Books @ Leadership Network

Do the Mighty Always Fall?

I’m a big fan of Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and Built to Last. So when I received a copy of his newest book, How the Mighty Fall, I put my other reading aside and dug in.

Collins takes an interesting turn in his latest, research-based project. Rather than focusing on greatness, he examines why successful companies fall and how they might prevent or reverse a meltdown. He identifies five stages of decline that form a consistent pattern in these riches-to-rags stories. Interestingly, the first two stages (and even some of stage 3) occur when a company is still on the way up.

As with Collins’ other works, the lessons for churches are readily transferable. I’ve known far too many that are guilty of “grasping for salvation” (stage 4), thinking that all they need is the right leader or the latest fad program. And I wonder how many of today’s newsmakers might have entered stage 1, “hubris born of success.”

There’s one caveat to this recommendation. Even though How the Mighty Fall is based on the same type of in-depth analysis as Collins’ other books, this one is not as lengthy nor did I have as many “aha” moments. Collins explains in the preface that the project began as an article, but then “evolved into this small book.” The flip side is that it’s a quick read – only 123 pages plus appendices. My bottom line: it’s a worthwhile investment to learn (as the subtitle says) “why some companies never give in.”

Mike Bonem

www.SecondChairLeaders.com

What Axioms Guide Your Staff?

When Bill Hybels’ Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs came out, I debated whether to add it to my “must read” stack. On one hand, I’ve been enriched by everything I’ve consumed from Willow Creek. On the other hand, with 76 short chapters of pithy sayings, Axiom is not the type of book that I typically enjoy.

So once I started reading, I was pleasantly surprised by how much Hybels spoke to me in many of the chapters. In fact, I liked it so much that I bought copies for all of our pastoral and program staff, and made it the focus of a staff development day. We each read the book, and then came prepared to discuss which axioms we considered to be most applicable for our personal leadership development and which would most benefit our staff team collectively. It was a rich time of discussion, and I see it offering ongoing benefits.

Hybels accurately points out that axioms, when they are owned by a group, can become a powerful way to communicate and reinforce important values. I’m working on the axiom of “create your own finish lines” and “real-time coaching.” As a staff, we’re trying to adopt the axioms “excellence honors God and inspires people” and “vision: paint the picture passionately.”

I’ve also found it helpful to think about other important axioms for our church, both those that we currently practice and ones that we need to put in place. Currently I’m thinking about an axiom that might be expressed in the phrase “email doesn’t solve problems.” It might not be quite as profound as some of Hybels’ sayings, but it would sure make a difference in how we handle some “situations.” Pick up a copy of Axiom and as you read, make notes about the leadership concepts that will help you and your team go to the next level.

Mike Bonem

www.SecondChairLeaders.com

Reading List: What Bob Buford is reading this summer

A new series we're launching here at the Books blog is the "Reading List". We'll be asking several innovative Christian leaders for a list of books they're reading and why. As it's been quipped, "leaders are readers" -- so, by knowing what other leaders are reading, you'll get insider on putting your reading lists together and recommendations for others.

Here's a list of books that Bob Buford (author of Halftime and founder of Leadership Network) is reading this summer, excerpted from the latest edition of his Muse-Letter email newsletter (Year 5, Chapter 10) at ActiveEnergy.net:

... Here is what I’m taking in my book bag this summer:

The World Is Curved: Hidden Dangers to the Global Economy
by David M. Smick
David Smick keeps a low profile, but experts consider him one of the most insightful financial market strategists in the world. For more than two decades, he has conferred with central bankers (such as Alan Greenspan and Ben Bernanke) and advised top Wall Street executives and investors. The World Is Curved reveals how today's risky environment came to be—and why the mortgage mess is a symptom of potentially far more devastating trouble. He wrestles with the two questions on everyone's mind: How bad could things really get in today's volatile economy? And what can we do about it?

The Age of the Unthinkable: Why the New World Disorder Constantly Surprises Us And What We Can Do About It by Joshua Cooper Ramo
Today the very ideas that made America great imperil its future. Our plans go awry and policies fail. In The Age of the Unthinkable, Joshua Cooper Ramo puts forth a revelatory new model for understanding our dangerously unpredictable world. Drawing upon history, economics, complexity theory, psychology, immunology, and the science of networks, he describes a new landscape of inherent unpredictability--and remarkable, wonderful possibility.

