Seven Practices of Healthy Youth Ministry
Starting a youth ministry, or trying to help one thrive, comes with a lot of questions. The LCMS Office of Youth Ministry has spent years understanding how you can better your youth group through studies, focus groups, and speaking with the members of thriving LCMS youth groups. Through their dedication, they've come up with the Seven Practices of Healthy Youth Ministry to help you in your journey to revamping or creating a thriving youth ministry at your church. These tips ...
The Disciple Dilemma: Rethinking and Reforming How The Church Does Discipleship
People are key in every organization, Christian and commercial—yet so many organizations struggle with substantial turnover, inexperience, disunity and crippling brittleness among their people. For Christian leaders and their communities, these symptoms imply that their mission is being eroded, which could be devastating for an individual disciple’s pursuit of Christ. Career CEO Dennis Allen takes a look at how very old business practices are impacting people, bankrupting discipleship, and eroding Christ’s influence in the public square and markets. The discipling ...
Journey Through Church History
This engaging student book teaches school-age children about the history of the Christian Church from a Lutheran perspective. Written by Christa Petzold, pastor's wife, homeschool mom, and high school theology teacher, this book teaches about several church fathers and answers questions about the Bible, Creeds, divides in the Church, liturgy, and the Reformation. Homeschool and day-school students alike will enjoy their time with this book. by Christa Petzold
God’s Encouraging Word: True Comforts When Worldly Advice Fails
We live in a society of self-help quotes and books that offer temporary solutions to long-term problems. These phrases offer little boosts of confidence but don't fix the underlying issue: the need for a Savior to lean on and find support in. Just like Eve, we are all tempted by sin and find ourselves grappling at empty sayings that promise we can "be" God rather than finding true support in trusting God. Turn to Jesus and find true help through ...
The Men We Need
The world needs real men, real bad. And there are all sorts of conflicting ideas and messages about what a "real man" is (and is not). Is a real man one who hunts, loves sports, grills meat, fixes cars, and climbs mountains? Sure, sometimes. But that's not really the point of being a man and it's not the purpose for which men were made. Into our cultural confusion, Brant Hansen paints a refreshingly specific, compelling picture of what men are ...
StrongHeart: Cultivating Humility, Respect & Resiliency in Your Child
For all parents who desire to raise a generation of kids with strong hearts. Parenting. It’s the most important endeavor of our lives. And there’s no shortage of advice on how to raise kids. But amidst the chatter of competing voices, how do we sort the folly from the wisdom? In StrongHeart, author Jill Garner cuts through modern parenting myths and trends to deliver the bold truth about what it will take to raise the next generation. Jill provides evidence-based ...
Leading by Faith: Practical Insights for Christian Leaders
Drawing on decades of experience, James F. Sanft shares insights and encouragement for Christian leaders. Part 1 addresses common leadership misconceptions, while part 2 offers practical discussion for how leaders can get things done-all from a biblical perspective. by James F Sanft
Handing Out Life: The Simple Way to Rewarding Relationships in All of Life
Simple. Memorable. Timeless wisdom. The keys to every relationship in life. These distinct features make Handing Out Life a book for anyone, anywhere, at any time. Unlock the mystery to rewarding relationships with God, family, friends, work associates, and even enemies. Remember what you learn with two simple illustrations that are as clear as your hand in front of your face. Be prepared to hand out life. by Todd A. Biermann
Five Traits of a Healthy Family: Steps You Can Take to Grow Closer, Communicate Better, and Change the World Together
Is your family all that it could be? Many feel bombarded by images and experiences of broken families, but this is not how God intended families to be! So often we examine the traits of unhealthy families, but Gary Chapman paints a biblical portrait of what a loving, stable family looks like. He details five timeless characteristics that create a healthy family environment: A heart for service Husbands and wives who relate intimately Parents who guide their children Children who ...
I Can’t Wait! 52 Stories of Kids Who Changed Their World That You Can Read Together
Did you know that a 13-year-old boy saved seventeen lives during Hurricane Harvey? Or that a five-year-old kid led a group of toddlers to safety after Hurricane Katrina? Do you realize that a third-grade girl sewed over a thousand blankets for people who needed them? Have you heard of the teen who invented a flashlight powered by human body heat? She was helping a friend who had no electricity. Young people are doing amazing things all the time. Instead of ...
