In this six-session video-based small group bible study, Sacred Parenting, Gary Thomas uses a unique lens to look at parenting, moving beyond raising great children to becoming more holy as a person. What if one of God s primary intentions for you as a parent isn t about successfully raising perfect children, but about you becoming more holy? In Sacred Parenting Gary Thomas illustrates how God can transform lessons in raising children into opportunities to grow in the image of Christ. It will help you and your group, rediscover parenting from a different perspective: as a method of spiritual formation expressly designed by God to shape your soul in ways you could not imagine Designed for use with the Sacred Parenting DVD (sold separately), this Participant Guide will help you dig deeper into learning how God can transform dirty diapers, toddler tantrums, and a teenager s silence into occasions for becoming more like Christ. Sessions include: 1. The Soul-Transforming Journey of Parenting 2. God-Centered Parenting 3. The Hardest Hurt of All 4. Embracing Our Insignificance5. Walking on the Wild Side of Parenting 6. The Gold Behind the Guilt"

Every blockbuster movie with an epic story that you ve seen has come back with a sequel. Think of Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. Why should a TalkSheets book be any different? With the epic stories found in the New Testament, we couldn t cover it all in one edition of TalkSheets so we re back with more More High School TalkSheets on the New Testament, Epic Bible Stories brings another year s worth of compelling and thought provoking weekly discussion starters to your high school youth group, leading to meaningful conversations among the teenagers in your group. Not only that, they re easy for you to use: You ll find helpful hints and optional activities that help facilitate great conversations. With the reproducible TalkSheets in this book, you ll help your high school students look closer at some of the epic stories of the New Testament, like: * Jesus eats dinner with a bunch of sinners * Peter demonstrates evangelism * Jesus preaches for six hours * Peter makes a jail break * Jesus tells a story of the rich man and Lazarus * And many more "

A page of music is included for this hymn praising the saints who have gone before us and those we meet in our daily lives. Also includes brief biographies of six saints.

Full-color educational book that provides copious information about the angels to young readers

* Follow-up to popular first volume * 32 new stories with lesson plans * Can be used at home or Sunday school Building (no pun intended) upon the success of Building Faith Brick by Brick, Emily Slichter Given has created more lesson plans to tell Bible stories in a relevant, hands-on way for a broad range of audiences. Children of all ages have reached into the stories of God while also digging deep into enormous bins of little plastic blocks and miniature people. This second book offers the original methods, discoveries since the first volume was published, and thirty-two new stories with lesson plans based on Jesus' parables. Christian educators, parents, grandparents, godparents--anyone who desires to engage in sharing faith with children and families--will enjoy the creativity and grace of this interactive approach.

Charlotte Mason was a late nineteenth-century British educator whose ideas were far ahead of her time. She believed that children are born persons worthy of respect, rather than blank slates, and that it was better to feed their growing minds with living literature and vital ideas and knowledge, rather than dry facts and knowledge filtered and pre-digested by the teacher. Her method of education, still used by some private schools and many homeschooling families, is gentle and flexible, especially with younger children, and includes first-hand exposure to great and noble ideas through books in each school subject, conveying wonder and arousing curiosity, and through reflection upon great art, music, and poetry; nature observation as the primary means of early science teaching; use of manipulatives and real-life application to understand mathematical concepts and learning to reason, rather than rote memorization and working endless sums; and an emphasis on character and on cultivating and maintaining good personal habits. Schooling is teacher-directed, not child-led, but school time should be short enough to allow students free time to play and to pursue their own worthy interests such as handicrafts. Traditional Charlotte Mason schooling is firmly based on Christianity, although the method is also used successfully by secular families and families of other religions. Here in one affordable volume is her complete Homeschooling Series: Home Education: Six lectures by Charlotte Mason about the raising and educating of young children (up to the age of nine), for parents and teachers. She details how lessons in various school subjects can be done using her approach. She concludes with remarks about the Will, the Conscience, and the Divine Life in the Child. Parents and Children: A collection of 26 articles from the original Parent's Review magazines to encourage and instruct parents. School Education: Thoughts about the teaching and curriculum of children aged 9-12, either at school or at home. Ourselves: A character curriculum book written directly to children. Book I, Self-Knowledge, is for elementary school students; Book II, Self-Direction, is for older students. Formation of Character: Includes case studies of children (and adults) who cured themselves of bad habits; reflections on subjects including both schooling and vacations (or "stay-cations" as we now call them); various aspects of home schooling, with a special section detailing the things that Charlotte Mason thought were important to teach to girls in particular; and examples of how education affected outcome of character in famous writers of her day. Towards a Philosophy of Education: Charlotte Mason's final book, written after years of seeing her approach in action. This volume gives the best overview of her philosophy, and includes the final version of her 20 Principles. This book is particularly directed to parents of older children, about ages 12 and up, but is a valuable overview for parents of younger children as well, covering both theory and practice.

