Answering The Call To Serve

In Serving as Jesus Served: Practical Ways to Love Others, Michele Howe equips men and women to better understand their calling as God’s chosen ones to make a distinct and holy impact in the world. She begins by unpacking what it means to serve God and what this looks like in day-to-day life. Designed to be highly practical, Serving as Jesus Served offers readers specific Bible passages that describe our responsibilities as servants and how to implement them in a world that pursues the opposite. Each chapter highlights a specific passage of Scripture for deeper study and includes a real-life story that illustrates how a servant is to respond to difficulties, opposition, or resistance from others. Every story is followed by a biblical application essay, a Take-away Thought, a Prayer of Confession, a Call to Action, and a Call to Serve prompt for every day of the week. Also included are inspirational quotations, memory verses, and introspective questions for readers to contemplate and pray about. Serving as Jesus Served answers the question posed by many earnest believers: “How do I best serve Jesus in a world so hostile to my faith?”

“Jones, a trailblazing African American judge, delivers an urgently needed perspective on American history . . . [A] passionate and informative account” (Booklist, starred review). Answering the Call is an extraordinary eyewitness account from an unsung hero of the battle for racial equality in America—a battle that, far from ending with the great victories of the civil rights era, saw some of its signal achievements in the desegregation fights of the 1970s and its most notable setbacks in the affirmative action debates that continue into the present in Ferguson, Baltimore, and beyond. Judge Nathaniel R. Jones’s groundbreaking career was forged in the 1960s: As the first African American assistant US attorney in Ohio; as assistant general counsel of the Kerner Commission; and, beginning in 1969, as general counsel of the NAACP. In that latter role, Jones coordinated attacks against Northern school segregation—a vital, divisive, and poorly understood chapter in the movement for equality—twice arguing in the pivotal US Supreme Court case Bradley v. Milliken, which addressed school desegregation in Detroit. He also led the national response to the attacks against affirmative action, spearheading and arguing many of the signal legal cases of that effort. Answering the Call is “a stunning, inside story of the contemporary struggle for civil rights . . . Essential reading for understanding where we are today—underscoring just how much work is left to be done” (Vernon E. Jordan Jr., civil rights activist). “A forthright testimony by a witness to history.” —Kirkus Reviews

Answering the Call is the story of nineteen Catholic permanent deacons from the Diocese of Savannah (Georgia) whose lives underwent profound transformations as they embarked upon a journey of self-discovery which revealed to them both the awesome power of God and the holiness of everyday life. When these deacons, who come from vastly different spiritual, professional, and educational backgrounds, responded to God's call, they soon became aware of the profound impact their decision would make on their lives as husbands, fathers, and, most of all, servants of God. Any person who experiences a crisis of faith or wants to deepen his or her relationship with God, will find the theological, pastoral, and spiritual aspects of these essays informative as they will inspire further reflection and discernment. Each of the essays can be read as a guide to ministry that provides personal and experiential advice about how to minister in a God-centered and healing manner. A person considering a religious vocation, or any man discerning God's call as a permanent deacon, or is a candidate or a deacon now, will appreciate the honesty with which each deacon describes the expected and unexpected stages of his journey.

"Ron Lewis has helped more young people answer the Call to ministry than anybody I know. These principles will guide you confidently into the purposes of God." Dr. Rice Broocks, Co-founder, Every Nation, Author of God's Not Dead and Man, Myth, Messiah WHAT IS FULL-TIME MINISTRY? "'Come follow me, ' Jesus said, 'and I will send you out to fish for people.' At once, they left their nets and followed him." Matthew 4:19-20 What do you think of when you hear the phrase, "full-time ministry?" Maybe you think of a man in a collar or flowing robes, a preacher on TV, or a missionary in the bush of Africa, the frozen tundra of Siberia, or the jungles of the Amazon. Perhaps you think of a campus minister who has helped you get to know Jesus in a personal way. To a degree, these can all be examples of full-time ministry. From here on, when I use the phrase "full-time ministry," I am mindful that all ministry--in every sphere of life--is a full-time calling. However, for the sake ofclarity in this book, when I refer to full-time ministry, I am referring to a man or woman whose primary occupation is gospel ministry and all it entails. Full-time ministry is a job, a vocation, and a career, but, as we will see, it is so much more. This subject is often misunderstood and usually brings with it a handful of questions: -Does God want you to go into full-time ministry? (Chapter 2) -What is the real difference between a Christian who works a "secular job" and a full-time minister? (Chapter 3) -Does it please God more if you are a full-time minister? (Chapter 3) -If I go into ministry, where do I begin? (Chapter 5) -What will it cost me to follow Jesus into full-time ministry? (Chapter 7) -How can I be paid for doing Christian ministry? (Chapter 9)

