BOOK REVIEW: Dying Declaration

Okay... so, this is my first real post in quite awhile, and I'm constantly thinking about direction. I figured, rather than force this blog in a particular direction... with a particular theme... I'd just let it take it's own shape after awhile.

Well, I thought that it'd be good to just get back into the flow of things by writing about something I am always doing... which is reading. Some of you who've been faithful have read many of my book reviews, and have commented rather encouragingly, so we'll stay in this vein for a bit. I'll review all kinds of stuff: fiction (which I absolutely love), practical living stuff (which I absolutely NEED), theology, apologetics, current issues... anything I'm reading, I'll write about.

So, hear we go... first off, I just finished reading Dying Declaration by Randy Singer. Let me tell you... this is a first-rate fiction!! Singer wears a "trinity" hat of Pastor, Author, and Lawyer... and his writing is top-notch stuff. Declaration is about a very "religious" couple whose youngest son has become gravely ill. Yet they hold off taking him in for medical help, because they are praying "in faith" that God will heal their little boy. At the last minute, they finally take him in but the boy dies... and the couple is charged with negligent homicide. The story has several twists and turns, and - for a 400+ page book - pretty much will keep your interest throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Declaration... so much so, that I decided to pick up another Singer book (review coming soon).

One of the things that immediately grabbed me about the book is that the principal character is an African-American lawyer. No, this isn't a race thing! But, being black, it can be rather disheartening to read Christian fiction books, and NEVER come across a minority character who plays a prominent role in the book. Now, although Singer can get just a tad stereotypical, with some of the urban slang, he nonetheless (in my opinion) does a good job of "representin'". ;-)

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am a huge Ted Dekker fan... but I would have to put Singer right alongside of Dek! TOTALLY DIFFERENT style of writing (more Clancy/Grisham-ish), but he takes no backseat to any of our top-flight Christian fiction writers.

Dying Declaration... get it, enjoy it, and post your thoughts! ;-)

it: How Churches Can Get it & Keep it

it by Craig Groeschel is one of the best ministry books I've read in some time... it reflects not only his seriousness for ministry, but also his passion for Christ-exalting ministry. Although his church is regularly one of the most innovative in the country, he's not into fluffy, razz 'em-dazz 'em, glitz & glam performance ministry for the sake of putting on a show, but churches led by God-anointed, passionate servants who know what God has called them to do... and they unapologetically and fearlessly do it.

Groeschel's book is about exactly what the title says: How Leaders Can Get it & Keep it. He never really defines "it"... but he makes it clear that if you want your ministry to glorify God and be a success, you've got to have it. And the truth is... we ALL want it, don't we? We see it in what we would consider successful ministries... and ministries that plod on ineffectively, we would say, really need it. Some leaders and ministries once had it, and lost it... and some don't have it, but think they do.

Groeschel says churches that have it are usually led by people with these combined qualities: a passion for God's presence, a deep craving to reach the lost, sincere integrity, Spirit-filled faith, down-to-earth humility, and brokenness. He also says there are certain things that contribute to a ministry's having it: vision, focus, team camaraderie, innovative minds, a willingness to fail, an outward focus, and a kingdom mentality.

This is a great book book for ministry teams to read together... there's no way you can pore over these pages and not begin to thirst for it. Also, let me put in another plug for it: if you missed out on the '08 Catalyst Conference, order Groeschel's message from the first day... after he got finished speaking, everybody wanted it! ;-)

BOOK REVIEW: Fusion

Most church planters/pastors have no trouble with casting vision. Usually, the problem comes in implementing that vision. Enter Nelson Searcy. Nelson is simply the best strategist and systems guy I know. While some will cry, "He's a church growth guy" (he is) ... he puts the best systems in place, but understands that the Holy Spirit is the one growing the church.

One of biggest concerns for churches today is assimilating visitors (guests) into regular attenders and members. Nelson's book Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests into Fully-Engaging Members of Your Church is a great tool for every pastor (especially church planters) ... a must read... with very clear and tested assimilation strategies (and they do work... we use many of them at Mosaic DC). Here are some takeaways from my reading of the book... secure a copy, and enjoy!

