Personal Ministries

By the numbers, the American church enjoys the resources to profoundly impact the Kingdom. But despite the rapid growth of these evangelical movements, the church in the West is in decline. A growing schism has emerged between the movement with a strong emphasis on attracting people and the more missional communities that focus on releasing people into ministry. Hugh Halter and Matt Smay bring fresh encouragement to church leaders and invite them to move beyond the attractional-missional divide by utilizing the best insights from both perspectives.

Adolescence now lasts longer than ever before. And as world-renowned expert on adolescent psychology Dr. Laurence Steinberg argues, this makes these years the key period in determining individuals’ life outcomes, demanding that we change the way we parent, educate, and understand young people.

Messy Beautiful Love delivers an incredible testimony of grace that offers hope for today’s marriages and a spark for rekindling love. Love gets messy. Financial problems, sickness, aging parents, a chronically unhappy spouse . . . trials will inevitably come that threaten your marriage. No matter how long you’ve been married or how strong your relationship is, sooner or later you are going to have a mess to clean up.

When life feels like a perpetual treadmill rather than a grand adventure, something is off. As bills increase, income seems to fall behind, and the economy wavers unreliably, you must figure out how to create the life you desire with the money you have rather than wish you had. Discover a simple-to-implement plan that merges your unique life goals with your money - complete with concrete, workable how-tos each step of the way. No matter how much you earn, you can make strategic money moves that will build your confidence in your current financial standing.

Evangelism is not only misunderstood, it is often unpracticed. Many Christians want to share the gospel with others, but because those Christians don't grasp the fundamentals of witnessing, they feel intimidated and incapable of sharing the truth of the gospel. Yet those believers fail to recognize that God has already established who and how we are to evangelize. In The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, Dr. Mark Dever seeks to answer the four basic questions about evangelism that many Christians ask: Who should we evangelize? How should we evangelize? What is evangelism? Why should we evangelize?

Gary Chapman has helped millions prepare for marriage. Now let him prepare you for kids. Inside, Gary shares what he wishes he and his wife had known before having kids. For example: Children affect your time, your money, and your marriage - and that's just the beginning. With his trademark warmth, he offers practical advice on everything from potty training, to the importance of apologizing to your child, to keeping your marriage strong, all the while celebrating the great joy that children bring.

Studies show that roughly one out of two marriages end in divorce. One of the reasons for this is couples today are not prepared for all - the good and bad - that may happen in marriage. Are you prepared? Author and blogger Jackie Bledsoe outlines the seven stages, or seven rings of marriages, that will equip couples for all stages in marriage. He challenges couples to keep moving through each stage for a lasting and fulfilling marriage.

Is there really a such thing as a winning attitude? Do you know to know how you can turn a bad attitude around? John C. Maxwell not only discovered the winning attitude, but he has also experienced the incredible difference it makes.

From the best-selling author of The 5 Love Languages comes an audiobook for every couple looking to deepen their relationship with one another - and with God. Are you and your spouse speaking the same language? He sends you flowers when what you really want is time to talk. She gives you a hug when what you really need is a home-cooked meal. The problem isn’t love - it’s your love language. Adapted from The One Year Love Language Minute Devotional, this 100-day devotional helps you learn how to express heartfelt love to your loved one.

When you look at a plate, cup, or fork, you realize each has been designed and created for a different purpose. What if you could look into the mind and heart of God and see just how you have been designed and created? If you truly knew you were a "plate, cup, or fork," you would be freed from trying to be someone you are not, and free to live your life with greater faithfulness, fruitfulness, and fulfillment...making God famous!

The Orthodox Church's reverence for Mary the Mother of God can be a stumbling block for converts, and a fulfilling relationship with her can prove elusive for converts and lifelong Orthodox Christians alike. In this deeply personal but beautifully universal memoir, Brandi Willis Schreiber relates her own quest to know and love the Virgin Mary and to incorporate her as a vital participant in her spiritual life. Brandi's sparkling, vulnerable account invites the listener to join her in this quest.

Good communication is essential in a good marriage. In this unique book, best-selling author and pastor John Hagee and his wife, Diana, present a husband's and wife's point of view on communicating more effectively. Designed as two books in one, John's What Every Man Wants in a Woman and Diana's What Every Woman Wants in a Man will bless couples married for years, young and newly married couples, and even singles, who are seeking to gain a better understanding of their partner or improve their marriage in some way.

For many, friends now play the role of family, but often our friendships don't turn out quite as we envisioned or hoped. Bible teacher Kelly Needham debunks our world's constricted, small view of friendship and casts a richer, more life-giving, biblical vision for friendship. In Friend-ish, Kelly Needham takes a close look at what scripture says about friendship. She reveals the distorted view most of us have of it and recasts a glorious vision for a Christian understanding.

What would happen if we intentionally chose to live a life of nobility? If we thought of our fellow man before ourselves? In a world littered with lawsuits, hate mail, and demands for punishment, when did we stop caring for our neighbor? When did we set aside the cause and effect of our decisions? With humor-filled personal tales and in-depth research, Carrie Lloyd will unfold the meaning behind the characteristics of nobility - self-sacrifice, humility, courage, self-conquest, integrity, honesty - all required for nurturing noble virtues.

Social media star and author CA Miljavac believes with all her heart that laughter is a gift, providing a sliver of distraction from life's struggles...relief when you need rescuing...hope in the midst of hardship. Though her life has been dotted with disaster, it's through laughter that she found the strength and courage to persevere...joy for the journey. And she'll help women of all ages discover the ways laughter can carry them through their very own painful situations.

You already know that your husband, boyfriend, or son is wired differently from you, but do you know what that really means? It means, among other things, that he's been given the gift of a unique visual wiring - and the challenges that come with it. Through the compassion and candor in this audiobook, you can learn what men have long wished the women in their lives knew but didn't know how to explain - and see the difference this awareness makes.

While many leaders have learned to tune out distractions that keep them from being productive, they remain deaf to their inner desires and emotions. In How to Lead in a World of Distraction, Clay Scroggins teaches leaders four simple habits that create space for emotional evaluation and exploration. These helpful practices will empower leaders to replace the chaos of their busy days with emotional competence and awareness that leads to a calmer, more fulfilling life.

For 30 years Randy Alcorn has been encouraging people - young and old - to pursue the rewards of sexual purity. Too often we settle for a compromised Christianity that's just a baptized version of the world's sad existence, rather than the abundant life to which God calls us.

The Hurting Parent takes a realistic approach to the problems young people face today - peer pressure, easy access to drugs and alcohol, and cultural influences that pull them from their family's faith. The Lewises acknowledge there are no simple formulas or simple answers. But the biblical insight, emotional understanding, and practical encouragement they offer will be life changing.

In A Dad After God's Own Heart, best-selling author Jim George shares the basics for how to be a good dad with your kids, including letting your kids know you love and care for them; learning the keys to positive and effective communication; knowing the qualities kids need most in a dad; ways to encourage your children in their spiritual growth; and how to build healthy relationships that will last for a lifetime. As you commit to learning how to become the dad your kids need, you'll not only draw closer to your children, but you'll find incredible blessings in fatherhood.