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 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. Premier Collection Bibles combine fine craftsmanship with ultimate readability. They are bound in the softest, finest goatskin available and feature quality finishes such as beautiful art gilding, durable edge lining, and three thick ribbon markers. Encased in a durable 2-piece box and elegantly wrapped in protective paper, each Premier Collection Bible is safely secured and packaged with careful attention to detail. 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 Black letter edition Hand-bound in a supple goatskin leather cover with raised spine hubs Smyth-sewn and edge-lined construction for flexibility Gilt line and perimeter stitching Premium European Bible paper, 36 GSM Presentation page for gift-giving Art gilded page edges Three double-sided satin ribbon markers, each 3/8-inch wide Exclusive KJV Comfort Print typeface Print size: 9.5

An easy-to-learn, easy-to-use tool for in-depth Bible study With a patented reference system 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 easy-to-learn, easy-to-use system enables you to see the breadth of Scripture's teachings on thousands of topics. With over 100,000 references listed in the Bible's margins, covering over 8,000 topics, the chain-reference system is an ideal tool for comprehensive topical study. You can also expand your Bible study with even more tools, including biographical sketches, an archeological supplement, and outlines of each book of the Bible. The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible allows Scripture to interpret itself without commentaries. Features: Full text of the English Standard Version (ESV) Easy to understand Chain-Reference System with over 100,000 references in the margins References cover over 8,000 topics, each with its own pilot number for exhaustive topical study Complete alphabetical and numerical indices listing all 8,000 topics with corresponding pilot numbers and Bible references for comprehensive topical study Bible study aids such as biographical sketches of the most prominent people in the Bible, an archeological supplement, glossary, concordance, Bible harmonies, and outlines of each book of the Bible Key Verses and Key Thoughts provide basic information you can use to develop your own study Verse Analysis shows the topics and themes of every verse and provides easy reference to other verses with the same topics or themes 16-page full-color map section Words of Christ in red Satin ribbon marker Presentation page for gift-giving Gold gilded page edges Cover lies flat when open Thumb indexed tabs to help you find each book of the Bible 8.3-point type size

The church as we know it is calibrated for a world that no longer exists. It needs to recalibrate in order to address the questions that animate today's congregants. Leading congregational studies researcher Scott Cormode explores the role of Christian practices in recalibrating the church for the twenty-first century, offering church leaders innovative ways to express the never-changing gospel to their ever-changing congregations. The book has been road-tested with over one hundred churches through the Fuller Youth Institute and includes five questions that guide Christian leaders who wish to innovate.

How does the doctrine of sanctification shape the Christian life? Offering a fully developed treatment of "accomplished" sanctification, Don Payne explains that the primary biblical focus in sanctification is not progressive growth but that which has already occurred for Christians to make growth possible, necessary, and grace-driven. As Payne explores the significance Scripture attributes to the accomplished aspect of sanctification, he helps us understand that we are already sanctified. Sanctification is not synonymous with transformation but undergirds strategies and resources related to Christian discipleship and formation.

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 European bonded leather cover lies flat when open Exclusive KJV Comfort Print typeface Print size: 8

Outreach Resource of the Year The Gospel Coalition Book Award The church is at its best when it pursues the biblical value of unity in diversity. Our world has been torn asunder by racial, ethnic, and ideological differences. It is seen in our politics, felt in our families, and ingrained in our theology. Sadly, the church has often reinforced these ethnic and racial divides. To cast off the ugliness of disunity and heal our fractured humanity, we must cultivate spiritual practices that help us pursue beautiful community. In The Beautiful Community, pastor and theologian Irwyn Ince boldly unpacks the reasons for our divisions while gently guiding us toward our true hope for wholeness and reconciliation. God reveals himself to us in his trinitarian life as the perfection of beauty, and essential to this beauty is his work as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The gospel imperative to pursue the beautiful community-unity in diversity across lines of difference-is rooted in reflecting the beautiful community of our triune God. This book calls us into and provides tools for that pursuit.

