"We didn't start the Servant Leadership Institute to become a consultant company or a leadership training company. We started it to share our knowledge of what we learned in implementing servant leadership." -- Art Barter Our journey into servant leadership began in 2004 with Art Barter's purchase of Datron World Communications. At that time, he was determined to create a new leadership environment, and over the next several years, that dream came true. With it came great success and significance. As a member of Art's leadership team, I had the privilege of participating in this culture shift to servant leadership. Through the creation of the Servant Leadership Institute, we have been able to show many aspiring servant leaders "how to do" servant leadership. One way we answered the "how-to" question was to publish a series of weekly leadership tips based on our experiences at Datron. The audience for these tips responded so positively, we decided to publish them in book form. We are honored to present the tips to you and ask you to make them a part of your leadership life. Discover how to live and lead with a servant's heart each and every day.

Picture your church as a place where the priesthood of believers finds its expression in creative and powerful ways. Picture leaders and staff equipping and unleashing people to minister in ways consistent with how God designed them. Think of the effectiveness, vitality, and contentment that come when the body of Christ nurtures itself through the healthy give-and-take of each member. In The Equipping Church, Sue Mallory describes the benefits, the structure, and the culture of an equipping church and shows how your congregation can become one. This book is about limitless possibilities. Think "vision." What might your church look like if its members became vital, fully empowered partners in ministry? How can you help them discover and release their full potential? How would their roles change--and yours? AN EQUIPPING CHURCH IS A CHURCH WHERE: * pastors and leaders enable church members to share in ministry * people’s gifts, talents, and life callings are matched with areas of service * ministry opportunities are recognized and developed * the culture encourages the growth of a broad array of ministries *a well-designed system addresses needs of every kind, both individual and corporate *the pastor doesn’t have to be all things to all people Unpacking insights and principles uncovered by Leadership Training Network over the last several years, Mallory helps you customize an equipping system and culture in your church. You’ll proceed from preparation (what you need to know), to foundations (what you need to change), to construction (what you need to do). In the process, Mallory takes you inside the story of her own church, Brentwood Presbyterian, to observe the different stages of their trial-and-error journey and how it has transformed their approach to "doing church." See how they dealt with various concerns that arose along the way, and meet men and women whose lives have been changed because Brentwood took the ministry road less traveled. Each chapter includes a section of "Equipping Principles," questions for discussion and reflection, and a summary of different equipping churches from around the country. With the accompanying Equipping Church Guidebook, this book will be a mile marker in your church--and the gateway to a more effective and biblical approach to ministry.

This short booklet provides the format for telling others about salvation and the Christian life. Topics include assurance of salvation, answered prayer, victory over sin, forgiveness, and guidance.

When the average Bible believer thinks of the letters that the apostle Paul wrote to his young proteges Timothy and Titus, he or she may only think of them as letters filled with admonitions from an older preacher to two younger preachers. While this is partly true, these rich instructions would also have their benefit for everyone in the church of Christ (cf. 1 Tim. 1:3; 3:14-15). In fact, the information that Paul provided these two young men would be relayed to the Christians they served. Therefore, Equipping to Serve: Lessons from the Pastoral Epistles will extract and provide as much useful information, doctrinal and practical, as possible for the benefit of everyone in the church-preachers, elders, deacons, women, teachers, servants, youth, and all Christians. Within these lessons, readers will find the following instruction and encouragement: Encouraging youth Coping with the end of our lives Dealing with sin Accepting the love, grace, and mercy of God Growing as Christians (and understanding our various roles) Understanding how to handle problems (and problem-makers) The twenty-six lessons in this book, Equipping to Serve: Lessons from the Pastoral Epistles, provide two quarters of material for use in a standard Bible class curriculum. With clear, concise lessons and thought-provoking questions, this material is suitable for classes ranging from middle-school to adult. Moreover, this book would be ideal for personal or family Bible studies and devotions."

A profound exploration of how to hold on to hope when our unchanging faith collides with a changing culture, from two respected Christian storytellers and thought leaders. “Offers neither spin control nor image maintenance for the evangelical tribe, but genuine hope.”—Russell Moore, president of ERLC As the pressures of health warnings, economic turmoil, and partisan politics continue to rise, the influence of gospel-focused Christians seems to be waning. In the public square and popular opinion, we are losing our voice right when it’s needed most for Christ’s glory and the common good. But there’s another story unfolding too—if you know where to look. In Gospelbound, Collin Hansen and Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra counter these growing fears with a robust message of resolute hope for anyone hungry for good news. Join them in exploring profound stories of Christians who are quietly changing the world in the name of Jesus—from the wild world of digital media to the stories of ancient saints and unsung contemporary activists on the frontiers of justice and mercy. Discover how, in these dark times, the light of Jesus shines even brighter. You haven’t heard the whole story. And that’s good news.

This handbook is part of a series designed to equip and empower church volunteers for effective ministry. If you're reading this, chances are you're a church volunteer. Thanks for your willingness to serve!

Experts on congregational life tell us that ministry in the next century will depend more on called, trained, and committed lay leadership than it has since the days of the early church. But how will congregations recruit these lay leaders? How will they develop new models for training and equipping them for all the ministries of the church? What will the role of clergy be in adopting this new partnership that Leonard Sweet calls "ancient-future ministry"? Equipping the Saints seeks to help congregational leaders answer these and other questions related to mobilizing lay ministry in the years ahead. The chapters include: "Shall We Abolish the Clergy or the Laity?" by Michael Christensen; "Team Building Through Spiritual Gifts" by Brian Bauknight; "The Loss and Recovery of the Biblical Basis for Ministry" by Russell Moy; "Out of the Pew, Into the World" by Jessica Moffat; "The Seeker Service in the Mainline Church" by Eric Park; "Circuit Riding in the 21st Century" by Rob Duncan; and, "Life Together: Reclaiming the Ministry of Small Groups" by Christine Anderson. Key Features: - Responds to emerging trends that promise to be determinative of the shape of ministry in the next century - Addresses an important practical need in congregations - Offers help in formulating new models for congregational ministry Key Benefits: - Readers will understand the important emerging need for called, trained, and committed laypersons to engage in ministry - Readers will learn how to recruit and train lay leaders - Readers will identify a new model of clergy/lay ministry partnership

This handbook is part of a series designed to equip and empower church volunteers for effective ministry. If you're reading this, chances are you're a church volunteer. Thanks for your willingness to serve!

What makes a Christian worker? What does it mean to give your life to Christian work? Richard's answer is forged from a lifetime of ministry.