provides a framework for missional disciplemaking across diverse cultural contexts. He shows how we can recalibrate our ministry efforts, like adjusting sound levels on a mixer board, to accommodate different cultural assumptions. With on-the-ground stories from a lifetime of mission experience, Davis navigates such tensions as knowledge and behavior, individualism and collectivism, and truth and works to help Christian workers minister more effectively.
Ministry teams, church planters, pastors and missionaries working interculturally at home or overseas can be part of God’s movement of making disciples. Discover how the body of Christ grows in the unity and diversity of the global church.
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Envisioning The Congregation Practicing The Gospel
$26.99Add to cartThis accessible and instructive book is designed to equip lay leaders of Protestant churches to better envision and practice gospel-driven ministry and mission in contemporary society.Seasoned pastor and practical theologian John Stewart presents and explains five biblically mandated, foundational practices for being and nurturing the church: fellowship, discipleship, witness, service, and worship. Stewart argues that these five practices are normative, indispensable, and doable for congregations that seek to remain faithful to their risen Lord, and he offers memorable, achievable models of ways they are already being used in current mainline congregations.
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Ephesians For You (Student/Study Guide)
$17.99Add to cartIntroduction
1. In Him
2. A Lesson In Prayer
3. Once Dead, Now Raised Up
4. The Only Real Peace
5. Mystery Revealed
6. Grasping The Dimensions Of Divine Love
7. Working For Unity
8. The Difference Faith Makes
9. Sex Life
10. Married Life
11. Home And Work Life
12. Wear God’s Armor
Glossary
BibliographyAdditional Info
In a world where Christianity seems increasingly sidelined and even irrelevant, we need to grasp the truths of this faith-affirming, life-changing letter. Ephesians For You helps readers see how being “in Christ” changes everything-our view of ourselves, our world, our future, our church, homes and workplaces.Richard Coekin, author of A Few Good Men and Our Father, brings his trademark clear teaching and challenging application to every page.
Use accompanying Ephesians in small group Bible studies.
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Skinny On Communication
$6.99Add to cartEverything you do and say sends a message to the people around you. So what message are you sending to the teenagers in your youth group-and to their parents and to other people connected to your ministry? It’s impossible to meet teenagers’ foundational needs without effective communication. And the more effectively you communicate, the better you can give your students exactly what they’re seeking and needing.The Skinny on Communication isn’t about formulas or a five-step plan that will solve your communication problems as a youth worker. But it will guide you through specific principles that can move you closer toward mastering this vital skill. You’ll explore practical ideas for communicating effectively with teenagers, parents, and other partners in your ministry-and you’ll see how all of these practices can be rooted in Christ-like love. Prepare to be challenged, and allow yourself to be surprised. And along the way, re-examine your assumptions and seek a fresh perspective on communicating effectively as a youth worker.
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Skinny On Service
$6.99Add to cartTake a look around at the brokenness in this world and its spiritual poverty. Jesus wants to change all of that, and he’s looking for teenagers who want that change to start in them. Youth worker, that’s where you come in! When your students serve others, they’re serving Jesus. Serving helps teenagers draw closer to Jesus and become more like him. And serving creates opportunities to talk about Jesus and share his amazing good news. Ultimately, every act of genuine Christian service points to Jesus’ act of service on the cross.The Skinny on Service unpacks the powerful reasons why it’s important for you and your students to serve others, but you’ll also get page after page of practical ideas on how to serve. You’ll be equipped to help teenagers discover the joy of serving faithfully “before,” even if they don’t personally get to see the fruit “after.” Teenagers aren’t just looking for a great youth worker-they’re looking for a Christ-follower who is leaving footsteps they can step into. And when you lead the way by serving, that’s exactly what you’re doing.
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Skinny On Outreach
$6.99Add to cartDoes the idea of outreach excite you? Does it intimidate you? Does it frustrate you? In the context of youth ministry, outreach is simply looking beyond yourself and equipping teenagers to do the same. It’s about a commitment to encouraging and equipping teenagers to engage in a lifestyle of sharing the world-altering message of Jesus. Jesus commands us to reach out, compassion compels us to reach out, and true discipleship calls us to reach out. The Skinny on Outreach delivers specific, tangible ideas for building a youth ministry where teenagers discover how every area of life offers ongoing opportunities for relational evangelism. This book will fuel your passion for reaching out and sharing the message of Jesus-and for inviting teenagers into this exciting adventure, too. When your teenagers are on a mission with Jesus and telling people about him, they’ll also grow deeply in him. Help your students become life-changing ambassadors for Jesus’ message of grace and hope. And join Jesus in the quest for the unreached teenagers in your community!
