Coming up with craft and activity ideas to explore a Bible story is one thing; but when it comes to sharing that story in the gathered celebration, many Messy Church leaders struggle to find the right language and approach. The parables that Jesus told intrigued, inspired and engaged the crowds in his day, combining everyday imagery with surprising twists that prompted all ages to wonder and discover the treasures of the kingdom of heaven for themselves. This resource aims to recapture that storytelling style for Messy congregations today.

What might happen if we live out of loving encounter with God and build in response to what he reveals? How can we make space to hear God and say yes to him? What if being a leader is all about being a follower? Is it really that simple? These are the questions that have led Jill Weber on the adventure of saying yes to the more of God - the invitation to really live. This honest, warm and compelling book speaks directly to those who long to encounter more of Jesus, to know how tune into the small movements of the heart, and to have trust in every moment of their lives. With wisdom and wit Jill explores prayer, discernment, vocation and leadership through her story of building and becoming a House of Prayer, offering encouragement that gives readers the confidence to say yes to what God is already doing. Jill's story will build faith in readers and help them to discover the freedom that lies beyond that yes - of giving it all for Jesus. Even the Sparrow is both an invitation and a challenge - to walk step by step as God leads might lead us on paths that are at turns messy, complicated and inconvenient, but as we follow him the path can also be unexpected and breathtaking beauty.

John Hosier has spent almost his entire working life leading local churches, particularly in the fast-growing Newfrontiers group of churches. He explains, "In the second half of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first century there has grown up what have variously been referred to as House Churches, There has been a passion to get back to the kind of church life about which we read in the New Testament, while wanting to be absolutely relevant to the present age." This book lays out the key convictions of many new churches about the Body of Christ: how it functions, and what it seeks to achieve. What is apostolic ministry? The nature of baptism? The role of women? How should spiritual gifts operate? What is the church's mission?

For four years, John Bell has been a contributor to Radio 4's "Thought for the Day", attempting - as the project demands - to offer a religious perspective on matters of current social and international importance. Sometimes affirming, sometimes controversial but always contemporary, these short reflections represent the prickly interface between faith and politics from the perspective of a Christian believer.

Follow-up to the bestselling Invest Your Suffering (sales over 6,000 in 3 years), building on that brand; Author a very popular conference speaker all over the UK: at Keswick, EMA, Word Alive, Faith Mission events, UCCF, FIEC, Bible by the Beach, Living Leadership, training events and church weekends; ALL Christians face disappointment, but it's what do we do with it that counts; Especially relevant in situations of grief, illness, infertility, unemployment, violence, exploitation and betrayal, or with difficult children and dysfunctional families; Speaks with grace from the author's own experience (miscarriage, spouse's disability, etc) into life's raw and messy reality; Offers sure-footed theology and pastoral wisdom for the layperson, without being at all glib or trite; Shows how disappointment can lead to personal growth and maturity; God's sovereignty and certain control are ultimately our deep security and solid confidence; Excellent question sections underpin key points

The global crisis of forced displacement is growing every year. At the same time, Western Christians' sympathy toward refugees is increasingly overshadowed by concerns about personal and national security, economics, and culture. We urgently need a perspective that understands both Scripture and current political realities and that can be applied at the levels of the church, the nation, and the globe. In Refuge Reimagined, Mark R. Glanville and Luke Glanville offer a new approach to compassion for displaced people: a biblical ethic of kinship. God's people, they argue, are consistently called to extend kinship-a mutual responsibility and solidarity-to those who are marginalized and without a home. Drawing on their respective expertise in Old Testament studies and international relations, the two brothers engage a range of disciplines to demonstrate how this ethic is consistently conveyed throughout the Bible and can be practically embodied today. Glanville and Glanville apply the kinship ethic to issues such as the current mission of the church, national identity and sovereignty, and possibilities for a cooperative global response to the refugee crisis. Challenging the fear-based ethic that often motivates Christian approaches, they envision a more generous, creative, and hopeful way forward. Refuge Reimagined will equip students, activists, and anyone interested in refugee issues to understand the biblical model for communities and how it can transform our world.

Developed by The Navigators, the "Topical Memory System" provides you with an effective, portable way to meditate on Scripture wherever life takes you. The "Topical Memory System" is a clear, simple, proven way to meditate on key Bible verses. As a result, you can: Experience freedom from anxiety. Meditating on God's Word--writing His promises on your heart--will help you overcome worry and live in God's perfect peace.Triumph over temptation. When you hide God's Word in your heart, the sword of the Spirit is readily available for spiritual battle against sin.Gain confidence in witnessing. Learn a series of verses you can easily use to effectively share the gospel with friends, family, neighbors--anyone God brings your way.Achieve spiritual fitness. Sense God's presence moment by moment with Scripture meditation, grow stronger in your faith, and become better equipped to meet the needs and opportunities you face each day.You read and study the Bible. Now you're ready for God's Word to take hold of your life--to shape you from the inside out. Integrate God's Word into your everyday life

If God is in control of everything, can Christians sit back and not bother to evangelize? Or does active evangelism imply that God is not really sovereign at all? In this classic study, J. I. Packer shows how false both these attitudes are. In a careful review of the biblical evidence, he demonstrates how a right understanding of God's sovereignty is not so much a barrier to evangelism as an incentive and powerful support for it.

