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Church Revitalization guides current and future leaders through the often-complex process of bringing a church to a place of vibrancy. This book demonstrates how the overarching goal of seeing people come to faith in Christ and develop into Christlikeness can--and must--inform the most foundational to the most fleeting aspects of revitalizing a struggling church. Church Revitalization Strategist Rusty Small systematically walks readers through the many considerations of leading a church out of a decline. He helps identify the best approach for addressing what a particular church's revitalization need may be: Refresh - often most fitting after a difficult season in the church's life Renovate - needed when a decline has lasted five to ten years Restore - appropriate for churches with generational patterns focused on survival Replant - best for a church facing imminent closure Few joys compare to seeing God's life and power realized for the local church--when believers begin to think and serve as Jesus did. Small will encourage pastors and church leaders engaged in this critical task. If God is calling you to church revitalization, take and read!

"When Secret Service operative Andrew Darlington is brought in to support a US Marshal case involving counterfeiters in rural Indiana, he thinks it's simply the next rung on his climb to the top of his career. But liars can only climb so high--and Andrew is keeping a dangerous secret he doesn't ever want to get out. When he clashes with the criminal family that took over the town of Landkreis and killed the Marshal he was sent to assist, his past life starts to become in danger of being exposed. Widow 'Lightning Lu' Thorne has only one goal: escape the clutches of the Thorne family with her son. Her decision to be an informant and testify against the Thornes looked like the perfect answer. Until the Marshal ended up dead. Now the tether keeping her tied to her felonious family is tightening, and a forced marriage to someone else in the Thornes' clutches threatens to kill any hope of escape. Andrew and Lu find themselves on the same team--unwillingly. They each believe the other to be the enemy to their future plans. And even if they could learn to work together, the secrets they hold could shatter all hopes and dreams. Despite the encouragement of the local preacher, they're not even sure God can be trusted--much less other humans. Can either of them escape their past--and the family that is willing to kill their own when they smell betrayal?"--

Christy Awards 2023 BOOK OF THE YEAR and winner for best Historical Fiction 2023, by multiple-time Christy winner and widely-acclaimed author, Amanda Barratt. "As superbly written as it is haunting in its truth." --Kate Breslin, best-selling author of For Such a Time"This tense WWII historical from Barratt (My Dearest Dietrich) follows a woman's efforts to help her neighbors survive the Kraków ghetto. . . . Moving and effective, this inspirational finds light in the darkest of places."--Publishers Weekly"Meticulous research and lush, award-winning writing result in an emotionally moving story about a group of unsung heroes who fought for hope and humanity in the most harrowing of times."--Midwest Book Review Zosia Lewandowska knows the brutal realities of war all too well. Within weeks of Germany's invasion of her Polish homeland, she lost the man she loves. As ghetto walls rise and the occupiers tighten their grip on the city of Krakow, Zosia joins pharmacist Tadeusz Pankiewicz and his staff in the heart of the Krakow ghetto as they risk their lives to aid the Jewish people trapped by Nazi oppression. Hania Silverman's carefree girlhood is shattered as her family is forced into the ghetto. Struggling to survive in a world hemmed in by walls and rife with cruelty and despair, she encounters Zosia, her former neighbor, at the pharmacy. As deportation winnow the ghetto's population and snatch those she holds dear, Hania's natural resiliency is exhausted by reality. Zosia and Hania's lives intertwine as they face the griefs and fears thrust upon them by war, until one day, they are forced to make a desperate choice . . . one that will inexorably bind them together, even as they are torn apart. > "An unflinching tale that implores readers to stop and see, not a massive crowd of people, but individual hearts and souls. This book will linger in your heart and mind long after you've read the final page." --Amanda Cox, Christy Award-winning author of The Edge of Belonging

Limited atonement is not the only Reformed model of atonement "Hypothetical universalism," or "unlimited atonement," states that Christ's death is sufficient for the guilt of all people yet is only effectively applied to those with faith. This tradition, typified by the French Reformer Moïse Amyraut, has continued among Anglicans and Baptists for over four centuries, yet has been underexplored in Reformed systematic theology. Unlimited Atonement fills a gap in resources on atonement theology that begin with the unlimited love of God. Editors Michael F. Bird and Scott Harrower draw on the specialties of each of the ten contributors, addressing themes such as - the biblical and historical sources of the soteriological position known as Amyraldism - distinctive features of Anglican atonement theology - hypothetical universalism, election, and the Baptist theological tradition - other prominent advocates of unlimited atonement - the issues of systematic theology at stake - atonement theology in preaching Unlimited Atonement is the most comprehensive analysis of Amyraldism to date, providing a resource for theology and Bible students and teachers in an esoteric stream of Reformed theology. Bird and Harrower provide a starting point for anyone who wants to understand the sources and merits of Amyraldism.

