Benedictions are pronounced by ministers at the close of worship services as an expression of hope and encouragement to God's people to face whatever their future might hold. This makes them a Biblical norm for the end of worship - something we should consider doing each time we leave God's presence and go out into the world. If you are involved with leading worship in the church or in the home your next question will be 'Where do I go to find them?' Fortunately Robert Vasholz has done the legwork for you. He has collected in this one book the benedictions found in scripture along with some additional scripture enriched blessings for use during worship. Use them to help Christians have a greater effect on the world. Read more

Apologetics is for everyone.The Bible is clear that all believers are called to defend their faith. However, if apologetics is the formal process that we have come to expect, this sounds like an impossible task. But what if apologetics could be part of natural, normal conversation ― both from the pulpit and in everyday life?Aimed at preparing you to clearly and confidently defend your faith, Expository Apologetics sets forth an approach to apologetics that is rooted in Scripture and eminently accessible. Filled with real-world examples and practical advice, this book will equip you with the tools you need to think biblically and converse persuasively offering unbelievers “a reason for the hope that is in you.” Read more

Often we read the book of Daniel in one of two ways--either as a book about a heroic man whose righteousness should inspire us to keep the faith no matter what our circumstances, or as a roadmap to the end times that can, through careful study, perhaps tell us the day and hour (or nearly so) of Christ's return. Both, says Bryan Chapell, are sadly missing the bigger picture, that God is the hero of this story and he is in the midst of his unrelenting plan to rescue his people from their sin and its consequences. We mustn't simply make the man Daniel the object of our worship nor the subject of our debates. We may differ about prophetic details, Chapell says, but we should never miss the point that the book of Daniel is, like all of Old Testament Scripture, pointing us toward the grace of God, ultimately revealed in Christ.Pastors, teachers, and individual Christians studying the book of Daniel will find this volume a welcome addition to their library. Read more

This book tells the story of a boy who loved GOD with all his heart and did everything he could to please Him.Carlo received his first computer as a gift from his parents in the year 2000, when he was just 9 years old. He read university-level programming textbooks and quickly became very skilled in using the computer and the internet.With this gift, he built a website to catalogue Eucharistic miracles from around the world. He wanted everyone to know that the Eucharist contains the very flesh and blood of our LORD and Saviour, Jesus Christ.This is his story, from his birth in London to his death at the age of 15.Why You’ll Love This Book✨ It’s super easy to read – The writing feels like someone is sitting across from you, sharing a story over coffee. No heavy theology, just real, heartfelt storytelling that flows naturally.📖 It’s packed with rich detail – You’re not just getting surface-level facts. This book goes deep into Carlo’s life, faith, passions, and the people who shaped him — all without ever feeling overwhelming.🖼️ It brings the story to life with images – With real photos and beautiful illustrations throughout, you don’t just read about Carlo. You see his journey, his devotion, and his mission come alive on every page.📚 Designed for a beautiful reading experience – Printed in a clean 12-point font on elegant creamy paper, this book feels as good in your hands as the story feels in your heart.🙋♀️ Who This Book Is For:Parents and Teachers looking to inspire children with a modern-day example of holiness.Teens and Young Adults who want to see someone their age living out real faith in the digital age.Catholics and Christians seeking to deepen their love for the Eucharist through the story of a young saint.Anyone curious about how a regular boy became a global witness for Christ through the simple gifts he had—faith, a computer, and a heart full of love for God.This book is for every heart that longs to believe that holiness is possible—no matter your age, no matter your time. Read more

THE AWARD-WINNING COMMENTARY SERIES THAT BRINGS THE ANCIENT MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE INTO YOUR WORLDOver 2 million copies sold!The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible is a masterful blend of content written by today's top academics in a way that is compelling and easy to understand for anyone--no formal training or seminary degree required. This one-volume commentary is intended both for personal study and for teaching preparation.Concise commentary and background help the reader understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context. Clear explanations make it easy to understand matters related to grammar and the meaning of biblical words.While most commentaries stop there, the unique format of The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible provides a bridge from the world of the Bible to our lives today, guiding the reader to powerfully apply the biblical message to contemporary situations, problems, and questions. Read more

