Leadership in The Books Store

Jesus' command is clear. But what is a disciple? And how are we to "make" them?

Based on decades of experience, this book explains and illustrates the process of disciple-making that Jesus taught and modeled. First published in 1974, its practical, biblical approach has revolutionized the ministry of hundreds of thousands of Christians as they learned how to multiply themselves in the lives of others.

Disciple-making is challenging, to be sure. But as we are faithful to Christ's Great Commission, we'll experience the fulfillment that comes from being faithful to the life mission to which God has called us.

The power of God is dramatically changing lives through college football.

A wide receiver scores an 80-yard touchdown, and instead of celebrating, he drops to his knee in prayer. A defensive end relies on the prayers and support of teammates and fans when his family's home in New Orleans is washed away by Hurricane Katrina. An entire team locks arms and walks onto the football field and becomes "Hard fighting soldiers bringing souls to Jesus."

In Hard Fighting Soldier: Finding God in Trials, Tragedies, and Triumphs, Rev. Chette Williams, full-time chaplain of the Auburn University football team, tells how God transformed his life and how God continues to use him to influence football players at Auburn and beyond. As a player in the 1980s, some of Williams' Auburn teammates said he "wasn't worth praying for." He was a mean, bitter, angry young man, and when Coach Pat Dye kicked him off the team, nobody was surprised. With God's help, Williams turned his life around and he vowed to help others to do the same.

Throughout Auburn's perfect 13-0 season in 2004, Coach Tommy Tuberville gave Williams credit for leading the team through adversity to success. "He was the rock we held on to," Tuberville said. Hard Fighting Soldier reveals how God used those difficult times to transform players and coaches.

What makes Christian ministry Christian?

Theologian Andrew Purves explores at the deepest level the true and essential nature of Christian ministry. By comparison, the way ministry is often approached, in practice and in training, is severely lacking and profoundly misleading. This misapprehension explains the crisis in pastoral work we currently face. Rooting our church service in Christ's own continuing ministry, Purves provides a vision for students and practicing clergy to reclaim the vital connection between Christ and our participation in his ministry today, even if it means we have to let Christ himself put to death our own ministries to which we cling so closely.

A radical appraisal for a critical malady affecting the life of the Christian church.

• Pastors
• Students

• Provides a clear-cut analysis of the nature of ministry that gets below the superficial critiques and moves beyond simplistic techniques
• A valuable resource for students starting out in Christian ministry
• An encouraging and even prophetic analysis of what's gone wrong so often in our contemporary approaches to Christian ministry