The Definitive Drucker: The Final Word from the Father of Modern Management by Elizabeth Haas Edersheim, Foreword by A. G. Lafley. Edersheim captures the last two years of Peter’s insights. 

My Utmost Devotional Bible New King James Version (NKJV) by Thomas Nelson Publishing Co, Oswald Chambers

How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In by Jim Collins, -- four years of research by the principal post-Drucker question asker. Collins’ newest book. Just out. 

    * Decline can be detected.
    * Decline can be reversed.
    * Collins' research project uncovered five step-wise stages of decline:
    * Stage 1: Hubris Born of Success
    * Stage 2: Undisciplined Pursuit of More
    * Stage 3: Denial of Risk and Peril
    * Stage 4: Grasping for Salvation
    * Stage 5: Capitulation to Irrelevance or Death

There you go. An inside look at what Bob Buford's reading this summer! Chime in and add a comment if you've read any of these already, or want to get some of these books to read along too.

Bookmark and subscribe to this blog and keep your finger on the pulse of what innovative leaders are reading...

// DJ Chuang, Leadership Community Director at Leadership Network

Do White Churches Hold Others in Cultural Captivity?

    In the year 1900, Europe and North America comprised 82% of the world's Christian population.
    In the year 2000, Europe and North America comprised 39% of the world's Christian population.
    (60% are now in Africa, Asia and Latin America)
 
That's quite a change! Historian Philip Jenkins describes the shift in a landmark 2002 book, The Next Christendom. Now pastor and theologian Soong-Chan Rah talks about the implications for North America in a book called The Next Evangelicalism (IVP, May 2009), a title designed to play off of the Jenkins book. Rah points to the often underreported health and growth of immigrant and ethnic minority churches in the United States, and forecasts the day when we'll experience a nonwhite majority, multi-ethnic American Christianity here.
 
I'm white, and it's somewhat of a challenge for my brain to imagine the day when the majority of Christians in North America will be nonwhite, matching the rest of global Christianity. But I think he's right.
 
What's even harder for me to imagine is Rah's main point: that "white" culture has dominated and shaped Christianity in the United States in a way that is a "great detriment of the spread of the gospel" (page 22). The white-majority "captivity" shows up in the individualism, consumerism, materialism, and other Western cultural values that have become enmeshed in the typical American church, including through the opinion leaders who write books, blog, Twitter, and speak at pastor's conferences.  
Rah's book devotes more space to describing the problem than in offering practical solutions, but it still gave me a lot to think about. It may lack the seminal impact of the Jenkins study, but Rah's greatest contribution is in being very specific to the U.S. context. He makes many good points -- such as questioning why the emergent church movement is so disproportionately white or asking why the American Society for Church Growth is so predominantly white.
 
My "homework" from the book will be to continue to meet and learn from nonwhite church leaders here in the United States. Rah offers a recommeded reading list of about 40 titles, some of which I'll read. I also asked him by email what pastor conferences he recommends that will give me good interaction with non-white church leaders. He suggested Christian Community Development Association, Urban Youth Workers Institute and the Ethnic America Conference. Maybe I'll see you there at one of them? You can also read Rah's blog at: www.ProfRah.com.
 
Here at Leadership Network in 2008 we launched an Asian American leadership community (and I just spent a week in Korea); in 2009 we're partnering with more African-American pastors than at any previous point in our history; and in 2009-2010 we're slated to play an encourager role with the young National Latino Megachurch Pastors group. Our research on megachurches says they are the most racially mixed size of church (31% of megachurches claim to have a 20% or more minority presence in their congregations, see Beyond Megachurch Myths, page 140). So at least we're headed in the right direction, but I'm sure there is much more we can do and learn.
 
Warren Bird, Ph.D., is Research Director at Leadership Network, and co-author of 21 books on various aspects of church health and innovation.

Who Killed Change? Solving the Mystery of Leading People Through Change

If you like a simple story, a murder mystery no less, that teaches an important leadership lesson, then you may like Who Killed Change? by Ken Blanchard and a team of colleagues. Personally I always like the stories used by Blanchard to get his leadership points across although few, if any, are the foundation for a great screenplay.

The core truth surrounding this story is that many people in organizations—even congregations—intentionally or unintentionally wound or kill change efforts. And, it starts at the top as often as its starts in the ranks of employees or members.

