recommended books...

A Young Woman After God's Own Heart
by Elizabeth George

This young woman's version of Elizabeth George's best selling book A Woman After God's Own Heart shares the intentions and blessings of God's heart with teen girls. On this journey they discover His priorities for their lives - including prayer, submission, faithfulness, and joy - and how to embrace those priorities in daily life. Young women will discover that God is faithful, caring and loving during this exciting and sometimes difficult time in their lives.



At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry
by Steve Gallagher

Sexual temptation is undeniably the greatest struggle Christian men face. Here's a book that digs deep and has the answers men are looking for-the kind that actually work. While other books deal with the subject superficially, Sexual Idolatry goes right to the heart. It draws back the curtain and exposes how sexual sin corrupts the entire man, something Steve Gallagher understands, having lived in the bondage of it for over twelve years. Put an end to the mystery of lust and maximize God's power in your life with the proven answers that have helped thousands.


The Barbarian Way
by Erwin McManus

Erwin McManus wasn't raised in a Christian home, so when he came to Christ as a college student, he didn't know the rules of the "religious club." Erwin's way was passionate and rough around the edges-a sincere, barbaric journey to Christ. Barbaric Christians see Jesus differently than civilized Christians. They see disciples differently, and they see Christ's mission differently. The Barbarian Way is a call to escape "civilized" Christianity and become original, powerful, untamed Christians-just as Christ intended.


Blink
by Ted Dekker

An intoxicating tale set amidst the shifting sands of the Middle East, Blink touches on geopolitical conflicts as ancient as the earth itself. The page-turning plot follows a Saudi Arabian princess fleeing a wretched forced marriage for the promised land of America. A brilliant American graduate student discovers a mysterious power-giving him glimpses into the future. Thrown together, they become pawns in a struggle for power and must manipulate the very future in order to save themselves. In his most riveting novel to date, Dekker brings the story to a dramatic climax that will change the future of fiction in the blink of an eye.

Becoming a Woman of Influence: Making a Lasting Impact on Others Through Mentoring
by Carol Kent

Jesus' twelve disciples changed the world forever. Wouldn't you like to have a similar impact on others? But how do we accomplish this as imperfect humans? How can we mentor in a life-changing and even world-changing way?

With Carol Kent's help, you can discover the power you have in Christ to influence others as Jesus did. Learn seven simple life-changing principles Jesus used to disciple His followers (including asking questions, extending unconditional love, and telling stories. Through practical examples, see how your struggles and triumphs can inspire others. Whether you're an "ordinary" Christian or a trained leader, prepare to live intentionally and become a valued mentor who leaves an eternal mark. Carol surveyed over 100 Christian leaders as a basis for this book. Becoming a Woman of Influence includes a nine-week Bible study to help you live out the practical implications of the principles presented.

Believing God
by Beth Moore

"Is it working? Your belief system, that is. Is it really working? God's intention all along has been for the believer's life to work. From divine perspective toward terrestrial turf, God meant for his children to succeed. Are our Christian lives successful? Are they achieving and experiencing what Scripture said they would? For countless Christians I'm convinced it's real. My concern is whether or not we have the fruit to suggest it works." - Beth Moore



Boundaries with Kids
by Dr. Henry Cloud & John Townsend

Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend take you through the ins and outs of establishing family boundaries and of instilling the kind of character in your children that will help them lead balanced, productive, and fulfilling adult lives. Here at last is the help you need for raising your kids to take responsibility for their actions, attitudes, and emotions.





Bringing Up Boys
by Dr. James Dobson

Dobson, a psychologist and family counselor, takes a decidedly conservative approach to the "special challenge of raising boys." Celebrating the natural differences between boys and girls, Dobson outlines biological differences, particular issues in disciplining boys, and the different roles of mothers and fathers.






The Case for Christ - Student Edition
by Lee Strobel

In this book Lee Strobel retraces his journey from skepticism to faith. He sifts through testimony, history, science and literature to reveal amazing evidence about Christ. The facts are in. What will your verdict be in the The Case for Christ?







The Case for a Creator - Student Edition
by Lee Strobel

More and more scientists, confronted with startling, cutting-edge evidence from many areas of research, no longer believe the universe just happened or that life arose by mere chance. Behind a universe of staggering complexity, they are seeing signs of a Master Designer. Weigh the evidence yourself.






