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Pastoral Helps

  • 5 Pathways To Wholeness

    $15.99

    Five Pathways to Wholeness examines a variety of approaches to pastoral care: biblical counselling, the healing ministries, pastoral counselling, spiritual direction and social change.

    Bringing together material from a range of sources, and offering numerous engaging real-life illustrations, the author compares and evaluates each of the five approaches in its own right.

    At the same time, he encourages those who favour a particular pathway to respect and understand the raison d’etre of the other four. All five, he believes, can move to a more truly ‘integrational’ theological and psychological viewpoint.

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  • Wide Welcome : How The Unsettling Presence Of Newcomers Can Save The Church

    $22.00

    While most churches offer ‘new member classes’ and genuinely seek to welcome visitors, too often the end result is a rush to assimilate the newcomer into formal membership and all of the invitations to participation in committees, choirs, or fellowship groups that go along with it.

    In Wide Welcome, Jessicah Krey Duckworth presents the stark differences between the established congregation, which cares for current members and congregational identity, and the disestablished one, intentionally equipped to facilitate the encounter between new and established members. By intentionally extending the time of newcomer inquiry and allowing their questions, insights, and experiences to reverberate through the entire congregation both they and the church are changed. Wide Welcome does far more than point out the faults and weaknesses in current practice. Duckworth intentionally lays out possible designs for newcomer welcome that are local and particular.

    At a time when only nine percent of North American Mainline congregations actively and intentionally facilitate newcomer faith formation, Wide Welcome is an essential and timely book.

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  • Feasting On The Word Year B 3

    $50.00

    Now Available in Paperback!With this lectionary commentary series, Westminster John Knox offers the most extensive resource for preaching on the market today. Now complete, the twelve volumes of the series cover all the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with movable occasions, such as Christmas Day, Epiphany, Holy Week, and All Saints’ Day.

    For each lectionary text, preachers will find four brief essays-one each on the theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical challenges of the text. This gives preachers sixteen different approaches to the proclamation of the Word on any given occasion.

    The editors and contributors to this series are world-class scholars, pastors, and writers representing a variety of denominations and traditions. And while the twelve volumes of the series follow the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary, each volume contains an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers, as well as teachers and students, may make use of its contents.

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  • Starting Right : Thinking Theologically About Youth Ministry

    $39.99

    Starting Right: Thinking Theologically About Youth Ministry is the first academic textbook that introduces youth ministry students (whether undergraduate or graduate level) to a marriage of solid research, real life, and accessible design. Whereas most college-level texts may reflect a thorough (though impenetrable) mastery of the field, they tend to expect readers to plow through unnecessarily thick prose and bland design because ‘it’s good for them.’ Youth Specialties doesn’t agree. In this debut title to a continuing academic book line, college and seminary students will be introduced to real-life research, real-life youth ministry dilemmas, and real-life solutions. Contributing writers represent a spectrum of Christian Education thought and practice, as well as widespread recognition in their field…transdenominational, yet the perfect background to ministry in any denomination or ministry organization This text includes thorough indexes, design, and graphics that compel readers from page to page (now that’s a first for a college text!); organization that permits professors to use any part of the text, in any order, rather than plod through the entire book from beginning to end; a perfect primary text that gives students a rich, academic, and readable (though not ‘popular’) grasp of every aspect of youth ministry a typical Intro course touches, while also serving as an ideal secondary text.

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  • Power Of Multisensory Preaching And Teaching

    $24.99

    Most preaching and teaching in the church engages only one of the senses—hearing. In The Power of Multisensory Preaching and Teaching, Rick Blackwood shows how recognizing and engaging the multiple senses of the congregation can lead to greater impact. Blackwood presents both biblical evidence and scientific research showing that the more senses we stimulate in teaching and preaching, the greater the levels of learner attention, comprehension, and retention. Blackwood addresses both the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of multisensory communication. Regardless of one’s current skill level, this practical book can help anyone add multi-sensory elements to messages in order to take communication to the next level—more compelling, clear, and memorable. As a result of reading this book readers can be more effective as a communicator and teacher. The book includes tools, examples, and worksheets.

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  • Feasting On The Word Year C 3

    $50.00

    Now Available in Paperback!With this lectionary commentary series, Westminster John Knox offers the most extensive resource for preaching on the market today. Now complete, the twelve volumes of the series cover all the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with movable occasions, such as Christmas Day, Epiphany, Holy Week, and All Saints’ Day.

    For each lectionary text, preachers will find four brief essays-one each on the theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical challenges of the text. This gives preachers sixteen different approaches to the proclamation of the Word on any given occasion.

    The editors and contributors to this series are world-class scholars, pastors, and writers representing a variety of denominations and traditions. And while the twelve volumes of the series follow the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary, each volume contains an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers, as well as teachers and students, may make use of its contents.

    in stock within 3-5 days of online purchase

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  • Feasting On The Word Year A 3

    $50.00

    Now Available in Paperback!With this lectionary commentary series, Westminster John Knox offers the most extensive resource for preaching on the market today. Now complete, the twelve volumes of the series cover all the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with movable occasions, such as Christmas Day, Epiphany, Holy Week, and All Saints’ Day.

    For each lectionary text, preachers will find four brief essays-one each on the theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical challenges of the text. This gives preachers sixteen different approaches to the proclamation of the Word on any given occasion.

    The editors and contributors to this series are world-class scholars, pastors, and writers representing a variety of denominations and traditions. And while the twelve volumes of the series follow the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary, each volume contains an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers, as well as teachers and students, may make use of its contents.

