Helping churches to reconnect and value their environment. A creative worship and activity resource for churches to use outside the church building, Outdoor Church functions in any green space and is suitable for churches in urban, suburban and rural contexts. - Four sessions for each season - Four stand-alone service outlines, one for each season - Material based on Bible stories and parables - All-age activities and seasonal prayers - Indoor alternatives for rainy days

How do pastors, chaplains, and caregivers assess the spiritual well-being and needs of the people they minister to? George Fitchett presents a model for spiritual assessment that he and his colleagues developed, illustrated with case studies. He reviews a number of other models and provides a six-part framework for evaluating them. Pastoral caregivers find that the effectiveness of their ministry is enhanced when they are able accurately to identify problem areas and needs in the spiritual lives of the people with whom they work. This book addresses many of the questions pastoral caregivers have raised about this timely topic and provides an informed and balanced approach for making decisions about spiritual assessment models and tools. George Fitchett is associate professor and director of research and spiritual assessment in the Department of Religion, Health, and Human Values at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago.

Maureen Conroy, author of the best-selling The Discerning Heart (Loyola University Press, 1993), offers another pioneering effort in the arena of spiritual direction and pastoral counseling. Looking into the Well: Supervision of Spiritual Directors is the first book-length treatment of the supervision and development of spiritual directors. Looking into the Well is specifically written with spiritual directors, supervisors, and educators of spiritual directors in mind. Proper supervision, the author declares, is necessary for the development of skilled spiritual directors. By providing examples of learning experiences for spiritual directors, supervisors, and training teams, Looking into the Well offers an experiential approach to the art and science of spiritual direction that can be used for personal reflection as well as for group discussion and role-playing. In addition, the book offers prayer and reflection experiences, case studies, evaluation methods, and other experiences for group and individual use. Examples of verbatim conversations between directors and supervisors are also included.

In the aftermath of Jesus' resurrection, the testimonies of those who had followed him were so bold and powerful that they turned the world upside down. What would happen if we lived with that same kind of faith today? In the first century, believer didn't just mean someone who heard and agreed with Jesus; it meant someone who acted on that belief. And when the outside world saw the faith of these new believers, they declared "they turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6). In this follow-up to What If It's True? Charles Martin, a New York Times bestselling novelist, blends storytelling and teaching to explore the lives of the disciples in the aftermath of the Resurrection and as they spread the message of the Gospel and "turn the world upside down", leading up to Paul's ministry in Thessalonica. In his beloved lyrical style, Martin illuminates key moments from Scripture and shares stories from his own life as a disciple. Learn to become a believer who: Understands how the truth of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection so powerfully reshaped history Uses the lives of the disciples as inspiration to be the light in a dark world Lives every moment with the disciples' same world-changing faith today Filled with supporting Scripture and beautiful examples of prayers to offer as supplications before the throne of grace, this book will show you what our world could look like if we lived as the disciples did: with an unwavering confidence in the power and presence of God.

Why settle for success when you can have God's favor? Deep down everyone wants God's best for their lives-also known as God's favor. Unfortunately, most of the time we don't feel "favored" when we're being "blessed." It takes perspective to recognize what's going on. God often uses confusing, painful, and counterintuitive measures to bring us his best in our lives. God is always working for our good, even though we may not recognize it at the time. We want immediate success and easy positive results. God wants long-term transformation. Pastor Brian Jones weaves together stories and Scripture to help readers find God's favor in their own lives.

This book argues that the discipline of practical theology needs to be re-shaped in the light of the impact of various influences created through the encounter with globalization. Essential to this is an engagement with the insights of other disciplines, e.g. sociology, politics, economics and philosophy. The content and authority of the Christian tradition is being challenged by the blurred encounters with more fluid lifestyles, alternative spiritualities and indeed other faiths as mediated through information technology and the breakdown of attachments to all forms of institutional life. Traditional ways of 'belonging' and relating to places and structures are being eroded leaving the established patterns of ministry, worship, church organisation the province of an ageing population, while those who are now more inclined to search for 'communities of interest' avoid being drawn into the practices and structures of formal religion. What is the future for practical theology in this rapidly changing context? By examining the familiar concerns of the subject John Reader shows how it is in danger of operating with 'zombie categories' - still alive but only just - and presents the possibilities for a reflexive spirituality grounded in the Christian tradition as a way into the future.

Elsie Chamberlain was a leading figure in British broadcasting and religious life. She was a pioneer in many areas: the first woman chaplain to the armed forces; the first nonconformist minister to marry an Anglican clergyman; the first woman producer in the religious broadcasting dept of the BBC and the first woman to present the daily service on the radio. Her broadcasting accustomed many listeners to the idea of a woman leading public worship. And she became the first woman to occupy the chair of the Congregational Union of England and Wales and almost certainly the first woman anywhere in the world to head a major denomination. Elsie Chamberlain is the first full biography and a critical appreciation of this exceptional woman. Using original church and BBC archive sources, the book tells the story of a woman who did more than any other to change the way Christian women ministers are viewed.

