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The Art of Hospitality Companion Book Revised Edition: A Practical Guide for a Ministry of Radical Welcome
by Debi NixonCreate a culture of radical hospitality that surprises and delights guests beyond their expectations.The Art of Hospitality guides you and your church to creating a ministry of radical hospitality. While the main book is intended for pastors and church leaders, this Companion Book is designed for the whole congregation, to equip and inspire everyone to embrace a ministry of welcome. Engaging worship and intentional follow-up processes are important, but what compels guests to return to our churches is the warmth of our welcome and hospitality that goes beyond their expectations. In The Art of Hospitality, Yvonne Gentile and Debi Nixon guide you and your church creating radical hospitality that infiltrates the heart and culture of the entire congregation. Choose The Art of Hospitality main book for pastors and other leaders in the church. Choose the Companion Book for everyone else in the congregation.
Bible Stories for Grown-Ups: Reading Scripture with New Eyes
by Josh ScottRead the Bible for the first time – again. In Bible Stories for Grown-Ups: Reading Scripture with New Eyes pastor Josh Scott looks at familiar Bible stories and reveals new details and interpretations for an adult audience. This six-week Bible study will consider stories many read as children including Noah's Ark, the binding of Isaac, Jonah and the big fish, Jesus and Zacchaeus, Jesus healing a blind man, and the parable of the talents. Scott reimagines these stories and opens new visions for readers to understand well known pieces of Scripture in our current cultural environment.The book can be read alone or used by small groups, and can be used anytime throughout the year. Additional components include video teaching sessions featuring Josh Scott, and a comprehensive leader guide, making this perfect as a six-week group study done throughout the year.
The Message of Jesus Leader Guide: Words That Changed the World
by Adam HamiltonA fresh encounter with the words of Jesus.This Leader Guide contains everything needed to facilitate a 6-week study on The Message of Jesus, by Adam Hamilton. Helps include opening prayers, summaries, discussion questions and more.More than 3 billion people claim to follow Jesus. But aside from a few verses, how many actually know what he taught? In fact, much of what people think Jesus taught, he never said. In this six-week study, pastor and best-selling author Adam Hamilton explores six of the most important themes in Jesus's teachings, why they matter, and how they speak to us today. The book will explore Jesus’s preaching on the Kingdom of God, the Sermon on the Mount, the parables, the “I am” sayings in John, and more. Jesus's message is not only life-changing, but world-changing. Join Adam Hamilton in studying The Message of Jesus: Words That Changed the World. Other components for the study include a leader guide, and teaching video are available.
Knowing Who We Are: The Wesleyan Way of Grace
by Laceye C. WarnerDiscover what sets United Methodism apart. In this book, Laceye C. Warner invites you to a richer understanding of Wesleyan Christianity so you can have a clear sense of identity, better express your own beliefs, and deepen your connection with The United Methodist Church. She introduces you to important values and characteristics that make the Wesleyan way distinctive, including emphasizing God’s grace for all and sanctification as tangible transformation in your life, your community, and all creation. You’ll see how The United Methodist Church today is deeply rooted in the Christian tradition and a legacy of care, compassion, and active response to injustice in the world. And you’ll find that Christian faith in the Wesleyan tradition holds together personal faith and community life, along with a commitment to justice through ministry and service. Pick up this book and study it with your small group and discover a way of being Christian that fills you with joy, moves you to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, and spurs you to live with compassion and grace. The book can be read alone or used by small groups anytime throughout the year. Components include video teaching sessions featuring Laceye Warner and a comprehensive Leader Guide, making this perfect as a six-week group study. A companion book, Who We Are and What We Believe: 50 Questions about The UMC, is also available.
The Third Day Leader Guide: Living the Resurrection
by Tom Berlin Mark A. MillerOn the third day, he rose again.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options. In The Third Day: Living the Resurrection, Tom Berlin uses his gifts of storytelling and understanding the Scriptures to connect the reader to the experiences of several individuals around Jesus in his final days, focusing on new life and redemption rather than loss.Join Peter, Mary Magdalene, and Thomas as they feel the despair of losing Jesus and the surprise and joy that awaits them in the resurrection. This study traces events around these characters, along with Paul and the disciples at Emmaus, and how the resurrection transforms their lives.Additional components include the book, The Third Day: Living the Resurrection, and video teaching sessions featuring Tom(with closed captioning).
