Discover Your Mission Now - a Book Review

Yes, I did just read another book by Dave and John Ferguson, of Exponential and Community Christian Church.  (I am beginning to feel like a groupie).

The subtitle of the book is simple:  5 simple practices to change your world.  From what I have heard, the Fergusons worked to discover a simple, yet effective way, to move their church towards a missional orientation.  (In other words, they wanted the people in the church to do more than show up to church activities, serve at church activities, and give their money for church activities).  They landed on asking their small groups to be missional and to do missional work as part of their group life together.  I am wondering if this was the message series that launched it all?

In this short book (also available for free by download from this link) we read of five ways to engage the people around us in order to share God's love, including his gift of salvation.  Using the acronym of BLESS, the reader is encouraged to Begin with prayer, to Listen, to Eat with, to Serve and finally to share our Story with the people who live and work around us.

I like this approach for several reasons.  First of all, it is relational.  It not about a program and doesn't allow us to stay at a safe distance from people.  Like the work of Jesus, it is face-to-face.  Second, it is AND-oriented in that it promotes compassion AND proclamation.  Third, it starts in prayer and completely depends on God.

I am seriously considering incorporating this in an upcoming teaching series at New Vision Church.  However, I am first going to lead a small group through this material in order to see what works and what is a struggle, as well as to gather a few local stories that can be shared with our congregation.

If you are looking for a way to engage your church people (or just yourself) in the mission of God, check out this helpful resource.

The Heart and The Fist - a Review of Eric Greitens' story

I met Eric Greitens at a meet-and-greet a month ago as he was touring the state in the initial phase of his run for governor.  Similar to the Presidential race, the Republican field for the Missouri governor's race is growing.  The first thing that impressed me about Greitens was his willingness to listen.  He sat with eight of us around a table, learned our names, and then heard our stories and our concerns about the pressing issues in Missouri.  He asked clarifying questions and only rarely responded with his own ideas.  I felt as if he genuinely cared. 

Then a friend loaned me his book, The Heart and The Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, The Making of a Navy Seal.  The books tells Eric's story, and what a story it is.  He tells of his initial disappointment with higher education as he studied public policy at Duke University, but he later tells of how he appreciated his professors' passion for learning.  Many of the chapters tells of his humanitarian trips during summer breaks.  Within those chapters, his grand theme emerges:  in areas of extreme hardship, like Bosnia, Bolivia and Rwanda, he witnessed incredible human strength; the best humanitarian efforts made the most of those strengths.  However, he recognized the need for others, including outsiders, to work to defend the weak, including using force when necessary.  After college, Greitens received a Rhodes scholarship and studied at Oxford, earning a Ph.D. by studying what really works in humanitarian aid.  This reveals an inquisitive bent in Mr. Greitens.  He wants to know what works and what doesn't, and he is willing to look, to listen and think deeply.  We need leaders who will do these things.  We need leaders who will lead from a place of deep reflection!

The second half of the book follows his next adventure.  In an interesting twist, Greitens describes his gnawing desire to take action.  After years of observing and studying, he wanted to execute, to get personally involved.  So he joined the Navy with the promise of one shot to qualify as a Navy SEAL.  He gives several chapters to describing the intense training and physical and mental testing of SEAL qualification.  The book concludes with a few chapters in which he describes his various deployment experiences, plus a chapter about his post-Navy life as he started his foundation, The Mission Continues.  Eric continues to do great work in helping combat veterans return to daily life, and to find meaningful service.

A secondary theme that runs throughout the book is that of living a meaningful and fulfilling life.  As Greitens recounts his own young adult years, his observations of others around the world, and his current work with returning veterans, he constantly reminds the reader of the elements of a meaningful and fulfilling life: service to others. I really appreciate this strong theme.  It is so greatly needed, especially in our consumer-oriented culture.

One drawback to the book is the noticable secularity.  Greitens does mention religion, especially as it related to his parents, but I am thinking bigger than religious affiliation or activity.  The theologian in me constantly looks for a God-orientation in one's worldview.  The absence of a God-ward orientation is simply a secular, and therefore humanist, worldview.  I fully believe in the values of both compassion and strength, the need for strong hearts and strong fists.  The basic motivation, however, must be the heart of God. We need to look for and capitalize on human strength wherever it can be found.  I believe that in order for it to sufficient and lasting, though, we must acknowledge God as the source of that strength.  While I do not expect to find a reference to God on every page, I was disappointed to find few references to God or even to the place of faith in public discourse and policy.  This may be an unfortunate result of our increasingly secular higher education system.

