Resources and reading material for churches on the Road to Vibrancy.
Read more about discipleship, hospitality, mission, preaching, outreach and other forms of leadership.
Discipleship Reading Material
- Membership to Discipleship, Phil Maynard – Cokesbury
- A Disciple’s Path, by James Harnish – Cokesbury
- Growing in Grace: The Practice of Intentional Faith Development, by Robert Schnase, United Methodist Bishop – Cokesbury
- Deepening Your Effectiveness: Restructuring the Local Church for Life Transformation, Dan Glover and Claudia Lavy – Cokesbury
- Foundations: Shaping the Ministry of Christian Education in Your Congregation, by Discipleship Resources
- Sticky Church,by Larry Osborne – Cokesbury
Reading Material
- Mission Possible Revised and Expanded Third Edition: A Simple Structure for Missional Effectiveness, Kay Kotan and Blake Bradford – Cokesbury
Hospitality Reading Material
Leadership Reading Material
- Canoeing the Mountains; Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory, Tod Bolsinger – Cokesbury
- Dream Like Jesus: Deepen Your Faith and Bring the Impossible to Life, Rebekah Simon-Peter – Cokesbury
- Bearing Fruit: Ministry with Real Results,Lovett Weems and Tom Berlin (Alban Institute, 2011) – Cokesbury
- Managing Transitions, William Bridges Cokesbury
- Six Questions Every Leader Should Ask, Andy Stanley – North Point Resources
- Ultimately Responsible: When You’re in Charge of Igniting a Ministry, Sue Nilson Kibbey – Cokesbury
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni – Cokesbury
- Crucial Confrontations, Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillain, and Al Switzler – Amazon
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey – Cokesbury
- Healthy Systems, Healthy Church E-Book Kindle Edition
by Nelson Searcy https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Systems-Church-Book- book/dp/B003UNKYP0
Mission and Outreach Reading Material
- Grandparents and Spiritual Grandparents: You Are Called to Make Disciples. Dr. Ray Francis Email – pastorraymi@gmail.com https://www.amazon.com/author/drrayfrancis
“Grandparenting in Faith” emphasizes the important role grandparents and spiritual grandparents play in nurturing the spiritual lives of their grandchildren. It highlights how grandparents can pass down faith traditions, values, and stories that shape a child’s understanding of God, love, and community. Through prayer, worship, and personal example, grandparents offer wisdom and guidance that may not always come from parents or peers. This engaging process also encourages grandparents to embrace their role as spiritual mentors, cultivating deep relationships with their grandchildren centered on faith. Ultimately, “Grandparenting in Faith” calls grandparents to create a legacy of spiritual strength that can impact generations to come.
Learn More
What is Grandparenting in Faith
“Grandparenting in Faith” emphasizes the important role grandparents and spiritual grandparents play in nurturing the spiritual lives of their grandchildren. It highlights how grandparents can pass down faith traditions, values, and stories that shape a child’s understanding of God, love, and community. Through prayer, worship, and personal example, grandparents offer wisdom and guidance that may not always come from parents or peers. This engaging process also encourages grandparents to embrace their role as spiritual mentors, cultivating deep relationships with their grandchildren centered on faith. Ultimately, “Grandparenting in Faith” calls grandparents to create a legacy of spiritual strength that can impact generations to come.
The Three Seminars and Teachings
- Grandparenting in Faith: Being the Spiritual Strength of the Family through Grandparenting – This seminar and resources is focused on helping move grandparents into the position of influence they were meant to have with respect to being the spiritual foundation within their family unit. This seminar is based on the book Grandparenting in Faith: Winning the Spiritual Battle for our Next Generation of Christians – https://www.amazon.com/author/drrayfrancis
- Grandparenting in Faith: Spiritual Grandparenting for Everyone in Your Congregation
Everyone can be and needs to be a Spiritual Grandparent. Spiritual grandparenting is the practice of providing guidance, mentorship, and support to younger generations in their spiritual journey, often in a way that mirrors the nurturing relationship of a biological grandparent. Unlike a parent-child spiritual relationship, which may involve more direct responsibility, spiritual grandparents take on a supportive, advisory, and nurturing role. They share wisdom gained from their own faith experiences, model a godly life, and offer encouragement and prayers to foster spiritual growth in others.
Three benefits of being a spiritual grandparent include:
- Passing Down Faith and Wisdom: Spiritual grandparents have the opportunity to share their faith, life lessons, and spiritual insights with younger generations. This creates a lasting legacy of faith and values, fostering continuity and spiritual growth within families or faith communities.
- Strengthened Relationships and Community: Engaging in spiritual grandparenting fosters deep and meaningful relationships with younger individuals. This strengthens intergenerational bonds and creates a supportive, nurturing community where spiritual growth can thrive.
- Personal Fulfillment and Growth: The act of mentoring and guiding others often leads to personal spiritual enrichment. Spiritual grandparents experience joy, purpose, and renewed faith as they witness the positive impact of their guidance on others’ lives.
- Grandparenting in Faith: Spiritually Parenting Your Adult Children and Supporting Their Faith
Many grandparents seem to wish that they had a better, more fulfilling, and spiritual connection with not only their grandchildren, but with their own adult children. This seminar provides tips, faith-infused strategies, and scriptural foundations for not only building your relationship with your grandchildren but building a more spiritual and connected relationship with their own children.
Who to contact
Contact Rev. Dr. Ray Francis for more information, availability and a full overview of the processes.
Email – pastorraymi@gmail.com