"There was something different about the way Jesus communicated with the lost: He didn't force answers upon people; He asked questions. So why don't we? Campus ministry veteran Randy Newman has been using a questioning style of evangelism for years. In this provocative book, he provides practical insights to help Christians engage others in meaningful spiritual conversations. To Newman, asking questions challenges how we think about unbelievers, their questions, and our message, instead of having us simply tell unbelievers what to think. A perennial best-seller, this third edition includes both revisions of current chapters, such as an expanded discussion on LGBTQ+ issues and the debate on transgenderism, and new chapters that ponder issues such as science and suffering"--

"In the sleepy small town of Mapleview, Michigan, Christmas is always something special. In this charming collection of romance novellas, join three generations of Mapleview residents longing for love-and finding it-on the most wonderful night of the year. In "Hopes and Fears" by Amanda Wen, Emma Trowbridge is determined to give her students the Christmas pageant of a lifetime. The last person she expected, or wanted, to encounter in her two-room classroom is her childhood rival, Frederick Oberstein. Frederick would rather be far away himself. He wants no part of cheer, Christmas or otherwise. Can they learn to see each other in a new light-and embrace a new season of hope together? In "While Mortals Sleep" by Janyre Tromp, while World War II rages overseas, news reporter Eleanor Sweers returns home to Mapleview to face the repercussions of the death of her sister and her nightmare of Christmases past. But the homefront isn't as far from the war as she thought: Japanese bombs have landed in the middle of the U.S. Now Eleanor and family friend Gideon Braum may have to choose between the scoop of a lifetime and the love of a lifetime. In "The Wondrous Gift" by Deborah Raney, high school football coach Caleb Janssen and music teacher Rachel Hamblin bond when they both lose their jobs at a private Christian school. But when they discover their plans for the future are mutually exclusive, the fallout threatens to tear them apart. How can they find their way back to each other?"--

"Twenty-five years ago, a body was discovered in the Turney family's barn. This discovery, and the resulting suspicion that fell on every member as the murder remained unsolved, slowly destroyed the family. Now, the daughter, Jill, a Chicago lawyer, wants the case solved and hires cold case private investigator Star Cavanaugh to unravel the mystery. But as Star begins digging up generation-old secrets, the killer resurfaces, determine to make sure all the secrets remain buried, no matter what the cost. As the danger mounts, Star joins forces with police chief Mike Luinetti to ferret out the family secrets that have haunted an entire community. But when Star-who apparently cannot stay out of trouble no matter how hard she tries-becomes the killer's latest target, the race to solve an apparently unsolvable crime becomes a matter of life or death-all over again"--

Most North American churches take a pragmatic approach to church life. We are concerned with being relevant to the culture and ultimately growing at a steady rate. While these issues are certainly legitimate, they also create a danger that our churches will be shaped more by these extrabiblical goals than by the biblical mandate of God. Utilizing the Scriptures, theology, and Baptist history, this comprehensive work addresses all aspects of the church, both theological and practical. - Publisher.

Provides the reader with all of the tools necessary to develop a coherent approach to ethical decision making. Using the tools of ethical theory, the authors show how these theories play out in relation to a wide variety of ethical questions using an accessible dialogue format. The chapters follow three college students as they discuss today's most important ethical issues with their families and friends.

"At first glance, Esther and Jonah don't have much in common. Esther is an orphan girl, out of place in royal courts, who nonetheless becomes queen and saves her beloved Jewish people. Jonah is a reluctant prophet who ran as hard as he could from God. And when he finally gave in and his efforts eventually saved his enemies, he did nothing but complain. While Esther and Jonah endured wildly different circumstances and had distinctly singular callings, they were both appointed by God. In this nine-week inductive Bible study, Jodie Niznik invites you to learn that you too are uniquely equipped and called by God for a particular assignment in a specific time and place. Now you stand at a crossroads, and the choice is yours. Will you choose to boldly respond like Esther or will you fight your calling like Jonah?"--

Kerux Commentaries enable pastors and teachers to understand and effectively present the main message in a biblical text Unlike any other commentary series, each volume is written by an expert in biblical exegesis and an experienced homiletician in partnership. Inclusion of a preaching author means that the commentary is focused on biblical insights that are useful in biblical teaching, with communication strategies and illustrations for each passage that are powerful and engaging. Each volume is divided into distinct preaching segments, in which the authors guide the reader through a well-tested sequence: exegetical analysis, theological focus, and teaching strategy. Based on the text-driven Big Idea model, Kerux enhances the reader's ability to deliver a message that is biblical, cohesive, and dynamic.

