Church Ministry

Reflecting on John Paul II's greatness, drawing on first-hand interviews to paint an intimate portrait of the new Pope, and boldly assessing the Church's current condition, God's Choice is an invaluable book for anyone seeking to understand the Catholic future and the larger human future the Church will help to shape.

From the author of Reimagining Church comes an essential guide that provides practical, effective tools for finding vibrant Christian communities. Driven by a passion for the body of Christ, Frank Viola has written some of today's most authoritative and celebrated works on the growing home, organic, and missional church movements. Now Viola shares practical keys to a healthy and successful church plant.

In every position of power lies the potential for life-giving leadership or destructive corruption. Driven by sinful pride or opportunism, many people abuse their God-given influence, harming the ones they’re called to lead and contributing to an intense angst against authority. The answer to bad authority, however, is not no authority, but good authority—the kind that, according to Scripture, causes those under it to flourish. In this compelling guide from 9Marks, Jonathan Leeman shows that authority, done biblically, is not only good, but is essential to human flourishing.

In The Bible Code, best-selling author of The Joshua Code, O. S. Hawkins, takes us from Genesis to Revelation as he illuminates Scripture through the light of Christ. Because all of the Bible, and all of life for that matter, is about Jesus. In Exodus, he is the Passover Lamb. In Deuteronomy, he is the Bread of Life. In Song of Solomon, he is our Bridegroom.

This classic of Mormon literature is based on a series of theological lectures by Talmage, which were created for use in religious education. James E. Talmage was an English chemist and geologist, who moved to the United States and became a prominent figure in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This book provides commentary and doctrinal references for each of Joseph Smith's Thirteen Articles of Faith that form the core beliefs of the LDS Church.

Brokenness, communion, servanthood, and obedience. These four characteristics provide the framework for Leadership as an Identity. Examining each trait, Loritts undermines the pervasive and unbiblical assumptions about leadership.

Many people today find that their prayers don't work. And like a broken cell phone, DVD player, or TV remote, they throw prayer out as unnecessary clutter in their busy lives. Anne Graham Lotz has found that while prayer does work, sometimes the pray-ers don't. So she has turned to the prophet Daniel for help. The Daniel Prayer is born deep within your soul, erupts through your heart, and pours out on your lips, words created by and infused with the Spirit of God, quivering with spiritual electricity.

Learn to love your ministry or leadership role again as you develop yourself and experience greater success. The Christian Leader Blueprint is a life-changing model that will propel you to a new level of leadership influence—something you have longed to have.

In Thom Rainer's latest book, he sets out to discover how churches that were once healthy but had stagnated in growth have broken out to become great churches impacting lives and entire communities.

The gospel is the greatest message of all time, addressing the greatest need of all people. However, the good news about Jesus does more than just promise eternal life to all who believe. In this addition to the 9Marks Building Healthy Churches series, pastor Ray Ortlund explains the gospel's power to transform individuals from the inside out and create beautiful human relationships. This short book helps listeners experience the power of God as they are encouraged to trust in Christ and allow him to transform their beliefs, perspectives, and practices.

The church reached a turning point in the 16th century. Worship had become a spectacle, the gospel was distorted, the sacraments were replaced by superstition, and ministers lived in immorality. To restore the church to the teachings of Christ, the Reformers cried out for a return to God’s authoritative word. In this classic treatise, John Calvin presents four areas of the church’s life and doctrine that must be carefully guarded and guided by scripture. This timeless call for biblical faithfulness beckons us today. How will we respond?

In The Church Awakening, Dr. Charles Swindoll discusses the challenges, struggles, and priorities of the church in the 21st century. He reveals the problems inherent in the entertainment-based postmodern church and shows how a return to biblical teaching will restore its strength and impact. Swindoll exposes the problems of - and solutions for - the postmodern evangelical church.

Combining history, a look at the causes of social upheaval, and current events, The Great Emergence shows readers what the Great Emergence in church and culture is, how it came to be, and where it is going. Anyone who is interested in the future of the church in America, no matter what their personal affiliation, will find this book a fascinating exploration.

Marcantonio Colonna's The Dictator Pope has rocked Rome and the entire Catholic Church with its portrait of an authoritarian, manipulative, and politically partisan pontiff. Occupying a privileged perch in Rome during the tumultuous first years of Francis' pontificate, Colonna was privy to the shock, dismay, and even panic that the reckless new pope engendered in the Church's most loyal and judicious leaders.

What relevance does it have for us that Jesus is Jewish and what difference should it make to our faith? In The Jewish Jesus, David Hoffbrand explores the answers to these and related questions in a way that is accessible to everyone. As you see how Jesus lived, thought, and taught as a Jewish man, you will come to know Him like never before, and find that His teachings come alive in their original context. It's time to discover the Jewish Jesus!

The Church Who Hears God's Voice provides church leaders and Christian thinkers with the theological framework and pastoral strategies needed to build churches where everyone can hear the Spirit’s voice for themselves. After experiencing the transforming power of hearing God’s voice in her own life, Rev Dr Tania Harris set out to unlock the questions Christians have debated for centuries: How does God speak? How do you know it’s God? and What difference does it make to the church?

In Churchwork, Rodney Shaw provides pastors', ministry leaders', and volunteers' invaluable wisdom and insight to optimize the performance of ministry teams. With fresh perspectives on follower-centric leadership and courageous followership, this book will bring clarity to your vision. As you begin to implement the principles in this book, you can expect to see results.

You're not alone in your ministry. And you don't have to suffer in silence. Ministry is a stressful vocation, with unspoken expectations, projected anxieties, and conflicting demands. After the pandemic caused a sudden shift to online worship and factions fighting over when and how to return to in-person worship, pastors have been leaving congregational ministry at even higher rates than usual. The emotional fallout of burnout and abuse at the hands of parishioners is something pastors carry for years, whether they stay or leave the congregation.

The lesson of love can never be taught simply by words.... Rather, it is taught by truly giving yourself and communicating the love and longing for Christ to those you serve.... This audiobook is essential and inspiring material for all who would devote their lives to the service of Christ and his church.

In his four decades of urban ministry, Robert D. Lupton has experienced firsthand how our good intentions can have unintended, dire consequences. We fly off on mission trips to poverty-stricken villages, hearts full of pity and suitcases bulging with giveaways - trips that one Nicaraguan leader describes as effective only in "turning my people into beggars." In Toxic Charity, Lupton urges individuals, churches, and organizations to step away from these spontaneous, often destructive acts of compassion and toward thoughtful paths to community development.