Church Life
Showing 401–450 of 1012 resultsSorted by latest
-
Make Or Break Your Church In 365 Days
$23.99The joy of ministry is lost in the terror of being ill equipped for daily tasks. This book leads the way, providing clear plans for the daily tasks of effectively leading a congregation. Make or Break Your Church in 365 Days helps pastors develop competency in the daily task of leading congregations by answering two fundamental questions: * What must be done in the first 365 days of a pastor’s tenure? * What is the optimal way to structure a daily work life to affect change in the first year and beyond? These very specific tasks are the behaviors that demonstrate competency and lead to growing, effective churches.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Building A Life Changing Small Group Ministry (Workbook)
$26.99Our hearts were made for deep, authentic relationships—for community with others. And like nothing else, small groups provide the kind of life-giving community that builds and empowers the body of Christ and impacts the world.
In this book, part of the Groups That Grow series of small group resources, authors Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson provide guidance for the strategic decisions that must be made to establish, develop and grow a thriving small group ministry in the local church. In Building a Life-Changing Small Group Ministry, they answer questions like:
* Which approach or model for small group ministry is best for my church?
* Who has responsibility for the ministry and how are they supported?
* How do I organize the groups and coach the leaders?
* Where do I find leaders and what kind of training do they need?
* How do I guide people toward community life?
*What are the pathways and events that move people to become part of a small group?
* What kinds of groups should we offer?
* How do you multiply groups and launch new groups?
* How do we define success in this ministry?As you work through the questions in each chapter you’ll develop a coherent, strategic plan for building and leading the small group ministry at your church.
And whether you are establishing a new ministry or transitioning from older models of small group ministry that are no longer effective today, you’ll benefit from the time-tested wisdom of the authors.
This workbook can be used as a stand-alone resource or it can be used with the five-session training videos taught by the authors available on the Equipping Life-Changing Small Groups DVD (sold separately).
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Leading Life Changing Small Groups
$16.99Like nothing else, small groups have the power to change lives. They’re the ideal route to discipleship-a place where the rubber of biblical truth meets the road of human relationships.
This updated and revised third edition of the bestselling Leading Life-Changing Small Groups handbook helps small group leaders learn the basics of leading a successful small group. Regardless of whether a person is leading for the first time or has been for years, this resource will help a small group leader more effectively facilitate group discussion and encourage and support group members in a way that leads to authentic and lasting life change.
The unique, ready-reference format highlights the requirements and responsibilities of a small group leader, gives helpful insight into the process of group formation and answers practical questions about meeting preparation and how to encourage group participation. It includes a model for discipleship within a small group and suggestions for dealing with some of the common roadblocks and struggles that most groups encounter.
This workbook can be used as a stand-alone resource to train coaches or partnered with the eight-session training videos taught by the author, available on the Equipping Life-Changing Small Groups DVD (sold separately). For those who want to lead small groups with excellence and truly witness life change in their small groups, this go-to guide offers practical answers and inspiring examples.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Church Membership : How The World Knows Who Represents Jesus
$14.99Jonathan Leeman addresses the commonly asked (and often unanswered) question of, “Why should I join a church?” in a time when many are shunning the practice of organized religion. By offering a brief, straightforward explanation of what church membership is and why it’s important, Leeman gives the local church its proper due and builds a case for committing to the local body. Church Membership is a useful tool for churches to distribute en masse to new and potential members of their congregation.
This volume is part of the 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches series. Look for upcoming, quick-read formats of the following marks of a healthy church: expositional preaching, biblical theology, the gospel, conversion, evangelism, church discipline, discipleship and growth, and church leadership.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
10 Temptations Of Church
$17.99Church after church faces eventual death while helplessly lamenting its fate. What perversity is at work that causes those who sincerely love the church to become obstacles to growth? Like the apostle Paul, churches don’t always do the things they want, but instead they do the very thing they hate. Why? While the theological answer is sin at work in us, the organizational answer may just be that members of dying churches unconsciously find a payoff in the church’s decline. They are tempted by church.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Juvenilization Of American Christianity
$29.99Pop worship music. Falling in love with Jesus. Mission trips. Wearing jeans and T-shirts to church. Spiritual searching and church hopping. Faith-based political activism. Seeker-sensitive outreach. These now-commonplace elements of American church life all began as innovative ways to reach young people, yet they have gradually become accepted as important parts of a spiritual ideal for all ages. What on earth has happened? In The Juvenilization of American Christianity Thomas Bergler traces the way in which, over seventy-five years, youth ministries have breathed new vitality into four major American church traditions – African American, Evangelical, Mainline Protestant, and Roman Catholic. Bergler shows too how this “juvenilization” of churches has led to widespread spiritual immaturity, consumerism, and self-centeredness, popularizing a feel-good faith with neither intergenerational community nor theological literacy. Bergler’s critique further offers constructive suggestions for taming juvenilization.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Contagious Generosity : Creating A Culture Of Giving In Your Church
$22.99What does it look like when pastors cultivate a culture of generosity in the church by actively teaching and mentoring people in the spiritual act of giving? It’s generosity that’s contagious.