Christopher Ash and Steve Midgley explore the root and character of human anger, examine the righteous anger of God, and offer readers practical wisdom about the way the gospel can gradually transform a heart of anger into a heart filled with the love of God.

Steve Gallagher?'s work is like a pair of pliers in your toolbox helpful in a variety of circumstances. Just getting started in biblical counseling? Need insight to help a homosexual or pastor who has failed morally? Wondering how to counsel a hurting wife or teenager fighting porn's grip? Steve addresses all these issues and more in a biblically sound manner that will help you minister to people in bondage to sexual sin. Whether you are counseling, running a support group or looking for answers yourself, I urge you to read this book and use what you learn. Pliers aren t meant to be kept in the toolbox!

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.

Stay up-to-date in health care ministry as cultural and spiritual heterogeneity increases Ministry in the Spiritual and Cultural Diversity in Health Care: Increasing the Competency of Chaplains identifies concrete methods for improving the provision of pastoral care to culturally and religiously diverse patients and/or residents. Experts from both inside and outside the profession with established records in cross-cultural work and experience with religious diversity discuss in detail the multicultural revolution that has challenged the traditional health care delivery system. With this timely resource, you will be able to respond to the requests and desires of patients and their loved ones with compassion and consideration for their cultural and spiritual backgrounds. Ministry in the Spiritual and Cultural Diversity in Health Care explores the challenges for the spiritual care professional in health care to address the emotional, cultural, and spiritual needs of a patient without assumption, bias, or discomfort for either person.In addition to advice, recommendations, and real-world examples and case studies, this valuable resource provides a guide for chaplaincy supervisors to use when training chaplain students to impart such unprejudiced care. The book is devoted to establishing chaplains who are clinically trained and certified to contribute to the increasingly pluralistic and global health care context with assorted religious, spiritual, and cultural values, beliefs, and practices. Ministry in the Spiritual and Cultural Diversity in Health Care will keep you updated on: how a health care chaplain can overlook the differing worldview of a patient and his or her family how cultural diversity impacts the work of the health care chaplain specific strategies and tools that will assist chaplains in acquiring spiritual and cultural competency definitions, obstacles, and standards of care for fostering a genuine multicultural perspective among health care givers, particularly chaplains how professional health care chaplains take leadership in responding to cultural and spiritual diversity within health care environments

The necessary context of prophetic preaching, Walter Brueggemann argues, is a contestation between narratives: the dominant narrative of our time, which promoting self-sufficiency at the national level (through militarism) and the personal (through consumerism), and the countervailing narrative of a world claimed by a God who is gracious, uncompromisingand real. In previous work Brueggemann has pointed us again and again to the indispensability of imagination. Here he writes for those who bear responsibility for regular proclamation in communities of faith, describing the discipline of a prophetic imagination that is unflinchingly realistic and unwaveringly candid.

This book is a craft book with a difference! As well as bulging with craft ideas to inspire your creativity at Messy Church, it is also a journal to scribble in, doodle on and generally make your own. The intention is that it will become a scrapbook of conversations, messy moments and prayers - a part of everyday life at home where you can sketch in your own ideas, list useful websites, make notes, reflect on spiritual moments, and journal your Messy Church journey.

Christians are hungry for a return to their own tradition to cultivate meditation practices that are both psychologically and spiritually fruitful. In recent decades, mindfulness meditation, which originates from the Buddhist tradition, has been embraced in many settings as a method for addressing a plethora of symptoms. What would it look like to turn instead to the Christian faith for resources to more effectively identify and respond to psychological suffering? Over the last decade, Dr. Joshua Knabb has conducted a variety of empirical studies on Christian meditation, focusing on both building theory and testing specific, replicable practices. In this overview and workbook he presents the foundations of a Christian-sensitive approach to meditation in clinical practice. Filled with practical features for immediate use by Christian clients and their therapists, Christian Meditation in Clinical Practice provides an introduction to the rich resources on meditation from eight major streams of the Christian tradition practices from the early desert Christians, Ignatius of Loyola, Celtic Christians, the Puritans, contemporary writers, and many others guidance for targeting transdiagnostic processes-patterns of cognition, affect, behavior, the self, and relationships that may lead to psychological suffering research-based evidence for the benefits of Christian meditation client-friendly tools for practicing meditation, including step-by-step instructions, worksheets, journaling prompts, and links to tailored audio resources Using the approach of Christian psychology, Knabb's model dually builds on a biblical worldview and integrates the latest research in clinical psychology. As clients engage the variety of meditative exercises in this book, they will move toward healthier responses to difficult experiences and a deeper awareness of, and contentment in, God. Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS) Books explore how Christianity relates to mental health and behavioral sciences including psychology, counseling, social work, and marriage and family therapy in order to equip Christian clinicians to support the well-being of their clients.

