Church Life

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Frontline Women : Negotiating Cross Cultural Issues In Ministry
$25.87

Frontline Women is a collection of writings on women’s issues from those who have had mission field experience. Each author has special interest and expertise in the area in which he or she has written.
In the past we have failed to understand the significance of gender in mission work. Though women have historically been the majority in mission service, they have not been allowed much say in policies or strategizing. This book deals with gender differences in many areas of life and how that affects service to God in mission work. Women’s God-given gifting is meant to complement that of men and needs to be recognized, appreciated, and made use of in the day-by-day functioning of missions. In some mission agencies changes are being made in regard to women’s role and care. In this edition the authors have updated and added new information from their research and experience.

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Literacy Bible Reading And Church Growth
$22.34

The story of Christianity from apostolic times to the present reveals that in virtually every country of the world a Bible-reading laity was an important factor in the growth of the church, both numerically and spiritually. The importance of the Bible in actual history is a challenge to the church today.

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Profiles Of African American Missionaries
$35.28

In 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau shows that there are 42 million people who identify themselves as African-Americans. Of the 42 million, there are an estimated 20million who self-identify as Christians. Of this number, very few leave the United States and go to other countries as missionaries. The reasons for the absence of African-American missionaries are varied and in some respects understandable, yet we are all called to be engaged in the Great Commission.
Profiles of African-American Missionaries features the few who have answered the call. This collection of stories shares the lives and contributions of several African-American missionary pioneers dedicated to reaching the lost for the sake of Christ. Readers will be inspired by the commitment of these missionaries who devoted their lives to the foreign fields, with the full knowledge that God would be with them always as Christ promised. You will be challenged to take a look at your own life and consider a response to our Lord’s command to make disciples.

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5 Things You Can Do To Understand The Bible Better
$14.98

The Bible may be the best-selling book of all time, but for all its sales, its content remains widely unknown. According to polls only about half of adults in the United States can name one of the four

Gospels, or knew that Genesis was the first book of the Bible.

Many people feel intimidated by the idea of reading the Bible with understanding that feeds and stregthens faith. Zach McIntosh provides basic knowledge of the purposes and themes of the Bible, and reminds us that the easiest way to understand the Bible better is to read it.

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Troubled Minds : Mental Illness And The Churchs Mission
$22.99

1. My Family’s Story
2. Mental Illness Is Mainstream
3. Suffering People
4. Coping
5. Church Life
6. Ministry Life
7. Persistent Stigma
8. What Churches Can Do
9. What God Does
Resources For Ministry To The Mentally Ill

Additional Info
Mental illness is the sort of thing we dont like to talk about. It doesnt reduce nicely to simple solutions and happy outcomes. So instead, too often we reduce people who are mentally ill to caricatures and ghosts, and simply pretend they dont exist. They do exist, howeverstatistics suggest that one in four people suffer from some kind of mental illness. And then theres their friends and family members, who bear their own scars and anxious thoughts, and who see no safe place to talk about the impact of mental illness on their lives and their loved ones. Many of these people are sitting in churches week after week, suffering in stigmatized silence. In Troubled Minds Amy Simpson, whose family knows the trauma and bewilderment of mental abuse, reminds us that people with mental illness are our neighbors and our brothers and sisters in Christ, and she shows us the path to loving them well and becoming a church that loves God with whole hearts and whole souls, with the strength we have and with minds that are whole as well as minds that are troubled.

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I Am A Church Member
$12.99

Best-selling author and ministry leader Thom S. Rainer drew an exceptional response when he posted a 500-word declaration about church membership to his daily blog. “I Am a Church Member” started a conversation about the attitudes and responsibilities of church members — rather than the functional and theological issues — that previous new member primers all but ignored.

Thoughtfully expanded to book form, I Am a Church Member begins to remedy the outbreak of inactive or barely committed church members, addressing without apology what is expected of those who join a body of believers. When a person’s attitude is consistently biblical and healthy, matters of giving, serving, and so forth will fall into place more naturally.

