Download or read book There s Hope for Your Church written by Gary McIntosh and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2012-05 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Veteran church consultant calls church leaders back to the hope that God can and does restore churches, equipping them with practical tools to bring about healthy growth.
Download or read book Love Your Church written by Tony Merida and published by The Good Book Company. This book was released on 2021-06-01 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How to grow in love for your church. God calls us to be "devoted to one another in love" (Romans 12:10). What does this look like for us today? How can we be the kind of church member who makes a real difference? This engaging book by Tony Merida explores what church is, why being part of it is exciting, and why it’s worthy of our love and commitment. He sets out eight privileges and responsibilities of a church member: to belong, to welcome, to gather, to care, to serve, to honour, to witness and to send. As we see how wonderful it is to belong to God’s family and be a part of his amazing witness to both the earthly and the heavenly realms, we’ll grow in our love for and commitment to our local church. This is a great book for every churchgoer to read, whether they’re new or have been attending for some time but need re-energising with God’s vision for the local church. With a discussion guide at the end of the book, Love Your Church is also a great resource for small groups.
Download or read book Change Your Church for Good written by Brad Powell and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2007-02-04 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The church is the hope of the world when it's working right...and therein lies the problem. Most aren't. This has led both Christians and non-Christians to give up on the church entirely; it has led many others to give up on all existing churches-and maybe even start new ones. But all church can and should be transitioned to a new life. A church is never beyond hope. This book will provide principles and practices that can lead to a resurrection of any church, in any setting. It will provide the inspiration and information needed to lead a church successfully through the necessary changes of tradition and culture without compromising God's timeless truth. When this happens, the church will once again be what God intended...the hope of the world.
Download or read book Hope in the Dark written by Craig Groeschel and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2018-08-21 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Can God be good when life is not? Rediscover faith in the character, power, and presence of God. Even in the questions. Even in the hurt. "I want to believe, I want to have hope, but . . ." Pastor and bestselling author Craig Groeschel hears these words often and has asked them himself. We want to know God, feel his presence, and trust that he hears our prayers, but in the midst of great pain, we may wonder if he really cares about us. Even when we have both hope and hurt, sometimes it's the hurt that shouts the loudest. In Hope in the Dark, Groeschel explores the story of the father who brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus, saying, "I believe! Help my unbelief!" In the man's sincere plea, Jesus heard the tension in the man's battle-scarred heart. He healed not only the boy but the father too, driving out the hopelessness that had overtaken him. He can do the same for us today. As Groeschel shares his pain surrounding the health challenges of his daughter, he acknowledges the questions we may ask in our own deepest pain: "Where was God when I was being abused?" "Why was my child born with a disability?" "Why did the cancer come back?" "Why are all my friends married and I'm alone?" He invites us to wrestle with such questions as we ask God to honor our faith and heal our unbelief. Because in the middle of your profound pain, you long for authentic words of understanding and hope. You long to know that even in overwhelming reality, you can still believe that God is good. Hope in the Dark is also available in Spanish, Esperanza en la Oscuridad.
Download or read book Restorers of Hope written by Amy L. Sherman and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2004-11-04 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It's easy to get discouraged at the reports of continuing decay in our inner cities and impoverished rural areas. Yet in the midst of the dark realities, some churches are transforming lives and reclaiming communities through effective, holistic ministries. 'Restorers of Hope' tells their stories and identifies the keys to their success. And it goes further by challenging churches to take up Christ's command to love your neighbor and offering specific, practical guidance on how to reach out. By understanding the challenges of persistent poverty - and the opportunities afforded by welfare reform - you and your church will be better equipped to engage in redemptive ministry that presents the gospel as the true solution.
