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Pastoral ministry is more challenging than ever with unique, complicated burdens and expectations some have not experienced in previous generations. Because of this, the number of pastors who start with a great zeal for the work, quickly crash and burn and are left with a battered faith and family. This book seeks to identify those unique challenges, diagnose the problem, propose a biblical solution, and then guide the pastor and his family to embrace these challenges while shepherding the family through them.

The church was never designed to be a fortress for the righteous, but a flood of revolutionaries, bringing the Good News of the Kingdom to broken lives and broken communities. Today, millions of Christians are awakening to the holism of the gospel call, expanding their understanding of mission beyond just touching individual lives to impacting and transforming entire communities with the message of God's grace.If this calling toward movement and transformation is to be realized, it will require some earth-shaking shifts-"e;Missional Moves"e;-that fundamentally alter our understanding of the church and how its mission is lived out. This book provides a plan of action for your church that will empower you to unleash each member on a mission, both locally and globally.

You probably don't feel rich. Rich is the other guy. Rich is having more than you currently have. But you can be rich and not feel it. And that's the problem. Andy Stanley is convinced that most of us are richer than we think. We just aren't very good at it. It's one thing to BE rich. Andy wants us to be GOOD at it!"e;How to Be Rich lays out clear principles for carrying that load, making sure your wealth remains a blessing not just for you, but for your family and community for generations to come."e;-DAVE RAMSEY, New York Times bestselling author and radio show host

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus started a movement that has grown like wildfire throughout history. Author and pastor Andy Stanley draws from Scripture and over 25 years of pastoral experience to bring to life the irresistible nature of this movement known as the Church.With surprising candor and transparency pastor Andy Stanley explains how one of America's largest churches began with a high-profile divorce and a church split.But that's just the beginning...Deep and Wide provides church leaders with an in-depth look into North Point Community Church and its strategy for creating churches unchurched people absolutely love to attend. Andy writes, "e;Our goal is to create weekend experiences so compelling and helpful that even the most skeptical individuals in our community would walk away with every intention of returning the following week...with a friend!"e;Later he says, "e;I want people to fall in love with the Author of Scripture. And while we can't make anyone fall in love, we can certainly arrange a date."e; For the first time, Andy explains his strategy for preaching and programming to "e;dual audiences"e;: mature believers and cynical unbelievers. He argues that preaching to dual audiences doesn't require communicators to "e;dumb down"e; the content. According to Stanley, it's all in the approach.You'll be introduced to North Point's spiritual formation model: The Five Faith Catalysts. Leaders responsible for ministry programing and production will no doubt love Andy's discussion of the three essential ingredients for creating irresistible environments. For pastors willing to tackle the challenge of transitioning a local congregation, Andy includes a section entitled: Becoming Deep and Wide.If your team is more concerned with who you are reaching than who you are keeping, Deep & Wide will be more than a book you read; it will be a resource you come back to over and over!"e;Couldn't be prouder of my son, Andy. And I couldn't be more excited about the content of this book. I wish a resource like this existed when I was starting out in ministry."e;- Dr. Charles Stanley, Founder, In Touch Ministries"e;Deep and Wide pulls back the curtain for all of us to see what is required behind the scenes to build a prevailing church. I was both challenged and inspired by this book."e;- Bill Hybels, author of Just Walk Across the Room"e;The most common question I get from pastors is, 'How do I get the people in my church to be open to change?' From now on my answer will be, 'Read Deep and Wide by Andy Stanley'. Thanks Andy. Great book!"e;- Craig Groeschel, Pastor, LifeChurch.TV, author, It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It"e;No one has given me more practical handles for establishing a focused vision than Andy Stanley. Deep and Wide is a rich resource to help all of us stay intentional about the main thing - building a church that reaches people who are far from God."e;- Steven Furtick, Lead Pastor, Elevation Church

