Whose heart doesn't leap at the sight of a beautifully conditioned runner, effortlessly gliding along, stride-by stride, mile-by-mile? And what runner gets to this place without a thankless—and often lonely—regimen of strategy and self-denial?Isn't this the perfect metaphor of what your heart is longing for—running life's race with intentionality and grace? With strength and focus? Well, you can. Veteran pastor and best-selling author Gordon MacDonald says you must develop resilience.

The author of Ordering Your Private World helps men and women breathe new vitality into their faith and grow beyond the status quo to find fresh adventure and joy in life.

"Who am I becoming?" That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer. Outwardly, he appeared successful. But inwardly, things weren’t pretty. So, he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words: "Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life." It wasn’t the response he expected, but it was - and continues to be - the answer he needs. Within this audiobook, you’ll find a fascinating road map to staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world.

Who Stole My Church? is a fictional story that tells the all-too-real tale of many church communities today. In this audiobook, you can walk alongside an imaginary community, led by real-life pastor Gordon MacDonald and his wife, Gail, and discover how to meet the needs of all believers without abandoning the dreams and desires of any.

Tempted to give imbalanced attention to the public world at the expense of the private, we become involved in more programs, more meetings. Our massive responsibilities at home, work, and church have resulted in a lot of good people on the verge of collapse. In this timely update of his classic Ordering Your Private World, Gordon MacDonald equips a new generation to live life from the inside out, cultivating the inner victory necessary for public effectiveness.

Encounter the multifaceted life of one of the most influential and creative pastors of the past half century with unforgettable stories of Eugene’s lifelong devotion to his craft and love of language, the influences and experiences that shaped his unquenchable faith, the inspiration for his decision to translate The Message, and his success and struggles as a pastor, husband, and father. Author Winn Collier was given exclusive access to Eugene and his materials for the production of this landmark work.

Dallas Willard was a personal mentor and inspiration to hundreds of pastors, philosophers, and average churchgoers. His presence and ideas rippled through the lives of many prominent leaders and authors, such as John Ortberg, Richard Foster, James Bryan Smith, Paula Huston, and J. P. Moreland. As a result of these relationships and the books he wrote, he fundamentally altered the way tens of thousands of Christians have understood and experienced the spiritual life.

You have big life questions. This audiobook will give you clear, direct answers! After successfully serving in one place for more than 20 years, Charles Jenkins came to a critical point when he had to ask himself some very difficult questions, including: “Is your season in this role over”? “What season of life are you in”? and “How do you know when it's time to leave”? “Where are you headed”? Transitions are always times of upheaval. They challenge us to clarify our purpose, assess our talents, have compassion, and find the courage to make bold decisions.

It may sound simplistic, but it’s not. The genius of this book is how Rob Ketterling targets the problems all leaders face, deconstructs them, and wrote a book that will be a lifesaver for all who listen to it. This book is not just for leaders of churches, corporations, or organizations. The truths and concepts apply to all walks of life - including our homes.

A teacher nicknamed him Stupid for an entire school year.... Job-placement counselors told him to steer clear of college due to his academic ineptitude.... Friends shied away from him because of his love for the arts.... Even those closest to him were mystified by his early passion for the Bible and his lack of interest in sports.

Create a church unchurched people absolutely love to attend. 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 Stanley shares his strategy for preaching and programming to both mature believers and cynical unbelievers, essential ingredients for creating irresistible environments, and North Point's spiritual formation model (The Five Faith Catalysts).

Master the decisions that will make your life everything God wants it to be. Every day we make choices. And those choices accumulate and eventually become our life story. What would your life look like if you became an expert at making those choices? In this inspiring guidebook, New York Times best-selling author Craig Groeschel shows how the choices that are in your power, if aligned with biblical principles, will lead to a life you've never imagined.

The church needs sold-out, all-in Jesus-followers. Disciples and disciple-makers. But where do you find them? How do you develop them? Look no further than how Jesus did it. The greatest leader and mentor of all time poured into 12 guys for a season. Those lives multiplied to build the church to over two billion who declare their belief in Christ today.

With no-holds-barred honesty and poignant storytelling, Nate Larkin introduces a model of community and friendship that is reinvigorating men's ministry across the country, a model he calls The Samson Society. Too many men see the biblical hero Samson as their model for manhood - a rugged individualist of the highest order. Yet, Samson's solitary successes were eventually overcome by moral weaknesses. Larkin, through the story of his own past and the stories of those in The Samson Society, offers a radical, refreshing alternative.

Author Kandi Gallaty helps you develop an effective disciple-making strategy in your life and the lives of others. Disciple Her is filled with Kandi’s personal stories, more than a decade’s worth of discipleship experiences, and most importantly, her commitment to the word of God. Kandi doesn’t stop at helping women understand what discipleship is - she gives them a practical game plan for weaving it into their weekly lifestyle, and teaching those they disciple to do the same.

Who Stole My Church? is a fictional story that tells the all-too-real tale of many church communities today. In this audiobook, you can walk alongside an imaginary community, led by real-life pastor Gordon MacDonald and his wife, Gail, and discover how to meet the needs of all believers without abandoning the dreams and desires of any.

