No one wants to see a church die. And yet, far too many churches are dying. For more than twenty-five years, Dr. Thom Rainer has helped churches grow, reverse the trends of decline, and has autopsied those that have died. From this experience, he has discovered twelve consistent themes among those churches that have died. Yet, it’s not gloom and doom because from those twelve themes, lessons on how to keep your church alive have emerged. Whether your church is vibrant or dying, whether you are a pastor or a church member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church will walk you through the radical paths necessary to keep your church alive to the glory of God and advancement of Christ’s Kingdom!
It’s crazy, if you think about it. The God of the universe—the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and E-minor—loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss. Whether you’ve verbalized it yet or not, we all know something’s wrong.
Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn’t working harder at a list of do’s and don’ts—it’s falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis describes it, you will never be the same. Because when you’re wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.
Every pastor struggles with demands for his time, and how to determine priorities in ministry. Some choose to respond to the most urgent needs, while others seek a more balanced and intentional approach. But what determines these priorities? Where should a busy pastor look for wisdom in making decisions?
In the Pastor’s Ministry, pastor and author Brian Croft looks to the Scriptures to determine the top ten priorities for a faithful pastoral ministry. These biblically rooted responsibilities help pastors determine how to spend their time and with greater discernment respond to the demands of the church.
To be successful and faithful in pastoral ministry, every pastor needs to understand these core callings and make them part of his regular practice. These ten responsibilities guide how a pastor schedules his time, helping him to lay the foundation for a biblically faithful ministry in his church.
This sequel to Prophets and Personal Prophecy is packed with the same kind of cutting instruction that made the first volume a best-seller. Prophetic insights, how-to’s, and warnings make this book essential for the Spirit-filled church.
Best-selling author and ministry leader Thom S. Rainer drew an exceptional response when he posted a 500-word declaration about church membership to his daily blog. “I Am a Church Member” started a conversation about the attitudes and responsibilities of church members — rather than the functional and theological issues — that previous new member primers all but ignored. Thoughtfully expanded to book form, I Am a Church Member begins to remedy the outbreak of inactive or barely committed church members, addressing without apology what is expected of those who join a body of believers. When a person’s attitude is consistently biblical and healthy, matters of giving, serving, and so forth will fall into place more naturally.
During his ministry, which included extended pastorates in Chicago and Toronto, Dr. Tozer was often referred to as a prophet. That doesn’t mean he predicted future events, but rather he spoke God’s truth to believers and the culture, even if it meant disrupting the status quo. Even in the Bible, prophets were much more likely to hold God’s people and their leaders accountable to the truth of God’s Word than to foretell the future. The encouragement in Voice of a Prophet is that the church today is in desperate need of the kind of prophet Tozer embodied and describes in this important book. Using the lives of such prophets as Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist, Tozer underscores the importance of the ministry of the prophet in our world today.
There are more examples of personal prophecy in Scripture than any other biblical subject.
“Prophets and Personal Prophecy is not an abstract theological doctrinal statement but a practical, “how to” guide on what personal prophecy is and what you are supposed to do with it. This book is an absolute must for anyone who has ever heard (or even thought they heard) from God.” – Dr. John Gimenez
Prophecy is not just about hearing God’s voice, but administering God’s will in every area of life. Much of the prophetic today is elusive and unapproachable. Practical tools of healthy theology are changing everything. The dreams and desires of God for every person are made available through prophecy. Business plans are perfected, kidnapped victims are discovered, government officials elected by means of this gift. The benefits are truly endless. It’s time we become Modern Prophets. Learn how to administrate the gift, ministry, and office of Prophecy. Go on a journey of incorporating the prophetic into your life. Modern Prophets makes the prophetic useful, practical, and real in every sphere of society!
The simple revolution is here. From the design of Apple products to Google’s uncluttered homepage, simple ideas are changing the world. Now in paperback, multi-awarded #1 national bestseller Simple Church guides Christians back to the simple gospel-sharing methods of Jesus. No bells or whistles required. With insights based on case studies of 400 American churches, Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger prove the disciple-making process is often too complex. Simple churches thrive by taking four ideas to heart: Clarity. Movement. Alignment. Focus. Simple Church examines each idea, clearly showing why it is time to simplify. This updated trade paper edition includes a new chapter with further insights the authors have gained through hundreds of conversations with church leaders since this landmark book’s original release.
How about you: Are you a fan or a follower? Go ahead, think honestly about your relationship with God . . . but don’t answer too quickly. In fact, you may want to read this book before you answer at all. Not a Fan is your DTR with God – a “define the relationship” conversation to determine exactly where you stand.
You may indeed be a passionate, fully devoted follower of Jesus. Or, you may be just a fan who admires Jesus but isn’t ready to let him cramp your style. Then again, maybe you’re not into Jesus, period.
Not a Fan calls you to consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple. With frankness sprinkled with humor, Idleman invites you to live the way Jesus lived, love the way he loved, pray the way he prayed, and never give up living for the One who gave his all for you.
