Religion and beliefs Books

Book SynopsisWhen it comes to your daughter's well-being, replace worry with peace when you pray targeted prayers for her straight from the Bible. Covering five vital areas of a girl's life--her identity, heart, mind, relationships, and purpose--this easy-to-use book has 200 topical prayers and will help you pray confidently about the struggles she may be facing.

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Book SynopsisThis guide encourages Christians to become more like Christ in areas like dependency on God, prayer, facing challenges, patience, and discipline.

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Book SynopsisSet in Pennsylvania's Amish country, SummerHill Secrets follows fourteen-year-old Merry Hanson and her Amish neighbor as they navigate the struggles and triumphs of life and faith. Volume Two contains House of Secrets, Echoes in the Wind, Hide Behind the Moon, Windows on the Hill, and Shadows Beyond the Gate.

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Book SynopsisMany powerful voices are influencing our grandchildren, from those at home and in their schools to those in the world of entertainment and media. What can you as a grandparent do to speak wisdom and godliness into their lives? Equipping Grandparents is a brief book to teach pastors how to begin a grandparenting ministry in their church.

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Book SynopsisIf you're like most small-group leaders, you often feel overwhelmed trying to find study material. In this helpful guide, Ryan Lokkesmoe gives ice-breaker questions, key Scripture passages, discussion questions, and a guide for leading prayer time so you and your group can draw nearer to God and each other while you enhance your study of the Word.

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Book SynopsisThe Bible Passages You''ve Always Wondered about--ExplainedWhat should we make of the Bible story about a talking donkey? What about the passage in Joshua where the sun and moon stood still? Should biblical practices like women wearing head coverings still be followed today? The Bible serves as the foundation for all of Christian life, crossing time and transcending cultures, yet many passages are perplexing. Providing fascinating historical and scriptural insights, Eric J. Bargerhuff demystifies forty Bible verses and stories. Ranging from strange accounts, such as bears mauling forty-two boys (2 Kings 2), to hard-to-accept statements, such as Jesus saying we must hate our families in order to be his disciples (Luke 14), you will learn the context of each passage and how it applies to us today. Other fascinating accounts include· The Finger on the Wall· 'Lead Us Not into Temptation'· Jeremiah''s Linen Underwear

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Book SynopsisIn his thought-provoking book, Dr. Tony Evans challenges you to foster personal discipleship and lead others, taking the next step to become the powerful man of God you were made to be. Evans brings his insights, stories, and wise counsel from God's Word to help you stop settling for a faith that goes through the motions and leave a legacy of faith.

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Book Synopsis'God, I need you to do something in my children!'Have those words found their way into your desperate prayers? Do you feel helpless to know how to equip your children for this world and all it throws at them? If so, you''re not alone.When Brooke McGlothlin realized her best efforts were falling woefully short of her goal to produce godly children, she discovered the joy and power of praying Scripture over her family. Her life and her children''s lives were transformed. Yours can be too.Complete with prayers for specific situations, this encouraging book is perfect for times when you· feel too busy to pray,· don''t know what or how to pray,· don''t know if your prayers really matter.Nothing is more powerful and faith-building than praying God''s Word for those you love. Become a mom full of hope in the God who can, even if you can''t. 'Praying Mom is the prayer

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Book SynopsisRewritten for the young reader, Jasmine Holmes shares the significant role that Black women have played in the formation of our faith. As these historical figures take the stage, you will be inspired by what the stories of these women can teach us about education, birth, privilege, and so much more.

