Church Development

Maybe you feel called to lead your own congregation, or to meet a need of an area that’s devoid of access to a house of worship. My friend, you may be a “religious entrepreneur”! A religious entrepreneur is an individual who creates an organization that has a religious mission. Specifically, this book targets those seeking to start a brand-new or transitioning house of worship. Whether this religious organization and house of worship is a church, mosque, temple, synagogue, or any other religious structure, this book is for you.

This book is about the various places and ways that uncertainty shows up for parents who, having left or altered the faith they once knew, now must decide what to give their kids. It’s about church attendance, Bible memorization, school choices, and sex talks. It’s about forging new paths in racial justice and creation care while the intractable voices in your head call you a pagan Marxist for doing so.

Do you want your children to be actively serving in the local church when they turn 30 and beyond? Why They Stay can help! Much has been written about younger adults and their departure from church involvement. Concerned parents and church leaders want to know what has caused them to depart. Instead of asking why young adults are leaving the church, Parr and Crites conducted a national research project of those who grew up in church and are still serving faithfully.

Hope for the City unites two academic and ministry interests and practices – transformational leadership and urban ministry. One of the clarion calls is for leadership development and training for laity and clergy serving in urban settings. Hope for the City provides a framework that addresses this call. My prayer is that this volume will serve as a resource for urban leaders who are seeking to develop transformational leaders and vital churches and organizations.

A woman wants to be taken care of. Being claimed is a core desire of a feminine woman. She craves to surrender and let go. She yearns to trust her man with her entire heart. No matter how long she has been with her boyfriend, there will come a day when the woman will begin questioning if this is the right man for her and whether or not the relationship is going anywhere.

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

In the 1980s, Erika Bornman’s family join, and ultimately move to, KwaSizabantu, a Christian mission based in KwaZulu-Natal, which is touted as a nirvana, founded on egalitarian values. But something sinister lurks beneath ‘the place where people are helped’. Life at KwaSizabantu is hard. Christianity is used to justify harsh punishments, and congregants are forced to repent for their sins. Threats of physical violence ensure adherence to stringent rules. Parents are pitted against children. Friendships are discouraged.

Helping Christ followers, in particular, Pastors, Worship Leaders and Church Musicians, discover the difference between flesh-fed worship and Spirit-fed worship.

¡Este audiolibro es una impresionante herramienta para el desarrollo personal y la salud! ¡Ya diste el salto y decidiste aprender más acerca de EFT! No estás solo. Más de un millón de personas han elegido el Mini Manual de EFT, como un primer recurso para la sanación. Tú lo puedes practicar solo, sin necesidad de otras personas. EFT es internacional, se practica en hospitales, clínicas de psicoterapia y campos deportivos, etc., con excelentes resultados comprobados. También lo utilizan los coaches de negocios, las familias y en muchos otros lugares.

The #MeToo movement has revealed sexual abuse and assault in every sphere of society, including the church. But victims are routinely ignored by fellow Christians who deny their accounts and fail to bring accountability to the perpetrators. All too often, churches have been complicit in protecting abusers, reinforcing patriarchal power dynamics, and creating cultures of secrecy, shame, and silence.

In this delightfully witty and uplifting book, 30-something Lauren Windle shines a light on the trials and tribulations - and sometimes also the triumphs - of the world of Christian dating. This is not a how-to guide.

Can Christians become 'perfect' and sinless in this lifetime? Are we able to be devoid of sinful thoughts, avoid sinful actions, and not commit sins of omission? In the 10th treatise in the Theological Threads we take an in depth look into the doctrine of Christian Perfection as developed and defended by its principle founder, John Wesley. Discover how it began, when it changed, and why that change was brought about. Those of us wanting to give God the best of who we are will be better prepared to understand what that means.

Prepare to embark on a remarkable journey. As my story unfolds, it was 2015–I was sitting at my computer, planning my gospel doctrine class. I stood up to get something, and I instantly transcended into a spiritual encounter, an overwhelming deep-seated sensation of instant knowledge that went down to my cells. When I opened my eyes from this Experience, I saw the world differently. I walked slowly into my bedroom and took my garments off. I’ve never gone back to the Mormon Church or any church, since.

Hilarious, inspiring, and thoroughly authentic, Sara E. Braca’s debut memoir takes listeners along on her post-divorce adventures around the world, sharing a life lived fully–if untraditionally–and proving that joy can always be found in unexpected places.

While people used to conceal the fact that they were gay or lesbian to protect themselves from stigma and discrimination, it is now commonplace for people to "come out" and encourage others to do so as well. Come Out, Come Out, Whoever You Are systematically examines how coming out has moved beyond gay and lesbian rights groups and how different groups wrestle with the politics of coming out in their efforts to resist stigma and enact social change. It shows how different experiences and disparate risks of disclosure shape these groups' collective strategies.

Ten easy to produce and perform plays designed to be used as part of intergenerational worship services which bring to life important lessons about being together in community.

Mothers of the Bible takes you inside the lives of 12 biblical mothers whose struggles to live with faith and courage are much like yours. Through their successes and failures alike, these women from long ago will encourage you and strengthen you in your challenging and rewarding role as a mother.

Sometimes it can seem as if friends are more work and pain than they're worth, with friendship challenges that we have to endure and struggle through. Life gets in the way of our well-intentioned efforts to connect. Conflicts and differences over serious issues divide us and make us think that we could never be close to a person ever again. How can we build real relationships that are life giving and pass the test of time? Bryan Loritts mines one of the Bible's least-known books for insights into how friendships can flourish even in the midst of sin and brokenness.

Inspire and challenge your ministry leaders and significantly improve the impact of your church administration with this thorough study of leadership and organizational development. Experienced church leaders Amy and Chris Olson present a realistic approach to help you build a team with powerful direction. The 3 Cords of Apostolic Leadership addresses three central aspects of church leadership: Spiritual disciplines upon which apostolic leadership is built Leadership practices, with in-depth models of servant leadership and transformational leadership Innovation, outreach, and team-building...

Multiplying Missional Leaders Like Jesus -- EVEN if you have never led a group before Don't know how to lead a group? Want a step-by-step plan that's PRACTICAL? Need a strategy for training leaders that your leaders will copy with others? Ever wish you could lead like Jesus did? Leadership is a huge need in the missional church today. The problem? Most groups are following business models rather than the method Jesus gave us. The secret to effective leadership is following the greatest leader of all time -- Jesus. In this guide, Training Radical Leaders, you'll get a ten-week blueprint that...