A growing number of leaders are beginning to discover that there are key factors that make some churches thrive with abundant resources while others struggle with shrinking budgets.
Jim Sheppard and Chris Willard have spent years consulting with church leaders across a broad spectrum of church settings and have gathered their observations into this resource, part of the Leadership Network Innovations Series.
Contagious Generosity highlights the best practices gleaned from real-life church leadership situations and shows how church leaders can effectively cultivate a culture of generous giving in the local church. It explains why some churches are experiencing unexplainable ministry growth and unprecedented church funding … even in the midst of tough economic times.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
RetroChristianity : Reclaiming The Forgotten Faith
$21.99Addresses the current exodus of Christians from evangelical churches and argues for a return to historical roots.
Evangelicalism is in trouble. Surveying the modern evangelical landscape, professor Michael Svigel asks, “Why does evangelicalism appear to be spinning out of control, losing appeal to younger generations, dwindling in numbers, or selling out to pop culture to muster a crowd?” He seeks to answer this question by looking to the past-to a Retro Christianity.
Calling for a return to evangelicalism’s historical and theological roots, Svigel begins by addressing some of present-day evangelicalism’s problems and explores what can be done to help churches regain a healthy perspective on doctrine. He then gives practical examples of what establishing a biblical, historical, and theologically sound foundation will mean for Christians as they think through aspects of church life and worship.As the numbers of those confused or disenchanted with evangelicalism continue to grow, Svigel’s book meets a timely need and will benefit many readers with his balanced argument for preserving the evangelical faith.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Unlocking The Growth
$13.99How to use the power of invitation to double the size of your church This book teaches the power of invitation. It may sound simple, but we are so caught up in our busy church lives that we have missed it. In 2004 Michael Harvey gave up a high-flying job in London to teach church leaders to see new possibilities, using an approach that has quickly become established as Back to Church Sunday. Michael likes to challenge churches of all sizes to double their congregation in a day. The basics are simple: Invite your friends and become an inviting church. Develop a mind-set open to what God might do; work on creating a welcoming environment; learn from mistakes; help people to know God. “It takes a very brave person to walk into a church on their own nowadays,” says Michael, “but God is still speaking to them and all they need is a gentle invitation.”
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Gospel Coach : Shepherding Leaders To Glorify God
$22.99Many ministry leaders serving in churches find themselves overwhelmed, disillusioned, and depressed by the enormous and challenging task of leading and serving others. When leaders aren’t healthy, the result is often an unhealthy church.
Leaders need someone to shepherd their soul so that they can then lead others to the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Every church leader—from fulltime ministers to volunteer leaders—needs a Gospel Coach who will come alongside them with words drawn from Scripture and godly wisdom, grounded in the gracious saving work of Jesus Christ, and presented in the context of a trusting relationship.
Gospel coaching is an intentional relationship of skillful caring for others based on four ancient shepherding principles: 1) Know the sheep 2) Feed the sheep 3) Lead the sheep 4) Protect the sheep
Gospel coaches inquire about the personal, spiritual, and missional aspects of a leader’s life in a loving yet focused manner, probing the heart for compulsive unbelief or selfish motivation, disobedience, and sin, leading them back to the Gospel through belief, repentance, and obedience.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
unChristian : What A New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity And Wh (Rep
$23.52Christianity has an image problem. Christians are supposed to represent Christ to the world. But according to the latest report card, something has gone terribly wrong. Using descriptions like “hypocritical,” “insensitive,” and “judgmental,” young Americans share an impression of Christians that’s nothing short of . . . unChristian.
Groundbreaking research into the perceptions of people aged 16-29 reveals that Christians have taken several giant steps backward in one of their most important assignments. The surprising details of the study, commissioned by the Fermi Project and conducted by The Barna Group, are presented with uncompromising honesty in unChristian. Find out why these negative perceptions exist, learn how to reverse them in a Christlike manner, and discover practical examples of how Christians can positively contribute to culture.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Becoming A Grand Champion Church
$28.95There are many ideas about how to increase the size of a church. But what if our vision is upside down? What if God’s desire is that we focus on being a quality church instead of simply a large church? The Bible envisions the church as a spotless bride, a vision of quality. Today’s church seems far from God’s vision of perfection, but that does not change the goals God has for His flock. Using Psalm 23 as a blueprint, Becoming a Grand Champion Church explores how Christ is shepherding His church toward maturity.
