A Nazareth Manifesto is an eloquent and impassioned ecumenical proposal for re-envisioning Christianity s approach to social engagement away from working for the people to being with them. * Questions the effectiveness of the current trend of intervention as a means of fixing the problems of people in distressed and disadvantaged circumstances * Argues that Jesus spent 90% of his life simply being among the people of Nazareth, sharing their hopes and struggles, therefore Christians should place a similar emphasis on being alongside people in need rather than hastening to impose solutions * Written by a respected priest and broadcaster and renowned Christian ethicist and preacher * Supported by historical, contemporary, exegetical and anecdotal illustrations

This is John Flavel's classic work on union and fellowship with God. In a comprehensive and helpful manner Flavel helps us understand better what 'keeping the heart' means. He tells us why we should take this commission seriously and speaks about there being particular times when we need to be especially wary of being distracted from our goal. He then shows how we can go on to develop a greater ability in keeping our hearts in tune with God. His advice is timeless, sensitive and profound. Flavel was an English Puritan who became a non-conformist after the 'Great Ejection' of 1662. It was 10 years before he was licenced to preach again, and then only in his own home. His writings, when collected in the 19th century, filled 6 volumes. Flavel's writings are known for their practical nature. He was instrumental in promoting the 'Happy Union' of Presbyterians and Congregationalists.

These 'rules' are not serious, really. Except the ones that are. Clergy inhabit a fantastic, pressurised, privileged, frustrating and humbling role. They get to join in the highest and lowest points of people's lives, often on the same day. They have experiences. If they are very skilled they learn from them as well as laugh about them. This book is for to clergy like me, and anyone who does anything like the job of a parish priest. You might just recognise a few things, and you'll probably be able to think of some more. And it's for everyone we work with, minister among, share with, pray for and meet with. Normal people. If you're not quite sure what your ministers do all day, what they think about things, why they wear strange clothes, or what they really want to do with their congregation at the end of a busy Sunday, then Rules for Reverends will give you a clue.

This is a book that helps church leaders think through how to go about creating long-term communities for those who go along to Messy Church. It gives church leaders the theology and practical steps for a longer-term strategy to ensure that Messy Church and those who come along are given the right nurturing environment to grow and flourish.

Basic Types of Pastoral Care and Counseling remains the standardinpastoral and counseling. This third editionis enlarged and revised with updatedresources, methods, exercises, and illustrations from actual counseling sessions. This book will help readers be sensitive to cultural diversity, ethical issues, and power dynamicsas they practice holistic, growth-oriented pastoral care and counseling in the parish. "

Pastor and author Michael P. Fletcher asserts that a leadership pipeline can't be bought, rather it has to be built from the ground up. Fletcher guides the reader on how to build better leaders faster by creating a leadership development culture in your church or organization.

The key to continued success in any church or organization is a steady stream of healthy, growing leaders; but not just any leaders-leaders who carry the culture and embody its core values. But where can you find leaders like this?

Author and leadership consultant Michael Fletcher says these types of leaders can't simply be "bought" nor can they be hired off of someone else's "assembly line." These types of leaders have to be built through a leadership pipeline.

A good leadership pipeline will help articulate the values of the church or organization and define the process required to move forward in it. However, to develop leaders at every level in the organization, to create an environment that attracts potential leaders, and to build better leaders faster, an organization needs more than a pipeline-it will need a culture that develops leaders organically.

Tens of thousands of women and families every year lose a baby to miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. The statistics are sobering--between 10% and 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, 1% in stillbirth, and nearly 23,000 babies die before their first birthday--but statistics alone miss the depth of the hurt. Each loss is personal and devastating. No woman is prepared to lose a baby, and caregivers are often unaware of how best to help. In Hope Beyond an Empty Cradle therapist Hallie Scott first shares her own story, as a mother whose only child, Abigail, was stillborn, and then leads readers through a healing process that makes space for heartbreak, despair, guilt, questions, and anger. Life is never the same in the wake of the loss, but a new normal is possible. The book will be a welcome resource for families who have lost a child, as well as for those seeking to care for them in their traumatic grief.

It's not just what you say, but how you say it. Good communicators know this, but it's often easier said than done. Teachers, leaders, and speakers are often left bewildered, wondering why the content that was so carefully planned and delivered seems to fall flat with the audience. The art of communication requires more than the transfer of information; it both connects with and engages the hearer. To communicate well, speakers must understand both their audience and themselves. Speaking by the Numbers offers a strategy that combines communication principles with Enneagram wisdom to help leaders, pastors, and teachers understand how to convey content in ways that both inspire and connect with their audiences. Using the Enneagram wisdom of triads and stances, communicators can learn insight into the ways that various Enneagram numbers receive and process information. Sean Palmer draws from his extensive experience as a public speaker to develop communication strategies that lead to connection, transformation, and mobilization of audiences. Providing real examples of speeches and messages he has given, Palmer shows how he uses the Enneagram to craft a message that connects with his audience. A healthy marriage of Enneagram wisdom and communication skill can help us speak with clarity into the heart of where people live, love, and experience life.