Community within the church today is hemorrhaging. Attention spans are dwindling, noise levels are increasing, and we can't seem to find time for real relationships.

The answer to such social fragmentation can be found in small groups, and yet the majority of small groups--at least in the traditional sense--are often not the intentional, transformational community we really want and need. Somehow we need to get our groups off life support and into authentic community.

Pastor Brad House helps us to re-imagine what gospel-centered community looks like and shares from his experience leading and reproducing healthy small groups. With wisdom and candor, House challenges us to think carefully about our own groups and to take steps toward cultivating communities that are able to glorify Jesus, bless one another, and participate in the mission of God.

You have a passionate desire to take the church outside its four walls and make the love of Jesus practical, visible, and lived out in daily life. But how? How do you put into action what is stirring in your heart? Indispensable Church provides you and your church real-world, hands-on steps to create a revolution of service to your local community in the name of Christ. By exploring the life of Jesus and the strategic ways he modeled serving the people around him, pastor Chris Sonksen shows you how to put love into action in your neighborhood and your city. The step-by-step instructions, biblical challenges, and teaching resources will help you take love to the streets and make an impact right where you live.

Corrections officials faced with rising populations and shrinking budgets have increasingly welcomed "faith-based" providers offering services at no cost to help meet the needs of inmates. Drawing from three years of on-site research, this book utilizes survey analysis along with life-history interviews of inmates and staff to explore the history, purpose, and functioning of the Inmate Minister program at Louisiana State Penitentiary (aka "Angola"), America's largest maximum-security prison. This book takes seriously attributions from inmates that faith is helpful for "surviving prison" and explores the implications of religious programming for an American corrections system in crisis, featuring high recidivism, dehumanizing violence, and often draconian punishments. A first-of-its-kind prototype in a quickly expanding policy arena, Angola's unique Inmate Minister program deploys trained graduates of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in bi-vocational pastoral service roles throughout the prison. Inmates lead their own congregations and serve in lay-ministry capacities in hospice, cell block visitation, delivery of familial death notifications to fellow inmates, "sidewalk counseling" and tier ministry, officiating inmate funerals, and delivering "care packages" to indigent prisoners. Life-history interviews uncover deep-level change in self-identity corresponding with a growing body of research on identity change and religiously motivated desistance. The concluding chapter addresses concerns regarding the First Amendment, the dysfunctional state of U.S. corrections, and directions for future research.

A Top Ten Book for Parish Ministry in 2017, Academy of Parish Clergy The loss or disaffiliation of young adults is a much-discussed topic in churches today. Many faith-formation programs focus on keeping the young, believing the youthful spirit will save the church. But do these programs have more to do with an obsession with youthfulness than with helping young people encounter the living God? Questioning the search for new or improved faith-formation programs, leading practical theologian Andrew Root offers an alternative take on the issue of youth drifting away from the church and articulates how faith can be formed in our secular age. He offers a theology of faith constructed from a rich cultural conversation, providing a deeper understanding of the phenomena of the "nones" and "moralistic therapeutic deism." Root helps readers understand why forming faith is so hard in our context and shows that what we have lost is not the ability to keep people connected to our churches but an imagination for how and where God could be present in their lives. He considers what faith is and what steps we can take to move into it, exploring a Pauline concept of faith as encounter with divine action. This is the first book in Root's Ministry in a Secular Age series.

All Christian leaders face challenges. But God works in us, with us and through us to accomplish his eternal purposes. Here is practical wisdom from a much-respected leader speaking personally on: discouragement - how to persevere under pressure self-discipline - how to maintain spiritual freshness relationships - how to treat people with respect youth - how to lead when still comparatively young. Complementing the above are two examples of 'Timothys', in the form of personal tributes from former study assistants who worked side by side with the author.

How can pastors become resilient in a rapidly changing world? Is it possible to love well and lead faithfully? In the wake of crises that have exposed and accelerated massive cultural shifts, we see more clearly the seismic shifts of post-Christendom, the surging storms of a new paganism and pluralism, and the scattered debris of the cultural aftermath. Drawing on new research from the Barna Group, Scripture, and church history, pastor, theologian, and researcher Glenn Packiam addresses some of the most pressing questions for today's leaders, including - What is a pastor's calling and vocation? - How do church leaders regain credibility in a disillusioned world? - How do church leaders cultivate a deeper life with God? - How do pastors develop meaningful relationships? - Why does the church gather in worship? Does it still matter if we do? - How do we actually make disciples in this new landscape? - How can we face the challenges to unity presented by nationalism and racism? - What is the church's mission in the world? - How do we welcome the presence and power of God in our churches? This book is for all who are burdened by the challenges facing the church as well as the turbulence of our times. With infographics, enlightening data, and insights from other ministry leaders, this book is the perfect resource for church leaders who want to cultivate resilience in their ministry today.

