“I believe that God is calling all of us into deeper prayer and is longing for our congregations to become places of prayer,” writes Jane E. Vennard. Pastors and others who want to develop their skills as teachers of prayer and spiritual practices will find in this book not only wisdom for themselves but easily […]
This practical and thought-provoking guide to Christian contemplative prayer combines exposition and interpretation of two great spiritual classics with reflections on particular insights and their development. It relates these insights to those found in teachings as far apart as Jung and Zen Buddhism, while not losing sight of the great tradition of prayer and contemplation […]
Nighttime signifies many things. Apart from the rest and refreshment that sleep brings, the night can be a time for gazing at the stars, dreaming, and loving. For some, it might mean keeping vigil when tending to the very young or sick. For others, it might mean working so that others may rest peacefully. For […]
Is it possible to maintain and defend Christian faithfulness and integrity in a pluralistic world without being arrogant, exclusive, intolerant, or irrelevant? Is it possible to be open to change, tolerant of difference, and relevant without compromising or sacrificing christian authenticity? Shirley Guthrie looks to the Reformed confessions to answer these questions. He asserts that […]
This 120-page introduction to a wide range of prison ministries includes a glossary, worship materials, and print and organizational resources.
In this clarion call to tend to spiritual growth, Williamsen provides a much-needed resource for clergy. Discover how to assist parishioners in their prayer and spiritual lives. Learn how individual spiritual growth can flow back into the congregation’s growth as a community. Explore new ideas and practical approaches to using Christian education, worship, retreats, devotional […]
In this in-depth study of eight diverse mainline Protestant congregations, anthropologist Fredric Roberts finds that when local congregations are evaluated by spiritual and religious standards instead of corporate- or pop-culture-based values there remains much to celebrate. Roberts recommends that congregations work to discover their own uniqueness and to build upon the strength that already exist […]
From Library Journal: In 13 essays, the contributors, members of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary faculty, explore the meaning of Christian spirituality in its theological, communal, and personal dimensions. Their concern is ‘with that holistic spirituality which impacts every facet of human life.’ The authors’ treatment of their topics vary considerably. Some are scholarly in […]
In this era of “faith-based initiatives,” congregations increasingly find themselves in the business of establishing and supporting community ministries-daycare for infants and toddlers, respite care for elders, and programs for housing rehab and home repair, tutoring, and social justice advocacy. In this volume, Carl S. Dudley revises and updates his earlier book, Basic Steps toward Community […]
Much more than a “how-to” for worship planners. Drawing on more than two decades of collaborative worship planning, as well as numerous conversations with other worship planners. Pastor Howard Vanderwell and musician Norma de Waal Malefyt lay out a thoughtful, field-tested process for planning, implementing, and evaluating life-enriching weekly worship. Well over a dozen field-tested […]