Are you busier than you want to be?Than you need to be?Than you are meant to be? It's time to break busy.We are all spread too thin, taking on more than we can handle, trying to do so much—almost as if we are afraid that if we were to take a moment of rest, we might discover that all our busyness is covering up an essential lack in our lives.But Go… Read more…
How to Work Together for the Sake of the Gospel Most churches in the U. S. have less than 75 members. Many of these congregations barely have enough money to pay their pastor’s salary, much less launch a movement or host a conference. How can they hope to make an impact beyond their own walls? In Churches Partnering Together, Chris Bruno and Matt Dirks … Read more…
The title of this book points to a feature—the missionary family—often considered to be a distinctive of the Protestant missionary movement. Certainly the presence of missionary families in the field has been a central factor in enabling, configuring, and restricting Protestant missionary outreach. What special concerns does sending missionary families r… Read more…
The most urgent call upon God?s people is to live as followers of Jesus.The most indicting critique against the church is as simple: its failure to do so. As the leader of an evangelical theological seminary that trains men and women as leaders for the church and society, Mark Labberton writes: "People ask many questions about how their lives relate to the… Read more…
All mission is local?the people of God joining the work of God in a particular place. In Starting Missional Churches Mark Lau Branson and Nicholas Warnes introduce us to seven missional churches while examining common challenges regarding their genesis. Using stories, interviews with pastors and a look at common preconceived notions of church planting in the… Read more…
The prophetic books are some of the most captivating and fascinating texts of the Old Testament, but they are also some of the most misunderstood. Interpreting the Prophets equips the reader with the knowledge and skills they need to interpret the Prophets in a faithful and accurate fashion. Beginning with the nature of the prophetic role and prophetic books… Read more…
As we learn from Christ’s crucifixion, any decision to sacrificially love sinners is going to hurt—really hurt. And our own sin makes things even messier. Pastors and church leaders know both sides of this well. In fact, many pastors leave the ministry after only five years, and one study found that 1,400 pastors leave the ministry each month “due to s… Read more…
The Honest, Loving Answers Children Need to HearWhat should you say when your five-year-old asks about his dying grandma? Or when your seven-year-old wonders if the devil is real? Or when the sixth graders in your Sunday school class are talking about a tragedy they heard about on the news? When it comes to the dark and tragic aspects of our world, it can be… Read more…
Short-term Missions, Long-term ImpactHolding the Rope gives an insightful look into the preparation, philosophy, and application of short term cross-cultural ministry. Archer addresses the issues with candor, humor, and most importantly, grace. He provides viable solutions to common problems, and encourages churches, pastors, and volunteers to adopt a biblic… Read more…
The starting and ending points for all outreach have to be love. The most effective way to reach people for Jesus is through kindness outreach—showing God’s love in practical ways. This type of outreach is what Jesus modeled, is culturally relevant, and values people. The goal should be to invite people to take the next step from where they are.Frie… Read more…
Does it matter how Christians in other times and places thought?If the Bible alone is God?s revelation, why spend time studying church history?Aren?t history and tradition more of a problem than a solution?For many Christians who believe the Bible is the ultimate authority for faith and life, questions about the role and value of the church's traditions … Read more…
How Do You Care for the Sick?Here’s How.One of the marks of the ministry of Jesus is his compassionate care for the sick. Jesus brought healing and hope to individuals struggling with life-debilitating illnesses. Ministry to the sick should also be a mark of his followers, but in many churches today it is neglected or pushed to the periphery of ministry co… Read more…