Pastoral Helps
Showing 1851–1900 of 4114 results
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Preach The Word
$25.00Add to cartFor more than forty years, pastor R. Kent Hughes has shared the gospel with thousands of people and raised the standard of expository preaching in North America and beyond.
To celebrate his legacy and pay tribute to his years of ministry, fifteen of Hughes’s friends and colleagues from across the globe, including J. I. Packer, Wayne Grudem, John MacArthur, Peter Jensen, and D. A. Carson, examine what it means to be an expository preacher. Among the contributors are professors, a university chaplain, a college president, and urban church planters-living testimonies to Hughes’s wide influence.
These contributors address an array of themes for the ministry-minded, such as interpretive principles and practices, biblical and historical paradigms, expository preaching’s contemporary aims and challenges, and the priority of training-all in the expectation that this one man’s passion to preach the Word faithfully will enhance the understanding and practice of expository preaching in churches and seminaries around the world.
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God In The Present Tense Cycle B
$12.95Add to cartOne of the enduring legacies of the Revised Common Lectionary is its ability to draw different parts of scripture together to form a coherent narrative, drawing congregations from around the world into the life-changing message of faith in Jesus Christ. Each element of the lectionary brings its own point of view into this message, giving us insights into its origins, the impact on its original hearers, as well as its relevance for our lives today. In the gospel message, we see the drama of Jesus’ life and ministry and are challenged to join in it.
God in the Present Tense covers the middle third of the Pentecost season, examining the ministry of Jesus as presented in the gospels of Mark and John. In this collection of sermons, Carter endeavors to show how these passages are not confined to a singular moment in history, but instead are relevant and valuable in our own time, as well. Jesus’ ministry was not just for first-century Palestine but for all people everywhere throughout time. These sermons will lift the stories off the page and give them new life in our present time.
This collection of sermons is a valuable resource for:
– Sermon starters and illuminating illustrations
– Gaining a new homiletical perspective to the lectionary
– Offering a newer, deeper understanding and appreciation of scripture
– Using as a starter for adult Bible study groups or personal devotionsThis sermon collection includes:
The Meal that Stays with You
Welcoming the Child
Welcome to the Household
… and many more! -
Now To Him
$14.99Add to cartThe case for a more biblical approach to worship which honours the divine and allows space for wonder.
The authors, a theologian and a worship leader, are concerned that modern worship is growing self-indulgent: more about performance, less about an encounter with the divine. They consider what the Bible teaches about worship, addressing four key concerns: Worship as entertainment; worship which lacks wonder and awe; worship as irrelevant to mission; worship which gratifies the worshipper rather than honouring the Almighty. The authors each contribute six chapters, looking at biblical aspects of worship. They tackle worship and holiness; worship with passion; worship and the danger of idolatry. How, they ask, can we rediscover the mystery of an encounter with God, in corporate worship? How can leaders open themselves and their congregations to the heart of God, releasing his presence and power? How should we craft the unique dynamic of a people gathered to sing to God?
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Living Church : Convictions Of A Lifelong Pastor
$22.99Add to cartPreface: “Emerging Churches”
The Postmodern World
Acknowledgments And Abbreviations
1. Essentials: God’s Vision For His Church
2. Worship: Glorying In God’s Holy Name
3. Evangelism: Mission Through The Local Church
4. Ministry: The Twelve And The Seven
5. Fellowship: The Implications Of Koinonia
6. Preaching: Five Paradoxes
7. Giving: Ten Principles
8. Impact: Salt And Light
Conclusion: Looking For Timothys In The 21st Century
HIstorical Appendix 1: Why I Am Still A Member Of The Church Of England
Historical Appendix 2: I Have A Dream Of A Living Church
Historical Appendis 3: Reflections Of An OctogenarianAdditional Info
John Stott describes the characteristics of an “authentic” or “living” church that conserves Scripture and radically combines tradition and that convention called “culture.” He presents the Bible’s wisdom with a teacher’s skill and applies it with a pastor’s heart. Stott shows that becoming a living church is not an impossible goal. -
Living Without Enemies
$24.99Add to cartIntroduction
1. Nazareth
2. Ministry
3. Silence
4. Touch
5. Words
6. Kingdom
Ten Gleanings
About The Duke Divinity School Center For ReconciliationAdditional Info
With senseless violence occurring throughout society, people are suffering and communities are groaning. Fear and not knowing where to begin hold many back from doing anything at all. But is “doing something” really what is most needed? Marcia Owen and Samuel Wells come together to tell the story of a community’s journey through four different dimensions of social engagement. After attempts to seek legislative solutions led nowhere, a religious coalition began holding prayer vigils for local victims of gun violence. It was then that Owen discovered the beauty of simply being present. Through her friendships with both victims and offenders, Owen learned that being with was precisely the opposite of violence–it was love. And to truly love others as God loves us meant living without enemies and taking small steps toward reconciliation. Owen and Wells offer deep insights into what it takes to overcome powerlessness, transcend fear and engage in radical acceptance in our dangerous world. Your view of ministry will be altered by this poignant tale of coming face-to-face with our God who loves boundlessly and has no enemies. -
Embracing Emergence Christianity (Student/Study Guide)
