Growing The Church In The Power Of The Holy Spirit

Is something crucial missing from your congregation's programs? Beneath the surface of churches' programs and activities lies the fundamental question of how leaders and churches can be enabled to discern and obediently cooperate with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This biblically grounded book asserts that many leaders overlook the necessary precondition of cooperating with the empowering will of the Holy Spirit before putting their plans into action. Growing the Church in the Power of the Holy Spirit is a highly practical guide for nurturing relations between believers and the Holy Spirit, a process facilitated by seven dynamics: Love that draws us into engagement Faith and obedience Receiving divine guidance Exercising spiritual discernment Welcoming the gifts and manifestations of the Holy Spirit Intercessory prayer that shapes the future Seeing and responding to kairos moments Advanced by the church leadership and brought into being by the Holy Spirit, these factors help congregations preach and teach, worship, heal, govern, make disciples of converts, and evangelize.

A highly practical guide for nurturing relations between believers and the Spirit, in order to better advance the Kingdom of God.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). The Holy Spirit empowers us, guides us, and enables us to grow and endure in our relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ. Often the most misunderstood member of the Trinity, the person of the Spirit continues to attract attention today amidst church revivals and renewals. In this new edition of his classic Keep in Step with the Spirit, J. I. Packer seeks to help Christians reaffirm the biblical call to holiness and the Spirit s role in keeping our covenant with God. Packer guides us through the riches and depth of the Spirit s work, assesses versions of holiness and the charismatic life, and shows how Christ must always be at the centre of true Spirit-led ministry. A new chapter explores Christian assurance. With abiding relevance and significance, Keep in Step with the Spirit sets forth vital knowledge for healthy and joyous Christian living, through understanding and experience of God the Holy Spirit. Here is a book for every serious believer to read and re-read.

Most books on spiritual formation focus on the individual. But spiritual formation is at the heart of the church's whole purpose for existence. It must be a central task for the church to carry out Christ's mission in the world. This book offers an introduction to spiritual formation set squarely in the local church. The first edition has been well received and widely used as a textbook. The second edition has been updated throughout, incorporates findings from positive psychology, and reflects an Augustinian formation perspective. Foreword by Dallas Willard.

You’re a good leader, but leadership is challenging and can rattle your confidence. Setbacks, challenges, and problems can cause you to second-guess yourself, doubt, or pull back. Your confidence may be stretched thin, but there is a way to strengthen it. In Confident Leader!, Dan Reiland draws from his 39 years of leadership experience to share a practical, workable, and transformational process that results in your ability to become a more self-assured leader and achieve maximum success. Building unshakable confidence will positively impact your personal work performance, your belief in self, your support and approval from others, and your trust and reliance on God. In this book you will learn how to: Make deep foundational decisions about your core identity Implement practical steps for deliberate character development Incorporate daily, practical disciplines that transform your leadership ability Together these essentials present a step-by-step plan to greater confidence, increased influence, less uncertainty, and more significant accomplishments. Learn how to become the most confident version of yourself today.

Winner of a Gold Medal - 2020 Illumination Book Awards Crucial reading for everyone committed to evangelism and church growth. -Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church As most mainline Christian denominations struggle with declining numbers, the Church of England in the Diocese of London is bucking the trend. In one of the most diverse, multi-faith, urban, and pluralistic cities in the world, London churches are growing and thriving against the odds, proclaiming the gospel afresh, and meeting the needs of their communities in creative, innovative, and life-changing ways. Based on more than six years of study, Jason A. Fout offers lessons from London, a road map to growth and revitalization for American churches-big and small, historic and newly started, evangelical and Anglo-Catholic. This remarkable guide offers practical tools as well as insight and inspiration for all who care about the future of the church.

This book deals with the rites of passage into adult Christian living. To pass through these powers of anointing by the Holy Spirit, all of us must take a journey from babyhood (new birth in Christ) to growing in spiritual maturity into that perfect man or woman of God (Ephesians 4:11–12). This will not come overnight or quickly in our walk with the Lord; it will take time, and many will have to sacrifice the things of this world to achieve it. But it can be done by all who are willing to follow the Lord in this world. One hundred percent of us must start by passing through the first level of power that the Holy Spirit bestows upon all who believe in Christ Jesus. Everything in our lives will begin at the cross of Calvary, and from there, we will all go on a trip with the Holy Spirit that will forever change our lives every day. The Holy Spirit will become our teacher and guide (John 16:13) and, depending on how much of him we want, will determine the level of growth we achieve as Christians in this world. It will not come because of traditions of men or preachers proclaiming to have absolute truth but only by the Holy Spirit himself as he teaches and witnesses with your spirit the revelations of God’s Word that only he can give (Romans 8:16). I invite you to travel with me through the pages of this writing and discover the truths that are within. I take no credit for what the Holy Spirit of God has revealed; only he has the wisdom and revelations to open our eyes to his Word. And only he has the anointing power to grow us up from level to level as we progress in his knowledge and power. But here is a truth you must know: the Holy Spirit will not take you any further in spiritual growth than you are willing to allow him to (Matthew 7:11). At every level of anointing you have to pass through to grow and go on to the next level, you will have to ask of him and be willing to sacrifice what needs to be given in order to achieve it. Many who are tied up in religion and bondage to denominationalisms will try to keep you from this growth. Very few in the body of Christ will ever reach full maturity in our Lord. Most already believe that they have achieved this level because they are good Christians—they go to Church, give their tithes, help a few people, work in the church, and say their prayers every day. Outwardly, this may seem like the perfect saint of God, but the Lord is seeking more from us to pick up our cross for him and follow him. This will require commitment, a soldout attitude, sacrifices, and even death—if that’s what it takes! Twelve apostles willingly lived their lives for him and gave their lives in death. The question today is, “How far do you want to grow in Christ?” and “Do you want to live your life for him or continue to play church on earth?” This book will change the way you see yourself with Christ; it will help you come out of organized religion and walk with your Lord the way he meant it to be. Only the Holy Spirit can show you these things to come. I hope this book will challenge you to become the mature Christians God intends for all of us to become. In Christ’s love, Dr. Richard E. Weathers, PsyD