In this six-session video-based small group Bible study, bestselling author Carol Kent gives proof that you can experience grace and joy during even the lowest moments of your life. This Participant's Guide helps you decide where you stand when you are caught between a rock and a hard place: Will you place yourself in a posture of humility and complete dependence on God, or will you just "try harder" and stumble over what could be a transforming encounter with grace? Carol Kent and her husband, Gene, are living what some would call a heartbreaking life-their son, Jason, a young man who initially had so much promise, is now living out a life sentence for murder in a maximum security prison. All their appeals have been exhausted. But despite their hopeless situation, the Kent's live a life full of grace. With hope, joy, and a sense of humor, Carol helps you find God's "grace places" in the midst of your worst moments. This Participant Guide provides individual and group activities, additional background material, and between-session personal studies that will enhance your experience of the video sessions. Sessions include: Grace in the Hardest of Places - Surprised by Faith Angels in Disguise - Surprised by Mercy Longing for a Better Me - Surprised by Contentment The Secret Power of Gratitude - Surprised by Thanksgiving Why Do You Weep? - Surprised by Joy Dwelling in the Great Place - Surprised by Freedom Designed for use with the Between a Rock and a Grace Place Video Study (sold separately).

Through this five-session small group Bible study, Hope, Faith and Luck, Andy Stanley unpacks the power of faith and the need for maintaining your confidence in Jesus Christ amid the ups and downs of daily life. Our faith in God often hinges on his activity---or inactivity---in our daily experiences. Sure, faith soars when our prayers are answered. When God s presence appears in an unmistakable way, our confidence in him is boosted. But when he doesn't come through, our confidence often wanes. It doesn't have to be that way though---and it's not supposed to be that way This five-session small group study is guaranteed to transform your thinking about FAITH. As you listen or watch you will discover the difference between faith and hope. You will be presented with a definition of FAITH that will shed new light on both the Old and New Testaments. Andy explains what we can expect of God every time we come to him with a request. In addition, he exposes the flaws in what some have labeled The Faith Movement. Faith, Hope, and Luck is not just another group study. This content is foundational for everyone who desires to be an informed, active follower of Christ. 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 Faith, Hope and Luck DVD (sold separately). When used together they provide a powerful catalyst for spiritual growth. Sessions include: 1. Better Odds 2. Betting on Hope 3. Beating the Odds 4. No Dice 5. All In"

Today's Christian singles are as complex and multi-faceted as the numerous challenges they consistently encounter. In "Scenarios for Singles," Ms. Richardson presents a collection of scenarios and sketches that portray Christian singles confronting an extensive range of moral dilemmas. Along with each dilemma comes the opportunity to make bad situations better by both knowing and obeying the Word of God. The guidelines for effectively seeking definitive answers are shown through Bible study, critical thinking and group interaction.

Richardson, a born-again Christian, relies on her personal experiences and the experiences of others to share relatable situations accompanied by four-fold lesson plans that include a case study, role play, group interaction, and Bible study guidance. Christian singles are encouraged to rely on scripture as they contemplate a variety of questions:

Should an unmarried person go out to dinner with a married person?

Is fasting more about giving up pleasure or about repentance over sins?

Does a woman have a right to wear what she wishes to church?

When seeking a mate should all trivial flaws become deal breakers?

Can forgiveness bridge a gap in relationships?

Single people frequently find themselves inundated with difficult choices and often choose the world's perspective simply because they are not familiar with the biblical viewpoint. Scenarios for Singles provides the opportunity for God's people to dialogue about important issues from a solid foundation and a master plan.

"The Seven Checkpoints for Student Leaders" is more than a book; it is a ministry plan. It goes far beyond the "how to" of youth ministry and provides youth ministers, youth works, and parents with the content that students need to equip them for 'life beyond youth group." The material in this book and the companion book "The Seven Checkpoints Student Journal "reveals what Stanley calls "the irreducible minimum"--the essential principles upon which an entire youth ministry can be built. Stanley and Hall offer some unorthodox but very sensible approaches to planning and maintaining a youth group over a long period of time with a specific goal in mind. The book outlines a strategy for effectively teaching students over the course of their time in school, and this new updated edition is what every leader needs to keep up with the ever-changing challenges students face. Stanley and Hall identify seven "checkpoints" that are the most important and critical issues facing teens:

1. Authentic Faith

2. Spiritual Disciplines

3. Moral Boundaries (this section deals primarily with issues of sexual purity and dating)

4. Healthy Friendships

5. Wise Choices

6. Ultimate Authority

7. Others First

Practical application, biblical principles, and realistic approaches for facing modern challenges facilitate teaching for busy youth leaders that will make an impact for eternity.