This book sets out a Christological framework for developing and delivering pastoral supervision. Pastoral supervision is a key consideration for any denomination, congregation, or faith-based organisation, so this is a vital resource for well-being for clergy, chaplains, and a wide array of pastoral workers. Three central Christological themes, the revealing, re-membering, and restoring Jesus, provide the theological framework for good supervision practice. The book draws insights from three gospel passages--Luke 24:13-34, Luke 22:39-53 and John 21:1-14--for its Christological themes. The practical Christology for pastoral supervision is deepened and extended through three theologians: Martin Luther (reformed), Emil Brunner (neo-orthodox), and James McClendon (small B baptist). Professional supervision (coaching, mentoring, and spiritual direction) is increasingly sought--even required--by many people in church and faith-based organisations. This book will, therefore, be an excellent resource to theologians interested in supervision, practical theology, and Christology.

The nine chapters in this book, along with a critical introduction, address complex theological issues relating to structural inequalities of our society, exacerbated by the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pastoral theology as an academic discipline is not a value-free enterprise. This book strives to speak against all forms of injustice and to advocate for those who suffer under existing structural inequalities because such a liberative and social transformative task constitutes the fundamental work of pastoral theology. Each chapter in this book analyses how private problems of individuals are occurring within the immediate world of experience with public issues historically, socially, and politically. As a whole, this book addresses racial injustice, ableism, foster family care, and issues faced by Christian churches during the COVID-19 pandemic. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Pastoral Theology.

The Doubting Disease by Joseph W. Ciarrocchi brings to the fore the most current information available today on religion and scruples, scrupulosity, and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD). In this book he helps us clearly appreciate the interior anguish suffered by thousands of people of faith who have this symptomatology and what we can do about it. As well as offering a concise, helpful understanding of the demographics, etiology and treatment of scrupulosity and OCD, in the Doubting Disease he also addresses the questions: *How does scrupulosity develop? *What are the differences between common and uncommon scrupulosity? *What are some classic and contemporary models of religious scrupulosity? *Where does the issue of scrupulosity fit into the history of pastoral care? *What are some practical ways to target scruples and increase motivation for reduction of scrupulosity and compulsivity? *How and when should persons get help for scrupulosity and OCD? Essential for all persons involved in general ministry, pastoral counseling, and the treatment of religious persons suffering from scrupulosity and OCD, I believe this book will also be of great service for anyone interested in the psychology of religion and the theological topics of "conversion," "discernment," and "sin." --Robert J. Wicks Series Editor

You may feel like an ordinary believer, but God has a knack of using ordinary people to accomplish His extraordinary purposes. Authentic Influencer encourages you to walk with Barnabas, learn from God, and shape the world for Jesus Christ- one life at a time. God's approach to influencing the world is through His people. People shape people. And yet, many of God's people spectate from the sidelines unsure of what to do. Authentic Influencer is rooted in principles emerging from the life of God's choice example in the Scriptures-a man called Barnabas-rather than recycled quotes from corporate leadership works. Every follower of Jesus can be inspired, instructed, and mobilized to influence the world from right where they are. In fact, it is everyday believers-not just "professional" Christians such as pastors, church leaders, authors, and others-who are specifically tasked by Jesus Himself to bring godly influence to the world. We are all His agents of change, be it shaping one person or a thousand. Authentic Influencer is a Christian leadership book that: Highlights 15 key principles that emerge from Barnabas that are relevant, practical, and customizable to every believer Inspires you to shape those around you for Christ Urges you to practice investing in others through discipleship Challenges you with inspiring stories and practical wisdom emerging from biblical truths By studying the life of Barnabas, we see how he influenced the world for Jesus Christ in practical and doable ways. Become encouraged to shape our world for Jesus- beginning with whoever happens to be close by.

This book examines the partnerships and power struggles between American missionaries and Korean Protestant leaders in both nations from the late 19th century to the aftermath of the Korean War. Yoo analyzes American and Korean sources, including a plethora of unpublished archival materials, to uncover the complicated histories of cooperation and contestation behind the evolving relationships between Americans and Koreans at the same time the majority of the world Christian population shifted from the Global North to the Global South. American and Korean Protestants cultivated deep bonds with one another, but they also clashed over essential matters of ecclesial authority, cultural difference, geopolitics, and women's leadership. This multifaceted approach - incorporating the perspectives of missionaries, migrants, ministers, diplomats, and interracial couples - casts new light on American and Korean Christianities and captures American and Korean Protestants mutually engaged in a global movement that helped give birth to new Christian traditions in Korea, created new transnational religious and humanitarian partnerships such as the World Vision organization, and transformed global Christian traditions ranging from Pentecostalism to Presbyterianism.