Serve Your City Leader S Guide

In this Leader's Guide companion to Serve Your City, we'll take seven weeks of content to look at God's heart of compassion, how He has equipped us to serve, and how groups can serve most effectively.

Dino Rizzo serves as the Executive Director of ARC (Association of Related Churches), an organization he co-founded which has planted hundreds of churches across the country. He is also the author of the book Servolution. In 1992, Dino and his wife DeLynn founded Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a church they pastored for twenty years. Today, Dino also serves as an Associate Pastor at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham. Dino and DeLynn have three incredible children.

In at least one way, we're not that different: Every person on the planet longs to be fully known and deeply loved -- both, not one or the other. To be known but not loved makes us feel terribly exposed; to be loved but not known is superficial and unfulfilling. In this book, Jonathan Wiggins explains the heart of God for rich, strong, healing relationships. He teaches from a compelling biblical perspective, and each chapter is full of illustrative stories and practical suggestions. And Jonathan writes from experience. He has developed this kind of relationship on his staff team. They call themselves "lions" because they've found the courage to be honest and supportive as they work together to do great things for God's kingdom. The concepts in this book apply to staff teams, small groups, families, and friends. If you believe life change happens in relationships, this book is for you.

Through the pages of the Gospels, we see Jesus model a "show and tell" life and ministry to His followers- He "showed" them how to serve by healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and caring for the poor-and while He was demonstrating compassion, He taught them, "telling" them of God's immense love. This is the way to show God's heart of compassion for the people in our cities and towns, and this is the way to break down barriers so people will listen to the life-changing message of the gospel of grace. In this book, you'll sense Dino's heart, be inspired by his stories and learn from his experiences, as well as many ARC churches that are serving their cities with a Jesus-style no-strings-attached kind of love. This is at the core of who ARC is - a deep passion to see churches thrive as part of the cities they serve.

Surprise – whoever you are, you’re a missionary! If you call yourself a follower of Jesus, God calls you his missionary. You may never go halfway around the world. You may not raise financial support. But because of God’s gospel work in you, you are on mission: to people in your work, school, neighborhood, and those in need. As everyday missionaries, God has sent us to live out his Great Commission in the ordinary, normal, all-too-busy, and even most mundane moments of our lives. But what exactly does an everyday missionary do? Where and when does this everyday mission happen? Most importantly, how can you possibly share the gospel, without killing your relationships?! Those are the types of questions A Field Guide for Everyday Mission answers for individuals, churches, small groups, Sunday schools, and missional communities. Many resources exist on missional theory, missional leadership, and even missional stories. But based on their years of helping people tangibly demonstrate the gospel, pastors and practitioners Ben Connelly and Bob Roberts Jr. have created an immediately implementable resource to help ordinary followers of Jesus put the idea of mission into everyday practice. Each day’s reading includes a biblical principle that can immediately be put into practice. Each reading ends with a few ways to help you live out the principle in your daily life. By the end of day 30, you’ll have 101 different ways to demonstrate the gospel in your daily life. And along the way, other practitioners such as Jeff Vanderstelt, Rick McKinley, and Lance Ford share stories about living on God’s everyday mission in their unique context. A Field Guide for Everyday Mission is a tool designed for you, whether you’re newly considering the missional idea, whether you’ve never heard the word before, or whether you’ve spent years trying to figure out how to put that idea into practice.

