Incline Your Ear

Incline Your Ear: Cultivating Spiritual Awakening in Congregations introduces faith communities and individuals to the centuries-old principles and practices of spiritual direction. Spiritual direction, as Chad R. Abbott and Teresa Blythe practice and teach it, emphasizes four aspects of the faith journey: becoming more aware of the presence of the Holy in our daily lives, reflecting on that awareness and deepening our relationship with God, discerning where God is leading, and sharing our spiritual gifts with the world. Abbott and Blythe also share simple ways to evaluate the outcomes of spiritual awakening: "fruits of the Spirit." As a middle judicatory minister and spiritual director who work with clergy, lay leaders, and congregations around issues of spiritual life and energy, the authors long for churches to become vital spiritual communities that meet the needs of people right where they are. They strive to nurture congregations where pastors don't have to do it all; where members are equipped to share their gifts with one another; where leaders rest easy, knowing the board has discerned the vision well; and where all discover the rich array of spiritual food Christianity serves. In these complex and confusing times, the authors extend to us an invitation and hope: "Incline your ear... that you may live." As communities of faith study and experience Incline Your Ear together, they will find new ways to be in love with God and listen to the Spirit.

This new edition of the standard work "The Englishman's Hebrew Concordance of the Old Testament" is an improved and corrected edition that features a new, larger format. Now coded to "Strong's, " it is invaluable in Bible study for those who do not know Hebrew. A new index of out-of-sequence "Strong's" numbers allows the reader to quickly and easily locate any word by its "Strong's "number. The Hebrew and English indexes have been retained.

This book explores several different aspects of a pastoraEUR(tm)s ministry and life. What is written here is the result of nearly fifty years of experience and observations. It is my hope that this will help many pastors who are relatively new to their mission. I wished I had known some of these matters when I first entered the ministry. Being a pastor is a difficult challenge of which I hope to ease in some small way.The chapters in this book are topical in nature with some connecting to others but often many exploring entirely different subjects. Pastors are leaders, and some are quite opinionated. I would suspect that many pastors will be agreeable with some chapters and opposed to others. ThataEUR(tm)s okay. I want to suggest ideas and challenge other concepts. Use what you can, and may some of these ideas promote and advance the cause of Christ.

LTP also publishes the Weekday Lectionary in a beautiful ritual edition. Each of the three hardback volumes features a two-column format, bright white paper with large type, and three grosgrain ribbons. The sturdy binding allows the book to lie flat for proclamation. LTP's tradition of beautiful ritual book design shines through in the eye-catching gold-foil stamping that graces each cover. These ritual volumes are a wonderful addition to any place of worship. Common of Saints, Ritual Masses, Masses for Various Needs and Occasions, Masses and Masses for the Dead