BuildingChurchLeaders.com had an exciting year in 2004. The site expanded with new types of downloads like Survival Guides and Practical Ministry Skills, both providing practical help for building faithful and effective church leaders. The email newsletter now reaches over 40,000 leaders all over the world. (Sign up here.) And there are plans for continued expansion in 2005.

Here, in reverse countdown order, is what church leaders downloaded most in 2004:

10. Handling Conflict—Assessment Pack
Use these ready-to-download handouts with your team to help them prevent conflict when possible, work through conflict when it occurs, and strive for unity with other church members and leaders.

9. Injecting New Life Into Your Congregation—Survival Guide
Are you discouraged because your church is stagnant, or even shrinking? Download this Survival Guide to give you new confidence. You'll learn how to motivate your congregation and receive other tips for moving your vision forward.

8. Leadership Foundations—Training Theme Larry Osborne says, "We will never be healthier than our leadership team." His interview in this theme shows how to build a vibrant church board. Also included are other handouts that deal with leadership qualifications and skills.

7. Vision & Strategy—Assessment Pack Use these tools with your team to help direct them through the tough process of change, including handling growth, adding a new ministry, or enacting a new vision and direction.

6. Practical Ministry Skills The work of the church calls for many skills and abilities. Yet often, church leaders step into a new ministry with little guidance. This download is designed to train leaders in those areas that are often overlooked.

5. Worship—Training Theme This theme helps your leaders understand the practical aspects of worship better and lead it more effectively.

4. Motivating Leaders—Training Theme John Maxwell shares some of his best insights on motivation with "The Potential Around You." Plus, use other handouts that will communicate to your leaders that ministry, at its core, is a heart for God.

3. Building the Team—Assessment Pack Train your church leaders with these nine handouts that help them recruit the right leaders and place them in the right position. Practical tools to develop winning teams throughout your church.

1. Growing Small Groups—Training Theme Whether you are starting a small groups ministry in your church or revitalizing an existing one, these handouts help you cast vision for authentic small groups and provide ideas for developing more dynamic community.

Further explanation on these hot topics can be found at: http://www.christianitytoday.com/go/downloads2004/

BuildingChurchLeaders.com, one of the top resources for building faithful and effective church leaders, is produced by Christianity Today International (CTI), a Chicago-area publisher of magazines, websites, and Christian products. CTI, a communications ministry co-founded by Billy Graham in 1956, is committed to engaging, encouraging, and equipping the church worldwide.

For further information, please contact Cory Whitehead cwhitehead@christianitytoday.com (630) 260-6200 X 4220 http://www.BuildingChurchLeaders.com