Fundraising for an organization or ministry is not merely an important task, it’s a noble one. Successful leaders must possess the theological vision to recognize the necessity of asking, the joy of giving, and the beautifully collaborative nature of advancing the kingdom. It should come as no surprise that the literal translation of the word philanthropy is “love of mankind”– and Christian philanthropy enables us to love God through loving man.Mark Dillon has spe...

A growing number of next generation Christians are eager to learn, grow, and lead in ministry or in the marketplace. Mentoring young leaders, as they face the unique issues of a changing world, has been pastor and Visioneering author Andy Stanley's passion for more than a decade. Here, he shares material from his leadership training sessions, developed to address essential leadership qualities such as character, clarity, courage, and competency. This is the perfect guide for any new leader...

By anchoring your understanding of productivity in God's plan, What's Best Next gives you a practical approach for increasing your effectiveness in everything you do.There are a lot of myths about productivity--what it means to get things done and how to accomplish work that really matters. In our current era of innovation and information overload, it may feel harder than ever to understand the meaning of work or to have a sense of vocation or calling....

Youth ministry veteran and bestselling author, Duffy Robbins, offers an updated and revised edition of his book about the important, behind-the-scenes mechaincs of youth ministry. The tasks of budgeting, decision-making, time management, team ministry, staff relationships, conflict resolution, working with parents, and a range of other issues, are the things that keep a ministry together and functioning well. Nobody gets into youth ministry because they want to think about these things; bu...

First published in 1999, Advanced Strategic Planning explains why planning is so important to carrying out the church's mission. Now in its third edition, this classic resource offers•a nine-step strategic thinking and acting model•useful ideas for developing a ministry strategy•diagrams to help illustrate concepts•a new section on spiritual formationThe methods in this book are proven to work, having already helped many churches articulate the...

All churches like to think that theirs is the friendliest in town. But do visitors see it that way? Church consultant Gary McIntosh invites readers to take a look at their church through the eyes of visitors and potential visitors. His starting point, grounded in an understanding of God as a "welcomer," is that churches should see those who enter their doors as not merely visitors, but as guests, and themselves as gracious hosts. This practical book offers sound advice on assessing and imp...

Over 90 percent of all Christian churches in the United States have fewer than 200 members. While they vary in shape, size, ethnicity, and denomination, they have one thing in common: the desire to grow. So why is it that some churches fail to grow for years, while other congregations in the same community increase exponentially?The problem, says church marketing authority Richard Reising, is that most churches should not be doing promotion. Instead, they should focus on the prepar...

Presents a portrait of Christian leadership within a biblical framework while comparing and contrasting it to today's hottest leadership models.

Like nothing else, small groups have the power to change lives. They are the ideal route to discipleship—a place where the rubber of biblical truth meets the road of human relationships. However, church leaders often feel at a loss when it comes to assessing the strengths and weaknesses of group life in a church, and they struggle with understanding and solving the root causes of problems. Group Life resources provide, in ebook format, the practical tools and training resources needed to d...

Available for the first time in paperback, Barna unveils the results of years of research and hundreds of interviews, and emerges with a new definition of what leadership is--and isn't.

A startling 85% of churches in the US are plateaued or declining, a trend that has been building for the past fifty years. In the face of shrinking attendance and lagging spiritual growth, pastors and church leaders are understandably discouraged and demoralized. But the first step to turning things around is hope. Church health expert Gary McIntosh offers this hope by showing church leaders the first things they need to do to make a new start for their church.God can and does rest...

What’s new about this third edition of the long respected and often used Church Administration Handbook? In addition to time and technological-sensitive updates to the basic organizational details, editor Bruce Powers writes:“The needs of people and churches have continued to change, with questions now being raised about the quality of congregational life, nature of leadership, and responsibility for ministry among all believers . . . As we have prepared t...