Pastoral Helps
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Critique Of Modern Youth Ministry
$7.00Add to cartThe church today does not expect what it ought to from children and their parents, and this can be attributed in large part to a flawed concept of youth ministry. This booklet discusses the reasons behind this problem and presents biblical solutions.
The intent of this booklet is to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.
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Words For Worship
$18.99Add to cartThis collection by Arlene M. Mark is a ready resource for pastors and leaders to enrich and deepen worship together. When offered in bulletins, these words can become congregational statements that unify believers and nourish faith and discipleship. Responsive readings come from all ages of the church- our common Christian legacy.
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Wrinkled Wrappings
$12.95Add to cartWrinkled Wrappings is a series of pulpit messages for Advent and Christmas carved from the pen and emanating from the heart of a distinguished preacher whose messages inspire hope in the hearts of believers. Brokhoff is especially skilled at relating biblical stories to modern life. The flowing style of these sermons is peppered with gripping illustrations that catch us where we are and carry us along as he shines the light of God’s Word into our lives.
Sermons are based on texts from Mark, Luke, John, and Isaiah.
Sermon titles include:
You’re Going To Have A Baby
Good News For Bad Times
God With A Human Face
Happy Next Year? -
Who Me Do A Program 1
$17.95Add to cartThe title of this book is a cry often heard by leaders of organizations. This resource is a response to that cry. Designed to be a 12-month guide, there are programs for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, the Christmas season, Lent and more.
The programs are designed for easy implementation at women’s meetings, youth gatherings and congregational events. Leader’s helps are provided to indicate what props, songs and readers are needed. This collection of 15 programs is reflective, at times humorous, and includes skits, meditations and other suggestions to fit particular seasons.Programs for various months include:
* February — A Heart Filled With Love
* March — From Slavery To Sainthood
* May — A Humorous Look At Some Hopeful Women
* July — God’s Picnic Basket
* August — The Armor Of God
* October — In Pursuit Of The Right Spirit
* November — The Exodus Murmurs
* … and eight more -
Preaching The Parables Series 2 Cycle A
$20.95Add to cartParables provide insights and lessons which are timeless. When they are employed in preaching the hearer receives images which are easy to remember. Preaching the Parables provides a means of communicating the teachings of Jesus for modern Christians.
With each parable Keeney includes:
Scripture Text -so readers don’t have to refer to the Bible
Theme
Context:
of the church year
of the passage or verse
of the other lections for the day
of the scriptures
of the pericope
Contemplation
Homily Hints
“Point of Contact”
“Points to Ponder”
Illustrative Materials -
Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series 5 Cycle A
$42.95Add to cartBigger, stronger, better! Russell Anderson has taken the most original and successful lectionary resource in history and improved on it. He has kept all of the traditional features that have made it a classic, such as: overviews of each liturgical season, commentaries compatible with the Revised Common and Roman Catholic lectionaries (plus Lutheran and Episcopal lections for those gradually converting to the Revised Common Lectionary), an introduction to the featured Gospel narrator (Matthew, in Cycle A), theological reflections for exploring the relationships between the texts, wide margins for note-taking and a stay-flat binding.
Instead of stopping there, though, he has added: a 7″ x 10″ one-size-fits-all format, a suggested sermon title for each week, a Sermon Angle which briefly explicates the theological theme for the day (sometimes providing two or three of them) and two to four illustrative stories per chapter.
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Invitations To The Light Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartThe fascination of story telling is felt in these eleven sermons for the Pentecost season. Vibrantly illustrated, they powerfully communicate the good news of God’s love. Wolkenhauer writes, “The use of story in preaching can be a memorable way to proclaim the Gospel. In these sermons I have sought a variety of examples for the use of story in sermons.
Included here are sermons for the final third of the Season after Pentecost, Christ the King Sunday, All Saints’ Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Reformation Sunday.
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Good News For The Hard Of Hearing Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartJesus spoke to people whose “hearts have grown dull, and their ears hard of hearing” — like today’s churchgoers who think they know what the preacher is going to say before the sermon begins. These sermons use parable and paradox, narrative and humor, imagination and solid biblical scholarship to tell the good news people don’t expect to hear.