The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church 2020/2024
by United Methodist ChurchThe Guide to the Historical Record and Up-to-Date Policies and Practices for Governance of The United Methodist Church. This essential volume includes The United Methodist Church's current law, doctrine, administrative guidelines, and organizational procedures. Each General Conference amends The Book of Discipline, and the actions of the 2024 General Conference are reflected in the quadrennial revision. Freshly updated to reflect the latest General Conference actions, the new Discipline features a comprehensive list of bishops spanning from our early leaders, Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury to the 2024 episcopal elections. Additionally, it includes a revised historical statement, an expanded index, and is divided into six informative sections: The Constitution General Book of Discipline Doctrinal Standards and Our Theological Task The Ministry of All Christians Social Principles Organization and Administration
30 Days of Hope in an Unstable World: A Devotional Journal on the Book of Jeremiah
by Melissa Spoelstra30 devotions for learning to surrender to God’s will and rest your hope in Him alone.Finding hope can seem like a distant dream in a world filled with uncertainty and challenges. But in the Book of Jeremiah, God offers a message of hope that transcends the chaos of our daily lives, showing us that intentional living is possible even in an unstable world.Through this 30-day journey, you will learn how to conquer fear, worry, and doubt by surrendering your will to God and trusting Him. Each day includes Scripture, insightful readings, a prayer or prayer exercise, and writing prompts with space for journaling based on the day’s theme.Whether used alongside the Jeremiah: Daring to Hope in an Unstable World Women’s Bible Study or on its own, this devotion journal is a beautiful tool for those seeking to embark on a journey of hope through the teachings of Jeremiah.
The Angels of Christmas Leader Guide: Hearing God's Voice in Advent
by Susan RobbExplore the four angelic visits surrounding the birth of Jesus with Susan Robb in The Angels of Christmas, a four-week Advent study. The Angels of Christmas: Hearing God’s Voice in Advent, a four-week Advent study by Susan Robb, explores the four angelic visits surrounding the birth of Jesus with Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. In this study, the reader will explore the visits and dive deep into the history of the angel Gabriel–and other angels–in the Old Testament. The Angels of Christmas uses these four angelic appearances to discuss God’s presence in history and our lives today. The messages of the angels hold meaning for listeners both then and now.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the four-week study including session plans, activities, and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options.
Cross-Examined: Reading the Bible in Times of Division
by Josh ScottIncisive responses to society’s most pressing biblical questions.Does the Bible really say that women shouldn’t lead in the church or that the LGBTQ+ community can’t be included in the church? Does the Bible support racism, white supremacy, and Christian nationalism? Do we have to choose between an understanding of the Bible that has been weaponized for harm and exclusion or not engaging the Bible at all? This book explores what the Bible is and what it does (and, maybe more importantly, doesn’t) say about these important questions. The answers might surprise you.Through thoughtful analysis and personal transformation, Josh Scott invites you to rethink dominant interpretations and uncover new possibilities for justice, inclusivity, and generosity in faith. Perfect for those seeking a deeper connection with their beliefs or grappling with these pressing issues, Cross-Examined serves as both a guide and a conversation starter. Open your heart and mind to an alternative understanding of faith, and join the movement toward a future of hope, justice, and unity.
Perfectly Flawed Women's Bible Study: God Transforms Our Weaknesses into Strengths (A Women’s Bible Study on the Life of Peter)
by Lisa ToneyWe are all flawed, but God can turn those weaknesses into strengths. The apostle Peter’s passion and imperfections make him one of the Bible’s most loved and relatable people. Even when Peter gave up, gave in, and gave out, Jesus was there for him. Join Lisa Toney as she follows Peter through his time with Jesus, from the beginning of Jesus’s ministry to the Resurrection and through Pentecost, when Peter begins to live into his call. Along the way, discover the raw honesty of a man who veered from staunch devotion to moments of doubt, mirroring our own human struggles. In the six-week Bible study Perfectly Flawed, we see that there is an unparalleled power Jesus gives that can only be found in our weakness. We discover the strength of Jesus that is available to each of us. Learn to persevere in your faith, live confidently, and boldly step into God’s purpose for you. See how Peter’s story is an invitation to embrace imperfection, find strength in the relentless grace of God, and discover how each one of us is perfectly flawed but still deeply loved by God. The participant workbook includes five daily readings for each week, combining the study of Scripture with personal reflection, application, and prayer. Other components for the Bible study include a Leader Guide and teaching video available on DVD.
