Pastoral Helps
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Preaching The 10 Commandments
$11.95Add to cartThis book examines the Ten Commandments to see how they are relevant for us today. Initially presented as a series of sermons delivered in an African American congregation, the author offers new ways of understanding and applying these universal and timeless truths first given to Moses on Mt. Sinai.
In some of the chapters, Dr. Ingraham defies political correctness in offering his personal convictions. In the chapter dealing with the commandment forbidding murder, he challenges the fallacy of those who advocate abolishing capital punishment because it does not stop the commission of that crime. He retorts, “Why not abolish speeding laws since people continue to speed!”
In all the commandments, the author provides practical ways for Christians in particular to fulfill them. In the chapter forbidding adultery, he presents ways that couples might foster their relationship. In the chapter forbidding the desecration of God’s name, he presents alternatives of the kind of speech we should engage in.
The book is reader friendly, and each chapter concludes with questions for discussion. It is an excellent resource for both personal and group study.
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Messy Easter : Three Complete Sessions And A Treasure Trove Of Ideas For Le
$25.99Add to cartChocolate bunnies, marshmallow chicks, colored eggs, and baskets are a lot of fun, but is that all this season is about?
The new resource Messy Easter offers your church a tool to bring together people of all ages and all stages of faith for a unique come-as-you-are experience of
creativity-allowing space for all to play and create
celebration-worshiping God for his redeeming work in Jesus
hospitality-sharing a meal where all are welcomeThese three once-a-month sessions help us learn more about Lent, Holy Week, and Easter in an excitedly messy way!
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Freedom Realized : Finding Freedom From Homosexuality And Living A Life Fre
$17.99Add to cartFreedom Realized is a passionate call to hold the front line of holiness concerning true and lasting freedom in Christ, as well as a practical ministry guide for “ex-gay” ministries, pastoral care ministries that really help people overcome homosexuality.
Insider Stephen Black presents clear evidence that former gays and lesbians are finding lasting freedom from a life defined by “gay” identity fallacies. The results of First Stone Ministries’ groundbreaking, long-term survey highlight the freedom former homosexuals are finding through Christ and the power of the gospel.
Freedom Realized brings you the behind-the-scenes story of the collapse of the Exodus International ministry to homosexuals, common causes for homosexuality, and real-life illustrations of effective ministry approaches. Readers will also discover:
-Deceptive messages that lower the bar of biblical standards and hinder freedom
-What works and what doesnt in “ex-gay” ministry
-Why some fail and go back into darkness
-Insight from 16 seasoned leaders in overcoming same-sex attractions -
Signs Of The Christ Teachers Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$15.95Add to cartThe key to understanding the Gospel of John is an awareness of its purpose: to offer “proof” that Jesus is the Messiah. This Signs of the Christ Teacher’s Guide–and separate Book & Study Guide–help the reader, small group, university, or seminary class understand the theological significance of each of Christ’s signs recorded in John’s gospel.
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Signs Of The Christ Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$15.95Add to cartThe key to understanding the Gospel of John is an awareness of its purpose: to offer “proof” that Jesus is the Messiah. This Signs of the Christ Study Guide–and separate Book & Teacher’s Guide–help the reader, small group, university, or seminary class understand the theological significance of each of Christ’s signs recorded in John’s gospel.
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Signs Of The Christ Textbook
$18.95Add to cartThe key to understanding the Gospel of John is an awareness of its purpose: to offer “proof” that Jesus is the Messiah. The Signs of the Christ text–and separate Teacher’s Guide and Study Guide–help the reader, small group, university, or seminary class understand the theological significance of each of Christ’s signs recorded in John’s gospel
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All Things New Youth Group Edition
$14.99Add to cartThree Saints Press
Jessa Gray has always felt broken inside; after a severe accident leaves her damaged on the outside, she can no longer pretend she’s okay. Relevant, relatable and uplifting, ALL THINGS NEW celebrates the transforming power of hope. This Youth Group Edition contains discussion questions suitable for middle school and high school church youth groups
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Sermones Actuales Sobre Animal – (Spanish)
$21.99Add to cartUn libro actual de sermones para predicar de forma tematica sobre los animales en la Biblia con un lenguaje y estilo contemporaneo. Su proposito es brindar una base a partir de la cual el predicador pueda modificar, intercalar y adecuar a cada comunidad eclesial el mensaje o sermon que se quiere comunicar. Esta dividido tematicamente en los siguiente sgrupos:
* Primera parte: Los animales
* Segunda parte: Los peces
* Tercera parte: Las aves
* Cuarta parte: Los insectos
* Quinta parte: Los anfibios y reptiles
* Sexta parte: Bestias del apocalipsisEste libro busca ayudar al predicador en su ministerio de compartir el Evangelio, en la era actual de la globalizacion y postmodernidad. El proposito no es de dar un sermon o mensaje cerrado o listo para el predicador, sino mas bien el poder dar una base a partir de la cual poder modificar, intercalar y adecuar a cada comunidad eclesial el mensaje o sermon que se quiere comunicar.
