For people of faith, storytelling has special meaning. We are people of the story, and we seek to identify and share our stories in nearly everything we do. Dancing with Words provides help for all church leaders — both clergy and lay — to explore the history and importance of storytelling in faith development and to acquire basic storytelling skills. You will soon discover ways that storytelling enhances ministry. Storytelling at its best is an interaction between storyteller and story liste...

"Our culture is debating about when it's permissible to display the Ten Commandments," said a reviewer of this book. "The Workbook on the Ten Commandments will help them be displayed in the one place that matters: your life." Small groups looking for Bible study that meets real life will welcome this skillfully presented study of the Ten Commandments. Biblical context and contemporary application are woven throughout eight weeks of study. Reflection questions draw the reader deeper into God's...

Grounded in the gospel, Faith & Money identifies the challenges of fund development in local congregations, develops a consistent theological foundation for fund development, and guides congregations in building worthy expectations and attitudes on how to fund ministry.

Building on the success of Designing a Ministry by, with, and for Older Adults, author Rick Gentzler gives readers new ways to develop and strengthen ministries with older adults, providing: information about the needs and life issues of older adults tools to help congregations evaluate their current situation models for ministry with older adults suggested resources For more information on ministries with older adults, contact the Center on Aging & Older Adult Ministries or call the toll...

Come to the Waters is an invitation to pastors and congregations to make the transforming power of God in Christ accessible to all persons. This book faces squarely the emerging mission frontier and proposes a daring alternative in making the gospel accessible to all persons, especially adults who have little or no experience with the life and faith of Christians. Part 1 focuses on welcoming and walking with persons on the journey of conversion. Part 2 provides model services and commentary t...

Praying with John Wesley is based on the model for daily prayer developed by Wesley in 1733. Centered on 6 Christian virtues, it includes daily scripture reading, personal reflection, and prayer. While remaining true to Wesley's intent and emphasis, DeSilva has updated and interpreted Wesley's prayers to be used by 21st-century Christians who are seeking to grow as disciples, taking the reader through one full week of morning and evening devotions. We encourage readers to use this guide th...

Unexpected expenses happen. Questions, anxiety, and some confusion among the membership and church leaders are inevitable whenever a congregation needs to raise major funds. Reeves guides you to examine the issues of developing and carrying out a strategy for raising money for special needs. Extraordinary Money serves as a tool to help churches determine whether a capital campaign suits their setting. Find answers to these questions and more: Why do capital campaigns work in some settings...

By Water and the Spirit, a 6-session study guide for use in small groups, contains the full text of the paper "By Water and the Spirit," which describes the United Methodist understanding of baptism approved by the 1996 General Conference. This booklet serves as a resource for congregational leaders who are helping members make connections between the baptismal covenant and discipleship in daily life.

After careful evaluation of the original Faith-Sharing: Dynamic Christian Witnessing by Invitation with pastors and laypersons, Fox and Morris have revised and expanded this textbook on the why, what, who, and how of sharing the good news of Christ Jesus. Designed to help persons be competent and confident in witnessing for Christ Jesus, Faith-Sharing has been published in English, Portuguese, Estonian, and Russian and is a bestseller with over 150,000 copies sold. Use it with The Faith-Shari...

"In a society where many people search desperately for elusive 'family values,' this book roots hospitality where it belongs—in the graciousness of God," writes one reviewer. In The Faith-Sharing Congregation, Swanson and Clement reclaim the local congregation as the center of ministry and mission, demonstrating that evangelism is the responsibility of the entire congregation—clergy and laity—working together. The Faith-Sharing Congregation suggests a threefold evangelism strategy that includ...