Eight gospel-centered strategies for overcoming the lure of pornography and finally breaking free. This book is not about pornography. You won't find graphic depictions about the porn industry, the catastrophic effects it has on individuals and relationships, or how to think differently about porn. If you're reading this book, you probably have some understanding of those things already-the last thing you need is to be subjected to that kind of detail...again. Finally Free is about hope. It's about discovering the freeing power available to those who trust in Jesus Christ, who can, will, and does set people free from the power of pornography. Dr. Heath Lambert, a leader in the biblical counseling movement, has organized this book around eight clear and practical tactics you can wield to make it easier to flee lust and temptation and shelter in the protection of God's grace. Each chapter: Clearly demonstrates how the gospel applies to the fight against sexual temptation. Lays out relevant methods for leaning on Christ's strength-both in advance of and in moments of temptation. Explains how Jesus can move readers from a life of struggle to a life of purity. If you've struggled personally against the powerful draw of pornography, or if you've ever tried to help someone fighting this battle, you know how hard it is to break its bonds. But there is good news: no matter how intense or long-standing the struggle, Jesus Christ has the power to free people from the enslaving power of pornography. The Gospel has a power that works practically in the lives of those who seek to imitate Christ-and you can learn how to live into that power.

The power of faith intersects with the practicality of counseling in this unique partnership of a faith/worship leader and a therapist as they offer a pathway for readers to find help, hope, healing, and freedom while navigating life's struggles. No one is immune from life's difficulties, yet many people are reluctant to talk about mental health or seek professional help when they are struggling. People of faith who are battling issues such as anxiety, depression, life changes, stress, or relationship problems may suffer in silence, believing things will get better if only their faith was stronger, they prayed more, or they had more self-discipline. The stigma about needing to seek help is all too real. But seeking professional help isn't a sign of weakness; it's a sign that someone is serious about moving forward emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. Written by producer, artist, and author Anthony Evans, along with licensed psychotherapist Stacy Kaiser, When Faith Meets Therapy dispels the cultural myths and stigmas that surround professional therapy; shares stories from the authors' personal experiences and from others who are facing life's challenges; and provides practical steps that readers can take in the pursuit of emotional, relational, and spiritual progress. Anthony and Stacy met five years ago when he was seeking emotional and relational healing of his own. Stacy led Anthony through a process of internal renovation and continues as his personal therapist. When Faith Meets Therapy contains priceless, practical knowledge to break stereotypes that surround therapy while also offering immeasurable hope and encouragement.

Throughout the nineteenth century the relationship between the State and the Established Church of England engaged Parliament, the Church, the courts and - to an increasing degree - the people. During this period, the spectre of Disestablishment periodically loomed over these debates, in the cause - as Trollope put it - of 'the renewal of inquiry as to the connection which exists between the Crown and the Mitre'. As our own twenty-first century gathers pace, Disestablishment has still not materialised: though a very different kind of dynamic between Church and State has anyway come into being in England. Professor Evans here tells the stories of the controversies which have made such change possible - including the revival of Convocation, the Church's own parliament - as well as the many memorable characters involved. The author's lively narrative includes much valuable material about key areas of ecclesiastical law that is of relevance to the future Church of England.

