God’s People Count


Book Description

We are undoubtedly living in a society and culture that is growing stranger by the day--creating more distance between others, minute by minute. It seems that people are living in their own little bubbles and silos more than ever--with no interest in connecting with people effectively. And it is evident that the rise of the digital age is affecting people mentally and emotionally, leading to voidness and isolation and a sense of hopelessness and helplessness. Billions of people are connecting with an unproductive device in their hands when it should be the word of God! There is no spiritual value when we allow the things of this world to consume our lives more than God's divine nature. Do we really think anything will improve in our homes, communities, churches, schools, country, and globally if we're not grounded and connected in the Truths of his word? We must realize that connecting with humans physically, emotionally, and spiritually is how God designed us. Just like our Creator wants a relationship with you and me, he wants us to bond with others so they can also see the experience of his abundant blessings and goodness in our lives. We cannot afford to be on the sidelines because it's all about cultivating genuine care for God's creation and putting it into practice for the sake of ourselves and others, now more than ever.







Be Counted (Numbers)


Book Description

Pursue a faith that counts. Numbers can be deceiving. The book of Numbers opens with a count of every person fit to serve during the Israeli’s exodus from Egypt. Yet while over 600,000 were counted, only two were allowed to enter the Promised Land. The lesson? God values quality over quantity. And as the next generation finally experienced God’s promise, we discover that He doesn’t just want us counted as believers, but as people He can count on. Part of Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe's best-selling "BE" commentary series, Be Counted has now been updated with study questions and a new introduction by Ken Baugh. A respected pastor and Bible teacher, Dr. Wiersbe explores how we can make our faith matter. You'll be encouraged to trust His word, and inspired by God, while counting for Him.




The Genesis of Leadership


Book Description

The rich lessons of the Bible can be your leadership guidebook. Successful leaders don’t rely solely on natural charisma and organizational authority as their tickets to success. Successful leadership is a learned art form and a developed discipline. You can master the art of leadership by examining the pitfalls and achievements of past leaders and penetrating the stories of our cultural and religious heritage. The Bible is the ultimate resource for learning by example: its stories of family relationships, political beginnings and even divine encounters provide valuable lessons about leading effectively. In this empowering guidebook, Nathan Laufer walks you through the stories at the very beginning of the Bible to examine the portraits of leadership success—and failure—they contain. He reveals the life-affirming values that the Bible uses to measure its leaders beginning in the Garden of Eden; analyzes the ups and downs in Abraham’s, and later Joseph’s, leadership journeys; and scrutinizes the many challenges faced by Moses—and God—in the books of Exodus and Numbers. Laufer draws out from Bible stories the lessons we can use every day—lessons not only of exemplary leadership, but also of failing to lead, leading with no direction and leading in the wrong direction or to a destructive destination. Through Laufer’s interpretive lenses, these ancient stories come alive to inform and inspire our leadership today and offer us direction for the future. “Nathan Laufer helps us see the stories of the [Bible] in new ways, he turns them into universal paradigms that relate to situations we all face every day, and he distills his insights into practical and powerful guidelines. There is no algorithm for leadership, no cookbook recipe, but it is hard to imagine a leader at any level of an enterprise whose capabilities will not be enhanced by studying this book.” —from the Preface by Dr. Michael Hammer




SCM Studyguide: Church Leadership


Book Description

Resisting the urge to instruct with a more polemical voice, the SCM Studyguide to Church Leadership will encourage ordinands and trainee church leaders to reassess modern pressures and priorities and to re-orient creatively around the callings, giftings, and approaches that are suitable to Christ and particular to the Church.




Effectiveness By The Numbers


Book Description

Accurately counting the right things can profoundly impact ministry effectiveness. Knowing “the story in the stats” can inform decisions and lead to the things that produce the results most pleasing to God. Gathering and studying the right numbers can help a church wisely invest its resources of time, effort, people, money, and facilities. Effectiveness by the Numbers will help ensure that your church is measuring the right things for the right reasons. Counting what counts enables a church to fulfill its mission--making mature followers of Jesus Christ. Jesus and his disciples counted. They knew how many he fed with the five loaves and fishes. When a crowd gathered they often knew and recorded the number of men, women and children present for the event. The early church counted. They knew that on the day of Pentecost about 3,000 were added to their number. The book of Acts reports that “many believed,” “people were added,” and “many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.” If Jesus counted and the early church kept track of numbers, it is not unreasonable to expect churches today to use metrics to increase their effectiveness in doing God’s work on earth. Chapter One: The Fear of Numbers Chapter Two: If You Could Count Only One Thing Chapter Three: How Many and How Often Chapter Four: How Many Stick? Chapter Five: How Many Serve? Chapter Six: Who's New? Chapter Seven: Growing by Staying Small Chapter Eight: What's More Important than Dollars? Chapter Nine: What Product Are You Producing Anyway? About the author: William R. Hoyt During his 38 years of ministry, Dr. Bill Hoyt has served as Pastor, Seminary Professor, Executive Minister of the Southwest Baptist Conference and a consultant to churches, denominations and other not-for-profit corporations. By virtue of his varied background, Dr. Hoyt has been privileged to observe countless churches from many different vantage points. Dr. Hoyt is the President of NexStep Coaching and Consulting, an organization committed to enhancing the effectiveness of Christian leaders and organizations through executive coaching and consulting for organizational development. Dr. Hoyt is also President of UniReach International, a non-profit organization that engages in humanitarian work in Vietnam. Dr. Hoyt and his wife Gwyn have been married for 40 years. They have two sons and daughters-in-law, a granddaughter and three grandsons.




