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Gardens in the Desert: How the Adaptive Church Can Lead a Whole New Life
Par Kenneth H. Carter Jr., Michael Adam Beck. 2024
Your church can thrive in this strange new world!Many church people and leaders feel like exiles in their own land.…
We are facing tremendous challenges. And, just as for those who came before us, the challenges are also opportunities. If we adapt to our new environment, as people and as the body of Christ. Gardens in the Desert offers local and denominational church leaders a practical, inspired, scripture-rooted vision for how we can do this—how we can become God’s church now for God’s intended future. Michael Adam Beck and Ken Carter draw from Jeremiah 29 to provide wise guidance for leaders and churches seeking to adapt and thrive. Jeremiah’s imperatives resonate deeply today, compelling us to experiment, cultivate new relationships, prioritize faith-sharing with people of all ages, interact with others in humility, to “seek the wellbeing of the other,” and to move forward with confidence. The chapters are brief and packed with practical ideas and instruction. The authors include ideas from leaders inside and outside the Church, offering multiple ways for leaders to see and understand what it means to be an adaptive leader and how to shape an adaptive church. The book is rich with lists, diagrams, illustrations, clarifying questions, and frameworks, making the material easy to grasp. It is an excellent resource to share with leadership teams at every level of the local church and in denominational settings. Gardens in the Desert is for laity, leaders, and clergy who have been feeling lost, immobilized, powerless—as exiles—and who are ready to do something new.
An Unlikely Advent Leader Guide: Extraordinary People of the Christmas Story
Par Rachel Billups. 2023
Expect the unexpected this Christmas.This four-week Advent study focuses on the experiences of four sets of often overlooked characters in…
the Nativity story. During this Advent season, Rachel Billups guides readers through the themes of hope, love, joy, and peace by sharing the stories of Elizabeth and Zechariah, Herod, the Magi, and the shepherds. Each set of unexpected characters has something to teach about living faithfully on the journey to Christmas.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the four-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options. Additional components for the four-week small group study include the book and DVD/Video Sessions featuring Rachel Billups.
Pursued - Women's Bible Study Leader Guide: Gods Relentless Love for YOU (Pursued)
Par Jennifer Cowart. 2021
Discover how God is pursuing you as you explore.We all want to be loved. We long to be desired, pursued—whether…
by a special someone, our friends, or others in our lives. This longing for love and acceptance is the underlying story of many of our lives, and it's the overarching story we see throughout the Scriptures. Although the Bible tells many stories, the main theme is God’s relentless love for us.In Pursued, a six-week Bible study by Jennifer Cowart, we will explore God’s great love for us from Genesis to Revelation. We will see that God passionately pursues people who do not deserve His love, and we are those people! Like Cain, Abraham, Sarah, Rebekah, David, the woman caught in adultery, Peter, and so many others, we are the ones who have broken relationship with God. But He runs after us anyway to bring us home. In this study, we will explore God’s love as evidenced in the stories of creation, the patriarchs, the judges and prophets, Jesus, and the early church. Together we will dive into a great love story and discover that it is our story!Through this study women will:- See the big picture of God’s love for them throughout the Scriptures- Discover that God wants a personal relationship with them- Experience God’s relentless love for them individually- Realize that God never stops pursuing themComponents for this six-week Bible study, each available separately, include a Participant Workbook, a Leader Guide, and video sessions with six 25-minute segments (with closed captioning).
Parables Leader Guide: Putting Jesus's Stories in Their Place
Par Josh Scott. 2025
Read the stories of Jesus in a new light.The Leader Guide contains discussion questions and session plans for a six-week…
study of Parables: Putting Jesus’s Stories in Their Place, by Josh Scott. It includes opening and closing prayers, optional activities, and session goals for each week and is designed to be used with the book and DVD.When Jesus taught in parables, he was doing more than telling simple morality tales. His stories were grounded in the world in which he lived and his vision of the Kingdom of God. This study explores six parables that give us a window into Jesus’s message and movement, and, once they are heard in their own context, ask what they might mean for us today. Parables include: the New Wine and Wineskins, the Mustard Seed, the Leaven, the Wedding Party, the Workers in the Vineyard, and the Wicked Tenants.
