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2020 Vision For The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
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July 2006 recommendation
 By: Richard Hamm
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Where are the Disciples going in the first twenty years of the new millennium and how will they get there? In 2020 Vision, Richard Hamm, the General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), shares his vision for his denomination, lifting up three marks of a faithful church: true community, a deep Christian spirituality, and a passion for justice.
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90 Minutes in Heaven
A Christmas Carol
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December 2005 recommendation
By: Charles Dickens
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December's recommended reading comes to us as we seek to remember Christmas in our heart year round. This book demonstrates the power of hope and transformation that Scrooge finds one Christmas Eve.
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Become A Better You
Blue Like Jazz
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October 2006 recommendation
By: Donald Miller
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In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God.
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Carpe Diem - - Seize The Day
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June 2006 recommendation
By: Tony Campolo
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Best-selling author and popular speaker Tony Campolo challenges believers to find fulfillment in learning how to seize the day! With contagious enthusiasm, he invites us to rediscover the wonder and joy of life, love, and dreams through a renewed passion for God.
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Come Thirsty
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April and May 2005 recommendation
By: Max Lucado
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April and May's book brings us to focus on the Spiritual Life Campaign themed for the book Come Thirsty. Through this experience, we will seek to better understand how we can be refreshed and nourished through the life-giving grace of God's well.
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Destiny & Deliverance
Finding God In The Land Of Narnia
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May 2008 Recommendation
By: Kurt Bruner & Jim Ware
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In this devotional book based on C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, Bruner and Ware draw spiritual insights from the Lewis classic. The authors use selected scenes from the Narnia Chronicles to open each of the more than two dozen short, thematic chapters of this book. These chapters address spiritual themes that many Christians can relate to: why do bad things happen to good people? How does the Holy Spirit work in the lives of the faithful? What should people do with feelings of disappointment in God? the authors offer a depth of insight that will surprise even the
most ardent Lewis fan. Each chapter will help readers gain not only a deeper understanding of the popular Lewis series, but a deeper understanding of God himself.
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Finding God In The Questions
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August 2007 recommendation
By: Dr. Timothy Johnson
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Many of us are spiritually searching. We wonder if God is real, if religion is relevant, if faith is possible. We don't know what the answers are, and sometimes we don't even know what questions to ask.
In his book, Dr. Timothy Johnson challenges us to not shy away from the such questions. That's where God meets us - - in the midst of honest grappling with heartfelt issues.
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Following Jesus Without Embarrassing God
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January 2007 Recommendation
By: Tony Campolo
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With candor and insight, Tony Campolo passionately hits on hot button issues that impact the Christian life, including how to: protect yourself from technology without becoming Amish; have a devotional life without becoming a monk, and figure out the will of God without hearing voices from Heaven.
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Grow Your Church from the Outside In
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August 2005 recommendation
By: George Barna
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August's book is geared to help us better understand how to reach out to the unchurched. Based on research among several thousand unchurched people, the book discusses their values, attitudes, beliefs, religious practices, demographics, life goals, and spiritual expectations. Using additional research conducted among churches that have had great success in attracting and retaining unchurched people, Barna sets forth new perspectives and effective strategies for churches that wish to reach those who avoid church.
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Have A Little Faith
Jesus Calling
Just Walk Across The Room
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March 2007 Book Recommendation
By: Bill Hybels
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Evangelism can be as simple and as scary as walking across the room. In a simple, non-threatening manner, Bill Hybels guides readers to a new understanding of why and how they can help others meet God. Here is solid advice on relational evangelism by developing relationships.
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Let Me Tell You A Story
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January 2008 Recommendation
By: Tony Campolo
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No one tells a story like Tony Campolo. In this book you will find stories of hope, doubt, faith, failure, and triumph. Of people standing up for justice, showing mercy, and living for God. But don't just expect to be entertained by Tony Campolo-though you will be. He just might change your heart and your life's priorities.
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Man's Search For Meaning
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November 2006 Recomendation
By: Viktor Frankl
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The book begins with a lengthy, austere, and deeply moving personal essay about Frankl's imprisonment in Auschwitz and other concentration camps for five years, and his struggle during this time to find reasons to live. The second part of the book describes the psychotherapeutic method that Frankl pioneered as a result of his experiences in the concentration camps. In a fascinating, sophisticated, and very human manner, Frankl presents his belief that man's deepest desire is to search for meaning and purpose.
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Mere Christianity
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May 2007 Recommendation
By: C. S. Lewis
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C. S. Lewis presents the listener with a case for orthodox Christianity. Using logical arguments that are eloquently expressed, Lewis talks about the doctrines of original sin, the transcendent Creator God, and the divinity of Jesus as well as his atonement and bodily resurrection. The contents of the book were first given by Lewis on the radio in the days of WW II and then later combiled into what we now know as "Mere Christianity." It is a must read for all people of the Faith.
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More Ready Than You Realize
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November 2005 recommendation
By: Brian McLauren
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November's book is on evangelizing postmoderns by an experienced pastor-writer who is successfully involved in it. The postmodern generation may be one we are not yet quite familiar with, and we may just not have the education on how to evangelize in general. Either way, this book is an excellent resource for pulling the two together.
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My Utmost For His Highest
Power Surge
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March 2005 recommendation
By: Michael Foss
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March's book helps us to focus on changing church structure. We seek to not focus merely on the membership of the church, but to get the membership involved in weekly discipleship. This book helps us to understand the reasons behind this philosophy.
