A senior pastor pleads with his colleagues to abandon the secularization of the pastorate and return to the primitive call of the Bible for radical ministry.

    Eugene Peterson, well known as "a pastor's pastor," here speaks words of wisdom and refreshment for pastors caught in the busyness of preaching, teaching, and "running the church." In The Contemplative Pastor Peterson highlights the often-overlooked essentials of ministry, first by redefining the meaning of pastor through three strengthening adjectives: unbusy, subversive, andapocalyptic. The main part of the book focuses on pastoral ministry and spiritual direction "between Sundays": these chapters begin with poetic reflections on the Beatitudes and then discuss such themes as curing souls, praying with eyes open, the language of prayer, the ministry of small talk, and sabbatical--all with engaging, illustrative anecdotes from Peterson's own experience. The book ends with several meaning-full poems that pivot on the incarnation, the doctrine closest to pastoral work. Entitled "The Word Made Fresh," this concluding section is a felicitous finale to Peterson's discerning, down-to-earth reflections on the art of pastoring.

    A. Maxwell Whyte in this revealing exploration of the blessings to be found in Christ’s blood. As you delve deep into this newly revised and expanded version of Whyte’s classic best seller, you will find out how to…Experience God’s complete forgivenessBecome spiritually empowered, equipped, and energizedBreak the terrifying grip of fear and tormentCreate an atmosphere for miraclesDefeat oppression, addictions, and sickness Astounding results can take place in your life once you learn the value of this vital yet little-wielded weapon in the believer’s arsenal and how God wants us to use it in coping with life’s difficult situations. Discover the wonder-working power of the blood for yourself!

    This book is a step-by step guide for women everywhere who want to improve physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually

    In The Character of Leadership, he writes about how God ever shapes character in the life of every leader, and in relation, how continual spiritual formation is a process to which every good leader must pay close attention.Iorg puts insightful chapter-long emphasis on nine important character-shaping qualities that help readers in “becoming the leader God intends me to be rather than doing the leading God intends me to do.” The nine qualities are: Integrity, Security, Purity, Humility, Servanthood, Wisdom, Discipline, Courage, and Passion.Endorsements:Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life "Jeff Iorg defines lasting leadership as character, not capacity or competency. The making of a great leader is built on what God intends you to be rather than doing the leading God intends for you to do. His purpose is first and foremost to shape you into the image of Jesus, the greatest leader of all time." James T. Draper, Jr., president emeritus, Lifeway Christian Resources"An enormous contribution to the critical area of ministry and leadership. A must read for every ministry that strives for excellence. I recommend it without reservation."J. Robert White, executive director, Georgia Baptist Convention"Iorg is imminently qualified to write this volume on leadership . . . the chapters on integrity and purity are very much needed in our times and worth the investment of your time."

    In this book, Matt Smethurst makes the case that they are model servants called to meet tangible needs, organize and mobilize service, preserve the unity of the flock, support the ministry of the elders, and further the mission of the church. Relying on Scripture to clear the confusion, Smethurst details―in an engaging and practical way―how deacons can be deployed as healthy models of service to help congregations flourish.

    Ideal for pastors, teachers, and students, The Christ-Centered Expositor will equip you for greater faithfulness to God, his Word, and his mission.

    He had staggered into a Boston cop’s apartment, helping himself to the sellable stuff and all the beer in the fridge. The cop came home, found Jim passed out at the kitchen table, beat the hell out of him, and arrested him.But Wahlberg, a 130-pound kid from Dorchester, had learned some things from his life on the street and his first prison sentence. He knew how to survive. And he knew that if he wanted to avoid serving the full sentence, he would have to do something.He did what he was best at: He hustled. He would create the illusion that he was trying to change, that he’d become the model prisoner, not a guy hell-bent on getting out while he was still young enough to drink more, steal more, and do more drugs.He didn’t know, though, that the Catholic priest he was trying to hustle was actually hustling him.The Big Hustle is the story of a redeemed life and a family’s healing. This is the no-holds-barred, unvarnished, and sometimes brutal true story of Jim Wahlberg, the fifth of nine kids growing up in a working-class Irish Catholic neighborhood outside of Boston, hustling for attention any way he could get it, which led him to the biggest hustle of his life. Against all odds he got clean, he got out, and he got the girl. Jim dedicated his new life as a former addict to working with addicts, and for years has spread the word that recovery is possible.But nothing could have prepared him for what came next. His discovery that his own son was an addict threw Jim into a crisis—one that led him deeper into his faith and led to healing he never thought possible. This book is a testament to God’s power and an invitation to all of us to hope in the darkest places.

