Religious ministry and clergy Books

Book SynopsisDon’t sacrifice readability for portability with this KJV Giant Print Thinline Bible. The extra-large Bible text features Thomas Nelson’s exclusive KJV Comfort Print, which was designed to be the easiest to read at any size.Crafted with a highly durable Smyth-sewn binding, each of the Bibles in this Vintage Series has an elegant cover with rich colors and ornate design paying tribute to the legacy of the King James Version.Features include:  Presentation page allows you to personalize this special gift by recording a memory or note Words of Christ in red quickly identify verses spoken by Jesus Reading plan guiding you through the entire Bible in a year Full color maps show a visual representation of Israel and other biblical locations for better context Satin Ribbon Markers 

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Book SynopsisThe KJV Compact Reference Bible offers the literary beauty of the King James Version in a hand-sized volume that features Thomas Nelson’s KJV Comfort Print, an exclusive font that was designed to be the easiest to read at any size.This edition is perfect for those who like to carry their Bibles with them throughout the day. With book introductions, extensive cross-references, a beautiful layout, and the words of Christ in red, this Bible packs a lot into a small package. Presentation page allows you to personalize this special gift by recording a memory or note Bible book introductions provide an overview and context for each book Words of Christ in red quickly identify Jesus’ teachings and statements End-of-column cross-references help you find related passages quickly and easily Miracles and parables of Jesus calls out

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Book SynopsisA beautiful King James Bible with book introductions, end-of-page cross references, and a concordance, yet it's designed to easily fit in your backpack or purse. This Bible also features Thomas Nelson’s clear and readable KJV Comfort Print.

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Book SynopsisColoring fun with familiar Bible stories from Genesis to Revelation. Over 380 pages of coloring fun covering 45 favorite Bible stories with a Bible reference on each page.

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Book SynopsisEmphasizing purposeful ministry over project management, this book outlines a clear and concise "job description" for elders, helping church leaders to shepherd their congregations well. Part of the 9Marks Building Healthy Churches series.

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Book SynopsisWritten by two seasoned pastors, this practical book is a comprehensive guide to nearly every facet of pastoral ministry, including pastoral counseling, hospital visitations, funerals, weddings, the sacraments, holiday services, and congregational music.

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Book SynopsisThrough 10 practical lessons, young girls will learn to apply God's Word to the challenges of the teen years, laying the foundation for growth in maturity throughout the rest of their lives.

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Book SynopsisThe Psalms can be sung, spoken or read – but they were written to be prayed. Until we pray them from the heart we miss their purpose. If you love, or want to love, or think perhaps you ought to love, the Psalms, this first instalment of a two–volume set on the Psalter is for you. Christopher Ash gives us a practical and theological handbook to equip us to pray and to teach the Psalms. He faces the difficulties and shows how praying them in Christ does justice to their original meaning and context as well as their place in the whole bible.Trade ReviewThe need of the hour is Bible knowledge. When knowledge fails, faith fails, and we are shaped instead by cultural forces alien to God. This teaching series, written by skilled and trustworthy students of God's word, helps us to understand the Bible, believe it and obey it. I commend it to all Bible readers, but especially those whose task it is to teach the inspired word of God. -- Peter Jensen (Retired Archbishop of Sydney, Sydney, Australia)North India desperately needs men and women who will preach and teach the Bible faithfully and Proclamation Trust's Teaching series is of great value in encouraging them to do just that. -- Isaac Shaw (Executive Director, Delhi Bible Institute, New Delhi, India)The Teaching series is a great resource for Bible study leaders and pastors, indeed for any Christian who wants to understand their Bible better. -- Mark Dever (Senior Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church and President, 9Marks.org, Washington, DC)This series of excellent guides aims to help the Bible teacher to observe what is there in the text, and prepare to convey its significance to contemporary hearers. It is like having the guidance of an experienced coach in the wonderful work of rightly handling the word of truth. -- John Woodhouse (Retired Principal and Lecturer in Doctrine and Old Testament, Moore College, Sydney, Australia)