The Final Days: A Lenten Journey through the Gospels
by Matt RawleThis Lent, ponder the themes of justice, poverty, freedom, and love.The four New Testament Gospels aren’t the same story, but they offer the same Resurrection hope. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John devote most of their story detailing Jesus’ last week in Jerusalem, all highlighting Jesus’ triumphant entry into the city, the suffering and humiliation of the cross, and the empty tomb come Sunday morning, but the stories they tell aren’t quite the same. Each Gospel offers a different lens through which we understand Jesus’ Passion. One portrait reveals Jesus to be in control, while another emphasizes his suffering. In one story Jesus offers hope to the thief on the cross, and in another Jesus only receives derision. These different perspectives aren’t a reason to dismiss the Gospels; rather they reveal an abundant, diverse, and complementary picture of God’s work in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Other components for the study include a leader guide, and teaching video are available.
Context Leader Guide: Putting Scripture in Its Place
by Josh ScottExploring the Chapter Behind the Verse. The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options. Components include a book, Context: Putting Scripture in Its Place, and video teaching sessions featuring Josh Scott, making this perfect as a group study throughout the year. Context looks at verses we know by heart but may not know the people, places, and times that give them meaning. Josh Scott delves into these well-known Scripture verses, exploring their true meanings by examining them in their original biblical context. Through this process, he unveils fresh and enlightening interpretations that are often missed when these Scriptures are taken out of context.
The Message of Jesus: Words That Changed the World
by Adam HamiltonA fresh encounter with the words of Jesus.More than 3 billion people claim to follow Jesus. But aside from a few verses, how many actually know what he taught? In fact, much of what people think Jesus taught, he never said. In this six-week study, pastor and best-selling author Adam Hamilton explores six of the most important themes in Jesus's teachings, why they matter, and how they speak to us today. The book will explore Jesus’s preaching on the Kingdom of God, the Sermon on the Mount, the parables, the “I am” sayings in John, and more. Jesus's message is not only life-changing, but world-changing. Join Adam Hamilton in studying The Message of Jesus: Words That Changed the World. Other components for the study include a leader guide, teaching videos, and sermons and worship.
The Christmas Letters: Celebrating Advent with Those Who Told the Story First
by Magrey deVegaHear from “those who told the story first.” You may or may not know the story of your birth. If you do, there is something special about hearing your origin story again and remembering how it all began for you. That’s why we observe Advent: to celebrate how it all began for us. In The Christmas Letters, Magrey deVega invites you to hear about the miracle of Christ’s birth from those who first told the story. The letters in the New Testament, known as the Epistles, contain the first attempts by the church to understand and celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation. They point us to the origins of what we believe about Jesus, fully human and fully divine. By spending time with these holy, ancient words this Advent, you’ll come to know the meaning of Christ’s coming like never before. Read the New Testament letters, Romans, 1 John, Philippians, and Colossians as your first Christmas letters of the season and find within them an invitation from God to deepen your understanding of the Incarnation and embrace a fuller commitment to Jesus Christ. Components available to use this book in a small group study include a leader guide and video available on DVD.
A Full-Hearted Life: Following Jesus in This Secular Age
by Jake OwensbyMeaningful answers for life’s big questions.Everyone must ask life’s big questions. Even people who reject any hint of the supernatural and insist that nothing exists apart from matter will have to find meaning for themselves. To put this another way, the defining mark of our secular age is not the absence of belief, but rather the effect on our consciousness of the sheer number of competing belief systems. That effect is fragilization. And so, belief is fragile. We don’t have to believe what we believe. We could believe something else entirely. This book articulates how believing in Jesus gives us a sense of who we are, why we’re here, what the good life is, and how to move toward that good life. This is not traditional apologetics, offering logical proofs that God exists or that Jesus is God incarnate or that all those alternative belief systems are false. Put simply, the aim of this book is to help you see for yourself and to explain to others how Christian belief and Christian practice can make life meaningful."If you want to know what it looks and feels like to be a Christian, read this book. If, as a Christian, you could use a little encouragement, look no further.”—The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington DC, author of How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith
Thrive Women's Bible Study Participant Workbook: Living Faithfully in Difficult Times
by Jennifer CowartWalking in Faith…even when times are tough.In Thrive, author and teacher Jen Cowart helps women develop the habits and attitudes necessary to thrive, whatever their circumstances. Leading readers through the Book of James, a letter written about enduring hardships, she lifts up six characteristics of mature Christians. From endurance and humility to controlling our words, Jen helps participants find the divine and the practical in living faithfully.Jen’s teaching has inspired thousands of women across the country. Her authenticity inspires others to open their hearts and minds. One reviewer wrote, “Her ‘realness’ and her vulnerability just work together to open your heart to dig deeper and deeper.”Through this study, women will find inspiration and tools around six traits:Endurance – Embracing obstacles as a means to maturity.Wisdom – Using a heavenly perspective on earthly issues.Action – Living a life where actions match faith.Control – Taming the tongue.Humility – Developing the attitude of Christ.Prayer – Exercising the power tool of the faith.Additional components for this six-week Bible study, each available separately, are a Leader Guide and six video sessions, 8 to 13 minutes long (with closed captioning).
