Jesus’ final command must be our first priority.

Making disciples is the sole mission of Christ’s church. But many of us find it very difficult to remain focused on this mission— there are so many other things competing for our attention. As a result, many American denominations and fellowships are in decline. Some appear to be in a death spiral. Even the churches of Christ are losing members: 200 people leave the churches of Christ every week, and every week in America a church of Christ goes out of business forever. Is the sun setting on Christianity in the West?

Not on our watch.

This book is a call for us to return to Christ’s revolutionary mission for His church. Let’s become fully mature followers of Jesus Christ. Let’s be transformed by His Word, through repentance, discipline, and obedience. Let’s become fishers of people, going out into the whole world with a message that we truly believe is good news. The times ahead may be difficult, but this will be our finest hour.

In fact, maybe the sun isn’t setting after all. With a restored perspective, we may see it’s actually rising. It’s a new day, and the Light of the World will soon make all things new.

God made you to be unique. He hand selected every aspect of your personality as a way of equipping you with the tools you need to complete the mission He has prepared for you. But sometimes those personality traits can be ignored, misunderstood, or ultimately underutilized. What God intended to be your strength can be mistaken as a weakness, crippling your abilities as a disciple of Jesus Christ. If you could gain a better understanding of the unique personality traits God has given to you and those around you, then you could strengthen the effectiveness of your ministry and entire congregation.

Colorfully Constructed provides an easy-to-understand explanation of the four personality colors, a simple tool used to identify those colors in yourself and others, and the value of personality diversity in Kingdom work.

Question: What is the God-given purpose of the local church?

Answer: Relational discipleship.

DiscipleShift walks you through five key "shifts" that churches must make to refocus on the fundamental biblical mission of discipleship. These intentional changes will attract the world and empower your church members to be salt and light in their communities.

Over the last thirty years, many influential church leaders and church planters in America have adopted various models for reaching unchurched people. While many of these approaches have merit, something is still missing, something even more fundamental to the mission of the church: discipleship.

Making disciples—helping people to trust and follow Jesus—is the church's God-given mandate. Devoted disciples attract people outside the church because of the change others see in their Christ-like lives. And discipleship empowers Christians to be more like Christ as they intentionally develop relationships with non-believers.

Through biblical and professional insights, Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington discuss the transformational effectiveness of making disciples and just how to do so, in practical terms. You’ll learn:

The specific roles of a disciple-making pastor.
The components of person-to-person discipleship.
How each ministry in your church leads to discipleship.
How to implement discipleship in your church.
Disciple-making leaders will not produce perfect churches, but they will create effective churches.

A GUIDE FOR EMBRACING BIBLICAL FAITH IN THE FACE OF AMERICAN PROGRESSIVISM

North American Christianity stands at a major crossroads. Hundreds of thousands of believers have begun to lose interest in apostolic Christianity: the faith of the Scriptures, the great witnesses and teachers of the faith, and the major creeds and confessions of Christianity.

The challenge? Theological progressivism.

A Grand Illusion exposes the dangers and contradictions of theological progressivism, revealing its North American, secular and elitist assumptions. It offers a full throttle defense of authentic Christianity. And it exposes the dim future of progressivism.

If you are tempted by progressivism, if your church or family members are starting to lean progressive, or if you simply need reassurance that apostolic faith is the real deal, read this book.

What does it mean to be a disciple? The call of discipleship is more than programs and Bible study. In King Jesus and the Beauty of Obedience-Based Discipleship, David Young presents a bold call for obedience-based discipleship and argues that it alone is the proper response to the kingship of Jesus. Many have wrongly associated obedience with bad theology, believing that Jesus' demand for obedience is a form of works righteousness or legalism. Others simply don't like obedience and resist the demands Jesus makes in calling us to follow him.

But if we surrender to the kingship of Jesus, we will find the life we were designed to live. We are accustomed to calling Jesus "Savior." And we should. But until recently, many in the Western church have not learned to call Jesus "King."

The kingship of Jesus has implications for how we live. We can either rebel against him, raising puppet kings and constructing our own kingdoms, or we can submit to him in obedience-based discipleship. Could it be that you are still sitting on the throne of your life, treating King Jesus as a mere advisor? What would change in your life if you started treating Jesus as nothing short of your King?

Young unpacks five principles for those who wish to follow Jesus as King.

1. Surrender to the authority of King Jesus
2. Embrace the mission of King Jesus
3. Live immersed in King Jesus
4. Obey the teachings of King Jesus
5. Behold the presence of King Jesus
Following these five steps awakens us to a life truly worth living, a life of power, peace, beauty, and love. This is eternal life, that we would know and follow Jesus as King of the Universe, and king over our lives. After all, you don't merely believe in kings. You obey them.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO TRUST AND FOLLOW JESUS TODAY?

This short guide brings you back to the basics in a cut-to-the-chase style. Author Bobby Harrington presents short and succinct points with Scripture references to answer bottom-line questions about following Jesus. Designed with discipleship groups in mind, this book will encourage healthy and robust conversations for you and your church.

Trust and Follow Jesus is a guide both for those who are unsure of their faith and for devout Christians. It will establish key teachings of the faith found in Scripture. You’ll walk away with your mind informed, your heart enlivened, and your hands activated by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Trust and Follow Jesus hits the mark. Through this book, new disciples are equipped with the necessary biblical doctrine and practical application to grow in Christ and embrace a lifestyle of disciple-making.”>
—Reggie Rice, Director of Adult Ministries, Christ Church of the Valley

“Discipleship needs a solid start, and Trust and Follow Jesus is the resource I use to build a strong foundation—every time.”
—Joanne Kraft, author and national speaker, founder of Grace & Truth Living (Discipleship for Women)

Being male and female means much more than figuring out who’s “in charge” or whether men or women get to perform certain roles. Far from being bad news, God’s word on gender is great news when we live as he intended.

