Leadership Network Books Blog

Megachurch Books?

Warren Bird — 2012-05-17T14:01+00:00

The best way to learn about megachurches is to participate in a worship service in person, or perhaps online as many offer internet campuses. (Megachurches are congregations with weekly worship attendance of 2,000 and more including children.)

There are also a growing number of books about megachurches. To me the most inspiring, practical, and engaging reads are those about specific churches, which I list in the first cluster below. The good news is that there are LOTS of them, so that group is biggest. My bookshelf (pictured) is full of them. At the risk of leaving out some winners, some of my favorites include:

Profiles of Individual Churches or Pastors

More than Numbers by Paul Yonggi Cho
Growing the World’s Largest Church by Karen Hurston
Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren
Rediscovering Church: The Story of Willow Creek Community Church by Lynne and Bill Hybels
Confessions of a Pastor: Adventures in Dropping the Pose and Getting Real with God by Craig Groeschel
On-Purpose Leadership: Multiplying Your Ministry by Becoming a Leader of Leaders by Dale Galloway with Warren Bird
The Rise of Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church by Richard Young
The Journey of T.D. Jakes by Richard Young
Visioneering: God's Blueprint for Developing and Maintaining Vision by Andy Stanley
The Blessed Life by Robert Morris
When God Builds a Church by Bob Russell
There’s a Miracle in Your House by Tommy Barnett
The Church that Never Sleeps by Matthew Barnett
Servolution: Starting a Church Revolution through Serving by Dino Rizzo
The Old Church Downtown: An Incomplete History of The First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana edited by Jack Hyles
Jerry Falwell: His Life and Legacy by Macel Falwell
Goliath: The Life of Robert Schuller by James Penner
Exponential: How You and Your Friends Can Start a Missional Church Movement by Dave and Jon Ferguson (Community Christian Church)
Confessions of a Reformission Rev: Hard Lessons From an Emerging Missional Church by Mark Driscoll (Mars Hill Church)
Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church: Mandate, Commitments and Practices of a Diverse Congregation by Mark Deymaz
Hybrid Church: The Fusion of Intimacy and Impact by Dave Browning (Christ the King Community Church)
Go BIG: Lead Your Church to Explosive Growth by Bill Easum and Bil Cornelius
Dangerous Church: Risking Everything to Reach Everyone by John Bishop (Living Hope Church)

Harvest: The Amazing Story of Calvary Chapel by Chuck Smith and Tal Brooke (Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa)

Vision Lost and Found: Story of a Church that Got Stuck but Didn't Stay There, by Tim Stevens (Granger Community Church)

One of the earliest and most productive writers about growing churches in America is Elmer Towns. A number of his early books are out of print but are available as free downloads here. I mention several of his books in my blog on "First Megachurch?"

Books about Growing to Very Large Sizes

Megachurches & American Cities: How Churches Grow by John N. Vaughn
How to Break Growth Barriers by Carl George with Warren Bird
Prepare Your Church for the Future by Carl George with Warren Bird
The Seven-Day-A-Week Church by Lyle E. Schaller
The Very Large Church: New Rules for Leaders by Lyle E. Schaller

Scholarly Books about Megachurches

Reinventing American Protestantism: Christianity in the New Millennium by Donald E. Miller.
Seeker Churches: Promoting Traditional Religion in a Nontraditional Way by Kimon H. Sargent
The Megachurches and the Mainline. Remaking Religious Tradition in the 21st Century by Stephen Ellington
Black Megachurch Culture: Models for Education and Empowerment by Sandra L. Barnes
The Commercial Church: Black Churches and the New Religious Marketplace in America by Mary Hinton
Beyond Megachurch Myths: What We Can Learn From America's Largest Churches by Scott Thumma and Dave Travis
From Meetinghouse to Megachurch: A Material and Cultural History by Anne C. Loveland and Otis B. Wheeler
Big Churches Getting Bigger by Tony Morgan and Ben Stroup (Kindle only)

Please use the “comments” function below to add books you think would be helpful.

Additional Fun Facts about Megachurches

For more blogs in this “megachurch” series, see also “World’s First Megachurch?”, "Youngest Megachurch Pastor?" , “Megachurch Languages?” and "Biggest Megachurch Sanctuaries?". For international perspectives, see my listing of global megachurches.

Want to Learn More About Megachurches?

On June 4-8, 2012, I will teach a one-week, extremely practical course named "Megachurches: Studying and Visiting” at Hartford Seminary in Hartford, CT. You or others on your church’s staff can enroll for no credit as an auditor, for master’s level credit, or for doctor of ministry level credit.

Topics we’ll cover in class and on our site visits include:

- How a church becomes a megachurch: What can their success teach us?

- What we can learn about volunteers: finding them, training them, supporting them; - Mission/vision of megachurches vs. other churches, likewise the role of innovation in church;

- Megachurch attenders: Who are all these people? What attracts them? Why do they stay – or go?

- Commitment and participation in the megachurch

- Megachurch leadership, both staff and volunteer

- Challenges and critiques, new trends and implications

- Denominational affiliation, denominational relationships

- How megachurches develop diversity

Unsure if this is for you? See this excellent, short article about what churches of ALL sizes can learn from megachurches.

Questions? Contact Hartford Seminary’s Registrar Karen Rollins at 860-509-9511 or registrar@hartsem.edu. To download the syllabus or a registration form, visit http://www.hartsem.edu/courses/32

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Books

Church Mergers: Survival or Mission Driven?

Leadership Network — 2012-05-08T15:00+00:00

In this short video, coauthors Jim Tomberlin and Warren Bird talk about their favorite quotes from Better Together: Making Church Mergers Work.