Adult Bible Studies Summer 2025 Teacher/Commentary Kit
Par Clara K. Welch. 2025
Grow your faith. Transform your life.The Kit includes a teacher’s book and a commentary that supplement and complement the Adult…
Bible Studies student book.The teacher’s book provides biblical background, exposition, and suggestions for leading weekly group discussions and nurturing spiritual practices among class members. Small group leaders, teachers, and facilitators—both seasoned and just starting out—love the easy-to-use format and the wealth of information provided to prepare for each week’s discussion.Based on the trusted Abingdon Basic Bible Commentary, the Concise Commentary provides expert biblical commentary for the focal Bible passages used in Adult Bible Studies. The commentary includes each Sunday’s focal Bible passages, unit introductions, and expert commentary on each passage. Plus, you can pronounce everything correctly with the included pronunciation guide for Bible names and places.Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enhance your preparation and teaching with the help of the Adult Bible Studies Teacher Book and Concise Commentary!Cultivate a deeper relationship with God through Adult Bible Studies. Each weekly lesson offers background and focal Scriptures, key verses, and doctrinally sound and relevant biblical interpretation and application in a readable font size. Annual plans provide comprehensive coverage of the Bible, special lessons during the church seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter, and suggestions for developing spiritual practices such as prayer, worship, community, and service, among many others. Adult Bible Studies is a reliable companion and guide for learning and growing in the Christian faith.Spring 2025 Theme: Living FaithThis spring, our Bible lessons follow the theme “Living Faith.” They offer a series of lessons in two units during Lent and the weeks following that encourage us to consider what we need to let go of and what we need to take on as followers of Jesus.With the help of the Adult Bibles Studies Teacher/Commentary Kit, and DVD, your group will embrace the fact that it’s not just about learning - it’s about living out biblical teachings.Visit AdultBibleStudies.com and sign up for the weekly newsletter to automatically receive the FREE Current Events Supplement and other information about these resources and more!This resource, endorsed by the Curriculum Resources Committee of The United Methodist Church, offers a year-round, weekly Bible study plan for Sunday school classes and other small groups.
More Messy People Women's Bible Study Participant Workbook: Life Lessons from Imperfect Biblical Heroes
Par Jennifer Cowart. 2024
God can use imperfect people to do incredible things.Jen Cowart continues her study of the very messy lives of biblical…
heroes—people who, like us, made mistakes but found God was able to use them in powerful ways. They all play a significant role in the biblical narrative, but their stories are far from perfect.Through the lives of rival sisters like Leah and Rachel, or sisters with very different personalities like Martha and Mary, we see God chooses to use people who don’t have it all together. Through the lives of great, but imperfect, biblical heroes like Moses, Elijah, Peter, and Paul, we see God meets us in our troubles and chooses us even if we seem unqualified.The Participant Workbook includes five daily readings for each week, combining study of Scripture with personal reflection, application, and prayer and is designed to use with the Leader Guide and DVD.
On the Way to Bethlehem Leader Guide: An Advent Study
Par Rob Fuquay. 2024
The journey to Christmas begins in Rome.The leader guide includes four small group sessions complete with prayers, summaries, and discussion…
questions to inspire active group engagement. It will support group leaders of all experience levels in creating strong learning communities.On the Way to Bethlehem follows the long journey to Christmas. The story begins in Rome with a decree issued from the seat of worldly power for a census, setting into motion events leading to the birth of the Savior of the world in a town that represents the very opposite of worldly power, Bethlehem.Author Rob Fuquay provides insight into the geographical and historical significance of Rome, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem, along with the important characters through whom the Christmas drama unfolds. You will be drawn into those places in a way that helps you experience the spiritual truths each location holds. The reflection we give in these places prepares the heart and soul to experience wonder, awe, mystery, and joy.Chapters include:Rome – A Place of LongingJerusalem – A Place of WaitingNazareth – A Place of SimplicityBethlehem – A Place of HumilityComponents available to use this book in a small group study include the book and video available on DVD.
