Pastoral Helps
Showing 251–300 of 3733 results
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Mark For You
$17.99Add to cartMark’s fast-paced, action-packed Gospel portrays Jesus in a way that is stunningly compelling-and deeply challenging too.
Join Bible teacher Jason Meyer as he unpacks Mark verse by verse. He unveils how the book fits together, marvels at important details, and highlights key themes. Most of all, he helps you to turn your eyes to Jesus-his power, his wisdom, and his compassionate heart.
This accessible, absorbing expository guide is more applied than a typical commentary, making it a great resource for personal devotion, as well as useful for leading small-group studies or for sermon preparation. Contains foreword by Thomas R. Schreiner.
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Preaching To A Divided Nation
$24.99Add to cartWe live in angry times. No matter where we go, what we watch, or how we communicate, our culture is rife with division and polarization. Unfortunately, Christians appear to be caught up in the same animosity as the culture at large. While our faith calls us to Christian unity, the hard fact remains: our churches are tragically divided across class, ethnic, gender, and political lines. As these social chasms grow–both inside and outside the church–the role of the preacher becomes paramount.
This book issues a prophetic call to pastors to use the influence of their pulpits to promote reconciliation and unity in their churches and communities. Two scholar-practitioners who are experts in homiletics and reconciliation present a practical, 7-step model that empowers faithful leaders to bring healing and peace to their fractured churches and world. The book includes questions for reflection, salient illustrations, and an accountability covenant. It also includes useful appendixes on preaching themes, preaching texts, and sample sermons from three leading preachers: Ralph Douglas West, Rich Villodas, and Sandra Maria Van Opstal.
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Saving Your Church From Itself
$16.99Add to cartAs a coach and mentor to hundreds of pastors, Chris Sonksen has had a front-row seat to the unfortunate outcomes when a team member begins to drift from the vision of the church and the leader they serve. But the good news is, these situations never come out of left field. There are always warning signs that, if heeded, allow church leaders to rise to the challenge of keeping their team healthy, unified, and moving forward together.
In this powerfully practical book, Sonksen unpacks six subtle behaviors that undermine team unity and lead to problems that can derail your ministry and even split your church, including:
– pride
– artificial harmony
– isolation
– a critical spirit
– divisiveness
– disrespectBeyond merely identifying the problems, this book offers you a blueprint for what to do when you see or feel evidence of these behaviors creeping into team dynamics.
Alignment of vision and purpose doesn’t happen by accident, and it isn’t maintained without careful attention and proactive strategies. But with Chris Sonksen’s help, you can save your church from itself.
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Calling Of Eve
$16.99Add to cartA solid biblical foundation for women in local church ministry, grounded in a celebration of women of the Bible.
In The Calling of Eve, Jacki C. King explores what God has accomplished through the unique talents and contributions of women of the Bible, drawing inspiration and lessons for all women in ministry today. From the beginning pages of Scripture to contemporary ministries across the globe, women have had a vital and active role in the story of redemption. Jacki reminds and challenges women in every season of life to uncover their distinct design, purpose, and mission for the glory of God.
Jacki has spent years in many ministry settings, serving others and pointing people to God. In this book, she highlights and celebrates the contributions, gifts, and strengths that women display as image bearers of God, and she paints a vivid picture of women surrendered to God’s calling in their lives.
You will be inspired to follow in the footsteps of the courageous women of faith that Jacki honors in this book.
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How To Lead A Healthy Small Group
$16.99Add to cartThis book shares all you need to know to lead a healthy small group.
You have agreed to head up a small group in your church. Now what? How to Lead a Healthy Small Group is your complete guide to managing a small group effectively. From dealing with conflict to knowing how to direct difficult discussions, this book will be an invaluable resource to you as you lead your small group and encourage it to thrive.
In this book, Pastor Kevin Mills:
*explores the characteristics of a healthy small group and many of the issues you will face as a leader;
*explains how to address common issues that arise in small groups; and
*offers insights into how to equip your members to love God and love one another.
This book includes the biblical basis for a small group ministry, inspirational stories, encouragements, creative ideas, and informative steps on how best to minister to your group members.
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Understanding The Bible As A Whole
$16.99Add to cartEverything you need to grasp God’s big picture in Scripture so you can dive deeper into each book of the Bible.
Every single word in the Bible is powerful and purposeful. But too often we can be guilty of thinking that the details of God’s plan for us must be buried in obscurity somewhere in the vastness of the Bible–as if we’re missing God because we missed that tiny iota subscript in the original Greek. What if it is the opposite? What if our daily purpose, our next step tomorrow, our discernment in the moment comes from a broad understanding of God’s revelation in the Bible? When you grasp God’s Word holistically, your life begins to make more sense each and every day. In this book, Sam Rainer will help you:
*Understand God’s big picture as revealed in the Bible
*Explore the major themes of Scripture
*Know quickly and easily the subject and purpose of each book of the BibleSee the entire masterpiece instead of focusing on the brushstrokes. Understand the broad themes that occur from Genesis to Revelation to find God’s purpose and plan for your life.
