Readers of this book will understand how the local church should participate in the conversion process through ordinary means, such as biblical preaching and intentional relationships.

    The local church is the engine of world missions. But where should a church begin?Churches don't need a complicated missions program. They need the Bible and the wisdom to know how to apply it. This book points to Scripture and offers practical steps for training and supporting missionaries, forming international partnerships, sending short-term teams, and engaging the nations both at home and abroad.Part of the 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches series.

    God intends for this compelling vision of His people singing—a people joyfully joining together in song with brothers and sisters around the world and around his heavenly throne—to include you. He wants you,he wants us, to sing.

    But how do you know it’s the mission Jesus gave?In The Life of the Church, Joe Thorn explains the mission of the church and the three rhythms for fulfilling it. The result is a simple, memorable model for church life and ministry, grounded in Scripture and aligned with historic practices.Useful for training in membership class, discipleship groups, and elder boards—and even for devotional reading—The Life of the Church is at once theological, practical, and experiential. Readers will not simply be informed, but led to a deeper conviction about their role in the body of Christ. Pastors will be equipped to refocus their ministries, and Christians to fulfill their purpose: be and make disciples. If you wonder what it means to be saved into a body of believers, why the various parts of a worship service matter, and how to engage in the world as a citizen of heaven, then The Life of the Church is for you. It answers this critical question: “Why does the church exist, and how does it shape my life?”

    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 membership classes, discipleship groups, and elder boards—and even for devotional reading—The Character of the Church is at once theological, practical, and experiential. Readers will not simply be informed, but led to a deeper appreciation of the church of God and its essential marks:The word of God is faithfully preachedThe sacraments are rightly administeredLeadership is biblically formed and functioningDiscipline is practiced with graceThe mission of the church is shared by allThis book will bring churches and Christians back to the biblical picture of a local body, perfect for any believer eager to grow and help others do likewise.

    It explains the story of the gospel, its basic doctrines, and God’s work in salvation. Fresh yet consistent with classic expressions, it helps churches reclaim their essential identity and return from distracting pursuits.   Useful for training in membership classes, discipleship groups, and elder boards—and even for devotional reading—The Heart of the Church is at once theological, practical, and experiential. Readers will not simply be informed, but led to believe in, rejoice in, and be transformed by the truth of God for His gathered people.Without the gospel, the church does not exist. This book is Thorn’s full and detailed exploration of the message that is indispensable to the church’s life and identity. For any church lacking power, any Christian feeling dry, or any person seeking truth, The Heart of the Church brings relief, direction, and light, leading to worship.

    Word-Centered Church brings that answer into sharp focus. Written by Jonathan Leeman, editorial director for the reputable ministry 9Marks, Word-Centered Church offers a thorough treatment of one of God’s greatest concerns: growing His people and growing His church.As simple as the concept may seem, it’s one that many churches miss, and to their own detriment. Because when churches center everything they do on God’s Word—when the pulpit ministry gives direction to every aspect of the church’s life—growth happens God’s way. God’s Word is what creates the church, and it’s what sustains it, too.Theological and practical, Word-Centered Church focuses on how the church hears, responds to, discusses, implements, and is transformed by Scripture. It’s not about high-octane production, superstar personalities, or postmodern entreaties, but stuff that is really old, really good, and really powerful.Word-Centered Church is the ministry-model book that churches need, because it advances the model God designed. For anyone who wants to grow or help others grow, Word-Centered Church is indispensable.

    In just a few pages it sets out in very concise terms the responsibilities all Christians have, first, to their pastors, and then second, to one another within the fellowship of the local church.John Owen was a pastor as well as a theologian and therefore this is a most practical manual of church fellowship. It was likely intended to be read by individuals with self-examination, meditation and prayer, but it would also be very suitable for group Bible study or adult Sunday School classes. This edition is enhanced by a modernized text and the addition of questions which have been added to facilitate group discussion.

    The pastor of a dying church doesn't need to be told it is dying; he needs to find the way forward--and he needs hope.Author and pastor Andrew Davis offers readers the lessons he's learned in his own journey of leading church transformation, including- keeping Christ's ownership of the church central- being humble- choosing your battles wisely- empowering godly men to join in leadership- making prayer a priority- focusing on the Word- and moreChurch decline is not inevitable. Revitalize gives pastors the spiritual support they long for and the practical advice they need to turn their churches around and position them for greater health in the future.