Six intentional chapters with study questions guide this rising discussion:
1. I Will Be a Unifying Church Member
2. I Will Not Let the Church Be About My Preferences and Desires
3. I Will Pray for My Church Leaders
4. I Will Lead My Family to Be Healthy Church Members
5. I Will Be a Functioning Member
6. I Will Treasure Church Membership as a Gift

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Job 41 : The Leviathan Spirit Of Pride
$18.11

Have you ever wondered why your ministry is not flourishing the way God promised you? Have you ever wondered why you are working in the ministry, but not operating in your calling? Has there been an inference that you were just a servant and your job was to support “the ministry inside the four walls,” while undermining the calling to extend beyond the four walls? God compels us to go and make disciples of men and women, and there should be no debate or pushback to advance the Kingdom of God. There is a spirit that has masked itself in the church of today as a spiritual mentor or covering, or one who provides spiritual guidance to you. This spirit that is exposed in the Book of Job is real and has stifled many parishioners, especially leaders, from walking in the ordained gifts of God. I have heard sermon after sermon on the story of Job, but never anything relating to Chapter 41. God allows certain messages to be released at a time when they will be heard and fully understood. This is a universal message for the church of today.

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Ive Been Raped By A Church
$13.95

Are you attending a church you used to love, but you’ve lost your zeal for God? Do you feel coerced, manipulated and even raped-as if others have stolen your freedom, your passion and even your joy?

In her landmark new book, I’ve Been Raped by the Church, A Recovery Guide for the Wounded, Co-Pastor and Evangelist Vicky Lynch shares a shocking truth-not all churches are safe places, even for believers. Everyday people are wounded by pastors who are supposed to be lovingly shepherding their flocks, but instead are wounding and killing them. Some are so good at it that their people wonder if they are delusional or if the church is out-of-order. How can these things be?

Well, even Old Testament Scripture addresses these issues. This problem is not a new one, but it has always broken the heart of God, who wants pastors to reflect His unconditional love and help His people find their destinies. Vicky shares insights that will equip you to identify church abuse and offers options on dealing with it. If you’ve been victimized by church abuse, she offers hope and healing for you and others you know who struggle.

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Relational Pastor : Sharing In Christ By Sharing Ourselves
$20.99

When is the last time you asked yourself hard questions about why you were pursuing certain relationships in your ministry? Could it be that the end game for many of us is not relationship per se but loyalty, adherence, even submission? The sheep in our flock become the means to our end: pastoring becomes less about the people of God and more about maintenance of the status quo-and, if we are willing to recognize it, the elevation of our pastoral status. Here practical theologian Andy Root dissects relational ministry as we have come to understand it and searches for the seed of a more wholesome, more pastoral understanding of the relationships for which God has prepared the church: the place where, when two or more are gathered in his name, Christ is present.

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DiscipleShift : Five Steps That Help Your Church To Make Disciples Who Make
$18.99

Over the last thirty years, many influential church leaders and church planters in America have adopted various models for reaching unchurched people. An ‘attractional’ model will seek to attract people to a local church. Younger leaders may advocate a more ‘missional’ approach, in which believers live and work among unchurched people and intentionally seek to serve like Christ. While each of these approaches have merit, something is still missing, something even more fundamental to the mission of the church: discipleship. Making disciples—helping people to trust and follow Jesus—is the church’s God-given mandate. Devoted disciples attract people outside the church because of the change others see in their Christ-like lives. And discipleship empowers Christians to be more like Christ as they intentionally develop relationship with non-believers.

DiscipleShift walks you through five key ‘shifts’ that churches must make to refocus on the biblical mission of discipleship. These intentional changes will attract the world and empower your church members to be salt and light in their communities.

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Shaping Of Things To Come (Revised)
$27.05

In a time when the need for and the relevance of the Gospel has seldom been greater, the relevance of the church has seldom been less. The Shaping of Things to Come explores why the church needs to rebuild itself from the bottom up. Frost and Hirsch present a clear understanding of how the church can change to face the unique challenges of the twenty-first century. This missional classic has been thoroughly revised and updated.

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Church Coup : A Cautionary Tale Of Congregational Conflict
$22.48