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Book SynopsisA practical guide for church leaders looking to prevent, or navigate accusations of, pastoral malpractice. Good spiritual leadership is vital to the health of a church. When leaders misuse their position and are controlling, egotistical and proud, they abuse the trust they have been given by the Lord. Abuse of power is not a new phenomenon however, it is an ancient biblical category, and must be addressed. There are delicate situations to be navigated. Drawing lines between abuse and normal, appropriate pastoral care, including warning, admonition and discipline is crucial, as is discovering when accusations are false. The author team behind this book bring many years of pastoral experience, as well as wisdom and training in the area of abuse within the church. This book is for – Those struggling to navigate this hazardous landscape – Church leaders working through these issues – Churches seeking to create a healthy Christian community Contents include Spiritual Abuse and Scripture Healthy Church Culture Abusive Church Culture Trauma and those who Suffer Developing Healthy Procedures Media and Abuse Trade ReviewThis book is full of practical advice on creating a church culture that is healthy, positive and safe. I’m especially pleased to see it coming from the independent church community, but there is valuable guidance here for churches more widely. -- Marcus Honeysett (Director of Living Leadership and author, Kent, England)… a wise and biblical resource that not only helps Christian institutions understand spiritual abuse, but provides practical steps to address it. May God use it to protect and purify his church -- Michael J. Kruger (President and Professor of New Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte, North Carolina)This book ought to be essential reading for the leaders of churches and organisations, and will challenge and encourage them to foster a healthy culture in which everyone can flourish. -- John Stevens (National Director, Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches, Market Harborough, Leicestershire)I pray that this book will help us, by God’s grace, to prevent the trauma of abuse by and of pastors from ever occurring in the culture of our churches but also to handle this sin in a healthier way, with the godly seriousness it deserves, when it does rear its ugly, gospel–denying head. -- Lee Gatiss (Director of Church Society, and Adjunct Lecturer in Church History, Union School of Theology, Bridgend, Wales)Blending biblical depth, theological orthodoxy, gospel conviction, and pastoral concern, the authors navigate a field often dismissed by conservative evangelicals for miring itself in therapeutic language. … the love for the bride of Christ is obvious from start to finish. -- Stephen McAlpine (National Communicator: Third Space)

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Book SynopsisThis book argues that God's mission is broad and that all of us can live with missional intentionality by understanding the many facets of missions and focusing on a particular calling. Just like different instruments of a symphony harmonize together, each aspect of human participation in mission--evangelism, justice initiatives, poverty alleviation, faithful work in the marketplace, art--helps us play our part in God's work in the world. Combining expertise from a mission scholar and a working pastor, the book includes practical examples and tools to help readers imagine their part in God's mission.Table of ContentsContents1. Story: Listening to the Symphony2. Simplicity: Learning the Notes3. Intentionality: The Movements of Mission4. Stewardship: Displaying the Glory of the Father through the Work of Our Hands5. Service: Displaying the Love of Christ by Washing the Feet of the World6. The Spoken Word: Displaying the Power of the Holy Spirit by Opening Our Mouths7. Listening: Finding Your Place in God's Symphony8. Performing: Participating in God's Symphony9. Sustaining: Persevering in God's SymphonyRecommended Resources

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Book SynopsisThis book helps pastors and church leaders understand the role their personal transformation as Jesus's disciples plays in effective congregational leadership. It shifts the focus of leadership from techniques and charisma to spiritual transformation and developing emotional maturity so leaders can effectively lead congregations to embrace change. End-of-chapter discussion questions are included. The first edition sold more than 20,000 copies and has been regularly used as a textbook over the past fifteen years. The second edition has been revised throughout and includes a greater emphasis on Bowen Family Systems Theory.Table of ContentsContents Introduction Part 1: The Call to Personal Transformation 1. The Need for Personal Transformation 2. Following Jesus on the Leadership Journey Part 2: Leading Living Systems 3. Understanding the System 4. Thinking Systems, Watching Process 5. Becoming a Calm Leader 6. Leading in Uncertain Times Part 3: Family Patterns 7. Going Home Again 8. The Nuclear Family Part 4: The Spirit and the Journey 9. The Spiritual Life and the Path to Transformation 10. Learning to Learn Again 11. Thinking Systems as a Christian Epilogue Appendix A: Constructing a Family Diagram Appendix B: Developing a Rhythm of Spiritual Practices Appendix C: Bowen-Based Training Programs Appendix D: Recommended Reading Appendix E: Glossary Indexes

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Book SynopsisLeading ethicist and pastoral theologian Brian Brock reflects on the challenge of disability, refuting widely held misconceptions and helping readers respond well to the pastoral implications of disability. Brock, the father of a child with special needs, weaves together theological commentary with narrative reflection, offering rich theological wisdom for shepherding people with disabilities. He shows pastors and ministers-in-training that thinking more closely and theologically about disability is a doorway into a more vibrant and welcoming church life for all Christians.Table of ContentsContentsSeries PrefaceIntroduction1. Nobody with Disabilities in Our Church2. Jesus Heals Everyone He Meets3. God Chose You Because He Knew You Could Handle It4. Disability Is a Tragic Effect of the Fall5. We Don't Know Where to StartAfterwordIndex

