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The Killing Tree: A Novel
by Rachel KeenerIt's the summer after Mercy Heron graduates from high school, and she's living in the household of her domineering grandfather and a grandmother whose behavior has always been erratic -- some folks even call it crazy. They've raised Mercy since her mother died giving birth to her under the June apple tree, after Father Heron locked her out and ignored her pleas for help. Mercy's days are spent working at the local diner, and hanging out with her wild best friend Della. Unlike Della, she's never seriously considered leaving the insulated community on Crooked Top mountain. Not until that summer when she meets Trout, a man who opens Mercy's eyes to a world beyond what she's known -- both physically and emotionally. Their relationship must be kept secret, because Father Heron won't approve of his granddaughter being involved with a migrant worker. But when Mercy tries to escape, she'll learn just how powerful, and ruthless, her grandfather can be. And the truth of her past will threaten to forever bind her to the mountain.
A.D. 30: A Novel (AD #1)
by Ted DekkerA sweeping epic set in the harsh deserts of Arabia and ancient Palestine.A war that rages between kingdoms on the earth and in the heart.The harrowing journey of the woman at the center of it all.Step back in time to the year of our Lord...A.D. 30.The outcast daughter of one of the most powerful Bedouin sheikhs in Arabia, Maviah is called on to protect the very people who rejected her. When their enemies launch a sudden attack with devastating consequences, Maviah escapes with the help of two of her father's warriors--Saba who speaks more with is sword than his voice and Judah, a Jew who comes from a tribe that can read the stars. Their journey will be fraught with terrible danger. If they can survive the vast forbidding sands of a desert that is deadly to most, they will reach a brutal world subjugated by kings and emperors. There Maviah must secure an unlikely alliance with King Herod of the Jews. But Maviah's path leads her unexpectedly to another man. An enigmatic teacher who speaks of a way in this life which offers greater power than any kingdom. His name is Yeshua, and his words turn everything known on its head. Though following him may present even greater danger, his may be the only way for Maviah to save her people--and herself.
Outlaw
by Ted DekkerNew York Timesbestselling author Ted Dekker brings an exotic tale of adventure and creates his most memorable character ever.The story of how I, Julian Carter, and my precious two-year old son, Stephen, left Atlanta Georgia and found ourselves on a white sailboat, tossed about like a cork on a raging sea off of Australia's northern tip in 1963, is harrowing.But it pales in comparison to what happened deep in the jungle where I was taken as a slave by a savage tribe unknown to the world. Some places dwell in darkness so deep that even God seems to stay away.There, my mind was torn in two by the gods of the earth. There, one life ended so another could begin.Some will say I was a fool for making the choices I made. But they would have done the same. They, too, would have embraced death if they knew what I knew, and saw through my eyes.My name is Julian and this is my story. But more, it is the story of my son who was born to change the world.From deep in the impenetrable jungles where New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker was born and raised, comes OUTLAW, an epic adventure of two worlds that perhaps only he could write. Full of harrowing twists, sweeping violence, and wild love, Outlaw takes us beyond the skin of this world to another unseen.
Shadowbosses: Government Unions Control America and Rob Taxpayers Blind
by Mallory Factor Elizabeth FactorSHADOWBOSSES reads like an organized crime novel, but it's actually a true story of how labor unions are infiltrating our government and corrupting our political process. This compelling and insightful book exposes how unions have organized federal, state, and local government employees without their consent, and how government employee unions are now a threat to our workers' freedoms, our free and fair elections, and even our American way of life. And, Mallory Factor reveals what's coming next: how unions are targeting millions of Americans--maybe even you--for forced unionization so that unions can collect billions more in forced dues and exert an even greater influence over American politics. A chilling expose, SHADOWBOSSES is also a call to citizen action against those who really hold power in America today.