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Skinny On Parents
$6.99Add to cartParents are the biggest influence on the lives of teenagers-a fact that research has proved again and again. Yet interactions with parents can be one of the trickiest areas for a youth worker to navigate well. Great youth ministries are passionate about helping parents-the key influence on teenage faith-succeed in their God-given roles. That’s the foundational message of The Skinny on Parents, which will lead you toward a place where you focus more of your energy on resourcing, equipping, partnering with, and empowering parents. Parents are not the enemy. Ignoring them will diminish the impact of your ministry. Most parents struggle with fears but also want help. And you can come alongside them to partner in helping teenagers fully step into a life of faith. This book is filled with practical ideas that will energize your ministry to parents and families. And if you as a youth worker provide help in a way that allows parents to feel more equipped and confident, then everyone wins: families, teenagers, and your youth ministry!
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Skinny On Volunteers
$6.99Add to cartA youth ministry needs a solid group of volunteers to be truly effective. We youth workers all know this-but how do we make it happen? Many of us don’t do much when it comes to mobilizing volunteers and equipping them for ministry. Our plate is already full, and building a great team sounds like yet another task to add to the list. But what if your efforts to mobilize and equip volunteers actually lightened your schedule? What if this investment of time actually paid back double, quadruple, or even tenfold?The Skinny on Volunteers will help you concentrate on three simple skills that will help you mobilize and equip leaders: recruiting, keeping, and training volunteers. Yes, volunteers take time. But you’ll discover the rewards of investing in a team of people who will love teenagers, connect with them, and disciple them.
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War Room Bible Study Book (Student/Study Guide)
$7.99Add to cartWar Room Bible Study Book includes 5 scriptural lessons and inspiring movie clips found in the new Kendrick Brothers’ movie War Room. This short series provides a variety of heart-felt and/or humorous movie scenes and Bible study sessions that can be used in a corporate church message series or a small group Bible study setting.
Session topics include:
*Dealing with Spiritual Lukewarmness
*Christian Accountability
*Grasping Grace and the Gospel
*Engaging in Spiritual Warfare
*Trusting God in Prayer -
Stan Tolers Practical Guide To Pastoral Ministry
$17.99Add to cartBased on more than thirty years of leading growing, healthy churches, Toler offers practical advice on topics covering every aspect of ministry, including vision casting, managing risk, retaining volunteers, funding your vision, and more.
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Preaching In Pictures
$20.99Add to cartHow often do poets, advertisers, and movie makers influence Sunday sermons? Perhaps these image experts have much to offer pastors. Author Peter Jonker looks to these professionals as he examines the importance of having a controlling, vivid, dominant image that repeats throughout sermons. In Preaching in Pictures, Jonker details how a controlling image helps to unify the sermon and to communicate the sermon’s central thought. The best sermons center around a compelling image that embodies either the trouble present in the Biblical text, or the trouble destroying grace of God that the text proclaims. Jonker offers exercises designed to help pastors find strong, controlling images for their sermons. Preaching in Pictures is the third book in the Artistry of Preaching Series.
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Coming Home : Ministry That Matters With Veterans And Military Families
$16.99Add to cartComing home from military service is a process of reconnection and reintegration that is best engaged within a compassionate community.
There are almost 20 million veterans and service members living in the United States, including more than one million Americans deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001. Post-war life can be challenging unless there are communities responding with compassion and hospitality. How churches welcome and respond will be critical to the well-being of our nation’s veterans, their families, our local communities, and our nation.
Zachary Moon, a commissioned military chaplain, has seen the unique challenges for those adjusting to post-war life. In this book, he prepares congregations to mobilize a receptive and restorative ministry with military service members and their families. Designed to be accessible to both clergy and laypersons, this is an ideal resource for individuals or small groups interested in addressing the opportunities and challenges facing veterans and their families. Discussion questions and other resources included will help support small-group dialogue and community building.
