Shaped By God's Heart: The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches Review

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Shaped By God's Heart: The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches ReviewOne of the criticisms most often levied against the larger body of Missional Church writing (i.e. the GOCN series) is that the writers fail to give "concrete" examples of what a missional church "looks like." Minatrea has attempted to fill that void.
There are some legitimate problems with his effort. Nowhere does he explain his research methodology, so one must assume that his research was primarily personal interviews with pastors and church leaders. Neither does he explain the criteria used to identify the churches included in the research as "missional".
Some of his argumentation is convoluted. One example is when he asserts (I'm paraphrasing) that missional churches don't get bogged down in theological matters that distract from mission. Then, a few pages later in the same chapter, he argues that missional churches will have clearly defined doctrinal statements. One is left wondering, "Which is it?"
Also, in several places it seems as though he and his subjects are creating a straw man of sorts out of "traditional" churches. And the churches he most often cites as examples--Gracepoint (San Antonio), Ecclesia (Houston), Antioch (Waco, TX), and Mosaic (Los Angeles)--while diverse, are all at least loosely assocaited with evangelical Baptists. He tells us in the introduction that missioanl churches can be anywhere and in any denomination. So one wonders why he didn't find some to include in his book.
So it isn't a perfect effort. But...it DOES fill a void in the body of Missional Church literature. Beyond simply identifying nine commonalities of practice among missional churches, he leaves readers with the impression that their church can be both missional and faithful to its current local context at the same time. He also presents a few suggestions for moving a church towards a missioanl ecclesiology.
As stated, this is not a perfect effort. But in addition to practical considerations, Minatrea proviides an appropriate basic introduction to the Missional conversation for those not already familiar with the names Newbigin, Guder, or Hunsberger.Shaped By God's Heart: The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches Overview

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Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition Review

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Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition ReviewIt is hard to know where to start. The book is elegantly written, it is full of interesting history of the early church. But more importantly, it speaks to a deadness in the church today. Often members of the church have learned to live distant from problems of their "neighbors" be they down the block or down the street in the challenged neighborhoods in our cities.
In the early church, members were the challenged people, they reached out to each other, but now much of the church is isolated and distant from the needy stranger. Read Luke 14 - decide if you have responded to principles in those scenarios described by Jesus. If you come up short, then this book will help with a compassionate analysis of our dilemma in reaching out to "the least of these."
In addition to setting the stage for individuals to learn to reach out to needy strangers, the book creates a context for the faith-based social service discussion. While members of congregations may not exhibit the skills of professional social workers, they have an important role to play in being present and responding to neigbors in their communities who need the touch of grace in their lives.
The book is a good read, but it requires more than one pass. If you invest in the book deeply, you will be called to action.Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition Overview

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Comeback Churches: How 300 Churches Turned Around and Yours Can, Too Review

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Comeback Churches: How 300 Churches Turned Around and Yours Can, Too ReviewAccording to Leadership journal, "85 percent of churches in the United States have plateaued or declining attendance." That's approximately 340,000 churches. Mine is one of them.

During our heyday in the 1980s, we had two services in an auditorium that seats 760 people. Today, we have one service and an average of 100 people in attendance. We're almost 87-percent empty.

But I'm not worried for two reasons. First, I know that God wants us grow. Second, God has provided plenty of tools to help us grow.

One of those tools is Comeback Churches by Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson. It identifies five crucial issues in revitalizing your church: leadership, vibrant faith, lay ministry, intentional evangelism, and celebrative but orderly worship.

Church revitalization requires strong, change-oriented leadership from pulpit and pew. To make a comeback, your church needs the right people in the right jobs doing the right thing.

But leadership is not everything. Members of comeback churches must also have a faith that is characterized by personal commitment to Jesus and the church's mission, a servant attitude, and strategic prayer.

In revitalized churches, pastors have limited roles, and they invite the laity to exercise their God-given ministries. And the whole church is involved in intentional evangelism, gradually incorporating unbelievers into the community and then into the faith.

Finally, comeback churches have celebrative (but orderly) worship services. More often than not, their musical style is contemporary, and they do everything with excellence.