1. God is consistently blessing His Church every Sunday with regular guests.

2. First-time guests are God’s gift to our church… no one comes through our doors haphazardly. What are we doing to be good stewards of His gifts to our church?

3. We ought to care about numbers in our church, because numbers are indicative of life change.

4. When we serve our guests well, we reflect Jesus’ attitude and mindset toward them. Many churches take their guests for granted by not showing intentional, biblical hospitality towards them. Christ’s Church should be more known for her hospitality than any luxurious hotel!

5. The more prepared a church is to receive guests, the more guests it receives.

6. First impressions are of the utmost importance! We only get 7 minutes… that’s how long it takes for a guest to determine whether or not he’ll return! If we create “raving fans” of our pre-service (what happens before the service even begins), they will be engaged throughout the rest of the service… and be more open and better prepared to hear from God.

7. The "next step" of assimilating first-time visitors is to get them to come back. We want people to return and bring their friends! Our goal should be to give as many people as possible the opportunity to hear the gospel.

8. Relationships are the glue that make people stick at our church!

9. It is our job as assimilators to encourage, plan/structure for, and facilitate opportunities for people to create friendships at our church. It is too important to leave to chance!

10. Responsibility precedes ownership and ownership precedes membership.

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. ;-)

BOOK REVIEW: 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!

BOOK REVIEW: Refining Your Style

I love great communicators... I love listening to them preach and teach the Word of God. The first preacher that really stirred my soul was Dr. Tony Evans, back in 1989... I had never heard anyone communicate God's Word with such passion, and his illustrations were simply awesome! Then, shortly after that, I heard a young, local preacher named Keith Battle... who's style was completely different, but who was equally as effective... and as powerful... as Dr. Evans. Since then, I've learned from a myriad of preachers/communicators like Erwin McManus, Andy Stanley, Crawford Loritts, and Rob Bell... whose styles are vastly different, but who have equally helped stir my passion for communicating biblical truth.

That's why I loved this book so much by Dave Stone, called Refining Your Style: Learning from Respected Communicators. It's not a new book (published in 2004), but I've never come across anything else like it. It's an easy read (227 pgs), and includes a CD that has preaching excerpts from most of the communicators he highlights in the book. Make no mistake... this is not a "how-to" book; the title is very clear on the book's purpose - helping speakers to identify different styles of communicating, so as to help them refine their own style. Let's face it: those of us who are biblical communicators can always stand to improve in the way we deliver our messages. What Stone does is highlight the strengths - and inherent blindspots - of each style. And he lists 13 different styles (never knew there were so many!), so the reader shouldn't have a problem identifying where he might place him or herself on the style continuum.

I loved the creative names Stone gives the styles: Creative Storyteller, Direct Spokesperson, Scholarly Analytic, Revolutionary Leader, Engaging Humorist, Convincing Apologist, Inspiring Orator, Practical Applicator, Persuasive Motivator, Passionate Teacher, Relevant Illustrator, Cultural Prophet, and Unorthodox Artist (I think I'm a mixture of Creative Storyteller/Passionate Teacher/Engaging Humorist). Some of the communicators he highlights are Erwin McManus, Tim Keller, Lizz Curtis Higgs, Rob Bell, Max Lucado, and others.

In each chapter, Stone gives an intro to each style, an explanation of how Jesus used that style, an interview with the communicator highlighted for that particular style, and then some practical advice for the reader on refining the style to fit him or her. Throughout the book, you'll find yourself gauging whether or not a particular style fits you... as well as labeling your staff and favorite preachers! ;-)

This is a must read for any preacher, teacher, or communicator of biblical truth! It's one of the most practical books on preaching that I've ever read... enjoy!