When Death Becomes Life: Notes from a Transplant Surgeon
by Joshua D. MezrichA transplant surgeon's “visceral tale of hearts and bones, surgical bravura, and the ‘web of transplantation’ that binds people who might never meet” (Nature).At the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Joshua Mezrich creates life from loss, transplanting organs from one body to another. In this intimate, profoundly moving work, he illuminates the extraordinary field of transplantation that enables this kind of miracle to happen every day. Mezrich examines more than a hundred years of remarkable medical breakthroughs, connecting this history with the inspiring and heartbreaking stories of his transplant patients. He introduces the maverick surgeons who made transplantation a reality. And he takes us inside the operating room and unlocks the wondrous process of transplant surgery, a delicate, intense ballet requiring precise timing, breathtaking skill, and at times, creative improvisation.When Death Becomes Life also engages in fascinating ethical and philosophical debates: How much risk should a healthy person be allowed to take to save someone she loves? Should a patient suffering from alcoholism receive a healthy liver? What defines death, and what role did organ transplantation play in that definition? The human story behind the most exceptional medicine of our time, Mezrich’s riveting book is a poignant reminder that a life lost can also offer the hope of a new beginning.“Outstanding … . . . Medical memoirs have become a significant genre over the past two decades, and this one ranks near the top, in a class that includes the best.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“Braids unflinching medical history with frank clinical memoir. . . . there are no demigods in the world of transplant, just especially ambitious and unqueasy humans.” — Wall Street Journal“A clear and compelling account of the grueling daily work, the spellbinding history and the unsettling ethical issues that haunt this miraculous lifesaving treatment. Mezrich's compassionate and honest voice, punctuated by a sharp and intelligent wit, render the enormous subject not just palatable but downright engrossing.” —Pauline Chen, author of Final Exam: A Surgeon’s Reflections on Mortality“Fascinating . . .Mezrich weaves in the history, ethics, and technical grit of how doctors and patients navigate this miraculous second chance at life.” — Danielle Ofri, M.D., Ph.D., author of What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear
Fall Seven Times, Stand Up Eight: How to Succeed No Matter What
by John MasonThe winner is the one who refuses to lose. Fall Seven Times, Stand Up Eight presents 52 key principles, actions, and encouragements that equip readers to develop the perseverance and determination that lead to real success.
My Big Bottom Blessing: How Hating My Body Led to Loving My Life
by Teasi CannonThe media feeds us distorted images of beauty and what an "ideal woman" should look like. In My Big Bottom Blessing, author Teasi Cannon offers a way out of distorted body images and the pain of self-rejection. She says, "My obsession with fat and failure robbed me of a lot of the good in my life. I have been miraculously set free from the lie that being thin equals being beautiful."My Big Bottom Blessing offers Teasi's story-and real-life solutions for the millions of young women who struggle with poor self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. Whatever it is that you despise most about yourself (it doesn't have to be weight) can become the catalyst for serious life change. Teasi's story proves that emotional pain can be healed, and real self-confidence found from knowing that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. My Big Bottom Blessing is a joyful and wise guide to exchanging the limitations of a merely human body image for the liberty of knowing that we are made in the image of God.Every woman will find herself-and a new way of seeing-in this life-changing book.Wynonna JuddRegardless of what you weigh or the crazy diets you may have tried, My Big Bottom Blessing will set you free!Constance RhodesIf you are tired of being defined by your pant size or three little numbers on a scale, this book is for you.Allison Allen
Dr. Colbert's Keto Zone Diet: Burn Fat, Balance Appetite Hormones, and Lose Weight
by Don ColbertAchieve optimal healthy living and effective weight loss through Dr. Colbert's Keto Zone Diet. Learn what the Keto Zone is, why the Keto Zone diet works, and how to put the Keto Zone diet to work for you. Forget every traditional dieting program you've heard of, or even tried. Dr. Colbert's Keto Zone Diet revolutionizes the dieting industry by helping you lose weight without starving yourself, feeling hungry, or losing energy by following a high fat, low carb, and moderate protein diet. Dr. Don Colbert provides special ketogenic recommendations for those with cancer, high cholesterol, Alzheimer's, and many other ailments. Following the Keto Zone diet will help you burn fat, balance appetite hormones, lose weight, and reverse or prevent many diseases! This book includes: -A 7-day meal plan -A shopping guide for the ketogenic lifestyle -A guide for clearing your fridge and pantry of the unhealthy foods that keep you out of the Keto Zone -Instructions on checking your ketosis levels and maintaining your unique Keto Zone Start reclaiming your health today through Dr. Colbert's Keto Zone Diet!