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Book SynopsisDoes Your Faith Seem Stuck?Do you ever feel like you''re not growing in your faith the way you''re supposed to? It turns out, there are forces working against you--threats to your faith--trying to keep you from flourishing in your relationship with God. One of Jesus'' parables--in fact, the one that gets the most space on God''s sacred pages--deals with this very issue. It''s the story about the sower, the seed, and the soil (Matthew 13). Just as a farmer doesn''t toss seed on the ground to get rid of it, God never brings you into contact with his Word for no reason. A farmer wants fruit, and God wants to help you experience more joy, peace, love, etc.  This book is structured around the six threats Jesus lists in the parable of the sower and the seed--pride, pain, worries, wealth, wants, and not waiting--and the corresponding strategies to overcome them. If you''re wondering why your faith isn''t working in some aspects of your life, the mess

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Book SynopsisProviding practical, human advice on religion in real-life, this title is not a comparison of world religions but a hands-on resource to help readers understand their own religions, explore others and show how to incorporate spiritual practices into their own lives.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part I: In the Beginning: Religion Basics 7 Chapter 1: Holy Smoke! Defining Religion 9 Chapter 2: Four Big Mysteries and a Couple of Recent Conundrums 31 Chapter 3: The God Questions: Does He Exist and What’s He Like? 43 Chapter 4: When Good Religions Go Bad 61 Part II: Religious Beliefs 73 Chapter 5: The Foundations of Faith 75 Chapter 6: The Amazing Variety of Spiritual Beings 99 Part III: Religious Rituals 113 Chapter 7: Rituals of Communal Worship 115 Chapter 8: Rituals of Individual Devotion 137 Chapter 9: Holy Days in Our Lives: Rites of Passage 149 Part IV: Religious Ethics 179 Chapter 10: Personal Virtues 181 Chapter 11: Public Virtues 199 Chapter 12: Religion and Some Really Hot Ethical Issues 221 Part V: All (Other) Things Holy 237 Chapter 13: Holy Books 239 Chapter 14: Holy People 263 Chapter 15: Holy Places 293 Chapter 16: Holy Houses 307 Chapter 17: Holy Days on the Calendar 323 Part VI: The Part of Tens 335 Chapter 18: Ten (or so) Jobs for the Devoted 337 Chapter 19: Ten Tales for Your Reading Enjoyment 347 Appendix: A Few Religions of the World 355 Index 375

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Book SynopsisWhile the transition to Christianity in the Canadian Arctic occurred between the end of the 18th century and the 1950s, the various transformations that happened during this time have not been fully understood. This title looks at Inuit religion, offering a counter narrative to the idea that traditional Inuit culture declined post-contact.Table of ContentsIllustrations; Acknowledgments; Introduction Part One: Angakkuuniq and Christianity 1 Continuity and Decline; 2 Missionaries and Angakkuit; 3 Inuit Winter Feasts Part Two: Animals, Owners, and Non-human Beings 4 Hunters and Prey; 5 The Owners of the Sky, the Land, and the Sea; 6 Inuunngittut, Non-human Beings from the Land and the Sea Part Three: Encounters, Healing, and Power 7 Initiation, Visions, and Dreams; 8 Healing as a Socio-economic Process; 9 Powerful Objects and Words Part Four: Connecting to Ancestors and Land 10 Connecting to Ancestors: Qilaniq and Qilauti, Head Lifting and Drum Dancing; 11 Reconnecting People and Healing the Land: Inuit Pentecostal and Evangelical Movements; 12 Transitions and Transformations Appendix 1: Glossary of Inuktitut Words; Appendix 2: Inuit Elders Notes; References; Index

