Have you ever wondered why we Christians do what we do for church every Sunday morning? Why do we "dress up" for church? Why does the pastor preach a sermon each week? Why do we have pews, steeples, and choirs? This ground-breaking book, now in affordable softcover, makes an unsettling proposal: most of what Christians do in present-day churches is rooted, not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Coauthors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence and extensive footnotes that document the origins of modern Christian church practices. In the process, the authors uncover the problems that emerge when the church functions more like a business organization than the living organism it was created to be. As you reconsider Christs revolutionary plan for his church--to be the head of a fully functioning body in which all believers play an active role--youll be challenged to decide whether you can ever do church the same way again. Saber más

In a world where the church is being ignored, it is time to bring the church to the people, and not the people to the church, says researcher and church strategy consultant Wolfgang Simson. His book Houses that Change the World (originally published in the UK) is widely recognized as a classic of the house church movement. Now revised as The House Church Book, this definitive work offers a comprehensive understanding of the past, present, and future of the house church movement-and the vital role of "ordinary" people in saturating the world with God’s truth. Saber más

Church Growth ≠ Church Health
Every impulse to share the gospel and make disciples is a good impulse. But without a structure to organize our impulses and focus our vision, the great commission can drive us straight into burnout. Healthy church growth is measured not by full schedules or even packed seats but by a steady multiplication of disciples of Jesus.

That happens when we organize ourselves around discipleship that is simple, holistic, adaptable, regular, reproducible, and positive.These six highly practical principles will give life and momentum to any ministry.

Read Guardrails and find your ministry better organized, more sustainable, and more fruitful. Saber más

Eugene Peterson instilled the love of the local church in his family, and especially his son, pastor Eric E. Peterson. This collection of letters, written over several years by Eric, offers a poignant, pastoral vision for what the people of God are to be about in their personal lives and their life together. Youll find this wisdom for one local church to be warm, winsome, knowing, understanding, and universally relevant.

Eric E. Peterson addresses essential questions such as "What is a church? What should a church be doing? What do we owe each other? What can we expect from one another? How do we follow Christ together?" A pastor in the state of Washington, he wrestled with how to grow his infant church into a mature Christian community. This book was born in the midst of a church coming to life, and is a compelling read for any pastor, church leader, or congregant.

Purchase individually or together with Letters to a Young Pastor, a book that contains letters written back and forth between Eugene Peterson and his son, Eric E. Peterson. Saber más

Discover a Natural Way to Share the Love of Christ.
Think about an incredibly joyful event in your life. Perhaps you got a job you desperately wanted or you were really proud of something you made. Do you remember how you couldn’t wait to talk about it? You were willing and eager to have a conversation about it with anyone who would listen! Why doesn’t our excitement for Jesus overflow from our lives in a similar and natural way?

In this book, Thom Rainer explores what makes so many Christians hesitant to talk about the greatest news the world has ever heard. There are real obstacles, challenges, and fears, but God is bigger and stronger than these hurdles. His compassion extends to all who wander, and He wants to show them His love through the lives of His people.

With this helpful guide, you will

• Discover why it is so difficult to share the greatest news in the world
• Identify common objections that are difficult to answer and learn how to respond to them gracefully
• Learn about the three biggest barriers to talking to your friends and neighbors about the gospel and how to bypass those obstacles
• See how God loves to work through our lives to draw others to Himself

Saber más

In this concise book, respected pastor, author, and church consultant Thom Rainer explains how the local church is God’s primary plan for reaching the world with his love. "I am a Christian" and "I am a church member" go hand in hand.

What does it really mean to be a Christian? In a world where everything from sports to politics, social media to podcasts, and movies to television vies for our attention, we need to get back to what is essential. We need to know who we truly are and who we serve.

When people finally grasp who they are in Christ and what their participation means to their local church, everything changes. Life begins to make sense. Their purpose becomes clear. Their mission through their local church is confirmed. Their hearts start longing to cooperate with God in the company of fellow believers. When Christians become committed church members, the church becomes healthy. When the church becomes healthy, communities become healthy. When communities become healthy, the world can be transformed.

The urgent need of our day is for Christians to understand who they are, what they believe, and how that affects what they do. And the best place to answer those crucial life questions is in the context of the local church. It’s nothing short of amazing and miraculous what God will do through a group of devoted Christians who become committed and selfless church members. I Am a Christian is your first step on that incredible journey. Saber más

There is hope. God can save your church.

In this book, Thom Rainer reveals seven findings of revived churches. Through new research, he figuratively dissects hundreds of churches that were on the path toward death. But they turned around. They revitalized. They did so in the face of facts and naysayers who told them it could not be done. Today, three out of four churches are declining in our nation, and twenty percent of churches are close to death. What are the secrets of the churches who avoided this fate and experienced revival?

In Anatomy of a Revived Church, Thom will show you how these churches experienced renewal. He will cover everything from "expanding the scorecard" to "dealing with toxins" to "choosing meaningful membership." When you finish reading this book, you will have the tools to strengthen, restore, and energize your church.

You can choose life for your church. Saber más

The Church Is the Only Hope for Renewing and Redeeming Your Community

Your church is meant to be a conduit of hope and healing, redemption and renewal for your neighborhood. Is your church equipped and ready for this important work? In Building an Outreach Ministry to Your Community, Pastor Tyrone Barnette uses the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand to explore how Jesus himself ministered to people. Then Barnette shows how he applied those principles to outreach ministry in his own church. Filled with interviews with other ministry leaders who are tackling the challenges of reaching their communities, this book is packed with practical advice on how to

• establish ministry outreach initiatives in your church,
• identify needs in your community,
• encourage a whatever-it-takes mindset,
• equip young people to serve,
• serve with limited resources, and much more.

This book is your blueprint to grow your church by helping your members turn outward. God intends for the church to be his open hand extended to the people in your community. Saber más

Opportunity Lies Right Down the Road.

There’s hope for your church. Respected church expert Sam Rainer envisions an exciting new wave of revitalized neighborhood churches that are growing and thriving. In the not-so-distant past, churches tended to relocate away from their neighborhoods and build large campuses at major intersections. At the turn of the 21st century, a dramatic shift occurred: A new generation began looking to neighborhood churches to foster life-giving friendships, provide opportunities for service, and create a community dedicated to worshiping God. Sam Rainer describes this movement and answers the most common questions about this surprising new phenomenon:

• What are the marks of a healthy neighborhood church?
• What are the most common myths about the neighborhood church?
• What are the obstacles to church growth?
• What are the best strategies to reach your neighbors?

The neighborhood church is primed for a comeback. The potential is huge. God wants to do incredible things. Are you ready? Saber más