In the end, the book serves as a great introduction to a man who will undoubtedly lead our country in this generation.  I believe that Eric Greitens is the kind of leader that we need, including and especially in the Republican Party.  We need leaders with knowledge and experience in humanitarian work, which is usually believed to be the rightful domain of liberals, who can form policy around conservative principles that actually work.  If you want to think about the intersection of compassion and armed force, take a look at this book.  If you want to discover the philosophy of a young, up-and-coming leader, then check out this book.

Do I, a Preacher, Have the Right to Tell You How to Live?

"No one has the right to tell me how to live my life."  I can't count the number of times I have read this in various social media posts recently.  Whether discussing the legality of gay marriage or any other social issue, this is the common response to anyone who dares to label a specific behavior as "sinful."  The logic goes something like this:  Only God can judge me.  You are not God.  Therefore, you have no right to tell me how to live my life."

Can we talk about this?  I promise I will be gentle.

Last February, President Obama spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast.  Within hours, a two minute video clip went viral.  The headlines proclaimed that that the President insulted Christians by comparing the Crusades to terrorism.  But if we read the entire speech (which I am guessing my share-happy friends did not), we find so much more.  President Obama didn't say, "You Christians," but rather, "We..."  Most us of also missed the next part: ". . . this is not unique to one group or one religion. There is a tendency in us, a sinful tendency that can pervert and distort our faith."  He is right on, isn't he?  For a minute there, he sounded a lot like a preacher.

I would argue that the President was calling us to humility and, where needed, to repentance.  By the way, isn't humility the appropriate starting point for prayer?  Jesus thought so. (See Luke 18:9-14)

Now I must admit at this point that I am no fan of the President's administration, policies and tactics.  I didn't vote for him either time.  In fact, I disagree with much of the rest of that same speech!  But I can't ignore the call to humility, to examine how I am tempted to distort my faith to justify sinful actions.

So how did many Christians respond?  Two ways.  They attacked the message and the messenger.  Pundits interviewed experts, who nit-picked the reference to the Crusades by measuring which side killed more people.  (It was interesting that the President's references to slavery and Jim Crow laws were ignored.)  Second, they discredited the messenger.  Who does he think he is to try and tell me how to live my life?

These tactics are not new.  No one likes to be confronted and told to straighten up.  I don't like to admit that I am wrong.  And so, to relieve any guilt, you and I resort to two tactics.  First, attack the message.  If I can find logical holes in your argument, then maybe I can convince myself to ignore the main point.  Second, attack the messenger.  You are not God; you are a sinner, just like me.  If I can drag you down to my level, then I can ignore your message.  Now I can confidently say, "You can't tell me how to live my life."

Prophets and Prophecy

One of the first things I learned in Seminary was that prophets were not merely future-tellers.  While God sometimes gave a "prophetic word" to address a specific person or situation, the prophets usually spoke to bigger issues.  The prophets pointed out where people were getting off track, and they vividly described the "dead end" of off-track living.  Their motivation was holy.  They wanted people to experience the good ending waiting for those who live "on-track."  But in order to promote God's way, they had to clearly and specifically identify "off track" living.  In other words, they declared that specific actions were sinful.

The prophets recognized that they were merely messengers.  They weren't sharing their own opinions.  Since their messages came from God, then to reject the messages was to reject God.  The prophets weren't trying to tell people how to live their lives.  They were trying to tell people how God wanted them to live their lives.  But no one likes to be confronted and told to straighten up.  As we discover in the Bible and in history, prophets were often rejected and even killed.  Attack the message.  Attack the messenger.  Relieve the guilt.  After all, who does he think he is telling me how to live my life?

The prophets were also not restricted to addressing only the sins of "insiders" (Israelites, Christians and other religious folks who were expected to follow God.)  The prophets regularly condemned other nations.  Jesus called everyone to obedience.

God's way is to speak to humans through his prophets.  Even when God came to earth himself, the ministry of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was recognized as that of a prophet.  Before he ascended to heaven we read in several places that Jesus gave authority to his followers to continue the prophetic work of spreading God's messages through human messengers.  While this focused on the message of good news, it included the related message of bad news.  Grace, and the sin that grace redeems.  History tells us that eleven of his original twelve apostles were rejected and most were killed.  Attack the message.  Attack the messenger.  Relieve the guilt.

With this understanding of prophecy that spans both Testaments, preachers have continued the work as messengers bearing a message from God.  Like the prophets before us, most of us don't feel worthy.  (And the ones who do feel worthy don't last very long).  We bring good news, but we also bring bad news.  We preach love, grace and forgiveness.  But those ideals make no sense without the related message of sin.  No, I don't have the right to tell you how to live your life.  But God does.  And I am the messenger.  (To be honest, I don't like it any more than you do.)

We Really Do Appreciate It

I think that somewhere deep inside, you are glad that I, the messenger, might dare tell you how to live your life.

You are probably glad that John Newton, a British minister, spoke against slavery for decades, even preaching aloud on December 19, 1797, that, "I fear the African trade is a national sin, for the enormities which accompany it are now generally known..."  Yes, he called it sin.

You are probably glad that Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. proclaimed that, "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."  That was no mere suggestion.  Must is a word we use when we are telling people how to live.

These preachers, believing that they were messengers inspired by God, boldly told people how to live.  Their influence shaped even our own lives today.  They believed they had a right to tell people how to live, and we are glad they did.

Do you really want to muffle the voices of preachers?  Do you really want to restrict preachers to saying only nice things about God and humanity?  If I am not allowed to tell you how God wants you to live, then our faith, both yours and mine, will cease to connect with anything in life.  If I am not allowed to tell you how to live, I am like the doctor who is no longer allowed to give prescriptions for future health, but is restricted only to comforting you in your pain.

So yes, I do have the right to tell you how to live your life.

With some fear and hopefully a lot of humility, I will preach and teach.  I will preach good news and God's grace.  As appropriate, I will define, describe and decry behaviors and attitudes that are simply out of line with God's best.  I will call them what they are: sin.  In smaller settings, such as a small group or a private conversation, I will do the same.  I will seek to apply God's truth, constantly answering the question of how to live God's truth in our everyday lives.  Wherever the message intersects your life, it will feel as if I am telling you how to live your life.

I Promise This

Having said that, here my promises to you:

• I will view you as a person who is created in the image of God and is loved and valued by God.
• I will listen to your story and will mourn with you as you share the painful parts.
• I will not verbally attack you in public.  While I will identify specific sins, and, from time to time, identify specific groups, of which you may be a member, that exemplify such sins, I will not personally attack you.
• If necessary, I will address your behavior in person, in private.  If the situation needs additional attention, I will follow the instructions of Jesus in Matthew 18:15-17.
• I will remember that I am a human who is prone to the temptation of pride, power and a host of other sins.
• I will at some point mess up, and I invite you to confront me whenever I am wrong, as long as you will do it privately and in person.
• I will do my best to speak the truth in love.

A few years ago I cracked a joke in the middle of a sermon.  I felt like maybe the joke was not appropriate, but I ignored that prompting, opting instead to gain a few laughs.  But the joke was racist.  I intended no malice, but I was still unwise and just plain wrong.  It didn't feel good when a couple of young adults confronted me.  But they did it privately and yet boldly.  I am glad they confronted me.  They were right to tell me how to live my life.  I needed it.  My guess is that you need it regularly as well.

Spark: Igniting a Culture of Multiplication (My Review)

After attending the Exponential Conference in Florida a couple of months ago, I read the short book given to every conference participant.  Continuing the theme of the conference, this short book discusses the need to work towards multiplication in our local churches.

The primary tension that defines the problem and illustrates the proposed solution, centers around the imagery of "addition" versus "multiplication."  The author contends that the church growth culture of recent decades focuses on "addition."  We fulfill our mission by reaching more people.  Every one person matters to Jesus, right?  If we reach one person at a time, we eventually reach the entire world, right?  Maybe not.  The author rightly reminds us that the problems that accompany this "addition" mindset include the necessity to constantly add seats, staff, programs and structure to effectively minister to all of the added people.  In the end, too much time and money is spent accommodating our growth by addition.

The alternative?  The author suggests that we multiply.  As in, send out members and leaders to start new churches.

This is much more difficult than it seems.  (I have tried it....We are trying it...It is really hard!)  But I think he is right.

I really appreciate three elements of the conversation in this short book.  First of all, the author takes an "and" approach.  He rightly acknowledges that multiplication cannot happen without addition.  Second, I appreciate that he acknowledges just how difficult this is.  He shares case studies of both successes and failures.  Third, he outlines 17 tensions, or decision-points, but from the perspective of one pastor who successfully lead a church through this process.  This is not just a book of theory!

My only negative critique?  It was helpful to have the tensions outlined.  It would have been more helpful to also read some general guidelines for where to land in a few areas. For instance, Tension #5 - "Filling our Church Vs. Starting a New Church" looks at how large a church should be before planting.  It would be extremely helpful to have at least a few suggestions with some numbers, or at least a suggestion of how to make this decision. 

In the end, it is another good book, that is worth being read by any church that wants to make a huge commitment to make a huge impact for Jesus. By the way, it is also available in ebook format from Exponential.

Rethinking The Church - my review of James Emery White's book

After recently reading James Emery White's The Rise of the Nones, I was excited to read this earlier work of his.  As the title suggests, White encourages church leaders to re-think everything.  As the church growth movement enters another generation, we must again rethink not only our methodologies, but our strategies as well.  He also makes a clarion call not to rethink, but to appropriately remember our foundation of mission and vision in light of the Bible and theology.

I really connected with the chapter on rethinking evangelism.  White first suggests that we need to re-think our audience.  If we are trying to reach those who are not trusting in Christ for salvation, we must understand their level of knowledge and familiarity with Christ and the claims of the gospel.  For the purposes of illustration, White suggests an evangelistic readiness scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being a follower of Christ.  He contends that in 1960, the average American was an 8.  They believed in Jesus, including that he was the son of God and lived a perfect life.  Many even believed that Jesus died on the cross for them. It was a short trip to trusting in Christ.  They merely needed to make their belief personal.  Several decades later, he contends that the average American now sits at a 3.  They likely know something about Jesus, but not much more than that he was a good teacher. They also have little to no trust in the church and religion.  It is a looooong, journey to a 10. In response, he emphasizes that evangelism must now be seen as a process, rather than a one-time event.  This is gold, especially for us long-time church folks!

The second best insight centers on White's assessment of the evangelistic environment of churches.  Using the "seeker" language of the late 90's, he describes a continuum with "seeker hostile" on one end, moving then to "seeker indifferent," then to "seeker hopeful," then to "seeker sensitive" and finally to "seeker targeted."  This is helpful and important for churches to take a good and honest look at their evangelistic ministry. After years of evangelistic emphasis, it is easy to remain even seeker indifferent.

From here, the book diminishes in quality in the remaining chapters as he addresses discipleship, worship, community and structure.  I just felt like it was very basic, and that I have heard this before, many times over!  I might be feeling this way for several reasons.  First, this book was originally published in 1997, then revised in 2003.  This means that the revised edition is 12 years old.  I have heard all of this for 12 years now, so it is nothing new, but it probably was when it was published.  Second, White acknowledges his indebtedness to Rick Warren and Bill Hybels.  In fact, his chapters pretty much follow the five purposes as outlined by Warren. I am so familiar with their philosophies of ministry that this is very old stuff to me.

In other words, this book might contain new ideas for some people, including many church leaders, but just not for me.  I cannot discount its value, for the first chapter was worth the entire book.

In the conclusion, White shares one more new insight.  He notes that as a pastor leads a church to change, the most difficult change will be from a "seeker sensitive" to a "seeker targeted" atmosphere, because at that point the average church member is forced to change and to stop seeing himself as the "customer."  While many might accuse White of supporting a consumer-oriented mindset of church, at this point he shows that he understands the missional nature of church and leaders.  But he also shows that he is a realist who understands that the move from consumer to giver/server is a long and slow one for the average church member.

If you are a church leader, especially a lay leader, trying to understand the changes happening in the church world, check out this book!

Resurrection Eggs - includes template

We are constantly looking for ways to help our kids connect with God in creative and fun ways.

One of our favorite ways to celebrate Easter is with Resurrection Eggs.  A set of resurrection eggs is basically a dozen plastic eggs, each with a small object inside that represents an element of Jesus' death and resurrection.  You then open one egg every day, with the final egg on Easter.  That egg, appropriately, is empty, reminding us that the tomb was empty on Easter!

While you can buy a set from a local a Christian book store, it is also pretty easy to make a set with items found around the house.  (The kids will get more buy-in as well)

First, obtain an empty egg carton and fill it with 12 plastic eggs.

Then find each of the symbolic elements and put them in the eggs.  (We numbered the eggs to make it easier to keep them ordered)

We also glued a label onto the top of the egg carton, indicating the object inside, the event that it symbolizes, and a Bible verse for it.

Since I couldn't find a printable, I thought I would share ours here.  Feel free to print it, paste it on your resurrection eggs, and then share a comment telling us how you intend to use your resurrection eggs with your family!

Download your template here or below.

Resurrection Eggs Template

Glad To Forgive - my review of a great little book on forgiveness

I have enjoyed the privilege of knowing Dr. Tom Mills for a little while, and I just love his encouragement, his positive attitude, and his smile, often in times of pain and frustration.  Last fall, as I was preparing for a teaching series on the subject of forgiveness, I read Tom's book on the subject.  I commend it to you if you are struggling with forgiveness.

