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Connecting for a Change: How to Engage People, Churches, and Partners to Inspire Hope in Your Community
Par Christie Latona, Joseph W. Daniels JR.. 2019
At its simplest, Mission Strategy is about aligning the what, who, how and when with God’s why. Learn to implement…
Mission Strategy in your community of faith!Church and community relevance and vitality depends on leaders who see their situation through the lens of Mission Strategy. At its simplest, Mission Strategy is about aligning the what, who, how and when with God’s why. The authors have lived Mission Strategy in a variety of bold ways and have helped others do the same. In doing so, they have created vitality in existing congregations and in newly formed clusters of churches. They have helped create zones of innovation and new ministry development. The sky is the limit when pastors, church leaders and laity in local churches begin emphasizing mission strategy in their conferences, regions, neighborhoods and churches.
Immersion Bible Studies: Immersion Bible Studies
Par Rev Frank Ramirez. 2011
Journey inside the pages of Scripture to meet a personal God who enters individual lives and begins a creative work…
from the inside out. Shaped with the individual in mind, Immersion encourages simultaneous engagement both with the Word of God and with the God of the Word to become a new creation in Christ. Immersion, inspired by a fresh translation--the Common English Bible--stands firmly on Scripture and helps readers explore the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs of their personal faith. More importantly, they’ll be able to discover God’s revelation through readings and reflections.
The New Interpreter's® Bible One-Volume Commentary: One-volume Commentary
Par Beverly Roberts Gaventa and David Petersen. 2010
Pastors and students who want a one-volume commentary to complement the New Interpreter's Study Bible will be pleased to find…
in this resource the quality of scholarship that is a hallmark of other New Interpreter's Bible resources. The portability, accessibility, and affordability of the one-volume commentary will appeal to professors and students as well as lay persons and pastors. This commentary contains articles on all the books of the Bible, including the Apocrypha, as well as numerous general articles on biblical interpretation, geographical and historical setting, religion, text, canon, translation, Bible and preaching/teaching, with bibliographies for each article. Extra value includes: chronology/timeline, table of measures and money, and a subject index. Old Testament Editor: Dr. David L. Petersen, Franklin Nutting Parker Professor of Old Testament, Emory University. Professor Petersen's current research focuses on the book of Genesis and on prophetic literature. An ordained Presbyterian minister, Dr. Petersen has written, coauthored, or coedited a number of scholarly and popular books and articles. He was the senior Old Testament editor for The New Interpreter's Bible. Professor Petersen is a past president of the Society of Biblical Literature.New Testament Editor: Dr. Beverly Roberts Gaventa, Helen H.P. Manson Professor of New Testament Literature and Exegesis, Princeton Theological Seminary. Dr. Gaventa, whose specialties within the field of New Testament are the letters of Paul and Luke-Acts, is widely published. She is a member of the advisory board for the New Testament Library, a new commentary series for Westminster John Knox Press; editor of the Society of Biblical Literature’s Resources for Biblical Studies and a member of the editorial board of its Journal of Biblical Literature; and associate editor of the Catholic Biblical Quarterly.
Embody: Five Keys to Leading with Integrity
Par Karoline M. Lewis. 2020
Pastors and other leaders feel trapped in systems and institutions where actions and decisions often seem to have little to…
do with the scripture they read or the theology they profess. They are swept into leadership norms that resemble business models more than mission. They see in others and (sometimes) recognize in themselves the disconnect between their own theology and their leadership. They feel unable to fully integrate their beliefs with their behavior.Many leaders—younger ones, especially—are frustrated and disillusioned by this disconnect. They see hypocrisy all around them, and in themselves. They see that our culture is at a critical juncture, which gives ministry a greater sense of urgency. But they want to do things differently, to be what they believe. They want to embody their Christian beliefs in every decision, every act of ministry leadership.The functional authority of scripture must be evident in the way church leaders lead, both within the congregation and in the public square. lead our churches. The way we church leaders lead proves the bible does—or does not—matter. In Embody, Karoline Lewis shows how to frame leadership in the church and public square theologically, and from the perspective of incarnation. She shows how leadership can be a direct line between what you believe and what you do. She incorporates examples of Jesus' leadership and the Paraclete in the Gospel of John, showing how leadership was achieved by walking beside. Embody offers practical things for the reader to consider and do, instruction and guidance for how to make the ‘integration steps’ necessary in order to become an embodied leader, and exploration of core components of embodied leadership.
