Best Adult Christian Ministry
Timothy S. Lane, M.Div., D.Min., is Executive Director of the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF), a faculty member, and a counselor with twenty-five years of experience, including ten years as a pastor. He is the coauthor of the books How People Change and Relationships: A Mess Worth Making, coauthor of the curriculums Change and Your Relationships and How People Change, author of the minibooks Conflict; Family Feuds; Forgiving Others; and Freedom from Guilt. It's encouraging to know that, in God's hands, the winds of adversity that batter our lives are also agents of fruitful change in us. Paul Tripp and Tim Lane have done us all a favor by leading us down that path of change and teaching us how to embrace God's transforming work in our hearts. We are called to consider our circumstances and our responses to them, and beneath that to examine our hearts desires and to turn afresh to Christ's cross. We are called to consider our circumstances and our responses to them, and beneath that to examine our hearts desires and to turn afresh to Christ's cross. It's encouraging to know that, in God's hands, the winds of adversity that batter our lives are also agents of fruitful change in us. Paul Tripp and Tim Lane have done us all a favor by leading us down that path of change and teaching us how to embrace God's transforming work in our hearts.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Haven't read it yet, but it came as advertised."
"Many concepts in the book have been echoed or expanded in other places, but even if you are familiar with those concepts you will likely find the book a helpful reminder."
"This powerful work serves to provide a thorough paradigm reference for truly understanding the active role of change in the life of every believer!"
"This is not a book to read from cover to cover and move on to the next book."
"This theme is applied to different topics, depending on the subject of the book; e.g., pastors, marriage, or personal sanctification."
"This is a Christian book."
THE HOLY SPIRIT - Spiritual Gifts: Book 1 - EXPANDED EDITION - Includes the Text of Hundreds of Key Bible Verses Amazing Power for Everyday People Do You Want to Experience God's Power in Your Everyday Life? Then off we go, never expecting those supernatural spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit to flow through us in the here and now. Does the Holy Spirit have spiritual gifts for me? THE HOLY SPIRIT - Spiritual Gifts: Amazing Power for Everyday People is a step-by-step guide for how to grow in dynamic relationship with the Holy Spirit . This scripturally referenced how to book with workbook-style applications is ideal for individual or group Bible Study , geared at building a highly accessible, scriptural foundation for the Person and supernatural spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit . It dives deep into the often marginalized mysteries of the Holy Spirit , mingling scriptural examples with numerous contemporary anecdotes of the amazing power of God in the lives of everyday believers. Why I Hadn't Heard This in a Thousand Sermons Introducing the Holy Spirit Sensing the Spirit without Getting Weird Getting Our Feet Wet in God's Powerful River Going Deeper without Going over the Deep End Passing the Spirit's Torch to You Opening Your Spiritual Gifts The Word of Wisdom The Word of Knowledge The Gift of Faith Gifts of Healing Effecting of Miracles Distinguishing of Spirits Various Kinds of Tongues Interpretation of Tongues Prophecy Prophetic Visions Prophetic Dreams Hearing Aids for All God's Sheep. Click above to order your copy of 'The Holy Spirit - Spiritual Gifts - Book 1: Amazing Power for Everyday People' today! This book is a life-changing 'must read' for every Christian." "THE HOLY SPIRIT: Amazing Power for Everyday People is a powerful book, well worth reading." As an everyday believer with a lifelong passion for seeking thepresence of God, 'THE HOLY SPIRIT: Amazing Power for Everyday People'played a profound role in my relationship with the Holy Spirit. Anyone who reads 'The Holy Spirit - Spiritual Gifts:Amazing Power for Everyday People' will walk away humbled, grateful andhungry for more of the Spirit's work in their lives and more effect ofthe Spirit's work through them. While a Christian since my youth, and familiar with the Church's'traditional' teaching about the Holy Spirit, this biblically-sound,well-researched book was instrumental in unleashing the true Person andPower of the Holy Spirit in my own 'everyday' life. This book is a 'must read' for any Christian, young or mature,who wants to understand how the Holy Spirit can completely change yourlife as a disciple of Jesus.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"very spiritual book you will like it."
"It is a big help in understanding what the bible is telling us."
"Excellent!"
"The main thing I knew about the Holy Spirit was that it was part of God and had a reputation of making you jump around like a psychopath in Church."
"This is an amazing book, all referenced to the Bible."
"I desperately want to get closer to God and this book taught me practical lesson to apply."
"In churches today, it seems that the person of the Holy Spirit is either ignored, or that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are turned into some kind of a circus show."