Learn to apply the lessons found in the Bible to the struggles of day-to-day life Pastoral Care from the Pulpit connects the head, heart, and soul issues of everyday life, presenting a pastoral care approach to preaching and teaching practical Christianity. This powerful, progressive book gives hope to anyone struggling to survive and thrive as a spiritual person in difficult times. The author, a practicing psychotherapist who is also an ordained minister, explores Biblical stories and passages to find practical motivations for living as a Christian, offering encouragement to those suffering from a lack of purpose, identity, or acceptance. Pastoral Care from the Pulpit makes creative use of counseling and pastoral care principles to serve as a handbook for spiritual survival against life's everyday challenges. The book is an outgrowth of sermons delivered by the author at First Christian Church in Rome, Georgia, creative explorations of the Bible that blend theology with preaching to remain relevant to real life. It can be read a chapter at a time for daily affirmation, or taught one chapter a week as a class study; questions are provided at the end of each chapter to encourage reflection. Pastoral Care from the Pulpit provides positive principles for living and powerful encouragements for transformation during life's journey. The book includes: The Transforming Power of Touch (Matthew 8:40-48) Seeing Possibilities and Potentialities in Your Identity (Mark 10:46-52) Does God Put You to the Test or Take the Test for You? (Genesis 22:1-18) A Not-So-Modest Proposal: Follow Jesus (Matthew 4:18-23) Wandering into Far Countries: With Whom Are You Traveling? (Luke 15:11-31) Finding Freedom from False Assumptions (John 14:25-27) Saying YES to the Way of Jesus (John 10:10) Drinking Out of a Glass with a Hole in the Bottom (Jeremiah 2:1-13) and much more! Pastoral Care from the Pulpit is an invaluable aid for ministers, chaplains, and pastoral counselors working with mainstream Christian denominations.

This work includes a foreword by John D Morgan, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Coordinator for Kings College Center for Education about Death and Bereavement, Ontario, Canada. This practical resource guides the reader though all aspects of the grieving process and offers thought-provoking and inspirational advice on support. With exercises, tips, and contacts for further assistance, "Finding a Sacred Oasis in Grief" provides a comprehensive understanding of this potentially difficult and complex topic. It examines different types of grief and various approaches, along with reference guides to particular religions and their traditions adopting a comprehensive, multi-faith approach. Pastoral care providers and religious leaders will find the unique, hands-on approach invaluable, as will members of support organisations and volunteer carers. It is also ideal for seminary and ministry students, counsellors, therapists and other care professionals. "Gives caregivers the tools to help dying and grieving persons face the best and worst that life has to offer. It is the worst, because death means the end of the attachments that make life worthwhile. It is the best, because it shows us what is truly meaningful and important in life. Mortality is a great gift if we have the knowledge and the courtesy to face it." - John D Morgan, in the Foreword.

If your students have ever heard the story of Job, they are likely to remember one thing---suffering. (Well, they might remember a pile of cow dung, but they re teenagers ) While suffering is a prevalent theme in Job, the stories inside this book also provide readers with truth and wisdom about a just and loving God who walks with us in the midst of an unjust world. Every human being---Christ follower or not---has asked, Why does God allow suffering? We all know that there are no easy answers to that question. But as you take the book and story of Job piece by piece, you ll be able to guide students towards a better understanding of this God who can be so difficult to comprehend. Through the twelve sessions, you ll help your students face some of the tougher issues of life, like: * The relationship between sin and suffering * How to be a friend to those who are suffering (and how not to be ) * Why don t the wicked suffer? * How to survive suffering (and let God be God) In the tradition of the best selling Creative Bible Lessons series, CBL in Job presents each session in sections to help you move your students through a sequence of engagement, reflection, learning, and application. Including preparation for leaders, materials lists, discussion starters, scripture lessons, and activities to help personalize the learning, you ll find that any youth worker can use this book to effectively guide students toward the important lessons from Job."