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  • Advanced Strategic Planning (Reprinted)

    $28.00

    First published in 1990, Advanced Strategic Planning explains why planning is so important to carrying out the church’s mission. Now in its third edition, this classic resource offiers

    *a nine-step strategic thinking and acting model
    *useful ideas for developing a ministry strategy
    *diagrams to help illustrate concepts
    *a new section on spiritual formation

    The methods in this book are proven to work, having already helped many churches articulate their vision and implement their mission.

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  • Table Manners : Liturgical Leadership For The Mission Of The Church

    $35.99

    There is a growing (if not urgent) need for those being trained for ordained (and lay) ministry to be provided with a more solid grounding in liturgical principles, and Simon Reynolds seeks to address this by demonstrating how good liturgical leadership can be the foundation from which all other theological, historical, pastoral and missiological issues arise.

    Table Manners attempts to avoid being a ‘party’ book and will consciously avoid issues of churchmanship (except in pointing to what is positive in the various Christian traditions). Rather, it is written from the conviction that (i) a proper understanding of the Eucharist, and a theologically-informed approach to celebrating it (even if this manifests itself in many different styles), should mean that worshippers can go to churches of an unfamiliar tradition and yet still be caught up in the action, because what is essential and enlarging about good liturgical celebration would be recognisable; and (ii) that the success of presidency also demands the liturgical education of the whole people of God, because until they know what to ask for, their expectations will remain constrained.

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  • Worship The Lord With Gladness

    $19.99

    Lessons:
    1. Come, Let’s Worship God! What Is Worship?
    2. Come To The Water: Baptism
    3. Come To The Table: Holy Communion
    4. Worship Leaders Help Us Praise God
    5. Church Symbols Help Me Worship God
    6. Music Helps Me Offer Praise To God
    7. One Service, Many Parts
    8. One God, Many Ways To Worship
    9. We Worship And We Welcome
    10. I Have A Part In Worship
    11. Special Times Of Worship
    12. We Gather To Worship, We Leave To Serve
    13. Children Lead In Worship

    Additional Info
    Worship the Lord with Gladness: God’s Children in Worship is designed to teach children about worship. Each lesson is based upon a scripture verse or passage that the children would examine in detail. Activities, games, drama, role-play, reproducibles, and music are incorporated into the lessons. Each lesson provides an opportunity for the children to put into practice what they have learned. In addition, there are take-home sheet explaining the lesson and providing parents ideas for reinforcing the lesson at home.

    Each lesson contains the following:

    WORSHIP WIDSOM: Background material for the teacher.

    ENTER WITH GLADNESS: Gathering activities for children as they arrive for the worship study.

    BIBLE PRAISE NOTES: Children will examine the scripture for the day.

    LET’S LEARN TO WORSHIP: Activities, games, drama, role play, reproducibles and music help the children learn about the particular worship theme.

    WE WORSHIP GOD: A time to put into practice what the children have learned.

    MY FAMILY HELPS ME WORSHIP: Take-home ideas for worship in the home and reinforcing the lesson

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  • Get Their Name Workbook

    $15.99

    Power-boost your team’s capacity to share faith without anxiety!
    Most churches and Christians target the wrong people with “evangelism” efforts. The model we use no longer works because it is passive, too polite, and focused in the wrong direction. We are not making new disciples, not adding significantly to Christ’s transformation of the world. But there is hope and practical help for churches who are ready to take a new approach. Get Their Name by Bob Farr, Kay Kotan, and Doug Anderson outlines that hope and help.

    The Get Their Name Workbook provides the critical next step. Church leaders can use this resource with their teams, small groups, and staff to power-boost the book’s ideas in their own church context. The workbook is formatted to function as an individual study, too.

    The Get Their Name Workbook:
    -Creates conversation starters for group discussion or personal reflection
    -Poses powerful questions, which can lead to honest and authentic reflection and evaluation
    -Encourages group participants to process the information together, increasing understanding and commitment
    -Stimulates calls to action, increasing the likelihood of real and sustainable change in the congregation

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  • Elephant In The Church

    $19.99

    A church can be a dangerous place. The perils may be so obvious, they become “elephants” standing in the fellowship hall, lurking in the sanctuary, ready to spring into the pastor’s study, and tromp out of the choir room. The word “elephant” stands for an obvious truth or issue that is ignored or unnamed-a blind spot. Yet we allow elephants to occupy a large amount of space in the minds and hearts of those that tiptoe around them. Discussing common blind-spots of congregations and church leaders, the authors provide examples and illustrations for how to stop these “elephants” from ruining a ministry.

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  • Jiffy For Eternity Cycle A

    $17.95

    Dr. Leslie Holmes is one of America’s finest scholar preachers, an impelling communicator in both the spoken and, as you will witness, the written word. He writes as he speaks — with conviction, warmth, and insight.
    Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie
    Former Chaplain, United States Senate

    Dr. Leslie Holmes has a keen mind coupled with a heart that burns with passion for evangelism.
    Dr. R.C. Sproul
    Author and Theologian

    Dr. Holmes’s belief in the eternal verities of the Christian faith is exciting. His ability to take those truths and apply them in a practical, life-changing way is refreshing.
    Dr. Steve Brown
    Author, Professor of Preaching, and Founder of Key Life Ministries

    Robert Leslie Holmes provides a refreshing look at the message of the cross in his sermons for Cycle A Lent and Easter seasons, A Jiffy for Eternity. Written for preachers by a preacher, A Jiffy for Eternity provides deep, exegetical analysis to each sermon and delivers truths in a way that are stunningly relevant to today’s reader.

    Rich with both authority and passion for exploring the word of God, A Jiffy for Eternity carefully balances scriptural and historical investigations to consistently lead the reader toward compelling insights and biblically anchored understandings. Holmes’ love for the word of God is starkly evident throughout each sermon, and his deep knowledge of biblical history and interpretation remind the reader of the timeless truths of God’s word.

