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Compassion in Practice, Revised Edition

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:18:22 GMT

Available May 2026; Preorder Now!

Discover a path of radical compassion rooted in the way of Jesus.

How do we practice love and compassion for ourselves and others in a world marred by conflict and violence in our families, communities, institutions—and even our own hearts? In Compassion in Practice: The Way of Jesus, internationally renowned compassion teacher Frank Rogers introduces the spiritual path of radical compassion Jesus walked and taught, grounded in God's extravagant love for all people. This path transforms hardened hearts and brings healing and wholeness to even the most challenging situations.

In this inspiring and practical book, you'll discover a series of practices to ground and restore you through self-compassion as you cultivate an ethic of radical care that extends not only to loved ones, neighbors, and strangers, but also to enemies, opponents, and oppressors. Illuminated with extraordinary real-life stories of restorative love in action, these practices will equip you to step heart-first into a challenging world, ready to engage in a new way that beats with the pulse of compassion.

This updated and revised edition provides specific practices for compassionate social activism, more interfaith conversation, and a "compassion compass" to help orient you as you travel the path of healing and restoration.

In Compassion in Practice, you will learn:

The six essential dimensions of authentic compassion
A compassion practice that softens hardened hearts and accesses our best self
Spiritual exercises to cultivate compassion for yourself and others
The critical difference between empathy and compassion
How to practice compassion with a difficult person or amid violence and injustice
Ten principles of empowered and just compassionate action

As Yourself

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 14:28:49 GMT

READ A SAMPLE

Download the As Yourself 6-Week Study Guide

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” —Matthew 22:39

What does it mean to love others “as yourself?”

For spiritual director, therapist, and former pastor Caroline Vogel, loving God and loving others always came easy. What was much harder, as she discovered during a difficult season in her life, was the “as yourself” part. What did Jesus mean when he said to love others as yourself?

In this heartening exploration of learning to love ourselves as God loves us, Vogel invites us to embrace God's deep and abiding love, with our whole being, just as we are, today and every day.

Through spiritual practices, Biblical insights, and personal story, Vogel shows us how to move from striving for God's love to simply receiving it. With a gentle and wise voice, Caroline teaches us how to slow down, steady our minds, open our hearts, and tap into the life-giving flow of God's grace that is already within us — calling us out of our perfectionism, fear, or shame, calling us toward our own belovedness.

Drawing on her own deep relationship with the Holy Spirit, Vogel reveals that when we are truly aligned with the Spirit and follow Her lead — mind, heart, and body — we are being infused by God's grace moment by moment. We are breathing the Spirit and the Spirit is breathing us. We are living embodied grace inside and out.

If you struggle to love yourself as God does, yearn to know God's love more deeply, and wonder what it's like to embody grace in your daily life, this book is for you.

Welcome to the journey of coming home to yourself in God's love, as yourself.

In As Yourself, readers will explore:

Why receiving God's love is as important as giving it away.
How “hustling” for God's love is the opposite of living embodied grace.
How shame is often a barrier to loving ourselves and others.
How grace already lives inside us; we simply need to open to that truth.
Biblical stories that illuminate the theology of “as yourself.”
A dozen spiritual practices to help you embody grace.

As Yourself

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:07:29 GMT

READ A SAMPLE

Download the As Yourself 6-Week Study Guide

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” —Matthew 22:39

What does it mean to love others “as yourself?”

In this heartening exploration of learning to love ourselves as God loves us, Vogel invites us to embrace God's deep and abiding love, with our whole being, just as we are, today and every day.

If you struggle to love yourself as God does, yearn to know God's love more deeply, and wonder what it's like to embody grace in your daily life, this book is for you.

Welcome to the journey of coming home to yourself in God's love, as yourself.

In As Yourself, readers will explore:

Why receiving God's love is as important as giving it away.
How “hustling” for God's love is the opposite of living embodied grace.
How shame is often a barrier to loving ourselves and others.
How grace already lives inside us; we simply need to open to that truth.
Biblical stories that illuminate the theology of “as yourself.”
A dozen spiritual practices to help you embody grace.

Praying Their Way

Fri, 02 May 2025 16:24:08 GMT

Help kids develop an authentic relationship with God.

Children have a natural curiosity about God and an innate draw towards mystery. As they grow, kids ask bigger, more complex spiritual questions, and they need guides to help them explore their budding faith lives. Frustratingly, many of us lack the confidence or skills to talk to kids about prayer. We need resources to help us help them pray, in their own words and on their terms.

