Simply put, we have more needs than we have leaders to meet those needs. So, how do we train better leaders faster? The truth is, very few churches really have a well-thought-out leadership development plan. Growth requires continually adding healthy new leaders, who carry the church culture forward and embody its core values. Everyone knows it, but how do we achieve it?In Empowering Leadership author and leadership consultant Michael Fletcher says leaders like this can't simply be bought, nor can they be hired from someone else's leadership assembly line. Developing leaders at every level, to create an environment that attracts potential leaders, and to build better leaders faster, an organization needs more than a pipeline. It needs a culture that develops leaders organically.Finding the right kind of leaders to guide your church on a path of continual growth comes out of keeping the right focus, and that focus is not just on the leaders. In fact, as Fletcher says, It isn't about the leader. It never was about the leader. It will never be about the leader. It will always and only be about Jesus and his people. It's about the people. True leadership development includes the often messy, but necessary, interaction of life upon life. So hiring pastors and key staff roles from within the church is the very best policy--people who breathe the culture of the church and who have helped create the culture you want to maintain.If your church or organization needs a good leadership development structure, then you're holding the right book. Empowering Leadership details Michael's greatest insights on how to build better leaders faster by creating a leadership development culture in your church or organization--naturally, organically, continually. Empower your church or organization through great leadership. This book will show you how!

    Among them: Suheir Hammad, Beau Sia, Steve Colman, Stacyann Chin, Mayda del Valle, Georgia Me, Poetri, and other well-established and up-and-coming Slam artists who have forever changed the face of poetry and offer a fresh, exuberant, insightful, and comedic look at who we are as Americans today.

    After a good night's rest, she decides to catch up with her close friends, aka, The Garden Girls at their favorite hangout, Dot's Restaurant. There's just one small problem. As Gloria pulls into the small town of Belhaven, she finds Dot's place swarming with cops and the restaurant itself taped off with crime scene tape. Someone at the restaurant has been poisoned after eating Dot's famous Chicken 'n Dumplings! Dot and her husband Ray, are devastated and now must try to clear their name. When they ask Gloria to help, she jumps right into detective-mode and is hot on the trail of another killer. The list of suspects widens as Gloria uncovers a pile of motives - some from residents in their own little town. Desperate to clear her good friends' names, she discovers the killer may be a little too close for comfort. BOOK 5: Eye Spy "Garden Girl" Gloria Rutherford is having a bad day. A really bad day. Just when she thinks it couldn't possibly get any worse, it does. The sleepy little town of Belhaven has just been invaded by a swarm of federal authorities sent to investigate the local post office and it's postmaster, who just so happens to be one of Gloria's best friends, Ruth. When Ruth is put on temporary leave pending the outcome of the investigation, she asks Gloria if she can come and stay with her until the crisis is over. Gloria doesn't have the heart to turn her down. With Ruth underfoot and the uncertainty of not knowing how long the "official investigation" might take, Gloria has never been more motivated to solve a mystery! Knowing she'll need every trick up her sleeve, plus a little help from her friends and from the other Garden Girls, she'll do whatever it takes to help her friend and save her own sanity! Can she get Ruth back to work and her cozy life back to normal - or will Gloria have a new, permanent houseguest? BOOK 6: Magnolia Mansion Mysteries There's no place like home! But what if "home" happens to be the town's mysterious, rundown, mansion? At least that's what young Andrea Malone keeps asking herself ever since she bought the vacant, dilapidated house months ago. Determined to put down roots in the cozy little town of Belhaven, she gets busy managing the much-needed renovations in order to revive the old house and restore it to the grandiose mansion it once was. With the renovations nearly complete, the mysterious house begins to reveal secrets from its troubled past. On the same day that her quirky parents arrive in town for a visit, Andrea makes a shocking discovery that has her questioning if she should spend another night in the house. She calls on her friend and amateur sleuth, Gloria Rutherford, to help her get to the bottom of the mysteries that surround the mansion. The more clues Gloria uncovers, the deeper the mysteries get.