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Amos Bible Study Book With Video Acces
$21.99Add to cartAmos is often called a prophet of doom. And when you begin to read his prophecy, it doesn’t take long to realize that nickname fits. On the surface, his prophecy doesn’t sound like a happy formula for the good life. However, every condemnation he gives serves as an invitation, a cry for us to “seek God and live” (Amos 5:4). You’ll be invited to live assured, faithful, chosen, humble, justly, prayerful, and hopeful. This kind of living will bring us and others around us peace and true prosperity.
Amos is promoting the God life, and, the God life is the good life!
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Exodus Bible Study Book (Student/Study Guide)
$19.99Add to cartExodus is the Rosetta Stone for unlocking the Old Testament and the thread of redemption throughout Scripture. In this new series designed to tell the fuller story of Scripture, participants will walk through the first 15 chapters of Exodus. You’ll relive the experience as God hears the cries of His people and responds by sending a deliverer, ultimately giving us a pattern for recognizing His work in the world. (6 sessions)
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Jude Bible Study Book With Video Access
$19.99Add to cartWhile often overlooked, the book of Jude remains as relevant today as the time it was written. God has commanded His beloved church to do the necessary work of contending for the faith in a world of unbelief, and as we do, He will keep us from falling into the same deception.
In this 7-session study from Jackie Hill Perry, dive into themes of being called, loved, and kept, and learn how to point others to Jesus in grace and truth. We serve others well when we share the whole gospel with them, not just the parts deemed attractive by our culture
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Doing Church As A Team
$17.99Add to cartWhen a Church Works Together, God Can Do Amazing Things
“To be a successful leader, and if you plan to have a successful ministry, you must develop not only your gifts, but more so, the gifts of those around you.” -Wayne Cordeiro
Everyone is a great fit . . . somewhere, and God has strategically called and gifted each individual for a specific role and purpose. The twenty-first-century church must be a battleship, not a cruise ship, but that can only happen when everyone finds their place in ministry.
In Doing Church as a Team, Dr. Wayne Cordeiro shows you how to identify the hidden callings of the members in your church so that together you can accomplish anything God is asking you to do.
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Praying Pastor
$11.99Add to cartThere’s a difference between a pastor who prays and a praying pastor. Prayer is an important spiritual discipline in the life and ministry of every Christian who is called to shepherd Jesus’s flock. The minutiae of ministry can wear pastors down and make prayer feel more like an obligation, something to do in church services and at hospital bedsides, rather than a desired or necessary activity. In The Praying Pastor, David Busic examines the vital role of an active and intimate prayer life, and urges all pastors to consider whether they need to make the transition from being pastors who pray to becoming praying pastors.
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Nehemiah For You
$17.99Add to cartThe book of Nehemiah chronicles a key moment in the history of God’s people: the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem after the return from exile.
Understanding this book doesn’t just mean knowing about a rebuilt wall. Nehemiah helps us think through any type of rebuilding we might do for God–from our homes and families to our local church, our communities and our world. It teaches us, ultimately, about Jesus and his mission.
A pastor with decades of experience in cities, Dr. Eric Mason unpacks this rich book verse by verse. He explains the context, gives plenty of application for our lives today, and shows us what it looks like to get involved in God’s work to build his kingdom.
This expository guide can be read as a book; used as a devotional; and utilized in teaching and preaching.
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Uncovery : Understanding The Power Of Community To Heal Trauma
$16.99Add to cartWhen it comes to Christ-centered recovery, we, the church, have work to do.
Our legalistic, box-checking, one-size-fits-all programs produce astonishingly high failure rates–which means far too many people are left to fight addiction, mental health problems, and suicidal thoughts on their own.
This begs some critical questions of the church:
– Do we really believe transformational recovery and healing is possible?
– Do we really have the right systems and structures to support struggling people?
– Do we really carry a kingdom responsibility to restore people gently?
– Do we really take time to ask God what more He would have us do in the recovery space?This book is for anyone who can’t offer a resounding yes and amen to each of those questions.
With hearts that beat for those struggling with addictions and mental health issues, authors George A. Wood and Brit Eaton present:
– A critical reframing of the word “recovery” and an invitation to answer God’s call for more spirit-led, trauma-informed ministry
– Deeper exploration into the origins of addiction, mental health problems, and suicidal thoughts–and the church’s responsibility to bring God’s healing
– Powerful supernatural testimonies and stories of hope, healing, and life restoration as a result of embracing The Uncovery
– Practical strategies to help Christ-centered recovery leaders bridge the gap between spiritual and scientific communities to better serve struggling people
– A loose and helpful framework for embracing The Uncovery message
– Inspiration for recovery leaders to love and lead in a more inclusive, sacrificial, and Christlike manner while maintaining healthy self-care
The goal of The Uncovery is to help the church–and the world–see recovery through a grace- laced, gospel lens. Some say recovery is the civil rights movement of our generation because believe it or not, recovery is for everyone. And if that statement bothers you? Recovery might be for you, too.
