On February 19, 1812, Adoniram Judson, his wife Ann, and a few others set sail for the Far East from their American homeland. The launching of these missionaries by a newly formed outreach society marked the beginning of Americans formally joining the modem missions movement.

With the advent of 2012 comes recognition of the bicentennial of Judson's departure and official start of the American missionary enterprise. This volume seeks to honor the life and mission of Judson while retelling his story for a new generation. With the occasion of the 200-year anniversary of Judson's departure as a fitting context for such a presentation, the his- torians, theologians, and missiologists writing here under the guidance of editor Jason G. Duesing have endeavored not only to serve as Judson's biographers of past events, but also as his interpreters of what they hope will take place in the present and future.

Contributors include Paige Patterson, Michael A. G. Haykin, Robert Caldwell, Nathan A. Finn, Candi Finch, Keith E. Eitel, Gregory A. Wills, and Daniel L. Akin.

The island of Crete was a tough place. It was to the Roman world what the urban ghettos and favelas of today's great cities are to our neighborhoods. Paul needed a young missionary with energy, zeal, wisdom, determination, faith, and courage to embark on a mission to the fabled but fateful home of the Minotaur and the mythological birthplace of Zeus. Charged with the task of finding elders for the churches and grounding these churches in the faith of the Apostles was the unenviable task given to a driven, passionate young preacher named Titus. The instruction of the missionary-theologian Paul to one of his sons in the ministry beckons the reader to follow into the Labyrinth of Crete and see that in both the first century and in the contemporary urban setting, God's redemptive grace is adequate to change both life and eternity.

Adrian Rogers is one of America's most respected Bible teachers, having communicated to millions through his "Love Worth Finding" radio ministry and as the former senior pastor of the Bellevue Baptist Church near Memphis, Tennessee. Adrian helped guide the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Evangelical denomination in North America, through treacherous and troubling waters of theological liberalism and doctrinal heresy and back to the foundational truths that Christ's church was founded on and has stood upon for centuries.

A recent conference at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary featured speakers addressing topics set forth in the article on "The Church" in the Southern Baptist Convention's Baptist Faith and Message statement. Upon This Rock gathers those presentations and answers such questions as:

- What is the basis for our denominational distinctives?

- Are they merely a collection of "faded traditions" or true doctrinal necessities rooted in the Bible alone?

- Are they theologically rich cornerstones of faith that easily transcend time, culture, and preference?

Contributors include Malcolm B Yarnell III ("Upon This Rock I Will Build My Church: A Theological Exposition of Matthew 16:13-20"), Paige Patterson ("Observing the Two Ordinances of Christ"), Thomas and Joy White ("Church Officers and Gender: Can Women Be Pastors? Or Deacons?") and Bart Barber ("A Denomination of Churches: Biblical and Useful") as well as Jason G. Duesing, David Allen, Emir F. Caner, James Leo Garrett, Jr., and Byron McWilliams.

"Restoring Integrity in Baptist Churches" features notable contributors on the key issues in many local churches, especially within the Southern Baptist Convention, America's largest Protestant denomination. Some of the contributors include Mark Dever (on church membership); Daniel Akin (on baptism); Emir Caner (on the Lord's Supper); Gregory Wills (on church discipline); and Malcolm B. Yarnell III (on the priesthood of all believers). Pastors and church leaders will find here a timely resource for important theological questions; students training for the ministry will gain a practical guide.

Challenges to religious liberty are increasingly common today as historical Christianity comes into conflict with a new, secular orthodoxy.  In this thoroughly revised second edition of First Freedom, leading evangelical scholars present the biblical and historical foundations for religious freedom in America, and address pressing topics such as:

* Religious freedom and the exclusivity of the gospel
* The Christian doctrine of religious liberty
* Religious liberty and the public square
* Religious freedom and the sexual revolution
* Baptist contributions to religious freedom, and much more.

The contributors equip churches, pastors, and Christian citizens to uphold this “first freedom” given by God and defended by Christians throughout our nation’s history.    

Now you can study the Bible with the faculty of the Moody Bible Institute!

Imagine having a team of 30 Moody Bible Institute professors helping you study the Bible. Now you can with this in-depth, user-friendly, one-volume commentary. 

General editors Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham have led a team of contributors whose academic training, practical church experience, and teaching competency make this commentary excellent for anyone who needs help understanding the Scriptures.

This comprehensive and reliable reference work should be the first place Sunday school teachers, Bible study leaders, missionaries, and pastors turn to for biblical insight. Scripture being commented on is shown in bold print for easy reference, and maps and charts provide visual aids for learning. Additional study helps include bibliographies for further reading and a subject and Scripture index. 

The Moody Bible Commentary is an all-in-one Bible study resource that will help you better understand and apply God's written revelation to all of life.  

Being a leader means working with people, and that's not always easy! Whether in your office, church, neighborhood, or elsewhere, your interpersonal relationships can make or break you as a leader. That's why it's so important to be a "people person" and develop your skills in tapping that most precious of all resources: people.

In this powerful book, America's leadership expert John Maxwell helps you:

discover and develop the qualities of an effective "people person" improve your relationships in every area of life understand and help difficult people overcome differences and personality traits that can cause friction inspire others to excellence and success

Loaded with life-enriching, life-changing principles for relating positively and powerfully with your family, friends, colleague, and clients, Be a People Person is certain to help you bring out the best in others—and that's what effective leadership is all about.

Jesus gave his followers a command: “Follow me.” And a promise: “And I will equip you to find others to follow me.” We were made to make disciples.

Designed for use in discipleship relationships and other focused settings, Multiply will equip you to carry out Jesus’s ministry. Each of the twenty-four sessions in the book corresponds with an online video at www.multiplymovement.com, where New York Times bestselling author David Platt joins Francis in guiding you through each part of Multiply. 

One plus one plus one. Every copy of Multiply is designed to do what Jesus did: make disciples who make disciples who make disciples…. Until the world knows the truth of Jesus Christ.