    “In his name, God has entrusted us with an ‘obligation’ about the message that supersedes every other message in the world. In his name, God gives us the Holy Spirit who makes the message we preach new for every generation.” Holmes does not declare this pastoral obligation easily, for he has experienced firsthand the difficult task of delivering fresh life into ancient words. But the word of God is an “immoveable rock of trust,” and in that conviction, Robert Leslie Holmes presents a series of sermons that seek to transform the hearts and lives of the church with well-worn truths that remain ever-fresh and ever-new.

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  • To Drown Hell And Burn Heaven Cycle A

    $12.95

    To Drown Hell and Burn Heaven beautifully illustrates the ability of holy language to change lives. With a lyrical voice and deeply personal reflections, Kristin Borsgard Wee challenges the reader to look beyond the text in order to allow the ancient idea of a transforming “white fire” to move us and to equip us in our faith.

    For over 25 years, Kristin Borsgard Wee has taught the scriptures, and she believes that the images and ideas within language often “question our domesticated version of God.” When we permit ourselves to navigate through those questions and process their truths, our hearts, minds, and spirits can then begin to mimic Jesus — simply because we can answer his piercing question: “Who do you say I am?”

    Throughout To Drown Hell and Burn Heaven, Wee offers personal and historical insights to expand scriptural understandings of God’s sovereignty, grace, and love. Wee combines a lifetime of discipleship, experience, and wisdom into the nine sermons for the middle third of the Season after Pentecost (Propers 15-23). These meditations can be used in corporate and private worship alike. Wee lets the familiar, ancient stories of Jesus call the believer into a life truly transformed by the power of the kingdom.

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  • Cut Dead But Still Alive

    $24.99

    To cut dead means to refuse to acknowledge another with the intent to punish. Gregory Ellison says that this is the plight of African American young men. They are stigmatized with limited opportunity for education and disproportionate incarceration. At the same time, they are often resistant to help from social institutions including the church. They are mute and invisible to society but also in their inward being. Their voice and physical selves are not acknowledged, leaving them ripe for hopelessness and volatility. So if the need is so great yet the desire for help wanes, where is the remedy?

    Healing can begin by reframing the problem. While to cut dead is destructive, it also refers to pruning and repotting a disfigured plant-giving it new possibilities for life. In this provocative book, Ellison shows how caregivers can sow seeds of life, nurturing the neophyte with guidance, admonition, training, and support in order to become a community of reliable others, serving as an extended family.

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  • Leading A Healthy Multi Ethnic Church

    $24.99

    Increasingly, church leaders are recognizing the power and beauty of the multi-ethnic church. Yet, more than a good idea, it’s a biblical, first-century standard with far-reaching evangelistic potential. How can your church overcome the obstacles to become a healthy multi-ethnic community of faith? And why should you even try?
    In Leading a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church (formerly titled Ethnic Blends), Dr. Mark DeYmaz provides an up-close-and-personal look at seven common challenges to creating diversity in your church. Through real-life stories and practical illustrations, DeYmaz shows how to overcome the obstacles in order to lead a healthy multi-ethnic church. He also includes the insights of other effective multi-ethnic church leaders from the United States and Australia, as well as study questions at the end of each chapter.

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  • Tall Poppy : How To Lead Without Losing Your Head

    $19.99

    In New Zealand, they have a saying: “Keep a low profile or, like the tall poppy, stand tall and get your head cut off.” While there are risks to standing out, there are also benefits: tall poppies have the best view and are positioned to have the clearest vision of the horizon. Leadership has an up-side but also a down-side, and leaders must attend to both. Tall poppy leadership attracts attention, but it is a mixed blessing. These leaders leave their mark, shape the environment, and prepare the ground for others. Like tall poppies, they have a clear view of the lay of the land, not just for themselves but for their followers. To reap the benefits of being the first to harvest, they risk becoming easy targets for those who are jealous, petty, or have a hunger for power.

    This practical book helps you weigh the costs and benefits of your leadership as you assess your own situation. It shows you how to move forward through inevitable conflict, while attending to the landmines and hazards of congregational life. After reading this book you will lead with more confidence, better able to keep the vision and avoid distraction of immediate crises.

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  • Preaching With F I R E S E T A

    $15.49

    Preaching with F.I.R.E.’s E.T.A. will rivet novice and experienced preachers alike to their seats, and the hearers of your preaching will be glued to their pews when the principles of this work are applied. The traditional ways to study a text of Scripture through cold and clinical analysis will be replaced with a four-step process (F.I.R.E.) that reveres the Bible as a living Word that speaks of a personal relationship with its Author. Moreover, once the F.I.R.E. is kindled, the author will guide you to developing points including the vital and often-missed theological step. (E.T.A. is the acronym used to show this necessary phase of sermon assembly.) Next you will be escorted through the sermon delivery process. The author then demonstrates how the Holy Spirit is the exegete’s tour guide through the preparation process and subsequently speaks in confluence through the biblical text during delivery. There is an intriguing section titled An Extreme Takeover from a Friendly Force that addresses the Holy Spirit’s ability to supernaturally use well-prepared messages. Further, how can the messenger of God’s Word be assured he’s representing God’s Bible accurately? Two chapters are devoted to give a history of preaching, examining both authoritative and nonauthoritative preaching samples. The writer then gives a paradigm how to preach with God’s authority. The work culminates with a sermon based upon 1 Samuel 17 with the classic text featuring David versus Goliath that the author preached displaying the skills shared in this work. Ken J. Burge, Sr. (A.A., B.A., Washington Bible Church; M.A., M.Div., Capital Bible Seminary; D.Min., Dallas Theological Seminary) has been the Senior Pastor of Colmar Manor Bible Church for twenty-two years. His preaching articles can be found in Preaching and at preaching.com. He is a member of the Evangelical Homiletics Society and the IFCA International.