Conflict in churches has reached epidemic levels. With 1,500 pastors leaving ministry every month – many being forced out involuntarily – Jesus’ church is increasingly losing trained, impactful leaders. Such clashes damage pastors, their families, and congregations alike. While many Christian leaders are aware of this issue, most have chosen to maintain silence rather than combat this problem. Church Coup is the firsthand account of a seasoned pastor who experienced a devastating conflict. He exposes why such struggles occur while suggesting biblical, concrete solutions for their resolution. “This book should be read by every pastor and church board member and every lay leader. The story is compelling, and the lessons are critical.” Dave Rolph, senior pastor, Calvary Chapel Pacific Hills, Aliso Viejo, California and teacher on the nationally-syndicated radio program The Balanced Word “With candor and balance, Jim outlines a godly approach to handling the heartbreak of a ministry divided. A must read for anyone who is in the midst of considering letting a pastor go.” Kathi Lipp, author and speaker “Jim has been willing to be transparent about his experience so that others in the work of the church will read this, learn from it, and act differently.” Dale Frimodt, founder and director of Barnabas Ministries, Omaha, Nebraska “I encourage you to read the book carefully and to recommend it to other ministers as well as key church leaders who can make a difference.” Charles H. Chandler, executive director, Ministering to Ministers Foundation, Inc., Richmond, Viriginia A pastor for more than 35 years, Jim is the founder of Restoring Kingdom Builders, a 501(c)(3) organization designed to prevent and resolve church conflict biblically. A graduate of Biola University (B.A.), Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.) and Fuller Seminary (D.Min.), Jim and his wife Kim live in Southern California.

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Faithful Generations : Effective Ministry Across Generational Lines
$28.95

Faithful Generations provides a hopeful and helpful guide to the different adult generations alive today, discussing the events that formed them and the issues important to them. Most importantly, it describes their spiritual distinctions-the particular needs, gifts and concerns that drive these different generations. With a basic understanding of how other generations think and what drives them spiritually, ministers and congregations can not only avoid conflict, but also put those distinctions to work in order to minister more effectively and create harmony in our religious communities.

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Connecting Church 2.0
$24.99

The development of meaningful relationships, where every member carries a significant sense of belonging, is central to what it means to be the church. So why do many Christians feel disappointed and disillusioned with their efforts to experience authentic community? Despite the best efforts of pastors, small group leaders and faithful lay persons, church is too often a place of loneliness rather than connection. In this revised and updated version of his bestselling book, Randy Frazee shows us how church can be so much…better-more intimate and alive.

The answer may seem radical today, but it was a central component of life in the early church. First-century Christians knew what it meant to live in vital community with one another, relating with a depth and commitment that made “the body of Christ” a perfect metaphor for the church. What would it take to reclaim that kind of love, joy, support, and dynamic spiritual growth? Read this book and find out.

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Insourcing : Bringing Discipleship Back To The Local Church
$22.99

Too many of today’s pastors and leaders mistakenly think that thriving programs, lively worship services, and relevant preaching are adequate for developing people into the spiritual dynamos God desires. In many churches, the primary objective of the church—discipleship of people into mature followers of Jesus—has been ‘outsourced’ to programs and large-scale efforts to train and teach. But is that happening? Are people growing in spiritual depth and missional determination?

Twenty-five years ago, the leaders of Randy Pope’s rapidly growing church took serious stock of their own spiritual development and realized all of them had benefitted from a personal discipleship relationship that had helped them grow in their faith and discover where God was calling them to service. As a church, they decided to make personal discipleship their do-or-die aim: applying one person’s real life to another’s to accomplish something far bigger than that single life. Perimeter calls their approach ‘life-on-life missional discipleship’ and Insourcing tells their story.

Randy Pope writes for church leaders who recognize the value of discipleship and need practical ideas for reorienting church ministries around personal discipleship. Readers will be encouraged that a wide scale personal discipleship program is attainable for any church.

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Parenting In The Pew (Revised)
$18.99

Foreword By Ruth Bell Graham
Preface To The 3rd Edition (2013)
Preface To The Expanded Edition (2001)
Thank You
1. Daddy, I’d Like You To Meet My Children
2. Worship B.C. And A.D.
3. Praise And Puppies
4. Sunday Morning Starts Saturday Night
5. Counting Bricks Or Encountering God
6. Make A Joyful Noise
7. Prayer, Confession And Canned Goods
8. Just How Long Was That Sermon?
9. Saving Up For Something Special
10. The Holy Hug
Discussion Questions And Reflections
Appendix A: Parenting In A Wiggly Pew, The Challenge Of An Overactive Child
Appendix B: Childrens Worship For Seeker Churches
Appendix C: Guidelines And Ideas For The “Children’s Sermon” In Worship
Appendix D: Developing An Intergenerational Approach To Ministry

Additional Info
Daddy, I’d like you to meet my children. That’s Robbie Castleman’s attitude about taking her children to church. She believes that Sunday morning isn’t a success if she has only managed to keep the kids quiet. And she knows there’s more to church for kids than trying out their new coloring books. Children are at church for the same reason as their parents: for the privilege of worshiping God. Worship, Castleman writes, is “the most important thing you can ever train your child to do.” So with infectious passion, nitty-gritty advice and a touch of humor, she shows you how to help your children (from toddlers to teenagers) enter into worship. In this significantly revised and updated third edition Castleman includes a new preface and two new appendices that provide new perspectives on children’s sermon and intergenerational community. She also provides a study guide for personal reflection or group discussion. More than ever, Parenting in the Pew is essential reading for parents and worship leaders who want to help children make joyful noises unto the Lord.

