Each One a Minister, a revised and enlarged edition of Carter's previous book by the same title, begins with a 6-session study of Ephesians. Carter engages the reader in discovering the meaning of church, ministry, and gifts — from the early church up to the present. As a follow-up to the Bible study, readers and study groups look at ways in which God's gifts are practical as well as spiritual. Four ministry categories, closely connected to the congregational primary task (receive, relate, e...

Creative preaching can help you move the sacraments to the center of your congregation's spirituality by making scripture, personal experience, and the sacraments intersect in such a way that a wealth of meanings surfaces. Satterlee and Ruth seek to expand the range of meanings and associations people bring to the sacraments. They examine in-depth how theology, scripture, context, and timing relate to effective sacramental preaching. Six sample sermons are included: "In Whom Do You Place Y...

Health care. Public education. War and peace. Science and religion. The economy. Christian social action. Spiritual growth. 21st century political talking points? Hardly just that. John Wesley, an 18th century British clergyman, addressed these very issues in his own time. His creative answers may open your eyes to new responses for our own frenzied "postmodern" concerns. Gooch opens the fascinating character of Wesley by looking at these strikingly current topics. He shows how Wesley's minis...

In this time when the church is experiencing a tremendous growth in members and in the number of denominations, such questions like the "what," "why," and "how" of evangelism need to be addressed. This resource gives answers and guidance to these and other important questions. Foreword by Bishop Joaquina Nhanala.

As John Kurewa and his brother talked about a tragic bus crash that had occurred nearby, his brother said, "Well, that shows when your time to die has come, there is nothing you can do about it." Was it really God's will for all those people to die or be injured in that wreck? By together delving into the meaning of the event, and into God's nature, the author and his brother came to a more profound understanding of God's purpose regarding the events of our lives. Challenged by their discussi...

This Leader's Guide is a PDF download only. The course is designed to help provide a basic understanding of the ways adults learn and grow. The Participant's Guide for this course, Start Here, by Barbara Bruce may be purchased here.

Evangelism is about our relationship to God and those we come in contact with daily. This course connects witness with spiritual formation, leading participants to a greater understanding of the importance of evangelism for all involved. It also incorporates Wesleyan insights for a 21st-century audience. A Leader's Guide to Transforming Evangelism is used alongside the text Transforming Evangelism by Henry H. Knight III and F. Douglas Powe Jr. Available only as a PDF download. Notes: Permi...

Stewardship is a dirty word in most churches. Pastors preach about it knowing they must, while members sit uncomfortably through the "it's-that-time-again" sermons and other appeals. Church members need to be encouraged to go beyond thinking in terms of dollars contributed in order to see stewardship as becoming living examples of the gospel. Included in the basic text Afire with God are examples for faithful stewardship of the earth, ways to reinvigorate stewardship in worship, long-range pl...

Concepts in Leadership II is designed to be a refresher course for local church lay speakers, but it may be used for leadership development in any setting. Designed to be taught in one 5-hour session, this PDF-formatted course may be divided into multiple sessions for use in a Sunday school class or small-group setting. After completing this course, participants will be able to: Recognize God's call upon them to leadership Describe the spiritual nature of leadership and use spiritual pract...