Tom writes with the heart of a pastor.  He shares personal stories, as well as classic stories that illustrate forgiveness (and unforgiveness). The story of his friend, Peter Loth, is both heartbreaking and inspiring.  It shares the reality of how difficult, yet how beautiful and possible, is this great idea called forgiveness.  He shares the medical and psychological evidence against bitterness and resentment.  He makes a great case for forgiveness.

Tom also shares Biblical truth and insight.  You will want to read this book with your Bible close at hand.  Don't read it too fast, but make sure to take the time to study these passages.

I also love how Tom sets forgiveness in the context of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is really the only way forgiveness makes any sense at all.  I had to circle this quote:  "The price of forgiveness is high. It is the price of love." (page 71)  Again, at this point the preacher comes out.  But true to Tom's heart, he has a way of saying difficult things with a slight drawl (it's the Texan in him) and a sly smile that reminds you that you are loved even as you are confronted.

In the last couple of chapters, Tom casts a vision for forgiveness as a witness for Christ that is sorely needed around the world.  He writes, "If choosing to view an offender through the eyes of God truly is a biblical principle, then it has universal application.  If it has universal application, then love leaves no choice but to make every effort to see even those terrorists as created in the image of God." (p. 133)  He wrote those words in view of the terrorist attacks of 2001, but they are even more on target now, as even this week Islamist extremists slaughtered 21 Christians and then sent the video around the world.  If we are living in the end-of-the end of the age, as many believe, then we ought to expect persecution.  And persecution will tempt us toward anger and bitterness.  However, we must hear and apply Tom's closing words:  "One of the greatest demands of the end of the age is a spirit of forgiveness." (p. 177)

Defining The Points of the Spiritual Journey - a review of "Spiritual Waypoints"

As church leaders have studied evangelism and discipleship, we have regularly noticed patterns of growth.  That is, people tend to grow through various spiritual "stages."  Similar to the stages described by developmental psychologists, these stages form a kind of guide by which spiritual progress/growth might be measured.  But even at the very outset, we struggle with that, don't we?  How exactly does one "measure" spiritual growth?  And yet, every pastor can think of many who, with good intentions, refused to submit to some kind of process and drifted from faith.

John Wesley described a series of "stages" during his ministry in the 18th Century.  His students described it as an "order of salvation."  To many people, this seemed too rigid.  How can unique individuals be expected to pass through a one-size-fits-all approach to growth?  After all, the Apostle Paul wrote that we each receive varying measures (or mixtures) of grace.  In Wesleyan studies, contemporary scholars have suggested that Wesley did not prescribe an "order" of salvation, but rather described a common "way" of salvation.

In the 20th Century, many church leaders have offered revised versions of their observations. Wesleyan scholar Bob Whitesel offers his version in his book, Spiritual Waypoints: Helping Others Navigate the Journey.  From an scholarly perspective, Whitesel recognizes two of the most popular "orders of salvation" offered in the 20th century.  James Engel and Robert Norton offered a series of 14 "stages of spiritual decision."  Most of the stages focused on the deepening awareness taking place in a person before the moment of new birth, or spiritual decision to personally follow Jesus.  Robert Clinton later suggested a series of stages, and focused his stages more on the process of growth after the new birth.  In this volume, Bob Whitesel combines the 2 into one scale of 17 stages, or, as he calls them, Waypoints.
This is where this book is most helpful.  Whitesel effectively shares a comprehensive descriptive process of spiritual growth, both before and after "conversion."  This is sorely needed in our churches and especially in our evangelistic training of future ministers.  His writing is accessible to lay readers as well as undergraduate students.  (It might be a bit too simple for graduate students in anything beyond an introductory course).  He purposefully uses personal stories of many well-know evangelical leaders.  Every chapter includes suggestions for how to help the spiritual seekers who live at the waypoint being discussed.

Whitesel's goal, however, is not to merely combine 2 simple, yet incomplete scales into one comphrehensive scale.  He also attempts to change the view away from inflexible "steps" or "stages" and towards a more flexible process.  He suggests that the older scales tend to be more modern, but that a post-modern understanding of process and story is now required.  He suggests the metaphor of a journey and then uses the imagery of a waypoint as a general indicator of where a traveler is in relation to other points of the entire journey.  I appreciate his attempt, but I am not sure he entirely succeeded.  A postmodern narrative approach is a unique philosophy, and doesn't blend well with a more rationalistic classification of distinct stages.
I can appreciate the author's motivation for writing this volume.  He shares a disturbing story of a personal friend who was converted but later left the church because the church (and evangelicals in general) is "too narrow" and works with "evangelistic nearsightedness" by focusing only on evangelism and neglecting ministry to the poor.  Fifteen years later, the author heard similar opinions as he interviewed people to discover why they don't attend church.  His discoveries led to this book.  He writes, "I am observing a growing criticism that the evangelical church is fixated upon the conversion encounter, and not the process that leads up to it or follows it."  In this book, he suggests a comprehensive process.

