You've probably noticed ... Churches aren't growing. Young adults are walking away. Volunteers are hard to recruit. Leaders are burning out. And the culture is changing faster than ever before. There's no doubt the church is in a moment in history for which few church leaders are prepared. You can look for answers, but the right response depends on having the right conversation. In Lasting Impact, Carey Nieuwhof leads you and your team through seven conversations that will help your church grow and have a lasting impact. What if ...- Having the right conversations could change your trajectory?- There was more hope than you realized?- The potential to grow was greater than the potential to decline?- Your community was waiting for a church to offer the hope they're looking for?- Your best days as a church were ahead of you? Maybe the future belongs to the churches that are willing to have the most honest conversations at a critical time. That's what Lasting Impact is designed to facilitate.

For many Christian leaders, the experience of ministry includes enough conflict and disappointment to soon wear off the patina of one's initial enthusiasm. And yet relief and renewal seems too often out of reach. What happens in this season of ministry is more than a matter of whether or not a Christian leader can persist. It is, in fact, possible for a person to engage the call to maturity at the juncture of discipleship and leadership. Enduring Ministry is designed for those who seek this more durable way forward, one that is infused with grace and inspired by good mission. In Enduring Ministry, Samuel Rahberg draws on insights from the monastic tradition, the ministry of spiritual direction, and the practice of Christian leadership to support and empower women and men for continued ministries in the church, helping them turn from merely enduring to lasting, effective, and vibrant Christian leadership.

How to run and not grow weary Following Jesus is like running a race. But it's a marathon, not a sprint. While we prefer to live in the immediate, our God is not after quick fixes. His ways and his timetable are better. He wants to make us like Christ, and that takes a lifetime. So how do we run the race with endurance? In Endure, Daniel Ritchie explores how God's people run well. Within this book, you will find direction and encouragement for how to trust God in every year, every day, and every minute. You are loved by God. And specific attitudes and habits will build your faith and connect you to God's love. Learn how the seemingly mundane choices can be the most important—for your good and God's glory.

"You can choose to see a trial as a roadblock or an expressway. If you see it as a roadblock, it will obstruct your way. However, if you see it as an expressway, you can use it to learn and grow." "The gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan whereby we can become what God wants us to become. In fact, we become great people because of our trials, not in spite of them." This booklet reviews the nature, origins, and purposes of adversity and includes suggestions on how to patiently trust in the Lord and His eternal plan and how to use these trials to learn and grow stronger. You can benefit from your trials if you: Develop a relationship with God Let others help you Let God carry your burdens Trust that the Lord is in control and allow His will to be done Remember that everyone has challenges Let adversity make you a better person Live with integrity Be patient Make the best of your situation Serve others Keep a positive attitude Keep an eternal perspective

Church growth models have often been long on promises and short on disciple-making. We continue to watch consistent church attendance shrink, and our desire to reach the lost is infected with a need for self-validation by growing our numbers at any cost. If we believe that God wants his church to grow, where do we go from here? What is the future of the church? Drawing from his 20 years and 15,000 hours of consulting, author Will Mancini shares with pastors and ministry leaders the single most important insight he has learned about church growth. With plenty of salient stories and based solidly on the disciple-making methods found in Scripture, Future Church exposes the church's greatest challenge today, and offers 7 transforming laws of real church growth so that we can faithfully and joyfully fulfill Jesus's Great Commission.

Originally published: Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, c1986.

"No matter what size church you are a part of, this book will challenge your traditional thinking, force you to look beyond the status quo, and enable you to grasp a bigger vision of what God has in store for your ministry and your leadership." -Ed Young, Fellowship Church "Shannon O'Dell's passion for the rural church in America is contagious" -Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch.tv Small church buildings dotting the countryside are home to ministries that often struggle with limited attendance, no money, and little expectation that change can revitalize their future. In Transforming Church in Rural America, Pastor Shannon O'Dell shares a powerful vision of relevance, possibility, and excellence for these small churches, or for any ministry that is stuck in a "rural state of mind." The book reveals: how to generate growth through transformed lives ways to create active evangelism in your community no-cost solutions for staffing challenges, enhancing the worship experience, and inspiring volunteers Focusing on vision, attitude, leadership, and innovation, you can learn the practical strategies and biblical guidance that helped to grow a church of 31 into a multi-campus church of several thousand, with a national and global outreach. Discover effective structure and ways to cast God-given vision so others can follow and make an impact. Experience the blueprint for transforming into effective, dynamic, and thriving churches no matter where the location or how small it may be. MORE INFO