To order your copy of Better Together visit Leadnet.org/bookstore

Author: Leadership Network

Topics: Books

Reviews Coming in for New Book Better Together

Warren Bird — 2012-05-01T13:44+00:00

Last week, the day Better Together came off the press, I was meeting with a pastor who said, “The strangest thing happened yesterday,” and told me of another pastor he had known for years coming to him and asking, “Could we merge with your church?” I pulled out a hot-off-the-press copy of the book and handed it to him. Below is a description of that book from one of the many reviews coming out. Please take a look, because you never know if God has a merger in your future. – Warren Bird.

Review by DAVE PATCHIN from his blog CHURCHAccomplished.

Like chocolate and peanut butter or “Peaches & Herb,” some things are better together. That’s the premise of a new church leadership book released today by Leadership Network and Josey Bass.

Better Together: Making Church Mergers Work, by Jim Tomberlin and Warren Bird, went on sale recently and is the first book on church mergers, and unlike most “first” books, it’s insightful and practical. It is a must read for any church leader in a church that has struggled to find adequate facilities to expand, is passionate about a particular community where they do not have connection, or for those leading churches that are stuck or struggling.

The book does an excellent job of identifying the kind of churches that would be a good fit for a merger, which upon examination, is nearly all. It also identifies that in most mergers there is a “lead church” and a “joining church” that often is struggling or stuck and looking for an infusion of life. As well it provides helpful categories on how to think through mergers (rebirth, adoption, marriage, icu).

But beyond the theoretical categories, Better Together is an intensely practical resource. Bird and Tomberlin cover things like legal questions and how to start a merger conversation with other church leaders. They provide dozens of examples and in depth discussion of a few mergers in each category to give you a sense of how mergers progress and are derailed. There are appendices with research, examples, checklists, faq’s, categories to examine for fit as well as a list of churches used as examples.

If your church has been stuck or struggling, or is trying to find a way to expand your kingdom impact, this book will expand your thinking and help you move into the process with passion and practicality. You may discover your church is Better Together.

Dave Patchin is a Christ follower who has spent the past 25 years working with leaders in a large student ministry and a large local church.

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Books Learnings

Short on Time? Read One Chapter of Permanent Revolution

Leadership Network — 2012-04-24T17:00+00:00

If you only have time to read one chapter of Permanent Revolution, coauthors Alan Hirsch and Tim Catchim share which one.

To order your copy of Permanent Revolution, go to leadnet.org/bookstore

Author: Leadership Network

Topics: Books

What’s on Your Mind? With Dr. R. Robert Creech

Greg Ligon — 2012-04-18T13:31+00:00

This week's installment of "What's on Your Mind?" is with Dr. R. Robert Creech. Dr. Creech is a Professor at Baylor University and Co-Author of "The Leader's Journey." In addition, he spent twenty-two years as the Senior Pastor of University Baptist Church in Houston, TX. Join me for a moment as we gain some insight on Dr. Creech.

1. What big issues or concepts are you currently thinking about or working on?
The biggest issue on my mind currently is the question of how best to prepare pastors for a future church whose form and context are so unpredictable.

2. What book are you reading right now and what are you learning from it?
I'm reading Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry by Thomas C. Oden. Oden argues that the best way to prepare for ministry in a postmodern era is to look back to the foundations of Scripture and the Church's experience, especially in its first five hundred years.

3. Other than the Bible, what book has been the most foundational for your ministry?
That's a tough question. I'm going to go with Eugene Peterson's The Contemplative Pastor. Besides its own content, that book introduced me to Peterson as a pastoral thinker, to Wendell Berry, and to the practice of spiritual direction. All of these have proven foundational to me.

4. Where do you go to explore new ideas? What kind of environments inspire you?
I find new ideas generated often when I'm seated on my John Deere lawn tractor mowing the three acres around our house at "the farm" in Floresville, Texas.

5. Just for fun: what’s your favorite coffeehouse beverage?
I get black, bold, brewed coffee almost every time -- no room, no sugar, no flavors. Just beans and water.

***************************************

Learn more about Dr. R. Robert Creech through his blog or follow him on twitter.

Author: Greg Ligon

Topics: Books Learnings

What More Pastors Say about “The Other 80 Percent”

Warren Bird — 2012-04-12T18:33+00:00

We're getting some amazing feedback from The Other 80%: Turning Your Church’s Spectators into Active Disciples. I was moved by this email from one pastor who read it. Here are excerpts of what he said:

Thank you for the book - I enjoyed it!

Why?

For one thing I agree with your overall assessment that Jesus calls us all to ministry, and that means that we all need to be involved at whatever level we are capable of performing.

Also, I agree that churches need to "work" better at getting people involved, not for the sake of involvement, but for spiritual growth and fulfillment.

Another important point (maybe the most important) is learning to listen - not just to the 20%, but everyone. I admit that it took me years to learn "how to listen" effectively. It is something that is an acquired skill.

One thing I am going to do right away is change the name we give to members. I have thought about this for a while but reading your thoughts on membership gave me the impetus to make the change. Several months ago, I changed the bulletin to read:

Pastor:_________ [his name]

Ministers: The Congregation

People picked up on right away - and liked it!

Next month I will be welcoming to the new church its newest "Ministers." In the bulletin I will say that the church is adding new people to its "Ministry Team." Thanks.

God Bless,

Pastor ________

This pastor, who I’ve never met, really gets what the book is all about. He sees that it’s important to pastor everyone who identifies with his church, and that different groups within the church need different strategies and approaches, most of which start with good listening. And he saw how practical the book is, because he’s putting it right to work – and with good results. Don’t let this issue be the frog in the kettle for your church – the problem that’s always there, but creeps in so slowly that you don’t notice the temperature change until it’s too late!