    The Bible tells the story of God’s salvation of sinners in Christ. But that story does not begin in Bethlehem. It begins, well, at the beginning, in the garden. Adam’s work and God’s rest set the stage for the rest of history.

    However, on account of its difficult and archaic style, it is scarcely read today. The time has come to translate it into modern English so that Hooker may teach a new generation of churchmen and Christian leaders about law, reason, Scripture, church, and politics. In this second volume of an ongoing translation project by the Davenant Trust, we present Book I of Hooker's Laws, for which he is perhaps most famous. Here he offers a sweeping overview of his theology of law, law being that order and measure by which God governs the universe, and by which all creatures-and humans above all-conduct their lives and affairs. In an age when the idea of natural creation order is under wholesale attack, even within the church, Hooker's luminous treatment of the relation of Scripture and nature, faith and reason is a priceless and urgently-needed gift to the church.

    This is followed by studies of Scripture, the ministry of the Spirit, the nature of Biblical Theology, the work of Christ, adoption, the nature of the Christian life and other important doctrines. The final section discusses various aspects of preaching, including preaching Christ from the Old Testament, the importance of theology, reaching the heart, and concludes with a decalogue for preachers. All this, as the epilogue makes clear, is set within the context and goal of doxology.

    We are supernaturally empowered by God to do this through the charisms we receive at Baptism. Learn about each charism, what they are, and how discipleship unleashes these powerful gifts to produce fruit that lasts.

    But are you able to distinguish which roles are truly essential? And can you measure how you’re fulfilling them?Portraits of a Pastor features contributions from evangelical leaders like Jason Allen, Jared Wilson, Daniel Akin, and Owen Strachan on the essential roles and aspects of pastoral ministry. Together the book answers three important questions:What does it mean for the pastor to hold all nine roles?Why should the pastor fulfill these roles?How can the pastor most faithfully fulfill them? A pastor must be a preacher, shepherd, missionary, evangelist, church historian, theologian, man of God, leader of his household, and leader of others—a tall order! After reading Portraits of a Pastor, you’ll:Have a clearer vision of the roles you should fulfill in the life of your congregationBe inspired to fulfill your calling by growing in new areas of leadershipKnow the unbiblical visions of pastoral leadership that may distract you from your core callingIt’s true: much is demanded of pastors. But it’s also true that too much is demanded of most pastors. Know what God has called you to, how to fulfill that calling, and what may be distracting you from it.

    There was a time when Christians gathered around tables, included the strangers and the poor, ate together, and talked about Jesus. This form of church occurred mostly during the first three hundred years of Christianity, and was highly effective in bringing lost people to Jesus. While the church of today is very meaningful to Christfollowers, it is failing to help our lost neighbors find their way to the Savior. That is no small concern for Jesus’ churches, all of which are called to be in the rescue business.This little book examines what it might be like for a traditional church to plant a dinner church in a nearby hurting neighborhood. Revelation 3:20 makes it clear that Jesus still wants to have dinner with sinners. That likely means he wants his church to set the table.

    The authors not only cover the exegetical skills and homiletical techniques necessary for sound preaching, but they also dive deeper to emphasize how a pastor’s character and reliance upon the Holy Spirit are essential to preaching God’s word effectively.   As the preacher encounters God in preaching, he will preach with spiritual power and see lives transformed and churches strengthened.

    Wilfrid Stinissen presents insightful reflections on the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Holy Trinity, emphasizing the importance of the Spirit in the life of a Christian. He illustrates that the Holy Spirit desires to live in us so that we can love God and others with God's own love. As the Holy Spirit descended upon the early Church at Pentecost to set the world ablaze with the fire of divine love, so He wants to do with us.God, who is One, also desires the Church to be one, Fr. Stinissen writes. The Lord wants to unify all Christians in one holy Church, and all people in one body. The Holy Spirit is the great unifier, he says, for it is he who makes the Father and the Son one God. If Christians let him live within them, they will grow in unity.

    This season, generally ignored by theologians, aptly symbolizes the church’s existence as God’s creature in the gap between the resurrection of Christ and the consummation of all things. In this book Amy Plantinga Pauw draws on the seasons of the church year and the creation theology elaborated in the Wisdom books of Scripture to explore the contours of a Trinitarian ecclesiology that is properly attuned to the church’s life amid the realities of today’s world.

