Ministry Leadership

When the fires of life blaze through, leaving a path of destruction, do you look up and wonder, “Where are you, Lord?” We light a match with every decision we make, and when we strike without seeking God’s will, the flame may blaze in destruction. When destruction comes, the world burns around you, leaving you in a pile of ashes. At this point, only one question needs to be answered. Will your faith in God wither and die, or will it bloom from the ashes?

Aspiring religious leaders looking to elevate their sermons will find valuable guidance in "Kingdom Communication" by David E. Pritchett. This book argues that the secret sauce of a powerful sermon isn't the information itself, but the speaker's deep connection with God.

God calls us to be "devoted to one another in love" (Romans 12:10). What does this look like for us today? How can we be the kind of church member who makes a real difference? This timely and engaging book by Tony Merida explores what church is, why being part of it is exciting, and why it’s worthy of our love and commitment. He sets out eight privileges and responsibilities of a church member: to belong, to welcome, to gather, to care, to serve, to honor, to witness and to send.

The Bible tells us that the congregation gathered around God's heavenly throne will be "a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language," all singing the praises of the Lamb. God's intention has always been to delight for all eternity in a redeemed community of ethnic diversity. But this diverse community shouldn't have to wait until eternity to begin! It can be a reality in our own local churches here and now. Patterned after a worship service, In Church as It Is in Heaven gives biblical warrant for such a community.

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.

Repentance is one of the core tenets of the gospel, but what does it truly mean? Understanding the principle of repentance at a deeper level is often overshadowed by the simplistic reciting of the five-step process of repentance: (1) recognition, (2) remorse, (3) confession, (4) restitution, and (5) forgiveness. But repenting is so much more than a checklist step in the process to get on the righteous path.

Imagine the chance to sit down with 30 of the world's best-known and best-respected leaders as they share their secrets to success. That's Master Leaders - the most valuable leadership book of the decade.

In an audiobook eagerly awaited by her growing retinue of fans, she brings listeners inside the world's oldest Christian faith, illuminating Eastern Orthodoxy in a manner similar to Kathleen Norris's exploration of Benedictine spirituality. An ex-hippie and former social radical, the author often writes humorously about her unusual road from Woodstock to the altar of an Orthodox church, where she is the pastor's wife.

Moments after our pastor exited the building that afternoon in 2008, most of the congregation sat in shock. A tiny but powerful minority wore victorious smiles at the minister's ousting. The lady to my left wept. Her pleading question kept me awake all night. "Why did our pastor have to leave?" Polls reveal startling statistics regarding pastoral ministry: 91 percent of ministers know three to four others who've been forced out of pastoral positions.

In Deep Church, Belcher brings the best insights of all sides to forge a third way between emerging and traditional. In a fair and evenhanded way, Belcher explores the proposals of such emerging church leaders as Tony Jones, Brian McLaren and Doug Pagitt. He offers measured appreciation and affirmation as well as balanced critique.

You can be young, passionate about Jesus Christ, surrounded by diversity, engaged in a postmodern world, and reared in evangelicalism and not be an emergent Christian. In fact I want to argue that it would be better if you weren't. The Emergent Church is a strong voice in today's Christian community. And they're talking about good things: caring for the poor, peace for all men, loving Jesus. They're doing church a new way, not content to fit the mold. Again, all good. But there's more to the movement than that.

Just as a physically healthy person - at an ideal weight and with good blood pressure and cholesterol numbers - might not actually be fit enough to run a 5k, so churches can appear healthy - with no obvious issues, maintaining a healthy size - and yet not exhibit fitness. A fit church is one that is not satisfied with merely coasting along with no problems. A fit church is actively making disciples, maturing in faith, developing strong leaders, reaching out to the community, and more.

In the 15th century, the Augustinian monk, Thomas Kempis authored one of the most profound Christian works to date. The Imitation of Christ focuses on living the life that Jesus and his followers promoted through ministry, emphasizing the need for isolation and prayer, as well as renouncing worldly vanities and searching for eternal truths as a method of getting closer to Christ and God.

In Pressure Points, J. D. Payne gets to the heart of 12 of the most important challenges we face today, raising awareness of realities that will influence the church for decades to come. J. D. helps us understand how we can prevent these global issues from pushing the church off her biblical moorings. Pressure Points gives us the tools to absorb the pressures of society while responding in a way that remains faithful to the church’s calling and mission.

Most Christians resist the idea that we are to pursue happiness. We are more comfortable with the idea of finding joy or being blessed. But seeking happiness seems too superficial or too flighty for people of faith. In Happy Church, Tim McConnell offers a radical call for Christians to reclaim happiness.

God's Power is for us today. You can experience the tangible, manifest presence of God. But you need to learn how to get to a place where God's Power can be a reality for you personally. In this powerful audiobook, Harry offers very practical, biblical instructions on the pathway into the presence of God. He specifically addresses the things that hinder us from experiencing a deeply personal relationship with God.

Every generation must discover the truths of life. In listening to this audiobook, listeners will be reminded of God's never-ending care for them.

En Cómo liderar en un mundo de distracción, Clay Scroggins enseña a los líderes cuatro simples hábitos que crean un espacio para la evaluación y la exploración emocional. Estas prácticas útiles permitirán a los líderes reemplazar el caos de sus días ocupados por la competencia emocional y la conciencia que los lleve a una vida más tranquila y satisfactoria.

These bite-sized devotions are like daily supplements for anyone trying to lead, manage or operate a business from a biblical perspective. Business consultant and Strengths trainer Jim Seybert combed through the Bible looking for passages that were relevant to the struggles facing his colleagues and clients. What he found was a treasure trove of examples that God cares a great deal about the way we run our businesses, ministries and organizations.

This time, Mirosław Wlekły meets rebellious Catholics. He travelled the world from Argentina to Birma, from Brazil to Liban, from the Dominican Republic to England. The fruit of his travels is “Ruckus!”, which can be heard as a story about an attempt to return to the roots of Christianity, or like a report about the state of the world and fortitude, which raises the question - will we ever be ready for a ruckus in the Polish Church?