The Chronicles of Our Ministry


Book Description

We present in this book a comprehensive and unique review of the Work God entrusted to our founding leader, Z.T. Fomum, for thanksgiving and consolidation. This was the 18th collective prayer crusade since his departure into glory, during which a report of the Ministry was presented so that we may: - thank God, - see how much He has done, and - see what needs to be done. Each night, a large crowd of brethren gathered in Koume for a festival of joy, praise, and thanksgiving unto the Lord for His mighty hand at work in our midst, while multitudes from 162 nations on all the six continents plugged in each night via radio and television (an average of 285 unique hubs). God was fully at work! May the Lord visit you and your service for Him as you relive these redefining moments!




Authority and Leadership


Book Description

The Word is life and potent. He speaks himself, by himself, and for himself, needless of human defense. The world, however, does not hear him but through a messenger. This is the authors obligation in writing this book. Authority and leadership are being misconceived and misapplied over the centuries. The former precedes the latter in kingdom service. Soldiers failure to secure authority before engaging in military service leads to casualty. Therefore, this piece is a training guide for Christian soldiers prior to engaging in kingdom service. Its also an antidote against stumbling for valiant soldiers who are in the warfront. The depth of a book is not in its volume but in the content.




NLT Study Bible


Book Description

Ask. Seek. Knock. Receive. Find. Open. "For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." --Matthew 7:8 Explore the Scriptures with almost 50 of today's top evangelical scholars, including Daniel Block, Barry Beitzel, Tremper Longman, John N. Oswalt, Grant R. Osborne, Norman Ericson, and many more. Every feature in the NLT Study Bible has been created to do more than just impart information. Ask questions, and the NLT Study Bible gives you both the words and the world of the Bible. Seek deeper understanding, and find the meaning and significance of Scripture, not just facts. Knock on the door of God's Word, and see what doors are opened to you. The New Living Translation makes the message clear. The features of the NLT Study Bible bring the world of the Bible to life so that the meaning and significance of its message shine through. "I enthusiastically recommend the NLT Study Bible for all of my students and to family and friends." --Dr. William H. Marty, ThD, Professor of Bible, Moody Bible Institute Features from nearly 50 of today's most trusted Bible teachers include: 300+ theme articles identify and explore the major topics and ideas of the Bible. 25,000+ study and textual notes provide background and deeper explanations of words, phrases, verses, and sections. 85 introductory articles set the stage for the Old and New Testament and each major Bible section, book, and time period, including the intertestamental period, the time after the apostles, and a harmony of the Gospels. Each book introduction covers background materials including authorship, setting, meaning and message of the book, an outline, recommended resources and more. 220+ charts, illustrations, maps, and timelines organize and illuminate important information. 200 Greek and Hebrew word studies trace the use of important words throughout the Bible. 90+ profiles paint portraits of major figures in the Bible--good and bad. 50,000+ cross-references connect related verses. Words of Christ in red.




Letters to a Young Pastor


Book Description

Speaking out of twenty-seven years of pastoral ministry, Ian Stackhouse writes a series of letters to a young pastor just starting out. Responding to the various challenges his young charge faces in the first few years of congregational leadership, Letters to a Young Pastor is something of a spiritual reflection on leadership in the context of Christian ministry. To say that the letters are addressed to a fictitious pastor is not to say that the issues are unreal. Letters to a Young Pastor addresses matters that anyone in leadership eventually has to face. It seeks to offer encouragement and practical wisdom, but also an insight into the inner world of a person wrestling with the demands of a vocational life. In this sense, Letters to a Young Pastor has relevance to anyone who is seeking to remain faithful to a calling, whether ecclesial or not, in a world dominated by consumerism, formulas, and success.