    Gospel-centered Communion is an all-encompassing sacrament, and So Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ takes inspiration for each day's grace and obedience from eating and drinking the bread and the wine. These 720 succinct and powerful readings come from the past fourteen years of Douglas Wilson's pastoral ministry, and deal with the many applications of the Lord's Supper that are suited to personal devotions. These include gospel encouragement, pursuit of sanctification, motivation and exhortation, observations on the church calendar, family life and community, daily bread, means of grace, and much more. For daily devotions in the morning and at night, So Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ will lead every evangelical Christian to think about and meditate on the transformative implications of eating and drinking the body and blood of the Lord Jesus.

    What does Scripture actually teach about deacons and their role in the church? Views range from deacons being the board of directors, to the church building maintenance crew. My intention in writing this book is to encourage my deacon friends and fellow church leaders to think more critically about what they are saying, what they are doing, and what Scripture actually teaches about deacons. Whatever your view of deacons may be, this study will help you examine in detail the biblical fact on deacons, allowing those facts to guide your thinking. This book offers the opportunity to build broader agreement among our Bible-believing churches as to what deacons do. Known for his deep love for the church and for his careful Bible exegesis, Strauch's new study cannot be ignored by churches that are committed to following a biblical church polity. This is not simply a revision of Strauch's popular book, "The New Testament Deacon: Minister of Mercy." It is a completely new study with a fresh perspective.

    In Table Talk, Mike Graves claims if we could travel back to those earliest Christian gatherings, we would realize we are not just two thousand years removed; we are light-years removed from how they ate when gathered because eating was why they gathered in the first place, a kind of first-century dinner party.   Four characteristics of their Communion practices would leap out at us, traits that are scattered throughout the New Testament, but that often go unnoticed: how the meal was part of a full evening together, promoting intimacy; how it was a mostly inclusive affair, everyone welcome at the table; how it was typically festive, more like a dinner party; and how afterwards they enjoyed a lively conversation on a host of topics.     But Table Talk explores more than just Communion practices, because a new way of doing church is happening around the world, gatherings more horizontal than vertical. For two thousand years Christians have oriented themselves toward God in the presence of others; now a growing number of congregations, part of the dinner church movement, are orienting themselves toward each other in the presence of God. This book tells their story and helps us rethink our own. "Table Talk is a very important book, one every pastor, priest, and lay person would do well to read. Professor Graves invites the reader to rediscover the Jesus meal and, in the process, to reconsider what Christians do when they gather for worship. An excellent, helpful, and inspiring book!" --Adam Hamilton, Senior Pastor, Church of the Resurrection, author of Creed: What Christians Believe and Why   "Graves's voice is wonderful--appealing to lay persons of a diversity in age, but also one that will be appreciated by clergy and students. The historical and theological information is woven in a palatable way (to use a dining metaphor) that keeps us engaged and fascinated. It is--as it should be--conversational in a way that makes us want to chat with each other around a table (Eucharist and otherwise), break bread, look into each other's eyes, and know we are better because we did."  --Marcia McFee, Creator and Visionary of The Worship Design Studio    "In Table Talk, Mike Graves brings together a scholar's mind with a pastor's heart, and reintroduces us to the table at the center of Christian spiritual formation and worship. The appendix alone is worth the whole price of the book, offering us fresh ways to frame the meaning we find in a meal of bread and wine, thanksgiving and fellowship, remembering and joy." --Brian D. McLaren, author of The Great Spiritual Migration "Mike Graves's inviting and conversational tone sets the stage for his exploration of the dinner church movement that is springing up around the country. He knows the power of sharing a meal and the possibilities that emerge from talking about Scripture around a table instead of listening to a traditional sermon. In this compelling book, he urges the church toward gatherings that are intimate, festive, and inclusive, where people come together to share bread, insights, and stories. In a time of great ecclesial change, Mike Graves offers a joyful, egalitarian, and missional vision of worship--one that could transform the church. --Kimberly Bracken Long, Editor of Call to Worship: Liturgy, Music, Preaching, and the Arts Mike Graves is the Wm. K. McElvaney Professor of Preaching and Worship at Saint Paul School of Theology and Scholar-in-Residence at Country Club Christian Church, both in the greater Kansas City area.

