Marie Fleming

Marie Fleming is a contract resource consultant for the Center for Congregations. Her consulting practice includes congregation-based Permaculture Design and equipping congregations for creation care.

Contributions From Marie Fleming

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Collection

Leading Small Groups

Marie Fleming

4 resources

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Hope For Children In Poverty: Profiles and Possibilities

This collection of essays, testimonies, and reflections offers inspirational and practical...

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Urban Ministries, Inc.

This website offers African American resources for a wide range of denominations and...

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Children's Ministry Magazine

This website aims to serve children's ministry leaders, teams, teachers, and parents by...

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Holding Your Family Together: 5 Simple Steps to Help Bring Your Family Closer to God and Each Other

This resource outlines a five-step method any family can use to create "a home where every...

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Family Ministry: A Comprehensive Guide

This resource uses biblical and contemporary frameworks to help congregations minister to...

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Dreaming of More for the Next Generation: Lifetime Faith Ignited by Family Ministry

Scripturally-based, this book equips congregations to attend to the family as the center of...

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Building Church Leaders

This website of practical training packs quickly equips leaders and teams for effective...

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Real Kids Real Faith: Practices for Nurturing Children's Spiritual Lives

This user-friendly resource sets to inform, inspire, and guide parents, covering a range of...

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Young Children and Worship

This book introduces a Montessori-style curriculum for children, connecting their capacity for...

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Child by Child: Supporting Children with Learning Differences and Their Families

This how-to guide offers tips and tools for integrating special needs children and youth into...

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The Fabulous Reinvention of Sunday School: Transformational Techniques for Reaching and Teaching...

This resource offers practical tools and approaches that will help any children's ministry...

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Curriculum Overview for Children's Formation

This chart contains a comprehensive list of currently available children's faith formation...

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Helping Kids Include Kids with Disabilities

This practical book contains information and tools to assist congregations in their quest for...

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My Jewish Learning

My Jewish Learning is a one-stop resource for individuals and families looking for information...

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Praying in Color, Kids' Edition

In a voice addressed to children, this resource introduces a form of purposeful doodling that...

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Kids Hope USA

This organization connects congregations with at-risk children for mentorship opportunities. ...

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Take Me Home: Notes on the Church Year for Children

Addressed for Catholic children, this resource contains richly illustrated entries featuring a...

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Helping Our Children Grow in Faith: How the Church Can Nurture the Spiritual Development of Kids

This resource discusses the six principles needed to help children develop a three-dimensional...

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Simply in Season Children's Cookbook

This book seeks to restore a relationship between children and their food, offering wisdom and...

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Jewish Lights Publishing: Children's Books

This web resource provides books which take on universal topics like grief and loss,...

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International Network of Children's Ministry

This organization provides resources for and fosters connections among children's ministry...

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Strategies for Educating African American Children

This resource combines knowledge of the African American Sunday School tradition with insights...

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Enduring Connections: Creating a Preschool and Children's Ministry

Written by a children's ministry specialist, this resource launches a conversation on a range...

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9 Things They Didn't Teach Me in College about Children's Ministry

This book offers practical tips and tools for children's ministry staff, covering topics such...

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Faith Forward: A Dialogue on Children, Youth, and a New Kind of Christianity

This resource draws from a 2012 conference on Children, Youth and a New Kind of Christianity,...

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Children's Ministry in the Way of Jesus

This resource draws from the authors' experience in addition to a range of traditional and...

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It Worked for Us: Best Practices for Ministry with Children and Families

This series of essays weaves wisdom and practical suggestions from dozens of experienced...

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Youth Specialties Blog

This web resource offers topics and trends in youth ministry - from Holy Week devotional...

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You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving the Church and Rethinking Faith

This web resource provides an interview with the author of a book and ground breaking study...

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Youth Ministry in the Black Church: Centered in Hope

Based on a study of more than 800 congregations, this resource draws from the experience of...

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God's Graffiti: Inspiring Stories for Teens

This resource turns to scripture for examples of people who encountered and overcame difficult...

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Relationships Unfiltered. Interviews and full length video presentations featuring Andrew Root.

Relational youth ministry at its most authentic is not a means of influencing young people. It...

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The Best of Building Assets Together: Favorite Group Activities that Help Youth Succeed

This resource provides over 100 different activities to foster developmental assets in middle...

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Mission Trips that Matter: Embodied Faith for the Sake of the World

This resource seeks to optimize the impact of short term mission trips on young people by...

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Playbook for Christian Manhood: 12 Key Plays for Black Teen Boys

Using the game of football as a conceptual framework, this resource guides young male...

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Youth Ministry: What's Gone Wrong and How to Get it Right

This resource details characteristics of successful youth ministries, offering tips and...

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The JGuy's Guide: The GPS for Jewish Teen Guys

Patterned after the Talmud, with multiple voices and opinions from the past and present, the...