Planting and leading a new church is not easy. There are the inevtiable setbacks and challenges that come with launching anything new. And the process will test and try a leader's faith, as they face discouragment, loneliness, and failure. In this book, pastor and seasoned chuch leader Wayne Cordeiro speaks the truth in love, offering wisdom and insight to prepare leaders as they face the difficulties and hardships of church planting, while providing encouragement and inspiration for the journey. "e;Sifted"e; is based on Jesus' encouragement to Peter in Luke 22 to keep his faith and minister to others from his weakness. An experienced practitioner, Wayne shares the things he wishes he'd known when he was starting a new church. With additional stories from other prominent, seasoned leaders, each chapter includes a thought provoking, challenge question to develop a heart that is surrendered to God, focused on "e;being and becoming"e; versus "e;doing and accomplishing."e; Wayne writes about a healthy integration and balance of personal care and leadership amidst the difficulties of the church planting journey. Loneliness and discouragement are normal in church planting, but God cares more about our journey of faith and who we are becoming than our worldly accomplishments and the churches we build. Church planting is an ongoing process of surrender, personal growth and character development. The book will challenge leaders to persevere and rededicate themselves to their calling, their marriage, and their family. Instead of a "e;how to"e; book on models and methods, this is a combination of a self-assessment book that challenges leaders' scorecards of success, encourages leaders to realize that they are not alone in what they are experiencing, and provides wisdom for the long haul to position younger leaders for a life of ministry and finish strong.

In order to help pastors and other Christian leaders to lovingly lead God's flock to Jesus Christ and into God's mission, Scott Thomas and Tom Wood clarify a process of coaching and shepherding that is rooted in the patterns of the Good Shepherd himself, a process in which leaders stir up the gifts, passion, and calling upon others' lives. This book addresses the needs of the leader, his or her sinful tendencies, and church leadership issues. It directs the leader to the person and work of Jesus. It provides a system to intentionally shepherd leaders to glorify God in their personal, spiritual, and missional lives. Many ministry leaders serving in churches find themselves overwhelmed, disillusioned, and depressed by the enormous and challenging task of leading and ministering in a congregation. As a result, the ministry suffers, the leaders suffer, and the result is often an unhealthy church existent with little or no Gospel influence. These leaders need someone to shepherd their soul so that they can lead others to the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. We suggest that coaching for the church leader looks less like corporate consulting or humanistic psychology and more like biblical-shepherding. We suggest that every church leader needs a Gospel Coach to come alongside with words of truth, wisdom and experience to encourage, admonish, comfort and help-words drawn from Scripture and godly wisdom, grounded in the gracious saving work of Jesus Christ, and presented in the context of a trusting relationship. Gospel Coaching is an intentional relationship to skillfully care for others with four ancient shepherding principles: 1) Know the sheep, 2) Feed the sheep, 3) Lead the sheep, and 4) Protect the sheep. A Gospel Coach both inquires about the personal, spiritual, and missional aspects of a ministry leader's life in a loving yet focused manner, and also probes the church leader for compulsive unbelief or selfish motivation, or disobedience and sin, and leads the ministry leader back to the Gospel, through belief, repentance and obedience. Churches that desire to be rich in a Gospel application toward their city, their relationships with one another, their communication and worship, as well as their service, will benefit to a greater degree by having their leaders being coached by a Gospel-centered leader.

A fresh approach to the hot-button topic of women in ministryBased on his study of a key word for "e;teaching"e; in the New Testament-an activity often thought to be prohibited to women-and on various other kinds of public speaking in which women in Scripture clearly participated, scholar John Dickson builds a case for women preachers.This expanded edition of Hearing Her Voice, published originally as a short ebook, presents an entirely new and convincing biblical argument. Focused and purposefully limited in its conclusions, Dickson's case has the potential to change minds and merits careful consideration by complementarians and egalitarians alike.This book will be useful for pastors, Bible teachers, college and seminary students, professors, and lay leaders who wrestle with the topic of women's roles in ministry, and it will appeal to many with its fresh approach to this hot-button topic.

Over the last thirty years, many influential church leaders and church planters in America have adopted various models for reaching unchurched people. An ';attractional' model will seek to attract people to a local church. Younger leaders may advocate a more ';missional' approach, in which believers live and work among unchurched people and intentionally seek to serve like Christ. While each of these approaches have merit, something is still missing, something even more fundamental to the mission of the church: discipleship. Making discipleshelping people to trust and follow Jesusis the church's God-given mandate. Devoted disciples attract people outside the church because of the change others see in their Christ-like lives. And discipleship empowers Christians to be more like Christ as they intentionally develop relationship with non-believers. DiscipleShift walks you through five key ';shifts' that churches must make to refocus on the biblical mission of discipleship. These intentional changes will attract the world and empower your church members to be salt and light in their communities.

