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Trapped! is not an ordinary who-done-it. There are "clues" throughout the play to help the audience discover the real meaning of the drama. Some things to look for are the significance of the characters' names; words and actions which ring a Scriptural bell; how the main character is different from the others. Because of its theme -- the death of one person in an effort to save others -- it is an ideal play for Lent. The characters do in fact resemble people in the life of Jesus. There is also a Jesus figure here. The audience will be prompted to some response, which is why the play can be presented with some discussion following or as part of a worship service. Discussion questions are included as are suggestions for worship.Trapped! is ideal for a youth group activity or family night program during Lent.

Experience the magic of Christmas through the eyes of children in The Christmas Caper and Other Christmas Dramas by Rod Tkach. This delightful book takes you on a journey through three captivating playlets, each bringing to life the timeless story of Christmas. From the humble manger to the bustling streets of Bethlehem, these imaginative and heartwarming performances not only entertain but also invite audiences to rediscover the wonder and joy of the season. Perfect for pastors and laity alike, The Christmas Caper and Other Christmas Dramas offers a treasure trove of inspiration for church Christmas programs. With a unique blend of historical context and everyday children's interactions, these playlets create an enchanting atmosphere that draws both young and old into the captivating narrative of Jesus' birth. Unleash the spirit of Christmas in your congregation as you witness the miracle unfold through the innocent eyes of children. Get ready to embrace the true meaning of Christmas and celebrate the joyous birth of our Savior with The Christmas Caper and Other Christmas Dramas.

Passion Play offers a series of six brief sketches for Lent or Holy Week which focus on three people who know Jesus very well: Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Through their eyes we see some of the major events of the Gospel, in particular those final days in the life of Jesus. Passion Play is a simple production; characters wear modern-day dress and there is only one "set." Passion Play presents a sensitive insight concerning Jesus' affect on others, in his life and in his death on a cross.

A structured liturgy is essential to regular worship; it encourages responses and prayers directly from and for the congregation. This holy rhythm allows for echoes of the lectionary readings, to create a worship service that brings each participant closer in their relationship with God. Ralph Mineo has compiled Lectionary Worship Aids, Series X, Cycle B: Echoes of the Word, his second volume in a three-volume set, to help other pastors and worship leaders create a holy cadence that echoes the lectionary readings, so that the message each week would resound throughout each service. Each liturgical piece offers a unique Call to Worship, Prayer of the Day, Confession & Forgiveness, and Prayers of Intercession that harken back to the readings for each individual week. Mineo has also taken the liberty of including a selection of hymns for each week, helping to plan out the service in a way that invites the congregation to participate in spreading the Holy Word. This volume is intended to serve as a springboard for the work of worship leaders, preparing a service that allows for deeper connections between the congregation and the messages from our Heavenly Father.

For each Sunday in Cycle B, the writers and editors of "Charting the Course," an integral part of Emphasis: A Lectionary Preaching Journal from CSS Publishing Company, delve into the heart of the lectionary readings, providing you, the pastor with in-depth lectionary-based commentary; relating several fresh, solid ideas - based squarely on the lectionary texts - for creating sermons that speak powerfully to your audience. The team of Navigating the Sermon looks for overall topics for the entire Cycle B church year that hold the readings together. Then, they zero in on the theme and the specific scripture links, suggesting directions for the sermon and worship service. This book is like having a dedicated, thoroughly versed sermon research and sermon resource team right in your own study to help you create riveting sermons that are truly yours and that speak powerfully to your audience.

This Ordinary, Extraordinary Life is all about Jesus - and it's all about you, me, and the world around us.Jesus lived an ordinary life. He had parents, brothers and sisters, and an extended family. He worked with his hands and read the scriptures. He got hungry, thirsty, and tired, just like anyone else. He loved to spend time with people - telling stories, going to parties, blessing children and their parents, and talking about things that mattered. He loved creation - spending time outdoors, walking for miles, observing and commenting on flowers and fields of grain, on trees and birds. Jesus lived - and continues to live! - an extraordinary life. As the divine Word, he was present before creation, and through him all things were created. As the second person of the Trinity, he was God Incarnate. He gave his earthly life to preaching and teaching, to healing and doing wonders. He welcomed people from all walks of life and called them to follow him. As the bread of life, the bread of heaven, he gave his life for the world. He died in humiliation and pain on a cross - then rose again to life! He returned to heaven, and one day will come again in glory.