Offers guidance for any pastor who desires to communicate God's Word more effectively.

"Inspired by the incredible true story of a group of ordinary men and women who dared to stand against evil The ideal of a new Germany swept up Sophie Scholl in a maelstrom of patriotic fervor--that is, until she realized the truth behind Hitler's machinations for the fatherland. Now she and other students in Munich, the cradle of the Nazi government, have banded together to form a group to fight for the truth: the White Rose. Risking everything to print and distribute leaflets calling for Germans to rise up against the evil permeating their country, the White Rose treads a knife's edge of discovery by the Gestapo. Annalise Brandt came to the University of Munich to study art, not get involved with conspiracy. The daughter of an SS officer, she's been brought up to believe in the Fèuhrer's divinely appointed leadership. But the more she comes to know Sophie and her friends, the more she questions the Nazi propaganda. Soon Annalise joins their double life--students by day, resisters by night. And as the stakes increase, they're all forced to confront the deadly consequences meted out to any who dare to oppose the Reich. A gripping testament to courage, The White Rose Resists illuminates the sacrifice and conviction of an unlikely group of revolutionaries who refused to remain silent-no matter the cost"--

"The teen years are full of uncomfortable self-discovery for everyone. But adopted teens grapple with issues that make the coming of age journey immensely more difficult. Many don't have words for what they're feeling, sensing, or believing about themselves. They often don't have anyone like them to help them work through their struggles. Forced to cope on their own, they end up feeling isolated. Adoption advocate and adoptive mom Susan TeBos has watched her own children go through these struggles. Often she wished for a voice that would resonate with adopted teens--her own and others--and authentically meet them where they are. She found not one voice, but many: over thirty adopted teens and young adults. We've Been There gathers their stories, giving readers a front row seat to people with similar stories and feelings. This book is an unprecedented glimpse into the unfiltered feelings, thoughts, experiences, and unanswered questions that well up in the heart of every person with adoption in their story. From people who have been there as adopted kids, this book not only invites adopted teens to bring their concerns into the open, but also helps them process how they feel and offers them hope on the other side. In these pages, teen adoptees will understand themselves in a whole new way and find reassurance and a sense of belonging as part of a global adopted community"--

"To say Bones isn't thrilled with his dead-end job at the Venus Motel would be an understatement. But when you're fifteen with no family, expecting any prospects for your future feels pretty pointless. You just have to roll with the whims of the powers that be. And the motel owner, Calico Foster, can't keep herself afloat, much less rescue a lost kid. A job is all she can offer. Why Jimmy La Roux chooses the Venus to land at when he rolls out of the desert and into the parking lot is more than anyone knows. But with a rattle of Harley pipes and a cloud of dissipating dust, he roars in, fresh from blasting through the cosmos, ready to change all of their lives. Complete with jeans, boots, hair and muttonchops swept back from cosmic winds, and muscles like ropes, he looks like he could take on any sorrow and wrestle it into submission. And he's wielding a magic box that makes anything that goes into it disappear forever...Welcome to the Venus Motel, where a million stars dance above the neon and things are almost never what they seem. With a cast of characters including a blues-playing magician biker, a broken singer running away from her past, a couple of down-and-out crooks, a lovelorn cowboy, and a famous author drowning his demons in a bottle of rum, Venus Sings the Blues is vivid, quirky ride into the desert Southwest"--

"Caught in the explosion of the Hammersmith Mill in London, Bow Street Runner Daniel Swann rushes to help any survivors only to find the mill's owner dead of an apparent gunshot. Even though the owner's daughter, Agatha Montgomery, mourns his death, it seems there are more than a few people with motive for murder. But Daniel can't take this investigation slow and steady. Instead, he must dig through all the suspects as quickly as he can, because the clock is ticking until his mysterious patronage-and his job as a runner-comes to an abrupt and painful end. It seems to Daniel that, like his earthly father, his heavenly Father has abandoned him to the fates. Lady Juliette Thorndike is Agatha's bosom friend and has the inside knowledge of the wealthy London ton to be invaluable to Daniel. She should be in a perfect position to help with the case. Still, her instructor in the art of spy craft orders her to stay out of the investigation. But circumstances intervene, dropping her into the middle of the deadly pursuit. When a dreadful accident ends in another death on the mill floor, Daniel discovers a connection to his murder case--and to his own secret past. Now he and Juliette are in a race to find the killer before his time runs out"--

