Books

A church revitalizer enters the church community understanding that they are called not to deconstruct the local church but to reconstruct the hopes and dreams of those members still sitting in the pew.

We all like the idea of a stronger, slimmer body, or becoming proficient in a skill, or building more effective habits for more sustained productivity. But no transformation happens without starting the painful work of exercising what’s weak and staying with it until it grows stronger.

Times shift with regard to what makes the gospel appealing, relevant and resonant in our society, culture and world. Nothing captures people’s attention today more than a social vision concerned with justice, peace, grace and equity.

I have seen and heard firsthand that thousands have trouble seeing God as a loving Father because of deep wounds from their earthly father. Maybe that’s true for you as well.

Quiet spaces in our lives are sacred. We need to treat them as such. It’s like letting your mind enter a wide-open meadow to explore instead of keeping it wedged into the confines of your phone.

Ensure the message the church shares on its website, social media pages, and in-person equals the experience guests will encounter when they arrive.

The “Read the Labels” technique is an easy way to freshen up our Bible reading. While reading, identify and track the labels that an author uses for characters in the story. Once a character is introduced, many Bible readers create a picture in their mind of who that character is and default to that initial picture without looking at the nuanced ways that the author is presenting that character.

The panelists thoughtfully evaluated each submission and chose one or more as an Outreach Resource of the Year, then highlighted other titles as “Also Recommended.” Here are the winners in the Spiritual Growth category.