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Book SynopsisLaw and Religious Pluralism in Canada seeks to elucidate the complex and often uneasy relationship between law and religion in democracies committed both to equal citizenship and religious pluralism. Leading socio-legal scholars consider the role of religious values in public decision making, government support for religious practices, and the restriction and accommodation by government of minority religious practices. They examine such current issues as the legal recognition of sharia arbitration, the re-definition of civil marriage, and the accommodation of religious practice in the public sphere.Trade Review"The range of perspectives offered on the vexed relationship between law and religion is one of the strengths of this book. It clearly illustrates the multiple dimensions involved, the lack of easy solutions, and the many defensible positions that one can take. Law and Religious Pluralism in Canada will contribute significantly to the literature and debates on this pressing issue. - Peter Beyer is a Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Ottawa and the author of Religions in Global Society.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Law and Religious Pluralism in Canada / Richard Moon1 View from the Succah: Religion and Neighbourly Relations / Shauna Van Praagh2 Clashes of Principle and the Possibility of Dialogue: A Case Study of Same-Sex Marriage in the United Church in Canada / Jennifer Nedelsky and Roger Hutchinson 3 Associational Rights, Religion, and the Charter / David Schneiderman4 The Canadian Conception of Equal Religious Citizenship / Bruce Ryder5 Living by Different Law: Legal Pluralism, Freedom of Religion, and Illiberal Religious Groups / Alvin Esau6 In the (Canadian) Shadow of Islamic Law: Translating Mahr as a Bargaining Endowment / Pascale Fournier7 Living Law on a Living Earth: Aboriginal Religion, Law, and the Constitution / John Borrows8 Defining Religion: The Promise and the Peril of Legal Interpretation / Lori G. Beaman9 Government Support for Religious Practice / Richard Moon10 Ontario’s Sharia Law Debate: Law and Politics under the Charter / Lorraine E. Weinrib11 Law’s Religion: Rendering Culture / Benjamin L. Berger Index

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Book SynopsisThis path-breaking book offers the first comprehensive, comparative examination of Asian religions in British Columbia. Its insightful and accessible community accounts offer intimate portraits of local religious groups, including Hindus and Sikhs from South Asia; Buddhist organizations from Southeast Asia; and Tibetan, Japanese, and Chinese religions from East and Central Asia.Table of ContentsIntroduction / Don Baker and Larry DeVriesPart 1: Traditions from South Asia1 Hindu and Other South Asian Religious Groups / Larry DeVries2 The Making of Sikh Space: The Role of the Gurdwara / Kamala Elizabeth Nayar3 Religion, Ethnicity, and the Double Diaspora of Asian Muslims / Derryl N. MacLean4 Zoroastrians in British Columbia / Rastin MehriPart 2: Traditions from Southeast Asia5 Thai and Lao Buddhism / James Placzek and Ian G. Baird6 Sri Lankan and Myanmar Buddhism / Bandu Madanayake7 Vietnamese Buddhist Organizations / Cam Van Thi Phan (aka Thich nu Tri Kha)Part 3: Traditions from East and Central Asia8 Korean Religiosity in Comparative Perspective / Don Baker9 Tibetan Religions / Marc des Jardins10 Traditional and Changing Japanese Religions / Michael Newton11 Christianity as a Chinese Belief / Li Yu12 Chinese Religions / Paul CroweConcluding Comments / Dan OvermyerSuggested ReadingsContributors