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Church As Moral Community
$49.98

In this work, Michael O’Neil investigates Karl Barth’s theology in the turbulent and dynamic years of his nascent career, between 1915 and 1922. It focuses on the manner in which this great theologian construed Christian and ecclesial existence. The author argues that Karl Barth developed his theology with an explicit ecclesial and ethical motive in a deliberate attempt to shape the ethical life of the church in the troublesome context within which he lived and worked.

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Excesses Of The Church
$23.73

The Excesses of The Church: A Wake Up Call is an honest assessment of the journey of the Church. It tackles the manner that the Church has departed from Jesus’ purpose, drive, His deep intent for mankind and the Church. It cuts right through our delusion of grandeur when it comes to God and recounts how Christendom has hushed up and hidden its leprous state in clerical regalia. It clearly portrays how worldliness, exhibitionist and self serving ambitions have plagued us. It aims to salvage a few soldiers of the cross who will in turn catalyze the conscience and the heart of the world. The book educates and edifies readers while at the same time encouraging and challenging them as to the future of the Church in this world. This is the book that every concerned Christian would have liked to write. If the contents of this book fail to offend us and we become defensive then one thing is wrong with us, we are not yet ready for revival. However, if it convicts us to change our ways then this book will have achieved its purpose. Colin Warambwa MD Walter Senah lives in Harare, Zimbabwe with his wife Febi and their children Takudzwa, Tariro and Chiedza. Walter is a graduate of Logos International Graduate School, Florida, USA. He has served in various Church leadership capacities and Pastoral roles from his twenties. He also has a Masters Degree and has worked extensively in the areas of Finance, Management and Auditing. Besides his bi-vocational role, he oversees Scrolls of Life Foundation, a Teaching Network whose vision is to meet people’s spiritual and materials needs.

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Small Groups With Purpose (Reprinted)
$22.35

This practical book walks church leadership through the questions they need to answer to develop their own intentional small group strategy. Built around the most commonly asked questions, it outlines the step-by-step process of creating a successful small group ministry. Because it is built upon principles and not methods, this plan can be implemented in any size church. Each chapter ends with a list of questions for leaders to answer to help them assess their current situation and their desires for the future.

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Start This Stop That
$21.99

We need less conventional wisdom and more creative leadership.

Not all of the advice church leaders have heard on church growth works. Judging by declining membership in many mainstream denominations, most doesn’t. It’s time to reevaluate the standard thinking on how to grow a church, especially considering the number of new voices questioning the worth of church growth.

The Cowarts have an amazing story to tell. Harvest Church has grown from a church plant of four – Jim and Jennifer and their two children – to a thriving community of more than 2,200 disciples of Jesus. Harvest Church is changing the world and having an awesome time doing it.

Learn why conventional church thinking such as pastoral care, long-term planning, stewardship campaigns, committees, and even staff appointments can actually inhibit church growth.

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Intergenerational Christian Formation
$30.99

Acknowledgments
Venturing Into Intergenerationality: Our Stories
Introduction
Part One: Generational Realities
1. What Is The Problem?
2. How Did We Get Here? Why Churches Tended To Separate The Generations
3. Why Bring The Generations Back Together? The Benefits Of Intergenerationality
4. What Shall We Name This Approach?
Part Two: Biblical, Theological, And Theoretical Support
5. Feasts, Jehoshaphat And House Churches: Biblical Foundations
6. Growing Each Other Up: Theoretical Foundations
7. Midwives, Tailors And Communities Of Practice: Learning Theory
8. The Trinity, Koinonia And The Body: Theological Foundations
Part Three: Support From The Social Sciences
9. Becoming Christian In Community: “Religious Socialization”
10. The Very Old And The Very Young: Contributions From Gerontology
11. Millennials, Xers, Boomers And Silents: Generational Theory
12. By The Numbers: Empirical Research
Part Four: Intergenerational Christian Formation Practices
13. Creating A Culture Of Intergenerationality
14. Intergenerational Worship
15. Intergenerational Learning Experiences
16. Intergenerationality And Story Sharing
17. Intergenerational Service And Missions
18. Intergenerational Small Groups
19. Cross-Generational Relationships In Multicultural Churches
20. Intergenerationality And Megachurches
Conclusion
Appendix A: Forty Intergenerational Ideas
Appendix B: Intergenerational Resources
Appendix C: Biblical Passages That Reflect An Intergenerational Outlook

