Beyond the Classroom provides an easy-to-read plan for church pastors and church leaders to improve Christian education in the church. Teaching and teacher training are the main emphasis of the book. The scholar and former director of Christian education in a New York megachurch provides the AZ plan for developing or improving Christian education.
MICHAELS MUSINGS consists of blog entries written by Pastor Michael Kurtz over the course of nearly five and one-half years. Each blog provides a daily reading on a wide variety of topics ranging from social issues to sabbath time, and worship service themes to family experiences. Following each web log are provided suggested scripture readings, a reflection statement to consider, and a prayer to offer, all related to the theme and content of the daily writing.
I Can Read is designed to help children increase vocabulary, think critically, develop reading skills, and learn the Christian story of God and creation.
Identity is an issue for both Christian and non-Christians alike, in that they look virtually the same. Our societies imply that if you have or possess a certain item, so you are able to do what you need to do, all so you can possibly be who you are. This is not the biblical example of Jesus and God's original intention. Part of the issue is that some churches, evangelists, and Bible teachers are singularly focused upon the broken image of Adam and Eve. They rush to the story of the fall of humanity to prove the point that we are fatally broken, flawed, and are in need of a savior. There we stay presented with a corrupted, broken, and distorted image of what humanity is. Without knowing who we were supposed to be, we will have no idea of what we are aiming for. How then can we carry out the commands of Jesus (Matthew 10:7""8; 28:19""20, Luke 16:15), or the proclamations of Luke 4:18""19 or Isaiah 61:1""2, without knowing who we are? The purpose of this book is to help you begin to see what it was and who it is that you are created to be.
Two pertinent questions that were foremost in our minds regarding the COVID-19 pandemic were “when will this virus end? After about two months and no immediate end in sight, the second question became “what’s going to get us through this pandemic?” This unprecedented virus changed our entire way of living. Businesses, stores, schools, and houses of worship were closed. Shelter in place, wash your hands frequently, use hand sanitizer, wear a mask, social distance became the mandated directives of the day. Many jobs were lost due to business shut-downs, which created economic hardships for many families It was my prayer that as I prepared these messages “for such a time as this," I would be guided by the Holy Spirit to deliver a Word that would offer peace (“Perfect Peace”), encouragement (“Yes There Is!”), salvation (“God’s Gift of Repentance”), God’s protection (“Refuge at the Lord’s Table”), and a desire within the hearer to have a closer relationship with God (“Sheltered in Place”). As you read, visualize, and hear these messages in your heart, mind, and spirit, it is my prayer that you will be able to answer the question “WHAT WILL GET US THROUGH?”
Paul David Tripp helps hurting people to see their circumstances from an eternal perspective, gently uncovering the wrong motives, faulty reasoning, and misguided conclusions that can blind us to the truth of God's love and goodness.
This text is a theological reflection of the words, Hear the Word of the Lord in the Bible. The objective is to focus and provide a reflection on scriptures to help individuals in their spiritual growth and their capacity to respond to the struggles of life with more emotional and psychological victories.
Eric’s wife Nancy is a retired oncology nurse and worked over 30 years at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California. Nancy told me that I needed to learn more about my birth father and about my risk factors for my health based on my genetic background. As a result of this dynamic research and investigation this became a story of a life with many intriguing twists and turns. Many secrets were brought to the light through oral tradition, genetic testing, and Eric’s intuitive and inquisitive nature. This book has been percolating in Eric’s mind for a long time. Now that he is semi-retired, it is time to give birth to this wonderful story. This is Eric’s testimony to God’s sovereign grace and providential care. As you read this story of Eric’s adventuresome life you may gain a new appreciation for the value of every single person who was ever conceived. Thus Eric is in the center of the Circle of Trust.