The Bible is clear that we face three different types of opposition while attempting to successfully navigate life as Ambassadors for Christ. Our opposition is identified in Scripture as “the world” (1 John 2:15-17), “the flesh” (Romans 7:15-25), and “the devil” (1 Peter 5:8-9). The sad reality is that too many Christians lose more battles than they win and endure their walk with God rather than enjoy it because they often don’t recognize how opposition through spiritual warfare actually works. More importantly, they have no idea how to effectively and efficiently respond to these attacks. Scripture nowhere indicates that a wish, a hope, a cliché, or a sincere guess represent adequate responses to attacks from these three very real enemies. Christians must be strategic in their responses to these clearly defined enemies, learning how to fight biblically rather than just sincerely. In Spiritual Warfare, Dr. Karl Payne— pastor of Leadership Development and Discipleship at Antioch Bible Church and former Chaplain for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks— has written a guidebook for recognizing and responding to spiritual warfare that is simple, biblical, and transferable. Pragmatically speaking, the materials in this book are biblically sound, battle tested, and they work. As Christians we are supposed to live life as victors, not victims. It is past time we learn how to consistently walk our talk in the midst of conflict rather than passively sing songs or daydream about courageous Christian living.
Your next conversation could impact someone’s life forever.
Hard conversations challenge everyone. Some people make every effort to avoid them altogether; others dive in enthusiastically, damaging relationships in the process. A solid middle ground is difficult to find–especially for those who want to make sure they’re following a biblical model for these tough encounters. Lori Roeleveld firmly believes that the dialogues everyday Christians delay are often the very channels God wants to use to deepen relationships and transform lives. And she is eager to address the challenges they pose and to guide readers to meaningful conversations that rely on the wisdom of the Bible rather than the world. In The Art of Hard Conversations, Roeleveld provides motivation, inspiration, and practical, readily applied skills to make those tricky talks more effective. Through funny, vulnerable personal stories, sound biblical teaching, and sections of tips and assignments to practice, the principles here are guaranteed to increase the confidence and competence of Christians in discussing sensitive topics of every kind.
Don’t try to do it all: Do more good. Better
I am no productivity guru. I am a writer, a church leader, a husband, and a father with many responsibilities and with new tasks coming at me all the time.
I wrote this short, fast-paced, practical guide to productivity to share what I have learned about getting things done in today’s digital world. Whether you are a student or a professional, a work-from-home dad or a stay-at-home mom, it will help you learn to structure your life to do the most good to the glory of God.
In Do More Better, you will learn: Common obstacles to productivity / The great purpose behind productivity / 3 essential tools for getting things done / The power of daily and weekly routines / And much more, including bonus material on taming your email and 20 tips I have learned along the way.
It really is possible to live a calm and orderly life, sure of your responsibilities and confident in your progress.
You can do more better. And I would love to help you get there.
-Tim Challies
he Earth is waiting For Apostolic Power to be Demonstrated! Even though there were 12 apostles in Scripture, there is still an apostolic office and function that all Christians need to know about. In fact, many believers are functioning apostolically—and yet, they are not fully stepping into this unclaimed seat in the spirit realm. When the people of God access the apostolic anointing, the Earth will witness a greater manifestation of Jesus’ fullness and power! Dr. Ché Ahn, president and founder of Harvest International Ministry, is a world-recognized apostolic leader. In this signature book, he is taking all believers to the school of the apostles, where they will learn to either operate in the office of apostle or function apostolically in their current sphere of influence. When you learn how to operate apostolically, you can boldly take your place as an ambassador of God’s Kingdom on Earth with a supernatural assignment to transform your sphere of influence to look more like Heaven.
The people of Israel were carried away to Babylon, where they lived as exiles and outcasts. God sent this judgment on His people because of their continued unfaithfulness to His word—but the day came when He called them to return to Jerusalem. However, when they arrived there, they discovered things had dramatically changed for the worse. The Temple was destroyed, the city walls were torn down, and the land had been taken over by people who did not want them back. There was work to be done, and it was not going to be easy.
In this study, John MacArthur guides readers through an in-depth look at the historical period beginning with Ezra’s early return to Jerusalem, continuing through the teachings of Israel’s prophets during the time, and concluding with Nehemiah and the people’s rebuilding efforts in the city. Studies include close-up examinations of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and others, as well as careful considerations of doctrinal themes such as “Unequally Yoked” and “”Worshiping God.”
The MacArthur Bible Studies provide intriguing examinations of the whole of Scripture. Each guide incorporates extensive commentary, detailed observations on overriding themes, and probing questions to help you study the Word of God with guidance from John MacArthur.
The Bible gives instruction to those called to church leadership, challenging them to shepherd God’s people by exercising oversight. But what does that mean? And how is it done in a way that is faithful to God and effective in enabling growth, individually and corporately?
The Practical Shepherding series of guides provides pastors and ministry leaders with practical help to do the work of pastoral ministry in a local church. In Oversee God’s People, pastors Brian Croft and Bryce Butler unpack what the Bible teaches about administration and the necessity of delegation in congregational leadership, offering practical suggestions to improve the structures, process, and relationships among leaders in your church.
People are paying millions of dollars for information and understanding on matters like business, economics, and politics. God has the answers, and he has made his secrets discoverable to every seeking believer in a close relationship with him.
Did you know you can grow in Words of Knowledge? Paul encourages believers in 1 Corinthians to follow after love and to eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit. He would never tell us to pursue something or give us hope for certain gifts if we couldn’t engage them! Words of Knowledge is one of the revelatory gifts that we can grow and strengthen just like any other spiritual gift. God loves to tell us specific information about people that we wouldn’t naturally know on our own! God has been known to reveal birthdates, anniversaries, family nicknames, pet names, and even bank account numbers at times! The sharing of these personal details help us to develop trust and strong connection to the Lord. It produces faith to believe that God deeply loves us and that He truly does have plans to prosper us and give us hope for the future!
Journey with Shawn as he lays out his understanding of this gift in a relatable way, and gain a fresh perspective on God’s direction for your business, your household, your worldview, and your spiritual life.