Like many mainline denominations, The United Methodist Church is ailing. Declining membership, worship and Sunday school attendance, outreach, and giving—all troubling signs. In an age of megachurches, "Ten Steps to…" congregational self-help programs point to models that may not be in the church's best interest. Following the suggestions of this new conventional wisdom may reverse the trends and attract thousands to highly entertaining services (bolstered by a strong budget and marketing pla...

To many, the word liturgy brings to mind juggling a hymnal, Bible and a bulletin printed with formal responsive texts as you worship in a cavernous Gothic-styled church. With great faith and affection, Benedict rescues liturgy from its stuffy associations, revealing it as a momentous occasion every Sunday, no matter the worship style. Worship is a remarkable spiritual adventure and the liturgy itself is God's playground—a pilgrimage of individuals and faith communities joining the divine purp...

Many of us go through our busy lives with many acquaintances but few true close friends. Most of our daily conversations focus on the mundane, or we barely scratch the surface of what's going on in our friends' lives as we try to catch up on the run. We weren't meant to travel alone. Yet many of us are afraid to reveal our innermost thoughts, of being too nosy or not "religious enough" to commit to spiritual kinships. Using the story of Ruth and Naomi as an example, Stephanie Ford describes h...

The Way of Prayer Leader's Guide is also available. It's said that prayer is so primal an urge for humankind that we're born into the world praying. Yet, something so natural and seemingly so easy comes hard sometimes. The Way of Prayer is a 10-week small-group study about the nature, practice, and results of prayer. Some forms of prayer arise in our lives spontaneously, some are learned by rote, and others are stumbled upon as we move through life. "All prayer, formal or informal, is about ...

The Way of Prayer Participant's Book is also available for small-group members. Everything you need to guide a small group on a 10-week journey into the heart of prayer is contained in this Leader's Guide. Find the practical help you need: Ideas for a session to introduce the resource to participants A list of Weekly Needs at a Glance Detailed instructions for leading 10 weekly meetings Help your group members become the people God wants them to be through this study. By exploring the n...

Richard L. Morgan has carved a niche as a bestselling author and an authority on older adult ministries and concerns. Now, he chronicles his own transition to a retirement community. Morgan speaks frankly about the losses and realities as he approached his own not-yet-frail "fourth quarter" (after age 75). Drawing from his journals of those sometimes-agonizing months, he takes us through his decision to move to a long-term facility and the first year of settling in. "The retirement community ...

"We're all witnesses to something or someone," writes Crandall. "As Christians we're Christ's witnesses. It's our identity, not merely something we do or don't do." Witness guides you to learn more about your faith and to speak invitationally with others about beliefs. Crandall has outlined a 25-week small group study that focuses on the important parts of faith. Through Bible study and group interaction, you'll identify your gifts for ministry and learn to witness to others in a natural and ...

While a mystery, prayer can and should be taught. It is our primary means of communicating with God, yet most Christians join the church and only learn how to pray by listening to others. And if ever called on to pray in public, it becomes a real test of faith for most people. After all, isn't this better left in the hands of the "professionals"?! Benedict's deep passion for teaching Christians how to pray grows from her awareness of prayer as an intimate connection with God. This short cours...

In Jesus' time, lepers were the most stigmatized of patients. Yet he demonstrated great compassion toward them. Today, persons living with HIV/AIDS suffer many of the same discriminations and rejections that first-century lepers did. What would Jesus do? And how willing are you to follow Jesus' example? Like its predecessors in the Pocket Prayer Series, Prayers for Encouragement is a 32-page booklet of comforting meditations developed for a specific need—in this case, serious diseases affecti...