Local Church

Many new believers have questions about what it means to live as a Christian in the context of a local church, and pastors are looking for resources to pass along to their congregations to help them think biblically about the Christian life. Church Questions is a series by 9Marks that seeks to provide Christians with sound and accessible biblical teaching by answering common questions about church life. Each booklet offers biblical answers and practical applications with the goal of nurturing healthy church practice and commitment.

For 35 years Biblical Eldership has been the premier book explaining the biblical teaching on church eldership, which is shared pastoral leadership by a council of scripturally qualified, Spirit-placed elders. Biblical Eldership has helped ignite a worldwide awakening to this long-neglected and misunderstood subject. This new edition is a comprehensive revision. For those who love solid Bible exposition, this is a much-welcomed volume.

Life in the Body of Christ is a must-listen for every Christian. Every age group in every evangelical church should make it a point to study this book chapter by chapter, look seriously at every suggestion, and meditate on every scripture suggested for that purpose. Curtis Thomas has given us a gift, a stimulus to edifying reflection and action on every pertinent aspect of corporate and individual responsibility and privilege to be pursued in the life of a local church. His suggestions are brief but turgid with biblical insight and healthy church experience.

An Insider's Guide to Venice, the captivating second book in the Insider Travel Series, is perfect for culture enthusiasts who love to stray from the tourist path. Get hooked by Marco's anecdotes and insider tips as he reveals hidden gems tucked away in narrow streets and canals—from charming cafés to lesser-known churches. Written as though the two of you were having a conversation over an Aperol Spritz, his suggestions will help you experience Venice like a local and sidestep the tourist traps with this entertaining guide.

When local woman Deborah goes missing, her colleagues Adrian, Yvonne and Merriel are all left in shock. Gossip around the office begins to swirl – what could have happened to Deborah? Is she dead or alive? And who could be responsible for her disappearance? Everyone is terrified that they could be next...except the one person who has all the answers. The last person people expect. Because Deborah is being held captive by a monster, a psychopath. But not a stranger...it’s someone she knows all too well.

Leaders in the church are called to be shepherds, not a board of directors. This requires involvement in a personal shepherding ministry among the people. The Shepherd Leader unpacks the four primary ministries of shepherds - knowing, feeding, leading, and protecting - on macro (churchwide) and micro (personal) levels, providing seven elements to be incorporated into an effective shepherding plan.

In this audiobook, Megan Hill answers a common question of churchgoers: What's so great about the church? With rich theology and practical direction, Hill encourages and equips both first-time visitors and regular members to delight in being a part of the local church - no matter how messy and ordinary it seems today. It is only when God's people begin to see one another as the Lord sees them that they will truly find a place to belong.

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, paying particular attention to the downtrodden and the poor. As followers of Jesus, Christians are called to imitate his example and reach out to those who have the least. This book offers biblical guidelines and practical strategies for reaching those on the margins of our society with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God’s vision for the local church is a family with Jesus as the Head of our house, the body of Christ built up in love. This book aims to secure us as the people of the local church to our Anchor. That in this time, in this place, we would take the truths of the Gospel like a carabiner and tether ourselves to Christ. May we rise strong and mature, no longer tossed to and fro by the strong undertow of culture—that pull back into the will and way of life in the world. There’s a unity of faith in the Spirit and a fullness of Christ the Father desires for us.

Does the local church today recognize its place as the beloved bride of Christ? In this audiobook, Dustin Benge invites believers who have underestimated or become disillusioned by the church to rediscover its beauty and glory. Exploring biblical qualities including the Trinitarian relationship, selfless service, and gospel proclamation, he awakens the affections of Christ's followers for their local church home.

Filled with real-life stories from the authors’ own experiences, Teach a Man to Fish provides churches and missions organizations with a blueprint for helping people help themselves in order to create lasting change and long-term sustainability and independence.

Nearly all churches and ministries consider themselves dedicated to evangelism, and many explicitly include outreach in their mission statements. But few are actually bearing fruit. Kevin Harney diagnoses this problem and offers guidance for multiplying the outreach impact of churches. Organic Outreach for Churches provides direction for local congregations to weave evangelism into the fabric of the church. Commitment to the Great Commission is not simply about sending money and prayers to missions or holding occasional events to reach out (although these things are good).

The Pew Report released a study showing the number of people switching churches and those with no church affiliation has grown considerably. This is a very important and issue that needs to be addressed. This book addresses the issue so that church or parachurch small groups can listen together and discuss the questions at the end of chapters. The book is designed to help listeners more deeply value church and what church ought to look like.

Mark DeYmaz presents seven common obstacles to building a healthy multi-ethnic church, taking the reader beyond merely understanding the need for diversity, to the practical challenges and ramifications of day-to-day leadership within a diverse congregation of faith.

It's no secret that men and women burn out in ministry every single day. While the current statistics regarding ministry burnout are alarming, there is hope. Using his own experiences as a minister, Pastor Phil shares four key insights that will help you stay sane while serving in the local church. He offers practical advice and specific instructions on topics such as managing your time, your family, and your finances. Pastor Phil also presents some thought-provoking questions and challenges his listeners to take the next step.

The Book of Acts is a great story of the early church Jesus started and left in the tiny nation of Israel. He left his unlikely group of disciples with the enormous task of spreading what they knew about Jesus and their experience with him to the entire world. They were successful and not only reached their world, but generations into the future. Approximately 2,000 years after he returned to Heaven, the church exists in places like South America, Asia, and the remotest islands of the Earth.

This comprehensive guide is designed to help you and your church enter a lifestyle where the supernatural becomes normal—a lifestyle in which God’s perfect will breaks into this world, and Jesus is glorified.

A pesar de que la mayoría de los cristianos no se trasladan a vivir a otros países, la Biblia recluta a todos los cristianos y a todas las iglesias locales en el gran proyecto de las misiones mundiales. La iglesia local es el motor de las misiones a nivel mundial, ¿pero por dónde debemos empezar? Las iglesias no necesitan un complicado programa misionero, lo que necesitan es la Biblia y la sabiduría necesaria para saber cómo aplicarla. Este libro se basa en la Escritura y ofrece pasos prácticos para capacitar misioneros.

If you work in Christian ministry, it’s likely that at some point in your career, God will call you from one church to another. Do you know how to make this transition effectively? Moving can be scary and full of questions: Where do I start the job search process? Which people do I talk with, and what do I send to them? How do I know if my family and I will fit in at a new church? And how do I tell people I’m leaving?

Ushering in the local church is much more than just shaking hands and passing offering plates. Fulfilling your role as an usher is just as important to the body of Christ as that of a prophet, teacher, or evangelist. This book covers both the biblical and the practical aspects of church ushering. Buddy Bell, founder of Ministry of Helps International, combines humor with informative teaching to help you become more effective in your ministry. You will be challenged to serve with excellence.