I hear best what I want to hear and I shut out the things I don’t want to hear. I hear, “Great sermon, Pastor!” better than I hear, “I notice your hair is getting thinner” … I have no problem at all hearing the good news that I am forgiven. I have a really hard time hearing a parable that tells me I will suffer the tortures of the damned until I forgive. These sermons have been influenced by preachers who have gotten through to me despite my spiritual hearing impairment. Craddock, Buechner and Lowry … David Buttrick … Harry Emerson Fosdick … (from author’s preface)
Sermons in this book are based on lections for the middle third of the Season after Pentecost.
Sermon titles include:
Prayer and Compassion Fatigue — Matthew 14:13-21
Love Without Limits — Matthew 15:10-28
Good News: Life Is Not Fair — Matthew 20:1-16
Why Do We Ignore Warning Signs? — Matthew 21:33-46 -
Veiled Glimpses Of Gods Glory
$12.95Add to cartThis volume makes clear why Robert Grilley has won awards and wide acclaim for his preaching. These messages bring the reality of God to contemporary life.
He listens as we sometimes speak of how difficult it is to find God and how we receive only veiled glimpses of His glory. These sermons allow us to discover that the Almighty is actually trying to find us … as the love of One searching for absent sheep, crying aloud through the night in a familiar voice and reaching down steep ravines with his shepherd’s crook. It is the love of One waiting wistfully at the gate where the road winds in from a far country, tenderly whispering a name through choked tears and hoping that some day the silhouette of a long lost child will again appear on the horizon. -
Tenders Of The Sacred Fire Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartThese sermons are based on First Lesson lectionary texts for the first third of the Season after Pentecost, Cycle A.
[Bob Cueni’s] preaching meets the unspoken criteria most pew residents bring to a church sanctuary: 1) biblically rooted, 2) easy to understand, 3) tells me something about myself that I feel God wants me to know, and 4) encourages me to believe that I can apply this truth to my life…. His communication style evokes the highest praise pulpit residents can give their peers: “That will preach!”
Herb Miller Lubbock, TexasSermon titles include:
The Risky Business Of Faith — Genesis 12:1-9
When Life Doesn’t Go According To Plan — Genesis 21:8-21
Don’t Sell Your Inheritance For Cabbage Soup — Genesis 25:19-34 -
Jesus Epilogue To The Sermon On The Mount
$12.95Add to cartCharles Link takes the unique approach that the Lord’s Prayer is a further interpretation of Jesus’ Sermon On The Mount, summarizing the major themes of his teachings and providing a means for “signing on” to their morally demanding and culture countering ethics.
Designed with two six-chapter sections, its frequent references to the Lord’s Prayer make this book a useful companion to the Lord’s Prayer sermon series, A New Hearing Of An Old Prayer, by Thomas C. Short (CSS Publishing Co. 1995). In the first half of the book Link explores the realm of God. In the second half he outlines our role in that realm. Readers will particularly enjoy the author’s questions and group participation suggestions to stimulate their learning and growth. This book will give the Lord’s Prayer new meaning.
Chapter titles include:
Jesus As Teacher Of The Realm Of God
Trusting Our Parent-God
Forgiven Forgivers
An “Amen” People -
Mothers Of The Bible
$12.95Add to cartWe often hear of the lack of and the need for, strong role models in our society. This worship service, about 10 biblical women who overcame seemingly impossible situations by being faithful to God, provides just such role models, The traumatic experiences and depths of faith of these women, though poignant, are rarely considered in today’s society.
These 10 women came from various levels of society and had different types of problems. Yet, they all knew God as their only hope and refuge. An excellent resource for Mother’s Day, it is also great for other special occasions.