A gap exists between this age’s knowledge of sheep and shepherding that makes it difficult to grasp the fullness of Christ’s shepherding work in the church. The author seeks to fill that gap with homespun remembrances of raising sheep to be shown at the county fair. He then ties the shepherd’s duties with practical suggestions of how the whole body can work alongside the Good Shepherd toward Christ’s vision for His bride. The result of following God’s plan is a Grand Champion Church that reflects the qualities of Christ to the world.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Becoming A Grand Champion Church
$11.95There are many ideas about how to increase the size of a church. But what if our vision is upside down? What if God’s desire is that we focus on being a quality church instead of simply a large church? The Bible envisions the church as a spotless bride, a vision of quality. Today’s church seems far from God’s vision of perfection, but that does not change the goals God has for His flock. Using Psalm 23 as a blueprint, Becoming a Grand Champion Church explores how Christ is shepherding His church toward maturity.
A gap exists between this age’s knowledge of sheep and shepherding that makes it difficult to grasp the fullness of Christ’s shepherding work in the church. The author seeks to fill that gap with homespun remembrances of raising sheep to be shown at the county fair. He then ties the shepherd’s duties with practical suggestions of how the whole body can work alongside the Good Shepherd toward Christ’s vision for His bride. The result of following God’s plan is a Grand Champion Church that reflects the qualities of Christ to the world.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
As Jesus Did It
$23.73So it was that a few years and thousands of baptisms ago this philosophy of action got underway. It is not mere froth spun by a simple dreamer fantasizing spiritual fun-and-games from some ecclesiastical perch. It is the fruitful product of many personal sessions of intercessory prayer, dedicated time, analytical work throughout the preparation and many hours of training his disciples. It is strikingly evident to us that this present work is indeed God’s response to His humble servant’s search for a methodology that would effectively empower Gospel ministry for the expansion of the Kingdom of God. We give thanks and glory to the Lord for this book which has come into our hands.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
As Jesus Did It
$15.61So it was that a few years and thousands of baptisms ago this philosophy of action got underway. It is not mere froth spun by a simple dreamer fantasizing spiritual fun-and-games from some ecclesiastical perch. It is the fruitful product of many personal sessions of intercessory prayer, dedicated time, analytical work throughout the preparation and many hours of training his disciples. It is strikingly evident to us that this present work is indeed God’s response to His humble servant’s search for a methodology that would effectively empower Gospel ministry for the expansion of the Kingdom of God. We give thanks and glory to the Lord for this book which has come into our hands.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Church Actually : Rediscovering The Brillance Of God’s Plan
$13.99An exploration of the challenges of ‘being church’ in the 21st century.
Church attendance in the west has declined in recent years, but decline has been accompanied by growth in spiritual exploration, a desire for spirituality, faith, even Jesus – all without the church. Experience, history and the New Testament suggest this desire is ill-founded. It is through the church, the Bible suggests, that the Kingdom comes. How can we find a wider vision of the Kingdom and the church’s role? Kelly explores four of the ‘brilliant ideas’ inherent in God’s design of the church. God works through his people, and the church trains and equips; the church is Spirit-driven, and spiritual formation is central to God’s mission; the church’s task force transforms the world through acts of love and service; the church is the rainbow-clothed Bride of Christ, one global family, a reconciling model for the world. Can we break out of the greyness of our church experience to discover the riot of colour God intended? Is there a route back to the brilliance of God’s plan?
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Letters To The Seven Churches
$20.00Each chapter begins with a brilliantly sketched account of the city in which the church addressed lived, followed by an exposition of the Letter to that church, concise, well-illustrated and written in an arresting style. His gift of bringing out the valuable meanings of Greek words is particularly helpful. This book will be a boon to teachers, preachers and Bible readers. Done with admirable clarity and most interestingly. It is just the kind of book to help anyone who wishes to lead a Bible Study Group. Dr Barclay brings to his task the experience of the tried preacher as well as the learning of the scholar. A direct and devotional commentary such as could be used in any parish group.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Variegated Tapestries Of Ministry
$17.99Amidst the postmodern technological explosion and the vexing complexities of our time, the church and its affiliate learning facilities need men and women thoroughly informed in theology, and well grounded in ministry to keep them afloat and make them the channels of hope, comfort, direction and leadership to a blind and dying world.In Variegated Tapestry of Ministry, P. Myles-Aikins puts into the hands of the clergy and seminary academics a premium text, and a profound lifelong material in ministry with a solid theological cornerstone to enhance the theological education and ministerial excellence.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Fresh : An Introduction To Fresh Expressions Of Church And Pioneer Ministry
$35.99Fresh ! offers a strong rationale for fresh expressions and pioneer ministries rooted in scripture and in the breath of the Christian tradition. This is tested against the realities of contemporary British culture and critiques of the notion of Fresh Expressions. It offers practical guidance for starting and sustaining such ministries in the long term. It provides a survey of best practice within Fresh Expressions and pioneer ministry.Fresh ! comes out of the mature reflection of church leaders and theologians who have been active in such ministries over a number of years, showing how such ministries are integral to the work of the church both now and over the long term.This is combined with valuable practical advice – the best kind of practical theology.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Staying Alive : Why The Conventional Wisdom About Traditional Churches Is W
$14.99Lucas Park Books
The conventional wisdom says it’s not possible to thrive today as a traditional congregation whether “traditional” means worship style or program structure. Staying Alive takes readers on a journey across America to look for best practices of thriving traditional congregations.Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Healthy Community : Moving Your Church Beyond Tunnel Vision
$15.99Churches in America are dying. It s a sad reality, but statistics show that some 3,000 churches close their doors permanently every year. What does it take for a church today to remain healthy? How can pastors lead their churches into the future as strong, thriving communities?
