Church Ministry

A new generation is going to church. But is the church ready? Church consultant and researcher Thom Rainer believes God is at work in this generation, and he believes that this moment in time has created unique opportunities for churches to grow, thrive, and revive. In this book, Thom explores research that reveals that the anxious generation is yearning for meaningful community and is waiting to be invited in.

As Catholic theologian, historian, and papal biographer George Weigel notes, the next pope will probably have been a teenager or a very young man during the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965); he may even have been a child during those years. Thus the next pope will not have been shaped by the experience of the Council and the immediate debates over its meaning and reception like Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis.

Find out what the Church is as Byron Goines gives an exposition on the Biblical definition of the word "Church." Many have a false concept of the Church based upon man's concept of the Church, which is not scriptural when analyzed in accordance with the New Testament. So-called preachers have utilized the false concept of the Church to become wealthy off of the backs of hardworking people whom they have locked into a mindset that is built on deception.

This deeply contextual biography centers on the tensions generated by the pope’s attempt to turn the Church away from power and tradition and outwards to engage humanity with God’s mercy. Through battles with corrupt bankers and worldly cardinals, in turbulent meetings and on global trips, history’s first Latin-American pope has attempted to reshape the Church to evangelize the contemporary age. At the same time, he has stirred other leaders’ deep-seated fear that the Church is capitulating to modernity.

In the years following the senseless and tragic shooting on the campus of New Life Church in Northern Colorado Springs, Colorado, senior pastor Brady Boyd has received countless questions from the faith-filled and faithless alike. As the nation watched the suffering congregation reel from the gunman's rampage and, later, steady their stance once more, the one question on everyone's mind was, "How has new life weathered such a horrible storm so well"?

Many people today think the most effective means to reach this postmodern world for Christ is for the church to become more attractive and relevant to the culture. It must reinvent itself, adjust its gospel message, be less dogmatic, more therapeutic, tolerant, and entertaining. It must pander to the culture, take up its social causes, even conform to it - but never oppose it. Yet such a position is totally foreign to scripture and therefore mitigates the power and blessing of God.

In this groundbreaking, inspiring book, Robin R. Meyers, the senior minister of Oklahoma City’s Mayflower Congregational United Church of Christ, shows how listeners can move from a theology of obedience to one of consequence. He argues that we need to stop seeing our actions as a means for pleasing a distant God and rediscover how God has empowered us to care for ourselves and the world. Drawing on stories from his decades of active ministry, Meyers captures how the struggles of ordinary people hint at how we can approach faith as a radical act of trust in a God who is all around us.

Do you ever feel like your life is moving at the speed of light? Are you constantly trying to "keep up" with all of your commitments and responsibilities? As a wife, mother, and co-pastor of Lakewood Church - America's largest church - Victoria Osteen knows as well as anyone that operating in so many different roles can be extremely demanding, yet she has managed to find balance, living her life in the unforced rhythms of grace.

Most of the modern day cell church movement is biblical, dynamic, and positive. Sadly, errors and false assumptions have also crept in to confuse and lead astray an otherwise healthy movement. Joel Comiskey, in this ground-breaking book, exposes the myths of the cell church movement and then offers positive principles and insights to guide churches and leaders on the right path. Each chapter begins with a unique insight from a worldwide cell church leader who will share decades of wisdom in working with cell groups.

You may be a new believer and wonder what it means to belong to a church; you may be reluctant to commit to your church because of past experiences; you may have recently relocated and want to find a church where you feel at home; or you may love your church and desire to commit to it more deeply and serve it more fully. Whatever the case, this book will help you to see that belonging to a church is a good gift from God, the outworking of our identity as brothers and sisters in Christ, and worth your time, love, and commitment.

While much of church planting today is approached as an innovative new effort, church leaders can take comfort in the truth that they are simply stewards of what the faithful church has been doing for millennia. By rediscovering the foundations of our heritage, we are able to build healthier, more faithful, and more effective churches. At the same time, the act of planting new churches can breathe new life into these ancient traditions as they are applied to a variety of cultural contexts.

In today's highly charged social and political environment, we often don't know how to talk well with others - especially with people whose backgrounds differ from our own. C. Christopher Smith, coauthor of the critically acclaimed and influential Slow Church, addresses why conversation has become such a challenge in the 21st century and argues that it is perhaps the most-needed spiritual practice of our individualistic age.

Has God abandoned Israel? Has the Church “replaced” Israel? What does the Bible say? As we watch the world events, it is clear that Israel is following her prophetic scenario, and a new chapter is about to be written - and there may be a big surprise on our near horizon!

The Hybrid Congregation explores how technology has become an integral part of our daily lives and how it is impacting religious practices in unexpected ways. With the rise of online platforms, including social media and video conferencing tools, the concept of a physical church space is being redefined. The virtual world is now an extension of our physical reality, blurring the lines between what is considered "real" and what is not.

Many pastors feel isolated and helpless, especially those beginning pastoral ministry. Phil Newton and Rich Shadden know what this road is like, and they want to share what they have gained from pastoral mentoring—Rich, a young pastor receiving support and guidance from Phil, an older, more experienced shepherd.

Many are perplexed by the significant shifts in our world today. Things are changing in politics, economics, and the very fabric of our society. Will the church lag behind, battered by the winds of change, or be the true pioneer God has called her to be? The Christian Church needs a reformation as far reaching as 500 years ago. Do we see the need for revival and are we willing to pay the price of leaving behind the familiar to prepare new wineskins for new wine?

The Antichrist: A Catholic Perspective deals with Satan and his role at the end of times - through the eyes of Sacred Scripture, the Doctors of the Church, the mystics, and the saints. A timeless book which does not incorporate recent prophecies about the Antichrist, but rather accepted church teachings and private prophecies which avoid the current fads of messages that try to pinpoint exact daily prophecies with dates and specific times.

The #MeToo movement has revealed sexual abuse and assault in every sphere of society, including the church. But victims are routinely ignored by fellow Christians who deny their accounts and fail to bring accountability to the perpetrators. All too often, churches have been complicit in protecting abusers, reinforcing patriarchal power dynamics, and creating cultures of secrecy, shame, and silence.

Sustainable Church is a thorough Bible-based exposition of how the ministry of every church should be organically built around all of the Spirit-gifted followers of Jesus within that local body. It critiques the shallow pragmatism and unsustainability of nonorganic churches and biblically showcases the sustainability of the organic church.

Every local church should be engaged with global missions, even if most individuals in the church aren't called to go overseas. But what does this engagement actually look like? How can local churches train, send, and support missionaries well? Unpacking principles from the Bible and applying them in the context of real life in a local church, this short guide is filled with practical steps and advice for supporting missionaries, forming international partnerships, sending short-term teams, and engaging with the nations here at home.