In Restless , an 8-session, video-based small group Bible study, Bible study teacher and author Jennie Allen helps you discover a practical plan to identify the threads of your life and how to intentionally weave them together for God's glory and purposes. Then she also introduces Threads-a tool to help you see your own personal story and to uncover and understand the raw materials God has given you to use for his glory and purpose while on this planet. Jennie Allen is a passionate leader following God's call on her life to catalyze this generation to live what they believe.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"She sincerely wants you to realize that God has uniquely equipped you with gifts, and she sincerely wants you to passionately pursue God’s call and purpose for your life. In short, she helps you to connect the dots of your life: your gifts, the people in your life who need you (and whom you need), the suffering you have endured, the places you regularly encounter and the passions you have all to help you pinpoint what your purpose might be. And she cheers you, she is behind you, and she shares countless stories about countless, amazing friends who have died, come back to life or almost died and who now are living lives on mission, and she wants to help you to do the same -- to not miss it, or to bury the gifts God has given you because of fear. She lived that way for a while, but now she is “running hard toward God” and, incidentally, so is her husband, Zac, who wasn’t always on board with her pursuing her dreams. After all, God gave us dreams and giftings too. It made me feel like Jennie was using a very old, yet cleverly disguised strategy: “God didn’t really say…” Why else would she basically say it was okay for her to charge full speed ahead in her career (with what she feels is God’s approval, of course), candidly admit that sometimes her husband feels “eclipsed” and that she often absent in the home (to the extent that she gets help from sitters, cleaners and administrative assistance) with absolutely no reference to Titus 2:5 whatsoever? It seems to me that the vast majority of women live ordinary lives where they can and should use the gifts God has given them."
"She spent lots of money and time learning about what God wanted her to do with her life."
"If you feel like your days are adding up to meaning nothing and you feel stuck/trapped/lost this book helps walk you through an untangling process to find clarity/purpose/and passion in what you are doing."
"But take her journal challenge and be entirely honest with yourself in the process...it will be spiritually freeing and leave you knowing how significant your life is before God, regardless of what others may think (including yourself)."
"As a follow up to the book Anything where Allen challenges her reader to surrender, this book attempts to help the reader answer the question "now what happens that I've surrendered?""
"Do the projects, then you MUST meet with trusted friend(s) to look at your results and to encourage you forward."
Best Christian Ministry
Scazzero found two truths to be true: you can't be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature, and unless you slow and quiet your life down for a first-hand relationship with Jesus Christ, little change is possible. In this book, he unveils what's wrong with our conventional means of 'spiritual growth' and offers not only a model of spirituality that actually works, but seven steps to transformation that will help readers experience a faith charged with authenticity, contemplation and a hunger for God. He is also the author of The EHS Course and Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day .Pete and his wife, Geri, are the founders of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, a groundbreaking ministry that equips churches in a deep, beneath-the-surface spiritual formation paradigm that integrates emotional health and contemplative spirituality.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Very practical insight into how to understand why we behave in certain ways and how to heal from our past and not allow it to hold us back in our relationship with Jesus."
"Used for small group bible study."
"This is the greatest book (outside of the bible) that I've read and applied to my life!"
"My church is going through parts of this book together - it's awesome!"
"A refresher and guidance about what it really means to Live in The Lord as He created us individually to be."
"I read through this book at least once a year."
"Enjoyed the book but would like to have seen some of the ideas explored more deeply."
"The author does a wonderful job of teaching us how to "grow up" spiritually."
Best Christian Youth Ministry
Winter Quarter 2017-18 December 2017, January, February 2018.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It is exactly like what we use in Sunday School with 2 exceptions - 1. it is location based, not page number based."
"I am happy to rate 5 stars with the way the scriptures are illuminated and explained in order to get a spiritual understanding."
"This works together with the Adult Bible Teacher, it makes it easy to teach my lessons."
"Perfect size -- both in terms of typeface and overal size of the book."
"Also it allows me to always have past issues available without worrying about books piling up."
"great reference to the jewish background... book format same info as ebook download...life for all mankind in GOD'S TRUTH!!!"
Best Children's Christian Ministry
Spiritual Parenting introduces the simple but revolutionary concept that parents are, by the power of God's Spirit, to obey and depend on God in order to create an environment God can use to beckon their children to Him. The Ph.D. mom-authorÖs conversational style is rarely preachy and more narrative than didactic as she describes her £Aha!¥ moments, when she moved from attempting to control her childrenÖs behavior to putting them into environments where they can know God and be changed by him. This is not a £how to¥ parenting manual, but a guide for developing as a spiritually minded parent who asks, £Who did God create my child to be?¥ Attractive to many readers is the authorÖs mix of competence and vulnerability: £It frustrated me that some punk kid down the street had more credibility than I did.¥ Her writing is vivid, terse, and revealing--a story of a boy who grew up without a father to become a great father himself is the heart of a chapter on love and respect.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Dr. Anthony has done a great job instructing parents in their role of spiritual parenting."