Dr. David L. Kjosa Sr. has dedicated his life to encouraging, inspiring and challenging people to believe that thru Christ they can overcome any challenge in life. He tells us that life is defined by the choices we make. That, choices are at the core of who we are and what we value as important. Through Simply Safe Choices (SSC) we can travel the proven road to self-esteem, success, and an exciting future. He is an eternal optimist and attributes it to the choices he made as a young man. He shares his optimism with us in The Oars of Our Lives. Now with genuine enthusiasm and love he guides us to the one who waits our invitation to give us a bright future-Jesus Christ. He has written an inspiring and uplifting book that will resonate with everyone and remind us how to make Christ-honoring choices—Simply Safe Choices. His technique is clever and ingenious and is certain to hold the readers’ attention. He speaks to men and women of all faiths with the uplifting message that they can be all that they were created to be through Christ-honoring choices-Simply Safe Choices. By contrasting familiar concepts Dr. Kjosa tackles and addresses familiar life challenges. He encourages and motivates them to make choices which will honor Christ and provide a bright future for themselves. Their destiny need not be an elusive idea or impossibility. A new you, a new life, a bright future, is waiting all around them. Their tour guide, their Captain, Jesus Christ, is waiting to show them His plan for their lives. A life bright and beautiful lies ahead for them to discover untouched, untapped, and unexplored talent. A Purpose filled life. As a child of God, we are born with a purpose in life to be fulfilled. With clear, concise, right-on-the-money words of encouragement Dr. Kjosa helps us mere mortals learn what it is all about. So, dare to be bold. Dare to make your thinking big enough for Christ to fit into your plans. Your Dynamic Divine Destiny awaits you. “Today is the time, Today is all you have, Tomorrow never comes, Dream your dreams, Dream boldly. Dare to think big, Dare to think boldly, Christ will reward you boldly, And you will soar with Eagles.” --drdlksr
There are untold numbers of Americans, especially those in religious institutions, who are suffering in silence from the disease of addiction, primarily drugs and alcohol. Professionals, including pastors, who have money, power and prestige, can get caught up in any addiction and think it will not happen to them because of their position. Their families go through living hell because someone in the house has a drug or alcohol problem and they dont know what to do. The Pipe and the Pulpit tells the true story of an addicted, inner -city, highly educated, pastor who got caught up in alcohol and cocaine abuse but found hope and deliverance through a tried and proven way. This book is for the addicted and their families, especially in the church, and want help. Fasten your traditional, religious, seatbelt for the non-traditional, Spiritual ride of your life for deliverance. There is Hope for you!
Dr. Christopher E. L. Toote's expose, "50 Powerful Sermon Outlines" is a brilliant bridge, connecting ancient world texts to current life application. This compilation of outlines is designed to be used as vehicles to help the preacher cross the bridge from a revelatory approach to the Word of God, to a practical, transformational, and homiletical approach to the sermonic moment. Dr. Toote's outlines will empower preachers for effective communication for this current generation as well as generations to come. - Dr. Gary G. Hayles Director, New Kind of Preacher, Northern Seminary Lead Pastor, Tabernacle Bible Church, Cincinnati, OH Dr. Christopher Toote has written a master-preacher guide for pastors and teachers to learn how to outline a sermon, access a biblical text, understand multiple ways to interpret the Bible, and provide applicable meaning in today's world. Dr. Toote understands how to prepare, present, and apply God's Word. He brings a scholar's mind and a pastor's heart to his writing. This work is drawn from a deep well of experience in Christian and secular higher education and a lifelong practice of biblical exposition. He's been on both sides of the pulpit- as preacher and parishioner. He has lived out the gospel on campus and preached and taught faithfully in congregations. This book reflects years of hard work from a student of God's Word. He understands what it's like to work throughout the week and be responsible for the work of the Word on a weekly basis. - Dr. William D. Shiell President Professor of Pastoral Theology and Preaching Northern Seminary Lisle, IL This collection of sermon outlines is a treasure trove of inspiration and the sparks that ignite sound biblical preaching and teaching. Each outline employs rhetorical devices and homiletical movements that may serve as a model for outlining any other sermon or lesson you may be inspired to deliver. The homiletics professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, Dr. Cleophas LaRue, made a statement that suggested that Sundays come quicker than sermons. Dr. Toote's sermon outlines will help any proclaimer whose Sunday is approaching sooner than the development of the sermon. - Dr. Gerald M. Dew Lead Pastor, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago Director, South Side Center for Urban Leadership Affiliate Professor of Ministry Northern Seminary Lisle, IL
Encouraging a broad, compassionate, humanistic approach to spirituality, this book shows how patients' spiritual needs can be communicated well within interdisciplinary teams, leading to better patient wellbeing. This book describes the art of charting patients' spiritual perspectives in an open way that will help physicians and nurses to better direct medical care. It includes practical information on how to distil spiritual needs into pragmatic language, helping to demystify spiritual experience. Drawing on his extensive practical experience, the author also suggests key points to emphasise that will enrich chart notes for medical records, including brief, relative narratives, trusting one's own impressions, reflecting holistically on the patient's life, patient attitudes towards treatment and recovery, and describing families' opinions on the health care situation of their loved one. The book shows healthcare professionals of all disciplines how to engage in a shared responsibility for the spiritual care of their patients.
