Cultivate fresh expressions of church in your rural congregation with Fresh Expressions of the Rural Church by Tyler Kleeberger and Michael Beck. Congregations became the hub of rural lifefor a time. The place where people gathered not only on Sundays to hear a sermon but to help each other work the land, break bread, and form deep relationships. The rural church was the place where they found a community that could sustain them through the joys and struggles of life with the land. In many ways, a rural church expressed the essence of church in general: To be the guiding hand into the life of a place. After disruptions from agriculture, industrialization, and technology, many rural churches (like the people around them) feel forgotten. Has urbanization made life outside the urban sprawl irrelevant? Can rural congregations struggling to survive find hope and new life? If so, can healthy rural churches catalyze a different future for the world? Tyler Kleebergerand Michael Beck think so. They have served rural congregations for over a decade, Michael in North Central Florida and Tyler in Northwest Ohio. They have discovered the potential and beauty of life and faith in the rural setting. The ageing congregations they serve(in declining rural communities) found ways to cultivate "fresh expressions of church" with people who call rural simply home. They serve contexts in the often forgotten, wild places of our contemporary world. This book includes breakthrough stories from the diversity of rural contexts across the US. It lays out a fresh theology for rural life and offers principles for harnessing the potential of what some consider the forgotten spaces.
A meaningful encounter with Jesus and the Psalms through the season of Lent with Barb Roose. Barb Roose guides the reader through a meaningful encounter with the Psalms through the season of Lent. Combining an interpretation of the psalms with real life stories, the study moves through the familiar words of Psalm 23 toward the painful cries of Psalm 22 uttered by Jesus on the cross. The study includes reflections on the life of King David and the original context of the writings, along with connections between the psalms and the life and death of Jesus the Messiah. "The Psalms provide a perfect framework for experiencing Lent through the verses that were Jesus's own scriptures, offering both him and us strength and wisdom in a painful and redemptive season. The Book of Psalms hums with the heartbeat of our humanity with divinely inspired words that find purchase in the tenderest places in our hearts when our human words or wisdom fails us." Barb Roose The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options.
A spiritual practice for serious-minded (but busy) people.Everyone needs renewal, even the most committed among us. The spiritual life requires regular practice and a bit of time. Coming Alive: Daily Meditations for Spiritual Renewal offers five brief meditations each week for focused reading, reflection, and prayer. Each entry centers on a passage of scripture or spiritual writing. The meditations are deep, insightful, and beautifully simple, as readers have come to expect from Steve Harper's writing. This timeless book offers a gently challenging daily habit, which leads to renewal of spirit and mind. Coming Alive features- Brief readings, about 10 minutes per day- Undated readings, so readers can determine their own pattern of practice- Spiritual depth and wisdom from ancient and contemporary sources- Foreword by Brian McLarenFrom the Foreword:"e;Steve Harper's new book beautifully focuses in on the real core of the spiritual life: Not dogma, not rules and regulations, not duties or guilt, not pressure or obligation ... but life, life to the full, what I like to call aliveness."e;--Brian McLaren
Envision Christian discipleship as a way of life from a Wesleyan perspective.
Church renewal always happens from the margins, never from the center. Church renewal burns with fiery passion among the LatinX pueblos and barrios, and this energy in Latin America can be harnessed to reform doctrine, worship, and the core purpose of Methodists. Emil Brunner said that "the church exists by mission as fire exists by burning." At times, this fire has burned brightly and served as a light to the nations. Sometimes it has been mishandled and caused harm, and still at other times, it seems to dwindle to a few embers. The flame of church renewal burns brightly among many poor and marginalized followers of Christ. The Holy Spirit, like the wind, blows where it will, but some places are windier than others. Social peripheries are particularly windy places. This book tests whether renewal of doctrine, worship, and mission can happen by looking to the experience of Methodists in LatinX and Latin American ecclesial contexts. In true Wesleyan spirit, this renewal does not confine itself to Methodism, but the people called metodistas share in the movement's fundamental calling to reform the church universal in its mission to the world.