It because pastoral care and counseling facilitate personal agency and efficacy (personal, social, and political empowerment and transformation) that African American pastoral care and counseling are inherently political processes, contends Wimberly. In this new book, he outlines the theological anthropology that under girds the practices of care and the practices of self as holistic processes. He shows those who engage in pastoral counseling with African Americans how to navigate around the negative self-images, identities, and stories into which they have been recruited in order to liberate themselves to discern how to best make use of their personal and political agency and efficacy.

Stories are the connective tissue between culture and nature, self and other, life and death, that sew the world together, and in telling, the soul quickens and comes alive. This volume describes the inherently narrative process of spiritual direction in relationship to our modern or postmodern contexts. It discusses the significance of narrative across cultures, core metaphors of the self, the benefits of narrative situations and recent research related to the autobiographical self. It encourages spiritual directors to pay close attention to the actual stories directees tell and suggests helpful responses directors can make to these sacred tales based on theory and illustrated with rich case material. Highlights: * There is no other work on spiritual direction that shows how central narrative is to the process. * It is both theoretical and concrete in its treatment showing the relevance of some key hermeneutical and literary theories to working with narrative. * It draws on important discoveries from neuroscience and personality theory related to the sense of self and applies it to religious experience * It fosters a sense of self in relation to God, self, and others in the context of both cultural stories and the stories of one's religious tradition.

Strong leaders have vision that is both far-reaching and focused on the details. Having that vision is what separates the church with a hodge-podge of ineffective programs and activities from churches that reach people effectively, efficiently, and consistently with the Good News. Now in its third edition, this groundbreaking book continues to offer church planters, pastors, and ministry leaders concrete help with crafting vision statements, encouraging buy-in from the influencers in the church, turning up the energy level, and ultimately growing the church.

'Tales of Unusual Deliverance Experiences' as told by Frank Hammond and Frank Marzullo. Almost 40 Deliverance Testimonies! The two Franks became life-long friends and fellow deliverance ministers after they first met and ministered together in 1975. They have since traveled together with their wives to various cities in the US, Mexico, England and Columbia. Over the years they have shared with one another the humorous, strange, exciting, and bizarre things experienced in their Ministries of Healing and Deliverance. Learn about the extraordinary from two extraordinary men!

Nones claim no religion. Dones have become disillusioned and left the church. Research shows many young adults are landing in one of these camps. But that's not the end of the story. Many emerging adults, ages eighteen to thirty-three, are tossing aside the none and done labels and are instead embracing a transformative Christian faith. Based on her extensive research, scholar-practitioner Beth Seversen outlines a model for how to engage and retain millennials and Generation Z in the life of the local church. Emerging adults are likely to experience spiritual transformation in churches that welcome them into community, provide meaningful opportunities to make a difference, and invest in their development. Whether you're a senior pastor or a youth minister, a parent or an educator, Not Done Yet will open your eyes to the generational barriers to vibrant faith while equipping you with insights to make your outreach to emerging adults more authentic and impactful.

The Mastering Ministry Series covers the various challenges of a ministry encounters and teaches how to deal with them-one subject at a time. Mastering Ministry is a perfect "survival guide" for today's pastor addressing relevant topics such as worship, preaching, controversies, evangelism, church management, pastoral care, fundraising and personal growth.

In simpler, more homogenous times, youth ministry was a relatively straightforward activity. The church's youth gathered (occasionally inviting their unchurched friends from school), played together, sang together and listened together to a message from a bright, engaging youth minister, selecting from a relatively defined set of topics: "What does it mean to follow Jesus when it comes to _______?" Now Christian youth must make sense of their faith, with its exclusive claims, in light of their close friends who are Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, atheist, "other" or even "none." And increasingly other religions are taking their cues for rooting and establishing their youth from Christian ministry practices, so that our kids are being invited to outreach events sponsored by other faiths. Veteran youth minister and researcher Len Kageler digs into the data surrounding this exciting multifaith era and offers surprising confidence that our kids can be guided into mature Christian faith while simultaneously learning to love their neighbors of other religions.

Every follower of Jesus Christ should be able to answer two simple questions:

• Who is investing in me?
• Who am I investing in?

God desires to pour an abundance of spiritual and emotional capital into your life. And he wants to use you to pour spiritual and emotional capital into others. Along the way, you'll be changed. Others will change. You will experience God and his community in a new and personal and supernatural way. And so will others.

God calls this process of spiritual investing "making disciples." It's the heart of the Great Commission. It's the vision of a great local church. It's the secret of a healthy joyful, secure, and significant life.