People are hungry to make a difference in their community, yet most don't know where to start. In fact, "e;serving the least"e; is often one of the most neglected biblical mandates in the church. Barefoot Church shows readers how today's church can be a catalyst for individual, collective, and social renewal in any context. Whether pastors or laypeople, readers will discover practical ideas that end up being as much about the Gospel and personal transformation as they are about serving the poor. Here they will see how the organizational structure of the church can be created or redesigned for mission in any context. Drawing from his own journey, Brandon Hatmaker proves to readers that serving the least is not a trendy act of benevolence but a lifestyle of authentic community and spiritual transformation. As Hatmaker writes, "e;My hope is that God would open our eyes more and more to the needs of our community. And that we would see it as the church's responsibility to lead the charge."e;

With graduation looming, the Carter House girls are struggling with college visits, prom dress warfare, and boyfriend situations that are going from bad to worse. Mrs. Carter ups the stress level by planning a typical over-the-top Mother's Day fashion show, and things get tense when the designer favors certain models. Through it all, surprises are in store for each girl as their time at Carter House comes to an end. As final good-byes approach, some friendships will deepen while others crumble. Will the girls resolve old differences or part ways as enemies?

In the last book of the On the Runway series by bestselling author Melody Carlson, Paige and Erin are headed to Milan, one of the European fashion meccas. Erin is excited by the art and culture around them, but Paige is distracted by other things.

In Through the Year with Jimmy Carter, the thirty-ninth President of the United States takes you on a unique journey into the heart of the Christian faith. Based on more than three decades of practical Bible teaching, the readings in this ebook draw from the riches of God's Word and the compelling experiences of Mr. Carter's own life. Whether through fascinating glimpses into behind-the-scenes activity at the White House, or insightful remembrances of his career in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Carter never ceases to connect the wisdom of Scripture with your own crucial place on the stage of life. Frank, honest, sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, and always relevant, Through the Year with Jimmy Carter challenges readers to be more Christ-like every day of their lives.

Amish-English sleuthing duo Deborah Yoder and Callie Harper set out to solve a murder. But more than an innocent man's future is at stake. In book two of the Shipshewana Amish Mystery series, God's grace touches the long-lost past as well as lives shaken by current tragedy.There's more to the quaint northern Indiana town of Shipshewana than handcrafted quilts, Amish-made furniture, immaculate farms and close-knit families. When a dead girl is found floating in a local pond, murder is also afoot. And Reuben, brother of Deborah's best friend's fiance, is in jail as the suspect! Reuben refuses to divulge any information, even to clear himself of a crime Deborah is certain he didn't commit. So, with her English friend Calliefellow sleuth and owner of Daisy's Quilt ShopDeborah sets out to uncover the truth. But the mystery deepens when an elderly man seeks Callie's help in finding his long-lost daughter, missing since the days of the 1965 Palm Sunday Tornadoes.An old man who has lost his past. A young man who may lose his future. Once again Deborah and Callie find themselves trying to piece together a crazy quilt of lives and eventsone that can bring unexpected touches of God's grace and resolve the tragedy that has shaken this quiet Amish community.