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus started a movement that has grown like wildfire throughout history. Author and pastor Andy Stanley draws from Scripture and over 25 years of pastoral experience to bring to life the irresistible nature of this movement known as the Church.

With surprising candor and transparency pastor Andy Stanley explains how one of America’s largest churches began with a high-profile divorce and a church split.

But that’s just the beginning...

Deep and Wide provides church leaders with an in-depth look into North Point Community Church and its strategy for creating churches unchurched people absolutely love to attend. Andy writes,

“Our goal is to create weekend experiences so compelling and helpful that even the most skeptical individuals in our community would walk away with every intention of returning the following week...with a friend!”

Later he says,

“I want people to fall in love with the Author of Scripture. And while we can’t make anyone fall in love, we can certainly arrange a date.”

For the first time, Andy explains his strategy for preaching and programming to “dual audiences”: mature believers and cynical unbelievers. He argues that preaching to dual audiences doesn’t require communicators to “dumb down” the content. According to Stanley, it’s all in the approach.

You’ll be introduced to North Point's spiritual formation model: The Five Faith Catalysts. Leaders responsible for ministry programing and production will no doubt love Andy’s discussion of the three essential ingredients for creating irresistible environments. For pastors willing to tackle the challenge of transitioning a local congregation, Andy includes a section entitled: Becoming Deep and Wide.

If your team is more concerned with who you are reaching than who you are keeping, Deep & Wide will be more than a book you read; it will be a resource you come back to over and over!

“Couldn't be prouder of my son, Andy. And I couldn't be more excited about the content of this book. I wish a resource like this existed when I was starting out in ministry.”

- Dr. Charles Stanley, Founder, In Touch Ministries

“Deep and Wide pulls back the curtain for all of us to see what is required behind the scenes to build a prevailing church. I was both challenged and inspired by this book.”

- Bill Hybels, author of Just Walk Across the Room

“The most common question I get from pastors is, ‘How do I get the people in my church to be open to change?’ From now on my answer will be, ‘Read Deep and Wide by Andy Stanley’. Thanks Andy. Great book!”

- Craig Groeschel, Pastor, LifeChurch.TV, author, It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It

“No one has given me more practical handles for establishing a focused vision than Andy Stanley. Deep and Wide is a rich resource to help all of us stay intentional about the main thing - building a church that reaches people who are far from God.”

- Steven Furtick, Lead Pastor, Elevation Church

This perennial best-selling discipleship tool contains the classic Bible studies Lessons on Assurance and Lessons on Christian Living in one package—13 lessons in all! These Navigator Bible studies are a great leader’s resource to explain the fundamentals of the Christian life. An ideal gift for a new believer or someone who has an interest in Jesus. Tear-out Scripture memory verse cards are included in KJV, NIV, NASB, and NKJV.

In the updated and expanded edition of this classic title, noted scholar Dr. Tim LaHaye gives reasons for believing that the Rapture and the Tribulation could occur during our generation. Ours is the first generation that has the technology and opportunity to fulfill many of the prophecies of Revelation.
Understanding prophecy can be difficult and confusing. This book takes away all of the mystery—and the intimidation. It is user-friendly for the layperson, yet remarkably complete for the scholar.

"Nothing in my life goes untouched by my husband’s calling."

Christine Hoover’s words in the first chapter describe so well the life of a church planter’s wife, which is enormously difficult yet extraordinarily rewarding. To be married to a church planter is a calling of its own with a richness of its own.

In The Church Planting Wife, Hoover explores and encourages the hearts of her readers while teaching what it means to have heart prepared for this unique ministry. She knows the challenges: A church planter's wife must develop a job description, be a wise helper to her husband, develop friendships within the church and community, deal with stress and discouragement, handle wounds, and more. Christine speaks candidly about these challenges while urging readers to grow a heart that wholly reflects Jesus.

Spread throughout these pages are stories and interviews from church planting wives. Christine Hoover empathetically and pointedly builds from these testimonies to uplift the reader and offer lessons of hope in the midst of a challenging ministry.

The Wounded Healer is a hope-filled and profoundly simple book that speaks directly to those men and women who want to be of service in their church or community, but have found the traditional ways often threatening and ineffective. In this book, Henri Nouwen combines creative case studies of ministry with stories from diverse cultures and religious traditions in preparing a new model for ministry. Weaving keen cultural analysis with his psychological and religious insights, Nouwen has come up with a balanced and creative theology of service that begins with the realization of fundamental woundedness in human nature. Emphasizing that which is in humanity common to both minister and believer, this woundedness can serve as a source of strength and healing when counseling others. Nouwen proceeds to develop his approach to ministry with an analysis of sufferings -- a suffering world, a suffering generation, a suffering person, and a suffering minister. It is his contention that ministers are called to recognize the sufferings of their time in their own hearts and make that recognition the starting point of their service. For Nouwen, ministers must be willing to go beyond their professional role and leave themselves open as fellow human beings with the same wounds and suffering -- in the image of Christ. In other words, we heal from our own wounds. Filled with examples from everyday experience, The Wounded Healer is a thoughtful and insightful guide that will be welcomed by anyone engaged in the service of others.

A changed heart is the bright promise of the gospel.

When the Bible talks about the gift of a new heart, it doesn't mean a heart that is immediately perfected, but a heart that is capable of being changed. Jesus' work on the cross targets our hearts, our core desires and motivations, and when our hearts change, our behavior changes. It's amazing to watch people who once seemed stuck in a pattern of words, choices, and behaviors start living in a new way as Christ changes their hearts.

The Pastor's Handbook (KJV) is intended to meet the continuing need of the Christian minister for guidance and forms as he does the work of the ministry. It seeks to offer options to suit the tastes of the pastor and congregation within the parameters of quality, beauty and dignity. To this end, numerous changes, both large and small, have been made—more selected Scriptures, new alternatives for special occasions, some significant additions and changes. At the same time, every effort has been made to keep the book concise and compact to maximize its usefulness. The formulas should be sufficient for the ordinary needs of the minister. They may be modified or supplemented by materials from the pastor's private collection or his own preparation.

