When you get involved with city ministry, you're in for some adventures--and you see God at work Randy and Tina White, with their two young sons, left suburbia to join believers living in a disadvantaged area of Fresno, California. Through their family's story you will learn more about God's heart for the city, meet some of the people who live there, and discover ways you might make a difference too. Discussion questions, twelve Bible studies on God and the city, and a list of "21 Things You Can Do to Love the City" will help you dig even further into the topic. And they makeJourney to the Center of the City an ideal book for small group discussion and action

Therapeutic counseling in a Christian context can be highly effective when it maintains narrowly focused goals in a time-limited setting. The details of this proven model of pastoral counseling are described in this practical guide.
This second edition of Strategic Pastoral Counseling has been thoroughly revised and includes two new chapters. Benner includes helpful case studies, a new appendix on contemporary ethical issues, and updated chapter bibliographies. His study will continue to serve clergy and students well as a valued practical handbook on pastoral care and counseling.

When the kids are gone, you can discover a richer, deeper, and more fulfilling life than you ever imagined! Whether you've been looking forward to it or dreading it, the experience of coming home to an empty nest brings with it a well of emotions, realizations, and one gigantic, all-consuming thought: Now what? As an empty nester, the options before you are practically limitless--a fact that can be as exciting as it is terrifying. In this book, Jim Burns combines his personal experiences with extensive research, interviews with other empty nesters, and his professional work as a family educator to help you navigate your new life as an empty nester and find joy in the opportunities for life-change before you. Rather than offering shallow suggestions of hobbies you should take up, Burns encourages you to actively pursue a fresh start, reinvent yourself, and thrive beyond this new stage. To help you do this, he equips you with practical advice and timeless principles, including how to: Change the relationship you once had with your children--for the better Face big issues (like aging parents, finances, and kids returning home) with confidence And rekindle your fire and purpose to live with passion day by day Amid his wealth of know-how, you'll uncover what may be the most important takeaway of all: hope that the best is yet to come.

Interwoven into the threads of Hildegard Dehmel Jensen's life are incredible healings and divine interventions. In St. John 15:27, Jesus, speaking to His disciples, said, "And you also must testify" (NIV). Through her writings compiled in this book, Hilde testifies to the miracles she has witnessed in her life, and to the great God she has faithfully served. A Continuous Miracle shares the fascinating stories of Hilde's life growing up, from her childhood in Germany to her family's experiences in America. May they inspire the reader to a greater faith in God and remind us all of His enduring promises.

Explore and discuss the top 10 most difficult questions raised against Christianity. You may be skeptical of Christianity yourself. You may have grown up in the church and never questioned your beliefs. You may be somewhere in the middle or unsure where you stand. But wherever you are, this ten-session study guide (DVD/streaming video sold separately) is designed to take you and your group through the biggest questions people raise against God and the Christian faith. Based on the explorations of his book, The Problem of God, Mark Clark uses an engaging mix of theology, philosophy, science, and story to investigate the essential questions that weigh on the human mind: God's existence, the veracity of the Bible, evil and suffering, hell, sex, hypocrisy, exclusivity, and the claims of Jesus. This video-based study is designed to be experienced in a group setting or any small gathering. Throughout the ten sessions, you'll take part in a number of activities, including: Watching the video teachings from Mark (The Problem of God Video Study, sold separately). Group discussion questions. Written responses and personal reflections. Scripture readings and prayers. The Problem of God Study Guide provides a safe space to wrestle intentionally with the questions, the ideas, and the evidence-and, ultimately, to wrestle with faith and doubt. Sessions include: The Problem of Science The Problem of God's Existence The Problem of the Bible The Problem of the Christian Myth The Problem of Evil and Suffering The Problem of Hell The Problem of Sex The Problem of Hypocrisy The Problem of Exclusivity The Problem of Jesus The Problem of God Video Study (9780310108399) sold separately.

A WORKBOOK to Help You Explore and Reflect on Life's Most Important Theological Questions. How do we know the Bible is God's Word? What is sin and where did it come from? How is Jesus fully God and fully man? What are spiritual gifts? When and how will Christ return? If you've asked questions like these, then systematic theology is no abstract term. It's an approach to finding answers every Christian needs to know. The Bible Doctrine WORKBOOK accompanies Wayne Grudem's highly regarded Bible Doctrine. Following the textbook's structure, the WORKBOOK features review material and exercises for every chapter, and all major areas of Christian doctrine are covered, including: The Word of God God Humanity Christ and the Holy Spirit The Application of Redemption The Church The Future The WORKBOOK maintains the clear writing, friendly tone, and frequent applications to life found in the textbook. Students will benefit from this hands-on engagement with the important teachings in Bible Doctrine.

A startling 85% of churches in the US are plateaued or declining, a trend that has been building for the past fifty years. In the face of shrinking attendance and lagging spiritual growth, pastors and church leaders are understandably discouraged and demoralized. But the first step to turning things around is hope. Church health expert Gary McIntosh offers this hope by showing church leaders the first things they need to do to make a new start for their church.
God can and does restore churches to new life, even as he restores individuals. The street-smart ideas and step-by-step instructions found in this book are ones that pastors and church leaders can put to use immediately in their churches to bring about solid growth and renewed hope for the future.

"Maximize" is the ultimate how-to book for pastors and church leaders who long for their churches to be fully resourced to carry out ministry initiatives without financial strain. Pastor Nelson Searcy provides an innovative, step-by-step plan for turning first-time givers into extravagant stewards of God's resources. Shining a light on the often taboo subject of money, "Maximize" will explore what causes someone to give for the first time and what leaders can do to systemize and maximize these gifts while growing strong disciples. Readers will learn how to
-cultivate first-time givers
-motivate people to tithe
-develop an ongoing stewardship system
-follow up with givers the right way
-develop multiple giving options
-shepherd the five types of givers in the church
-educate people to grow in the grace of giving
Stewardship is an essential part of discipleship. This revolutionary yet biblically based guide will chase the money discussion out of the darkness and bring it the attention it deserves. Every pastor needs a copy of "Maximize"

In Faith Formation in a Secular Age, the first book in his Ministry in a Secular Age trilogy, Andrew Root offered an alternative take on the issue of youth drifting away from the church and articulated how faith can be formed in our secular age. In The Pastor in a Secular Age, Root explores how this secular age has impacted the identity and practice of the pastor, obscuring his or her core vocation: to call and assist others into the experience of ministry. Using examples of pastors throughout history--from Augustine and Jonathan Edwards to Martin Luther King Jr. and Nadia Bolz-Weber--Root shows how pastors have both perpetuated and responded to our secular age. Root turns to Old Testament texts and to the theology of Robert Jenson to explain how pastors can regain the important role of attending to people's experiences of divine action, offering a new vision for pastoral ministry today.