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  • Ministry In The Digital Age

    $25.99

    Introduction
    1. What Hath God Wrought?
    2. Getting In The Stream
    3. Creating Change
    4. The Digital Ministry Framework
    5. Planning Your Digital Strategy
    6. Implementing And Running Your Digital Ministry
    7. Privacy And Security Considerations For Digital Ministry
    Conclusion
    Appendix: Digital Tool Categories
    Appendix: Genesys11
    Research Report: Best Practices In Internet Ministry
    Appendix: Church Web Usage Survey

    Additional Info
    Christianity is fundamentally a communication event. It is God revealing God’s self to the world. And God uses a large variety of media to accomplish that revelation. -Shane Hipps, author of Flickering Pixels Viral videos and retweeted posts fill the air around us. In the midst of constant news feeds and mobile alerts, ministries have unprecedented opportunities to connect with people yearning for community with others and God. But how? In this post-website world, its no longer enough to have a static website and hope that people find it. If you want to get your online content in front of your audience, you need to have a digital presence in the streams where theyre already active. David Bourgeois offers a practical step-by-step guide for discerning and implementing a digital strategy for your ministry. He provides an overview of how Christians can use technology and communication media wisely, with concrete ideas for churches and nonprofit organizations. Discover how you can make the most of every opportunity to extend your ministrys electronic reach and impact.

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  • Who Is The Church

    $26.00

    Many congregations today are beset by fears, whether over loss of members and money, or of irrelevancy in an increasingly pluralistic society. To counter this, many congregations focus on strategy and purpose-what churches “do”-but Cheryl Peterson submits that mainline churches need to focus instead on “what” or “who” they are-to reclaim a theological, rather than sociological, understanding of themselves.

    To do this, she places the questions of the church’s identity and mission into a conversation with the primary ecclesiological paradigms of the past century: the neo-Reformation concept of the church as a “word event” and the ecumenical paradigms of the church as “communion.” She argues that these two paradigms assume a context of cultural Christendom that no longer exists-focused on the church that is gathered-rather than the missional church that is sent out.

    Peterson suggests instead that we understand the church as a people created by the Spirit to be a community, and that we must claim a narrative method to explore the church’s identity-specifically, the story of the church’s origin in the Acts of the Apostles. Finally, here is a way of thinking of church that reconciles the best of competing models of church for the future of mainline Protestant theology.

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  • Spiritual Guidance Of Children

    $38.95

    A seminal work by the founder of Godly Play

    * A magisterial survey of a significant movement in religious education

    * A black-and-white photo at the beginning of each chapter brings the key figures to
    life for the reader

    This new book is an important “history-of-traditions” work in which Godly Play founder
    Jerome Berryman re-visions religious education as spiritual guidance and traces the
    history of Montessori religious education through four generations. Berryman then
    highlights the development of the Godly Play approach to spiritual guidance within
    this context and concludes with thoughts about the fifth generation and the future of
    the tradition.

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  • 1st Childrens Study Edition (Teacher’s Guide)

    $19.99

    In First: Putting God First in Living and Giving, pastor and author Mike Slaughter conducts a four-week all-church stewardship program to help participants reassess priorities and create a culture and a lifestyle of giving with a special emphasis on missions. Sessions include: Naming Our Idols; Money, Work, and Debt; Earn-Save-Give; and Heart Giving.

    To help teachers and parents educate and model generosity for their kids, the Children’s Leader Guide contains session ideas for younger and older children, including reproducible handouts.

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  • 1st Devotional : Putting God First In Living And Giving

    $10.99

    What happens when we truly put God first in all aspects of our lives?

    In First: Putting God First in Living and Giving,pastor and author Mike Slaughter conducts a four-week all-church stewardship program to help participants reassess priorities and create a culture and a lifestyle of giving with a special emphasis on missions. To help parents educate and model generosity for their kids, First includes components for children and youth that help families explore financial decisions together. This book of devotional readings is a companion resource for program participants and is designed to draw families into closer fellowship with God as they explore financial decisions together. Includes short readings, Scripture, prayer, and stories.

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  • Effective Practice Of Ministry

    $25.00

    Few people have made a larger contribution to the ongoing life and health of Churches of Christ around the world than Charles Siburt. During his twenty-four years at Abilene Christian University, Siburt oversaw some fifty DMin theses- a capstone experience designed to recount best practices in congregational life.

    Rooted in Dr. Siburt’s conviction that good theology makes a difference in the lives of people, The Effective Practice of Ministry is a collection of thirteen of those research projects, covering the most critical topics facing churches today: spiritual formation, leadership development, catechesis, preaching, and missional initiatives in the larger community.

    In honor of Dr. Siburt, this anthology is meant to inspire and encourage effective, embodied praxis in the ministry of the church.

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  • Dear Children : A Letter From God To The Church Through The Scriptures

    $24.95

    What is the “best” church? And which contemporary church leader is the most correct? If God’s Word does not change, does this mean that our faith should also remain unchanged from generation to generation? How should Christians feel about non-believers and-more importantly-how should we respond to the world’s direction when it appears to be against Scripture? Does God even talk to the church anymore? This book is a letter from God. It is addressed to His people-God’s Church-and it is not founded on “traditional” Christianity. It is founded upon God’s Word, the Scriptures. We know that judgment begins at the house of God, and this letter is written for the purpose of allowing God’s people to begin preparing for the judgment that is coming, and for the new age, an age that has already begun.

