Getting a new pastor off to a good start is critical to the over one hundred thousand churches facing changes in leadership each year. This forty-day congregation-wide study provides the foundation for a successful ministry partnership. Welcome, Pastor! is the first book to offer a clear, simple process for building a successful partnership between a new pastor and a congregation. Its combination of devotional readings and dialogue is easy and pleasurable to read without being simplistic or trite.

Daniel Hyde traces the historical roots of the Reformed churches, their key beliefs, and the ways in which those beliefs are expressed. The result is a roadmap for those newly encountering the Reformed world and a primer for those seeking to know more about their Reformed heritage.

Everyone wants to be loved--to find someone who will stick with them through all of life's ups and downs, someone who is in it for the long haul. But in a world where dating is increasingly based on split-second decisions and geared toward casual relationships rather than marriage, it's easy for single people to feel discouraged, used, or unworthy of true love and lasting affection. Reality just never seems to match up with our (often wildly unrealistic) expectations. Jonathan "JP" Pokluda has counseled thousands of young singles through the pain and heartbreak of dating the world's way. Now he wants to dispel the myths, misconceptions, and fairy tales you've believed about dating and replace them with the truth from the One who invented marriage, created you to crave relationship, and is the very embodiment of true love. With plenty of true stories about relationships healed and love found, this practical book explains God's purposes for singleness, dating, and marriage and covers why you should date, who you should date, and how you should date. If you're ready to trade the world's way of dating for the way that actually works, it's time to begin dating well.

Most church members don't see their churches clearly. In almost all of Thom S. Rainer's consultations, church members perceive their church to be friendly. But as he surveyed guests, he found that the guests typically saw church members as unfriendly. The perception chasm existed because the members were indeed friendly . . . to one another. The guests felt like they crashed a private party. Bestselling author Thom Rainer (I Am a Church Member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church) has a game plan for churches to become more hospitable. In a format that is suitable for church members to read individually or study together, Rainer guides readers toward a practical framework for making a difference for those who visit their church. Churches may use Becoming a Welcoming Church to assess and audit where they are on a spectrum between welcoming and wanting. Additionally, churches can use the companion book We Want You Here to send guests home with a compelling vision for what pastors want every guest to know when they visit.

After a devastating loss, Cindy Riehl is still searching for peace. Will she find it in the community she calls home—or will love send her down a new path? Over the last few years, Cindy Riehl—the youngest of the Riehl children—has watched her siblings find love and happiness in Lancaster County. But as her family has settled down and grown, Cindy has continued to grieve her mother, whose death left an enormous hole in her heart. Since that haunting day, Cindy has struggled to find peace and wonders if the community is the place for her—and if her faith in God will ever feel the same as it once did. When a handsome and kind Englisher named Drew crosses Cindy’s path one surprising day, the two of them become fast and easy friends. Drew dreams of starting a family after some losses of his own, and before long, he and Cindy discover that their feelings for each other are romantic. As they spend more time together—often in secret—Cindy is drawn further and further away from the Amish community and the family she loves. In time, she is faced with a difficult choice that threatens to upend her world. Will Cindy find contentment and love, and will she ever find restored comfort in God and her beloved community? In this final installment of the Amish Homestead series, we return to the charming town of Bird-in-Hand for a story of healing, family, and God’s perfect provision. Sweet, inspirational read Full-length novel (90K words) Fourth and final book in Amy Clipston’s Amish Homestead series Can also be enjoyed as a standalone ECPA bestseller Includes discussion questions for book clubs

In the isolating mix of small-town America, online life, and family challenges, teenagers Sarah, Layla, and Johnny Tae are struggling to find meaningful direction. They are fast succumbing to nihilism and its subsequent acceptance of life-endangering behaviors. But three clergy women–Birdy, Ara Grace, and Nell—are determined to overcome their own insecurities and inabilities to walk these Triumph teens through apathy and into the light of life.

When a newly called pastor enters a congregation, the first weeks and months are times of careful navigation and many hidden land mines. This veteran pastor shares his stories and insights with others who begin this ministerial journey. A delightful book, this volume is a must readÓ for seminarians and all pastors who enter a new call. The reader will find helpful hints and wonderful appendices to help a pastor through such a perilous time. Issues around entryÓ set the tone for one's tenure. This is a book for clergy gatherings, conferences, peer groups, and workshops with helpful questions for reflection after each chapter.