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Book SynopsisOutreach 2023 Resource of the Year (Church) Named One of Fifteen Important Theology Books of 2022, Englewood Review of Books Churches and their leaders have innovation fever. Innovation seems exciting--a way to enliven tired institutions, embrace creativity, and be proactive--and is a superstar of the business world. But this focus on innovation may be caused by an obsession with contemporary relevance, creativity, and entrepreneurship that inflates the self, lacks theological depth, and promises burnout. In this follow-up to Churches and the Crisis of Decline, leading practical theologian Andrew Root delves into the problems of innovation. He explores where innovation and entrepreneurship came from, shows how they break into church circles, and counters the "new imaginations" like neoliberalism and technology that hold the church captive to modernity. Root reveals the moral visions of the self that innovation and entrepreneurship deliver--they are dependent on workers (and consumers) being obsessed with their selves, which leads to significant faith-formation issues. This focus on innovation also causes us to think we need to be singularly unique instead of made alive in Christ. Root offers a return to mysticism and the poetry of Meister Eckhart as a healthier spiritual alternative. This is the fifth book in Root's Ministry in a Secular Age series.Table of ContentsContents1. Only the Creative Survive: How Mission Became Married toInnovation2. We're All Sandwich Artists Now: Work and Backwash, Reversing a Historical Flow3. Hungry, Hungry Markets: Workers in Contradiction, Children inConsumption4. Let's Get Extra: Exploring the Secular Contradiction of Capitalism5. Leave It to Management: Managing for Permanent Innovation6. The Viennese Worm That Exposes the True Self: When Work Becomes about Flexible Projects7. Justification by Creative Works Alone: When Creativity Becomes King, the Self Becomes a Star8. Why You're Not That Special but Feel the Need to Be: Singularity and the Self9. Standing Naked against Money10. The Three Amigos of the Mystical Path: How the Self Is Freed from Singularity11. Aesthetic Epiphanies, Mad Poets, and a Humble Example of What This All Looks LikeIndex

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Book SynopsisReflects on nine passages from the Psalms and weaves them together with everyday life and the world in which we live.

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Book SynopsisHow does one measure success in ministry? Longtime pastor Kent Hughes and his wife Barbara urge readers to turn to God's Word rather than numbers.

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Book SynopsisWhat makes people lonely? And how can Christian communities better minister to the lonely? In The Loneliness Epidemic, behavioral scientist and researcher Susan Mettes explores those questions and more. Guided by current research from Barna Group, Mettes illustrates the profound physical, emotional, and social toll of loneliness in the United States. Surprisingly, her research shows that it is not the oldest Americans but the youngest adults who are loneliest and that social media can actually play a positive role in alleviating loneliness. Mettes highlights the role that belonging, friendship, closeness, and expectations play in preventing it. She also offers meaningful ways the church can minister to lonely people, going far beyond simplistic solutions--like helping them meet new people--to addressing their inner lives and the God who understands them. With practical and highly applicable tips, this book is an invaluable tool for anyone--ministry leaders, parents, friends--trying to help someone who feels alone. Readers will emerge better able to deal with their own loneliness and to help alleviate the loneliness of others. Foreword by Barna Group president David Kinnaman.Table of ContentsContentsForeword by David KinnamanPart 1: Understanding an Epidemic1. Lonely Americans: Studying Our Loneliness2. What Loneliness Is: A Definition of TermsPart 2: When Loneliness Defies Stereotypes3. Age4. Romance5. Insecurity6. Social Media7. Faith and Churchgoing8. PrivacyPart 3: Protecting against Loneliness9. Belonging10. Closeness11. Expectations12. Breaking the CycleAppendix A: What the Bible Says about LonelinessAppendix B: Should We Look for a "Cure" for Loneliness?

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Book SynopsisLearn from the early church's greatest preacher. John of Antioch, later called "chrysostomos" ("golden mouth"), preached over 600 extant sermons. He was one of the most prolific authors in the early Church, surpassed only by Augustine of Hippo. His example and work has inspired countless Christians through the ages. In Preaching the Word with Chrysostom, through a combination of storytelling and theology, Gerald Bray reflects upon 1,500 year-old pastoral wisdom from one of church history's most prolific Christ-centered preachers. Chrysostom's eloquent preaching and influence on Christian teaching left a legacy that is still recognized today. The Lived Theology series explores aspects of Christian doctrine through the eyes of the men and women who practiced it. Interweaving the contributions of notable individuals alongside their overshadowed contemporaries, we gain a much deeper understanding and appreciation of their work and the broad tapestry of Christian history. These books illuminate the vital contributions made by these figures throughout the history of the church.

