Study of Psalm 23

    It's a strategy that enabled Osborne's congregation to grow from a handful of people to one of the larger churches in the nation—without any marketing or special programming. Sticky Church tells the inspiring story of North Coast Church's phenomenal growth and offers practical tips for launching your own sermon-based small group ministry.Topics include:Why stickiness is so importantWhy most of our discipleship models don’t work very wellWhy small groups always make a church more honest and transparentWhat makes groups grow deeper and sticker over timeSticky Church is an ideal book for church leaders who want to start or retool their small group ministry—and velcro their congregation to the Bible and each other.

    By laying out the most comprehensive model of APEST to date--one that incorporates deep theology as well as innovative practice--Hirsch once again demonstrates his almost uncanny capacity to change not only the conversation itself, but also the scorecard on how we understand calling, church, leadership, and organization.

    Constance M. Cherry, a worship professor and practitioner, provides worship leaders with credible blueprint plans for successfully designing worship services that foster meaningful conversation with God and the gathered community. Readers will learn how to create services that are faithful to Scripture, historically conscious, relevant to God, Christ-centered, and engaging for worshipers of all ages in the twenty-first century. The book sets forth basic principles concerning worship design and demonstrates how these principles are conducive to virtually any style of worship practiced today in a myriad of Christian communities. It will also work well as a guide for worship-planning teams in local churches and provide insight for worship students, pastors, and church leaders involved in congregational worship.

    Instead you'll be able to absorb the most important content and begin applying it immediately after just one day!

     We live like slaves to our fast-paced, suffocating schedules.  We spend our energy and time in triviality, relegating God to the background.  He seems distant to us, and we resist the idea that God wants to give, say, and show us more; we dismiss it as rumor.  But Jesus calls us to a better way.  Another dream- an unimagined future.  Close the gap between what you hear about and what you see.Rumors is filled with the same forward-thinking spirit that defines its authors, Jon Tyson and Darren Whitehead. ?Louie Giglio, pastor, Passion City ChurchBoth challenging and encouraging, Rumors of God will reintroduce you to a God worth talking about. ?Gabe Lyons, author, The Next Christians, founder, Q, coauthor, UnChristianThis book invites us to find the rumors of God all around us.  Read it, but be ready to be changed. ?Scot McKnight, author, One.Life: Jesus Calls, We Follow and Jesus Creed for StudentsFor those who are jaded by the church, or have become cynical about the power of the Gospel in our time, Rumors of God is a great antidote. ?Alan Hirsch, author, dreamer, activist (www.theforgottenways.org)Foreword by Bill Hybels, founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., and chairman of the board for the Willow Creek Association. The irony: two upstart Aussies from tiny towns half a world away wind up leading high impact churches in two of the most significant cities in North America.  Only God.Darren Whitehead and Jon Tyson are deep thinking Christ followers with a bias for action in the world.  A rare combination these days.  They are both leaders and communicators, visionaries and "get stuff done for God" guys.  Extremely rare.I have had the privilege of working closely with Darren at Willow Creek Community Church for over 7 years.  He is thoughtful, relationally intelligent and one of the hardest working young leaders I know.In Rumors of God, Darren and Jon have some how succeeded in slipping 3D glasses over our eyes.  The results are that passages from scripture come alive in ways that will impact readers for a long time. I salute the efforts of these young mates and pray that readers will be as stretched in their minds and hearts as I have been.

    This is because many Christians do not live lives which reflect their faiths due to misunderstandings about what it really means to live a life of intimacy with God.Using his own life-experiences as examples, Edmund Chan pays special attention to dispelling the myths and obstacles that are hindering the spiritual growth of a Christian and provides the guidance that is needed to overcome them. He also touches upon some pitfalls that many Christian fall into such as serving without joy and shows us what we can do even when we are struggling to understand the will of God. The author used his personal life experiences to illustrate his points on christian growth. One of the book's main topic is intimacy with God. The book discussed several myths that people believe about intimacy with God. Here are the 4 myths:> Intimacy is the key to blessing> Intimacy is a prize> Intimacy with God is optional> Intimacy is experienced the same way by everyoneRev. Edmund Chan stated 4 truths to contradict the 4 myths. The 4 truths are:> God delights in intimacy with us and invited us to it> Intimacy is a God-given birthright for all> Intimacy takes trust and not just time> Intimacy with God results in redemptive acts of love