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Student Leaders Start Here: Assessments and Tools to Help You Grow as a Leader

This interactive workbook helps young people discover and celebrate their leadership style and...

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First Third from Luther Seminary: Cultivating Faith in the First Third of Life

First Third is a web resource based on a national congregational study entitled "Exemplary...

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Head to Heart Confirmation Curriculum

This web resource by Faith5 organization offers up-to-date understandings of adolescent...

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Before You Hire a Youth Pastor: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding the Right Fit

This book offers how-to information to hire a youth pastor, ranging from sample job...

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Starting Right: Thinking Theologically About Youth Ministry

This resource encourages readers to view youth ministry from a practical theology perspective...

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The JGirl's Guide: The Young Jewish Woman's Handbook for Coming of Age

This resource compiles voices from scripture, tradition, and from women past and present to...

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Ministry Architects

This organization provides a wide variety of resources, such as coaching, workshops, and...

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Sticky Faith: Everyday Ideas to Build Lasting Faith in Your Kids

This research-based resource identifies steps leaders and parents can take to help students...

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Please Pass the Faith: The Art of Spiritual Grandparenting

This resource looks at the role grandparenting plays in passing faith to future generations,...

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99 Ways to Raise Spiritually Healthy Children

This book invites parents and their children to embark on a journey toward deeper family...

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The Ungame

The Ungame is a non-competitive communications game that uses questions to prompt the sharing...

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Momfulness: Mothering with Mindfulness, Compassion and Grace

Through story and reflection, this resource invites moms to cherish their child-raising years...

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Intergenerational Christian Formation: Bringing the Whole Church Together in Ministry, Community...

This book encourages an intergenerational approach to ministry and explores that idea through...

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Kveller: A Jewish Twist on Parenting

Kveller.com is a website for “information and inspiration that is right for your...

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Multidimensional Ministry for Today's Black Family

This collection of essays explores a range of topics that impact the well-being of individuals...

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Good Night, Sleep Tight: Bedtime Rituals

This five-page booklet from Interfaith Family encourages parents to use bedtime as an...

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LifeWay Christian Resources: Kids Ministry 101

This web resource, provided by the congregational resource center of the Southern Baptist...

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Susan Beaumont and Associates, LLC

This organization provides consulting and online resources for leaders who serve large...

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Faith Formation in Adulthood

This resource combines theoretical and practical information to cover what a congregation...

article

15 Ways to Engage a Young Man's Faith

This article draws from a study and key findings to detail 15 ways congregations can reach...

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Pilgrimage into the Last Third of Life: 7 Gateways to Spiritual Growth

Written by senior adult experts, this resource points to seven paths to a flourishing old age...

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Our Help in Ages Past: The Black Church's Ministry Among the Elderly

This thoughtful guide offers tips and tools for congregations ministering to elder...

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Reaching Out to Singles Assessment Pack

This training pack contains eight stand-alone assessment tools designed to guide conversations...

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Next Avenue: Where Grownups Keep on Growing

This website, by National Public Radio’ s Next Avenue, is a one-stop shop for...

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Parent Talk: Nine Conversations to Have with Your Aging Loved Ones

This resource equips caregivers for having difficult conversations with one's aging parents,...

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Welcoming the Elderly

This 5 minute video lists facility improvements that can enhance an older person's experience...

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Safe Sanctuaries: The Church Responds to Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of Older Adults

This resource provides congregations with information and strategies to protect older members...

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Young Adult: Taking a Coalition Approach to Young Adult Ministry

This brief article provides rationale and models for imaginative and fruitful engagement with...

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Living Fully, Dying Well Planning Kit: A Study for Small Groups

This DVD invites viewers to adopt a perspective of later life that is both practical and...

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Baby Boomers and Beyond: Tapping the Ministry Talents and Passion of Adults Over 50

This book explores how Baby Boomers reimagine life after 50 and offers guidance to minister to...

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Reaching Single Adults: An Essential Guide for Ministry

This guide for congregational leaders addresses how to minister to and with single adults.

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Faith Communities Today: Increasing Young Adult Participation in Churches and Other Faith...

Faith Communities Today is a web resource that examines congregations across an interfaith...

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Elderly & Living Alone in Rural Mississippi

This article details the story of an elderly man as a case study of how family, friends, and...

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A Heart of Wisdom: Making the Jewish Journey from Midlife through the Elder Years

This collection of essays offers Jewish perspectives on aging, ranging from intergenerational...

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Susan Nienaber Consulting, LLC

This organization provides consulting for congregations in conflict, needing structural...

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Inhabiting Eden: Christians, the Bible, and the Ecological Crisis

This resource turns towards scripture for inspiration and direction related to humanity's role...

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The Story of Stuff Project

This web resource, provided by Annie Leonard, details her Story of Stuff Project and has added...

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Care for Creation

This 10-minute presentation focuses on key words of the Genesis 2 and 3 stories that...