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Book SynopsisAn in-depth examination of how the Chinese imperial state impacted the social order of southwestern China’s minority peoples and redefined their histories and culture.Table of ContentsIntroduction / David Faure 1 Reciting the Words as Doing the Rite: LanguageIdeology and Its Social Consequences in the Hmong’s QhuabKev (Showing the Way) / Huang Shu-li 2 Chief, God, or National Hero? Representing Nong Zhigaoin Chinese Ethnic Minority Society / Kao Ya-ning 3 The Venerable Flying Mountain: Patron Deity on theBorder of Hunan and Guizhou / Zhang Yingqiang 4 Surviving Conquest in Dali: Chiefs, Deities, andAncestors / Lian Ruizhi 5 From Woman’s Fertility to Masculine Authority:The Story of the White Emperor Heavenly Kings in Western Hunan /Xie Xiaohui 6 The Past Tells It Differently: The Myth of NativeSubjugation in the Creation of Lineage Society in South China / HeXi 7 The Tusi That Never Was: Find an Ancestor,Connect to the State / David Faure 8 The Wancheng Native Officialdom: Social Production andSocial Reproduction / James Wilkerson 9 Gendering Ritual Community across the ChineseSouthwest Borderland / Ho Ts’ui-p’ing Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisA unique and timely exploration of the important ways that religion shapes political conflict across Canada.Trade ReviewThis is a solid monograph, based on an impressive array of sources ... It is also very readable, and mercifully free of jargon, making it accessible for undergraduates and interested lay readers outside academia. It is recommended to anybody seeking to understand the role of religion in the recent Canadian political landscape. It is also an important contribution to the ongoing debate over 'secularization' in Canadian society. -- Bruce Douville, History Department, Algoma University * Canadian Parliamentary Review *Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroduction: Faith and Party Politics in CanadaPart 1: Federal Politics1 Conservative Faith and Federal Parties2 Abortion Politics and Federal PartiesPart 2: Persistent Denominationalism in Provincial Politics3 Religion in Atlantic Provincial Politics: The Special Cases of Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick4 Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives and Tenacious Denominational Politics, 1943–85Part 3: Religious Conservatism and the Partisan Right5 Sexual Diversity and the Mobilization of Faith Communities in Ontario, 1986–20156 The Declining Influence of Conservative Faith in Alberta since 19717 Schooling, Sexuality, and Religious Conservatism in British Columbia PoliticsPart 4: Canada’s Most Distinctive Regions8 Conflicted Secularism in Francophone Quebec Party Politics9 Evangelical Christianity and Northern Territorial PoliticsConclusion: Canadian Diversity in Comparative ContextNotes; Index

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Book SynopsisWith reports of financial impropriety and clergy misconduct makingheadlines, accountable leadership and sound management practiceshave become priority concerns in congregations of every faith.Accountable Leadership speaks to congregation leaders, both clergyand laity, and to individuals who love the worshiping community andseek the tools that can enable everyone in it to better care forone another. This is a practical compAndium of resources for creating andmanaging a sound, effective, and fair congregation. This newedition has been extensively revised and updated to includecontemporary topics such as disturbing trAnds in reduced giving,new church-state issues, clergy misconduct and troublesome members,and legal issues associated with the congregation''s role asemployer and provider of pastoral counseling.Trade Review"This book filled an important gap in congregational studies whenit was first published, and four years later this much enlargededition is even better. In a world where church finances, law, andethics are so much more complicated than ever, leaders can't affordto be without it." --Loren Meade, founder, The AlbanInstitute "This book is a plea for congregational leaders to be competent,informed, accountable, and in touch with contemporary reality.Reading it will enrich both the life and the ministry of everyleader who accepts the need to be accountable. It is an ideal studybook to be read by every member of the governing board." --Lyle E.Schaller, Church Consultant "Chaffee is thorough, reasonable, and pastoral in his approach toan important subject rarely covered adequately in a seminary."--Your ChurchTable of ContentsOne: Becoming an Accountable Leader 1. Courage and the Responsibilities of Leadership 2. What the Law Requires 3. The Role of the Governing Board Two: Accountability, Administration, and the Shared Life of theCongregation 4. Developing Life-Support Systems for the Corporate Body 5. Responsible Financial Management 6. Employment Practices That Safeguard Communal Values 7. Contracting with Service Providers from Inside and Outside theCongregation Three: TAnding to Invisible Wounds Within the Congregation 8. Zero Tolerance for Abusive Behavior 9. Preventing Clergy Misconduct 10. Healing the Wounded Congregation