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Book Synopsis‘This sparkling and startling address is perhaps the most rousing call to gospel arms you will ever encounter. If you can read it without being profoundly stirred, I strongly suggest you seek urgent spiritual help.’ – Jonathan Stephen, Principal, Wales Evangelical School of Theology, Bridgend, Wales Spurgeon gave The Greatest Fight in the World almost as a last word to impart to his followers in the faith his belief in the armoury of the Scripture, the armour of the church, and the strength that God gives us to fight. Be encouraged and empowered to take up your sword and join the fray of the Christian life. This powerful advice to Christians is a battle charge for living the faithful life whether in Spurgeon’s day or in ours.Trade ReviewThe clarity and power of the themes... were timely then, and they seem just as timely today. -- Mark Dever (Senior Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church and President, 9Marks.org, Washington, DC)There was a mouse who gathered around a number of mice and said to them, "Let me commend to you an elephant. What seems a tree trunk on our right is actually one of his legs and he has three others just like this. His nose from top to bottom is as long as thirty mice end to end. His skin is so tough that we'd break our teeth trying to gnaw it. When he makes a noise it shatters your ear drums. He is so tall I cannot see the top of his head. So be aware of this extraordinary being; be respectful and get out of his way when he walks by because we are so tiny he won't notice us. But he will never knowingly hurt us. He feeds on grass and leaves. He is benign and good. This is the elephant, the king of the jungle." So it is when any preacher today is asked to commend a book of Charles Haddon Spurgeon's. A mouse is going to commend an elephant. We will add nothing at all to his reputation. He is simply utterly immense in his preaching, his energy, the size of his heart, his generosity and humour, his love for God, his discernment and wisdom. Read anything of his, and these addresses towards the end of his life are as good a place to begin to learn about one of God's true giants as any of his writing, and never stop reading him. -- Geoff Thomas (Conference Speaker and author, Aberystwyth, Wales)It is a jeremiad overladen with a sense of having been defeated for the moment, bloodied, but finally unbowed, and confident that truth will rebound to take a firmer grasp on the people of God than ever. -- Tom Nettles (Senior Professor of Historical Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky)The Greatest Fight in the World by Charles Spurgeon, like William Gurnall's The Christian in Complete Armor is not so much an example of expository preaching but a vivid and Biblical body of divinity describing the Gospel saturated life of the church in general and the Christian in particular who desires to serve Christ faithfully 'in the world' but not be 'of the world'. Christian Focus has, once again, provided for us another asset to fulfill our Savior's Great Commission - '...to make disciples...' -- Harry L. Reeder III ((1948 – 2023) Senior Pastor, Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama)This sparkling and startling address... is perhaps the most rousing call to gospel arms you will ever encounter. If you can read it without being profoundly stirred, I strongly suggest you seek urgent spiritual help. -- Jonathan Stephen (Principal, Wales Evangelical School of Theology, Bridgend, Wales)Always a wordsmith, Mr. Spurgeon leverages the power of language in this volume for spiritual motivation like nowhere else. -- Rick Holland (Senior Pastor, Mission Road Bible Church, Kansas City, Kansas)

