Small Church

Small Church Essentials is for leaders of smaller congregations. It encourages them to steward their role well, debunking myths about small churches while offering principles for leading a dynamic, healthy small church. Based on the popular six-hour lecture that Karl Vaters delivers to church leaders across the country, Small Church Essentials will affirm small church leaders and show them how to identify what they do well and how to do it even better.

Church Revitalization guides current and future leaders through the often-complex process of bringing a church to a place of vibrancy. This book demonstrates how the overarching goal of seeing people come to faith in Christ and develop into Christlikeness can—and must—inform the most foundational to the most fleeting aspects of revitalizing a struggling church.

House church advocates want pastors to know exactly why they left the institutional church. They have legitimate disagreements with the way the local church is functioning today, and their issues have been largely ignored by pastors and those who are in leadership. Their evacuation out of the institutional church and into house churches may be the wrong move for some of the right reasons. There are serious issues to deal with, and pastors, it’s time to wake up and lead the church into the new wine skin.

“I’m not scared,” he said, and for the first time in a long time, he felt total peace with his choice. Welcome to the captivating world of The Loving River Ranch series, where love, commitment, and a higher calling converge to create a haven of healing and transformation. Inspired by the timeless wisdom of Ecclesiastes 3:9-14 (NIV), this heartwarming series takes you on a remarkable journey set against the backdrop of the Living River Ranch. For years, Margaret, Matthew, and their families have poured their hearts and souls into the Living River Ranch, a place that has touched the ...

“An excellent small group study.” – Rev. Travis Knoll In a time of upheaval in the largest denomination of the Methodist movement, this classic explanation and defense of Methodist Christianity by its founder is required reading. Pastor David Wentz has updated Wesley’s 18th-century language, deleted references to no-longer-relevant theological disputes, and added an introduction that sets the work in context. The result is a clear, easy to read text that is enjoyable and understandable for modern readers of all levels of theological interest and expertise. This short book is ideal ...

First-century Christians knew what it meant to live in vital community with one another, relating with a depth and commitment that made "the body of Christ" a perfect metaphor for the church. What would it take to reclaim that kind of love, joy, support, and dynamic spiritual growth? Listen to this book and find out.

Do you enjoy Christian romance sprinkled with some mystery that keep you on the edge of your seat?Set amidst the picturesque landscape of Northern Michigan, The Lake House Romance Series centers around the Hayworth family, who, after the loss of their beloved grandparents, find themselves at crossroads regarding the future of their treasured lake house. This generational retreat, steeped in memories and tradition, becomes a nexus of transformation, love, and faith. As the Hayworths grapple with the family legacy, they rediscover the enduring power of love that "bears all things, believes ...

There’s more to salvation than punching your ticket for heaven. John Wesley taught that full salvation means becoming completely holy in heart and life. This focus on personal holiness was one of the defining characteristics of the Wesleyan revival. The many Methodist and Wesleyan denominations, the Pentecostal and holiness movements, and the Salvation Army all trace their lineage back to these teachings. Wesley’s followers believed what he taught fiercely, lived it out faithfully, and witnessed to it boldly, to the point that they were often violently persecuted. Today, millions of ...

When Zara Hunter’s left with a goofy dog, the husky brings more mischief than Zara’s organized life can handle. Zara Hunter runs her life like a well-oiled machine. With work, helping the worship team every week, and spending time with friends, she has no room for pets, men, or shenanigans. When her grandfather passes away, he leaves his dog, Blizzard, to Zara. Not only is the dog quirky, but Blizzard brings more chaos than Zara’s tranquil life allows. Gerard Hancock’s world came tumbling down years ago when he hit rock bottom due to drinking and drugs. His older brother takes him ...

When a church lady falls in love, she falls hard. Sometimes she lands on her knees. Miss Budge does as she moves quietly and powerfully through her daily life in Old Cloverdale, where F. Scott Fitzgerald once courted Zelda, and two miles away Nat King Cole was born. Fitzgerald wrote about love. Nat Cole sang about love, and Mildred Budge knows those words. She can sing along with Nat and has. But Miss Budge lives love too—is always in love. The world wants a certain kind of love. Miss Budge offers a different kind—one that is so rare, so foreign as to be misunderstood…. But make no ...