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Book SynopsisIn Opening the Gates, Gary Tobin challenges his fellow AmericanJews to avoid the process of entropy that could take a devastatingtoll in the Jewish community. This should be our primary task,Tobin passionately argues. Tobin confronts his community with theeye-opening reality that in order to rebuild and revitalizeJudaism in this country we must rethink our religion as somethingboth born Jews and converts must actively choose and stop blamingintermarriage for Judaism''s decline. He implores the Jewishcommunity to shift its focus from preventing intermarriage toembracing an open, positive, accessible, and joyful process ofencouraging non-Jews to become Jews. As Tobin bluntly puts it, Wemust abandon the paradigm that our children and grandchildren maybecome Gentiles and promote the thought that America is filled withmillions of potential Jews. Opening the Gates examines the role conversion should play in theJewish future. It looks at the way the Jewish community currentlyhandles Trade Review"This bold and impassioned book offers a clear-headed andunfailingly perceptive analysis of the relationship betweenwelcoming converts and a healthy Jewish future. The book should berequired reading for all concerned about that future." (Lawrence J.Epstein, president, Conversion to Judaism Resource Center) "As Tobin promises at the outset of this provocative andstimulating book, his is a controversial thesis. But it comes fromone of the most articulate thinkers on this subject, and as such,anyone seriously interested in the future of American Jewish lifesimply must factor this well-written work into their own thinking."(Dr. Daniel Gordis, dean, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies) "A revolutionary challenge to the American Jewish community . . .Solid thinking about achieving and maintaining religious identityin the midst of a pluralistic culture and what 'conversion' meansin such a culture. Any leader of an American congregation of anyfaith will find provocative ideas here." (The Rev. Loren B. Mead,founding president, the Alban Institute, Inc.) "Gary Tobin has written the most important and challenging book inAmerican Jewish public policy in years. People may agree ordisagree, but no one interested in contemporary Jewish life will beable to ignore this work." (Steven L. Spiegel, professor ofpolitical science, UCLA) "Gary Tobin, a leading light in Jewish communal research, embracesa provocative solution for American Jewry's continuity problem-aproactive conversion policy." (Barry A. Kosmin, director ofresearch, Institute for Jewish Policy Research) "An important book, both passionate and pragmatic, that does notcry Cassandra but recognizes the positive potentiality for Jewishrenewal through programs and designs of proactive conversion. Theauthor is involved in his subject, as both analyst and advocate.This lucidly written book is significant for serious rabbinic andlay Jews and their institutions who recognize the urgent need toredefine and revitalize Judaism and the character of Jewishpeoplehood." (Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, Valley Beth Shalom,Encino, California) "Only someone like Dr. Gary Tobin who is so well informed on thedemography of American Jewry, could call as desperately and asunequivocally as he does for a program of 'reaching out.' There isa feeling that something can be done besides witnessing thedisappearance of American Jewry, and in that sense it is one of themost optimistic books written on the subject." (Yossi Beilin,Member of the Knesset) "Opening the Gates is a truthful and insightful analysis of thecurrent issues facing the American Jewish community. Dr. Gary Tobinpresents innovative ideas and new approaches to revitalizingAmerican Judaism in the twenty-first century." (Rabbi NealWeinberg, University of Judaism) "Gary Tobin gives us a fresh, top-to-bottom investigation ofattitudes and practices regarding conversion of non-Jews. AllJewish leaders will benefit from this analysis of options andconsequences." (Dean Hoge, The Catholic University of America)Table of ContentsPreface. 1. A Community in Transition. 2. How Fear Constrains Us. 3. Preventing Disaster When We Should Be Attracting Jews. 4. Why We Believe What We Do About Conversion. 5. Walls We Have Built Against Potential Converts. 6. Rabbis at the Center of the Storm. 7. The Case for Conversion. 8. What We Do That Works. 9. How to Open the Gates. Resources. Glossary. References. The Author. Index.