Faith over Fear: Abraham's Imperfect Journey
by Matt RawleNo journey is more imperfect than Abraham’s.In Faith over Fear, Matt Rawle invites you to discover the depth and complexity of faith through Abraham's inspiring yet imperfect story. This profoundly reflective book explores the twists and turns of Abraham's relationship with God, reminding us that faith isn’t about flawless trust—it’s about showing up, even when faced with doubt and uncertainty. Through vivid storytelling and rich spiritual insights, Faith over Fear helps you wrestle with faith as a dynamic, deeply human experience and learn to honor fear and trust in your spiritual walk. Whether navigating uncharted territory in life or seeking a renewed understanding of God’s promises, this book offers an uplifting reminder that grace is always ahead of us, calling us to move forward. Transform your perspective and reclaim your courage by stepping into this invitation to walk through life with faith that’s as messy as it is meaningful.
Experiencing Christmas Leader Guide: Christ in the Sights and Sounds of Advent
by Matt RawleDiscover how everything changed when God was born.Everything seems different at the end of the year. We put lights on our houses to dispel the growing darkness, Christmas music floods local radio stations, apple cider and cranberry sauce are again on the menu, and wrapping paper and tape are always ready. Things just look, smell, and taste differently during the Advent and Christmas season, and these differences are a sign to us that God is about to do something radical and different. Christmas is when God surrounded the divine with senses of his own. That first noel was when God had eyes to see suffering, ears to hear our cries, and hands to hold those in need, and all of these senses were bundled in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. “This will be a sign to you,” the angel told the shepherds, and they traveled to Bethlehem and found a child. What signs do you see during the Advent and Christmas season that point you to the divine?The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the four-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options. Additional components for the four-week small group study include the book and DVD/Video Sessions featuring Matt Rawle. The Leader Guide also includes a link to free downloadable teaching resources for children and youth.
Prepare! 2025-2026 CEB/NRSVue Edition
by David L. Bone Mary ScifresA weekly worship planning book for pastors and musicians—refreshed!Discover the enhanced 2025-2026 edition of Prepare!, your ultimate music and worship planning companion for local churches of all sizes. This updated resource has new features, including full texts from the popular CEB and NRSVue Scripture translations, blank writing space for your ideas, music recommendations for various ensembles, hymn and song suggestions, visual worship suggestions, and more.With a user-friendly layout and comprehensive indexes, Prepare! makes planning worship services easier for both music directors and pastors. This all-in-one spiral bound guide provides everything you need to plan worship throughout the Church Year. It includes extensive musical suggestions from a wide range of denominations, including the standard hymnals from the major Christian churches.Hymnals: Africana Hymnal, The Baptist Hymnal, Chalice Hymnal (Disciples of Christ), The Faith We Sing, Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal, The Hymnal 1982 (Episcopal), Hymns for the Family of God, Lutheran Book of Worship, The Presbyterian Hymnal, The New Century Hymnal (United Church of Christ), Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship, Songs for Praise and Worship Sing along Edition, The United Methodist Hymnal, Voices United, Worship & Song, and Worship III (Roman Catholic).
The Bible With and Without Jesus - Participant Guide: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently
by Amy-Jill Levine Marc Zvi BrettlerScholars show how Jews and Christians read the same texts differently.This participant guide introduces the main text and further Scripture commentary and reflection questions. It, along with the leader guide and DVD, is everything needed for an engaging study for your small group.In this Bible study based on their book, The Bible With and Without Jesus, esteemed Bible scholars and teachers Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler take readers on a guided tour of the most popular Hebrew Bible passages quoted in the New Testament to show what the texts meant in their original contexts and then how Jews and Christians, over time, understood those same texts. Passages include the creation of the world, the role of Adam and Eve, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, the book of Jonah, and Psalm 22, whose words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” Jesus quotes as he dies on the cross.Comparing various interpretations – historical, literary, and theological - of each ancient text, Levine and Brettler offer deeper understandings of the original narratives and their many afterlives. They show how the text speaks to different generations under changed circumstances, illuminating the Bible’s ongoing significance. By understanding the depth and variety by which these passages have been, and can be, understood, The Bible With and Without Jesus does more than enhance our religious understandings; it helps us to see the Bible as a source of inspiration for any and all readers.