Lent in 50 Moments comprises meditations on fifty daily moments - ideas, objects, or happenings frozen in time - offered as signposts and guidance for our Lenten journey. The moments have been chosen by Liam Kelly, who has written a reflection for every day, and a question for prayerful response. He has also chosen a quotation to prompt further thought, and provides biblical references for each day's readings at Mass in the Catholic Church. Each of the fifty moments has been skilfully illustrated by artist Ted Harrison. The book as a whole provides a unique, stimulating and visually memorable companion for faith and reflection during Lent and Eastertide.

Twenty-nine experts from a wide variety of fields and institutions have come together to offer a renewed vision for the value of a distinctly Christian approach to higher education.

I ve watched the Skit Guys for more than 10 years; Eddie and Tommy are storytellers. They were telling stories before storytelling was all the rage. In their latest book, the Skit Guys let us peek inside their incredibly creative minds. -Allen Jackson, New Orleans Seminary When it comes to skits, the Skit Guys have the corner market on the good stuff. They are engaging, thought provoking and hilarious without being cheesy or cliche. Their unique style is clean, clever, clear, and ... funny You can t go wrong with these two. -Darren Whitehead, Director of Next Gen Ministries, Willow Creek Community Church I ve been in student ministry for over 30 years, and the Skit Guys are pretty much the greatest skit guys ever. Here s another resource from the chimerical minds of Eddie and Tommy that will help us youth workers in the trenches. This book will aid you greatly in your continuous pursuit of excellence in the world of drama. In other words, buy this freaking book -Bob Johns, First Woodway, Waco, Texas (the guy that gave them their first gig) 35 CHEESE-FREE SKITS If you re looking for fun and creative ways to involve your students in learning, you can stop looking. Skits That Teach provides you and your students everything you need to act out funny and compelling skits with total confidence. Search by topic or by group size to find the perfect comedic or dramatic sketch to help illustrate a point or just start a dialogue. The Skit Guys, Eddie James and Tommy Woodard, have tested these skits on teenagers around the country, and they ve brought together some of the best for this great resource. Plus they give you everything you need for each skit---overview, characters, location, Scripture reference, props, direction pointers, and a complete script. The Skit Guys avoid the cheesy dialogues and scenes typically found in Christian dramas and instead bring fun characters, witty scripts, and entertaining situations to their skits, all categorized by: * Skits for Idiots (it would take an idiot not to be able to do them right ) * Monologues * Duets/Ensembles * Comedy * Drama * Scripture Readings THE SKIT GUYS are Eddie James and Tommy Woodard, two high school friends who love to communicate God s Word in dynamic and captivating ways through the use of drama, teaching, and comedy. They ve been involved in various ministries and impacting lives for more than a decade. The duo has written numerous dramas, plays, and humorous skits that cover a wide variety of topics. They re the authors of Instant Skits along with their own Skit Guys resources. Eddie James has coauthored four volumes of the Videos That Teach series with Doug Fields."

This year-long daily devotional-designed to strengthen your faith with Bible verses, brief messages, and thoughtful quotes-encourages you to carve out a few minutes of peace in the presence of God. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." -John 14:27 If you feel like you can't get a moment of peace in your hectic life, you aren't alone-but even just five minutes spent with God every day can renew your spirit. With these 365 daily devotionals, you can embark on a year-long process of finding comfort in Him. So today, find a quiet place to open your mind and your heart to the peace of God, which transcends all understanding. BEAUTIFULLY PACKAGED: The gift format and beautiful package will make this appealing to use every day.

Using Josef Pieper's Leisure as a point of departure, the contributors to this volume share a mutual concern for the diminishing role of the liberal arts in Catholic higher education. The overwhelming impression they share is that U.S. Catholic universities, with notable exceptions, have forgotten the very goal of university education, and especially Catholic university education: to aid in forming young men and women to pursue the truth and helping them to become freer persons.