Download or read book Surprised by Hope written by N. T. Wright and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2008-02-05 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For years Christians have been asking, "If you died tonight, do you know where you would go?" It turns out that many believers have been giving the wrong answer. It is not heaven. Award-winning author N. T. Wright outlines the present confusion about a Christian's future hope and shows how it is deeply intertwined with how we live today. Wright, who is one of today's premier Bible scholars, asserts that Christianity's most distinctive idea is bodily resurrection. He provides a magisterial defense for a literal resurrection of Jesus and shows how this became the cornerstone for the Christian community's hope in the bodily resurrection of all people at the end of the age. Wright then explores our expectation of "new heavens and a new earth," revealing what happens to the dead until then and what will happen with the "second coming" of Jesus. For many, including many Christians, all this will come as a great surprise. Wright convincingly argues that what we believe about life after death directly affects what we believe about life before death. For if God intends to renew the whole creation—and if this has already begun in Jesus's resurrection—the church cannot stop at "saving souls" but must anticipate the eventual renewal by working for God's kingdom in the wider world, bringing healing and hope in the present life. Lively and accessible, this book will surprise and excite all who are interested in the meaning of life, not only after death but before it.
Download or read book Taking Your Church to the Next Level written by Gary L. McIntosh and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2009-09-01 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: All local churches experience a predictable life cycle of growth and decline. But if a church is on a downward trend, how can it turn around? Taking Your Church to the Next Level explains the impact of age and size on churches and outlines the improvements that must be made at each point for a church to remain fruitful and faithful to its mission. McIntosh deftly describes the cycles of fruitfulness and the importance of continual improvement to diminish destructive forces that keep a congregation from its mission. Church leaders, pastors, and all who care about the church and desire to see it experience biblical growth will benefit from the sage wisdom offered in these pages.
Download or read book Moving Beyond Anxiety written by David Chadwick and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 2020-04-21 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 12 Ways God Can Help You Conquer Anxiety Do you feel like a cloud of worry follows wherever you go? Do you dread the unknown? In today’s anxiety economy its raising stress levels, it’s no secret that fear is often at the root of our problems. The key to overcoming your anxiety is found in the person of Jesus. He calls us to trust rather than despair—to “not be anxious” (Matthew 6:25), and to cast all our cares on him (1 Peter 5:7). Author David Chadwick shares 12 ways you can overcome life’s fears and worries—all of which come straight from Scripture and include… focusing on faith praying caring for your health remembering God’s promises finding good teammates developing an eternal perspective Moving Beyond Anxiety will equip you to defeat worry and fear by trusting God and exercising your faith daily. As you immerse yourself in God’s truth, you will discover it is truly the most powerful antidote to anxiety.
Download or read book The Way of Hope written by Melissa Fisher and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2017-07-04 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most churches today struggle to answer the same-sex relationship debate that is quickly transforming our culture, our kids, and our churches. As a result, Christians struggle to demonstrate love and grace to those with same-sex attraction. That means that more and more people who are looking for truth and a place where they belong are deciding that the church is either indifferent to their struggle or outright hostile to "people like them." There's a better way--the way of hope. With deep understanding born from her own painful experiences, Melissa Fisher shows that somewhere between the extremes of condemning and condoning is compassion. In this book, she aims to equip the church to make a positive difference in the lives of those hurting from relational or sexual brokenness. Perfect for pastors, parents, siblings, and friends of the ten million people in America who identify as LGBTQ, who long to love them well.