    Today, however, Christian ministers are as likely to be ignored by the broader culture as they are to be admired.In spite of daunting challenges, called and committed pastors are essential to lead God’s people.The shrinking, increasingly marginalized Christian community needs wise, humble shepherds to guide them through the wilderness ahead. So how are these leaders doing?The State of Pastors contains the findings of a comprehensive, whole-life assessment of U.S. pastors, commissioned by Pepperdine University. The research examines church leaders’ perceptions of:• Their own mental, physical, financial, emotional and spiritual well-being• The health of their relationships with family and church members• Their ministry’s overall health and effectiveness• How they are received as a leader by their local community• Their support system, including mentors, friends and fellow ministers• How well their skills, gifts and calling align with their pastoral responsibilities• And much moreThe challenges of pastoring in the 21st century are significant. Yet based on these findings, Barna researchers believe many of today’s pastors are prepared to be adaptive leaders: ready to be changed by the Spirit in order to bring the unchanging gospel to people in need of good news. The State of Pastors reveals where church leaders are most in need of healing and encouragement, and offers hopeful counsel for pastors (and those who love them) who are seeking greater health as they continue to answer God’s call.Full color with infographics. 175 pages.(Obtained from https://www.barna.com/product/stateof...)

    These pages also offer a compelling case for why many churches would do well to pause and see the pockets of lost people within the shadow of their steeples, and consider how a Jesus dinner table might open up a door to heaven for those neighbors. Revelation 3:20 makes it clear that Jesus still wants to have dinner with sinners. That likely means he wants his church to set the table.

    In The Dinner Church Handbook: A Step-by-Step Recipe for Reaching Neighborhoods, Verlon Fosner begins by evaluating the rich scriptural history of the dinner church, and gradually works his way into the practical questions a leader might have: Where to plant? How long will it take to prepare? How much will it cost? What about the food? Is there a service order or liturgy? Who will come? How can one grow toward Christlikeness in this church?

    Come and listen to him and be restored in hope and joy as you feast afresh on the gospel goodness he has to offer you"

    Drawing on his own experience as a pastor in Zambia, Conrad Mbewe tackles issues such as the content of pastoral preaching, how pastoral preaching relates to church life, finding the time to prepare pastoral sermons, and dealing with discouragement. Throughout the book, it is clear that the authors conviction is to see preachers grow strong churches, to build a people for God.

    With succinct chapters, this is an eminently practical resource for any church leader, elder board, or new member seeking a foundational understanding of how the church should function.

    It is contrasted with three other forms of church government that have come down to us historically, viz. Episcopacy, Presbyterianism, and Congregationalism.

    In The Deacon, the author considers the Old Testament background for this calling, the deacon in New Testament times and in church history, and the current function of the office. You will rediscover the high and privileged calling of deacons and come to a better understanding of what God requires of them. Table of Contents: Preface Introduction Part 1—The Old Testament Background 1. The Poor in Israel 2. Providing for the Poor Part 2—New Testament Times 3. Christ’s Teaching on the Poor and Needy 4. Ministering to the Poor in Acts 6 5. The Office of Deacon 6. Female Deacon? Part 3—The Office of Deacon in the History of the Church 7. The Testimony of the Early Church and the Heritage of the Reformation 8. Women and the Diaconate Part 4—The Current Functioning of the Office 9. The Official Position of the Deacon Today 10. Enabling and Prioritizing 11. The Diaconal Ministry within the Congregation 12. The Diaconal Ministry outside the Congregation 13. The Blessing of the Poor Questions for Study and Reflection Resources for Further Study on Deacons Author: Cornelis Van Dam is emeritus professor of Old Testament at Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary in Hamilton, Ontario. He is the author of The Elder: Today’s Ministry Rooted in All of Scripture. Endorsements: “Dr. Van Dam’s book is an excellent treatment of the work of deacons. Writing from a Reformed perspective, he discusses the biblical foundations (both Old and New Testament), church-historical developments, and practical aspects of the work of deacons today. I plan to prescribe this book as a textbook for diaconal studies at seminary. While the content is rooted in scholarly research, it is written in such a way that deacons, deacons-in-training, and interested church members will enjoy reading and studying the book.” — Arjan de Visser, professor of ecclesiology and diaconiology, Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary “Deacons are Christ’s priestly heart and arms of mercy reaching to, embracing, and showing compassion to the poor and afflicted. Unfortunately, there are few helpful, compelling books on the deacon’s office today. This one is a notable exception. Drawing from his careful research in Holy Scripture and Christian history, Cornelis Van Dam lays out a clear and compelling case for what diaconal ministry should look like today. Highly recommended!” — Joel R. Beeke, president, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan