Services Books

This resource is a gold mine. As an employment consultant I have found Parker's book to be practical, realistic and extremely helpful, especially since I primarily work with the Blue Collar sector. If you are experienced in writing your own resume, this book offers great tips on polishing it and if you are new to the resume process, Parker also takes you through it step by step in a manner both instructional and interesting. This should be on every employment consultant's bookshelf. Easy to read and easy to understand; simple but not simplistic.

We provide workshops on job searching, resume writing, interviewing, hidden job market etc. for a varied background of people. Some of our customers do not relate to resumes prepared for the executive or highly educated job seeker. These customers can now understand and see how their similiar skills can be marketed. We now use this resource in every district office. With many employers using the resume instead of applications for screening and with most occupations now requiring resumes, this book is essential for all job seekers.

In my position as a state and federal employment counselor, I deal with large numbers of displaced blue collar workers. Many have limited computer skills and writting ability. BLUE COLLAR & BEYOND has become my most used source book. (In fact I recently purchased a second copy as the first on was wearing out) Using BC&B to teach folks how to prepare their selves to re enter the workforce has raised my success in placement rate to over 75%. VERY EXCELLENT TEXT! Must HAve! Must Buy! Must USE! C. Baugh

Finally, a resume book for jobs that do not require a college education. The book has 171 resumes for jobs such as master cake decorator, clerical office worker, plumber, cruise line customer service. It has a helpful section telling how to get around difficult problems such as job gaps, lack of experience, a spotty education record, and age discrimination. It is readable and encouraging.

This was adapted from the Annotated Bibliography of Learning A Living; A Guide to Planning Your Career and Finding a Job for People with Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Dyslexia

This author produces the best resume writing materials on the market! This book fits perfectly for those individuals not targeted by many other resume writing books. Many of these skills are transferrable and I encourage clients to browse through the entire book.

I love all the books in this set. They are wonderful. I do believe in the "borrowers". I bought the whole set for my 11 year old granddaughter. Hopes she loves them as much as I do.

Being 13, I'm pretty picky, but this book was awsome! It's so in my shopping cart! I love how the Clocks are so smart, they can make everything out of anything! This book really appeased me, because I love models and mineature things, an the thought of moving, living, mineature people is so thrilling! I really liked how they made a hot-air balloon out of a strawberry basket, a fountain pen, and a plastic (or toy, as it says in the book) balloon. Soooo coool! I'm SO reading the other books (I've already read the book and seen the movie "The Borrowers").

Again great reading in this series of books. Couldn't put it down. Great for children and adults alike

I liked this book a lot. I like to read about how resourceful the Borrowers are when they use stuff humans don't need or misplace. It had really nice pictures, too. I recommend this book to kids five years and older.

In this, the fourth book in the Borrowers series (after The Borrowers, The Borrowers Afield and The Borrowers Afloat), the Clocks have moved into Little Fordham, and are starting their new life. Unfortunately, unknown to them, the greedy Mr. Platter has built a rival model village. Having seen the Borrowers, he kidnaps them to add them to his own model. How can such small people escape from a prison built by such huge human "beans"?

Ah, Mary Norton (1903-92) was a genius! Her Borrower stories are an excellent combination of suspenseful adventure and heartwarming drama. My children and I love this book, and highly recommend it to you!

I had a hard time putting this book down. It is so honest, and truly reflects the emotional and spiritual 'roller coaster' of adoption. As an adoptive mother I could relate to so many of the experiences and feelings that Kristin shares. The author's spiritual relfections are thought provoking and inspiring. This is a much needed resource for Christian adoptive families and will be especially helpful to those just beginning their adoption journey.

Christine Mitchell, author and illustrator of Welcome Home, Forever Child
Welcome Home, Forever Child: A Celebration of Children Adopted as Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Beyond

We hear about so-called designer adoptions involving Hollywood stars, and while the press they receive helps bring attention to the need for adoption, the truth is that there are many people who would like to know more about the actual experiences of real people. Kristin and Phil Wong were parents of two natural children when they made the decision to adopt two Korean boys. This is their story told from a Christian perspective, because it is important for anyone interested in adoption to know that it is an act of Christian love and not just a spur of the moment, politically correct thing to do in order to get good PR. I doubt if anyone reading this book will not be deeply touched by the experiences of the Wongs.

I can not recommend this book highly enough for Christian adoptive parents. The author describes her journey, and that of her family, through the adoption of two Vietnamese boys. She details God's development of her character through the waiting and uncertainties of the process, and shares about what she learned about such topics as prayer, fear, waiting, God's goodness, pain, and worship. Mrs. Wong's story has been a chief means of encouragment and exhortation for my husband and I as we have felt the refining fire in our own hearts during our own adoptive journey.

Here is a scriptural roadmap to aid those who wish to adopt. The story is told from the experience of a Christian family who recently went through the process of adopting two boys from Asia. Through many trials and frustrations Kristin Wong shares her struggles in keeping faith and the Biblical lessons she is taught on the way. She speaks with an honesty and beauty that allows the reader to witness precious moments of joy and love. A heart warming and faith building book.

This book has applications for any Christian in understanding his/her own adoption as God's child. I plan to recommend this book to my friends, especially those that are adopting children into their family or who have been adopted into a family themselves. My favorite aspect of the book is the author's honesty about her own faith struggles in waiting on the Lord throughout the adoption process.

I thought that this book was great. This book is about a young girl named Molly in 1944 that is when WWII was. Molly's father is a doctor for wounded soldiers in England. The most important part of this book was when Molly was chosen to be Miss Victory in the big Red Cross show. She was very excited because now she can prove to her father that she had changed. Then she wasn't able to do that because she got sick. While she was at home in bed resting, a certain someone walked in the door...

I have read the othre books in this series and I can't wait to read this one!

When Molly hears the news that her dad is coming home, she gets excited, because he'll be home in time to see her dance in the "Hooray for the U.S.A.!" show. But she feels disappointed when she reads the letter her dad sent later on, because her dad failed to mention how she's changed. So, now Molly is determined to to get curly hair in addition to winning the role of Miss Victory. Molly gets the Miss Victory role and manages to get curls--but then she falls ill. Molly is sure things couldn't get worse, but a surprise awaits Molly. The last book in the Molly series, I thought that this one was one of the best in the entire series.

Molly lives in 1944 and wishes to be Miss Victory in the tap dance recital. Her older sister helps with her hair and when it comes time for auditions, Molly takes off her glasses because she wants to look the part of a star.

MOLLY GETS THE ROLE!

Right before the big show, Molly catches a cold. She can't be Miss Victory. However, on the day of the show, Molly gets a surprise that is better than tapping in the sparkling Miss Victory costume.

This is the best Molly book.

The last chapter of the book explains what it is like in 1944 with the war and the efforts on the home front.

This is another in the American Girls series about Molly McIntire, a ten-year-old girl living on the home front during World War 2. In this book, Molly gets the good news that the U.S. Army is reassigning her father stateside. To make matters even better, she has a real shot at winning the starring role in a dance production being put on at the local Veterans' Hospital. But, Molly wants to look her best for the role, and she wants to show her father how mature she is. So, Molly begins a war of her own against her straight and unattractive hair, but all wars have their casualties...

I must say, I now think that this is my favorite Molly book! The story is uplifting with a happy ending, and the illustrations are excellent. My twelve-year-old daughter is a fan of Molly, and so am I. We both highly recommend this book, and this series to you!

Having this book with three young kids is a must! Great reference for sick babies and also loads of interesting stuff about growth and development.

I got this book as a gift, and I admit I rolled my eyes a bit and wondered what the person was thinking. That was then...this is now! With three kids ranging from 1 to 7 years old, this book is my essential health reference. Despite that fact that you can look up anything on the internet nowadays, this book is so well-organized and lists almost every condition you can think of, from vomiting to Fifth's disease to bug bites. The best part is that it lists very concisely which symptoms you can treat yourself, need to call the doctor for or go to the ER for. Certainly you should always go with your gut (I have a few times, wisely) - but this book is a huge help with guiding a parent through an illness. I pull it out at least five or six times a year. Highly recommended!

I bought this book after I had my first child 6 years ago. I have consistently referred to it and found the information very useful and the recommendations quite reasonable. It covers every subject you may encounter in a true reference format. The book comes in VERY handy when you have a sick or injured child, but are unsure if a trip to the ER is necessary. This book has been my standard gift to anyone expecting their first child.

This book is awesome. I'm a mother of 2 and didn't need any help with my first child, but my second child was very difficult and I found this to be an invaluable resource. It even lets you know when you should contact your doctor or when you should head to the emergency room. Being from Boston, I know that Boston Children's Hospital is one of the best in the nation. What is also great about this book is that it covers the developmental tasks of a typical child for a specific age group. It is a great basis to know if your child is under or over performing and helps you find your strengths and weaknnesses. It also has all of the growth charts in the back and an amazing appendix of different child illnesses. Anything you could possible want to know or have questions about when and if you need to be concerned is in here. It's like a Bible!

If you are about to have your first child, buy this book. If one of your children or grandchildren is about to have a first child, give this book to her or him as a gift. If you like this book as much as I think you will, you should consider having a copy at home and one in each of the family cars for situations that arise while away from home.

This book deserves more than five stars. It is the only comprehensive guide to childhood development and illnesses that I have seen. The content is remarkable for being easy to understand, concise, and representing many different perspectives (including those of moms, dads, elder siblings, physicians, and other health care professionals). The book exudes a respectful sense of optimism that parents will do a good job, and avoids taking stands about issues related to religious preferences. At the same time, the book is quite up-front about pointing out what works best for children and their families.

The book is organized so that the first four sections deal with developmental issues, from learning to mimic to toilet training to dealing with jealous siblings to school adjustment, on through the school age years in considerable detail. The fifth part gives you information on childhood illnesses, injuries, and conditions.

I particularly liked the way the development sections talked about how children usually regress just before making a major development, and that this is healthy. The book even points out the good sides of childish outbursts. I wish someone had told me these things many years ago!

Having been a parent of four children over the last 30 years, I checked out the book against every illness, emergency, and developmental issue that I ran into for my own children and their friends. In each case, there was relevant material that told me more than I knew when I had to deal with each of these issues, despite having read every book on child care that I could lay my hands on prior to the experience. In particular, the book is very good at explaining both the near-term and the long-term consequences of a situation. For example, one of our children went into severe convulsions with a sudden spike in fever to 106 degrees. The book points out that this happens to about five percent of all children, more often to boys, and that there usually are no long-term consequences. I wish I had known that at the time.

I would especially like to praise the chapter on child care, which has 31 pages that summarize the best and latest research on how to select the right kind of child care if both parents work. You even get what the ratio of child-care people should be to children at different ages. Further, there's an excellent section earlier on what's involved when a child is sick, including how parents should think about how to balance their work and the needs of a sick child who needs a parent at home.

Of particular value to new parents will be the sections in each area called "When to Call the Doctor" which gives you a sense of not only "when" but "how quickly" you should seek help.

To get some idea of how contemporary and extensive this book is, you will find a section on "Body Piercing Infections."

Unlike many books on childhood and pediatric illnesses, this one is not the views of one person. Instead, over 80 physicians and pediatric experts combined to share their expertise, drawing on individuals practicing at Boston Children's Hospital or teaching at Harvard Medical School. I have great faith in Boston Children's Hospital having often taken our children there to deal successfully with important illnesses. I am also pleased to say that one of our children has survived the experience to become a staff member in the hospital's emergency room.

The section on emergencies is not only good, it is also organized to help you prepare to handle emergencies before they occur . . . and to avoid them in some cases. Those pages are rimmed in pink so you can find them quickly if you are in a panic.

Give children the best informed and most loving attention you can!

This is an excellent book. All African-American women should read it to understand their position and purpose in the Kingdom.

This book makes us look within ourselves to find the God that lives within us as well as helps us seek deliverance from things that hinder God's plan for our lives. Such an annointed book! This guide helps us to seek the holy spirit as our guide daily in all areas of our complex and sometimes stressful lives. Talk about spiritual growth and maturity - it's ours if we choose it! This books shows the map and gives directions on how we get there. I highly recommend it to both young and old women of every race and walk of life!

This book is the only one of it's kind. It is a spiritual bible, in a sense, for women of color. Buy this book, my sisters! You won't be disappointed! You will be enlightened like never before!
It answers many unanswered questions.

The teachings in this book is so touching and timely for African American women who seek to allow Christ to live through them and to make a better world for themselves, family, friends, church and the world. Every person of African descent should read this awesome book filled with holy scriptures to guide the reader. My profound thanks to the author!

This book will truly change your life if you consistently apply the principles taught. The author is empathetic, clear, and inspired. She tells you exactly what you need to do in order to experience the peace and purpose of God in your home, work, and life in general. Read this book more than once, and be prepared for a challenge. Some of her words are hard to take, but they're true and Bible-based.