The Case for Faith - Student Edition
by Lee Strobel

Lee Strobel knows how important it is to find answers that ring true. With his background as an aware-winning legal journalist, asking tough questions has been his business. While his search for the truth convinced Lee that Jesus is real, it also confronted him with some particularly knotty, gut-level questions about Christianity. Join Lee in a fascinating journey of discovery as he provides sound answers to the questions that tug at your heart.



Celebration of Discipline
by Richard J. Foster

In this contemporary classic Richard Foster introduces us to the ancient disciplines of the Christian faith. As Foster explains, the practice of these disciplines does not amount to drudgery, but to delight, for it is through these practices that we are brought closer to Christ. As thousands of readers have found, there is no surer guide to spiritual growth than Celebration of Discipline.





Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God
by Larry Osborne

Larry Osborne hits it out of the park with A Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God. Practical and engaging, this book calls each of us to a new way of thinking about what it means to build a great relationship with God. It does what every great book has always done: It causes some of us relief, it causes some of us great consternation, and it causes all of us to stop and think about what we're doing and why we're doing it.



Courageous Leadership
by Bill Hybels

Life transformation and the eternal destinies of real people depend on the redemptive message entrusted to the local church. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to help lead your church effectively so God's message of hope can change the world? Then this book is for you!






Different Children, Different Needs
by Charles Boyd & Robert A. Rohm

Biblical parenting involves encouraging, exhorting, and empathizing with children according to their unique needs and character. This book teaches moms and dads how to understand the personality God has given each of their children and how to tailor their parenting styles to meet their children's needs.







The DNA of Relationships
by Gary Smalley
Having already written more than 40 books on relationships and marriage, Gary Smalley returns with a somewhat modified approach in The DNA of Relationships. He uses social science literally and metaphorically to help people involved in various types of relationships understand how to change the factors that cause a breakdown in communication and lead to conflict. Readers will understand their habits and how they create a pattern that often must be broken before healthy communication can be formed. This is a must-read for those seeking to improve their personal connections with spouses, friends, children, siblings, co-workers or neighbors.

The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time
by Jeffrey Sachs

"Extreme poverty can be ended, not in the time of our grandchildren, but our time." Thus forecasts Jeffrey D. Sachs, director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, whose twenty-five years of experience observing the world from many vantage points has helped him shed light on the most vital issues facing our planet: the causes of poverty, the role of rich-country policies, and the very real possibilities for a poverty-free future. Sachs brings his considerable expertise to bear in the landmark The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time, his highly anticipated blueprint for world-wide economic success - a goal, he argues, we can reach in a mere twenty years.

Epic - The Story God is Telling and the Role That Is Yours to Play
by John Eldredge

Think of all those movies you've ever loved, the stories that have stirred your heart - there's a reason they move you so. They've been trying to tell you about the true Epic ever since you were young. It is a breathtaking story, and you play a crucial role.







Every Young Woman's Battle
by Shannon Ethridge

Guys aren't the only ones fighting for purity in today's sex-saturated society! Girls who just want to fit in and look attractive can be swept up in destructive relationships and behaviors - paying a terrible cost. Ethridge and Arterburn offer interviews, research, and godly advice to help young women avoid these pitfalls and achieve sexual integrity.

Good to Great
by Jim Collins

Five years ago, Jim Collins asked the question, "Can a good company become a great company and if so, how?"  At the heart of those rare and truly great companies was a corporate culture that rigorously found and promoted disciplined people to think and act in a disciplined manner. Peppered with dozens of stories and examples from the great and not so great, the book offers a well-reasoned road map to excellence that any organization would do well to consider. Like Built to Last, Good to Great is one of those books that managers and CEOs will be reading and rereading for years to come.

Go Put Your Strengths To Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance
by Marcus Buckingham

Research data show that most people do not come close to making full use of their assets at work -- in fact, only 17 percent of the workforce believe they use all of their strengths on the job. Go Put Your Strengths to Work aims to change that through a six-step, six-week experience that will reveal the hidden dimensions of your strengths. Buckingham shows you how to seize control of your assets and rewrite your job description under the nose of your boss. Go Put Your Strengths to Work will open up exciting uncharted territory for you and your organization. Join the strengths movement and thrive.

