Audiobooks by Warren Bird

Becoming a Future-Ready Church: 8 Shifts to Encourage and Empower the Next Generation of Leaders

Are Church Leaders Missing the Generational Handoff? There's Still Hope. - Are we building institutions that will meaningfully serve the next generation of believers and their leaders? - How does a church thrive in a culture where we have to earn credibility? - How do we create a sense of belonging to the body of Christ and a strong sense of identity for the next generation? Becoming a Future-Ready Church is a blueprint to guide you through eight critical shifts to help lead your church into the future with wisdom and hope. It describes several major converging trends that will greatly impact the church in America over the next few decades: the Great Resignation of Boomer leaders from churches, the shrinking percentage of Christians in America, and the change in felt needs among rising generations shaped heavily by anxiety, skepticism, and fragmentation. Missiologist and pastor Daniel Yang, religion journalist Adelle Banks, and church researcher Warren Bird have come together in Becoming a Future-Ready Church to help church leaders evaluate whether their ministries are entrenched in strategies that worked well in the past but need to be adapted for the future. By helping us ask better questions about the issues and needs facing the church, they reveal practical ways in which the next generation of church leaders can gain a sturdier foothold as they navigate into the future.

Adelle M. Banks, Daniel Yang, Warren Bird (Author), Tim Morgan (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Resilience Factor: A Step-by-Step Guide to Catalyze an Unbreakable Team

Want to unleash the 'remarkable' in your team? The potential of a team of God-inspired, talented, committed people is boundless. But without resilience-including the savvy and skill to get up again (and again) when the going gets tough-teams simply cannot thrive or lead well. Resilience is what sets great leaders and teams apart from those that literally fall apart. It's what's missing when great organizations lose steam. Ryan T. Hartwig, Leonce B. Crump Jr., and Warren Bird have worked with team members in many kinds of churches and Christian organizations, served on numerous teams, and surfaced the best research on teams. In The Resilience Factor, they distill this wisdom into a series of practical steps that promise to both inspire and equip teams to move from floundering to flourishing. Filled with examples of top-performing teams, individual and group reflection questions, diagnostic tools, and team activities, The Resilience Factor promises to become the go-to resource for leaders who want to release remarkable resilience in their teams.

Léonce B. Crump, Ryan T. Hartwig, Warren Bird (Author), Léonce B. Crump (Narrator)

Audiobook

Viral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers

Leadership Network commissioned a study by Ed Stetzer (who heads up LifeWay Research) on church planting, i.e., the process of getting a new church started. Leadership Network wanted to find out what the best practices were in church planting and uncover the common threads among them. This book will use research findings to inform, guide, and even catalyze today's many church planting leaders. It will show them how to form a movement and will hopefully also inspire them to do so. It will address their felt needs of what to do next in their church planting strategies, in light of research on what's actually working best.

Ed Stetzer, Warren Bird (Author), Adam Verner (Narrator)

Audiobook

Better Together: Making Church Mergers Work

Thousands of Protestant churches are perplexed by plateaued or declining attendance, while other congregations nearby thrive. Is there a way for them to combine forces, drawing on both their strengths, in ways that also increase their missional impact? Church merger consultant Jim Tomberlin, with cowriter Warren Bird, makes the case that mergers today work best not with two struggling churches but with a vital, momentum-filled lead church partnering with a joining church. In this new book, they provide a complete, practical, hands-on guide for church leaders of both struggling and vibrant churches so that they can understand the issues, develop strategies, and execute a variety of forms of merger for church expansion and renewal to reinvigorate declining churches and give them a 'second life.'

Jim Tomberlin, Warren Bird (Author), Maurice England (Narrator)

Audiobook

Liquid Church: 6 Powerful Currents to Saturate Your City for Christ

In today's fluid culture, many churches are adrift--longing to reach spiritually thirsty people, but failing to make an impact. Have you noticed? Congregations are stuck or declining. Millennials and Gen Z are walking away. Volunteers and their generosity are drying up. Is your city, town, or neighborhood spiritually dry? Do you long to see more of the living water of Jesus flowing freely through your community, generating a fresh wave of ministry momentum? Buckle up: you're in for a whitewater ride! Liquid Church tells the fascinating story of a New Jersey church that began 'on accident' and grew into one of America's 100 Fastest-Growing Churches, with over 5,000 in weekly attendance and more than 2,400 baptisms to date. Their secret? They harnessed the power of six powerful ministry currents sweeping across North America including: special needs, creative communication, ministry mergers, compassionate cause, radical generosity, and leadership development. With powerful stories and scriptural insights, backed by national research, Tim Lucas and Warren Bird describe dozens of fresh ideas, new ministry wineskins, and hard-won leadership learnings that resonate with rising generations in today's 'show-then-tell' culture. Each chapter includes practical tools, real-life examples, and links to 'Other Churches Making Waves' with cutting-edge ministry ideas designed to help saturate your city for Christ. Ready to dive deeper? Whether you serve a brand-new church plant, fast-growing congregation, or an aging ministry ready for reinvention, Liquid Church is an inspiring and practical guide for leaders ready to reach their spiritually thirsty neighbors--those who have given up on church, but haven't given up on God. Apply these ideas with the "Dive Deeper" sections available in the audiobook companion PDF download. X