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Renewal

This video tells the stories of grassroots environmental initiatives led by people of faith...

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Food & Faith: Justice, Joy and Daily Bread

This resource reflects on the sanctity of eating, alongside the moral, spiritual, and...

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Tending to Eden: Environmental Stewardship for God's People

This resource guides individuals and congregations towards a path of responsible...

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ENERGY STAR® Action Workbook for Congregations

This government publication provides congregational facility managers with useful information...

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National Religious Partnership for the Environment

The goal of this website is to express a united commitment to “seek justice and healing...

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Blessed Tomorrow

This website offers resources to equip leaders to engage their communities for meaningful...

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Eco-Action

This web resource is perfect for any denomination and persons of faith who are looking for...

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Claiming Earth as Common Ground: The Ecological Crisis through the Lens of Faith

This collections of essays calls for urgent and cooperative action among disparate faith...

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50 Ways to Help Save the Earth: How You and Your Church Can Make a Difference

This book provides spiritual direction and practical tools to address causes of climate...

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Making Peace With the Land: God's Call to Reconcile with Creation

This resource urges readers to respond to the present and future challenges of sustaining life...

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The Mission Table: Renewing Congregation and Community

This resource intertwines personal story and biblical insight with tools for leadership...

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Let All Creation Praise

This ecumenical website resource includes a focus on “God the creator, Christ the...

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The Missional Network

This organization provides extensive resources and consulting to promote missional church...

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Adult Milestones Modules

This website offers discussion guides for adult milestones, such as buying a home or retiring....

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North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) Bullying Initiative

This website for Jewish youth and leaders contains curricula reviews and recommendations,...

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Seeing Red: An Anger Management and Anti-Bullying Curriculum for Kids

Written in a small group format, this resource helps kids learn to self-regulate their...

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Where All Can Safely Live: A Guide to Understanding Bullying in our Communities, How to Talk...

This four-session curriculum is designed for teenagers and adults, equipping participants with...

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Starting Missional Churches: Life with God in the Neighborhood

This book provides the reader with knowledge and inspiration to start a missional church from...

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Incarnate: The Body of Christ in an Age of Disengagement

This book calls Christians to embrace the "dirt, worms, and compost" and to serve the world...

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Sentness: Six Postures of Missional Christians

This book outlines six postures that will spark a shift from consumer Christianity to a...

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Book Review: "The Vanishing Neighbor - The Transformation of American Community Culture" by Marc...

This article looks at the loss of neighborliness and offers analysis to support the missional...

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Journal of Missional Practice

This web resource offers a collection of articles that explore a featured missional topic or...

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An Akathist in Praise of God's Creation

The text of this akathist, or hymn, evokes tender and joyful images of humankind's kinship...

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'Thine of Thine Own': Orthodoxy and Ecology

This essay presents a spiritual framework for thought and action regarding climate change.

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Shaped by the Story: Discover the Art of Bible Storying

This resource presents a new method of oral storytelling to connect teens with the Bible,...

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A Sabbatical Primer for Pastors: How to Initiate and Navigate a Spiritual Renewal Leave

This book advocates for practices and policies that ensure a sabbatical for every pastor,...

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Davidson Centre for the Professions – The Clergy Program

This program for clergy offers a weeklong residential retreat that takes a holistic approach...

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Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs at Christian Theological Seminary

This organization provides annual sabbatical grants for Christian clergy of up to $50,000,...

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Journeying Toward Renewal: A Spiritual Companion for Pastoral Sabbaticals

This resource uses the journal entries of the author in addition to interviews with sabbatical...

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Sabbaticals for Ministers: The Benefits for Pastors and Congregations

This well-researched article makes a clear and compelling case for the ministry sabbatical...

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Enter the Bible

This web resource offers free study help curated by the professors at Luther Theological...

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God's EPIC Adventure: Changing Our Culture by the Story We Live and Tell

This book provides a thoughtful and thorough guide to the narrative thread that connects the...

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Six Weeks with the Bible: Catholic Perspectives

Written by experienced teachers and biblical experts, this multi-volume series explores the...

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Children of God Storybook Bible

Designed for children, this illustrated book retells over fifty Bible stories from the Old and...

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Telling God's Story: The Biblical Narrative from Beginning to End

Based on a curriculum developed by veteran college teachers, this resource explores the Bible...

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YouVersion

The YouVersion app offers free mobile application from the folks at LifeChurch.tv and makes...

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Edible Idaho: God in the Garden

This brief video is a compelling introduction to the concept of congregational garden...

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Help and Hope: Disaster Preparedness and Response Tools for Congregations

Prepared by nearly two dozen experienced disaster relief practitioners, this guide gives...

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Coming Home: Ministry That Matters with Veterans and Military Families

Written by a military chaplain, this book argues that the return of military service members...

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Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers

This resource summarizes the findings from the National Study of Youth and Religion to foster...

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Charity Detox: What Charity Would Look Like if We Cared About Results

This resource advocates for charitable approaches that create systemic change, describing...

