Church Ministry

In this popular introduction to church history, now in its third edition, Mark Noll isolates key events that provide a framework for understanding the history of Christianity. The book presents Christianity as a worldwide phenomenon rather than just a Western experience. Students in academic settings and church adult education contexts will benefit from this one-semester survey of Christian history.

Church growth models have often been long on promises and short on disciple-making. We continue to watch consistent church attendance shrink, and our desire to reach the lost is infected with a need for self-validation by growing our numbers at any cost. If we believe that God wants his church to grow, where do we go from here? What is the future of the church?

People are leaving or changing churches at a record pace, and we have to ask a very important question—when should we NOT leave a church? Certainly, there are reasons when it’s time to leave a church, and when done so in a healthy manner, it can be a glorious transition for all involved. There’s a celebration of the promotion that all in the church community can participate in. The process of leaving a church is equally as important as the reason for leaving.

How do churches grow and make an impact in their community . . . and the world? They work together in intentional ways in order to maximize everyone's gifts. They're mission-driven. Church Is a Team Sport shows proven ways to push believers, new and mature, toward growth as both Christians--and leaders. Through this powerful, thought-provoking volume, ministers both in the congregation and on staff will discover how to expand the church one soul at a time. Making disciples is the crux of pastor Jim Putman's message. The plan works. Caring for people, following up on stray sheep, and ...

Dangerous Calling reveals the truth that the culture surrounding our pastors is spiritually unhealthy—an environment that actively undermines the well-being and effectiveness 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.

Scandals. Hypocrisy. Shallow sermons. Do you see the brokenness within the church and wonder if she can ever authentically represent Jesus to the world? Dr. Eric Mason doesn’t just call the church out. He calls believers up, equipping listeners with actionable steps toward personal accountability and a renewed commitment to Christ’s mission. Rebranding the Church is a training manual for Christians to lovingly and truthfully share Christ with people who no longer respect the Christian faith.

Combining the best of clinical research with a biblical worldview, The Mental Health Handbook for Ministry is a practical and accessible resource to help pastors, church leaders, and others who are called on to offer counsel.

Church Is a Team Sport shows proven ways to push believers, new and mature, toward growth as both Christians and leaders. Through this powerful, thought-provoking volume, ministers both in the congregation and on staff will discover how to expand the church one soul at a time. Making disciples is the crux of pastor Jim Putman's message. The plan works. Caring for people, following up on stray sheep, and teaching what it means to love God and obey him.

In Sticky Church, author and pastor Larry Osborne makes the case that closing the back door of your church is even more important than opening the front door wider. He offers a time-tested strategy for doing so: sermon-based small groups that dig deeper into the weekend message and tightly velcro members to the ministry. It's a strategy that enabled Osborne's congregation to grow from a handful of people to one of the larger churches in the nation - without any marketing or special programming. Sticky Church tells the inspiring story of North Coast Church's phenomenal growth and offers practical tips.

EXPERIENCE THE EARLY CHURCH. After a devastating series of personal tragedies, Rut isn’t sure what she believes and chooses to devote herself entirely to what she knows: her work as a skilled weaver. When Rut meets Lydia, a seller of fine purple goods, she is immediately intrigued. Rut agrees to travel with her to Philippi even though it means saying goodbye to everyone and everything she knew before. While on the journey, Rut begins to forge a new identity for herself, never expecting the past to catch up to her in the way it does. Hektor feels an instant pull toward Rut, recognizing in ...

If you long to reach kids and see their lives changed by God, this updated, comprehensive guide shows you how. Purpose Driven® Youth Ministry will do for youth ministry what Rick Warren's Gold Medallion award - winning The Purpose Driven Church is doing for pastoral ministry. It's an indispensable guide to creating and maintaining youth ministry for the long run. It will help you create a solid spiritual team that builds the foundations of the Christian faith into the hearts and lives of young people.

"This is, in my opinion, the best book on the complementarian / evangelical egalitarian debate. Buy a copy, buy copies for friends, lend it widely. It highlights the truth that the gospel sets the oppressed free. The Bible from cover to cover is good news for men and women." —Dr. Kevin Giles, author of What The Bible Actually Teaches on Women "Terran Williams develops a meticulous case that shows God’s moral compass always points to the unity of men and women, in creation, in the church, and in Christ. A terrific resource for anyone wrestling with this topic.” —Dr. Michael Bird, ...

The Book of Mormon is a religious record of three groups of people who migrated from the Old World to the American continents. These groups were led by prophets who recorded their religious and secular histories on metal plates. The Book of Mormon records the visit of Jesus Christ to people in the Americas following his resurrection. A 200-year era of peace followed that visit of Christ.

In contrast to the oppressive Roman military occupation of the first century, Crossan examines the meaning of the non-violent Kingdom of God prophesized by Jesus and the equality advocated by Paul to the early Christian churches. Crossan contrasts these messages of peace with the misinterpreted apocalyptic vision from the Book of Revelation, which has been misrepresented by modern right-wing theologians and televangelists to justify US military actions in the Middle East.

John Wimber (1934–1997) has been called one of the most important and controversial figures in North American evangelicalism in the twentieth century and the fountainhead of the Third Wave movement. This sensitive and compelling biography of his life and ministry ultimately tells the story of a man with humble—and, some might say, surprising—beginnings, who was called and moved by God to eventually impact the hearts of millions. The first book-length biographical treatment of his life, John Wimber: His Life and Ministry takes you from the day of his birth—also the day his father ...

Many pastors struggle to translate their theological beliefs into fruitful ministry in the places they are called to reach. It’s not enough to simply know what to believe (theology), or on the other hand, how to do ministry (methodology) - they need something in between. They need help thinking about ministry in a culture that no longer believes Christianity is a force for good, let alone the source of ultimate revealed truth in the person of Christ.

Church history is important because it shows us how God's faithful dealings with his people in the Bible continue in the ongoing life and work of Christ in our world. If you have ever wished for a short book highlighting church history's most important events that will enlighten your mind and pique your interest, this is the one you've been waiting for. Three prolific church historians collaborate their efforts in Church History 101 to present you with a quick listen of church history's high points.

David Murrow's groundbreaking new book reveals why men are the world's largest unreached people group. With eye-opening research and a persuasive grasp on the facts, Murrow explains the problem and offers hope and encouragement to women, pastors, and men. Why Men Hate Going to Church does not call men back to the church - it calls the church back to men.

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.

The Epistle to the Romans, or Letter to the Romans, is the sixth book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by Paul the Apostle to explain that salvation is offered through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the longest of the Pauline epistles. Sound interesting? The author thinks so too! Listen to the Book of Romans, and learn about bibles.