Böcker utgivna av Abingdon Press

Brings J. Ellsworth Kalas into the classroom to discuss his popular book.

Why is it, James Moore asks, that we try to justify anything and everything we want to do? We use words, scapegoats, blaming other people, circumstances, past events, even evil spirits (-the devil made me do it!-) to attempt to excuse bad choices we make with our own free will. What does the Christian faith have to say about all this? The author reminds us of what our faith tells us about excuses: first, that God sees through them; second, that God is more interested in forgiving us than in hearing our excuses; third, that God wants penitence - not excuses - from us. In his warm, embracing style, James Moore encourages us to seek forgiveness. After all, we are justified, not by our eloquent excuses but by the grace of a loving, caring, forgiving God.

This book helps seminary students and lay leadership groups understand and participate in God's mission in the world. It presents not only a clear summary of contemporary understanding of missions, but it also adds a creative voice by offering diverse reasons to rethink missions and God's call to be missionaries in the world.

This book presents the necessary theoretical tools to understand, describe, and analyze the ethical and moral challenges Christians face today. The book also equips readers with the knowledge to make decisions and follow through with actions that produce ethical results.

Using an approach similar to his other "e;Back Side"e; books, J. Ellsworth Kalas opens up new possibilities of insight into selected New Testament stories by entering them through the "e;back side"e; -- through a unique starting point, a creative retelling, a new "e;lens"e;, or the eyes of a minor or unsympathetic character. Includes 12 stories and a study guide.

Sharpe offers a year's worth of daily devotional readings from 12 different women of faith.

In this new edition of his uplifting book, James W. Moore reminds us that some things are too good not to be true! These things are the most authentic qualities of life; qualities exemplified in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Using Scripture and illustrations from life's experiences, he shows how to follow Jesus' example and make these qualities our own. A leader's guide for small group study is included.

This beloved author has pleased, enlightened, and provided guidance for over half a million people. Study guide included with all titles except Top Ten List for Graduates.

The Planning Kit contains a DVD with twelve 10-minute sessions, plus "Meet J. Ellsworth Kalas"; one copy of the book Parables from the Back Side; and one copy of the video study Leader's Guide.

John Wesley: Holiness of Heart and Life is a six-week study on John Wesley, the major themes of his theology, the spread of Wesleyanism to North America, and renewal in the Wesleyan tradition. Chapters include reflection questions. The Study Guide offers step-by-step plans for each session.

Discover the secrets of laity involvement that contributed to the phenomenal success of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. Since it 's start in 1990, this Kansas congregation has grown to more than 13,000 members, with more than half of their adults actively involved in ministry. Their leadership development specialists Carol Cartmill and Yvonne Gentile have designed three valuable resources that you can use to implement their effective volunteer training programs at your congregation. This resource, Leadership from the Heart, can be use in classrooms, retreats, or small group home studies, to develop active volunteers into strong lay leaders. "Leadership from the Heart "is a 10-week study resource for small groups, designed to recruit active volunteers to step up and become lay leaders by promoting the concept of Servant Leadership . Instead of the secular concept of leadership, which appeals to ego and ambition for power, "Leadership from the Heart "calls Christians to leadership by appealing to their desire to help others. Participants are trained to: Develop their own spiritual practices Care for those they lead Renew the church from within Grow to spiritual maturity Each class session is built around - Head, Heart, and Hands. Class content includes background material, group sharing, and action steps. The issues covered throughout the series include servant leadership, spiritual disciplines, maturity, spiritual gifts, calling, God's purpose for your life, transformation of individuals and community, team building, and team leading.

Favorite author J. Ellsworth Kalas provides twelve thought-provoking sessions that lead us to strive to see and seek God's beauty and goodness, even in a society that may not necessarily be God-centered. Includes a helpful study guide, ideal for individual or group study. Sessions include: On Being Born with a Rusty SpoonWhen Life Is at JanuaryA Woman Who Lived with ScornDon't Blame the DonkeyWhen You've Been Given a Bad NameColor Her Moses!Plot for a LifeParty Gone FlatSuppose You're Worth MoreThan You Think You Are?How Wide Is a Boat?Strange VictoryThe View from Mount Nebo

Parables studied are: The Sower, the Seeds, and the SoilsThe Prodigal SonThe Elder BrotherTheUnjust JudgeThe Good SamaritanThe Least of These

Sooner or later, heartache comes to everyone. Sadness, sorrow, disappointment, mourning, grief-whatever people call it-is a fact of life. People need help in knowing how to deal with grief, how to work through it, and how to grow because of it. In When Grief Breaks Your Heart, best-selling author James W. Moore explores two major questions: What does faith say about the grief experience? How does faith help mend a broken heart? The book, therefore, is about grief and grace. Moore shows how these two words belong together: God's grace sustains people through the grief experience God's love supports people when they have nowhere else to turn God's grace brings the healing touch people so desperately need when their hearts are crushed.The book is appropriate for anyone who is experiencing grief. Pastors especially will find it helpful to keep a quantity on hand to pass out to people during grief experiences and grief counseling.