One More Try: What to Do When Your Marriage is Falling Apart
When doors slam and angry words fly, when things just aren't working out, and even when your spouse has destroyed your trust, there is still hope. If you feel like your marriage is near the breaking point, or even if you've already separated, Gary Chapman will show you how you can give your marriage one more try. One More Try will help you . . . Take the next step when blindsided in marriage; Discover healthy ways to manage frustration and anger; Effectively ...
One Nation Under God: Healing Racial Divides in America
Amid divisive rhetoric, violence, riots, and racial tensions, confusion arises—how can Christians tear down the racial walls dividing our country? This division stems from a lack of communication, empathy, and understanding. Author Rev. B. Keith Haney, an African American LCMS pastor, encourages everyone to seek answers to racial tensions in the only place where truth and peace can be found—God’s Word. Healing must begin with Jesus. In this downloadable six-session study, you’ll openly communicate and begin the healing process. Healing takes time ...
Our Way Home: A Journey Through the Lord’s Prayer
When we pray, we're often hesitant. Hesitant to believe that our small voices will be heard by the sovereign God reigning in heaven. Hesitant to think we even have the right words to say. But Jesus gave His disciples—and us—the Lord's Prayer as a guide in our prayer life. This prayer contains words of confession, thanks, recognition, need, and praise; it's the perfect prayer model from our perfect role model.. Our Way Home invites you on an incredibly vivid journey through ...
Overcoming Life’s Sorrows: Learning from Jeremiah
God's creation is strong, pushing through and surviving even the worst of disasters. This has been a common fact for years, dating all the way back to biblical times. The Book of Jeremiah's major theme is all about surviving disaster. But disaster is far more than just tornadoes, hurricanes, or worldwide pandemics. No, they can be as simple as a disaster around you, such as death, alcoholism, or any life event that brings you undue stress. This book is here ...
Parents Rising: 8 Strategies for Raising Kids Who Love God, Respect Authority, and Value What’s Right
Do you feel like you’re fighting a losing battle? Against the culture, against the busyness, sometimes even against your spouse and kids… Often it seems like everything is against you as a parent, and your everyday life can feel far from joy-filled. But it doesn’t need to be that way. Parents Rising will show you eight cultural trends that parents are up against today and what you can do to claim victory. This book is about growth not guilt. It’s not a ...
Peacemaking Women: Biblical Hope for Resolving Conflict
Women have a strong desire for relational connections. Relationships between women can be especially enriching, but when conflict arises, they also can be especially damaging. Too many women approach conflict as if they were unbelievers with gossip, spiteful actions, bitterness, and even hatred. In Peacemaking Women, Tara Klena Barthel and Judy Dabler offer a meaningful, lasting message to lead women out of conflict to a state of peace where they can live as representatives of Christ to one another and ...
Perseverance: Praying Through Life’s Challenges
We all have it: That one thing that's keeping each of us from a fuller life. It could be a habit to break, a goal to accomplish, or a lingering project to complete. What if we, like Nehemiah, persevered with single-minded focus and trusted God to accomplish something incredible? Nehemiah may not be the first biblical example who comes to mind when we talk about perseverance, but we look to his example to discern helpful steps that we can apply on our ...
Prayer: Learning How to Talk to God
Daily prayer is an important facet of the Christian life. Nurture the habit of regular, confident conversation with God in your children, helping your entire family grow in faith together, in this charming illustrated book. Prayer: Learning How to Talk to God teaches children how to pray in words that relate to them. Walking through different types of prayer - whether praising Him, asking for forgiveness, or seeking help - Prayer encourages children to pray on their own and with ...
Promised Rest: Finding Peace in God’s Presence
Living in a broken, unfixable world weighs heavy on every individual’s heart. How can you find rest in a world that’s overwhelmingly restless? Where do you begin to find God’s peace in a world bombarded with strife and the devil’s suffering? Find your beginning in the simplest form: God’s names and characteristics. Time and time again, God has given His children His name to call upon in times of suffering. The many names He uses are lifeboats in the dangerous, ...
Putting God Back in the Holidays
Instead of the joy-filled celebrations that we build up in our minds, the holidays (pick one, any one) can often become stress-filled, money-draining, joy-less days of the year that we just "want to get through." And it is by our own volition that we have refused too many times to allow our holiday celebrations to be the spiritual experience they are meant to be. This book has been conceived and designed over 30 years as Dr. Bill Thrasher has spoken ...