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Books

Favorite Quotes: Permanent Revolution

Leadership Network — 2012-04-10T17:00+00:00

Does the design of your organization support your goals? In this short video, coauthors Alan Hirsch and Tim Catchim share their favorite quotes.

To order your copy of Permanent Revolution visit leadnet.org/bookstore

Author: Leadership Network

Topics: Books

What’s on Your Mind? With Brian McLaren

Stephanie Plagens — 2012-03-26T18:25+00:00

What's on Your Mind? is the theme for this post, and more to come. We asked all 64 of our Leadership Network book series authors to tell us what they're thinking -- by answering the five questions below. To start this series of posts, here are some thoughts from Brian McLaren.

1. What big issues or concepts are you currently thinking about or working on?
My next book, "Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road," is about Christian identity in a multi-faith world. I'm eager to explore how we can develop strong Christian identity that is not hostile towards people who don't share that identity. Which historic, doctrinal, liturgical, and missional characteristics lead towards a hostile religious identity and which lead towards a hospitable one?

2. What book are you reading right now and what are you learning from it?
I'm reading a biography of Thomas Jefferson, which is helping me understand some of the roots of current political polarization.

3. Other than the Bible, what book has been the most foundational for your ministry?
Walker Percy's The Message in the Bottle.

4. Where do you go to explore new ideas? What kind of environments inspire you?
Good music wakes up my brain, and great lectures do the same. So I like to go to places where I can hear great live music and sharp speakers speak freely.

5. Just for fun: what’s your favorite coffeehouse beverage?
Mocha is my coffeehouse indulgence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian D. McLaren is the author of several books, including A New Kind of Christian and The Story We Find Ourselves In.

Learn more about brian at his website brianmclaren.net, or follow him on Twitter @BrianMcLaren

Author: Stephanie Plagens

Topics: Books

Applying Business Concepts to a Ministry Setting

Leadership Network — 2012-03-26T07:15+00:00

Author Mike Bonmen shares why he wrote Great AND Godly Leadership?

To order your copy of this book In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership visit 100x.chirstianbook.com.

How have you applied business concepts to a ministry setting? Tell us your experience.

Author: Leadership Network

Topics: Books

The Other 80 Percent: Turning Your Church’s Spectators Into Active Participants

Warren Bird — 2012-03-22T18:18+00:00

Andrew Ploucher recently reviewed Scott Thumma ‘s and my book, “The Other 80 Percent: Turning Your Church’s Spectators Into Active Participants”, in the Presbyterian Outlook.

Review by ANDREW PLOUCHER

What about the inactive members? Where’d they go? If you’ve ever asked this question, deflected it during a tense session meeting or been frustrated with the challenges of developing a more active church membership, “The Other 80 Percent” is a must read.

Scott Thumma and Warren Bird delve into the challenging world of reaching congregation members who are on the fringe. Much like Albert Winseman’s “Growing an Engaged Church” (Gallup, 2007), they articulate vast quantities of well-researched data, and similar to Larry Osborne’s “Sticky Church” (Zondervan, 2008), they give strong practical suggestions. Portions of Thumma and Bird’s book may not seem new, yet, as a whole, with new research and innovative approaches it offers a provocative look at the failures and possible fixes of the church in reaching its own membership. It will leave you thinking and yearning to reach your own congregation in new ways.

Opening with a modified parable of the Good Shepherd, Thumma and Bird ask you to consider why the church and its leaders keep letting the sheep wander away, expecting new ones to come and take their place. Their answer to the question is an exploration of the Pareto principle: researching both the active 20 percent and less active (or inactive) 80 percent. By interviewing thousands of active and inactive church members, Thumma and Bird are able to offer their own suggestions for missional and spiritual growth.

Thumma and Bird emphasize “that church leadership stands a greater chance of retaining its participants and generating more robust involvement if it can: solidify emotional bonds between persons; communicate a clear vision of the church’s ideals and give members ownership to these ideals; generate rewards for staying involved, such as acknowledgement, training, and leadership opportunities; (and) develop in members a sense of spiritual maturity, discipleship, and spiritual fulfillment.” To those ends, they encourage the creation of listening and learning groups to find ways of helping inactive members move toward a life of discipleship. In the final four chapters of the book, they expound upon the four themes presented above, sharing ideas and opportunities as well as common pitfalls and stumbling blocks. They move you from listening and learning to concrete actions for church leadership.

Yet, for Thumma and Bird, the strongest emphasis of the book is that the health of the congregation corresponds directly with the potential to return less active members to the life of the church.

Just as they began, they close with the parable of the Good Shepherd, only this time the question considered is whether you are seeking the lost sheep and training others to seek those sheep as well.

If not, give this book a read.

ANDREW PLOUCHER is pastor of New Hope Presbyterian Church in Olny, Md.

“Reprinted with permission from the Presbyterian Outlook www.pres-outlook.org.”

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Books

Leadership Network Author Notes with Darrin Patrick

Greg Ligon — 2012-03-19T17:00+00:00

In his second book, "For The City,” Darrin Patrick partners with Matt Carter to practically equip churches with relevant tools to engage urban culture in their city. As an author and lead pastor of The Journey Church in St. Louis, Darrin is constantly looking for new ways to reach people who are "underserved." I was recently able to ask Darrin a few questions regarding his reading and writing.

1. Why is reading important to you, and how do you find or make time to read books and blogs?

Mark Twain has supposedly said, “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.” I think the ability to read and write are gifts from God. It is really an issue of priority. I have the time to read, but will I take it?