If, like me, you're the pastor of a church that's seen better days, read Comeback Churches, and discover that your church's best days are still in front of you.Comeback Churches: How 300 Churches Turned Around and Yours Can, Too Overview

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Unfinished Business: Returning the Ministry to the People of God Review

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Unfinished Business: Returning the Ministry to the People of God ReviewReading this book helped me understand where and how my pastor was leading us and why. I highly recommend this book to others who wonder how the church can be more effective in today's time and culture. I also highly recommend it to the 20% of the church that is doing 80% of the work. We do not need to do it all...Unfinished Business: Returning the Ministry to the People of God Overview

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The Missional Mom: Living with Purpose at Home & in the World Review

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The Missional Mom: Living with Purpose at Home & in the World ReviewThank you Helen for helping me, as a mom of 3, further sort out how to make a difference. I LOVED Helen's approach, the way she brought stories and journeys from others into the mix and the way she motivated my heart and soul toward action. AND, she did all this without making me feel guilty or anxious. Helen is a very gifted communicator and I am so thankful for this resource! I HIGHLY recommend picking up a copy!The Missional Mom: Living with Purpose at Home & in the World Overview

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Journeys to Significance: Charting a Leadership Course from the Life of Paul (Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series) Review

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Journeys to Significance: Charting a Leadership Course from the Life of Paul (Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series) ReviewThe Apostle Paul is an example of a follower of Christ who demonstrates for us the paths we must all take to finish well, according to Neil Cole in this book. He argues that Paul's leadership abilities and effectiveness increased with each of his missionary journeys, and the book uses the story of those journeys to find leadership lessons applicable to all who are engaged in Christian ministry.
The book helped me to see Paul's story from a new perspective. The natural tendency is to view Paul's missionary journeys as a whole, rather than chronologically, and to assume that Paul applied a consistent level of apostolic excellence throughout. However, as the author points out, if Paul is to be a realistic model for Christians today, we need to discover how he learned and improved throughout his ministry, so that we can do likewise.
The first two chapters describe how Paul's birth, early life, conversion and period of learning and waiting following his conversion prepared him for the mission God had planned. Chapter 3 describes the first journey, in which Paul and Barnabas rapidly covered a lot of territory, making converts and moving on. There was lots of activity, but the churches planted were weak and struggling. Chapter 4 describes the second journey, in which Paul parted company from his mentor Barnabas, underwent suffering, and recruited leaders that he could leave behind at each church plant so that the churches would be stronger.
Chapter 5 describes the third journey, in which Paul lived in Ephesus for 3 years, training and sending out leaders who could multiply the work of church planting, thereby achieving far greater effectiveness than had been achieved on the first two journeys. Chapter 6 describes the fourth journey, to Rome, in which Paul's influence spread to governors, kings and the emperor, with some of his most effective work occurring while imprisoned. Then Paul's final journey to death is described, and how he finished well.
There are many Christian leadership books which offer advice based on cultural and organizational principles. This is not one of them. This book is an extended Bible study of the life of Paul, and all of the leadership advice offered is drawn directly from that study. At times the author strays into conjecture, and some readers will disagree with some of his views on the historical record, but in my opinion this is a very useful and enlightening book for church leaders.
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Global Church Planting: Biblical Principles and Best Practices for Multiplication Review