Upstairs Girls: Prostitution in the American West
by Michael RutterProstitutes make up one of the most engaging chapters in the story of the American West. Upstairs Girls opens a window on the lives of these women for hire—why they turned to prostitution, who they worked for, and what their lives were like. Author and historian Michael Rutter offers a thorough history of prostitution in the West, with chapters on notorious madams, the hierarchy of prostitution, from parlor girls to streetwalkers, and occupational hazards such as disease and addiction. Rutter also unveils the brutal Chinese sex trade, which was little more than slavery, with women being shipped across the Pacific and bought and sold like material goods. The engaging and carefully researched background history leads up to the often heart-breaking and sometimes humorous profiles of the individual madams and prostitutes, from the famous Calamity Jane to the less-known Rosa May, from ruthless Ah Toy to mother of civil rights Mary Ellen Pleasant.
The Ground Beneath the Cross: The Theology of Ignacio Ellacuría (Moral Traditions)
by Kevin F. BurkeThis book is the first comprehensive analysis of the thought of Ignacio Ellacuría, the Jesuit philosopher-theologian martyred for his work on behalf of Latin America's oppressed peoples. <P><P> While serving as president of the Jesuit-run University of Central America in the midst of El Salvador's brutal civil war, Ellacuría was also a prolific writer. His advocacy on behalf of the country's persecuted majority provoked the enmity of the Salvadoran political establishment. On November 16, 1989, members of the Salvadoran military entered the university's campus and murdered Ellacuría, along with five other Jesuit priests and two women. <P><P> Kevin F. Burke, SJ, shows why Ellacuría is significant not only as a martyr but also as a theologian. Ellacuría effectively integrated philosophy, history, anthropology, and sociopolitical analysis into his theological reflections on salvation, spirituality, and the church to create an original contribution to liberation theology.
Fundamentals of AAC: A Case-Based Approach to Enhancing Communication
by Nerissa Hall Jenifer Juengling-Sudkamp Michelle L. Gutmann and Ellen R. CohnFundamentals of AAC: A Case-Based Approach to Enhancing Communication is a course-friendly textbook designed to walk readers through the theoretical and clinical underpinnings of assessment, intervention, and consultation for individuals with complex communication needs across the lifespan. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) encompasses a variety of communication methods and is used by those with a wide range of speech and language impairments. With a consistent framework and descriptive case studies, as well as input from various stakeholders, readers can gain a comprehensive understanding of the needs of persons who use AAC and how to provide them with ethically and culturally considerate support. <P><P> Unlike other texts on this topic, this book empowers the reader to visualize AAC in action. Each chapter offers evidence-based information about the topic along with a case study. The case studies combined with short essays from various stakeholders illustrate the variety of ways in which AAC can enhance an individual’s connection with their communication partners and community, and the role of the speech-language pathologist as integral to this process.
Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God
by Henry T. Blackaby; Richard Blackaby; Claude V. KingWhen you open this book, you’ll find that you aren’t just reading. No, you are being remade, reoriented, restored from the frustration of what you may have known as stale religion. Captured not by a concept but by your Creator, reborn in relationship. Here’s the Experiencing God that has already impacted millions of people. Only it’s bigger, and better, and ready to lead you again—or for the very first time—into an experience with God. Carefully listening to His voice will anchor you in His plan, and set you free to live it with boldness and freedom. After a thorough revision, this landmark volume returns with seven new chapters, as well as dozens of true stories from people who, through this book, have experienced God.
Assistive Technologies: Principles and Practice
by Emma Smith Albert M. Cook Janice Miller Polgar Pedro EncarnaçãoMaster the assistive strategies you need to make confident clinical decisions and help improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. Based on the Human Activity Assistive Technology (HAAT) model developed by Albert Cook, Sue Hussey, and Janice Polgar, Assistive Technologies: Principles and Practice, 6th Edition, provides detailed coverage of the broad range of devices, services, and practices that comprise assistive technology. This text offers a systematic process for ensuring the effective application of assistive technologies — and focuses on the relationship between the human user and the assisted activity within specific contexts. New to this edition is updated and expanded content on autonomous features of wheelchairs and vehicles, electronic aids to daily living, robotics, sustainability issues related to assistive technology, and much more.