Characters included are:
* Hagar
* Sarah
* Moses’ mother
* Rahab
* Deborah
* Naomi and Ruth
* Hannah
* Esther
* Elizabeth -
Regarding Children
$28.00Add to cartThis series examines major changes that occur in the life cycle of a family: leaving home, becoming married, raising children, recommitting to a relationship–or committing to a new one–and living alone. Books address the major tasks of the family; rituals that enable effective transitions as those tasks change; beliefs and values from the Christian tradition that shape and are shaped by those family tasks; and pastoral opportunities in response to family life-cycle generations.
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1001 Humorous Illustrations For Public Speaking
$24.99Add to cartYou have something important to say. Are you sure your audience is listening? Clocks start ticking in the minds of your listeners the minute you begin your presentation. These clocks measure the amount of time you have to interest them before their attention wanders elsewhere. Could be three minutes. Could be thirty seconds. But make your audience laugh and they forget about their clocks. They are too busy listening. Make them laugh and they will listen. Humor is one of your most powerful tools as a speaker, and 1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking lets you wield it with power. Michael Hodgin has compiled hundreds of humorous anecdotes on dozens of topics and brought them together in one book. From “Ability” and “Accidents” to “Work” and “Worship,” Hodgin’s illustrations are arranged according to topic and indexed to help you quickly find the perfect anecdote. The book also provides space to record the times and places you use each illustration, so no one will hear you tell the same joke twice. Ideal for preachers, teachers, executives, and anyone else who speaks publicly, 1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking will keep your audience laughing — and listening to every word you say.
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Spiritual Life : The Foundation For Preaching And Teaching
$26.00Add to cartJohn Westerhoff offers this resource to help preachers and teachers revitalize their lives and ministries. Noting that the health of our spiritual life is based on our image of God, he asks readers to open their imaginations to new ways of knowing. Recognizing that the spiritual life can be fostered in many ways, he helps readers recognize which types of spiritual formation are most compatible with particular personality types.
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Preaching That Connects
$14.99Add to cartMaster the craft of effective communication that grabs attention and wins hearts. Like everyone else, preachers long to be understood. Unfortunately the rules first learned in seminary, if misapplied, can quickly turn homiletic precision into listening boredom. To capture both hearts and minds, Mark Galli and Craig Larson suggest preachers turn to the lessons of journalism. In Preaching that Connects they show how the same key used to create effective, captivating communication in the media can transform a sermon. Amply illustrated from some of today’s best preachers, Preaching that Connects walks through the entire sermon, from the critical introduction, to the bridge, to the illustrations and final application. Key points include the five key techniques for generating creative ideas, your six options for illustrations, and the ten rules for great story-telling — and why the transition sentence is the hardest sentence you’ll write. Preaching that Connects is for all who seek to hone their craft to communicate the truth of the Gospel effectively.
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Healers Harmed And Harmful
$21.00Add to cart“At a time when clergy misconduct is broadly reported, Conrad Weiser offers a straightforward, theoretically orthodox, and practical way of both understanding and addressing the issues. Leadership, laity, and clergy would be served well by reading and reflecting on Weiser’s wisdom.”
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Educating Congregations : The Future Of Christian Education
$22.99Add to cartA leading Christian educator offers a practical guide for revisioning a church’s educational program. After identifying the weaknesses in current education programs, Charles Foster offers an alternative vision that is more cooperative, more attentive to the whole of the congregation’s life, and that helps people critically correlate the Bible and Christian tradition to their own experience.
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Reclaiming The Bible
$30.00Add to cartIn this series of messages based on scripture, the author demonstrates the vital applications of the Bible for our own times. He illuminates the great words of faith for contemporary use–words like love, grace, and reconciliation. He interprets characters from the Bible, sheding modern light on the events of Jesus’ life. He also addresses social issues such as sexuality and violence, showing that the message of God’s grace is relevant for our time.
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I Come Away Stronger A Print On Demand Title
$39.99Add to cartMillions of Americans are joining small groups. Among the religious, prayer fellowships, accountability groups, house churches, Bible-study groups, and covenant groups are being touted as the wave of the future. But are small groups delivering what they promise? Are members really finding the support, encouragement, and deepening spirituality they seek? Or are the answers ambiguous?
