Question:
Devotionals?
I’m looking for some good daily devotionals, both for my own personal enrichment, and to be able to recommend to members of my congregation. What are some of the different devotional books or materials that other pastors have found helpful for themselves personally and for their members? I’m interested in general devotionals as well as any “specialized” devotionals that focus on helping people through specific issues or different challenging seasons of their lives.
Responses:
Pastor Frank Santora – New Milford, CT
If you’re like me, many times you are looking for a personal devotion that speaks to something relevant to your life. Either a trial you are going through, a struggle you may be having, or a leadership issue before you. I’ve found that the Bible App is great for those kind of tailored to life devotionals. They have hundreds of daily devotionals on almost every possible subject you can think on. That’s what I use and it’s proven to be a word in due season for my life. I trust it will be for you as well.
Pastor Michael Bang – Sioux Falls, SD
A few years ago, we found a company that provides a daily devotion for churches for every day of the year. They personalize the devotion so that Faith Family Church (as in our case) is providing it to the church family. On the inside of the cover, there’s also a greeting to the congregation from Pastor Vicki and I, which makes it more personal. We’ve been doing this for quite a few years now, and every story is not only informational, encouraging, and spiritually inspiring, they are biblically sound. The Devotions come every quarter and the covers are changed with the seasons. Our congregation not only loves them, but they use them as ministry tools. If any Pastors are interested in this format, we would be more than happy to provide that information.
Through our book store, we also provide devotionals from authors like Joyce Meyers, Kenneth Copeland, Charles Capps, etc. We also have devotionals for our teens and younger children.
Pastor Barry Fredericks – Newton, CT
We carry in the church bookstore Sparkling Gems From the Greek, Volumes 1 & 2 by Rick Renner, 365 Days of Healing by Mark Brazee and Faith Food Devotionals the yearly version on both faith and healing and the quarterly versions on faith. I have in my office 365 Days of Power by Rick Renner and I have seen devotionals by Joel Osteen, John Hagee and Joyce Meyer.
By far, the best selling devotionals we have and the ones we recommend most are the Faith Food Devotionals by Brother Hagin. Rick Renner’s Sparkling Gems are great for the Greek and I use them to find the complete meaning of some Greek words. Mark Brazee’s 365 Days of Healing is good, basic healing information.
We love Kenneth Hagin’s devotionals best because we feel, and always have felt, that no one knows what he knew, nor could they share and explain the things of the Lord like he did. I am sure that some of the devotionals by well-known ministers are good and helpful, but to build a solid foundation of the Word in you to meet any circumstance life throws at you, Brother Hagin is the best.
Pastor Sheila reads Brother Hagin’s devotionals daily (I do not), and she gave me the following reasons why his devotionals are so important to her:
- Brother Hagin begins each daily devotional with the Word and he ends each one by praying the Word
- As a minister, she finds what he teaches on the Word is applicable to her daily life and very helpful for what she does at church
- She feels the devotionals are the right length
- She likes his illustrations and they help her to see what he is teaching in a greater way
Several years ago I laid out a yearly Bible reading plan. Since then, literally hundreds of people use it. It is easy (3-4 chapters per day) and enables a person to read the entire Bible in one year. Perhaps the Word of God, read in a concise, chronological order is the best devotional we could ever have. This plan is on this PDF, and can also be found on our website (gracect.org) under “calendars.”
Pastor Rob King – Cincinnati, OH
I do not have a particular devotional book to recommend, but I am happy to share with you how I order my devotional life and how we encourage our Church members to have daily devotionals.
Did you know it takes an average of 3 minutes and 45 seconds to read a chapter in the Bible? We encourage our entire Church to read at least a chapter each day in their Bible using the Project 3:45 reading program.
We have also created a prayer wheel that helps people pray. We display the prayer wheel and reading plan prominently in our church and also provide a free Project 3:45 bracelet (think Livestrong rubber bracelet).
Both of these tools are available free of charge to anyone that is interested. We remove our logo and encourage churches to put their own logo on them and use them however they see fit!
These simple devotional tools have helped our people engage in Bible reading and prayer. We even have small groups that meet to discuss what they have been discovering in their devotional times.
As a side note: our Church’s interest in understanding the Bible has led to the formation of Bible study groups and we are now seeing over 100 people come out on Tuesday nights just to learn more about the basics of bible study!
Pastor Chris Caton – Middlebury, CT
I have always enjoyed reading Rick Renner’s Sparkling Gems From the Greek (now both Volume 1 & 2), as a general devotional.
For something specific, on the subject of healing, I have always found that the four little books by Lilian B. Yeomans—now in one volume called, His Healing Power published by Harrison House—really boosts my faith. Although, this is not a devotional, I often use it as one.
Hope this is helpful.
Pastor Scott Robles – Fremont, OH
Encouragement for the Broken-Hearted Parent by Leslie J. Barner (www.familylife.com) is the devotional we have used for counseling families.
Pastor James Lillis – Wallingford, CT
The devotionals I read most are Rod Parsley, Joe Purcell, and David Wilkerson (Teen Challenge). I occasionally read Oswald Chambers. I find Pastor Rod to be the most “energizing” and Joe to be the most thoughtful.
Monthly newsletters: Tony Cooke (of course), Rick Renner, Rhema, Jerry Savelle, and Ken Copeland.
My strongest encouragement to me, ministers, and our congregation is daily Bible reading. Call it a chapter a day and use devotionals as supplements. I am trying to encourage people to experience God for themselves – personally without outside influence or interpretation or preconceived ideas.
This time last year I was in a meeting with Mark Fee, Founder/President of First Loved Ministries. He gave us an assignment where we take a scripture and right it out in the first person as a Father would speak to his son. Here is “my version” of Jer. 29:11: “James, I love you so much, you are my precious child. You cannot count the number of good thoughts I have for you. My greatest desire is to give you and Cindi, James and Chrissy my absolute best. The plan I have for your life is so awesome and wonderful and filled with great things. My peace, My joy, My best is being made available to you so that no matter what happens you will land on your feet, on solid ground. “ I still tear up every time I read it.
Pastor Gene Druktenis – Santa Fe, NM
I, and many members of the New Life congregation, use Sparkling Gems from the Greek authored by Rick Renner. I have found this particular devotional to be very helpful in managing life on an everyday basis, as well as insights into the original language in which the New Testament was written.
Pastor Dave Beebe – Albion, MI
Rick Renner’s material is the best for me because of his Greek notes.
Pastor Jesse Zepeda – Pflugerville, TX
I use Brother Hagin’s materials. I understand not everyone knows who Brother Hagin is, but all his materials are still available. I would encourage you to get some. He taught us to keep things simple; the simpler, the better.
This is what I suggest as the Pastor: I advise our church members to pray, read the Bible, and then I recommend Faith Food Devotions by Kenneth E. Hagin.
These are three powerful ways to feed our faith daily.
First: Prayer
Get involved personally with our heavenly Father.
Second: Get into His love letters
This is our inheritance. We have rights and privileges in Christ Jesus.
Third: Get into the habit of daily devotions
God confirms so much through Brother Hagin’s devotional book.
These work for me, and I recommend it for everyone else.