';Already a USA TODAY bestseller, this novel draws a fresh thread in this author's historical fiction tapestry. Tamera Alexander's painstaking research into the people, places and times of which she writes is evident on every page and she depicts the famous residents of post-bellum Nashville with great detail and even greater affection.' USA TODAYFrom bestselling author Tamera Alexandercomes an exquisite historical novel set against the real history of Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville, Tennessee, that explores the struggles of real people of the post-war South and the journeys of a man and a woman scarred by betrayal.Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a man shot as a traitor to the South, is shunned by proper society and gratefully accepts an invitation from Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation. Expecting to be the Hardings' head housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned when she learns the real reason Elizabeth's husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming. Not finding the safe haven she expects, Olivia is caught off guard by her feelings for Ridley Adam Cooper, a man who seems anything but a Southern gentleman.Branded a traitor by some, Ridley Cooper, a Southern son who chose to fight for the Union, is a man desperate to end the war still raging inside him. Determined to learn ';the gift' that Belle Meade's head horse trainer and former slave, Bob Green, possesses, Ridley harbors secrets that threaten both their lives.As Ridley seeks to make peace within himself for fighting against the South he loved, Olivia is determined to never be betrayed again.';To Whisper Her Name has everything a fine historical novel needs: characters we truly care about, struggles that really matter, splashes of humor to engage us, and period details that bring the past to vibrant life. Ridley and Olivia both arrive with heartaches and disappointments tucked in their traveling bags. Watching them unpack those memories and make room for the Lord's cleansing touch is pure reading pleasure.' Liz Curtis Higgs, New York Times bestselling author';Alexander writes a beautiful story of love, friendship and finding purpose. The passion the characters have for one another and their dreams will keep readers engaged to the very last word. Book one in the Belle Meade Plantation series reminds readers that their path in life may twist and turn in unexpected ways, but God still has a good plan for their lives.' RT Book Reviews';To Whisper Her Name will grab you and not let go. It's a beautiful, powerful story with unforgettable characters who face the unthinkable with honor while a captivating romance blooms where seeds should never have been scattered.' Cindy Woodsmall, New York Times and CBA bestselling author

Hannah Glick married the love of her life, but was widowed too young. Is she ready to risk her heartand her familyfor a new love?Hannah finds herself at a crossroads in her life. Her community offers her love and support after the untimely death of her husband, but an Englisher offers her the chance of a new life after her unexpected tragedy.Wealthy businessman Trey Peterson is surprised by his attraction to the gentle Amish woman who works as a housekeeper in the Lancaster Grand Hotel. They share a common bond of loss and are able to offer each other comfort and support as they journey through their grief.Joshua Glick wants nothing more than to offer his friendship and love to Hannah and her family. Not only is he her late husband's brother and business partner, he has always been in love with Hannah.A Hopeful Heart is filled with surprising twists as Hannah tries to balance her life in the Amish community and her growing love for an outsider.

Three young friends enter the most important season of their lives. But relationships have changed, and only time will tell if Lindsay, Katie, and Lizzie Anne have made the right choices.Three young women are about to change their lives: Lizzie Anne and Samuel have decided to get married, and Lindsay is about to be baptized into the Amish faith and is being courted by Matthew. While Katie Kauffman is happy for her friends who seem to have settled their futures, she is also finding herself something of a fifth wheel.When Lindsay's sister Jessica returns to Bird-in-Hand, she finds that Jake Miller has moved on with his life. He lost hope that Jessica would ever be satisfied to settle in rural Pennsylvania and takes comfort in becoming close friends with Katie. However, it's not an easy road as Jake is Mennonite and Katie has just been baptized. Her father forbids them to see each other, adamant that his daughter marry an Amish man.Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you'll meet the delightful women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County. As each woman's story unfolds, you will share in her joys, dreams . . . and secrets. You'll discover the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle and, most importantly, you will be encouraged by the hope and faith of these women, and the importance they place on their families.

Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you'll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County. As each woman's story unfolds, you will share in her heartaches, trials, joys, dreams and secrets. You'll discover how the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle can clash with the ';English' way of lifeand the decisions and consequences that follow. Most importantly, you will be encouraged by the hope and faith of these women, and the importance they place on their families. In A Life of Joy, the fourth installment in the series, eighteen-year-old Lindsay Bedford has reached a crossroads. Should she stay in the small Amish community she's known and loved for four years or return to the English life in her hometown in Virginia where her older sister is a college student? An extended visit to Virginia might just tip the scales as Lindsay reconnects with friends, joins a new church, works on her GED, and is pressured by her sister to stay and "e;make something of herself."e; Will Lindsay leave her aunt Rebecca and become English or settle in Bird-in-Hand and join the Amish church? Legions of Clipston fans want to know. Full of well-researched Amish culture, Clipston's book is true to form, delivering the best of the Amish fiction genre wrapped around a compelling story, with characters who will touch the hearts of loyal fans and new readers alike.

Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you'll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County. As each woman's story unfolds, you will share in her heartaches, trials, joys, dreams and secrets. You'll discover how the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle can clash with the ';English' way of lifeand the decisions and consequences that follow. Most importantly, you will be encouraged by the hope and faith of these women, and the importance they place on their families. Miriam Lapp, who left the Amish community of Bird-in-Hand three years ago, is heartbroken when her sister calls to reveal that her mother has died suddenly. Traveling home to Pennsylvania, she is forced to face the heartache from her past, including her rift from her family and the breakup of her engagement with Timothy Kauffman. Her past emotional wounds are reopened when her family rejects her once again and she finds out that Timothy is in a relationship with someone else. Miriam discovers that the rumors that broke them up three years ago were all lies. However, when Timothy proposes to his girlfriend and Miriam's father disowns her, Miriam returns to Indiana with her heart in shambles. When Miriam's father has a stroke, Miriam returns to Pennsylvania, where her world continues to fall apart, leaving her to question her place in the Amish community and her faith in God.

Today we live in a culture that says, ';Life should be easy and work well.' This attitude, called entitlement, influences our most important institutions: family, business, church, and government. Its devastating effects contribute to relational problems, work ethic issues, and emotional struggles.It comes down to this: People are not getting to where they want to go, because they don't know how to do life the hard way. Entitlement keeps them from tackling challenges and finding success.But whether readers are struggling with their own sense of entitlement or dealing with someone who acts entitled, The Entitlement Cure will equip them to turn away from a life of mediocrity to a life of engagement, satisfaction, and joy.Drawing from his experience as a counselor and leadership consultant, renowned psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Dr. John Townsend explores strategies for fighting entitlement, such as:Take a meaningful risk every weekFind ways to minimize regretGrasp the value of keeping inconvenient commitmentsUnderstand why saying ';I don't know' is the first step toward success.In a culture that encourages shortcuts and irresponsibility, The Entitlement Cure provides principles and skills to help you both navigate life with those around you who have an entitlement mindset and identify areas in your own life where you are stuck in ';easy way' living. Dr. Townsend will show you how to become successful, resolve obstacles in life, and help those around you.Ultimately, The Entitlement Cure provides practical tools for a life of success that works for anyone.

How do you know you're ready to trust again ... and what does it take to be ready? Painful relationships violate our trust, causing us to close our hearts. But to experience the freedom and love God designed us for, we eventually have to take another risk. In this breakthrough book, bestselling author Dr. John Townsend takes you beyond the pain of the past to discover how to re-enter a life of intimate relationships. Whether you're trying to restore a current relationship or begin a new one, Townsend gives practical tools for establishing trust and finding the intimacy you long for. Beyond Boundaries will help you reinstate closeness with someone who broke your trust; discern when true change has occurred; reestablish appropriate connections in strained relationships; create a safe environment that helps you trust; and restore former relationships to a healthy dynamic. You can move past relational pain to trust again. Beyond Boundaries will show you how.

The true story of a single mother's love and perseverance, her son's autism diagnosis with its challenges and gifts, and their triumph together over life's toughest obstacles. Journey with Emily Colson--daughter of Chuck Colson--as she takes you from her darkest days of pain to her adventure through life. With candor and wit, she shares about her personal battles and heartbreak when, as a suddenly single mother, she discovered her only child has autism. Emily illuminates the page with imagery--making you laugh, making you cry, inspiring you to face your own challenges.Along the way, we discover that Max's disability does not so much define who he is, but reveals who we are. Dancing with Max is not a fairy tale with a magical ending. It's a real-life story of grace and second chances and fresh starts in spite of life's hardest problems. And Max? Max will make you fall in love with life all over again, leaving you dancing with joy.This is the story that will inspire you to "e;get up and live,"e; to break free of the barriers that threaten to constrict your life. And this is the young man who will capture, even change, your heart.Includes contributions from Chuck Colson, in his most personal writing since Born Again, as he details how Max's resilient spirit unraveled his thinking and brought out his tender side as a grandfather.