In Praying Their Way, seminary professor, pastor, and dad Roger Owens partners with his 15-year-old daughter Mary Clare to offer a unique guidebook for introducing kids to a lifelong journey with prayer. Filled with an abundance of tools to engage kids between the ages of 10-14 on the topic of prayer, this book provides support for that awkward time as kids grow from young children into teenagers and their faith grows and evolves too.

In this new resource for adults and the "tweens" they care for, you'll discover a new vocabulary for talking about prayer, specific prompts for conversation, and two dozen prayer practices in six different categories (scripture, silence, body, nature, together, and justice) to explore with kids in grades 5-8. Praying Their Way is easily adaptable for younger kids and kids through 9th grade, as well as the spiritual-but-not-religious audience.

Written for parents, grandparents, godparents, pastors, children's ministers, and Sunday school teachers, Praying Their Way is the book we have all been longing for. With Roger and Mary Clare as your wise guides, you will embark on a joyful journey of discovery and holy connection with the kids you love. And, as you share these practices with these young people, you may find that your own relationship with God is deepened and enriched as well.

Praying Their Way

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:52:09 GMT

Help kids develop an authentic relationship with God.

When Did We See You?

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 21:50:13 GMT

“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?” … “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these … you did for me.”—Matthew 25:37, 40

An Honest Lenten Study on Money, God, and Faith

Like so many of us, Elizabeth Mae Magill struggles to wrap her head around the tensions involving wealth, responsible planning for the future, and how God wants us to care for those less fortunate than ourselves. How does a Christian with money respond and act in a country where over 36 million people live below the poverty line?

In When Did We See You?, Magill invites us into an honest conversation about faith, money, and community, posing hard questions about poverty, wealth, and what it means to follow Jesus in an economically divided world. With candor, grace, and deep pastoral insight, Magill wrestles with her own material privilege and encourages us to do the same.

Grounded in scripture and the author's own life and experience, this study explores how wealth shapes our relationship with God and neighbor and calls us back to Christ's radical way of love, justice, and solidarity with the poor. Reminding us that all that we have belongs to God, Magill leads us through a revelatory journey as we consider:

Our relationship to money and concerns about having enough
Biblical teachings on money, charity, justice
A faithful response to those in our community who have less
How spiritual poverty brings us closer to God and others
What Jesus' teachings call us to do—and who they call us to become

When Did We See You? can be used for individual study or small groups, and includes:

A chapter for each week of Lent, with reflection questions for each day
Litanies for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday
Stories from real congregations wrestling with poverty and hope
Concrete ideas you and your community can use to alleviate poverty

In a world of both abundance and inequality, When Did We See You? guides us through a crucial and timely conversation about our money, economic justice, and God's call for a world with enough for all. This Lent, may we have eyes to truly see Christ in our neighbors, and respond with love and action.

When Did We See You? is perfect for:

Lenten small-group studies
Church-wide reading programs
Pastors and leaders looking to open dialogue on money, justice, and discipleship

When Did We See You?

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 20:06:06 GMT

“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?” … “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these … you did for me.”—Matthew 25:37, 40

An Honest Lenten Study on Money, God, and Faith

Our relationship to money and concerns about having enough
Biblical teachings on money, charity, justice
A faithful response to those in our community who have less
How spiritual poverty brings us closer to God and others
What Jesus' teachings call us to do—and who they call us to become

When Did We See You? can be used for individual study or small groups, and includes:

A chapter for each week of Lent, with reflection questions for each day
Litanies for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday
Stories from real congregations wrestling with poverty and hope
Concrete ideas you and your community can use to alleviate poverty

When Did We See You? is perfect for:

Lenten small-group studies
Church-wide reading programs
Pastors and leaders looking to open dialogue on money, justice, and discipleship

And His Name Shall Be Called

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 13:33:25 GMT

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

Whether we hear it read aloud or sung by a massed choir, Isaiah 9:6 resonates with lifelong churchgoers, spiritual seekers, and even those dipping a toe into the things of God for the first time.

