Showing titles in Discipleship

So, You Want to Be Like Christ? is just right for anyone desiring to delve deeper into the fundamental elements of Christian life and essential for all who hunger for authentic faith experiences.

Do you find yourself picking through circumstances like children plucking daisy petals attempting to figure out whether or not God loves you? If you find yourself least certain of his love in those critical moments when you most need to trust him, there is hope for you. Where? At the one event in human history that forever secured your place in the Father's heart - the cross where Jesus allowed sin and shame to be consumed in his own body so that you could freely embrace a relationship with his Father.

In II Corinthians 13:5 we are told to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. In Lamentations 3:40 we are told to examine our ways and test them, and to return to doing things the Lord's way. In I Corinthians 11:28 we are to examine ourselves before we partake of communion, to see if we are right with God. In Hebrews 12:15 we are to see to it that no one among us falls short of the grace that God has given us. Galatians 6:4 tells each of us to test his own actions. The writer of Psalm 139:23-24 implores the Lord to search his heart and find out if there is any wicked way in him ...

In his debut book, researcher and advocate Wade Mullen introduces us to the groundbreaking world of impression management - the strategies that individuals and organizations utilize to gain power and cover up their wrongdoings. Mullen reveals a pattern that accompanies many types of abuse, almost as if abusers are somehow reading from the same playbook. If we can learn to decode these evil methods - if we can learn the language of abuse - we can help stop the cycle and make abusers less effective at accomplishing destruction in our lives.

Pastor David Platt believes we’ve gotten really good at following a really bad gospel—one that worships American ideas over biblical truth. It’s time for disillusioned, discouraged, and divided Christians, and the next generation, to follow Jesus into a different future.

Dann Spader is a disciple-maker who has spent his adult life exploring what it means to take someone from being a seeker to making disciples themselves. Over 750,000 people in 80 countries have been trained to make disciples through organizations he has led. Through studying the life of Christ and his disciple-making methods, Dann developed 4 Chair Discipling, a simple picture for others to follow. Jesus’ last words on earth had a few very specific instructions: Go, make disciples, baptize, and teach.

Student ministry is one of the most demanding forms of ministry out there. Leaders are normally expected to teach twice a week, partner with parents, and be an active part of the students’ lives outside of church. For the most part, many student ministry leaders know this going into the ministry of students, and yet are left realizing there is so much more than taking kids to camp and showing up for extracurricular activities.

Their Finest Hour is for ordinary Christians looking to deepen their faith, their understanding of the Bible, and their relationship with God. Relatable stories and personal anecdotes make this book an invaluable resource for pastors, teachers, small groups, and believers seeking inspiration and guidance in their spiritual journey.

The Problem of God is written by a skeptic who became a Christian and then a pastor, all while exploring answers to the most difficult questions raised against Christianity. Mark grew up in an atheistic home, and after his father's death, began a skeptical search for truth through exploring science, philosophy, and history, asking the big questions of life, and eventually finding answers in Christianity. In a disarming, winsome, and persuasive way, The Problem of God responds to the top 10 questions people raise against God, and Christianity.

A practical guide to starting or reigniting your small group, The Cure for Groups unpacks five core components that help you lead the kind of life-changing group Jesus made possible.

Our emotions are complex. Some of us seem able to ignore our feelings, while others feel controlled by them. But most of us would admit that we don’t always know what to do with how we feel. The Bible teaches us that our emotions are an indispensable part of what makes us human―and play a crucial role in our relationships with God and others. Exploring how God designed emotions for our good, this book shows us how to properly engage with our emotions.

Schreiner shares his personal experience related to spiritual gifts, but more importantly, he unpacks what the Bible has to say about them. In doing so, he brings a spirit of humility and charity, reminding us though spiritual gifts are important, we can have unity in Christ even where we disagree.

Brother Lawrence, also known as Nicholas Herman, was a devout French Carmelite friar of the 17th-century who’s aim in life was to simply love God with all his being and cultivate a sensitivity to the presence of God. The following audiobook is a compilation of conversations and letters by Brother Lawrence giving us insight into his personal relationship with God and his singular focus on union with the divine. The impact of this simple, yet powerful audiobook can no doubt be life transforming.

Every church is driven by some controlling force: tradition, finances, programs, events, personalities, or even the building itself. But author and pastor Dr. Rick Warren, the founder of Saddleback Valley Community Church in California, believes that a church can only be truly healthy if it becomes "purpose-driven," built around the 5 goals Jesus stated in the New Testament. Dr. Warren's illuminating work outlines a proven 5-part strategy that will enable your church to become warmer through fellowship, deeper through discipleship, stronger through worship, broader through ministry, and larger through evangelism. By shifting the focus away from church-building programs, Dr. Warren emphasizes a people-building, inclusive process that will allow your church to grow without compromising its message and mission.

Discipling your family can feel like an intimidating task, but it doesn’t need to be overwhelming or complicated. With a simple plan in place, discipleship is something every parent can do. Pastors Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin have made it their mission to help you develop a sustainable rhythm of gospel-centered discipleship focused in three key areas: time, moments, and milestones, as you raise your children in the love and fear of the Lord.

In Called to Lead, best-selling author, pastor, and teacher John MacArthur explains the characteristics of a leader drawn from one of the Bible’s most renowned leaders, the apostle Paul. Focusing on Paul’s letters to the church, John shows you the twenty-six key qualities of a leader who can achieve results without forfeiting faith and obedience. Called to Lead presents a compelling, biblically sound explanation of the leadership God established when Jesus called and commissioned the apostles...and when God called you to lead.

From the author of Winning the War in Your Mind, The Christian Atheist is a rallying cry to get honest with God, shed the self-sufficiency and the hypocrisy, and live a life that truly brings glory to Christ.

Trading the popular but inaccurate Western perspective of the Bible for the context in which Jesus actually ministered 2,000 years ago, author Robby Gallaty reveals the fascinating Hebraic culture, customs, and nuances many Christians have never experienced or learned about. He works from the premise that we can't truly appreciate the New Testament unless we understand the Old Testament.

Instead of offering easy answers, this book asks difficult questions, leading the listener on a journey with life-altering implications. If Jesus meant what he said, how might his words affect our relationships, investments, speech, perspectives, discipleship, spiritual disciplines, and every other aspect of life? What if the only balanced Christian life involves an all-out surrender to Jesus Christ?

Too many discipleship books are written for clean, perfect people who know all the right Sunday school answers. The Imperfect Disciple is for the rest of us - people who screw up, people who are weary, people who are wondering if it's safe to say what they're really thinking. For the believer who is tired of quasi-spiritual lifehacks being passed off as true, down-and-dirty discipleship, here is a discipleship book that isn't afraid to be honest about the mess we call real life.