From the introduction:Although the gospels of the New Testament are among the most widely recognized and read documents in the world, it remains difficult to explain their exact genre. The gospels have no clear parallel in any other religious or literary tradition.A Unique Form Of WritingCertainly, the gospels are not mere biographies. They do not offer enough data about the life of Jesus to construct a full story of his existence, or to offer a well-developed social portrait of his presence among his contemporaries. While Matthew (1:18-2:23) and Luke (1:5-2:40) each related a few events surrounding Jesus' birth, their selections differ significantly from one another. Luke briefly told of a single incident in Jesus' early adolescence (2:41-52), and then jumped quickly to Jesus' baptism by John, indicating that this took place when Jesus "was about thirty years old" (2:23). The bulk of all four gospels proceed from this inaugurating event, bypassing almost entirely Jesus' first three decades of life. Since John included notes about Jesus participating in three Passover celebrations (2:13-25; 6:4; 13:1), the last of which became the occasion for his crucifixion, it is commonly assumed that Jesus was thirty-three years old when he died. But the gospels are certainly not clear, concise, or comprehensive biographies of Jesus' life.

Embark on a powerful journey of spiritual transformation with From Ash to Fire by Heather Sudgen. This compelling sermon book delivers a collection of Cycle B sermons for Lent and Easter that will challenge your faith, reshape your perspective, and spark a blazing inferno of passion and purpose. Join Sugden on a fearless quest to revive your spiritual vitality, confront the realities of faith, and embrace a profound metamorphosis. Let From Ash to Fire fuel the flames of revival within you as you unlock redemption's power, embrace resurrection's hope, and embark on an extraordinary journey of renewal.Whether you are a pastor seeking thought-provoking and engaging material to supplement your own message for your congregation or a seeker of personal growth and renewal, this book is an invaluable resource. Sermons titles include:¿ The Machinery of Faith¿ Stories told by Scars¿ Falling into Trust¿ New Life through FireHeather Sugden lives and serves in southern New Jersey, currently as the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Vineland. She previously served in hospice and hospital chaplaincy, and as part of the ELCA's Division for Global Mission, teaching High School English in Oshigambo, Namibia. Sugden has an incurable fascination with how people's stories intersect with God's story. She has never met a person who was not interesting and inspiring in some way, and her family believes that she has a knack for starting conversations with complete strangers, especially while on vacation. Along with her husband and two children, Heather is involved in baseball, swimming, Girl Scouts and basketball.

Every kingdom has its unique characteristics and heritage; rights, laws, obligations, and natural resources. God's kingdom is no less sophisticated.The Glorious Kingdom is William Thomas' expert description of the magnificent dominion we've been thrust into as children of God. We are shown from the events of the Advent season through the season after Epiphany, in so precise a manner, what we have both become and received as adopted sons of a loving God, what responsibilities are expected of us as citizens of God's kingdom and what hope we have in the coming of God's glorious kingdom in its fullness.Every one of us needs a reminder of who we truly are once in a while. The fifteen sermons in this volume, based on the Second Lessons in Cycle B, will help you, the pastor, bring new perspectives and insights to the members of your congregation as citizens of God's kingdom.Sermons titles include:¿ Invited Into His Kingdom¿ We Are Family¿ Sacrifice For The Kingdom's Sake¿ The Glory Of ChristBill Thomasis a member of the faculty at Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, Missouri, and has been in local church ministry for over thirty years. He's written multiple books for CSS Publishing Company and contributes sermon illustrations to SermonSuite.com.