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Research Strategies for Congregations: Tools for Understanding the People in Your Church and...

This article explores a variety of research-based strategies to help congregations gain a...

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Finding the Right Church Plant Model

This article introduces and describes five church-planting models.

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Beyond the Yellow Ribbon: Ministering to Returning Combat Veterans

This resource equips congregations with sensitive and informed approaches to military...

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Preaching God's Transforming Justice: A Lectionary Commentary Featuring 22 New Holy Days for Justice

This three-volume set examines the Revised Common Lectionary through the lens of "God's...

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Devote Yourself to the Public Reading: Enhancing the Role of Scripture Reading in Worship

This article offers a five-point argument in favor of increasing the quantity and quality of...

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Preaching Climate Justice

This article explains why climate change is a Gospel issue and offers suggestions for framing...

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Feasting on the Word Guide to Children's Sermons

This resource argues that the best children's sermon is written by the one who presents it,...

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Preaching That Matters: Reflective Practices for Transforming Sermons

This sensitive and informative book is designed to help preachers deepen their skills and...

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Festival of Homiletics

This conference offers extensive workshop options, speakers, and lectures focused on examining...

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Academy of Preachers Festival of Preaching

The Festival of Preaching is an ecumenical event for Christian teens and young adults who...

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The Season of Creation: A Preaching Commentary

This four-week liturgical will help congregations connect more fundamentally with creation.

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The Ten Commandments of iPad Preaching

Written by a pastor, this article offers suggestions for pastors considering using computer...

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Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism

This resource uses a two-fold approach to form the basis for a thoughtful and practical guide...

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Pastors Should Strive to Finish Sermons as Strongly as They Began Them

This column offers a reflection on why it is important to end a sermon as thoughtfully and...

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Feasting on the Word Worship Companion

Based on the Revised Common Lectionary, this six-volume set of liturgical resources contains...

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Transitions: Leading Churches through Change

This collection of 26 essays and sermons offers wisdom and practical advice for pastors...

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Preaching in the Inventive Age

This resource argues for more interactive preaching practices, offering a new way to tell...

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Preaching in the Small Membership Church

This practical book for clergy in small congregations identifies and describes the ten roles...

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Dem Dry Bones: Preaching, Death and Hope

This resource draws upon Ezekiel 37 and African American spirituals to offer a unique insight...

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Reverse Lectionary

This web resource is a practical search tool that allows users to find out when a particular...

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Sermon Seeds

This free sermon preparation resource features commentary on at least one of the assigned...

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12 Preaching Tips I Learned from Haddon Robinson

This resource offers a bite-sized tutorial on expository preaching.

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Recapturing the Voice of God: Shaping Sermons Like Scripture

This resource describes three genres found in the Bible and explains how to shape a sermon...

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Preaching in Plenty and Want

This resource equips preachers to lead, teach, and offer hope during economic highs and lows. ...

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Missional Preaching: Engage, Embrace, Transform

This resource identifies and describes the seven goals of missional preaching.

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Foundation Center

This center helps congregations find potential funders for special ministry projects, as well...

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Church + Home: The Proven Formula for Building Lifelong Faith

This resource presents a home-centered faith formation approach as a way to establish lifelong...

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Our Day to End Poverty: 24 Ways You Can Make a Difference

Written by a long-time justice advocate, this family-friendly guide connects everyday tasks to...

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Working with Consultants

This guide walks leaders through basic considerations to make before engaging an outside...

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Calling Forth New Life: Becoming Your Freshest, Finest, and Fullest Self

This brief guide inspires and offers practical help for individuals seeking personal...

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Social Movements for Good: How Companies and Causes Create Viral Change

Based on research of millennials and their patterns of giving, this resource helps readers...

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Reimagining Faith Formation for the 21st Century: Engaging All Ages and Generations

This book offers a conceptual framework for faith formation in a changing world. Practical...

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Youth Ministry in the 21st Century: Five Views

In this book, five youth ministers discuss, compare, and contrast how to foster spiritual...

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Mastering the Art of Instruction: The 9 Essential Instructional Skills Every Teacher Needs to Master

Aimed at religious educators, this resource identifies 121 instructional behaviors that...

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Resurrection City: A Theology of Improvisation

This resource provides a theological framework to understand prophetic ministry and urges...

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Click 2 Save REBOOT: The Digital Ministry Bible

This social media overview expands on how modern-day platforms can impact the congregational...

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Millennial Ministry: It's Time We Drop the Adjective

This brief article offers common sense advice that can help any congregation welcome and...

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Clip in: Risking Hospitality in Your Church

Using the metaphor of a bicycle pedal clip, this book frames hospitality as a powerful way to...

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Ministry Incubators: Bringing Ideas Home to Roost

This organization is a incubator program and consulting group for early-stage missional...

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Natural Church Development

This organization strengthens congregations by surveying congregants, planning for growth, and...