The Christian churches have frequently pioneered educational advances ? from the seventh century down to the nineteenth. Schools, universities and colleges of education stand as tangible evidence of these efforts. Do all these ventures belong merely to educational history ? relics of the days when Christianity was influential enough to play a leading part in education? Or has Christianity still a distinctive contribution to make to educational thought and practice? The educationalists who contributed to the Hibbert Lectures of 1965 are convinced that it has. They examine the nature of this contribution and show how it is to be made a time when education seems to be mainly influenced by secular rather than religious assumptions and aims. The six lectures fall into two main parts. Christianity in the schools is the theme of the first three; Christianity in higher education that of the last three.

Longtime Pastor and Author John Piper Walks through Jesus’s Commands and Their Meaning for the Christian Life.

The four Gospels are filled with commands straight from the mouth of Jesus Christ. They are not the harsh demands of a taskmaster, but Jesus's way of showing his followers who he is and how to be more like him.

In All That Jesus Commanded, John Piper walks through Jesus’s commands, in 50 short chapters, explaining their context and meaning to help readers understand Christ’s vision of the Christian life and what he still requires today. The result is a helpful guide for thoughtful inquirers and new Christians, as well as veteran believers, whether for their own study or as a resource in disciple-making.

• Biblical and Theological: Piper examines Jesus’s commands and explains their context, meaning, and application today
• Comprehensive: Features Scripture, person, and subject indexes
• Accessible: Written in a clear, engaging tone, this book is an excellent resource for new and seasoned believers alike, and for use in discipling younger believers

Acclaimed teacher Roy B. Zuck reveals how teachers can tap into the power of divine energy to fulfill their calling and use their gifts at a deeper level. By applying these timeless, spirit-focused principles, teachers will learn how to teach more effectively and inspire students spiritually.

Is the virtual charter public school a viable alternative to traditional education? Virtual Charter Schools and Home Schooling is a rich and insightful study that undertakes a comprehensive investigation to answer this important question. It strongly makes the case for this idea with one of the first comprehensive investigations of the relationship between virtual charter schools and home schooling. Benefits as well as drawbacks or limitations to both parties are examined using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. "This book is exactly what we need to know about the potential and current results of one type of charter, virtual, home schooling network. Her research adds much to our current understanding and can serve as a model for more inquiry and reasoned dialogue. There is much to be learned by studying all aspects of alternative school efforts--Dr. Klein, a public school educator, with more than 20 years of experience, is to be congratulated for the clarity and insight she brings to the discussion." - Mary Poplin, Professor of Education, Claremont Graduate University

The Shepherd of Hermas is a Greek visionary text written in Rome during the 2nd century CE with the aim to exhort men to change life and repent for their sins, taking advantage of the last chance given by the Lord before world's end. The Shepherd is a very important witness of history of the early Christian thought and it was so widely-read that it was immediately translated into Latin and other languages. Despite the considerable amount of Greek textual witnesses of the Shepherd (more than twenty-five written between the 2nd and the 14th century), its complete text did not survive until today, therefore its translations in other languages are of crucial importance for the constitutio textus. Among the various translations, the Latin Vulgata stands out for its antiquity, accuracy and links with some important Greek witnesses like the Papyrus Bodmer 38 (4th/5th century) and the Codex Athous Grigoriou 96 (14th century). The last critical edition of the Vulgata was made by H.A. Hilgenfeld in 1873 and is still quoted by scholars today. The Shepherd of Hermas in Latin offers a more modern and complete philological study through an investigation of new unknown textual sources from 9th to 14th century and gives new philological and textual data with the aim to replace the accurate but not updated edition of Hilgenfeld.