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Stride : Creating A Discipleship Pathway For Your Church
$14.99Add to cartChurches of all types around the country are struggling. The more programs they try the more evident it becomes that there is no quick fix or secret formula to help them out of their rut. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Movement, once said, “The way to keep a Methodist alive is to keep him moving.” It is time to recapture this simple yet profound truth and get back to the basics of making fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. The authors developed and launched a highly successful pathway to discipleship in their church (Morning Star UMC, in St.Louis). Here, they show others how to create a successful discipleship pathway for their own particular contexts, based on the principles developed at Morning Star. Willard and Scheiner share the process of developing a discipleship pathway that meets individual people where they are. They provide examples of each element and practical instruction on how to plan, implement and sustain the discipleship pathway. The authors are teaching this material in conferences around the UM connection, from New Mexico to Missouri. They also share examples of how the pathway works in other churches.
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Divergent Church : The Bright Promise Of Alternative Faith Communities
$18.99Add to cartNew faith communities are appearing across the U.S.. Many of them bear little resemblance-on the surface-to ‘church’ in its conventional form. But when we look a little deeper we see striking continuity with the most deeply rooted practices of the Christian faith in community. What are those practices? What do these unconventional, alternative faith communities look like? How are they, perhaps, indicators of a hopeful new future for the church? And what can we learn from them? Authors Kara Brinkerhoff and Tim Shapiro spent more than a year researching and exploring these questions, closely examining the life of a dozen alternative faith communities across the country. They include new monastic communities, food-oriented communities, affinity group communities, house churches, hybrid churches and others. They are creative, ingenious, innovative, clever, dynamic and transformative. But they represent human expressions of activities that have always been part of human religious congregations: hospitality, learning, storytelling, care, leadership, worship and honoring place. This fascinating book goes beyond simply analyzing current trends. It reveals how innovative Christians are engaging in time-honored practices, creating new types of communities, which will shape the church to come. Further, it shows us how we too might innovate while holding true to the essential practices of our gathered faith. This is an instructive picture of Christian community, past, present and future.
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Love Big Be Well
$24.99Add to cartJonas McAnn is a weary pastor without a congregation, trapped in a dead-end insurance job. Granby Presbyterian is a weary congregation without a pastor, overwhelmed by the prospect of finding someone who actually wants to be a pastor–not a manager, coach, or CEO.
When Granby’s pastoral search committee and Jonas connect through handwritten letters passed back and forth, something sparks between them–something so real and refreshing that even after Jonas and his family move to Granby, he continues the regular practice of writing letters to his congregation.
Spanning seven years of his ministry at Granby Presbyterian, Jonas’s letters ruminate on everything from fly-fishing to the Nicene Creed. They reveal the earthy spirituality woven into the joys and sorrows of the people of Granby, the community of the church, and Jonas’s own unfolding story.
Readers will discover what it means for a pastor and a church to do the slow work of ministry in community–anchored by a common place and buoyed by a life of faith that is meaningful, rooted, and true.
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Daniel Dilemma Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartAs Christians, how do we not only stay engaged with the ever-shifting, ungodly culture around us but also influence it for good? How do we stand strong without becoming brittle and dogmatic? How do we love people vastly different in their attitudes and lifestyles without compromising our biblical beliefs? These questions are being asked by Christians today from breakfast tables to water coolers to Bible study groups.
The book of Daniel provides us with clear answers. At the young age of sixteen, the Babylonians enslaved Daniel and took him from his homeland. Yet for the next seventy years of his captivity, Daniel remained firmly dedicated to God and his faith without yielding to the pagan influences of the culture around him. In so doing, he demonstrates to us today how we can remain standing strong when everyone around us is bowing down to cultural idols.
And Daniel did it without becoming rude, insulting, or angry! He understood the goal wasn’t to be right but to have influence. Christians are likewise called to take a stand today to reveal God’s truth and light, not their own. Daniel showed grace and truth to the people around him-just like Jesus did, and just like we’re called to do to a world in desperate need of the gospel.
Sessions include:
*God Never Changes
*Maintaining Our Identity
*Keeping Our Focus
*Staying Free of Pride
*Making the Most of Our Time
*Imitating Christ in All We DoDesigned for use with the Daniel Dilemma Video Study (sold separately).
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Integrative Preaching : A Comprehensive Model For Transformational Proclama
$25.00Add to cartThis book offers a compelling conceptual model of biblical preaching that helps preachers better understand what they are doing when they step into the pulpit. Kenton Anderson, an experienced preacher and professor, explicates the integrative preaching model he has been honing for a lifetime. His fresh, holistic approach aims at whole-person transformation and is well suited for contemporary listeners. The book includes theoretical underpinnings and practical guidance to both instruct students and motivate working preachers. Sample sermons show how the model unfolds in actual sermons.