In The Healthy Community, church leaders will be able to diagnose the problems that may exist in their own church and understand what it looks like when a church is lacking healthy essentials such as a doctrinal statement, grace, a mission, pastoral leadership, and discipled believers.
This book is an important first step for pastors who want to lead their churches towards health, and avoid becoming another statistic.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Cultivating Sent Communities
$33.99How can pastors help to create missional faith communities that are willing to participate in God’s healing of the world? Cultivating Sent Communities reimagines spiritual formation through the lens of mission, covering such topics as the role of Scripture, congregational discernment, and short-term missions and drawing on case studies from diverse contexts including Ethiopia, England, Leipzig, and San Francisco. Full of rich practical, theological, and sociological insights into forming missional churches, this fourth volume in the Missional Church Series calls readers to deepen the core practices that have defined Christians for centuries — and to reclaim them within the context of cultural adaptation and innovation.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Missional House Churches
$26.99Missional House Churches examines the impact and effect that house churches are having in the United States in evangelizing, discipling, and church planting in local communities. Based on the author’s first-hand research and interviews with over thirty missional house churches as well as his own experiences, this insightful work offers an inside look at, and analysis of the workings of the missional house church.
Topics addressed include the recent growth in the popularity of house churches in the United States, what defines church, various characteristics of the house churches, methods of evangelism and leadership development which lead to growth, use of financial resources for missions and benevolence, future of house churches in North America and the relationship of church planting movements and house churches. The appendices describe the research methodology and surveys used in the study as well as characteristics of church planting movements.
This book will be of interest to church leaders, mission-minded thinkers, and students who wish to explore, understand, and participate in this phenomenon of the missional house church movement.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Gods Message To The Christian Church
$21.58God appeared to Moses as a burning bush. He appeared to the Jews as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. But His most important appearance was as a human being, Jesus the Christ. It is important to know that Jesus is none other than God Himself, the One of whom the prophets of old wrote, and the One who appeared to them in various forms and ways. It was while He was in the form of a man (Jesus) that God went to the cross and thus provided for our salvation. In God’s Message to the Christian Church, Reverend W. Lewis Autrey shares a clear message concerning who God is, how He speaks to His people, how He redeems man from the grip of sin and death, and His promise to come back and take us to heaven to be with Him. This is God’s eternal message.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Recovery Of A Contagious Methodist Movement
$14.99Methodism started out as a missional alternative to establishment Christianity, but is now like the establishment Christianity it once critiqued. In this book, Dr. Hunter asks whether enough New Testament Christianity exists in any institutional form of Christianity, including The United Methodist Church, to change the world. If United Methodism is to survive, it must recover bold directions in ministry, in addition to Wesley’s theological vision. If only it was so simple as to stand on Wesley’s shoulders to see our way forward. This means that laity and clergy must be biblically informed, spiritually energized, and systematically organized. If United Methodism is to thrive, it needs to focus on mission, recalling that early Methodism was an extravagant expression of missional Christianity. Net membership decline is not from losing more people but from reaching fewer people than it used to. The need for the gospel of Jesus Christ is greater than ever. United Methodists must create structures and serve God and neighbor in order to spread, as Wesley admonished, scriptural holiness throughout the land. George G. Hunter III is Distinguished Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He is the author of several books, including Radical Outreach and The Celtic Way of Evangelism, both published by Abingdon Press.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Focus : The Real Challenges That Face The United Methodists Church
$14.99Few would argue that many challenges face The United Methodist Church. But what are the core issues and concerns, the ones that must be addressed if the church is to follow God’s leading into the future? Laying aside what can be merely tweaked or adjusted, what must the UMC “reset” about itself? Lovett Weems, one of the most highly-respected interpreters of contemporary United Methodism, suggests that we start with the following:
– What will happen now that the increased giving that United Methodists have enjoyed (despite declining membership numbers) has reached a plateau and begun to decline?