Additional Info
One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4 Most churches and faith communities segment their ministries by age and generation. The kids go to childrens church, the teens go to youth group. Worship services are geared toward different generational preferences, and small groups gather people at the same life stage, whether singles, young marrieds, parents or empty nesters. In some congregations, people may never interact with those of other ages. But it was not always so. Throughout biblical tradition and the majority of history, communities of faith included people of all ages together in corporate worship, education and ministry. The church was not just multigenerational; it was intergenerational, with the whole church together as one family and people of all ages learning from one another in common life. In this comprehensive text, Holly Allen and Christine Ross offer a complete framework for intentional intergenerational Christian formation. They provide the theoretical foundations for intergenerationality, showing how learning and spiritual formation are better accomplished through intergenerational contexts. It is not just elders teaching youth; learning also takes place when adults discover fresh insights from children. Then the authors give concrete guidance for intergenerational praxis on how worship, learning, community and service can all be achieved intergenerationally. Case studies of intergenerational congregations provide models for how a culture of intergenerationality can be created in local churches. This volume serves as an essential guide for all preparing for and involved in congregational ministry and formation. Discover the riches of intergenerational ministry, and let all generations commend the works of God to one another.

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Missional God Missional Church
$33.99

Introduction
1. The Greatest Commission
2. Breaking Free … Through Discerning Inculturation
3. Breaking Free … Of The Entrapment Of Indiscriminate Enculturation
4. Greatest Co-mmission: The Missional Trinity

Part One: Discovering Shalom
5. Communities Of Christ’s Risen Presence
6. Mission Of Incarnation And Resurrection
7. Communities Of Christ’s Crucified Presence … Beautiful Scars
8. Mission About The Cross, Mission Under The Cross

Part Two: Disseminating Shalom …
9. Communities Of The Triune Missional God: Mission The Mother Of Theology, Theology The Mother Of Mission
10. Mission In Participation With The Son By The Spirit: The Spirituality Of Mission As Theosis 11. Communities Of The Spirit: Gathered And Scattered
12. Communities Of Forgiveness: Mission Of Absolution And Freedom

Additional Info
Pastor, teacher and theologian Ross Hastings addresses the fear and frustration that often accompany talk about the churchs missional vocation. There is an antidote to the “locked door” syndrome that affects us now as it did that band of apostles in the upper room. Hastings directs us to the foundation of hope in the trinitarian commission of John 20 where Jesus grants them his peace by breathing on them his Spirit. He formed them into his community of shalom. Leaving that place of isolation, these “sent ones” went out to participate in Gods own ongoing mission to the world. Hastings tackles the dual challenges of isolation from and accommodation to the surrounding culture. In doing so he opens up a theological vista on the missional character of our trinitarian God and the missional identity of his church. Building on the works of David Bosch, Lesslie Newbigin, Christopher Wright and Darrell Guder, the author corrects numerous dichotomies that hinder the church. In the power of the Spirit the gathered church is spiritually transformed and also scattered as it proclaims Gods forgiveness and freedom Hastings presents here a comprehensive theology of mission. In doing so he confronts the fears and pessimism that erode our faithful effort to join in Christs mission to the world.

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Teaming Church : Ministry In The Age Of Collaboration
$19.99

Create a successful team culture.

Great teams live and serve in light of the Divine Team-the Trinity, and to be truly effective they need: a deeply challenging goal, a creatively empowering leader, and a willingness to collaborate and honor the Bible.

Author Robert C. Crosby provides innovative ways in which biblical teams reflect the workings and nature of the image of God. Revealing what he calls “The Four C’s of Great Teams” : The Character, The Carrot, The Coach, and The Contex. Crosby shows how successful teams reach their goals more effectively. Conversely, he also addresses the “Four Fatal Teaming Errors” and how to avoid unnecessary, time-consuming missteps.

