From the beginning of his ministry, Jesus called and equipped individuals who would serve his community of followers. These “shepherds” are called to preach, pray, and care for the needs of God’s people. But what does it mean to be a pastor? And what is the nature of this ministry, according to the Bible?

In Gospel-Driven Ministry, Jared Wilson begins by looking at the qualifications for the pastorate, addressing the notion of a call to ministry and how an individual–and a church community–can best identify the marks of maturity and affirm a call. In each chapter, Wilson looks at one of the core practices of pastoral ministry, including:

• Preaching Sermons
• Developing a Vibrant Prayer Life
• Caring and Counseling
• Pastoring Married and Single
• Gospel-Centered Leadership
• Fighting Sin and Spiritual Warfare
• Resolving Conflict
• Passing on the Ministry to Others

In addition, Wilson provides practical resources including theological insights on baptism and the Lord’s Supper, guidance for wedding and funeral sermons, outlines for leading elder and deacon meetings, tips for interviewing new pastors, questions to ask at ordination, and advice on knowing when and how to leave a pastor role. This is a comprehensive, practical guide to pastoral ministry that prepares new pastors and equips those currently serving for long-term, healthy ministry.

Suggestions for further reading, accompanying tables, and reflection questions are available in the audiobook companion PDF download.

The Zondervan Reflective Audio Study series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook’s direct narration of a book’s text, Gospel-Driven Ministry Audio Study include high-quality live recordings in which the author teaches the content of the book, discusses important points, and introduces additional sources. The end result is an engaging audio study focused on learning.

From the beginning of his ministry, Jesus called and equipped individuals who would serve his community of followers. These “shepherds” are called to preach, pray, and care for the needs of God’s people. But what does it mean to be a pastor? And what is the nature of this ministry, according to the Bible?

In these 10 audio lectures, Jared Wilson begins by looking at the qualifications for the pastorate, addressing the notion of a call to ministry and how an individual–and a church community–can best identify the marks of maturity and affirm a call. Then, he examines eight core practices of pastoral ministry, including:

• Preaching Sermons
• Developing a Vibrant Prayer Life
• Caring and Counseling
• Pastoring Married and Single
• Gospel-Centered Leadership
• Fighting Sin and Spiritual Warfare
• Resolving Conflict
• Passing on the Ministry to Others

In addition, Wilson provides practical resources including theological insights on baptism and the Lord’s Supper, guidance for wedding and funeral sermons, outlines for leading elder and deacon meetings, tips for interviewing new pastors, questions to ask at ordination, and advice on knowing when and how to leave a pastor role. This is a comprehensive, practical study on pastoral ministry that prepares new pastors and equips those currently serving for long-term, healthy ministry.

Too many discipleship books are written for clean, perfect people who know all the right Sunday school answers. The Imperfect Disciple is for the rest of us–people who screw up, people who are weary, people who are wondering if it’s safe to say what they’re really thinking. For the believer who is tired of quasi-spiritual lifehacks being passed off as true, down-and-dirty discipleship, here is a discipleship book that isn’t afraid to be honest about the mess we call real life. With incisive wit, warm humor, and moving stories, Jared Wilson shows readers how the gospel works in them and in their lives when – they can’t get their act together – they think God is giving them the silent treatment – they think church would be better without all the people – they’re not happy with the person in the mirror – and much more Wilson frees readers from the self-doubt and even the misplaced self-confidence they may feel as they walk with Jesus down the often difficult road of life. The result is a faith that weathers storms, lifts burdens, and goes forth to make more imperfect disciples.

There may be no more powerful desire in the human heart than to be loved. And not just loved, but loved anyway. In spite of what we’ve done or left undone, in spite of the ways we have failed or floundered. We long for an unconditional, lavish love that we know intrinsically we don’t deserve.
If you are tired, sad, yet always longing, bestselling author Jared C. Wilson has incredible news for you: that kind of love actually exists, and it is actually something you can experience-whether or not you’re in a romantic relationship. In his signature reflective, conversational, and often humorous style, Wilson unpacks 1 Corinthians 13 to show us what real love looks like. Through engaging stories and touching anecdotes, he paints a picture of an extravagant God who not only puts the desire for love into our very souls but fulfills those desires in striking, life-changing ways.

Most of life is mundane: work, school, home, TV, church, sleep, repeat. Sometimes it seem as if there’s no point to our “normal” lives. But what we must remember is that we’re actually part of something huge: God’s story-the greatest story ever told. In The Story of Everything, Jared Wilson takes readers on a journey that starts before the creation of the world and ends after everything has been made new. Wilson shows us that the gospel isn’t just a ticket to heaven but God’s incredible and unstoppable vision for all of creation. Looking at God’s redemptive plan for humanity, this book will help you understand what the gospel means for your life, your home, your pets, your hobbies, and more.

Acclaimed writer and pastor Jared C. Wilson reveals how God has a plan for you that involves doing the ordinary, mundane stuff of life in a supernatural way.