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Creative Church Handbook
$25.99Add to cartThe time has come for the church to reclaim its role as a center of creativity. Among your membership are artists, musicians and other creatives whose gifts can enhance your worship, inform your theology and impact your community. A comprehensive vision and manual for unleashing creativity in your congregation.
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Call Participant Book (Large Type)
$20.99Add to cartWalk Beside the Great Apostle
With Adam Hamilton, we have traced the life of Jesus from his birth The Journey, through his ministry The Way, to his death and resurrection 24 Hours That Changed the World. What happened next?
Follow the journeys of Paul, beginning with his dramatic conversion, as he spread the Gospel through modern-day Greece and Turkey. Travel to the early church sites and explore Paul’s conversations with the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians. In this six-week study, you are invited to experience faith through Christ’s greatest teacher and missionary.
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Life Youve Always Wanted Participants Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartIn the six-session small group Bible study, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, John Ortberg guides you and your group through the spiritual disciplines and teaches you how they can transform your spiritual life. What does true spiritual life really look like? And what keeps you from living it? What can you do to pursue it? If you’re tired of the status quo-if you suspect there’s more to Christianity than what you’ve experienced-John Ortberg invites you to join him on a road to transformation and spiritual vigor that anyone can take. Cultivate new intimacy and confidence in prayer. Discover the freedom of secrecy. Taste the benefits of slowing life’s frenetic pace. Learn how to be guided by the Holy Spirit – and much more. As in a marathon, the secret lies not in trying hard, but in training consistently. Proven by followers of Jesus over the centuries, the spiritual disciplines are exercises that strengthen your endurance race on the road to growth. This study guide is designed for use with The Life You’ve Always Wanted: A DVD Study (sold separately). When used together, they provide you with a practical tool that can grow your faith.
Sessions include:
*It’s Morphing
*Time Slowing Down and Celebrating
*Praying and Confessing
*Meditating on Scripture and Seeking Guidance
*Practicing Servanthood, Finding Freedom
*Going the Distance with a Well-Ordered Heart -
Teaching Biblical Faith
$18.99Add to cartBiblical faith is a lens for viewing life, and Jack Seymour refreshingly illustrates how the reading of scripture is a resource for ongoing theological reflection connecting experience, vocation, daily life, and faith. Teaching has concrete consequences affecting the very ways people of faith view the world and make decisions for living. It matters; it makes a difference in how people think and act.
Written in an accessible style, the book provides a manageable way to inspire conversation about the many ways the Bible can be taught, the purposes and outcomes of each approach, and how biblical wisdom shapes personal and corporate decision-making. Useful strategies for leading group Bible study help congregations respond faithfully to the Biblical witness and cultivate a whole congregation approach to Bible study.
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Time Management For The Christian Leader
$17.99Add to cartGod gives each of us the same 168 hours a week. Why is it that some of us seem to spend our time more effectively and more efficiently than others? Our time is too short and our ministries too important for us to waste any of the hours God has entrusted to us.
Author Ken Willard outlines some best practices, time wasters to avoid, and examples designed to apply in your life and ministry. How do we plan for the long-term, the short-term, and the daily? What are the connections between our tasks and our goals? Is there space between your load and your limit?
Time Management for Christian Leaders challenges readers to identify why they are interested in improving their time management skills, where they currently struggle, and where they want to spend more time.
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Earn Save Give Childrens Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$18.99Add to cartJohn Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this essential little book, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley’s concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon.
The four chapters of this book form the basis for a four-week churchwide stewardship program, along with the DVD, Leader Guide, Youth Study Book, Children’s Leader Guide, and the Program Guide on flash drive.
The Children’s Leader Guide contains session ideas for younger and older children, including reproducible handouts. Consists of four sessions as part of the churchwide stewardship program.
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Earn Save Give Youth Study (Teacher’s Guide)
$10.99Add to cartJohn Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this essential little book, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley’s concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon.
The four chapters of this book form the basis for a four-week churchwide stewardship program, along with the DVD, Leader Guide, Youth Study Book, Children’s Leader Guide, and the Program Guide on flash drive.
Everything needed to conduct a 4-week youth study for ages 13-18, as part of the churchwide stewardship program. The Youth Study Book includes participant content as well as leader helps.
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Earn Save Give Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$14.99Add to cartJohn Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this essential little book, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley’s concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon.
