The Praying Church Handbook--Volume I Foundations

This handbook is a collection of substantive reflections on prayer. Contributors include global and national leaders, as well as Church of God authors, leaders and intercessors. The completed set includes 4 volumes: Volume II--Personal and Family Prayer; Volume III--The Pastor and the Congregation; Volume IV--Intercessory Prayer and Missions to be released in 2016. The chapters are sprinkled with prayer quotes, and interjected with prayer vignettes. Each chapter is introduced with an historic note or prayer story. The book is contemporary, relevant, addressing cutting edge issues--contextualizing prayer, prophetic and priestly intercession, spiritual mapping, unreached peoples and prayer, a history of prayer including a special focus on the family and prayer, fathers and prayer. Each chapter of the book opens with a wonderful Window Through Time--a story of our history including the call to prayer that led to the mysterious release of Herman Lauster from the Nazi Prison Camp; pioneer stories of such legendary figures as J. W. Buckalew and Paul H. Walker, the stories of prayer and our early Church of God history; profiles of praying leaders and churches; testimonies of God's intervention. It is a relevant book, one that will help you build a strong foundation for the future, without forgetting the past.

P. Douglas Small is a Bible teacher--that is the love of his life. He has served as a pastor and on the faculty of a number of accredited Bible Colleges, but his focus for twenty-five years has been teaching and training in pastor's events, conferences and schools. He is an Ordained Bishop. And he is the founding president of Alive Ministries. He conducts schools of prayer and consultations for cities wanting to engage in a 'decade of destiny', working with pastors, vocational Christians and intercessors. Doug is married to Barbara Ruth with whom he shares five children and seventeen grandchildren.Dr. Raymond Culpepper is a pastor, author, and served as the General Overseer of the Church of God (2008-2012) when this project was launched. The General Overseer is the highest office in the Church of God denomination and has primary responsibility for leading a membership of over 9 million members spanning 180 countries. Dr. Culpepper previously served two terms as First Assistant General Overseer and has been on the Executive "Council of 18" on three occasions. Previously, he served as the Church of God State Youth and Education Director for Northern California, Nevada, Indiana, and Alabama. In 1980, Raymond founded the Riverchase Church of God in Birmingham, Alabama, later renamed Metropolitan Church of God, which grew under his leadership into one of the most well-known churches in the denomination. His books include: The Leading Man, Lifestyle To His Glory, Power Living, The Great Commission Connection and No Church Left Behind. Dr. Culpepper holds a Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts degree from the California Graduate School of Theology and a Doctorate of Divinity degree from Lee University where he served for 12 years as Chairman of the Lee University Board of Directors. In 1999, he was selected as Lee University's Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. Raymond's father, J. Frank Culpepper was an Assistant General Overseer of the Church of God. Raymond has been married to the former Peggy Price since 1970. The couple have three children: Raymond II, Elizabeth and Jessica. Dr. Culpepper currently serves as the Administrative Bishop of the Church of God in Alabama.Dr. French Arrington is a recognized evangelical theologian, and former chairman of the Department of Bible and Theology at Lee University, a recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award. He has served as guest lecturer at theological seminaries in Korea, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Philippines, Indonesia, Ecuador, Virgin Islands, China and Russia. He is now Professor Emeritus at the Church of God Pentecostal Seminary. Dr. Arrington is well-known for his published works on the New Testament, including two scholarly monographs, his work on The Complete Biblical Library, and The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal Charismatic Movements and numerous other works. He was Greek editor for A Biblical Theology of the Holy Spirit and contributor to Contemporary Issues in Pneumatology. Hendrickson published Acts of the Apostles.James M. Beaty, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University, 1963, served as missionary in the Dominican Republic 1949-52 and in Haiti 1946-47 and 1952-59. He was Superintendent of South America (1962-67), taught at Lee College (1967-74), was founder and President of Spanish Institute of Ministry (1974-80), was Academic Dean of the Church of God School of Theology, now Pentecostal Theological Seminary (1980-92) and continued to teach there until 2001.