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Sensible Shoes Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartIntroduction
Reading For Week One: Chapter One
Week One Group Discussion
Reading For Week Two: Chapter Two
Week Two Group Discussion
Reading For Week Three: Chapter Three
Week Three Group Discussion
Reading For Week Four: Chapters Four And Five
Week Four Group Discussion
Reading For Week Five: Chapters Five And Six>
Week Five Group Discussion
Reading For Week Six: Chapters Six And Seven
Week Six Group Discussion
Reading For Week Seven: Chapter Seven
Week Seven Group Discussion
Reading For Week Eight: Chapters Eight And Nine
Week Eight Group Discussion
Reading For Week Nine: Chapter Nine
Week Nine Group Discussion
Reading For Week Ten: Chapter Ten
Week Ten Group Discussion
Reading For Week Eleven: Chapter Eleven
Week Eleven Group Discussion
Reading For Week Twelve: Chapter Twelve And Epilogue
Week Twelve Group DiscussionAdditional Info
Have you enjoyed the journey with Meg, Mara, Charissa, and Hannah? This companion guide will take you deeper into their world and give you an opportunity to try out the spiritual practices that you’ve seen them engage at New Hope Retreat Center.Sensible Shoes Study Guide includes twelve weeks of daily Scripture reading, prayer, and reflection questions (five days a week) that correspond to the disciplines the women practice in the book. A group discussion guide concludes each week. Engaging the lives of these characters in their spiritual journeys will offer both a window and a mirror into your own life and relationship with Christ.
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Hiding In The Hallway
$16.99Add to cartWritten specifically to missionary teens, Hiding in the Hallway offers MKs a biblical context for faith in light of their unique circumstances, challenges, and opportunities. Filled with personal anecdotes, former MK Jeanne Harrison champions gospel relevancy and the need for MKs to continue to filter their lives through a biblical worldview. Covering seven key areas relevant to the missionary teen life both on and off the missions field, this book also includes a chapter for parents to help foster discussion.
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Weak Enough To Lead
$20.99Add to cartThe Bible’s version of leadership is pretty different from – and, more often than not, alien to – that of the business world. It is also different from our usual assumptions about what makes a great leader in the church, where we tend to focus on preaching ability, strategic hutzpah, and managerial savvy. But what if the Bible actually points toward a different set of characteristics necessary for leadership? What if our weakness is an essential qualification? Do we know our limitations, our inabilities? Do we see clearly our vulnerable, broken selves? Do we really believe that God’s strength is perfected in our weakness, and do we lead with that as a core belief? James Howell’s Weak Enough to Lead is not a list of ‘leadership principles’ from the Bible. This book is an examination of stories about leaders from the Old Testament, followed by a consideration of the spiritual dispositions of those leaders. What dispositions do we see in these women and men? Which ones are helpful to us? Which are problematic? Which might me imitate or avoid, not only so that we might lead well, but that we might honor God and be faithful or even holy? Howell identifies eight distinct dispositions of Old Testament leaders, men and women, and shows how we can adopt them in our own lives and ministries. He roots this unique exploration of leadership in a prayer of Jehoshaphat: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
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Spiritual Secrets About Suicide
$14.95Add to cartDo you struggle with suicidal thoughts? Do you know someone who is depressed? Do you minister to people who are contemplating suicide? Then Spiritual Secrets About Suicide was written for you! Spiritual Secrets About Suicide will put spiritual tools into your suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention toolbox.
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Multiplying Churches In Japanese Soil
$15.99Add to cartSince the beginning of missionary efforts in Japan in the sixteenth century, the Japanese church has experienced periods of quiet flourishing and periods of intense persecution. Arguably, however, it has never managed to take root as a truly indigenous church-despite great effort toward that aim.
In Multiplying Churches in Japanese Soil, John Mehn asks the question: Why? What factors have contributed to the Japanese remaining largely unreached? Mehn examines the current state of affairs and then, with some careful analysis and case study, delves into effective models and leadership for planting churches in Japan that not only grow, but are also equipped to reproduce and multiply.
Within these pages, discover mission strategy, kingdom perspective, and hope for the church in Japanese soil.
