Show Them Jesus


Book Description

In this transformative resource for youth workers, children's ministry teachers, parents, and VBS volunteers, Jack Klumpenhower teaches how to discover the gospel connections in every Bible story. Show Them Jesus is an instruction manual for teachers of kids and teens written by a lay Bible teacher with thirty years of experience. With a simple framework and real-life examples, Jack helps teachers identify and communicate the heart of the gospel to each child in each lesson. Show Them Jesus challenges the culture of low-stakes, low-expectations teaching and invites teachers to do nothing less than teach and treasure the good news of Jesus—in every lesson. Instead of leaving kids with lessons about changing their behavior, Show Them Jesus offers a new way by sweetly, masterfully, and powerfully showing kids how the gospel really applies to their lives and changes them for eternity. In sharing example after example from his years of experience, Jack provides readers with a more enriched view of Jesus and how to teach this gospel perspective in a classroom setting. This life-changing tool will complement and enrich existing lessons or teaching materials, and it's appropriate for teachers of children and teens in any setting. Millions of church kids are growing up and deciding to leave the church. If we are not primarily teaching our kids about God's love for us in Christ, we may miss our opportunity to capture their hearts. Don't miss your opportunity to show them Jesus.




Keeping Your Children's Ministry on Mission


Book Description

Practical Strategies for Gospel-Centered Children's Ministry When building a children's ministry at a church, there is so much to consider: Which curriculum should we use? How many volunteers do we need? How do we keep parents in the loop? And that's before we run into stalled check-in computers, missing activity sheets, and floors that need to be vacuumed. While all of the tasks of children's ministry are important, leaders can get easily distracted with the everyday work of doing ministry and lose sight of the main focus—the gospel. Writing from personal ministry experience, Jared Kennedy shares a four-fold approach for gospel-centered, missional children's ministry: hospitality, teaching, discipleship, and mission. This practical resource covers a variety of topics ranging from creating child protection policies to putting together lesson plans to catechism, helpful for children's ministers and volunteers alike as they disciple children with the powerful message of the gospel. Applicable: Includes questions for reflection and evaluation Helps Leaders Disciple the Next Generation: Features advice for sending kids and their families on mission Ideal for Nursery–5th Grade Teachers and Leaders: A practical and helpful resource for children's ministries Published in Conjunction with the Gospel Coalition (TGC)




Is Sunday School Destroying Our Kids?


Book Description

How do we make grace part of Christian living? Does Sunday School encourage discipleship and teach our children faith? People in the world often reject Christianity simply because they can't distinguish it from mere morality. The world needs morality--oppression thrives when consciences are abandoned--but we need more than that alone. We need the gospel of grace. A gospel that has largely been lost amid the dos and don'ts and preoccupations of religious culture.12 Essays on the Distinction Between Grace and Morality Includes perspectives on topics such as: Why Do Our Children Leave the Church?Graceless Goodness: The Problem with MoralismThe False Gospel of "Just Do It"The Temptations of Christian PublishingThe Ugliness of Religious RighteousnessThe Insidious Danger of "I'd Never Do That"We Read the Bible the Wrong WayComments from Readers I like what Sam Williamson has to say about how good people--people like us--may be piling burdens on our children they can't possibly bear. Has the good news of the gospel magically morphed into bad news for them? Read Sam's provocative new book to find out. -Ann Spangler, Author, Praying the Names of God (and many other books) These days we hear so much and think so little. We consume without digesting and then wonder why our body is acting strangely. In this book, Sam helps us look carefully, graciously, and wonder-fully at the Gospel and the beliefs of our heart. -Gary Barkalow, founding director of The Noble Heart, and Author, It's Your Call. This has got to be one of the best books on raising Godly children (or simply new believers) I've ever read. Thank you. -Brian This is as clearly and as beautifully communicated as I have heard the Gospel for a long time. -Bob This is such an excellent read!!! I wish all Christians could read it. What a great blessing to see this truth presented in a way that it is so easily understood. Thank you for this thoughtful book. - Linda This is a fitting warning that Christian education could fall into moralization (and idolizing "heroes of faith"). The same warning is applicable even to the whole teaching/preaching ministry of many churches. - RayFrom the Book People often pit grace against moralism. And they should. Moralism circumvents heart-changed morality. We need moral men and women, but moralism damages the foundation of heart-change. It's okay to pit grace against moralism, but let's not pit grace against morality. Grace is the source of real morality, and grace--thank God!--breaks the bars of moralism that imprison us. Is Sunday School Destroying Our Kids? exposes moralism for its false pretensions--the sham that it is--and it moves our hearts to believe the gospel, for the first, or the hundred-and-first, time.Available in Print and eBook Editions Scroll up and order your copy now.