Preparing Couples for Love and Marriage: A Pastor's Resource
Par James L. Furrow, Cameron Lee. 2013
Good preparation enables couples to take a first step together in facing their future challenges. While no one can smooth…
away all the rough spots in the marital road ahead, couples can be coached to pay attention to warning signs, see the bumps before they hit them, and deal more skillfully with inevitable conflicts. This book provides pastors with a framework and tools for this ministry. The good news is that you don’t need any formal background in counseling, because the kind of work we’re talking about isn’t counseling—it’s coaching—a coach who can help couples to respond positively to the differences between them. It’s not about having the answers; but is it about helping couples manage difficulties before they become serious threats to the marriage.
Hobbit Lessons: A Map for Life's Unexpected Journeys
Par Devin Brown. 2013
Lessons on joy, friendship, dedication, sacrifice, and more will appealto Hobbit fans, parents, teachers, librarians, graduates—and anyonelooking for a creative…
way to explore timeless life lessons andimportant values of faith.Millions of fans worldwide have beenattracted to The Hobbit for its unique combination of high adventure andprofound truths. Tapping the excitement around the highly-anticipatedHobbit movie trilogy, Tolkien-scholar, Devin Brown, now presents afast-paced and easy-to-follow presentation of timeless spiritualmessages to help navigate your journey. Peppered with illustrationsthroughout, Hobbit Lessons offers troll-sized portions ofrelevance and regular nuggets of good Hobbit sense. The result is acollection of tangible bites of wisdom that are not only deeply movingbut also great fun.
Educating Congregations: The Future of Christian Education
Par Charles R. Foster. 1994
A leading Christian educator offers a practical guide for revisioning a church's educational program. After identifying the weaknesses in current…
education programs, Charles Foster offers an alternative vision that is more cooperative, more attentive to the whole of the congregation's life, and that helps people critically correlate the Bible and Christian tradition to their own experience.
The United Methodist Music & Worship Planner 2019-2020 CEB Edition
Par David L. Bone, Mary Scifres. 2019
An all-in-one resource that helps both the music director and pastor plan the worship services for each Sunday and holy…
day of the year, The United Methodist Music and Worship Planner 2019-2020 is lectionary-based and places at your fingertips: Weekly pages in spiral-bound format that help you plan the entire worship year, from September through August. Eight or more suggested hymns for each service keyed to United Methodist worship resources: The United Methodist Hymnal, The Faith We Sing, Worship & Song, The United Methodist Book of Worship, and The Africana Hymnal. Complete lectionary text of the Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel readings using the Common English Bible translation. Reproducible worship planning forms. Resources for holidays and special days. Suggestions for prayers, solos, anthems, visuals, and much more. Also available with NRSV texts
Embracing the Uncertain: A Bible Study for Unsteady Times
Par Magrey DeVega. 2017
Just turning on the news lets us know we are living in uncertain times. Economic instabilities, eruptions of violence, and…
natural catastrophes can alter the lives and landscapes of entire communities. Our individual lives are often just as unsteady: relationships can break, plans can falter, and confidence can fail.Uncertainty can definitely be uncomfortable. Many of us prefer stability and a predictable future to an unknown fate. We are wired to want to control our destiny.The reality is that in our fast-changing, unpredictable world there are few guarantees in life. It's those who are willing to embrace uncertainty and make the risky decision to follow Jesus despite the many "unknowns" who will reap the greatest rewards.Embracing the Uncertain invites readers this Lent to engage and wrestle with life’s uncertainties, not ignore them. The first six chapters focus on six post-Transfiguration, pre-Passion stories in the Gospels. Each of these stories are signposts in the gospel narrative, pointing down at a world filled with uncertainty, but pointing us forward to a cross that can show us how to follow Jesus with courage, hope, and obedience.Includes discussion questions that can be used in small-group Bible study session or for personal growth.
