Author Frank Viola gives readers language for all they knew was missing in their modern church experience. He believes that many of today's congregations have shifted from God's original intent for the church. As a prominent leader of the house church movement, Frank is at the forefront of a revolution sweeping through the body of Christ. A change that is challenging the spiritual status quo and redefining the very nature of church. A movement inspired...

In 1944, the Nazis razed Warsaw's historic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. "They knew that the strength of the Polish nation was rooted in the Cross, Christ's Passion, the spirit of the Gospels, and the invincible Church," argued Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński in a letter celebrating the building's subsequent reconstruction. "To weaken and destroy the nation, they knew they must first deprive it of its Christian spirit." Wyszynski insisted that Catholicism...

52 Churches visits a different Christian church every Sunday: Protestant mainline, evangelical, and charismatic, Roman Catholic, and more. It's not a church-shopping romp or a mean-spirited journalistic expoš. Instead it's a gift that offers encouragement, hope, and support to the Christian Church. Written as narrative, 52 Churches calls us to embrace all the branches of Jesus's church and expand our practice of worshiping God.

"This is the story of thirteen churches and the leaders who moved them from stagnancy to growth and from mediocrity to greatness. Drawing on one of the most comprehensive studies ever on the church, this book reveals the process of becoming a "breakout" church and the factors that lead to this spiritual metamorphosis."--The Publisher description.

This work is a narrative account of the history of Christianity from its beginning to the end of the first millennium. The principal theme is the slow drama of the building of a Christian civilization. A major theme is the mission of Christians among different peoples in many regions of the ancient world: Ethiopia, Nubia, Armenia, Georgia, Persia, central Asia, India, China as well as among the Germanic peoples of northern Europe and the Slavic peoples...

Most of us have prodigals in our lives, whether a child, brother, sister, husband, wife, or friend. The ache for these dear ones is like no other. They may hurt us and disappoint us, but somehow we cannot stop loving them. And yet we cannot live their lives for them. The Prodigal-Friendly Church looks at why people leave the church, how we can retain them, how we can reach those who have already gone, and how we can help those who return feel like...

Reminds listeners how powerful the Church can be and calls this generation to passionately pursue God's vision for His beloved Bride. If God had it His way, what would your church look like? The New York Times bestselling author of Crazy Love challenges readers to be the Church as God intends. Do you want more from your church experience?Does the pure gospel put you in a place of awe? Are you ready to rethink church as you know it? Sit with Pastor...

The revised and expanded edition will include new information, new teaching resources, and perspectives gained in the last eight years, as well as the General Convention resolutions of 2015. Beyond Business as Usual is full of resources for forming the vestry as a learning community. It deals with the "soft" side of leadership that enables the pastor and vestry together to journey along the leadership path. Each chapter can be read and reviewed...

The key to effective leadership in the vast majority of today's churches lies as much with their governing boards as it does with their pastor. But many churches are lead by those who volunteer to chair committees because there is a need, yet they have no leadership training to speak of. How can well-meaning but sometimes ill-prepared lay people guide the path of a church body? The secret lies in offering effective, practical training. Leadership...

This book will forever change the way you think about church! The statistics are clear: The American church is in decline. People are leaving in astounding numbers, with no sign of a turnaround. And despite church leaders' best efforts to stem the tide, more than 80 percent of people are finding something better to do on Sunday mornings. Why? Is there hope for the future of the church? In this groundbreaking new book, Thom and Joani Schultz expose...