Some who stress liberty in prayer and preaching dislike set forms, preferring spontaneity and a free style as they worship. If the spiritual vitality of a church is maintained there need be no fear that these forms will become lifeless rituals. The use of forms should never become merely formal. And if the use of forms adds beauty and dignity to the atmosphere of sacredness, who can object? 

May the blessing of God attend all who glean from this manual, enabling it them to know what to say and how to say it. This is made also for allowing them to know what to do and how to do it especially as the occasion requires. Gratitude is expressed to many pastors and contributors for this volume.  Includes the: worship service, baptism, communion, funerals, anointing services, healing services, membership, installation, baby and child dedication, consecration services, ceremonies for buildings and visitation.

This classic pastoral handbook includes the following chapters:

Suggestions to Ministers in Respect to Weddings, Funerals, Ordinations, Dedications, Recognitions, and Other Special Services

Weddings

Funerals

Visiting the Sick

Councils

Ordinations

Installation

Recognition, or Re-Ordination

Recognition of Churches

Laying a Corner-Stone

Dedications

Church Finances

Benevolent Collections

Trustees and Temporalities

Sunday-School Work

The Choir, and Music

The Pastor and Deacons

Selections From the Sacred Scriptures, for Use on Various Occasions, of Religious Service, Both Public and Private

Thanksgiving

Fasting

Confession

Supplication

Ministers

Deacons

Churches

Dedications

Baptism

The Lord’s Supper

Marriage

Temperance

Human Frailty

Sickness

Death

Death of the Righteous

The Resurrection

The Righteous Dead

Hope of the Righteous

Death of a Child

Consolation

Divine Protection

Trust in God

Penitents Encouraged

Divine Invitations

Prayer Enjoined

Prayer Encouraged

Benedictions

The Burial Service, With Suggestive Thoughts for Funeral Occasions

The Episcopal Burial Service

Suggestive Thoughts

Forms of Marriage Service, as Used by Various Clergymen, Including the Episcopal Marriage Service

Forms of Marriage Service

The Episcopal Marriage Service

Regulations for Deliberative Assemblies, Embracing Rules of Parliamentary Debate Now Accepted as Authoritative, and in General Use

Regulations for Deliberative Assemblies

The Chairman

The Secretary

The Members

Order of Business

A Quorum

Motions

Amendments

Speaking

Voting

Committees

Standing Committees

Committee of the Whole

Appeal

Protest

The Previous Question

Lay on the Table

Postponement

Not Debatable

To Reconsider

Be Discussed

Order of the Day

Point of Order

Privileged Questions

Rule Suspended

Filling Blanks

Adjournment

Ecclesiastical Forms and Blanks, Including Letters, Minutes, Certificates, Councils, Conventions, and Licenses

Forms and Blanks

Leadership Principles from a Renowned Agent of Change

Cultures and organizations do not change without strong leadership. While many leadership books focus on management or
administration, the central focus of The Conviction to Lead is on changing minds.

Dr. Mohler was the driving force behind the transformation of Southern Seminary from a liberal institution of waning influence to a
thriving evangelical seminary at the heart of the Southern Baptist Convention. Since then he has been one of the most prominent voices in evangelicalism, fighting for Christian principles and challenging secular culture.

Using his own experiences and examples from history, Dr. Mohler demonstrates that real leadership is a transferring of conviction to others, affecting their actions, motivations, intuition, and commitment. This practical guide walks the reader through what a leader needs to know, do, and be in order to affect change.

Theology matters! At last it can be understood easily, thanks to this “layman's language” approach to biblical belief. Authored by J. I. Packer, one of the premier theologians of Christianity, this summary of Christian teaching covers nearly 100 major Christian beliefs from a Reformed perspective. Brief, easy-to-understand chapters offer precise descriptions without sacrificing depth. Thoughtfully arranged and refreshingly readable, this is a book that belongs on the shelf of every Christian.

After traveling the globe and speaking to thousands of churches worldwide, Paul David Tripp has discovered a serious problem within pastoral culture.

He is not only concerned about the spiritual life of the pastor, but also with the very community of people that trains him, calls him, relates to him, and restores him if necessary.

Dangerous Calling reveals the truth that the culture surrounding our pastors is spiritually unhealthy—an environment that actively undermines the wellbeing and efficacy of our church leaders and thus the entire church body.

Here is a book that both diagnoses and offers cures for issues that impact every member and church leader, and gives solid strategies for fighting the all-important war that rages in our churches today.

Sometimes people lose sight of the core of their ministry. They feel overwhelmed by the needs that surround them on a daily basis. Wise and beloved pastor Warren Wiersbe invites ministry leaders to listen in on thirty short "armchair chats" to encourage and strengthen them for service. He shares what he wishes he had known about ministering to others when he began his own Christian pilgrimage. "Ministry," he says, "takes place when divine resources meet human needs through loving channels to the glory of God." With this new edition of a classic book, which includes a foreword by Jim Cymbala, the next generation of ministry leaders can take advantage of Wiersbe's years of wisdom.

Do you want to see change in your life—but don't know how to get there? In this thoughtful devotional, Kyle Idleman invites you to address that behavior or thought pattern using three key elements: You Awaken to the reality of your spiritual condition; you see yourself and your need for a Savior with brutal Honesty; and this realization leads to Action as you follow Christ's example.

Drawing on the example of the Prodigal Son, Idleman shows us why each of these three elements is essential to lasting spiritual transformation and gives us practical tools to live them out.

If you've ever thought about community, whether as a lifestyle or simply as an expression of deeper fellowship with others, this book is essential reading. In the fifteen years since it first appeared in English, it has become the classic text on the subject -- read, dog-eared, borrowed, and discussed.Vanier is not a rosy idealist. That is because his writing is based not on theories, but on a wealth of wisdom gleaned over many years living in community, experiencing difficult days and joyous celebrations, times of struggle and hard-won success, moments of doubt and inspiration. He acknowledges the inevitable little frustrations of a life lived with and for others, but he also helps the reader see that without struggle there is no true growth.

