Well the answer to these questions are perfectly answered with a great new book “The Cross is Not Enough”.  Enjoy the resource links below to learn how each of us can live daily as a witness to the resurrection every moment of our lives.

Enjoy this great audio interview/podcast with the authors Philip Johnson and Ross Clifford.

Second, read these three great blog posts and interactive reviews on the very essence of our faith, that the resurrection is not only the “linchpin” that holds everything together, but that our day-to-day lives are completely affected by the reality of an empty tomb.

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You Lost Me: Live!

Seattle, WA | May 22 | Northwest University

Denver, CO | June 7 | Denver Community Church

Earlier this year, we had more than 800 leaders join us for two events in Washington DC and Ventura, California.

This half-day of training (from 10am to 3pm) focuses on today’s younger generation of teenagers and twentysomethings. Know the important cultural shifts that are influencing today’s young Christians.

Immerse yourself in our research. Hear from young adults and from local ministry leaders. And learn what you can do to share leadership with this emerging generation.

For more information or to register, click here

If you do not live in one of these markets, stay tuned. We plan to announce fall dates soon! (Hint: Chicago and Las Vegas are some of those cities.)

This generation is of vital importance to the Christian community. They need us and we need them. Thank you for allowing Barna Group to stoke your imagination for working with this generation.

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Turning to God: Reclaiming Christian Conversion as Unique, Necessary, and Supernatural

Over the weekend as you rest and reflect, enjoy two brand new releases from Baker Books that help all of us remember and celebrate the centrality of this essential teaching of our faith.

We can never be reminded enough of the enormity, and the temporal and eternal blessings of the Cross, the empty tomb, and the promise of Heaven.

Heaven is Now by Andrew Farley  The Cross is not Enough by Ross Clifford and Philip Johnson

EARLY PRAISE FOR HEAVEN IS NOW

“If you’ve ever wondered what Jesus might say specifically to you, this is your book and you’re going to love it! Andrew Farley presents the magnificent truth of the gospel in the form of a conversation — as though Jesus were talking directly to you, and you to Jesus. Your heart will open wide to your Savior as you marvel at His love for you. And there’s nothing more life-changing than that!”

—Ralph Harris, author of God’s Astounding Opinion of You

“Here is a gentleness that captures not only the content of Jesus’s message, but His loving heart and warmth as well. Within this invitation to experience heaven in the here and now, Farley offers the encouragement of a good news that’s much better than what Christians are usually taught. God’s tenderness leaps from every page.”

—David Gregory, bestselling author of Dinner With a Perfect Stranger

“What a promise: There is another world, and it can start now, in this one. Read “Heaven is Now” to discover hidden everyday reflections that can awaken your “five spiritual senses” so that you can begin eternity now. This book is heaven-sent.”

—Leonard Sweet, bestselling author, professor, and chief contributor to Sermons.com

Check out this wonderful review for “The Cross is Not Enough”

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/euangelion/2012/04/the-1-book-for-this-easter-the-cross-is-not-enough/

Christ is risen!  Truly He is risen!  Alleluia!

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…more important… how do you think God measures it?

In The Measure of Our Success, Shawn Lovejoy beautifully takes us back to the ‘main thing’ about being a pastor – and it’s not about the things that you presently think are important.  This is a much-needed and refreshing book for anyone in spiritual leadership today… it’s truly an impassioned plea from a pastor who himself was misguided, crashed, and then dusted himself off, and now wants to share what he’s learned about true success.

How do pastors measure success? Is it through the number of people who fill the pews on Sunday morning? Is it tied to programs, building projects, salary, or book deals? Is it about how much technology they use or what their worship band sounds like? Shawn Lovejoy has seen all of these measures of success lead pastors toward pride, self-reliance, loneliness, isolation, exhaustion, and, in the most extreme cases, self-destruction.

In this honest and encouraging book, he calls pastors back to the “main thing”–the call to love people and make disciples–and to measure their success the way God does.

Using Scripture, personal examples, and case studies, Lovejoy gently leads pastors back to their first love, and in doing so he leads them toward a more effective and joy-filled ministry.

This is an impassioned plea to pastors…

discover the real meaning of success.

