Books @ Leadership Network

Organic Outreach for Ordinary People

By Kevin Harney

The title is misleading. When I first saw it I thought this was another book on some new kind of program to help a church reach out.  A better title is Natural Faith Sharing: One to one evangelism.

Harney takes the position that every person is an evangelist of some sort- baseball, football, a dress, a pair of shoes. He then contends that every Christian should play some part in evangelism at some level. What causes us to participate in evangelism begins in our hearts as we begin to love others. As we become more aware of the depth of love God has for us and the cost of God’s grace to us we naturally begin to love others more.  He shows us how to raise our spiritual temperature by praying for and with lost people as well as spending time with them.

This is an excellent book for both individual and small group study. Each chapter provides personal tools to help in the process of growing ones evangelism spirit.

I like two things about the book

·         It isn’t another 1, 2, 3 program.

·         Harney starts with the heart rather than the head.

Evangelism after Christendom, Bryan Stone

If you are up to some challenging reading you might try to wade through this book. I found it to be extremely interesting even though I didn’t agree with half of it. What I did take away from the book was a refreshing reminder that salvation is both individual and corporate -that evangelism is witnessed not just in our words, but also in the actual witness of the corporate Body of Christ.  The church is a witness by simply existing. My way of referring to this aspect of evangelism is to speak of the church as an “incubator of faith.” Like putting a premature infant in an actual incubator in order to survive, today’s church must similarly envelop a new convert in love. This goes way beyond mere hospitality. It goes to the heart and soul of why a congregation does what it does and is what it is.

Bill Easum
www.easumbandy.com

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana

Having been an Anne Rice vampire chronicles fan, it's been a phenomenal journey following her through her Christ the Lord series.

Rice always writes beautifully, but the Road to Cana stood out above the rest to me. She tackles the difficult balance of what it means to be fully man and fully God while developing both throughout the story. She interconnects biblical stories while using plenty of artistic license to stimulate fresh perspectives as you read the gospels. ie. who's wedding was he at when he turned the water into wine?

As with all her books, Rice does an impressive effort in shedding light on the historical and cultural settings. ie. What was it like to be a man in his 30s and unmarried during those times? She explores the very mind of Christ as it is written in the first person and shares the struggles he may have went through. Without fail she describes his tenderness and deep love for humanity.

The book was so captivating and imaginative I'd recommend it to just about anybody, where ever they are in their spiritual journey. I applaud Anne Rice for wrestling through this and sharing it with the rest of us.

Lon Wong
http://solarcrash.com

Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership

During the long, hot summers in Texas, I often need the refreshment of a big glass of cold water. And that’s exactly what Ruth Haley Barton’s Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership offers to the leader who needs to be recharged. (Even if you don’t think you do, keep reading!)

“Strengthening the soul of our leadership is an invitation that begins, continues and ends with seeking God in the crucible of ministry.” These words from the final chapter summarize the central theme of the book. The chapters leading up to it paint a compelling picture of the fruitfulness and joy of leading from a healthy soul that is focused on God, and the risks of soul-less leadership in ministry.

Barton follows the story of Moses through chapters with titles such as “When Leaders Lose Their Souls,” “The Practice of Paying Attention,” “Living Within Limits,” “The Loneliness of Leadership,” and “Finding God’s Will Together.” She talks about her own journey, including struggles and victories. At times she challenges the reader to take stock and at other times she offers practical advice for refilling our souls. And at the end of each chapter, she offers a “practice” that will help readers to reflect on and apply the teaching they’ve just read.

I’m not one to read with a highlighter in hand, but within the first few pages I found myself thinking, “Oh, that’s good,” and marking a couple of sentences for future references. I kept going back to the highlighter as Barton kept taking me to places deep in my spirit with quotes such as:

There is real tension between what the human soul needs in order to be truly well and what life in leadership encourages and even requires.

If spiritual leadership is anything, it is the capacity to see the bush burning in the middle of our own life and having enough sense to turn aside, take off our shoes and pay attention!

Being this reliant on God for the actual outcome of things is a very edgy way to lead. We are much more accustomed to relying partly on God and partly on our own plans and thoughts if the issues at hand are really important.

As satisfying as teamwork can be, spiritual people who come together to lead churches or organizations with a spiritual purpose have a deeper calling – we are called to move beyond teamwork to spiritual community and to have our leadership emerge from that place.