     What Church Leaders are Saying About Church Growth Flywheel: “Rich is right again. Momentum is hard to catch, easy to lose, and most important. If Flywheel has any importance, it has loads of importance. Don't miss this book!” - Clay Scroggins, Lead Pastor, North Point Community Church “Rich Birch has knocked it out of the park with Church Growth Flywheel. His new book is full of practical helps for church leaders looking to reach more people in their communities. Rich cuts through the theory and offers solid advice and guidance that you can put into action right away." - Dan Reiland, Executive Pastor, 12Stone Church, Lawrenceville, Georgia “Rich Birch has been reading my mind! After reading the first 15 pages, I made this book mandatory reading for my entire staff.” - Hal Seed, Chief Mentor at PastorMentor.com and Founding Pastor of New Song Community Church “What an incredible book! Rich has a unique way of sharing real and relevant practices from his experience and conversations that will no doubt be a game changer for you and your church community. Church Growth Flywheel is a gift to church leaders filled with practical yet challenging steps to help initiate growth and change within your community. And what church leader doesn’t want to see more lives changed by Christ!” - Sonja Waltman, Executive Director of Ministries at LCBC Church “Rich brings a wealth of passion, knowledge and experience to the subject of church growth. He presents a treasure trove of best practices and learnings around engaging people in your city with the message of Christ. Church Growth Flywheel is full practical steps that you can actually start doing and growing in your church, today.” - Carey Nieuwhof, Founding & Teaching Pastor, Connexus Church “I’ve followed Rich Birch for many years as he has had a front row seat to some of the fastest-growing churches in North America. That’s why I got excited when I heard he was releasing a book with some of what he has learned. You will be energized, informed, inspired, and equipped after reading Church Growth Flywheel." - Tim Stevens, Vice President of Consulting, Vanderbloemen Search Group “Insanely practical... super simple... and absolutely essential! Rich Birch has captured the disciplines and behaviors that will allow your church to experience growth that enables you to thrive.

    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

    However, the greatest fear leaders face is not something that might happen to them, but something that can happen in them---a degeneration of the heart that robs them of their calling and leaves a deep soul dissatisfaction in its place.John Ortberg describes this menacing fear in terms of mission and shadow mission. A mission is the highest purpose to which God calls us; a shadow mission is an authentic mission that has been derailed, often in imperceptible ways. Ortberg writes, 'Part of what makes the shadow mission so tempting is that it's usually so closely related to our gifts and passions. It's not 180 degrees off track; it is just 10 degrees off track, but that 10 degrees is in the direction of hell.'Every leader has a mission---and a shadow mission. Even Jesus had to battle a shadow mission; it was to be a leader without suffering---to be the Messiah without the cross. Ortberg writes, 'If we fail to embrace our true mission, we will live out our shadow mission. We will let our lives center around things that are unworthy, selfish and dark.' Using characters from the remarkable Old Testament story of Esther, Ortberg demonstrates the disastrous consequences of succumbing to shadow mission, and the stunning rewards of whole-hearted commitment to mission. With characteristic humor and insight, the author invites us to follow Esther's example and courageously choose to embrace the mission God gives. Like Esther, we can lead without fear---even in threatening circumstances---because we know God is always at work in unseen, unknown and unlikely ways.

    Facing Your Giants Study Guide has the answers that believers need in order to face the giants in life. Whether your overwhelming problem is grief that you just can't deal with, divorce that has ravaged your family, or an addiction that has a vice-like clamp on your will-power, Facing Your Giants Study Guide will teach you to look past your problem towards the solution. Based on the life of David, this study guide is guaranteed to provide inspiration to succeed against even the most threatening difficulty.

    For this very reason, Paul Nixon refused to lead a dying church. Paul invites you to join his commitment in refusing, ever again, to lead a dying church. This commitment entails six choices: choosing life over death; choosing community over isolation; choosing fun over drudgery; choosing bold over mild; choosing frontier over fortress; and choosing now rather than later.

    Oak Hills Church, from the pastoral staff to the congregation, had to confront addiction to personal ambition, resist consumerism and reorient their lives around the teachings of Jesus. Their renewed focus on spiritual formation over numerical growth triggered major changes in the content of their sermons, the tenor of their worship services, and the reason for their outreach. They lost members.But the health and spiritual depth of their church today is a testimony of God's transforming work and enduring faithfulness to the people he loves.Honest and humble, this is Kent and Mike's story of a church they love, written to inspire and challenge other churches to let God rewrite their stories as well. Read it for the church you love.

    This catechism is specifically designed for Catholic adults, for those who are new to the church, and especially for those who are journeying through the Rite of Chrisitian Initiation.