Church Ministry

Based on a large-scale research study of small group pastors, leaders, and members, Leading Small Groups That Thrive gives church leaders both what they want - practical, straightforward, actual small group member voices and experiences, and compelling guidance on how to build transformational groups complemented with real-life examples and data of successful small groups - and what they need - substantial, challenging insights and a data-driven model grounded in the latest research on church small groups.

What would you do if you met someone you thought just might be one of Jesus' original disciples still living in the 21st century? That's Jake's dilemma as he meets a man who talks of Jesus as if he had known him, and whose way of living challenges everything Jake had previously known. So You Don't Want to Go To Church Anymore is Jake's compelling journal that chronicles 13 conversations with his newfound friend over a four-year period and how those exchanges turn Jake's world upside-down.

The digital age has changed everything we know about engaging this culture with the gospel message. And now media producer and consultant Phil Cooke has created the ultimate reference to help pastors and church leaders speak the language of this generation. Whether you lead a church of 20 or 20,000, this information will help take your ministry to the next level.

What are apostles and prophets? Why is there so much controversy, error, and abuse in the Church concerning these ministry callings? In Apostles and Prophets: Their Roles in the Past, Present, and Last-Days Church, Rick Renner defines these ministry offices biblically and historically, tracing their roles from the Early Church all the way to the present.

The gospel is the greatest message of all time, addressing the greatest need of all people. However, the good news about Jesus does more than just promise eternal life to all who believe. In this addition to the 9Marks Building Healthy Churches series, pastor Ray Ortlund explains the gospel's power to transform individuals from the inside out and create beautiful human relationships. This short book helps listeners experience the power of God as they are encouraged to trust in Christ and allow him to transform their beliefs, perspectives, and practices.

Originally written in 1656 and endorsed by generations of leading pastors as an essential book on the work of ministry, this abridged version of The Reformed Pastor presents the best of Richard Baxter’s timeless advice in simple, modern language that’s more accessible to a new generation of church leaders.

Churches have split and denominations have formed over the issue of church government. While many Christians can explain their church's form of rule or defend it because of its "tried and true" traditions, few people understand their church's administrative customs from a biblical perspective.

Throughout history, there have been certain figures who have stood the test of time and had an enduring impact on the church at large. One such person was the famed Welsh preacher Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. In this carefully curated collection of sermons, contemporary listeners are introduced to one of the most influential pastors of the 20th century. Compiled and expertly edited by his daughter and grandson, this powerful anthology will help you learn from “the Doctor’s” prophetic preaching - even today.

What does the Bible mean when it says we are to fear God? Is it difficult for you to reconcile the two sides of God’s nature - His wrath and His love? Mattie Montgomery teaches that a right pursuit of the fear, fire, and fullness of God can lead you into the knowledge of a side of God you may never have imagined before. He notes that the fear of God does not mean that we should be afraid of God; but rather, that we should be afraid to be against Him.

Leading from the Second Chair will raise awareness of the need for strong leaders in secondary positions. It will describe the value they can bring to their organization and to primary leaders when they are serving at their full potential. It will reshape the way they view their role, with an emphasis on their own responsibility as leaders. It recognizes the unique challenges and frustrations of serving in a subordinate position and equips these leaders with the attitudes and skills that they will need to survive and thrive in this new paradigm.

How do we effectively confront racial injustice? We need to move beyond talking about racism and start equipping ourselves to fight against it. In this follow-up to the New York Times bestseller The Color of Compromise, Jemar Tisby offers an array of actionable items to confront racism. How to Fight Racism introduces a simple framework—the A.R.C. Of Racial Justice—that teaches listeners to consistently interrogate their own actions and maintain a consistent posture of anti-racist behavior.

Is your organization in danger of Mission Drift? Without careful attention, faith-based organizations drift from their founding mission. It's that simple. It will happen. Slowly, silently, and with little fanfare, organizations routinely drift from their purpose, and many never return to their original intent. Harvard and the YMCA are among those that no longer embrace the Christian principles on which they were founded. But they didn't drift off course overnight. Drift often happens in small and subtle ways.

The Color of Compromise takes listeners on a historical journey: from America's early colonial days through slavery and the Civil War, covering the tragedy of Jim Crow laws and the victories of the Civil Rights era, to today's Black Lives Matter movement. Author Jemar Tisby reveals the obvious - and the far more subtle - ways the American church has compromised what the Bible teaches about human dignity and equality.

Renowned Bible teacher and best-selling author Andrew Wommack reveals the ten key principles that changed his life and built a worldwide ministry. Using biblical examples and personal stories, he shows how these principles work for anyone who will trust God. They will help you reach your potential and fulfill the plans He has for your life.

How Leaders Lose Their Way is a powerful and reflective exploration of the pitfalls that can send leaders off course―drawing lessons from the life of King Solomon and the timeless wisdom of Ecclesiastes. This book serves as a cautionary tale, equipping leaders to recognize personal and spiritual drift while providing actionable steps to maintain their mission-focused leadership.

Gene Edwards challenges one of the most entrenched traditions in modern Christianity: the role of the professional pastor. Drawing from both Scripture and church history, Edwards argues that the contemporary pastoral office is not only unscriptural but also spiritually debilitating, for pastors and congregations alike. Through personal anecdotes, historical insight, and biblical analysis, he reveals how the institutional pastorate emerged not from the early church but from post-apostolic traditions, particularly Roman Catholic practices.

In his new book, Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around, AND Campaign cofounder and president Justin Giboney explores a compelling vision of how the Black Church's social action tradition can inspire hope and healing in the face of today's polarized culture wars. The spirituals of the Black church, such as "Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around," were rallying cries during the Civil Rights movement, making clear the connection between faith and justice during marches and protests.

What if we're missing something? The New Testament describes a vibrant church--empowered by the Holy Spirit with supernatural gifts of manifestation, service, and leadership--which turned the known world upside down within three generations. But as the freedom of the operation of the Holy Spirit waned and post-apostolic leaders consolidated power within hierarchical systems, that missional momentum was truncated.

An examination of sex and the Bible by one of the leading biblical scholars in the United States. For several decades, Michael Coogan's introductory course on the Old Testament has been a perennial favorite among students at Harvard University. In God and Sex, Coogan examines one of the most controversial aspects of the Hebrew Scripture: What the Old Testament really says about sex, and how contemporary understanding of those writings is frequently misunderstood or misrepresented.

The work of the church is more than any one person can handle, and God never intended for one pastor to do all a church's ministry alone. Discover a communal and biblical model of missional leadership in You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone. In this book, E. K. Strawser seeks to recover the shared leadership model of the early church, offering a practical and inclusive alternative to hierarchical and patriarchal church leadership structures.