Download or read book The Hope Quotient written by Ray Johnston and published by HarperChristian + ORM. This book was released on 2014-05-13 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What’s at the heart of every thriving person, every thriving marriage, kid, and business? Hope! The Hope Quotient is a revolutionary new method for measuring—and dramatically increasing—your level of hope. Hope is more than a feeling; it’s the by-product of seven key factors. When these are present in your life, they cause hope to thrive. Factor 1: Recharge Your Batteries Nobody does well running on empty. Factor 2: Raise Your Expectations You don’t get what you deserve; you get what you expect. Factor 3: Refocus on the Future It’s time to throw away your rearview mirror. No one goes forward well when they are looking back. Factor 4: Play to Your Strengths Be yourself; everyone else is taken. Factor 5: Refuse to Go It Alone Never underestimate the power of support. Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto. Factor 6: Replace Burnout with Balance Burning the candle at both ends isn’t as bright as you think. Factor 7: Play Great Defense Avoid these five toxic hope killers that can threaten your future. Using seven years of research, powerful biblical illustrations, and compelling human-interest stories, Ray Johnston explains how these seven essential factors will support, sustain, and strengthen your hope. And when consciously built into your life, how they will unleash hope in your marriage, your kids, your career, your church, your community, and the world. Discover your HQ level, the most important contributor to your overall success, and then learn how to improve it. Because when hope rises—everything changes. FLAP COPY: Hope: It’s the one thing that can change everything! When you have hope, eleven things are unleashed in your life: You have more satisfying relationships. You’re more productive. You’re less affected by stress. You’re more successful. You’re more satisfied. You’re more compassionate. You’re more willing to help people in need. You’re physically healthier. You hold yourself to higher moral and ethical standards. You’re more likely to assume leadership. You’re more likely to see God as loving, caring, and forgiving. This book will help you discover your HQ level and learn the seven key factors that, when built into your life, unleash hope. When you have genuine hope—not trite, pious platitudes but authentic hope that produces inner strength and confidence—anything is possible.
Download or read book Jaded written by A. J. Kiesling and published by Baker. This book was released on 2004 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Church may seem irrelevant, but God still matters! Help and hope for believers who are fed up with a watered down version of the church and desire a more authentic way to worship.
Download or read book Hope Among the Fragments written by Ephraim Radner and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reminds us, in times of conflict and division, that the church's shared hope is found in scripture, with Christ as the central figure.
Download or read book Simple Church written by Thom S. Rainer and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2011-06 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now in paperback, this multi-awarded national best seller shares a clear message from case studies of 400 North American congregations: church is done best when it's kept simple.
Download or read book The Church Cracked Open written by Stephanie Spellers and published by Church Publishing, Inc.. This book was released on 2021-03-17 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book will make a profound difference for the church in this moment in history." — The Most Reverend Michael B. Curry Sometimes it takes disruption and loss to break us open and call us home to God. It’s not surprising that a global pandemic and once-in-a-generation reckoning with white supremacy—on top of decades of systemic decline—have spurred Christians everywhere to ask who we are, why God placed us here and what difference that makes to the world. In this critical yet loving book, the author explores the American story and the Episcopal story in order to find out how communities steeped in racism, establishment, and privilege can at last fall in love with Jesus, walk humbly with the most vulnerable and embody beloved community in our own broken but beautiful way. The Church Cracked Open invites us to surrender privilege and redefine church, not just for the sake of others, but for our own salvation and liberation.
Download or read book Pastors at Risk written by H. B. London and published by Chariot Victor Publishing. This book was released on 1993 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ministry hazards are all around, and many pastors are losing hope during these restless 1990s. Does pastoral ministry make any differnce in morally turbulent times? This groundbreaking volume tackles the tough issues pastors face--from balancing marriage and family life to dealing with stress and burnout.
Download or read book Breakthrough written by Dawn Darwin Weaks and published by . This book was released on 2022-07-26 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Breakthrough: Trusting God for Big Change in Your Church encourages leaders of churches that are struggling and wondering if it's time to close the doors on God's work through them, their family, their church, or their ministry. This book is especially for those who have the audacity to dare to imagine where a new window might open as an old door is closing. Breakthrough reveals gritty, well-grounded hope around every corner.
Download or read book Your Friendly Neighborhood Hope Shop written by Mandy Mastros and published by PYP Academy Press. This book was released on 2021-09-08 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Your Friendly Neighborhood Hope Shop" is a 25-day Advent devotional that shares true and hope-filled stories of remarkable people living on the streets of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Each day's entry includes a Bible verse to consider, the story of an individual, a reflection, a question or two to ponder, and a prayer. As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, let us use this book as a reminder that God's grace and love often come to us in unexpected ways through everyday people. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go to Lanc Co MyHome, "a network of organizations and individuals working together to provide all the people experiencing homelessness within the Lancaster community with shelter and a place to stay." More information about their programs and the organizations they partner with can be found in the Appendix.