Jesus Mean and Wild
by Mark Galli

The Unexpected Love of an Untamable God. "The warm and friendly Jesus, although an attractive idea, is but an idol," Galli says. He uses 17 passages in the Gospel of Mark to present a Jesus who is much less loving, gentle and patient than many Christians would like to believe. This Jesus can be stern, confrontational, purposefully confusing and even impatient. He sometimes shames and scares us, but loves us enough to draw us inexorably toward him.

Just Walk Across the Room
by Bill Hybels
Starred Review. Evangelism is as simple and as scary as walking across the room, according to Hybels, well known senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill. His heartfelt burden for sharing the Christian message is clear as he guides readers to a new understanding of why and how they can help others meet God. Readers will find inspiration and honesty in this book that mirrors Hybel's personal convictions and those of his church as well: "It really is true: the spread of the gospel... boils down to whether you and I will continue to seek creative ways to engage our friends, inviting them to explore the abundance of the Christ-following life...."


The Hazards of Being a Man: Overcoming 12 Challenges All Men Face
by J effery E. Miller

Miller’s concern is not simply that men do the right things, but that men are the men God has designed them to be.  Grounded in Scripture, Miller uses examples of men from the Old Testament providing practical advice on how to improve behavior in each.  He has a great ability to take an ancient story and bring it into the factory or office today.




How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth
by Fee and Stuart

Understanding the Bible isn’t for the few, the gifted, the scholarly. The Bible is accessible. It’s meant to be read and comprehended by everyone from armchair readers to seminary students. A few essential insights into the Bible can clear up a lot of misconceptions and help you grasp the meaning of Scripture and its application to your 21st-century life.





The Irresistible Revolution
by Shane Claiborne

If there is such a thing as a disarming radical, 30-year-old Claiborne is it. A former Tennessee Methodist and born-again, high school prom king, Claiborne is now a founding member of one of a growing number of radical faith communities. His is called the Simple Way, located in a destitute neighborhood of Philadelphia. It is a house of young believers, some single, some married, who live among the poor and homeless. They call themselves "ordinary radicals" because they attempt to live like Christ and the earliest converts to Christianity, ignoring social status and unencumbered by material comforts. Claiborne's chatty and compelling narrative is magnetic—his stories (from galvanizing a student movement that saved a group of homeless families from eviction to reaching Mother Teresa herself from a dorm phone at 2 a.m.) draw the reader in with humor and intimacy, only to turn the most common ways of practicing religion upside down. He somehow skewers the insulation of suburban living and the hypocrisy of wealthy churches without any self-righteous finger pointing. "The world," he says, "cannot afford the American dream." Claiborne's conviction, personal experience and description of others like him are a clarion call to rethink the meaning of church, conversion and Christianity; no reader will go away unshaken.


The Key To Your Child's Heart
by Gary Smalley Gary

Smalley cuts to the relational heart of parenting to show readers essential principles in building a close-knit family atmosphere. This book especially focuses on the principle of knowing how to keep your child's spirit open and how that can make the difference between a rebellious and a content child.







Life Lessons from Baseball
by Steve Riach and Nolan Ryan

Life Lessons from Baseball packs the adrenaline of blasting a game winning home run with the thrill of pitching a perfect game. Each powerful story and profile of one of today's top players or hall of fame heroes will encourage you to walk with a deeper sense of appreciation of God's grace and mercy in everyday life.





Mark of the Lion Trilogy:
   A Voice in the Wind,
   An Echo in the Darkness,
   As Sure As the Dawn
by Francine Rivers

Journey back to the crumbling Roman Empire and meet Haddassah, a young slave girl; Marcus, a handsome aristocrat; Atretes, a brave gladiator; and Rizpah, a beautiful young widow. The gospel of Christ is the only weapon they have to battle the immorality that surrounds them - will they be wise enough to use it?



Mere Christianity
by C.S. Lewis

This book uncovers common ground upon which all Christians can stand together. It is a forceful and accessible discussion of Christian belief that has become one of the most popular introductions to Christianity and one of the most popular of Lewis's books.






The Message Remix: Bible in Contemporary Language
by Eugene H Peterson

God's Word was meant to be read. But more than that, it was meant to be understood. It was first written in the language of the people­­of fishermen, shopkeepers, and carpenters. The Message Remix gets back to that: You can read it and understand it. In The Message Remix, there are new verse-numbered paragraphs that will help you study and find favorite passages. Or, you can just read it like a book and let the narrative speak to you. After all, it is God's story, with its heroes and villains, conflicts and resolutions. Either way, it's God's Word­­the Truth­­in a user-friendly form.

