Best Selling Books by Bill Hybels

What kind of love makes a difference?A bold yet compassionate love is a trademark of Jesus Christ. Love without limits. A world-changing love. Can such love be reproduced in the lives of sinful men and women like us? Is it possible to follow Jesus'' model of giving and receiving love? In Lessons on Love, you''ll find out how. You''ll learn about the various kinds of love, beginning with forms of love you''ll recognize—and ending with a supernatural love so awesome it can utterly transform lives. Christ''s love. The world around you will take note when you unleash the power of Christ''s love—and it will never be the same.Interactions—a powerful and challenging tool for building deep relationships between you and your group members, and you and God. Interactions is far more than another group Bible study. It''s a cutting-edge series designed to help small group participants develop into fully devoted followers of Christ.

Gain insight into six roles Jesus filled -- man, teacher, physician, servant, shepherd, and king -- to steadily arrive at a better understanding of the character and person of Christ.. 6 SESSIONS

Evangelism doesn''t have to be frustrating or intimidating. We just need encouragement and direction. In Crossing the Line of Faith you will discover how to build spiritually strategic relationships, to direct conversations toward matters of faith, and to share biblical truths in everyday language. This easy-to-read book presents a blueprint for starting a spiritual epidemic of hope and enthusiasm for spreading the Gospel.

This study will help you recognize and cooperate with God''s transforming influence in your life. You''ll learn proven ways of responding to God''s guidance that will keep you growing closer to Him.. 6 SESSIONS

God is ready to give the wisdom and insight needed to navigate the questions that seem too big, such as: Will wars ever cease? Can the planet survive? Is God really out there? Does God hear prayers? Aren''t all religions the same?

Exhausted. Overwhelmed. Overscheduled. Sound familiar? Based on Bill Hybels'' groundbreaking book Simplify and the companion DVD series, the Simplify Participant''s Guide leads you on a journey of discovering a simpler life. Today''s velocity of life can consume and control us . . . until a breakneck pace begins to feel normal and expected. That''s where the danger lies: When we spend our lives doing things that keep us busy but don''t really matter, we sacrifice the things that do. What if your life could be different? What if you could be certain you were living the life God called you to live--and building a legacy for those you love? If you crave a simpler life anchored by the priorities that matter most, roll up your sleeves: Simplified living requires more than just cleaning out your closets or reorganizing your desk drawer. It requires uncluttering your soul. By eradicating the stuff that leaves your spirit drained, you can stop doing what doesn''t matter--and start doing what does. In Simplify, bestselling author Bill Hybels identifies the core issues that lure us into frenetic living--and offers practical steps for sweeping the clutter from our souls. This study guide is an ideal resource for small groups, along with the Simplify DVD Experience (sold separately).

In this five-session video-based Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), bestselling author and pastor Bill Hybels challenges you to make doing life together a priority, exploring from the book of Proverbs how experiencing community and growing in wisdom are inseparably linked and offering practical direction on how to experience this with others. All of us want to get better at life. Gettting wiser alone, however, is not the way it works. God didn’t wire us to catch onto wise and godly living through lone-ranger attempts at learning; it’s something that rubs off on us when we spend time with others who have the wisdom of God living inside of them. As the proverb says, “Iron sharpens iron as one person sharpens another.” This study is designed with both new and experienced group leaders in mind. For new leaders, it includes optional weekly DVD training sessions (DVD sold separately) to help them lead a fantastic, first-time small group experience. For experienced leaders, it includes a "Going Deeper" section for those ready to take this content to the next level. Sessions include: Walking with the Wise The Counsel of Community Iron Sharpens Iron The Heart of Community Faith and Friendship Designed for use with the Wiser Together Video Study 9780310820116 (sold separately).

When you follow a star and find a stable, John Maxwell-- Seeing the Christmas scenery, Bill Hybels -- Hoseph''s prayer.

Identify the trappings of Christianity and trade them for a vibrant faith that integrates Christian values into your everyday life. Discover the inconsistent areas of your life, proven ways to align them with the teaching of the Bible, and find a new joy that comes from growing closer to God. (6 Sessions)

Jesus knows what an overwhelming incline feels like. He carried the cross up a hill and became our model of enduring faith. Through his example we can discover practices that serve as a source of spiritual fuel to help us when we face the steep hills of life.