The Book of Enoch, traditionally ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, is probably the most notable apocalyptic work outside the canonical Scriptures even though a short section of 1 Enoch (1 En 1:9) is quoted in the New Testament (Letter of Jude 1:14-15). It may also be significant that the attribution "Enoch the Seventh from Adam" is apparently itself a section heading taken from 1 Enoch (1 En 60:8, Jude 1:14a) and not from Genesis.

 

This book was omitted from the bible by the Bishop's Conference at Nicea (currently named Iznik, Bursa province, Turkey) in 325AD  for being too revelatory and evocative for the people of the time to comprehend. Even so, it has survived  down the ages. While the work is scriptural in nature, many modern day fantasy writers have used, and continue to use, the content of the Book of Enoch as inspiration for their works. 

 

The Apocalyptic Literature, as distinct from the Apocalyptic Movement, began to come into existence about the period 200-150 B.C. and the earliest portions of the Book of Enoch belongs to this period. The Book of Enoch is considered as Scripture in the Epistle of Barnabas (16:4) and by many of the early Church Fathers, who wrote that the Book of Enoch had been rejected by the Jews because it contained prophecies pertaining to Christ. However, later Fathers denied the canonicity of the book, and some even considered the letter of Jude uncanonical because it refers to an "apocryphal" work. By the 4th century, it was mostly excluded from Christian lists of the Biblical canon, and it was omitted from the canon by most of the Christian church (the Ethiopian Orthodox Church being an exception).

 

Works of an Apocalyptic character, continued to be written for about three centuries; the Second (Fourth) Book of Esdras, one of the most remarkable Apocalypses, belongs to the end of the first Christian century, approximately. There are Apocalypses of later date; but the real period of the Apocalyptic Literature is from about 200 B.C. to about A.D. 100; its beginnings date, therefore, from a time prior to that great landmark in Jewish history, the Maccabæan Era.

Book of Enoch,noah, apocalyptic work, canonical, Scriptures, New Testament, Jude, Enoch the Seventh from Adam, Genesis, Epistle of Barnabas, Church Fathers, rejected by the Jews, Christ, Biblical canon, Christian church,Ethiopian Orthodox, Book of Esdras, Jewish history, Maccabæan Era, revelatory, explicit, terrifying,shocking,startling.

"I'm tired of helping others enjoy God." "I just want to enjoy God for myself." With this painful admission, Ruth Haley Barton invites us to an honest exploration of what happens when spiritual leaders lose track of their souls. Weaving together contemporary illustrations with penetrating insight from the life of Moses, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership explores topics such as responding to the dynamics of calling facing the loneliness of leadership leading from your authentic self cultivating spiritual community reenvisioning the promised land discerning God's will together Each chapter includes a spiritual practice to ensure your soul gets the nourishment it needs. Forging and maintaining a life-giving connection with God is the best choice you can make for yourself and for those you lead.

Discover the essence of transformative leadership by studying how Jesus led. Gene Wilkes, a popular conference speaker, describes how Jesus led. He identifies seven practical principles for today’s leaders, to assist them with everything from humbling their hearts to building a team for Christ.

Real life is long on law and short on grace—the demands never stop, the failures pile up, and fear sets in. Life requires many things from us—a stable marriage, successful children, a certain quality of life. Anyone living inside the guilt, anxiety, and uncertainty of daily life knows that the weight of life is heavy. We are all in need of some relief. Bestselling author Tullian Tchividjian is convinced our exhausted world needs a fresh encounter with God's inexhaustible grace—His one-way love. Sadly, however, Christianity is perceived as being a vehicle for good behavior and clean living—and the judgments that result from them—rather than the only recourse for those who have failed over and over and over again. Tchividjian convincingly shows that Christianity is not about good people getting better. If anything, it is good news for bad people coping with their failure to be good.   In this "manifesto," Tchividjian calls the church back to the heart of the Christian faith—grace. It is time for us to abandon our play-it-safe religion, and to get drunk on grace. Two hundred-proof, unflinching grace. It’s shocking and scary, unnatural and undomesticated … but it is also the only thing that can set us free and light the church—and the world—on fire.

After nineteen years in print and over 200,000 copies sold, Broadman & Holman is publishing an updated edition of Deacons: Servant Models in the Church. Henry Webb deals with every aspect of the roles and offices of deacons in the church, including the deacon's marriage, wife, children, family life, conduct, priorities, and other pertinent aspects of deacons as role models of servant leadership in the church.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a relentless condition, the primary symptom being the occurrence of terrifying ideas, images, and urges that jump into a person's mind and return again and again, despite the individual's attempt to remove them.

Christians who suffer from OCD may grapple with additional guilt, as the undesired thoughts are frequently of a spiritual nature. Yet people may be surprised to learn that some of the greatest leaders in Christian history also struggled with this malady. What did they experience? How did they cope? Were they able to overcome these tormenting, often violent, obsessions? Where did God fit into the picture?

Ian Osborn shares the personal accounts of Martin Luther, John Bunyan, and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, as well as his own story, in exploring how faith and science work together to address this complex issue.

Suggestions for performing the various tasks of the pastor. Includes vital information and examples for all types of services and ceremonies.

"No matter what size church you are a part of, this book will challenge your traditional thinking, force you to look beyond the status quo, and enable you to grasp a bigger vision of what God has in store for your ministry and your leadership." -Ed Young, Fellowship Church

"Shannon O'Dell's passion for the rural church in America is contagious" -Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch.tv

Small church buildings dotting the countryside are home to ministries that often struggle with limited attendance, no money, and little expectation that change can revitalize their future. In Transforming Church in Rural America, Pastor Shannon O'Dell shares a powerful vision of relevance, possibility, and excellence for these small churches, or for any ministry that is stuck in a "rural state of mind." The book reveals:

how to generate growth through transformed lives ways to create active evangelism in your community no-cost solutions for staffing challenges, enhancing the worship experience, and inspiring volunteers

Focusing on vision, attitude, leadership, and innovation, you can learn the practical strategies and biblical guidance that helped to grow a church of 31 into a multi-campus church of several thousand, with a national and global outreach. Discover effective structure and ways to cast God-given vision so others can follow and make an impact. Experience the blueprint for transforming into effective, dynamic, and thriving churches no matter where the location or how small it may be.