$15.95Add to cart1. Emergence 101
2. Where Now Is The Authority
3. The 20th Century And Emergence
4. Gifts From Other Times
5. How Then Shall We Live?
6. Hallmarks Of EmergenceAdditional Info
Author, historian and keen cultural observer Phyllis Tickle invites us to join her in examining the changing face of Christianity and culture. Phyllis surveys 2000 years of Western history, identifying the great upheavals that occur in Western culture and Christianity every 500 years. The last was the Great Reformation of the 1500’s; the next is happening now.What are the implications of the “Great Emergence,” both culturally and spiritually? What are the key questions and issues that need to be addressed? Where might we be headed next?
And, perhaps most importantly, where are you, at this moment? Might you be an emergence Christian?
There are six sessions on the DVD.
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Season Of Creation
$39.00Add to cartAs the global climate crisis worsens, many churches have sought to respond by instituting a movement to observe a liturgical season of creation. Scholars who have pioneered the connections between biblical scholarship, ecological theology, liturgy, and homiletics provide here a comprehensive resource for preaching and leading worship in this new season. Included are theological and practical introductions to observance of the season, biblical texts for its twelve Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, and astute commentary to help preachers and worship leaders guide their congregations into deeper connection with our imperiled planet.
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Teaching Through The Art Of Storytelling
$24.99Add to cartAs communicators in a culture saturated with storylines, we have the profound opportunity to invite our students into the masterful Story of God. There are a variety of ways to invite our students into this Story, but this book discusses and explores how to teach through one of Jesus’ most powerful modes of communication–fictional storytelling. Rabbinical storytelling (otherwise known as Jewish Agada) embraces the narrative of Scripture and invites its listeners into understanding and participation. Our Rabbi, Jesus, employed this mode of communication through his parables. Approaching the topic as a theologian, philosopher and artist, Jon invites and teaches how to create modern-day parables that illuminate the message of Jesus. These stories do not simply illustrate the message; they are, in fact, the message. Whether hoping to articulate deep theological concepts or relevant topics, teaching through the art of fictional storytelling has the potential to engage and invite our students into The Story.
In this book:
*You will learn how to create your own fictional stories (modern day parables) that use a realistic setting, engaging characters and a thought provoking plot to communicate a specific topic.
*You are given practical worksheets that offer guidance in developing such stories
*Jon includes a variety of stories he has developed over his years of youth ministry and offers them as a resource to any youth pastor/communicator. -
Instant Small Group
$15.00Add to cartIt’s been a crazy day at work, the house is a mess, and you have nothing in the refrigerator–and you’re hosting your small group tonight. How can you possibly get a lesson ready in the midst of your chaotic life? Easy. Just open Instant Small Group.
This no-preparation-required teaching resource provides a year’s worth of engaging, transforming, and easy-to-lead discussion guides for adult small groups. All 52 studies are “open and go” for those who, for whatever reason, don’t have the time or energy to prepare. They can be used by anyone in the group–not just the leader–and are perfect for road trips, retreats, coffeehouse conversations, or even as personal devotionals. Bonus callouts with discussion-specific teaching tips, brief Bible background information, and add-on ideas are included, as well as an appendix titled “20 Tips for Dynamic Discussions.”
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Are You Waiting For The One
$18.99Add to cartPreface
1. Young Love: Beyond The Fantasy Of Romance
2. Marriage: What Makes It Christian?
3. Families: Telling The Stories That Have Shaped Us
4. Peace: Handling Conflict Constructively
5. Friendship: From Acquaintance To Intimacy
6. Sex: Embodied Communion
7. Hospitality: Welcoming Children And Other Strangers
8. Households: Forming An Economic Partnership
9. Old Love: Growing Together Into Maturity
Epilogue: WeddingsAdditional Info
Does God want to write your love story? Well, maybe not-especially not if it is the culture’s romanticized ideal of happily ever after! Margaret and Dwight Peterson help us sort out the difference between how our surrounding society often depicts marriage and how Christians really should approach this particular gift of God to all humanity. They guide us through many aspects of a growing, maturing marriage including being a family, handling conflict, friendship, children, household economics and weathering the transitions of life. In the end they show how Christian marriage is far deeper and stronger than a romantic fairy tale. In fact, it reflects the kind of love God has for us in the gospel of Jesus Christ who gave his life for us that we might have his life in us. -
Future For The Latino Church
$23.99Add to cartForeword By Manuel Ortiz
Introduction: A Moment Of Transition In The Barrio
1. Living In The Hyphen
2. Multigenerational Hispanic Churches
3. Multiethnic, Predominately Hispanic Churches
4. Good News And Good Works In The Barrio
5. The Local Church As Organic Seminary
6. The New Hispanic Challenge
Conclusion: A Future For The Latino ChurchAdditional Info
Many assume that Hispanic ministry in North America still necessarily focuses on Spanish-language congregations. But over 60 percent of all American Latinos were born in the United States and are now English dominant.Daniel Rodriguez argues that effective Latino ministry and church planting is now centered in second-generation, English-dominant leadership and congregations. Based on his observation of dozens of cutting-edge Latino churches across the country, Rodriguez reports on how innovative congregations are ministering creatively to the next generations of Latinos. In-depth case studies reveal how gifted leaders are reaching beyond their own demographics to have lasting impact on their wider communities.
