Open The Church Door

A lift-the-flap board book all about church from the creator of Open the Preschool Door, Open the Barn Door, and Open the Garage Door! Little ones will love lifting 11 fun flaps to find a smiling Sunday school teacher, their friends and family, arts and crafts, and much, much more in this bright and engaging board book. With a simple story and colorful and inviting illustrations, this is the perfect way to introduce children to what a day at church can be like.

Author and church-growth expert Charles Arn reveals how vital congregations are good at empowering their people to pursue their unique strengths. It is by discovering the passions of its individual insiders that a church can creatively and effectively draw the outsiders into its fellowship and into Jesus. This book is crucial not only for a church's leadership, but for all motivated members who have a vision for engaging more of their local body in relevant ministry. See how God has been drawing believers out of the pews, through their church's walls, and directly into their communities by way of their side doors. God is using his people to make disciples, and they are actually loving it! FREE downloads available, including Planning Guide, Assessment Charts, Congregational Survey, discussion guide, and more!

Jesus said He would build His church; our job is to follow. The Church of the Open Door calls us to a dynamic, Spirit-filled life as the body of Christ. Warren Wiersbe’s study of Acts, the Epistles and Revelation paints a picture of what the church should do and be.

Open Wide the Doors to Christ, is a powerful tool for both teachers and students of the Catholic faith. As an excellent resource for RCIA and Adult Faith Formation, this insightful book discusses the basics of the Catholic faith -- and how we can live it fully. As the "meat and potatoes" of Catholicism, it is an introduction to the Church's teachings on the Creed, the sacraments, the moral life, prayer and much more -- with particular focus upon those who are seeking to become Catholic. Presented in a way that adults from all walks of life can understand, the book challenges readers to dig deeper and to continue to grow in their understanding of Christ and the Catholic Church.

This is the church. This is the steeple. Open the doors. See all of the people. This is how it began. As a child, this was my introduction to the church, my place in the church, and the purpose of the church in the world around us. The things we have experience in our journey in understanding God's heart for us are never covered within the concept of those four hand movements because God loves to operate out from behind closed doors. In fact, we have had it all wrong for a very long time. We act out the little children's rhyme and when we "Open the doors to see all of the people" part, we are looking within the walls as if the most important thing about the purpose of the church is what happens within. The reality is the most important thing about the church is what it does without. When we open the doors we should be looking out of the church to "See all of the people." The focus of the modern Christian in many cases has become more about what is going on within the church than upon what is going on without. We have no trouble saying "This is the church; this is the steeple" part, but somewhere in the process of making those hand gestures we hit a snag. We have a disconnect with our ability to effectively get everyone within the church with a steeple to open the doors. We seem to feel a struggle with the "Open the doors and see all the people" part. Opening a door starts with one person deciding a door needs to be opened and then doing something about it. This book is an invitation to notice what we have missed.

Many Christians who experience hurt in the church don't just leave their own churches; they leave the church altogether. Whether they have been wounded by pastors or people in the pews, these believers have had enough and are jumping ship in massive numbers. Pastor and churchgoer Chris Jackson is honest about his own failings as well as those of the church at large. He identifies with many of the hurts churchgoing Christians have experienced. In Loving God When You Don't Love the Church, he hopes to provide healing to wounded and disillusioned believers and restore the wonder of a genuine relationship with Jesus and his bride, the church. Jackson's humility, compassion, and practical advice for healing and restoration will touch those who have left the church and those who love them.