This book provides biblical motivations, vivid examples, and practical approaches for creating a teaming culture in any faith community. Crosby, a leader who has built teams as a senior pastor, youth leader, and university administrator, is now training and mentoring a new generation of pastors and leaders.

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Restart Your Church
$19.99

Recognize
Realize
Restore
Review
Reform
Resensitize
Release
Reinvigorate
Reemphasize
Rebirth

Additional Info
As a result of the near-death experiences of many congregations today, denominational leaders are looking for ways to revitalize churches. The act of revitalization often starts with the assumption that what was once vital can be vital again, if church leaders simply do the same better. So congregations increase programs, budgets, and formulas. They look back in time, trying to recapture a period when the church’s role in society was vital. A church seeking revitalization typically does more of the same, but faster.

However, the central story of faith is the story of both death and resurrection. Followers of Christ like to live out the resurrection part of their faith, but they often aren’t very comfortable dealing with what must come before resurrection – death. The church must be willing to live out its entire story, from beginning to end.

The church needs to trust the idea that God brings to life what God wants to. This book suggests shifting away from the language of revitalization toward the story of death and resurrection. Escobedo-Frank focuses on ten specific “re-” words to outline a strategy for dying and resurrecting again – for restarting the church.

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Discerning Gods Will Together (Revised)
$51.66

Bible study, research, and fieldwork merge in this book of practical principles for decision making by spiritual discernment. The step-by-step approach can be used to help any size group learn a new way to make decisions–a way that is interactive, spiritual, and rooted in faith practices and community. Small groups, committees, church boards, church leaders at all levels, and seminary professors will find this book valuable.
This is a revised and updated version of the book, originally published in 1997. This new version includes revised and updated material, as well as a new introduction by Charles Olsen.

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Peculiar Goings On
$14.49

Dave Walker, cartoonist, web editor and former church and community youth worker has become the UK’S leading cartoon commentator on the state of the Church (from what the biscuits you’re offered there say about it, to insider knowledge of synod workings). His uniquely styled Guide to the Church cartoons appear weekly in the Church Times, and on the paper’s daily blog, and many more can be found on Dave’s website, www.cartoonchurch.com. This is his fourth collection of cartoons and his books alone have sold 13,500 copies so far. His many fans will love this further collection with its numerical table of churchgoing types, its at-a-glance guide to going on a retreat, its explanation of what actually happens to all those yogurt pots collected for the holiday club, and its startling revelation of what people are really thinking about during the prayers, and a great deal more hilarity on every page.

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Fresh Expressions And The Kingdom Of God
$27.00

Mission Shaped Church, the groundbreaking report which has sold over 20,000 copies has transformed understandings of mission in the UK. Fresh Expressions, which sprang into being in its wake, is an established presence in Britain, the USA and Canada. This important book poses a challenging question: what are the aims of mission and are they being achieved through Fresh Expressions? This book argues that mission is equally about social transformation or, in biblical terms, building the kingdom of God, as well as building the church. Theological reflection and stories from front line practitioners in churches in the sacramental traditions (with their heritage of service in poor communities) combine to create a unique, timely and valuable resource which includes contributions from leading names in the study and practice of mission today.

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Church Planting For Reproduction
$20.61

The task of church planting requires the wisdom of a practitioner and the logic of a strategist. With his years of experience planting churches, and his extensive research on the subject, the author displays these two requisites on every page of his fruitful study.

“As a missionary and missiologist,” writes J. Ronald Blue of Dallas Theological Seminary, “the author gives a new perspective to church planting that extends beyond the immediate and sometimes shallow goal of a newly installed fellowship of believers. This book will be an invaluable aid to church planters and missionaries. This is a church planting guide that puts it all together.”

The author emphasizes that the primary goal of missions constitutes planting churches, which in turn are able to reproduce themselves. By using the proven management method Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), the author outlines each step needed to accomplish that goal. Over sixty charts illustrate his principles and directives.

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Messy Church
$15.99

When God created the church, He didn’t build a corporation. He created a family.

We are not called to be consumers who ask what the church can offer us. Instead, we are called to be a family, loving deeply, fighting fairly, and bringing hope to a new generation. A true family is where we are known, loved, accepted, and ultimately, where our deepest needs are met.