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  • Creating A Scene In Corinth

    $17.99

    Creating a Scene imaginatively draws readers into Chloe’s house church, which has just received a letter from their church planter, the apostle Paul. Using group simulation, the book brings to life scholarly research on how the gospel penetrated the Roman Empire. As participants role-play early believers and debate with each other, they gain new insights and will never read 1 Corinthians the same way again.

    First-century Corinthians were just as human as church people today. They did not consider Paul’s letters authoritative Scripture when he wrote them, so lively group discussion and debate are encouraged. This method of Bible study works for many levels, from youth groups to Sunday school classes, or in college and seminary courses. “Besides, it s just plain fun!” writes coauthor Finger.

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  • Troubled Minds : Mental Illness And The Churchs Mission

    $22.99

    1. My Family’s Story
    2. Mental Illness Is Mainstream
    3. Suffering People
    4. Coping
    5. Church Life
    6. Ministry Life
    7. Persistent Stigma
    8. What Churches Can Do
    9. What God Does
    Resources For Ministry To The Mentally Ill

    Additional Info
    Mental illness is the sort of thing we dont like to talk about. It doesnt reduce nicely to simple solutions and happy outcomes. So instead, too often we reduce people who are mentally ill to caricatures and ghosts, and simply pretend they dont exist. They do exist, howeverstatistics suggest that one in four people suffer from some kind of mental illness. And then theres their friends and family members, who bear their own scars and anxious thoughts, and who see no safe place to talk about the impact of mental illness on their lives and their loved ones. Many of these people are sitting in churches week after week, suffering in stigmatized silence. In Troubled Minds Amy Simpson, whose family knows the trauma and bewilderment of mental abuse, reminds us that people with mental illness are our neighbors and our brothers and sisters in Christ, and she shows us the path to loving them well and becoming a church that loves God with whole hearts and whole souls, with the strength we have and with minds that are whole as well as minds that are troubled.

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  • Navigating The Sermon Cycle A

    $39.95

    For each Sunday in Cycle A, the writers and editors of “Charting the Course,” an integral part of Emphasis: A Lectionary Preaching Journal from CSS Publishing Company, delve into the heart of the lectionary readings, providing you, the pastor with in-depth lectionary-based commentary; relating several fresh, solid ideas — based squarely on the lectionary texts — for creating sermons that speak powerfully to your audience. The team of Navigating the Sermon looks for overall topics for the entire Cycle A church year that hold the readings together. Then, they zero in on the theme and the specific scripture links, suggesting directions for the sermon and worship service. Since a single application for each week may not provide what you are looking for at that particular time, Navigating the Sermon in most cases suggests several ideas, giving you the opportunity to select the one that matches your specific needs.

    This book is like having a dedicated, thoroughly versed sermon research and sermon resource team right in your own study to help you create riveting sermons that are truly yours and that speak powerfully to your audience.

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  • Lectionary Stories For Preaching And Teaching Cycle A

    $24.95

    Everyone loves 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 a spiritual truth. By drawing his listeners into his story, he unlocked their minds and hearts to hear the truth he was trying to relate to them.

    This compilation of stories for the entire church year taken from StoryShare follows in that same tradition. StoryShare, a part of SermonSuite.com, is written by various authors brought together to meditate on scriptures in the Revised Common Lectionary for Cycle A and create stories that flesh out these passages, allowing readers to see these words in a new way. These stories can be whimsical and light-hearted or poignant and reflective, even tragic. But they all strive to bring us to a deeper understanding of the scriptures and the God who inspired them. Some of the stories are even based on actual events experienced by the authors, events that influenced their perspective on Christianity.

    Useful as sermon illustrations, stand alone sermons, teaching aides, personal devotions, or even just for entertaining reading, Stories for Preaching and Teaching will draw you into new worlds with vibrant and engaging images, deepening your relationship with God in the process.

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  • What Every Pastor Should Know (Reprinted)

    $20.00

    Pastors and church leaders are constantly faced with strategic questions. How much staff does the church need? How many workers are needed in the nursery this month? When is the right time to start a second worship service? How many people should we train for evangelism this year? How does seating and parking impact worship attendance? When church leaders have questions about planning, running, or growing their churches, they need answers fast!

    What Every Pastor Should Know offers pastors and leaders 101 valuable rules and “sacred” laws to help answer real-life ministry questions. From advertising to facilities to visitation, this valuable book offers the practical help that leaders need, just when they need it most. This comprehensive guide will become one of the most valuable books in a leader’s library. Never again will they wonder if they based critical decisions on the right information. They’ll get the answers they’re looking for all in one place.

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  • Called To Worship

    $24.99

    IS HOW WE WORSHIP TRULY BIBLICAL?

    There’s only one way to find out: see what the Bible has to say. And that’s exactly what Called to Worship is all about. From Genesis to Revelation, every book in the Scriptures gives instruction and insight into God’s plan for worship. With this book, you’ll learn from Biblical heroes and ordinary people. Compare Old and New Testament practices. Glean insight from Biblical poetry and the Books of Wisdom. And most important, you’ll see how the life of Christ serves as a living guide to worship.

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  • Best Kept Secret Of Christian Mission

    $24.99

    This book comes out of years of reflection, failures, and some successes in the task of reaching out to others with the gospel.