– Why, with 34,000 congregations and $6.5 billion in annual giving, can’t United Methodists add a net increase of even 1 new disciple of Jesus Christ in a given year?
– Why are United Methodist clergy less concerned with reaching young adults than are laity? Why are laity unwilling to make the changes to worship and budgets required to attract these same young adults?
– If the percentage of married couples with young children has declined by half since the 1950s, why is that still the group we focus on reaching?
– Why are so many mid-sized churches on their way to becoming small-membership congregations?With insight, conviction, and calm resolve, Lovett Weems challenges United Methodists not only to ask these hard questions, but to face up to the difficult decisions they require of us as we continue to seek God’s will for our lives together.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Faithsoaring Churches : A Learning Experience Version
$14.99Lucas Park Books
FaithSoaring churches are congregations who choose to soar with faith beyond ordinary ministry toward extraordinary ministry in a quest to achieve exceptional ministry. They respond to the pulling of God and journey to places of inspiration, imagination, and innovation. They lead their congregations through processes of missional formation and engagement that continually transforms the capacity of congregations to reach their full kingdom potential.Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Back To Zero
$14.99The lifeblood of the United Methodist is passion rather than organizational neatness, entrepreneurial freedom rather than denominational restraint, and agility rather than staid institutional dependence. But if United Methodists want to change and be the church we say we want to be, what must we risk and how can we challenge current practices? At the heart of becoming a spiritual movement once again is the requirement that we develop a new understanding of connection as Christians and as United Methodists. We are currently at a time in which United Methodists are reinventing denominational connectionalism. One way of framing the issue is to distinguish between members and disciples, or consumers (those who wait for the institution to care for their needs) and citizens (those who are willing to commit themselves to and be held accountable for the whole of the community). United Methodism has nurtured generations of leaders and congregations that see themselves as consumers of the resources and attention of the denomination. The impulse toward movement is challenging spiritually purposeful leaders and congregations to risk becoming citizens who fully expect to make a difference in the lives of individuals and also in the world through an encounter with Christ.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
How The Church Fails Businesspeople
$24.99Why do so many Christians struggle to relate their faith to their daily work? Is the church to blame? In this book John C. Knapp argues that the church’s ambiguous teachings about vocation, money, and business have long contributed to Christians’ uncertainty about discipleship in the workplace. Drawing on his own expertise in business ethics and on numerous interviews with Christians in diverse occupations, Knapp brings fresh perspectives to this troubling problem. How the Church Fails Businesspeople (and What Can Be Done about It) explores the historical, cultural, and educational background to the faith-work gap and proposes a new theological framework for Christian life in the public sphere. Real-life examples enliven the discussion throughout, and each chapter concludes with “Questions to Consider,” making this constructive book ideal for group study.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Awakenings In America And The Jesus People Movement
$13.95After describing America’s great awakenings and examining both their ‘good’ and ‘bad’ sides, Kent Philpott argues that America has experienced four not three awakenings. It is acknowledged that the first outpouring was from c.1734 to c. 1742, the second from c. 1798 to c. 1835, and the third from c. 1857 to c. 1859. Yet, the Jesus People Movement, occurring roughly from 1967 to 1972, also meets the criteria of a genuine awakening.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Stop The Churchs Revolving Door
$30.99Does your church have a revolving door? Most churches do not have a ministry to establish and maintain authentic personal relationships with inactive members, visitors, or prospective members. Before implementing this ministry, one church failed to stay relationally connected to its members. Is your church suffering from the same dilemma?
This new ministry empowered churches toward improving its church health, increasing service opportunities for laypeople, and establishing stronger personal relationships. It is possible in your church, too! This book provides a guide toward implementing this crucial ministry in your church. It is time to stop your church’s revolving door!
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Kingdom At War
$23.73The Kingdom at War is a prophetic view of the structure and power of the Church that will be given authority to overcome the enemy and see the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the last days. The book concentrates on establishing a “city church” that will reap the harvest, extend the Kingdom of God, overcome the kingdom of darkness, and bring glory to the King. Using prophetic Scriptures from the Old Testament, the author applies them to the New and the present Church, presenting a comprehensive picture of the glorious possibilities for today’s Church.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Stop The Churchs Revolving Door
$13.99Does your church have a revolving door? Most churches do not have a ministry to establish and maintain authentic personal relationships with inactive members, visitors, or prospective members. Before implementing this ministry, one church failed to stay relationally connected to its members. Is your church suffering from the same dilemma?
This new ministry empowered churches toward improving its church health, increasing service opportunities for laypeople, and establishing stronger personal relationships. It is possible in your church, too! This book provides a guide toward implementing this crucial ministry in your church. It is time to stop your church’s revolving door!