MORE INFO

You're looking for a youth pastor. Again. What goes wrong? Why do youth ministries crumble? And what is the cost to students, parents, volunteers and church staff? Is a sustainable youth ministry possible, even after a youth pastor leaves? Youth ministry expert Mark DeVries knows the answer is yes, because he helps build sustainable youth ministries through his coaching service called Youth Ministry Architects. So take heart: No matter what state the youth ministry at your church is in--in need of a leader and volunteers, full of battles and stress, large or small in number--it can be built to survive and to last for the long haul. Based on his own experience and on his many conversations and interviews with churches in crisis, DeVries pinpoints problems that cause division and burnout and dispels strongly held myths. He then provides the practical tools and structures pastors and church leaders need to lay a strong foundation for your ministry so that it isn't built on a person or the latest, greatest student ministry trend. His accessible guidance helps senior pastors and search committees create a realistic job description for a youth pastor provides tips for making wise hiring decisions equips youth pastors to build a strong volunteer team offers creative solutions to help youth pastors set and keep boundaries gives a road map for navigating church politics and more Building a sustainable youth ministry is not easy, and it's not quick. But with commitment to the process, hard work and DeVries's guidance, you can put together a healthy youth ministry--one that fits your church and lasts for the long haul. Youth ministry can last. Here's how.

Can you lose your salvation?

All believers have wrestled with this question at some point in their spiritual walks. So what answers does God provide to challenging questions like: Am I really saved? Am I going to heaven? How can I know for sure?

Renowned pastor and author John MacArthur believes every Christian should enjoy the reality and security of being saved without a doubt. Drawing from a background rich in Bible study and teaching, John examines key scriptures, tackles tough questions, and sheds light on the true nature of salvation. Throughout, you’ll be encouraged to embrace the perfect grace found in Jesus Christ.

Saved without a Doubt includes a guide for both personal and group study, which features discovery questions, suggestions for prayer, and activities, all designed to connect life-changing truths with everyday living.

Discover the sweeping story of God's eternal plan.
Deep within God's Word lies a wondrous story like no other. A drama that unfolded before time began. An epic saga that resonates with the heartbeat of God. A story that reveals nothing less than the meaning of life and God's great mission in the earth.

From Here to Eternity presents three remarkable stories spanning from Genesis to Revelation. Each story traces a divine theme that is woven throughout scripture. Seen together, they offer an extraordinary glimpse into God's highest passion and grand mission. What you discover will forever change your view of life, the church, and our magnificent God.

Ronald W. Richardson helps us to understand how congregations function emotionally. Without being simplistic, he gives clear directions on how to improve their quality of life together and function more effectively in achieving mission goals. This book offers: A theory about human behavior that will aid understanding of how things can get out of control in the human community of the church; A practical set of leadership ideas and behaviors; Guidelines for how to behave in the midst of upsetting and conflictual circumstances; Personal steps that leaders in the church can take to become more positive forces for healing and cooperation.

The Doubting Disease by Joseph W. Ciarrocchi brings to the fore the most current information available today on religion and scruples, scrupulosity, and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD). In this book he helps us clearly appreciate the interior anguish suffered by thousands of people of faith who have this symptomatology and what we can do about it.

**This ebook version of The Biblical Illustrator - Pastoral Commentary on Romans contains nearly 3800 pages of commentary!

What if Charles Spurgeon helped you prepare next Sunday’s sermon?

Or what if you could talk over your preaching with Joseph Parker, Richard Baxter, Henry Ward Beecher and H. P. Liddon. Do you think it would make a difference to get the input of some of the greatest preachers who ever lived?

That’s precisely what Joseph Exell had in mind when he put together the massive series of volumes called The Biblical Illustrator. In what can only be called a Herculean feat, he spent years gathering preaching notes and sermon outlines from the very best preachers of his day (in the late 1800s and early 1900s), and he did it covering every book of the Bible.

And it is amazingly comprehensive. Exell approached his task by taking every verse in the Bible and seeking to discover how it has been preached in the past. Though there is plenty of exegetical material here, this is not primarily a commentary.

This series is for preachers, teachers, Bible students and anyone else looking for penetrating pastoral insights from some of the all-time greats of the faith. 

Bestselling author and master communicator Charles Swindoll has been effectively speaking to others for over fifty years. In SAYING IT WELL: Touching Others With Your Words he shares his secrets on how to talk so people will listen.





Filled with techniques, stories, and models that clearly explain the formulas for successful speaking, Swindoll teaches readers the foundational principles for how to communicate, from preparing for a speech, organizing thoughts, and filtering out the superfluous to overcoming fears, grabbing the listener's attention, and knowing how and when to stop.



With humorous stories and inventive, practical tips, one of America's premier communicators shares decades of experience on how to speak with authority in every situation, persuade others to consider the reader's perspective, overcome the reader's fears of public speaking, and love others more effectively with the reader's words. He also shares his personal story and the journey to becoming a world-famous speaker.

Meet a man forced to live in a fast changing and godless society. He faced fears about the future, concern for his safety, and the discouragement of world that seemed to be falling apart at warp speed. Sound familiar? His name was Daniel, and with the power of hope, humility, and wisdom, he not only thrived, he changed an empire while he was at it. Though he lived thousands of years ago, he has a much to teach us today. Even in Babylon, God Is in Control In Thriving in Babylon, Larry Osborne explores the “adult” story of Daniel to help us not only survive – but actually thrive in an increasingly godless culture. Here Pastor Osborne looks at: -      Why panic and despair are never from God-      What true optimism looks like-      How humility disarms even our greatest of enemies-      Why respect causes even those who will have nothing to do with God to listen-      How wisdom can snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat For those who know Jesus and understand the full implications of the cross, the resurrection, and the promises of Jesus, everything changes – not only in us, but also in our world.