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D6 Family: Connecting Church and Home

This organization provides resources for parents to jump-start ministry at home for their...

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StartCHURCH

This organization gives church planters resources to address the organizational,...

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The Beautiful Disciplines: Helping Young People to Develop Their Spiritual Roots

This youth curriculum is designed to help young people develop their spiritual roots, creating...

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Sticky Faith

This organization provides resources for youth ministers, congregations, and parents to help...

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Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI)

This organization provides congregations with legal means for utilizing copyrighted music in...

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Uncommon Decency: Christian Civility in an Uncivil World

This resource promotes positive public discourse through "convicted civility," the belief that...

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America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege and the Bridge to a New America

This book brings together history, current events, and faith resources to address America's...

article

Group Processes that Facilitate Positive Change

This article discusses four effective processes that leaders can use to take a positive...

article

Working with Architects

Written by the resource experts at the Center for Congregations, this article details things...

article

Getting the Most from an Education Event

This article provides practical guidance on how to get the most out of educational events.

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Allstate Foundation Purple Purse

This website provides free resources to educate women coming out of abusive relationships...

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GoTell Communications

Through this website, decade-long ministry pastor and master storyteller Tom Boomershine and...

article

Know the Best Time to Relocate Your Church

This article urges congregations to examine their identity and mission before moving...

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Merging Congregations: The Exploration, Facilitation and Execution of a Synagogue Merger, and the...

This article offers insights and practical tools to guide leaders through the intricacies of...

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Vital Merger: A New Church Start Approach that Joins Church Families Together

This book offers a proven model to ensure the success of a church merger, one that looks more...

article

10 Reasons to Consider Purchasing an Existing Building for Your Church Expansion or Relocation...

This article argues that congregations seeking additional space may find their answer in...

article

Should Our Church Remodel or Relocate?

This article asks 16 questions to help congregations think clearly about their options when it...

article

Dealing with Neighborhood Transitions in Your Church, Part 2: Congregational Relocation

Part of a four-part series on ministry in changing neighborhoods, this article offers five...

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Walking with Nehemiah: Your Community is Your Congregation

This book uses the biblical story about rebuilding Jerusalem's wall as a guide for how...

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The Case for Servant Leadership

This resource paints a compelling portrait of servant leadership, using inspiring stories from...

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These Are Our Bodies: Talking Faith & Sexuality at Church & Home

This curriculum equips congregations and families for faith-based conversations on human...

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The Proximity Project: Orienting Churches to Serve Neighborhoods Through the Built Environment

This organization assists congregations in discerning and implementing the hospitality...

article

Faith Formation with Baby Boomers

This article examines current research on the faith and attitudes of boomers and identifies...

article

Practical Ministry Skills: Outreach to Young Adults

This collection of nine articles breaks through myths and stereotypes to inform church leaders...

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Anathoth Community Garden & Farm

This garden and farm acts as a local community center and offers a space for spiritual growth...

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Blessed Earth: Serving God, Saving the Planet

This organization provides educational resources to equip and inspire congregations in the...

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Institute for Youth Ministry

This organization trains youth ministry leaders, creates dialogue about the contemporary...

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Jewish Sacred Aging

This organization provides resources for Baby Boomers and their families within the Jewish...

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Network of Biblical Storytellers International (NBS)

This organization offers online resources and a conference to bring together storytelling...

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North American Mission Board: Church Replanting

This organization helps dying congregations foster new life through utilizing the assets of a...

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Urban Youth Workers Institute

This organization provides training and resources for effective ministry within communities of...

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Virtual Ministry Assistants

Virtual Ministry Assistants provides administrators and information technology experts to aid...

article

The Life Cycle and Stages of Congregational Development

This article presents a life cycle model that can help leaders understand their congregation's...

article

What Makes a Good Bible Study? The Answer May Not Be What You Think

This article provides guidance for Bible study leaders looking for a study resource,...

web resource

Alliance of Baptists

This web resource offers a community dialogue and information for the Alliance of Baptists.

web resource

Church Supply Warehouse

This online warehouse is geared mostly towards Catholic parishes, but serves non-Catholic...

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Christian Social Innovation: Renewing Wesleyan Witness

This thin volume celebrates the church's legacy of social innovation and calls for current...

article

Using Facilities Assessments: A Resource from the Center for Congregations

This brief guide gives readers an introduction to facilities assessment and addresses what to...

article

Is Your Older Adult Ministry Effective? An Easy Assessment Tool for Gauging the Effectiveness of...

This self-assessment tool helps leaders measure their congregation's capacity for reaching...

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Growing Young: Six Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church

This resource draws insights from a study of congregations and young adults to present helpful...

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Special Report: Building Conditions Surveys

This article written by a preservation specialist explains what a building conditions survey...

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Seeking Shalom: How Reimagining Charity Can Transform Lives and Restore Communities

This 6-session, web-based curriculum brings together biblical scholars, community leaders,...

