The Field Guide for Small Group Leaders provides basic training and support to help small group leaders succeed in the critical mission of leading others toward spiritual growth and transformation. The premise of serving as a small group leader sounds simple: Invite people to join you in studying the Bible. But the real-world implications of that role are incredibly complex. Today's small group leaders are asked to function as semi-experts in theology, psychology, evangelism, worship, apologetics, counseling, education, and nutrition--all in service to God and His church. Most of today's group leaders receive little or no training on how to carry out this important work. They are told to "Go and make disciples," then left to figure out the details on their own. Sam O'Neal (a small group leader himself), wrote The Field Guide for Small Group Leaders to help fellow leaders navigate this confusion and map out a plan for successful, transformational, and rewarding meetings. The Field Guide provides helpful information on: Curriculum and planning. Learning styles. Icebreakers and learning activities. Crafting discussion questions. Worship and prayer. What to do when things don't go as planned. And more. Whether you lead a small group, life group, or Sunday school class, this guide will give you confidence and practical tools for fostering meaningful connections, genuine community, and spiritual growth that so many are desperate for.

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.

Encountering the incomparable, immeasurable grace of Jesus is like getting run over by a freight train: you're powerless against it, it takes you where it wants to, you can't do anything to stop it, and it dramatically changes everything. The grace train is the most powerful thing in the universe and also the most beautiful.

Grace is one of the most important concepts in Christianity, also it's also one of the most misunderstood, misapplied, and most abused. Run Over By the Grace Train explores the topic of grace: what it is, how we receive it, and how it changes absolutely everything about us. In this deep, spiritually rich book, Joby Martin offers nine key lessons central to understanding God's grace as the central theme of the Christian life. Joby helps readers dig deep into scripture and understand that we are saved by grace alone, grace can't be lost, grace does not condemn, and the sinner and the saint both need God's powerful grace in equal measures.

Deep, rich, and life-changing, this book written in Joby's characteristic straight-talk, wry style that entertains as it teaches. Run Over by the Grace Train is an ultimately encouraging, inspiring, and fulfilling look at the power of God's grace.

A riveting new story of heroism, heartache, and the power of love to heal all wounds.

Murphy Shepherd is a man with many secrets. He lives alone on an island, tending the grounds of a church with no parishioners, and he’s dedicated his life to rescuing those in peril. But as he mourns the loss of his mentor and friend, Murph himself may be more lost than he realizes.

When he pulls a beautiful woman named Summer out of Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway, Murph’s mission to lay his mentor to rest at the end of the world takes a dangerous turn. Drawn to Summer, and desperate to find her missing daughter, Murph is pulled deeper and deeper into the dark and dangerous world of modern-day slavery.

With help from some unexpected new friends, including a faithful Labrador he plucks from the ocean and an ex-convict named Clay, Murph must race against the clock to locate the girl before he is consumed by the secrets of his past—and the ghosts who tried to bury them.

With Charles Martin’s trademark lyricism and poignant prose, The Water Keeper is at once a tender love story and a heartrending search for freedom.

“Charles Martin fans rejoice, because he’s done it again . . . a multilayered story woven together with grace and redemption, and packed tight with tension and achingly real characters.” —Lauren Denton, USA TODAY bestselling author of The Hideaway “In The Water Keeper Charles Martin crafts a compelling story with skill and sensitivity.

Open the pages of this book and you’ll enter the world of characters caught up in a real-life drama that grips the heart. As with all of Charles’s books you never finish it—you continue to live there in your own imagination. Current fans won’t be disappointed; new readers will understand why Charles Martin is on the short list of contemporary authors I recommend above all others.” —Robert Whitlow, bestselling author

• The first story in a new series from Charles Martin
• Full-length novel (c. 110,000 words)
• Includes Discussion Questions for Book Clubs
• Also by Charles Martin: The Mountain Between Us, Send Down the Rain, Long Way
Gone, When Crickets Cry

Winner of the 2004 Harold Morton Landon Translation Award from the Academy of American Poets, Charles Martin's blank-verse translation of the Metamorphoses is a "smoothly readable, accurate, charming, subtle yet clear" (Richard Wilbur) version that "highlights [the poem's] lightness and pervasive sense of universal mutability" (Michael Dirda).

Experience the Bible come to life before your eyes as New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin uses his storyteller's imagination to present the life of Jesus in a way that will engage your faith in new ways. This collection of more than twenty short stories, compiled from Martin's books What If It's True? and They Turned the World Upside Down, draws you into a deeper understanding and love for the Savior. Son of Man presents key moments from the life and ministry of Jesus Christ and explores the lives of His followers in descriptive, novelistic words. This unique collection: Fosters a stronger appreciation, love, and respect for Jesus Covers themes including rejection, service, unconditional love, and forgiveness Uses the lives of the disciples as inspiration to be the light in a dark world Shows how the disciples' same world-changing faith is still around today Son of Man is perfect for someone who loves Christian fiction. Known for his beloved lyrical style, in this paperback edition Martin illuminates key moments from Scripture with stories such as "Where the Father's Love Found Him," "Betrayed," and "The Borrowed Tomb." Martin's writing offers a way to see how Jesus' life and the lives of His disciples revealed an unwavering confidence in the power and presence of God.

