Whether it be intentional or accidental, most churches approach next-gen discipleship from the perspective that church leaders are meant to be the loudest spiritual voices in the lives of kids and students. The Bible, however, is clear that God's original design and intention was for parents to assume this role and responsibility. It's important for church leaders to realign their mission with God's vision for families and take action to help reinstate parents to their rightful place as th...

The candid autobiography of all-star pitcher “Sudden Sam” McDowell, whose alcohol-fueled life quickly and famously spiraled out of control, and his ultimate redemption as a counselor for other athletes suffering from addiction.Sam McDowell seemed to have it all. Considered by many to be the next Sandy Koufax when he signed with the Cleveland Indians, Sam boasted one of the fastest arms in major league baseball. But on the inside, he was playing in an alcoholic fog, ...

Life Is Never Mainly About Love and Marriage. So Learn to Live and Date for More.Many of you grew up assuming that marriage would meet all of your needs and unlock God's purposes for you. But God has far more planned for you than your future marriage. Not Yet Married is not about waiting quietly in the corner of the world for God to bring you "the one," but about inspiring you to live and date for more now.If you follow Jesus, the search f...

Discover a Proven Approach to Raising Your Church’s Evangelistic TemperatureEvangelism. It’s one of the highest values in the church. So why do so few churches put real effort into it? Maybe it’s because we don’t understand the evangelistic potential of the church well enough to get excited about it. Becoming a Contagious Church will change that.Revised and updated, this streamlined edition dispels outdated preconceptions and reveals evangelism as it really can be. What’s more, it walks yo...

Is your church making disciples . . . who make disciples . . . who make disciples?Real-Life Discipleship explains what should happen in the life of every Christian and in every small group so that the church becomes an army of believers dedicated to seeing the world saved. With the overriding goal to train disciples who know how to make more disciples, this book offers proven tools and strategies from Real Life Ministries, one of America's fastest-growing ...

Why are some small groups dynamic, attractive, and breathe the life of Christ? Why do other groups stagnate and close? In this ground-breaking book, Joel Comiskey and Jim Egli describe eight surprises about thriving small groups from their research of 4800 small group participants on four continents. The authors expose common small group assumptions and offer practical advice to group members and leaders to help their groups thrive. The book covers topics such as small group participation,...

You Aren't Alone in Feeling AloneNever in the history of civilization have we been more connected and felt more alone. We are all so lonely. What if the ways we have set up our lives are fundamentally broken?In the Find Your People video Bible study, bestselling author Jennie Allen looks at the original community in Genesis, the Trinity, and the creation of people to see what God had planned for us all along, Jennie offers practical solutions for c...

This 12-session video Bible study will help you, your group, and your church stand on the definitive declarations of our mighty and loving God who governs the world according to his great and precious promises.This world has a tremble to it. There are things that seem unsteady in this life. But when we belong to God, it allows us to filter our problems through the promises of God. When we choose to be people of the promise, we choose to build our lives on the promises of God, not t...

Everything You Need to Know in Life, You Can Learn Here!When we were in kindergarten, half the fun of living was breaking the rules without getting caught. In real adult life, however, there is nothing fun about broken promises, relationships, or hearts. In this DVD and study guide from North Point Resources, Andy Stanley explains God’s set of life rules that can improve current relationships and mend broken ones. Every game requires parameters, and in this lifelong journey toward ...

Small groups are a great way to promote the spiritual formation of church attendees. But leading them well can be hard work, especially if you don't have a plan.This practical resource helps pastors and small group point people develop and implement a 12- to 18-month strategic plan for their ministries in order to keep it healthy and growing. Developed at Saddleback Church, this completely customizable plan works for any church size and any denomination. Readers answer 22 questions...

According to a study by George Barna, a person is most likely to become a Christian between the ages of four and fourteen. Yet the majority of evangelism training is designed to reach adults, not children. Leading Kids to Jesus equips children’s ministry leaders with proven principles to help them have life-changing discussions with kids. The focus is exclusively on personal interactions, not corporate presentations or prop-driven illustrations. Readers learn the best ways to communicate G...

Parish Clergy - Top Ten BooksEffective ministry begins here.You've studied what you think you need to know before entering a career in ministry. Is there anything that is more important than knowingabout hermeneutics, homiletics, theology, exegesis, and everything else you have likely learned in seminary and church ministry so far?Yes, there is. How well do you know yourself?You need to build your ministry career on the righ...