Living Ministries

Why do you sing at church? It's a question we almost never ask out loud. Yet, this is a question that is central to the lives of Christians who regularly gather together for worship. Do you sing to God? Or do you "address one another in hymns and spiritual songs", as the scripture says? Do you close your eyes? What is your posture in worship? This book is designed with these questions in mind.

Based upon the biblical principle that everything God has decreed is available to all, this book arms the believer with the kingdom principles that will empower them to use God’s power and authority to enforce, establish, and institute God’s will for their future, and dominate the enemy. Through Hello, Tomorrow! listeners will discover how to build a bridge to their future, put themselves where they see themselves, write their own history, and dare to do something great.

Based on years of ministry and experience, international prayer leader and best-selling author Dutch Sheets presents a real-world, hands-on foundation for prayer. With wisdom and practical insight, he helps you develop the core of an effective prayer life: a stronger, lasting relationship with God as father and friend.

The book of Esther reads much like a fairy tale: a young Jewish queen, her wise older cousin, an evil royal servant, and a self-centered king. But Esther is no fairy tale. From the beginning of the book to the end, God is the main character of the story - even though he's never mentioned. Join Lydia Brownback as she digs deeper into the book of Esther and learn how God is faithful to keep his promises and deliver his people. This story ultimately points to the gospel, revealing the need for a better deliverer, a better king, and a better kingdom than any found in this world.

The opportunity to tour Israel came at a good time. For months, my life has been a mindless plodding through necessary routine, as monotonous as an all-night shift on an assembly line. Life gets that way sometimes, when nothing specific is wrong but the world around us seems drained of color. My weekly worship experiences and daily quiet times with God have felt as dry and stale as last year's crackers. I'm ashamed to confess the malaise I've felt. I have been given so much. Shouldn't a Christian's life be an abundant one, as exciting as Christmas morning, as joyful as Easter Sunday?

Many of us do not trust our own thoughts, feelings, and desires when it comes to discerning God's will. Instead we look outside ourselves to determine what God wants from and for us. In God's Voice Within, spiritual director Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ, shows us how to use Ignatian discernment to access our own spiritual intuition and understand that the most trustworthy wisdom of all comes not from outside sources, but from God working through us.

Best-selling author, cultural commentator, and popular theologian Christopher West is one of the world's most recognized teachers of John Paul II's Theology of the Body. He specializes in making this teaching accessible to all Christians, with particular attention to evangelicals. As West explains, from beginning to end the Bible tells a story of marriage. It begins with the marriage of man and woman in an earthly paradise and ends with the marriage of Christ and the church in an eternal paradise.

Best-selling author Jerry Brides ( The Pursuit of Holiness, The Discipline of Grace, The Bookends of the Christian Life, and many other books) asks perhaps the most fundamental question of existence: "Who am I?" He then turns to scripture to unpack for the Christian eight clear, interlocking, illuminating answers.

A seminal work of Spanish mysticism, Teresa of Avila's The Way of Perfection describes the practices and qualities of a prayerful life devoted to Christ. Although it was written over 500 years ago solely for the nuns of her convent, her devotion continues to instruct and inspire believers today.

Beloved author Sally Clarkson ( The Lifegiving Home, Own Your Life, Desperate) believes that meals lovingly served at home - and the time spent gathered together around the table - are a much-needed way to connect more deeply with our families and open our kids' hearts. Food and faith, mingled in everyday life, become the combination for passing on God's love to each person who breaks bread with us.

Have you ever wondered what the Old Testament - especially the Old Testament law - has to do with your Christian life? You are not alone. Some Christian leaders believe we should cast off the Old Testament now that we have the New. Carmen Joy Imes disagrees. In this warm, accessible volume, Imes takes listeners back to Sinai, the ancient mountain where Israel met their God, and explains the meaning of events there. She argues that we've misunderstood the command about "taking the Lord's name in vain." Instead, Imes says that this command is about "bearing God's name."

Best-selling author, Thom S. Rainer, guides listeners toward a practical framework and game plan for making a difference for those who visit their church to help make churches more hospitable to guests.

In Help, I'm Drowning, Sally identifies the challenges that took her by surprise and then leads you to the wisdom she gathered through her experiences. Finding grace to walk through the darkness and hope to make it through will give you the comfort and encouragement you need in knowing you are not alone. Though there are no easy, formulaic answers that apply to every situation, Sally leads us to the one who is with us and will see us through.

We are constantly being formed by the world around us. To be formed by Jesus will require us to become his apprentice. To live by what the first Christian disciples called a Rule of Life—a set of practices and relational rhythms that slow us down and open up space in our daily lives for God to do what only God can do—transforms the deepest parts of us to become like him.

This must-have resource on effective prayer from best-selling author and internationally respected pastor Jack Hayford gives believers the keys to unlocking the secrets of effective intercessory prayer, including how to pray with rightful authority, perseverance, and confidence. He provides encouragement, powerful testimonies, keen biblical guidance, and insight to help readers pray more effectively for God's grace, goodness, and power in the lives of those they love.

If you've ever wished you could clear out your clutter, simplify your space, and take back your life, Kathi Lipp's new book has just the solutions you need. Building off the success of her Get Yourself Organized Project, this book will provide even more ideas for getting your life and your stuff under control. As you try out the many easy, doable solutions that helped Kathi win her battle with clutter, you'll begin to understand why you hold on to the things you do, eliminate what's crowding out real life, and make room for the life of true abundance God wants for you.

Every great movement of God is preceded by a season of humility and repentance. It is a time of tearing down walls, of getting honest with God and others about your true spiritual condition. It may be hard. It may hurt. But in the end, God will use your brokenness to restore your 'first love' for Jesus, rekindle your spiritual fire, reconcile your relationships, and repair your life. A richer, deeper, more God-filled life is waiting for you.

Excerpt of best-selling title, The Peacemaker. Conflict-resolution expert Ken Sande shows you how to help permanently resolve disputes in your everyday life. He takes you beyond quick fixes to true, life-changing reconciliation with family members, coworkers, and fellow believers.

John Stott has spent a lifetime wrestling with questions about Jesus both personally and in dialogue with skeptics and seekers around the globe. Now in Why I Am a Christian he provides a compelling, persuasive case for considering the Christian faith. If you take an honest look at Jesus, you will discover that following him gives you the purpose, identity and freedom you've been searching for - and far more than you have ever imagined.

Drawing from his own experience and the lives of others, Pastor Brian Tome calls on men to examine themselves and take steps in the direction of a fully realized manhood that honors God, respects women, elevates others, and works purposefully for an end greater than their own satisfaction or pleasure. It's time for men to step into their honorable place in the world and lean into a new reality - one defined by strength, purpose, and honor.