Worship in Ancient Israel: An Essential Guide (An Essential Guide)
Par Walter Brueggemann. 2005
In an engaging style--characteristic of the author, Walter Brueggemann--this Essential Guide describes the leading motifs of ancient Israel’s worship traditions…
in the Old Testament. The author guides the reader through the themes, central texts, prayers, festivals, and practices of that worship. He sees throughout the Old Testament a central emphasis on worship as a covenantal gesture and utterance by the community in the presence of God. In addition to being an essential guide to this subject, this book is intended to be in the service of current theological and practical issues concerning worship of the church in its ecumenical character.
Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: Jude & 2 Peter (Abingdon New Testament Commentaries)
Par Steven J. Kraftchick. 0201
The Abingdon New Testament Commentaries series offers compact, critical commentaries on the writings of the New Testament. These commentaries are…
written with special attention to the needs and interests of theology students, but they will also be useful for students in upper-level college or university settings, as well as for pastors and other church leaders. In addition to providing basic information about the New Testament texts and insights into their meanings, these commentaries exemplify the tasks and procedures of careful, critical exegesis. In this volume of the Abingdon New Testament Commentaries series, Steven J. Kraftchick both studies these two epistles in their late first century context and discusses their relevance to the contemporary Christian church. The author discusses the importance of the insider/outsider language, the harsh polemical tone of both letters, and their reliance upon the Old Testament and both early Jewish and Greco-Roman thought. "Because of the numerous similarities between Jude and Second Peter (the latter probably made use of the former), Kraftchick emulates many commentators by treating the two epistles together. In antiquity few writers commented upon Second Peter; the letter is little used in the liturgy. But this does not diminish its importance as providing an insight into aspects of life in the early church. Kraftchick sees Second Peter as possibly originating in the period 90-100 CE (earlier than many commentators). Its pseudonymous authorship and nature as a 'farewell testament' were common enough at the time, enabling the writer to cloak his own arguments in the garments of a revered, authoritative personage of the past. The letter's teaching on the delay of the parousia is among its most striking features; it is the only NT writing to teach that the present world will be destroyed by fire, though such a notion is found in intertestamental Jewish writings and among the Stoics. Kraftchick brings nothing startlingly new to an already well-furrowed exegetical field, but his skill at synthesis and clarity of expression will be appreciated by the students for whom this entire series is intended."--Casimir Bernas, Holy Trinity Abbey, in Religious Studies Review, Volume 29 Number 3, July 2003.
7 Days of Simplicity: A Season Of Living Lightly
Par Jen Hatmaker. 2020
Inspired by her iconic 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, New York Times-bestselling author Jen Hatmaker explores the spiritual side…
of a simpler life and the way our choices affect our spirit, our loved ones, our community, and the earth in her new gift book 7 Days of Simplicity: A Season of Living Lightly. In 7 Days of Simplicity Hatmaker shares from her own experiences in living lightly, "finding deep delight in exactly what you have and where you are, never letting anyone shame you out of simplicity or contentment." Throughout the book are excerpts of Jen’s own journey to offer hope, humor, facts, and encouragement for the reader with a fresh look at how our own daily choices affect the sustainability of our lives and God’s earth. The book confronts our desire to compete in the all-consuming consumer-goods game calling the reader to slow down, catch a breath, live with intention, and live like today is all we have, because those small ripples eventually make big waves for everyone.
I Love Growing Older, But I'll Never Grow Old
Par J. Ellsworth Kalas. 2013
Growing older is a process. Growing old is a conclusion. If you’re growing older you see some hope because you…
have perspective and you keep learning. If you’ve grown old, you may cynically think that times have never been as bad as they are now, and that they can only get worse." This book is about learning how to "make peace with where you are right now." It’s about learning from the past and then moving past it. It’s about growing—personally, spiritually, and in our relationships with God and with others. If we think properly about growing older we’ll never have to grow old.A discussion guide is included.