Book Review: Watermark

This was a good little book by BOB FRANQUIZ... who not only writes books, but reads more books than even I can keep up with! I really liked Watermark... for one, it can be read in less than an hour. But, beyond that, it's about baptism... who's writing about that? It's short, it's practical... and it's very inspirational. Bob emphasizes not only the obedience part of being baptized, but also how baptism expresses a Christ-follower's commitment and passionate pursuit of Christ. Here's just a taste from chapter 1:

"Baptism is the mark of a life committed to God... Jesus commanded us as disciples to be baptized so it would serve as an outward symbol of an inward commitment. It would put the world on notice that we were leaving our old lives behind and embracing the lives that God has for us. And it would serve as a memorial to us of the day we fully committed ourselves to God."

I also liked Bob's section on the FAQ's of baptism... he covers most (if not all) of the bases, questions that new Christ-followers might have. In fact, I hadn't even heard one of the questions... nobody's ever asked me about being baptized for the dead!! :-) Just goes to show that Bob's done his homework, and although the book is pretty compact, I think it is just right for any new believer that has questions on this subject.

Although I take a different stance than Bob does on the baptism of the Holy Spirit (one of the FAQ's), I love the book! It's a great resource for new believers and anyone who needs their questions answered about baptism... check it out!

Book Review: unChristian

unChristian was definitely a great read! It was pretty much what I expected... as far as how those outside the church view Christians... but what I didn't expect was just how strong these views are among the younger generation. If you're passionate about reaching the next generation, you cannot afford to pass up this book. There is a lot of statistical information, but it isn't a hard, technical read.

One of the things I liked was that the authors did a great job with their survey info... they don't give you just broad, sweeping stats of what "some people" believe, but they give very detailed, categorical breakdowns of every issue they're dealing with. For example, here's a quote from early in the book:

"Our most recent data show that young outsiders have lost much of their respect for the Christian faith. These days nearly two out of every five young outsiders (38 percent) claim to have a 'bad impression of present-day Christianity.' Beyond this, one-third of young outsiders said that Christianity represents a negative image with which they would not want to be associated. Furthermore, one out of every six young outsiders (17 percent) indicates that he or she maintains 'very bad' perceptions of the Christian faith... This group is at least three times larger than it was just a decade ago."

For me, one of the highlights of the book was the end of each chapter: the authors included responses by different Christian writers... such as Andy Stanley, Margaret Feinberg, Rick McKinley, and Brian McLaren, to name a few... to address various ways in which we can do a better job reaching this next generation by changing the perception of how they think about us.

Again... this is a MUST-READ for pastors and ministry workers, and anyone interested in reaching outsiders... especially the younger ones!

peppermint-filled pinatas!

Okay... GREAT BOOK!!! My friend Eric Bryant 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!

(For those who aren't familiar with Eric, he's one of the pastors... his official title is "Navigator"... at Mosaic Church in L.A.)

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.

And if the book title doesn't grip you, check out some of these chapter titles:

• "The Art of Woo"
• "White Men Can Jump (Just Not As High)"
• "Lots of Sex in the City"

Again... great book... a must-read... be prepared to be both CHALLENGED and CHANGED!!

Book Review: Communicating For a Change

As always, Andy Stanley hits one out the park with this one... I liked 7 Practices better, but this is definitely a must have for anyone who teaches. Although you might not follow his exact method of mapping out your message, no one can deny the benefit of having one main point, one big idea that we must get across to those who listen to us. Too many of us are giving out way too much information when we speak, and our people don't even remember what we said last week! The chapter on "Pick a Point" is alone worth the cost of the book...

I didn't get too far into this read before I realized it was going to help me immensely... sacrifice a couple of lunches this week and pick this one up! ;-)

"Rules of the Red Rubber Ball" Book Review

First, let me say... this is an awesome book!! Kevin Carroll is a "katalytic" innovation freak (he calls himself a Katalyst... the "k" is for his first name) ... creativity must ooze out of his pores! A very easy read (less than 100 pages), the book will inspire you to vigorously and daily pursue your dream (your red rubber ball). Carroll takes the reader through 7 rules which he gives to help stay focused on the pursuit.

This is a must-read for any creative leader that wants to more effectively (and fun-ly) fulfill his or her life's calling! ;-)