Mortal (Books of Mortals #2)
by Ted Dekker Tosca LeeCenturies have passed since civilization's brush with apocalypse. The world's greatest threats have all been silenced. There is no anger, no hatred, no war. There is only perfect peace...and fear. A terrible secret was closely guarded for centuries: every single soul walking the earth, though in appearance totally normal, is actually dead, long ago genetically stripped of true humanity.Nine years have gone by since an unlikely hero named Rom Sebastian first discovered a secret and consumed an ancient potion of blood to bring himself back to life in Forbidden. Surviving against impossible odds, Rom has gathered a secret faction of followers who have also taken the blood-the first Mortals in a world that is dead.But The Order has raised an elite army to hunt and crush the living. Division and betrayal threaten to destroy the Mortals from within. The final surviving hope for humanity teeters on the brink of annihilation and no one knows the path to survival.On the heels of Forbidden comes MORTAL, the second novel in The Books of Mortals saga penned by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee. Set in a terrifying, medieval future, where grim pageantry masks death, this tale of dark desires and staggering stakes peels back the layers of the heart for all who dare take the journey.The Books of Mortals are three novels, each of which stands on its own, yet all are seamlessly woven into one epic thriller.
Once Upon a Gypsy Moon: An Improbable Voyage and One Man's Yearning for Redemption
by Michael HurleyMichael Hurley watched his world unravel in the wake of infidelity, divorce and failure. In August 2009, he was short of money, out of a job, and seeking to salvage a life that had foundered. Deeply in need of perspective, he took to the open seas in a 32-foot sailboat, Gypsy Moon. The story of his 2-year outward odyssey, deterred by rough weather and mechanical troubles, combines keen observation, poignant thoughts, and deeper introspection with glorious prose. Once Upon a Gypsy Moon also presents a rare and much-needed point of view on the familiar spiritual-journey narrative. It offers a star-crossed love story wrapped inside a rollicking good sea tale, but it also has something important to say to the reader about relationships, faith and disbelief, life and death, love and marriage, and what really matters.
Cult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets, and Blood Atonement
by Irene SpencerLife for Irene Spencer was a series of devastating disappointments and hardships. Irene's first book, Shattered Dreams, is the staggering chronicle of herstruggle to provide for her children in abject poverty and feelings of abandonment each time her husband left to be with one of his other wives. Irene was raised to believe polygamy was the way of life necessary for her ticket to heaven. The hard knocks of her environment were just the beginning of Irene's shocking tale. Insanity ran rampant in her husband's family and was the source of inconceivable events that unfolded throughout Irene's adult life. Cult Insanity takes readers deeper into her story to uncover the outrageous behavior of her brother-in-law Ervil -- a self-proclaimed prophet who determined he was called to set the house of God in order -- and how he terrorized their colony. Claiming to be God's avenger and to have a license to kill in the name of God, Ervil ordered the murders of friends and family members, eliminating all those who challenged his authority. For those who were gripped by Shattered Dreams, the rest of the story will blow them away. Cult Insanity is a riveting, terrifying memoir of polygamist life under the tyranny of a madman.
Turn, Turn, Turn: Popular Songs Inspired by the Bible
by Steve TurnerDid you know?36% of Bob Dylan's songs published between 1961 and 1968 had biblical references, including his 1964 hit "The Times They Are A-Changin.'"The book of Ecclesiastes has been a great inspiration on popular music including the song "Turn, Turn, Turn" by The Birds, the Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon, and "Desperado," the 1973 hit by The Eagles, among others.Paul Simon once advised a young prospective lyricist to raid the Bible for memorable phrases. "Just steal them," he said, "That's what they're there for." There's no question that Scripture has influenced music since the first ever song was penned. In Turn! Turn! Turn! author and music connoisseur, Steve Turner, takes an in-depth look at the lyrics and cultural context of 100 of the greatest songs from the 1930s to today to reveal an often overlooked or ignored strand of influence in popular music -- the Bible. Indeed, some of the "greats" -- including Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Bono, Johnny Cash, Sting, and others -- have repeatedly returned to the Bible for such sustenance, as well as musical inspiration and a framework with which they can better understand themselves. "I hope the book prompts, provokes, and intrigues as it reveals this often-hidden history," writes Steve Turner. You'll never listen to your favorite song or popular tune the same way again after discovering how the Bible has influenced music.
