The role of elder is arguably the church's most thankless job. From putting out fires and dealing with disgruntled members to teaching new Christians and encouraging the weak, all while being a model disciple, an elder's role can seem exhausting and unrelenting. To survive, elders need a place of spiritual solitude and relief where they can draw closer to the Chief Shepherd and have their soul restored.In Rest in Green Pastures, nine shepherds offer encouragement, help, and...

Six-year-old Charles Mulli wakes up in his Kenyan hut to discover his parents have abandoned him. Forced to beg from hut to hut in search of food, Charles scrapes out a meagre existence while trying to come to terms with his abusive past and seemingly hopeless future. As a teenager, Charles is invited by a friend to a crusade where he commits his life to Christ. That act begins a unique adventure of faith, miracles, and a passion for reaching street children. After years of struggle, Charl...

This important book on priestly identity embraces the many contemporary varieties of priestly ministry: male and female, paid and unpaid, parish and work–based, catholic, evangelical, charismatic. Examining the “root,” the “shape,” and the “fruit” of priestly identity, On Being a Priest Today is essential reading for priests, priests in training, and everyone considering the ministry. Part One “roots” a priest's human and church life in the theological convictions derived from the...

John Wesley's model of the church. The book offers a guideline for Christians to work out their theology in day-to-day life. This analysis of Wesley's strategy for renewing the church offers inspiration to those working to bring about that renewal.

Leadership development is a life-long process. Yet the church of Jesus Christ is in desperate need of strong leaders in this generation. In Charting a Bold Course, Andrew Seidel provides an exceptional tool to get you started on cultivating the unique gifts and abilities God has given you and your leadership team. This leadership course will fit perfectly in a leadership training program.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. -- Proverbs 4:23They Smell like Sheep, Volume 2: Leading with the Heart of a Shepherd is about more than gimmicks and techniques of leadership. It speaks to the character and heart of the leader. After all, heart makes the difference in an effective Sunday-school teacher, youth minister, elder, small-group leader, parent, grandparent, or Christian school teacher.Spiritual sheep, stray shee...

In See, Know & Serve, Tom Bandy shows how the transition between Christendom and Post-Christendom is unfolding at different speeds and with different twists in diverse regions and places, and that this development makes standardizing ministry practices, or using collections of "best practices," unsuccessful in growing God's mission. Bandy presents startlingly new ways to view congregations and communities, enabling leaders to understand the people within their reach on a granular ...

Y is the generation of tattoos, cell phones, social networking, and iPods. It is the generation of authenticity, social justice, racial diversity, and community. But it is also the generation of broken homes, school shootings, immense performance pressure, loneliness, self-indulgence, and insecurity. Christians have largely failed to bring restoration to this 70 million member group of young people. What are we missing? And what are the consequences if it doesn't change?Foregoing f...

Principles for church leadership are important, but just as important is knowing when and how to implement them. This is strategy and it can make or break a leader’s work. Those who have been in ministry for a while may have a bag of leadership tricks. But what are the results? Nixon and Shockley explore eight key leadership behaviors that will help a church move successfully through its first season of transformation, putting it well on its way to becoming a dynamic, growing body of Chris...

Networks are everywhere. From our roads to our relationships, from our food supply to our power grids, networks are an integral part of how we live. Similarly, our churches, denominations, and even the kingdom of God are networks. Knowing how networks function and how to work with rather than against them has enormous implications for how we do ministry.In Thy Kingdom Connected, Dwight J. Friesen brings the complex theories of networking to church leaders in easy-to-unders...

What makes a church a church?Is it "where three or more are gathered"? Is it songs and a sermon on Sunday? Does it require structure and leadership? How do you know?The Character of the Church dispels confusion by describing the five elements of a biblical church. Concise, accessible, and historically informed, it teaches God’s design for church so you know what to look for in one—or even how to lead one.Useful for training in memb...

Many books seek to predict the future of Christianity, but few help usgrasp the opportunities of the current situation and equip us tonavigate the present. Doug Pagitt, author, radio host, and pioneeringleader, does just that, offering fresh, optimistic insights andpractical suggestions. According to Pagitt, the last two centuries canbe divided into four epochs: Idyllic, Industrial, Informational andnow-Inventive. The Inventive Age - our currently ...