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Book SynopsisThose . . . prepared to grapple with science, social science, andChristian theology, will find [this book] important,thought-provoking, and rewarding. ?Sharon Daloz Parks, Whidbey Institute In this deep and enlightening discussion, psychologist, andtheologian James E. Loder demonstrates how a theologicalperspective enlarges our understanding of how humans grow anddevelop from birth through the life span. Loder examines theintimate relationship between human nature and the divine andprovides moving case studies, bringing the work of psychologistsFreud, Erikson, and Piaget to that of seminal Christian theologiansKierkegaard, Barth, Torrance, and Pannenberg. Loder acknowledges that psychological stage theories enable us tounderstand the logic of humans'' evolving relationship with theworld and with God. At the same time, he demonstrates that thedivine spirit has a logic of its own, which is not bound by stages.Seminarians, theologians, ministers, and pastoral counselTrade Review"A truly wonderful book. Loder brings together-in a veryilluminating and profound way-the bearing of the Holy Spirit uponthe human spirit. I hope that every seminary will make this book anabsolute must for all students." (Thomas F. Torrance, emeritusprofessor of Christian dogmatics, University of Edinburgh,Scotland) "James Loder combines an uncommon intelligence with the compassionof an extraordinary therapist. Those . . . prepared to grapple withscience, social science, and Christian theology, will find [thisbook] important, thought-provoking, and rewarding." (Sharon DalozParks, Whidbey Institute, co-author, Common Fire: Leading Lives ofCommitment in a Complex World) "A masterful interdisciplinary work. . . an insightful and engagingcontribution for reflective practitioners in . . . fields concernedwith formation and transformation, such as Christian education,counseling, mentoring, youth ministry, and spiritual direction."(Daniel S. Schipani, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary) "In a profound and unique synthesis of postmodern science andtheology, Jim Loder shows how the creative power of the humanspirit can reconstruct and transform the self, once the humanspirit discovers the true ?ground' in the Holy Spirit." (John S.McClure, professor of homiletics, Louisville Presbyterian Seminary,Louisville, Kentucky)Table of ContentsTHE CRY OF THE SPIRIT. What is a Lifetime, and Why Do I Live It? Examining the Relationality Between Human Spirit and theDivine. Human Development Reenvisioned: The Case of Helen. THE TRIUMPH OF NEGATION.Infancy in Theological Perspective: TheSpirit's Confrontation with Nothingness. THE STRUGGLE OF THE SPIRIT. The Toddler: Conformity and the Root of Human Freedom. The Oedipal Child: Sex, Death, and the Origin of Worship. The School-Aged Child: Work and the Ambiguity of Achievement. THE RELEASE OF THE SPIRIT. Adolescence in Psychological Perspective: Five Axes of YouthIdentity. Adolescence in Theological Perspective: Coming into the Presence ofGod. Young Adulthood: Risking Identity in the Service of Love. The Middle Years: Ego Transitions and Transfigurations of theSoul. Beyond 65: Dreaming Dreams and Talking With God.

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Book SynopsisKennon Callahan shares a new understanding of leadership, and helps missionary pastors grow their leadership by cultivating new understandings and practices in seven key areas. Callahan guides pastors and key leaders in building on their creativity and imagination in order to revitalize their local churches and advance their missions.Table of ContentsTHE DAY OF MISSION. The Missionary Pastor. The Mission Field. The Mission Outpost. THE NATURE OF LEADERSHIP. Life and Leadership. Life Is a Search. Leadership, Discovery, Fulfillment. FOUNDATIONAL SEARCHES, EMERGING TRENDS, AND CONSEQUENCES. The Search for Individuality. The Search for Community. The Search for Meaning. The Search for Hope. THE HEART OF THE MATTER. Leadership Values. The Leadership Environment. A Constructive Perspective. The Evaluation Process. Leadership Structures. Missional Structures. Church Development. CONCLUSION. The Way Forward.