It takes the power of God to produce the character of God.Putting others’ needs ahead of our own: it’s the ultimate expression of love—and the hardest. Fortunately, we don’t have to go it alone. In Fruit of the Spirit, you’ll learn about the life-transforming qualities God wants to cultivate inside you. And you’ll discover the supernatural Agent who empowers you to attain them: the Holy Spirit, working within you to produce each kind of spiritual “fruit.”In the Holy Spirit’s power, you can live a supernatural life that transforms every relationship you have. And in the process, you’ll discover the one route to a truly satisfying life: serving others.Interactions—a powerful and challenging tool for building deep relationships between you and your group members, and you and God. Interactions is far more than another group Bible study. It''s a cutting-edge series designed to help small group participants develop into fully devoted followers of Christ.

The urgent need for prayer in today’s broken world is clear, but busyness still keeps many of us from finding time to pray. So Bill Hybels offers us his practical, time-tested ideas on slowing down to pray. In this four-session video Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately) based on Hybels’s classic book on prayer, Too Busy Not to Pray calls both young and old to make prayer a priority, broadening the vision for what our eternal, powerful God does when his people slow down to pray. In Too Busy Not to Pray, you and your small group will learn: The importance of a consistent time and place for prayer How to organize prayers according to tried-and-true frameworks How to hear the Spirit’s promptings To love prayer time Hybels helps you slow down, listen to God, and learn how to respond. As a result, you will grow closer to God and experience the benefits of spending time with him. Sessions include: Why Pray? (15:00) Our Part of the Deal (20:00) When Prayer Feels Hard (19:00) People of Prayer (20:00) Designed for use with the Too Busy Not to Pray Video Study (sold separately).

The essentials of faith. You can build a life on them.Like a house built on a firm foundation, the Christian faith is founded on some key, enduring truths. Do you know what they are? If not, you owe it to yourself to find out whether you’re building your life—and your eternity—on solid ground.Essential Christianity is your invitation to spiritual discussion with others as you explore the basics of faith—principles deeper and more far-reaching than you may have imagined. You’ll learn what it means to really know Christ. You’ll discover the secret to confident living, how to grow spiritually, how to handle your failures, how to follow Jesus in a world that’s anything but devoted to Him, and the different ways God wants to guide you in the practical concerns of life.Interactions—a powerful and challenging tool for building deep relationships between you and your group members, and you and God. Interactions is far more than another group Bible study. It''s a cutting-edge series designed to help small group participants develop into fully devoted followers of Christ.

As you study this powerful sermon of Jesus in six sessions, it will help you transform relationships with others.

The world''s most passionate, effective evangelists are right in your youth ministry! No one can top your students in effectively introducing their friends and family to Christ. And now is the time to help them learn how. Becoming a Contagious Christian Youth Edition Leader''s Guide is a book written with both you and your students in mind. Included is everything you''ll need to help students discover and develop their unique evangelism styles. Based on the proven program Becoming a Contagious Christian (developed at Willow Creek Community Church), this Youth Edition Leader''s Guide includes an Evangelistic Styles Assessment and activities for individuals, partners, and small groups that will teach the evangelistic skills students can use every day---with powerful results. It''s designed to be most effective when used in conjunction with the Becoming a Contagious Christian Youth Edition Student''s Guide as you use the Becoming a Contagious Christian Youth Edition evangelism course curriculum kit. Revised and expanded by one of America''s foremost youth ministers and teachers, Bo Boshers, this exciting, highly interactive approach addresses the specific needs and challenges of students---in language they can relate to. Students will learn how to: * be intentional in developing relationships * transition an ordinary conversation to a spiritual conversation * tell in plain language their personal story of meeting Christ * share the gospel message using two illustrations * answer ten common objections to Christianity * pray with a friend to receive Christ This course is flexible so you can teach it in several different formats: eight 60-minute sessions, four 3-hour sessions, or one- to three-day retreats. Content, leader''s notes, and activity instructions are clearly laid out and easy to follow. You''ll also find: * ''Heart Check''---a brief devotional at the beginning of each session written specifically for you, the leader * ''Get Connected''---notes to help you get inside the hearts and minds of students * ''Going Deeper''---optional activities you can use to give students a more in-depth understanding of the material Drawing on the expertise of some of today''s foremost leaders in evangelism and student ministry, this powerful program will equip you to train your students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they''ll need to become truly contagious in reaching their friends for Christ.

