How many things does your church do just because that's the way it's always been done? Does your congregation value tradition over passion and stability over creativity? If so, it's time to unLearn. Leading congregations into a dynamic and prophetic future requires unLearning what you thought you knew about the church, leadership, and life. Pastor Michael Slaughter casts a vision for innovative and authentic congregations, and for the kind of leadership that can bring congregations to greater vitality and impact in today's postmodern culture. Readers will be challenged to gaze boldly beyond franchised church models to a dynamic embodiment of God's unique vision for each leader and each congregation. UnLearning congregations embrace new media and cultural trends, value transformation over information, and create a safe space for the tough and unanswerable questions of life. These are churches that lovingly dare to shoulder spiritual and prophetic leadership in our rapidly changing culture, re-articulating God's ancient purposes to create high-tech, high-touch environments in which people can become radical followers of Jesus Christ. Informed by Slaughter's thirty years of leadership at the innovative and mission-driven Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church, UnLearning Church offers readers guidance and insight into setting aside old identities, old expectations, and old ways of “doing church,” and inspires readers with examples of congregations already living out their mission to be creative and outwardly-focused communities of faith.

Information and training are readily available on church growth, methodology, organization, business processes, and efficient management. All of these are important for effective ministry. But in Igniting Passion in Your Church, author and pastor Steve Ayers addresses more critical matters for the church, such as: How can we help people in our church become fully devoted followers of Jesus? What does it mean for the church to be the bride of Christ? How can the church more clearly reflect God in the midst of a world that turns away from the divine? We must take people deeper. Deeper in their relationship with God. Deeper into the responsibility and blessing we enjoy as the church. Deeper into what it means to be the bride of Christ. Ayers challenges pastors and church leaders to ask themselves... Am I just flirting with the things of God, or am I truly and fully engaged with God? Have I taken seriously my covenant relationship with God? Have I determined that no matter what happens, I will live out God's mission and ministry? It's time to move the church beyond flitation, beyond a superficial relationship with God. The church must assume her role as the totally committed bride God designed her to be. Live out the life of Christ. Show the world the reality of Christ through your life. Author Steve Ayers will inspire and equip you to guide your church to a deeper, more passionate relationship with Jesus. Book jacket.

Using the story of Lazarus receiving new life as its central metaphor, The Lazarus Church shows how to breathe new life into the church. Rich stories and examples from Jerry Mayo's background illustrate how the true Lazarus church can come alive. Mayo knows how important it is to simply focus on Jesus Christ. He speaks with an authoritative and convincing voice -- we should listen to him.--Maxie Dunnam, President, Asbury Theological SeminaryThis excellent book should be read by pastors and church leaders as they discern how to be the church in a new century. Jerry Mayo provides a faithful and intelligent prescription for those who love the mainline church and want it to be all God calls it to be in our day.--John M. Buchanan, Pastor, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago; Former Moderator, Presbyterian General Assembly (PCUSA)It is notably difficult to successfully combine the spiritual dimension of church life with the practical operation of the institution. Jerry Mayo has done just that. This book will give hope to congregations of all denominations, and especially to those mainline churches that are declining. Mayo clearly understands the need to focus on Jesus' love as the starting point for new life and vitality in the church.--The Right Reverend Bertram Nelson Herlong, Episcopal Bishop of TennesseeThe Lazarus Church offers a compelling vision for the renewal of mainline Protestant congregations and affirms the value of the tradition that they've inherited. It calls these churches to fulfill a new mission today and shows them how to do it.--Timothy W. Whitaker, Resident Bishop, The Florida Conference, The United Methodist Church

Build bridges of love to your church community...with wisdom from respected Christian leaders. Respected Christian leaders share key action plans and an encouraging vision for seeing beyond church walls created by inward-focus and introversion, to how to penetrate our local communities with the love of Jesus Christ. "In the trenches" church leaders like Steve Sjogren, Dale Galloway, Sally Morgenthaler, and Leonard Sweet give challenging, and passionate, yet intensely practical insights into transforming your church to become lovingly and strategically outwardly-focused. A bridge-building body of Christ that overcomes its own inwardly focused gaze to grip the hearts of those beyond church walls.

Use these 30 devotions to disciple and train your leadership team. Each devotion explores a passage of Scripture especially relevant to leaders. The devotions are followed by experimental activities that reinforce scriptural truths, helping to train and disciple your leadership team. Full of warmth, insight, and wisdom, What Really Matters will encourage and strengthen your team members!

With the Quest for Christ. you'll move beyond outdated methods of discipleship and discover how postmodern young adults can be led to maturity in Christian faith. You'll uncover the mindset of this young adult generation and find out what approaches connect with their stage of life. And most importantly, you'll learn ways to help them on the journey of Christ-formation in their lives. You'll get the information you need to apply these winning ideas for discipling young adults. Use these principles to take your young adult ministry to an even more effective level. Wheather you're just getting started or are a seasoned veteran, you'll come away with a clear vision of where to take your ministry. Book jacket.