The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible


Book Description

Kids know the value of a promise. Our good and all-powerful God always keeps his word, and the way he fulfills his promises is better than anyone could have imagined! The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible traces God's perfect promises for toddlers and preschoolers through fifty-two Old and New Testament stories. Even the youngest kids will come to ...




Think Big


Book Description

Ben Carson shares the story of how he transformed himself from the dumbest student in his fifth grade class into a Yale graduate and pediatric neurosurgeon, and tells of some of the people who inspired him to achieve in his studies and in life.




Eight Virtues of Rapidly Growing Churches


Book Description

Leaders who are interested in planting or revitalizing congregations often feel discouraged and defeated after leadership conferences, or after reading about the ‘heroes’ of church planting and church growth. “They are amazing,” they say. “I can’t be that amazing.” But Jesus’ load is easy and his burden is light. When we examine the practices and characteristics of those ‘heroes’, we see striking trends and commonalities. Aspiring church leaders can learn the practices and develop the characteristics that will lead to successful churches. Instead of feeling defeated, new leaders should have a hope-filled sense of what new thing they can do. Authors Matt Miofsky and Jason Byasse carefully researched, interviewed, and profiled successful church-growers across the U.S., and identified 8 characteristics these leaders and their congregations have in common. These pastors are still learning, still figuring out how to do this work and how to faithfully live into God’s call. But for now, how are they doing what they do? What mistakes have they made & learned from? Where have they paid the stupid tax that others should avoid? Each of these ‘heroes’ is painfully ordinary and up front about their flaws. And each can see slightly farther than the rest of us. What do they see that we can learn from? Discover the 8 characteristics, and learn how to adapt them for your own congregation and calling: Believe in miracles and act accordingly Integrate new people quickly Love the local Exist to reach the next person Elevate the practice of giving Work in teams Preach effectively to skeptics Make friends with the denomination




The Gospel: God S Plan for Me (HCSB)


Book Description

Witnessing tool that emphasizes God's plan of salvation from Creation to Jesus and how we respond to the good news. Target audience is kids ages 5 to 12.




Dirty Faith


Book Description

Put Your Faith Into Action Do you ever feel like something in your faith is missing, that going to church, studying the Bible, and tithing just aren't enough? There has to be more, right? What would it look like to truly follow Christ and not just believe in him? David Nowell asked the very same questions, and was led to minister to the "least of these," whom God loves deeply. In Dirty Faith, Nowell shares powerful stories of faith in action, and encourages us to move with him from the sidelines to the front line, to get our hands dirty helping the hopeless, the disenfranchised, and the poor. Loving as God loves is central to the gospel, whether that means taking in foster children, ministering to inmates at the local jail, or something else God has in mind just for you. Let this inspiring book help you find what's been missing in your faith. "David Nowell has challenged not only our view of the church's responsibility in light of the worldwide plague of violence on children--from poverty to homelessness to prostitution--he has challenged our view of Jesus Christ. Nowell's Jesus has dirt under his fingernails and calluses on his hands. The Word becoming flesh is not just incarnation, it is a holiness that is willing to be stained by the brokenness of a world that would abuse an innocent child. I want my staff to read this book. It will challenge them to do what is required of them, and then some." --Dr. Walter Crouch, President/CEO, Appalachia Service Project "Filled with unforgettable stories from the field, Nowell's writing will both break your heart and lift your vision. Dirty Faith is a must-read for those who want to put their faith into action by serving others." --Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer, senior pastor, The Moody Church




The Minister's MBA


Book Description

Equips ministers with essential business tools to manage and grow their churches and organizations.




The Creative Fight


Book Description

Creativity is not a gift for a select few, but an ongoing process of growth and self-realization available to anyone who puts in the effort to pursue the spark. In this book, Chris Orwig offers a unique perspective on the creative process, showing you how to find meaning in your work, be inspired, and discover the life for which you were designed. With thoughtful and engaging chapters such as “Keep the Edges Wild,” “Einstein’s Game of Connect the Dots,” and “Grit and Glory,” Chris presents each concept through personal examples—his own and others’—showing how to live a more creative and meaningful life. Drawn from his 12 years as a faculty member at the prestigious Brooks Institute as well as his experience leading creative inspiration and photography workshops and speaking on global stages, Chris’s stories are designed to teach you how to discover your own creative voice. Each chapter includes exercises to help you incorporate what you’ve learned and connect the topics directly to your own experience. Features the friendly, approachable voice of Chris Orwig, whose photography, teaching, and speaking have inspired countless aspiring amateurs and professionals alike Includes exercises in every chapter to help you put the concepts you learned into practice Offers an elegant design filled with the author’s original photographs captured to visually support the ideas discussed in the book For resources and inspiration, check out the book's companion site, thecreativefight.com.