Where do we find hope, strength, and comfort? Through faith in Jesus we can be connected to the heart of the Father with inseparable love. Romans chapter eight contains a message of hope-filled optimism. We are loved children and our Father will never let go of us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God...nothing.

Bestselling author and pastor Bill Hybels helps equip leaders with five key skills that everyone needs in order to grow their leadership ability. Each of the video sessions will feature Hybels sharing the wisdom and experience that he has learned in nearly 40 years of leadership at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. In this five-session teaching video (DVD/digital video sold separately), Hybels will help leaders discover what kind of leader they are, how to gain self-awareness and relational awareness, how to build an effective team, how to form and declare a vision, and discovering each leader''s holy discontent. Sessions include: The Power of Vision The Toughest Person You Lead Mastering 360-Degree Leadership Building a Fantastic Culture Pursue Your Unique Calling Designed for use with the Leading from Here to There Video Study 9780310884606 (sold separately).

In this greatest of all sermons, Jesus inspires, encourages, and challenges his followers to love God and love others in fresh and practical ways.

“Without a hint of exaggeration,” says Bill Hybels, “the ability to discern divine direction has saved me from a life of sure boredom and self-destruction. God’s well-timed words have redirected my path, rescued me from temptation and re-energized me during some of my deepest moments of despair.” In The Power of a Whisper, vision is cast for what life can look like when God’s followers choose to hear from heaven as they navigate life on earth. Whispers that arbitrate key decisions, nudges that rescue from dark nights of the soul, promptings that spur on growth, urgings that come by way of another person, inspiration that opens once-glazed-over eyes to the terrible plight people face in this world—through firsthand accounts spanning fifty-seven years of life, more than thirty of which have been spent in the trenches of ministry, Hybels promotes passion in Christ-followers'' hearts for being wide open to hearing from God, and for getting gutsier about doing exactly what he says to do. For more information go to: www.thewhisperwall.com.

Believers universally affirm that evangelism is a vital part of what God calls them to do, but many feel awkward and ill-equipped. Bill Hybels addresses these concerns and signals the next era in personal evangelism with Just Walk Across the Room.

Pastor Bill Hybels’s firm conviction is that the highest value in personal evangelism is being attuned to and cooperative with the promptings of the Holy Spirit. This means playing only the role you are intended to play—walking when the Spirit says to walk, talking when the Spirit says to talk, and falling silent when the Spirit suggests that you’ve already said enough. More than two thousand years ago, Jesus himself introduced the perfect model for evangelism. He left the marvelous adoration of the angels and the perfection of heaven, and he chose to “walk” clear across the cosmos. He had no memorized script, no forced formulas. Instead, he was armed only with an offer of redemption to people just like you and me, many of whom were neck-deep in pain of their own making. Today, the goal for every Christian is to reflect Christ’s love and follow his example by taking simple walks across rooms—leaving our circles of comfort and extending hands of care, compassion, and inclusiveness to people living far from God. Designed for use with the video.

When Jesus was walking the earth, everyone had a theory about who he was—healer, revolutionary, king, friend, humble carpenter. But out of the vast complexity of characteristics and ideas there emerges one simple word that no one can deny: “Rabbi.” These 36 Bible studies capture the heart of Jesus the Rabbi. He was a revolutionary, miracle-working, loving, powerful, divine teacher. For those whose minds are ready to be expanded, whose hearts are hungering to be touched, and whose lives are ripe for growth, John Ortberg and Bill Hybels invites people of all ages and backgrounds to pull up a chair and dig into the life lessons of Jesus captured in the Bible throughout the Gospels. Designed for use as personal Bible study or group study, the interactive format will help readers grow in their ability to reflect the character of Jesus. Studies include: Twelve Studies on the Sermon on the Mount by Bill Hybels Six Studies on The Lord’s Prayer by John Ortberg Six Studies on the Parables by John Ortberg Six Studies on The Passion Story by Bill Hybels Six Studies on Luke by Bill Hybels

