What counts? In work, as in other areas of life, it is not always clear what standards we are being judged by or how our worth is being determined. This can be disorienting and disconcerting. Because of this, many organizations devote considerable resources to limiting and clarifying the logics used for evaluating worth. But as David Stark argues, firms would often be better off, especially in managing change, if they allowed multiple logics of worth and did not necessarily discourage unce...

This fresh look at small groups starts with people and principles rather than program and structure. Stark and Wieland examine why many small-group ministries fall short of their goals, and they offer strategies that start with God's leading and people's needs. Straightforward, informative, and practical, this new organic system works for smaller churches as well as larger ones. Useful for lay leaders, small-group members, and pastors who want people to thrive and develop their spiritual g...

Proven Methods for Churches to Attract and Engage Young PeopleOne question faces every church leader looking to the future: How do we attract younger generations? Many things have been tried, but in this book, church consultant David Stark shares practical methods that have been proven to work in a variety of congregations.Stark helps leaders identify and use their church's strengths to engage millennials, even those with negative views of Christianity. Bas...

How does Scripture read Scripture, and can the church follow that lead?Scripture or tradition? The things of God or the things of men? It's easy, especially in the long shadow of the Reformation, to pit Scripture against tradition as enemies. After all, the goal of orienting one's faith to the Bible alone can be so alluring.But the Bible itself suggests there is a fundamental unity between Scripture and the tradition it embodies. Rightly appreciating this unity can set the st...

Presents a portrait of Christian leadership within a biblical framework while comparing and contrasting it to today's hottest leadership models.

The numbers of farms and farmers on the Great Plains are dwindling. Disappearing even faster are the farm places—the houses, barns, and outbuildings that made the rural landscape a place of habitation. Nancy Warner's photographs tell the stories of buildings that were once loved yet have now been abandoned. Her evocative images are juxtaposed with the voices of Nebraska farm people, lovingly recorded by sociologist David Stark. These plainspoken recollections tell of a way of life that con...

Twenty-first-century readers cannot interpret Israel's Scriptures identically to how the author of Hebrews did. The contours of twenty-first century worldviews are too different. That said, Hebrews invites those who “read after” it (in time) also to “reading after” it (in approach). For those who accept this invitation, this volume's essays surface four clusters in the overall mosaic of Hebrews's approach to Israel's Scriptures. First, Hebrews explicitly, if briefly and partially, states i...

In this edited collection, Daniel B. Oden, J. David Stark, and the contributors wrestle with the complexities of unity.Discussing Genesis 1:1–11:9, the essays herein describe the hermeneutics of unity appeals from the Ancient Near East to the twenty-first century and in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The contributors particularly attend to these appeals' hermeneutical dimensions, asking why and how the appeals connect themselves to Genesis and how they foster a v...

This updated comprehensive guide helps people discover how God has uniquely created them. Engaging stories, inventories, self-tests, and other easy-to-use exercises make Discover Who You Are a one-ofa-kind tool. It will help those longing to find or deepen meaning in life, considering volunteer opportunities, contemplating career changes, or desiring to become more useful to God. The book, workbook, and leader's material provide all that's needed for a LifeKeys workshop.

Scholarship on slavery in the Caribbean frequently emphasizes sugar and tobacco production, but this unique work illustrates the importance of the region’s hato economy—a combination of livestock ranching, foodstuff cultivation, and timber harvesting—on the living patterns among slave communities. David Stark makes use of extensive Catholic parish records to provide a comprehensive examination of slavery in Puerto Rico and across the Spanish Caribbean. He reconstructs slave families to exa...

Live every day like a victorious warrior!This unique devotional unleashes explosive, supernatural power in bite-sized prophetic words.Lion Bites is a daily “call to arms!” Carrying the full weight of Scripture and God’s rhema word*,* these prophetic declarations pack a punch, helping you live each day as a victorious warrior through Jesus!Compiled by the team of prophetic warriors from the Global Prophetic Alliance, this powerful d...

The YouTube Kids sensation with over 8 million views! Join Princess Penelope as she uses kindness and friendship to solve problems in Storybook Meadow.The Castle Ball is in full swing! Music, dancing, and laughter fill the air — until SPLAT! Marshmallow goo explodes across the ballroom!Who’s the culprit? None other than Dragon, whose excitement to toast treats for his friends gets a little out of control. Soon, everyone is stuck to the flo...