Every single one of us has some trauma or issue from our past that may still be affecting our life today. This book offers readers a not-so-subtle nudge to go deeper in the recovery space for a transformative encounter with Father God to heal from those wounds and lead the promised land life He has planned for us.
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Isaiah Bible Study Book With Video Access
$21.99Add to cartIsaiah served as God’s mouthpiece to the nation of Judah but also to the surrounding nations. His message echoes into our lives today as we read his call to rely on the Lord. Using the genres of poetry, narrative, and prophecy, Isaiah communicated clearly that followers of God could trust in Him.
As you study the chapters Isaiah wrote-from his challenging words to the nation of Israel to his prophecies of the Messiah to come-learn to rest in God’s promises and grow in trust. Unpacking Isaiah’s words will reveal that you can trust God more than your own human effort or the counterfeits the world suggests. You won’t be striving harder, but instead trusting more deeply the Faithful One who is so worthy of our utter dependence. In Him you’ll find the comfort and peace you need to sustain you.
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Jesus And Women Bible Study Book With Video Access
$24.99Add to cartImagine walking the dusty roads of Galilee with Jesus of Nazareth-braving jostling crowds just to touch the edge of His cloak and hear Him say, “Take heart, daughter, your faith has healed you.”
Those words, once meant to comfort a hurting woman’s soul thousands of years ago, were also meant for you.
Join biblical culturalist Kristi McLelland on those dusty roads as she transports you back to Jesus’ world, following in the footsteps of the women who came face-to-face with the Living God. Over 7 sessions, examine the historical and cultural climate of first-century Middle Eastern society to not only understand Jesus more deeply but to fuel your worship of Him today.
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Overcoming When You Feel Overwhelmed Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$24.99Add to cartIn Overcoming When You Feel Overwhelmed, Jentezen Franklin offers five life-giving keys–look within, look to him, look ahead, look out, and look up, to enable you to get up, get out, and get free. He pulls back the curtain on the enemy’s tactics attempting to hinder your spiritual growth, distract your attention, and keep you from living to your fullest potential during this critical season of prophetic history, and guides you to walk into the destiny God has prepared for you.
If you find that every battle you’re fighting has gotten more difficult to conquer–if you are paralyzed and don’t know which way to go–remember God doesn’t call you just a survivor. He calls you an overcomer.
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Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program Guide With Download Library
$39.99Add to cartTeaching Stewardship from a Spiritual Perspective-Consecration Sunday Program Guide, Revised and Updated Edition.
Consecration Sunday approaches financing the ministries of your congregation by teaching stewardship from a spiritual perspective rather than a fundraising perspective. It focuses on the question, “What is God calling me to do?” rather than, “What does the church need in order to pay its bills?” This revised edition offers updated language, references, and statistics while keeping everything that has resonated with the program for more than 25 years intact. Digital materials available with the Program Guide are now available via Internet download, are updated and include social media posts in additional to letters and other proven communications tools.
The Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program is a proven winner; it has helped thousands of congregations increase financial giving by 15% to 30%. What do I need to get started? Order the Stewardship Program Guide (9781791024024) and gather a team. Purchase copies of the Team Member Guide (9781791024048), one for each member of your team. These resources provide complete instructions for implementing the program successfully.
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Pursuing Gods Will Together
$27.99Add to cartChurch boards and other Christian leadership teams have long relied on models adapted from the business world. Ruth Haley Barton, president of the Transforming Center, helps teams transition to a much more fitting model–the spiritual community that practices discernment together.
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My Body Is Not A Prayer Request
$19.99Add to cartThe church has forgotten that we worship a disabled God whose wounds survived resurrection, says Amy Kenny. It is time for the church to start treating disabled people as full members of the body of Christ who have much more to offer than a miraculous cure narrative and to learn from their embodied experiences.
Written by a disabled Christian, this book shows that the church is missing out on the prophetic witness and blessing of disability. Kenny reflects on her experiences inside the church to expose unintentional ableism and cast a new vision for Christian communities to engage disability justice. She shows that until we cultivate church spaces where people with disabilities can fully belong, flourish, and lead, we are not valuing the diverse members of the body of Christ.
Offering a unique blend of personal storytelling, fresh and compelling writing, biblical exegesis, and practical application, this book invites readers to participate in disability justice and create a more inclusive community in church and parachurch spaces. Engaging content such as reflection questions and top-ten lists are included.
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My Body Is Not A Prayer Request
$39.99Add to cartThe church has forgotten that we worship a disabled God whose wounds survived resurrection, says Amy Kenny. It is time for the church to start treating disabled people as full members of the body of Christ who have much more to offer than a miraculous cure narrative and to learn from their embodied experiences.
Written by a disabled Christian, this book shows that the church is missing out on the prophetic witness and blessing of disability. Kenny reflects on her experiences inside the church to expose unintentional ableism and cast a new vision for Christian communities to engage disability justice. She shows that until we cultivate church spaces where people with disabilities can fully belong, flourish, and lead, we are not valuing the diverse members of the body of Christ.
