Archive for the ‘Book Reviews’ Category
February 1st, 2010 | 
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Neil Cole’s newest book Church3.0: Upgrades for the Future of the Church is releasing this week, just in time for the Verge2010 Conference. As a fan of Neil’s work, I’ve been eagerly anticipating this contribution to the organic church conversation since I first heard he had another book in the works.
It seems like everybody today is trying to get in on the organic conversation. And, of course, it’s all Neil’s fault. With his book Organic Church, Neil described a model of small house churches and captured the imagination of many. Following Organic Church, his book Organic Leadership spells out scriptural principles of leadership that work regardless of the size of the church, and in Search and Rescue Neil describes what organic discipleship looks like and how it functions.
Now, in Church3.0, Neil gives us an ecclesiology of the organic church. But the application of Neil’s message is not limited to organic/simple/house churches. Church3.0 offers a vision of a new future for existing churches that are seeking to make the transition how they understand and structure themselves, and how they do ministry today.
The key to the future, he says, is not just tinkering with the church’s existing operating system. What we’ve got to do is a complete upgrade to an entirely new version of how we define our mission, engage activities, and make disciples.
Neil is not afraid to be blunt in his assessment of the conventional church:
One of the reasons I believe our conventional churches are not multiplying is because God doesn’t want to multiply them. Frankly he doesn’t want more of the problems we currently face. (p. xiv)
What we do not need–and what will not work–is simply finding more and better ways of doing the same things we’ve been doing. What we need is a “transfusion” of what Neil calls an of an healthy, biblical DNA:
- Divine Truth
- Nurturing Relationships
- Apostolic Mission
Beginning with an exploration of New Testament models of church (Jerusalem, Antioch, Thessalonica, Rome, and Ephesus), Neil then turns to a discussion of a more decentralized model that has been documented in Church Planting Movements–the rapid, indigenous (organic) multiplication of churches that is taking place around the world. After defining some characteristics which consistently appear within these churches, Neil shares practical wisdom on a range of questions–how to handle children, how to prevent doctrinal heresy, how to handle finances, baptism and communion–drawn from his many years of leading organic churches.
In short, Church 3.0 is a passionate plea to rethink the Church in order for it to do more effectively what it was commissioned to do by Christ: Go into all the world, reach those who are far from God, and then disciple them to go into the world so that the cycle repeats itself.
Church 3.0 is not a spiritual Happy Meal for a franchised McChurch. It’s solid meat-and-potatoes for those who want to get serious about advancing the Kingdom!
Note: Even though the Federal Trade Commission (by its own admission) has no idea how they are going to enforce it, they now require that I “clearly and conspicuously” disclose that I received a courtesy copy of Church 3.0 from the publisher for this review. I also need to tell you that if you click on the links above, they will take you to my affiliate page at Amazon.com. If you order any of Neil’s books through those links, I will receive a small amount of compensation (in the form of credit with Amazon) for your purchase. If I do not bore you with these banalities, they could come and fine me up to $11,000. It must have been a slow day inside the Beltway when they came up with these regulations!
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Joshua Harris’ new book Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why It Matters arrived in bookstores this week.
Dug Down Deep
At first, I was a bit put off by the thought of wading through a tome of Reformed theology. I expected there to be more footnotes than original content, with every other sentence being a quote from a renowned Reformed theologian. So…I added it to my pile–albeit the top–of “books to be reviewed.” With the release date looming and my promise to the publisher to post a review this week, I sat down last weekend and began to read.
Boy, was I surprised! Rather than reading some dusty, doctrinaire systematic theology, I felt like I was sitting across from Joshua as he laid open his heart about the core beliefs he holds dear. I felt like I was having a conversation with an old friend–comfortable but not overly familiar, well thought-out but not sodden with quotes from others simply to impress me he had drunk from their wells. Harris thinks well. He writes well. And he reads well (and I’m sure he’s well-read, too).
Now don’t misunderestimate what I’ve said: Dug Down Deep is not fluff. Harris starts of with the core epistemological question of whether what we know about God is true. He then excavates down to the bedrock question of what one should build their life on. Then, like a skilled builder he lays out clear and understandable discussion of the nature of God, the nature of Scripture, the person and work of Jesus, atonement, salvation, sanctification, the Holy Spirit, and the Kingdom of God. And he does in 230 pages what most theologians take far more pages to cover far less material.