2. What books are you currently reading that you would recommend to our readers?

I am reading a business book called Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Bossidy, Charan and Burck because our church culture is vision-oriented and too much of that can be a real weakness. I am also reading a great little book by Greg Gilbert called “What is the Gospel?”

3. How do you make time to write books or blog?

I have a set time every week that I write and I take two or three writing retreats a year

4. What is the “big idea” of your latest book in a Leadership Network book series?

As Christians, we are called to build a great city, not just a good church.

5. If leaders only had time right now to read one chapter of your book, which one would your recommend... and why?

“Confessions”, in which Matt Carter and I tell all of our dumb mistakes.

Author: Greg Ligon

Topics: Books Learnings

How to Intentionally Cultivate New Leaders-Relationally

Warren Bird — 2012-03-15T13:42+00:00

Most pastors have discovered that teaching alone, even outstanding preaching, is not enough to empower and release people into leadership. In today’s era, both discipleship and leadership development happen best through relationships that we intentionally create and sustain. That’s the sweet spot for this new book with an unusual title, Amplified Leadership: Five Practices to Establish Influence, Build People, and Impact Others for a Lifetime.

This book is unique in being relationally based while also mapping out a specific process to follow. It walks you through establishing a relationship, engaging a follower, embracing a team member, coaching an apprentice, mentoring a new leader – and then championing the cycle as it replicates through those new leaders as they invest in others. It takes the approach of people development in ways that develop them (and you) spiritually at each point. A typical quote: “Your main job is not to grow a specific ministry in your church, or even the church overall. It is to grow people” (page 60).

The author is my friend @danreiland, executive pastor of an amazing church and author of the semimonthly e-newsletter, “The Pastor’s Coach”. He is one of the most insightful leadership coaches I know, and this book captures the process he has used and refined over many years.

Underlying everything he says is the message that the leaders you develop – or don’t develop – will determine your church’s future. He’s right, and his breakthrough book can help many of us produce a greater harvest of needed leaders. When we successfully empower and release people into leadership, we give them the opportunity to fulfill both their God-given potential and to advance the mission of the church. And in the process our own leadership will be “amplified.”

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Books

Leadership Network Author Notes with Dave Gibbons

Greg Ligon — 2012-03-12T15:00+00:00

Author, activist and strategist, Dave Gibbons, is a world reknown "game changer" and Lead Pastor of Newsong Church. In his first book, The Monkey and the Fish: Liquid Leadership for a Third-Culture Church, Dave has challenged an entire generation of leaders to embrace our culturally diverse world with relevancy and compassion. Calling it "The Third Culture," masterfully details how adaptability in our churches and organizations can create the ultimate environment to grow relationships with Christ.

Take a moment to get a quick glimpse into Dave's reading and writing.

1. Why is reading important to you, and how do you find or make time to read books and blogs?

Reading expands my thinking, ignites ideas, evokes action.
I make time daily to read mostly posts, FB notes, tweets to keep current. Books I read as I travel. It's not natural for me. It's something I have to choose to do. I'm typically one who likes to experience more than sit and read. It's a discipline.

2. What books are you currently reading that you would recommend to our readers?

Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company That Changed the World by Chris Lowney

DE-CODED by Jay-Z

3. How do you make time to write books or blog?

Schedule blocks of time. And mostly, when I'm feeling it. Inspiration usually has to strike for me to get moving!

4. What is the “big idea” of your most recent book in a Leadership Network book series?

MONKEY and the FISH: LIQUID LEADERSHIP FOR A THIRD CULTURE CHURCH
In two words: PAINFUL ADAPTATION
Loving your neighbor is loving those not like you. This requires painful adaptation.

5. If leaders only had time right now to read one chapter of your book, which one would your recommend... and why?

Hmmmm. . . How about just closing your eyes, thumb through the pages and reading the chapter where your thumb rests. It could be providential. Man, I don't know what chapter for you to read. Depends where you may be. That's a third culture answer.

Author: Greg Ligon

Topics: Books Learnings

Too many books, too little time.

Leadership Network — 2012-03-12T07:06+00:00

How to choose what to read? In this short video, author Mike Bomen, of In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership shares his insight.

To order your copy of this book In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership visit 100x.christianbook.com

How do you choose what to read? Share your comments.

Author: Leadership Network

Topics: Books

Wipe Your Nos and Buts

Greg Ligon — 2012-03-01T18:47+00:00

No. Not yet. Of course not! I have no money. I have no time. I have no _____________.

But I can't. But I don't know how! But what about _________________. But what will they _____________________.

For every yes we can come up with about an idea, I'm sure we can think of a hundred nos and buts. The internal and external battles can become quite overwhelming. These battles can lead to exhaustion, discouragement, paralysis and even death of an idea. It's definitely true that when it comes to ideas, only the stong survive.

Does it have to be that way?

In his new book, Good Ideas. Now What?, Charles Lee helps you "wipe the nos and buts" from your ideas. He introduces a variety of insights and tools that will help you to move your "ideas to execution." Grab a copy today and then share your thoughts about how you move from idea to implementation to impact through the comments section for this post.

For additional resources on moving your ideas to implementation to impact, check out the Leadership Network program offerings here.

Author: Greg Ligon

Topics: Leadership Development Books Digital Learnings

Favorite Quote: In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership

Leadership Network — 2012-02-27T05:01+00:00

In this short video, author Mike Bonem responds to the question, "What is your favorite quote from In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership?"