Offering a unique blend of personal storytelling, fresh and compelling writing, biblical exegesis, and practical application, this book invites readers to participate in disability justice and create a more inclusive community in church and parachurch spaces. Engaging content such as reflection questions and top-ten lists are included.
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Consecration Sunday Stewardship Team Member Manual (Revised)
$12.99Add to cartTeaching Stewardship from a Spiritual Perspective-Consecration Sunday Team Guide, Revised and Updated Edition.
Consecration Sunday approaches financing the ministries of your congregation by teaching stewardship from a spiritual perspective rather than a fundraising perspective. It focuses on the question, “What is God calling me to do?” rather than, “What does the church need in order to pay its bills?”
This revised edition offers updated language, references, and statistics while keeping everything that has resonated with the program for more than 25 years intact. Digital materials available with the Program Guide are now available via Internet download, are updated and include social media posts in additional to letters and other proven communications tools.
The Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program is a proven winner; it has helped thousands of congregations increase financial giving by 15% to 30%.
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Inalienable : How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save The American Ch
$18.99Add to cartWith our witness compromised, numbers down, and reputation sullied, the American church is at a critical crossroads. In order for the church to return to health, we must decenter ourselves from our American idols and be guided by global Christians and the poor, who offer hope from the margins, and the ancient church, refocusing on the kingdom, image, Word, and mission of God.
The American church is at a critical crossroads. Our witness has been compromised, our numbers are down, and our reputation has been sullied, due largely to our own faults and fears. The church’s ethnocentrism, consumerism, and syncretism have blurred the lines between discipleship and partisanship. Pastor Eric Costanzo, missiologist Daniel Yang, and nonprofit leader Matthew Soerens find that for the church to return to health, we must decenter ourselves from our American idols and recenter on the undeniable, inalienable core reality of the global, transcultural kingdom of God. Our guides in this process are global Christians and the poor, who offer hope from the margins, and the ancient church, which survived through the ages amid temptations of power and corruption. Their witness points us to refocus on the kingdom of God, the image of God, the Word of God, and the mission of God. The path to the future takes us away from ourselves in unlikely directions. By learning from the global church and marginalized voices, we can return to our roots of being kingdom-focused, loving our neighbor, and giving of ourselves in missional service to the world.
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Agents Of Flourishing
$26.99Add to cartGod calls Christians to participate in his redemptive mission in every sphere of life.
Every corner, every square inch of society can flourish as God intends, and Christians of any vocation can become agents of that flourishing. Amy Sherman offers a multifaceted, biblically grounded framework for enacting God’s call to seek the shalom of our communities in six arenas of civilizational life (The Good, The True, The Beautiful, The Just, The Prosperous, and The Sustainable). Because we believe in what is good and true, we strengthen social ethics and contribute to human knowledge and learning. Because we value beauty, we invest in creative arts. Because we are committed to a just society, we work toward restorative justice and a well-ordered civic life. And our desire to see society prosper sustainably means that our business practices seek the economic good of the community while protecting the physical health of our environment. This comprehensive volume showcases historical and contemporary models of faithful and transformational cultural engagement, with case studies of all kinds of churches advancing human flourishing. It provides a roadmap for leaders wanting to participate in Christ’s mission of holistic renewal. Discover how being God’s agents of flourishing can change our communities for the better and offer a winsome witness to a watching world.
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Gender Identity And Faith
$28.99Add to cartHelping people navigate gender identity questions today is complex and often polarized work.
For clients and families who are also informed by their faith, some mental health approaches raise more questions than answers. Clinicians need a client-centered, open-ended approach that makes room for gender exploration while respecting religious identity.
Gender Identity and Faith carves out clinical space for mental health professionals to help people who wish to take seriously their gender identity, their religious identity, and the relationship between the two. Drawing from their extensive research and experience with clients, Mark Yarhouse and Julia Sadusky provide a timely, practical resource for practitioners. This book:*emphasizes respect for clients’ journeys, without a single fixed outcome, toward congruence between their gender identity and faith
*describes effective clinical postures, assessment and therapeutic tools, and numerous case studies
*covers needs and characteristics of children, youth, and adult clients
*includes worksheets and prompts for clients and family members
“Integrating personhood and values is no easy feat, especially in our current cultural landscape,” the authors write. Those navigating this intersection need clinicians who seek to understand their unique context and journey with them with empathy. This book helps point the way.
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Speaking By The Numbers
$24.99Add to cartIt’s not just what you say, but how you say it.