    Many Christians think of the task of mission as an entirely verbal activity, when perhaps the best kept secret of New Testament teaching about mission is that it involves a whole range of activities that explicitly promote Christ to the world and draw others to him, and only a few of them involve speaking. Without diminishing or downplaying the importance of speaking the gospel, John Dickson shows that, on the other hand, downplaying the range of activities that promote Christ to the world has its own set of problems. It can make those who are not confident about speaking-of anything, let alone Jesus-feel inadequate and self-conscious in the task of reaching out to others. Equally, it can make those who do have a flair for speaking feel as though they are fulfilling Christ’s mission just by talking. But the reality is that the Lord wants our whole life, not just our lips, in the task of bringing the gospel to the world. Every facet of our lives can be used by God to promote the news of his power and mercy. In this practical guide to the biblical art of sharing your faith, John Dickson offers refreshing insight into the ways that all Christians can and should be involved in spreading the good news of Jesus. While not all Christians are called and gifted to become evangelists, we are all called to promote the gospel through a wide range of activities-prayer, financial partnership, good deeds, godly lives, public worship, daily conversation, etc.-with and without our lips.

    As readers engage with this book, grapple with its arguments and hear the stories of people coming to faith, they will be inspired to see the whole of life as significant for bringing the gospel to the world, and they will be liberated out of guilt and self-consciousness in evangelism into becoming perfectly natural promoters of Jesus Christ.

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  • 1 Plus One Plus One

    $19.95

    In this collection of 85 wedding sermons that could be read simply for enjoyment and encouragement, One+One+One draws upon the personal experience of author and retired pastor, Gary Fehring, to remind us of the joy and beauty of the marriage covenant.

    Fehring has collected a decade’s worth of wedding sermons, each carefully crafted around the love of couples preparing to say, “I do.” As Fehring reminds each couple to place God at the center of their marriage, he invariably reminds his reader that marriage is about companionship. One+One+One highlights faith, love, gratitude, sacrifice, and countless other attributes that are deeply rooted within the Christian faith. These are the essence of a lasting marriage. Fehring’s honest and endearing voice speaks to us from the pages of these sermons, reminding us that marriage is beautiful and calling us back to the bold love proclaimed in our marriage vows.

    One+One+One is a worthy resource for any pastor looking to deliver fresh and engaging messages to a bride and groom, and the truths contained within each sermon will undoubtedly inspire newly- and golden-wed alike.

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  • Relational Pastor : Sharing In Christ By Sharing Ourselves

    $20.99

    When is the last time you asked yourself hard questions about why you were pursuing certain relationships in your ministry? Could it be that the end game for many of us is not relationship per se but loyalty, adherence, even submission? The sheep in our flock become the means to our end: pastoring becomes less about the people of God and more about maintenance of the status quo-and, if we are willing to recognize it, the elevation of our pastoral status. Here practical theologian Andy Root dissects relational ministry as we have come to understand it and searches for the seed of a more wholesome, more pastoral understanding of the relationships for which God has prepared the church: the place where, when two or more are gathered in his name, Christ is present.

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  • Transforming Church Conflict

    $32.00

    With many pastors facing burnout and congregations suffering from internal divisions, there is a need for Christian resources that present concrete problem-solving techniques for handling conflict in the church. This book offers practical skills and strategies that the authors have learned through years of studying nonviolent communication (NVC) as described in Marshall Rosenberg’s book, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life, and as developed by numerous NVC trainers all over the world. Using real-world case studies and examples, Hunsinger and Latini helpfully guide pastors and lay leaders through effective and compassionate ways to deal with discord. These strategies include differentiating observations from evaluations, experiencing and expressing feelings, identifying and connecting with needs, and making requests rather than demands. By learning the basic skills of compassionate communication, church leaders can be empowered to transform, rather than merely manage, church conflict.

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  • Story Of Heaven Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)

    $14.99

    The Story of Heaven small group video Bible study is a three-week exploration into the hope and promise of Heaven, adapted from God’s Story, Your Story and The Story Adult Curriculum. Pulled straight from the pages of the Bible, this study provides individuals and groups of all sizes the opportunity to learn, discuss, and apply biblical teaching about heaven to their everyday lives. These three video sessions will open your eyes to the glorious finale of God’s masterfully-told story. Discover the heart of God’s Story and the joy that comes as you align your story with God’s. This Participant’s Guide is designed for use with The Story of God DVD (sold separately) which can be utilized by individuals as well as groups of all sizes, including small groups and Sunday school and adult education classes.
    SESSIONS
    Session 1: Your Final Chapter Becomes a Preface (Lucado)
    Session 2: You Will Finally Graduate (Lucado)
    Session 3: The End of Time (Frazee)

    Max Lucado and Randy Frazee offer a hope-filled perspective of heaven, showing groups: The power of the words ‘Christ has risen’ and the hope that they provide How Jesus promises this same type of resurrection to those who follow Him The promise of new bodies without sickness and without the struggles of the flesh A picture of what the kingdom of God will be like from the book of Revelation How we can participate in God’s ultimate story How Jesus will return to earth and live with us in a new earth forever

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  • Psychology For Pastoral Contexts

    $35.99

    Care for other human beings is at the heart of ministry and brings ministers in contact with wholeof human life.The focus of this handbook of psychology for pastoral contexts is on psychological insight into human relationships and mental health. It can be read as a whole, or used as a handbook for reference to particular problems. At the same time it attempts to put psychological concepts into everyday language. Jessica Osborne, an experienced psychologist and teacher, discusses areas such as attachment, dependency and anxiety, betrayal and reconciliation, mental health issues, such as depression, eating disorders and addiction, stress, violence and abuse and suffering.The book will be useful on pastoral care courses at all levels and suitable for practitioners and people in training for pastoral ministry – lay or ordained.

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  • Prayer And Prayer Activities

    $40.00

    ROOTS is a joint initiative by all the mainstream churches in the UK and Ireland. For ten years it has provided lectionary-based resources for worship and learning for the whole church. Over 10,000 local churches use its regular magazine and online programmes.