On Purpose Leader Guide: Finding God's Voice in Your Passion
Par Susan Robb, Sam McGlothlin, Jevon Caldwell-Gross, Magrey DeVega. 2023
Be part of something more.We are hungry for a sense of purpose, direction, and calling in our lives. That’s as…
basic an ingredient to the human experience as they come. We want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We want to participate in something that has eternal merit and lasting impact. We do not want to live a shallow, hollow existence. We yearn for deeper meaning, for deeper purpose within our lives. We want to be more than we are.In On Purpose: Finding God’s Voice in Your Passion, authors Magrey deVega, Sam McGlothlin, Jevon Caldwell-Gross, and Susan Robb help us see God's purpose for our lives, how to open ourselves to God's voice, and how to take the first or next step to follow God's call. As you read this book and explore your life alongside others, you’ll learn how to channel your passions, hear God’s voice, and live the life you were meant to live.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the four-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options.Additional components for the four-week small group study include the book and DVD/Video Sessions featuring the authors.
An Unlikely Advent: Extraordinary People of the Christmas Story
Par Rachel Billups. 2023
Expect the unexpected this Christmas.This four-week Advent study focuses on the experiences of four sets of often overlooked characters in…
the Nativity story. During this Advent season, Rachel Billups guides readers through the themes of hope, love, joy, and peace by sharing the stories of Elizabeth and Zechariah, Herod, the Magi, and the shepherds. Each set of unexpected characters has something to teach about living faithfully on the journey to Christmas.Additional components to use the book as a four-week small group study include a leader guide and DVD/Video Sessions featuring Rachel Billups.
The Christmas Letters Leader Guide: Celebrating Advent with Those Who Told the Story First
Par Magrey DeVega. 2024
Hear from “those who told the story first.” The Leader Guide contains discussion questions and session plans for a four-week…
Advent study. It includes opening and closing prayers, optional activities, and session goals for each week, and is designed to be used with the book and DVD.You may or may not know the story of your birth. If you do, there is something special about hearing your origin story again and remembering how it all began for you. That’s why we observe Advent: to celebrate how it all began for us. In The Christmas Letters, Magrey deVega invites you to hear about the miracle of Christ’s birth from those who first told the story. The letters in the New Testament, known as the Epistles, contain the first attempts by the church to understand and celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation. They point us to the origins of what we believe about Jesus, fully human and fully divine. By spending time with these holy, ancient words this Advent, you’ll come to know the meaning of Christ’s coming like never before. Read the New Testament letters, Romans, 1 John, Philippians, and Colossians as your first Christmas letters of the season and find within them an invitation from God to deepen your understanding of the Incarnation and embrace a fuller commitment to Jesus Christ.
Rules of the Game: Rules Of The Game The Heart's Victory (Special Releases Ser.)
Par Nora Roberts. 2009
AVAILABLE DIGITALLY FOR THE FIRST TIMETelevision director Brooke Gordon thinks that major league baseball player Parks Jones is a major…
pain - an insufferable bad boy with an inflated ego. Unfortunately, he's also brilliant... and her client's spokesman. Booked to direct a series of commercials together, Brooke is irritated to find herself intensely attracted to the sports start. She's determined to ignore her feelings - but Parks is just as determined to prove that love is more than a game to him...Includes a preview of Whiskey Beach, published in April 2013
The Angels of Christmas: Hearing God's Voice in Advent
Par Susan Robb. 2022
Explore the four angelic visits surrounding the birth of Jesus with Susan Robb in The Angels of Christmas, a four-week…
Advent study. The Angels of Christmas: Hearing God’s Voice in Advent, a four-week Advent study by Susan Robb, explores the four angelic visits surrounding the birth of Jesus with Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. In this study, the reader will explore the visits and dive deep into the history of the angel Gabriel–and other angels–in the Old Testament. The Angels of Christmas uses these four angelic appearances to discuss God’s presence in history and our lives today. The messages of the angels hold meaning for listeners both then and now.
