The Shepherd Leader

The Shepherd Leader (P&R Books) by Timothy Witmer is a biblical survey of the nature of authentic Christian leadership. Witmer surveys the primary ministries of shepherds -- knowing, feeding, leading and protecting -- and applies those insights to our lives as church leaders.

Illustration: Children, Parents

One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head. She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?"

Illustration: Students, God’s Provision

The Lord is my real instructor and I shall not want. He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me. He gently reminds me to pray before I speak and to do all things without murmuring and complaining. He reminds me that He is my Salvation and not my school. He restores my sanity every day and guides my decisions that I might honor Him in everything I do.

Exegete Your Community

In a recent article for Pastors.com, Ed Stetzer points out that it's not enough simply to try to reproduce a previous church model from another setting. We have to study our own communities in order to minister most effectively.

Our Own Time

The final volume of Hughes Oliphant Old's masterful history of preaching and worship is now available with the publication of Volume 7, Our Own Time, in the series The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church (Eerdmans).

Radical

Have we manipulated the gospel in order to fit our own cultural preferences? In his new book Radical (Multnomah), David Platt urges us to step away from a lifestyle shaped by the "American dream" and enter a lifestyle shaped by Christ. In the process, David tells the story of how his own church has begun to get serious about the gospel. This is not a comfortable book to read, but it's an important one.

Sermon Illustration: Judgment

This story appeared in the May 10, 2010, edition of the "Turning Point Daily Devotional": Recently a young man in suburban Chicago tried to escape during his trial, as he'd seen done many times on television. While being led out of the courtroom, he burst free, ran across a walkway, and tried to leap through a window. The bulletproof glass didn't break, and the man bounced off, landing on the floor where he promptly was rearrested, this time in worse trouble than ever.

The Worship Architect

The Worship Architect (Baker Academic) by Constance Cherry offers practical counsel for designing worship. A professor at Indiana Wesleyan and former minister of music, Cherry offers a blueprint for the weekly process of designing meaningful worship experiences. The book is packed with helpful ideas and resources, and will be a valued resource for pastors and church leaders.