    This versatile and adaptable participative prayer resource for all-age worship is taken from the extensive material the ROOTS authors have created. Based on the lectionary readings for each Sunday of Years A, B & C it includes:

    * gathering prayers* seasonal prayers of thanksgiving* a creative response to the day’s readings* responsive prayers of intercession* a children’s prayer activity* an all-age prayer activity* responsive prayers for sending out

    All the texts can be downloaded or projected from the accompanying CD Rom.

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  • Job 41 : The Leviathan Spirit Of Pride

    $14.49

    Have you ever wondered why your ministry is not flourishing the way God promised you? Have you ever wondered why you are working in the ministry, but not operating in your calling? Has there been an inference that you were just a servant and your job was to support “the ministry inside the four walls,” while undermining the calling to extend beyond the four walls? God compels us to go and make disciples of men and women, and there should be no debate or pushback to advance the Kingdom of God. There is a spirit that has masked itself in the church of today as a spiritual mentor or covering, or one who provides spiritual guidance to you. This spirit that is exposed in the Book of Job is real and has stifled many parishioners, especially leaders, from walking in the ordained gifts of God. I have heard sermon after sermon on the story of Job, but never anything relating to Chapter 41. God allows certain messages to be released at a time when they will be heard and fully understood. This is a universal message for the church of today.

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  • Where Would Jesus Go To Church

    $32.95

    Gerald Roe was interrupted while lecturing in his church-planting class by a student who asked, “What if Jesus came back right now to live on earth like He did in Bible days? Wouldn’t He go to church the same way He went to the synagogue back then? Which church would He choose? If the true church is all about Jesus, wouldn’t it be a good idea to consider what Jesus would look for in a church and make that part of our church planting methodology?” Where Would Jesus Go to Church? answers those questions. As Dr. Roe makes clear, for the blessings of God to rest upon any congregation, the church must answer two important questions: What is the true church? and What is the church to do? In far too many instances, these questions are being asked in the reverse order, leading to a compromising disconnect between the church’s essential biblical character and its earthly effectiveness. Where Would Jesus Go to Church? sheds needed light and offers practical, biblical answers.

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  • Leader Coach : Developing Effective Ministry Teams

    $13.99

    1. Build Ministry Action Teams
    2. Develop Yourself As A Leader
    3. Develop Coaching Skills
    4. Establish Ministry Action Teams In The Local Church
    5. Fine-Tune Ministry Action Teams
    6. A Model Of Ministry Action Teams

    Additional Info
    Effective pastoring takes planning, preparation and people–just as effective coaching does. The strength of any winning team depends on the practice and participation of its members, whether the team takes a field for physical competition or a ministry team seeks success inside the church or in the community.

    Leader-Coach presents the fundamentals of the game plan for pastors hoping to involve the whole congregation in various church ministries.

    This book shares information you need to get your congregation energized for active ministry. Learn the ministry-action-team philosophy that will revolutionize your local church.

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  • Christian Counseling Ethics (Revised)

    $50.00

    1. Embracing Our Ethical Mandate
    2. Psychotherapy & Christian Ethics

    Part 1: The Christian Practitioner
    3. Essential Elements For Ethical Counsel
    4. Qualifications Of The Christian Mental Health Professional
    5. Pastors Who Counsel
    6. Sexual Misconduct & The Abuse Of Power

    Part 2: Issues In Counseling Ethics
    7. Christian Responses To The Unethical Healer
    8. Ethics In Marital Therapy & Premarital Counseling
    9. The Homosexual Client
    10. The Child Client
    11. Clients With Chronic Conditions
    12. Deprogramming

    Part 3: Counseling Contexts
    13. Business Ethics In Mental Health Service
    14. Lay Counselor Training
    15. Ethical Issues In Special Settings
    16. Forensic Psychology

    Part 4: Current Trends In Ethics Education
    17. Training Programs
    18. A Model For Ethical Decision-Making
    19. Christian Codes: Are They Better?

    Appendix A: The Ethical Behavior Of Christian Therapists
    Appendix B: Ethical Codes & Guidelines
    Appendix C: Sample Consent Forms
    Contributors
    Index

    Additional Info
    A client raises spiritual questions. Can a Christian therapist working in a government agency talk with a client about faith? A young couple with two children asks a Christian counselor to help them negotiate an end to their marriage. What responsibility does the counselor have to try to repair the relationship? A youth group member confidentially reveals to the pastor that he is taking drugs. Should the pastor tell the boy’s parents? A counselor who teaches a college course has a client show up for class. What should she do? These are just a few of the complex dilemmas that therapists, counselors and pastors face nearly every day. Handling these situations appropriately is critical for both the client’s progress and the professional’s personal credibility and protection from liability. State and federal codes, professional association statements and denominational guidelines have been drawn up to address ethical issues like competence, confidentiality, multiple relationships, public statements, third parties and documentation. In this book you’ll find them all compiled and interpreted in light of Christian faith and practice. Written by qualified professional counselors and respected academic instructors, this book is an indispensable resource for understanding and applying ethics in Christian counseling today.

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  • DiscipleShift : Five Steps That Help Your Church To Make Disciples Who Make

    $18.99

    Over the last thirty years, many influential church leaders and church planters in America have adopted various models for reaching unchurched people. An ‘attractional’ model will seek to attract people to a local church. Younger leaders may advocate a more ‘missional’ approach, in which believers live and work among unchurched people and intentionally seek to serve like Christ. While each of these approaches have merit, something is still missing, something even more fundamental to the mission of the church: discipleship. Making disciples—helping people to trust and follow Jesus—is the church’s God-given mandate. Devoted disciples attract people outside the church because of the change others see in their Christ-like lives. And discipleship empowers Christians to be more like Christ as they intentionally develop relationship with non-believers.