The four chapters of this book form the basis for a four-week churchwide stewardship program, along with the DVD, Leader Guide, Youth Study Book, Children’s Leader Guide, and the Program Guide on flash drive.
This 64-page Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the small group study as part of the stewardship program. Includes session plans, discussion questions, and activities based on the book and DVD, as well as multiple format options.
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Earn Save Give Participant Book (Large Type)
$16.99Add to cartJohn Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this essential little book, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley’s concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon.
The four chapters of this book form the basis for a four-week churchwide stewardship program, along with the DVD, Leader Guide, Youth Study Book, Children’s Leader Guide, and the Program Guide on flash drive.
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Earn Save Give Participant Book (Student/Study Guide)
$15.99Add to cartJohn Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this essential little book, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley’s concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon.
The four chapters of this book form the basis for a four-week churchwide stewardship program, along with the DVD, Leader Guide, Youth Study Book, Children’s Leader Guide, and the Program Guide on flash drive.
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Sermon Sucking Black Hole
$16.99Add to cartVery little communication takes place between most pastors/priests and their congregants regarding the weekly sermon/homily. This lack of constructive dialogue has resulted in Sunday messages that are not only out-of-touch with where parishioners are living, but for the most part what’s said isn’t remembered much beyond the church parking lot.
Dr. Mains contends that people in the pew can best judge when a sermon is helpful to them and when it isn’t. So why not include them in the process of both preparing and evaluating sermons? Not preaching the sermons. . . . .but again, preparing and evaluating them. He makes these changes sound so simple and practical that you can’t help but wonder, “Why weren’t these ideas implemented years ago?”
Most people in the pew don’t realize how integral they are to finding a solution to this problem. But the pulpit/pew combination can be an incredibly powerful team, so let’s begin to work together to help solve this mystery of what’s happening to sermons.
This is not a negative book or one that only points out problems. Instead, it’s a positive, practical and encouraging read that should fill you with hope for not only your local congregation, but churches everywhere.
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Brain Savvy Leaders
$27.99Add to cartLeadership is tough. Church leadership can be even tougher. Leadership demands constant reframing and reappraisal of the situation, focus, objectivity, honest appraisal of yourself and others, and astute evaluation of available resources. Church leadership is all that and more. To be an effective church leader, you also have to love and have others’ best interest at heart. You have to align yourself and your church with God’s desire to transform lives for the better, both within and beyond your reach.
Using up-to-date research from brain science in easy-to-understand language, author Charles Stone will help you increase your personal productivity, handle stress and your emotions in constructive ways, create and sustain collaborative teams, and manage change in your church. Using illustrations and acronyms, Dr. Stone will show you how brain science can complement and reinforce what the Bible says about life and leadership. He will show you how basic brain processes affect leadership and your team’s ability to follow while becoming more cohesive and collaborative.
Each chapter gives practical tips and actionable steps to help leaders improve personal and organizational skills.
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Preaching The Gospels Without Blaming The Jews
$44.00Add to cartRonald Allen and Clark Williamson provide a commentary on the Revised Common Lectionary Gospel readings, demonstrating how the lections are continuous with the theology, values, and practices of Judaism and also identifying and reflecting on points at which the lections caricature Jewish people, practices, and institutions.
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2nd Intercessions Handbook
$16.99Add to cartContaining completely new material, this user-friendly sequel to the bestselling Intercessions Handbook is for individuals and groups involved in the vital task of leading prayers in public worship. Easy to adapt to particular situations and with a wealth of creative suggestions for enlivening the prayers, The Second Intercessions Handbook covers:* mainstream public worship* festivals and special events. informal worship and worship for small groups. intercessions with children and young people . personal intercession
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Stan Tolers Practical Guide To Hiring Staff
$14.99Add to cartGetting the right staff at the right time can make or break a congregation’s momentum. Drawing from his vast experience as a senior pastor and leader of large organizations, Toler shares the secrets that will make your first hire the right one. Subjects include: casting the vision for staff expansion, funding a new position, communicating vision to staff members, setting staff expectations, interviewing, the first thirty days, and how to be a great boss.