The future of the Latino church is multilingual, multigenerational and multiethnic. Those who “live in the hyphen” between Latino and American can become all things to all Latinos, sharing the gospel in ways that language is no barrier.
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Hurt 2.0 : Inside The World Of Todays Teenagers (Reprinted)
$27.00Add to cartHurt provided a vivid and insightful view into the world of today’s teenagers. Now leading youth ministry expert Chap Clark substantially updates and revises his groundbreaking bestseller (over 55,000 copies sold). Hurt 2.0 features a new chapter on youth at society’s margins and new material on social networking and gaming. Each chapter has been thoroughly revised with new research, statistics, quotations, and documentation.
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Replenish : Leading From A Healthy Soul (Reprinted)
$17.99Add to cartEvery leader functions on two stages–the front stage or public world, and the back stage or private world. One cannot lead successfully front stage when one is completely depleted back stage. In a time when pastors are leaving the ministry in record numbers due to cynicism, disillusionment, weariness, and personal scandals, there is an urgent need for soul care in the private lives of leaders.
Replenish helps leaders focus on the back stage, the interior life, in order to remain spiritually healthy. In a caring, encouraging tone, it will show pastors how to:
prioritize matters of the soul
develop healthy spiritual practices
address problems that lead to burnout
create a healthy rhythm in their lives
improve their people skills and the
spiritual climate of their team
develop better systems in their churches
discover how to lead an unhurried lifeFor the many ministry leaders who feel alone, in over their heads, or simply worn out, this book will offer welcome relief and a healthy way forward.
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On Being A Leader For God (Reprinted)
$16.00Add to cartBooks on leadership in various aspects of life and work abound. But are the principles upon which these books are grounded biblical? Do they describe the best way for Christians to lead, knowing that they function as ambassadors for Christ as they facilitate meetings, lead people, and manage projects?
On Being a Leader for God covers numerous topics that are relevant to Christian leadership in this and every era, including obedience, faithfulness, character, maturity, ability, God’s authority, seizing opportunities, biblical images of successful leadership, listening, the difference between a boss and a leader, change management, organizational leadership, and vision. Pastors, deacons, church leaders, and laypeople will find this book both engaging and transformative.
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Christian Atheist Participants Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartYou believe in God, go to church, and generally treat people with kindness. But, have you surrendered to God completely, living every day depending upon the Holy Spirit? In this six-session DVD group study pastor and author Craig Groeschel teaches you how to be more than just “Christian” in name, how to break free of hypocrisy to live a more authentic, God-honoring life.
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Renovate Or Die
$16.99Add to cartBe the Church Jesus calls us to be.
Bob Farr asserts that to change the world, we must first change the Church. As Adam Hamilton says in the Foreword, “Read [this book] carefully with other leaders in your church…You’ll soon discover both a desire to renovate your church and the tools to effectively lead your church forward.” If we want to join Robert Schnase and claim radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity, we must also engage pastors and motivate churches. We must renovate and overhaul our churches and not merely redecorate and tinker with our church structure.
With straight forward language and practical tips, this book will inspire and help you organize your church for new life on the mission field. Learn how to grow your church and discover the commitments that denominational leaders must make to guarantee the fruitfulness of local congregations.
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Leap Over A Wall
$15.99Add to cartOf all the characters in the Bible, it is David who is most human. His life is lived on the “rough-edged actuality” of real life, and his relationship with God is an energetic one. Through the passions, the trials, and the lyrical poetry of this beloved figure, we gain powerful insights into the role of God in our own lives.
In this inspirational volume, Professor Eugene H. Peterson, translator of The Message, uses stories from David’s epic life as vivid lessons in everyday faith and spirituality. Exploring David’s experiences of friendship, grief, love, sin, and suffering, as well as sanctuary, beauty, and wilderness, he reawakens us to the enduring truths behind these beloved stories.
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Churchs Healing Ministry
$23.99Add to cartHealing is one of the fundamental aspects of Christian ministry, reaching into every area of personal and public life. Leading ethicist David Atkinson asks whether suffering can ever be creative and explores how today’s conversations between theology, psychology and medical science are shaping our understanding of healing. He offers a practical and pastoral theology that embraces healing’s different dimensions, from the biblical notion of health and wholeness, to healing in relation to sickness and disease, environmental health, emotional health, and pastoral care and counselling.