What historical, political, and ecclesial realities drove the canonization of the New Testament? How are the doctrines of Early Christianity related to the formation of the New Testament? Should the New Testament differ in authority from other early Christian texts? As these questions demonstrate, the enduring influence of the New Testament does not lessen the dispute over the events and factors leading to its adoption. Five Views on the New Testament Canon presents five distinct ways of understanding how the New Testament came to be: A Conservative Evangelical Perspective -- Darian R. LockettA Progressive Evangelical Perspective -- David R. NienhuisA Liberal Protestant Perspective -- Jason David BeDuhnA Roman Catholic Perspective -- Ian BoxallAn Orthodox Perspective -- George L. Parsenios Each contributor addresses historical, theological, and hermeneutical questions related to the New Testament canon, such as what factors precipitated the establishment and recognition of the New Testament canon; the basis of any authority the New Testament has; and what the canon means for reading and interpreting the New Testament. Contributors also include a chapter each responding to the other views presented in the volume. The result is a lively exchange suitable for both undergraduate and graduate students seeking to grasp the best canon scholarship in biblical studies.

"Peter was an ordinary man of his time. He started as a humble, hardworking fisherman. But he ended his life with a lasting legacy that still inspires Christians worldwide today. His path from one to the other wasn't smooth or straight. And there is enormous hope in understanding his rocky, stumbling journey of following Jesus. In this eight-week Bible study, Jodie Niznik delves into the ways Peter's missteps and failures reveal God's grace. When Jesus met Peter in those broken places and called him to get back up, dust himself off, and keep following, we are, in turn, taught how to follow Jesus in our own lives. Along the way, Niznik emphasizes mindfulness practices to readers, inviting them to come to each week's study with a quiet mind and ready heart. There is no wallowing in mistakes here, however. Instead, drawing on all four gospels and other supporting Scriptures, Jodie invites readers to see the grace, mercy, and correction of Jesus in the life of Peter, and then to draw parallels to modern Christian lives. Each chapter begins with a spiritual practice that ties into the week's theme to help women engage their heart in the study. Though Peter lived two thousand years ago, he is proof that if God can use an imperfect life like his, then God can and will use Christians today, despite all those ways they feel themselves failing, coming up short, and falling away"--

"Whether by choice, a side benefit of working from home (reality for more and more couples), a health need, job layoff, a by-product of retirement, temporary circumstance or permanent, when a husband and wife find themselves occupying the same space for prolonged periods of time, the bliss of marriage can form blisters. They rub each other the wrong way, find there's not enough oxygen in the house for both of them, and trip over each other's physical and emotional stuff. Are we reduced to putting up with it, tolerating the fact that he throws shadows on her kitchen work space or that she resents his sleeping in-a privilege he feels he earned? Is there no solution to the ways the walls close in when a space once considered "his" or "hers" isn't? And it isn't quite "theirs," either? Drawing from their own HHATT Club experience (He's Home All The Time) and from listening to men and women across the country who mourn that they can't bring themselves to celebrate that much togetherness, Melby and Ruchti dive into the root causes of the discomfort, what God's Word has to say about it, and practical tips for learning the spiritual, emotional, relational, and even physical dance steps that can replace impatience or irritation with peace"--

"Kieran Lucas's grandmother is slipping into dementia, and, when her memory is gone, Kieran's last tie to the family she barely knows will be lost forever. Worse, Granny Mac is being tormented by flashbacks of her mother's death and the loss of their home. In 1931, Rosie McCauley's Smoky Mountains home is threatened by the Tennessee Great Smokies Park Commission as they create a new national park. But Rosie vows the only way they'll get her land is if they haul her out in a pine box. When a compromise offers her and her disabled sister the opportunity to stay for her lifetime, it seems too good to be true. Ornithologist Benton Fuller arrives to conduct a bird survey for the park and the two form a tenuous bond. But their friendship broadens a rift between her and the other mountain folk who are suspicious of any government connections. Then the discovery of an illegal still in the woods near her cabin leads to a violent clash between sides that could destroy them all. Eighty-five years later, Kieran heads back to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to find answers to her great-grandmother's mysterious death and bring peace to Granny Mac before it's too late. Park Historian Zach Jensen may be the key to locating both the answers and a precious family heirloom. But just as in the past, Kieran's needs clash with government regulations. Will Zach block her from recovering what she needs and solving this family mystery?"--

