“God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). The Bible tells us that we are to worship the Lord, that we were created for this purpose. But what is true worship? What does the Bible teach about the right—and the wrong—ways to worship God? In this book, pastors Brian Croft and Jason Adkins unpack a biblical theology of worship, discuss the practical matters of planning a worship service, and offer suggestions and insights on the best way to lead a worship service that honors the Lord. The Practical Shepherding series of guides provides pastors and ministry leaders with practical help to do the work of pastoral ministry in a local church. In Gather God’s People, you will learn how to apply biblical doctrine and spirituality to the practice of Christian worship.

Lead a small church? New Testament Church Dynamics is perfect for you!Unlike many church growth books, we present proven, Biblical strategies to grow your church both spiritually and numerically.These are not theories cooked up in an ivory tower. Our network of churches lives these principles out in multiple cultures and countries around the globe.By following Scriptural strategies, our unity, participation, purity, community, size, love, and evangelistic fervor have grown dramatically.Our joy is helping leaders of small churches follow Christ's model for church practice and planting.

The words of Jesus—red letter words—are the most important and life changing ever spoken. Discover the things Jesus thought were most important. What He says about how to live. His relationship with God and the Holy Spirit. And His overwhelming love for you. More than 115 passages from the Bible are considered with illuminating explanation and background facts. Most of all, discovering Jesus’ words will breathe life into your relationship with Him and help you draw close to the One who knows you fully and loves you completely. The Red Letter Words of Jesus, a classic gift book by bestselling author Jack Countryman, will encourage you in your faith journey, whether you are seeking Christ for the first time or have been following Him for decades. With Jesus’ words on one beautiful, highly designed page, and an informative explanation on the facing page, The Red Letter Words of Jesus will bring to life the teachings of Jesus in a new way.

Arthur Walker-Jones presents an Earth-focused reading of the second book of Psalms, focusing upon the many nonhuman animals that appear repeatedly within the text. In the first commentary to explore the implications of the natural and cultural history of animals for the interpretation of Psalms, Walker-Jones moves beyond the standard treatment of animals as mere metaphors for human concerns, or background to human stories. Instead, Walker-Jones draws upon the interdisciplinary field of animal studies, incorporating this into ecocritical analysis and arguing for the similarity between the two approaches, including recognizing that the oppression and liberation of humans is interrelated with the oppression and liberation of Earth and all its creatures. Walker-Jones looks at foxes, sheep, goats, cattle, doves, snakes, lions, snails, dogs, and deer, which all appear in Psalms 42–72, taking into account that many of these animals co-evolved with humans and created the particular ecological niche of the highlands east of the Mediterranean. Perceiving Earth in various ways-as refuge, as enemy, as Rock, and as fertile and joyous-this volume brings an entirely new ecological perspective to the Psalms.

A trusted planning resource for traditional and contemporary worship! The Abingdon Worship Annual 2010 offers fresh worship planning resources for pastors and worship leaders. “Let this resource be the starting point for your worship planning. As the Spirit guides you and God’s word flows through you, we pray that your worship planning may be meaningful and fulfilling, for both you and your congregants. Trust God’s guidance, and enjoy a wonderful year of worship and praise with your congregations!” (From the Introduction) Using a Theme Idea based on the lectionary readings, each week’s offering of prayers and litanies follows a basic pattern of Christian worship: Gathering and Praise Proclamation and Response Thanksgiving and Communion Sending Forth Alternative ideas for Praise Sentences and Contemporary Gathering Words are offered for those who work in contemporary worship settings. We have again included a number of Communion liturgies in response to reader requests. (NEW!) Prayers and liturgies for Communion and footwashing Now more than ever, The Abingdon Worship Annual is a must-have sourcebook offering countless opportunities for planning meaningful and insightful worship.

Worship leaders "share a common challenge: to provide quality, integrated, creative worship week after week for congregations hungry for meaningful and fulfilling connections with God. We are honored to offer this resource as part of your journey to help your congregations grow in faith. Many of our readers also find it helpful as a weekly devotional guide or a prayer resource as they gather for lectionary study groups." (From the Introduction) Alternative ideas for Praise Sentences and Contemporary Gathering Words are offered for those who work in contemporary worship settings. Now more than ever, The Abingdon Worship Annual is a must-have sourcebook offering countless opportunities for planning meaningful and insightful worship.

We have a leadership problem, and we all know it. When we look at our churches, we see two glaring problems: a lack of qualified leaders, and a general mistrust of leadership as a response to sinful leadership. But churches need leaders. What do we do? The answer is in The Leadership Formula. In the New Testament, qualified leaders are identified by character, conviction, care, and competency. When these four qualities are observed over time, the result is credibility. Pastor and author Juan Sanchez helps readers know what to look for in leaders, how to identify them, and how to commission them in the church, for the sake of the world.

The bestselling author of Never Alone and A Portrait of Jesus returns to reflect on his personal spirituality to guide us to a deeper understanding of the essence of God. With Trinity, Joseph Girzone guides readers to a deeper understanding of this foundational concept, explaining why it is not antiquated theological dogma, but a living expression of the very essence of God. He offers support and clarity to those who already believe in God, and invites those who profess not to believe on a journey to find “an image of a God who is believable, and perhaps, even lovable.” For centuries, Christians have struggled to understand the nature of God as three persons in one. But with grace similar to that which allowed Saint Patrick to explain the Trinity by using a shamrock, Girzone takes a step back from the most arcane explanations to offer a simple, useful understanding. He begins by showing the ways God was perceived by the ancient Hebrews and reveals how Jesus forever changed that image of God. As he chronicles the growth from the time of Jesus and the early Church, writing about the challenges Christianity faced from both within and without, Girzone elucidates the mysterious ways the Trinity works in the world and especially, in the Church, as an extension of Jesus’ presence in history. Writing with passion and insight, he helps readers understand how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit work within individuals as well, guiding them as they struggle along the pathways of life on Earth.