Folly, Grace, and Power
John Koessler
Paperback, 160 pp., $16.99
Zondervan (September 13, 2011)

When you stand before your congregation, what do you hope to accomplish when you preach the Word? If people have Bibles and the freedom to read and pray on their own—why do they need you? In short, what do you bring to the table? Author, pastor, and professor John Koessler answers those questions and many more. This essential book is both a stern reminder of the sacredness of the awesome responsibility of being a preacher, as well as a how-to that reveals the key to speaking powerfully on God’s behalf.

Church Diversity
Scott Williams
Paperback, 192 pp., $13.99
New Leaf Publishing Group (April 5, 2011)

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said that 11 o’clock on Sunday morning is “the most segregated hour in America.” Forty years later his observation still rings true. Calling you to be an agent of change, Williams offers proven insights to help your congregation engage in fruitful conversations about diversity and welcome everybody into God’s house.

The U-Turn Church: New Direction for Health and Growth
Kevin G. Harney and Bob Bouwer
Hardcover, 208 pp., $16.99
Baker Books (June 1, 2011)

If you’re a pastor, no one needs to tell you that the majority of churches in America are in a state of stagnation or decline. In The U-Turn Church, two pastors who turned their churches around walk you through the roadblocks and show you how to help usher in a new season of health, faithfulness, growth, and vision in your church. Isn’t it time to begin your own U-Turn journey? Here’s the practical help and wisdom born of experience that you have been looking for.

Dangerous Church
John Bishop
Paperback, 208 pp., $18.99
Zondervan (April 12, 2011)

Most churches gravitate to what is safe. Through probing questions and amazing stories of God’s grace, John Bishop confronts church leaders to embrace what matters most to the heart of God, whatever the cost. Reaching out to a lost world was never meant to be easy. Jesus promised his followers that they would have trouble in this world. Dangerous churches put everything on the line for what matters most: reaching lost people who may spend eternity separated from the God who created them.

Church Planter
Darrin Patrick
Paperback, 240 pp., $15.99
Crossway Books (August 31, 2010)

The most critical human component of every church plant is the planter himself. Scripture has a lot to say about the character and office of those called to lead. But so much of its wisdom gets pushed aside for strategies and methods—a high price to pay. It’s time to return to biblical criteria for determining the man, the message, and the mission of every church.