This updated companion guide to Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (see description below) takes you through a carefully selected array of disciplines that will help you grow in godliness. Ideal for personal or small-group use.

Drawn from a rich heritage, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life will guide you through a carefully selected array of disciplines. By illustrating why the disciplines are important, showing how each one will help you grow in godliness, and offering practical suggestions for cultivating them, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life will provide you with a refreshing opportunity to become more like Christ and grow in character and maturity. Now updated and revised to equip a new generation of readers, this anniversary edition features in-depth discussions on each of the key disciplines.

Every leader functions on two stages--the front stage or public world, and the back stage or private world. One cannot lead successfully front stage when one is completely depleted back stage. In a time when pastors are leaving the ministry in record numbers due to cynicism, disillusionment, weariness, and personal scandals, there is an urgent need for soul care in the private lives of leaders.

Replenish helps leaders focus on the back stage, the interior life, in order to remain spiritually healthy. In a caring, encouraging tone, it will show pastors how to

prioritize matters of the soul
develop healthy spiritual practices
address problems that lead to burnout
create a healthy rhythm in their lives
improve their people skills and the spiritual climate of their team
develop better systems in their churches
discover how to lead an unhurried life

For the many ministry leaders who feel alone, in over their heads, or simply worn out, this book will offer welcome relief and a healthy way forward.

In The Pastor, author Eugene Peterson, translator of the multimillion-selling The Message, tells the story of how he started Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland and his gradual discovery of what it really means to be a pastor. Steering away from abstractions, Peterson challenges conventional wisdom regarding church marketing, mega pastors, and the church’s too-cozy relationship to American glitz and consumerism to present a simple, faith-based description of what being a minister means today. In the end, Peterson discovers that being a pastor boils down to “paying attention and calling attention to ‘what is going on now’ between men and women, with each other and with God.”

This first book in The 2:7 Series is designed to help you build a strong foundation for your Christian life through enriching Bible study, Scripture memory, and group interaction. With its biblical and practical approach to discipleship, this workbook will yield long-term, life-changing results, such as: A closer relationship with GodA keener sense of prioritiesRenewed concern for non-Christian friendsA growing camaraderie within your study group

The ministry of pastors is not simply a job; it’s a vocation and a lifestyle.

A pastor’s responsibilities are unique, demanding that he not only nurture his own spiritual life but also the lives of those in his care. What a challenge this can be!

Derek Prime and Alistair Begg provide practical advice for both the spiritual and practical aspects of pastoral ministry. They delve deep into topics such as prayer, devotional habits, preaching, studying, and specific ministry duties. The result is an essential tool for those in pastoral ministry.

 Sermon Outlines for Today's Busy PastorToday, pastors are busier than ever, with more time spent in ministry activities and less time spent in sermon preparation. Sermon Outlines for Busy Pastors: Volume 3 gives the busy pastor a head start on sermon preparation. With 53 complete sermon outlines, pastors can save hundreds of hours a year, with the base research and layout for a year's worth of sermons already in place.
Here's some advantages Sermon Outlines for Busy Pastors: Volume 3 provides:These are complete sermon outlines. Each sermon outline is much more than a basic three point outline requiring a lot of time and research to flesh out. These outlines go much deeper, with each main point completely developed with sub-points and more.Each sermon outline has a wealth of detail, great for spurring your own thoughts and allowing you to take the sermon in another direction as you feel led.Sermon illustrations include enough detail to suggest your own personal or applicable illustrations.There are 6 sermon series included, providing a map for future Sundays, saving many hours of advance planning and preparation.There are also sermon outlines for a communion service and baby dedication, plus a full wedding ceremony and funeral message.All sermons are based completely in Scripture. Here's a complete list of the sermons and the Scripture passages they are based upon:
1. Fresh - Mark 1:16-202. Fresh - Worship - Isaiah 1:12-173. Fresh - The Word - Acts 18:9-104. Fresh - Courage - Joshua 1:1-95. Fresh - Mission - Matthew 28:19-206. Fresh - Perspective - 2 Kings 6:13-177. Fresh - Church - Matthew 16:188. Fresh - Gospel - 1 Corinthians 15:1-49. Rooted - The Bible - 2 Timothy 3:16-1710. Rooted - What is God Like? - Genesis 1:111. Rooted - The Trinity - Deuteronomy 4:3512. Rooted - Prayer - Matthew 6:813. Rooted - Angels, Demons, Spiritual Warfare - 2 Kings 6:15-1714. Rooted - Baptism and Communion - Acts 10:47-4815. Rooted - Sin - Isaiah 59:1-816. Rooted - Jesus Christ - Matthew 1:1817. Rooted - Resurrection and Ascension - 1 Corinthians 15:13-1918. Rooted - Becoming a Christian - 2 Thessalonians 2:1419. Rooted - Sanctification, Perseverance, Assurance - Romans 6:1820. Rooted - Death - Romans 8:121. Rooted - When Jesus Returns - John 14:1-322. Rooted - The Final Judgement - Romans 2:523. Rooted - Heaven - John 14:1-324. Great Commission - Our Commission - Matthew 28:16-2025. Great Commission - Why Go? - Matthew 28:16-2026. Great Commission - Where Do We Go? - Matthew 28:16-2027. Great Commission - How We Make Disciples - Matthew 28:16-2028. Great Commission - In Practice - Matthew 28:16-2029. Church Revolution - Uprising or Revolution? - John 6:67-6830. Church Revolution - Revolution Heart - Luke 10:25-3731. Church Revolution - Don't Waste Your Life - Romans 6:1332. Church Revolution - Called to Revolution - Genesis 12:1-433. Church Revolution - Revolution Boot Camp - Romans 12:234. Church Revolution - Take Up the Cross - Luke 9:21-2635. Church Revolution - Finale - Luke 10:25-3736. Harvest - Sent to Harvest - Luke 10:1-237. Harvest - Sowing the Seeds - Mark 4:26-2938. Harvest - What It's Really All About - Revelation 7:9-1039. Disciple - What is a Christian? - Acts 11:19-2640. Disciple - What is a Disciple? - Luke 9:23-2441. Disciple - Become a Disciple - Matthew 4:18-2242. Disciple - Abide - John 15:1-543. Disciple - The Practical Stuff - Luke 9:2344. Disciple - The Word - John 8:31-3245. Disciple - Prayer - John 15:746. Disciple - Fellowship - John 13:34-3547. Disciple - Witness - John 15:848. Disciple - Service - John 15:1349. Disciple - Making Disciples - Matthew 28:18-2050. Communion - So What? - 1 Corinthians 15:12-1951. Baby Dedication - Psalm 127:352. A Wedding Ceremony - Genesis 2:21-2453. A Funeral Message - Psalm 116:15
Keywords: bible,expository,outlines,pastor,sermon,sermon helps,sermon outlines,sermon prep,old testament,new testament,preach,preaching