The controversial and doctrinal works emerging from John Wesley's debates with Moravians, with Roman Catholics, and regrading worship practices are essential for understanding Wesleyan soteriology and ecclesiology. Works of John Wesley, Volume 14 Doctrine and Controversial Treaties III is part of a series dedicated to providing a complete and accurate published collection of the Works of John Wesley. The various items included in the series constitute crucial primary texts for study of Wesley's life, his ministry, and his thoughtful impact on the broader Methodist movement in Great Britain and America
These full color leaflets contain four pages of fun age-appropriate activities for each week! They are designed to be used in the classroom and to be taken home and include weekly wondering questions about the story for parents to discuss with their kids.Ages: 3-7These full color leaflets contain four pages of fun age-appropriate activities for each week! They are designed to be used in the classroom and to be taken home and include weekly wondering questions about the story for parents to discuss with their kids.Ages: 3-7
Join Adam Hamilton in exploring the major themes of the Gospel of John.
Holy Moments: Activities for Teaching Children About Worship is a library of activities created to help children fully understand how and why we worship together as a community of faith. These simple activities cover each of the elements of a typical traditional or contemporary worship service, and are perfect for adding holy moments to your children's church, worship service, Sunday school, or children's event. Parent letters and reproducibles are included to help the children and their families experience holy moments at home and connect them to what they have experienced at church.
A three-part study designed to create environments where people experience growth and support as they engage in the discipleship Journey.
Any church, regardless of its size, can have beautiful, meaningful altar and worship art.
As a churchleader, it's easy to make the wrong move and find yourself in a bad position.
The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary offers critically sound biblical interpretations. Guided by scholars, pastors and laity representing diverse traditions and academic experience, this collection of commentary meets the needs of preachers, teachers, and all students of the Bible. Easy-To-Use Format A detailed, critical commentary providing an exegetical "close-reading" of the biblical text Reflections that present a detailed exposition of issues raised in the biblical text Introductions to each book that cover essential historical, sociocultural, literary, and theological issues An ecumenical roster of contributors Comprehensive, concise articles Numerous visual aids (illustrations, maps, charts, timelines) enhance use
The Leader Guide contains thirteen step-by-step session guides that are easy for volunteers to teach. Each session includes Bible verses, games, art, science, worship, prayers and other creative ways to involve children in the Bible story through a variety of learning styles.
Covering a variety of subjects, these 16 original hymns are perfect for use in worship and other settings. Each hymn features inclusive language in a traditional (as opposed to pop) style with background information. Texts are shown in four-line poetic verses and are interlined with music), and is given brief background information.Come Away With Me is a collection of sixteen original hymns (both texts and tunes are original) on a variety of subjects. Each hymn is presented as poetry (without music), set as a congregational hymn (text interlined within the music), and is given brief background information. The ideas in the texts are rich theologically, yet easily comprehended, use totally inclusive language, and are set as artistically beautiful poetry in standard metrical schemes (common meter, long meter, 66.86, and so forth). The hymn tunes are written in well-crafted, imaginative, memorable, traditional (as opposed to pop) styles, and set in classic hymn format (melody as the uppermost note in the right hand of the accompaniment). * New and fresh original hymnody for use in worship and other settings * Hymn texts in inclusive language * Offers music, text, and background material for each hymn * Texts are set to singable tunes and are in standard meters
McAnally has revised Questions & Answers About The United Methodist Church to update statistics and information throughout the book, along with new frequently asked questions not in the current edition.This book is a useful guide that answers the most frequently asked questions about the beliefs, practices, and history of The United Methodist Church. The information is brief, and is presented in an easy question-and-answer format. It is great for those new to The United Methodist Church or those who want to know more.
The Bible was central to John Wesley's faith and the Christian movement he founded. In Scripture and the Wesleyan Way, you will discover a Wesleyan approach to the Bible and the Christian life through a Bible study using Wesley's own words.In this study, authors Scott and Arthur Jones use John Wesley's sermons to illuminate the Bible passages at the heart of Wesley's understanding of what it means to be a real Christian. Each chapter explores a key Scripture text and one of Wesley's sermons on it. Through their insightful and engaging study, Bishop Jones and his son Arthur show how the teachings of Wesley address questions that many of us in the twenty-first century still struggle with today.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the eight-week study including session plans, activities, and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options.
A Father's Love is our first glimpse of God's love for us.This book contains inspiring thoughts and stories about fathers, what it means to be a father, and how every dad can look to God as the best example of a loving parent, one filled with grace and compassion, mercy and kindness.The Love of a Dad includes a special Presentation Page and will make the perfect Father's Day gift for every dad and granddad in your life.