Good communicators know this, but it’s often easier said than done. Teachers, leaders, and speakers are often left bewildered, wondering why the content that was so carefully planned and delivered seems to fall flat with the audience. The art of communication requires more than the transfer of information; it both connects with and engages the hearer. To communicate well, speakers must understand both their audience and themselves. Speaking by the Numbers offers a strategy that combines communication principles with Enneagram wisdom to help leaders, pastors, and teachers understand how to convey content in ways that both inspire and connect with their audiences. Using the Enneagram wisdom of triads and stances, communicators can learn insight into the ways that various Enneagram numbers receive and process information. Sean Palmer draws from his extensive experience as a public speaker to develop communication strategies that lead to connection, transformation, and mobilization of audiences. Providing real examples of speeches and messages he has given, Palmer shows how he uses the Enneagram to craft a message that connects with his audience. A healthy marriage of Enneagram wisdom and communication skill can help us speak with clarity into the heart of where people live, love, and experience life.
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Teamwork Cross Culturally
$22.00Add to cartFollowing Sherwood Lingenfelter’s successful books on ministering, teaching, and leading cross-culturally (with combined sales of over 200,000 copies), Teamwork Cross-Culturally casts a vision for how teams made up of diverse peoples can serve in unity as the body of Christ despite the complicated problems that arise. The book equips leaders to respond to divisive issues so that multinational mission teams can do the work of ministry in ways that honor God. Real-life examples of teamwork challenges from around the world demonstrate that “in Christ” responses are achievable.
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Gospel On The Ground Bible Study Book With Video Access
$24.99Add to cartCome along with biblical culturalist Kristi McLelland as she unpacks the life of the early church in the book of Acts and shows us that the kingdom of God is always on the move, always looking outward to bring meaning and joy to a world searching for true fulfillment and hope. Explore the call of Jesus to His disciples then and to us today. See how God’s Word can sustain us even in the most difficult of times and embrace the transformative grace we experience as children of God in His kingdom of celebration.
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Undistracted Study Guide Plus Streaming Video (Student/Study Guide)
$19.99Add to cartThis study guide includes:
*Individual access to five streaming video sessions
*Discussion and reflection questions with video notes
*Personal study for between sessions
*Leader’s GuideDisappointments are a fact of life. Setbacks will happen to us all at some point. It is easy to allow such events to steal our joy and distract us from our true purpose. But we don’t have to fall into that trap. We can choose to keep our focus on Christ even in turmoil and be the kind of people who get busy moving in another direction.
In this five-session video study, bestselling author Bob Goff shares some of the stories from his life that have helped him understand what it truly means to be joyful in every situation. As he notes, the hard truth is that most of us live our lives consumed by worries and fears about things over which we have no control. We struggle to know how we should interact with family or friends. We fret about our finances and our faith. We question our college major and career choice. Add to this that we’re following a God we can’t see, for a lifetime we can’t measure, to a heaven we can’t comprehend, because of grace we didn’t earn.
We’re all trying to figure it out as we go. This leaves more offramps than onramps, more chances for confusion than certainty and more ambiguity than clarity. All of this vagueness plays right into the hands of darkness. The enemy doesn’t seek to destroy us with an obvious all-out assault. No, he wants to distract us, keep us locked up in worries, and prevent us from experiencing those things that will give us true joy in life.
This is the goal of this study–to provide a roadmap to defeat discouragement and regain joy in life by becoming captivated by something better. Joy will provide practical steps to help participants make that journey.
Sessions and run times include:
1. Undistracted in Our Attitude (16:30)
2. Undistracted in Our Service (15:30)
3. Undistracted in Our Relationships (16:30)
4. Undistracted in Our Faith (17:30)
5. Undistracted in Our Purpose (17:30)Designed for use with the Undistracted Video Study (sold separately).
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Experiencing God Bible Study Book With Video Access
$21.99Add to cartExperiencing God Bible Study Book includes revised printed content for 12 sessions, personal study between group sessions, and applicable Scripture. Also, each Book contains unique codes that enable you to access teaching videos for each session.
Over the years, God has used the truths of Experiencing God to awaken believers to a radically God-centered way of life. As a result, millions have come to know God intimately, to recognize His voice, and to understand His will for their lives. This new edition is revised, updated, and ready to help you again-or for the very first time-experience your Creator.
God is inviting you into an intimate love relationship through which He reveals to you His will, His ways, and His work. When you recognize where God is working, you can join Him in what He is doing. Carefully listening to His voice will anchor you in His plan and set you free to live it with boldness and freedom. Then you will experience God doing through you what only He can do.
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Bible Doctrine Workbook (Workbook)
$24.99Add to cartA WORKBOOK to Help You Explore and Reflect on Life’s Most Important Theological Questions.
How do we know the Bible is God’s Word? What is sin and where did it come from? How is Jesus fully God and fully man? What are spiritual gifts? When and how will Christ return?
If you’ve asked questions like these, then systematic theology is no abstract term. It’s an approach to finding answers every Christian needs to know. The Bible Doctrine WORKBOOK accompanies Wayne Grudem’s highly regarded Bible Doctrine. Following the textbook’s structure, the WORKBOOK features review material and exercises for every chapter, and all major areas of Christian doctrine are covered, including:
*The Word of God
*God
*Humanity
*Christ and the Holy Spirit
*The Application of Redemption
*The Church
*The FutureThe WORKBOOK maintains the clear writing, friendly tone, and frequent applications to life found in the textbook. Students will benefit from this hands-on engagement with the important teachings in Bible Doctrine.