I Come Away Stronger, the complement to Robert Wuthnow’s Sharing the Journey, presents fourteen case studies of small groups – from a women’s Bible study, to a peace fellowship, to a group for senior citizens. What small groups are like nationally and how their members understand spirituality can be gauged from the results of a national survey presented in the appendix.
This survey is given life and flesh in the extended portraits of each of the groups. These portraits are powerful and highly personal because they tell the stories, both collective and personal, of each group, revealing agreement and dissension, closeness and alienation, growth and stagnation. The result is an intimate inside look at the dynamics of small groups.
In a concluding chapter, Wuthnow places the small group movement in the changing context of American religion and society, showing why is has emerged and where it is headed, raising crucial questions that religious leaders and group members need to ponder as the movement continues to grow.
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Guide To Retreat For All Gods Shepherds
$23.99Add to cartA Guide To Retreat is designed to assist you in a time of reflection, prayer, and renewal. The resources included are intended to help you turn more fully towards God, to drink more deeply of God, and to prepare you for faithful ministry.
The author examines facing the desert times in our lives, explores personal identity and its meaning in ministry, and much more. A book for conducting one’s own ministerial/spiritual retreat, facing such concerns as “When All I Hear is Silence,” “The Tension Between Doing and Being,” and “Who Really Calls and Sends?”
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Marriage Manual A Print On Demand Title
$23.99Add to cartThis book is divided into two parts: Part 1: Arranging the Wedding: Present day concerns and celebrations Ministry before and after the ceremony Making the service more personal Conducting the service Music and the wedding Guidelines for weddings and receptions This edition contains the newest liturgies available from a variety of denominations. Part 2: Model Services A Classical Service A Baptist Service An Episcopal Service A Lutheran Service A Presbyterian Service A United Methodist Service The Blessing of a Civil Marriage
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Funeral Manual
$25.99Add to cart1. The Christian Funeral Service
2. Planning The Service
3. Conducting The Service
4. Music And Other Resources
5. The Funeral Sermon
6. Developing A Church Policy On Funerals
7. A United Methodist Service
8. An Episcopal Service
9. A Presbyterian Service
10. A Unite DChurch Of Christ Service
11. A Baptist Service
12. A Lutheran Service
13. Service For The Burial Of A Child
14. A Free ServiceAdditional Info
This book seeks to furnish working pastors with a selection of funeral services and to guide them in planning and conducting the funeral service. The book also offers help in developing a funeral policy in a local church and resources for educating a congregation in death, dying, and the Christian funeral service. -
Hospital Visitation Manual
$24.99Add to cartThis book is written primarily to enable the working pastor to become more effective in giving spiritual care both at home and in the hospital. The first four chapters of this manual will help you get acquainted with the hospital community and learn steps in visiting the sick. It also explains the pastor’s role with the sick and the patient’s relationship to the illness. Part two of this manual offers guidelines on pastoral care for specific types of patients; Aids patient, Burn patient, Cancer patient, Coronary patient, etc. The last part deals with services, prayers, poems, hymns, and selected Scripture passages.
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Finneys Systematic Theology (Expanded)
$45.00Add to cartTrue to Scripture, true to reason, and true to life.
Discover why these writings have been the impetus for revivals around the world.
Students of revival agree that Charles Grandison Finney spearheaded one of America’s greatest revivals and influenced the course of history. Church rolls swelled in the wake of Finney’s revivals. He is often directly or indirectly credited with the conversions of around 500,000 people.
Finney’s theological convictions were born in the fires of revival and shaped by a keen lawyer’s mind committed to the full authority of the Bible. He gave his life to promote: “The return to and practice of Biblical Christianity in the power of the Holy Spirit for the sake of God’s kingdom and glory.” The distinctive truths that Finney preached brought such a deep conviction of sin that today’s church does well when it studies his position on the moral government of God, the nature of man, the atonement, sovereignty, attributes of love, unity of moral action and regeneration.
This expanded volume represents the complete 1878 edition, two lectures of truth from the earlier 1847 and 1851 editions, a comprehensive introduction from L.G. Parkhurst, Jr., plus appendixes, a glossary, and a scripture index.