It is absolutely essential that a church perceive itself as an institution for the glory of God, and to do that, claims John MacArthur, the local church must adhere unfalteringly to biblical leadership principles. Christ never intended church leadership to be earned by seniority, purchased with money, or inherited through family ties. He never compared church leaders to governing monarchs, but rather to humble shepherds; not to slick celebrities, but to laboring servants. Drawing from some of the best-received material on church leadership, this updated edition guides the church with crucial,
effective lessons in leadership. This book is valuable not only for pastors and elders, but for anyone else who wants the church to be what God intended it to be.

“I believe that the Bible speaks not merely to personal, family, and church issues, but to national, community, and governmental issues if we would take the time to listen.” –James L. Garlow

Conservative Christians admit that they do not speak out on political or cultural issues because they do not know how to support their beliefs from a biblical basis, according to a recent poll. Instead, they remain silent on critical issues like marriage, racism, and transgender issues because they feel uninformed and ill-equipped to defend their beliefs.

New York Times bestselling author and pastor James L. Garlow offers the solution—a practical, biblical guide for the 21st century Christian. Well Versed: Biblical Answers to Today’s Tough Issues (ISBN: 978-1-62157-550-4; $14.99; June 2016) informs and prepares readers to tackle the important issues of the day and engage with those around them in a loving, Scripturally-based manner.

In Well Versed, readers will learn Biblical responses to:
Religion in the Public Square - Purpose of Government, the First Amendment, and Political Correctness Family and Life Issues - Marriage, School Choice, Abortion, Sexual Orientation, and Healthcare Economics - Capitalism vs. Socialism, Taxes, Debt, Welfare, and Minimum Wage Law and Society - Judiciary, Hate Crimes, Social Justice, and Racism Foreign Policy and World Issues - National Defense, Immigration, Israel, the Environment, Islam, and Terrorism Political Participation - Media and Civil Disobedience

The secret to leadership and transformation of a group--or of another person--is the quality of the relationship one person has with another. The effective group leader or counselor will be the person who learns how to listen to other people. By studying and employing listening skills, church leaders will engage others more compassionately, allowing them to feel that their needs are being met. These skills can be used with persons who are terminally ill, inactive at church, going through a divorce, in a family with a severely ill person, unemployed, seeking a new church, grieving, traumatized by catastrophe, going through teenage adolescence, in marriage counseling, or leading a ministry team.

John Savage offers eleven specific and teachable listening skills for improving relationships among those who do ministry in small-group settings or when offering counsel to others. The skills are taught through oral exercises and unfailingly helpful examples from actual congregational situations. The skills include paraphrasing, productive questions, perception check, expression of feelings and emotions, fogging, negative inquiry, behavior description, and story listening.

This is a newly revised edition of one of the standard introductory preaching textbooks on the market today. Beginning with a solid theological basis, veteran preacher and best-selling author Thomas G. Long offers a practical, step-by-step guide to writing a sermon. Long centers his approach around the biblical concept of witness. To be a preacher, Long posits, is to be a witness to God's work in the world—one who sees before speaking, one whose task is to "tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about what is seen."

This updated edition freshens up language and anecdotes, contains an extensive new analysis of the use of multimedia and its impact on preaching, and adds a completely new chapter on plagiarism in preaching. Included for the first time are four complete sermons, with Long's commentary and analysis. The sermons were written and originally preached by Barbara Brown Taylor, Cleophus J. LaRue. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli, and Edmund Steimle.

With this third edition, The Witness of Preaching reaffirms itself as the essential resource for seminary students as well as new and experienced preachers.

Andy Stanley’s bestselling and award-winning vision for the local church now includes bonus content: a study guide, church staff helps, and an interview with Andy on the most frequently asked questions about Deep and Wide.

With surprising candor and transparency pastor Andy Stanley explains how one of America’s largest churches began with a high-profile divorce and a church split.

But that’s just the beginning…

For the first time, Andy explains his strategy for preaching and programming to “dual audiences”: mature believers and cynical unbelievers. He argues that preaching to dual audiences doesn’t require communicators to “dumb down” the content. According to Stanley, it’s all in the approach.

You’ll be introduced to North Point's spiritual formation model: The Five Faith Catalysts. Leaders responsible for ministry programing and production will no doubt love Andy’s discussion of the three essential ingredients for creating irresistible environments. For pastors willing to tackle the challenge of transitioning a local congregation, Andy includes a section entitled: Becoming Deep and Wide.

If your team is more concerned with who you are reaching than who you are keeping, the expanded edition of Deep & Wide will be more than a book you read; it will be a resource you come back to over and over!

“Couldn't be prouder of my son, Andy. And I couldn't be more excited about the content of this book. I wish a resource like this existed when I was starting out in ministry.”

- Dr. Charles Stanley, Founder, In Touch Ministries

“Deep and Wide pulls back the curtain for all of us to see what is required behind the scenes to build a prevailing church. I was both challenged and inspired by this book.”