To order your copy of In Pursuit of Great and Godly Leadership visit 100x.christianbookcom

Author: Leadership Network

Topics: Books

One Chapter to Read: In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership

Leadership Network — 2012-02-13T17:49+00:00

In this short video, author Mike Bonem responds to the question, "If leaders only had time to read one chapter of your book, which would you recommend?"

To order your copy of In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership visit 100x.christianbook.com

Author: Leadership Network

Topics: Books

Hijacked - When Our Politics Trump Our Theology

Warren Bird — 2012-02-10T13:33+00:00

As another pivotal election approaches, there is no shortage of articles on the question of whether pastors are legally allowed to speak out about politics, such as this insightful overview by Jim Garlow. It seems we can.

Likewise many have argued that personal faith must inform the values we bring into public policy, such as this excerpt from Personal Faith, Public Policy by Pastor Harry Jackson and lobbyist Tony Perkins. Others argue strongly that Christians must speak up, such as Tom Minnery’s challenging book, Why You Can’t Stay Silent

Now my friend Mike Slaughter has just co-authored a book that explores the partisan church divide: what happens when Christians are strongly identified with a particular political party -- ANY party. The title is Hijacked because, the book argues, “there has been a growing tendency to conflate one's theological commitments with one's political ideology.” As a consequence, partisan politics has infiltrated our churches and political commitments are creating unnecessary divisions and a political discourse that is growing more rancorous and increasingly uncivil. Of most concern, these trends generally tend to obscure the properly holistic nature of the Gospel of Christ and turn people off to Christianity altogether.

The more biblical approach, according to Hijacked, is that “Jesus is neither a Republican nor a Democrat, conservative nor liberal. Jesus refused to sell out to the religious and political systems of his day. He stood in prophetic tension with both, and we as his followers must learn to do the same” (xviii). Throughout the book, the emphasis is on each of us being known as Christian first, and someone identified with a particular political party second, and even as we put our identity in Christ first, to live in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we may disagree politically.

The three authors are Mike Slaughter, lead pastor of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church ; Charles Gutenson, faculty at Asbury Seminary and former staffer at Sojourners; and Robert P. Jones, on staff with the Public Religion Research Institute.

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Books

Where Is the Global Church Headed?

Warren Bird — 2012-02-02T17:06+00:00

No one is better at stimulating discussion about this question than Patrick Johnstone, editor of six editions of Operation World, and now compiler of The Future of the Global Church: History, Trends and Possibilities. It’s a massive 240-page project, six years in preparation, and richly illustrated on every page. It has almost as many graphics as text. You can spend hours studying it, and then come back another day and spend more time, learning even more. I know because I did, benefitting immensely.

What’s unique about this book is that it not only presents the religious dynamics of each country and region of the world, but it also examines the presence of Christians there, identifying each branch of Christianity country by country, and especially bringing out the role of evangelicals. He also has a major region-by-region section on the unevangelized.

Johnstone is hopeful and optimistic in his conclusions, but equally sobering about all that must happen before “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9 and Habakkuk 2:14). For example, in many countries where the gospel seems to be making good progress, it’s actually disproportionately represented by migrant workers, expatriates, or one particular people group.

Here are a few “did you know?” items that I learned:

- There are 22 mission agencies that each have over 1,000 missionaries in service. Who’s the largest? Answer: For the year 2010, Campus Crusade for Christ International with 9,913 workers in 128 fields.

- In 1900 Britain was the largest sender of missionaries, eclipsed soon by the United States. In 2010, 3 of the top 4 missionary-sending countries were Asian. If USA sends the most in 2010 (95,000), who comes next? Answer: India (82,950), South Korea (21,500), China (20,000), Nigeria (6,644), and then the United Kingdom (6,405).

- What are the top three countries where missionaries were sent in 2000? Answer: to India (42,023), to the USA (20,219) and to Brazil (6,966).

- In how many countries is less than 1% of the population affiliated with any branch of Christianity? Answer: 24. If you exclude Christian “foreigners” living in various countries, the answer is 35. As with all other stats, the book depicts them in a helpful graphic.

- Where are the people groups with the least exposure to the gospel? Answer: North Africa and the Middle East, followed by Asia. This area has been described as the 10/40 Window, and several graphics analyze it.

- Where are the most evangelicals? Answer: USA, followed by China, then Nigeria, India, Brazil, Ethiopia, Philippines, Kenya, Uganda, Congo and Indonesia. On that list, the ranking of China and Indonesia surprised me the most. In a few years China's evangelical population will most likely surpass that of the USA!

The book is well worth the price, and along with the purchase comes free or discounted access to various additional data and visuals available online.

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Books

Leadership Network Author Notes with Brandon Hatmaker

Greg Ligon — 2012-01-06T17:05+00:00

There's got to be more to church than this. Barefoot Church shows us how today's church can be a catalyst for individual, collective and social renewal in any context. Author, Brandon Hatmaker, is pastor of Austin New Church, co-founder of Restore Austin and a missional strategist with Missio. Take a look behind the curtain with Brandon's thoughts on reading and writing.

1. Why is reading important to you, and how do you find or make time to read books and blogs?

I know it’s probably not the norm for an author, but I’m not a natural reader. In fact, it’s more of a discipline for me than it is a pleasure. But my mind is wired in such a way that I love to learn, especially as a problem solver. So as a practitioner, reading to learn has always been my greatest motivation. Early in my ministry career I was challenged to not limit my exposure to people from my own “tribe”. When all we do is hang out with people like us, listen to people like us, and get advice from people like us, and who think like us… we never get outside the box, and never learn anything new. As a church leader and pastor, reading became increasingly important as I felt challenged to expand my thinking in response to our constantly changing context and culture.