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Story: The Power of Narrative for Christian Leaders

This resource focuses on story as a fundamental force in identity-formation, hope, love, and...

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Theatre for Community, Conflict and Dialogue: The Hope is Vital Training Manual

This resource uses improvisational activities to build trust, find focus, and evoke creative...

article

Relating to Contractors

This two-page guide from congregational experts offers commonsense tips and tools to get the...

article

Strategic Planning

This two-page guide examines what to consider when beginning the strategic planning process,...

article

Selecting Fundraising Consultants

Compiled from interviews with consultants and congregational leaders, this article is designed...

article

Giving Gardening: Tips and Best Practices

This document from a Seattle-based food and nutrition group helps congregations make the most...

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Ageless Faith: A Weekly Podcast

This podcast presents a weekly 30-minute broadcast addressing an issue of practical importance...

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Antagonists in the Church: How to Identify and Deal with Destructive Conflict

This resource offers insight on how to identify a bully or antagonist and guidance to address...

article

Environmental Sustainability/ Stewardship

This article looks at ways to maximize congregational resources by minimizing the building's...

organization

Center for Congregational Resources at Samford University

This organization helps clergy and congregations understand their challenges and possibilities...

article

Renovation or New Construction: From Dreams to Planning to Committees

This 12-page guide breaks down the planning and building process into manageable steps.

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Interfaith Toolkit: Engage Your Neighbors

This resource offers neighborhood engagement strategies, such as identifying concerns you hold...

article

Who Does What? A Guide to Design Professionals in Preservation

This article equips congregations to determine what type of building professional to hire...

organization

Louisville Institute

This organization provides grants for pastoral and academic leaders to study and pursue...

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Dirt Matters: The Foundation for a Healthy, Vibrant, and Effective Congregation

This resource provides leaders with the tools to cultivate a healthy congregational culture...

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Plan 4 It: The 4 Essential Master Plans for Every Church

This book outlines how to strategically plan your building project by sharing practical wisdom...

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The Blessing: Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance

This resource combines theology and practical suggestions to help congregations build a...

article

Community Ministry Resources

This resource compiles books, articles, websites, and more to equip congregations for mutual...

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National Human Trafficking Hotline Resources

This website for the National Human Trafficking Hotline provides concerned congregations with...

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7 Epic Youth Ministry Mistakes: How Many is Your Church Making?

This e-book shares common youth ministry mistakes and how to avoid them.

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The Mission-Minded Guide to Church and School Partnerships

This resource helps congregations strategically plan for and establish a relationship with a...

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Cancer – Now What? Taking Action, Finding Hope, and Navigating the Journey Ahead

Written in 12 sections, this pastoral guide for cancer patients and their caretakers offers a...

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Smart Compassion: How to Stop "Doing Outreach" and Start Making Change

This guide offers congregations a relationship-rich model for community ministry that can...

article

Strategic Planning in Congregations

This practical article shares the insights of six congregations who hired strategic planning...

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Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from the Late Teens Through the Twenties

This resource presents a picture of emerging adult life, looking at the five common markers...

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Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (CPYU)

This website by youth ministry veteran Walt Mueller offers guidance to parents, teens, and...

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Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training: Dismantling Racism, Building Racial Justice in...

This organization facilitates conversations and trainings for congregations to address race...

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Big Questions, Worthy Dreams: Mentoring Emerging Adults in Their Search for Meaning, Purpose and...

Written by an expert on young adult development, this resource focuses on the important role...

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Small Group Network Channel

This YouTube channel, provided by Small Group Network (SGN), aims to enrich...

web resource

FacilitiesNet

This website provides up-to-date information on all things related to facility management,...

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Witnessing Whiteness: The Need to Talk About Race and How to Do It

Written by an educator, this book reveals racist tendencies in how we speak, and details the...

article

Creating Third Place Spaces at Church

This 8-page article from a church architect offers tips and a research-based approach for...

book

Why They Stay: Helping Parents and Church Leaders Make Investments That Keep Children and Teens...

Based on a survey of young adults, this resource reveals what congregations and parents can do...

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Fundraising for Churches: 12 Keys to Success Every Church Leader Should Know

This story-based approach to fundraising will help churches tackle capital campaigns,...

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Kitchen Table Giving: Reimagining How Congregations Connect with their Donors

This book details how to elicit more giving by building trust.

organization

International Facility Management Association (IFMA)

This organization provides members with educational events, training and networking...

organization

Search Institute: Discovering What Kids Need to Succeed

This organization provides research and resources for congregations that help young people...

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First Impressions: Creating WOW Experiences in Your Church

This book urges congregations to treat guests with "acceptance and respect," and can be used...

book

Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests into Fully-Engaged Members of Your Church

Filled with proven techniques, this book is a guide on how to welcome guests, providing...

organization

Orange

This go-to family ministry resource offers blogs, curricula, events, and podcasts to nurture...

book

Don't Make Me Think Revisited: A Common-Sense Approach to Web and Mobile Usability

This book draws upon the expertise of a web usability professional and provides instructions...