Perhaps the most appealing contribution that Harris makes with his new work is that he presents a conservative (yes, even Reformed) theological system accessible. Partly because of his youth (most men wait until they are much older to attempt such a work), and partly because he is a gifted communicator who connects with a new generation, Joshua Harris has given us a great resource to pass along to a younger generation.
I know what will be high on my list of recommended reading and gift-giving this year.
You can order your copy today from Multmonah Books.
Note: Even though the Federal Trade Commission has no idea how they are going to enforce it, they now require that I “clearly and conspicuously” disclose that I received a courtesy copy of Dug Down Deep from the publisher for this review. If I do not tell you this, they could come and fine me up to $11,000. It must have been a slow day inside the Beltway!
I read a bunch of books. And I am constantly recommending books that I believe in to my friends. So it’s a no-brainer for me to recommend Mark Batterson’s latest book, Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity. It’s good.
In fact, it’s so good that I’m willing to say something I rarely say….if you’re looking for a way to jump-start the new year (and a new decade), then Primal is the FIRST book you need to read in 2010!
Building on the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Mark masterfully strips away the complications and distractions and focuses on the essential core of Christianity. Recovering an understanding of the heart, soul, mind, and strength of biblical Christianity, he issues a call for a new Reformation, led by millions of reformers who live passionately and compassionately because their lives have been radically transformed by God.
If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide for the Christian life then don’t read this book. Primal is not a how-to guide. It is, however, filled with incredibly rich nuggets which you may not get until your second (or third or fourth) reading.
So, if you want to jump start 2010, order your copy today! Grab your pen, your Bible, your journal, and jump in!
(And to satisfy the fine folks at the Federal Trade Commission, this book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.)
I did what my Dad warned me against. I judged a book by its cover. And I was wrong.
Several weeks back I was browsing in the leadership section of a local Christian bookstore when the subtitle of a book caught my eye: worldly wisdom for pastoral leaders. Frankly, I was offended. I Twittered about it. I even blogged about it. I was so distracted by the subtitle that I didn’t even catch the title.
Truth is, it started gnawing at me. So I got down off my self-righteous high-horse, and went back and found it again. This time I looked at the title: The Three Tasks of Leadership: Worldly Wisdom for Pastoral Leaders
I remember reading Leadership Jazz when I was in seminary. I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t get it. It was an ok book, but I just didn’t see what all the buzz was about. More recently I have been pointed drawn to DePree’s writings. Maybe it’s because I’m older and have gained more experience. Or maybe it’s because he speaks truth in a profound way that cuts through the lies and hype of most leadership and management theory.
The Three Tasks of Leadership focuses on applying DePree’s three-part definition of leadership within a pastoral setting. In Leadership Is An Art, DePree responds to the question, “What is leadership?” He says, “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two the leader must become servant and debtor” (p. 11).
Each of the DePree’s three tasks of leadership–defining reality, servanthood, and saying thanks–receive attention from contributors ranging from seminary professors and presidents to pastors and church staff members.
I was so wrong.
The Three Tasks of Leadership: Worldly Wisdom for Pastoral Leaders is required reading for pastoral leaders.
It’s been a treat to read Mark Batterson’s newest book, Wild Goose Chase, this week while I’ve been on vacation. Such a treat that I have read it twice. Straight through.
Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC, author of the best-selling In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, and widely-read blogger (www.markbatterson.com) has given us another compelling challenge to move beyond our comfort zones.
“Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something….
Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure .”
Identifying six “cages” that keep Christians from following the Wild Goose and living the spiritual adventure that God destines for us, Mark challenges us in practical term to move beyond them. In very down-to-earth terms, he challenges our assumptions with questions for reflection and action, moving the reader to make practical application of the truths contained in it.
Additionally, readers can visit the Wild Goose Chase website. There, you can download a free booklet, “Ten Steps to Setting Life Goals” that Mark has written to supplement Wild Goose Chase.
Wild Goose Chase releases tomorrow, Tuesday, August 19. You can order it from Amazon by following this link:
Wild Goose Chase: Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God
Or…… if you can’t wait, you can win a free copy from this site. Here’s how:
Early in the book, Mark says,
“When God puts a passion in your heart, whether it be relieving starvation in Africa or educating children in the inner city or making movies with redemptive messages, that God-ordained passion becomes your responsibility. And you have a choice to make.”
What passion has God put into your heart? Where are you following Wild Goose? What is your heart passion?
The most compelling Goose-chaser will get a free copy of Mark’s new book!
Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- Noncommercial- No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
