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Weak Enough to Lead: What the Bible Tells Us about Powerful Leadership
Par James C. Howell. 2017
The Bible’s version of leadership is pretty different from—and sometimes alien to—that of the business world. It is also dissimilar…
from our usual assumptions about what makes a great leader in the church, where we tend to focus on preaching ability, strategic hutzpah, and managerial savvy.But what if the Bible actually points toward a different set of characteristics necessary for leadership? What if our weakness is an essential qualification? Do we know our limitations, our inabilities? Do we see clearly our vulnerable, broken selves? Do we really believe that God’s strength is perfected in our weakness, and do we lead with that as a core belief? James Howell’s Weak Enough to Lead is not a list of "leadership principles" from the Bible. This book is an examination of stories about leaders from the Old Testament, where we discover not only them but ourselves. How does family dysfunction or depression or tragic bad luck or larger historical forces figure into the leadership equation? How do biblical characters prosper despite themselves or stumble even while being holy? Can we get inside the head, heart, and the actual administration of King David and reckon with his strength and foibles? How is strength in leadership almost always the downfall of the biblical leader? What kind of leader would Jesus, Esther, Moses, Jeremiah, or Paul be today?Howell explores the careers, struggles, joys, and devastations of various biblical leaders, believing that immersion in scripture’s stories is what modern Christian leaders need—not to succeed so much as to be God’s people in the world. He roots this unique exploration of leadership in a prayer of Jehoshaphat: "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."
Paws to Reflect for Dog Lovers: 60 Devotions on Trust & Love
Par Devon O'Day, Kim McLean, Devon O'Day. 2015
Sometimes human communication falls short in conveying spiritual truth. Sometimes God speaks through whatever means He chooses—and often he chooses…
our four-legged friends.Paws to Reflect for Dog Lovers offers 60 reflections for those who seek to grow spiritually by observing the unconditional love and devotion of our pups. This devotional offers a mix of humorous and heart-warming lessons in creative chapters such as these: You Can’t Judge a Cocker by Its Spaniel Footprints on the Pink Couch Growling for Grace The Hound of Heaven Cleanliness is Next to ImpossibleAs we stand in awe of humble animal hearts, we can learn important life lessons about overcoming mistakes, loving without judgment, persevering with wisdom and grace, resting in the arms of the One who loves us, and more.
Change the World: Recovering the Message and Mission of Jesus
Par Mike Slaughter. 2016
Clearly, something is not working. Despite the church’s place of prominence in American culture and the ubiquity of the church…
in every American town, misconceptions about the faith of Jesus Christ run rampant today. Christians are known more for exclusivity than for love, more for pot lucks than for solving world hunger. It’s time for churches to get over the cruise-ship mentality of being a program-provider, and reconnect with the true message and mission of Jesus: to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, and freedom to the oppressed. The church is called to be a mission outpost, living out Christ’s ideals in today’s world. Slaughter presents seven choices pastors must make as they consider the future of their congregations. Will you focus on building disciples or tallying decisions? Will you multiply your impact or expand your facilities? Will you step out in courage or comply with the status quo? Your answers to these and other questions determine how your church will focus its time, its energy, and its budget to work for real change in a hurting world.
An Illustrated Guide to the Holy Land for Tour Groups, Students, and Pilgrims
Par Lamontte M. Luker. 2013
As the geographic heart and soul of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, the Holy Land has immense significance for the millions…
of visitors each year. But since the fifth century BC, enthusiastic and curious people have needed a guide as they travel to see the sites for themselves.This book is different because it not only gives the historical, archaeological descriptions wedded to the biblical text, but it is an appropriate resource for spiritual formation and cross-cultural dialog.Packed with the latest information, this book locates and introduces the reader to popular and less-familiar sites such as Bethlehem, Shepherds’ Field, Church of the Nativity, Roman Catholic Church of St. Catherine, the Herodium, Mount of Olives, Old City of Jerusalem, Wadi Kelt, Mt. Sinai, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site of Church of St. Mary of the Latins, Temple Mount, El-Aksa Mosque, Dome of the Rock, Hezekiah's Tunnel, the traditional place of the Last Supper, Siloam Pool, the traditional tomb of King David, the house of Caiphas the High Priest, Shrine of the Book, Herod's Antonio Fortress, Golgotha, Bethany, Tomb of Lazarus, Bethphage, Pater Noster Church, Gethsemane, and many others. Each entry explains the history and topography of the site as well as its function and significance as it is linked to the relevant biblical passages.This book will not only inform you but help you better understand your faith. Journey to the Holy Land with indispensable archaeological information linked to the biblical story.
