Living Ministries

One of the most basic and vital dimensions of the Christian life is the practice of prayer. Frequently our prayers begin with a petition or request, so the content of our prayers is informed by our circumstances. But what if the opposite were true? What if we allowed our prayers to inform our lives? What would our lives be like if prayer altered our living and began to shape the contours and content of our daily experiences?

Are you exhausted? Women today really do feel the weight of the world on their shoulders. Every morning we are greeted with a long list of to-dos: get the kids up and out the door on time, have a meaningful quiet time, put in a full day at the office, spend an hour at the gym, prepare a healthy and delicious meal (organic and locally grown, of course), and make sure the sink sparkles before you go to bed. Oh, and don’t forget to look great and smile while you’re doing it.

Christians struggle daily with anxiety and fear and are in need of biblical solutions for understanding and overcoming this. Tony Evans deals with these issues in a pleasant, clear and easy-to-digest way. This booklet-style format makes a quick, easy listen and a possible gift book for a struggling friend.

Tina Konkin was devastated when she learned her husband was having an affair with her best friend. How could this happen to a couple who were Christian marriage counselors? But the surprises didn't stop there, because God immediately asked Tina this question: "What role did you play in this, Tina?" That question and Tina's willingness to answer it led to a restored, renewed marriage that was better than ever before, as well as a marriage counseling program that has an 80% success rate.

Every family is hurting, and the wounds that come from our relatives can be deeper than all others. Conflict within a family can range from daily frictions and annoyances to rage and hatred and eventually estrangement. We want things to be different but have no idea where to start. After 25 years of ministering to families, Rob Rienow believes reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel - reconciliation with God and one another.

Now, as more families like Michael's are affected by a growing number of disorders and difficulties ranging from autism to food allergies, the need for programs and paradigm shifts is greater than ever. Beates thus seeks to motivate churches to pursue ministry to children and adults with developmental disabilities. He works through key Bible passages on brokenness and disability to develop helpful principles for believers and churches, teaching them first to embrace their own brokenness and then to embrace those who are more physically and visibly broken.

There is nothing more powerful than fasting. Though it lasts for a short season, it brings long-term effects and blessings. This book is focused on the power of fasting to help you regain your edge when the circumstances of life deplete your spiritual energy and dull your spiritual sharpness. Best-selling author Jentezen Franklin sets the focus for the book by using the story of the student prophet in 2 Kings 6 who lost his ax head while working.

Using engaging illustrations, scriptural wisdom, practical suggestions and study questions, Kent Hughes offers a frank biblical discussion on major areas of Christian manhood: family, godliness, leadership, ministry and more. This newly revised edition is for every man who wants to know what it means to be a Christian in today's world.

The healthy Christian life is one of continuing spiritual, emotional, and relational growth. But so many of us feel stuck or stagnated at one stage of the journey. It's not always clear to us where or why we are stuck, making it difficult to take the next step on our journey of the soul. That's where Bill and Kristi Gaultiere come in. After decades in private practice as counselors and therapists, they have developed a unique model for growing in grace.

The Christian culture that has underpinned Western society for centuries has been eroded. We're now at the point where to disagree with people on issues such as marriage and sexuality is seen as hateful. Christians are no longer seen as honorable, but as bigots. But history testifies that the more people try to destroy Christianity, the more it grows. So we are entering an exciting period of time because we're back in the place where Christ's church can thrive - at the margins of society. In this stirring, passionate book, Matt Chandler tells us we need Christian courage like never before.

The role of women in positions of worship and church leadership is one of the most divisive and inconclusive biblical debates. Two Views on Women in Ministry furnishes you with a clear and thorough presentation of the two primary exegetical arguments so you can better understand each one's strengths, weaknesses, and complexities. This revised edition brings the exchange of ideas and perspectives into the traditional Counterpoints format. Each author states his or her case and is then critiqued by the other contributors.

When you said, “I do”, you entered marriage with high hopes, dreaming it would be supremely happy. You never intended for it to be miserable. Millions of couples are struggling in desperate marriages. But the story doesn’t have to end there. Dr. Gary Chapman writes, “I believe that in every troubled marriage, one or both partners can take positive steps that have the potential for changing the emotional climate in their marriage.”

While the culture has never been more confused about the definition of what marriage is, those who are married have never been more hopeless about how marriage should be lived. The times have never been more crucial for digging deeper, past the definition of marriage to the structure of marriage, the blessings of marriage, and the opportunity for living out the image of the gospel that's embodied within marriage. So, what now?

After the Bible, The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis is the favorite book of Catholics throughout the world and has been the spiritual guide of the saints since it first appeared in 1418. And of the English editions, none can equal this inspiring translation of Bishop Richard Challoner. This book speaks to the soul of every true Christian, reminding him of the fleeting nature of earthly joy as opposed to the eternity of happiness with God.

Do you ever wonder if your efforts as a mom make any difference? Take heart. Whether you're struggling through sleepless nights with your toddler or endless battles with your teen, September McCarthy's story offers practical insights and powerful inspiration to encourage you on your own mothering journey. As a mom for 25 years who continues to raise young children and love her young adults, September imparts words of wisdom and grace in key areas of Christian parenting.

Will you live in FEAR? Or will you live by FAITH? Fear has the deceptive ability to influence and affect our daily lives and the world we live in. What do you fear most in life? What are the greatest threats facing you? Crime? Violence? The economy? Failure? Death? Eternity? Fear Fighters will help you identify and defeat the very source of fear that threatens you from living in peace and joy.

The book of Romans is the Bible’s most comprehensive summary of salvation by Jesus Christ. Beloved for its profound theological depths, this letter of Paul’s has captured the minds and warmed the hearts of Christians throughout history. It remains a favorite New Testament epistle for its rich presentation of the gospel, the power of God to redeem people from sin and transform them into the likeness of His Son. This daily devotional lets you spend a year in Romans with Dr. R.C. Sproul as your guide.

For years, Christians have been asking, "If you died tonight, do you know where you would go?" It turns out that many believers have been giving the wrong answer. It is not heaven. Wright outlines the present confusion about a Christian's future hope and shows how it is deeply intertwined with how we live today. Wright asserts that Christianity's most distinctive idea is bodily resurrection, and provides a magisterial defense for a literal resurrection of Jesus. Wright then explores our expectation of "new heavens and a new earth".

Three words that sum up D. L. Moody's life are passion, vision, and devotion - for God! He could easily share the gospel with 20,000 people on a hillside and then do the same thing the next day with just a few people in a church hall. D. L. Moody was fiery and fun! Watch out for how he used a pony to get children to church. One life devoted to God really can change the world.

As parents, we deeply desire the best for our kids. We look for the right preschool, teach them to read, and get them involved in extracurriculars. We take our job as parents seriously. But are we also putting our time and energy into teaching them the Bible? Leading our kids to life through Scripture is not only doable, it's an essential part of parenting kids for Jesus. And the good news is studying God's word as a family doesn't have to be hard or overly time-consuming.