At times Barton’s words were a needed wake-up call and at other times they were a source of refreshment. I’m thankful for both, and I’m sure that you will be as well if you read Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership.

Mike Bonem
www.SecondChairLeaders.com

Compelled by Love

Compelled by Love: The Most Excellent Way to Missional Living is a new book by researcher and missiologist, Ed Stetzer, and church planting missionary, Philip Nation.

"The theme of this book is The Love of Christ Should Compel Believers in All Things (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)." [p. 9]

Structured for individual or group study, the book seeks to help the reader integrate love into all aspects of missionary calling. As such it is not a sexy, exciting, or prophetic book, but an extremely important book.

It helps people who claim to be engaged in missional living to seek to answer core questions such as What is the gospel?, and not just methodological questions and community interaction questions. It begs the question, do we know and are we the embodiment of the very gospel we proclaim? Or, are we simply a culturally relevant community in a newly emerging Christendom?

If you pick this book up, and I hope you will, I urge you to make this not a quick airplane, beach, or side porch read, but a part of your daily spiritual walk for at least 12 days taking one chapter per day. Only then will the richness of the book speak to your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Only then will you begin to be compelled anew by love.

You will also want to connect with Ed at www.edstetzer.com. And, by the way, you ought to notice that this book comes from a publisher many of you might not know, but ought to know--New Hope Publishers at www.newhopepublishers.com.

--written by George Bullard at GBullard@TheColumbiaPartnership.org and www.BullardJournal.org.

The Shack touted as Pilgrim's Progress

About a month ago, a colleague recommended THE SHACK (William P. Young) as a fictional book that could give me a fresh perspective and reinvigorate my spiritual life. I've also seen The Shack raved and recommended by several other Christian leaders. Eugene Peterson's endorsement is most pronounced:

When the imagination of a writer and the passion of a theologian cross-fertilize the result is a novel on the order of "The Shack." This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" did for his. It's that good!

Now the book has over a million copies in print and topped the New York Times best seller list as #1 on the week of June 8th.

I read through The Shack with great interest. The book tells a story of how a father deals with a very personal tragedy and he had his version of Jacob's wrestling match with God. Through all of that, his spirit was renewed and he gained a new perspective about the character and sovereignty of God. Without divulging the plot (as the discussion forum has requested), I did find the book's story refreshing indeed, portraying God's mutuality within the Trinity in a playful whimsical way, while also showing the Godhead desire to relate more personally with us in a kinder gentler manner. I think the book's breakthrough value is how it gives the readers a new lens to see and experience the relational aspects of God.

By taking authorial liberty in a work of fiction and allegorical imagination in the storytelling, the book's personification of the Godhead has troubled some Christian leaders and readers. While William Young does intend to challenge our preconceptions of God, the story risks confusing some readers with theological misunderstandings. Is this a risk worth taking? I personally think so, but I know not all would agree.

I've heard Mark Driscoll denounce the book's theological problems, describing it as heretical. Similarly, Tim Challies' book review of The Shack ends with a caution against this theological fiction. [also] Andy Rowell noted favorable reviews from Mark Batterson and Brad Lomenick, along with a handful of other links and articles about The Shack. Christianity Today's Liveblog has a lively discussion under its blog entry titled "The Shack" Built on Shifting Sands?

Yet, Internetmonk soberly notes that The Shack is "... not a book about a conversation with the Trinity. It is a book about reconciliation to something horrible that has happened in the life of a man who believes in the Trinitarian God."

By the way, publisher Windblown Media has posted its response to criticisms and accusations. The book's website has posted a number of sample pages for you to preview. The author's blog has his latest thoughts. You can also watch this interview with the author, aired on the 700 Club.

What have you heard about The Shack? For those of you who've read the book, how has it affected your spiritual life?

--- DJ Chuang, Leadership Community Director @ Leadership Network

CRAZY LOVE: Overwhelmed By a Relentless God

When you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.  That is the gist of Francis Chan's book: God's overwhelming, hot-pursuit love for us... if accepted... should radically change the way we live.  No doubt.  I loved the book... Chan's heart for an all-holy God who is madly in love with us is over-the top!  It doesn't take long, once you get into the book, to understand why he's connected so often with Louie Giglio and the Passion crew... he's on fire, with white-hot passion for God.