Fresh Expressions: A New Kind of Methodist Church For People Not In Church
Par Kenneth H. Carter Jr., Audrey Warren. 2017
A wave of new Christian churches are emerging to reach unchurched and dechurched people who live in a culture that…
is increasingly non-religious and multi-religious. These new forms of church gather and network with people who typically have never been to church. The new faith communities listen to people and go where they are on the journey toward Jesus. They are deeply ecumenical but do not lose their distinctiveness because they learn fresh ways to communicate their identity through discipleship.Fresh Expressions began in the United Kingdom where it ignited over 3000 new faith communities. In the United States the movement is putting down roots in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Ken Carter and Audrey Warren offer this book as a group study for church leaders and congregations who are in the grip of Holy Spirit motivation to renew their tradition by reaching people who are dechurched or not yet in a discipleship relationship with Jesus. Each chapter includes two Bible study experiences for group conversation.
In the Quiet of the Day: Daily Reflections for Lasting Peace
Par Abingdon. 2018
Are you overwhelmed with pressures from family, friends, career, and daily routines? In the Quiet of the Day offers quiet…
times amidst the chaos we call life. The devotionals include scripture and reflection affirming your value as a woman. And so reassured in your identity—accepted and loved by God just as you are—you can confidently rise above the endless pressures of daily life with an attitude of joy and peace as you continue growing spiritually. This beautiful book is a padded hardcover with a ribbon.
John Youth Study Book: The Gospel of Light and Life (John series)
Par Adam Hamilton. 2015
The Gospel of John is the most deeply spiritual of the four gospels. It includes some of the loftiest and…
most loved verses in all the Bible: "And the Word became flesh…," "For God so loved the world…," "You who are without sin cast the first stone…," "I am the resurrection and the life…," "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." The writing is filled with rich images and profound truths, but John notes that his aim in writing the gospel is that his readers will not only believe in Jesus Christ, but that they "may have life in his name."Join Adam Hamilton and experience a season of spiritual growth and life-changing renewal while exploring the major themes of John while reading the entire Gospel of John.Everything needed to conduct a six-session study of the Gospel of John including current examples that have meaning to young people grades 6-12. Can be used with the adult-level DVD.
John Wesley: A Preaching Life
Par Michael Pasquarello III. 2010
That John Wesley was not a systematic theologian is a point frequently made. Yet if that be the case, what…
kind of theologian was he? To look at his literary output over the course of his long life and ministry is to recognize the central role that sermons played. Thus, claims Michael Paquarello, Wesley was a homiletical theologian, one for whom the Word preached was the core means of reflecting on and understanding the meaning of the Gospel.In this "preaching life" of Wesley Pasquarello places Wesley's sermons in the larger religious, political, and intellectual world of their eighteenth-century context. Neither a biography nor an intellectual history, it is a homiletic history, one that both uses the details of Wesley's milieu to build a framework for understanding his sermons, and that illumines the practical wisdom embodied in the content, form, and style of Wesley's preaching. John Wesley: A Preaching Life vividly portrays the centrality of Wesley's preaching to the religious revival that transformed eighteenth-century England.
If God Is Your Co-Pilot, Swap Seats!
Par James W. Moore. 2009
Jesus gave us the good news that if we make God our number-one priority, then everything else will fall into…
place, and our life will be full of joy, purpose, mission, meaning, and fulfillment.In the words of author James W. Moore: There's a saying that goes, “If God is your co-pilot, swap seats!” I think its message is something we all need to hear, namely this: Don’t just take God along for the ride. Rather, let God do the driving! Put God in the driver’s seat of your life. Don’t make God your assistant; ask God to be the chief pilot on your life’s journey.God is not only a comfort, God is a joy. God is the source of all pleasure. God is light and laughter. God is the Giver of Life, real life, abundant life, full life, meaningful life, joyful life, eternal life. And our chief purpose is to celebrate God, and to serve God, and to enjoy God forever.
Total Christmas Makeover: 31 Devotions to Celebrate with Purpose
Par Melissa Spoelstra. 2017
In the bustle of the Christmas season, it can be easy to get swept up in all of the things…
to do. But it’s important to pause and remember that our priority should be to spend time celebrating Christ’s birth and not forget to invite Jesus to his own party.Christmas is far more than a celebration of an event from long ago or a modern holiday centered around shopping. Mindfully take time to listen to how God continues to speak through the Christmas story as the Gospel narratives centered around the birth of Jesus are filled with encouragement and revelation concerning the love of God and his wisdom for us today. In Total Christmas Makeover, author and Bible teacher Melissa Spoelstra provides a practical approach for you and your family to turn your attention toward God’s grace day-by-day as you prepare for Christmas. This 31-day devotional presents key scriptures, ideas to implement with each reading, and questions for reflection to guide you in rediscovering rituals, relationship, and rest to connect you more deeply with Christ this holiday season.