In the end, Whitesel offers a good starting point for understanding the process of evangelism and discipleship.  I would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about evangelism, and for churches who want to improve their evangelistic ministry.

Free Ebook: How to Find the Funds - Fund Your Mission!

Are you a pastor or church leader who desperately wants to reach people for Jesus, but you just don't have the funds for your mission?  In this short ebook, I will share 17 ways that a local church can find money by saving money.  These tips have been tested in my local church, so you can be sure that they really work.

Download the ebook here!

Enjoy this, and let me know how much you are able to save and how your church used your savings!

How to Find the Funds

The Big Idea - Themed Worship Services on Steroids!

Several years ago I was introduced to the idea of themed worship services.  The pastor of  growing and thriving church on the Indiana side of Chicago told those of us in the workshop that he believed the move to planning themed worship services was the greatest factor in their church's growth.

What is a themed worship service?  I don't know if "themed" is the best adjective, but it is the one I use.  A themed worship service is a church service planned around a theme.  In other words, every song, every Scripture, the message, etc. is chosen with the theme in mind.  This is good preaching taken to the next level.  Every good sermon has one main idea.  Whether the sermon has three points or a ten-step list, the sermon centers around one main idea.  (By the way, do you know what listeners hate the most about sermons?  When sermons get off track, listeners will furrow their brows and ask, "where is he going with this?"  At that point you are done!)  Taken to the next level, themed worship service planning then designs the entire worship service around the main idea!

I first heard about Dave and Jon Ferguson, brothers and pastors of Community Christian Church, when I read their book Exponential. I was inspired beyond description and purchased two other books by them.  I previously wrote about The Apprentice Field Guide.  That short volume is a training manual for raising up new leaders.  The other book I picked up was The Big Idea.  In this book, the brothers Ferguson tell about the process they use to plan worship services.

The best part of this book for me was the theoretical foundation.  The authors propose that real discipleship is lacking for two reasons.  First, we know much more than we do.  As Christ-followers, we memorize Bible verses, we study background information about Bible passages, we learn about prayer, and we often learn in place of doing.  In other words, we have too much information and not enough transformation.  Secondly, in our experience of church, and especially of church services, we encounter too many small ideas.  They suggest that we might receive over 20 disconnected teaching points, or instructions, or ideas, in a given service.  No wonder we don't apply all of them - they are too many and to small!  Their solution?  Every worship service has one Big Idea.  And the entire service is designed to help teach and reinforce that big idea.  Beyond that, they form their adult small groups around the big idea so that what gets taught on Sunday gets discussed on Tuesday night!  Even their kids and youth programs work with the big idea!  At this point, this book is gold!

These guys do not just lob a great theory in the air and then expect us to catch it and run with it.  They have done the hard work to create a process that gets a lot of input from everyone on the team, with plenty of time to implement the various pieces of each service.  In this respect, they also highlight another roadblock to effective worship planning.  Just as preachers discover, when you are working week-to-week, there is simply not enough time to make videos, work up the perfect song, etc., in 5 days.  In response, Community Christian Church works through a long and complicated process that begins with a planning retreat at the beginning of a year, followed by meetings and further planning sessions where the leaders, teachers, small group leaders, worship leaders, tech guys, etc., get involved and begin planning. 

I have to admit, the second half of the book was a bit tedious.  That was probably because we are so far away from that level of planning that I had a difficult time getting into it.  But this would be great stuff for a church considering a move to this level of planning.

I know that with many book review I say, "You gotta read this book!"  Well, with this one, I am not so sure.  If you are a church leader, you really need to start with Exponential.  Now that is a book that you gotta read.  And if the on the big idea in that volume gets your attention, then you might want to get a copy of The Big Idea.

God's At War - Now I Can Finally Put a Name To Some Modern-Day Idols

One of the most difficult parts of applying the Old Testament to 21st Century life is figuring out what to do with idols and gods.  As in the lower-case "g" gods.  The prequel to Jesus includes page after page of false gods, stone and wooden idols, temples, and all of the idolatry associated with them.  Even as a child I remember asking what are our idols?  The answer? "An idol is anything can is more important to you than God."  Here is the problem with that answer:  while it is true, it is so vague that it is almost useless.  Besides, who would really admit that there is anything more important to us than God?  I have believed for so many years that in order for this line of reasoning to be helpful, we must begin naming some of our gods.  It is time to start pointing fingers.