Not pitting one gender against another—elevating women or men above the other—On Gender charts a third way: the way of embracing and enjoying our gender differences. Amid the arguments of rigid complementarians and liberal egalitarians, find clarity by reading this book. Renée Sproles challenges both men and women by inviting them to obey Scripture with imagination and joy. Brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, church leaders and lay persons alike will find in this book a fresh and winsome perspective on what it means to be male and female. We can glorify God in our daily lives and bring out the best in each other to give the world an in-the-flesh picture of Christ and the church.
“Biblically grounded and winsome, On Gender offers a generous and beautiful picture of complementarianism for the 21st century. It’s not a mere list of prohibitions and restrictions but rather a lovely portrait of how God has designed males and females to live together in such a way that each person is elevated to their fullest dignity. Read this book and live its truths.”

—DAVID YOUNG, Senior Minister, North Boulevard Church of Christ

“This books contains the best explanation of husband-wife relationships I have ever read. It’s a much-needed woman’s perspective that I will surely use in my own marriage and in counseling with married couples. Many of us never received sufficient instructions in this area, and boy do we need it. Sproles is spot-on.”

—GEOFF GIESEMANN, Spiritual Growth Minister, Burnt Hickory Church of Christ

“On Gender is filled with relevant Scriptures and accurate interpretations, consistently buttressed with simple explanations of Hebrew and Greek words. If your congregation is struggling with this issue, use this resource in your church classes as well in your youth and college programs. Unlike any book I know on this subject, this one is uniquely both scholarly and self-confessional.”

—JOHN HARRIS, former Orlean Bullard Beeson Professor of Education, Samford University

Real Life Theology invites you to a fresh way of living by bridging two areas of your life: what we know about God and how we live our lives. This collection of thirteen accessible books gives real-life answers to fifty-two of life’s biggest questions, such as: What is the gospel? What is saving faith? What role does baptism play in salvation? What are the essential, important, and personal elements of the faith? How should we view marriage, gender, and race?

Real Life Theology was written with everyday Christians in mind. We encourage you to read it, walk with others through it, and along the way learn God’s real-life answers to your biggest questions.

This series will help churches in their training of pastoral staff as well as the everyday disciple maker in your church or ministry.

A GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING BAPTISM AS A DEFINING COMMITMENT FOR DISCIPLES

As church leaders, we see it on people’s faces — they want renewal. Baptism helps disciples and seekers find a renewed faith in Jesus and commitment to following him. The authors focus on how Jesus’ teachings play a significant role in the renewal process.

People seem to know that baptism is tied to God’s renewal plan for our lives. The authors help you understand exactly why baptism, for the disciple of Jesus, is like the wedding ceremony for those who get married.

Though the Bible is pretty clear on baptism — over time and through various religious traditions — baptism has become a controversial topic. Three Renew leaders, each with an expertise in biblical studies, come together to write this book: Tony Twist, David Young, and Bobby Harrington guide you through all the religious noise so you can find clarity in Baptism: What the Bible Teaches.

AN INVITATION TO LET THE HOLY SPIRIT LEAD YOUR LIFE

Imagine you were given the choice between two doors: one marked “The Study of the Holy Spirit” and the other “The Holy Spirit Is Here.” Which door would you choose? In Holy Spirit, David Young encourages the reader to choose the adventure over the classroom. His walkthrough of such key questions as “What is a spirit?” and “What does it mean for the Holy Spirit to live within us?” captivates the reader’s curiosity. Yet the end goal of this exploration goes beyond mere insights to being an invitation to a transformative way of life. Young delves into realities commonly accepted but experienced too rarely, such as the Holy Spirit’s role in making us like Jesus and the role of spiritual disciplines in letting the Spirit lead our lives.

This book challenges us to address a side of God that many find uncomfortable in a way that is engaging and theologically sound.

THE GUIDEBOOK WE NEED FOR TIMES WE NEVER ASKED FOR

Are you a Christian resolved to following the teachings of Jesus regardless of cultural pressure? This book is written for you and the millions of Christians in North America who have discovered that our world has become hostile to many of our Christian beliefs. Resilient is a realistic look at the increasing hostility toward Christianity in North America—and a powerful and winsome guide for how to stand firm in our Christian convictions.

It is time for thoughtful Christians to move from a state of shock to a state of confidence. To that end, Young assembles wise and courageous voices from Scripture, history, and the global church to address how to respond at this moment in history. The result moves beyond analysis to laying out serious strategies for faithfully following the path of King Jesus amid tectonic cultural shifts under our feet.

Forward written by John Cooper of Skillet!

Teología de la vida real te invita a una nueva forma de vivir tendiendo un puente entre dos áreas de tu vida: lo que sabemos sobre Dios y cómo vivimos nuestras vidas. Esta colección de trece libros accesibles da respuestas reales a cincuenta y dos de las mayores preguntas de la vida, como: ¿Qué es el evangelio? ¿Qué es la fe salvadora? ¿Qué papel desempeña el bautismo en la salvación? ¿Cuáles son los elementos esenciales, importantes y personales de la fe? ¿Cómo debemos ver el matrimonio, el género y la raza?

Teología de la vida real se ha escrito pensando en los cristianos ordinarios. Te animamos a que lo leas, a que camines con otros a través de él y a que, en el camino, aprendas las respuestas de la vida real que Dios da a tus más importantes preguntas.

Esta serie ayudará a las iglesias en la formación de su personal pastoral, así como al hacedor de discípulos de cada día en su iglesia o ministerio.