“That money talks, I’ll not deny. I heard it once, it said ‘goodbye!’” I grew up hearing this saying, and it often made me chuckle. Maybe that’s because on our farm we had plenty of land and livestock but little cash. Once I began pastoring a church, however, the humor in that little jingle began to fade. There is little doubt that one of the great challenges for Christian leaders today is the task of securing adequate funding and other resources for ministry. There are numerous reasons for this, and Brother Vincent Nwankpa does a tremendous job uncovering these and other issues in his new book, The Joy of Faithful and Cheerful Giving: Wonderful Principles to Embrace. Enjoying the read, I found his research to be biblically solid, up-to-date, and relevant to today’s realities. The people in our pastorate were generous. Even though our salary was low, they gave affection, time, energy, food, and faithful support to my wife and me as we began our ministry life together. But along the road, our years in ministry have been a financial struggle, and for most pastors and missionaries today, the difficulties are a real and present danger to their health, wealth, and mission. Kudos to Dr. Nwankpa for taking the time and energy to share biblical wisdom and a lifetime of experience to encourage and teach all of us in Christian service. You are correct, Brother Vincent, when you assert that too little instruction about giving is being given in churches today. It is time for a renewed focus on the basic principles of giving and the joy that comes from giving generously in the body of Christ! Mick Boersma, PhD Professor Emeritus of Christian Ministry and Leadership Talbot School of Theology Biola University January 17, 2021 When you think of giving to the Lord, do you feel burdened? Or do you get excited about the amazing opportunities that will open up when you surrender your resources to His control? In this wonderful little book, Vincent Nwankpa unlocks Biblical secrets about giving that will show you how giving to the Lord and to others is a pathway to joy and victory that you have never known. Putting these principles in practice will not only transform your giving, but also your walk with God for the rest of your life! by Jack Littlefield

ECPA 2020 Christian Book Award Finalist! Wouldn’t it be great if we could do what pleases God, helps others, and is best for us—at the same time? Can we live the good life without being selfish? In Giving Is the Good Life, bestselling author Randy Alcorn teaches life-changing biblical principles of generosity and tells stories of people who have put those radical principles into practice. Each story is a practical application that can help stimulate your imagination and expand your dreams of serving Jesus in fresh ways. These real-life models give you not just words to remember but footprints to follow. Giving Is the Good Life reveals a grander view of God and generosity—one that stretches far beyond our imagination and teaches us what the good life is really all about.

Do you want to live a blessed life? Do you want to experience and express God’s joy in every situation? Do you want to overcome the enemy and the challenge of joy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this book is for you. In this book, you will discover the meaning, value, and practice of joy as an important Christian value. You will learn from the biblical examples and teachings of joy, as well as from your own experiences and challenges. You will also learn how joy can help you to live boldly and fearlessly in Christ. In this book, you will explore: The source of joy, which is God Himself, and how He shares His joy with us through His creation, His revelation, His redemption, and His presence. The gift of joy, which is God’s grace to us, and how He gives us joy as a fruit of His Spirit, a result of His work, a promise of His word, and a reward of His service. The enemy of joy, which is sin and its consequences, and how sin robs us of joy by separating us from God, by corrupting our nature, by deceiving our minds, and by enslaving our wills. The challenge of joy, which is suffering and its trials, and how suffering tests our joy by exposing our weaknesses, by shaking our faith, by threatening our hope, and by demanding our obedience. The practice of joy, which is the expression and demonstration of joy in our daily lives, and how we can practice joy by cultivating a joyful attitude, by choosing a joyful action, by sharing a joyful message, and by joining a joyful community. This book is not a manual or a guidebook that tells you what to do or how to do it. This book is not a list or a catalog of rules or regulations that you have to follow or obey. This book is not a lecture or a sermon that scolds you or judges you for your disobedience or rebellion.

The Happiness Factor: How to Experience and Share God's Joy in Your Life is a book that will inspire and challenge you to live in the fullness of God's joy and to be a joy to others. In this book, you will learn: What joy is, why it matters, and how it relates to God's character, nature, and purpose. How to experience God's joy by faith and obedience, through His creation, His covenant, His grace, and His promises. How to share God's joy by love and service, through His gift of Jesus Christ, His channel of the Holy Spirit, and His plan for your life. How to overcome the challenges that test your understanding and application of joy, such as suffering, sin, temptation, doubt, etc. How to express God's joy to others in your life and relationships, such as praising God, thanking others, giving generously, serving faithfully, etc. How to use your gifts and talents to glorify God and bless others with His joy. This book will help you embrace joy as a vital Christian value and a way of life. It will also help you discover the possibilities and opportunities for living with amazing joy.

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.

Do you want to live a blessed life? Do you want to experience and express God's joy in every situation? Do you want to overcome the enemy and the challenge of joy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this book is for you. In this book, you will discover the meaning, value, and practice of joy as an important Christian value. You will learn from the biblical examples and teachings of joy, as well as from your own experiences and challenges. You will also learn how joy can help you to live boldly and fearlessly in Christ. In this book, you will explore: The source of joy, which is God Himself, and how He shares His joy with us through His creation, His revelation, His redemption, and His presence. The gift of joy, which is God's grace to us, and how He gives us joy as a fruit of His Spirit, a result of His work, a promise of His word, and a reward of His service. The enemy of joy, which is sin and its consequences, and how sin robs us of joy by separating us from God, by corrupting our nature, by deceiving our minds, and by enslaving our wills. The challenge of joy, which is suffering and its trials, and how suffering tests our joy by exposing our weaknesses, by shaking our faith, by threatening our hope, and by demanding our obedience. The practice of joy, which is the expression and demonstration of joy in our daily lives, and how we can practice joy by cultivating a joyful attitude, by choosing a joyful action, by sharing a joyful message, and by joining a joyful community. This book is not a manual or a guidebook that tells you what to do or how to do it. This book is not a list or a catalog of rules or regulations that you have to follow or obey. This book is not a lecture or a sermon that scolds you or judges you for your disobedience or rebellion. This book is a journey or an adventure that invites you to discover the benefits and challenges of joy, and how to practice it in your daily life. This book is a conversation or a dialogue that encourages you to share your experiences and questions about joy, and how to grow in it. This book is a story or a testimony that inspires you to live boldly and fearlessly in Christ, through joy. We hope that this book will help you to understand and appreciate the importance and value of joy. We hope that this book will challenge and equip you to overcome the enemy and the challenge of joy. We hope that this book will inspire and motivate you to experience and express God's joy in every situation. We pray that God will fill you with His joy as you live boldly and fearlessly in Christ!