It may sound simplistic, but it’s not. The genius of this book is how Rob Ketterling targets the problems all leaders face, deconstructs them, and wrote a book that will be a lifesaver for all who listen to it. This book is not just for leaders of churches, corporations, or organizations. The truths and concepts apply to all walks of life - including our homes.

Whether you speak from the pulpit, podium, or the front of a classroom, you don't need much more than blank stares and faraway looks to tell you you’re not connecting. Take heart before your audience takes leave! You can convey your message in the powerful, life-changing way it deserves to be told. An insightful, entertaining parable that's an excellent guide for any speaker, Communicating for a Change takes a simple approach to delivering effectively.

Have you ever felt in over your head? When Eric Peterson became the pastor of a brand-new church, he quickly and wisely turned to his dad for guidance. Eugene Peterson, author of more than 30 books, including his best-selling memoir The Pastor and his groundbreaking Bible The Message, here reflects on pastoral ministry in all its complexity - from relationships to administration to the sheer audacity of leading God’s people in a particular place. This is Eugene Peterson at his best - lifelong wisdom written with deep love.

Drawing on the wisdom gleaned from thriving mega-churches and innovative business leaders while anchoring their vision in the Eucharistic center of Catholic faith, Fr. Michael White and lay associate Tom Corcoran present the compelling and inspiring story to how they brought their parish back to life. Rebuilt is a story of stopping everything and changing focus. When their parish reached a breaking point, Fr. Michael White and lay associate Tom Corcoran asked themselves how they could make the Church matter to Catholics.

We have hundreds of "friends" through online social networking, but we often don't even know the full name of the person who lives right next door. This unique and inspiring book asks the question: What is the most loving thing I can do for the people who live on my street or in my apartment building? Through compelling true stories of lives impacted, the authors explain how to create genuine friendships with the people who live in closest proximity to us.

Let's face it. Church isn't working. We hear sermons about the abundant life Jesus promised, but how many of us are actually living it? How many of our churches are thriving? How many people in our congregations are experiencing God's blessings? Maybe it's time to call it quits. Quit church? Well, not exactly. Drawing from his experience coaching hundreds of churches toward true growth, Chris Sonksen calls on us to quit our casual, cultural commitment to church as we know it....

In this unabridged audio download of Sticky Teams, Larry Osborne exposes the hidden roadblocks that often sabotage the health and harmony of even the best intentioned ministry teams. Then, with practical and seasoned advice, he shows what it takes to get a leadership board, ministry team, and an entire congregation headed in the same direction.

"Over the last four decades, I've met one-on-one with thousands of men. Most of them know that Jesus promised "a rich and satisfying life" (John 10:10), but too many are confused about what that looks like. In fact, I'd estimate that 90 percent of Christian men lead lukewarm, stagnant, defeated lives—and they hate it. When men try to put into words what's holding them back, they invariably describe one or more of seven symptoms. But you can experience a powerful life transformed by Christ. I'll tell you how." (Patrick Morley)

The most effective leaders know how to connect with people. It's not about power or popularity, but about making the people around you feel heard, comfortable, and understood. While it may seem like some folks are born with a commanding presence that draws people in, the fact is anyone can learn to communicate in ways that consistently build powerful connections. Bestselling author and leadership expert John C. Maxwell offers advice for effective communication to those who continually run into obstacles when it comes to personal success.

There's got to be more to church than this. People around the world are seeking a community that focuses more on others than on themselves. Yet most don't know where to start. Drawing from his own journey, Brandon Hatmaker reminds us that serving the least is not a trendy act of benevolence but a lifestyle of authentic community and spiritual transformation. In Barefoot Church, Brandon offers practical ideas for creating service-based, missional communities and explains how the organizational structure of a church can be created or restructured for mission in any context.

In a shallow light-speed world, how can we really know and be known by another person? How do we make true friends? The Digital Age is all about change, but the need for true friendship never changes. We are designed for real engagement with others - for affirmation that goes beyond a simple "like" on social media, for connection over meals, for hope and excitement about the future. Above all, we need to be known and accepted for who we are.

Best-selling author Joseph Girzone brings us a new hero for our time: Carlo Brunini. An accomplished young Italian bishop, Carlo chooses to become a homeless beggar so he can understand why Jesus so loved the poor. What happens next will astonish and delight readers everywhere. When Carlo returns to his diocese in Italy he starts to build homes for the homeless.

Do you realize that the God of the universe speaks your love language, and your expressions of love for Him are shaped by your love language? Learn how you can give and receive God's love through the five love languages: words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. Gary writes, "As we respond to the love of God and begin to identify the variety of languages He uses to speak to us, we soon learn to speak those languages ourselves.

Pastor and bestselling author Greg Laurie was one of those fortunate few blessed with an insider’s view of Billy Graham’s world for more than two decades. With the same painstaking research and eye for detail that distinguishes his previous biographies, Steve McQueen: Salvation of an American Icon and Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon, Laurie now turns to the life of his beloved mentor, offering the intimate perspective of a disciple and friend.