Cisco ISP Essentials is the ideal book for those responsible for ISP networks, whether big or small. The authors mix in practical examples, along with industry standard methods to describe ideal network setups.
The book follows a logical step by step look at ISP networks, first by examining basic router setup and maintenance. Here topics such as memory and backup issues are discussed. The wonderful thing about this book is that it covers in detail many books simply leave out and unnecessary. There are detailed examples of the Network Time Protocol and configuration management. Along with the how, is the very important why for the various techniques.
In the routing protocols section, most of the space is dedicated to BGP, as would be expected in a book dealing with ISP networks. The authors did not forget about internal protocols and laid a foundation for the rest of the book. There is in depth coverage of BGP setup, and the various features and setting to further enhance your network based on its requirements. Examples are provided to show actual running configurations proving the practices out.
Security is a hot topic right now, and it seems to not receive as much time in its chapter of the book. What you will find however, is the constant minding of security issues throughout the rest of the book. Securing routers and routing protocols is followed by discussions on ACL's and network filters. Every area of the book touches aspects of security at some point.
The fifth chapter is entitled Operational Practices, and takes the detailed ideas presented so far, and applies them to actual situations seen on ISP networks. The chapter starts with design ideas, and follows with discussions of ISP services such as DNS, Mail, and News. A detailed discussion of IPv4 addressing covers the basic structure of addressing history. There is a detailed example of an allocation plan for an ISP's needs, as well as any customers. It shows the steps to plan for the present as well as future growth in your network.
There follows an extensive survey of external routing topics. A few examples for interior protocols are given, but the main topic is exterior protocols. Scaling route protocols is discussed for both interior and exterior protocols. This talk leads in to peering practices involving BGP. Multi-homing is the last topic covered, and is done in great detail. The authors describe the various options available for stub networks, single and multiple ISP connections, as well as load sharing designs.
Here again security and the management tasks talked about in earlier chapters are placed into the ISP network and their use described. Tools and sample configurations follow in appendices to wrap up the discussion on best practices.
Overall, the detailed examples and well thought out explanations of the various practices will serve your ISP for a long time.

Good work and a must have for people dealing with networks daily.

I totally agree with the other reviewers. Reading this book is an enjoyment.

Better yet, this book has both to-the-point explaination _and_ example on all topics.

I would say, if you wanted to learn tricks to doing things, this is for you. Don't forget this book concludes with full examples/templates showing how people configure their ISP core and edge routers/switches.

What I love about this book is both the way the authors explain complex technologies simply and also (and more importantly for me) add a very real-world/practical slant to everything. Not much more I can say except do yourself a favour and buy this book.

Written especially for network engineers by Cisco experts Barry Raveendran Greene and Philip Smith, Cisco ISP Essentials is a 428-page, matter-of-fact, "access friendly" guide to the many versions of Cisco IOS Software, and cogently explains how to ensure the best configurations that provide Internet access, as well as having a reasonable expectation of security. Offering a wealth of detailed technical information at the expert level, configuration diagrams, examples, and much, much, more, Cisco ISP Essentials is an indispensable and recommended guide, serving the Cisco using community as a much-needed supplement to the often confusing documentation of the Cisco IOS Software itself.

I greatly enjoyed reading this book. It not only held, but increased, my interest as I progressed through the story. "The Major" is a very credible author, and I had no trouble picturing what he described in my mind's eye. My understanding of how American soldiers in WW II fought the campaign in Normandy is now greatly enhanced. Good show!

My mother, Mrs. Glover S. Johns, Jr., who recently celebrated her 84th birthday, called me today to advise that a friend had just stopped by her home in Austin, TX. with word of this site and the fine reviews of "The Clay Pigeons of St.Lo", written by my father Colonel Glover S. Johns, Jr. We would like to thank those of you who have treasured this book - a labor of love, pride, dedication and, at times, agony - as much as we have. I want to take this opportunity to salute and thank all those who served with my father and those have shown support for my mother since the Colonel's death in 1976. My father lived "The Clay Pigeons of St.Lo" and gave the book what he gave battle and his men: his very best. It is, indeed, a timeless and monumental work - monumental in its testimonials, monumental in its anonymity, and monumental in its unheralded magnitude. Lee Johns, son of Colonel G.S. Johns, Jr. - one of America's finest Fighting Sons.