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Global Church Planting: Biblical Principles and Best Practices for Multiplication Review(I received a review copy of this book from Baker Academic though I was not required to write a positive review.)
This book is difficult to review because it truly is an in-depth manual that covers nearly every aspect of church planting. I'd love to discuss all the details in depth here, but the review would be much too long. Instead, I'll give a summary of the contents and my brief reflection on the contents.
There are four main parts of this book: 1) biblical foundations of church planting, 2) strategic considerations of church planting, 3) developmental phases of church planting, and 4) the critical factors of church planting. There is an appendix which contains a helpful bibliography and topical index but (sadly) no scripture index. I appreciated the many real-life examples of church plants around the world, which helped the authors explain the different nuances of planting. I also liked the charts and helpful diagrams throughout the chapters. The book is well written, concise, and the subdivisions in the chapters make for easy reading. That being said, the book is not really a layperson's guide to planting; it is a 450 page manual aimed at the serious "student" of church planting. This is the ideal book for a seminary setting or an advanced course on planting churches.
More on the four parts. In part one Ott and Wilson discuss many different biblical texts that deal with missions and church planting. They answer questions that have to do with the church in general, reasons for planting churches, church planting in Acts, and other such topics. Part two is about historical church plant movements and methods, including those of John Nevius, Roland Allen, David Garrison, and movements from countries around the world. In this second part the authors also talk about different types of church planters, contextualization, and church plant methods such as mother/daughter, teams, house churches, and indirect church plants (among others). Ott and Wilson also give historical examples of all these types in this section.
Part three has to do with the phases of church planting - from the beginning to the end. The authors talk about demographics, targeting, commissioning leaders, launching, structuring, discipling, and other issues like these. This part is the longest part of the book because it has to do with the nuts and bolts of what it means to start a church plant and keep the work going until it is an organized local church with leadership structure in place.
The last part talks in more detail about the church planter himself. There is also a chapter which discusses the dynamics of church planting teams (sometimes called the "core group"). Ott and Wilson also give more details in this part about developing leaders in the church plant, as well as partnerships in church plants.
Though my review may make this book sound like a dry technical manual about planting churches, it is not that at all. The authors frequently talk about the main point of planting churches: to preach the gospel and make disciples so God's name is praised. There is also much emphasis on the fact that the Holy Spirit is the one who does the true "work" in church planting, along with a continued emphasis on the need for church planters/teams to pray without ceasing.
I've read quite a few different books on church planting, and to be honest, this is at the top of my list. Of course I didn't agree with everything in the book, and I'm sure most readers will disagree with some things in it, but it is so comprehensive, well written, and helpful that I cannot seriously imagine anyone giving this book a bad review. No matter what historic Christian denomination you identify with, you'll be able to benefit from this book. If you're thinking about church planting or any sort of mission work, and if you want a solid, in-depth textbook in this area, I would highly recommend this book. This is one resource I will be using and recommending for many years.Global Church Planting: Biblical Principles and Best Practices for Multiplication Overview

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A Field Guide for the Missional Congregation: Embarking on a Journey of Transformation Review

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A Field Guide for the Missional Congregation: Embarking on a Journey of Transformation ReviewThe book has met my expectations and a valuable resource. The service that I received was timely and without any negative incident.A Field Guide for the Missional Congregation: Embarking on a Journey of Transformation Overview

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Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America (Gospel & Our Culture) Review

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Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America (Gospel & Our Culture) ReviewThis is one of the better books currently available introducing church leaders, pastors and lay ministers to ecclesiology from a missional perspective. Guder and his fellow writers do a worthy job of synthesizing contemporary perspectives on church in post-Christian North America. Especially engaging is the way that the writers articulate the distinctive claims a Canadian culture (as opposed to an United States culture) will make on a missional church. There are valuable lessons here for pastors seeking to become more adept in cultural discernment. What is lacking in this book are concrete examples of what a missional church "looks like" in ways different than what one finds in Christendom. One hopes that this is an absence that will be addressed in the next four volumes. In short, check out this book as a synthesis of ecclesiology from a post-liberal perspective (a la Hauerwas, Yoder, Brueggemann). Also, a note for pastors: Chapter 7, "Missional Leadership: Equipping God's People for Mission," is worth the price of the book.Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America (Gospel & Our Culture) Overview

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LeadershipNext: Changing Leaders in a Changing Culture Review

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LeadershipNext: Changing Leaders in a Changing Culture ReviewEddie Gibbs brings a vast array of experience and research to LeadershipNext, so if anything, readers will get an index of many of the new of trends and writing in leadership. Gibbs puts the information on leadership, churches, culture and trends together in a coherent book for leaders of churches. He contrasts quaint styles of leadership that have become ineffective with styles of leadership based on new science, the early church, business models and changes in culture that have proven more effective in "post-Christendom." Gibbs applies his leadership theories and data to church models, both traditional and emerging.
Gibbs also provides warnings to leaders in order to avoid pitfalls and failure. He advocates a team-building, participative style of leadership that accomodates the needs of emerging churches.
For church leaders, I think this book is a must read, as it is based on the reality of the culture and the reality of traditional models of churches. Gibbs understands the paradigms and dynamics of both churches and cultures and shows how leadership must interact in these contexts to help build the kingdom of God.LeadershipNext: Changing Leaders in a Changing Culture Overview

