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    There are so many areas in the church for pastors to need to be able to address and minister in, fortunately there are many excellent resources for pastors to help equip them to minister effectively.  We will look at a few here.

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Churches That Heal Author - Doug Murren Publisher - Howard Publishing

• Favorite Features
• clearly shows need for and outlines how to help your church become a safe and healing place
• explains how churches wound - what to watch for
• emphasis on creating "guilt-free zones"
• explains need for and how to establish boundaries

    All pastors and those in church leadership should read this book.  Extremely well done Doug and Howard Publishing!

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Be a Motivational Leader Author - LeRoy Eims Publisher - Cook

• Favorite Features
• focuses on you taking the necessary steps to be a leader worth following - not how to get people to follow you
• outlines qualities for a leader
• communicate
• delegate
• care
• set goals
• personal and group study guide includes -
• topic
• community builder
• questions
• prayer focus
• activities/assignments
• walks through a Scriptural approach to leadership

    This book will give the individual or a small group much to think and talk through about what true leadership is and isn't.  Extremely well done LeRoy and Cook!

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Pastors at Greater Risk Authors - H. B. London, Jr. & Neil Wiseman Publisher - Regal Books

• Favorite Features -
• walks through common areas of struggle pastors have and areas of risk
• recognizing risk in ministry
• conquering risk in your family life
• overcoming risk in your personal life
• interviews with James Dobson and others in ministry provide solid insight
• each chapter begins with a personal word from H.B. London, Jr and then lists risk factors
• each chapter ends with your challenge and renewal strategies
• excellent information on preserving/strengthening your marriage, family , wife and kids
• excellent information on avoiding stress/burnout and managing priorities
• 12 steps to more effective ministry

    Every pastor should take the time to read this book - as well as every elder's board so they know how to better support and encourage their pastors.  Extremely well done H.B., Neil and Regal Books!

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The Emotionally Healthy Church Author - Peter Scazzero Publisher - Zondervan

• Favorite Features -
• discussion and application questions for restructuring discipleship in the back
• website with additional resources available
• looks at how to be emotionally healthy by -
• going beneath the surface
• breaking the power of the past
• being broken and vulnerable
• understanding and making boundaries
• grieving
• listening

    There are many people in our churches who are hurting emotionally as well as many who do not understand what that is like.  This book should be read by every leader in the church so they will be able to help those who are hurting, encourage others to do the same and in so doing, build an emotionally healthy church.  Extremely well done Peter and Zondervan!

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The Power of Vision Author - George Barna Publisher - Regal Publishing

• Favorite Features -
• thoroughly explains what vision is, why is is essential to churches and how to determine your vision as well as how to communicate that vision
• provides examples of concise, clear vision statements
• explains difference between mission statement and a vision statement -
• mission outlines objectives and are general statements
• vision is specific and detailed
• outlines 20 myths that mar vision and what the reality for each myth is
• emphasizes vision must be God centered and walks through four essential components of vision
• explains nine characteristics of vision
• explains 12 benefits of vision as well as six vision killers
• provides six keys to communicating the vision
• encouragement to pastors to stick with their vision and the work of communicating that vision
• challenge to have a personal vision for your life
• each chapter begins with outline of highlights
• three Bible studies on vision
• seven steps to market your church according to your vision
• five objections to vision churches may raise

    For a church to grow and be truly alive, there must be a clear vision for that church.  This book walks leaders through how to develop and communicate their vision - extremely well done George and Regal Publishing!

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Preaching With Relevance Without Dumbing Down Author - Keith Willhite Publisher - Kregel Publications

• Favorite Features -
• each chapter begins stating the general objective and the specific objectives - excellent
• emphasis on being intentional in knowing your audience and looking from the pew instead of from the pulpit
• tools for audience analysis
• "You try it" at the end of each chapter to help you apply - excellent
• nine steps to shape relevant sermons
• worksheet for audience relevance
• four tools to unify a sermon
• how to use illustrations and tell the story well - 14 guidelines for using illustrations
• eight guidelines for preaching with clarity

    This book is an excellent resource to provide challenge and encouragement for pastors to breathe life into their preaching while effectively communicating the truth of God's Word.  Tremendously well done Keith and Kregel Publications!