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Book SynopsisIf Christ is our Lord, then we are his servants, and if he is our teacher, then we are his pupils. Following Christ is a multi-faceted responsibility. We should remember: * Every true disciple is a listener * We are both rational and emotional * We can discern God's call and will Love is the first fruit of the Spirit, a core ingredient of discipleship.Trade Review[Re The Contemporary Christian] Vintage Stott, with all that that implies. As usual, we find him digesting and deploying a wide range of material with a symmetry matching that of Mozart, a didactic force like that of J C Ryle, and a down-to-earth common sense that reminds one of G K Chesterton. This is really a pastoral essay, a sermon on paper aimed at changing people... an outstandingly good book. ...an expository treat... Bible-based and well researched, intimate and magisterial in style. Passionately calm and generous to a fault, a beautifully written contribution to what Stott calls 'BBC':'balanced biblical Christianity'. -- Dr J I Packer * The Contemporary Christian (original book) *Technology has enabled more voices to clamour for our attention than ever before, while at the same time, people’s ability to listen carefully seems to have deteriorated like never before. John Stott’s speaking and writing was renowned for two things in particular. He taught us how to listen attentively to God in order to live faithfully for God, and he to modelled how listen to the world sensitively in order to communicate God’s purposes intelligibly. He taught us to listen. That is why it is such a thrill to see The Contemporary Christian carefully revived in a new format as this series for a new generation of readers. As we read, may we listen well! -- Revd Mark Meynell, Director (Europe & Caribbean) Langham Preaching, Langham Partnership and author of Cross-Examined and When Darkness Seems My Closest Friend[Re the original edition] I was ten years into my ministry when The Contemporary Christian was published. I had already heard John Stott deliver some of the material in lecture form, but to have it in print was a real asset. It was a masterclass in presenting and applying the balanced biblical Christianity for which John Stott was renowned. It was extremely perceptive with its call for double-listening, and it was intensely practical, especially in the chapters on preaching and pastors. It was also unusually personal for John Stott, with his poignant appeal for 'young Timothys' which was penned as he celebrated his statutory 'three score years and ten', after which, he said, 'every new day is a bonus which I receive gratefully from God's hand.' I am so glad that these timeless truths are now available to a new generation of 'Timothys'. -- Revd David Johnston, former Senior Minister at Hamilton Rd Presbyterian Church, Bangor, N IrelandI am delighted that a new generation will now be able to benefit from this rich teaching, which so helped me when it first appeared. As always with John Stott, there is a wonderful blend of faithful exposition of the Bible, rigorous engagement with the world and challenging applications for our lives. -- Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St Ebbe's Church, Oxford, conference speaker and author of the bestseller God’s Big Picture (IVP)Imagine being a child overwhelmed by hundreds of jigsaw puzzle pieces - you just can't put them together! And then imagine a kindly old uncle comes along and helps you put the whole thing together, piece by piece. That is what it felt like reading John Stott's The Contemporary Christian series. For those of us who feel we can't get our heads around our Bibles let alone our world, he comes along and, with his staggering gifts of clarity and insight, helps us step by step to work out what it means to understand our world through biblical lenses. It's then a great blessing to have Tim Chester's questions at the end of each chapter, which help us think through and internalise each step. -- Rico Tice, Senior Minister for Evangelism, All Souls Langham Place, London, and co-author of Christianity ExploredI have long benefited from the work of John Stott because of the way he combines rigorous engagement of the biblical text and careful engagement with the culture of his day. The Contemporary Christian series presents Stott at his very best. It displays his commitment to biblical authority, his zeal for the mission of the church, and his call to faithful witness in the world. Stott's reflections here are a must-read for church leaders today. -- Trevin Wax, director of Bibles and reference at LifeWay Christian Resources, author of This Is Our Time and Eschatological DiscipleshipInter-Varsity Press is doing a very good thing by bringing John Stott's The Contemporary Christian back into print—slightly modernized, helpfully rearranged, and broken into short, reader-friendly books. The result is a boon to a new generation of readers who will greatly benefit, as many have before, from Stott's thorough grounding in Scripture, unusual help for living the Christian life, and perceptive interaction with the contemporary world. Mark Noll, co-editor of A History of Evangelicalism -- Mark Noll, co-editor of A History of EvangelicalismJohn Stott's remarkable gifts are so evident here. He presents uncompromising truth with crystal clarity and sparkling turns of phrase. Here are Biblical truths for all-of-life discipleship. Glen Scrivener, evangelist, speaker and author, and Emma Scrivener, author, blogger and speaker -- Glen Scrivener, evangelist, speaker and author, and Emma Scrivener, author, blogger and speakerIn my formative years as a young Christian, I was acutely aware of the fact that I faced many challenges to Christian thinking and behaviour. Few writers helped me understand how I should respond to these challenges and think and live as a Christian as much as John Stott did. The challenges of faithfulness to God's way are more acute and complex today than when I was a young Christian. In this little book you find the essence of Stott's thinking about the Christian life, and it is refreshing to read again and see how relevant and health-giving this material is for today. I'm grateful to Inter-Varsity Press and to Tim Chester for making Stott's thinking accessible to a new generation. -- Ajith Fernando, teaching director, Youth for Christ, Sri LankaIt is always refreshing, enlightening and challenging reading from the pen of John Stott. I am totally delighted that one of his most significant works will continue to be available, hopefully for more decades to come. The way Stott strives to be faithful to the Word of God and relevant to his world—secularized Western society—as the locus for the drama of God’s action, is exemplary, especially for those of us ordained to the service of the church in our diverse contexts. I highly commend the Contemporary Christian series to all who share the same pursuit—listening intently to God’s Word and God’s world, hearing and obeying God. -- Bishop David Zac Niringiye, author of The Church: God’s Pilgrim People

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Book SynopsisIn this follow-up to Incarnational Ministry: Being with the Church, Samuel Wells explores what it means for Christians and churches to engage with the world. Drawing on the Gospels, Acts, and personal insights gleaned from more than two decades in ministry, he shows how ‘being with’ others includes experiences of presence, attention, mystery, delight, participation, partnership, enjoyment and glory. His vivid narratives and wise reflections will help Christian readers better understand how to be with all kinds of people outside the church, including: • Being with Seekers • Being with Those of Other Faiths • Being with the Hostile • Being with Neighbours • Being with Government • Being with the ExcludedTrade Review‘At the interface of critical academic reflection and faithful church theology, we have no better voice than that of Sam Wells. He invites us to rethink, from the ground up, our abiding temptation to condescending help and service to others. He compellingly renders a more excellent way toward the transformative with.’ -- Walter BrueggemannThis book is one of a handful of books which I have to keep looking up from the page and starring into horizon - it’s a Things Are Going To Have To Change book. It’s a book which I read and find a resonance not only in my head and my heart, but deep in my soul. A book that engages acting and longing, praying and imagining. It is a great gift to the church, and I sense, if we take time to obey, might mean things aren’t ever the same. -- Chris Russell, Advisor to the Archbishop of Canterbury on Evangelism and WitnessIn this wonderful book Sam Wells reflects on how ‘being with’ is profoundly missional. As one would expect of anything written by him, it is full of deep wisdom and insight, inspiring faith and love. Every Christian should read it. -- John Inge

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Book SynopsisSend my Roots Rain explores ways in which the life-giving water of the Spirit can soak down to the roots of a priest’s life and work. Many priests know what it is to be thirsty: to be overwhelmed by the pressures inherent within their ministry and have little time for themselves or for God. Yet, each priest is also a disciple, whose spiritual, physical and emotional health matters to God, who calls each one by name. Send My Roots Rain explores attitudes, practices and ways of prayer capable of refreshing and sustaining priests and pastors amidst the challenges and stresses of their way of life. Christopher Chapman draws on more than thirty years’ experience of spiritual direction, formational training and leading retreats for priests and ordinands to offer a book full of wisdom that new and experienced priests will turn to again and again.