    As much sting as that statement has, it's hard to argue with. Yet many churches have no idea how to attract and retain younger generations.If you want to understand how to reach, teach, and empower young adults in your church, Jonathan "JP" Pokluda is ready to show you how. Sharing stories of successes and failures during his years of ministering to Millennials, JP offers you transferable principles that will help you mobilize the next generation toward Jesus. He encourages and equips you to- be real- teach the whole truth- hold traditions loosely- find young leaders- give the ministry away- and so much moreTomorrow's church is out there, waiting for you to care, to reach out, to understand their struggles, and to show them why today's church needs, wants, and cherishes them.

     Move in closer. That's it. We'll all share our stories together, like a group of close friends. Stories of heartbreak and redemption—trouble and overcoming—questioning our faith and embracing it—and, most of all, finding hope at the end of every path. There's just nothing like a circle of warm friends to share life with. All 15 of us will take turns opening up our hearts to you—sharing little pieces of ourselves. Come join us. We'll even include discussion questions so you can reflect on our stories or explore the themes with a group. Our first two Hot Apple Cider anthologies won a number of awards and have nearly 90,000 print copies in circulation. They’re also now available as ebooks. Table of Contents “Subway Surprise” by A. A. Adourian “Love Has No Limits” by Donna Fawcett “Something to Crow About” by David Kitz “Desperate Missionary in Trouble with the Law” by Don Ranney, M. D. “A Time to Have Tea” by Vilma Blenman “In His Shoes” by Keturah Harris “The Ring” by Angelina Fast-Vlaar “The Right Thing to Do” by Ruth Smith Meyer “Everybody Needs a Friend Who’ll Tell It Like It Is” by Heidi McLaughlin “Picture This!” by Kimberley Payne “My Love Affair with Gym” by Glynis Belec “My Journey to Joy” by Dorene Meyer “Loving Play” by Vilma Blenman “Conversations in Baby Blue” by N. J. Lindquist “From Hard Places” by Carmen Wittmeier "Boulderdash” by Heather McGillivray-Seers

    The Bible contains wonderful promises of God for peace and harmony. You'll discover: -- Why strife destroys churches-- How to disagree agreeably-- The answer to strife between parents and children-- How strife affects the anointing-- How to forgive in difficult situations-- How spiritual power is released through unity and harmonyGet ready to embrace new peace in your life -- God's peace that is there for you, with each page you turn.

    Thirteen books in all! The books of the first series, Brides & Twins have been on the Amazon best sellers lists in Western & Frontier, Religious and Inspirational, and Western Romance categories. It is my most loved series! The second two series of this Mail-Order Bride Romance Compilation have never been published and are exclusive to this box set. The stories are on fire with love, compassion, and faith! Brides & Twins Series Mesquite, Texas, mid-late 1800’s Join the honest, hard-working ranchers and strong, courageous brides of Mesquite, Texas as each couple blazes their path to love. Starting out with Molly O’hara, a Southern Belle from the war-torn South who falls in love with a tortured war hero. Then along comes four sisters, one by one from Pittsburg, all falling in love with the handsome ranchers of the Kennesaw and Turner Ranches. A Soldier’s Love, Book 1 Taming the Rancher, Book 2 The Wrong Bride, Book 3 A Surprise Love, Book 4 The Last Sister’s Love, Book 5 Brides of Miller Ranch Series (Exclusive to this compilation!) Wyoming Territory, 1840’s This is a beautifully written series where less than perfect brides and cowboys find perfect true love. Sparks fly around every corner at Miller Ranch in unexpected ways and all with God’s blessing. The Love He Didn’t Want, Book 1 Love Beyond Words, Book 2 Love in Plain Sight, Book 3 Brides of Prairie Bluff Series (Exclusive to this compilation!) Prairie Bluff, Alabama, 1860’s The mail-order brides of Prairie Bluff have all dealt with fall-out from the Civil War in some way or another. Some brides want to escape the narrow minds of their fathers while others have been left with nothing and have no other options but to find a husband elsewhere. The men of this series are outlaws gone good, doctors, and ranchers. A Bride’s Treasure, Book 1 Love Sees no Scars, Book 2 The Humbled Southern Belle, Book 3 A Bride’s Freedom, Book 4 A Past Uncovered, Book 5 AUTHOR’S NOTE: These PG rated stories range in length from15,000 – 30,000 words each. Fans of the Brides & Twins Series tell me they hated to see the series end. If you’ve never read my books, this would be a great place to start! They truly are all heartwarming, inspirational stories. Guaranteed to keep you up reading late into the night!

