These are the stories you haven't heard on the news. These are the people you will never forget. In the midst of never-ending debates, protests, riots, suicide bombings, and broken peace initiatives, one man came to make a difference. Previously known for his determination to deliver Bibles behind the Iron Curtain, Brother Andrew has spent the last thirty years on a very different quest. Traveling to Lebanon, the West Bank, Gaza, and Israel, Brother Andrew has sought out church leaders and urged them not to flee the violence but to stay and strengthen their congregations to become a force for change. His mission: to bring hope to the believers caught in the crossfire of the most volatile region on earth. "This is a book that invites applause and criticism. It will edify and offend, fostering healthy and much-needed discussion and debate in the Western Church."-Randy Alcorn, author, Safely Home "This man's courage is not just a case of bravado on steroids."-Charisma magazine Brother Andrew began taking Bibles to Christians behind closed borders in 1955. That work has since developed into Open Doors International. He is the author and coauthor of numerous books, including God's Smuggler and The Narrow Road. Al Janssen has cowritten or authored more than twenty-five books. He is chairman of the board for Open Doors (USA) and is director of communications for Open Doors International.

Most people focus on pastoral ministry--the activities, programs, and outreach connected with the life of the church--when considering the work of a pastor. But one of the most important parts of a minister's job is pastoral care--activities such as compassion, healing, sustaining, guiding, and reconciling people to one another and to God. People today earnestly seek a minister who knows their names and cares about their hurts. Foundations of Pastoral Care introduces both clergy and laity to the ministry skills and personal qualities needed to provide effective care for people inside and outside the church. With thorough examination, Professor Bruce Petersen traces the historical development of soul care from the primitive church and on through the centuries to the church of today. In unit one, he introduces the place of pastoral care in the local church. He emphasizes the unique responsibility of church leaders and pastors to provide spiritual guidance while caring for the physical and emotional needs of their people. In unit two, he examines the pastoral care roles clergy are asked to fill--shepherd, counselor, collaborator, and spiritual leader. In unit three, he addresses the need for a pastoral presence in the life of the church, and in unit four, he concludes with a discussion about the pastor's personal life and the importance of personal spiritual formation. Foundations of Pastoral Care provides the fundamental elements pastors and church leaders need to care for people in meaningful, personal ways with the love, compassion, and grace Christ showed during His ministry on earth.

Jesus trained a handful of ordinary people to follow Him as He established God's kingdom on earth. His primary training method was intimate, personal conversations on a friend-to-friend basis. As they walked along, in the daily routines of life, He taught them the practical principles of the Kingdom. He then commissioned them to go and make disciples of all nations by teaching others what they had learned. He still calls believers today to accept this 'great commission', but at times it seems that the work of discipleship is more about public proclamation than personal relationships and conversation. Churches today house hundreds of believers, but few true disciples. Making disciples is more than witnessing to nonbelievers. It is about building authentic relationships with our Christian friends and helping each other follow Jesus one discussion, one conversation, one heart-to-heart talk at a time. Making Disciples-One Conversation at a Time discusses the importance of having redemptive conversations and demonstrates how to turn our meaningless chatter into a means of grace, helping our friends become all God intends them to be and enriching their lives and ours in the process. Author Michael Henderson explains how practicing the disciplines of attentive listening, appropriate questioning, Scripture application, and praying with our friends, will allow us to not only fulfill Christ's request to make disciples but also follow His commandment to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself. Making Disciples-One Conversation at a Time challenges us to examine how we use our words and presents ways to bring Christ into the conversations of our everyday lives to give those around us a better understanding of God and His love for them.