Improving your powers of communication can encourage powerful communication with your parishioners. A Pastor's Guide to Interpersonal Communication: The Other Six Days provides students preparing for the pastoral ministry with specialized training in communications that focuses on the kind of one-on-one conversations they can expect to have with their parishioners. This comprehensive book examines a variety of essential topics, including perception, self-disclosure, verbal and nonverbal messages, listening, stages of relational development, power assertiveness and dominance, conflict management, forgiveness, persuasion, dual relationships, pastoral family communication, and how to develop a communications model. Each chapter includes "Pastoral Conversations," real-life dialogues presented for analysis; "Key Concepts" for quick student review; "Meanings Mania," self-tests on vocabulary; and "Unleashing the Power of Interpersonal Communication," student exercises that reinforce the practical aspects of key principles. While many pastors have a great love for the people they minister to, they have difficulty demonstrating that love because they lack the skills to develop and maintain relationships. This book explores how communication works and how to make it work for you, applying the best available interpersonal communications techniques to your relationships with the real people of the church-your parishioners. A Pastor's Guide to Interpersonal Communication: The Other Six Days examines: how self-disclosure works and when it's appropriate for a pastor stumbling blocks and building blocks for effective listening the differences between power, assertiveness, and dominance and when to use each conflict management styles and negotiation strategies several myths about forgiveness dual relationships and how to avoid them pitfalls to avoid in pastoral family communication and much more A Pastor's Guide to Interpersonal Communication: The Other Six Days is an essential resource for Bible college students and for students at the pre-ministerial and seminary levels. It's also a valuable professional tool for clergy practitioners who need help with their communication skills.

This book provides the essential tools needed to transform negative God images in depressed clients! Pastoral Care of Depression: Helping Clients Heal Their Relationship with God is designed to help clergy and mental health professionals understand how depression negatively affects the way people emotionally experience God and how, through therapy, this hurtful God image can be changed into a much more positive one focused on healing. In the past, the God image (as well as the essential differentiation between God image and God concept) has been explained in dull, analytic terms that are difficult to understand. This book's jargon-free language and engaging presentation make it an effective learning tool for students and professionals alike. Inside, you'll find numerous psychological tests, complete with sample test forms, that identify the God image. These are clearly explained and include all the information needed to take, administer, and interpret them. Pastoral Care of Depression teaches you to use psychodynamic and cognitive interventions to change a client's God image, including foundational knowledge and clearly presented techniques to implement in the therapeutic relationship. This comprehensive treatment manual arms you with the most comprehensive array of cognitive interventions published to date, with tens of easy-to-follow techniques designed to tap directly into an individual's subjective experience of God. Two appendixes give you a sample God Image Automatic Thought Record and Treatment Plan form. Part I: Depression and the God Image examines: the nature and development of depression symptoms of depression specific to religious people defining a client's image of God, how it developed, and what it reveals the relationship between self, depression, and God image, and how God images relate to Christian thought Part II: Changing the God Image addresses: the importance of self-evaluation for therapists and counselorsand how to do it the nature of the therapeutic relationship counseling skills that strengthen the therapeutic relationship how to conduct an God Image Assessment Interview and how to work with what that interview reveals transference, countertransference, cyclical maladaptive patterns, and internalization in psychodynamic psychotherapy appropriate, effective psychodynamic interventions the essentials of cognitive therapy and how it can be utilized to positively affect the God image treatment planning and case conceptualization important ethical issues for consideration With well-designed test and exercise forms and clear instructions on their use and interpretation, Pastoral Care of Depression provides the essential tools needed to work effectively with this important client group. Make it a part of your professional/teaching collection today!

Show the incarcerated how to find forgiveness in unforgiving surroundings As the prison population in the United States increases by more than 1,000 inmates each week, prison ministry programs must have a working blueprint for dealing with the shame, humiliation, hate, and loneliness of incarceration at both the adult correctional and juvenile detention/probation levels. Prison Ministry: Hope Behind the Wall demonstrates how a ministry can adapt Latin American Liberation theology to address oppression and bring prisoners into the community of Christ. Author Dennis Pierce, former chaplain at the Joliet Correctional Center in Illinois (where the Fox Network's 2005 Prison Break series is filmed), presents a functioning approach to forgiveness and reconciliation, combining pastoral counseling, Christian education, Bible studies, and worship to help inmates develop self-esteem and an overall feeling of self-worth through compassion and empathy. Prison Ministry: Hope Behind the Wall provides an alternative resource on our prison system for chaplains, pastors, priests, and students working in theology, ethics, or counseling. Instead of the usual descriptive narratives of inmates' lives or discussions of statistical approaches, this unique book combines a theological model with a viable programmatic approach to confront the oppression of incarceration and reverse its effects. The book looks at the vital issues facing juveniles in the criminal justice system (the transition from county jail to a correctional facility, victimization, rejection, under-stimulation, homosexual rape) and examines the creation of non-threatening niches to address coping structures needed to move toward forgiveness and reconciliation. Prison Ministry: Hope Behind the Wall examines: meeting the incarcerated defining prison's emotional ethos dealing with human breakdowns oppression in maximum-security prison components of empowerment needed for prison ministry Prison Ministry: Hope Behind the Wall also includes case studies of four inmates, an extensive bibliography, a glossary of prison terms, sample Bible studies, and sermon topics. The book is invaluable for anyone dealing with incarcerated youth and young adults in civilian or military correctional or juvenile detention facilities.