The Naked Truth: Sexual Purity for Guys in the Real World
by Bill Perkins & Randy Southern

This book will teach guys how to be honest about the struggle of sexual purity, be accountable, and how to manage temptation.








No More Christian Nice Guy
By Paul Coughlin

Paul Coughlin identifies a cancer that's growing in our churches today: an epidemic of passive, sweet nice guys who are failing to lead their churches, their families and their communities. Men, if you've ever wondered why there wasn't more to the Christian life than what you've experienced, read this book.






The Parent You Want to Be
by Les and Leslie Parrott

Being a parent is the most important calling you will ever have―with the emphasis on being. This parenting book is unlike any other: it’s a step-by-step guide to selecting and modeling the very traits that you want your child to have. Because, as the authors explain, parenting is more about who you are than what you do.





Planting Growing Churches for the 21st Century: A Comprehensive Guide for New Churches
By Aubrey Malphurs












The Power of a Praying Wife
by Stormie Omartian

Today's challenges and pressures can make a fulfilling marriage seem like an impossible dream. Yet God delights in doing the impossible if only we would ask! Stormie Omartian shares how God has strengthened her own marriage since she began to pray for her husband concerning key areas of his life, including his spiritual walk, his emotions, his role as a father, his security in work and finances, his health and physical protection, his faith, and his future.

Every woman who desires a closer relationship with her husband will appreciate this refreshing look at the power of prayer in marriage. Along with real-life illustrations, Stormie also includes sample prayers and "power tools" - verses that inspire and encourage - to help wives rest in the assurance of God's wonderful promises of restoration, renewal, and growth in marriage.

The Practice of the Presence of God
by Brother Lawrence

For three centuries the writings of Brother Lawrence have taught Christians that God is as present in the kitchen as in the cathedral and as accessible in the living room as He is around the Lord's table. This simple, yet profound teaching will empower you to seek the joy of God's presence in the midst of every moment and circumstance.






Radical Reformission
by Mark Driscoll

Reformission is the continual reforming of the mission of the church to enhance God’s command to reach out to others in a way that acknowledges the unique times and locations of daily life. It calls for a movement of missionaries to seek the lost across the street as well as across the globe.





Raising a Modern-Day Knight
By Robert Lewis

Throughout human history, the men of society have been responsible for initiating boys into manhood. Robert Lewis offers a practical guide for any man who wants to provide his sons with rites of passage.








Sacred Marriage
by Gary Thomas

What if God designed marriage to make us holy rather than to make us happy? Starting with the discovery that the goal of marriage goes beyond personal happiness, writer and speaker Gary Thomas invites readers to see how God can use marriage as a discipline and a motivation to love Him more and reflect more of the character of His Son. Everything about your marriage-everything-is filled with prophetic potential, with the capacity for discovering and revealing Christ's character.


The Search for Freedom: Demolishing the Strongholds That Diminish Your Faith, Hope, and Confidence in God
by Robert S. McGee
Learn how to destroy strongholds and take back control of your thoughts. Plus the reader will discover how childhood patterns interfere with emotions and relationships. This process is instrumental in gaining freedom to follow Christ.






The Search for Significance 
by Robert S. McGee
Robert McGee's best-selling book has helped millions of readers learn how to be free to enjoy Christ's love while no longer basing their self-worth on their accomplishments or the opinions of others. In fact, Billy Graham said that it was a book that "should be read by every Christian." Discover what two million readers have already discovered: that true significance is found only in Christ.





Searching For God Knows What
by Donald Miller

In Donald Miller's provocative and funny new book, he shows readers that the greatest desire of every person is the desire for redemption. Every person is constantly seeking redemption (or at least the feeling of it) in his or her life, believing countless gospels that promise to fix the brokenness. Miller reveals how the inability to find redemption leads to chaotic relationships, self-hatred, the accumulation of meaningless material possessions, and a lack of inner peace.


The Second Coming of the Church
by George Barna

In this "blueprint for survival," Christian sociologist George Barna evaluates the moral and spiritual decline of society and the corresponding stagnation within the church. Using hard data, Barna unveils the status quo and argues convincingly that the church must re-invent itself or face virtual oblivion by the mid-21st century."





