New Releases by Rick Bundschuh

Moving Messages: Ideas That Will Revolutionize the Sunday Experience, by Rick Bundschuh, will help EVERY church leader do just that Pastors...teachers...every church leader longs for Sunday messages to be memorable and meaningful, to move listeners closer to God. So why are so many messages forgettable? Pastor and author Rick Bundschuh asked the same question--and began finding new ways to connect his church audience with the life-changing truths of the Bible. He preached participatory sermons, wove experiences into messages, and invited congregational conversation as part of the Sunday morning experience. The results? Astounding--for Bundschuh and his church. In this report from the front lines, Bundschuh shares what he did, how it went, and what he learned along the way. Practical and proven, here's the best of what invigorated the Sunday experience for him and his congregation. This book is a must-read for all church leaders eager to make Sunday messages engaging and impactful. You'll benefit from Bundschuh's journey and transform passive listeners into active participants in next Sunday's message.

No one prepares to fail, so why should you? Starting middle school can be like a splash of cold water in the face. I mean, kick ball and foursquare are way behind you, and what lies ahead is a place you've heard stories about - and not all of them are good. So how do you survive middle school? By knowing what's coming and understanding the secrets of success. Surviving Middle School brings laugh-filled - but extremely helpful - answers that are sure to give a jolt of confidence to any young "grom." Written in an engaging and understandable style by veteran youth worker Rick Bundschuh, the co-author of the bestseller Soul Surfer, Surviving Middle School points the way through the potential rip tides that kids face as they enter these unknown waters. Rick's advice on dealing with the opposite sex, peer pressure, how not to be a geek, and more will make you smile and help you make the most of your big dive into middle school. So jump on in - you may even enjoy the water!

Cheri Hamilton, Bethany's mom, tells the inspiring story of the Hamilton Family. Bethany Hamilton's incredible story of surviving and thriving in the wake of a shark attack, told in her best - selling autobiography Soul Surfer, has sold more than 1.5 million copies. Yet her family's adventures started long before Bethany lost her arm and became a pro surfer. Now Cheri Hamilton, Bethany's mom, tells the inspiring story of the Hamilton Family. Raising a Soul Surfer invites readers to journey with the Hamiltons to the lush islands of Hawaii, to experience a worldwide news event, Bethany's shark attack, from her parents' point of view. Witness the many small steps of faith and how God stepped in and gave them a higher purpose.

Following Jesus is more complex and challenging than anybody expects when they start out on the journey. It's not just attending church, reading your Bible and minding your Ps and Qs; it is an adventure filled with wonder and difficulty, with unlearning and relearning. In Deep Like Me, pastor Rick Bundschuh shares what he had discovered about shuffling after Jesus, and invites readers to wrestle, grieve, re-evaluate, redirect, focus, contemplate, be still and get real about living the life of a disciple. Rick's story-driven musings are explorative instead of instructive, contemplative rather than confrontational, yet he warmly invites the reader to stride, stumble, shuffle or crawl in the footsteps of Jesus.

Hamilton, Bethany and her friends discover God’s love and guidance as they tackle the waves that life hands them. Also available: Soul SurferTM Bible, Ask Bethany, and Rise Above. In Clash, it’s a challenge to their tight-knit group when a new girl with a secret crowds Bethany and her friends. Important heart issues lead to difficult decisions. In Burned, Bethany has a run-in with an unpleasant kid on a surf trip to Samoa and discovers something in the Samoan culture that brings healing and forgiveness. In Storm, Bethany helps a young family lost on the Hanakapiai Trail. As Bethany’s youth group struggles to raise funds for a mission trip, her small act of kindness blesses them all. In Crunch, Bethany meets a little boy at an orphanage in Mexico who must have his arm removed. Concerned by his condition, Bethany makes a promise to the child that threatens her opportunity to surf in a prestigious contest.

It took real faith and courage to get Bethany back on a surfboard after losing her arm to a shark. In this new four-book fiction series based on the life of surfer star Bethany Hamilton, Bethany and her friends discover God’s love and guidance as they tackle the waves that life hands them. Also available: Soul Surfer™ Bible, Ask Bethany, and Rise Above. In Clash, it’s a challenge to their tight-knit group when a new girl with a secret crowds Bethany and her friends. Important heart issues lead to difficult decisions. In Burned, Bethany has a run-in with an unpleasant kid on a surf trip to Samoa and discovers something in the Samoan culture that brings healing and forgiveness. (added a return) In Storm, Bethany helps a young family lost on the Hanakapiai Trail. As Bethany’s youth group struggles to raise funds for a mission trip, her small act of kindness blesses them all. In Crunch, Bethany meets a little boy at an orphanage in Mexico who must have his foot removed. Concerned by his condition, Bethany makes a promise to the child that threatens her opportunity to surf in a prestigious contest.