"e;The perfect conversation for men with little to say can be summed up in eight words: 'Can you believe the weather at that game?'"e;Author Wes Yoder's words are humorous. Yet beyond the sports and weather chatter and silence that characterize many male conversations, there is brokenness. Emptiness. Shame. That's not funny.For Yoder, addressing the problem is not about planting the flag for one's manhood by joining a mass movement for men, nor is it necessary for men to "e;sire a herd or shoot a moose to authenticate their manhood."e; Yoder calls disappointed, disenchanted, and lonely men to authenticity. To rediscover joy. To find satisfaction. In Bond of Brothers, men will discover:- Why your career and performance at work are not your identity- How to defeat the fears that come to a man in the "e;Tough Years"e;- What to do when you are too worried to forgive or too power-hungry to smile- Why spiritual friendships are the central, life-giving core of all healthy relationships among menBeing present to comfort, to love, to listen, to take a step toward Jesus together in our brokenness ... that is the essence of friendship, Yoder writes. When we invite Jesus into our shared brokenness, he can do the work of remaking what is left of the mess we have made of ourselves. Begin a journey toward authenticity and your true identity here!

In this ebook download of Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus, Lois Tverberg challenges readers to follow their Rabbi more closely by re-examining his words in the light of their Jewish context. Doing so will provide a richer, deeper understanding of his ministry, compelling us to live differently, to become more Christ-like. We'll begin to understand why his first Jewish disciples abandoned everything to follow him, to live out his commands. Our modern society, with its individualism and materialism, is very different than the tight-knit, family-oriented setting Jesus lived and taught in. What wisdom can we glean from his Eastern, biblical attitude toward life? How can knowing Jesus within this context shed light on his teachings for us today? In Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus we'll journey back in time to eavesdrop on the conversations that arose among the rabbis of Jesus' day, and consider how hearing Rabbi Jesus with the ears of a first-century disciple can bring new meaning to our faith. And we'll listen to Jewish thinkers through the ages, discovering how ideas that germinated in Jesus' time have borne fruit over time. Doing so will yield fresh, practical insights for following our Rabbi's teachings from a Jewish point of view.

The beautiful piano sitting in the corner of Jill King's apartment begs to be played. For over a year, it has sat untouched, ever since a terrible accident shattered Jill's ambition of becoming a concert pianist. The ragged scar on her left hand is a cruel and constant reminder of the death of her dream.But another dream is about to come to life-an unexpected, horrifying dream that will present Jill with a responsibility she never wanted. And choices she never wanted to make. Hundreds of lives depend on Jill's willingness to warn her small, oceanside town in Nova Scotia of a nameless, looming disaster. But doing so could cost Jill her reputation, jeopardize the political career of the man she loves, and ruin their plans for a future together.The fate of an entire community hangs in the balance as Jill wrestles with the cost of heeding one still, small voice.

What is the ';Christian life' all about? Studying the Bible, attending church, cultivating a prayer life, witnessing to othersthose are all good. But is that really what Jesus has in mind? The answer, says Scot McKnight in One.Life, lies in Jesus' words, ';Follow me.' What does it look like to follow Jesus, and how will doing so change the way we live our lifeour love.life, our justice.life, our peace.life, our community.life, our sex.lifeeverything about our life. One.Life will open your eyes to the full, compelling immensity of what it means to be a Christian. ';Jesus offers to us a kingdom dream that transforms us to the very core of our being,' says Scot McKnight. ';His vision is so big we are called to give our entire life to it. His vision is so big it swallows up our dreams.' Discover exactly what Jesus meant when he announced the arrival of God's kingdom. Equipping you with a new understanding of that kingdom's radical nature, One.Life shares profound, challenging, and practical insights on how to demonstrate its reality in your life. In many ways, what The Cost of Discipleship by Bonhoeffer challenged Christians to do in earlier generations, One.Life will do for a new generation. One.Life will call you beyond the flatlands of religiosity toward a kingdom vision that will shape everything you do.