Our culture is dying for the kind of community that only the church can provide-if we are living as the family God intended-protecting one another, extending grace, and loving unconditionally.

In Messy Church, Pastor Ross Parsley shares his compelling vision for a better way of life. It’s called church-and it’s a place where no one gets left behind.

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Christians Disguised As Prisoners
$29.98

Prisons are an institutional altar God has placed in communities all around us. In this book, the author is giving an invitation for the outside churches to minister in such a way that Jesus can say: I was in prison and you came to me.

Prisons are mission fields in which God has brought the world to our back yards. Any given prison in America houses inmates from all nations around the world. This book is also a call to the Church to answer Jesus Christ’s Great Commission: to go into all the world and make disciples.

After thirty years as a prison chaplain and assistant program director, the author has a keen insight into this rewarding ministry. He draws that knowledge from personal experiences, writing policies, and training staff and volunteers. He has ministered with and to the inmates on every level of the system, including Death Row. This book is essential for serious readers who are seeking to improve relationships with wardens, correctional officers, chaplains and inmates, their family, and the victims.

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Christians Disguised As Prisoners
$19.36

Prisons are an institutional altar God has placed in communities all around us. In this book, the author is giving an invitation for the outside churches to minister in such a way that Jesus can say: I was in prison and you came to me.

Prisons are mission fields in which God has brought the world to our back yards. Any given prison in America houses inmates from all nations around the world. This book is also a call to the Church to answer Jesus Christ’s Great Commission: to go into all the world and make disciples.

After thirty years as a prison chaplain and assistant program director, the author has a keen insight into this rewarding ministry. He draws that knowledge from personal experiences, writing policies, and training staff and volunteers. He has ministered with and to the inmates on every level of the system, including Death Row. This book is essential for serious readers who are seeking to improve relationships with wardens, correctional officers, chaplains and inmates, their family, and the victims.

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Sorrow And Blood
$58.81

This is a new publication in the Globalization of Mission series, Sorrow & Blood: Christian Mission in Contexts of Suffering, Persecution, and Martyrdom. The editorial team of William Taylor (USA), Tonica van der Meer (Brazil), and Reg Reimer (Canada) worked over four years to compile this unique resource anthology. This book is the product of the Mission Commission’s global missiology task force and a worldwide team of committed colleagues and writers. Some 62 writers from 23 nations have collaborated to generate this unique global resource and anthology. Ajith Fernando of Sri Lanka and Christopher Wright of the UK each wrote prefaces to the book This latest WEA volume has the potential of profoundly shaping our approach to mission in today’s challenging and increasingly dangerous world.

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Trailblazers For Translators
$17.63

By 1990, over 6,000 Wycliffe Bible translators around the world were working to give ethnic minorities the Bible in their own tongues. Scores of translators trained by the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) are also doing translation work while working under other agencies. The roots of the Bible translation movement are found in an extraordinary conference held in Chichicastenango, Guatemala, in 1915. This book is a detailed record of those meetings.

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Thin Places : Six Postures For Creating And Practicing Missional Community
$12.99

Joining the concepts of monasticism and mission, author Jon Huckins and Rob Yackly will walk you through six postures of missional formation:

listening
Submerging
Inviting
Contending
Imagining
Entrusting

As you begin to employ these postures become apprentices of Jesus who are committed to living in and experiencing the thin places.

Through Thin Places, create a fertile soil to commune with God, live in deep community with others, and extend the good news of the kingdom in your local contexts.

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Coaching Life Changing Small Group Leaders
$26.99

Small groups transform churches-and lives. Small group leaders often feel the weight of shepherding their small group members.

But who shepherds the shepherd? Small group coaches fill a unique role by providing support and guidance for group leaders.

When you’re called to coach a small group leader in your church, your mind may be filled with questions: Am I godly enough? What do I have to offer? How do I begin? Although the challenge seems immense, Bill Donahue and Greg Bowman break down the work of coaching small group leaders into achievable steps.

This expanded and updated edition offers field-tested and biblically supported advice on such topics as modeling a surrendered life to those you coach, gaining the tools and wisdom you need for coaching, and helping leaders grow spiritually.

This workbook can be used as a stand-alone resource to train coaches, or it can be used with the training videos taught by the authors, available on the Equipping Life-Changing Small Groups DVD (sold separately).

For those who want to coach with excellence and truly help small group leaders thrive, this go-to guide offers practical answers and inspiring examples. You’ll find both challenge and promise in these pages as you learn to carry forth your God-given calling with confidence.