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Collected Sermons Of Fred B Craddock
$40.00Add to cartThis collection of more than fifty of Fred Craddock’s sermons provides a glimpse of a master preacher at work. Amazingly, only one of the sermons was preached from a manuscript written in advance, as Craddock considered a sermon to be an event in the world of sound. As a result, the selections here wonderfully reflect and preserve Craddock’s voice and engage readers with all the immediacy of the spoken word.
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Disrupting Homelessness : Alternative Christian Approaches
$26.00Add to cartDisrupting Homelessness unmasks the futile assumptions of our present approaches to homelessness and suggests ways in which Christians and Christian communities can create a prophetic social movement to end poverty and homelessness.
The American dream, as conveyed by the media, includes owning a home. Increasingly, people are homeless or precariously housed because of joblessness, foreclosure, or dislocation. Ecclesial responses to homelessness and housing vary. Some Christian organizations focus on fixing the person and the behaviors that contribute to homelessness. Others promote home ownership for low-income households.
Employing a disruptive Christian ethics, Laura Stivers criticizes both approaches, outlines an advocacy approach for churches to address the multiple causes of homelessness, and calls us to make a home for all in God’s just and compassionate community.
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Counseling Couples In Conflict
$40.99Add to cartMost therapeutic approaches, especially those of a cognitive orientation, are not very effective in dealing with high conflict relationships–couples often heading toward divorce by the time they seek help. Counseling Couples in Conflict is a resource for counselors and therapists who want to be ready for these uniquely difficult cases. Utilizing a relational conflict and restoration model Mark Yarhouse and James Sells point the way beyond the cycle of pain towards marital healing.
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Becoming An Anti Racist Church
$27.00Add to cartMartin Luther King’s observation that 11 a.m. on Sunday is the most segregated hour of the week remains all too true.
Christians addressing racism in American society must begin with a frank assessment of how race figures in the churches themselves, leading activist Joseph Barndt argues. This practical and important volume extends the insights of Barndt’s earlier, more general work to address the race situation in the churches and to equip people there to be agents for change in and beyond their church communities.
A hallmark of Barndt’s analysis is his keen grasp of the deep yet checkered legacy that American church and church bodies inherit on this question. Yet Barndt also lifts up the ways in which their prophetic work has proved a catalyst for progress in American race relations, and he clearly shows why and how churches can inculcate an anti-racist commitment into their collective lives.
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Pastor As Scholar And The Scholar As Pastor
$15.00Add to cartPiper and Carson explore the interrelated role of pastoral ministry and scholarship in their lives. Following the 2009 Gospel Coalition conference John Piper and D. A. Carson presented two talks at Park Community Church in Chicago, IL, sponsored by the Henry Institute at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. The topic of their presentation was on the relationship of scholarship and pastoral ministry. Piper centered on the importance of scholarship and academic pursuits in his role as pastor. Carson, conversely, focused on the importance of pastoral ministry in his career as scholar. The event was enthusiastically received and brought great insight and balance. Now their talks have been edited with additional content and put into book form. Weaving testimony and teaching, Piper and Carson challenge all those in ministry to think carefully and holistically about their calling. An introduction by Owen Strachan and a conclusion by David Mathis provide context and application to these unique messages. Pastors and scholars will want to take advantage of this valuable insider perspective from two men who have been acclaimed for their sharp thinking and pastoral hearts.
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1st 100 Days
$14.99Add to cart1. On Your Mark, Get Set, Reflect
2. Know What You Don’t Know
3. Help Your Family Transition
4. Establish Clear Expectations
5. Preach Well
6. Secure Some Early Wins
7. Choose Your Battles Carefully
8. Transition Accelerators
9. Take Care Of YourselfAdditional Info
Every time a pastor goes to a new church, they form hopes, dreams, and expectations – without necessarily realizing it – for the progress and growth of their new ministry. Not only do these pastors have to transition into a new congregation and community, but they also have to think about building strong relationships with other influential people in the area.Almost every day, pastors of new churches face unexpected hardships and challenges. Some of the issues are financial mismanagement from their predecessor, moral or ethical misbehavior, or unresolved conflict that has just been suppressed long enough to find a new pastor. The fact is, pastors of new churches need guidance. The First 100 Days is for these pastors who need some guidance and insight to help them lead with godly wisdom and purpose during the first few months.
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Teachers Guide To Understanding The Trinity
$6.99Add to cart1. Envisioning The Trinity – The Shaping Of A Doctrine
2. Why We Need Doctrines
3. What The Doctrine Of The Trinity Is Not
4. What Is The Basis Of The Doctrine?
5. What Does The Doctrine Of The Trinity Say?
6. The Web Of DoctrinesAdditional Info
Why is the doctrine of the Trinity important? Is it just one more thing to memorize and forget about later? Or is it something much more?This concise, in-depth book explores this seemingly elusive doctrine, its history, and its meaning to the life of faith. With exceptional insight and scholarly precision, Samuel Powell brings this doctrine into sharp focus and demonstrates that more than an ancient relic of the church, the doctrine of the Trinity is woven into the fabric of almost everything Christians believe. At the very nexus of salvation, the Trinity is a stirring and poignant model for love and relationship within community.