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Book SynopsisAll disciples of Jesus Christ are called to care for one another whether they have a formal role or not, and exercise pastoral care by listening, encouraging, comforting, offering practical help, praying. In times of crisis and in everyday life, good pastoral care people feel known and loved by God, and valued in the church. This short, yet comprehensive guide lays a biblical foundation for good pastoral care, offers a theological approach to understanding people, considers the particular needs of the sick, children and families, and those in difficult circumstances, and outlines the boundaries within which all can be safe. Throughout, examples and questions for reflection will deepen understanding and enrich practice.Trade Review'This is a wise, sensitive and very important book… it provides a long overdue recognition that pastoral care is one of the essential marks and gifts of Christian ministry.' -- Bishop Christopher Herbert‘This book is a timely reminder of the importance and power of good care, reflecting God’s love, through the community of faith.’ -- Revd Clare Downing‘Caring for others is the task of every Christian… Michael Hopkins is to be congratulated on producing such an excellent guide to pastoral care.’ -- Revd Dr Paul Beasley-Murray‘A tool for churches, groups and individuals, in any Christian tradition… based upon sound theological foundations and pastoral experience. I thoroughly recommend it.’ -- Revd Graham Carter

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Book SynopsisThis longstanding annual favourite brings a wide variety of preaching voices together to offer a resource for preaching at the principal and the second service (for which preaching resources are scarce) every Sunday of the coming year, plus on principal feast days and seasonal services. Ideal for preachers wherever the 3-year lectionary is used, it also includes sermons for holy days, major saints’ days and special occasions such as Mothering Sunday, harvest, rogation and Christmas services. Hymn suggestions are provided throughout. It also includes an introductory essay to help build preachers’ skills and confidence, this year by Mark Oakley . If preparation time is short, the sermons are complete and can be used as they are, but they will also act as a springboard or framework for creating your own sermon texts. A boon for hard-pressed clergy, readers and local preachers everywhere.

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Book SynopsisIn How to Preach, Samuel Wells goes beyond the arts and disciplines of preparing, crafting and delivering sermons, to explore preaching as an act of worship and prayer. Here, preachers will discover how being attentive to God, to Scripture, to the world, to their hearers, and to themselves can inform and shape their message. They will be renewed in joining the long tradition of witnessing to the revelation of God in every area of human experience. Preaching takes many forms and responds to many different needs and occasions. This broad-ranging volume considers: • the times in which we live: politics, society, freedom, disability and war • the seasons of the church year: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost • the variety of biblical texts: Old Testament narratives and poetry, Gospel miracles and parables, the writings of Paul • life’s key moments: baptisms, weddings and funerals. For each topic, there is reflection on the demands and opportunities presented, ways of approach, sermon examples, and memorably wise and uncompromising practical guidelines that will nourish and inspire all who long to embrace the call to preach more faithfully.Trade Review'This remarkable book by Sam Wells is a three-fold gift: collected sermons by one of our finest preachers, honest reflections and best wisdom about his process of preparing them, and an invitation to us to examine our own sermons more deeply than we often dare to do. Don't be surprised if How to Preach leads you to a startling and unexpected reckoning about yourself as a preacher and human being—and when it does, don't turn away. Wells is the preacher's vicar. Everything he offers here is from the heart, as encouraging as it is empowering. This book will change your preaching life.' -- Anna Carter Florence'To know Sam is to know his ability both to think and to communicate with extraordinary perception and clarity. You may call it a gift. However, I also know that it is a discipline, an art, a skill, honed over years of prayer, reflection, and practice. This book is quite simply a masterclass in how to preach.' -- Steve Chalke MBE