Know how to answer those most-asked questionsby using a scriptural perspective The search for answers remains a valuable catalyst for the growth of personal faith. Ask Anything: A Pastoral Theology of Inquiry provides a fresh approach to answering questions of personal growth, facing problems, and building community. The questions most asked of today's pastors and pastoral counselors are answered by integrating psychological with biblical/Christian perspectives. Jesus' own questions from scripture are presented as a response to those difficult questions, sparking a self-reflective personal dialogue that illuminates as well as inspires. As each of us journeys through life, urgent questions arise even for the most faithful. Each chapter of Ask Anything: A Pastoral Theology of Inquiry takes parishioners' most-asked questions about the basic issues of life, death, and faith, and connects them with Jesus' questions from scripture, allowing a new depth of introspection and thought. These questions open a free flow of ideas that refreshes personal perspectives and leads to a spiritual resolution for the issue at hand. Jesus' teachings spring to life through the questions from the gospels and the probing thoughts of contemporary authors and scholars, stimulating a productive inner dialogue and positive direction for reflection. Each chapter is carefully referenced and includes helpful exercises and questions for group discussion, counseling conversations, or personal contemplation. Appendixes are included with complete listings of Jesus' questions from the gospels as well as a complete bibliography to facilitate further research. Ask Anything: A Pastoral Theology of Inquiry discusses these questions often asked of pastors: Where do I find meaning in life? How can I succeed? What can I do to protect my children? How can I know which leaders to trust? What can I do about my battle with depression? What can I do about my burnout and fatigue? How can I know God loves me? What is prayer? What happens when I pray? Why is my prayer unanswered? Why is there suffering? Where do I find hope? What happens when I die? What can I do about the pain of grief? Ask Anything: A Pastoral Theology of Inquiry is inspiring, eye-opening reading perfect for pastoral and other Christian counselors, ministers with responsibility for preaching, and any layperson hoping to gather greater insight into Jesus' personal answers to their own questions.

There is much talk today of 'new ways of being church' and 'new monastic spirituality'. As Simon Reed explored the Celtic roots of the Christian faith, in community with others who drew inspiration from our spiritual ancestors in the British Isles, he came to realise that the third millennium church has much in common with the first millennium church, and more importantly, much to learn from it. In Creating Community, he introduces us to a new but at the same time very old way of being church which is based upon three core elements: a Way of Life, a network of Soul Friends, and a rhythm of prayer. The book shows how the rediscovery of these elements by Christians today offers a vital key that opens up an ancient way for modern churches, one which not only helps to bring believers to lasting maturity but creates genuine and much-needed community in an increasingly fragmented world.