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Preaching As Reminding
$20.99Add to cartAcknowledgments
Introduction
1. God Remembers (and Forgets)
2. We Forget (and Remember)
3. The Lord’s Remembrancers
4. Style As A Tool For Stirring Memory
5. Story As A Tool For Stirring Memory
6. Delivery As A Tool For Stirring Memory
7. Ceremony And Symbols As Tools For Stirring Memory
Conclusion
Sources Cited
Author Index
Subject Index
Scripture IndexAdditional Info
Jeffrey D. Arthurs’s Preaching as Reminding is a remarkable contribution to the field of homiletics, ably synthesizing and integrating insights from biblical theology, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, media studies, the classical rhetorical tradition, and contemporary cultural analysis. Arthurs equips today’s preachers to stir the hearts, minds, and memories of their listeners to obedient and joyful action. He shows that ‘memory’ in the Bible is not merely a matter of cognitively recalling the past, but rather reengaging existentially with the great redemptive events of the faith. This book is recommended to seminarians, pastors, and all those who are called to proclaim the gospel. -
Emboldened : A Vision For Empowering Women In Ministry
$18.99Add to cartForeword By Scot McKnight
Introduction: A Burden For The ChurchPart I: Emboldened Women
1. This Is Our Story
2. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
3. Breaking Stereotypes
4. Overcoming Opposition
5. An Emboldened Sisterhood
6. Marriage, Family, And Singleness In MinistryPart II: A Vision For An Emboldened Church
7. An Emboldened Mission
8. An Emboldened Imagination
9. Emboldened Colaborers
10. An Emboldened ChurchAcknowledgments
Appendix: Books To Read
NotesAdditional Info
Throughout Scripture and church history, women have been central to the mission of God. But all too often women have lacked opportunities to minister fully. Many churches lack visible examples of women in ministry and leadership.Tara Beth Leach, senior pastor of her denomination’s flagship church, issues a stirring call for a new generation of women in ministry: to teach, to preach, to shepherd, and to lead. God not only permits women to minister-he emboldens, empowers, and unleashes women to lead out of the fullness of who they are. The church cannot reach its full potential without women using their God-given gifts. Leach provides practical expertise for how women can find their place at the table, escape imposter syndrome, face opposition, mentor others, and much more.
Women who read this book will be inspired to use their gifts to edify the body of Christ and advance the kingdom of God. Men who read it will be inspired to embolden the women in their midst. When women teach, preach, lead, evangelize, pastor, and disciple, the church’s imagination expands to better reflect God’s story and hope for the world.
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Revelation
$27.00Add to cartThe Teach the Text Commentary Series utilizes the best of biblical scholarship to provide the information a pastor needs to communicate the text effectively. The carefully selected preaching units and focused commentary allow pastors to quickly grasp the big idea and key themes of each passage of Scripture. Each unit of the commentary includes the big idea and key themes of the passage and sections dedicated to understanding, teaching, and illustrating the text.
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Lies Pastors Believe
$12.99Add to cartAll of us are tempted to believe lies about ourselves.
For many pastors, the lies we’re tempted to believe have to do with our identity: that God has called us to lead a movement, that we must sacrifice our home life for our ministry life, or that our image as holy is more important than our actual pursuit of holiness.
In Lies Pastors Believe, pastor and professor Dayton Hartman takes aim at these and other lies he has faced in his own ministry and seen other pastors struggle with. With a winsome and engaging style, Hartman shows current and future pastors why these lies are so tempting, the damage they can do, and how they can be resisted by believing and applying the truth of the gospel.
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Gods Country : Faith Hope And The Future Of The Rural Church
$16.99Add to cartWith the poetic force of Kathleen Norris and the pastoral warmth of Eugene Peterson, Kansas pastor Roth sets forth a vision for vibrant rural churches, for ministry in congregations that bear a profound sense of both loss and possibility, and for harvesting fruits of transformation and renewal. Rooted in stories from Scripture, his own ministry, and interviews with rural church leaders, Roth offers a sturdy theological and practical alternative to church-growth strategies that rely on success stories and flashy metrics.
Reclaiming God’s vision for the rural church, Roth writes, means learning how to praise, abide, watch, pray, grow, work the edges, die, befriend, and dream. In God’s Country, rediscover the stunning abundance of God’s presence in rural communities. Name the ways that the rural church testifies to God’s glory and goodness. Learn to live and love and minister right where you are, no matter how small or unassuming it may seem.
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Be A Better Leader
$22.99Add to cartThe purpose of this book is to enable Christian leaders to understand their psychological type, using the MBTI (Myers-Briggs) personality indicator, and to use this information to generate new insights into their own experience and performance. It will enable leaders to develop better strategies to maximise their strengths and to work with their recognised weaknesses. A significant amount of stress is experienced by Christian leaders. This book will help them to focus on those aspects of their work that are energising and life-giving. Part One of the book introduces the theories of psychological type and how these apply to Christian leaders. Part Two include detailed profile descriptions of each of the 16 MBTI personality types and explores the ‘comfort zone’ for that type and difficulties experienced by that type ‘outside of the comfort zone.’ Each type description is written with the role of the Christian leader in mind and covers aspects of their role, eg their experiences of worship, prayer, pastoral responsibilities, administration and working with others.