"Charlotte Anne Mattas longs to turn back the clock. Before her husband, Sam, went to serve his country in the war, he was the man everyone could rely on-responsible, intelligent, and loving. But the person who's come back to their family farm is very different from the protector Annie remembers. Sam's experience in the Pacific theater has left him broken in ways no one can understand-but that everyone is learning to fear. Tongues start wagging after Sam nearly kills his own brother. Now when he claims to have seen men on the mountain when no one else has seen them, Annie isn't the only one questioning his sanity and her safety. If there were criminals haunting the hills, there should be evidence beyond his claims. Is he really seeing what he says, or is his war-tortured mind conjuring ghosts? Annie desperately wants to believe her husband. But between his irrational choices and his nightmares leaking into the daytime, she's terrified he's going mad. Can she trust God to heal Sam's mental wounds-or will sticking by him mean keeping her marriage at the cost of her own life?"--

"Sarah Drayton is eager to spend time with her best friend at her crumbling Northumberland castle estate. Matrimony is the last thing on her mind and the last thing she expects to be faced with on a holiday. Yet she finds herself being inveigled into a marriage of convenience with her friend's rakish brother. When James Langley returns to his family's estate, he can't be bothered to pay attention to his responsibilities as the heir. War is raging and he wants only distraction, not serious tethers. But his roguish ways have backed him into a corner, and he has little choice but to obey his father's stunning decree: marry before returning to war, or else. Suddenly he finds himself wedded to a clever and capable woman he does not love. Sarah craves love and a place to belong, neither of which James offered before returning to the battlefront. Now everyone around her thinks she married above her station, and they have no intention of rewarding her for such impertinence. It isn't until her husband returns from war seemingly changed that she begins to hope they may find real happiness. But can she trust that this rake has truly reformed? When tragedy strikes, this pair must learn to trust God and his plans. Will they be destroyed . . . or will they discover that even in the darkest depths of night, the morning still holds hope?"--

Being called to preach is a tremendous commission. In Preaching Life-Changing Sermons, Jesse L. Nelson shares a simple process for effective expository sermon preparation and delivery, flavored with insights from his life in ministry and academic work. Those with teaching and preaching responsibilities with little to no seminary training will learn practical steps they can use today in their ministry.

"Evan Eldridge never meant to be a war hero--he just wanted to fight Napoleon for the future of his country. And he certainly didn't think that saving the life of a peer would mean being made the Earl of Whitelock. But when the life you save is dear to the Prince Regent, things can change in a hurry. Now Evan has a new title, a manor house in shambles, and a stranger for a bride, all thrust upon him by a grateful ruler. What he doesn't have are all his memories. Traumatized as a result of his wounds and bravery on the battlefield, Evan knows there's something he can't quite remember. It's important, dangerous--and if he doesn't recall it in time, will jeopardize not only his marriage but someone's very life"--Back cover.

"Failing memory has forced Eva Gordon to move in with her granddaughter, Breezy. But Eva hates the bustle of Boston. All she wants to do is move back to her quiet, cozy Cape Cod home and be left alone. Then Breezy announces she's getting married, and they'll be moving to her new husband's rundown family farm, where he lives with an elderly uncle. They'll be one big family-but only Breezy and her new husband think it'll be a happy one. It's all too much for Eva. Too much change, too much togetherness, too much of an over-crowded life she never wanted. But as her desire for privacy collides with her worsening memory, Eva may find herself in a pickle she can't get out of. Can an unlikely cast of misfit characters step in to woo Eva from her self-imposed isolation?"--

"Meri Newberg is the last of her friends to remain single, so she jokingly agrees to try a ridiculous list of ways to find a spouse that was published in a 1950s magazine article. Confirmed bachelor Kai Kamaka suggests he film her attempts for a YouTube show so he can make a name for himself as a cameraman, but the more time he spends with her, the less he likes being alone. The only problem is that he's not the kind of husband material she's advertising for on billboards or trying to lasso on street corners..."--

"This book will help Christians explore Islamic faith with missiological wisdom and Biblical precision, and gain insight in deepening Muslim friendships, promoting understanding and clarifying the Biblical Gospel."--