In "Uncommon Bible Study Outlines and Messages," Jim Burns equips leaders with great Bible study topics and message ideas to use with youth groups. Whether chosen as the main focus of the youth meeting or used to supplement other material, the ideas in this book will engage and stimulate students to discover what the Bible has to say about issues that impact their world. Spanning the Old and New Testaments, topics addressed include: faith, anger, loneliness, forgiveness, self image, calling from God, servanthood, temptation, suffering, developing Christian character and much more. These easily adaptable message outlines for large groups and Bible study outlines for small groups will empower youth workers as they plant seeds in the lives of junior high and high school students.
Life Is Never Mainly About Love and Marriage. So Learn to Live and Date for More. Many of you grew up assuming that marriage would meet all of your needs and unlock God's purposes for you. But God has far more planned for you than your future marriage. Not Yet Married is not about waiting quietly in the corner of the world for God to bring you "the one," but about inspiring you to live and date for more now. If you follow Jesus, the search for a spouse is no longer a pursuit of the perfect person, but a pursuit of more of God. He will likely write a love story for you different than the one you would write for yourself, but that's because he loves you and knows how to write a better story. This book was written to help you find real hope, happiness, and purpose in your not-yet-married life.
Every year thousands of God's servants leave the ministry convinced they are failures. Years ago, in the midst of a crisis of faith, Kent Hughes almost became one of them. But instead he and his wife Barbara turned to God's Word, determined to learn what God had to say about success and to evaluate their ministry from a biblical point of view. This book describes their journey and their liberation from the "success syndrome"-the misguided belief that success in ministry means increased numbers. In today's world it is easy to be seduced by the secular thinking that places a number on everything. But the authors teach that true success in ministry lies not in numbers but in several key areas: faithfulness, serving, loving, believing, prayer, holiness, and a Christlike attitude. Their thoughts will encourage readers who grapple with feelings of failure and lead them to a deeper, fuller understanding of success in Christian ministry. This book was originally published by Tyndale in 1987 and includes a new preface.
Adolescence can leave a young person feeling particularly ungifted - as if they don't fit in anywhere. But that's not what God has in mind. He has given every believer, young and old, unique spiritual gifts to build up His body. In Spiritual Gifts, Jim Burns and Doug Fields, noted leaders in youth ministry, take high school students through a study of the spiritual gifts listed in Scripture and then work through an exercise to help them discover their own gifts and how to use them. Watch teens come to life when they discover that they are gifted and have much to offer the body of Christ. Inside the book you'll find a special download link for additional reproducible student handouts and options for every session to tailor each study to your group's unique needs.
Provide a solid foundation for teens with The Christian Life high school Bible study. Part of the exciting new Uncommon youth resource line, this straightforward presentation of the Gospel will help young people discover for themselves what it means to be a follower of Christ and how they can walk in God's love and forgiveness. The three four-week modules examine one of the most critical parts of a young person's life, their faith. Teens will discover the basics of the Christian life, starting with God's love, how to set a strong foundation and understanding God's will for their lives. The Christian Life DVD is available for session starters.
Intended especially for devotional leaders and Sunday School teachers, this complete guide will help you integrate the message of the Scriptures into your own life so that you can effectively teach the good news to others.
Who is Jesus Christ? You've never met him in person, and you don't know anyone who has. But there is a way to know who he is. How? Jesus Christ-the divine Person revealed in the Bible-has a unique excellence and a spiritual beauty that speaks directly to our souls and says, "Yes, this is truth." It's like seeing the sun and knowing that it is light, or tasting honey and knowing that it is sweet. The depth and complexity of Jesus shatter our simple mental frameworks. He baffled proud scribes with his wisdom but was understood and loved by children. He calmed a raging storm with a word but would not get himself down from the cross. Look at the Jesus of the Bible. Keep your eyes open, and fill them with the portrait of Jesus in God's Word. Jesus said, "If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority." Ask God for the grace to do his will, and you will see the truth of his Son. John Piper has written this book in the hope that all will see Jesus for who he really is and will come to enjoy him above all else.
Who loves young teens more than they could ever imagine? Who longs to give them self confidence and a strong identity, to help them be what they were meant to be? Jesus. Help youth workers introduce young teens to the radical messages of Jesus. This study points students to the supernatural power of Jesus Christ and the lessons He taught, which still ring true today for young people. From the miracle of raising Lazarus to Christ's own resurrection and ascension, students will be filled with awe and amazement that the eternally powerful Christ wants a personal relationship with them. Key themes throughout show the balance Christ showed between His power to heal and to cast out demons, and His tenderness to love and care for His disciples and followers, and for us. His parables communicate a spiritual truth or religious principle through simple, but powerful, stories that students can relate to. The three four-week modules explain who Christ is, and how each of us can follow His example to a fruitful and fulfilled life.
How can Christians today interact with those around them in a way that shows respect to those whose beliefs are radically different but that also remains faithful to the gospel? Join bestselling author Timothy Keller and legal scholar John Inazu as they bring together illuminating stories to answer this vital question. In Uncommon Ground, Keller and Inazu bring together a thrilling range of artists, thinkers, and leaders to provide a guide to living faithfully in a divided world, including: Lecrae, a recording artist, songwriter, and record producer Claude Richard Alexander Jr., senior pastor of The Park Church in Charlotte, North Carolina Rudy Carrasco, a program officer for the Murdock Charitable Trust Sara Groves, a singer and songwriter Shirley V. Hoogstra, president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities Kristen Deede Johnson, a professor of theology and Christian formation at Western Theological Seminary Warren Kinghorn, a professor of psychiatry and theology at Duke University Tom Lin, president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Trillia Newbell, director of community outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention Tish Harrison Warren, an Anglican priest at the Church of the Ascension in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania With varied and enlightening approaches to reaching faithfully across deep and often painful differences, Uncommon Ground shows us how to live with confidence, joy, and hope in a complex and fragmented age. Praise for Uncommon Ground: "For anyone struggling to engage well with others in an era of toxic conflict, this book provides a framework, steeped in humility, that is not only insightful but is readily actionable. I'm grateful for the vulnerability and wisdom offered by each of the twelve leaders who contributed to this book. The task of learning to love well--neighbors and enemies alike--is long and urgent, and it can be costly. And yet, as this book shows us because it is the work of Jesus, we can pursue this love with great hope." --Gary A. Haugen, founder and CEO, International Justice Mission
What should we expect from an outpouring of the Holy Spirit? Is it always associated with a manifestation of the gift of tongues? Find out the answers to these questions and many others in this dynamic little book.