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Clergy In A Complex Age
$18.99Add to cartThis highly readable book explains the scope and detail of the newly revised Guidelines for the professional conduct of the clergy, which shape and define how clergy should act and behave. The book brings together a number of experts in the field, who draw on the Ordinal (as the basis of the Guidelines), writing engagingly on key elements in the life of clergy today. Paula Gooder wrestles with the exhilaratingly tricky question, “What would Jesus do?’ John Pritchard responds with characteristic humour and wisdom to the challenge of remaining “white hot in our desire for God year after year’.Robert Innes draws on his unexpected call to the ministry while meditating on Jesus’ self-sacrificial pastoral leadership.Paul Butler writes with authority and compassion about the complexities of safeguarding.Jamie Harrison reflects on the humility, cost and joy of “telling the story of God’s love’.Russ Parker finds that blessing others means being vulnerable and empathetic to the pain common to us all. Stephen Cherry offers witty yet powerful insights on giving leadership.Kate Bruce writes captivatingly on imagination as indispensable to the life of faith.Magdalen Smith illuminates the creative tension of living faithfully in public and private.David Walker assures us that the very wounds we bear from our journeys so far enable us to minister to others. “Faithful relationships are fundamental to maintaining and improving the life of the Church. It is my fervent desire that increasing trust, particularly that which flows from trustworthy clergy, will transform God’s world.’ Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, from the Foreword
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Messy Christmas : Three Complete Sessions And A Treasure Trove Of Ideas For
$25.99Add to cartChristmas can be complicated. Parties, gifts, and family tensions dominate the season. So maybe it’s time we explore what Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany are really about. The Messy Church series provides resources to help your church bring together people of all ages and stages of faith, allowing them to experience a creative and fun-filled Christian community. Messy Christmas offers your church a tool to create a unique, come-as-you-are experience built on :
creativity-allowing space for all to play and create
celebration-worshiping God and his redeeming work in Jesus
hospitality-sharing a meal where all are welcomeThese three once-a-month sessions include Christmas prayers, global action suggestions, games and competitions, Christmas food crafts, and many other ideas to experience joy during this time of the year. This season, give your community the gift of a messy church!
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All Things New Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$10.99Add to cartAll Things New is a revolutionary four-session video Bible study built on a simple idea: heaven is not the eternal church service in the sky. It is, in fact, not religious at all. Jesus referred to the next chapter of our story as “the renewal of all things” (Matthew 19:28). This means, literally, the renewal of the earth we love in all its beauty, the renewal of our own being, and the renewal of all those things that make for a rich life-music, art, food, laughter. All that we hold dear shall be renewed.
Most Christians (and most people, for that matter) do not really look forward to their future because their views of heaven are vague, religious, and appallingly boring. Our hope begins to surge when we understand that for the believer nothing is lost. Heaven is not a life in the clouds; it is not unending worship services with singing. Rather, the life we long for-the paradise Adam and Eve knew-is precisely the life that is coming to us. And coming soon.
This study begins with a reframing of what “heaven” actually looks like. God does not say, “I am making all new things,” He says, “Behold-I am making all things new!” (Revelation 21:5). Familiar religious conceptions of heaven are gently dismantled, and the participant is invited into a new way of conceiving of their after-life. Imagery from fairy tales, books, and famous movies such as The Lord of the Rings is used to illustrate what “happily ever after” means in tangible, accessible, and-most important-desirable terms.As C.S. Lewis said, “We can only hope for what we desire.” The life we have been longing for is actually the very life that is about to be ours. The imminence of the coming kingdom of God is also clarified; living with an eager expectation of Christ’s return is the practical power of the Christian life.
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MultiChurch : Exploring The Future Of Multisite
$24.99Add to cartIs it time for your church to go multisite? It seems everybody is doing it these days, so how do you know if it is the right solution for your congregation? MultiChurch brings clarity to the multisite movement and assembles the lessons it has learned over the past fifteen years. It explores the opportunities presented by the various forms of multi-site church, identifies areas of concern, and concludes that multisite is not only a biblically sound ecclesiological model, but also a model that provides a compelling solution to contemporary reductionism in the church.
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Tears In The Desert
$13.95Add to cartAre you interested in Christian service or studying for the Christian ministry? This book is uniquely designed to help you prepare for the challenges ahead and is endorsed by a pastor who served his church for thirty-eight years and the presidents of two seminaries who will recommend it to their students.
Karl Heller’s new book, Tears in the Desert: Lessons from the Joys and Sorrows of God’s Call, provides an up-close and personal account from the frontline of pastoral ministry. This is a refreshingly candid account of why pastoral ministry is so very challenging and at the same time so very important. By recounting the triumphs and tragedies of his own ministry, Dr. Heller is an able and wise guide, especially for seminarians preparing for pastoral ministry.