Second Guessing God: Hanging on When You Can't See His Plan
by Brian Jones

Each year, author Brian Jones invites his congregation to submit questions for a sermon series he calls, "Questions I Want to Ask God." One question is always asked more than any other: "Why does God allow bad things to happen?" This book is Jones's response to that question. Like a good friend, Brian comes alongside those seeking help in the trials of life to help them find meaning and strength.



Sex Begins in the Kitchen
by Dr. Kevin Leman

Discover how to better understand, respond to and please your mate. Because love works around the clock, not just at night in the bedroom, this book will help you spice up your marriage...in every room in the house.







Sex God
by Rob Bell

Sex God is the story of God becoming human, of humans mirroring God and love made manifest in the chaos of our humanity, of relationships revealed in a way that elevates the human condition and offers hope to those whose relationships are wounded. In Bell's spare, somewhat oblique style, he addresses lust, respect, denial, risk, acceptance and more. His love for God and the Bible is clear, as is his ability to ask probing questions and offer answers that make readers think deeply about their own lives. He does a fine job using the Bible and real life to show that our physical relationships are really about spiritual relationships.

This book joyfully ties, and then tightens, the knot between God and humankind.

The Skeptics Guide to the Global AIDS Crisis: Tough Questions, Direct Answers
by Dale Hanson Bourke

Motivated by the obvious need for a manageable tool, Dale Hanson Bourke has compiled the essential information in a simple and straightforward way, explaining medical and political issues in everyday language. This book will prove to be an invaluable resource for your education and involvement in the global AIDS crisis.

To Train Up a Child
by Michael and Debi Pearl

Training is a technique that always works on every child.  To neglect training is to create miserable circumstances for you and your child.  Out of ignorance many have bypassed training and expected discipline alone to effect proper behavior.  It has not worked.  This book provides parents with information and techniques to effectively train their children and remove frustration and anxiety from the act of parenting.

Velvet Elvis
by Rob Bell

The world has changed dramatically since the first century . . . but Jesus hasn't. In this provocative, hopeful book, Bell asks what the church might look like if today's believers fully embraced "the way" of love, peace, sharing possessions, compassion, risk, forgiveness, and harmony. Could we convince a highly wired, cynical culture to start listening again?



Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2
by Steve Stockman

From the group's beginnings in Dublin's Shalom Christian Fellowship to their arrival as the world's greatest rock band, Walk On shines a spotlight on the very real struggles and triumphs of the band members' Christian faith. How has Bono transformed from a rock god to a key ambassador on the world stage? Why is the Church that once shunned U2 now claiming them as its own? More than two decades into worldwide success, have the boys from Ireland actually found what they're looking for?

What a Difference a Daddy Makes
by Dr. Kevin Leman

Involved fathers boost their daughter's academic achievement, promote their psychological health, increase their compassion for others, and even bolster the status of women. Dr. Leman seamlessly weaves the latest research on effective fathering with funny and moving stories about his own parenting. He outlines the architecture of the father-daughter relationship, including how to build it on a foundation of trust.



When His Secret Sin Breaks Your Heart
by Kathy Gallagher

Behind every husband enslaved to sexual sin, there is a woman reaping the horrible side effects of his self-centered life-style. What can be more devastating for a wife than to discover her husband has a secret obsession with pornography and other women? Yet, this is what countless Christian wives face every day. Kathy Gallagher has been there; she understands the pain of rejection, the feelings of hopelessness and the questions that plague a hurting wife.

In this collection of letters, Kathy imparts heart-felt encouragement by providing the practical, biblical answers that helped her find healing in the midst of her most trying storm. The 30-day journal offers wives a place to prayerfully reflect and meditate upon Kathy's letters. When His Secret Sin Breaks Your Heart testifies that there is hope for the most dejected of souls and the bleakest of marriages.

Why Men Hate Going to Church
by David Murrow

"Church is . . . boring, full of hypocrites, greedy, etc." You've heard the excuses, now read the reasons why institutional Christianity leaves countless men cold. Arguing that many churches create a man-hostile environment, Murrow offers detailed explanations of resulting male/female imbalances. Discover how to meet the real needs of men---and close your congregational gender gap!




Your Time Starved Marriage: How to Stay Connected at the Speed of Life
by Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott

The moments you miss together are irreplaceable, gone forever. Now, just in time, relationship experts Drs. Les and Leslie help you better manage this priceless resource. They show you how to reclaim the time you've been missing and how to maximize the moments you have together. This is not a book about being more productive, but a book about being more connected.