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Widening The Circle
$14.99Foreword
Introduction
First Wave (1950s And ’60s)
Second Wave (1970s And ’80s)
Third Wave (1990s To Present)Additional Info
In the last half-century, a growing number of North Americans have been smitten with an Anabaptist-Mennonite vision of church and mission. Often coming from outside the Mennonite mainstream, they’ve formed communities with others of like mind and sought to live out their radical faith. But in the process, they often bump up against the institutional church that has housed the radical vision for generations. The stories and reflections offered in Widening the Circle explore that creative tension. The result is a rich showcase of Jesus-centered discipleship-windows into what the future church can look like.Contributing authors are Vincent Harding, Rosemarie Freeney Harding, Rachel Elizabeth Harding, Sally Schreiner Youngquist, Celina Varela, Regina Shands Stoltzfus, Hedy Sawadsky, AndrA(C) Gingerich Stoner, Peter Sprunger-Froese, Mary Sprunger-Froese, Dawn Longenecker, Tim Nafziger, James Nelson Gingerich, Sarah Thompson, Bert Newton, Mark Van Steenwyk, Andrea Ferich, Seth McCoy, Jamie Arpin-Ricci, Anton Flores-Maisonet, Calenthia S. Dowdy, Jesce Walz.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Vision For The Aging Church
$28.99James M. Houston and Michael Parker believe now is the time for the church to offer ministry to its increasing numbers of seniors and to benefit from ministry they can offer. They issue an urgent call to reconceive the place and part of the elderly in the local congregation, showing that seniors aren’t the problem–they are the solution.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Going Deep : Becoming A Person Of Influence
$19.99The future of the Christian faith will not be determined by the number of people who fill the pews but by the spiritual depth of those people.
Pastor Gordon MacDonald revisits the fictional New England congregation of his critically acclaimed book Who Stole My Church to deal with a new dilemma: What’s his church’s story? What is it doing that justifies its existence? The importance of these questions is anything but fiction. Through a series of e-mails and discussions with friends and parishioners, Pastor Gordon’s search for their story leads him to realize that the future of the Christian faith, and thus the church, is at risk.
As MacDonald says, “We seem to know how to get unchurched people to visit our buildings. We even seem to know how to draw them across the line into a declaration of personal faith in Jesus. But what we do not seem to know is how to cultivate spiritually deep people. Tomorrow’s church could be headed for trouble.” Deep people. People who possess spiritual awareness and maturity, people with solid, grounded, life-altering faith. MacDonald shows that the church needs people with a passion for God’s presence and a desperate hunger to seek him above all things.
Join Pastor MacDonald and his congregation on their quest to cultivate spiritual depth and grow into a community of believers whose hearts and minds are truly focused on God.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Why Men Hate Going To Church (Revised)
$18.99Reveals why men are the world’s largest unreached people group and what to do about it.
It’s Sunday morning. Where are all the men? Golfing? Playing softball? Watching the tube? Mowing the lawn? Sleeping? One place you won’t find them is in church. Less than 40 percent of adults in most churches are men, and 20 to 25 percent of married churchgoing women attend without their husbands. And why are the men who do go to church so bored? Why won’t they let God change their hearts? David Murrow’s groundbreaking book has been completely revised and updated, with eye-opening research and a persuasive grasp on the facts, to explain the problem and offer hope and encouragement to women, pastors, and men. Why Men Hate Going to Church does not call men back to the church-it calls the church back to men.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
To Life : Rediscovering Biblical Church
$14.99Are you satisfied with your Christian life or do you get the feeling that something is missing, but you’re not sure what it is? Have you ever asked the question, where does the World end and the Church begin? Is the 21st Century Church truly the best it could possibly be? Are there forgotten places that we should be revisiting?
Dare we believe that we could return to the Biblical Church of the first apostles?
Some say we can’t, others have tried and failed. This author believes it’s worth trying again because it’s all a question of mindsets and this book will explain why, with the wit, wisdom and wonder that is the trademark of Steve Maltz’s writing.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
How The Church Lost The Truth
$14.99It should have been so simple. There was the Bible, God’s authoritative and complete word for mankind. His gift to us. One volume of sixty six books in all, from “In the beginning” to “amen”. One basic message. Choose Life, He said. So what did we do? We chose … denominations, 38,000 of them. One book, thousands of interpretations.
Snake handlers in Kansas, Prosperity teachers in Washington, Liberationists in El Salvador, Gay Bishops in New Hampshire, New Age rectors in London. They all claim the Bible as their inspiration and rulebook. Once this book is opened, why is it that folk seem to see different things? One book, one message, one Babel. How come? Where can the Truth be found or has the Church lost The Truth?