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Adventures In Churchland
$16.99

Dan Kimball used to think that the church was a very strange group—certainly not something he ever would want to be part of! Then one day, while playing in a punk and rockabilly band in London, Dan discovered a tiny elderly church of loving people who began to change his mind. With them, he was able to begin exploring the uncomfortable questions and negative perceptions about Christianity that he had—and he found that not everything he thought was actually true.

In this book, Dan tells the story of some of the odd and strange encounters he had with Christians that caused him to want nothing to do with the church. Yet, despite these negative experiences, he found himself continually drawn to the truth about God and the person of Jesus Christ.

Kimball explains that the church is more than an organized religion; it’s a beautiful mess of broken people learning to follow Jesus together. He challenges Christians to move beyond the judgmental, critical responses to the world that often lead to stereotypes and parodies and fail to communicate the good news of Jesus.

There is another side to the church—a Christianity beyond the stereotypes. Kimball shows us that the church is a community filled with beauty and wonder and explains why an essential part of following Jesus is involvement in a local church where God is at work changing lives. He encourages us to break out of the Christian bubble we so easily create around our lives and to engage in mission with those outside the church, yet to do it in a way that isn’t awkward, confusing, or weird.

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Healing Traumatized Churches
$20.61

This unique and entertaining format offers a plan of healing for individuals and congregations through the power of The Cross. Each Scene is designed for personal meditation, or to be presented as a Sunday School or Book Study Series, or produced in its entirety as a play.

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Church Search : Finding A Healthy Well Balanced Church
$13.73

Preaching…Music…Programs…Location…?

With a church on practically every corner, the choices seem almost endless. So where does a church hunter begin? And how can a person know for sure that any given congregation is a healthy one? In Church Search: Finding a Healthy, Well-Balanced Church, authors Kurt W. Wallace and Alvis R. House present a list of core criteria you can use to evaluate any church that you visit.

What are others are saying about Church Search?
“Wow! Everybody should have this tool!”
“When I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down! It was so helpful that I had to recommend it to my friends.”
“You need to find a way to get this tool out to the body of Christ.”

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Long Way Home
$16.86

Pastor’s wife…do you feel
*You have become disconnected from the Lord, while serving others?
*Loneliness from being so far from family and friends?
* Others expect more than you can give?
*Desperate in your given situation?
*Want to simply love your Lord and Savior, and find peace, rest and hope?
If you have thought about any of these, this book is for you.
It’s one of life’s puzzling ambiguities; a path dedicated to devotion to God and service to others can lead one away from actually walking with God.
Unfortunately, church ministry can have that bitter side effect. The Long Road Home comes alongside ministry wives as they trudge this path – examining the struggles with painful honesty; calling one and all back to their First Love.

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Thank God And Take Courage
$11.99

Lucas Park Books
Ministry is full of the surprising and unfamiliar events encountered daily. Rev. David C. Derby shares incidents both humorous and serious from his 50 plus years of ministry, as well as his insights into the value of faith for living in the present time …

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Theres Hope For Your Church
$17.99

A startling 85% of churches in the US are plateaued or declining, a trend that has been building for the past fifty years. In the face of shrinking attendance and lagging spiritual growth, pastors and church leaders are understandably discouraged and demoralized. But the first step to turning things around is hope. Church health expert Gary McIntosh offers this hope by showing church leaders the first things they need to do to make a new start for their church.

God can and does restore churches to new life, even as he restores individuals. The street-smart ideas and step-by-step instructions found in this book are ones that pastors and church leaders can put to use immediately in their churches to bring about solid growth and renewed hope for the future.

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RetroChristianity : Reclaiming The Forgotten Faith
$21.99

Addresses 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.

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10 Temptations Of Church
$18.99

Church 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.

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Make Or Break Your Church In 365 Days
$24.99

The 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.

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Unlocking The Growth
$13.99

How 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.”

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Juvenilization Of American Christianity
$29.99

Pop 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.

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unChristian : What A New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity And Wh (Rep
$23.52

Christianity 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.

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Gospel Coach : Shepherding Leaders To Glorify God
$22.99

Many 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.

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Church Membership : How The World Knows Who Represents Jesus
$14.99

Jonathan 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.

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Contagious Generosity : Creating A Culture Of Giving In Your Church
$16.99

What 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.

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