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Book SynopsisA practical guide to the crucial role of visiting in the life of a church----a role that has grown even more important in an age when so many do not regularly attAnd church services. Presented here are 14 different forms of visiting, to reach both within the church congregation and in the community at large.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ix Introduction xi Step One: The Persons 1 A Joyful Invitation 3 2 Choosing Whom to Visit 9 3 An Amazing Mission 15 Step Two: Ways of Visiting 4 Visiting Possibilities 25 5 Personal Visiting 31 6 Visiting in Gatherings 42 7 Special Ways of Visiting 47 Step Three: The Best Timing 8 A Simple Approach 59 9 Life Stages and Celebrative Events 68 Step Four: Your Gifts for Visiting 10 Gifts and Graces 79 11 Training and Praying 86 12 Suggestions for Visiting 92 13 Excellent Sprinters, Solid Marathon Runners 102 Step Five: Building Your Mission 14 Your Visiting Outreach 109 15 The Congregation’s Witness 118 16 The Pastor Visits 128 17 Sacrament and Cloud 135

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Book SynopsisThis step--by--step guide to healthy habits of church finances will help church leaders focus their best creativity, leadership, and energy on advancing their mission. Written for committee members, key leaders, pastors, and staffs, this is a detailed account of budgeting and fund--raising, complete with charts and questionnaires. .Table of ContentsDEVELOPING YOUR BUDGET. A Mission Budget. Major Priorities. Building an Investment Budget. RAISING YOUR GIVING. Giving Campaigns. Campaign Strategy Objectives. Campaign Organizations. Selecting Fund-Raisers. SETTING GIVING GOALS. Giving Patterns Fluctuate. Your Congregation's Giving Pattern. Projecting Your Budget. New Developments. GROWING YOUR GIVING. Easier to Raise. The Gift of Encouragement. Practices of Giving. Enduring Gifts. Conclusion. Advancing Your Mission.

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Book SynopsisAn essential guide for church leaders to help them incorporatethe Twelve Keys As a companion to Twelve Keys to an Effective Church, theLeader''s Guide provides ideas and suggestions on how to lead usingthe Twelve Keys model, how to handle congregational dynamics, plusguidelines on leading a Twelve Keys Planning Retreat to prepare forthe future. * Shows how to use the Twelve Keys model within acongregation * Offers helpful resources and suggestions for encouragingaction, implementation, and momentum * Includes guidelines on leading a Twelve Keys Planning Retreatto prepare for the future * Written by Kennon L. Callahan, the pastor who developed theTwelve Keys method This book will help church leaders implement the Twelve Keysmodel and handle the many other factors that make a churcheffective and successful.Trade Review"The church has had to wait too long for this indispensablematerial. Dr. Callahan's careful attention to detail and practicalchurch programming is balanced by a depth of theologicalunderstanding and an earnest desire to help the church move frommaintenance to mission. This book will give direction to the churchfor many years to come." (George Morris, Institute for WorldEvangelism) "[An] excellent book for churches that are contemplatingrenewal.... [Callahan] understands the need for objective,measurable, and workable methods." (The Presbyterian Survey) "Callahan has produced a book which should, for many years, be aneffective guide for local congregations.... The book is realisticand does not place upon a congregation impossible demands, butholds to realistic hopes.... This book is useful for pastors andemployed staff. It can be used by the various organizations withinthe church. Each organization would do well to read [it]." (PerkinsJournal) "This very readable book offers a step-by-step, how-to approach toits subject.... Clear, concise,...[it] must certainly be judged avaluable contribution to the task of congregational long-rangeplanning." (The Christian Century)Table of ContentsIntroduction: Leaders and Long-range Planning. Part One: Resources for Long-range Planning. 1. The Four Stages and Six Sessions. 2. Timelines, Objectives, and Long-range Planning. 3. The Major Qualitative Resources for Long-range Planning. 4. The Four Invitational Questions. 5. What to Listen For and Look For. 6. Principles for Participation. Part Two: Resources for Action, Implementation, and Momentum. 7. An Effective Long-range Plan. 8. Leaders and Key Objectives. 9. Motivational Resources. 10. Leadership Development: Focusing on the Middle Third. 11. Excellent Mistakes and Objectives Worth Not Doing. 12. Prayer: Vision and Hope. Part Three: Four Dynamics to Consider. 13. Memory, Change, Conflict, and Hope.

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