Meet students where they are.With Small Group Strategies, you can effectively guide students in your small group toward the most important relationship they will ever have---a lifelong relationship with Christ. Respected authors Laurie Polich and Charley Scandlyn offer 30-plus years of collective youth ministry experience to these proven ideas, which offer: *a strategic approach to small group ministry*hundreds of ideas to reach students at every level*practical applications that foster spiritual growthMeet your students where they are in life. You have the heart. You have the vision. Here are the ideas you need to make it happen.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism is unrivaled as a concise and faithful summary of the central teachings of Scripture. For decades G. I. Williamson's study manuals on the Shorter Catechism have served as invaluable tools for instructing young and old in the Reformed system of doctrine. Now newly typeset in one volume, this illustrated manual offers clear and helpful exposition of each of the 107 questions in the Shorter Catechism. Each lesson includes Scripture proofs, as well as questions for review or discussion, making this a useful aid for individual study or group instruction.

Five Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith, by Andy Stanley is an exciting small group bible study that establishes the biblical case for five things God uses to grow an unshakable faith in you. Imagine how different your outlook on life would be if you had absolute confidence that God was with you. Imagine how differently you would respond to difficulties, temptations, and even good things if you knew with certainty that God was in all of it and was planning to leverage it for good. In other words, imagine what it would be like to have PERFECT faith. In this new small group bible study, Andy Stanley builds a biblical case for five things God uses to grow BIG faith. This Participant Guide is filled with helpful discussion starters, video overviews, a helpful Leader s Guide and much more. It s designed to be used with the companion Five Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith DVD (sold separately). When used together they provide a powerful catalyst for spiritual growth. Sessions include: 1. Big Faith 2. Practical Teaching 3. Providential Relationships4. Private Disciplines5. Personal Ministry 6. Pivotal Circumstances"

The best-selling TalkSheets series just got even better. With Still More TalkSheets for High School Students and Still More TalkSheets for Middle School Students, busy youth workers will find everything they need to lead and facilitate meaningful discussions with young teens. Filled with 50 reproducible TalkSheets, helpful hints, and optional activities to help youth ministry teams effectively facilitate great conversations --- without a lot of prep work --- youth workers can easily engage students for a whole year of dialogue. Each book covers issues of life and faith, including relationships with God and others, and what it means to live a life like Jesus. Students will participate in the learningwhile they take part in conversations about things that really matter.

Join bestselling author and pastor Timothy Keller in an eight-week video Bible study on the gospel and how to live it out in all aspects of life--from your community to the world at large. The Gospel in Life study (DVD sold separately) begins with the city, your home now, the world that is. The final week closes with the theme of the eternal city, your heavenly home, the world that is to come. Throughout this eight-week ascent--from earthly work to the final revelation of grace--you'll learn how the gospel can change your heart, your community, and how you can live as a disciple of Jesus Christ in this world, right now, even as you look forward to the promise we have in him. Including discussion questions, reflections on Scripture, and commitment prayers, The Gospel in Life study guide is designed to help you and your group engage with and discuss the topics presented on the Gospel in Life DVD. Sessions Include: City - The World That Is Heart - Three Ways to Live Idolatry - The Sin Beneath Community - The Context for Change Witness - An Alternate City Work - Cultivating the Garden Justice - A People for Others Eternity - The World That Is To Come Discover how grace really does change everything. Designed for use with the Gospel in Life Video Study (sold separately).

'How do I relate to a God who is invisible when I m never quite sure he s there?'--Philip Yancey Life with God doesn t always work like we thought. High expectations slam against the reality of personal weaknesses and unwelcome surprises. And the God who we ve been told longs for our company may seem remote, emotionally unavailable. Is God playing games? What can we count on him for? This relationship with a God we can t see, hear, or touch--how does it really work? The Reaching for the Invisible God Study Guide gives you a path in your personal quest for answers. Dovetailing with Philip Yancey s book Reaching for the Invisible God, the twelve sessions are your opportunity to journey toward insights that affirm and dignify your most pressing questions--even the ones you may have found it hard to ask. Get ready to experience the challenges and rewards of relating to God as he is, not as you ve thought he is. Yancey shifts your focus from questions to the One who offers himself in answer: the God who invites you to reach for him--and find. Includes: * Bible readings * Discussion questions * Personal reflections and applications * Tips for group leaders * Summary excerpts from Reaching for the Invisible God"