    DiscipleShift walks you through five key ‘shifts’ that churches must make to refocus on the biblical mission of discipleship. These intentional changes will attract the world and empower your church members to be salt and light in their communities.

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  • Church Coup : A Cautionary Tale Of Congregational Conflict

    $17.99

    Conflict in churches has reached epidemic levels. With 1,500 pastors leaving ministry every month – many being forced out involuntarily – Jesus’ church is increasingly losing trained, impactful leaders. Such clashes damage pastors, their families, and congregations alike. While many Christian leaders are aware of this issue, most have chosen to maintain silence rather than combat this problem. Church Coup is the firsthand account of a seasoned pastor who experienced a devastating conflict. He exposes why such struggles occur while suggesting biblical, concrete solutions for their resolution. “This book should be read by every pastor and church board member and every lay leader. The story is compelling, and the lessons are critical.” Dave Rolph, senior pastor, Calvary Chapel Pacific Hills, Aliso Viejo, California and teacher on the nationally-syndicated radio program The Balanced Word “With candor and balance, Jim outlines a godly approach to handling the heartbreak of a ministry divided. A must read for anyone who is in the midst of considering letting a pastor go.” Kathi Lipp, author and speaker “Jim has been willing to be transparent about his experience so that others in the work of the church will read this, learn from it, and act differently.” Dale Frimodt, founder and director of Barnabas Ministries, Omaha, Nebraska “I encourage you to read the book carefully and to recommend it to other ministers as well as key church leaders who can make a difference.” Charles H. Chandler, executive director, Ministering to Ministers Foundation, Inc., Richmond, Viriginia A pastor for more than 35 years, Jim is the founder of Restoring Kingdom Builders, a 501(c)(3) organization designed to prevent and resolve church conflict biblically. A graduate of Biola University (B.A.), Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.) and Fuller Seminary (D.Min.), Jim and his wife Kim live in Southern California.

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  • Straining At The Oars

    $21.99

    A common complaint of recent seminary graduates is their lack of preparation in practical theology, especially in the tasks of leadership. New pastors encounter a host of challenges that can seem overwhelming. Biblically oriented, wise, and reassuring, Dana Fearon presents twenty-one diffi cult situations that young ministers are likely to face on the job, including prayer in the hospital room, a request to baptize a dead infant, handling confl ict and criticism, entering dangerous areas to reconcile hostile groups, and others. As part of his discussion, Fearon presents and reviews his own response to such situations, using his theological education and long experience in church ministry to instruct others.

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  • Sow What : Discipleship Made Real

    $13.95

    If God’s seed is purposeful and powerful, what prevents it transforming your life? What is it that contaminates, clutters, and captivates your heart, stifling spiritual development? Why, when you have heard so much Bible teaching, has your heart been changed so little? It’s time to get some friends together and find out! Experience the transformation of heart for which you have longed.

    Sow What? is a shared discipleship experience based on the Parable of the Sower. During personal and group study you will discover gritty issues which either hold back or enhance spiritual growth. What does hard, rocky, and thorny soil look like in a believer’s heart? What are the spiritual benefits of nurturing good soil, guaranteeing fruitfulness?

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  • Tough Crowd : My Adventures As A Chastity Educator

    $15.99

    Author Shawna Sparrow has spent the last 16 years teaching teenagers about chastity-saving sex for marriage. In her book, Tough Crowd: My Adventures as a Chastity Educator, she shares her experiences in the classroom as well as her insights into social issues related to sexuality. Covering topics such as the media, technology and comprehensive sex education, Shawna examines how our culture shapes the sexual behavior and morals of our youth. Her countless interactions with students reveal that chastity is indeed possible in our modern world. This book is a must read for parents, educators, youth pastors and anyone with a heart for young people. Find out how chastity education can change the world.

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  • Celebrating The Rites Of Initiation

    $30.95

    Celebrating Series Celebrating the Rites of Initiation continues the standard of scholarship set by Patrick Malloy’s Celebrating the Eucharist, and offers similar aids around issues of baptism and confirmation. It is an ideal book for students and practicing clergy who seek to strengthen their knowledge-and parochial practice-of baptismal theology.

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  • Faithful Generations : Effective Ministry Across Generational Lines

    $28.95

    Faithful Generations provides a hopeful and helpful guide to the different adult generations alive today, discussing the events that formed them and the issues important to them. Most importantly, it describes their spiritual distinctions-the particular needs, gifts and concerns that drive these different generations. With a basic understanding of how other generations think and what drives them spiritually, ministers and congregations can not only avoid conflict, but also put those distinctions to work in order to minister more effectively and create harmony in our religious communities.

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  • Altar Ego Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)

    $14.99

    Many people are obsessed with the approval of others. The problem is that living for what people think of you is the quickest way to forget what God thinks about you. In Altar Ego, author Craig Groeschel shows individuals and small groups how to abandon self-worth based on accomplishments and possessions, turning instead to the eyes of God to define them. Participants will learn to expose false labels and selfish motives as the roadblocks they are, going instead to the altar of God’s truth and pursuing the higher values he sets above the world. You don’t have to get caught up in your self-worth or lack thereof. Your worth is not based on your opinion of yourself. You are valuable because God says you are His. You are not your past. You are not what you did. You are not who others say you are. You are who Christ says you are. This study guide offers discussion questions and other supplemental material to delve further into God’s divine plan, and will ultimately help you sacrifice any old, unhealthy, untrue, and unbiblical thoughts about yourself and introduce you to your altar-ego—who you are in Christ.

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