A lot of churches and youth ministries have given up on the idea of small groups, writing them off as too tedious, too difficult to manage, too hard to find volunteers for, too expensive to provide materials or curriculum for, or any other number of reasons. In A Volunteer Youth Worker's Guide to Leading a Small Group, Mark Oestreicher argues a different perspective. Marko insists that small groups promote safe spaces to grow, consistency in teenagers' emotionally tumultuous lives, and repetition that instills in them the importance of trust and tradition. The Guide to Leading a Small Group is perfect for anyone feeling disenchanted with the concept of small groups, and after Marko succeeds in changing your mind in the first few pages, he'll use the rest of the book to help you restructure and rethink your small-group programming so you don't get burned out again. Marko is leading the charge in reviving small groups, and you can join him today.

For those who have a friend that has been devastated by the loss of a loved one. When others care enough to rub shoulders with grieving friends and are willing to be inconvenienced. It requires someone to care enough to put aside cliche condolences and stick close through a long grieving process. An individual's grief can never be 'fixed'. But friends can wash a sink full of dishes, listen, go along on a cemetery visit. Sharing another's grief is not about 'fixing-it'- it's about showing up.Harold Ivan Smith, popular speaker and grief educator, guides others to respond with their heart. He shows tangible, meaningful ways to make a significant difference as one journeys through grief with someone they care about.

Families are living stories. They tell us where we came from, guide us as we live our lives, and help us see who we could become. Especially priceless are the lives and words of those who came before us.

Christ-followers from earliest times to the present enrich us with their insight and inspiring examples. In the face of political, social and theological challenges, these saints lived lives faithful to the gospel story.

The Book of Saints The Middle Era is a devotional gateway to the thoughts and insights of church leaders, teachers, and spiritual mentors who lived between the early fourth and early fifteenth century. Living in a world of change, conflict, and controversy, these saintly persons have much to say to us today. Their words and life stories, along with prayers and Scripture selections, are brought together in this book to inspire and challenge us to a life of love and holiness, the great themes of our family story.