Here are some things I highlighted in the book:

* When I am consumed by my problems -- stressed out about my life, my family, and my job -- I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice... that I have a "right" to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities. 
* The point of your life is to point to Him.
* Many people look at their lives and weigh their sins against their good deeds.  But Isaiah 64:6 says, 'All our righteous acts are like filthy rags."  Our good deeds can never outweigh our sins.  The literal interpretation of "filthy rags" in this verse is "menstruel garments" (think used tampons... and if you're disgusted by that idea, you get Isaiah's point).
* The very fact that a holy, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, merciful, fair, and just God loves you and me is nothing short of astonishing.  The wildest part is that Jesus doesn't have to love us... [and] the irony is that while God doesn't need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don't really want Him most of the time.
* Are we in love with God or just His stuff?  Imagine how awful it would feel to have your child say to you, "I don't really love you or want your love, but I would like my allowance, please."
* People who are obsessed are raw with God; they do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures.  Obsessed people don't put it on for God; He is their safe place, where they can be at peace.
* After the apostle Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, people "were cut to the heart and said... 'Brothers, what shall we do?'" (Acts 2:37).  The first church responded with immediate action: repentance, baptism, selling possessions, sharing the gospel.  We respond with words like Amen, Convicting sermon, Great book... and then are paralyzed as we try to decipher what God wants of our lives.

I didn't know much about Chan before I read the book... still don't.  But I know alot more about the God He loves... and have fallen more deeply in love with Him because of His servant, Francis Chan.  Awesome book... a must read. ;-)

Darren Plummer, Lead Pastor
Mosaic Church, DC
www.DPLUM.org
www.mosaicland.org

Fresh Encounters

Here’s a little word association. Are you ready?

Prayer.

Now, be honest. Does the word evoke a feeling of boredom within you, i.e., like the feeling you get on a rainy day when shades are drawn and all you want to do is sleep? Or perhaps, you feel a sense of guilt over the lack of enthusiasm you have for prayer, the lack of time you spend actually praying or in any other way, like a failure in this otherwise expected discipline of the Christian life so critical to discipleship, church development and leadership, etc.

If so, you are not alone. And that's why I recommend Daniel Henderson's work, Fresh Encounters: Experiencing Transformation Through United Worship-based Prayer (NavPress, 2004). This book deals personally, honestly and practically with the elephant in the room, i.e., a wide-spread, pastoral lack of experiential understanding when it comes to authentic, vibrant prayer. Henderson says, most people and pastors feel such things (as described above) because they have not been taught or exposed to anything other than "request-based prayer." In contrast, he recommends and describes the concept of "worship-based prayer," suggesting that a shift in focus will lead to a shift in attitude and, ultimately, a shift in practice that will benefit not only pastoral leadership, but entire congregations.

Most helpful for me was his analogy comparing a sailboat to a powerboat with reference to prayer. With this as a backdrop, he shares his own moment of awakening: "Lord, for so many years I've wanted to be a powerboat for you. As a pastor, I've kept my hand on the throttle of a man-made machine, enjoying the exhilaration of impressive speed. I've sliced through the choppy waters of church life impressing people with my dynamic ability to navigate and steer. Please give me the grace to learn to be a simple sailboat. Let this be the attitude of my heart. Let me set my sails everyday through prayer ... and wait for the wind of Your Spirit to blow."

Concluding this thought, he writes, "A powerboat advances on a predictable journey at the hands of the driver, propelled by man-made fuel. A sailboat is at the mercy of an unpredictable force and magnifies the beauty and energy of the wind. This example represents two different approaches to life and ministry," i.e., to prayer.

In the end, the book answers the question, "How can private and corporate prayer be transformed from an obligation to an oasis?" And if you're, like me, ready and needing to unfurl the sails, you'll benefit from this most helpful read!

Mark DeYmaz (www.markdeymaz.com)
Pastor, Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas (www.mosaicchurch.net)
Author, Building a Healthy Multi-ethnic Church

I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

First, let me say... this is a really good book! Really. Truly. Vince Antonucci really nails it. I want to pass it on to everyone I know... get it, devour it, you won't regret it... because you'll be changed. Doesn't matter who you are: Lead Pastor, staff pastor, ministry worker, small group leader... person sitting in the pews... doesn't matter. Get the book.

