All local churches experience a predictable life cycle of growth and decline. But if a church is on a downward trend, how can it turn around? Taking Your Church to the Next Level explains the impact of age and size on churches and outlines the improvements that must be made at each point for a church to remain fruitful and faithful to its mission. McIntosh deftly describes the cycles of fruitfulness and the importance of continual improvement to diminish destructive forces that keep a congregation from its mission. Church leaders, pastors, and all who care about the church and desire to see it experience biblical growth will benefit from the sage wisdom offered in these pages.

Reforms and processes of change have become an increasingly pervasive characteristic of European Protestant churches in the last fifteen to twenty years. Driven by perceptions of crises, such as declining membership rates, dwindling finances, decreasing participation in church rituals, and less support of traditional church doctrine, but also changes of governance of religion more generally, many churches feel compelled to explore new forms of operations, activities, and organisational structures. What is the inner dynamic and nature of these processes? This book explores this question by applying perspectives from organisational studies and bringing them into dialogue with ecclesiological categories, seeking to provide a richer understanding of the field of processes of change in churches. Among the questions asked are: What are the implications - organisationally and ecclesiologically - of viewing reform as a church practice, and how does this relate to much more comprehensive wavesof public sector reforms? How is church leadership configured and exercised, how is democratic leadership related to the authority of ordained ministry, and how does leadership take on new forms in the context of churches? And how do churches incorporate organisational practices of planned change and renewal, such as social entrepreneurship?

First published almost twenty years ago, this practical guide by a media professional has helped countless churches to raise their profile in their local communities and more widely. Packed with packed with simple, clear advice and ideas for generating publicity for your church and its mission, this revised third edition engages with the rise in online worship in the wake of the pandemic, and includes many low-cost, effective ideas for churches feeling financial pressures. Written in clear and jargon-free language, it offers advice on: · Developing an effective communications strategy · Deciding the messages you want to convey · Creating or updating your website · Making the most of print, social media and online channels of communication · Putting your building to work, inside and out · Giving your publications a makeover · Liaising with the media and more. Illustrated throughout with examples that have worked successfully, this makes communication expertise readily accessible for churches in all contexts. Further support is available on the companion website, www.getyourchurchnoticed.com

By culture, George B. Thompson Jr. means not just racial, ethnic, economic, or regional culture, but also a congregation's way of doing things--its history, customs, conventions, and procedures. In order to launch and maintain a successful ministry, pastors and other church leaders must come to grasp that unique culture of their parish. They must develop a "culture capital" within their congregations, meaning that they invest themselves deeply in how their church does its work and goes about its ministries. The author presses clergy to answer such questions as "How well do I know what I'm getting into?" and "Have I been adopted yet?" and even "Is it time to move on?" The book is ideal for pastors in solo settings, but pastors in multiple staff settings will also find the author's insights helpful.

Leadership in Small Churches inspires and equips men and women who are called to serve in churches of less than 100 people, which are the majority of churches in the United States. Small churches in the United States suffer from a lack of leadership. On the one hand, there is a shortage of leaders. On the other hand, leaders who serve faithfully sometimes feel ill-equipped to carry out their calling due to inadequate training, especially a lack of training specific to small churches. This volume provides guidance from scholars and practitioners with experience in small churches. Because of their experience in and commitment to ministry in small churches, these writers are well qualified to discuss the breadth of topics in this book. These topics include developing vision, handling conflict, pastoral care, preaching, discipleship, ministry to youth and children, missions, and identifying and training leaders.

Charles Spurgeon was one of the most evangelical and puritan of protestant minister's in the 19th century. In the seventh volume of these series of sermons: these charismatic and inspiring sermons are enough to encourage, convict and inspire anyone who seeks a closer and more intimate relationship with God.

New research from the Billy Graham Center Institute shows that unchurched Americans are still remarkably open to faith conversations and the church. Researcher and practitioner Rick Richardson sheds light on the study's findings and shares best practices for how churches are effectively approaching unchurched "nones" and moving them to faith.

This collection bundles all three of bestselling author Jerry B. Jenkins’s Precinct 11 crime/suspense novels into one e-book for a great value! #1 The Brotherhood Boone Drake has it made. He’s a young cop rising rapidly through the ranks of the Chicago Police Department. He has a beautiful wife and a young son, a nice starter house, a great partner, and a career plan that should land him in the Organized Crime Division within five years. Everything is going right. Until everything goes horribly, terribly wrong. His personal life destroyed and his career and future in jeopardy, Boone buries himself in guilt and bitterness as his life spirals out of control. But when he comes face-to-face with the most vicious gang leader Chicago has seen in decades, he begins to realize that God is a God of second chances and can change the hardest heart . . . and forgive the worst of crimes. A thought-provoking police thriller from New York Times best-selling author Jerry B. Jenkins. #2 The Betrayal Detective Boone Drake has just masterminded the most massive sting in Chicago history, bringing down the heads of not only the biggest street gangs in the city but also the old crime syndicate. The story is the biggest in decades, and the Chicago Police Department must protect the key witness at all costs. Despite top-secret plans to transfer the witness ahead of his testimony before the grand jury, an attempt is made on his life. And the person suspected of leaking this information may be one of the CPD’s own. #3 The Breakthrough As the youngest bureau chief and head of the Chicago Police Department’s Major Case Squad, Boone Drake seems to have it all under control. Only those closest to him know that just a few short years ago, he lost everything that mattered to him in a tragic accident. After years of healing, his life is back on track. He recently married a wonderful woman named Haeley, adopted her son, bought a beautiful home, and rediscovered his faith. But Boone can’t fight the feeling that something is about to go terribly wrong . . . again. When an all-too-personal case takes Boone to Beijing at a time when Haeley can least afford to let him go, Boone is forced to make a difficult choice. There he becomes enmeshed in a dangerous human-trafficking ring that takes him through the famed Hutong District’s narrow streets, alleys, and hovels. Teamed with a former Liberation Army officer, Boone has one chance to pull off an elaborate sting and rescue a young boy before he disappears forever.

Stimulating poetry that leaves a lasting impression on many. "I speak eternal language on everyday matters that draw many people in as we live our temporary lives." - Carissa Luckey