The story of this book involves the questioning of 13 primary suspects in an organization to discover who killed Change. My favorite suspect is Carolina Culture—and it is not because I live in South Carolina. It is because I see dysfunctional and/or controlling cultural patterns as the villain in too many congregations.

A close second is Clair Communication since poor communication strategies and tactics often doom change efforts in congregations. That is why I focus so much on transition before change as the mantra of congregational change efforts I coach.

The concluding truth in the book is worth noting: “Change can be successful only when the usual characters in an organization combine their unique talents and consistently involve others in initiating, implementing and sustaining change.” [144]

Like many Blanchard books it can be read in one evening, or in my case, one airplane flight. My only significant disappointment is that the book is written for people and organizations who do their work in a linear fashion. It is hopelessly left-brained. But, who am I to talk. All too often that is me also.

I recommend this book to you. Read it, have your staff team read it, then engage in a couple of hours dialogue together about how the story and principles of this book are found in your congregation, denominational organization, or parachurch organization. Develop and take action on a short list of three to five things you are doing to do different as an organization in light of what you learn.

George Bullard, The Columbia Partnership, www.TheColumbiaPartnership.org, GBullard@TheColumbiaPartnership.org

The Divine Commodity

The Divine Commodity by Skye Jethani has been one of the most intriguing books I’ve read this year.  His thoughts on consumer Christianity are well crafted, and I love the way he weaves in van Gogh’s life and artwork (I can’t wait to act like a complete art snob in front friends now with my recent ‘education’).

Jethani hits hard at how consumerism is the dominant worldview in north America and how it’s infiltrated the church.  Religious merchandise is a $7 billion dollar annual industry and he goes as far as saying “shopping occupies a role in society that once belonged only to religion - the power to give meaning and construct identity.”

I was a bit surprised that he named names as he critiqued church growth / branding / marketing, but he also humbly includes his own struggle and journey with a consumer mindset.  The heart of it being the outsourcing of our imagination, “Image saturated culture means that the imagination isn’t required the way it once was… we ingest ready-made images like junk food”.

The most affirming and convicting idea Jethani suggests is the abandoning of bigger-is-better strategies and outcomes.  This is affirming because I know it’s true, I see it in the life of Jesus, and I know that it was “the Lord that added to their numbers” in the early church.  This is convicting because I’m guilty of having a consumer mindset all the time.  Most of us still wants the spectacular and the jaw-dropping turnouts, but maybe what would be really counter-cultural and innovative today would simply be sowing the seeds of silence, prayer, love, friendship, fasting, and hospitality. 

Where do you see consumerism shaping your life and the church?

Lon Wong http://solarcrash.com / http://twitter.com/lon

"Reader's Digest" of Good Books for a Church Board

 A friend of mine recently emailed with a great idea:

I was asked a good question last night by our lay elders: what can we be reading to better ramp us up to the trends and realities of the church today, which you [our pastor] intuitively pick up through connections and conversations, as well as your reading?

I started thinking of all sorts of things they could read, but don’t want to overwhelm them. If I’m overlooking a “Reader’s Digest” of church growth out there, worth sharing, what would you say -- maybe your top few books right now?

The best answer is: It all depends. An aging rural church might want to read a different set of books than an urban church that reaches young adults. My friend’s church is a growing, exciting, faith-filled group with thriving ministry in every area from prayer to youth to worship. What might help his board? Let me offer three books I helped compile, plus reference to two published series that Leadership Network has created.

1. Eleven Innovations in the Local Church

This book has been described as providing an outstanding overview of many directions various churches are exploring today in their effort to find new ways to reach people for Jesus Christ.

2. Culture Shift

In this very readable book, two pastors each describe their own church journey toward developing a healthy culture in their respective congregations. The story-based narrative will help any church think through its current "atmosphere" in light of whatever particular mission God has given it.

3. Unleashing the Word: Rediscovering the Public Reading of Scripture

This book-with-DVD comes out in November 2009. It's a story-based account of how to make God's Word come alive wherever it's read, but especially in worship settings. It contains 15 illustrations of how exactly to prepare a reading. We've tested it with seminary students and lay readers in churches, all with very positive responses.

Eight Additional Books

Leadership Network has partnered with Zondervan to create the Leadership Network Innovation Series. Books in this series offer real stories, about real leaders, in real churches, doing real ministry. A list of all titles, each a highly practical book, along with a free sample chapter from each, can be found at leadnet.org/books.

