Ministry Leadership

Longtime pastor Douglas Wilson takes a hammer to some of our very favorite graven images, and (surprise, surprise) we've set up display cases for most of them in our churches: liturgy, tradition, systematics, infant baptism, and that crafty old Baal doctrine. Alongside a critique of philosophical assumptions about human nature, dualism, and grace, Wilson stresses the unavoidable and absolute necessity of individual hearts being born again. He concludes by laying out the case for the church.

Wie müsste sie aussehen - eine Kirche, in der sich möglichst viele Menschen wirklich wohlfühlen? Christopher Schlicht und Maximilian Bode, zwei junge Pastoren, probieren es einfach. Als Pastor nicht zu heilig daherzukommen, das ist beiden wichtig. Deshalb tragen Pastor Max und Pastor Chris im Gottesdienst keinen Talar, sondern Jeansjacke oder Flanellhemd. Nur am Kollar, dem Priesterkragen, sind sie während des Gottesdienstes zu erkennen.

The United States is recognized as the most religiously diverse country in the world, and yet its laws and customs, which many have come to see as normal features of American life, actually keep the constitutional ideal of “religious freedom for all” from becoming a reality. Christian beliefs, norms, and practices infuse our society; they are embedded in our institutions, creating the structures and expectations that define the idea of “Americanness.”

Lyn Brakeman was among the first women to enter the ordination process in the Episcopal Church just after the General Convention voted in 1976 that women could be priests. The bishop of her diocese had voted against ordaining women priests, and hospitality toward female aspirants was guarded at best. So why would a 40-year-old institutional naïf, suburban housewife, and mother of four enter such unfriendly territory to seek priestly ordination at a time when her personal life was in chaos?

With his signature enthusiasm and insight, Pat Williams shares the incredible stories of West Point graduates who exemplified these traits, from the Civil War to the War on Terror. He shows listeners of all backgrounds how to develop these 12 essential virtues in their lives, whether they are in the corporate world, the academic world, the military, the church, or in some other sphere.

As you face daily choices that require yes or no decisions, there are times when you feel paralyzed - either from fear of making the wrong choice or because of too many seemingly equal options. Social entrepeneur Jeff Shinabarger helps you break through these moments of tension and transition with proven ways to move toward good choices.

An essential guide for maintaining integrity and preserving the good standing of your church in the face of a crisis, Church on Trial will teach you how to maintain and earn congregational trust and unity; safeguard your church's reputation preemptively and proactively before it crashes and burns; implement best practices for crisis prevention and recovery; build relationships and collaborate with trusted legal advisors; and gracefully handle negative media attention and publicity.

46 Stones addresses multiple topics that have been the source of frustration, discouragement, and disillusionment for many in the modern-day church. The book gives a name and a voice to these issues. It is time for the church worldwide—in the spirit of Ecclesiastes 3:5—“to throw away some stones;” in this case, the faulty manmade stones and legalistic stones that have been stumbling blocks in the evangelical church for way too long. These forty-six stones are simply a compilation of notions, tendencies, and beliefs that are being “called out” one by one.

La apasionante vida, caída y restauración de un líder poderoso pero solitario. El Pastor Jorge Carpinteyro nos lleva por las diferentes etapas de la vida de este Juez de Israel haciendo una analogía sobre la vida cristiana, lecciones sobre el matrimonio y los principios de liderazgo que deben regir en la Iglesia de la presente generación.

In this practical and inspiring book, Willow Creek Executive vice president and teaching pastor Nancy Beach speaks to women with God-given gifts of leading and teaching. Sharing from her thirty-year journey in a local church, Nancy offers guidance on such issues as: character development, earning respect, finding your voice, managing work and personal life, and forming an intentional support network.

Perhaps no subject about church generates more opinion and passion than worship. Walk with the typical church-going family on their way to the car after the service and just listen. Everybody really does talk about worship. Now, veteran worship leader and experienced ministry coach Mike Harland offers the tools worship leaders need to build biblically-faithful and effective worship ministries without bringing the disruption that often accompanies change.

Successful Silicon Valley real estate developer and wealth creator Roy Goble shares the surprising lessons he learned as a boy working in his family junkyard. Skillfully uniting the teachings of Jesus with the sometimes messy realities of leading people and getting things done, Salvaged helps leaders at all levels discover powerful opportunities to follow Jesus in the real world - and in surprisingly simple ways.

Are you yearning to hear God's voice in the chaos of modern life? In "Discerning God's Voice: A Young Man's Journey," Larry Sumerville II invites you on a transformative adventure to discover how God communicates with us through Scripture, symbols, creation, and more. Imagine recognizing God's voice in every moment. Sumerville takes you by the hand, guiding you through the process of discerning divine whispers in your life. He reveals the eternal relevance and authority of Scripture, showing how the Holy Spirit uses sacred texts to provide clarity and wisdom for every situation.

We hear all to often that someone has decided to leave the Evangelical Christian faith and to join the Church of Rome, or Eastern Orthodoxy, or High Anglicanism. The lure is liturgy and tradition, and since the Evangelical and Reformed churches so often have such poor worship, it is not hard to understand the pull exercised by those churches that have a heritage of formality, sobriety and beauty. This cure, however, is far worse than the disease.

Trabajar en equipo es un desafío y puede ser muy alentador, ¡siempre y cuando el equipo funcione bien! Este libro, dirigido a personas que trabajan, han trabajado o esperan trabajar en equipos multiculturales, contiene vivencias de obreros latinoamericanos que han pasado por diversos malentendidos culturales. El lector podrá reconocer aspectos que pueden ocasionar problemas, divisiones e, incluso, el regreso del campo de misión.

Many "leaders" have failed because they assume leadership position is the same thing as being a leader. You may be the CEO of a company, a pastor of a church, a father, or head of household and still not be able to influence the people you are supposed to lead if you do not know how effectively engage people. In this audiobook, Joké provides an analysis of the leadership style of Jesus in a way that is applicable to anyone no matter what field they are leading in.

This follows the wonderful success of the Weathering the Coming Storm series where Ron Matsen and Dr. Chuck Missler dealt with global, national, and personal issues impacting all of our lives today. Leadership for the End Times serves as the next step in equipping ourselves with the tools and insights we need to be a guiding light to a world coping in the last days' darkness of chaos and deceit.

Once the sacred guardian of New Zealand's native forests, the huia was a symbol of the land's unique beauty and spirituality. The rare bird's tragic extinction in the early 1900s represents a shot to the heart of Aotearoa and is a potent metaphor for a country's conflicted history. Using the story of the untimely extinction of the huia, J. Ruka offers a fresh perspective on the narrative of New Zealand: a tale of two cultures, warring worldviews, and the things we lost in translation.

Many of us as women feel conflicted about Jesus’s calling on our lives because a woman trying to love God beyond her heart and soul, with her mind and strength, can be thought of as crossing some line or unspoken boundary. Bible teacher Kat Armstrong challenges us to ask, “Why am I allowing limitations on my pursuit of Jesus’s calling?”

I Sold My Soul on eBay tells the story of how and why Hemant Mehta, the nonbeliever who auctioned off the opportunity to send him to church, became an atheist and went on to attend a wide variety of church services. It also features his insightful critiques and observations of the churches he visited, including accounts of his visits to some of the best-known churches in the country.