Books by Elmer L. Towns

Learn how fasting can strengthen your faith and draw you closer to God, helping you to be a true overcomer in Christ. From the leading authority on fasting, this book gives you the biblical reasons for practicing this spiritual discipline, and introduces you to nine biblical fasts--each designed for a specific physical and spiritual outcome.

This careful five-view analysis helps evangelicals understand the Church Growth Movement's strengths and weaknesses and arrive at their own conclusions on issues that affect the future direction of the church.

Join three seasoned church-ministry experts on an insider's tour of the most innovative churches today! Discover a dozen types of innovation, each with profiles of congregations that have implemented that innovation. This is more than a show-and-tell tour, however. Each chapter offers a solid take-away for church leaders on how to learn and apply the appropriate innovation profiled. The authors also offer scripturally based assessments of both the positive and negatives implications of implementing each innovation, providing guidance and wisdom. There are many ways to present the gospel, and this timely book will serve as a springboard for church leaders scratching their heads and asking themselves, "What should we do next?" By learning from a dozen different church types, church leaders can become more intentional about exploring new directions and reaching more of the world for Christ.

This down-to-earth, inspirational training book by one of America's leading experts on teaching Sunday school consists of twenty-four "bite-sized" topics covering everything from motivation to gifting and teaching methods.

Towns reveals the power of prayer in this fascinating look at the Lord's Prayer. Each chapter examines a line from the prayer, revealing power points for every believer desiring a more dynamic prayer life. Towns says: "What would you say if you were ushered into the throne room of God with only one minute to request everything you needed, but didn't know how to put it into words? The Lord's Prayer includes everything you need to ask when you talk to God . . . it is a model prayer that teaches us how to pray."

For those who have ever stumbled over what to say while praying or for those who want their prayers to be more effective, How to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say offers clear guidance on the importance of prayer, a vast array of ways to approach God, why some prayers are not answered, how to deal with doubts about God's ability to answer prayer, what not to do when praying, and more. In his encouraging style, Elmer Towns doesn't induce guilt about not praying; rather, he makes readers want to drop to their knees in anticipation of meeting with the God of the universe. By following Towns's lead, your prayer life will never be the same.

Shed a spiritual light on some of the biggest problems facing people today: the need to put the role of money in a proper perspective and to solve financial problems. Elmer Towns states at the outset that this is not the primary purpose of fasting and prayer. Instead, it is all about knowing God. It is not about withdrawing prayer on an as-needed basis from some spiritual ATM kiosk. It is about meditation, studying the Scriptures, and communing with God. When we fast and pray in faith, asking for God's help and provision, He begins to teach us how to become good stewards of what He has provided. Chapter topics include "Fasting to Learn Stewardship," "Why We Have Money Problems," and "A Faith Approach to Fasting for Money." Once we understand why we struggle with money problems, we can do something about it with this practical step-by-step guide.

Elmer Towns's Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough has become must-reading as this powerful spiritual discipline of fasting has seen a revival among followers of Christ. Now Towns digs deeper into one of the most popular forms of fasting today, the Daniel Fast. With an emphasis on a healthy, simple diet, the Daniel Fast is named after the prophet Daniel who participated in a partial fast for spiritual purposes. Daniel was taken captive into Babylon when he was sixteen years old. The Babylonian king wanted the young prophet to help him administer his rule over the captive Jews--and he wanted to "Babylon-ize" Daniel, to make the young man of God more like him. The first step the king took in his campaign was to provide a sumptuous feast to tempt Daniel--food fit for a king-- basically fattening comfort foods. In response, the prophet refrained from the king's table, choosing instead to eat only vegetables and to drink only water. He honored God over the king. Dr. Elmer Towns introduces readers to the spiritual, physical, and mental basics of the Daniel Fast, coaching them through either a ten-day or twenty-one-day period of renewal, and he includes original Daniel Fast recipes created by executive chef John P. Perkins. Dr. Towns addresses practical questions, such as what to eat and when, as well as how to pray effectively. Readers will learn how to encounter God during their fast, how to worship through self-discipline, and how to pray for specific answers. They will also explore the role of weeping, repentance, and spiritual warfare in their life of faith. Daniel is a model to God's people of someone who chooses spiritual nourishment over bodily satisfaction, in The Daniel Fast for Spiritual Breakthrough, God's people can learn to follow his example.