In Kyle Idleman's book Gods At War, he does exactly that.  Nine gods are exposed, each with their own chapter.  I was convicted.  I was also inspired.

Idleman does not just point out specific gods.  He shares stories of regular folks who have struggled with idol worship and how by the power of Christ they dethroned their idols.  The book also includes QR codes to videos in which readers can hear more of the stories told in the book.

In his convicting, yet inspiring style, Idleman paints a picture of a jealous God who longs for our complete devotion.“God is jealous for your heart, not because he is petty or insecure, but because he loves you. The reason why God has such a huge problem with idolatry is that his love for you is all-consuming. He loves you too much to share you.”  Do you hear that?  He not only describes God as jealous, but casts his jealously in terms of love - and rightfully so!  In this work we discover a compelling case for the Old Testament theme of God's jealousy!

Just as in his book Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman speaks powerfully to Americans who think they are Christians merely because they believe in God or because they prayed a certain prayer decades ago.  I believe this is a must-read for every adult Christian!

Confessions of a Reformission Rev. - My Review of Mark Driscoll's story

I read this book several months ago - maybe even a year ago.  I really should have written this review much sooner, as a lot has happened in the last couple of months to Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church.

I had heard about the "cussing pastor from Seattle" but had never really known much about him.  Then I downloaded a few of his podcasts.  I listened to the audiobook of one of his early books on the structure and nature of Church.  I like him - mostly.  I honestly don't think he is that great of a preacher - he preaches too long and tends to wander.  But who am I to judge - after all, he lead a growing church from a handful to 13,000.  However, that church no longer exists.

This book was one in a series published by the Leadership Network.  After reading their "Exponential" book, I decided to read this also. Published in 2006, Mars Hill was running over 4,000 people per weekend and heading towards 10,000.

I love Driscoll's candor and honesty.  He tells of his struggles and mistakes.  He owns up to his own sin.  In fact, many of the wrongs that were brought up over the last few years are the issues he publicly owns up to in this book!

I wonder if the Mars Hill Church story is a book about a church that grew too fast.  In many ways, I heard loud and clear that they struggled to maintain growth and then, as they were growing, they struggled to manage their own fame.  Mark tells about his getting to the point of a nervous breakdown, and his decision to limit his travel schedule.  He tells about the pressures on his family.  At the same time, though, he tells of difficult decisions made to grow the church.  In a couple of places, he tells of decisions to let some associate leaders resign/transition because they were not ready for the next level.  In other words, he fired them so that he could find a higher-capacity leader.  And in the light of the downfall of Mars Hill, this happened time and again and really the church in the long-run.

While I am getting very critical here, I also recognize that Mars Hill was reaching a crowd that most churches are not reaching - unchurched, nonbelievers in a very culturally-liberal area!  And he was doing it with a very conservative theology!  Many experts would suggest that such is impossible!  So before we are quick to judge, it would be proper for us to appreciate exactly what Driscoll was doing right!

I did get one big takeaway from this book.  Driscoll suggests that churches that effectively reach people are theologically conservative and culturally liberal.  Chew on that for a while!

I also really benefited from the 10 Curious Questions found in Chapter Zero. With these diagnostic questions, Driscoll encourages church leaders to answer the difficult questions, to identify what their church will look like and act, and to think through the implications of our answers.  Good stuff here, even if you can't stand the man who wrote it!  It is in these opening chapters that we find that Driscoll indeed has a good grasp on theology, organization and leadership. No wonder he lead a growing church.

Surprised By The Fire - My Review

Shortly after meeting Tom Mills, he gave me a copy of his book, "Surprised By the Fire." He then provided several copies for us to give away to all of the families in our church.  I was not surprised when the reports came back with so much positive feedback for this book.

I remember reading 1 & 2 Peter as a teenager and, on one particular occasion, with highlighter in hand, marked up almost the entire texts of these short epistles.  Filled with practical, concise teaching and encouragement, these letters get right to the point.  So I was pleased to read a practical study and commentary written to those who need to get ready.

"Get ready for what?" you might ask.  For difficult times.  Don't worry, though.  The author is not a conspiracy theorist, predicting doom and gloom ahead, nor does he attempt to predict the return of Christ.  He merely acknowledges that many Christians around the world are persecuted for their faith and, if trends continue, American Christians are likely to experience increasing pressure and event persecution as well.  The solution?  Rather than fight the culture, the author suggests that we take seriously the teachings of 1 & 2 Peter.  If we do, will not only be ready for difficult, but will not be surprised when it comes.