While the Ten Commandments are known throughout the world, it's not often that we are offered a fresh take on them. Popular and beloved author J. Ellsworth Kalas approaches the Ten Commandments through the "back side"--through a unique starting point, a creative retelling, a new "lens," or the eyes of a minor character. Kalas explores how these "prohibitive" laws actually are our dear friends, intended to make life richer and more fulfilling. He uses contemporary illustrations and personal experience to show how these timeless laws give us an appetite for divine excellence.

In this exciting and inspiring new study, Scott J. Jones helps seekers and believers to envision and practice discipleship as a way of life. Presenting Christianity from a Wesleyan perspective, Jones invites participants into a deeper, more thoughtful, more active commitment to Christ. This 8-session study helps participants focus on how, through discipleship with Jesus Christ, we become part of God's work in transforming the world. Each week a different presenter shares their personal faith experience. Presenter include Adam Hamilton, Olu Brown, Felicia Hopkins, Jessica Moffat Seay, Jorge Acevedo, Rob Fuquay and author Scott Jones. Mini-videos conclude each week with an interview or ministry story from the presenter's home church. Participants then read on their own from the student book and the Bible and then once a week the group comes together to explore what they've read and to view another video.

Jesus: God's Unlikely RevelationAdvent, Christmas, and Epiphany Services includes biblically-based sermons, suggested scriptures, children's time, hymn and prayers, as well as litanies for lighting the Advent wreath. Also included are suggestions for seasonal funerals. These services offer a completing message of hope during this important church season, when people often visit a church for the first time.Each service focuses on and celebrates a different aspect of the theme: Jesus: God's Unlikely Revelation1. First Sunday of Advent-Jesus: The Unlikely Image of God (Genesis 1:26-27; Colossians 1:15-17)2. Second Sunday in AdventJesus: The Unlikely Gift from God (Isaiah 55:1-9)3. Third Sunday of AdventJesus: The Unlikely Story of God with Us (Matthew 1:18-25)4. Fourth Sunday of AdventJesus: The Unlikely Messiah (John 7:25-31)5. Christmas EveJesus: An Unlikely Peacemaker (Luke 2:8-20)6. Christmas DayAn Unlikely Christmas Card (Matthew 2:13-23)7. EpiphanyJohn the Baptizer: Jesus' Unlikely Herald (John 1:1-14)Seasonal Funerals

A church can be a dangerous place. The perils may be so obvious, they become "elephants" standing in the fellowship hall, lurking in the sanctuary, ready to spring into the pastor's study, and tromp out of the choir room. The word "elephant" stands for an obvious truth or issue that is ignored or unnamed--a blind spot. Yet we allow elephants to occupy a large amount of space in the minds and hearts of those that tiptoe around them. Discussing common blind-spots of congregations and church leaders, the authors provide examples and illustrations for how to stop these "elephants" from ruining a ministry.

Charlene Dixoncalled Charlie by family and friendsis devastated at the recent loss of her job. For the last five years, the twenty-seven-year-old has blossomed as the activities director of an exclusive all-girls school. But when a misunderstanding with the headmistress leads to a pink slip right before the holidays, Charlie packs up her dreams and returns to her grandmother, Sis, who raised Charlie as her own in the mountains of North Carolina.When Charlie arrivesbroken and confusedSis immediately puts her granddaughter to work behind the scenes of the local school's Christmas play, A Christmas Carol. Charlie doesn't always like working with Dustin Kennedy, the drama teacher, but Sis encourages her to take a deeper look at why the book by Charles Dickens had been written in the first place and what it could teach Charlie about the needs of people in their own community.

The Word & Life series guides Korean readers to study the Bible more deeply and promotes better meditation on how the Bible's teachings can apply to our everyday life. Personal meditation and quiet time will be enhanced, and it will help readers change their lives by listening more closely and understanding God's Word. With study guides included, this series is designed for both individuals and small group study.