How many of us are living up to our full, God-given potential? What's holding us back--and how can we overcome it? These are the questions Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Dykes Henson want us to ask--and answer--with the help of The New You. With energy and enthusiasm, the authors take a holistic view of health that encompasses the physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental areas of our lives, giving us proven, systematic ways to dramatically improve each. Readers come away with specific strategies to - lose weight - get more sleep - lower stress - nurture better relationships - connect with God - and much more Anyone who wants to trade in the frustration of average living and less-than health for the hallmarks of the new life God promises will find The New You an effective personal guide for the journey. ***** "People are looking for the big miracle or the one secret solution or the one answer to solve all their problems. This exciting book focuses on small steps . . . many small steps . . . to transform your life."--Elmer L. Towns, cofounder and vice president, Liberty University "Are you tired, worn down, discouraged, and longing for a vibrant life--a new you? Then this book is the prescription you need. Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Dykes Henson have compiled a simple, yet comprehensive, list of biblical principles anchored in scientific fact that when applied energizes the tired, rejuvenates the worn down, and invigorates the discouraged. Because of God's design for life, if you do what this book teaches, you cannot avoid a healthier and happier life."--Timothy R. Jennings, MD, DFAPA, psychiatrist and author of The Aging Brain and The God-Shaped Brain "The New You is like a handbook for life. The content is clear, concise, and compelling. And Nelson and Jennifer write in a style that is straightforward, biblical, and highly practical. Your life will be better if you read and do what this book says."--Lance Witt, founder, Replenish Ministries "Having no vision for your life should be alarming. However, having a big vision with no plan is senseless. This book will help you cultivate both! I love what Nelson and Jennifer have done because they've made complicated concepts incredibly approachable. You're going to want to keep this book near you for the rest of your life."--Clay Scroggins, lead pastor, North Point Community Church "The New You proves a timely book, as Christians are recognizing in increasing number the call to offer our bodies as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1)."--Matthew C. Easter, assistant professor of Bible, Missouri Baptist University "The best book in a long time about how to balance spiritual and physical health! Searcy and Henson give an easy-to-follow plan for improving health while growing your spiritual life. Keep this book on your nightstand, in your car, or in your bag to consult it often and learn how physical health and spiritual growth were intended to work together."--Bob Whitesel, DMin PhD, award-winning author of 13 books, coach, consultant, and speaker on church health and growth at ChurchHealth.net "Progress, not perfection! This approach to life keeps me sane and moving in the right direction. It is also what makes The New You such a valuable tool for making the most of your wellness. Read and apply this book and your total person will be transformed!"--Steve Reynolds, pastor of Capital Baptist Church in Annandale, Virginia, and author of Bod4God: Twelve Weeks to Lasting Weight Loss "A refreshing and eye-opening read. Their practical and frank confrontation of the questions and unhealthy habits we often have encourages truthful reflection on how we serve as ministers and Christians. This is balanced brilliantly with the small steps to change, which provide motivation and are nonthreatening for persons who can become overwhelmed by just thinking about getting healthy."--Dwight Fletcher, founder and senior pastor, Transformed Life Church, Kingston, Jamaica "I was not a healthy pastor. I was overweight, out of shape, stressed out, and headed for an early grave. Two years ago, I finally decided to put into practice the principles that Nelson shares in this new book, the same principles that he has been living and sharing with me through coaching. Nelson is right, it really is the small things, done consistently over time, that make a huge impact in every area of life. In the past two years I've lost over eighty-five pounds and kept it off. I have more energy than I've ever had and I'm healthier than I've ever been. I cannot wait to share this book with you! You really are one small step away from a brand new you!"--Pastor Chris Rollins, Coastal Community Church, Charleston, South Carolina "Nelson has been my friend and role model for ministry for nearly thirty years. I have witnessed him excel in every area of life from school to family life to church leadership. The principles that have helped him to be a good friend, husband, father, and pastor are shared in The New You in order to take you from an average life to an abundant life!"--Michael A. Jordan, pastor, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Axton, Virginia "In The New You, Nelson and Jennifer not only give the reader a checkup but they also give strategies for improving the most important areas of life. If you desire greater energy, clearer thinking, and spiritual vitality, this is the book for you."--Brian Moore, lead pastor, Crosspointe Church Anaheim "This book will strengthen your life, regardless of your faith. You will walk away stronger mentally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. From the first chapter to the last, you will find big and small ideas you can use now. Don't wait, buy this book now."--Jimmy Britt, lead pastor, Rocky River Church, Charlotte, North Carolina "Nelson and Jennifer have done it again! Having known Nelson for over a decade, I have personally benefited from the teachings in this book. I recommend this book to everyone! And I think it would be a great book for small group study too."--Dr. Rick Mandl, senior pastor, Eagle Rock Baptist Church, Los Angeles, California "The New You is actually about reclaiming YOU! The YOU God envisioned . . . the YOU God created . . . the YOU God loves. In addition to physical health, Nelson and Jennifer delve into the spiritual, emotional, and mental dimensions of what makes for a healthy YOU. And that's where The New You really shines. Their holistic approach to your health provides insights galore and, at the end of each chapter, simple and specific strategies to help YOU reclaim more of what God intended for YOU all along!"--Pastor Kent Wilson, creator of 9Minutes2Fit workout program, certified functional aging specialist, and assistant to the bishop in the Northwestern Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America "Wholeness and healing are at the top of God's priority list. By clearly explaining the biblical principles that point to full health, the authors make human wholeness not only understandable but, through a series of small steps, doable."--Stan Pegram, lead pastor, BMZ Regional Church

Vision. It can be a very slippery thing. As leaders, we can have a crystal-clear sense of purpose and direction at some points, but they may seem like foreign objects from time to time. Sooner or later, it happens to all of us. In this book, Pastor Greg Surratt shares his story of asking himself hard questions... and finding the answers to be both surprising and inspiring. He addresses the crucial topics of limitations, culture, and legacy, but he also dives into harder issues of how to handle heartaches and what actually captures the hearts of the people we lead. Re-Visioning is designed to recharge our leadership batteries and equip us to inspire our teams with humility, boldness, and joy.