Teaching Stewardship from a Spiritual PerspectiveConsecration Sunday Team Guide, Revised and Updated Edition.Consecration Sunday approaches financing the ministries of your congregation by teaching stewardship from a spiritual perspective rather than a fundraising perspective. It focuses on the question, "e;What is God calling me to do?"e; rather than, "e;What does the church need in order to pay its bills?"e;This revised edition offers updated language, references, and statistics while keeping everything that has resonated with the program for more than 25 years intact. Digital materials available with the Program Guide are now available via Internet download, are updated and include social media posts in additional to letters and other proven communications tools.The Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program is a proven winner; it has helped thousands of congregations increase financial giving by 15% to 30%.What do I need to get started?Order the Stewardship Program Guide (9781791024024) and gather a team. Purchase copies of the Team Member Guide (9781791024048), one for each member of your team. These resources provide complete instructions for implementing the program successfully. Also Available: Consecration Sunday Estimate of Giving Cards Pkg. of 100 (9780687064069)Consecration Sunday Devotional (9781791024062)Does it work?Thousands of congregations have experienced 15% to 30% increases in financial giving with the Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program the first year plus additional significant increases in subsequent years of its use.One congregation obtained these impressive multi-year results: First year, a 14.4% increase in giving; second year, 10.3% increase; third year, 13.4% increase; fourth year, 13.6%; and fifth year, 19.6% increase.A congregation's financial secretary said, "e;More than two-thirds of our households made some degree of annual increase each year we used Consecration Sunday. And each year we used the program, four to six additional households decided to tithe (some of those donors grew from giving 4 percent of their income to giving 10 percent of their income)."e;
In Just Say Yes! Robert Schnase shows church leaders how to unleash people for fruitful ministry. He teaches leaders to spot their own nay-saying, and gives specific instructions for reversing the culture of ''No'' that has become so prevalent in many churches. Step by step, Schnase shows readers--pastors, other church leaders, and congregants--how to make significant change in their attitude and actions, to become a permission-giving church. This set of resources is the next step in the author''s effort to reshape church leaders across the mainline denomination. Just Say Yes! Becoming a Permission-Giving Church give church leaders what they need in order to begin implementing the principles in the original book. It starts with a group study experience for church leaders, facilitated by a senior leader (typically the pastor). The study can be done in as little as 3 hours or, if groups watch all the videos and do all the optional exercises and activities, up to 6 hours total. The sessions can be used as a single-day retreat or broken up into 3 or 6 separate sessions. They can be stand-alone sessions, or incorporated into meetings for staff and lay leaders. The Leader Guide includes instructions and guidance for leaders in planning, hosting, debriefing and following up after the experience. Using this resource, plus the included customizable PowerPoint slides and the video Stories of Permission, a pastor or other key leader can effectively facilitate an extraordinary group experience resulting in transformation for the congregation. The Participant Guide is a complete workbook and devotion guide for church leaders--staff and laity--who participate in the Permission-Giving group experience. These will typically be church councils, staff teams, committee chairs, ministry team leaders, and the like. The Guide includes prompts to reinforce the material shared in the videos and by the facilitator, questions for reflection and discussion, and specific action steps for becoming permission-giving leaders in the church. It includes plenty of room for writing and note taking during the group experience. It also includes a 7-day Devotional, which the participant can complete either during or after the group experience. The group experience includes 6 inspiring and compelling videos from real church settings. Several additional video clips are also available, for groups wanting to spend more time exploring ideas together. A printed 4-Week Devotional is also available, and can be used by individual church members autonomously, or (ideally) used by every member as a personal study guide accompanying the 4-Week Sermon & Worship series. The material is flexible and accessible for all adult readers, and can be done in one sitting or spread throughout the week. This study consists of a Leader Guide, Participant Guide, DVD, a Devotional Guide and free Customizable Downloadable Resources. The DVD has 8 video stories showing the Permission-Giving Church in action, 3 brief videos essays demonstrating the essentials of a permission-giving church and 1 video promo for inviting participation in the Just Say Yes! experience.
Discover the powerful Christian principles of gratitude, prayer, and faith. Not only are humans born to be generous, we are born in the image of a loving and generous God. And sometimes we need a reminder. These 28 devotionals gathered into four weekly themes, inspire the reader to discover the powerful Christian principles of gratitude, generosity, prayer, and call--leading them back to the generous life they were born to live. The daily readings are written by the diverse group of pastors, business and church leaders, speakers, and authors. Each reading includes scripture, a message containing personal stories and anecdotes, and a challenge to inspire the reader toward the discovery of the powerful Christian principles of gratitude, prayer, and faith--all which will lead them back to the generous life they were born to live.
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