Twenty-Six Additional Books

Books in the Leadership Network Jossey-Bass Imprint Series present thoroughly researched and innovative concepts from leading thinkers, practitioners and pioneering churches. Again, a list of all titles along with a free sample chapter from each, can be found at leadnet.org/books.

What do you think? What additional books would you suggest for a church board like this one?

Warren Bird, Ph.D., is Research Director at Leadership Network, and co-author of 21 books on various aspects of church health and innovation.

Keep It Simple?

“Look, it’s really very simple …” There is a new genre of church growth books with catch phrases like “doing more by doing less” and “keeping the main thing the main thing”. I’ve been reading this genre lately, and thought I would comment on Deliberate Simplicity by Dave Browning (Zondervan). I think this book reveals the worst and the best of the genre.

The first startling thing about Deliberately Simple is how difficult it is to comprehend. It is filled to the brim with quotations from everybody imaginable, without much context; divided by section titles that are often clever but unrevealing; and punctuated by definitions that aren’t in normal dictionaries. I felt the need to dip the book in boiling water to draw off all the fat so that I could see the bare bones of “simplicity”.

The “bare bones” are six factors, with six objectives, answering six strategic questions: “Minimality” (keep it simple, What); “Intentionality” (keep it missional, Why); “Reality” (keep it real, How); “Multility” (keep it cellular, Where); “Velocity” (keep it moving, When); and “Scalability” (keep it expanding, How Far). Now this is excellent bone structure. Leaders of any organization would do well to reflect on this. The author rightly points out that many church leaders forget or distort this ancient methodology. However, it is not “simple”. Each term is laden with many connotations and possibilities; the tenets of strategic planning are applied differently in many historical and cultural contexts.

I am acquainted with many of the business authors quoted in books of this genre, for example, and aware that they all successfully managed very complicated corporations. Guru-like, they also loved to say “It’s really very simple” to their disciples, who promptly imitated the master and took the corporation into bankruptcy.

Once all the quotations and anecdotes are boiled away, there are some specifically religious “bare bones” at the bottom of the pot. The church is “simply” about three things: worship, small groups, and outreach. No distractions. At first it seems much easier to grasp this simplicity. Jettison all the overhead of property, personnel, and redundant committees. But wait! Although there is little comment in the book, apparently there are still properties and technologies, salaried staff, and governance. Jettison the quest for quality and make “good enough just good enough”. But wait! Apparently there is still training, and if expectations require only 80% effort rather than 100% effort, there surely is a way of measuring that. We just aren’t told what it is. Success depends on how “worship, small groups, and outreach” are designed, implemented, and accountable … in different ways, at different times, for different people.

There is something disingenuous about the current genre of “keep it simple” books about church growth. Deliberately Simple is no exception. Clergy and lay leaders do need more or better training; and they do need to stay focused on ancient methods and spiritual necessities. But they deserve more than bare bones. Since this church has “gone global” it must be “successful”, but inquiring minds want to know more detail.

Fortunately, Dave Browning’s Deliberate Simplicity also reveals the best of the genre. The real significance of the book lies in the word “deliberate” rather than the word “simple”. Reading between the lines, the real secrets of success have to do with rigorous leadership development.

What we really need to know is how mentoring takes place. How are leaders chosen, trained, deployed, evaluated … and, if necessary, fired … to keep the worship deep, the small groups growing, and the outreach effective? How will the organization keep focused on “loving God more”, “loving people more”, and “loving more people” when the pastor retires? Who will decide what, exactly, “loving God more” means in an emerging pagan world; and what “loving people more” means in a world of lifestyle diversity and mobile cultures; and what “loving more people” means in a world chronically at war?

There is something “deliberate” going on at Dave’s church, and this book reveals how important that must be. Being “deliberate” and being “simple”, however, represent a paradox. It is a lot like sailing. On the one hand, it’s all very simple: wind, water, and rudder. On the other hand, seamanship is remarkably complex. Sometimes we get so caught up in the maintenance and management of the ship, that we forget the basics of wind, water, and rudder. But most often what stands between drowning and destination is the complex art of seamanship. That’s the trouble with “keep it simple” books. It ain’t that simple.

Tom Bandy

www.ThrivingChurch.com