The Third Day: Living the Resurrection
by Tom Berlin Mark A. MillerOn the third day, he rose again.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.The book can be read alone or used for a six-week group study and church-wide Lenten program. Components include a comprehensive Leader Guide and video teaching sessions featuring Tom (with closed captioning).
The Sanctuary for Lent 2025
by Justin LaRosaA Convenient and Affordable Lenten devotional for the entire church.The Sanctuary for Lent 2025 contains brief readings for each day in Lent, from Ash Wednesday through Easter Day, including a suggested Scripture, a short devotion, and a short prayer or practice—all based on the Revised Common Lectionary. This annual favorite helps readers faithfully journey through Lent as they prepare to experience the joy of the Resurrection. Along with being a great congregational resource, it is an excellent gift for family, friends, and those your congregation connects with through outreach.
On Purpose: Finding God's Voice in Your Passion
by Magrey deVega Sam McGlothlin Jevon Caldwell-Gross Susan RobbBe part of something more.We are hungry for a sense of purpose, direction, and calling in our lives. That’s as basic an ingredient to the human experience as they come. We want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We want to participate in something that has eternal merit and lasting impact. We do not want to live a shallow, hollow existence. We yearn for deeper meaning, for deeper purpose within our lives. We want to be more than we are.In On Purpose: Finding God’s Voice in Your Passion, authors Magrey deVega, Sam McGlothlin, Jevon Caldwell-Gross, and Susan Robb help us see God's purpose for our lives, how to open ourselves to God's voice, and how to take the first or next step to follow God's call. Reading this book and exploring life choices alongside others, individuals will learn how to channel their passions, hear God’s voice, and live the life they were meant to live.To support reading in a group, resources including a full leader’s guide and DVD with four teaching sessions are also available.
Bible Stories for Grown-Ups Leader Guide: 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 Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options. Additional components include the book, Bible Stories for Grown-Up, and video teaching sessions featuring Josch Scott, making this perfect as a group study throughout the year.
The Gospel of John Leader Guide: A Beginner’s Guide to the Way, the Truth, and the Life
by Amy-Jill LevineUnlock the hidden depths of John’s Gospel.The leader guide contains discussion questions and session plans for a six-week study of The Gospel of John, by Amy-Jill Levine. It includes opening and closing prayers, optional activities, and session goals for each week and is designed to be used with the book and DVD.John’s Gospel offers readers a new language—of being born anew, of living water, of wind and spirit, of the “I am”—that enhances how we understand the divine, how we experience the world, and how we participate in the mystery of faith.With her characteristic wit and charm, Amy-Jill Levine introduces readers to the world of the Gospel of John by unpacking the stories in their original context, along with examining how the text is read today. This book considers the Gospel of John in its entirety, moving through the Gospel and exploring the prologue, the wedding at Cana, the Samaritan woman at the well and the woman caught in adultery, the healing of the man at the pool and the man born blind, foot washing, Mary Magdalene and Doubting Thomas, and the Lamb of God.
More Messy People Women's Bible Study Leader Guide: Life Lessons from Imperfect Biblical Heroes
by Jennifer CowartGod can use imperfect people to do incredible things.The More Messy People Leader Guide outlines six small group sessions, complete with prayers, summaries, and discussion questions. It is designed to be used with the Participant Workbook and DVD and will support group leaders of all experience levels in creating strong learning communities.Jen Cowart continues her study of the very messy lives of biblical heroes—people who, like us, made mistakes but found God was able to use them in powerful ways. They all play a significant role in the biblical narrative, but their stories are far from perfect.Through the lives of rival sisters like Leah and Rachel, or sisters with very different personalities like Martha and Mary, we see God chooses to use people who don’t have it all together. Through the lives of great, but imperfect, biblical heroes like Moses, Elijah, Peter, and Paul, we see God meets us in our troubles and chooses us even if we seem unqualified.