As far as the time for reading goes… honestly, I’ve come to the place where I can’t afford not to make time to read books and blogs. I learn so much from them it actually saves time.

2. What books are you currently reading that you would recommend to our readers?

I typically don’t read one book straight through… instead I float between books depending on my mood or what’s on my mind. I have a pretty random list at the top of my Kindle right now. Here’s the top 5: Generous Justice by Tim Keller, Faith of Leap by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch, Leadership is Dead by Jeremie Kubicek, AND by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, and The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

3. How do you make time to write books or blog?

I don’t force myself to write. I write when I feel I have something to say. I’m a verbal processor so when I don’t have someone to process something with out loud, I write it down or type it out. Usually by the end I have even more clarity than when I started. When something pops into my mind I need to write about, it takes me over. So it’s less about making time to write and more about expressing my thoughts tangibly so I can process them (or even move on from them). Most of my blogs are written late at night or right before I go to bed.

4. What is the “big idea” of your latest book in a Leadership Network book series?

For a season in my life it seemed like everyone I ran into wanted to do something of significance with their faith outside the church walls but didn’t know where to start. Likewise, many pastors seemed to really struggle with the concept of sending or equipping their people to live on mission without it seemingly becoming a threat to their existing structures. This creates a massive tension within the church on a topic that Scripture is anything but silent about. Barefoot Church emerged out of a heart to see both the seeker and the leader find balance, gain permission, and make a priority out of serving the least as an essential part of living on mission. It does so through providing simple and reproducible practices that could be integrated into any church structure. It’s not about modifying our behavior it’s about learning to live out the gospel as a part of our new identity in Christ.

5. If leaders only had time right now to read one chapter of your book, which one would your recommend... and why?

This is a tough question since the book builds on itself throughout each chapter. But if I had to choose I’d suggest the Chapter entitled “Good news for the Un-churched and De-churched”. In this chapter we address most of the issues and concerns that typically come up when it comes to serving the least. We deal with the idea of a holistic Gospel, address the doctrinal issues on how serving today is different than yesteryears “social gospel”, and we connect the dots to a changing posture of the church that is necessary to reach the increasing demographic of the de-churched and un-churched America.

Author: Greg Ligon

Topics: Books Learnings

What is Sacrilege?

Stephanie Plagens — 2011-11-03T19:24+00:00

Hugh Halter (author of The Tangible Kingdom and AND) has written a new book called Sacrilege (you can find all these titles here). Most of the books in the Leadership Network series are written specifically for church leaders, but Sacrilege (published by Baker, and part of the Shapevine Missional series) will appeal to a much broader audience. In fact, Hugh forwarded an email to me that I am excepting below, describing what Sacrilege is all about.

Hi friends,

Today marks the opening bell for the release of my latest book called Sacrilege. On blogs, articles, and other public comments, I try to avoid any “self promotion,” but on this one, I’m going to take the risk because I believe it will be of immense help if you are a Christian leader or unpaid saint. If you know me personally, you’ve probably heard me say that I hate to write…but even more, I feel incredible frustration and pain over the state of the church and what may happen to our story of faith if things keep going the way they are. Behind this, is a father’s heart and hope that someday my own children will be inspired enough by the Gospel of Jesus to give their lives for Him. This concern has led me to write a book that transcends the issue of CHURCH, and which centers the conversation at the systemic issue that every leader, every pastor, and every Christian must understand.

This issue? “How are Christians to live in the World?” Said, more theologically… “What does it mean to live an incarnational life?’ Said, more practically…”What does it mean to become like Jesus?”

Yes, I know that the predominant conversation for church leaders has been about being “missional” but that simply means to be “Sent.” But if you’re sent or you go on mission or you have a missional church but your people don’t know what to do, how to do it, or how to be a sent agent of Christ, it will be a bad dream!

This is why Sacrilege could make a difference.

Sacrilege is about the Incarnational life of Jesus. In it, I expose Jesus as the least religious person you would have ever met, and show how his non-churchy ways and his absolute sacrilege with the scriptures, the Sabbath, sin, sinners, and a host of other kingpin issues, were exactly why people were drawn to him. But the book isn’t about Jesus. It’s about us.
If Jesus said, “Go and make disciples,” we must conclude, he meant, “Go and develop people into my likeness…make them like I was.” Thus, Sacrilege is my attempt to reframe what it means to be a disciple or apprentice of Jesus’ counter-culture Gospel.

Sacrilege is a walk through the Beatitudes as a grid for Kingdom living and each chapter should begin to erode away some long held beliefs that have made us very ‘unlike,’ Jesus. Yes, there are some pretty hard challenges and you may even find that you’re afraid for your people to really live out what I’m suggesting. You may even find that you have to think through long held practices of Christian leadership.

But as honest and as heartfelt as I can say it, I believe most Evangelicals and Mainline Christians have no clue what true incarnational life looks or feels like and until they get it, our churches, and your church will continue to fail the harvest, including your own children.

Why do I think Sacrilege can make sense out of the mundane Christian paradigm? Because it made sense to my own daughter. This message sent to my church community on Facebook last week.

“So today I went to Starbucks with 3 of my girlfriends and dedicated myself to reading my Dad's latest book, Sacrilege. After just finishing the introduction and the first chapter, I'm already feeling a stronger connection to Jesus. Lately my life has had some pretty rough patches and I haven't been able to be my normal happy, lovin self. At this point I feel so happy and I feel as though maybe things are starting to look up, and I'm finding faith in God to lead me to bigger and better things. I just want to thank my Dad for the amazing life he has blessed me with and allowing me to find Jesus on my own, and I truly believe I have. I love you Dad and I hope you have a safe trip. I'll be praying for you.
Love, Kenna”

How to Use Sacrilege?