Combining heart-wrenching emotion with edge-of-your-seat tension, New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin explores the true power of sacrificial love. Murphy Shepherd has made a career of finding those no one else could-survivors of human trafficking. His life's mission is helping others find freedom . . . but then the nightmare strikes too close to home. When his new wife, her daughter, and two other teenage girls are stolen, Murphy is left questioning all he has thought to be true. With more dead ends than leads, he has no idea how to find his loved ones. After everything is stripped away, love is what remains. Hope feels lost, but Murphy is willing to expend his last breath trying to bring them home. Part of the Murphy Shepherd series: Book One: The Water Keeper Book Two: The Letter Keeper Book Three: Coming June 2022! Full-length novel Includes discussion questions for book clubs Also by Charles Martin: The Mountain Between Us, Send Down the Rain, Long Way Gone, When Crickets Cry

Murphy Shepherd is a man with many secrets. He lives alone on an island, tending the grounds of a church with no parishioners, and he’s dedicated his life to rescuing those in peril. But as he mourns the loss of his mentor and friend, Murph himself may be more lost than he realizes.

When he pulls a beautiful woman named Summer out of Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway, Murph’s mission to lay his mentor to rest at the end of the world takes a dangerous turn. Drawn to Summer, and desperate to find her missing daughter, Murph is pulled deeper and deeper into the dark and dangerous world of modern-day slavery.

With help from some unexpected new friends, including a faithful Labrador he plucks from the ocean and an ex-convict named Clay, Murph must race against the clock to locate the girl before he is consumed by the secrets of his past—and the ghosts who tried to bury them.

With Charles Martin’s trademark lyricism and poignant prose, The Water Keeper is at once a tender love story, a heartrending search for freedom, and a reminder that the needs of the one outweigh those of the ninety-nine.

An internationally famous photographer, Tucker Mason has traveled the world, capturing things other people don’t see. But what Tucker himself can’t see is how to let go of the past and forgive his father.

On a sprawling Southern estate, Tucker and his younger brother, Mutt, were raised by their housekeeper, Miss Ella Rain, who loved the motherless boys like her own. Hiring her to take care of Waverly Hall and the boys was the only good thing their father ever did.

When his brother escapes from a mental hospital and an old girlfriend appears with her son and a black eye, Tucker is forced to return home and face the agony of his tragic past. Though Miss Ella has been gone for many years, Tucker can still hear her voice—and her prayers. But finding peace and starting anew will take a measure of grace that Tucker scarcely believes in.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

The Son of God was crucified, died and buried, and He lay in the tomb for three days-until He walked out shining like the sun. In a culture in which history is erased or rewritten at will, the existence of an empty tomb matters. Why? Because if the tomb is empty-then anything is possible. In his first book, Joby Martin, Lead Pastor of The Church of Eleven22, dives deep into scripture and traces the story of salvation by highlighting the seven mountains throughout scripture where God manifests himself. As he describes each encounter with God, Martin shows us how the interaction on each mountain laid the groundwork for the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary, and shows what God revealed about Himself in the process. He illuminates seven familiar passages, unveiling how God's plan for Christ's sacrifice is threaded throughout scripture, and shows why Christ's resurrection-impossible, unbelievable-means that nothing is too hard for our God. Ultimately, he asks readers, Do you live every day of your life as if the tomb is empty-or as though Jesus is still hanging on that cross? Written with New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin, If the Tomb is Empty is an insightful and spiritually rich examination of what the miracle of Christ's resurrection means for all of us.

"Because you're worth rescue." The unrelenting third installment in the Murphy Shepherd series from New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin. Murphy Shepherd's last rescue mission very nearly cost him his life. He'd like nothing more than to stay close to his wife and daughters for a while. But Bones's nemesis must be stopped, and there are so many who still need to know they are worth rescuing. As the cat-and-mouse game moves into the open, Murphy is tested at every turn-both physically and mentally. Then the unthinkable happens: his beloved mentor and friend is taken. Gone without a trace. Murphy lives by the mantra that love always shows up. But how can he rescue Bones when he has no leads? With heart-stopping clarity, The Record Keeper explores the true cost of leaving the ninety-nine to find the one. Part of the Murphy Shepherd series: Book One: The Water Keeper Book Two: The Letter Keeper Book Three: The Record Keeper Full-length novel Includes discussion questions for book clubs Also by Charles Martin: The Mountain Between Us, Send Down the Rain, Chasing Fireflies, When Crickets Cry, Long Way Gone

From New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin comes a radical retelling of the prodigal son story. Cooper O'Connor thought he could make it big as a musician, but he promptly lost it all. Can he repair his relationship with the father who never stopped calling him home? At the age of eighteen, musician and songwriter Cooper O'Connor took everything his father held dear and drove 1,200 miles from home to Nashville, his life riding on a six-string guitar and the bold wager that he had talent. But his wager soon proved foolish. Five years after losing everything, he falls in love with Daley Cross, an angelic voice in need of a song. But just as he realizes his love for Daley, Cooper faces a tragedy that threatens his life as well as his career. With nowhere else to go, he returns home to the remote Colorado mountains, searching for answers about his father and his faith. When Daley shows up on his street corner twenty years later, he wonders if it's too late to tell her the truth about his past-and if he is ready to face it himself. Praise for Long Way Gone: "Cooper and Daley's story will make you believe that even broken instruments have songs to offer when they're in the right hands. Charles Martin never fails to ask and answer the questions that linger deep within all of us. In this beautifully told story of a prodigal coming home, readers will find the broken and mended pieces of their own hearts."-Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours Stand-alone novel USA TODAY bestseller and Christy Award Book of the Year 2017 Includes discussion questions for book clubs Also by Charles Martin: The Letter Keeper, The Mountain Between Us, Send Down the Rain, and When Crickets Cry