"It's a way of parenting that declares, 'I want to parent the child or children that God gave me in such a way that I first honor God, and then second, create the best environment to put my children in the path of the Divine.'". Oftentimes we pray in silence for our children, but if we speak a blessing to them faithfully, God can use these spoken words in ways that will bring them confidence in their identity as we give language to the work that God is doing in their lives.""
"The book is also great alone, but is well-enhanced by the video (Michelle Anthony has a great presence and she is very easy to like and relate to)."
"Michelle does a great job of outlining how to make Christianity relevant in practice and keep children engaged and learning to grow in the faith rather than abandoning it as irrelevant."
"Fantastic book with practical ideas for having and inspiring a Christ-centered life."
"This is an EXCELLENT book to help parents grow in the Lord and model it for their children."
"Michelle's take on being a Christian parent was honest and refreshing right from her purpose statement in the first chapter: "It was not my job to merely control my child's behavior and by doing so somehow create a spiritual life for him or her...my goal was to pass on a vibrant and transforming faith." In order for parents to pass on that "vibrant and transforming faith" they have to model it, live it out in what they say and do, and become proactive with the experiences they offer their kids. She walks parents through ten environments they can create in their homes from storytelling to serving together to moving our families out of our comfort zones. I highly recommend this book to parents just starting their journey and to those who need a shot in the arm for the next chapter of their family's life."
"I joined our school's all year round book club, meeting ones a month to discuss the book."
Best Christian Sermons
An insightful, entertaining parable that’s an excellent guide for any speaker, Communicating for a Change takes a simple approach to delivering effectively. 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! In Communicating for a Change, Andy Stanley and Lane Jones offer a unique strategy for communicators seeking to deliver captivating and practical messages. “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 Stanley Communicator, author, and pastor, ANDY STANLEY founded Atlanta-based North Point Ministries in 1995.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Andy Stanley puts forth some good ideas about narrowing focus and producing a one point message."
"But from the first few pages I was finding principles that I can use in my everyday work and I have a deeper understanding of what it takes for my Pastor to prepare each week."
"Some have suggested that to follow the principles lined out in this book is simply to try to imitate Andy Stanley's style. If anything following (or adapting) this methodology allows for your own personality to come out even more, helping to make you more relatable to your audience and more genuine in your messages. Preaching a one point sermon actually requires more study time and the willingness to cut the fluff and filler."
"The first half of the book is an extended metaphor written by Jones to illustrate the principles of communication that Stanley presents in the second half."
"I don't accept Andy Stanley's insistence that the sermon template in this book is the ONLY effective way to preach."
"But, I would rather work harder to craft one really good point that affects life change than have my audience get all the way through my outline and ask, "So what was the point?" And if you're communicating God's Word to anyone and you really want to see life change, Communicating for Change is book you should definitely consider."
Best Christian Evangelism
In Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, now expanded with bonus content, Nabeel Qureshi describes his dramatic journey from Islam to Christianity, complete with friendships, investigations, and supernatural dreams along the way. -- Mark Gabriel, , Author and former lecturer, University of Cairo. Fresh, striking, highly illuminating, and sometimes heartbreaking, Qureshi’s story is worth a thousand textbooks. His quest brought together several exceptional features: a very bright mind, extraordinary sincerity, original research, and a willingness to follow the evidence trail wherever it took him. This book gives westerners a glimpse of the richness of family and love in a devout Muslim home; it is an enviable picture of respect, devotion, and society. But Christians and Muslims alike are told stories about their religions when they are young, while few have ever personally researched the writings of their founding fathers to assess the validity that undergirds their respective faiths. But it is also a deeply personal heart-wrenching and tear-evoking saga of the life of a young Muslim growing up in the West, a gripping biography that is impossible to put down. We are introduced to the depth of spirituality, the love and honor of family, and the way a person “sees” and “feels” in a devout Muslim home. It reaches both East and West, teaching Christians about Islam from an insider’s perspective and helping Muslims understand the love and truth of Jesus. Nabeel Qureshi masterfully argues for the Gospel while painting a beautiful portrait of Muslim families and heritage, avoiding the fear-mongering and finger-pointing that are all too pervasive in today’s sensationalist world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For myself, I was reliving the search I had pursued forty five years ago, when my embrace of existentialism had left me so empty and purposeless that I had to reconsider the claims of Christ, just in case they might be true. I found myself anticipating each next step in Nabeel's intellectual journey, as each critical aspect of the truth of Christianity was substantiated by his investigations. I even experienced to a degree Nabeel's family conflicts, though for me it was my mother's amazement and bitter disappointment with my choice after college of seminary instead of medical school."