The Tangible Kingdom and And..The Gathered and Scattered Church are both leadership books, but the TK Primer, and Barefoot Primer, and Sacrilege are all resources geared to helping normal people live incarnationally and in community.
If your church is a long way down the road of processing missionality, if you’re a church planter, or have a pretty savvy group of Christians, I’d have them all read Sacrilege as a preparation for missional community and cultural engagement. Many folks have used our TK Primer, and Sacrilege would be a great pre-read or after TK Primer experience. We do have a simple “free download” study guide available that you can get on our Missio site. (www.missio.us)

Also, Sacrilege would be a perfect book to give to friends that have had some church background but who have tapped out.

If you’ve already taken your small group or missional community through the TK Primer experience, Sacrilege would be a great read for your people as an ongoing discussion about incarnational life.

If you’re church or small group is a bit more traditional, I’d suggest you only give it to your stout-hearted, missionary minded folks. The concepts may be a bit tough on those whose faith has been centered around the church.

As you consider your own life and faithfulness to Jesus, I pray you’ll become a sacrilegious disciple too!

Thanks,

hugh

I have just started reading it myself, but I am encouraged by what I've read so far, and would encourage you to pick up a copy, read it, and share it with a friend. Here's a short video introducing the book.

Don't miss Hugh Halter next Thursday, Nov. 10 during connectLIVE - a free online event. Pre-register & learn more at connectlive2011.tv

Author: Stephanie Plagens

Topics: Books

Barefoot Church is now available!

Stephanie Plagens — 2011-11-02T15:51+00:00

Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture, by Brandon Hatmaker, is now available at most online retailers in paperback and ebook formats. Below is a series of video interviews where Brandon talks about why he wrote the book, and what he hopes people will take away after reading Barefoot Church.

Author: Stephanie Plagens

Topics: Books

Reggie McNeal Writes to the Heart of Leadership

Stephanie Plagens — 2011-10-18T19:40+00:00

Leadership Network is happy to announce a newly updated edition of A Work of Heart: Understanding How God Shapes Spiritual Leaders is now available. First published in 2000, the updated edition includes a new preface from author Reggie McNeal, sharing his 10-year perspective on the landscape of spiritual leadership. The book also includes questions for discussion or reflection in your personal spiritual leadership journey.

In A Work of Heart Reggie helps leaders reflect on the ways in which God is shaping them by letting us see God at work in the lives of four quintessential biblical leaders: Moses, David, Jesus, and Paul. Reggie identifies the formative influences upon these leaders, which he sees as God's ways of working in their lives: the same influences at work today forming leaders for ministry in our times. He explores the shaping influence of culture, call, community, conflict, and the commonplace.

I asked Reggie to share some thoughts about revisiting A Work of Heart:

How has your perspective on church leadership changed since A Work of Heart was originally published?

I am more convinced than ever that leaders must pay attention to their interior lives in order to be effective spiritual leaders.

In the preface, you mention that of all the books you've written, this book is your favorite. Why is that?

Everyone is interested in their own personal development. Turning people into leaders is an easy thing for God to do. Turning leaders into people is much more challenging. I enjoy observing how he does it.

What's the biggest takeaway you hope to leave readers with?

I want to underscore for leaders that they must become guides in matters of the heart. Spiritual leadership has, as its primary assignment, the responsibility to reflect the heart of God to those in our leadership constellation. This requires that we understand how we co-conspire with God in our own heart-shaping, which in turn helps us become more adept in helping others understand this fundamental process of making meaning out of life.

Which of the four leaders' stories (Moses, David, Jesus, Paul) do you personally most identify with?

I know the right answer is Jesus, but I think that different periods of my life actually identify more with one leader than another. As a young man, I think David was particularly easy to identify with--not because of his murder and adultery--but because of his passion and brashness. He had a heart for God that I wanted. As a church planter, I identified with Moses, especially at the point of helping people transition from one way of life to another and in moving God's people through wilderness experiences. Now, I have a certain kinship with Paul, trying to articulate a movement to people who are investigating it as a way of life. In my case, it is the missional church movement, with its theological and missiological implications that move us from a church-centric to a kingdom-centric pursuit. It is a very challenging assignment, given that our theology and methodology for the past 1700 years has been congregational-centric. We are now in the process of having to redo our theological categories for a movement that has taken to the street. For many, this is as hard to imagine as it was for first-century converts to grasp what the birth of the church meant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reggie McNeal is the missional leadership specialist for Leadership Network. Drawing on twenty years of leadership roles in local congregations and his work over the last two decades with thousands of clergy and church leaders, he counsels local churches, denominational groups, seminaries and colleges, and parachurch organizations in their leadership development needs.

To download a free sample chapter of this book, and to order your copy, visit 100X.christianbook.com

Author: Stephanie Plagens

Topics: Books

Help with a Church Merger?

Warren Bird — 2011-10-06T13:24+00:00

Various people contact our department through research@leadnet.org, and my team fields those replies. Here’s a recent one that I think a lot of people would be interested in:

Q: I was reading a magazine article that quoted you speaking about the growing trend in healthy church mergers. I was looking into the possibility of finding another church to merge with in my area. How should I begin?

A: Here’s the entirety of what I wrote:

First step would be to decide whether your congregation would be the “joining church” or the “lead church.” Either way, praying for guidance at each step, the most typical path is to work through the relationships with other church leaders you know. If you’re in the joining church role, is there a church you admire – one that seems to be a good match in doctrine and approach to ministry, but has a level of growth, vitality and momentum that your church doesn’t. Or if you’re wanting to be the lead church, which means you have a healthy level of growth, vitality and momentum, is there a smaller church whom you have relationship with, and who you could ask, “Is there a way we could help you?” And see where the conversation goes.

