James A. Harnish

There's more to Mary than the carols we sing and the stories we tell at Christmas. James A. Harnish draws on Scripture, tradition, and contemporary experience to explore the surprising claim that the same Christ who was born into the world through Mary can be born into the world again through us. This invites you to live into Mary's story right now As you follow her from the day Gabriel invited her to bear the Son of God to the birth of the church on Pentecost, it will help you become a follower of Jesus who brings hope and healing to a broken world. Through Mary's story, you will discover that Christian life is not only about how you can be "born again" but about how Christ can be "born again" through you.

There's more to Mary than the carols we sing and the stories we tell at Christmas. James A. Harnish draws on Scripture, tradition, and contemporary experience to explore the surprising claim that the same Christ who was born into the world through Mary can be born into the world again through us. This invites you to live into Mary's story right now As you follow her from the day Gabriel invited her to bear the Son of God to the birth of the church on Pentecost, it will help you become a follower of Jesus who brings hope and healing to a broken world. Through Mary's story, you will discover that Christian life is not only about how you can be "born again" but about how Christ can be "born again" through you.

If you feel you've lost your bearings, you aren't alone Global pandemic . . . Economic crisis . . . Racial tensions . . . Political polarization . . . Climate change. The converging crises expose our timeless need for an internal compass to guide us through disruption, disorientation and change. James Harnish invites you into six crucial moments when Jesus found his bearings by recalling words and stories from the Old Testament. By connecting Jesus' story with your own, you can find your bearings as you walk the way Jesus walked in the way that Jesus walked it. It's the way that leads to life Questions for Reflection create an opportunity for you to pause, find your place in the story, and determine your next step along the way. These may also be used for journaling or small group discussion.

If you feel you've lost your bearings, you aren't alone Global pandemic . . . Economic crisis . . . Racial tensions . . . Political polarization . . . Climate change. The converging crises expose our timeless need for an internal compass to guide us through disruption, disorientation and change. James Harnish invites you into six crucial moments when Jesus found his bearings by recalling words and stories from the Old Testament. By connecting Jesus' story with your own, you can find your bearings as you walk the way Jesus walked in the way that Jesus walked it. It's the way that leads to life Questions for Reflection create an opportunity for you to pause, find your place in the story, and determine your next step along the way. These may also be used for journaling or small group discussion.

What energizes someone in pastoral ministry for the long haul? Holy days like Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost are the exception. Ordinary Time, the longest season of the Christian year, is where pastors spend most of their ministry. James Harnish invites pastors and other ministers to see Ordinary Time as a metaphor for the ordinary days of ministry. "Whether we thrive or merely survive depends on what we do with the ordinary days," he writes. Harnish encourages ministers to develop spiritual disciplines and personal relationships to nourish their souls for long-term ministry. He highlights the importance of reflection on scripture, spiritual reading, journaling, prayer, and spiritual conversation with trusted friends. This 6-week study focuses on themes Harnish found crucial in over four decades of ministry: power, people, places, proclamation, perseverance, and promise. Daily readings help readers develop their own customized practices of spiritual formation to sustain and strengthen their life and ministry.

A Disciple's Path is an engaging approach to discipleship from a distinctly Wesleyan perspective that is perfect for a new member class or other small group. The six-week program guides individuals to take the next step in discipleship and become dynamic followers of Jesus Christ and engaged, vital members of the local church. The study combines a Wesleyan understanding of our growth in God's love and grace with the time-tested practices of spiritual discipline expressed in the membership vows to uphold the church with our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Participants will develop spiritual practices, discover their unique gifts, and become engaged in ministry that brings transformation in their own lives, the lives of others, and the world. This Companion Reader provides invaluable insights that enable both participants and leaders to dig deeper into the spiritual practices essential to the life of discipleship. Each chapter corresponds to a week in the Daily Workbook, providing biblical and theological background on the week's theme from a distinctively United Methodist perspective. Perfect for enhancing personal or group study and reflection, answering questions, and providing material for worship planning during a congregation-wide emphasis. Endorsements "A Disciple's Path has transformed countless new members into deeply committed disciples - people who are using their gifts, praying in new ways, worshipping regularly and not only when it's convenient, giving sacrificially of their financial resources, and seeking to be a witness to Christ's love and light in the world. I am deeply grateful for this resource and recommend it wholeheartedly." Donna Claycomb Sokol, Pastor of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church and author of A New Day in the City "A Disciple's Path has the potential to revolutionize the way we view our participation in the church. Following this 'path' can transform us from wanderers into pilgrims." --Dr. Steve Harper, Retired Professor of Spiritual Formation; author of Five Marks of a Methodist and Devotional Life in the Wesleyan Tradition "For churches transforming their invitation to membership into an opportunity for a discipleship journey." -- Lovett H. Weems, Jr., author and Distinguished Professor of Church Leadership and Director, Lewis Center for Church Leadership, Wesley Theological Seminary "A very useful explanation of the traditional Wesleyan view of Christian discipleship, strengthened in particular by its stress on the balanced approach of the Methodist way." --Dr. Richard P. Heitzenrater, Duke University Divinity School

Prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness...this is what we commit to when we become members of The United Methodist Church, and it's a big step. But A Disciple's Path helps us look beyond membership, presenting an engaging approach to discipleship from a distinctly Wesleyan perspective. Discipleship is ongoing, so the 6-week study is perfect for new-member groups, but also works well in small groups of long-time members. It helps you develop spiritual practices, discover your unique gifts, and engage in ministry that brings transformation to your own life and to the lives of others and the world. The Daily Workbook offers six weeks of daily readings (five per week), Scripture, a message for the day, and prompts for personal reflection. Endorsements "A Disciple's Path has transformed countless new members into deeply committed disciples - people who are using their gifts, praying in new ways, worshipping regularly and not only when it's convenient, giving sacrificially of their financial resources, and seeking to be a witness to Christ's love and light in the world. I am deeply grateful for this resource and recommend it wholeheartedly." Donna Claycomb Sokol, Pastor of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church and author of A New Day in the City "A Disciple's Path has the potential to revolutionize the way we view our participation in the church. Following this 'path' can transform us from wanderers into pilgrims." --Dr. Steve Harper, Retired Professor of Spiritual Formation; author of Five Marks of a Methodist and Devotional Life in the Wesleyan Tradition "For churches transforming their invitation to membership into an opportunity for a discipleship journey." -- Lovett H. Weems, Jr., author and Distinguished Professor of Church Leadership and Director, Lewis Center for Church Leadership, Wesley Theological Seminary "A very useful explanation of the traditional Wesleyan view of Christian discipleship, strengthened in particular by its stress on the balanced approach of the Methodist way." --Dr. Richard P. Heitzenrater, Duke University Divinity School

A Disciple's Path is an engaging approach to discipleship from a distinctly Wesleyan perspective that is perfect for a new member class or other small group. The six-week program guides individuals to take the next step in discipleship and become dynamic followers of Jesus Christ and engaged, vital members of the local church. The study combines a Wesleyan understanding of our growth in God's love and grace with the time-tested practices of spiritual discipline expressed in the membership vows to uphold the church with our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Participants will develop spiritual practices, discover their unique gifts, and become engaged in ministry that brings transformation in their own lives, the lives of others, and the world. This Leader Guide provides group facilitators with helpful tips for leading a group, material for leading an introductory session or pastor's coffee, and six ready-to-use session guides. Also included is a link to downloadable resources, along with previews of these online tools, including sample e-mails handouts, including customizable templates that can be modified for any congregation, and PowerPoint presentations. "A Disciple's Path has transformed countless new members into deeply committed disciples - people who are using their gifts, praying in new ways, worshipping regularly and not only when it's convenient, giving sacrificially of their financial resources, and seeking to be a witness to Christ's love and light in the world. I am deeply grateful for this resource and recommend it wholeheartedly." Donna Claycomb Sokol, Pastor of Mount Veron Place United Methodist Church and author of A New Day in the City Endorsements "A Disciple's Path has the potential to revolutionize the way we view our participation in the church. Following this 'path' can transform us from wanderers into pilgrims." --Dr. Steve Harper, Retired Professor of Spiritual Formation; author of Five Marks of a Methodist and Devotional Life in the Wesleyan Tradition "For churches transforming their invitation to membership into an opportunity for a discipleship journey." -- Lovett H. Weems, Jr., author and Distinguished Professor of Church Leadership and Director, Lewis Center for Church Leadership, Wesley Theological Seminary "A very useful explanation of the traditional Wesleyan view of Christian discipleship, strengthened in particular by its stress on the balanced approach of the Methodist way." --Dr. Richard P. Heitzenrater, Duke University Divinity School

Have you ever been in an earthquake? Earthquakes shake our most basic assumptions: that the ground will remain steady beneath our feet, that the world's current existence is the way it will always be. But when tectonic plates shift under the earth's surface and the ground shakes beneath our feet, it rattles the bedrock assumptions on which we build our lives. The Gospel of Matthew reports that on the first Easter morning, an earthquake rocked the earth, ripped open the tomb, and scared the Roman guards at the tomb, who "shook with fear and became like dead men" (Matthew 28:4). This is the second earthquake reported by Matthew. The first one took place on Good Friday, when the noonday sky turned black and Jesus died. In Easter Earthquake, James Harnish invites us to place the resurrection at the center of our Lenten journey. This 6-week study explores how Christ's resurrection shakes some of our most basic assumptions about ourselves and God." The earth-shaking promise of Easter is that God has not forsaken any of us," Harnish writes. "The risen Christ will meet us along the confused, chaotic, fearful paths of our lives and speak the same words the women hear at the tomb: 'Do not be afraid .'"This book reverses the usual focus of Lenten studies by starting at the empty tomb and seeing the entire journey in light of the resurrection. Join James Harnish in this energizing exploration that will inspire you to live as a more faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. FEATURES A guide for daily meditation and prayer An outline for small-group meetings Begins with Ash Wednesday and continues through Easter Each week contains 5 readings, a prayer focus, and suggestions for small-group interaction Includes a hymn each week

John Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this essential little book, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley's concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon. The four chapters of this book form the basis for a four-week churchwide stewardship program, along with the DVD, Leader Guide, Youth Study Book, Children's Leader Guide, and the Program Guide on flash drive. The Children's Leader Guide contains session ideas for younger and older children, including reproducible handouts. Consists of four sessions as part of the churchwide stewardship program.

John Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this essential little book, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley's concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon. The four chapters of this book form the basis for a four-week churchwide stewardship program, along with the DVD, Leader Guide, Devotional Readings for Home, Youth Study Book, Children's Leader Guide, and the Program Guide on flash drive. Everything needed to conduct a 4-week youth study for ages 13-18, as part of the churchwide stewardship program. The Youth Study Book includes participant content as well as leader helps.

John Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this essential little book, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley's concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon. The four chapters of this book form the basis for a four-week churchwide stewardship program, along with the DVD, Leader Guide, Youth Study Book, Children's Leader Guide, and the Program Guide on flash drive. This 64-page Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the small group study as part of the stewardship program. Includes session plans, discussion questions, and activities based on the book and DVD, as well as multiple format options.

John Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this essential little book, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley's concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon. The four chapters of this book form the basis for a four-week churchwide stewardship program, along with the DVD, Leader Guide, Youth Study Book, Children's Leader Guide, and the Program Guide on flash drive.

John Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this essential little book, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley's concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon. The four chapters of this book form the basis for a four-week churchwide stewardship program, along with the DVD, Leader Guide, Youth Study Book, Children's Leader Guide, and the Program Guide on flash drive.

John Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this exciting stewardship program, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley's concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon. This little companion piece, useful for all church members as they consider their pledge, contains 20 devotions and weekly activities on the topic of commitment. Perfect for enhancing personal or group study and reflection, the devotions and activities are organized to support the program structure and contain family activities.

When God Comes Down is a five-week study, providing one lesson for each week of Advent and one for Christmas. Each lesson includes a key Scripture, a brief reflection, discussion/reflection questions, a brief prayer, and a focus for the coming week. In this study, Harnish explores the meaning of the incarnation... God with us in human flesh. Often our Advent/Christmas journey is focused on us - our memories, feelings, relationships and experiences. This study puts the focus on God's action in Jesus Christ. It encourages participants to think more deeply in terms of the biblical, theological, and spiritual meaning of the Nativity and to apply it to their own lives. The study looks at the stories of the primary biblical characters in the birth stories through whose lives the miracle of incarnation happened: Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. Harnish also looks at a traditional character in nativity plays, one who is not mentioned in the Bible, the innkeeper. Through all these characters, he helps us claim for ourselves the reality of God's presence with us.

James A. Harnish, from the Introduction: I m broken. So are you. We re all broken people who live in a broken world. The critical question is, how do we find strength to put broken things back together again? This book is an invitation to touch the scars that mark the broken places in our lives, in the same way the risen Christ invited a doubting disciple to touch the nail scars in his hands. It is a challenge to explore some of the dark places in our human experience, to uncover the sinister power of sin, and to experience the way the grace of God meets us in our broken places to bring new life. "

A moving testimony to how a church can experience rebirth by discerning its core mission. The key to becoming a Spirit-energized, people-loving, life-giving, community-transforming congregation, says James A. Harnish, is really very simple. All you have to do is be willing to die. This book describes how God calls each congregation to a specific mission, how God grants discernment to understand what that mission is, and how God enables the congregation to die to its entrenched attitudes and behaviors in order to be resurrected to a new life of ministry and witness.

As a result of the changing cultural images of manhood, many men are searching for new ways to understand themselves and their relationships with others, struggling to grow into the fullness of life they desire but have yet to find. Examining how God was at work in the life of David, this book will help men discover new ways in which God may be working in their own lives. This substantive study looks at the life of David and his spiritual relationship with God. Each chapter is built around a particular Old Testament passage relating to his life, with other references. Each chapter concludes with discussion/reflection questions, suggestions for deepening your faith journey and furthering your spiritual growth and prayers. The book has 12 chapters and is appropriate for both group and individual study.