An action-plan for self-fulfillment that helps people find their true calling in life This practical and inspirational guide helps Christian men and women of all ages identify and use their God-given gifts to find purpose, direction, and joy in their life and work. Based on their years of counseling and experience, Kevin and Kay Marie Brennfleck offer action-oriented tools and a proven methodology to help readers develop the decision-making skills they need to discover and live the life that God intended, maximizing the synergies between ministry, work, and spiritual gifts. Kevin and Kay Marie Brennfleck (Pasadena, CA) are nationally recognized experts in career counseling, work satisfaction, and productivity. Their Web site, www.ChristianCareerCenter.com, is the most visited Christian career site on the Internet.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen (Matthew 28:1920). Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me (Isaiah 6:8). How do you know God has called you into the ministry? How can you really tell in which area of the ministry he wants you to serve? For many, these can be frustrating and confusing questions. In Answering and Understanding the CALL of God for Your Life, author Chinyere Nwakwue provides guidance in responding to Gods call for your life and your lifes ministry. Blending her personal experiences with a plethora of scriptural examples, Nwakwue walks you through the process and shows how this calling is a privilege God has given you. In her study, she considers the factors involved in Gods calling; the reasons that some people struggle with the call of God; the Bible characters who struggled with answering Gods call; the reasons that God called you; the enemies of Christian life who will try to interrupt Gods call; and ways to overcome the enemies. Nwakwue communicates that your response to the call of God has significant effects in your life as you run your Christian race. Christ Jesus has called and commanded every individual to preach the gospel to all creatures. Are you ready?

Encounter the fullness of God’s grace, the power of His promises, and the beauty of His faithfulness—all through the life of one woman: Esther. In a time when the world around her seemed to crumble, a young Hebrew girl found herself in a unique position to help save her people—and to encounter the greatness of our ever-faithful God. In Summoned, you’ll enter the story of Esther—her calling, pain, and role in God’s ultimate plan for salvation—and see how God is always working in the lives of His people, even when He seems distant. Through this 8-week, interactive study, you’ll develop a deeper appreciation for God’s Word and begin to see that stepping out in faith for His glory is often the first step to encountering His redeeming love.

“Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.” – Colossians 3:23 Every believer has a calling from God. We are all called to salvation, to service, and to surrender. Discerning and pursuing God’s call in your life becomes the work of a lifetime. Biblically insightful, theologically faithful, and practically helpful, Answering God’s Call will draw readers into a deeper understanding of God’s will for their lives.

Revised and updated edition of the classic work on spiritual leadership In A Work of Heart, bestselling author and missional expert Reggie McNeal helps leaders reflect on the ways in which God is shaping them by letting us see God at work in the lives of four quintessential biblical leaders: Moses, David, Jesus, and Paul. McNeal identifies the formative influences upon these leaders, which he sees as God's ways of working in their lives: the same influences at work today forming leaders for ministry in our times. He explores the shaping influence of culture, call, community, conflict, and the commonplace. Offers guidance for church leaders to let God shape their hearts from the inside out Reggie McNeal is the author of the bestselling book Missional Renaissance Gives reassurance for maintaining perspective while doing the demanding work of ministry The book includes illustrative stories of contemporary leaders opening their hearts to God's guidance.