A Close Look at What It Takes to Create an Irresistible Church.This isn't a book about how to make your church bigger. This is a book about how to make your church more appealing to the people who don’t usually—or have never—gone to church.Deep and Wide provides church leaders with an in-depth look into North Point Community Church and its strategies, its goals, its methods, and its story. You'll learn how to create a church that unchurched people absolutely love to attend. Pastor Andy Stanley explains:His strategy for preaching and programming to both mature believers and skeptics.North Point's spiritual formation model: The Five Faith Catalysts.Three essential ingredients for creating irresistible environments.How to tackle the challenge of transitioning a local congregation.Updated & Expanded edition includes discussion guide, church staff resources, and a Q&A with Andy!"Andy Stanley is on the front lines of a major shift in how both Christians and non-Christians experience "church" in America. In Deep and Wide, Andy opens up his playbook for how North Point Community Church grew into one of the nation's most effective churches, openly shares their victories and failures, and shows you how to take your own church deeper in the Word and wider in appeal."—Dave Ramsey, New York Times bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio show host.PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio. Read more

For over 30 years, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones ministered at Westminster Chapel in London. Today, he is widely considered one of the greatest preachers of the 20th century. Based on a series of lectures originally given by Lloyd-Jones to the students of Westminster Theological Seminary in the spring of 1969, this collection of essays on the essence of powerful preaching has become a modern classic. Lloyd-Jones defends the primacy of preaching, showing that there is no substitute, and he challenges preachers to take their calling seriously: "The most urgent need in the Christian Church today is true preaching." He also provides practical direction on the task of preparing a sermon, sharing insights on the shape and form of a message as well as covering such topics as the use of humor, giving invitations in a message and the preacher’s relationship to the congregation. If you can own only one book on preaching, make this the one you read.This 40th anniversary edition includes the original text of Preaching and Preachers along with essays by Bryan Chapell, Mark Dever, Kevin DeYoung, Ligon Duncan, Timothy Keller and John Piper reflecting on the impact this book and the ministry of Lloyd-Jones had on their preaching. This is a book that will continue to speak to a new generation of preachers and teachers for years to come. Read more

Since the days of the early church, Christians have wrestled with the relationship between law and gospel. If, as the apostle Paul says, salvation is by grace and the law cannot save, what relevance does the law have for Christians today?By revisiting the Marrow Controversy―a famous but largely forgotten eighteenth-century debate related to the proper relationship between God’s grace and our works―Sinclair B. Ferguson sheds light on this central issue and why it still matters today. In doing so, he explains how our understanding of the relationship between law and gospel determines our approach to evangelism, our pursuit of sanctification, and even our understanding of God himself.Ferguson shows us that the antidote to the poison of legalism on the one hand and antinomianism on the other is one and the same: the life-giving gospel of Jesus Christ, in whom we are simultaneously justified by faith, freed for good works, and assured of salvation. Read more

When You Talk, Are People Changed? Whether you speak from the pulpit, podium, or the front of a classroom, you don’t need much more than blank stares and faraway looks to tell you you’re not connecting. Take heart before your audience takes leave! You can convey your message in the powerful, life-changing way it deserves to be told. An insightful, entertaining parable that’s an excellent guide for any speaker, Communicating for a Change takes a simple approach to delivering effectively. Join Pastor Ray as he discovers that the secrets to successful speaking are parallel to the lessons a trucker learns on the road. By knowing your destination before you leave (identifying the one basic premise of your message), using your blinkers (making transitions obvious), and implementing five other practical points, you’ll drive your message home every time! “Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…” “Once upon a time…” “In the beginning…” Great stories capture and hold an audience’s attention from start to finish. Why should it be any different when you stand up to speak? In Communicating for a Change, Andy Stanley and Lane Jones offer a unique strategy for communicators seeking to deliver captivating and practical messages. In this highly creative presentation, the authors unpack seven concepts that will empower you to engage and impact your audience in a way that leaves them wanting more. “Whether you are a senior pastor with weekly teaching responsibilities or a student pastor who has bern charged with engaging the hearts and minds of high school students, this book is a must-read.” -Bill Hybels, Senior pastor, Willow Creak Community Church “A very practical resource for every biblical communicator who wants to go from good to great.” -Ed Young, Senior pastor, Fellowship Church, Grapevine, Texas “To communicate effectively, you have to connect. Andy has been connecting with people for years, and now he’s sharing his insights with the rest of us.” -Jeff Foxworthy, Comedian Story Behind the BookAndy Stanley and Lane Jones are on staff at one of America ’s largest churches, North Point Community. Leaders of thousands of people, they regularly speak in front of large groups. They also listen to numerous speakers and know the disastrous effects of a poorly delivered message. This book is the result of their efforts to make public speaking—one of the most common fear-inducing activities known to mankind—simple, easy, and even enjoyable, so that God’s messages will readily produce the life-changing results they should. Read more

