They are not leaving their churches and getting other jobs. Instead, they have become "a company of shopkeepers, and the shops they keep are churches." Pastors and the communities they serve have become preoccupied with image and standing, with administration, measurable success, sociological impact, and economic viability. In Working the Angles, Peterson calls the attention of his fellow pastors to three basic acts--which he sees as the three angles of a triangle--that are so critical to the pastoral ministry that they determine the shape of everything else. The acts--prayer, reading Scripture, and giving spiritual direction--are acts of attention to God in three different contexts: oneself, the community of faith, and another person. Only by being attentive to these three critical acts, says Peterson, can pastors fulfill their prime responsibility of keeping the religious community attentive to God. Written out of the author's own experience as pastor of a "single pastor church," this well-written, provocative book will be stimulating reading for lay Christians and pastors alike.

    Attention spans are dwindling, noise levels are increasing, and we can't seem to find time for real relationships.The answer to such social fragmentation can be found in small groups, and yet the majority of small groups--at least in the traditional sense--are often not the intentional, transformational community we really want and need. Somehow we need to get our groups off life support and into authentic community.Pastor Brad House helps us to re-imagine what gospel-centered community looks like and shares from his experience leading and reproducing healthy small groups. With wisdom and candor, House challenges us to think carefully about our own groups and to take steps toward cultivating communities that are able to glorify Jesus, bless one another, and participate in the mission of God.

    If you're a pastor, counselor or lay leader, this resource will make you more comfortable, confident and competent in your role as encourager. In turn, this will help you free people from their emotional pain and spiritual conflicts, as you guide them to a more complete understanding of who they are in Christ.

    Kent Edwards recalls a story that late pastor J. Vernon McGee told about seeing children in South Africa playing a game of marbles in the dust with real diamonds. The precious stones were being handled with no regard for their true worth. Edwards fears the same thing happens today when preachers offer Scriptural truth to listeners without being completely overwhelmed by its greatness themselves in the process.Deep Preaching is his call to "rethink" preaching. Edwards helps preachers learn to preach the word in ways that will powerfully change the lives of hearers. He contends that sermons "need not settle comfortably on the lives of the listeners like dust on a coffee table." He encourages preachers to join him in casting off the lines that moor their ministries to the status-quo and make every effort to steer their preaching out of the "comfortable shallows." He urges them to preach deep sermons rather than superficial ones, moving "beyond the yawn-inspiring to the awe-inspiring, from the trite to the transforming."

    They believed that following Jesus and aiming to reach millions was worth any cost. Be careful with this book. It might inspire you to risk everything you have to follow Jesus. You’ve been warned.

    Starting them. Multiplying them. Changing the world through them. And in Jesus, we see this come together in practice.HOW. How do you start a Kingdom movement that can change the world. But in Jesus, through his life and taking his teachings seriously, we see how we can lead a Kingdom movement.In this book, Mike explores the key components of how to lead a Kingdom movement. Starting with Jesus, then through the lens of Paul and stories an principles seen in his own life, he offers a humble way forward in creating, growing and multiplying a Kingdom movement.

    I’ll never forget what one student said…‘My denomination wants me to have an M.Div., but once they see I can grow a big church, I don't think they'll make me finish the program.’”The priorities of this future pastor were startling, but he’s not alone in them.In the years since that class, author and minister Skye Jethani has seen more and more pastors swallowed by the celebrity syndrome.Not long ago, ministers were among the most trusted and admired people in our culture. But not anymore. A 2013 study from Gallop revealed that Americans’ admiration for clergy has reached an all-time low. That, taken with reduced trust of institutional religion overall, makes it easy to see why ministers feel insecure about their calling. In response to this trend, some pastors have looked to emulate those who are praised by the culture—business leaders, entertainers, and social activists. This has led to a new understanding of what a minister should be. We’ve turned away from viewing our pastors as shepherds, and now expect them to be celebrities. Immeasurable will help ministers recognize the cultural forces shaping their view of the calling, and then reimagine what faithful church leaders can look like in the twenty-first century. Through short essays and reflections on the pastor’s soul and skills, this book will help prospective pastors explore their calling to ministry, and it will help veteran pastors reframe their vision for the work.Drawing on cultural dynamics, personal stories, and his own experience working in a church and with church leaders, Skye Jethani will address matters like ambition, anger, community, consumerism, fame, health, justice, platform, preaching, rest,simplicity, success, vision, and more.There are endless resources to help pastors do the practical work of ministry, but there are far fewer that speak to the pastor’s soul and spirit. Immeasurable provides affirmation and encouragement for church leaders faithfully serving God. It commends the true work of ministry—shepherding, teaching, encouraging—while redefining what we mean by success in ministry. It’s a book church leaders can return to again and again for insight and inspiration.

    Discover how God gave him a new assignment---to evangelize the Ukraine! Here's the astounding story of the unlikely pastor of Eastern Europe's largest megachurch. Recounting his struggle against prejudice and persecution, it will inspire you to maximize your impact for Christ. 224 pages, softcover from Charisma.

    "Never before have there been so many important things for them to do."

    In this book about one of the practical distinctives of that work, Dever and his former student Greg Gilbert offer a theological and practical guide emphasizing the centrality of expositional preaching -- sermons intentionally rooted in a specific Bible text.Dever and Gilbert clearly explain how God exercises His divine power through the Word, making it the basis of any relationship we have with Him. Thus, preaching directly from Scripture should be at the center of church life. Toward that goal, the authors give practical advice on how pastors can decide what texts to preach on, how to prepare and outline their sermons, and how to deliver and review those presentations.Pastors will especially appreciate the book’s final section: transcripts of past sermons from Dever and Gilbert augmented by insightful conversations between them about how each sermon was planned and whether or not is was effectively implemented.

    But holiness is something that is often missed in the Christian's daily life. According to author Jerry Bridges, that's because we're not exactly sure what our part in holiness is. In The Pursuit of Holiness, he helps us see clearly just what we should rely on God to do--and what we should accept responsibility for ourselves.

     We search for our calling in careers, hobbies, and even ministries, but Christians actually know their calling from birth. We are all called into God's community and onto his mission. There is no greater calling. Once we are in Christ, we are no longer orphans. Everyone has a place in the people of God. But how do you live out that calling? What does it look like to be God's new community? How can we fulfill our role in his mission? In Called Together, Jonathan Dodson and Brad Watson help us discover what it means to be a people made for community and mission. Through reflection on the foundational concepts of gospel, community, and mission, it will help you form healthy missional communities. Filled with practical guidance for leaders and everyday people, it will guide you into a deeper and more deliberate experience of being the church together.

    Too many church leaders perceive of themselves as a "board of directors" when the Bible is clear that they are to know, feed, lead, and protect the flock entrusted to their care.

    Larry Crabb and Dan Allender have filled their book with practical instruction on how to master the basic form of counseling Christians are called to do, following the New Testament admonition to 'encourage one another.' It includes step-by-step understanding with a biblical basis that shows the pitfalls to avoid.

    With the help of charts and creative learning exercises, Chapell shows how expository preaching can reveal the redemptive aims of Scripture and offers a comprehensive approach to the theory and practice of preaching. He also provides help for special preaching situations.The second edition contains updates and clarifications, allowing this classic to continue to serve the needs of budding preachers. Numerous appendixes address many practical issues.