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Discovering and Living God's Heart for Immigrants: A Guide to Welcoming the Stranger

This 6-session study guide from World Relief helps Christians welcome and minister to...

web resource

Pew Research on Millennials

This website offers statistics and information about millennials in a collection of...

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Cause for Change: The Why and How of Nonprofit Millennial Engagement

This research-based guide dives into how to strategically engage Millennials as constituents,...

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Families at the Center of Faith Formation

This resource combines research-based findings with practical tools to examine what makes for...

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Who is my Neighbor?

This series of articles shares the story of Westbury UMC's refugee resettlement ministry as a...

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Playmeo: More than Just Fun

Playmeo is a web resource, provided by experiential educator Mark Collard, that offers...

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The Stranger: Immigrants, Scripture and the American Dream

This 42-minute video puts a human face on immigration by featuring the stories of individuals...

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Preparing to Love and Serve Our Neighbors: A Worship Experience

This ecumenical worship guide outlines a liturgy for the groundbreaking Fondren Apartment...

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It's Just a Phase (So Don't Miss it): For Leaders Who Care about Kids at Every Life Stage

“Just a Phase” is a collaborative, research-based website that features...

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Sustainable Community Development: From What's Wrong to What's Strong

This 18-minute TedTalk frames community engagement positively with compelling stories and...

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The Circle Way for Communities of Faith

The Circle Way provides a process to foster open conversations and communal decision-making. ...

organization

Yale Youth Ministry Institute

This extensive resource hub equips youth leaders to connect with diverse youth, walking...

article

Creating a Congregational Culture of Validation

This article reveals how validation fosters flourishing congregations and lists three ways...

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Professional Spiritual & Pastoral Care: A Practical Clergy and Chaplain's Handbook

This collection of essays forms a pastoral care crash course for clergy and chaplains,...

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The Guide to New Church Models

This compilation of essays and interviews looks at seven novel ways that congregations are...

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Spiritual Formation in Emerging Adulthood: A Practical Theology for College and Young Adult Ministry

This research-based book looks at the practical and spiritual implications of emerging...

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Are Your Church Facilities an Obstacle to Growth?

This brief article urges congregations to look at their facilities with the eye of a first...

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What "story" does the condition of your facility tell?

This blog post argues that congregations should pay attention to building cleanliness and...

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Church Facility Stewardship

This free download provides checklists and tools to proactively manage your congregation's...

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AdMinistry: The Nuts and Bolts of Church Administration

This book offers insight to manage a budget, organize personnel, and deal with the technical...

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The Developmental Relationships Framework

This printable page reminds youth leaders of healthy developmental strategies to nuture young...

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Managing Projects in Ministry

This resource combines the author's leadership experience with biblical principles to provide...

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Hospital Visitation 101

This article reveals what information hospital staff and patients need visiting pastors and...

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Carey Nieuwhof

This web resource offers an inspirational and practical on-the-go podcast with insights from...

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Less Chaos. Less Noise: Effective Communications for an Effective Church

Written by a communications expert, this book sharpens congregational practices to better...

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Download Youth Ministry (DYM)

This website by veteran youth leaders provides timely and affordable resources across 20+...

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A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community

Through this pastor's story, learn how to confront exclusive attitudes and build inclusive...

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Beyond the Offering Plate: A Holistic Approach to Stewardship

This collection of essays explores themes of stewardship through various lenses using...

media

10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation

This light-hearted TedTalk is an important reminder of the skills required to have a...

web resource

White Privilege: Let's Talk - A Resource for Transformational Dialogue

The United Church of Christ offers a free, downloadable curriculum for White faith communities...

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Generational IQ: Christianity Isn't Dying, Millennials Aren't the Problem, and the Future Is Bright

This book looks at generational realities through a faith lens, exploring the ways...

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The Power and Promise of a Communications Audit

This article presents a simple, ten-step framework to guide congregations through an annual...

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Reconcile: Conflict Transformation for Ordinary Christians

This book draws from the author's experience in reconciliation work around the world, offering...

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Using Nonprofits for God's Purposes

This blog post discusses things to think about when considering a nonprofit startup.

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Bivocational Pastors

This brief video from PBS looks at the challenges and opportunities that arise when the pastor...

article

Setting Wages and Benefits for Church Staff

This five-part guide provides technical and creative insights to manage personnel, budgets...

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How to Have Helpful Conversations About Race in the Church: An Anti-Racism Resource

This 11-page guide offers a process and tools to engage in important conversations regarding...

web resource

College Transition Initiative

This website aims to prepare students and families for the transition from high school to...

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The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life...

This book analyzes four personality types as they relate to why individuals act and why they...

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MultiChurch: Exploring the Future of Multisite

This book explains that the multi-site church model is biblically and theologically faithful,...