Would it change your life to know that there is a way to live your everyday life supernaturally? Most of us would say ‚Äúyes,‚Äù and Jared C. Wilson‚Äôs new book reveals how. For the homemaker wondering how to get through the stress of washing dishes and making meals nobody seems to appreciate; for the cubicle jockey punching her time-card every day wondering if what she does really matters; for the teacher or leader wondering if he is making an impact; for the student afraid of the future; for every believer struggling to get through daily life,¬†Supernatural Power for Everyday People¬†offers the hope of meaning and purpose, and also the promise of power. We can get beyond just¬†‚Äúgetting by.” We can prevail and live a life of far more joy, contentment, and peace than we ever thought possible.

A practical book written in a devotional tone, Supernatural Power for Everyday People shows readers how to rely more fully on the power of the Holy Spirit for growth and satisfaction in their lives.

Not every lie sounds untrue.

Some lies are repeated so often they seem to be common sense. That’s why lies about God are so dangerous. The Gospel According to Satan examines eight lies the enemy wants us to believe and provides eight lines of counterattack against them. The lies include:

• God just wants you to be happy;
• you only live once
• you need to live your truth; and
• just let go and let God.

Jared C. Wilson reveals why these lies appeal to us, shows how they harm us, and provides ways to counteract them. We can renounce Satan’s counterfeit gospel, but first we must see it for what it is.

Accompanying charts are available in the audiobook companion PDF download.

“Enumerates the major ways the Devil uses his cunning and calculating ways of luring us off the narrow road of God’s grace. We will all do well to read this book and confront the lies we are being sold.”–Kyle Idleman, senior pastor of Southeast Christian Church and author of Not a Fan and Don’t Give Up

“A unique, compelling, and even witty look at the devil’s current greatest hits–lies we urgently need to unmask.” –Sam Allberry, speaker for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and author of 7 Myths About Singleness and Why Does God Care Who I Sleep With?

“One of the most thought-provoking writers in the Christian world today… He doesn’t just describe the tantalizing falsehoods of our age, he exposes how they’ve slithered into our hearts.”–Matt Smethurst, managing editor at The Gospel Coalition and author of Before You Open Your Bible

Many evangelical churches face the problem of the open “back door”–even as new people arrive, older members are leaving, looking for something else. Combined with this problem is the discipleship deficit, the difficult truth that most evangelicals are not reaching the unchurched at the rates they think they are. In fact, many of the metrics that we often “count” in the church to highlight success really don’t tell us the full story of a church’s spiritual state. Things like attendance, decisions, dollars, and experiences can tell us something about a church, but not everything.

To cultivate a spiritually healthy church we need a shift in our metrics–a “grace-shift” that prioritizes the work of God in the lives of people over numbers and dollars. Are people growing in their esteem for Jesus? Is there a dogged devotion to the Bible as the ultimate authority for life? Is there a growing interest in theology and doctrine? A discernible spirit of repentance? And perhaps most importantly, is there evident love for God and for our neighbors in the congregation?

Leading a church culture to shift from numerical success to the metrics of grace can be costly, but leaders who have conviction, courage, and commitment can lead while avoiding some of the landmines that often destroy churches. Wilson includes diagnostic questions that will help leaders measure–and lead team transparency in measuring as a group–the relative spiritual health of their church, as well as a practical prescriptive plan for implementing this metric-measuring strategy without becoming legalistic.

Most attractional church models can lean heavily on making changes to the weekend worship gatherings. And while some of these changes can be good, thriving grace-focused churches are driven by a commitment to the gospel, allowing the gospel to inform and shape the worship service and the various ministries of the church.

Charts, appendices, and further resources available in the audiobook companion PDF download.

How Christianity’s Unmatched Truth Answers the Deepest Longings of Every Human Heart To the popular objection Aren’t all religions basically the same? pastor and author Jared Wilson answers with an enthusiastic No! Christianity is not merely one among many similar options. It is categorically different–and it’s these differences that make it so compelling. In Unparalleled, Wilson holds up the teachings of the Bible to the clear light of day, revealing how Christianity rises above every other religion and philosophy of the world, and how its unmatched truth answers the deepest longings of every human heart. He provides an overview of Christianity’s key claims showing how, from top to bottom, it is distinct from all other competing ideologies, religious and secular. Christians will come away with a fresh sense of the truth of their faith and nonbelievers will be compelled to consider the relevant claims of Christianity in a drastically new light.

Walking on water. Multiplying the fish and the loaves. Raising Lazarus from the dead. The miracles of Jesus may be well known, but they are often treated as nothing more than fanciful tales. Written as a companion volume to The Storytelling God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Parables, this book by Jared Wilson argues for the historicity and importance of the miraculous events surrounding Jesus’s life and ministry. From the humble wonder of the incarnation to the awesome glory of the transfiguration, Wilson shows readers how the amazing miracles described in the Gospels attest to Christ’s divinity, authority, and ultimate mission: restoring us and this world to a right relationship with God.