Darlene Zschech, one of the world's most respected worship leaders, writes honestly and realistically of how both current leaders and those coming along after them can overcome hurdles and by the grace of God work together for the good of the church. In this critical message, she urgently challenges the church to raise up a new generation of leaders whose hearts are centered on God. Her leadership at Hillsong Church combined with her international work has created a passion for mentoring those who share her heart for God. Zschech speaks with an artist's voice that will reach people who might bypass the more business-oriented books.

Over the Past few decades mainline Protestant congregations have not easily embraced the notion of spirituality. As much as any aspect of church life, spirituality has been misunderstood, misused, and resisted by both clergy and laity. Yet times are changing. Today many people feel a deep spiritual hunger and are out looking for fulfillment in a wide variety of settings. In this new context, mainline congregations need to awaken to the presence of the Spirit in their midst and equip leaders to nurture both the personal and corporate spirituality of their congregations. Beyond the Ordinary is explicitly written to help church leaders who have had no formal training in spiritual formation. Drawing from years of experience teaching Christian spirituality, Ben Campbell Johnson and Andrew Dreitcer explore the spiritual dimensions of leadership, looking in depth at the meaning of spirituality as it relates to the tasks of ministry. This friendly, inspiring book will enable readers to erase the negative stereotypes of spirituality and develop vital models and practices for the church today. The book introduces a faithful understanding and practice of the spiritual life to those who have not yet dipped into the well that is Christian spirituality. For those who have already tasted this water and still thirst, it offers a way to dip even more deeply. Chapters discuss the issues surrounding a meaningful spirituality for our changing times, the importance of holding prayer and mission in tension, and the crucial role of Scripture in the formation of our lives. The authors also underscore the importance of vision, myth, and discernment in the spiritual life of the church. And they discuss the power of spiritual practices like discernment and visioning for enhancing the spirituality of congregations and helping them become agents of social transformation. Intended for personal and group use by pastors, elders, other church leaders, and those preparing for service in the church, the book includes questions for reflection and discussion as well as journaling exercises to encourage learning and growth.

Southern Baptist Convention president Johnny M. Hunt often shares his unique Christian testimony: a shy, rebellious kid whose alcoholic father left a wife and six children to fend for themselves, he did not embrace faith until after he was married. So when Johnny talks about investing in people, earning respect, living intentionally, daring to dream, and being courageous, his words ring especially fresh and true.

Building Your Leadership Résumé

is Hunt's presentation of wisdomfocused lessons like those mentioned above that will simply yet greatly enhance any business or ministry. Each five-to-six page entry guides the reader toward becoming a selfless leader whose impact on others can be immediately rewarding as well as eternally significant.

The bedrock grounding of church leaders is in God. This grounding comes through deliberate and explicit attention to God through prayer and self-reflection. Leadership as vocation, Christian leadership, begins with self-leadership, clarifying one's own heart, one's whole being, and one's mind in order to find and show that one's most basic identity and deepest and most concrete security lie in God--not in success or in pleasing someone else or in being seen as a good person or being loved by a congregation or the faith community we lead.

Contents includes:

The Vocation of Leadership

The Shape of Our Vocation

Lessons From the Saints

What is Good Ministry?

The Persons We Are and the Institutions We Serve

The Preacher and Preaching

Taking Care of Ourselves in the Everyday

Time: It's Ours to Receive, Use, and Manage

Staying Alive All Our Ministry Life

These days "getting religion" is generally considered a rather quaint thing of the past. "Getting spirituality," on the other hand, is the hottest thing on the market. In fact, corporate-sponsored spiritual salve is becoming the most popular prescription for the overworked and soul-weary employee. But for many Christians, this antidote has become its own epidemic. How is this epidemic infecting the church? How should the church respond as a community of believers?According to authors Michael Budde and Robert Brimlow, the church must resist becoming the "chaplain to capitalism." In their new book, Christianity Incorporated: How Big Business Is Buying the Church, they remind us that Christ-centered discipleship is fundamentally at odds with consumer capitalist priorities. The church must have a mission and a voice in society that is distinct from, rather than in chorus with, watered-down corporate spirituality. Finally, they turn to the Sermon on the Mount as a reminder of Jesus' attitude toward wealth and spiritual wholeness.Christianity Incorporated is a wake-up call for all Christians. Courageous, current, and accessible, this book will attract the attention of business people, pastors, and lay members of the church.Anyone concerned with pursuing Christian discipleship in a consumer culture will find guidance and insight here.