Baptist National Resource Centre has a wide range of books, DVDs, and training tools available for loan to Baptist churches and pastors. These books have been recently added to the collection:

Preaching With Variety: How to Re-Create the Dynamics of Biblical Genres – Jeffrey D Arthurs

Bored with your own preaching? Arthurs suggests preaching with variety and excitement is possible if Scriptures are treated as a library of different types of great literature, rather than as an assortment of texts from which to build sermons. The book focuses on several of these genres – poetry, proverbs, narrative, parables, letters, and apocalyptic literature. Each chapter has practical suggestions and checklists.

The Folly of Preaching: Models and Methods – Michael P Knowles (Ed.)

This book contains theoretical and practical insights into preaching from 16 well-known preachers, scholars and homiletics teachers. It also includes 12 sermons reflecting on the key theme of grace amid weakness and need.

The Glory of Preaching: Participating in God’s Transformation of the World – Darrell W Johnson                          

Johnson maintains that something transformative, empowering and life-giving happens whenever anyone faithfully preaches from God’s Word. He calls this the ‘glory of preaching’. If you have been wondering if your preaching is worth the effort, then this book will encourage and inspire you to believe that, yes, it is!

To borrow one of these books, contact the National Resource Centre Ph 09 526 7955 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Are you struggling to adapt to a post-Christian culture without abandoning orthodox theology? In Center Church, Timothy Keller speaks from his more than 20 years' ministry experience in New York City. His book offers challenging insights and provocative questions, and outlines a theological vision for ministry organised around three core commitments:

1. Gospel-centred - the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ changes everything.
2. City-centred - cities increasingly influence our global culture and affect the way we do ministry.
3. Movement-centred - instead of building our own tribe, we seek the prosperity and peace of our community.

This book is available for loan to Baptist leaders in New Zealand. To request to borrow this book, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .


Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centred Ministry in Your City by Timothy Keller © 2012 Zondervan.

Peter Scazzero's book The Emotionally Healthy Church has been added to the resource library. This is an expanded and updated version, published in 2010.

Scazerro is the founder and senior pastor of New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, New York. Sharing from this church's own experience, Scazerro outlines seven principles for an emotionally healthy church:

1. Look beneath the surface - inviting God to reveal and transform the beneath-the-surface layers that hinder us from becoming more like Jesus.
2. Break the power of the past - understanding how our past affects our present ability to love Christ and others.
3. Live in brokenness and vulnerability - living and leading out of failure, pain, questions and struggles.
4. Receive the gift of limits - being content with the gifts God has given us.
5. Embrace grieving and loss - allowing God to enlarge our souls.
6. Make incarnation your model for loving well - intentionally following the model of Jesus.
7. Slow down to lead with integrity

You are warmly invited to the Auckland Vision Day, a workshop to explore re-thinking and re-shaping mission and church planting today. It will be held Saturday 28 July 2012 at the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle. 429 Queen Street, Auckland.

Sessions will include:

• What is happening and why: how fresh expressions are changing the landscape.
• How Fresh Expressions can develop in your context.
• Where next? Information on the one-year Mission-Shaped Ministry training course.

There is no charge to attend the workshop but a gold coin donation is welcome.

To register or for more information contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Ph 021 546 379.