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Ready Steady Grow
$15.99Add to cartDo you love your church and want to see it thrive?Are you keen to learn from someone whose own church has grown and started others too?Are you ready for the downsides as well as the inevitable joys?Ray Evans takes us on an interesting and exciting journey. He looks at the barriers to growth, as well as the hurdles of reorganization and structural changes that growing churches face. His findings are anchored in the Bible and the real world which we all inhabit.’Many have learned how to lead what they have,’ says Ray, ‘but they don’t know how to take it forward. You don’t see the glass ceilings until you crash into them, and the splinters bring pain everywhere.’In Ray, you will find a humble, wise and warm-hearted guide. This book will not only equip your church to grow, but will help prevent unnecessary disasters.
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Faithful : Christmas Through The Eyes Of Joseph (Large Type)
$20.99Add to cartFrom his beginnings as a humble carpenter to his all-important role as the earthly father of Jesus Christ, Joseph’s place in the nativity story is sometimes overlooked but contains valuable lessons for all of us. Join Adam Hamilton as he examines Christmas through the eyes of Joseph. Absent from much of the biblical narrative, Joseph never spoke a word, but his courageous actions were crucial to the birth of Christ and God’s salvation plan for humanity. As you read this book, you will understand how Joseph’s story is much like our own. In life, we encounter circumstances that we would never have chosen for ourselves. At times it can be tempting just to walk away. Joseph provides us a great example of humbly obeying God even when we don’t understand and faithfully moving forward in the strength that God provides. Exchange your doubt for courage this Advent and Christmas season. Learn to accept and glorify God’s will even when circumstances make it difficult to do so. Additional components for a four-week adult study include a comprehensive Leader Guide and a DVD featuring author and pastor Adam Hamilton. Chapter topics include: A Carpenter Named Joseph Engaged to a Virgin Named Mary A Dreamer of Dreams The Journey to Bethlehem The Birth of Joseph’s Boy The Flight to Egypt
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Leading A Multicultural Church
$18.99Add to cartOver the last 60 years the ethnic diversity of the western world has changed dramatically as a result of successive waves of immigration. The impact of this on the church is evident in the growing number of congregations that are now multicultural to a greater or lesser extent. This presents challenges as well as opportunities to those leading these congregations. This book aims to explore this within the context of both Scripture and society. It will also consider competencies and skills that may help leaders of churches and other Christian organisations unlock the potential that this diversity offers.Malcolm Patten has been a Baptist Minister for over twenty years and this book combines his congregational sociological research and his years of experience as a Pastor in multicultural churches. He will also be interviewing others who are involved in working with multicultural churches across the denominations (Anglican, Methodist, URC) as well as drawing in expertise from BME networks, the Evangelical Alliance, Churches Together and Independent churches with multicultural congregations such as Kensington Temple, Westminster Chapel and Emmanuel Church, Westminster.
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Online Mission And Ministry
$14.99Add to cartMany clergy and churches are now taking to the internet and social media to promote their churches or ministries, but few have thought through some of the difficult pastoral and theological issues that may arise.’Virtual vicar’ Revd Pam Smith guides both new and experienced practitioners through setting up online ministries and considers some of the issues that may arise, such as:Are relationships online as valid as those offline? Is it possible to participate in a ‘virtual’ communion service? How do you deal with ‘trolls’ in a Christian way? What is it appropriate for a clergyperson to say on social media?
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Wrestling With The Word
$18.99Add to cartMany biblical texts seem almost impossible to preach. They may be violent or terrifying or strange or abrasive. They may deal with matters simply beyond human experience. The preacher could well be tempted to choose an easier text on offer! But leaving taxing passages untouched means the Bible is effectively silenced. In Wrestling with the Word, well-known and accomplished preachers grapple with a range of notoriously difficult biblical Old and New Testament texts. As well as providing sample sermons – in an exhilarating variety of structural styles and voices – they offer ideas to help in the planning process of interpreting and applying such passages. ‘A well-constructed and delivered sermon has the potential to inspire people as few other experiences can.’The Rt Revd John Pritchard, from the Foreword
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What Clergy Do
$18.99Add to cartClergy have a pivotal role in creating and nurturing church communities in which all people can grow up into Christ. This book explores the nature of that role by considering key similarities with the essential but often conflicting demands of motherhood. Like mothers, clergy need to preserve and hold people faithfully, while encouraging them to grow, take initiatives and become more confident and self-supporting. This book will help clergy to think about how this is achieved through the myriad of ‘small’ things they do from day to day, highlighting skills such as comforting, cherishing and multi-attending – skills that are centrally important but often unarticulated and undervalued.
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Economics Of Neighborly Love
$20.99Add to cart13 Chapters
Additional Info
What does the good news of Jesus mean for economics?Too often, Christian teaching and ministry have focused only on the gospel’s spiritual significance and ignored its physical, real-world ramifications. But loving our neighbor well has direct economic implications, and in our diverse and stratified society we need to grapple with them now more than ever.