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Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church (The Leadership Network Innovation) Review

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Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church (The Leadership Network Innovation) ReviewRaw.
We clicked because I drive a 1978 Chevy truck that gets single digits to the gallon and has a bacon air freshener and no functioning speedometer and because I fashion myself as the seld-appointed leader of a heterosexual male backlash in our overly chickified city filled with guys drinking herbal teal and rocking out to Mariah Carey in their lemon yellow Volkswagon Cabriolets while wearing fuchsia sweater vests that perfectly match their open-toed shoes. (p. 147)
Funny.
Scrambling for ideas, I agreed to cance a Sunday church service to let some of our long-haired public radio types take us outside to do a joint art project they had proposed....As a truck-driving jock who watches a lot of Ultimate Fighting, I can honestly say it was the gayest thing I have ever been a part of. (p. 71)
Real.
Emotionally, ministry proved to be more exhausting than I could have fathomed. Because I deeply loved my people and carried their burdens, the pains of our people's lives began to take a deep toll on me. Many nights were spent in prayer for people instead of sleeping, and even on what were supposed to be days off, my mind was consumed with the painful hardships and sinful rebellions of our people. (p. 68)
Mark Driscoll's latest book, Confessions of a Reformission Rev. Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church, is a fantastic look at life in ministry. I have a great deal of love and respect for Andy Stanley and Rick Warren, but their stories don't match my stories in ministry. Mark's story of the growth of his church is a wonderful and real look at a man on a mission, with strong theological convictions, and who loves Christ's church and the city of Seattle.
It is raw. He is blatanly honest. But if many could get away with it in ministry, we would do the same thing. He is a passionate man who doesn't have time to say things in flowery words. His story is real. It is an honest look at the hard life of ministry, and the pain and anguish we go through as ministers. And all the while, it's a picture of one sold out to Christ and his mission.
He is theologically conservative. He spends time unashamedly distancing himself from a hermeneutic that is liberal and relative. He believes the book, studies theology, and is passionate about teaching that.
Each of the chapters chronicle a period of time in the growth of Mars Hill. It is encouraging to see the struggles and the faith. It is encouraging to face many similar situations and see how others handled it.
I truly think this is a must read for all church planters and for those of us in ministry it should be highly considered. Few pastors are able to be real and transparent enough to let others see their pain and hardache and fears. Mark is a real man. And his story is compelling.Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church (The Leadership Network Innovation) Overview

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The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical Review

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The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical ReviewI really enjoyed this book. I won't touch Shane's theology. I know next to nothing about the evangelical church. I am a blue collar liberal "cradle" Episcopalian. What I noticed and want to comment on, is that Shane makes a lot of young man's errors. He tends toward self righteousness. He is glib. He thinks he discovered any number of problems that no one else ever noticed. He confuses lifestylism with social change.
I don't think his mistakes invalidate his ministry. He is a young man. He has a young man's energy and God knows Christianity needs that. I just wonder, as he matures, will he find himself slipping into an old man's errors? Can he avoid cynicism? World weariness? If life turns ugly, as it sometimes does, will he be able to resist bitterness?
I'm sure any number of theologians can criticize me for this, but I've found the way to God is through an open heart. Your haircut, even if it's dreadlocks, your address, even if it's the ghetto and your friends, even if they're radical, can't help you. If you remain open to God, sooner or later he will break you. I am curious to see how young Shane grows through that. I will certainly give him credit for acknowledging that eventuality.
If you're planning on reading this book to find a new leader and a new set of rules, don't bother. If you're willing to read this book to learn from a young man's earnest attempt to love God and his neighbor you will be rewarded.The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical Overview

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