Restored: Finding Redemption in Our Mess (Restored series)
Par Tom Berlin. 2016
Often we make a mess of our lives and wonder if there is any redemption. In this book, pastor and…
author Tom Berlin helps us see our mess through the eyes of Christ to find redemption and restoration. Using Scripture, devotional tools, and the writings of Ignatius of Loyola, John of the Cross, St. Augustine, John Wesley, Evelyn Underhill, and others, Berlin encourages reflection and meditation through our own brokenness. Only then can we focus on the cross as the place where we truly surrender control, leave our mess, and find redemption.Chapters include: This Is a Real Mess Who Left This Mess? Bless This Mess No Messing Around Address This Mess The Message in the Mess
Sent Devotions for the Season: Delivering the Gift of Hope at Christmas (Sent Advent series)
Par Jorge Acevedo, Jacob Armstrong, Lanecia Rouse, Rachel Billups, Justin LaRosa. 2015
As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them . . . —John 17:18Godsent Christ at Christmas.…
In turn, Christ sends us into the world to behis hands and feet, head and heart. Dynamic pastor Jorge Acevedo leadsus on a 5-week Advent journey to discover how, where, and why we aresent. Joining him on the journey are four young clergy including JacobArmstrong, Rachel Billups, Justin LaRosa, and Lanecia Rouse, whochallenge us through story, art, and Bible study.This devotional, offering four weeks of daily reflections, functionsbeautifully on its own or as part of the church-wide experience. Thereflections are ideal for use during Advent and include Scripture, personalinsights, daily challenges, and prayers.
Leading Beyond the Walls 21293: Developing Congregations with a Heart for the Unchurched
Par Adam Hamilton. 2002
Good pastoral leadership is not a "by the numbers" proposition. It is a matter of heart and soul, of devoting…
the whole self to the vision God gives for the congregation in which one serves. Yet neither is it purely intuitive; it requires hard, careful thinking about the directions and details of the path down which God calls. When Adam Hamilton became pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, its membership consisted of himself and his family. Ten years later the church averages between five and six thousand worshipers per weekend. Throughout this remarkable period, Hamilton learned many serious lessons about both the broad visions and the specific details of pastoral leadership. Bringing a depth of analytical skills often lacking in visionary leaders, in this book he goes beyond simply telling the story of Church of the Resurrection. He shares the questions that he learned to ask about the largely unchurched population to which Church of the Resurrection has reached out. Further, he demonstrates what he learned by listening to the answers to these questions, and how doing so has made possible a number of strategically crucial decisions the church has made. One of those crucial decisions was to make more traditional forms of worship and praise the center of the congregation's life. The result is that the example of Church of the Resurrection offers pastors and church leaders (especially those in mainline denominations) the realization that they need not completely change their liturgical and theological identity in order to reach out to the unchurched. Drawing on his own experience, as well as the detailed research on the characteristics of highly successful congregations he undertook during a sabbatical leave, Hamilton offers pastors and other church leaders solid, substantive thinking on steps that congregations can take to become centers of vibrant outreach and mission.Also available in:Adobe Ebook 9780687026753Microsoft Ebook 9780687027491
The United Methodist Deacon: Ordained to Word, Service, Compassion, and Justice
Par Margaret Ann Crain. 2014
The United Methodist order of deacon represents the ever-evolving understanding of ordained ministry. But because of the continual changes, there…
is confusion about the call, roll, identity, and tasks of deacons. With vivid examples, this book gives a clear understanding of the order of deacon, beginning with a discussion of how its unique call sets apart persons for ordained ministry. Contents include:A Deacon Is Called and SentA Deacon Is ConnectionalA Deacon Is MissionalA Deacon Is Examined and EquippedThe Meaning of OrdinationA Deacon Is AppointedDeacons Lead the Church Epilogue: A Snapshot of Deacons and Their Ministry
Girl Be Brave: 100 Days to Chart Your Course
Par Cheryl Hale. 2019
In Girl Be Brave Chery Hale shares 100 days of encouragement, quotes, and photos, calling women everywhere to embrace lives…
of bravery. Inspired by the blog and online community of the same name, Hale helps readers chart their course to a more passionate and satisfying life with reflections like "Not Always Nice," "No One Gets to Tell You," and "Self-Care Is Not Vanity, Not Even Close," accompanied by powerful images of brave women in action. If you’re looking for a little inspiration to pursue your dreams, or if you know someone whose past failures have left her unsure how to navigate her own, let Girl Be Brave help you face your fears, embrace your future, and discover that you are braver than you ever thought possible. Features: One hundred inspirational reflections. Reflections give readers the courage and confidence to move forward. Gift book ties in with existing Girl Be Brave product line. Casebound hardcover with ribbon.