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Concise Guide For Congregational Care
$14.99Add to cartAn essential resource for pastors, care ministers, chaplains, and anyone else who provides spiritual care for people in hospital, hospice, or home settings.
A key feature of The Concise Guide for Congregational Care is its rich assortment of prayers, scripture passages, and other brief readings for spiritual caregivers to use on-the-spot. These are arranged topically, so that caregivers can quickly find the right words to share in each situation. The book also includes important procedures and protocols for providing spiritual care, talking points for particularly challenging circumstances, and links to other helpful resources.
The Concise Guide is based on resources developed at Abingdon Press for use in congregations as part of a comprehensive congregational care ministry. Those resources equip pastors and others to develop, launch, and sustain a congregational care ministry, and to train volunteer care ministers. (See The Congregational Care Ministry: Implementation Guide, and The Congregational Care Ministry: Care Minister’s Manual, by Karen Lampe and Melissa Gepford, and www.thecaringcongregation.com.) The Concise Guide is a take-along resource for care ministers of all types to use while they are providing care. It supplies the essential information and words needed for a variety of care situations, in a format that is easy and appropriate to pull from a bag or pocket at the bedside or other intimate setting.
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Anxiety Field Guide
$18.99Add to cartAnxiety is one of the most pressing mental health issues of our day.
Millions of people in our society suffer from anxiety, often unbeknownst to those around them. The pressures of modern life seem specially designed to cause anxiety, and anxiety is on the rise in recent years. The good news is that anxiety is very treatable. Pastor Jason Cusick tells the story of his own history with anxiety and offers expertise, practical guidance, and empathy. The book is intentionally designed for the reader to be an easy entry point with short, easily digestible chapters and simple step-by-step instructions for developing healthy habits for long-term progress. Cusick presents clinical data alongside pastoral wisdom and care, addressing both the psychological and spiritual aspects of anxiety. Filled with practical advice and the hope of Christ, The Anxiety Field Guide is a rich resource for both those who suffer from anxiety and those in a position to help them.
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Speaking Across Generations
$18.99Add to cartDifferent generations communicate differently.
If you are speaking across generations, you need to understand how different generations hear. Pastor Darrell Hall (a millennial) harnesses the insights of generational science to explore how generations are distinct people groups with their own cultures and languages. With fresh research from the Barna Group on how generations communicate, Hall sheds light on how each generation receives verbal messages, from boomers and Xers to millennials and Gen Z and those not yet named. Discover how generational science can equip you to communicate effectively. Bridge the communication gap between speaker and listener so people of all generations can hear clearly.
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Feathers Of Hope Study Guide
$12.99Add to cartIn a season of loss and change, Wren Crawford and her great-aunt, Katherine Rhodes, share the journey as companions in sorrow and hope.
As Katherine prepares to retire as the director of the New Hope Retreat Center, she faces both personal and professional challenges. How might disruption become a gift that opens the way to new growth? Wren’s world is shifting and expanding as she presses forward in recovery from a period of deep depression. How might art continue to provide a pathway for deepening her awareness of God’s presence with her? In Feathers of Hope, the sequel to Shades of Light and Remember Me, fans of the Sensible Shoes series will not only be able to attend Katherine’s final retreat sessions at New Hope but also encounter old and new friends along the way. This accompanying eight-week study guide provides guidance for individuals or groups participating in a discussion around the book.
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Ending Human Trafficking
$25.99Add to cartHuman trafficking is one of the most pressing social justice issues of our time, and in recent years there has been renewed interest among Christians, as many have been stirred up to take their part in the ongoing battle.
This is a wonderful thing–and yet misinformed and misguided efforts can do more harm than good. Ending Human Trafficking is a handbook designed to educate churches and parachurch organizations for truly effective work. In collaboration with the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College Graduate School and The Global Center for Women and Justice at Vanguard University, Ending Human Trafficking is an accessible and compelling resource for Christian leaders, written by seasoned leaders in the struggle against modern slavery. Grounded in a theological response to the issue and filled with stories, up-to-date data, and practical tools and tips, it promises to be an invaluable resource for years to come.
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Person In Psychology And Christianity
$30.99Add to cartIntegral to a Christian worldview and to psychology are foundational questions about personhood: What characteristics are essential? What is our purpose? Do we naturally incline toward good or bad? Are we accountable for self and responsible for others?
In The Person in Psychology and Christianity, developmental psychologist Marjorie Gunnoe demonstrates how the integration of theological and psychological perspectives offers a more comprehensive understanding of personhood than either approach alone. Gunnoe opens with a brief summary of biblical and theological perspectives on four organizing themes (human essence, purpose, moral tendency, and accountability). She then examines the intersection of this faith-based depiction with five theories of social development proposed by:
*Erik Erikson
*John Bowlby
*B. F. Skinner
*Albert Bandura
*Evolutionary PsychologyFor each, Gunnoe includes a biography, a summary of the theorist’s broad perspective on personhood, and an analysis of the theorist’s stance on the four specific themes. This book is written for a general audience and suitable for undergraduate and graduate instruction.