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What Really Matters - 30 Devotions for Church Leadership Teams Authors - Mike Foss and Terri Elton Publisher - Group Publishing

• Favorite Features -
• 30 devotions designed for leadership teams to work and grow through together
• devotions cover five areas -
• personal discipleship
• the call
• vision
• raising up leaders around you
• conflict and change
• each devotion includes -
• Scripture
• devotional thoughts
• leadership prayer
• team matters -activity for group to complete, reflect and discuss
• getting real - questions to work through and action to take
• reproducible resources

    For Leadership teams to be really effective, they have to spend time working through God's Word together.  This resource is an excellent tool to get teams growing and learning together.  Extremely well done Mike, Terri and Group Publishing!

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Authors - James Furr, Mike Bonem & Jim Herrington
Publisher - Jossey-Bass

Leading Congregational Change	Leading Congregational Change Workbook

• Favorite Features -
• makes the point, "If you keep doing what you've been doing, you'll keep getting what you've been getting.  Can you live with that?" - excellent!
• makes vital point to measure effectiveness not by increase in numbers compared to previous year, but rather by impact on community.
• encourages pastors that, "change does not happen without conflict"
• identifies two types of conflict -
• life threatening - lose sight of vision, murmur against leadership, disobey God, concerned with own comfort rather than achieving God's plan
• life giving - seeking God's will to a disagreement where a better solution is found bringing a greater effectiveness
• focuses on core requirement of Spiritual and Relational Vitality
• must have unity and community  to -
• encounter God's Holiness
• experience God's Grace
• embrace unity
• engage the community
• illustrates concepts and steps with stories of other churches - excellent!
• explains steps to take to lay the groundwork
• explains the need for a mission statement to show urgency
• each stage/point includes suggested steps to follow, benefits and challenges you may encounter - excellent
• help determining and communicating the vision
• emphasizes the danger of under communicating the vision
• importance of telling the truth about where a church in decline really is - even if it is hard to face
• team approach to effective ministry
• need to be intentional for real change and transformation to take place
• time is necessary for change
• workbook allows pastors and church leaders to work through concepts in the book and connect them to their own church
• each chapter in workbook include "Suggested Actions to Foster Change" -
• Bible studies
• questions
• activities
• worksheets, self-assessment surveys
• resource organizations
• questionnaires, inventories, data-gathering resources
• congregational self assessment

    This is one of the most thorough resources for pastors and church leaders to work through when trying to evaluate where their church is, how healthy it is and where changes need to be made for real growth and effectiveness.  Tremendously well done James, Mike, Jim and Jossey-Bass!

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60 Simple Secrets Every Pastor Should Know Authors - Dave Stone & Rick Rusaw Publisher - Group Publishing

• Favorite Features -
• looks at ten areas that consume a pastor's life and provides some insight to help -
• everyday life in church
• their family
• pastoral care
• preaching/teaching
• reaching out
• professional development
• timesaving/efficiency
• management
• leadership
• personal/spiritual growth

    This book provides simple, easy to implement ideas for every pastor to think through.  Very Nicely done Dave, Rick and Group Publishing.

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Publisher - Westminster John Knox Press

The Westminster Collection of Christian Quotations Compiled by Martin Mansen	The Westminster Collection of Christian Meditations Compiled by Hannah Ward & Jennifer Wild

• Favorite Features -
• 6000 quotes
• 500 meditations
• quotes arranged alphabetically on practically any topic
• meditations includes index of sources and themes
• short, encouraging, challenging meditations

    These books are an excellent source for quotes and meditations.  Nicely done Martin, Hannah, Jennifer and Westminister John Knox Press.

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The Sermon Maker - Tales of a Transformed Preacher Author - Calvin Miller Publisher - Zondervan

• Favorite Features -
• two parts to the book - creative, fictional story of a pastor who is losing the joy in serving and how he moves from being boring to being an interesting storyteller to being a shepherd who shares powerful stories about our Real God
• second part includes notes, quotes, Scripture to explain the history and "whys" of making the changes this book advocates.

    This is a thought provoking, challenging and unique book.  Tremendously well done Calvin and Zondervan!

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Pastor's Study Table of Contents

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