James Emery White

We live our lives in both physical and digital community. We need to do ministry the same way. Because of COVID-19, nearly every church in the US was forced to adapt to a quarantine and adopt new ministry strategies, including digital technologies they may have avoided before. When services began to be offered in-person once more, many church leaders said they hoped they'd never have to "live stream" again for the rest of their lives. But then came the shock: people didn't return in droves, and declining attendance steepened. The pandemic had only accelerated the profound cultural changes that were already marginalizing the church and reducing its relevance. In Hybrid Church, James Emery White argues that the post-pandemic church must commit to a hybrid strategy as the only means to reach a post-Christian culture in a digital age. This book will help you rethink the church's approach and stretch you to move beyond the mentality of "that's the way we've always done it." First outlining the dynamics and depths of the new realities we face, White then walks you through major ways of rethinking digital community, strategic thinking, discipleship, and outreach—tackling practical topics like:How to create an online presence that removes unnecessary barriers to engagement and community. How to rethink your church's delivery, both online and in-person. How to meet the spiritual and communal needs of a younger, digitally-native generation. How to shift from a focus on gathering and attendance to a more biblical vision of togetherness and discipleship. Hybrid Church is written to enable pastors and church leaders to see the positive opportunities in the radical changes of the day and to help model a dynamic new approach to ministry.

Pastor and author James Emery White leads his church and his life with a singular mission: to turn spiritual explorers into fully devoted followers of Christ. The obvious first step in this process is for someone to cross the line of faith--to say, "I believe." That was the heart behind his book Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians. But what comes after "I believe" is equally important, and it's the way someone truly becomes a fully devoted follower of Christ. This manual for discipleship takes new Christians through the basics of growing in the faith and connecting with the church, including- prioritizing Bible study- developing a regular prayer life- spending quiet time with God- plugging into the life of a local church- experiencing God in worship- finding ways to serve others- being faithful with finances- and moreA perfect resource for pastors and ministry leaders to offer to the new believers in their midst, After "I Believe" is a solid foundation for anyone seeking to build a vibrant Christian life." James Emery White has done a masterful job of explaining discipleship for new and seasoned believers alike. Often the great books on discipleship are deep but inaccessible. Others are easy to read but lack depth. Jim takes a wealth of knowledge and insight on the essentials of Christian discipleship and makes them wonderfully easy to understand but deep enough to authentically help you."--Carey Nieuwhof, leadership author, podcaster, and founding pastor of Connexus Church in Barrie, Ontario"Living a life with Christ is not a onetime commitment. White reminds us it is a lifetime of intentional choices and disciplined practices that help us in our desire to be followers of Jesus."--Suzanne Stabile, author of The Path between Us, coauthor of The Road Back to You, and host of The Enneagram Journey podcast"I have long loved the writings of James Emery White for his unique insights into the Christian faith and his knack for unraveling complex issues. Now he offers us an updated, refreshing guide for following Jesus in a confusing and sometimes hostile world. After "I Believe" is a practical resource for spiritual growth. Compellingly straightforward, this book will help you align yourself to biblical truth to effect real life-change. Jim's chapter on prayer alone makes this book worth buying. If you want to inject your Christian life with a good dose of adventure and wonder, then you'll want to read this book."--Skip Heitzig, pastor of Calvary Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and author of The Bible from 30,000 Feet"In After "I Believe," James Emery White combines a brilliant understanding of profound biblical truths with a heart to love and lead people toward a lifesaving relationship with Jesus. It lights the way for anyone seeking to take that next step in living life to the fullest as God intended."--Santiago "Jimmy" Mellado, president and CEO of Compassion International

"I wish this book had been around when I was an atheist and started to seek God. It's a no-nonsense, practical, and insightful guide that will help all those on a quest for spiritual truth. If you're investigating whether there's any substance to the Christian faith, you must read this important book."--Lee Strobel, former award-winning legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and bestselling author of more than twenty books***In our post-Christian age, the old answers for skeptics are no longer cutting it. Why? Because they largely seek to answer the wrong questions. Our world is changing, and while the gospel never changes, the way we talk about it and learn about it must. Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians answers both classic and bleeding-edge questions that skeptics have about the faith, such as- Is there a God?- Why do the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus matter?- Why is there so much suffering in the world?- Why do Christians think there is only one way to know God?- How do I reconcile the Bible's picture of Christ's followers with the actual Christians I know who have disappointed me? Covering such topics as astrophysics, social justice, and acceptance of the LGBTQ community, this one-of-a-kind book is perfect for those skeptical of Christianity and for those who love them and want to keep the line of communication open.

Move over Boomers, Xers, and Millennials; there's a new generation--making up more than 25 percent of the US population--that represents a seismic cultural shift. Born approximately between 1993 and 2012, Generation Z is the first truly post-Christian generation, and they are poised to challenge every church to rethink its role in light of a rapidly changing culture. From the award-winning author of The Rise of the Nones comes this enlightening introduction to the youngest generation. James Emery White explains who this generation is, how it came to be, and the impact it is likely to have on the nation and the faith. Then he reintroduces us to the ancient countercultural model of the early church, arguing that this is the model Christian leaders must adopt and adapt if we are to reach members of Generation Z with the gospel. He helps readers rethink evangelistic and apologetic methods, cultivate a culture of invitation, and communicate with this connected generation where they are. Pastors, ministry leaders, youth workers, and parents will find this an essential and hopeful resource.