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Ministry Survival Guide
$19.99Add to cartA Ministry Survival Guide: Straight from the Heart explores the joys and challenges of life in the spotlight of ministry. Relatable stories, survival tips, biblical mentors, and a Bible study guide provide a valuable resource for pastors’ wives, women in ministry, and anyone who desires to thrive, not just survive in the Christian life. This book will help you, live a public-private life, fortify your marriage, balance family and ministry, prevent burnout, navigate transitions, manage painful relationships, grow through personal challenges, build a godly support system, discover blessings beneath burdens, nurture your soul.
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5 Means Of Grace
$10.99Add to cartWesley showed us ways to reorder our lives through the “means of grace.” Recharge. Reboot. Reorder. Whatever you want to call it, we need a process that helps us continuously renew our relationship with God so that we don’t drift away from our faith. Based on The Wesley Covenant for Renewal, Five Means of Grace is a six-week, video-based study that will show you how to reorder your life through prayer, searching Scripture, receiving the Lord’s Supper, fasting, and conferencing (worshiping together). You’ll learn how to recognize and affirm the outward signs, words, and actions of an invisible divine grace, deepening your relationship with God and making your faith more complete. A Leader Guide and DVD are also available.
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Finding I AM Bible Study Book With Video Access
$22.99Add to cartWhat is the deep cry of your heart? The ache in your soul just waiting to be fulfilled? The prayer you keep repeating without end? Jesus not only cares about this deep, spiritual wrestling, but He also wants to step in and see you through it.
Join Lysa TerKeurst on the streets of Israel to explore the I AM statements of Jesus found in the Gospel of John, ultimately trading feelings of emptiness and depletion for the fullness of knowing who Jesus is in this in-depth Bible study.
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Churches And The Crisis Of Decline
$29.99Add to cartCongregations often seek to combat the crisis of decline by using innovation to produce new resources. But leading practical theologian Andrew Root shows that the church’s crisis is not in the loss of resources, it’s in the loss of life–and that life can only return when we remain open to God’s encountering presence.
This new book, related to Root’s critically acclaimed Ministry in a Secular Age project, addresses the practical form the church must take in a secular age. Root uses two stories to frame the book: one about a church whose building becomes a pub and the other about Karl Barth. Root argues that Barth should be understood as a pastor with a deep practical theology that can help church leaders today.
This book pushes the church to be a waiting community that recognizes that the only way for it to find life is to stop seeing the church as the star of its own story. Instead of resisting decline, congregations must remain open to divine action. Root offers a rich vision for the church’s future that moves away from an obsession with relevance and resources and toward the living God.
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Old Testament Exegesis Fifth Edition
$30.00Add to cartFor years, Douglas Stuart’s Old Testament Exegesis has been one of the most popular ways to learn how to perform exegesis-the science and art of interpreting biblical texts properly for understanding as well as proclamation. This new edition includes a major revision and expansion of online and other resources for doing biblical research and updates past editions by including a helpful configuration of the format for the exegesis process. Stuart provides guidance for full exegesis as well as for a quicker approach specifically tailored to the task of preaching. A glossary of terms explains the sometimes-bewildering language of biblical scholarship, and a list of frequent errors guides the student in avoiding common mistakes. No exegetical guide for the Old Testament has been more widely used in training ministers and students to be faithful, careful interpreters of Scripture.
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Wait Is This Racist
$25.00Add to cartWait-Is This Racist? offers a “be-it-yourself” guide to anti-racism for churches by examining all operations of church life so that churches and church leaders can create a workable action plan to truly become more justice-oriented organizations.
A “Be-It-Yourself” Guide to Anti-racism for Churches and Church Leaders
Whether you have been an ally for years or just recently opened your eyes to racial injustice, guiding your predominantly white church toward anti-racism is a daunting task. Where do you even begin? White churches especially feel an urgency to respond but at the same time suffer a sense of overwhelmingness and futility, as if no one action, sermon series, or service project will solve the problem of racism in America. And they’re right. Instead, we must begin to look deeply at our organizations-our traditions, our ministries, our leadership, our ways of making decisions, our ways of interacting with the world beyond the church-to identify and address implicit biases and to discover how white pseudo-supremacy has been encoded into our way of “doing church.”
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Connections Worship Companion Year C Volume 2
$32.00Add to cartThis volume offers complete liturgies- from the call to worship to the closing charge, with prayers and litanies for every need in between-for all worshiping occasions for the season after Pentecost of Year C. Part of the Connections commentary series, these worship resources help congregations illuminate the connections between Scripture and liturgical rhythms. A “Making Connections” essay precedes each liturgical season’s resources, providing context for worship within the themes and purpose of the season.
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Who Moved My Neighborhood
$18.99Add to cartNeighborhoods are moving.
