CHRISTIANITY TODAY'S PASTORAL/CHURCH LEADERSHIP BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017 “In my first seminary class, we were asked to introduce ourselves and say why we enrolled. I’ll never forget what one student said… ‘My denomination wants me to have an M.Div., but once they see I can grow a big church, I don't think they'll make me finish the program.’” The priorities of this future pastor were startling, but he’s not alone in them.In the years since that class, author and minister Skye Jethani has seen more and more pastors swallowed by the celebrity syndrome. Not long ago, ministers were among the most trusted and admired people in our culture. But not anymore. A 2013 study from Gallop revealed that Americans’ admiration for clergy has reached an all-time low. That, taken with reduced trust of institutional religion overall, makes it easy to see why ministers feel insecure about their calling. In response to this trend, some pastors have looked to emulate those who are praised by the culture—business leaders, entertainers, and social activists. This has led to a new understanding of what a minister should be. We’ve turned away from viewing our pastors as shepherds, and now expect them to be celebrities. Immeasurable will help ministers recognize the cultural forces shaping their view of the calling, and then reimagine what faithful church leaders can look like in the twenty-first century. Through short essays and reflections on the pastor’s soul and skills, this book will help prospective pastors explore their calling to ministry, and it will help veteran pastors reframe their vision for the work. Drawing on cultural dynamics, personal stories, and his own experience working in a church and with church leaders, Skye Jethani will address matters like ambition, anger, community, consumerism, fame, health, justice, platform, preaching, rest,simplicity, success, vision, and more. There are endless resources to help pastors do the practical work of ministry, but there are far fewer that speak to the pastor’s soul and spirit. Immeasurable provides affirmation and encouragement for church leaders faithfully serving God. It commends the true work of ministry—shepherding, teaching, encouraging—while redefining what we mean by success in ministry. It’s a book church leaders can return to again and again for insight and inspiration.

John 3:31-36 is a passage that bothers many translators of the Bible, but in this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee opens these verses in a clear and marvelous way. Although the Lord Jesus was born in a manger and raised in the house of a poor carpenter, these verses reveal an unlimited, all-inclusive, and immeasurable Christ. “He is higher than the heavens and broader than the universe. He is everything, and everything is for Him” (p. 2).

There have been several books written by and about service members that have served during the Iraq War. "The Immeasurable Spirit: Lessons of a Wounded Warrior about Faith and Perseverance," was superbly written by an author with the personal insight and experience of a person who has faced and overcome tremendous adversity. Latoya Lucas brings us face to face with our inner- selves while simultaneously sharing her experiences of perseverance and faith even after suffering severe wounds from her service with the U.S. Army in Iraq. Why is it that some people are able to overcome their fears and persevere through life's adversities? By reading Latoya's story, you will come to understand how a person with faith and determination could rely on that faith when tested during an unbelievable hardship. Tom Brokaw, journalist and NY Times bestselling author, says "The Immeasurable Spirit" is a remarkable story of patriotism, courage, near death, recovery and inspiration."

Human beings were created to reflect the image of God—but only to a limited extent. Although we share important attributes with God (love, mercy, compassion, etc.), there are other qualities that only God possesses, such as unlimited power, knowledge, and authority. At the root of all sin is our rebellious desire to be like God in such ways—a desire that first manifested itself in the garden of Eden. In None Like Him, Jen Wilkin leads us on a journey to discover ten ways God is different from us—and why that’s a good thing. In the process, she highlights the joy of seeing our limited selves in relation to a limitless God, and how such a realization frees us from striving to be more than we were created to be.

The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1982, volume 2, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee from October 11, 1982, through June 15, 1983. From December 22, 1982, through January 1, 1983, Brother Lee spoke twenty-nine messages that were published in Life-study of 1 Peter, Life-study of 2 Peter, and Life-study of Jude. The Life-study messages are not included in The Collected Works of Witness Lee. From the beginning of August until the end of November 1982, Brother Lee remained in Anaheim, California, except for one-day visits to the nearby localities of Cerritos and Huntington Beach, California, at the end of October. At the end of November he traveled to Irving, Texas, and remained there until the first week of January 1983. The contents of this volume are divided into four sections, as follows: 1. A message given in Anaheim, California, on October 11. This message is included in this volume under the title Fellowship concerning the Translation of Watchman Nee's Writings. 2. Six messages given in Irving, Texas, on November 28 through December 27. These messages are included in this volume under the title Experiencing the Processed, All-inclusive, Life-giving Spirit and Raising Up the Young People and the Children for the Increase of the Church. 3. A message given in Cerritos, California, on October 28. This message was translated from Chinese and is included in this volume under the title Eating and Drinking in Remembrance of the Lord and Six Items Related to the Church Life. 4. Sixty-three messages given in Anaheim and Huntington Beach, California; Irving, Texas; and Stuttgart and Tubingen, Germany, on October 31, 1982, through June 15, 1983. These messages were previously published in a book entitled The Fulfillment of the Tabernacle and the Offerings in the Writings of John and are included in this volume under the same title.