Finding Ourselves In The Great Stories Of The Bible is just that; your journey through the stories set in the ancient Bible times. But it's not all you think it will be as this journey takes unexpected twists and turns that may be pretty familiar in our everyday lives.Facing the crises of life and the world's many hiccups? Ellingsen portrays to us the scriptures as not an outdated book but one that is real, living and even relevant in our modern trends and times. He does a superb job of crafting these major stories, placing the reader in the seat of both the ancient Jews and the 21st century Christians while drawing the same life lessons centred around Christ.Sermons in this collection include:Do You Need A Miracle To Follow Jesus?A Fresh Start Jesus' WayNobody Gets In A Rut With God: He's Always Got Us Moving On!Mark Ellingsen, a minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), has been a professor of Church History at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, since 1993. He graduated magna cum laude from Gettysburg College (Pennsylvania) and Yale University, from which he received three master's degrees in divinity, arts, and philosophy, as well as his Ph.D. He has authored many books including Sin Bravely: A Joyful Alternative to a Purpose-Driven Life (Continuum) and The Integrity of Biblical Narrative (Wipf and Stock). He and his wife have three grown children. When he is not writing or teaching, Ellingsen enjoys discussing politics, sports, and playing guitar.

Walking together in Christ, we experience the power of God's eternal love, freely given to all His children. We are encouraged to share this love with others, but in our divided society, it is sometimes difficult to follow God's commandment to "love one another." To help us better spread the grace of God, Rev. Karna Moskalik uses Extravagant Love as a tool to look closer at readings from the Bible which detail how Jesus and His disciples loved their neighbors as themselves, and how we can strive to do the same. This book serves as a collection of sermons which examine the second readings throughout Lent and Easter, which can help worship leaders of all ages and experiences to take a closer look at the passages that explain God's unconditional love for all His children. Rev. Moskalik encourages readers to follow God's commandment to love "because Christ first loved us", to share the goodness of God's word wherever it is needed.

Each week pastors must come up with a sermon to feed their congregations. For those who follow the Revised Common Lectionary, the text selected to preach on is most often the Gospel. Svanoe has written a book encouraging pastors to explore other parts of the lectionary. During the summer months in year A, the lectionary provides an alternative first reading, a semi-continuous journey through the stories of origin in the Hebrew Bible. These stories are endlessly fascinating and provide rich homiletical territory for preachers. Preaching a summer series on these stories can help to build interest and continuity throughout the summer. This book is one in a three-part series, detailing years A, B, & C of the Revised Common Lectionary. This first book shares Stories of Origin from Genesis; Year B will focus on the Kings of Israel and "Lessons of Leadership." In Year C the Hebrew prophets are our guide in "A Summer of Prophet Sharing."

Realizing the need for self-care is of paramount importance. When we assume primary responsibility for the happiness of others, we often leave ourselves without joy, and often feelings of resentment can result. Happiness is a matter of choosing how we will think and the actions we decide to take. However, as Neidigk's book states, IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO DANCE! "You and I always have reasons to dance, things to rejoice in." No matter your situation, regardless of the ups and downs throughout our life, God is with you through it all. Since we only have so much time on this earth, it is better to spend what time we do have enjoying what we can. Donald Neidigk explains that our happiness, how much we enjoy life, is solely up to us - the way that we approach each experience. This book will be useful for ministry professionals as well as any member of the church family - anyone who loves serving God and wants to experience sustainable joy in their work. At the end of each chapter, Neidigk has included discussion questions, to ask in private or discuss with a group. Neidigk defines "dancing" as rejoicing in life, especially over small accomplishments and finding joy at every opportunity and in all circumstances. There is no reason to feel guilty about "dancing;" you are a child of God, made in his image, and that alone is cause for celebration!

When we try to describe all that God is, we are often at a loss for words. Because we cannot help but to use human words to attempt to encompass God's being, Kenneth Gibble has created a series of sermons where he compares God to everyday concepts, drawing inspiration from Biblical perceptions of our Lord. Gibble's sermon series, God Is Like... is a way for worship leaders to take a closer look at how the Bible describes our creator, and better understand how indescribable God's power and love for us is. Sermons in this book can serve as a starting point for a theologically deeper exploration of scripture, or as standalone homilies to help explore how Christians should approach God. These sermons can be utilized by pastors and congregation members alike, as well as anyone who desires to strengthen their relationship with God.God is like a parent, like fire, like a comforter and like a lamb -and much more. Human words cannot begin to encompass the entirety of God's being, but Gibble's sermon series takes a first step, attempting to define God as best as humans can.