An Evangelical Theology of Preaching
Par Donald English. 1996
By exploring the biblical basis for preaching, Donald English shows how fundamental theological issues pertain to the proclamation of the…
Word. He provides a theological basis for preaching, practical insights regarding the movement from text to sermon, and practical guidance in preparing for Sunday worship.
When God Comes Down: An Advent Study for Adults
Par Rev James A. Harnish. 2012
When God Comes Down is a five-week study, providing one lesson for each week of Advent and one for Christmas.…
Each lesson includes a key Scripture, a brief reflection, discussion/reflection questions, a brief prayer, and a focus for the coming week. In this study, Harnish explores the meaning of the incarnation…God with us in human flesh. Often our Advent/Christmas journey is focused on us – our memories, feelings, relationships and experiences. This study puts the focus on God’s action in Jesus Christ. It encourages participants to think more deeply in terms of the biblical, theological, and spiritual meaning of the Nativity and to apply it to their own life experiences. The study looks at the stories of the primary biblical characters in the birth stories through whose lives the miracle of incarnation happened: Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. Harnish also looks at a traditional character in nativity plays, one who is not mentioned in the Bible, the innkeeper. Through all these characters, he helps us claim for ourselves the reality of God's presence with us.
Savior: What the Bible Says about the Cross (Savior)
Par Magrey DeVega. 2020
The cross is the central symbol of the Christian faith. But what exactly did Jesus do to save us from…
our sins? Why was the cross necessary, and what does it mean for us today?In Savior: What the Bible Says About the Cross, Magrey deVega faithfully describes the need for reconciliation between humankind and a holy God through Jesus’ death on the cross. The Bible uses many images to understand the meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection, and deVega guides us through these images to achieve a richer understanding of the Christian faith. By exploring the mystery of salvation through the cross, we can deepen our love for God and others and strengthen our commitment to follow JesusComponents for this six-session study will include a book, leader guide, and a DVD with videos featuring deVega presenting each chapter's main ideas and themes. The leader guide will include instructions for showing and discussing these videos as an option for the group leader.
Making Room Leader Guide: Sharing the Love of Christmas (Making Room)
Par Ed Robb. 2020
Often our Advent preparations have an inward focus as we prepare for the significance of God breaking into our world…
through the birth of the Christ child. But in a closer examination of the Advent story, we quickly learn that the focus of the coming of the newborn king is outward.In this book and Advent study, Dr. Ed Robb explores the warmth of welcome at Christmas following interactions with Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, and the magi. Just as Jesus made room in God’s kingdom for a host of people that society wanted to leave on the margins, beginning with the appearance of the shepherds, we too should be asking ourselves who we can make room for this Christmas.Perhaps it is to the people in your community, or the newly immigrated family in town that doesn’t speak your language. Or maybe it’s the next-door neighbor who just settled in from yet another corporate move? The story of Christ’s birth encourages us to widen our borders and increase our sense of community—and make room for others.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the four-week study including session plans, activities, and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options.