"The dedication at the beginning of the book, read by the author himself, had me bawling like a baby. I was unaware of how much disagreement about doctrine that there is within different Muslim beliefs and Qureshi walks through them carefully and respectfully."
"I have to say that as a Christian, before reading this book, I had very little knowledge of the Muslim faith and how Muslim children are raised."
"He shares his story for those who wonder “is it worth sacrificing everything for the truth?” I highly recommend this book."
"What a great book."
Best Christian Preaching
Imagine having a team of 30 Moody Bible Institute professors helping you study the Bible. Not many commentaries can do that. This new commentary by the faculty of Moody Bible Institute is a worthy addition to this category of good single volume commentaries. Going through verse by verse at times, the commentary explains the texts, highlights some of the original languages' nuances, and also connects the theme to other passages in the Bible. Issues such as learning to apply timeless principles from Old Testament laws and regulations; contrasting the consequences of godlessness versus the promises of godliness; highlighting devotional material from the Psalms; wisdom from Proverbs with scholarship material from other commentaries apart from their own; a structural framework on understanding the Song of Solomon with an explanation of the different interpretative methods; and many more, making the commentary a very integrated one that aims to bring the central teachings across. Each book begins with some explanation on authorship, approximate dates, who the intended audiences are, the purpose of the book, and how the book contributes to the overall thrust of the Bible. This part alone makes this commentary an excellent primer to begin any in-depth studies of each book. On top of that, the books of the Bible are of different genre and commentary will have to be adapted according to the way and purposes the book are written. That is why it is very difficult to apply any one standard commentary for all the books. After all, students of the Bible learn best not by becoming dogmatic over their own philosophy but to be humble to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit can use anyone to teach us, including using this excellent 1-volume commentary on the Bible. As with the use of commentaries, even though there is an increasing use of electronic references, I feel that having a printed commentary is valuable too. The Moody Bible Commentary, a comprehensive one-volume commentary of the whole Bible, provides an objective look at the historical and cultural backgrounds of each book and help readers interpret Scripture in light of Scripture. The Moody Bible Commentary includes an outline of each book of the Bible, an introduction to each book, and then a more in-depth commentary following the outline given. In the New Testament, charts help readers grasp “The Eight Signs in John” as well as “Jesus’ Seven I Am Claims.” And, readers come to a clearer understanding of the book of James with the chart outlining “Parallels Between James and the Sermon on the Mount.” Of course The Moody Bible Commentary wouldn’t be complete without the Scripture index and subject index at the end, which help readers easily navigate the extensive volume. If you are looking for a one-volume commentary on the entire Bible, The Moody Bible Commentary fits the bill.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The new Moody Bible Commentary (MBC) is a large, handsome, well formatted, brief Bible reference work that includes useful intros, bibliographies and indexes. Believer's Bible Commentary (BBC) by William MacDonald (more devotional, NKJV). The Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC) by Walvoord and Zuck (more scholarly, NIV). Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary (NNIBC) by Radmacher, Allen & House (like Nelson's NKJV Study Bible). Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable (FREE online, more comprehensive, NASB). ILLUSTRATIONS. *** The MBC includes 80 black and white illustrations. HIGH HOPES. Based on a similar work by Dallas Theological Seminary staff, the 2 volume Bible Knowledge Commentary, I had great expectations for this commentary by Moody's faculty. For example: OLD TESTAMENT (OT). In Genesis 6:2, the Moody Bible Commentary discusses 4 viewpoints of who the "sons of God" are. The MBC doesn't mention that the Greek Septuagint (LXX) translates "sons of God" as "angels" and "Nephilim" as "giants." The MBC doesn't mention that "sons of God" in Hebrew (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7) always refers to angels. Even Moody Press's shorter 1962 "Wycliffe Bible Commentary" actually exegetes Genesis 6 with a Hebrew word study and relevant cross references. The MBC on 2 Samuel 15:7 doesn't give the manuscript evidence (Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, Syrian, Latin) for why some translations say "forty years" (KJV, NKJV, NASB) and others read "four years" (NIV, ESV, HCSB). *** At 1422 pages, the MBC OT commentary is longer than the BBC at 1150 pages, and the NNIBC at 1128, but shorter than the BKC at 1575. Since the MBC is based on the NASB translation, some authors may not discuss alternative translations (e.g. dispensation for stewardship) or the many longer NT readings found in the KJV, NKJV and World English Bible. *** At 580 pages, the NT commentary is shorter than many one or two volume commentaries (BBC 1183; BKC 979; NNIBC 634), but longer than most Bible handbooks. ADVICE. The MBC may be OK as a backup commentary. After many years of use, I can highly recommend: Believer's Bible Commentary (BBC) by William MacDonald (more devotional, NKJV). and. The Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC) by Walvoord and Zuck (more scholarly, NIV). "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.""