This Advent, step into the wonder of the season through the ancient words of the prophet Isaiah and the stirring music of Handel's Messiah. In And His Name Shall Be Called, beloved pastor and scholar James Howell invites you to reflect deeply on the four names that reveal the promise of God's presence in Isaiah 9:6: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

Each week of this devotional centers on one of these titles, with daily reflections that draw from scripture, theology, and music to explore the many ways God is with us — in the past, today, and in the future. Through Howell's thoughtful insights and pastoral wisdom, you'll discover how these names are not just ancient poetry but promises still unfolding in our world today.

With special ties to Handel's Messiah, this devotional includes curated playlists to enrich your experience — helping you connect your spiritual reflections with the power of music in worship and contemplation.

Written by Rev. Dr. James Howell — senior pastor of one of the largest United Methodist congregations in the U.S. and author of the bestselling Unrevealed Until Its Season — this new Advent devotional will touch your heart and lead you to Christmas with joy and hope.

Whether you're reading alone, with family, or as part of a small group, And His Name Shall Be Called will be a meaningful Advent companion, revealing surprises and great treasures to help you make sense of who God really is and what life with God is, and could be, like.

And His Name Shall Be Called

Fri, 02 May 2025 16:26:30 GMT

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

Whether we hear it read aloud or sung by a massed choir, Isaiah 9:6 resonates with lifelong churchgoers, spiritual seekers, and even those dipping a toe into the things of God for the first time.

Exploración de una cultura del cuidado en la congregación

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 18:11:24 GMT

Esta guía completa para líderes contiene seis sesiones de enseñanza de 90 minutos, diseñadas para el curso de Ministerios de Líderes Laicos Exploración de una cultura del cuidado en la congregación. Basado en el libro The Caring Congregation (La congragación que cuida) de Karen Lampe, este recurso equipa a los ministros laicos con habilidades prácticas para el ministerio de cuidado pastoral. Los participantes aprenderán técnicas de escucha profunda para establecer conexiones significativas, cómo brindar cuidado durante tiempos de pérdida y crisis, cómo mantener límites saludables en las relaciones que implican el cuidado y cómo comprender las diferencias culturales en los enfoques del ministerio del cuidado.

New Tricks

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 15:51:39 GMT

Pets make us better people.

In the United States today, two out of every three households have at least one pet. No longer just companions, pets are a full-fledged part of the family. For some, a pet may be the only family member living in their house. What if faith communities saw this growing reality as an opportunity to create meaningful ministries of care and outreach for millions of people and the animals they love?

New Tricks is a groundbreaking guide to bringing pet ministry into your faith community, offering practical steps and inspiring ideas to serve those who have pets, promote animal well-being, and embrace the unconditional love that animals bring into our lives. Written by a popular pastor and author and a lay leader who has helped train therapy dogs for decades, both of whom are passionate about animals, New Tricks is filled with heart-warming stories of how animals of all kinds minister to us and how we, in turn, can serve them and their families.

Weaving biblical and theological insight with real stories of healing and support, the authors provide a compelling case for and reasons why a pet ministry has an important place among other transformative ministries in your community — and how it can attract people to your faith community.

Drawing from nearly twenty years of pet ministry experience, authors Betsy and Gayle outline six ways churches can introduce animal programs into their faith community:

Care & Support for Pet Parents — Emotional and spiritual support for those experiencing pet loss, illness, or transitions.
Training Therapy Animals to Prepare for Certification — Training and deploying certified therapy animals to visit people in healthcare facilities, schools and libraries, and participate in faith community activities.
Community Service Projects — Pet food drives, shelter and veterinarian partnerships, and fostering initiatives.
Pet-focused Educational Programs — How to prevent separation anxiety, addressing pet behavioral problems, and taking the perfect pet photo!
Community Events — Blessings of the Animals, World Pet Memorial Day, National Dog Day.
Animal Advocacy — Championing ethical treatment and welfare, conservation, and justice for animals in your community and beyond.

New Tricks also includes practical resources for your pet ministry including pet loss resources (grief rituals, how to write a pet obituary, and a pet remembrance service), a template for your pet/animal ministry launch, and much more.

Whether you're a pastor, lay leader, or a friend of animals big and small, New Tricks provides everything you need to integrate pet ministry into the mission of your church or faith group. Full of real-life stories, step-by-step guidance, and creative ideas, this book will inspire and equip you to make an impact with the pet people in your community and the animals they love — through hands and paws together.

READ A SAMPLE

New Tricks

Fri, 02 May 2025 16:18:16 GMT

Pets make us better people.