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Giving Birth
$40.00Add to cartThe birth of a child is important in the lives of women, families, and communities. But as a metaphor for pastoral practice, it is a sadly underdeveloped theme in theology and ministry. The author offers a remedy for this lack with this unique work, urging the incorporation into worship of Scripture with allusions to birthing–which would enliven the church’s theology.
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Days Are Surely Coming Cycle C
$12.95Add to cartIn Bethlehem the rules are different. We get by giving. We win by losing. We live by dying. These are principles set forth by a God who comes to us, not under Herod’s golden crown, but Jesus’ thorny crown, not with legions of soldiers, but legions of angels, not in great Jerusalem, but in tiny Bethlehem. Let us begin our journey there. From the Advent 3 sermon
Robert A. Hausman writes that once again in Advent, we tell Israel’s story of hope against hope. We believe the promise of a shoot coming forth from a dead stump, of a king who executes justice.
“In faith we are ready to be called by the name, ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ We remember not only the promise, but also the fulfillment,” says the author.
The 17 sermons in this book are based on the First Lesson texts primarily from Isaiah and Jeremiah. The sermons follow the Revised Common Lectionary.
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Out Of The Cults And Into The Church
$20.99Add to cart10 Chapters
222 PagesAdditional Info
There are plenty of books that tell you what a particular cult believes. “Out Of The Cults And Into The Church” shows you the turmoil and adjustments that former cult members experience as they grow in Christian faith and come to terms with bilical truth. Drawing upon the composite experiences of former cult members from Mormonism, the Unification Church, Hare Krishnas, and her own experience, Janis Hutchinson provides a one-of-a-kind counseling tool for pastors, counselors, and friends seeking to understand and help both former cult members and active cult members who are “investigating” evangelical Christianity. “Out Of The Cults And Into The Church” answers the difficult questions faced by all who have left cults and those who counsel them. -
Hot Illustrations For Youth Talks
$22.99Add to cartYour search for lively, effective illustrations to spice up your youth talks is over. Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks is here! Veteran youth worker and nationally-known speaker Wayne Rice has carefully selected and crafted 100 of the best stories, parables and anecdotes available anywhere.
Rice has assembled this collection of illustrations from his personal files and from the files of some of youth ministry’s best speakers, including:
Tony Campolo, Ray Johnston, Les Christie, Rick Bundschuh, Chap Clark, Ken Kageler, Dewey Bertolini, Mike Yaconellie and many more.These illustrations cover the spectrum-some will make you laugh, some will make you cry, and all of them will make you think. What they all have in common is that they work with teenagers. They’re just the thing to give your youth talks that extra spark you’re looking for.
You’ll love what Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks will do for your youth talks. And your kids will love you for it!
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Creative Bible Lessons From The Life Of Christ
$22.99Add to cartDo you want to teach solid Biblical truth to your kids without their eyes glazing over as soon as you say “open your Bibles”? Now you can, with Creative Bible Lessons on the Life of Christ. Veteran youth worker and Bible teacher Doug Fields has crafted 12 lively, ready-to-use lessons that actually make it fun to dig into Scripture. Fields utilizes creative learning techniques to spark your kids’ interest and keep them actively involved in each lesson, including: – Learning games . . . – Hilarious handouts – Art projects anyone can do . . . Challenging simulations – Thought-provoking worksheets . . . – Skits and roleplays These techniques are built into clear, easy-to-use lessons that keep your kids active as they absorb the Biblical truth of each lesson. Fields also provides you with a brief teaching outline in each lesson that you can present to bring the message home. Best of all, these lessons are so complete, they require very little preparation time. You’ll be able to build quality, creative Bible teaching into your busy schedule — with Creative Bible Lessons on the Life of Christ
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Everyday Anytime Guide To Christian Leadership
$12.00Add to cartThe Everyday, Anytime Guide to Christian Leadership is a book for you regardless of when or where you find yoursef leading. It provides a wonderful oppurtunity to learn about the real character of leadership from someone who models what he teaches.