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It Is Easy Being Green
$22.99Add to cartCreative, ready-to-use craft projects that highlight the importance of recycling and environmental stewardship
This volume offers sixty exciting craft projects that children ages 6-8 will enjoy making while learning about the Bible and building their faith. Simple “green” crafts accompany related Bible stories.
Provides clear step-by-step instructions, along with a materials list featuring green or recycled products
Uses many wonderful artistic mediums through which children can express their creative side and explore their faith in a group setting
Provides a hands-on, fun way of bringing God’s Word to children
Ideal for a variety of settings, including Sunday school and mid-week
Helps reinforce the message of the Bible story or verse
Includes reproducible pages -
Your Church In Rhythm
$30.00Add to cartBruce Miller debunks the idea of balance-basically trying to have it all, all the time. Most churches and their pastors try to do everything at once and feel guilty if any one aspect (worship, ministries, outreach, etc.) is neglected. He replaces the exhausting concept of balance with the idea of rhythm: churches, like people, need to give attention to different programs and ministries at different times, basically by attending to their seasons and cycles.
*Offers an innovative new model for church leaders
*Miller has been influential in the formation and promotion of “Church-Based Training” as in international movement
*Offers a proven method for avoiding burnout for church leaders and members by doing the right things at the right timeThe author offers much-need help to overwhelmed leaders and shows them how to apply Miller’s seasonal/cyclical approach to church life.
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Worship Mall : Contemporary Responses To Contemporary Culture
$32.95Add to cartReligion today is in competition with the leisure and entertainment industries. Gen Y, the postmodern generation, is open to spirituality; but most of today’s young adults have not been born into faith communities where they feel any lasting allegiance. Studies suggest that for the young, belief in God is an optional matter, a virtual consumer choice. As a result, different trends in worship and worship styles are offered by different churches to suit lifestyles, attitudes, and personal taste.
In this comprehensive and lively survey, Bryan Spinks examines postmodern worship trends including hip hop, praise and worship songs, emerging worship, blended worship, the U2 Eucharist service, the Roman Catholic rethinking of Vatican II, contemporary Celtic worship, the Zaire Mass in Africa, liquid worship, Vineyard and Hillsong worship, the snake-handling holiness churches of the American south, and other emerging forms of alternative worship.
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Disruptive Grace : Reflections On God Scripture And The Church
$39.00Add to cartWalter Brueggemann has been one of the leading voices in Hebrew Bible interpretation for decades. His landmark works in Old Testament theology have inspired and informed a generation of students, scholars, and preachers. These chapters gather his recent addresses and essays, never published before, drawn from all three parts of the Hebrew Bible-Torah, prophets, and writings-and addressing the role of the Hebrew canon in the life of the church.
Brueggemann turns his critical erudition to those practices-prophecy, lament, prayer, faithful imagination, and a holy economics-that alone may usher in a humane and peaceful future for our cities and our world, in defiance of the most ruthless aspects of capitalism, the arrogance of militarism, and the disciplines of the national security state.
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Domestic Violence : What Every Pastor Needs To Know – Second Edition (Revised)
$27.00Add to cartAccording to the American Medical Association, one quarter of American women will be abused by an intimate partner at some point in their lives. Loving support can make a tremendous difference to survivors as they struggle with the difficult process of healing and regaining trust in themselves and others. Often, however, pastoral caregivers possess the same misconceptions about domestic violence as does the uninformed public.
Al Miles addresses the issues related to inadequate pastoral response to this pervasive problem. He explores the dynamics of abusive relationships and the role that clergy members can take to heal this painful situation.
The new edition of Domestic Violence builds upon the insights, policies, and programs of the original volume and includes new information on the pathology of domestic violence and the effect the economic downturn is having on victim-survivors and batterers. Miles also focuses on helping clergy and other pastoral ministers develop a more compassionate response to victim-survivors who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender.
This thoroughly updated edition includes questions for discussion, a list of additional resources, and contact information for state coalitions working to end domestic violence.
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Complete New Testament Resource For Youth Workers Volume 2
$29.99Add to cartWith lessons created, written, and tested by active, experienced youth leaders who work with young people every week … never before has there been a resource this comprehensive, this practical, and this relevant for teaching the New Testament to your students. Walking students through the New Testament used to feel like a daunting task—especially if you’ve tried to create studies that are relevant and engaging to your students. Now, you have a diverse team of nearly thirty youth ministry practitioners working for you—and they’ve put together more than 100 studies that will make your job easier while helping your students dig into the Bible. Whether you lead them yourself or hand the lessons over to your volunteers, each lesson is easy to implement and can be used alone or combined with lessons that have already been planned. You’ll also find a searchable CD-ROM, making it easier than ever to find exactly what you need to help lead your students deeper into the life-changing books from the New Testament.