A man who’s been transformed by Christ and desires to preach the gospel might say he feels called to be a pastor.This personal conviction, while heartfelt, doesn’t acknowledge important, challenging steps necessary to be a qualified leader. So where should full-time ministry begin?In The Path to Being a Pastor, Bobby Jamieson explains why it’s better to emphasize “aspiration” over “calling” as men pursue the office of elder and encourages readers to make sure they are pastorally gifted before considering the role. He shares from his own eleven-year experience preparing to be a pastor by walking potential leaders through different stages of ministry training, from practical steps―such as cultivating godly ambition and leadership, observing healthy churches, and mastering Scripture―to personal advice on building a strong family and succeeding in seminary. Emphasizing the importance of prayer, godly counsel, and immersion in the local church, Jamieson encourages men to ask Am I qualified? instead of Am I called? when considering a life in ministry. Read more

The minister's life is punctuated by unscheduled emergencies in the lives of church members or other acquaintances. Here is a resource to help deal with those occurrences seamlessly.Nelson's Minister's Manual offers fresh and creative resources to help busy pastors with ministry events each day brings. Includes:Communion servicesBaptism MessagesFuneral SermonsTraditional Funeral Verses From The BibleFuneral Registration FormGraveside ServiceWedding SermonsTraditional Bible Verses for MarriageWedding Registration FormIssues to Address in Premarital CounselingHospital FormIssues to Address in Premarital CounselingHospital Visitation ChecklistBible Verses to share With The Sick or Dying Much MoreAn excellent gift for new pastors and seminary students. Read more

Encounter Acts as a book that depicts the church as a hospitable and multicultural community on a journey in which it continues to be surprised by the new realities the Holy Spirit makes possible in the post-Easter world.Acts: An Interpretation Bible Commentary is a lively, readable commentary that offers historical, literary, theological, and pastoral analysis of the Acts of the Apostles. It explores the biblical narrative’s potential to inform the theological imagination of ancient audiences and offers insights about how Christian readers and communities might constructively engage Acts today. In this fresh commentary, Matthew L. Skinner opens up both the text and the worlds of its first audience―communities of faith in need of a clear sense of identity and encouragement that the power of God was still with them. The commentary respects the complexity of difficult and significant themes that permeate Acts, such as the friction between Jesus’ followers and powerful Roman interests, depictions of opposition led by Jewish antagonists, humorous undertones in violent episodes, and storytelling flourishes, such as incredible coincidences and last-second escapes from danger.This interpretation of Acts written by a scholar and preacher illuminates meaningful connections between the story Acts tells and challenges facing churches today, such as countering antisemitism, embracing inclusivity, articulating the good news in ways that respect the distinctiveness of different cultures, ensuring security for especially vulnerable members of society, living out values that challenge conventional political and economic assumptions, honoring the gifts and dignity of all people, promoting motives for evangelism that reject aspirations of dominance and colonialism, decrying unjust judicial and penal abuses, participating in respectful multifaith dialogue, and trusting God for the church’s future even when doing so seems ill-advised. Those who preach, teach, and study the book of Acts will learn to experience it as a work of pastoral theology, a narrative written to encourage believers by reassuring them of God’s faithfulness.Emphasizing sound critical exegesis with strong theological sensibilities, the Interpretation Bible Commentary series features innovative interpretive approaches that help readers engage the biblical text as a source for participating in the larger social world. These new volumes, written by an array of new and diverse authors, are designed to meet the needs of clergy, teachers, and students by inviting readers into the lively work of careful biblical interpretation for the purpose of faithful exposition. Through its engagement with Scripture, the Interpretation Bible Commentary series illumines our relationship with God, one another, and creation so that readers are propelled with new understanding and energy for fulfilling God’s claims on us in our rapidly changing contexts. Read more