It took real faith and courage to get Bethany back on a surfboard after losing her arm to a shark. In this new four-book fiction series based on the life of surfer star Bethany Hamilton, Bethany and her friends discover God’s love and guidance as they tackle the waves that life hands them. Also available: Soul Surfer™ Bible, Ask Bethany, and Rise Above. In Clash, it’s a challenge to their tight-knit group when a new girl with a secret crowds Bethany and her friends. Important heart issues lead to difficult decisions. In Burned, Bethany has a run-in with an unpleasant kid on a surf trip to Samoa and discovers something in the Samoan culture that brings healing and forgiveness. In Storm, Bethany helps a young family lost on the Kalalun trail. As Bethany’s youth group struggles to raise funds for a mission trip, her small act of kindness blesses them all. In Crunch, Bethany meets a little girl at an orphanage in Mexico who must have her arm removed. Concerned by her condition, Bethany makes a promise to the child that threatens Bethany’s opportunity to surf in a prestigious contest.

Youth Ministry in the Trenches is a series of practical, tactical resources to help those doing the dirty work of ministry in one of the grittiest battlefields of human existence—adolescence.

In Storm, Bethany helps a young family lost on the Kalalun trail. As Bethany's youth group struggles to raise funds for a mission trip, her small act of kindness blesses them all.

Help your students think through how their faith should influence their dating habits. The Highway Visual Curriculum gives you compelling and entertaining video segments to encourage conversations and learning

Life is often presented to students as 'pre-destined, ' that God has this perfect plan for us, and all we have to do is figure out what it is (specifically) that he's pre-planned, and align ourselves with that. A lot of thinking and asking of advice is involved -- do you follow your heart or your head? And, hey, be sure to pray about it, so that God can reveal whether you should go to college in Boston or Vermont...God forbid you make the wrong choice and you exit his 'will' for you. The Church has romanticized the reality of God's Will, making it unrealistic: defining something that only God can define. Our faith in God is the same way, God wills us to live 'in him', wherever we're at, with the life we have, in whatever we're doing.. there is no place where God is not, and there is nothing we can do (with true intentions) where God can't lead, transform, reveal and be manifest. Can we realize how absurd it is, that sometimes we wait and wait and wait for 'God's will to be manifest in our lives'... waiting until circumstances coincidence with OUR will? Highway Visual Curriculum gives you the tools to help your students with life. By focusing on issues, and using compelling video segments and a unique leader's guide, this DVD package will help you lead your students through the ride. The What Do You Want curriculum Each of the five lessons contains sections to help you customize material for middle school, high school, and even general church use. Five unforgettable productions---dramas, comedies, interviews, music videos, documentary/mockumentary formats---are biblically based with practical application-points, about... Understanding God's will Decisions and dreams Your identity

Designed to help students get over the hurdles of being human, and into a life that is a bit more perfect.

Every installment of Highway Video will be themed. A subtle thread will tie the segments together, treating important themes like self-esteem, grace, discouragement, encouragement, grief, guilt, and forgiveness. Taken together, the segments will present thoughtful -- and thought-provoking -- video statements from many sides in many modes. The first video package, on the theme of getting' through everyday life, is titled MOST LIKELY TO SURVIVE. What more rock-bottom topic could kick off the seri

In Gimme God: The Journey of Your Growing Desire, viewers are taken through five video segments---from Avoiding God's Call to A Genuine Desire for God-- they'll see a spectrum of responses to desiring God. Students will be able to identify themselves in each of the video clips. Taken together, the segments will present thoughtful, as well as thought-provoking video statements from many sides in many modes.

The author, a youth expert, offers keen insights on the role of the church--and especially Christian men--in bringing boys to manhood. Here, Bundschuh offers practical ideas for making the church a place where boys want to be and for establishing a Christian rite of passage to guide them into godly manhood.

Teenagers learn more by conversing among themselves than by somebody talking at them. These updated "TalkSheets", based on the wisdom of kings David and Solomon, cover topics of perennial relevance and high interest to today's teens.

These updated discussion starters based on the wisdom books of the Old Testament can stand alone or lead into a full-blown Bible study with help from the leaders� accompanying instructions. Includes Bible references, Internet resources, and other suggested further activities.

Youth ministry fundamentals at your fingertips! Or call it a light-hearted primer to a serious subject. A Youth Ministry Crash Course is 150 to-the-point entries on issues you face every week -- topics that are described, simplified, illustrated, and occasionally tweaked by a couple of veteran youth workers who've acquired a pragmatic streak alongside their compassion for teenagers. Inside you'll find shrewd insight with a wry twist: - On Curricula: "You know your kids better than some editor working away in a cubical somewhere. Change material to suit your group, and chuck what doesn't fly." - On Recycling: "Students cycle in and out of your youth group every three or four years -- so recycle your program themes and events that often too." On Rules: "Never make one when you're tired or ticked off." - On Sacred Cows: " Learn what they are and keep your kids away from them -- you'll add longevity to your job. E.g., no pew hurdling in the million-dollar sanctuary during youth night. - On Spiritual Growth: "The kid that grows the fastest may not grow the deepest. Don't overlook the one who grows slowly but steadily." Whether you're new to youth ministry, a Sunday school teacher of junior or senior highers, a volunteer, or a veteran with a novice staff -- in Crash Course you'll find instructions, motivation, and reminders of what the glorious, hectic calling of youth ministry is all about.

This five-session elective course on the book of Jonah will help senior high teens grapple with the tough assignments God has given them. The lessons are creatively done and come with student sheets, questions, and flexible learning activities.