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Nuts And Bolts Of Church Planting (Reprinted)
$22.00Add to cartMost books on church planting offer a model for churches to replicate–usually one that is tied to a particular style, generation, or demographic. But what churches really need is a process that is flexible, not bound to a particular time or current fad. In The Nuts and Bolts of Church Planting, trusted author and church-planting expert Aubrey Malphurs shares the basic steps any church planter will need, regardless of his or her generation now or in the future. These steps include:
establishing values, mission, vision, and strategy
reaching the community
making disciples
recruiting a team
determining location and facilities
raising money for the ministryWith instant practical takeaway based on proven techniques, this book will be invaluable to any church planter.
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Formational Childrens Ministry (Reprinted)
$20.00Add to cartMuch ministry to children looks more like mere entertainment than authentic spiritual formation. But what if children’s ministries were rooted in a mind set whereby we taught children, with our words and actions, how the story of God, the story of church history, the story of the local community, and the story of the child intersect and speak to one another? What if children’s ministry was less about downloading information into kids’ heads and more about leading them into these powerful, compelling stories? Beckwith aims to help ministers and parents create a ministry that captures children’s imaginations not just to keep them occupied, but to live as citizens of the kingdom of God. In addition to providing theological reasons for formational children’s ministry, the book offers examples of how Ivy and other practitioners are implementing a formational model.
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Timeless Truths From A Faithful Shepherd
$16.49Add to cartSteve Kreloff is the pastor/teacher at Lakeside Community Chapel in Clearwater, Florida. He has been on staff at Lakeside since 1976, serving as pastor since 1981. The emphasis of his ministry is the verse-by-verse teaching of the Word of God. Steve is a Jewish Christian who, while a student at the University of South Florida, received Jesus as his Messiah, Lord and Savior. He is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and Tampa Bay Theological Seminary (now known as Dallas Theological Seminary’s Tampa Bay Extension). He has been a contributor to the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry’s magazine Israel My Glory, and has written articles for other magazines including Masterpiece and Table Talk. He has written two books, God’s Plan for Israel: A Study of Romans 9-11 and Expository Preaching and Teaching. He is the Bible teacher on the Verse-by-Verse Ministries radio broadcast, heard daily in the Tampa Bay area on Salem Communications radio station WTBN. Steve serves on the Board of Directors for Aurora Ministries, and has ministered extensively to correctional chaplains at Aurora seminars across the United States. He and his wife, Michele, have three adult children and eight grandchildren.
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Empowering Children : Principles, Strategies, And Techniques For Mobilizing
$19.99Add to cartEmpowering Children is especially designed for field practitioners seeking ways to encourage young people-particularly the marginalized-to become more involved in changing their circumstances. Through dozens of exercises and lessons, the book presents a variety of practical methods for engaging children in the development process-from assessments to evaluations. Discussions on issues such as personal empowerment, self-esteem, problem analysis, and child protection can equip leaders to help children serve as agents of change who understand how valuable they are. The book concludes with preparations for a community child participation plan.
From a Christian perspective, the realization that all children have dignity and are created in the image of God helps us to see that every child’s input is valuable. The Bible’s concepts of community, church, and mission further help us to see that God not only uses kids in his wonderful plan, but that he also wants all of his children-male, female, young, and old-to participate in his work in the world.
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Church Administration And Management
$34.99Add to cart* Achieving excellence in church management * Vital information on proper, ethical conduct for God’s servants * Clear information on achieving the frugal use of resources * A valuable and timely resume of the full-time ministry * Takes you beyond mediocrity in church administration One night while studying in a remove town of Ghana, God miraculously anointed Dag Heward-Mills as he waited upon the Lord. He supernaturally heard the words, “From now on you can teach…” This supernatural call is what has ushered him into a worldwide ministry. Today, his Healing Jesus Crusades are conducted throughout the world with thousands in attendance and many accompanying miracles. These phenomenal miracles, attested to by medical doctors have included the opening of the eyes of the blind, the restoring of hearing to the deaf, the emptying of wheel chairs and even the raising of the dead. Dag Heward-Mills, an author of several bestselling books also founded the Lighthouse Chapel International has become a worldwide denomination. His radio, TV and internet programs reach millions around the world.
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Obey
$10.99Add to cartAdventures of the Tiger Club Book One: Obey ABOUT THE BOOK: The story follows the life of a young tiger (“Bumba”) that experience challenges as a new believer in Jesus Christ. Charlene A. Harvey is a native Washingtonian. After being in Christ for many years, Charlene discovered that she has a passion for writing short stories. Charlene is married and a mother of two children.