Worship Ways: For the People Within Your Reach
Par Thomas G. Bandy, Lucinda S. Holmes. 2014
Accelerating diversity of lifestyles has created a crisis for worship designers. One size does not fit all. No worship service…
can be "blended" to address the complete needs of a congregation. Moreover, church "shopping" is ending as people are choosing a worship service that directly meets their fundamental anxieties about life (regardless of style). Learn to use lifestyle information in worship planning to design a service that truly reaches the people in your community. This book explains why people worship and guides leaders to design relevant worship services that address people's sense of urgency. It is both practical and theological. The decline of worship attendance in all denominations, and across all "traditional" or "contemporary" styles, is reshaping the quest for relevance. Church leaders are turning away from methods to outcomes. People will only participate in worship if it really matters to the fundamental issues that they face.
Genesis to Revelation: A Comprehensive Verse-by-Verse Exploration of the Bible (Genesis to Revelation series)
Par Orion N. Hutchinson. 1997
Study the entire book of Mark, starting with the beginning of the Gospel and ending with the movement from darkness…
to light. Some of the major ideas explored are: the master teacher, the miracle worker, down from the mountain, and the last mile of the way.More than 3.5 million copies of the series have been sold.This revision of the Abingdon classic Genesis to Revelation series is a comprehensive, verse-by-verse, book-by-book study of the Bible based on the NIV. These studies help readers strengthen their understanding and appreciation of the Bible by enabling them to engage the Scripture on three levels: What does the Bible say? Questions to consider while reading the passage for each session. What does the passage mean? Unpacks key verses in the selected passage. How does the Scripture relate to my life? Provides three major ideas that have meaning for our lives today. The meaning of the selected passages is made clear by considering such aspects as ancient customs, locations of places, and the meanings of words. The simple format makes the study easy to use. Updates will include: New cover designs. New interior designs. Leader Guide per matching Participant Book (rather than multiple volumes in one book). Updated to 2011 revision of the New International Version Translation (NIV). Updated references to New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible. Biblical chapters on the Table of Contents page beside session titles for at-a-glance overview of biblical structure in most studies. The simple format makes the study easy to use. Each volume is 13 sessions and has a separate leader guide.
Down to Earth Leader Guide: The Hopes & Fears of All the Years Are Met in Thee Tonight (Down to Earth Advent series)
Par Mike Slaughter, Rachel Billups. 2016
Nothing in all the vast, created universe could prepare us for God coming down as a helpless infant, or for…
Jesus the son of God intentionally positioning himself as a mere servant, identifying with the lowest of lows. It's enough to confound the mind, to make the heart contrite. This Advent, God’s great surprise changes everything. The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the 4-week study for Advent, including session plans and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options.
The Sanctuary for Lent 2021 (Pkg of 10)
Par April Casperson. 2020
The Sanctuary for Lent 2021 contains brief readings for each day in Lent, from Ash Wednesday through Easter Day, including…
a suggested Scripture, a short devotion, and a closing prayer—all based on the Revised Common Lectionary. It is an excellent gift for family, friends, or those with special needs. This annual favorite helps readers faithfully journey Lent as they prepare to experience the joy of the Resurrection and is a wonderful congregational resource. Larger font for ease of reading. Sold in packs of 10, booklets are designed to fit in a #10 envelope, enabling churches to include them in Lent mailings and making it easy to mail to visitors or share as a part of home-bound or prison ministry.
Guidelines Worship: The Gifts of God from the People of God
Par Cokesbury. 2016
The worship ministry of the local church is often the first, if not only, entry point for people seeking to…
establish a relationship with God in a Christian community. The ways in which we worship and honor God set a tone for the overall ministry of the church. This Guideline is designed to help implement and guide the work of the ministry area.This is one of the twenty-six Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 that cover church leadership areas including Church Council and Small Membership Church; the administrative areas of Finance and Trustees; and ministry areas focused on nurture, outreach, and witness including Worship, Evangelism, Stewardship, Christian Education, age-level ministries, Communications, and more.