In today's fluid culture, many churches are adrift--longing to reach spiritually thirsty people, but failing to make an impact. Have you noticed? Congregations are stuck or declining. Millennials and Gen Z are walking away. Volunteers and their generosity are drying up. Is your city, town, or neighborhood spiritually dry? Do you long to see more of the living water of Jesus flowing freely through your community, generating a fresh wave of ministry momentum? Buckle up: you're in for a whitewater ride! Liquid Church tells the fascinating story of a New Jersey church that began "on accident" and grew into one of America's 100 Fastest-Growing Churches, with over 5,000 in weekly attendance and more than 2,400 baptisms to date. Their secret? They harnessed the power of six powerful ministry currents sweeping across North America including: special needs, creative communication, ministry mergers, compassionate cause, radical generosity, and leadership development. With powerful stories and scriptural insights, backed by national research, Tim Lucas and Warren Bird describe dozens of fresh ideas, new ministry wineskins, and hard-won leadership learnings that resonate with rising generations in today's "show-then-tell" culture. Each chapter includes practical tools, real-life examples, and links to "Other Churches Making Waves" with cutting-edge ministry ideas designed to help saturate your city for Christ. Ready to dive deeper? Whether you serve a brand-new church plant, fast-growing congregation, or an aging ministry ready for reinvention, Liquid Church is an inspiring and practical guide for leaders ready to reach their spiritually thirsty neighbors--those who have given up on church, but haven't given up on God.

Improving your powers of communication can encourage powerful communication with your parishioners. A Pastor's Guide to Interpersonal Communication: The Other Six Days provides students preparing for the pastoral ministry with specialized training in communications that focuses on the kind of one-on-one conversations they can expect to have with their parishioners. This comprehensive book examines a variety of essential topics, including perception, self-disclosure, verbal and nonverbal messages, listening, stages of relational development, power assertiveness and dominance, conflict management, forgiveness, persuasion, dual relationships, pastoral family communication, and how to develop a communications model. Each chapter includes "Pastoral Conversations," real-life dialogues presented for analysis; "Key Concepts" for quick student review; "Meanings Mania," self-tests on vocabulary; and "Unleashing the Power of Interpersonal Communication," student exercises that reinforce the practical aspects of key principles. While many pastors have a great love for the people they minister to, they have difficulty demonstrating that love because they lack the skills to develop and maintain relationships. This book explores how communication works and how to make it work for you, applying the best available interpersonal communications techniques to your relationships with the real people of the church-your parishioners. A Pastor's Guide to Interpersonal Communication: The Other Six Days examines: how self-disclosure works and when it's appropriate for a pastor stumbling blocks and building blocks for effective listening the differences between power, assertiveness, and dominance and when to use each conflict management styles and negotiation strategies several myths about forgiveness dual relationships and how to avoid them pitfalls to avoid in pastoral family communication and much more A Pastor's Guide to Interpersonal Communication: The Other Six Days is an essential resource for Bible college students and for students at the pre-ministerial and seminary levels. It's also a valuable professional tool for clergy practitioners who need help with their communication skills.

The Bible gives instruction to those called to church leadership, challenging them to shepherd God's people by exercising oversight. But what does that mean? And how is it done in a way that is faithful to God and effective in enabling growth, individually and corporately? The Practical Shepherding series of guides provides pastors and ministry leaders with practical help to do the work of pastoral ministry in a local church. In Oversee God's People, pastors Brian Croft and Bryce Butler unpack what the Bible teaches about administration and the necessity of delegation in congregational leadership, offering practical suggestions to improve the structures, process, and relationships among leaders in your church.

"Brothers, pray for us." (1 Thessalonians 5:25). The Apostle Paul's letters are filled with references to prayer-requests for prayer from the churches, prayers for them, and teaching and encouragement that God was working through these prayers. Pastors and church leaders know that prayer is powerful and it must be a priority in any ministry, yet many pastors struggle to maintain an active prayer life. Ever more difficult is the challenge of praying for the flock, lifting up the needs of the people God has placed in your care. The Practical Shepherding series of guides provides pastors and ministry leaders with practical help to do the work of pastoral ministry in a local church. In Pray for the Flock, pastors Brian Croft and Ryan Fullerton provide biblical encouragement, practical advice, and helpful suggestions that will help busy pastors effectively pray for their people and care for their church through the ministry of intercession.