This is the best single book on American infantry fighting in World War II that I have read. Then Major Glover Johns recounts his personal participation in one of the toughest fights our GIs faced; the struggle through the hedgerows from the D-Day beaches to St. Lo. More importantly, Johns' book demonstrates the critical importance battlefield communications played in achieving victory. As a Battalion Commander in the 29th Infantry Division, Johns' ability to manage his units was directly related to how fast phone lines could be restrung after each mortar attack or how successful his radio operators were in linking to artillery support units. Despite his relative remoteness from the foxholes, you feel every attack and suffer every loss as if you were shoulder to shoulder with the heroes who defeated Hitler's vaunted 2nd Parachute Division.

This isn't rehashed third-hand research, this is war as it was fought by one of our best combat commanders. Read it.

The book deals only with the time frame from when Col. Johns (then Major) inherits the 1st of the 115th until they capture St. Lo. During this time period, we get to see how hedgerow combat was (from the battalion commanders perspective), how German Fallshirmjagers fought, and the pressures higher command applies to their combat organizations. While Col. Johns was a battalion commander, this book does give a feel for front line combat, but no where near as directly as books such as Currah! or The Forgotten Soldier.

Col. Johns tells the story of how the 1st of the 115th (his unit) led the way to St Lo. In his telling, Col. Johns uses the third person familiar to describe the events his unit experienced rather than a first person account. This is very refreshing because story takes on more of a story tellers point of view rather than that of a person telling us how great they were.

This book is a very good re-telling of Col. Johns experiences in Normandy. If there's a weakness to this book, it's the fact that Col. Johns focuses his telling on the capture of St. Lo rather than his total exerience with the 1st of the 115th. Because of this, I found the book slightly lacking because I really wanted to know what happened to the unit later in the war and also to Col. Johns!

I'll recommend this book to those who've read Beyond the Beachhead, have an interest in the Normandy Campaign, or how a battalion commander operated during WWII. Overall, I'll rate this book 4.5 stars (out of a 5 possible). The reason I can't give this one 5 is because I preferred Company Commander by Charles McDonald for telling the struggles of command in combat at the lower levels. Since Amazon doesn't give half stars, I'll give the nod to 5 stars since Col. Johns' book is a compelling read.

This memoir is unlike any other memoir of World War II that I have ever read. Johns relates the stress, the worry, the fear, the exhaustion, the humor and the camaraderie with the ease of a seasoned storyteller. For the unseasoned reader, Johns's device of telling his story in the third person will take some getting use to, but that's done after only a few pages. More telling was Johns' own reasons for using third person, "people who fight wars up close to the enemy are not the same while they are fighting as they were before and after...His (Johns) life during that time always seemed that of another person." After that, "Clay Pigeons" is a fast read. Sadly, Bantam books never reprinted this now forgotten classic. Let's hope someone will do such a service and bring this book back. It demands a reprint.

I work as a Communications Specialist... sounds impressive, but really it is all about listening...and this book gives real world examples and steps for improving how you communicate change in your company. Perhaps I enjoy it because it supports my own theory that a chat or memo from the CEO is nice, but who is the guy/woman? really?...the immediate supervisor is the one I interact with everyday... that person is the key to clear communication and the conduit to change.
This is an easy-to-read book, presenting clear practical solutions.

After years of being force-fed communications theories that didn't work, it was a real joy to see reality documented. The solutions presented are too simple to be acceptable to anyone more interested in documenting "quality" than running a business. These "rules" help: they work in practice (when was the last time you heard that about a communications theory?): and they will change your world.

Nearly every CEO of a large corporation believes that words directly from his or her mouth will inspire front-line employees. Five decades of research show just the opposite, explain consultants and authors T.J. and Sandar Larkin. Their investigations emphasize the importance of communicating change through low-level supervisors, a group that has more credibility with front-line workers. They maintain that CEOs must go beyond simply telling supervisors what to do; they must also listen to these key employees and empower them by taking their suggestions seriously. The authors provide plenty of real-world examples to bolster their case. We recommend this clearly constructed argument to CEOs and to anyone charged with communicating with large numbers of employees. This engaging treatise, a classic, is ready to persuade its next crop of managers.