In The Economics of Neighborly Love pastor Tom Nelson sets out to address this problem. Marrying biblical study, economic theory, and practical advice, he presents a vision for church ministry that works toward the flourishing of the local community, beginning with its poorest and most marginalized members. Nelson resists oversimplification and pushes us toward more complex and nuanced understandings of wealth and poverty. If we confess the gospel of Jesus, he insists, we must contend anew with its implications for the well-being of our local communities. Together we can grow in both compassion and capacity.
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Messy Church : Fresh Ideas For Building A Christ Centered Community
$20.99Add to cartWe like the idea of community, but where do we start? The Messy Church series provides resources to help your church bring together people of all ages and stages of faith, allowing them to experience a creative and fun-filled Christian community. Messy Church, the first book in the series, offers your church a tool to create a unique, come-as-you-are experience built on:
creativity-allowing space for all to play and create
celebration-worshiping God and his redeeming work in Jesus
hospitality-sharing a meal where all are welcomeThis complete resource helps you share the love of God and his people with families in your community, creating an opportunity for connection and learning in a fun and welcoming environment. With instructions for starting a program at your church, Messy Church includes fifteen sessions for use throughout the year. Let’s get messy!
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Anxious For Nothing Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartAccording the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are reaching epidemic proportions. In a given year, 17% of Americans will feel the effects of a panic attack. Anxiety-related issues are the number one mental health problem among women and are second only to alcohol and drug abuse among men. Between 1997 and 2004, Americans more than doubled their spending on anti-anxiety medications from $900 million to $2.1 billion.
We are tense. Why? Change is one reason. Sociologists speculate the world has changed more in the last thirty years than it has in the last three hundred! Every day seems to bring new change and threats. We also face personal challenges-job loss, cancer, divorce, addiction, bankruptcy. Add to personal challenges those of a global nature imported into our lives every few seconds thanks to smart phones, TVs, and computer screens. In our parents’ day, the nightly news caught them up on world events. Now it is a matter of minutes.
Anxiety just comes with life. However, as God’s Word reveals, it doesn’t have to dominate life. In this six-session video-based Bible study, bestselling author Max Lucado looks at seven admonitions from the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:4-8 that lead to one wonderful promise: “The peace of God which surpasses all understanding.” As he unpacks each verse, he shows how God is ready to give comfort to help us face the calamities in life, view bad news through the lens of sovereignty, discern the lies of Satan, and tell ourselves the truth. We can be anxious for nothing, and discover true peace from God that surpasses all human understanding.
Sessions include:
1. Rejoice in the Lord Always
2. Let Your Gentleness Be Known to All
3. In Everything by Prayer… with Thanksgiving
4. The Peace of God… Will Guard Your Hearts
5. Meditate on These Things -
Lay Servants As Christian Transformation Leaders Participants Book (Student/Stud
$18.00Add to cartBuilding on the previous Lay Servant course “Does Your Church Have a Prayer?”, this Participant’s Book will guide Lay Servants seeking to be more empowered to lead their congregations toward vitality. Written with two distinct purposes, “Lay Servants as Christian Transformational Leaders” will first define the three types of Christian transformational leadership and the four qualities of Christian transformational leaders. Then the course will focus on congregational vitality, organizational life cycles, assessing current realities, and leading transformational change. The accompanying Leader’s Guide is in PDF form and is also available for downloading here.
