Showing results by narrator "Josh Childs" in All Categories

The Bible is under attack on all sides. Unbelievers denounce it as backward, narrow-minded, and intolerant, and even some professing Christians deny its truth to gain approval from the culture. With each assault, we hear echoes of the serpent’s question in the garden of Eden: “Did God really say?” Unfortunately, many believers don’t know how to answer these challenges and find their confidence in God’s Word shaken.

Have you ever noticed that conflict is absolutely everywhere? Though we all want harmony in our relationships and our world, peace seems so hard to come by. No matter its form, conflict always finds us. And often, we let it overtake us. In this short, biblical, and practical book, pastor and author Tony Merida shows us that it doesn’t have to be this way. Merida not only paints a stunning picture of Christ our peacemaker he also shows us how to stop wishing for peace and go make it.

Most parenting approaches end up encouraging children to ask the wrong questions about life: What’s in it for me? Are you going to pay me for that? What’s the minimum I need to do to get by? But God’s Word gives us a better way to parent, one that builds strong internal motivation in children. When parents change the way they parent, kids change the way they live. This practical book explores a theology of internal motivation and then gives parents real-life solutions to equip their kids for life.

In sharing his own story of being a committed believer who struggled with same sex attraction early in his life, author, husband, and father Alan Chambers will help you understand the issues from the inside. And as the former president of the largest ex-gay ministry, Alan knows all the arguments, the concerns, the scriptures, and the heartaches.

Do you want to reignite your passion for the local church and see your congregation live out the Great Commission by growing and making disciples? If so, implementing the revolutionary Intentional Growth Planning™ operating system will benefit you, your church, and your community! Just as laptops and smart phones have an operating system, the church needs a biblically based operating system where its various programs and activities can effectively plug in to.

In King Jesus and the Beauty of Obedience-Based Discipleship, David Young presents a bold call for obedience-based discipleship and argues that it alone is the proper response to the kingship of Jesus.

Ministry comes with many weighty responsibilities. Ministry leaders are called to teach, serve, and lead. But in leading those under their care, there comes a moment when they recognize the future leaders under their leadership. With this recognition comes an all too familiar question: What comes next? In Calling Out the Called, Scott Pace and Shane Pruitt answer this question by giving direction, encouragement, and a charge for ministry leaders to recognize the future leaders in their midst and do what needs to be done for the future of ministry: the calling out of the called.

"If you aim your children at anything less than greatness, you'll set them up to miss the whole point of their lives," says author Tim Kimmel. In Raising Kids for True Greatness, Kimmel turns the definition of success on its head and guides you in preparing your child for a life that will easily eclipse the goals of those who are merely successful.

Get ready for a crash course in effective communication. More than just a book on how to "do talks," Speaking to Teenagers combines the experience and wisdom of two veteran youth ministry speakers, along with insightful research and practical tools, to help you develop messages that engage students with the love of Christ and the power of his Word. Whether you're crafting a five-minute devotional or a 30-minute sermon, Speaking to Teenagers is essential to understanding and preparing great messages.

“To be continued…” The words build anticipation for what's coming...which is great for a Netflix binge, but not a healthy pattern for our lives. In real life, constant continuation causes our lives to pile up, episode upon episode, with no space for reflection or rest. This book is for the too-busy, driven person who's moving on to the next win, without ever processing how one season of life affects the next. When we fail to finish well, we live with a pile of unfinished beginnings. But finished things become usable things because they are a part of the story of God’s grace.

There is a new normal that can, and should, emerge from the ashes of 2020. The ancient wisdom of Jesus gives us just that. Ten Steps to Your Best Life extracts 10 clear steps that Jesus taught for living in and through the most difficult times of transition. Discover how to emerge from the shadows with a clear vision for living well in a post-pandemic world.

Most of us think that if we could simply balance our lives better, we would be happier. But what we actually need is to rediscover the rhythm. As Christians, our whole life consists of loving God and loving others, just like Jesus did. In this book, Wright invites us to find true joy as we embrace these two core realities and discover how they are meant to work in tandem. Explore the rhythm of Christian life, and recapture the joy of life together as God always intended.

Justin Zoradi was once haunted by this question as a young person daunted by the world's needs, yet wanting to make a difference. But when some friends from across the world invited him to join them, Justin said yes - and felt a small spark ignite within. That spark led to the founding of These Numbers Have Faces, a social enterprise investing in the next generation of African leaders. Made for These Times is a field guide to help you find your own spark as you remember who were made to be.

You play it cool, letting your team take half days on Friday and overlooking the occasional latecomer to the office. You stand up for your people and make sure they know you’re there for them, but they still hate working for you. What gives? Well, you’re clearly screwing something up, and it’s time you find out what it is.

Our lives can get messy - a tangle of past hurts, ruined dreams, and broken hopes. But God is never afraid of a mess. In Your Mess Matters, Luke Lezon equips us to trust our tangled lives to God, letting him work his biggest promises through our greatest regrets and transforming our messes into masterpieces.

The widening of political, racial, generational, and religious differences leads too often to an "us vs. them" mentality. The gospels display how Jesus was committed to crossing the either/or waters of the cultural and societal wars of his day. Using Jesus' example, J.R. Briggs offers a fresh and relevant understanding of evangelism and discipleship in our present time of extreme polarization. Without sacrificing biblical integrity, The Sacred Overlap is a joyful exploration of the complexity of life in the peace of Christ.

In Unfailing, pastor and teacher Rob Renfroe reminds us that because God is faithful to his word, we can base our lives on what he has said. And though hard times may follow where we experience confusion, loss, and pain - feeling overwhelmed - if we stand on the promises of God, we, too, will not fail. Jesus promised that everyone who hears his words and puts them into practice is like a wise man who builds his house on a rock. Though the storms blow and the streams rise, the house does not fail because it is built on the rock.

Wheaton College scholar Nicholas Perrin takes on Ehrman and others who claim that the text of the New Testament has been corrupted beyond recognition. Perrin gives us a layman's guide to textual criticism so that listeners can understand the subtleties of Ehrman's critiques, and provides firm evidence to suggest that the New Testament can be trusted.

"For many years I struggled to lead in a difficult environment. My colleagues seemed to thrive on conflict. I sure didn't. I tried to be a servant, but I couldn't compete with their charisma and intensity." Whether you lead in a church or the marketplace, you probably relate to Tom Harper's desire to serve with strength. This book is the result of his three-year search through the Bible for wisdom on how to establish authority, overcome resistance, develop boldness, and manage conflict.