What Are Spiritual Gifts? The subject of spiritual gifts can seem complicated: Who has spiritual gifts--"spiritual people" or everybody? What are spiritual gifts anyway? Understanding Spiritual Gifts takes you straight to God's Word to discover answers from the Gift-Giver Himself. As you dig into Bible passages about God's design for each of us, you'll find out that spiritual gifts aren't complicated--but they are life-changing. Here you will uncover what spiritual gifts are, where they come from, who has them, how they are received, and how they work within the church. As you study, you will have a new vision for how you can use your God-given gifts to bring hope to your home, your church, and a hurting world. 40 Minutes a Week Could Change Your Life! The 40-Minute Bible Studies series from the teaching team at Precept Ministries International tackles the topics that matter to you. These inductive study guides, designed to be completed in just six 40-minute lessons with no homework required, help you discover for yourself what God says and how it applies to your life today. With the leader's notes and Bible passages included right in the book, each self-contained study is a powerful resource for personal growth and small-group discussion.

Even in the middle of brokenness and overwhelming pain, God has a plan and a purpose for your life, and he is ready to heal you in ways you never thought possible. Join Shawn Johnson, lead pastor of Red Rocks Church, as he gives a searingly honest portrait of anxiety and depression and shows readers how to fight back and live free. Shawn Johnson was the lead pastor of a thriving, fast-growing church. He was supposed to have it all together. But he was also struggling in silence with anxiety and depression, suffering from debilitating panic attacks that told him the lie that this would never end, that he'd spend the rest of his life in excruciating pain. In Attacking Anxiety, Shawn vulnerably shares about this dark time and offers those familiar with that same struggle everything he's learned in his battles with anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. Join Shawn as he: Exposes the lies that lead to isolation and replace them with the truths that are essential to survival Reveals the things that most of us don't realize are adding more anxiety and depression to our lives and replace them with the wisdom and support that lead to true freedom Explains what to do when you, or someone you love, is in the middle of a panic attack Guides you through what you need to know in order to start attacking anxiety and depression Praise for Attacking Anxiety: "In our current culture where depression and anxiety are at an all-time high, Attacking Anxiety comes at just the right time. This book is the perfect resource to read if you, like me, have battled anxiousness, loss of control, or even the inability to cope. Pastor Shawn dives into how we can live a life where anxiety isn't our label or our future. He shows us that we don't have to just sit back and let it attack us, we can choose to fight back--with the weapons of God's Word--and overcome the anxiety monster once and for all and live the life God always intended for us to live: free." --Madison Prewitt, bestselling author of Made for This Moment

An all-in-one introduction to Messy Church. When you need to introduce your children's workers, family coordinators and church leaders to the concept of all-involving, activity-based, new-to-church worship, this is the quick-to-read resource that explains it all. Starting Your Messy Church is structured into bite-sized sections which take you through the essentials of how to construct a strategy and put your plans to start your own Messy Church ministry into action. The book includes (among many other things) checklists, milestones and questions to ask of a Messy Church that you might visit, together with an honest and down-to-earth look at the 'Things we wish we'd known' from experienced Messy Church practitioners.

It is not always about the message but about the connection. In this day of multi-tasking, distraction and technology overload, the message may miss the mark. With easy-to-follow suggestions, Wiseman will help any preacher, lay and ordained, to take risks and embrace creative ways to preach a powerful message that will be heard and touch the spirit.

The church finds itself in a period of great diversification and multiple expressions. In the midst of great change, we have become confused about what really makes for healthy and authentic pastoral leadership. What are the basic and common characteristics necessary for pastors to be effective? How can lay people understand the pastoral call more fully and partner better with pastors for the health of their church? Here Mannoia and Walkemeyer examine the foundations of pastoral effectiveness and bring together nine experienced pastoral leaders to discuss the basic characteristics that exist in effective pastors. Regardless of context or personality, ineffectiveness in pastors and subsequent ill health in churches is often not the result of a lack of calling, but instead is the result of misappropriated efforts to find success. Let's help those who are called to be good stewards of their call. And let's help churches have a chance to be healthy under the leadership of effective pastors!

The Celebrate Recovery Participant's Guides are essential tools for the personal recovery journey. In the five lessons in Guide 2: Taking an Honest and Spiritual Inventory, you will experience an in-depth look at the 4th principle in the recovery process: 4 Openly examine and confess my faults to God, to myself, and to someone I trust. "Happy are the pure in heart" (Matthew 5:8). By working through the lessons and exercises found in each of the four Participant's Guides you will begin to experience the true peace and serenity you have been seeking, restore and develop stronger relationships with others and with God, and find freedom from life's hurts, hang-ups, and habits. All the scriptures have been updated to the new NIV 2011 version.

Don't sacrifice readability for portability with this KJV Giant Print Thinline Bible. The extra-large Bible text features Thomas Nelson's exclusive KJV Comfort Print, which was designed to be the easiest to read at any size. Crafted with a highly durable Smyth-sewn binding, each of the Bibles in this Vintage Series has an elegant cover with rich colors and ornate design paying tribute to the legacy of the King James Version. Features include: Presentation page Words of Christ in red One-year reading plan Full-color maps Satin ribbon markers Clear and readable 12-point KJV Comfort Print More than 400 years after its initial publication, the bestselling King James Version Bible continues to inspire, encourage, and strengthen people from all walks of life. The KJV is considered one of the most influential and beautiful works of literature in the English language and the favorite, trusted translation for millions of Christians worldwide.