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Grace For The Afflicted
$25.99Add to cartWhy has the church struggled in ministering to those with mental illnesses? Each day men and women diagnosed with mental disorders are told they need to pray more and turn from their sin. Mental illness is equated with demonic possession, weak faith, and generational sin. As both a church leader and a professor of psychology and behavioral sciences, Michael S. Stanford has seen far too many mentally ill brothers and sisters damaged by well-meaning believers who respond to them out of fear or misinformation rather than grace. Grace for the Afflicted is written to educate Christians about mental illness from both biblical and scientific perspectives. Stanford presents insights into our physical and spiritual nature and discusses the appropriate role of psychology and psychiatry in the life of the believer. Describing common mental disorders, Stanford probes what science says and what the Bible says about each illness. Consistent with DSM-5 diagnoses, this revised and expanded edition is thoroughly updated with new material throughout, including eight new chapters that cover bipolar disorderstrauma- and stressor-related disordersdementiacerebrovascular accidents (stroke)traumatic brain injurysuicidea holistic approach to recoverymental health and the church
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Family Therapies : A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal (Revised)
$60.00Add to cartPreface
Part 1: Foundational Considerations
1. A Christian Understanding For Family Therapy
2. Historical Foundations Of Family TherapyPart 2: Models Of Family Therapy
3. Bowenian Family Therapy
4. Strategic Family Therapy
5. Structural Family Therapy
6. Psychodynamic Family Therapy
7. Contextual Family Therapy
8. Experiential Family Therapy
9.. Solution-Focused Family Therapy
10. Cognitive-Behavioral Family Therapy
11. Narrative Family Therapy
12. Toward An Integrative Christian Family TherapyPart 3: Integration Of Family Theory With Critical Issues In Psychotherapy
13. Crisis And Trauma
14. Attending To Marital Conflict
15. Separation, Divorce And Remarriage
16. Individual Psychopathology
17. Substance Abuse
18. Gender, Culture, Economic Class And Race
19. Sexual IdentityPart 4: Casting A Vision
20. Casting A Vision For Christian Family Therapy
Author Index
Subject IndexAdditional Info
Christian therapists doing family therapy have never had a resource to help them navigate the various family therapy theories from a Christian perspective–until now. In this book Mark A. Yarhouse and James N. Sells survey the major approaches to family therapy and treat, within a Christian framework, significant psychotherapeutic issues. The wide array of issues covered includes crisis and traumamarital conflictseparation, divorce and blended familiesindividual psychopathologysubstance abuse and addictionsgender, culture, economic class and racesexual identity Calling for an integrated approach of “responsible eclecticism,” they conclude with a vision for Christian family therapy. A landmark work providing critical Christian engagement with existing models of family therapy, this volume was written for those studying counseling, social work, psychology or family therapy. Family Therapies will also serve as an indispensable resource for those in the mental health professions, including counselors, psychologists, family therapists, social workers and pastors. -
Brief Guide To Ministry With LGBTQIA Youth
$20.00Add to cartDespite our best efforts to create welcoming and affirming congregations, the reality is that church can still be a harmful place to LGBTQIA youth.
Inside A Brief Guide to Ministry with LGBTQIA Youth, author Cody J. Sanders challenges pastors and church leaders to reflect on the various trials that adolescence brings for LGBTQIA youth. Designed for congregations that currently have a theologically and biblically affirming stance toward the LGBTQIA community, this unique resource provides insight and practical advice for tough questions like:
How does an affirming stance toward LGBTQIA people affect the day-to-day experience of teenagers in a church setting?
In what ways can a church’s youth ministry have a positive impact on the lives of LGBTQIA youth who want to fully live out their Christian faith and their gender identity?
How can a pastor, youth minister, or youth ministry volunteer embrace, nurture, and provide skillful care for LGBTQIA youth in a congregation or community?A glossary of terms to use when talking about LGBTQIA issues and a list of national and location resources that can be used to support LGBTQIA youth are included.
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Sharing Gods Blessing
$15.99Add to cartA tried-and-tested resource for the renewal of the local church. Faced with the unsustainability of many inherited patterns of church, the temptation may be to fall into despondency rather than seeking to regenerate patterns of mission and ministry. This book is the result of a two-year research project aimed at enabling local churches to regain a sense of confidence through exploring God’s blessing and how that might be shared with the communities they serve. In Part One, Robin explores the meaning of blessing and the power of face-to-face group conversations to transform church congregations. Part Two of the book contains outlines for five guided conversations for change on the theme of blessing. Part Three contains case study material of how this material has been used in different contexts, including for Mission Action Planning (MAP).
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Being A Chaplain
$16.99Add to cartChaplaincy – a place for those who have sold out, can’t hack church ministry and don’t believe in mission? Against the negative stereotypes, this book argues that chaplains are a valuable resource to the Church. Embedded in places as diverse as prisons, hospitals, educational establishments and the armed forces, chaplains often encounter social trends well in advance of the institutional churches. Their experiences and expertise can be very helpful for thinking about ministry, ecclesiology and the engagement with contemporary society. The first five parts of this book gather together stories of 22 chaplains working in a wide variety of contexts and from a range of Christian churches. The final part consists of four essays on key themes: multi-faith issues; the core skills needed by a chaplain; models of chaplaincy; and tensions that can arise in the work. This book is for chaplains, students, clergy and all those who are considering becoming a chaplain or have dealings with people in the role. It will be of considerable interest to anyone who wonders what exactly chaplains do, how and why they do it and what the churches can learn from their experiences.
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Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God And Other Sermons Enlarged And Expande
$14.99Add to cart“Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open,” and He stands crying out to all to accept His call. Delivered more than 250 years ago, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards remains the most famous sermon ever preached in American history. He presents a clear picture of the predicament of every sinner and lukewarm Christian, while showing how we can know we have God’s favor, avoid the tricks of the devil, and find our reward in heaven. With compelling words and now-classic imagery, Edwards describes the shaky position of those who do not follow Christ and God’s urgent call to receive His love and forgiveness today. This new, updated edition includes two other sermons that demonstrate the great mercy of God as well as Edwards’ own pastoral heart: “Pardon for the Greatest of Sinners” and “Many Mansions.”