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Becoming The Pastor You Hope To Be
$31.00Add to cartBecoming the Pastor You Hope to Be unapologetically urges clergy readers to develop practices that will help them become more excellent ministers. A long-time field educator, now serving as a denominational staff person responsible for ministerial formation, Barbara Blodgett believes excellence is a matter of doing simple things with care and consistency. Ministers who commit themselves to excellence will grow and flourish, and even become happier in ministry.Blodgett urges ministers to resist praise and instead to ask for feedback, to seek the company of mentors who are better than the reader is at what he or she does, to be vulnerable before their peers in order to learn from them, and to define themselves as a leader who does not merely take activist stances but risks entering into deep, transformative relationships. Improvement in ministry, Blodgett argues, comes about not through extraordinary leaps and bounds but rather through adopting simple habits and carrying through on small but thoughtfully made choices.
Blodgett urges ministers to resist praise and instead to ask for feedback, to seek the company of mentors who are better than the reader is at what he or she does, to be vulnerable before their peers in order to learn from them, and to define themselves as a leader who does not merely take activist stances but risks entering into deep, transformative relationships. Improvement in ministry, Blodgett argues, comes about not through extraordinary leaps and bounds but rather through adoptingsimple habits and carrying through on small but thoughtfully made choices.
Addressed to ministers, Becoming the Pastor You Hope to Be is also a valuable resource for discernment committees, Christian educators, leaders of continuing education and lay education programs, and all those who partner with theological schools to help form ministers, both lay and ordained.
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Courageous Compassion : A Prophetic Homiletic In Service To The Church
$19.99Add to cartA wonderfully intelligent, forceful book, bringing together masterful sermons by noted preacher Jerry Taylor and responses by world-renowned scholars.
Jerry Taylor’s preaching is characterized as a ”Compassionate Prophetic Voice” delivered in the traditional African American form: ”Start slow, stay low, rise higher, and end in fire.” His preaching is intelligent and wedded to the biblical text, effectively engaging listeners before exploding with persuasion.
COURAGEOUS COMPASSION provides examples of ten of Taylor’s best-crafted sermons, including ”The Curse of Babel,” ”They That Wait upon the Lord,” ”Alive to God,” and ”Courageous Compassion.” Respected theorists, biblical scholars, and denominational leaders have responded to each sermon, providing analysis, homiletic insight, reflections from the tradition of Black preaching, and comments on what Taylor is ”doing right.”
This volume accents the work of one homiletic practitioner whose work demands careful reflection and wide distribution. Its lively writing style, and its use of concrete images and examples to connect serious reflections with Taylor’s sermons, also serves as an example of how listeners and readers can interact with such rich preaching.
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Word Has Come Down
$12.95Add to cartLent holds a central place in the worship of many Christians. After the joyful celebrations of Christmas and Epiphany, it is vital for Christians to set aside time to repent, meditate, and reflect on the fact that Jesus’ life was a buildup to the ultimate sacrifice of himself on the Cross for our sins. In The Word Has Come Down, Huener guides participants through the ashes of repentance of Ash Wednesday, journeying through the Last Supper of Maundy Thursday and the crucifixion of Good Friday, culminating in the revelation of the risen Jesus at Easter. Along the way, Huener stops to look at each of the main characters in these events, people like Caiaphas, Peter, Judas, Pontius Pilate, and the women at the tomb, allowing each one to tell their side of the story. Huener explores each character in detail, allowing each one to flesh out this central event in Christian history. Whether used for congregational worship, small group study, or personal Lenten devotions, The Word Has Come Down will draw its readers into the beauty, agony, and triumph of Lent and Easter. Beth Huener is the pastor of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Oregon, Ohio, a suburb of Toledo. She has also served at other Lutheran parishes in Ohio and West Virginia.
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New Kind Of Christianity
$16.99Add to cartAfter the hailstorm of controversy stirred up by the hardcover, we hope the paperback release keeps the debate going. One of the most innovative Christian voices today and author of the controversial A New Kind of Christian faces head-on the questions that will determine the shape of the faith for the next 500 years.
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All In One Sunday School Volume 2 (Revised)
$24.99Add to cartBe Ready No Matter Who Shows Up!
Formerly Sunday School Specials 2, this revised and updated volume includes original and creative programs designed for ministries with mixed-age classes of children ages 4 through 12! With 13 lessons, this book will work in any ministry, but it’s especially great for smaller churches that combine classes every Sunday. Also good for large churches that combine ages during summer and for any other multi-age class setting.
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Christian Funerals
$13.99Add to cartUnlike weddings, funerals rarely take place after extensive planning. Often the deceased is not someone the pastor has known well, and preparations for the service of death and resurrection take place in the midst of pastoral care of the grieving, writing the funeral sermon, and the pastor’s regular duties. These circumstances make it especially hard to plan an appropriate and meaningful order of worship for the funeral service.
Christian Funerals will help pastors as they attend to this crucial ministry of the church. Drawing on the books of worship from a number of denominations and traditions, it provides several options for each of the elements of the funeral service, from gathering texts to opening prayers to scripture lessons to final prayers.
The book is bound in a way that makes it suitable for use at church services and at the grave side.