In this collection of essays and articles, including sermons and columns written for the Cen-La Focus, Henry C. Blount, Jr. D. Min walks us through his faith and unique way of seeing the world. Wise, worldly, and always quick with a quote or a witticism, these are meditations on life in a time of uncertainty that will bring comfort to anyone seeking it. Living Faithfully in the Age of Terror is the culmination of a lifetime of study, and brings together the experience of a man who has counseled families for decades. It offers Blount’s spin on subjects from displaying Grace to thumping watermelons, truly demonstrating his commitment to a “dynamic” Christianity that seeks truth wherever it may turn up – sometimes the most unlikely places.
Historical Evolution of Christian Worship will present the Origin of Worship. Praise is the prelude to worship and our entrance into God’s presence. This is the point of true worship WE HEAR, WE PROCLAIM AND WE RESPOND WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF WORSHIP? WHY DO WE WORSHIP?
Welcome to the Kingdom will revolutionize the lives of twenty-first century believers as they learn the essential elements of the Kingdom life and maximize their divine productivity. This book is one of the most practical books written on the Kingdom of God ever. From the Parable of the Sower, youll learn the four key relationships that will guarantee your victory over Satan and situations. The Kingdom wisdom in this book will lead every believer to the promise of the abundant and prosperous life!
Prayer is about being sensitive to the leading of God’s Spirit and our brothers and sisters around us in a group situation. The content of this book is aimed at arriving at a place where a church groups will be in one accord when operating in the field of Evangelism. But this field of study can lend itself to unlimited areas of concern in our collective church family. The aim of this study is to look at how a group of people coming together in pray can be effective in making supplication and requests to God.
The debate about women serving in ministry has been just as vigorous and heated in the past as it is today. It has been argued by many and almost all are saying they are coming from a Biblical perspective. Thus the question I ask is, “If this is the case what does the Bible say?” A personal note before we go too far. My focus is about preaching Christ crucified and risen to deliver to man salvation, and the only part man has to play is to believe and repent. I am about the Fathers business. I would only wish we could do books on men’s role and responsibility to ministry.
Seminary plays a crucial role in the lives of ministers, pastors, and lay leaders. But seminary cannot teach you the real life, day to day, practical experiences and operation of leading God's people. In this book we will look at some practical principles a pastor will not learn in seminary. Many pastors are in for a rude awakening when they are called to their pastorate. They enter the job with excitement and zeal, only to be later frustrated by the everyday duties a pastor must deal with. This book will cover everything from understanding your call, how to handle criticism, do you and your church make a good fit, leading church meetings, to knowing when your assignment is over. We will discuss how to plan a construction project, dealing with ministry and staff betrayal, finding a mentor, the power of preaching the Word and spending time with the Lord in prayer. ( i will add a small photo of myself)
Preach, My Sister, Preach is a biblical study about what God has to say about women in the Gospel ministrynot about the opinions of men, women, denominations, theologians, religious associations, and other critics and pundits. For the first time, someone has taken on the issue of women in the pulpits and the Christian ministry and has given a bulletproof defense for supporting women in ministry. Preach, My Sister, Preach examines the Holy Scriptures from the origin of Genesis through the end of Revelation and proves that God promotes women in ministry, Jesus endorses women in ministry, and the Holy Spirit empowers women in ministry for the kingdom of God.