In this compelling book, Scot McKnight shares his personal experience in the church as well as his study of the Apostle Paul to answer this significant question: What is the church supposed to be?For most of us the church is a place we go to on Sunday to hear a sermon or to participate in worship or to partake in communion or to fellowship with other Christians. Church is all contained within one or two hours on Sunday morning.The church the Apostle Paul talks about is designed by God to be a fellowship of difference-how people differ socially-and differents-how people differ culturally. God did not design the church to be a two-hour experience on Sunday but a mixture of people from all across the map and spectrum: men and women, rich and poor, Caucasians or African Americans, and Mexican Americans, Latin Americans, Asian Americans, and Indian Americans, and a mixture of people with varying personalities and tastes. The church McKnight grew up in was a fellowship of sames and likes. There was almost no variety in his church. White folks, same beliefs about everything, same tastes in music and worship and sermons and lifestyle. Because of his experience, he writes incisively and compellingly.The church is God's world-changing social experiment of bringing unlikes and differents to the table to share life with one another as a new kind of family. When this happens we show to the world what love, justice, peace, reconciliation, and life together is designed by God to be. The church is God's show-and-tell for the world to see how God wants us to live as a family.

Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury reminds us that before you take a stand, you've got to take a chance.Despite his quiet ways and quirky behaviors, Holden Harris is very happy and socially engagedon the inside, in a private world all his own. But Holden is an eighteen-year-old with autism. Every day he is bullied at school by kids who only see that he is very different.Ella Reynolds is part of the in-crowd. A cheerleader and star of the high school drama production, her life seems perfect. When she catches Holden listening to her rehearse for the school play, she is drawn to him . . . the way he is drawn to the music. Then Ella makes a dramatic discoveryshe and Holden were best friends as children. Frustrated by the way Holden is bullied and horrified at the indifference of her peers, Ella decides to take a stand against the most privileged and popular kids at school. Including her boyfriend, Jake.Ella believes miracles can happen in the most unlikely places and that just maybe an entire community might celebrate from the sidelines. But will Holden's praying mother, Ella, and a cast of theater kids be enough to unlock the prison that contains Holden? This time friendship, faith, and the power of a song must be strong enough to open the doors to the miracle Holden needs.This contemporary, inspirational read is a standalone novel. Book length: approximately 80,000 words. Includes a reading group guide and a letter to readers from the author.

A most unwelcome guest surprises Diana at her engagement partythe husband she thought was dead!Diana Brennan came west on the orphan train and was given a home with a loving couple who cherished and spoiled her. At 17, she fell hard for Tyson Applegate, the son of a wealthy mine owner. After a whirlwind courtship and marriage, Tyson took o for adventures around the world, including fighting with the Rough Riders in Cuba. Receiving no word of him in years, Diana is ready to move past the old pain and marry again, just as soon as Tyson is declared legally dead.But when Tyson returns, supposedly a changed man, he wants to reunite with his wife and run for the senate. While Diana suspects the election is his real reason for wanting her by his side, she agrees to maintain his home and to campaign with him, but when it is over, win or lose, she wants her freedom.He agrees with one conditionshe must give him a chance to change her mind about him.

The Bailey Flanigan series begins with Bailey leaving Bloomington for the adventure of a lifetime. She has won an audition for the ensemble of a Broadway musical in New York City. She's determined to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but is she really ready to leave family and friends for the loneliness of the city? And what of Cody? His disappearance has her worried about their future and praying that their love can survive. In order to be closer to his mother in jail, Cody takes a coaching job in a small community outside Indianapolis. New friends, distance, and circumstances expose cracks in his relationship with Bailey Flanigan. Love, loneliness, big opportunities, and even bigger decisions highlight the first book in the new Bailey Flanigan series that features members of the popular Baxter family and finally completes the Bailey Flanigan/Cody Coleman story.

Set in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the United States, The Malacca Conspiracy is a bone-chilling tale of terrorism on the high seas, of political assassination and nuclear brinkmanship. And for Zack and Dianeyour favorite JAG characters from Don Brown's popular Navy Justice Seriesa story of hope for a longstanding romance that is now or never. When a dastardly plot is hatched in the Malaysian seaport of Malacca to attack civilian oil tankers at sea, to drive up the price of crude oil futures, and to assassinate the Indonesian president and use fat windfall profits to finance a nuclear attack against American cities, Navy JAG officers Zack Brewer and Diane Cocernian reunite in a sizzling race against the clock to foil the conspiracy before disaster strikes. But as President Mack Williams sends ships of the U.S. Seventh Fleet towards the Malacca Straights to reassert control over the sea lanes, will Navy JAG officers Zack Brewer and Diane Colcernian survive this dangerous and final high-stakes drama of life and death? You won't be able to put this thriller down until you find out.