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The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery

This resource uses the Enneagram personality assessment to help individuals discover and...

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Sustainable Children's Ministry: From Last-Minute Scrambling to Long-Term Solutions

This resource provides congregations with the tips and tools to build a children's ministry...

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Growing Small Group Leaders: One Year of Resources for Small Group Coaches

This one-year program uses a variety of tools like instructional handouts and training...

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Everyone's Called to Youth Ministry…They Just Don't Know it Yet

This resource offers practical suggestions to engage volunteers for youth ministry.

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Ferguson and Faith: Sparking Leadership and Awakening Community

This resource presents the testimony of young activists and local clergy who joined forces in...

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Handling Conflict

This thorough resource, covering 12 different aspects of conflict, identifies negative and...

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Avoiding All-Out Church War

This pack of eight articles educates readers about conflict and how to mitigate it in a...

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Mission: Possible

This board game empowers teams to tackle problems by generating creative solutions, drawing on...

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How To Talk With Sick, Dying and Grieving People: When there are No Magic Words to Say

This resource provides insights and stories to help pastoral caregivers and clergy walk wisely...

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The Unstuck Church: Equipping Churches to Experience Sustained Health

This resource lays out the seven lifecycle phases of a congregation, beginning with "Launch"...

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New Churches: Multiply the Mission

New Churches, brought to you by veteran church start pastor and educator Ed Stetzer and Daniel...

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Wild Goose Festival

This event is part outdoor music festival, part retreat, and part justice conference. It...

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The Relational Judaism Handbook: How to Create a Relational Engagement Campaign to Build and...

This comprehensive guide is grounded in scripture and tradition to help transform...

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ChurchSalary: A Service of Church Law and Tax

This searchable database for congregations with paid staff contains information on salary...

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Catalyst Leader

This organization provides workshops and online resources focused on leadership building for...

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Community and Congregational Listening: Coaching and Practices from Online Sessions

This brief article offers practical wisdom to take the pulse of the congregation and its...

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Four Guiding Principles for Managing a Polarized Congregation

This article equips leaders to navigate conflict in the congregation.

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Principles for Online Ritual Design

This practical guide helps congregants create their own sacred spaces and rituals from home...

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Visitations and Funerals

This go-to site for loss and grief during COVID provides re-imagined rituals, practical...

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Bridges: 15 Sessions to Connect Teenagers and Adults on Drugs and Alcohol, Decision-Making,...

This resource contains various sessions and activity options to help facilitate conversations...

article

Relocation Manual for Pastors and Church Leaders

This digital manual provides rich insight and practical considerations to discern about...

article

How pastors can help their congregations address the issue of immigration

This practical article offers ways to address immigration with congregations, particularly...

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I Was a Stranger: What the Bible Says about Immigrants

This list of scripture passages reveals God’ s care for those who have been displaced. ...

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Is there a "Christian" way to deal with immigration?

Theology Crawl offers an open-ended discussion guide for use in informal, inclusive settings. ...

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Radical Hospitality: Responding to the issue of Immigration

This Mennonite curriculum provides a 6 to 13-week Bible study about immigration.

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Sanctuary: A Discernment Guide for Congregations

This guide explains the immigration Sanctuary Movement and how congregations can support...

article

Welcome to the United States: A Guidebook for Refugees

This guide provides practical information and workbook activities for refugees as they...

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Cultural Orientation Resource Center

This organization provides cultural Information services to support refugee communities.

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Videos for Learning About Refugee Families and Youth

These short videos share what refugee youth and their families face when adjusting to life in...

organization

Jewish Family and Career Services (JFCS)

JFCS offers a wide range of services in Louisville, KY, to help new Americans on their journey...

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Phygital Church: Building Physical and Digital Space for Ministry Impact in 2021

In this 60-minute presentation, ministry strategists explain how to adjust space usage when...

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Church After COVID: 7 Predictions for How the Church Will Change by 2025

This article forecasts how online giving will take a central role in congregational life.

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8 Disruptive Church Trends that Will Rule 2021

Thought leader Cary Nieuwhof describes how congregational life will change with technology and...

article

More Collaboration, Fewer Buildings? Post-COVID

In this article, Jewish communities share practical strategies to refocus resources and...

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Praying in the Time of COVID-19: How the World's Largest Mosques Adapted

This article demonstrates how prayer and community life can take new forms during pandemic...

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"What If…" Series: Faith Formation Strategies for a post-Pandemic World

These articles offer creative and practical faith formation ideas for an increasingly...

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Lessons from a Year of Ministry during COVID-19

In this article pastors share hybrid ministry practices they’ ll continue post-pandemic....

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What's Next in Digital Worship?

These Calvin Institute webinars explore post-pandemic worship including preaching, liturgy,...

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Smart Church Management: A Quality Approach to Church Administration

This concise book provides tips and tools on a variety of administrative topics ---...