"A nice, explanatory commentary."
"Very cumbersome BUT an extremely useful tool to understanding the bible."
"Both Michaels who oversaw this project have done a great job with this commentary."
"I really love this commentary on the entire Bible!"
"Michael Rydelnik is a joy...Moody Bible commentary is an outstanding Bible reference book.Open Line Radio program. with Michael Rydelnik airs on Sat Morning in my area......happy with purchase, the price, the delivery, excellent."
"Paper is average, no photos, but content is head-on, and doesn't avoid difficult passages."
"A solid study help, gives helpful commentary."
Best Christian Discipleship
According to Pastor Mark Batterson in this expanded edition of The Circle Maker, "Drawing prayer circles around our dreams isn't just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for God. Mark Batterson serves as the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As individuals we didn't come into this world just asking our parents once to supply us, we harassed them unless they were cruel or absentee.. Batterson validates the 'pray and keep on praying' concept and activity the Paul seems to advocate in his gospels."
"Reminds me of Lessons in Prayer from Andrew Murray and George Mueller."
"The author backs this premise up with real life examples from thousands of years ago to the present: very convincing to me."
"His focus seems to be how to pray to make certain outcomes come to fruition, instead of emphasizing prayer that brings one into a closer relationship with a God who orders our steps."
"What this all does is teaches "a new way to pray" that the Word of God never espouses and is against Biblical teaching on prayer."
"He left out a very important part of that passage which is how God sent a plague after sending the quail."
"Bad theology."
"I just don't understand why this book was written or taken seriously by people who read the word of God. The following article is good, but honestly the Biblical problems I have with this book and 40 days are many more than mentioned."
Best Christian Counseling & Recovery
Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life
To regain control of your life, you’ve never needed Boundaries more than you do today in today’s always-on, always-connected digital world. Henry Cloud and John Townsend give you biblically based answers to these and other tough questions, and show you how to set healthy boundaries with your spouse, children, friends, coworkers, and even with yourself. In order to call themselves good Christians, many people have drawn overly flexible boundaries (unwilling to say no, always accommodating others' needs) or overly rigid boundaries (to the point of being righteous and judgmental).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Near the end of the book he gives an example where a child refuses to go to school and the mother realizes she "can't make the child go to school" but sets the boundary that the child will have to stay in his room if he doesn't go to school. The problem with that logic is, if you can't "make a child go to school" how can you "make a child stay in his room"? We can't make a child enjoy school or even pay attention to the teachers, these things take incentives and consequences, but parents do still need to hold onto the reigns on certain issues."
"I don't know if you've experienced this, but sometimes it SEEMS that more is asked of me in church, work, and elsewhere, because the assumption is my singleness provides me countless hours of time that I'm sitting around waiting to fill by wandering aimlessly about my house eating pints of ice cream, petting my cat, and growing increasingly more bitter. I have to do something about my boundaries. In a chapter on boundaries and spouses, I thought I'd just fly through the chapter because it doesn't apply to me, but I found myself knee deep in the concepts. I could relate in a big way to a story of a wife bringing her husband to counseling because he was spending increasing amounts of time away from home and she was becoming increasingly lonely within their marriage. She would sit at home anxiously waiting for him to get home, calling several times a day, and then with mountain high expectations of him when he finally arrived. A lot of times it is because I have a boundary that they are asking me to extend to them, because I haven't told them it was there in the first place. I can't be angry with someone else because I don't honor my own boundaries or because I don't communicate to them the truth of what I'm feeling."
"I think maybe the biggest lesson in this book for me personally is discovering you can’t change other people you can only change your response to other people. This book is also awesome for how to lovingly do that instead of having some huge confrontation it tells you how to diffuse the situation and make it more of a conversation and less of an ordeal."
"This review is for audible only."