Daily Bible Study Summer 2025
Par Timothy Merrill, Betsy Haas, Rhoda E. Preston. 2025
Grow your faith daily. Transform your life.Experience God in deeper ways by spending time in God’s Word. Daily Bible Study…
is the perfect resource for individuals who want to grow in their relationship with God and enhance their engagement with lessons in Adult Bible Studies. Designed to meet the needs of busy people, each daily reading includes a Scripture reference, a personal faith-related question, an explanation and application of the biblical text, and a prayer, all on one page. Available in print and eBook and as an app.Summer 2025 Theme: Living FaithThis summer, Daily Bible Study presents a series of readings supporting the theme “Living Faith.” These readings, divided into three units, lead us to consider the church, the issues within it, the wisdom God provides in dealing with these issues, and the spiritual resources God provides for us to live into the church’s mission. These daily readings come from the Old and New Testament texts and prepare us for the lessons in Adult Bible Studies.This resource, endorsed by the Curriculum Resources Committee of The United Methodist Church, offers a year-round, daily Bible study plan.
Context: Putting Scripture in Its Place
Par Josh Scott. 2024
Exploring the Chapter Behind the Verse. Context looks at verses we know by heart but may not know the people,…
places, and times that give them meaning. Josh Scott delves into these well-known Scripture verses, exploring their true meanings by examining them in their original biblical context. Through this process, he unveils fresh and enlightening interpretations that are often missed when these Scriptures are taken out of context. The book can be read alone or used by small groups anytime throughout the year. Components include video teaching sessions featuring Josh Scott and a comprehensive Leader Guide, making this perfect as a six-week group study.
On Love: 20 Lessons for the World We Seek
Par Paul W. Chilcote, Janet K. Chilcote. 2025
Bring love into action one small step at a time.In a world that often feels divided and dark, On Love…
reveals how everyday moments can become transformative acts of love. Drawing from their rich life experiences, Paul and Janet Chilcote offer twenty essential practices that anyone can begin immediately—no special training required. Each chapter shares relatable stories and simple practices that fit naturally into your daily routines, from making meaningful eye contact to creating beauty in ordinary spaces.Through refreshingly honest personal stories and down-to-earth wisdom, the Chilcotes show how small shifts in the way we interact with the world create ripples of positive change:Turn a hostile interaction into a moment of genuine connectionFind hope even in challenging circumstancesListen in ways that make others feel truly valuedCreate spaces of welcome in an increasingly isolated worldDiscover joy in simplifying your lifeWritten in an everyday conversational manner, On Love reads like a heart-to-heart talk with trusted friends who understand life’s complexities. This book meets you exactly where you are and invites you to discover how love transforms everything it touches.No homework, no complicated spiritual practices—just twenty simple ways to bring more love into your life and our world, starting with your next interaction.With your purchase of On Love, you’ll receive access to a free downloadable digital Companion Guide designed to help you get the most from these twenty transformative practices. Its flexible format allows you to use it for personal reflection and with small groups.The six-session guide includes:Weekly scripture connections that illuminate each practiceFocus verses for contemplationSimple reflection questions to deepen your experiencePractical guidance for implementing each practice in daily life
We are all flawed, but God can turn those weaknesses into strengths.The Perfectly Flawed Leader Guide outlines six small group…
sessions complete with prayers, summaries, discussion questions, and video viewer guides. The leader guide will support group leaders of all experience levels in creating strong learning communities.In Perfectly Flawed, Lisa Toney shows how the apostle Peter’s passion and imperfections make him one of the Bible’s most loved and relatable people. Even when Peter gave up, gave in, and gave out, Jesus was there for him. Join Lisa as she follows Peter through his time with Jesus, from the beginning of Jesus’s ministry to the Resurrection and on through Pentecost when Peter begins to live into his call. Along the way, discover the raw honesty of a man who veered from staunch devotion to moments of doubt, mirroring our own human struggles.In the six-week Bible study Perfectly Flawed, we see that there is an unparalleled power Jesus gives that can only be found in our weakness. We discover the strength of Jesus that is available to each of us. Learn to persevere in your faith, live confidently, and boldly step into God’s purpose for you. See how Peter’s story is an invitation to embrace imperfection, find strength in the relentless grace of God, and discover how each one of us is perfectly flawed but still deeply loved by God.Other components for the Bible study include a Participant Workbook with daily readings and teaching video available on DVD.