This book is a powerful story about my dad, Nelson B. Staples Jr., who was confronted with death on several occasions, only to see God undeniably defy death on his behalf, which made Dad a walking miracle. Dad’s life was guided by God as he worked in the coal mines for twenty years, served in the United States Military during the Jim Crow era, as he worked for the Veterans Administration Hospital as supervisor of building management and EEO counselor for thirty-two years, and as he was pastor of several churches in rural West Virginia. Even though my dad faced much opposition, God gave him the vision to become the founder and builder of the Mount Zion Baptist Church in Beckley, West Virginia, which had over eight hundred members on the church roster during his tenure.
In a twenty-first century world, many struggle to understand and carry out the commands given by Christ in the first century AD, originally given by God more than a millennium earlier. Are these commands still applicable in our twenty-first-century lifestyles? Do we really need to love the Lord and love my neighbor? If so, do we even know who God and our neighbors are? In Who is My Neighbor as Defined by Christ?, author Denoise P. Sullivan Jr. addresses a host of questions: • Who, exactly, is my neighbor? • Do I need to treat everyone as my neighbor? • What does treat someone as a neighbor even mean? • What does it look like to love myself and to then transfer that love to my neighbor? • What does fellowship and communion with God mean? • How does fellowship eventually lead to you seeing others as Christ sees them? This guide delves into what the Bible says about loving your neighbor and how Jesus taught and still teaches about this key commandment. Sullivan encourages you to see your neighbors through Jesus’ eyes and strive for a more loving, equitable society.
Life without Easter for once. Imagine that. I entertained the thought to skip Easter this year. No crowded shopping centers, no Easter bunny, no jelly beans and marshmallow candy, no lamb shaped from butter, no kielbasa, ham, or dyed eggs. No Easter parade. No church services! No blessed basket of food before Easter eve's start to enjoy Easter Sunday! Not even a new suit, hat, or bonnet. I'd be the Easter crank. Skip it. That's just what I had in mind after Christmas Day. Skip Easter. Who needs the flu, the hassles, the traffic and parking lots at stores, the expectations we have of one another, and, the picture-perfect card with the entire family, or else! No decorations? Not even the usual rites of Spring's baseball season with the Detroit Tigers? Forget it! All of it. A trip to Easter Island to escape this holiest day of the calendar year seems so nice. However, as lessons were learned, skipping Easter comes with consequences. It isn't accomplished as easily as I had imagined. Lessons were learned, and, even came alive with fresh, vibrant ways as my idea was explored amid the craziness, chaos and frenzy that marks this holiday tradition. Easter would not be the same, indeed. For sure. Happy Easter!
This study guide accompanies Dr. Graham’s book, Harnessing the Harassment of Human Fears. Because the book is not intended for a quick collateral read, this workbook will assist the reader to think, apply, and meditate upon the liberating truths of God which bring lasting hope and joy. A forty-two-page study guide for personal use, counseling sessions, or classroom settings. Large layout format to enable in-depth interaction with the biblical concepts of fear and mastery. A thoughtful and prayerful peruse of this work results in the spiritual enrichment of the reader’s life and deeper fellowship with Jesus Christ.
Something for everyone in this theological practicum of sanctification. The book hones in on the relationship of dire trials to God’s finished goal—the glories of Christ through His people. Intended for all who struggle! This book is a must read for those who face daily battle with intense personal conflict, whether in marriage, at home, or the workplace. The Way of Sonship, is a very personal read with a very hopeful end. It is a linear walk from the intentional trial to the fruitful completion.
Bible is God’s story, spread in the chapters and books of the Bible. Many times, it seems to be complex and tough to see through these lines to understand the heart of God. The Panoramic view of Bible is designed to make Bible very clear and a brief study guide. This book has great and attractive resources to explain the central teaching, authorship, dates, context settings, message and connections with other books in historical and prophetical context. Each book is placed in a way, where the reader can understand the purpose and plan of God and this book connects each book to another book in a sequence so that readers can understand the context and message of the Bible very clearly, and can easily connect to the history and plan of God designed for the whole world and us as individual. Once can clearly see God’s unfolding plan and the salvation history from Genesis to Revelation. This book provides, maps, pictures and illustrations, for each book of the Bible and provides a fascinating and carefully crafted summary of the information for the students of Bible. This can be a great resource for Pastors, preachers, teachers and Seminary students for their Theological studies and ministry.