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Islam : An Introduction For Christians
$19.99Add to cartWhat do Muslims believe? How do Muslims pray and worship? What are the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam? These and many other questions are answered in this informative introduction to Islam. Christians of all denominations will find reliable and up to date information on Islam and its relationship to Christianity. The first part of the book surveys the faith and life of Islam, exploring the subjects of the Qur’an, Muhammad, beliefs about God, justice and the law, women and family, death and eternal life. Part 2 tells about Islam in North America, both its early history and the current situatuion. Part 3 describes various groups and movements within Islam. Part 4 looks at Islam and Christianity, their encounters in history, the Bible and the Qur’an, and how Jesus is regarded by Muslims. Part 5 presents a Christian evaluation of Islam.
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Teaching For Spiritual Growth
$24.99Add to cartTeaching for Spiritual Growth deals with two important questions: 1) What does it mean to be spiritually mature ? and 2) What can the church do to help people grow spiritually? These questions are explored from the perspectives of theology, developmental psychology, and educational learning theory. The book integrates the three perspectives into a unified view of the teaching-learning process based on a biblical view of persons: 1. Theology: the divine side of spiritual growth. What does the nature of God tell us about teaching spiritual maturity? 2. Psychology: how God has designed people to grow. How does human development affect the process of achieving spiritual maturity? 3. Education: the learning process that produces spiritual growth. What is the process people go through to achieve spiritual maturity? The goal is to help readers develop a philosophy of Christian education that will be applicable to a variety of ministry contexts.
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Using Scripture In Pastoral Counseling
$20.99Add to cartDrawing on narrative biblical criticism and the psychology of narrative, the book suggests a model for pastoral counseling using Scripture to explore and release human possiblities. Detailed case studies are presented to depict the way the Bible can be used with counselees. Particular attention is given to pastoral counseling with individuals, marital couples, and families who bring to pastoral counseling a history of employing Scripture to bring order and meaning to their lives. Often, however, the biblical story seems to be secondary in their lives, and a more dominant and unhealthy story is primary. The method of using Scripture suggested in this book illuminates how the Bible story challenges and transforms unhealthy dominant stories that people bring to counseling.
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Community Of Joy
$22.99Add to cartIf congregations are to reach new generations of people, they must explore new styles of worship. Timothy Wright stikes a balance between liturgical worhip and worship that seeks to meet the needs of the unchurched and those who have a “hi-tech”, baby-boomer mentality. Written by a pastor in a vital and growing congregation, A COMMUNITY OF JOY suggests practical, innovative, and nontraditional forms of worship, enabling churches to minister more effectively.
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African American Church Growth
$20.99Add to cartAfrican American Church Growth offers 12 principles for prophetic ministry. Stewart contends that it is precisely the prophetic consciousness which appeals to many blacks of the post-civil rights era, and that emphasis on the prophetic will help bring the black church out of the disillusionment of a “post-civil rights malaise.”
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Social Context Of Pastoral Care
$40.00Add to cartBecause their work focuses primarily on the fields of theology and psychology, pastoral caregivers have often neglected to take into account the social forces that affect both the careseeker and the caregiver. Furniss introduces sociology as a third discipline to draw upon in their work. Biographical notes about key figures in sociology and a glossary are included.
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Old Wine In New Skins 1
$16.95Add to cart“Worship must be directly connected to our daily lives,” writes George A. Nye. “It must address our fears, our hopes, even our indifferences.”
Old Wine In New Skins provides pastors many resources to make the connection. These include 66 calls to worship, 13 preparations for pastoral prayers and 52 reflections.
Calls to worship categories include:
With praise and celebration
Using traditional hymns and praise hymns
Relating to a story
With a commitment theme
Involving personal preparation
By seasonA preparation for pastoral prayer section helps pastors broaden a congregation’s understanding of how to approach God in prayer. Thirteen “preparations” are provided, including one for Advent-Christmas.
Fifty-two short reflections cover eight major themes for countless pastoral uses. These are easily adopted for mini-devotions, sermon illustrations, and newsletter meditations.
