Sharpening The Focus Of The Church

IT'S ALL HEREThe purpose of the church. The growth of the church through proper edification. New Testament principles of administration and organization. Communication of the principle of New Testament evangelism. The effects of the church on the world. The effects of the world on the church. How culture affects the church. How the church should affect culture. How to formulate objectives, goals, and standards in order to be a true New Testament church.

Ministry professional Allan Taylor writes to all church leaders about the crucial role that Sunday School must play in producing healthy Christians who in turn produce healthy churches. He emphasizes the value of the Sunday School model to the total church ministry for its superior ability to nurture relationships and more personally stir passion for the Great Commission across every age group. Taylor presents the sharply focused idea that all Sunday School programs are either imploding (through directionless ineffectiveness) or exploding (thanks to visionary leadership and practicing some fundamental disciplines). As such, he guides the reader toward growth principles that must be operative for any church to begin or continue a transformational Sunday School boom.

A timeless classic for solid grounding and renewal. Is your church adrift? Many churches are struggling to stay focused--to stay on point and hold fast to gospel essentials. Competing voices threaten to divide rather than unite and grow the church. In Sharpening the Focus of the Church, Dr. Gene Getz has written a classic, insightful, biblical treatise on church renewal. Getz focuses on New Testament principles as applied to the unique needs of contemporary culture and roots readers in the perspective of the history of the church. Discover how to sharpen your church's focus through the lenses of Scripture, church history, and present-day needs. As you embark on this in-depth study of New Testament teaching, you will experience the power of the Word and the power of the Spirit transforming your church from the inside out. You'll find positive, biblical solutions to the problems facing the church today, with practical advice for finding solutions to contemporary questions.

Church leaders are presented with winning practices to strengthen growing and non-growing Sunday School programs, where the health of great churches is most often rooted.

After years of observation, I have concluded that so many local churches function without regard to their God-given, biblical mission and objectives because of their unclear mission, their unbiblical targets, or their unbalanced objectives. The Lord God has already given His church a clearly defined mission for the present age. Yet so many local churches seem to function without understanding their biblical mission their God-directed reason for existence while other local churches and their leaders have revised or even compromised their God-given mission, thinking that they know better than God. Some churches disband Sunday school, dismantle the choir, and disassemble pews only to replace them with other programs and ideas that will become traditional soon enough. Traditions, customs, and worship styles vary from culture to culture and from generation to generation. I've been in the gospel ministry long enough to have seen the pendulum swing back and forth a time or two. So many ministries, programs, concepts, and styles are not new, but just repackaged. Today's "new," "fresh," "blended" methods will become "traditional" to the next generation after a short period of time. Too often we are more involved in following the latest fad than we are in striving to "do all to the glory of God." What really matters is whether you have presented a true and accurate opinion and view of the nature and character of God so that others will praise and exalt Him to His worthy place of honor, esteem, and excellence.

Do you really want the mission to succeed? Are you prepared to live within clear boundaries? Are you ready to align yourself with a greater purpose? Do you have what it takes? Winning on Purpose offers leaders a way to organize congregations for success by creating structures that enable church life and health. As a comprehensive and powerful application of the biblical call to mission, Winning on Purpose sets forth the Accountable Leadership strategy. This model of leadership brings together standards for mission, boundaries, and accountability, and then shows how these standards come to life through the performance of four key players: the board, the pastor, the staff, and the congregation.To read a sample from the book click here

Because teaching is at the heart of Christian ministry, the editors of Invitation to Educational Ministry have assembled a team of seasoned experts to present a comprehensive plan of Christian education. This volume will help church staff, parachurch leaders, and small-group teachers become more effective, influential, and creative. After laying a biblical and practical foundation for Christian education, the contributors provide specific guidance on teaching a variety of individuals and groups, including children, adults, singles, seniors, and non-Christians. The final section shares valuable insights on leading small groups, teaching innovatively, and overseeing a healthy educational ministry, among other topics. Each chapter is designed to equip educators with the most relevant information, and includes many useful features: • Real-life case studies • Scriptural support • Explanations of key terms and concepts • Practical suggestions • Resources for additional study • Sidebars illustrating best principles and practices