The single fastest growing religious group of our time is those who check the box next to the word none on national surveys. In America, this is 20 percent of the population. Exactly who are the unaffiliated? What caused this seismic shift in our culture? Are our churches poised to reach these people? James Emery White lends his prophetic voice to one of the most important conversations the church needs to be having today. He calls churches to examine their current methods of evangelism, which often result only in transfer growth--Christians moving from one church to another--rather than in reaching the "nones." The pastor of a megachurch that is currently experiencing 70 percent of its growth from the unchurched, White knows how to reach this growing demographic, and here he shares his ministry strategies with concerned pastors and church leaders.

To be fully human is to think. The apostle Paul calls us to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Cor 10:5). But James Emery White fears that Western Christians are failing in this task. Because we have not developed good intellectual habits, our minds instead have been captured by our culture. A Mind for God is written to help us break free from this cultural captivity through the spiritual and intellectual disciplines of reading, study and reflection. This inspirational and practical "rule for the mind" encourages and enables us to develop our minds for God. Includes book lists and resources so you can "grow your brain."

In churches today, there are ever fewer older pastors speaking into the lives of younger leaders, and fewer younger leaders feeling there is much to be learned from the experience of their elders. Street-smart wisdom is gone from training as there are many men and women preparing pastors who have never themselves pastored a church. Intriguingly, even older, more seasoned pastors yearn for insight into their task, as they remain "undiscipled" in the school of leadership. In What They Didn't Teach You in Seminary, veteran pastor James Emery White provides the kind of mentoring young pastors desperately need but cannot get from academia or leadership books. These "from the trenches" insights will help them transform their relationships with staff and parishoners, develop healthy boundaries, deliver hard truths, avoid spiritual pitfalls, use their time effectively, and much more.

SEARCHING FOR ABSOLUTES IN A POSTMODERN WORLD. In this postmodern age, truth--especially religious or moral truth--is widely criticized and constantly challenged, yet perhaps more important than ever. It was this realization that led James Emery White to examine the concepts of truth as held by five twentieth -century theologians: - Cornelius Van Til - Millard J. Erickson - Francis A. Schaeffer - Donald G. Bloesch - Carl F. H. Henry White's study exhibits a comprehensive knowledge of these writers and their background. Its originality lies in the way that the five thinkers are brought together and subjected to minute inspection. As a secondary theme, White shows how their approaches to the question of truth relate to the question of the inspiration and authority of Scripture . . . I am delighted that this important study is now made available to a wider public. --from the Foreword by Colin Brown, Fuller Theological Seminary JAMES EMERY WHITE is the president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, with campuses in South Hamilton (Massachusetts), Boston, Charlotte and Jacksonville. He holds M. Div. and Ph. D. degrees in theology, history and biblical studies. He is the author of twelve books, including Embracing the Mysterious God, Serious Times and The Prayer God Longs For.

Does your life matter? How can you make a difference? James Emery White shows how you can live a life of significance at the front lines of what God is doing in the world today.

God longs for us to be close to him and yet our pride and desire for independence so often get in the way. How can we develop the attitudes that God desires? Jesus gave the Lord's Prayer to be the foundation of the disciples' prayer life. James Emery-White believes that it is still the prayer God longs for. It develops in us the attitudes that bring us close to God: intimacy, expectancy, reverence, submission, dependence, honesty and humility. With sensitivity and realism White tackles some of the difficulties and problems Christians face in prayer. His thoughtful phrase-by-phrase reflection will help restore the Lord's Prayer to the heart of our prayer life - just as Jesus intended.

If God wants a relationship with us then why is he so distant? If God loves his creation then why is there so much pain? If God is good then why does he plan to consign people to hell? We give ourselves to God and then struggle profoundly with the relationship. But instead of embracing our doubts and confusion we often deny them to ourselves and others. Sometimes we make things worse either by feeling guilty about our struggles or by dismissing them as unimportant or insignificant. We may choose to live on the surface of faith, or become resentful that God does not simply step in to clear up the confusion. In 'Wrestling with God' James Emery White explores the difficulties all Christians face - of heart, soul, mind and strength, and the struggles to love our neighbours as ourselves. He grapples honestly with our tough questions and disappointments, and helps us take our angers and fears back to the God who loves us. Through Christian living without pretending we can grow in our trust of the character of God and in our place in his great and wonderful embrace.

Why is it important to rethink the church? Today many leaders focus on how their ministries can be run more efficiently. But the foundational question, according to James Emery White, should be Why do we have this ministry? and then, Why do we do this ministry the way we do? Is it effective? Rethinking the Church helps pastors and lay leaders work through questions that must be answered if a church is to rethink evangelism, discipleship, ministry, worship, community, and the structure of the church. Break old molds, check assumptions, and be sensitive, says White. He uses the language and aims of "seeker-targeted" churches but urges readers not to tie themselves to any model without understanding the individual purpose of their church. Now thoroughly revised and expanded, Rethinking the Church contains more emphasis and key material on how to move from rethinking to transition. White blends biblical reflection and hands-on experience and uses the early church as described in the Book of Acts as the ultimate example.

Struggling with life's dark side? Longing for change? Begin the journey toward a transformed life! Many of us look at our lives and wish we could experience lasting life-change. We long to live in the light of our relationship with God, but find that we often reside in the troubling darkness of temptation. It's time to step onto the path that God has laid out for us, the only path that will lead us toward the life we long for. It's time to embark on a Long Night's Journey into Day. Using three keys found in Scripture, you can embark on the journey that leads to personal transformation. Lay hold of the desire, knowledge, and power that make it possible to move away from sin and replace it with life-giving virtue. As pastor and author James Emery White examines the eight basic sins from which all others grow, he also reveals the virtues that counter each sin. By recognizing sin for what it is and practicing the virtues that offset it, we can journey toward lasting life-change that draws from God's incredible power. Find out what can happen to a life lived in full partnership with the living God. Set out on the path of personal transformation, the life that becomes a Long Night's Journey into Day.