"Many white Christians across America are waking up to the fact that something is seriously wrong-but often this is where we get stuck." Confronted by the deep-rooted racial injustice in our society, many white Christians instinctively scramble to add diversity to their churches and ministries. But is diversity really the answer to the widespread racial dysfunction we see in the church? In this simple but powerful book, Pastor David Swanson contends that discipleship, not diversity, lies at the heart of our white churches' racial brokenness. Before white churches can pursue diversity, he argues, we must first take steps to address the faulty discipleship that has led to our segregation in the first place. Drawing on the work of philosopher James K. A. Smith and others, Swanson proposes that we rethink our churches' habits, or liturgies, and imagine together holistic, communal discipleship practices that can reform us as members of Christ's diverse body.

An expert practitioner answers to questions about the burgeoning organic church movement

Neil Cole's best-selling book "Organic Church" described the fastest growing segment of contemporary Christianity-the so-called organic church. Now in this next-step book, he answers questions about how to deal with theological and organizational issues that come up. He talks about issues such has what to do with finances, children, heresy, leader training, and rituals and ordinances. Without the top-down structure of a denomination, even people who are proponents of this small, house-church model worry that they are not doing it right. Offers an important resource for anyone involved with or thinking of starting an organic or house churchAddresses practical issues of theology, rituals, doctrinal heresy, how to handle children, finances, and other important questionsWritten by an acknowledged expert who is now and has been for over twenty years an organic church planter and practitionerA new Leadership Network title and follow-up to "Organic Church "

"Church 3.0" offers solid information about organic churches based on Cole's extensive experience in starting, nurturing, and mentoring in the organic church movement.

This hand sized NKJV edition is the perfect travel companion for readers who like to take their Bibles with them throughout the day. Though it fits easily into backpacks and purses, you won't have to sacrifice readability or study resources. The exclusive Thomas Nelson NKJV Comfort Print (R) typeface was designed to be easy to read at any size, so you can experience deeper engagement in God's Word. This edition also includes over 73,000 cross-references, a concordance, and full-color maps so you have everything you need for serious study at your fingertips. Features include: Presentation page Red letter words of Christ 73,000+ cross-references trace the connections in Scripture Concordance Full-color maps Clear and readable 7-point NKJV Comfort Print Commissioned in 1975 by Thomas Nelson, 130 international and multi-denominational Bible scholars, church leaders, and lay Christians worked for seven years to create a completely new, modern translation of Scripture that retained the purity and stylistic beauty of the King James Version. The New King James Version is faithful to the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic text, and provides transparency to the recent research in archaeology, linguistics, and textual studies in the footnotes. The result is a Bible translation that is both beautiful and uncompromising-perfect for serious study, devotional use, and reading aloud.

An easy-to-learn, easy-to-use tool for in-depth Bible study Beloved and acclaimed for more than five generations, the Thompson (R) Chain-Reference (R) Bible is unparalleled in its ability to enrich personal devotions, topical study, and sermon preparation. This unique reference Bible enables you to search the breadth of Scripture's teachings on thousands of topics and allows you to follow those topics throughout the entire Bible. With over 100,000 references, covering over 8,000 topics, the chain-reference system is an ideal tool for comprehensive topical study. The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible also offers a library of additional study resources that allows readers to interpret the Bible using related scripture passages rather than consulting a commentary. The KJV Thompson Chain-Reference Bible, Handy Size is printed in the KJV Comfort Print (R) typeface for easy reading. Expertly designed specifically to be used for the King James Version (KJV) text, Comfort Print offers an easier reading experience that complements the translation. This Bible also features a fresh, two-color design that preserves the original look of the chain-reference system, while making each page cleaner and easier to read. Features: Complete text of the King James Version (KJV) Easy-to-understand chain-reference system with over 100,000 references Alphabetical and numerical indexes highlight study materials for over 8,000 topics, each with its own topic number, for exhaustive topical study An extensive study resource section includes biographical sketches, illustrated studies of the Bible, a concordance, Bible harmonies, and many other helpful study tools Fresh, two-color page design 66 book introductions 16-page full-color map section with map index Line-matched text for enhanced readability Words of Jesus in red Presentation page for gift-giving Personal size for easy carrying Gilded page edges Two double-sided satin ribbon markers, each 3/8-inch wide Leathersoft (TM) cover lies flat when open Exclusive KJV Comfort Print typeface Print size: 8