    Some church music is dull. But here’s the thing: If Jesus had been boring, the disciples wouldn’t have followed him and the Pharisees wouldn’t have killed him. So if you’re bored, don’t waste another minute. If your church service feels like a failed pep rally that never leads to the actual game, then it’s time for you to follow Jesus onto the field where the opposition is real and the stakes are extraordinary. It will get messy. It won’t always be comfortable. But you’ll make a difference. And you’ll discover that nobody’s bored out there. Nobody.

    He shares practical ways for church leaders to move beyond the building walls and take the kingdom to those who need it most. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Scott argues that every believer, not just the leaders, can fill their city, workplace, and family with the beauty and power of Christ.   When believers become scattered servants, the Holy Spirit will equip them to advance the kingdom and change lives through their hearts and hands.

    Raised by a Jewish mother and abandoned by his professional poker-playing father, Antonucci found Jesus at age twenty after studying the New Testament. When he finally went to church, he was disappointed to discover a "boring, stale religion." Through provocative storytelling and raw honesty, Antonucci unearths the life Jesus lived and wants us to experience, challenging us to move past spiritual boredom into a faith that's exciting, beautiful, and powerful. Recommended for all Christians thirsty for a fresh perspective on Christianity.

    In her compelling style, Sheri dew outlines five ways - scriptures, the gift of the Holy Ghost, priesthood ordinances, temple covenants, and the atonement of Jesus Christ - in which God makes His power available to us. "When we have the power of God with us, nothing is impossible," she states. God Wants a Powerful People explains how we can seek access to the powers of heaven to help us live up to who we really are.Talk on one compact disc Approx. running time: 60 min, About the Author Sheri Dew is the bestselling author of several books including the biographies of LDS Church Presidents Gordon B. Hinckley and Ezra Taft Benson and No Doubt About It. She served as second counselor in the general presidency of the Relief Society of the LDS Church from 1997 - 2002, and in March 2003 the White House appointed her as a member of the U.S. Delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations.

    A true underdog story. Journey with these young leaders as they do church their way. A diner, driving school and an odd jobs company are just some of the ways this group used to build a thriving church. In "How to Knock Over a 7-Eleven and Other Ministry Training," author and senior pastor Michael Cheshire brings real-life stories to out of the box church work. His humor is unmatched and the insights you get will cut to the core as you journey with him and his team as they build a church from scratch. This book takes you behind the scenes of a radically different way to build a church. It's a valuable resource for those planning to launch a new ministry or for leaders wanting to be more innovative in their community. This is not a story of the traditional church. Michael and his team sacrifice more than a few sacred cows in their pursuit of God's calling. If you're determined to pursue a calling in any type of ministry, this book will only make your fire grow.

    The commentary will contain background on the poems or more deeply delve into themes or topics discussed in the poems themselves. The spiritual seeker as well as the mature in faith will both benefit from the poems.

    It's time to enter a whole new level of extreme faith...it's time to become a circle maker!Through the story of Honi the Circle Maker—a man bold enough to draw a circle in the sand and not budge from it until God answered his prayer for his people—bestselling author and pastor Mark Batterson will help you see that who you become is determined by how you pray. Throughout this guide, Batterson:Clearly and practically lays out what prayer looks like and how it shapes and changes us.Shows you the powerful results and modern-day miracles that come from a courageous prayer life.Helps you, your group, and your entire church begin to identify dreams and future miracles to draw prayer circles around.This Participant Guide provides individual and group activities, between session personal studies, and additional background material that will enhance the experience of the video on The Circle Maker DVD (sold separately).Sessions include:1. Becoming a Circle Maker 2. Little People, Big Risks, and Huge Circles 3. Praying Hard and Praying Through 4. Praying is Like PlantingDesigned for use with The Circle Maker Video Study (sold separately).

    'Revolution on Canvas' presents another collection of poetry from some of the country's most popular indie-rock bands, including Deftones, Fall Out Boy, Armor For Sleep, and Say Anything.