I'm an academic--a professor of corporate communication--and this is one of the few books I recommend to students in this area. Larkin bases every one of his assertions on applied research in organizational communication--very refreshing from the "I did it in my organization, so it must work in your company" perspective of most business authors. Larkin also completely shatters myths around traditional corporate communication practices (e.g. the executive should communicate directly to employees around major change areas), and bases such assertions on research in the area *plus* his own consulting experience (of which he has a great deal). My students also loved this book. If you buy one book on employee/corporate communication, this is the one.

My line of consulting has a lot to do with change management and communicating change so this was a good book to refer to for additional ideas and tools for the toolkit. One of the chapters that sticks out in my mind is the one that talks to how people prefer to hear certain types of messages (e.g. from their direct mananger, through an email, at an all hands meeting etc) The author uses actual data from surveys to back up his ideas which I fpund helpful - not only in helping me recommend certain vehicles for communication but also convincing others. Good resource.

"The desire to worship is rooted in our hunger for heaven. Our coming together for worship is a foretaste of heaven. In his book that is both spiritual and intensely practical at the same time, Kevin Navarro explores this vital connection between our fragmented experience in the here and now and the hope we all share for the time that certainly will come when heaven will come for us."

Michael Card, Award-Winning Musician, Author and Teacher

When I closed this book, I felt a tremendous mixture of hope, excitement, affirmation, and renewed devotion to the work of crafting weekly worship services. Kevin Navarro ennobles the entire effort of preparing the Sunday "dress rehearsals" for our ultimate worship experience in heaven. I'm grateful for the hard-won lessons, practical advice, and inspiring vision offered in these pages. Let our weekly celebrations resound with greater joy, profound hope, and a taste of eternity whenever we gather together!

Nancy Beach, Teaching Pastor and Creative Director, Willow Creek Community Church, Barrington, Illinois

"Here's a book on worship to be read by every church musician, pastor, leader and worshipper. Everything you always needed to know about an effective worship service."

Leith Anderson, Author and Senior Pastor of Wooddale Church

This is a book for those who know that "something's wrong about the way we are doing our worship." If you want to get off the "consumer track" and "do truth," then this book will help you reverse the trend and go in a direction that is more satisfying to the soul because it gets to the heart of what worship is all about.

Robert Webber, Myers Professor of Ministry, Dir. of M.A. in Worship and Spirituality, Northern Seminary

What a wonderful book! "Here is a book that anyone dissatisfied with the quality, Christ- and Scripture-centered nature, or impact of their worship services must read. While some may feel that Navarro's goals of excellence at times lie beyond their reach, no one can doubt his heart for seeing people brought to Christ and brought up in him through worship. His track record, moreover, first as a worship pastor and then as a senior pastor, at a church where I once served as an interim, speaks for itself--steady growth, qualitatively and quantitatively, in a congregation that dearly loves this infectiously upbeat leader who also models integrity and humility in everything he does."

Craig L. Blomberg, Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary

Are worship services at your church flat? Predictable? Not really connecting people with God? Then get ready to fiesta in the Complete Worship Service! In this encouraging and challenging book, Kevin Navarro invites us to move past the "worship = music" myth and into a fuller approach to worship: a creative, corporate feast of praise, prayer, the Word of God, and the Lord's Supper. And he shows us how to practice hospitality that encourages members and guests to engage with God in worship. Weekly worship can be much more than a dreary duty; as Navarro ably demonstrates, the "Complete Worship Service" can be the appetizer course at your church for the heavenly banquet to come. Navarro writes with the heart of a worshiper, a pastor, and a jazz musician. The Complete Worship Service is filled with biblical insight and practical application. Pastors and lay leaders alike will benefit from Navarro's field-tested recommendations for practicing welcoming hospitality and designing meaningful worship services. I can't think of a better book to stimulate and inform conversations in your church about worship that engages the whole people and the whole person.

Dr.Robb Redman, Pastor of Forest Hills Presbyterian Church, San Antonio, TX Author of The Great Worship Awakening

When it comes to worship, nothing matters if the only One worthy of worship is just a footnote beneath worship glitz. Kevin Navarro prods our hearts back to Jesus and to worship services that give life, not just lessons; a foretaste of heaven, not just so many factoids to get through another week. The Complete Worship Service is a timely, passionate anecdote to the worship humanism saturating contemporary services.