Christian Education is an important facet in keeping members involved and educated, especially when pertaining to children and youth. Bill Thomas' How We Teach Jesus combines theological and biblical thinking to develop a thorough lesson plan for any age group, and explores why Christian education matters and can improve your faith community.In our congregations, we often see members who are interested in learning more about God's word, but there is not always a class dedicated to them to help. Thomas has created this resource to help you start new classes and lead them with confidence, no matter the specific subject.How We Teach Jesus is a valuable tool for church leaders and volunteers looking to reignite or begin educational programs within their church; the book offers discussion on planning classes, evaluation of the program, class curriculum, and ways to better communicate with your students, no matter what age they or you are!Sections include:¿ The Purpose of Christian Education¿ Why the Bible Matters¿ Quality in my Student Ministry¿ Bridging with ParentsBill Thomasis a member of the faculty at Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, Missouri, and has been in local church ministry for over thirty years. He's written multiple books for CSS Publishing Company and contributes sermon illustrations to SermonSuite.com.

If you are struggling with the "traditional" ways of communicating Bible stories with your congregation, Randy Quinn offers an intriguing solution in his new book. Voices Overheard provides dramatic portrayals of Biblical characters sharing their experiences in the form of sermons. These stories can serve as complements and inspiration for new perspectives on familiar stories, allowing you to creatively explore well-known stories and bring a bit of dramatic flair to the pulpit. Quinn's book offers character monologues for Lent, Advent and ordinary time Lectionary texts, allowing viewers a glimpse into the minds of familiar Biblical characters, from Joseph, the Father of Jesus, to Sosthenes, who worked closely with Paul during his time in Corinth. This plausible fiction allows for smoother sermon preparation and gets your congregation more invested in the stories being told. See how this volume can spur your own ideas and even possibly motivate you to compose a few of your own character perspectives.

Deacon Timothy Healy understands the struggles of everyday life, and often talks to God when he is unsure of how to move forward. In his effort to help others by sharing the words of God, both from scripture and in his personal conversations with the Lord, Healy has returned with More Tales for the Masses: Stories Connecting Scripture and Everyday Life. This collection of stories, poems and parables helps to answer many of the questions that people of faith always ponder: "Where was God?" "Why did God let this happen to me?" Some of the included homilies recognize and address the feeling of worry that occurs in everyday life, strengthened by Healy's experience as a hospital chaplain.At the end of most of the homilies, Healy has included a set of discussion questions which encourage readers to reflect on the readings for that day, as well as the words from Healy's stories. These questions can be answered in a group or individual setting, which will help readers of all levels of faith to understand and connect with God's words, both through scripture and through the actions of others.

Pastors love to preach about grace. The essence of the Good News, grace is unmerited favor from the all-powerful Creator of the world. There is perhaps no more satisfying message to deliver.But does the average churchgoer really understand what grace means for them? Is it just another "Christianese" term that fails to resonate?Bill Thomas' Surrounded by Grace: A Bible Study for Lent is a tool based on the Gospel of John to help pastors, small groups and congregations answer the question of what grace is in a modern context. From the story of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana to his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, Thomas uses John's words to affirm that the Lord's favor extends to all no matter how insignificant we see ourselves or our problems.Written to be utilized for individual or group study, or for worship services during the Lenten season,Surrounded by Grace encourages the imagination to ponder that there is no storm so great the Lord cannot overcome it; no pain so deep he will not sustain us through it; no death so final he will fail to resurrect us from it.Lessons Include: "Grace for Those Awkward Moments" (John 2:1-11) "Grace for the Broken Heart" (John 11:17-44) "Grace When Things Are Chaotic" (John 16:17-33)Bill Thomas is an associate pastor at First Christian Church of Washington, Missouri. Previously he has served as a minister at Northridge Church of Christ in Circleville, Ohio, and as pastor of Stony Point Christian Church in Kansas City, Kansas. Bill received a B.S. in Education from the University of Kansas, a Bachelor of Theology from Manhattan Christian College, and a Master of Arts from Johnson Bible College. His previously published works include The Road to Victory: A Pre-Easter Home Study and The Critical Questions … And More: Three Pre-Easter Bible Studies (CSS Publishing). An avid sports fan who referees football and basketball, he is also the author of two young adult Christian books with a sports theme: Pete Thompson and the Long Road Home, and Pete Thompson and the Last Out (Publish America, 2004).