The Right Questions for Church Leaders
by Lovett H. Weems JR.Creativity and innovation in your ministry begin with asking the right questions.Unlock the power of wise questioning with this essential guide for church leaders. Esteemed advisor Lovett H. Weems, Jr., compiled lists of leadership questions over many years, testing and analyzing them in local churches and other ministry settings. This book is the culmination of that careful work. It provides clusters of questions to help readers address their most perplexing ministry challenges.The questions are organized into 14 categories including Personnel, Expanding Reach and Impact, Management Skills, and Decision Making. Each set of questions is accompanied by guidance on when and how to use them effectively. The questions and other content are easy to grasp quickly, so you and your teams will see immediate benefit. And the questions apply in any denominational setting. Whether your congregation is large or small, these questions will steer you through critical issues with precision and insight. Elevate your leadership skills, spark creativity in your ministry, and find the answers you need to succeed. Begin by asking the right questions.
The Christ of the Indian Road
by E. Stanley JonesFor those searching for truth and a map to help lead them down the path of The Way.With over 1 million copies sold, this favorite from E. Stanley Jones has been translated into 30 languages!In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the book being in print, Rev. Jones’s granddaughter, Dr. Anne Mathews-Younes, along with Dr. Mathew Thattamanil Thomas, worked with contributors on this new expanded edition!For more than one hundred years, E. Stanley Jones has led the way in evangelism by contextualizing Christ in the existing culture, wherever that may be. In The Christ of the Indian Road, he recounts his experiences in India, where he arrived as a young and presumptuous missionary who later matured into a veteran who attempted to contextualize Jesus Christ within the Indian culture. Jones names the mistakes many Christians make in trying to impose their culture on the existing culture. Instead, he makes the case that we learn from other cultures, respect the truth found there, and let Christ and the existing culture do the rest.In his book Ordinary Man, Extraordinary Mission, Stephen Graham, a biographer of Jones, wrote:"The Christ of the Indian Road was a frontal assault on the cultural prejudices of most European and American Christian missionaries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Jones was one of the first Western Christians to realize that the Christian gospel was often betrayed in Asia, Africa, and Latin America by being enmeshed with Western nations’ economic and political self-aggrandizement. In so doing, Jones declared his moral and intellectual independence from Western political and religious imperialism."Introduced with a foreword by Leonard Sweet, this expanded edition includes essays by church leaders reflecting on the impact of Jones’s revolutionary approach to discovering the Jesus already present in each culture and what those learnings mean for the church today. Contributors include: Most Rev. Dr. Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan, Dr. Sathianathan Clarke, Rev. Dr. John Thatamanil, Very Rev. Abraham O. Kadavil Corepiscopos, Rev. Dr. Shivraj Mahendra.
The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer
by Matt MiofskyDaily prayer the Wesleyan wayPrayer is a spiritual practice, and daily prayer uses the repetition of forms and words to cultivate a deep, meaningful ritual, drawing the individual into an ever-closer relationship with God. This book is organized by liturgical season, but is undated, so the individual is free to begin using it at any point during the year. The book is concise and easy to use and includes the words of scripture and other necessary text. It is a simple, frictionless tool for spiritual health. The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer provides complete texts for Morning Prayers and Evening Prayers, with a new set of texts for each week of the year. Each week is anchored in its liturgical season: Advent, Christmastide, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Eastertide, Pentecost, Sow & Rest (Ordinary Time), and Harvest & Create (Ordinary Time).Each set of prayers centers on a scripture passage, with an emphasis on the Psalms. The prayers draw from familiar historic, classic, and ancient Christian texts, and from Methodism’s rich hymnody. They also feature fresh, original words from new writers. This book facilitates deep daily connection with God--a method for spiritual sustenance.
Pursued - Women's Bible Study Participant Workbook: Gods Relentless Love for YOU (Pursued)
by Jennifer CowartDiscover how God is pursuing you.We all want to be loved. We long to be desired, pursued—whether by a special someone, our friends, or others in our lives. This longing for love and acceptance is the underlying story of many of our lives, and it's the overarching story we see throughout the Scriptures. Although the Bible tells many stories, the main theme is God’s relentless love for us.In Pursued, a six-week Bible study by Jennifer Cowart, we will explore God’s great love for us from Genesis to Revelation. We will see that God passionately pursues people who do not deserve His love, and we are those people! Like Cain, Abraham, Sarah, Rebekah, David, the woman caught in adultery, Peter, and so many others, we are the ones who have broken relationship with God. But He runs after us anyway to bring us home. In this study, we will explore God’s love as evidenced in the stories of creation, the patriarchs, the judges and prophets, Jesus, and the early church. Together we will dive into a great love story and discover that it is our story!Through this study women will:- See the big picture of God’s love for them throughout the Scriptures- Discover that God wants a personal relationship with them- Experience God’s relentless love for them individually- Realize that God never stops pursuing themComponents for this six-week Bible study, each available separately, include a Participant Workbook, a Leader Guide, and video sessions with six 25-minute segments (with closed captioning).