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Who Is My Neighbor Student Manual
$12.99Add to cartWho Is My Neighbor? (Quien es mi vecino?) is a field-tested resource through which English speakers of any church and congregation can learn basic Spanish-speaking skills to be able to communicate and provide a welcoming atmosphere to the Hispanic communities surrounding them. The six-session resource developed by the Northern Illinois Conference covers basic conversational Spanish, and simple and easy to follow Spanish-language worship material. The program encourages openness toward Spanish-speaking neighbors, understanding of different cultures, and compassion for those who struggle to learn English. This resource is easily implemented by congregations of any size, and it results in a program of hospitality that will help include Hispanic communities in your church congregation.
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Discussing Mere Christianity Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartIn this 8-session video group study, you will discover why Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis is one of the most read and beloved Christian books of all time. But seventy years later from when it was first delivered on radio, what relevance does it have to our world today? Host Eric Metaxas and a variety of Christian leaders (e.g. N.T. Wright, Tim Keller, Lauren Winner, Devin Brown, Paul McCusker, Douglas Gresham) help us understand the timeless message of C.S. Lewis in fresh ways for a new generation. The first purpose of this video study is to explore the positive ideas that C.S. Lewis has so eloquently written about in Mere Christianity for those who already call themselves Christian. The second purpose is to explain in an engaging, winsome and non-threatening way the basic tenants of the Christian faith as illustrated by C.S. Lewis to those who do not claim to be Christian. This study aims to fulfill the vision of C.S. Lewis of reaching people from all faith backgrounds.
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New Adapters : Shaping Ideas To Fit Your Congregation
$17.99Add to cartJacob Armstrong shares time-tested principles for church pastors and leaders with a brief introduction at the beginning of each chapter from mega-church pastors Adam Hamilton and Michael Slaughter. Armstrong demonstrates how classic principles are being translated in a variety of new contexts, by a new generation of leaders. The book provides guidance for pastors and leaders on how to translate ideas and practices for their own context and reflects the sense of opportunity and hope that is beginning to flourish in some mainline churches today. These principles are adaptable for any size congregations across denominations.
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10 Prescriptions For A Healthy Church
$18.99Add to cartIn 10 Prescriptions for a Healthy Church, authors Bob Farr and Kay Kotan offer the Top Ten prescriptions for issues seen during church consultations. Farr and Kotan share their expertise from working with churches to detail the most common concerns and obstacles found when consulting with congregations.
In their conversational style, Farr and Kotan offer a practical approach to fixing common problems, offering strategies sure to help congregations achieve success in specific areas of ministry. Proven success stories offer application, hope, and practicalities from benefiting congregations.
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Worship Together In Your Church As In Heaven
$25.99Add to cartIf we hope to share the message of Christ with people in this changed world, we must examine and reshape our worship. Our communities and our neighborhoods are becoming increasingly multicultural. Is the same thing true at your church? Is the worship at your church reflective of heaven?
The Bible is clear that one day people from every tribe, language, and nation will gather together to worship Jesus together in heaven. More often than not, however, our worship here on earth is segregated, preferential, one-dimensional, and united around a musical style rather than the person of Jesus Christ. This kind of worship is not only incomplete, but it is dangerous, leading us farther and farther away from the kind of worship that heaven is about. Multicultural worship doesn’t just happen. The church is in need of pastors, worship leaders, and worshipers who, with their hearts fixed on heaven, will not settle for the separate but equal mentality in worship.
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Finding Their Voices
$19.99Add to cartFinding Their Voices is more than a book of sermons. It seeks to honor a generation of women who stand at the headwaters of a stream of change in Churches of Christ in regards to women in ministry. It records history in the making and preserves the words spoken by 29 women from pulpits across the U.S. and Canada. It also recognizes the churches and institutions that welcomed these women and provided space for their voices to be heard.
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Who Is My Neighbor Teacher Manual (Teacher’s Guide)
$14.99Add to cartWho Is My Neighbor? (Quien es mi vecino?) is a field-tested resource through which English speakers of any church and congregation can learn basic Spanish-speaking skills to be able to communicate and provide a welcoming atmosphere to the Hispanic communities surrounding them. The six-session resource developed by the Northern Illinois Conference covers basic conversational Spanish, and simple and easy to follow Spanish-language worship material. The program encourages openness toward Spanish-speaking neighbors, understanding of different cultures, and compassion for those who struggle to learn English. This resource is easily implemented by congregations of any size, and it results in a program of hospitality that will help include Hispanic communities in your church congregation.