Shawn Lovejoy

“I wish I could have gathered this much wisdom in one book when I set out to start my first church seventeen years ago. I would have avoided so many painful mistakes.” 

– Chris Seay

author of A Place at the Table and pastor of Ecclesia, Houston, TX

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With so many books that imagine what heaven must be ”like”, and with people who in their dreams, or through a some near death physical manifestation ‘travel’ to heaven – and then come back to tell the tale – Drew Farlley takes a different approach.

What if we could experience heaven here… right now?  What if we were able to awaken our five senses, and truly experience the beauty, grandeur, and blessing of heaven while still on earth?

Certainly, there can be no comparison between this world and the world to come; for in the paradise that awaits us things like, war, poverty, hunger, hatred, violence and mosquitoes that bite will not be part of that blessed reality.

But Drew does offer us a great invitation – here and now:  imagine living life here on earth in a heavenly way by awakening our senses to the glory and beauty of God all around us.

If we would just open up our eyes… we might be surprised what we see and experience. 

Get a copy today at your favorite bookseller:

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Christian Book.com 

or your local Christian book seller – find the nearest one here

I came upon this video interview today that posed the question: “What is the future of the Church in America – is there a growing indifference toward religion?”   

What lies in store for people of faith, and more importantly what does culture think about religion and people of faith – and in fact, what do wealthy affluent and intellectual people think about Christianity?  And there is probably no one better to ask that David Kinnaman, president of The Barna Group, whose research has informed the church and culture for the past 30 years   Barna has stacks of data from which to compare and contrast trends and yet – not surprisingly – there was a fairly common idea that was asked in this interview yet again for people today to consider… and it is this:

In countries of “affluence” – places where there is comfort, ease, entertainment and many discretionary distractions –  religion and faith are quite often disdained and ignored… but in countries of poverty, want and great need… faith is growing by leaps and bounds. 

Hmm?  Kind of sounds like the New Testament culture of Christ’s time…for even in that epoch it was not the affluent and powerful people like Herod, and Pontius Pilate that came to faith and followed Christ – but it was the widow, the sick, the poor, and the beggars who found hope and salvation in the message of Jesus of Nazareth.  Sometimes modern research just reminds us of what we have always known to be true… and in this case that seems to be the issue.

Why is it that the smarter, more intelligent, and the more academic degrees we achieve – and the more money, possessions, and distractions we obtain… why is it that we then find faith and God to be ‘useless’ and only for weak and ignorant people? 

What appears to be perpetually true is Christ’s teaching that it is not the so-called self-proclaimed “healthy” who are in need of a doctor – but rather the sick… and it is for the sick and needy (i.e. the repentant) that Christ came 2,000 years ago, and still, by grace – comes today into the hearts of any and all who will humble themselves and lose everything to gain in Him more than words can describe.  Some say that religion is a creation of man, a product invented by our minds, that would make poverty and suffering more bearable.  But there are others, and the witness of millions of saints, both rich and poor, who know better.  The issue is this:  “Who or what is your ‘god’?  For what you value most in your life is what you will worship most…  One can be rich in the ways of the world, and rich in repentance, faith, hope and love toward God… but the temptation for self-sufficiency and self-reliance (i.e. lack of faith and love for God) are far greater with the more ‘stuff’ we have.  In the early church it was often said:  “The rich exist to meet the needs of the poor, and the poor exist for the very salvation of the rich…” 

Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels…”  Mark 8: 34f 

For more great insight, and information about the church and culture – take a look at David’s books…  You Lost Me provides insights into why next-generation Christians are leaving the Church and rethinking their faith, and unChristian is research that shows what ‘outsiders’ think about Christians and Christianity – both best-sellers and worthy of reading…

Outreach magazine

The winners are highlighted in the just released March/April 2012 issue of Outreach.

The annual Outreach Resources of the Year feature celebrates the best outreach-oriented books and curricula in areas such as evangelism, compassion and justice ministries, missional living and cross-cultural ministries. 

“These resources deserve accolades, but Outreach Resources of the Year is about more than that,” said Outreach Editor Brian Orme.

“We strive to help churches share God’s love, reach their communities and change the world. Drawing their attention to the best resources available each year is one way we do that.”

About 170 resources published between Nov. 1, 2010, and Oct. 31, 2011, were submitted to Outreach for consideration—the most submissions in the last four years. Outreach editors narrowed the field to 122 and placed them in categories. 