Life as a pastor's wife offers meaningful opportunities to play a significant part in God's work, to witness and participate in the beauty of changed lives. Yet it also carries the potential for deep wounds and great conflict that can drain the joy out of service. Is it worth it? Oh, yes, says Kay Warren, wife of Pastor Rick Warren and cofounder of Saddleback Church. It is more than worth the risk--it's a sacred privilege. Drawing on more than forty years in ministry in every possible size church, Kay provides encouraging principles and life lessons, along with intimate personal stories, that will give readers the confidence needed to lead and live well. Pastor's wives learn to - accept who they are - adapt to change - help their children survive and thrive - protect their private lives - deal with criticism - live with integrity - develop an eternal perspective Whether she is excited, struggling, or feeling broken and tired, every pastor's wife will find hope and encouragement for their calling in Kay's warm and wise words.

You were meant to live free, healed, and whole!

And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity (Luke 13:12 KJV)

Do you feel imprisoned by past failures...like you just can’t break free from all the guilt, condemnation and shame? Does your heart long to experience true joy and lasting wholeness? Then it’s time for you to start living the free and flourishing life God that has always intended.

For over 20 years, T.D. Jakes’ classic bestseller, Woman Thou Art Loosed!, has brought hope and healing to countless women. From the insecure teenager to the battered wife, and from the hopeless woman to the broken female soul—no matter where you find yourself today, you can experience a better tomorrow!

In these healing pages, you will receive:

· Keys to finding freedom from the pain of the past

· Deliverance from self-hatred and low self-esteem

· Healing for a wounded heart

· Hope for a wounded heart

· Hope for a bright, glorious future

There is freedom available for you, regardless of the tragedy, trauma and disappointments that life has brought. Let today be the first day on your journey towards complete healing and deliverance!

Despite astute critiques and available resources for alternative modes of thinking and practicing, individualism continues to be a dominating and constraining ideology in the field of pastoral psychotherapy and counseling. Philip Rieff was one of the first to highlight the negative implications of individualism in psychotherapeutic theories and practices. As heirs and often enthusiasts of the Freudian tradition of which Rieff and others are critical, pastoral theologians have felt the sting of his charge, and yet the empirical research that McClure presents shows that pastoral-counseling practitioners resist change. Their attempts to overcome an individualistic perspective have been limited and ineffective because individualism is embedded in the field's dominant theological and theoretical resources, practices, and organizational arrangements. Only a radical reappraisal of these will make possible pastoral counseling practices in a post-individualistic mode. McClure proposes several critical transformations: broadening and deepening the operative theologies used to guide the healing practice, expanding the role of the pastoral counselor, reimagining the operative anthropology, reclaiming sin and judgment, nuancing the particular against the individual, rethinking the ideal outcome of the practices, and reimagining the organizational structures that support the practices. Only this level of revisioning will enable this ministry of the church to move beyond its individualistic limitations and offer healing in more complex, effective, and socially adequate ways.

In this addition to the Short Studies in Biblical Theology series, William Osborne traces the theme of blessing throughout the Bible, equipping readers with a fuller understanding of God's benevolence for everyday life.

Are You Called to Ministry?

Those who are involved in full-time ministry often say they have been called to do what they do. But what does that mean? Who does the calling, and how is it received?