While neighborhood changes can mean exciting and fresh opportunities for some, the experience can be vastly different for long-time residents. The rapid movement of people means changes in employment, economics, landscape, demographics, and the feel of a community. Churches often experience the painful impact of these shifts. Depending on how a church navigates through these changes determines if it will either live, die, or be reduced to a tragic existence on life support. Mark Strong knows the obstacles connected with gentrification and the challenges it brings. As a pastor, he led his church through its own moved neighborhood in Portland. Strong shares the frustrations, surprises, and joys that his church experienced as their neighborhood shifted, and he provides the roadmap that his own church used to navigate the change. Who Moved My Neighborhood? gives insight to churches that need to heal from the wounds of gentrification and economic change, and revamp their mission amidst an uncertain future. Using the discussion guide included in the book, churches can discuss their own moved neighborhood and explore the unique next steps that God has for their community. There is hope and a future for congregations that face a moved neighborhood.
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Gods Word To Pastors Revised And Updated (Revised)
$26.99Add to cartA Handbook of Questions and Answers for Pastors
This quick-read handbook, packed with biblical wisdom and practical guidance from the pastoral trenches will equip and encourage you in the midst of ministry.
Bob Yandian, a veteran pastor of more than 30 years, provides answers to common questions relating to your everyday pastoral duties and personal life.
In God’s Word to Pastor’s Revised and Expanded, Bob covers topics such as…
*The first pastors conference in Acts 20
*Passion vs. calling
*Daily schedules
*Living a balanced life
*Wolves after your sheep
*The glorious church
*Pastors need pastors
*Whose flock do you pastor?
*Spiritual workaholics
*Family before ministry
*The pastor’s heart
*The bond of peaceBob will help you apply timeless biblical wisdom to the issues and dynamics of today’s pastoral ministry.
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How To Thrive As A Pastors Wife
$29.99Add to cartEvery pastor’s wife is a faithful servant and leader in her own right. She has great influence on her church, her community, her family, and her husband, and she finds joy in seeing God move in the lives of others. Yet she also faces unique challenges that too often go unnoticed and unaddressed. At times, a pastor’s wife may feel she can’t talk about her struggles even with those who are closest to her, which can leave her feeling alone, depleted, and misunderstood. She may settle for this way of living, but that’s not God’s desire for her.
Christine Hoover knows firsthand the unique struggles and opportunities afforded a pastor’s wife–she’s been filling that role for more than 20 years. Coming alongside as an understanding friend, she offers encouragement and guidance to the struggling pastor’s wife, showing her how to make meaningful personal relationships with God, her husband, her children, her church community, and other women–relationships that will sustain her and help her thrive.
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Professional Christian : Being Fully Yourself In The Spotlight Of Public Mi
$25.00Add to cartAs church leaders, we live our lives within the spotlight of professional ministry. To best love and serve God and our neighbors, we aim to be the fullest, truest versions of ourselves. However, we often struggle to do so with integrity. What if our preaching or singing feels like a performance? Are we supposed to hide our imperfections and let people see only the shiniest parts of our lives? If you have ever felt like you’re working under a microscope or that you’ve been put on a pedestal you don’t want or deserve, know that you are not alone.
Professional Christian gathers the wisdom from fifty church leaders in a variety of roles (including Sandhya Jha, Jacqueline J. Lewis, Bruce Reyes-Chow, Nikki Toyama-Szeto, and Will Willimon) on topics such as authenticity, privacy, boundaries, doubt, self-care, and the challenges of being held to a higher standard. The stories, advice, and wisdom from these leaders help to show us that thriving in ministry should not have to come at the expense of our identity and relationships. Written by a church musician with over twenty years of experience in ministry, Professional Christian helps church leaders learn to flourish as an integrated person of faith living out their call to vocational ministry.
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Seamless Bible Study Book With Video Access (Student/Study Guide)
$19.99Add to cartIn 7 sessions, Seamless covers the people, places, and promises of the Bible, tying them together into the greater story of Scripture. You’ll gain an overarching understanding of the fundamental layout and meaning of God’s Word.
Seamless will help replace the insecurity that holds you back with clarity and helping you move forward with confidence in their understanding of Scripture. Each week of study features key information that ties all of Scripture together into the seamless truth of the gospel message and is accompanied by maps, general Bible facts, and word studies.
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Armor Of God Bible Study Book With Video Access
$24.99Add to cartAll day, every day, an invisible war rages around you – unseen, unheard, yet felt throughout every aspect of your life. A devoted, devilish enemy seeks to wreak havoc on everything that matters to you: your heart, your mind, your marriage, your children, your relationships, your resilience, your dreams, your destiny.
But his battle plan depends on catching you unaware and unarmed. If you’re tired of being pushed around and caught with your guard down, this study is for you.
The enemy always fails miserably when he meets a woman dressed for the occasion. The Armor of God, more than merely a biblical description of the believer’s inventory, is an action plan for putting it on and developing a personalized strategy to secure victory.
