What is the purpose of Christian ministry? Is it about upholding traditional standards? Is it about meeting organizational goals? Or is it a mixture of meanings and roles? With numerous ways of understanding ministry, getting a grasp on it can

be a difficult task.

Discovering Christian Ministry not only gives a concise yet comprehensive definition of ministry but it also offers a ministerial vision that encompasses the personal, interpersonal and social spheres of your life.

Maybe it's time to stop ignoring God, and start embracing him instead . . .

Finding your heart’s true home - This 365-day devotional carefully unpacks the meaning of each part of the Serenity Prayer and how to apply it to our lives.

We live helter-skelter lives; each day we are pulled here and there by circumstances, both good and bad. We feel as if we are living at the mercy of events beyond our control. We long for peace, for a safe, serene and secure place where we can be at rest. In response to this search for peace, beloved author and minister Trevor Hudson reminds readers of the Serenity Prayer—a simple prayer that most of us know by heart:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

This 365-day devotional carefully unpacks the meaning of each part of the prayer and how to apply it to our lives. As we let the Serenity Prayer show us how to live each day in friendship with our Lord and Creator, God’s gift of peace will grow and fill us to overflowing. “Seeking Serenity”—a practical suggestion at the end of each day’s devotion—will also help the reader put this prayer into practice, and begin to develop the clear life-focus that brings the peace our hearts long for.

Trevor Hudson is a Methodist minister, currently seconded to The Institute for Creative Conversations at the Northfield Methodist Church, South Africa. He exercises a ministry of teaching and lecturing around the country and internationally, and is the author of several books including The Serenity Prayer, Questions God Asks Us, Holy Spirit Here and Now, Friendship with God and Towards a Closer Walk with God.

Engaging, perceptive, and academically thorough, the New Beacon Bible Commentary will expand your understanding and deepen your appreciation for the meaning and message of each book of the Bible.

Written from the Wesleyan theological perspective, this indispensable commentary provides pastors, professional

scholars, teachers, and Bible students with a critical, relevant, and inspiring interpretation of the Word of God in

the 21st century.

EACH VOLUME FEATURES:

Contemporary scholarships from notable experts in the Wesleyan theological tradition

Convenient introductory material, including information on authorship, date, history, audience, sociological/ cultural issues, purpose, literary features, theological themes, and hermeneutical issues

Clear verse-by-verse explanations, which offer a contemporary, Wesleyan-based understanding derived from the biblical text in its original language

Comprehensive annotation

For many of us, believing in Jesus feels like the first step on a journey that can only get better and better with every step. Then trials come and it can be hard to keep walking. When faced with disappointment, disillusionment, doubt, and death, we may be tempted to turn back. The road ahead seems too hard, too long, too fraught with danger and difficulty. With great passion and deep understanding of the struggles believers go through, Rashawn Copeland encourages and inspires you to stay the course. In No Turning Back he shares practical and productive ways you can experience true and lasting growth based on the promises God makes to those who follow him. He shows you how to apply the truths of Scripture to be transformed by God's power, grow your identity in Christ, renew your mind, free yourself from your past, and become the person God has called you to be.

Suicide is the nation's tenth leading cause of death, and in 2018 nearly 50,000 people in the US died by suicide, with thousands more attempting to take their own lives. Countless others experience suicidal ideation due to depression, anxiety, addiction, and more, living for years in silent misery. The sad truth is that someone you know may be suffering. With great compassion and clear, actionable strategies, So Much to Live For shows you what to do, what to say, and how to intervene if you suspect a friend or loved one is considering suicide. You'll learn the signs and symptoms, understand the causes, and build the courage to step up and speak out. God heals wounds and repairs brokenness, and he often does it using people like you. You can be instrumental in saving the life of a suicidal person you know. This book shows you how.

First published in 1937, Letters by a Modern Mystic is a compilation of excerpts from letters Christian missionary Frank C. Laubach wrote to his father. Within them, Laubach shares his findings of the greatest experiment of his life: attempting to live in moment-by-moment communication with God. Short, simple and extraordinarily powerful, this little book offers a profoundly challenging but life-changing way of living. Laubach's letters are thoughtful and honest, documenting his failings and struggles with this spiritual discipline - but also showing the joy, wonder and transformation he experienced by connecting with God and living in communion with him every minute of the day. Easy to read and full of wisdom, Letters by a Modern Mystic is essential reading for anyone seeking to deepen their connection with God or wanting to make their spiritual formation part of their everyday life. With a foreword by Pete Grieg show its continued relevance for today, it will challenge you to see that it is possible to live in communion with God in every moment and change the way you approach your faith. Included at the back of this book is 'The Game with Minutes', the practical guide Laubach developed to assist others in applying the principles and spiritual practices in his letters. It is a game that has transformed countless lives - and it is time for a new generation to play.

Many parents have taken a defeatist approach toward understanding their teens, and not without good reason; it does often seem hopeless, after all. But that's where you, the volunteer youth worker, come in. Mark Oestreicher shows that Understanding Today's Teenager is both possible and rewarding, if one has the right tools. Marko explores the dimensions of nature vs. nurture, brain activity, culture, biology, and emotional development, all of which lead teenagers to do the wacky things they do that adults don't understand and often can't remember having done themselves. Marko also reminds us that adolescent development doesn't end at the age of 18 just because United States law says it does. A Volunteer Youth Worker's Guide to Understanding Today's Teenager uses a combination of science, logic, and compassion to help bring us back from the cliff edge and remember why we started working with teens in the first place. Use this book as a jumping-off point to re-ignite your passion for teens.