Abingdon Worship Annual 2026
by Mary Scifres B.J. BeuThe go-to worship planning resource for all who plan weekly worship.The Abingdon Worship Annual 2026 is a practical, lectionary-based resource for leaders responsible for planning worship. This thoughtful sourcebook offers a weekly theme with meaningful prayers and fresh litanies following a traditional order of Christian worship: Invitation and Gathering Proclamation and Response Thanksgiving and Communion Sending Forth Liturgies and prayers are also included for special days, including New Year’s Day, Ascension Day, All Saints Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Eve.The Annual includes helpful reminders for Christian-year planning—including liturgical colors—and a scripture index. The authors also provide in-depth guidance and practical ideas for this new age of worship, helping readers understand and weigh their options for worshiping in digital spaces and unconventional places.The Abingdon Worship Annual 2026 is a must-have sourcebook offering countless opportunities for planning meaningful and insightful worship.
The Jazz of Preaching, 20th Anniversary Edition: How to Preach with Great Freedom and Joy
by Kirk Byron JonesLearn to preach from your soul!What if preachers were as contagiously joyful in their preaching as Louis Armstrong was in his playing and singing? As rich in their sermonic renderings as Sarah Vaughn was in her virtuosic vocals? As honest about heartache as Billie Holiday every time she sang the blues? As alluringly clear as the voice of Ella Fitzgerald? As tenaciously uninhibited in the action of creating as Duke Ellington?This may be too much ask, even of persons who are "called by God." However, as Kirk Byron Jones demonstrates, preaching can be enhanced by an understanding of the inner dynamics of jazz. The forms, rules, and styles of jazz can inform one's practice of preaching, and its simultaneous structure and spontaneity can help preachers better understand their own art.In his classic text for students and practitioners, Jones explains how preaching is dramatically improved with the application of key elements of jazz, including innovation, improvisation, rhythm, call and response, honesty about heartache, and delight. This 20th Anniversary Edition includes a new element—preaching from your genuine soul. Chapters include instruction and exercises for applying the jazz elements to preaching preparation and performance. This edition also includes an Introduction, in which the author sets the context for the new material and articulates his conviction that this approach to preaching is needed now more than ever.The Jazz of Preaching 20th Anniversary Edition introduces the rich and rewarding possibilities that arise when preachers tap into their own creativity—and their own soul--when constructing and delivering the sermon.
Gardens in the Desert: How the Adaptive Church Can Lead a Whole New Life
by Michael Adam Beck Kenneth H. Carter Jr.Your church can thrive in this strange new world!Many church people and leaders feel like exiles in their own land. We are facing tremendous challenges. And, just as for those who came before us, the challenges are also opportunities. If we adapt to our new environment, as people and as the body of Christ. Gardens in the Desert offers local and denominational church leaders a practical, inspired, scripture-rooted vision for how we can do this—how we can become God’s church now for God’s intended future. Michael Adam Beck and Ken Carter draw from Jeremiah 29 to provide wise guidance for leaders and churches seeking to adapt and thrive. Jeremiah’s imperatives resonate deeply today, compelling us to experiment, cultivate new relationships, prioritize faith-sharing with people of all ages, interact with others in humility, to “seek the wellbeing of the other,” and to move forward with confidence. The chapters are brief and packed with practical ideas and instruction. The authors include ideas from leaders inside and outside the Church, offering multiple ways for leaders to see and understand what it means to be an adaptive leader and how to shape an adaptive church. The book is rich with lists, diagrams, illustrations, clarifying questions, and frameworks, making the material easy to grasp. It is an excellent resource to share with leadership teams at every level of the local church and in denominational settings. Gardens in the Desert is for laity, leaders, and clergy who have been feeling lost, immobilized, powerless—as exiles—and who are ready to do something new.