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    . . another. (Proverbs 27:17) As we seek God together we come to know him more deeply. That's the idea behind Spiritual Mentoring. Spiritual mentoring is an ages-old practice that Keith Anderson and Randy Reese introduce in a way that fits life as we know it today. Spiritual mentoring is not only for pastors or saints. Mentors are ordinary Christians who are willing to enter into a faith relationship with another person who wants to grow. Likewise, those who are mentored are not seminary candidates but simply followers of Jesus who long for guidance in their spiritual journey. In this book Anderson and Reese show you how to mentor and be mentored as they introduce, chapter by chapter, the work of a different classical spiritual writer, includingAugustine Aelred of Rievaulx John of the Cross Julian of Norwich Ignatius of Loyola Teresa of Avila Madame Jeanne Guyon These writers offer timeless insights from centuries past, while Anderson and Reese help you put their teaching into practice today to grow closer to Jesus in the company of another believer. If you want to learn how to help younger Christians grow while stretching your own faith, or if you want to tap into the experience of a Christian friend who is farther along the road of faith, this is the book that will get you started.

    No other profession looks so inoffensive but is in fact so dangerous to the status quo. Their weapon? A gospel that is profoundly countercultural. But standing firm in today's world isn't easy. Powerful forces, both subtle and obvious, attempt to domesticate pastors, to make them, in a word, unnecessary.In this book, two of today's most respected authors help pastors recover their gospel identity and maintain a pure vision of Christian leadership. Marva Dawn and Eugene Peterson reconnect pastors with the biblical texts that will train them as countercultural servants of the gospel. Marva Dawn looks to Paul's letter to the Ephesians for instruction for churches seeking to live faithfully in today's world. In turn, Eugene Peterson explores Romans, 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus, drawing from them the correct view of pastoral identity.

    Churches and individual Christians typically have faulty assumptions about the causes of poverty, resulting in the use of strategies that do considerable harm to poor people and themselves. Don't let this happen to you, your ministry or ministries you help fund! A must read for anyone who works with the poor or in missions, When Helping Hurts provides foundational concepts, clearly articulated general principles and relevant applications. The result is an effective and holistic ministry to the poor, not a truncated gospel."Initial thoughts" at the beginning of chapters and "reflection questions and excercises" at the end of chapters assist greatly in learning and applying the material. A situation is assessed for whether relief, rehabilitation, or development is the best response to a situation. Efforts are characterized by an "asset based" approach rather than a "needs based" approach. Short term mission efforts are addressed and economic development strategies appropriate for North American and international contexts are presented, including microenterprise development.Now with a new preface, a new foreword, and a new chapter to assist in the next steps of applying the book's principles to your situation, When Helping Hurts is a new classic!

    Miller’s down-to-earth approach and practical nature will help you see that your relationship with God can grow and your communication with Him can get better. Parents will find Miller’s family-life experiences especially helpful.

    Though we often want to rush through these anonymous seasons of the soul, they hold enormous power to cultivate character traits that cannot be developed in any other way! Jesus was no exception, says author Alicia Britt Chole. Most of His first 30 years were not recorded and consequently are not celebrated. But unknown is not a synonym for unimportant! This hidden 90 percent of Jesus' life was essential! As it was for Jesus, so it is for us: personal hiddenness prepares us for true spiritual greatness. In these sacred spaces, God grows in us an unshakable identity, an accurate portrait of Himself, trust in His timing, and a disciplined imagination.

    God is interested in your art and your heart.The Heart of the Artist deals head-on with issues every person in an arts ministry faces:*Servanthood Versus Stardom*Excellence Versus Perfectionism*The Spiritual Disciplines of the Artist*The Artist in Community . . . and moreThe Heart of the Artist will give you a better understanding of yourself and your unique place in the body of Christ. You’ll find wisdom and encouragement that can help you survive the challenges and reap the rich joys of a ministry in the creative arts.

    Timothy Keller is known for his insightful, down-to-earth sermons and talks that help people understand themselves, encounter Jesus, and apply the Bible to their lives. In this accessible guide for pastors and laypeople alike, Keller helps readers learn to present the Christian message of grace in a more engaging, passionate, and compassionate way.