“Each year, we are humbled by the involvement of so many people at the top of their fields who volunteer their time to evaluate the resources and choose the best,” Orme said.

“We are truly grateful for the participation of the expert panelists.”

Each panelist independently evaluated the resources in his or her area of expertise and selected what he or she thought were the best. The experts chose how many resources to recognize in their respective categories.

Here are  the BPG winners:
Right Here, Right Now: Everyday Mission for Everyday People
By Alan Hirsch and Lance Ford (Baker)

Hurt 2.0: Inside the World of Today’s Teenagers
By Chap Clark (Baker Academic)

If God, Why Evil? A New Way to Think About the Question
By Norm Geisler (Bethany House)

The Nuts and Bolts of Church Planting: A Guide for Starting Any Kind of Church
By Aubrey Malphurs (Baker)

Get copies  today at your favorite bookseller  – or read samplers at www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

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Right now in Georgia, at the Velocity Conference, the premier church planting event in the country… Shawn and others will be equipping the next generation of church planters with wisdom, and holy admonitions to keep the main thing – the main thing.

So often in ministry what often starts out as a “mission for God” and “a plan to serve people” – quickly turns into a popularity contest for the pastor.  We all too soon begin to imagine that everything is about me, my platform, my performance, my church size, my publishing contracts, and my speaking platforms.  This obsession on self leads to ruin and devastation.

In this provocative and bracing book… Shawn says, “Success is NOT what you may think it is…”  and chances are it isn’t!  Read this book for many reasons… but primarily for the health of your ministry and church.  Remember the winner of the race is not the one who starts… but the one who actually finishes… and finishes well.

Here is a quick story from Shawn himself.  The beauty of this book is that he is not writing about ‘theory’ or ‘case studies’… but rather about his own rise, crash, and restoration… you must read this book… it may very well save your soul.

Measure of Our Success: Behind The Scenes

 I don’t know for sure that I would have lost my marriage and my ministry; but I had certainly put myself into the proper position. I was a ministry workaholic. Driven by legions of unrecognized and unbridled desires, I was willing to do anything to be “successful” in ministry.

Fortunately, the wakeup call came before any of that could happen. Today, ten years later, I am healthy, have a healthy marriage and family, and a healthy church. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not perfect. I don’t have it all together. I am a work in process.  I’m still tempted. I know that you are, too. Thankfully, we don’t have to be perfect to be successful. Did you hear that?

Having had the opportunity now to talk with hundreds of pastors and ministry leaders around the world, the struggle is the same: we all want to be “successful” in our ministries. But what is success? How will we know if we get there? How does the Bible define success? How does Jesus measure success? How does the New Testament measure success in the church? 

Here’s a hint: I do not think we are measuring success the way we are taught. We are not following God’s prescription for success. We are not hitting the bulls-eye. The word “sin” means to miss the mark; and our sin is costing our families, our ministries, and us. We must deal with this. We must wrestle with this. We must act on this. We must come back to God’s measure of success. We must define it the way He does.

If we don’t measure success His way, the consequences are many. If we will, it will heal many of the aches and scars of our ministries. It will alter every day the rest of our lives. There is another way. There is a way off the ministry treadmill. There is a way out. There is a way to freedom and rest. There is a way to be used by God and stay sane, centered, and married (happily) in the process. That’s what this work is all about. 

I pray you’ll join me on this journey. I pray you’ll listen with an open mind and an open heart to my impassioned plea to pastors. I truly believe God could use this book to change our ministries forever. I pray this book finds its way into the hands of pastors and their spouses; into seminaries and church staffs; and everywhere where a ministry leaders is struggling to find “success.” This book is about my life. This book is about your life. This book is about His life living though ours. Isn’t that where we want to be?

 Read a sample Chapter.

Get a copy now… and get one for any pastor that you know and love.

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And of course this means we have begun a search for a new acquisitions assistant for Baker Books and God’s Word Translation. This is a terrific opportunity for someone who is interested in book publishing as a career.

We wanted to let our blog readers and social networks know, as we’d love to hire someone who is already a fan of what we do!

To find out more, click here: http://tinyurl.com/86q4vhx