Sally Morganthaler, Author of Worship Evangelism and Founder of Sacramentis.com

Are you satisfied with your church's worship service? Do you leave feeling you have experienced "a taste of heaven"? If not, I would like to challenge each of you to purchase The Complete Worship Service as a gift to your church board, pastor, worship leader, worship committee, or whoever else may be in charge of choreographing your weekly worship service. This book could change your church from the inside out.

Diana Pederson, BellaOnline's Christian Literature Editor

Worship artist and pastor Kevin J. Navarro walks us through the complete worship service in this step-by-step guide. From desire to experience, Navarro has given pastors, worship leaders and church leaders alike a useful tool in developing a taste of God's kingdom for their churches and communities. He directs us through each element of the dynamic worship service, including hospitality, marketing, presentation and music selection. The book discusses the quality of the worship service as a whole, not just the songs we sing. As Navarro closes out the last chapter he makes a comment that must be taken to heart: "People are not just looking to be entertained. They are looking for life. They are looking for hope. They are looking for Jesus." The crafting of a complete worship service is not about putting on a good show. It is about creating an atmosphere, a taste of heaven, a place where people can find life.

Andrew K. Forman

Do you really belief that the Bible is the infallible word of God? Dr. Kevin Navarro challenges us to act as if we actually are the bride of Christ. The central theme is understanding that the worship service is a precursor to the marriage feast of the Lamb as promised in the Revelation of John. If you want to understand what a worship service should look like, take this journey through the complete worship service with a successful senior pastor with a heart for worship. This is essential reading for anyone that is serious about worshipping God. Whether you are in full time ministry or just a Christian who is tired of having to put up with second best in the worship service, this is the book for you.

The "Complete Worship Service" is an excellent, thought-provoking follow-up to "The Complete Worship Leader." Not another "how to" book which focuses on getting people in the church doors, but rather a challenge to exam what we're doing and Who we are doing it for. Yes, there are lots of practical illustrations and ideas, but the heart of the book is more about ushering people into a genuine worship experience, reminding them of the hope we have in Jesus. I would highly recommend this resource to anyone looking for a new direction in their worship services, and as a check-up for those whose patterns and practices might be routine and lacking inspiration.

I'm always encouraged to come cross (even through books) the forerunners like Pastor Kevin talking about the worship renewals and improvements. The book was practical to review where we are, what is applicable now, things that needs to be changed...etc. Should be time and labor consuming once we decide to put our hands on, but should also be rewarding to invest our time and labor in creating the welcoming and caring environment. And there's more to creating these circumstances, which is introducing and experiencing the taste of our Home that we long for. I thank Pastor Kevin's practical insight and substantial suggestions, giving me a chance to stop and review what I do, where I am for further improvements.

This is a very well written book. Not only is it filled with practical tips and advice, its revolutionary in its underlying premise that the complete worship service should provide participants a "taste of heaven". Though I've thought a great deal about the elements of heaven yet to come and the tastes of heaven available in this life the author has made a connection I've never made - and it's a brilliant connection. As a result of this book I see the worship service in a whole new light, filled with untapped possibilities. Our congregation needs to read this book; our leadership team needs to read this book!

Part One is my favorite part of the book and I've highlighted many well-written lines. Chapter One is an outstanding analysis of the human dilemma. Well summarized on page 21, "...people have been trying to get a fix like drug addicts all week long when what they are really searching for is a taste of heaven." Asking the question, "Are they getting that taste on Sundays?" is just great! Focusing the worship service on this goal is fantastic. This is a great chapter and a great goal.

In Chapter two the author adds the reminder (pg. 28) that, " we must have a theology of contentment" since this is not heaven, "we will never be completely satisfied until we experience the jubilation of the kingdom perfected." Matthew 18:20 and Psalm 16:11 are key texts for the idea of the worship service offering a taste of heaven. On page 30 the author adds, "We should be crying out to God through prayer every week that He will show up and manifest His presence in our midst." Well said!

My favorite lines in Chapter Three: "Because God has created us in His image, we are forever longing for another world. We long for the world where God dwells" and "(the worship service should be) so God centered and Spirit-charged that it is though we have entered another dimension." A lofty goal!

Once the author has laid this foundation he fleshes out his ideas with the nuts and bolts aspects of the complete worship service. Its great stuff and I was immediately motivated to analyze my own church and come up with creative ways to put the author's suggestions into practice and expand on those ideas. I would consider this book an essential handbook for any church seeking a fresh approach to the worship experience.