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Quiet Strength
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December 2007 recommendation
By: Tony Dungy
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How is it possible for a coach--especially a football coach--to win the respect of his players and lead them to the Super Bowl without the screaming histrionics, the profanities, the demand that the sport come before anything else? How is it possible for anyone to be successful without compromising faith and family? In this inspiring and reflective memoir, Coach Dungy tells the story of a life lived for God and family--and challenges us all to redefine our ideas of what it means to succeed.
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Road Runner
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September 2005 recommendation
By: Thomas Bandy
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"Why should we change?" September's book is written for the vast majority of congregations who are cautious, tentative, and ambivalent to change and creative initiatives for mission. This book will help us to focus on the positive aspects of change.
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Sacred Cows Make Gourmet Burgers
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January 2005 recommendation
By: William Easum
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January's book seeks to take us to a whole new level within the structure of the church. Easum seeks to take our current model of committees and meetings and transform the church into Body empowered ministry teams.
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Shattered Dreams
The Chronicles of Narnia
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February & April 2006 recommendation
By: C.S. Lewis
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February's book is "The Chronicles of Narnia." This will be our book for the Spiritual Life Campaign beginning after Easter. If you do not want to read the whole thing, consider reading "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe."
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The Cost Of Discipleship
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February 2007 recommendation
By: Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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What can the call to discipleship, the adherence to the word of Jesus, mean today to the businessman, the soldier, the laborer, or the aristocrat? What did Jesus mean to say to us? What is his will for us today? Drawing on the Sermon on the Mount, Dietrich Bonhoeffer answers these timeless questions by providing a seminal reading of the dichotomy between "cheap grace" and "costly grace."
The Cost of Discipleship is a compelling statement of the demands of sacrifice and ethical consistency from a man whose life and thought were exemplary articulations of a new type of leadership inspired by the Gospel, and imbued with the spirit of Christian humanism and a creative sense of civic duty
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The Jesus I Never Knew
The Power of Vision
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February 2005 recommendation
By: George Barna
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February's book is a study on the power of vision and how it is an elemental fact to effective church ministries. This book will help us to understand why to cast vision, how to cast a vision, and then how to carry it out.
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The Purpose Driven Church
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June 2005 recommendation
By: Rick Warren
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June's book offers a biblical yet practical strategy that will empower churches to minister in the 21st century. After testing and refining these concepts for fifteen years, Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, shares the five-part growth strategy he developed. It gives a step-by-step process that will cause your church to grow warmer through ministry, and larger through evangelism.
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The Shack
The Ultimate Gift
The Ultimate Life
The Velveteen Rabbit
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January 2006 recommendation
By: Margery Williams
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Each month, a book is recommended for the reading of the congregation. January's book is the Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. Through this book, you can see the transformation through the power of love in the life of a stuffed rabbit.
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The Will Of God
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February 2008 Recommendation
By: Leslie Weatherhead
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It was during the tumultuous era of World War II that Leslie Weatherhead preached five sermons on understanding the will of God for the congregation at City Temple in London. These sermons became the classic book The Will of God, which has helped hundreds of thousands of Christians explore how God's will is related to God's character and ultimate intentions for us.
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Tuesdays With Morrie
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December 2006 Recommendation
By: Mitch Albom
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This true story about the love between a spiritual mentor and his pupil reminds us of the affection and gratitude that many feel for the significant mentors of our past. In this book we meet Morrie Schwartz and Mitch Albom in a the intimate moments of Morrie's final days as he lies dying from a terminal illness. Even on his deathbed, this twinkling-eyed mensch manages to teach us all about living robustly and fully.
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Uprising: A Revolution Of The Soul
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June 2007 recommendation
By: Erwin Raphael McManus
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Passion is indeed a rare commodity in our culture, often considered a "luxury for the young." But a life of passion and purpose is the cry of every human heart.
In this daring book Erwin Raphael McManus points the way to a life over-flowing with passion, freedom, destiny, and human creativity - - a search for the character and person of God.
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What Have We Learned
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October 2005 recommendation
By: Lyle Schaller
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October's book focuses on the hope we can have in light of all we have seen and been through in the past four decades.
Lyle E. Schaller looks back at four decades of observing religious life in North America and concludes that the church has far more reason for hope than for worry as it charts its course into the next forty years. Acknowledging that the roles of parish pastors and leaders have become increasingly complex, he also points out that these leaders can be far better equipped to contribute to congregational vitality and growth than were their predecessors a generation ago.
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What's So Amazing About Grace?
When God Whispers Your Name
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April 2007 Recommendation
By: Max Lucado
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Do you find it hard to believe that the One who made everything keeps your name on His heart and on His lips? Did you realize that your name is written on the hand of God (Is. 49:16)? Perhaps you've never seen your name honored. And you can't remember when you heard it spoken with kindness. In this book, Lucado offers the inspiration to believe that God has already bought the ticket-with your name on it.
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Who Moved My Cheese?
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July 2007 Recommendation
By: Spencer Johnson, M.D.
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Spencer Johnson presents a parable of two mice and two people who live in a maze and are faced with the challenge of change when someone moves their cheese. The beauty of this modern parable is that it sums up all natural history in just 94 pages: Things change. They always have changed and always will change. And while there's no single way to deal with change, the consequence of pretending change won't happen is always the same: The cheese runs out.
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Whole Stole My Church?
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