Drawing from nearly twenty years of pet ministry experience, authors Betsy and Gayle outline six ways churches can introduce animal programs into their faith community:

Care & Support for Pet Parents — Emotional and spiritual support for those experiencing pet loss, illness, or transitions.
Training Therapy Animals to Prepare for Certification — Training and deploying certified therapy animals to visit people in healthcare facilities, schools and libraries, and participate in faith community activities.
Community Service Projects — Pet food drives, shelter and veterinarian partnerships, and fostering initiatives.
Pet-focused Educational Programs — How to prevent separation anxiety, addressing pet behavioral problems, and taking the perfect pet photo!
Community Events — Blessings of the Animals, World Pet Memorial Day, National Dog Day.
Animal Advocacy — Championing ethical treatment and welfare, conservation, and justice for animals in your community and beyond.

READ A SAMPLE

The Upper Room Disciplines 2026

Fri, 02 May 2025 16:22:09 GMT

The bestselling 365-day devotional that follows the Revised Common Lectionary.

If you're looking to steep yourself in God's word and presence every day, The Upper Room Disciplines 2026 is your essential guide to daily spiritual renewal. Now in its 67th year, this beloved resource is more than just a devotional; it's a daily companion that helps you stay grounded in scripture, cultivate a life of prayer, and develop a deeper, more intentional relationship with God.

Each day of this year-round devotional includes a scripture reading followed by a thought-provoking meditation and prayer from one of 53 diverse Christian thought-leaders from around the country. A trusted resource by clergy and lay people alike, Disciplines follows the Revised Common Lectionary — a three-year cycle of scripture readings — ensuring that your daily reflections are rooted in the rhythm of scripture shared by churches around the world.

Combining biblical scholarship and thoughtful theology with meaningful prayers, The Upper Room Disciplines helps you stay grounded, inspired, and connected to God every day. Whether you're a pastor preparing for worship, a small group leader fostering community, or someone seeking daily spiritual nourishment, Disciplines is your essential companion for a transformative spiritual life.

Join thousands of others who rely on Disciplines as a trusted companion for a life of prayer, biblical reflection, and discerning God's call in their lives.

What makes Disciplines unique?

365-day devotional based on the Revised Common Lectionary
Daily scripture readings with insightful reflections from 53 diverse Christian leaders
Weekly themes that guide you deeper into God's Word
A Guide to Daily Prayer to enrich your spiritual practice
A Small Group Leader's Guide for shared study and discussion

Contributors for the 2026 edition include Karoline Lewis, Tex Sample, Pumla Nzimande, David Wilson, Magrey deVega, Caroline Vogel, and Bruce Reyes-Chow.

The Enlarged Edition with room for note-taking can be found by clicking here.

The Upper Room Disciplines 2026

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 15:34:37 GMT

The bestselling 365-day devotional that follows the Revised Common Lectionary.

Each day of this year-round devotional includes a scripture reading followed by a thought-provoking meditation and prayer from one of 53 diverse Christian thought-leaders from around the country. A trusted resource by clergy and lay people alike, Disciplines follows the Revised Common Lectionary — a three-year cycle of scripture readings — ensuring that your daily reflections are rooted in the rhythm of scripture shared by churches around the world.

Join thousands of others who rely on Disciplines as a trusted companion for a life of prayer, biblical reflection, and discerning God's call in their lives.

What makes Disciplines unique?

365-day devotional based on the Revised Common Lectionary
Daily scripture readings with insightful reflections from 53 diverse Christian leaders
Weekly themes that guide you deeper into God's Word
A Guide to Daily Prayer to enrich your spiritual practice
A Small Group Leader's Guide for shared study and discussion

Contributors for the 2026 edition include Karoline Lewis, Tex Sample, Pumla Nzimande, David Wilson, Magrey deVega, Caroline Vogel, and Bruce Reyes-Chow.

The Upper Room Disciplines 2026 Enlarged Edition

Fri, 02 May 2025 16:23:28 GMT

The bestselling 365-day devotional that follows the Revised Common Lectionary — now, with more room for notes!

Join thousands of others who rely on Disciplines as a trusted companion for a life of prayer, biblical reflection, and discerning God's call in their lives.

What makes Disciplines unique?

