From the Pastor's Library . . .

Alpha Books

• Questions of Life: A Practical Introduction to the Christian Faith, Nicky Gumble. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2002.
• A Life Worth Living: Exploring the Meaning of Life, Nicky Gumble. Eastbourne, Eng.: Kingsway, 1994.

Other Books

• The Unquenchable Worshipper, Matt Redman. Eastbourne, Eng.: Kingsway, 2001.

By a worship leader and song-writer ("The Heart of Worship"), this inspirational little book is about God seeking undivided worshippers, and about our living a devoted life in His presence. Redman invites all believers to bring glory and pleasure to God in their worship and not allow themselves to be distracted or defeated.

• Boundaries: When to Say Yes, When to Say No, to Take Control of Your Life, Cloud & Townsend. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001.

Having clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. A boundary is a personal property line that marks those things for which we are responsible. In other words, boundaries define who we are and who we are not. Boundaries impact all areas of our lives: Physical boundaries help us determine who may touch us, mental boundaries give us the freedom to have our own thoughts, emotional boundaries help us to deal with our own emotions and spiritual boundaries help us to distinguish God's will from our own.

• The Emotionally Healthy Church, Peter Scazzero. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004.

Our churches are in trouble, says Pastor Scazzero of New Life Fellowship in New York City. They are filled with people who are:
· unsure how to biblically integrate anger, grief, and other emotions
· defensive, incapable of revealing their weaknesses
· threatened by or intolerant of different viewpoints
· zealous about serving God in the church but blind to their spouses’ loneliness at home
· so involved in "ministry" that they fail to take care of themselves
· prone to withdraw from conflict rather than resolve it.

Sharing from his own church’s painful but liberating journey, Scazzero reveals exactly how the truth can and does make people free—not just superficially, but deep down. After offering a new vision of discipleship and a revealing, guided self-assessment of your own spiritual and emotional maturity, The Emotionally Healthy Church takes you through six principles that can make a profound difference in your life and in your church. You’ll acquire knowledge and tools that can help you and others:
· look beneath the surface of problems
· break the power of past wounds, failures, sins, and circumstances
· live a life of brokenness and vulnerability
· recognize and honor personal limitations and boundaries
· embrace grief and loss
· make Jesus your model for loving others well.