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Book SynopsisThis book is born out of a wide range of practical experience of more than 20 years in working with people training for the ministry of spiritual direction. Spiritual direction recognises that there is an energy in life that moves a person outwards and influences the direction taken. The focus of the ministry is to help the person notice those movements and make good choices that enhance the Christ-like quality of life. It acknowledges that the Holy Spirit is the primary director. See God act. The book seeks to provide a broader vision of the ministry drawing on insights from spirituality, scripture and psychology. These bring a fuller understanding of the person created by God, capable of knowing and responding to God. It acknowledges that many of the difficulties that arise in the direction of life are at the human, not the faith, level. Patterns are laid down in early life and can continue into adulthood. This can be so without much awareness of their source, though their influence may be evident. Even in a prayerful reflective life, further help may be needed to bring greater freedom from unconscious influences. Moreover, freedom is a key mediator to facilitate moving on to accept the gifts God offers. Life is dynamic, not static, involving an inner and an outer journey. We live in relationships with God, self, others and all creation. Jesus is active in life and meets people where they are but does not leave them there. The invitation is onwards. Attention is drawn to, and there is an exploration of the dynamics involved in the different relationships to bring greater clarity to them. The experience of working with people has highlighted the need of this development. Prayer that comes out of life and flows back into life is key to this. May the book inspire you to navigate your ongoing journey in the Lord in an integrated way. Trade Review'...a book to be pondered and prayed over...illuminative and indispensable...' * The Furrow *‘...a gentle introduction and easily-understood foundation for a greater understanding of the powerful role that the ministry of spiritual direction can play in our lives.’ * Intercom magazine *

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Book SynopsisTwelve sessions for Messy Churches to do outdoors, created by a Messy Church Goes Wild writer team, enhanced by additions from scientists, and piloted in urban and rural Messy Churches. Session titles: Wild and wilderness!, Wet and wild!, Wild and rocky!, Wild and weedy!, Wild woods!, Wild weather!, Wild on the wing!, Wild and wiggly!, Wild safari!, Wild me!, Wild on the move!, Wild life! Unit writers: Aaron Jenkyn, Helen Laird, Dawn Savidge, Rachel Gotobed, Becky May, Lydia Harrison, Jane Leadbetter, Lucy Moore Scientists: Dave Gregory, John Sibley, Karen Fisher, Martin Hodson, Mike Morecroft, Graham Hartland, Andy Gosler, Mavis Crispin/Tom Hartman, David Clough, Richard Clarkson, Margot Hodson

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Book SynopsisAssist Our Song combines accessible teaching about the theology and shape of worship with essential information about the forms of music used, including congregational hymns, songs, canticles and psalm chant, and music performed by choirs and musicians. It explores the range of resources available, how to extend repertoire, blending the old with the new, changing patterns of church life, and other practical issues. Its aims are the heightening of the profile of music within the church, increasing the skills and understanding on the part of musicians and choirs, assisting leaders of worship and empowering congregations to see themselves also as ‘ministers of music’ It offers practical assistance for the ‘delivery’ of music – choosing music, making the most of choirs and working with musicians. It will be welcomed by all who lead, provide or curate music in worship, as well as clergy and ordinands who lack musical expertise or confidence.

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Book SynopsisThis useful resource, alongside the others in this growing Teaching the Bible Series, is for those who have the privilege and joy of teaching or preaching a particular book or theme from the Bible. Whether you're a leader of a small group, preacher or a youth worker, it will help you to communicate the message of Daniel.Trade ReviewThe Teaching series is a great resource for Bible study leaders and pastors, indeed for any Christian who wants to understand their Bible better. -- Mark Dever (Senior Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church and President, 9Marks.org, Washington, DC)North India desperately needs men and women who will preach and teach the Bible faithfully and PT's Teaching series is of great value in encouraging them to do just that. -- Isaac Shaw (Executive Director, Delhi Bible Institute, New Delhi, India)"This teaching series, written by skilled and trustworthy students of God's word, helps us to understand the Bible, believe it and obey it. I commend it to all Bible readers, but especially those whose task it is to teach the inspired word of God." -- Peter Jensen (Retired Archbishop of Sydney, Sydney, Australia)"The task of moving from the text of Scripture to clear and faithful exposition is challenging. This series of excellent guides aims to help the Bible teacher to observe what is there in the text, and prepare to convey its significance to contemporary hearers." -- John Woodhouse (Retired Principal and Lecturer in Doctrine and Old Testament, Moore College, Sydney, Australia)

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisOne of the most common tasks undertaken by all clergy is ministry to the sick and to the bereaved. Containing the essentials for pastoral ministry in the community, Common Worship: A Pastoral Ministry Companion brings together services, prayers and readings for the most frequently encountered pastoral occasions in a portable, easy-reference volume.It includes liturgies, prayers and readings for: Emergency baptism Prayers for the sick and their families Holy Communion at home or in hospital Reconciliation services (not present in previous Pastoral Services or Ministry to the Sick volumes) Prayers with the dying and at the time of a death Prayers for use at home before and after a funeral Passages of Scripture and Psalms in both modern and Prayer Book versions This elegant and discreet volume - bound in soft-touch imitation leather with two ribbons - is

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Book SynopsisAimed at equipping Christians to obey Jesus's command to make disciples, this book by Mark Deverwalks through the who, what, where, why, and how of discipling in the context of the local church.

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Book SynopsisThis bookexplains the relationship between what we believe about how people are saved and our approach to sharing the gospel in the context of the local church.