A complete description of the 27 pastors of Waxhaw Presbyterian Church in Waxhaw, NC, including two ministers who went out of the church to preach. The time period includes the full life of the church 1888-2016.
This is more than a book of sermons. It is a cross section of generational preachers that include Builders, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. While sermons cover the entire Bible, there is a special section devoted to the purpose of expository preaching, Attention is given to the practical side of ministry, church hurt, church planting, and passing the baton in an African-American context. Special honor is given to preaching giants on the East Coast.
During my subsequent years as a pastor I discovered I was not alone in my awareness that teaching in the church can and should be proactive as well as a transformative aid. The question is, why are we so reluctant to acknowledge and employ it to help our hurting learners with this or some other equally effective method?
Pastor and writer Michael D. Kurtz reflects upon lessons learned from growing Christmas trees for nearly twenty years and applies these lessons to everyday faith and living in LESSONS FROM A CHRISTMAS TREE FARM. In the prologue Kurtz writes: "The instructions from God's creation are pronounced and profound if we will open our eyes, minds, and hearts to the inherent lessons. Growing Christmas trees, like growing in the Christian faith, is neither quick nor easy. There is required of us patience, diligence, and hard work. And, above all, divine grace." Divided into thirty chapters LESSONS is easily adaptable to a monthly devotional resource, by simply reading a chapter per day for one month. Or, LESSONS FROM A CHRISTMAS TREE FARM is ideal for small groups and Sunday School classes. Each chapter is designed around one theme with a section entitled "Questions and Reflections" at the conclusion of every chapter suitable for discussion. In LESSONS FROM A CHRISTMAS TREE FARM the reader will discover a wealth of biblical and practical wisdom for living. As you read this engaging volume you will not only be entertained, you will also be encouraged and inspired in your spiritual journey.
This accessible primer sets out the core elements and methods of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), and shows how to use it most effectively to improve clinicians' capacity for spiritual care. The guide explains how to learn best from verbatim sessions, open agenda groups and writing projects. It shows how the primary learning modalities of CPE add competence to a spiritual caregiver's practice, suggesting helpful ways to reflect on spiritual care encounters from varying perspectives. It recommends ways to collaborate with a peer group, enhance frameworks of understanding people, improve self-awareness and broaden one's scope of caring while also deepening it. Written by an experienced supervisor of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, this guide is an essential introduction for anyone seeking to foster positive attitudes and practice of spiritual care in hospitals, hospices and other clinical settings.
The author has wonderfully traced the orgins of the Roanoke Missionary Baptist Associations and its Founders from 1866 to 1966. He has included brief but substative narratives of the lives of the Founding Fathers namely: L. W. Boone, Z. H. Berry, H. H. Hays, C. E.Hodges, C. E. Johnson, William Reid, Emanuel Reynolds and others. Sufficient attention has been given to the activities of the Women Missionary and Education Union. Pictures and narratives of 10 of its previous presidents has been enshirned in the chapter entitled, "Woman, What of our Past." Historical sketches and pictures of selected churches within the Roanoke Missionary Baptist Association displays the far reaching effects of the Founding Fathers. The concluding chapter details the founding of the West Raonoke Missionary Baptist Association from the Roanoke Missionary Baptist Association. Dr. Boone has taken the Bataan from others who knew that this important historical contribution needed to be gathered, appreciated, shared and celebrated for a job well done. Unfortunately, no one was able to consistently pursue this great endeavor before Dr. Boones extensive and exhaustive work represented here. Massive in its scope the volume guides the reader in a comprehensive and challenging look at the origin and the significance of the Roanoke Missionary Baptist Association and the importance of the Founding Fathers and the work with the North Carolina and Virginia abolitionist. The lives of the Founding Fathers and the lives of the first three generations of pastors and officials are succinctly presented as they lifted up the esssential meaning of liberation for the pastor and the local congregations in northeastern North Carolina. The History of the Roanoke Missionary Baptist Association from 1866-1966 provides critical resources for the study of the formation of this grand institution. Dr. Boone has put in place a solid foundation that can be built upon as new information becomes available. He is married to the former Amanda Battle of Richmond, VA. They reside in Hampton Roads, Virginia.
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