In Prepare Them to Shepherd, pastor Brian Croft unpacks the biblical model for preparing individuals for full-time ministry. In the past, training and sending individuals into full-time pastoral ministry and missionary work was viewed as the responsibility of the local church. Today, much of that responsibility has been delegated to Bible colleges, seminaries, and parachurch and mission organizations.

The aim of Prepare Them to Shepherd is to challenge local churches to recover the biblical model for ministerial training and assume responsibility to identify and prepare gifted and godly individuals for service in Christ s body. Part of the Practical Shepherding series of books, this insightful book provides pastors and ministry leaders with the practical help they need to test, train, affirm, and send those who are called into ministry."

If I had known the Enneagram earlier in my ministry, I would have been a much better pastor. When this thought came to Todd Wilson, he had already served as a pastor in several churches for the better part of fifteen years and was successfully leading a large, historic, and diverse congregation. He'd started out in ministry with a strong education in everything from biblical exegesis and homiletics to organizational development and Christian education. However, at its root, pastoral ministry is about shepherding, serving, leading, and loving people, and Todd realized that what he lacked was wisdom about how people work. He says, "When it came to empathetically shepherding people and sensitively engaging their manifold personalities and diverse ways of seeing the world, I was an amateur." Whether you are on a church staff or leading a small group, you will find that the insights from the Enneagram that have helped many grow in self-awareness can be applied to life in our faith communities. The Enneagram can help us to become better teachers. It can influence how we develop worship and Christian education. And it can guide us in building and leading teams. It's time to take the Enneagram to church-and to allow it to shape our life together.

Create pathways in theological education and congregational practice for people with disabilities! Graduate Theological Education and the Human Experience of Disability examines graduate schools of theology and their limited familiarity with the study of disabilityand the presence of people with disabilities in particularon their campuses. Dubbed a missing note by one theologian, this text offers critical research and illuminates new pathways for theologia and practice in the community of faith. Reviews of previous literature, theology, and practices illuminate how people with disabilities have historically been marginalized by the religious community. Theologians, people with disabilities, and researchers offer suggestions for incorporating disability studies into theological education and religious life. This text contains firsthand testimony from people with disabilities who are the necessary sources of wisdom for overcoming barriers. By infusing education into existing theological curriculum, seminaries may better prepare their students for leadership and ministry in their congregations. People with disabilities number 18% of the population, yet represent only 5-7% of congregational membership. This book explores aspects of theology and disability such as: the challenges faced by theological schools that desire to improve both theological curriculum and facilities a review of literature that connects theology and disabilityfrom sources such as scripture, history, faith traditions, and social theory the various ideologies that shape the way the human body is understoodredefining normal in theological education an overview of critical boundaries that mark the limits and possibilities for theological inquiry about the human experience of disability creative concepts that religious communities may use to better include people with disabilities and their families how the religious community may benefit from the gifts, talents, and leadership of people with disabilities Graduate Theological Education and the Human Experience of Disability contains a reprint of Dr. Harold Wilke's landmark 1978 article from Theological Education (published by the Association of Theological Schools). Dr. Wilke, born without arms, was the theologian, minister and scholar who first articulated the need to address the human experience of disability in both theological education and congregational life. With extensive biographies and inclusive liturgies, this innovative text is a valuable resource for seminary professors and leaders, clergy, and disability advocates.

Spiritual direction is increasingly popular among Christians of all mainstream traditions, with demand for directors outstripping supply in many places. And although the Bible is central to the practice of spiritual direction, very little has been published on how best to use it in this form of ministry. Experienced spiritual director Liz Hoare explores the central role the Bible has played in Christian experience, in order to discourage poor, shallow, or rigid use of the Bible, which can lead to damage and inhibit spiritual growth. According to Hoare, the goal of spiritual direction is not a personal improvement plan but a people who are being shaped into the likeness of Christ, for the flourishing of the church as a whole. Using different methods of praying with the Bible and drawing on historical traditions of Christian spirituality, as well as current literature and practice, this book offers a rich, stimulating, and thoroughly biblical resource for all those who give and receive spiritual direction.