365-day devotional based on the Revised Common Lectionary
Daily scripture readings with insightful reflections from 53 diverse Christian leaders
Wider margins for note-taking
Weekly themes that guide you deeper into God's Word
A Guide to Daily Prayer to enrich your spiritual practice
A Small Group Leader's Guide for shared study and discussion

Contributors featured in the 2026 edition include Karoline Lewis, Tex Sample, Pumla Nzimande, David Wilson, Magrey deVega, Caroline Vogel, and Bruce Reyes-Chow.

Exploring a Culture of Care for a Caring Congregation: Leader’s Guide

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 13:26:48 GMT

This comprehensive leader's guide contains six 90-minute teaching sessions designed for the Lay Servant Ministries course "Exploring a Culture of Care for a Caring Congregation." Based on Karen Lampe's book The Caring Congregation, this resource equips lay servant ministers with practical skills for pastoral care ministry. Participants will learn deep listening techniques for meaningful connections, how to provide care during times of loss and crisis, how to maintain healthy boundaries in caring relationships, and how to understand cultural differences in care ministry approaches.

Transformed by Grace

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 13:17:12 GMT

A Year of Prayer, Rooted in Wesleyan Faith.

In the devotional classic Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit, renowned Wesleyan scholar Paul Chilcote invited readers to experience the spiritual depth of John Wesley's sermons through devotional prayer. Now, in Transformed by Grace: 52 More Prayers in the Wesleyan Spirit, Chilcote continues this journey, offering a fresh collection of weekly prayers inspired by Wesley's later sermons. As in the first volume, Chilcote pairs each prayer with a beloved hymn by Charles Wesley, offering readers an opportunity to sing as they pray.

While Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit focused on Wesley's "standard sermons" and their theme of salvation, this new volume explores a broader range of spiritual themes. Traditional theological topics like the Trinity, creation, the image of God, faith, and perfect love are included here, but more fall into the broader category of spiritual formation and examine practical questions of every Christian related to topics like temptation, patience, conscience, simplicity, and zeal.

In Transformed by Grace, Chilcote takes on some of Wesley's most challenging sermons for modern readers and artfully conveys their original purpose: to touch the heart and inspire change. Whether you are a lifelong Methodist, a pastor seeking inspiration, or a person of faith longing to grow in grace, Transformed by Grace will be a treasured resource as God speaks to you through the insights of the Wesleys and their vision of the Christian way.

Walk with Christ through these prayers, both read and sung, and invite the Holy Spirit to be your companion along the way.

Also available: Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit: 52 Prayers for Today

Transformed by Grace

Fri, 02 May 2025 16:20:37 GMT

A Year of Prayer, Rooted in Wesleyan Faith.

Walk with Christ through these prayers, both read and sung, and invite the Holy Spirit to be your companion along the way.

Also available: Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit: 52 Prayers for Today

Micro Practices for Justice Ministry

Mon, 12 May 2025 21:40:22 GMT

Big change starts with small acts.

What if the most profound changes in justice ministry come not from grand gestures, but from the small, faithful acts we practice every day? Micro Practices for Justice Ministry is a powerful resource that challenges the idea that only big, sweeping actions lead to real change. In this inspiring book, you'll discover how small, everyday acts—done well and consistently—can transform justice ministry in profound ways. Drawing on interviews with 40 pastors from diverse ministry contexts, this book highlights how micro practices—simple, intentional actions—have the power to reshape communities and advance justice.

Rooted in scripture and theology, Micro Practices for Justice Ministry presents hundreds of actionable practices that can be easily integrated into everyday ministry. From one-on-one conversations to small group efforts, these seemingly small actions, when practiced consistently, build momentum that drives meaningful change. Each practice is shared through engaging narrative stories, bringing the experiences of real pastors to life and demonstrating the lasting impact of doing the "small stuff" with intention.

Perfect for clergy, laity, and community organizers alike, this book offers both practical tools and spiritual encouragement for those committed to justice. Whether you're leading a congregation, working in your community, or studying ministry, this book will help you see that real transformation often starts with the smallest of steps.

"Tex Sample makes a convincing case for how small acts of community building enable big-picture change. Faith leaders on the lookout for fresh ideas will be inspired." —Publishers Weekly

Micro Practices for Justice Ministry

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 17:37:36 GMT

Big change starts with small acts.

"Tex Sample makes a convincing case for how small acts of community building enable big-picture change. Faith leaders on the lookout for fresh ideas will be inspired." —Publishers Weekly