What They Didn't Teach You in Seminary


Book Description

In churches today, there are ever fewer older pastors speaking into the lives of younger leaders, and fewer younger leaders feeling there is much to be learned from the experience of their elders. Street-smart wisdom is gone from training as there are many men and women preparing pastors who have never themselves pastored a church. Intriguingly, even older, more seasoned pastors yearn for insight into their task, as they remain "undiscipled" in the school of leadership. In What They Didn't Teach You in Seminary, veteran pastor James Emery White provides the kind of mentoring young pastors desperately need but cannot get from academia or leadership books. These "from the trenches" insights will help them transform their relationships with staff and parishoners, develop healthy boundaries, deliver hard truths, avoid spiritual pitfalls, use their time effectively, and much more.







Ministry Nuts and Bolts


Book Description

A quintessential guide to the fundamentals of ministry, now updated and expanded. Since Aubrey Malphurs first wrote Ministry Nuts and Bolts in 1997 he has gathered even more insights and strategies thanks to his work consulting for churches, his further research, and the classes he teaches at Dallas Theological Seminary. He has applied this expanded knowledge to the second edition of Ministry Nuts and Bolts, a helpful guide designed to teach pastors what they need to know about the day-to-day, nitty-gritty of leading a pastoratethings that arent taught in seminary




Things They Didn’t Teach You In Seminary


Book Description

After countless hours of immersion in theological curriculum and grueling examinations, the long-awaited graduation from seminary has finally arrived. However, after that celebrated walk across the stage, and the turning of the tassel, now the true test comes. Although many graduates have traversed seminary training, the question remains, are they prepared to take the reins of that prospective church? In his eye-opening debut book, Dr. Derrick J. Hughes reveals why seminaries are not equipped to give the practical knowledge needed to lead a successful ministry. With over 30 years of experience in church planting and pastoring small, mid, and mega-sized ministries, Dr. Hughes’ pragmatic approach to ministry will benefit leaders of churches of any size. Church leaders will learn how to avoid some of the common mistakes that turn ministry into misery. Whether or not you have had formal training, Dr. Hughes’ insights will help pastors from any denomination avoid the pitfalls that cause ministers to quit or derail their success in the ministry. Regardless of whether you are just beginning or are a seasoned church leader, anyone called to Christian ministry will be informed and enriched by Dr. Hughes’ priceless jewels for practical church leadership.




What to Expect in Seminary


Book Description

In What to Expect in Seminary, Virginia Samuel Cetuk looks at the various facets of theological education -- the call to ministry, classroom learning, community life, field education, financial realities, time-management challenges -- through the lens of spiritual formation. In each chapter she challenges readers to view the particular topic as an avenue to spiritual growth instead of as an obstacle to the same. Offering readers the conceptual tool of reframing, she draws upon psychology, Scripture, and her many years' experiences in theological education to help readers see both the challenges and the rich opportunities of theological education related to ministry and spiritual formation.




Am I Called? (Foreword by Matt Chandler)


Book Description

Many men have the skills to lead a church, but only some are called. Dave Harvey helps men considering pastoral ministry to see God's active role in the process of discerning their calling. God's Word offers a clear framework for evaluating one's call, especially within the context of community. Harvey offers six diagnostic questions to help prospective pastors process their calling, and what they should be doing now if they aren't sure. Illustrated with personal and historical stories, Harvey explores biblical and practical principles for determining the pastoral call. Over the past twenty-four years of ministry, Harvey has enjoyed assisting many men in discerning whether they are called into ministry. This book will guide you through that all-important process with wisdom and confidence in God's faithfulness in your life.




The Mystery of God's Will


Book Description

"I don't think I've ever met anyone who hasn't struggled with the desire to know God's will. The problem is, this struggle often involved a great deal of confusion and worry." ?Chuck Swindoll Many people have the idea that if they could just somehow find that single planned direction, they would be effortlessly swept through life. But life is not like that. Probably the most misunderstood factor of discovering God's will is the thought that, If I do this, the struggles will end, the questions are over, the answers come, and I live hapily ever after. But that's not reality. Does that mean that God's will must remain opaque to us?that we must muddle and grope blindly through life with no clue to what He wants for us? "Not at all," says Charles Swindoll. In this groundbreaking book, Swindoll invites us to join him on a spiritual quest. "I believe God's will for us in this life is not some black-and-white objective designed to take us to an appointed destination here on earth as much as it is about the journey itself . . . and what matters to Him in our lives." The Mystery of God's Will overflows with practical insights, humor, and unforgettable stories that will de-mystify, clarify, and put your mind at ease.




Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome


Book Description

Every year thousands of God's servants leave the ministry convinced they are failures. Years ago, in the midst of a crisis of faith, Kent Hughes almost became one of them. But instead he and his wife Barbara turned to God's Word, determined to learn what God had to say about success and to evaluate their ministry from a biblical point of view. This book describes their journey and their liberation from the "success syndrome"-the misguided belief that success in ministry means increased numbers. In today's world it is easy to be seduced by the secular thinking that places a number on everything. But the authors teach that true success in ministry lies not in numbers but in several key areas: faithfulness, serving, loving, believing, prayer, holiness, and a Christlike attitude. Their thoughts will encourage readers who grapple with feelings of failure and lead them to a deeper, fuller understanding of success in Christian ministry. This book was originally published by Tyndale in 1987 and includes a new preface.




God Land


Book Description

“Will resonate with any readers interested in understanding American landscapes where white, evangelical Christianity dominates both politics and culture.” —Publishers Weekly In the wake of the 2016 election, Lyz Lenz watched as her country and her marriage were torn apart by the competing forces of faith and politics. A mother of two, a Christian, and a lifelong resident of middle America, Lenz was bewildered by the pain and loss around her—the empty churches and the broken hearts. What was happening to faith in the heartland? From drugstores in Sydney, Iowa, to skeet shooting in rural Illinois, to the mega churches of Minneapolis, Lenz set out to discover the changing forces of faith and tradition in God’s country. Part journalism, part memoir, God Land is a journey into the heart of a deeply divided America. Lenz visits places of worship across the heartland and speaks to the everyday people who often struggle to keep their churches afloat and to cope in a land of instability. Through a thoughtful interrogation of the effects of faith and religion on our lives, our relationships, and our country, God Land investigates whether our divides can ever be bridged and if America can ever come together. “God Land, Lyz Lenz’s much-anticipated debut book, is a marvel. Not only is it a window into the middle America so many like to stereotype but fail to fully understand in all of its complexity, but it mixes reportage, memoir, and gorgeous prose so seamlessly I wanted to know how she did it.” —Sarah Weinman, author of The Real Lolita




How to Read the Bible Like a Seminary Professor


Book Description

Many people admire and even revere the Bible, but they simply do not understand what they read, much less how to study Scripture. Yet they wish they could. In this insightful and alternately amusing guide, Professor Mark Yarbrough shows how easy and gratifying it is to unlock the hidden truths of God's Word and to discover a world where reading the Bible doesn't just satisfy our curiosity, but changes our life. To do this, the reader will step into the seminary classroom and observe the practical principles-the tricks of the trade-for becoming a more effective student of the Bible. But Yarbrough has made sure that his writing style and general approach will be appealing to both academic students and those involved in lay-level Bible study. Real life is whacky and in-your-face. Studying Scripture should be too.