- Bill Hybels, author of Just Walk Across the Room

“The most common question I get from pastors is, ‘How do I get the people in my church to be open to change?’ From now on my answer will be, ‘Read Deep and Wide by Andy Stanley’. Thanks Andy. Great book!”

- Craig Groeschel, Pastor, LifeChurch.TV, author, It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It

“It is completely false that churches must sacrifice quality to get quantity, must artificially choose between evangelism and discipleship, or cannot have depth and growth at the same time. Few prove this fact better than the ministry of Andy Stanley, who has grown North Point Community Church on purpose and with passion. No Christian leader can afford to miss this book.”

- Rick Warren, pastor, Saddleback Church; author, The Purpose Driven Church

Pastors and church leaders are constantly faced with strategic questions. How much staff does the church need? How many workers are needed in the nursery this month? When is the right time to start a second worship service? How many people should we train for evangelism this year? How does seating and parking impact worship attendance? When church leaders have questions about planning, running, or growing their churches, they need answers fast!

What Every Pastor Should Know offers pastors and leaders 101 valuable rules and "sacred" laws to help answer real-life ministry questions. From advertising to facilities to visitation, this valuable book offers the practical help that leaders need, just when they need it most. This comprehensive guide will become one of the most valuable books in a leader's library. Never again will they wonder if they based critical decisions on the right information. They'll get the answers they're looking for all in one place.

Spiritual warfare is a divisive subject for today’s church. Some Christians focus solely on the immediate world around them, living as if there’s no spiritual opposition to God’s people and His kingdom. Others take an aggressive stance, where confronting the enemy becomes a constant pursuit in their lives.

John MacArthur believes the truth is found between these extremes. Standing Strong offers a balanced, biblically sound approach to spiritual warfare in the life of a believer. A trusted and renowned pastor and author, MacArthur examines key scriptures to debunk modern fallacies, define true spiritual warfare, and share what that looks like for believers today. Throughout, you’ll be encouraged and equipped to stand strong in the face of every spiritual challenge.

Standing Strong includes a guide for both personal and group study, which features discovery questions, suggestions for prayer, and activities, all designed to connect life-changing truths with everyday living.

The lectures in this volume witness the importance of the meeting between the university of the learned and the university of the poor. From them a deep understanding of true discipleship emerges.

 Kick Off a New Season in Your Church!Sometimes our churches need a new beginning, a fresh start. That may come at the beginning of a new year, or it may be during a particularly dry time. The sermons series in Sermon Outlines for Busy Pastors: Fresh Series is a great tool for bring renewal and awareness of God's plan and will for His church. There are 8 sermon outlines included, to help you and your people focus on spiritual renewal.
(These outlines are from Sermon Outlines for Busy Pastors: Volume 3)
Sermon Titles and Scripture References:1. Fresh - Mark 1:16-202. Fresh - Worship - Isaiah 1:12-173. Fresh - The Word - Acts 18:9-104. Fresh - Courage - Joshua 1:1-95. Fresh - Mission - Matthew 28:19-206. Fresh - Perspective - 2 Kings 6:13-177. Fresh - Church - Matthew 16:188. Fresh - Gospel - 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
Keywords: bible,expository,outlines,pastor,sermon,sermon helps,sermon outlines,sermon prep,old testament,new testament,preach,preaching

How can we transmit a living, personal Catholic faith to future generations? By coming to know Jesus Christ, and following him as his disciples.

These are times of immense challenge and immense opportunity for the Catholic Church.

Consider these statistics for the United States.

Only 30 percent of Americans who were raised Catholic are still practicing.Fully 10 percent of all adults in America are ex-Catholics.The number of marriages celebrated in the Church decreased dramatically, by nearly 60 percent, between 1972 and 2010.Only 60 percent of Catholics believe in a personal God.

If the Church is to reverse these trends, the evangelizers must first be evangelized-in other words, Catholics-in-the-pew must make a conscious choice to know and follow Jesus before they can draw others to him. This work of discipleship lies at the heart of Forming Intentional Disciples, a book designed to help Church leaders, parish staff and all Catholics transform parish life from within. Drawing upon her fifteen years of experience with the Catherine of Siena Institute, Sherry Weddell leads readers through steps that will help Catholics enter more deeply into a relationship with God and the river of apostolic creativity, charisms, and vocation that flow from that relationship for the sake of the Church and the world.

Learn about the five thresholds of postmodern conversion, how to open a conversation about faith and belief, how to ask thought-provoking questions and establish an atmosphere of trust, when to tell the Great Story of Jesus, how to help someone respond to God's call to intentional discipleship, and much more.

And be prepared for conversion because when life at the parish level changes, the life of the whole Church will change.

A quintessential guide to the fundamentals of ministry, now updated and expanded. Since Aubrey Malphurs first wrote Ministry Nuts and Bolts in 1997 he has gathered even more insights and strategies thanks to his work consulting for churches, his further research, and the classes he teaches at Dallas Theological Seminary. He has applied this expanded knowledge to the second edition of Ministry Nuts and Bolts, a helpful guide designed to teach pastors what they need to know about the day-to-day, nitty-gritty of leading a pastoratethings that arent taught in seminary

Following the example of St. Ignatius, we believe that praying the Examen will lead to a better life. The 500-year-old daily practice of honest self-assessment and reflection is a founding principle of Ignatian spirituality. What we don’t know is if St. Ignatius ever felt like changing it up a bit. Jesuit speaker and author Mark Thibodeaux, SJ, is confident that St. Ignatius wouldn’t mind a little flexibility in his prayer. Join Thibodeaux as he guides you through new and unique versions of the Examen, totally flexible and adaptable to your life. In ten minutes, you can tailor your daily prayer practice to fit your personal and situational needs, further enhancing and deepening your meditation. Reimagining the Ignatian Examen—the only book of its kind—will lead you through a fresh and stimulating reflection on your past day, your present state of being, and your spiritual desires and needs for tomorrow.