A landmark textbook for Christian counselors that unpacks the core theological convictions behind sound counseling and outlines practical wisdom for counseling today. Since the beginning of the biblical counseling movement in 1970, biblical counselors have argued that counseling is a ministry of the Word, just like preaching or missions. As a ministry, counseling must be defined according to sound biblical theology rather than secular principles of psychology. For over four decades, biblical theology has been at the core of the biblical counseling movement. Leaders in biblical counseling have emphasized a commitment to teaching doctrine in their counseling courses out of the conviction that good theology leads to good counseling...and bad theology leads to bad counseling. A Theology of Biblical Counseling is an ideal resource for use in training biblical counselors at colleges, seminaries, and training institutes. In each chapter, doctrine comes to life in real ministry to real people, dramatically demonstrating how theology intersects with the lives of actual counselees.

Spent Matches explores the possibility that a few small paradigm shifts within the church might make the difference between extinction and effectiveness. In fact, taking a clue from the automobile industry, the church might be able to not only halt the rapid decay in attendance but also become an effective tool in achieving Jesus' final command. For instance, the Hybrid car has become the answer to Detroit's environmental and oil crisis issues. Finding the synergy between two technologies, gas and electric has created a new day for the auto industry. Likewise, Spent Matchesexplores how the church can find synergy between two seemingly competing thoughts: an invitation to come and a command to go. The Hybrid metaphor brings energy to the church's mission and an explanation to the age-old argument of Missional versus Attractional methods. Features include: * Innovative ideas for growing the church* Methods to reach those who may never have attended church* Scripture passages that touch on the subject of church growth

Learn how to focus your ministry's programs and services on the elderly By 2030, 20% of the people living in the United States will be age 65 or older, with unique spiritual needs that can affect their physical and mental well-being. Ministering to Older Adults answers the critical need for a ministry that doesn't center primarily on youth and families in its outreach, instead presenting a step-by-step guide to developing a ministry for the aged that is focused on the needs and resources of each congregation. This program has been used effectively with nearly 50 congregations, both large and small, to create a focused older adult ministry. No two congregations are alike. The resources, perspectives, and skills of each congregation are different, as are the needs of its members. Ministering to Older Adults provides a framework for use by planning groups within communities of any religious tradition. The book presents a process that includes essential questions that allow planning groups to develop answers that fit the needs, cultural, history, and structure of their individual congregations. Ministering to Older Adults is divided into three sections: The Fundamentalsdefining your audience, your mission, and the skills and existing programs that can be brought to the planning process Programming Possibilitiesspiritual needs based on the aging process, continued learning for older adults, opportunities to serve and be served, providing quality pastoral care, and community building Putting it All Togetherdeciding on a direction, using desired outcomes for evaluation, establishing target dates, and ongoing evaluation Ministering to Older Adults also includes forms and charts to help in the planning process. The book is an invaluable resource for clergy, ministry committees and planning groups, and staff persons responsible for older adult ministries.

Guidance for church leaders to develop their own maps and chart new paths toward stronger, more vibrant, and more missional congregations

In the burgeoning missional church movement, churches are seeking to become less focused on programs for members and more oriented toward outreach to people who are not already in church. This fundamental shift in what a congregation is and does and thinks is challenging for leaders and congregants. Using the metaphor of map-making, the book explains the perspective and skills needed to lead congregations and denominations in a time of radical change over unfamiliar terrain as churches change their focus from internal to external.Offers a clear guide for leaders wanting to transition to a missional church modelWritten by Alan Roxburgh, a prominent expert and practitioner in the missional movementGuides leaders seeking to create new maps for leadership and church organization and focusA Volume in the popular Leadership Network Series

This book is written to be accessible to all Christian congregational styles and denominations.