Tim Lucas, Warren Bird (Author), Tim Lucas, Warren Bird (Narrator)

Audiobook

Hero Maker: Five Essential Practices for Leaders to Multiply Leaders

In Hero Maker you will learn how to bring real change to your church and community by developing the practical skills to help others reach their leadership potential. Discover how to activate gifts, help others take ownership, and develop a simple scorecard for measuring your kingdom-building progress.

Dave Ferguson, Warren Bird (Author), Gabe Wicks, John Behrens, Mark Smeby (Narrator)

Audiobook

God Dreams: 12 Vision Templates for Finding and Focusing Your Church's Future

Is your team excited about the next big dream for your church? You are a visionary leader and your church probably has a vision statement. Yet most churches are stuck in a trap of generic communication without a truly visionary plan. Just like a visionary restaurant needs a more specific focus than "serving food," a visionary church needs something more than biblical generalizations like "loving God, loving people" or "making disciples and serving the world." When a team doesn't share an understanding of God's next big dream, leadership grows tired, overworked by an "all things to all people" ministry approach. Too often there's no unified picture of what success looks like. People can feel uninspired and your church's programming can seem more optional than ever. Ministry without clarity is insanity. Are you ready for a better way? In this groundbreaking work, based on Will Mancini's 15 years and over 10,000 hours of church team facilitation, God Dreams reveals a simple and powerful planning method that will bring energy and focus to your church like never before. First, God Dreams shows how to reclaim the role of long-range vision today by providing 12 vision templates, each with biblical, historical and contemporary illustrations. These vision starters will dramatically accelerate your team's ability to find complete agreement regarding your church's future. Second, God Dreams explains how to overcome the fruitless planning efforts that many church teams experience. With a tool called the Horizon Storyline, leaders can connect short-term action steps with the long-range dream, while leveraging the power of storytelling to make the plan "stick." This tool will galvanize a diverse team of ministry leaders and volunteers with unprecedented enthusiasm. Imagine leading with a refreshed sense of freedom and confidence, with a totally new way to inspire your church. Imagine the ability to harness the energy and resources of your people towards a specific dream of gospel impact, in your church and in your lifetime. God Dreams is your passport to leading into a better future.

Warren Bird, Will Mancini (Author), Lloyd James (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Emotionally Healthy Church, Updated and Expanded Edition: A Strategy for Discipleship That Actua

This revised and expanded edition of Peter Scazzero’s award-winning book not only takes the original six principles for cultivating spiritual and emotional health in your church further and deeper, but he also adds a seventh principle to show you as a church leader how to slow down to lead with integrity.

Peter Scazzero, Warren Bird (Author), Steven Grimsley, Steven Roy Grimsley (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Multi-Site Church Roadtrip

What is the rapidly expanding multi-site church movement all about? Experience the revolution for yourself and see why it has become the 'new normal' for growing churches. A Multi-Site Church Roadtrip takes pastors, church leaders, and anyone who is interested on a tour of multi-site churches across America to see how those churches are handling the opportunities and challenges raised by this dynamic organizational model. Travel with tour guides Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon, and Warren Bird, authors of The Multi-Site Church Revolution, and enjoy engaging and humorous on-site narratives that show you the creative ways churches of all kinds are expanding their impact through multiple locations. Hear the inside stories and learn about the latest developments. Find out firsthand how the churches in this book are broadening their options for evangelism, service, and outreach---while making better use of their ministry funds. Since each church on this tour is unique, you won't find a cookie-cutter approach to ministry. Instead, you'll gain some practical tools you can use to explore a multi-site direction at your own church.

Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon, Warren Bird (Author), Rob Lamont, Zondervan Publishing (Narrator)

Audiobook

Unleashing the Word

Modern society is awash in words. An auditory tidal wave cascades from our televisions, radios, media players, and the Internet. Today's distracted worshippers often feel spiritually shortchanged when the Scriptures are spoken without passion and power. This lively and encouraging resource is the collaboration of a gifted Bible narrator and a mentor to church leaders. In it they show how churches can train their own teams of Scripture readers. These laypeople can---with enthusiasm, conviction, and passion---'unleash the Word of God,' and prepare hearts to receive the message. An illustrative, lively, multi-session DVD that brings the book's lessons to life is included. Spoken well, the Word of God opens and penetrates the listener's heart. Simple, straightforward, and culturally relevant, this book-and-DVD combination provides the necessary tools to teach you how to read the Bible aloud, in a way that communicates its life-changing power!

Max McLean, Warren Bird (Author), Max McLean, Max Mclean, Max Mclean And Warren Bird, Max/warren Mclean/bird, Warren Bird, Zondervan Publishing (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Multi-Site Church Revolution

Fueled by a desire to reach people for Christ, a revolution is underway. Churches are growing beyond the limitations of a single service in one building. Expanding the traditional model, they are embracing the concept of one church with more than one site: multiple congregations sharing a common vision, budget, leadership, and board. Drawing from the examples of churches nationwide, The Multi-Site Church Revolution shows what healthy multi-site churches look like and what motivates congregations to make the change. Discover how your church can: * cast a vision for change * ensure a successful DNA transfer (vision and core values) to its new site * develop new leaders * fund new sites * adapt to structure and staffing change * use technology to support your worship services you'll identify the reasons churches succeed and how they overcome common snags. The Multi-Site Church Revolution offers guidance, insights, and specific action steps as well as appendixes with practical leadership resources and self-diagnostic tools. 'I wholeheartedly recommend this book for any pastor or church leader who needs to know the pertinent issues, tested solutions, and real examples of multi-site strategies that are currently being deployed around the world.' ---Ed Young, senior pastor, Fellowship Church 'The authors have done their homework. They have firsthand knowledge of the successes and failures of this movement, having been networking with and facilitating dialogue among churches across the country for years.' ---Max Lucado, senior minister, Oak Hills Church 'Look no further than this book to propel your ministry to Ephesians 3:20 proportions: exceeding abundantly above all that you could ever ask or think!' ---Randy and Paula White, senior pastors, Without Walls International Church This book is part of the Leadership Network Innovation Series.

Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon, Warren Bird (Author), Rob Lamont, Zondervan Publishing (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Emotionally Healthy Church: A Strategy for Discipleship That Actually Changes Lives

The Emotionally Healthy Church, Expanded Edition, the newly updated and expanded edition of the groundbreaking bestseller The Emotionally Healthy Church, features a fuller, deeper look at the six principles contained in the original and includes a crucial, additional chapter: Slow Down to Lead with Integrity. New Life Fellowship in Queens, New York, had it all: powerful teaching, dynamic ministries, an impressive growth rate, and a vision to do great works for God. Things looked good-but beneath the surface, circumstances were more than just brewing. They were about to boil over, forcing Peter Scazzero to confront needs in his church and himself that went deeper than he'd ever imagined. What he learned about the vital link between emotional health, relational depth, and spiritual maturity can shed new light on painful problems in your own church. In this revised and expanded edition of his Gold Medallion Award-winning book, Scazzero shares refreshing new insights and a different and challenging slant on what it takes to lead your congregation to wholeness and maturity in Christ. Our churches are in trouble, says Scazzero. They are filled with people who are: unsure how to biblically integrate anger, sadness, and other emotions defensive, incapable of revealing their weaknesses threatened by or intolerant of different viewpoints zealous about ministering at church but blind to their spouses' loneliness at home so involved in "serving" that they fail to take care of themselves prone to withdraw from conflict rather than resolve it Sharing from New Life Fellowship's painful but liberating journey, Scazzero reveals exactly how the truth can and does make you free-not just superficially, but deep down. This expanded edition of The Emotionally Healthy Church not only takes the original six principles further and deeper, but also adds a seventh crucial principle. 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 incarnation your model to love others slow down to lead with integrity This new edition shares powerful insights on how contemplative spirituality can help you and your church slow down-an integral key to spiritual and emotional health. The Emotionally Healthy Church, Expanded Edition includes story after story of people at New Life whose lives have been changed by the concepts in this book. Open these pages and find out how your church can turn a new corner on the road to spiritual maturity.

Peter Scazzero, Warren Bird (Author), Steven Grimsley, Tom Casaletto (Narrator)

Audiobook