This explosive book tells the whole sad story of what actually happened to the Church over the last two thousand years and how it managed to lose its focus and take on so many ideas from Greek philosophy that Christianity has just become a melting point of truth mixed up with very strange ideas.
If Jesus were to return today, which Church – if any – could He call his own?
In this challenging, provocative but entertaining book the author examines what has happened to some key battlegrounds for Truth and asks, where did those ideas come from?
*How did God kick things off?
*How does He deal with His covenant people?
*Who does He let into heaven?
*What is Hell really like?
*How is He really going to wrap things up?Some of the answers will astound you and you may also be prompted to ask the question, how has the Church managed to lose so much Truth?
Prepare to be challenged to the very core of your faith.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
What Is The Mission Of The Church
$17.99Social justice and mission are hot topics today: there’s a wonderful resurgence of motivated Christians passionate about spreading the gospel and caring for the needs of others. But in our zeal to get sharing and serving, many are unclear on gospel and mission. Yes, we are called to spend ourselves for the sake of others, but what is the church’s unique priority as it engages the world?
DeYoung and Gilbert write to help Christians “articulate and live out their views on the mission of the church in ways that are theologically faithful, exegetically careful, and personally sustainable.” Looking at the Bible’s teaching on evangelism, social justice, and shalom, they explore the what, why, and how of the church’s mission. From defining “mission”, to examining key passages on social justice and their application, to setting our efforts in the context of God’s rule, DeYoung and Gilbert bring a wise, studied perspective to the missional conversation.
Readers in all spheres of ministry will grow in their understanding of the mission of the church and gain a renewed sense of urgency for Jesus’ call to preach the Word and make disciples.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Think Christianly : Looking At The Intersection Of Faith And Culture
$26.99Think Christianly is about seizing the opportunities we have every day to speak the life Jesus offers into our culture. Tragically, many such opportunities pass us by unclaimed—either because we don’t notice them or we have not prepared ourselves to enter into them. And those around us seem to grow increasingly unwilling to hear anything the church has to say.
Jonathan Morrow helps church leaders envision and implement ways for their congregations to ‘think Christianly’ about contemporary questions and to speak in informed, engaging ways. Morrow explores many of the important issues that Christians often hear raised with regard to faith—questions about who Jesus was, the good and bad of religion, pain and evil in the world, the reliability of the Bible, sexuality and intimate relationships, and hope for change, among others.The life and faith issues that Think Christianly addresses lead to cultural moments where Christianity and contemporary culture intersect. This book will help churches take vital steps toward cultivating compassion and competence in speaking faithfully to a questioning world.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Prophetic Jesus Prophetic Church
$26.99Asserting that believers chronically and desperately need prophecy, award-winning biblical scholar Johnson reveals the divine “ongoing call” in Luke and Acts. Presenting the books as a literary unit, he highlights Luke’s bold proclamation of God’s transforming vision—challenging Christians’ all-too-human tendency toward expediency and self interest. A startling portrait of Christ in Scripture.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Dead Church Walking
$24.99Most everyone recognizes that the traditional Western way of doing church is in deep trouble and has been struggling for years to survive. While the successful rise of some new, non-traditional churches often take the sting out of the demise of the average church, the truth is that God still can renew congregations that have a rich history but are struggling to adjust in today’s postmodern culture.
In his new book, Dead Church Walking, author Jimmy Dorrell offers both Biblical and social principles with clear suggestions for congregations willing to significantly change to become a body of believers that proclaims God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. While there are no easy fixes, this book addresses underlying symptoms of broken models that often perpetuate terminal illness stopping the church from doing God’s work on earth.
Dorrell says our churches don’t need new missions statements or re-structuring but a fresh wind of God’s spirit. We don’t need charismatic leaders but compassionate, Christ centered leaders. He shows us how to embrace change, overcome the obstacles to change, and focus on kingdom growth instead of church growth. This book is hopeful and encouraging, bringing fresh ideas to ignite the fire of churches and put them on the road to recovery.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Masters Plan : A Strategy For Making Disciples
$13.991. The Vision Of The Father
2. The Cali Story
3. What Is The Master’s Plan?
4. The Encounter Weekend Retreat
5. The Courses And Classes Of The Master’s Plan
6. Basic Principles Of Disciple-Making
7. The Two Types Of Small Groups In The Master’s Plan
8. The Journey Of “Joe Unbeliever” To “Joe Disciple-Maker”
9. The Next Steps
10. What God Is Doing In The Church Of The Nazarene Through The Master’s Plan In North AmericaAdditional Info
Pray. Disciple. Repeat.God has a vision, plan, and design for our lives and ministries. It is greater than we could ever imagine. By discovering and pursuing his design, we find our greatest joy and fulfillment. Fortunately, Jesus has already told us our mission: to partner with God and make disciples in all the nations.
