Showing results for "The Christians" in Church & Church Leadership

As both a pastor and a parent, Cameron S. Shaffer is alarmed by the mass exodus of young people from the church over the past couple decades. The rise of the Nones and exvangelicals is clear evidence that our current children's and youth ministry practices are ineffective and must change if we want to stem the tide of dechurching. Whatever we're doing now is not creating lifelong disciples.

Overscheduled. Exhausted. Overwhelmed. Sound familiar? Too familiar? You are living at a velocity you know deep down is unsustainable. Your life is off course - too crammed with busyness, too out of focus. You keep waiting for things to get better, but they never do. In Simplify, best-selling author Bill Hybels identifies core issues that drive this kind of living and offers action steps to help you live a better way. By eradicating clutter from your inner world, you can experience immediate rewards: greater energy, clearer purpose, richer relationships, and more.

Jesus said his followers would be known for their love, not their loneliness. Yet over half of Americans―and American churchgoers―say that they lack companionship or that no one knows them well. We live increasingly disconnected lives, and our mental and spiritual health suffer as a result. In The Way Back to One Another, Jeff Galley and Phil Smith provide a remedy based on studying Scripture, learning from the global church, and observing best practices in thousands of small groups.

Jesus told his followers, “Go and make disciples of every nation,” but a lot of us stop before we start―because we feel like we don’t have what it takes. But Jesus didn’t ask spiritual superstars to make disciples. He invited ordinary people into the adventure of following Him. Jessie Cruickshank learned how to be a disciplemaker in the wilderness. When she connected her training in outdoor adventure ministry with her Harvard degree in neuroeducation, God showed her a pathway for ordinary disciples of Jesus to experience profound spiritual growth.

With commentary and reflection questions provided by compiler W.L. Seaver, Prayer takes our understanding of prayer to new depths and helps us have a life that prays.

Some people think that salvation is merely about meeting the minimal entrance requirements needed to get into heaven when they die. But that’s not how Jesus talked about it. Rightly understood, salvation is an invitation to know God and to experience his presence, favor, and power starting right here on earth. Best-selling author John Ortberg dispels the myth that eternal life is something we can only hope to experience after we die; recaptures the New Testament definition of salvation, eternal life, and the Good News of the Gospel; and explains what it really means to be a disciple.

Discipleship lies at the center of Christian life and practice. It is a beautiful journey, in which each of us simultaneously attempt to become more like Christ and to help others do the same. It is our most important task on earth, but often it is neglected or misunderstood. A. W. Tozer, on the other hand, knew exactly what it meant to disciple and to be discipled. Discipleship: What It Truly Means to Be a Christian is a collection of Tozer’s powerful and passionate message on discipleship.

God is not finished with us as a nation, but if we’re going to get off the road to ruin, we must do more than slow down and conserve whatever good remains: We must repent. That means a hard, 180-degree turn—and fast. If we’ll pray, think straight, persuade other lovers of truth to join us, and fight together—wise as serpents and innocent as doves—then there’s still hope.

Christian preaching is a God-appointed means of transforming its hearers in both head and heart, not only in intellect but also in affections. With clear examples of specific methods, John Piper shows preachers how and what to communicate from the pulpit in a way that takes seriously the task of handling the word of God week in and week out in the context of, and as, Christian worship.

Neil Cole's best-selling book Organic Church described the fastest growing segment of contemporary Christianity - the so-called organic church. Now in this next-step book, he answers questions about how to deal with theological and organizational issues that come up. He talks about issues such has what to do with finances, children, heresy, leader training, and rituals and ordinances. Without the top-down structure of a denomination, even people who are proponents of this small, house-church model worry that they are not doing it right.

This no-compromise biblical clarion call to revival is timeless. Leonard Ravenhill clearly shows how the church can be brought from where it is to where it ought to be. The church still needs his message, first published in 1983, for as Ravenhill said, "We live in a generation which has never known revival God's way." The message is drastic, fearless, and often radical. His goal for the church is nothing less than full restoration to the glory, power, holiness, and dignity that Christ intended for it.

The global church is facing a discipleship crisis. Here's how we move forward into transformative discipleship... Pastors and church leaders want to see lives changed by the gospel. They work tirelessly to care for people, initiate new ministries, preach creatively, and keep up with trends...

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 in the audio library of every Christian.

Ken Blanchard, Rick Warren, and Bill Hybels. Can you think of three people whose name you would rather have on the cover of an audiobook? We can't.

Mission Design by Aaron Abramson is a timely guide for ministry leaders navigating the challenges of a volatile and rapidly changing world. With technological growth, societal shifts, and economic instability reshaping the landscape, traditional five-year plans feel out of touch. Yet, even amidst uncertainty, opportunities for meaningful kingdom impact abound.

2019 Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year: Apologetics 2018 The Gospel Coalition Book Award: Evangelism & Apologetics Apologetics at the Cross describes a much-needed approach to defending Christianity that uses Jesus as a model and the letter of 1 Peter as a guiding text. This is a...

"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. 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.

Writing to a friend who was disillusioned by religion, minister and theologian Henry Scougal created what would become a classic text on Christian living. Compassionately explaining what true religion is and isn't, Scougal shares biblical practices that lead to real spiritual transformation. In The Life of God in the Soul of Man, Scougal cuts through false ideas about religion and demonstrates how to pursue true unity with God. He explains that religion shouldn't be primarily focused on restraining or dictating outward behavior, but living a divine life characterized by faith.

The Bible is clear that women as well as men are created in God's image and intended to serve him with their lives. But what does this look like for women in the church? Helping church leaders think through what a Bible-centered women's ministry looks like, this collection of essays by respected Bible teachers and authors such as Gloria Furman, Nancy Guthrie, and Susan Hunt addresses a variety of topics relevant to women.

With a focus on embodiment, community, and the sacredness of vulnerability, Sanctuary of Healing provides a vital roadmap for transforming congregations into havens of empathy, resilience, and hope.