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Book SynopsisThis Bible published in the largest font size available in the New King James Version with extra-large print type allows for a clear and easy Bible reading experience.Thanks to the exclusive Thomas Nelson NKJV Comfort Print® typeface in the largest format available—super giant print—your eyes will discover a smooth reading experience allowing deeper engagement in God’s Word. But with the NKJV Super Giant Print Reference Bible, you won’t have to sacrifice study features for readability. A complete cross-reference system, a concordance, and full-color maps make this the go-to Bible you’ll look forward to reading.Features include: More than 43,000 cross-references allow you to find related passages quickly and easily Presentation page is a special place to record a memory or note Concordance for looking u

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Book SynopsisThe complete sermon cycle of which this is the first volume is the most extensively preserved vernacular text (apart from the Bible translation) produced by the followers of Wyclif. This first volume contains the sermons on the dominical gospels and epistles.

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Book SynopsisThe Preaching of the Friars Sermons diffused from Paris before 1300Trade Review`Most readers will be impressed by his breadth of knowledge and by the good judgement which informs his assessment of difficult sources. This is a very good book indeed, and it will influence in an important way our approach to the cultural and religious changes of the early thirteenth century.' The English Historical Review

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Book SynopsisAn authoritative introduction on Fresh Expressions and Pioneer Ministry, Fresh ! combines a serious theological engagement with earthy practicality. It offers perspective based on the years that have now passed since Mission-Shaped Church.Trade ReviewFRESH! : A great balance of theology, praxis and experience, encouraging leadership to practical and effective action in pioneering fresh expressions. -- Stephen Lindridge'With plenty of real-life experience to illustrate and inspire, this book is a lively exploration of the faith and practice of establishing fresh expressions of church. Reflecting on pioneer stories helps us to enlarge our understanding of God's mission today. I pray - which is far ever before us, ahead of us, beside us, behind us and above us - this book, and the example of these fresh expressions of God's love will help us to take bold risks and to fulfil our vocation as part of One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.' -- Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York‘FRESH! Is a valuable resource for anyone enquiring about fresh expressions and pioneer ministry’ -- Linda Rayner, Fresh Expressions Coordinator, The United Reformed Church‘This is a gift of a book – well constructed, aimed and timed for all those serious about the need of the hour and seeking to see the re-evangelisation of western society’ -- Pete Atkins, a director of Ground Level network of churches.

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Book SynopsisHas the Church lost sight of her original vocation of living out her mission by serving the world? There is a prevailing ecclesiology of fatalism which suggests that it has, and that there is nothing to do be done about. This book argues however, that the church still has a role in bearing witness fruitfully and creatively even within a context of crisis. Leading thinkers offer theoretical, contextual and practical responses to encourage a renewed love for the church and renewed energy to bear witness appropriately and creatively. Chapters include: Richard Bauckham - on New Testament perspectives on a church in crisisAlister McGrath - challenging the narrative of declineRev Dr Carlton Turner - on BAME Presence and the Witness of Diversity and InclusionDr Susie Snyder - on attending to those on the marginsTrade Review‘If you are concerned about what future there is for the Church of England, and puzzled by the words we are asked to use to describe it, this book will help you. A strong and necessary reminder that there is a theological vocabulary for our hope.’ -- The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster

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Book SynopsisGuidance for church leaders to develop their own maps and chart new paths toward stronger, more vibrant, and more missional congregations In the burgeoning missional church movement, churches are seeking to become less focused on programs for members and more oriented toward outreach to people who are not already in church. This fundamental shift in what a congregation is and does and thinks is challenging for leaders and congregants. Using the metaphor of map-making, the book explains the perspective and skills needed to lead congregations and denominations in a time of radical change over unfamiliar terrain as churches change their focus from internal to external. Offers a clear guide for leaders wanting to transition to a missional church model Written by Alan Roxburgh, a prominent expert and practitioner in the missional movement Guides leaders seeking to create new maps for leadership and church organization and focus A Volume in tTable of ContentsAbout Leadership Network vii Introduction: An Uncertain Journey ix Part One When Maps No Longer Work 1 Chapter One Maps Shaping Our Imaginations in Modernity 3 Chapter Two Leading in an In-Between Time 19 Chapter Three When Common Sense is No Longer Common 41 Chapter Four From Playing Pool to Herding Cats 59 Chapter Five Why Strategic Planning Doesn’t Work in This New Space and Doesn’t Fit God’s Purposes 73 Chapter Six Eight Currents of Change and the Challenge of Making New Maps 87 Chapter Seven Lessons from the Formation of the Internet for Leading in This New Space 111 Part Two The Map-Making Process 125 Chapter Eight Cultivating a Core Identity in a Changed Environment 127 Chapter Nine Cultivating Parallel Cultures of the Kingdom 143 Chapter Ten Map-Making Partnerships Between a Local Church and Neighborhoods and Communities 163 Notes 189 The Author 196 Index 197

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