Gentle Shepherd Ministries Discipleship And Supplementation Courses

In your hands you hold the combination of the works of Rayola Kelley and Jeannette Haley. Co-founders of Gentle shepherd Ministries in 1989, they have striven to make the glorious truth of Jesus Christ and His redemption a living reality to the hearts of His followers. Included in this book are the Gentle Shepherd Ministries Discipleship Course that has been requested and used by people throughout the world, along with Bible Studies, excerpts from sermons, and articles. Every bit of material in this resource of information has been compiled with one goal in mind, and that is to build up and nurture the life of Christ in the members of His Body, the Church. Although some information will seem repetitious, one must remember the subjects and themes are eternal truths that can and must be approached from different angles to ensure a sound spiritual foundation and a sturdy structure that clearly expresses the new creation mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5:17. The information and challenges put forth in this book will not only nurture the serious disciple of Jesus, but it will bring a well-rounded understanding as to the fundamental beliefs that make up the Christian faith.

In your hands you hold the combination of the works of Rayola Kelley and Jeannette Haley. Co-founders of Gentle shepherd Ministries in 1989, they have striven to make the glorious truth of Jesus Christ and His redemption a living reality to the hearts of His followers. Included in this book are the Gentle Shepherd Ministries Discipleship Course that has been requested and used by people throughout the world, along with Bible Studies, excerpts from sermons, and articles. Every bit of material in this resource of information has been compiled with one goal in mind, and that is to build up and nurture the life of Christ in the members of His Body, the Church. Although some information will seem repetitious, one must remember the subjects and themes are eternal truths that can and must be approached from different angles to ensure a sound spiritual foundation and a sturdy structure that clearly expresses the new creation mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5:17. The information and challenges put forth in this book will not only nurture the serious disciple of Jesus, but it will bring a well-rounded understanding as to the fundamental beliefs that make up the Christian faith.

Issues of the Heart is the fourth volume of seven volumes in a foundational series that was written to complement Gentle Shepherd Ministries Discipleship and Supplementation Courses. This volume deals with the real heart of the Christian walk. At the heart of Christianity are relationships. Christians' relationship with God and others determines the quality of their life. The four books in this volume deal with relationships in lieu of godly positions and responsibilities. The first book addresses destructive attitudes and cycles that disrupt relationships, the second with marriage and children, the third addresses the challenges of being single, and the fourth concerns Christian adults who are contending with difficult parents. Each book strips away the confusion that so often surrounds these different matters and reveals the real heart of the problem in light of the solution.

This book is written from a theological perspective. It explains certain concepts of what is expected of a pastor in pastoral ministry. The pages of this book contain the definition of a pastor in details. This book also highlights if a pastor is called divinely by God or if he is self appointed. It also asks the question, Can anyone be or become a pastor? Which it then answers. A Shepherds Responsibilities in Pastoral Ministry lists in details the distinguishing qualification and characteristics of a pastor or a man or woman of God, which includes being able to display spiritual maturity, having good financial uprightness, and having the much-needed gift of the Holy Spirit to activate the spirit of discernment. The overall representation is that they must be a good ambassador in displaying the Lord who had called them to lead His people. This book also informs us of certain personal and spiritual objectives of the leader/pastor, such as he or she must be devoted to their immediate family, exercise self-control, have an active prayer life, and have the ability to be gentle and humble in spirit. Not only are the pastors responsible to personally maintain their behaviors, they are called to show forth their spiritual responsibilities as well. These pages give examples of the pastors function in ministering the word of God by teaching, preaching, and offering sacraments (e.g., marriage). The climax points to the good shepherd that is Jesus Christ, the One who implemented the Christian church, which is still standing and making her mark in todays society.

The Gospel of John would seem to be both the “spiritual Gospel” and a Gospel that promotes Christian mission. Some interpreters, however, have found John to be the product of a sectarian community that promotes a very narrow view of Christian mission and advocates neither love of neighbor nor love of enemy. In this book for both the academy and the church, Michael Gorman argues that John has a profound spirituality that is robustly missional, and that it can be summarized in the paradoxical phrase “Abide and go,” from John 15. Disciples participate in the divine love and life, and therefore in the life-giving mission of God manifested in the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. As God’s children, disciples become more and more like this missional God as they become like his Son by the work of the Spirit. This spirituality, argues Gorman, can be called missional theosis.

Anyone familiar with the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd has probably encountered the early description of this approach to the religious formation of the child in The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey. With major contributions by Sofia Cavalletti, Gianna Gobbi, Silvana Montanaro, and Patricia Coulter, this book has long been a “core text’ for catechists and also for parents of children in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Now there is a new edition, which reflects the changes in the presentations and the materials that Sofia Cavalletti made in the years before her death in August 2011. The original contributions of the authors are retained in Part I. In Part II, long time catechist and one of the first US catechists to study with Sofia Cavalletti, Rebekah Rojcewicz, has carefully outlined the current methods and developments in the work. This includes a selection of the key parables and scripture texts that are presented to the children. She also offers a new Introduction in which she describes the process by which the original authors and founders of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd came to recognize the child’s potential for a relationship with God and learned what nurtures that experience. The original art work by Julie Coulter-English is retained in this new edition.

Experts develop a biblical theology for family ministry to help churches reach all types of families today, from traditional nuclear homes to single-parent, blended, and gay-partner families, and beyond.

The times are definitely changing. What was once simply referred to as a Nuclear Family in North America has morphed into labels such as Non-Traditional Families, Fragmented Families, Single-Parent Families, Gay-Partner Families, Blended Families, and beyond. "It may not always be pretty, but it is reality, and that's the intersection between biblical ideal and ministry practice," writes editor Michael J. Anthony in A Theology for Family Ministry. With thoroughly researched input from a broad team of family experts, the book advises church and ministry leaders on how to make biblically and philosophically informed choices when reaching out to adults and children within these shifting paradigms. Emphasis is placed on what the Scriptures teach about the composition of the home, followed by discerning and hopefilled strategies for helping all families live out their God-given mandates. "While the family may continue to change into models that bring discomfort and angst to some of us, we rest in the assurance that God has a plan for those who live in any of these new configurations of what we now call family," explains Anthony. Other contributors include Ken Canfield, Michelle D. Anthony, Karen E. Jones, Freddy Cardoza, Michael S. Lawson, Richard Melick Jr., Curt Hamner, Leon Blanchette, Gordon R. Coulter, James W. Thompson, Timothy Paul Jones, Randy Stinson, Kit Rae, and David Keehn.