On the Way to Bethlehem: An Advent Study
Par Rob Fuquay. 2024
The journey to Christmas begins in Rome.On the Way to Bethlehem follows the long journey to Christmas. The story begins…
in Rome with a decree issued from the seat of worldly power for a census, setting into motion events leading to the birth of the Savior of the world in a town that represents the very opposite of worldly power, Bethlehem. Author Rob Fuquay provides insight into the geographical and historical significance of Rome, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem, along with the important characters through whom the Christmas drama unfolds. You will be drawn into those places in a way that helps you experience the spiritual truths each location holds. The reflection we give in these places prepares the heart and soul to experience wonder, awe, mystery, and joy. Chapters include: Rome – A Place of Longing Jerusalem – A Place of Waiting Nazareth – A Place of Simplicity Bethlehem – A Place of Humility Components available to use this book in a small group study include a leader guide and video available on DVD.
Thrive Women's Bible Study Leader Guide: Living Faithfully in Difficult Times
Par Jennifer Cowart. 2023
Walking in Faith…even when times are tough.In Thrive, author and teacher Jen Cowart helps women develop the habits and attitudes…
necessary to thrive, whatever their circumstances. Leading readers through the Book of James, a letter written about enduring hardships, she lifts up six characteristics of mature Christians. From endurance and humility to controlling our words, Jen helps participants find the divine and the practical in living faithfully.Jen’s teaching has inspired thousands of women across the country. Her authenticity inspires others to open their hearts and minds. One reviewer wrote, “Her ‘realness’ and her vulnerability just work together to open your heart to dig deeper and deeper.”Through this study, women will find inspiration and tools around six traits:Endurance – Embracing obstacles as a means to maturity.Wisdom – Using a heavenly perspective on earthly issues.Action – Living a life where actions match faith.Control – Taming the tongue.Humility – Developing the attitude of Christ.Prayer – Exercising the power tool of the faith.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options.Additional components for this six-week Bible study, each available separately, are a Leader Guide and six video sessions, 8 to 13 minutes long (with closed captioning).
Remember Leader Guide: God's Covenants and the Cross
Par Susan Robb. 2023
Remember the God who remembers us.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including…
session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options.God’s covenants throughout the Old Testament show the character of God’s promises to the people of Israel. In this book, Susan Robb leads readers through the covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, followed by the new covenant established on Maundy Thursday. The Lenten story culminates with an examination of the cross as another example of God’s promise for a new world.Susan Robb teaches readers the basic lessons of the covenants through a mixture of biblical history and personal stories. Her pastoral character and warm tone provide a basis for understanding God’s promises through history and the role of Jesus’s passion and crucifixion in the history of the covenants.Remember can be read alone or used for a six-week group study and church wide Lenten program. Components include a comprehensive Leader Guide and video teaching sessions featuring Susan (with closed captioning).
The Fullest Possible Love: Living in Harmony with God and Neighbor
Par Paul W. Chilcote. 2024
A new and age-old way of practicing the Christian faith.What does Wesleyan theology and the Methodist way of life have…
to do with Benedictine ideas and practices? Renowned teacher Paul W. Chilcote reveals surprising and profound similarities and overlaps in the practices and theological convictions of these two Christian streams. Chilcote is a United Methodist scholar, elder, and serves as a Benedictine oblate. He writes from his own spiritual life, offering a gift to readers who are interested in Methodism and mysticism. Chilcote teaches a remarkable approach to spiritual practice; it is a new and age-old way of practicing our faith.