Now, you won't be changed by the book itself, because only Jesus, His Spirit, and His Word has that kind of power... but that's just it: the point of the book is to live life with Jesus, and live the Jesus life. Vince's premise is that too many of us believers (and I can attest to this personally from different times in my own life) live the Christian life disappointed and bored... and it's because we're not living the type of life that Jesus calls us to: one that consistently abides in Him, loves those whom He loves (the lost, sick, poor, broken, homeless, etc.), and follows wherever He leads.

One of the things I loved about the book is VInce's humor! I've read some really funny stuff before, but not many books have made me laugh out loud in public places! In a very engaging and hilarious way, Vince draws you in with incredible stories, and then drops a theological (but very practical) bomb on you... and you're sitting their saying to yourself, "Wow... I never looked at it that way before." You're deeply moved, or convicted, or whatever... and then, the next thing you know, everyone in the room is looking at you like you're crazy because you're laughing out loud again.

There's so much I can say, but I really want you all to read the book for yourselves. So, let me leave you with a quote from the book... one of the many highlighted parts of my now-well-worn book. Enjoy!:

     "What if tomorrow you're eating a bowl of cereal when you notice a picture of a missing child on your milk carton. Your eyes explode. You know this kid! You know his parents! And you know where to find the kid! You realize that you can take action that will almost certainly return this child to his mother and father. But then you think, Nah. I don't feel like doing that. But I do like that kid's parents. I think I'll start giving them 10 percent of my income. Oh, and I'll go over to their house every Sunday morning and do some chores for them. And I might even sing some songs to them while I'm there.
     "Obviously, that's just insane. Every person would love to be given money, have someone serve them, and maybe even be serenaded. But if a parent has a kid who is missing, nothing else matters in comparison to getting that lost child home. And so if we could help make that happen, there's no way we wouldn't do it
     "But how often do we give and serve and sing to God but ignore the fact that our heavenly Father has lost children whom we could help return to him/. When we ignore that, what we're really ignoring is our Father's heart. We're ignoring the mission Jesus gave us. And we will be disappointed... and bored."

If you're tired of plastic religion... if you're disappointed and kinda bored with your "life" with Jesus and feel like you've been handed a "lousy t-shirt"... if you want to really experience life... this book is for you!

Darren Plummer
Mosaic Church, DC
http://www.DPLUM.org

PEPPERMINT-FILLED PINATAS

Okay... Peppermint-Filled Pinatas is a GREAT BOOK!!! My friend Eric Bryant (one of our blog contributors) hit it out the park with this! Personally, it was right on time for me... and, practically, he nailed it: you cannot read this book and come away without understanding the importance of "loving your neighbor"... a must-read for all Christ-followers!

The book is an easy read... it's humorous, engaging, and - most of all - convicting. If you read it with a heart to learn, you will definitely come away assessing your own commitment to seeing people the way Jesus did (does), and have a greater desire to - not simply tolerate those who are different from us - but love them and serve them in the midst of relationship... which is something we must learn to do as Christ-followers.  We have to learn how to hone the skill of developing relationships.  As Eric says, "The most effective apologetic [in reaching people for Christ] is love."

Here are some other great tidbits from the book:

- "Our isolation from the world fails to communicate God's concern for those around us but instead communicates that we do not want others in our lives who do not know Christ."

- "The early church may have met in homes and hung out near the temple, but they also lived in the community and shared their lives with others who were not yet part of the Way.  Too often we require others to come to us to find God rather than allowing what God does among us to spill over into the lives of those who have not been with us in that 'one place.'"

- "In our attempts to become holy or 'set apart,' we have mistaken a call for 'living with a different standard' with 'living in a different place that has a different standard.'"

- "We think others are willing to connect with us, even though what we offer is cheap and unsatisfying.  We offer peppermints, when the world wants Gobstoppers, Airheads, and Resse's Peanut Butter Cups.  We offer something sweet to believe; they want a new life that helps change the world."

- "The majority of Jesus' most important moments in his ministry involved places away from the temple."

- "Jesus led the greatest small group in history because he was more than a Bible study leader or prayer group facilitator.  Jesus was a revolutionary."

- "People long to be part of something important...  Connecting to a cause rather than building convictions within people seems to have longer lasting effects."

- "Stereotypes exist because we do not form friendships with others who differ from us."

- "Too often the church falls into a dangerous mind-set.  We like to help people, just as long as they don't get too close.  We may partner with churches of different ethnicities, yet we work together for a short time and from a distance."

Darren Plummer
Mosaic Church, DC
www.DPLUM.org