In this made-for-use guidebook, Bill Hybels provides the exact steps needed for ministry leaders to translate the principles described in his book Holy Discontent into practical and effective action. What is the one aspect of this broken world that, when you see it, touch it, or get near it, you just can’t stand? What reality is so troubling that it thrusts you off the couch and into action? This is what Bill Hybels refers to as a holy discontent: a personal “firestorm of frustration” that, although sparked by that which is terribly wrong, can catalyze fierce determination to set things right. It is often during these eye-opening, heart-hungering moments of engagement when you will hear God whisper, “I feel the exact same way about this situation. Now, let’s go solve it together!” Here are the steps and the guidance you need to make that happen. This companion to Holy Discontent includes: • Interactive processing exercises that encourage you to ask the tough questions of your ministry strategy, your supporting organizational structure, and the key people with whom you collaborate • Sidebar stories of ministry leaders who are living and leading from their holy discontent in a variety of contexts • Insightful prompts to help you act on what you learn • Space for personal reflection

Bill Hybels points us to the wisdom of the book of Proverbs. This practical guidebook is ideal for anyone who wants to live the Christian life with wisdom and wholeness. (Read by Chris Fabry; abridged.)

Our lives are like lumps of clay on a potter''s wheel. Form, function, and beauty appear as God, the Potter, shapes us with his hands. He is in the business of molding our common lives -- even the ugly parts -- into something wonderful! In Colossians, you and your small group will discover how to place your lives in the secure hands of God. If you long to experience newness of life, this study will point the way. If you desire to see God mold and shape your spiritual life, home, workplace, church, and relationships, Colossians will teach you the pathway to a whole new you.

When Leadership and Discipleship Collide Using stories from his own life and ministry, Bill Hybels shows how the laws for leadership success can sometimes crash headlong into another reality: an inner prompting of the Spirit showing you a different approach. The decisions you make at that point could affect not only you, but the ultimate destiny of those you lead.

A fresh look at the Ten Commandments that urges readers to live in the knowledge that when they wholeheartedly obey God''s laws, they will not only honor Him with their obedience, but joyfully experience the clear conscience that holy, honest living brings. Personal and Group Study Guide included.

Experience the Transforming Presence of God What if you could look over the shoulders of great saints from the past and learn from their example? Suppose you found a diary that contained the prayers, confessions, and dreams of some of history’s most godly people. What might you learn? How might God teach you? The book of Psalms captures lessons that span the scope of human experience. How do I deal with guilt? Can I overcome fear? What will help me grow to trust God in uncertain times? Where can I find true blessedness? What leads to peace in relationships? These are just some of the life-changing lessons God wants to unfold in your heart as you dig into the teachings of the Psalms.

Through this small group Bible study, move beyond six tough hurdles: adversity, fear, apathy, greed, lust, and sorrow. As you unite the hope and insight of Scripture with the support of the people in your group, you''ll find strength to overcome the things in your life you thought would never change. 6 SESSIONS

Focusing on the key aspects of Christian life--prayer, character, and wisdom--this one-year devotional shows believers how to know God more deeply and discover how he works in them.

Mittelberg presents a proven process for raising the value of evangelism in your heart and in your church. He spells out strategies for training all of a church''s members to naturally communicate their faith and offers ideas for initiating outreach ministries and events. Includes inspiring stories of lives and churches that have been changed as a result of these practical, biblical approaches.

As a Christian, you have received more than God''s forgiveness. You also have a brand new identity! You are a new creation in Christ, with fresh and exciting privileges and responsibilities. And God wants you to walk confidently in this identity, serving Him with joy and energy in your various roles as - A son or daughter of God - A saint of God - A soldier of God - An ambassador of God - A friend of God - A manager of God''s resources. The Real You gives you a close-up view of these different roles and equips you with the sound biblical insights you need to fulfill them. You''ll discover new ways to make your citizenship in God''s kingdom a daily reality right where you live. If you are the discussion leader, you will find additional suggestions and helpful ideas in the Leader''s Notes.

God still speaks, is anyone listening? Join bestselling author and pastor Bill Hybels in this four-session video-based study where your group will learn to navigate life through whispers from God. Through this dynamic teaching and group study, you will learn to practice hearing from God, surrender to the voice of God, obey his promptings and become a more effective kingdom-builder. This Participant’s Guide is designed to help facilitate group discussion and further study alongside the Power of a Whisper DVD. For more information go to: www.thewhisperwall.com.