Showing results for "Discovering Christianity" in Church & Church Leadership

Dear Pastor. Desire burns within you. You've trained and dreamt of doing large things in famous ways as fast as you can for God's glory. But pastoral work keeps requiring your surrender to small, mostly overlooked things over long periods of time. You stand at a crossroads. Jesus stands with you. You were never meant to know everything, fix everything, and be everywhere at once. That's his job, not yours.

What if it wasn't all on you? What if God wanted to not only bear your burdens, but change you and work on your behalf as you engage with him and labor in ministry? Pastor Jeremy Linneman reveals a deeper, more vibrant prayer life that could be yours. Where some approach prayer in a one-sided way, Linneman approaches prayer as both communion with God and an act of boldness seeking God's transformative power to work mightily in our world.

What's the point of the church anyway? The emerging generation is opting out of the church in large numbers. They're embarrassed at how the church is portrayed in the media and dismayed at what appears to be their options for participation. Is church really necessary anymore? Is it even possible? Tim Soerens sees this unsettled state of affairs as an extraordinary opportunity: The church, he says, is on the edge of a new possibility at the very moment so much of it feels like it's falling apart.

We all long to belong, especially those in positions of leadership. But deeply rooted shame can keep leaders from connecting authentically and vulnerably. Reverend Will van der Hart and Dr. Rob Waller - an experienced church leader and respected psychiatrist - integrate the story of Scripture with the science behind mental health, offering real steps for transformation. When leaders know that they belong to God - when they develop a deep sense of security in him - they can overcome constricting shame and lead with confidence.

New research finds that Christians are less involved in spiritual conversations today than we were twenty-five years ago. As society has changed, it seems we have become more uncomfortable talking with people about our faith. We are reluctant conversationalists. As a result, many of our churches and communities are shrinking instead of growing. What can we do about this?

What does it really mean to be a Christian? In a world where everything from sports to politics, social media to podcasts, and movies to television vies for our attention, we need to get back to what is essential. We need to know who we truly are and who we serve. When people finally grasp who they are in Christ and what their participation means to their local church, everything changes. Life begins to make sense. Their purpose becomes clear. Their mission through their local church is confirmed. Their hearts start longing to cooperate with God in the company of fellow believers.

The “Been there, done that” culture is starving for reality. Hardly satisfied with the modern conventions of citing facts and figures and pushing propositions, emerging churches are jumping into the narrative form of communication with both feet. But not all emerging church leaders have an...