In The Master’s Plan, Craig Wesley Rench unpacks a disciple-making strategy currently being used around the world. Learn about the 6 basic components of the method, study the principles and practices of spiritual multiplication, and discover why over 30,000 churches are using the Master’s Plan method of disciple-making.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Practicing Witness : A Missional Vision Of Christian Practices
$19.99How might a church infused with missional theology change the way it approaches Christian practices? Interacting both with the missional theology of George Hunsberger and Darrell Guder and with the theology of Christian practices laid out by Craig Dykstra and Dorothy Bass, Benjamin T. Conner argues that allowing these two disciplines to inform one another can enhance the nature of the church’s witness, its congregational discipleship, and its theological education. Framing his work with real-world narratives and applications inspired by his work as a minister to adolescents with special needs, Conner shows how a practical missional mindset can redefine and reinvigorate the spirit and purpose of a congregation.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
15 Characteristics Of Effective Pastors
$25.88The Church finds itself in a period of great diversification and multiple expressions.
In the midst of great change, we have become confused about what really makes for healthy and authentic pastoral leadership. What are the basic and common characteristics necessary for pastors to be effective? How can lay people understand the pastoral call more fully and partner better with pastors for the health of their church? Here Mannoia and Walkemeyer examine the foundations of pastoral effectiveness and bring together nine experienced pastoral leaders to discuss the basic characteristics that exist in effective pastors.
Regardless of context or personality, ineffectiveness in pastors and subsequent ill health in churches is often not the result of a lack of calling, but instead is the result of misappropriated efforts to find success. Let’s help those who are called to be good stewards of their call. And let’s help churches have a chance to be healthy under the leadership of effective pastors!
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Living Church : Convictions Of A Lifelong Pastor
$22.99Preface: “Emerging Churches”
The Postmodern World
Acknowledgments And Abbreviations
1. Essentials: God’s Vision For His Church
2. Worship: Glorying In God’s Holy Name
3. Evangelism: Mission Through The Local Church
4. Ministry: The Twelve And The Seven
5. Fellowship: The Implications Of Koinonia
6. Preaching: Five Paradoxes
7. Giving: Ten Principles
8. Impact: Salt And Light
Conclusion: Looking For Timothys In The 21st Century
HIstorical Appendix 1: Why I Am Still A Member Of The Church Of England
Historical Appendix 2: I Have A Dream Of A Living Church
Historical Appendis 3: Reflections Of An OctogenarianAdditional Info
John Stott describes the characteristics of an “authentic” or “living” church that conserves Scripture and radically combines tradition and that convention called “culture.” He presents the Bible’s wisdom with a teacher’s skill and applies it with a pastor’s heart. Stott shows that becoming a living church is not an impossible goal.Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
You Cant Keep A Good Tune Down
$14.49Warbling sopranos, bellowing basses, someone in the back row at least a line ahead of everyone else, fusty robes, intransigent organists and temperamental clergy – welcome to the world of the local church choir. There is no better observer of the volatile relations between the clergy, the choir, the organist and the congregation than Reg Frary who has seen it all in over seventy years’ first hand experience of sitting in the choir stalls Sunday by Sunday and at weddings, funerals, carol services, festivals and other occasions.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
How The Church Lost The Way
$14.99Tackling the ‘uncomfortable truth’ for the Church, this book packs a heavyweight punch in a lightweight package. With great clarity and style the author explains how the Church has been strangled by its past and how the faith in Jesus Christ was infiltrated by pagan ideas from Greek philosophy that have remained to this day. This book exposes and explains how this affects our understanding of the Bible, God, Church and everything in-between. In this provocative, entertaining and encouraging book, we will explore our true roots and discover practical keys to move forwards.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
-
Wake Up : Hip Hop Christianity And The Black Church
$31.99First an expression of black urban youth, Hip Hop music continues to expand as a cultural expression of youth and, now, young adults more generally. As a cultural phenomenon, it has even become integral to the worship experience of a growing number of churches who are reaching out to these groups. This includes not just African American churches but churches of all ethnic groups. Once seen as advocating violence, Hip Hop can be the Church’s agent of salvation and praise to transform society and reach youth and young adults in greater numbers.
After looking at Hip Hop’s socio-historical context including its African roots, Wake Up shows how Hip Hop has come to embody the worldview of growing numbers of youth and young adults in today’s church. The authors make the case that Hip Hop represents the angst and hope of many youth and young adults and that by examining the inherent religious themes embedded in the music, the church can help shape the culture of hip-hop by changing its own forms of preaching and worship so that it can more effectively offer a message of repentance and liberation.
Add to cartin stock within 3-5 days of online purchase