The structure of the book and the style of writing simply follows the text found in the Biblical books of 1 & 2 Peter.  But so much more than a commentary, each chapter presents an exposition of the primary teaching and practical application of the text.  Within each section, we are invited to check ourselves to determine if we can really say "yes" to the affirmations of the book.  To do this, several Checkpoints are presented through the book.  At the end of each chapter, we find an empty box that waits for a check-mark.  And again the question is asked, "Am I living the life of an obedient child of God?"  "Am I living as a newborn baby - longing for the pure milk of God's Word?"

In the end, this is a great book for those looking for some guided study of God's Word, and for those looking for a penetrating evaluation of their spiritual maturity.  In this book we find both biblical study and personal formation, which is the goal of the entire Bible, by the way.  If this is what you are looking for, I encourage you to check it out!

How Good Is Good Enough - a review of my first book to read in 2015!

I completed one book already in 2015!  Okay, so I was halfway through it when the ball dropped on New Year's Eve.  And it is only 92 pages, so that it really not much of an accomplishment.  But I really am planning to read a lot more this year.

Andy Stanley is my favorite preacher.  He just does a great job of communicating God's Word in fresh, relational ways.  This gift-book sized book is a perfect introduction to the biggest question of Christianity.  While preachers, teachers and thinkers might want to start with the question of the person and work of Jesus (which is the central theme of Christianity), we often forget that the people who most need the work of the person of Jesus to become real in their lives don't yet know that the solution is Jesus!  And while Stanley uses classic arguments from the domain of apologetics, he does so later in the book.

The best part of this short work is his argument against the "just be a good person" position.  Basically, he ends up asking, "how do you know how good is good enough?"  His argument centers on the point that if the "be a good person" position is true, and if God is truly good, then he should have told us exactly how good is good enough!  Other than his absolutist command to obey perfectly, he has not!  Therefore he is very unfair, and his judgment is unjust, or the "be a good person" position doesn't work.  Of course, Stanley argues this very skillfully and with a lot of grace.  He then proposes that the death and resurrection of Jesus provided forgiveness from God and justification of sinners.

I read this book for a reason.  A few weeks ago I read a blog from a pastor in California who gives a free copy of this book to every first-time guest at his church.  I thought it sounded like a good idea, and after reading the book, agreed that it is a great idea!  I believe that this question of "how good is good enough," stemming from the "be a good person" position, is the biggest false gospel in our culture.  This is the big thing that keeps people from experiencing God and his grace and mercy through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. 

So  bought 12 copies and am praying over them, asking God to lead to our church 12 families who need to hear this message and, who after reading this book, will come and talk to me about what Christ might be able to do in their lives!

Be A People Person - my review

As a pastor, I am a leader by job description and by calling.  And while John Maxwell has his fair share of critics (mostly because of other pastors who put too much emphasis on leadership and not enough emphasis on servant-ship), his writings are helpful.  I think John was blessed with the personality and spiritual gifting of leadership and therefore, does intuitively what many of us do not.  Thankfully, he has given decades to helping the rest of us!

I purchased this book at the recommendation of a colleague, as I was looking for a book written from a Christian perspective, in order to study with someone else who was looking to develop their own people skills. At about 150 pages, this short read seemed like an introduction to everything else that Maxwell has written.  His popular themes of maintaining a positive attitude, encouraging others, living with integrity, motivating others, etc. are all present.  As I read, I wondered if this was one of Maxwell's first books, and indeed it was.

I was greatly helped by some of his suggestions and ideas. In the chapter about the characteristics of people with charisma, he teaches that charismatic people regularly show others that they care.  And then he adds this:  "Be more concerned about making others feel good about themselves than you are i making them feel good about you.  In other words, don't try to sell other people on you, try to sell them on themselves."  This line of reasoning is so very helpful, and is really theme of the book - that  to be a people person is to put the emphasis on others.

The chapter of loving difficult people was especially helpful.  Maxwell suggests that we treat others in relation to how we see ourselves.  He writes, "show me a person who sees him or herself in a negative light and I will show you a person who sees others in a negative way."  The implication for getting along?  "When you realize that people treat you according to how they see themselves rather than how you really are, you are less likely to be affected by their behavior."  So true.  So helpful.

In the end, this book serves as a helpful introduction to leadership.  For those who have read a few leadership titles, it will no doubt serve as an inspiring remind of what they already know.