Jesus is real. He is with you. He is for you. He is your pastor. And he wants to be the pastor of your church. These statements might seem obvious, but what if we all took them seriously? Aaron Gerrard did just that in his journey to plant a church in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. In a new book, Quit Pastoring Your Church, he tells the story of a small church making Jesus their pastor. Gerrard candidly shares his journey to start a new kind of church by allowing Jesus to be the guide, and it radically impacted the story of this new congregation.

Camera-shy Elise Branson is different from the other women in her maternal line. Her mother is an award-winning actress. Her late grandmother, Vivian Snow, is a beloved Hollywood icon. But when Elise’s upcoming wedding coincides with a documentary being made about Vivian, Elise can’t escape the camera’s gaze. And neither can her grandmother, even in death.

Her heart began to race, its rhythm quickening within her chest. Overwhelmed with joy, she found herself unable to articulate her emotions. For years, Margaret, Matthew, and their families have poured their hearts and souls into the Living River Ranch, a place that has touched the lives of countless visitors. Now, it's time to embark on a new chapter, expanding their mission to support the next generation of youth facing life's unique challenges. This is the six book continuation of The Loving River Ranch Series. Inspired by the timeless wisdom of Ecclesiastes 3:9-14 (NIV), this ...

REVISED EDITION! NOW CONTAINS MARRY ME! Four sweet and clean Christian romances to warm your heart this holiday season! Snuggle up with these faith-filled stories of hope and love, celebrating the true meaning of Christmas. Visit London for a series of Christmas dates, experience New Year’s Eve in Edinburgh, fall in love after a marriage of convenience in a beach town, and discover home and healing in small-town Oregon, all within the pages of these complete and standalone romances. If you love Hallmark movies, Love Inspired Books, and deeply emotional stories of overcoming heartache to ...

How to Start a Church -- EVEN if you have never been to Bible school or seminary. Don't know how to plant a healthy church? Want a step-by-step plan that's CHRIST-CENTERED? Need a strategy for church planting that will work anywhere in the world? Ever wish you could start a church that changes lives? Starting churches has quickly become THE way to reach lost people today. The problem? Copying church planting models doesn't produce the same results. The secret is to plant a church deeply in love with Jesus and committed to obeying His commands. In this guide, "Simple Church Planting," you'll...

Jan Karon's millions of fans can't wait to spend time with her heartwarming and hilarious characters, who have a way of becoming family. In fact, fans and booksellers across the country kept Out to Canaan and At Home in Mitford on The New York Times best-seller list for months. In A New Song, Mitford's longtime Episcopal priest, Father Tim, retires. However, new challenges and adventures await when he agrees to serve as interim minister of a small church on Whitecap Island. He and his wife, Cynthia, soon find that Whitecap has its own unforgettable characters.

Begin your binge of The Living River Ranch series with fourteen romance stories that are sure to leave your mind full and your heart satisfied. The A Time For Everything series takes place on a picturesque ranch tucked away in the hills along the Lake Michigan shoreline. What was once a functioning ranch has transformed into a therapeutic haven, aiding individuals in confronting their obstacles, reconnecting with their true selves, and forging meaningful connections with others. Within these books, readers will encounter captivating tales of either a man or woman stumbling upon a friendship...

Learn the values of small group and house church dynamics with lots of field-tested practical insights. Today, the church is waking up to the simple and successful house-to-house strategy practiced by the New Testament church 2000 years ago. House to House documents how God led a small group of young believers in Pennsylvania to become an international house-to-house movement. Dove International transitioned from a small group-based mega church into a family of small group-based churches and house churches networking together throughout six continents of the world.

For fourteen-year-old Leah Payne, life in her beloved coastal Carolina town is worlds away from the harsh realities of the day. Loyal to her lumberjack father, she knows only of the familiarity of her small community, the magic of the natural world, and the creative intuition that prompts her to march to the beat of her own drum. But when an accident takes her father's life, leaving her an orphan, Leah finds herself cast into a family of strangers whose welcoming façade hides a terrible secret.

His attractive neighbor is tugging at his heart-strings. A wealthy widow is pursuing him with hot casseroles. And his red-haired Cousin Meg has moved into the rectory, uninvited.