40 Days of Doubt: Devotions for the Skeptic
Par Eric Huffman. 2018
"Faith is permitting ourselves to be seized by the things we do not see." --Martin LutherDo you ever wonder whether…
you’re really a Christian and cling to what’s left of your faith when you feel like an outsider — even among other believers.Have you ever doubted your faith? Have you ever, deep down in your heart, doubted that God was really present in your life? Or wondered whether everything you believed in as a Christian was false?Call it existential doubt. Call it "the dark night of the soul," as one Christian saint famously did. Whatever you call it, it’s real. It is personal, it is painful, it is distressing, and it can last for years? maybe even a lifetime. But you are not alone.40 Days of Doubt: Devotions for the Skeptic is for all those sports-talk listening, eye-rolling, Game-of-Thrones-loving, abnormal believers out there. If you’ve ever felt that your mind and soul were fighting, you’ll find solace in these awe and wonder-filled reflections by pastor and author Eric Huffman. This devotional helps us understand how we can cope with our questions, and provides insightful answers during our times of doubt.Product Features: Shares 40 devotionals on life and faith. Explores questions readers may be asking about their faith. Offers guidance for those wanting candid insight about Christianity.Weekly Study Guides available at www.EricHuffman.org/books."Real. Bible. Wisdom. Eric Huffman’s 40 days (with a bonus 41st day!) of meditations on life’s problems, opportunities and meanings is real, honest, biblically sound and wise. His sometimes edgy and direct testimony is inspirational and connects with our best and worst experiences. Buy it, then read it."Scott Jones, co-author of Ask, Faith Questions in a Skeptical Age"40 Days of Doubt is a cleverly constructed book that gives doubters space to (re)consider the fundamental claims of God over their lives. Well written with a very readable style Eric charts a path to a well-considered faith." Alan and Debra Hirsch, Missional Leaders, Authors and Speakers."As a recovering pastor, I confess I went through my own season of eye-rolling cynicism about church, religion and Christians. 40 Days of Doubt provides space to consider real questions for agnostics, skeptics, and just burned-out Christians who are tired of trite answers." Tim Stevens, Author of Marked By Love: A Dare To Walk Away from Judgment and HypocrisyReading 40 Days of Doubt feels like I am having a frank and straightforward conversation about all the things that stand in the way of giving one’s whole heart and life to following Jesus. With each issue Huffman addresses, he chooses not to pull any punches about how the culture of "me" is often the real impediment to faith, and how the obstacles are often not the message, but the way the church fails to live it out. You may agree with him or disagree with him, but he will make you think as he peels back the layers of rhetoric and gets at the heart of the issue. If you are someone who wants to believe but can’t quite get there, 40 Days of Doubt may be just the ticket. Tom Pace, Senior Pastor, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Houston
Journeys with Celtic Christians Leader Guide
Par Rodney Newman. 2015
"The early Christians of Ireland developed an expression of the faith characterized by deep devotion and fascinating stories," Newman said.…
"It offers rich insights for modern issues such as promoting a caring society, relating to the natural world and welcoming strangers." Writers often use the metaphor of journey or pilgrimage to describe the Christian life. What distinguishes this book and its development of that theme is its invitation to readers to experience their personal faith journeys through Celtic lenses. Pilgrimage is part of the DNA of Celtic Christians. The faith spread and flourished in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Northern England between the 5th and 11th centuries because saints like Patrick, Brigid, and Columba traveled extensively, preaching, teaching, and founding monasteries. Soon small groups of Christians began to go out from these locations and begin new Christian communities. By connecting historical information with their current lives and concerns, readers will be encouraged to consider the many ways pilgrimage has shaped their personal faith. They will discover the value and contributions of fellow travelers on the faith journey and how they assist and shape that journey. By recalling how Celtic Christians celebrated and marked significant moments in their lives of faith, readers will discover ways they can develop this practice. They will affirm the importance of both offering and receiving hospitality on the faith journey, a discipline that was critical to the Celts. They will also have opportunities to deal with difficult life journeys such as transitions and opportunities for forgiveness, and the importance of blessing one another in a world that values polarization over cooperation and competition over community. With an introduction that sets the tone and introduces the theme and six chapters related to distinctives of Celtic Christianity, this book is ideal for small groups whose members want to grow together in their spiritual understandings and commitments. The Leader Guide is designed to help lead small groups. It includes questions for reflection and additional prompts aimed to guide both personal contemplation and group discussion.
Powerful Persuasion: Multimedia Witness in Christian Worship
Par Prof. Tex Sample. 2005
When it comes to communicating the gospel through new media and technologies, churches are often faced with one of two…
bad options. Either they can reject these new vehicles for sharing the faith as “not the way we’ve always done it”; or they can uncritically embrace them, failing to see that when not understood properly these media can obscure the gospel message just as much as they can communicate it. If they are going to reach the generations formed by electronic culture, churches must engage in a new evangelism, one that makes use of new technologies and cultural expressions. Sample explains how the electronic generations receive and process the information communicated by new media, and how the ways in which our consumerist culture makes use of those media are not good models for how the church can employ them to spread the message of Jesus Christ.Read the Introduction now!