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Contemplative Counselor : A Way Of Being
$18.00Add to cartIntroduction
1. Identity Revisited
2. A Mindful Approach To A Mindless World
3. Christian Contemplation – A Way Of Life
4. Christian Contemplation – A Way Of Being In Therapy
5. Christian Contemplation – A Way Of Action
6. Christian Contemplation – A Way Of Worship
Appendix – Contemplatives ExercisesAdditional Info
The purpose of this book is two-fold. First, it examines critically how the field of pastoral counseling has responded to the resurgence of interest in issues of spirituality, particularly the appropriation of various texts on spiritually-oriented psychotherapies in counseling. Second, moving beyond description, the book addresses the need to re-define the identity and practice of pastoral counselors as contemplative healers by appropriating insights from the rich tradition of contemplative spirituality, theology, and psychology, and to integrate this identity with professional standards and practices.The Contemplative Counselor extends the discourse on pastoral counseling beyond theories and techniques to include a focal description of a life lived in active contemplation. The contemplative approach to life, care, and counseling demands a daily call to surrender the underlying attitude of meritocracy that heavily emphasizes good works to produce successful results in counseling. At a fundamental level, the contemplative counselor exhibits an unwavering reliance on the grace of God, which transforms all that is descriptive of the counseling encounter. Here, being precedes becoming, and the act of counseling emanates from the deep and quiet center characterized by silence and solitude of the heart. Such counseling targets holistically body, mind, and spirit as a way of facilitating an experience of well being and transformation.
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All In One Sunday School Volume 1 (Revised)
$24.99Add to cartBe Ready No Matter Who Shows Up!
Formerly Sunday School Specials, this revised and updated volume includes original and creative programs designed for ministries with mixed-age classes of children ages 4 through 12! With 13 lessons, this book will work in any ministry, but it’s especially great for smaller churches that combine classes every Sunday. Also good for large churches that combine ages during summer and for any other multi-age class setting.
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All In One Sunday School Volume 3 (Revised)
$24.99Add to cartBe Ready No Matter Who Shows Up!
Formerly Sunday School Specials 3, this revised and updated volume includes original and creative programs designed for ministries with mixed-age classes of children ages 4 through 12! With 13 lessons, this book will work in any ministry, but it’s especially great for smaller churches that combine classes every Sunday. Also good for large churches that combine ages during summer and for any other multi-age class setting.
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Consuming Youth : Leading Teens Through Consumer Culture
$19.99Add to cartToday’s relentless, consumer culture—dominated by popular media’s emphasis on bigger, better, and more, and catering to teenagers every want and desire—is leaving our youth adrift in a sea of conflicting messages. Messages that every youth worker must be able to decode and redirect away from the material world towards helping young people become who God created them to be: givers instead of receivers, servers instead of consumers. Consuming Youth is for any adult who recognizes that following Jesus means leading young people through the pitfalls of consumer culture, helping them discover vocation—where their great gladness meets a world’s great need, and unleashing the kingdom of God on earth.
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Resurrection Eggs Updated Edition
$21.99Add to cartCrack open the glorious story of Jesus’ resurrection! Stored in a plastic carton, a dozen rainbow-hued eggs are filled with surprises. Pop them open and find miniature symbols of Easter inside! An updated companion booklet in English and Spanish features Bible stories explaining the significance of each object. Includes 12 stickers corresponding to the eggs.
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Reframing Hope : Vital Ministry In A New Generation
$31.00Add to cartMuch has been written about the changing landscape the church finds itself in, and even more about the church’s waning influence in our culture. From her vantage point as an under-40 pastor, Carol Howard Merritt, author of Tribal Church, moves away from the handwringing toward a discovery of what ministry in, with, and by a new generation might look like. What does the substance of hope look like right now? What does hope look like when it is framed in a new generation? Motivated by these questions, Merritt writes Reframing Hope with the understanding that we are not creating from nothing the vital ministry of the next generation. Instead, we are working through what we have, sorting out the best parts, acknowledging and healing from the worst, and reframing it all.
She explores the spirit of collaboration that has grown up in our culture as the diffusion of authority continues to move toward a network of sharing resources and information. She shares the spiritual longing she sees in those of her generation and acknowledges that people will no longer settle for one-way preaching and entertaining services-they want their worship to become meaningful; they want their spirituality to lead to action. Merritt believes that if we can manage to navigate many of these important shifts, the years ahead are full of hope, but only if we recognize and welcome the changes that will come and open ourselves to what new adaptations will bring to us.
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Hard To Dance With The Devil On Your Back (Student/Study Guide)
$13.99Add to cartLooks at transcendent struggle in the lives of believers while helping readers enter the continually crumbling world surrounding Jesus and the disciples in the days preceding Easter.
Seven sessions, one for each Sunday in Lent and Easter Sunday
Each session features a Scripture reference, a personal reading, questions for personal reflection or group study, a closing prayer, and a focus for the coming week.