One of the most effective and influential Christian teachers of this century reveals how all teachers -- from parents to Sunday school leaders, from pastors to professors -- can make the most of their priceless opportunity to inspire, to instruct, and to permanently impact lives for the kingdom of God. Based on seven proven, easy-to-grasp laws any teacher can apply, Howard Hendricks's classic teaching manual is a must-read for anyone who wants to teach with power and passion, excitement and excellence. Read more

Dear Preacher of the Gospel,Thank you so much for considering investing in 500 Sermon Outlines for Busy Pastors! For most of us, one of the most rewarding, yet difficult tasks, is preparing messages to preach and teach. We are honored by God to stand before our congregation each week, and we want to give them the very best, but with the press of the many demands of ministry, sometimes that is difficult to do.And if you’re like me, you prefer writing your own sermons because you have a special connection with your congregation that is hard to reach through a message someone else has written. In other words, no one knows your people like you do!This collection of sermon outlines gives you a starting point – a sermon title, and a thoroughly biblical deductive sermon outline. But you are free to “fill-in-the-blanks” so to speak and add your own meat and potatoes to the mix! We invite you to make these messages your own, because only you know the people God has called you to preach to.May God Bless You as You Share His Word! Read more

What makes for good preaching?In this accessible volume―written for preachers and preachers in training―pastor David Helm outlines what must be believed and accomplished to become a faithful expositor of God’s Word.In addition to offering practical, step-by-step guidance for preachers, this short book will equip all of us to recognize good preaching when we hear it. Read more

Leading homiletician Jared Alcántara offers a practice-centered, collaborative, technologically innovative, next-generation introductory preaching textbook. The book breaks new ground by adopting a practice-based approach to teaching preaching and by using innovative technological delivery to enhance the educational experience of learners.Alcántara introduces the basics of Christian preaching and emphasizes the skills preachers must cultivate throughout their lives. He shows that preachers can learn effective preaching by paying keen attention to five key competencies: conviction, context, clarity, concreteness, and creativity. Featuring the perspectives of a diverse team of collaborators, The Practices of Christian Preaching is designed to prepare effective communicators for the church's multicultural future.Call-outs in the book direct readers to a companion website for further information or practice. The online resources include audio and video sermons, video responses from the author, and contributions from collaborators, enabling Alcántara to coach students by showing them instead of just telling them. A Spanish language edition is also available. Read more

A source of instruction and encouragement for all ministers of the gospel. Highly recommended by Warren W. Wiersbe. Read more

In Proclaiming the Parables, noted preacher and scholar Thomas G. Long moves away from past treatment of the parables primarily as literary devices and moves toward an emphasis on their theological impact as pointers to the kingdom of God. While the parables are indeed significant poetic literary creations that have enchanted readers over the centuries, their main power, he claims, lies in their disclosure of the kingdom of God, which is not merely an idea, nor even just a complex symbol with generative and centrifugal force, but an event: the inbreaking of the life of God into human history and experience.Long sees parables not merely as creative figures of speech but as GPS devices taking hearers to those places where the event of God is happening all around us. This book provides two chapters for each synoptic Gospel. The first focuses on the Gospel as a whole and the parables’ place in it, and the second provides preachers and teachers with detailed exegetical and homiletical commentary for each major parable in that Gospel. Two introductory chapters additionally situate this book in the history and theology of the parables’ interpretation and address questions that preachers have about preaching the parables. Preachers who consult this volume will be informed about each major parable, guided through the controversies regarding interpretation, and stimulated to preach on the parable in fresh, faithful, and creative ways. Read more

Now in reissue with a new foreword by Fred B. Craddock and afterword by the author, Eugene L. Lowry, The Homiletical Plot, Expanded Edition follows in the same solid tradition of its predecessor. Upon its release, The Homiletical Plot quickly became a pivotal work on the art of preaching. Instead of comments on a biblical passage, Lowry suggested that the sermon follow a narrative form that moves from beginning to end, as with the plot of a story. This expanded edition continues to be an excellent teaching resource and learning tool for all preachers from introductory students to seasoned clergy. Read more

None