If you’re looking down the road a bit, then please buy the first book on church mergers to come off the press, slated for late April 2012: Better Together: Making Church Mergers Work, Jim Tomberlin and Warren Bird, Jossey-Bass, 2012.

May God give you the guidance and wisdom you seek.

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Books

Leadership Network Author Notes with Larry Osborne

Greg Ligon — 2011-08-29T09:59+00:00

Pioneer - that's Larry Osborne. When I think of the pioneers of yesteryear I think of individuals that were willing to venture into the unknown while at the same time being fully aware of the realities of each step of the journey. They were high risk leaders with real life sensabilities. That's Larry Osborne. I first met Larry about 8-9 years ago as Leadership Network was launching its first Leadership Community for Multisite Churches. His pioneering work in the development of video venues was, and is, shaping a significant stream of the multisite movement. In his book, Sticky Church, Larry tells the story of the DNA of his church, Northcoast Church in Vista, CA. In this interview, Larry talks about reading and writing. Enjoy!

Why is reading important to you, and how do you find or make time to read books and blogs.

Reading has always been important to me. I grew up loving to read. I used to tell my kids, “If you can read, you can do anything.” I really believe that.

I find that reading opens up a plethora of mentors that I would otherwise never be able to access. Better yet, I can glean from their knowledge at my own pace and on my own schedule. How amazing is that?

Reading also helps me stay abreast of the ever-changing culture I minister in. It helps me understand the workplace and professions that my people toil in. It challenges me spiritually. And finally, it enables me to get outside the boundaries of my own tribe, education, and experiences.

Frankly, finding time to read has seldom been a problem. Putting a good book or journal down to get on with the task at hand is far tougher. Most of my reading takes place in the morning (I don’t do breakfast meetings for that reason). I also tend to read in the evening as a way to wind down.

I love browsing on the Internet. As a kid, I loved libraries, fascinated by all the knowledge contained on the shelves but totally intimidated and unsure as to how to access it all. Thanks to Google, that is no longer a problem.

What books are you currently reading that you would recommend to our readers?

I am enjoying Erasing Hell by Francis Chan and I had some great laughs reading Ir-Rev-Rend by Greg Surratt.

How do you make time to write books or blog?

I write to a deadline. I am one of those rare writers who doesn’t particularly enjoy the act of writing. I’ve never kept up on a journal more than a week or two. I much prefer having written to actually writing.

But having said that, I love to help people and empower leaders. Writing seems to be the best way to leverage the information and insights God has given me. So I write; usually 4-5 days a week for 2-3 hours per day with early morning and evening the most productive time.

I also currently have the advantage of an empty nest. I took a 13 year break from writing between my second and third book because I felt convicted that I needed to focus my attention on North Coast Church and my three kids. Once all the kids were in college, I took back evenings and weekends as my own and started writing again instead of heading off to an endless parade of their school, church, and athletic events.

By the way. It was a great decision. I have some books that will never be written, but I also have three grown kids who love Jesus, love the local church, and think Dad being a pastor is a cool gig.

What is the “big idea” of your latest book in the Leadership Network book series?

Sticky Church is a simple plea to focus on slamming the back door shut instead of always trying to open the front door wider. It’s not a book about growing a bigger church. It’s a book about growing a healthier church – one where people stick around long enough that we can fulfill the second half of the Great Commission; teaching them to obey everything that Jesus taught us.

Sticky Teams is the corollary to that. It’s designed to show how to build the type of team that can lead a healthy and sticky church. It focuses on removing the landmines that sabotage relationships on a board, staff, and within a congregation.

If leaders only had the time right now to read one chapter of your book, which one would you recommend…and why?

I would point to the first chapter of Sticky Church because it’s there that I explain why this too often neglected concept is so important if we want to truly fulfill the Great Commission.

I would point to the eighth chapter of Sticky Teams (Making Room At The Top: Why Young Eagles Don’t Stay) as a chapter that nearly every church leadership team I’ve been around could benefit from. God is generous. There is no shortage of young eagles. But there is a huge lack of understanding of how to groom, empower, and release them for ministry. The lessons and principles in that chapter can make a big difference for the future of any local church ministry.

Stay tuned next week for an inside view on reading and writing with Alan Hirsch, co-author of On the Verge.

Author: Greg Ligon

Topics: Church Planting Leadership Development Multi-Site Churches Rapid Growth Books Learnings Multi-Site

Books Ministry Leaders Are Reading, So Far

Stephanie Plagens — 2011-08-24T21:26+00:00

Earlier this week, we posted a 3-question poll, asking readers to, "Please list up to 5 books you have read recently that had direct application to your ministry or leadership."

The responses have varied greatly, so here are all the books people have read, in alpahbetical order. (The books listed in bold were mentioned by more than one person.)

Move by Greg Hawkins and Cally Parkinson
Radical, David Platt
Church Unique (Will Mancini)
On the Verge by Alan Hirsch and Dave Ferguson
Replenish -- Lance Witt
Sticky Church by Larry Osborne
Sticky Teams by Larry Osborne
Strengthening the Soul of your Leadership, Barton
Switch: How to Change When Change is Hard (Heath + Heath)
The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community, by Matt Smay & Hugh Halter
The Truth About Leadership -- Kouzes, Posner
360 Degree Leader -- John Maxwell
Ask Without Fear, Mark Pitman
Bearing Fruit by Tom Berlin and Lovett Weems
Breaking Intimidation by John Bevere
Breakout- Mark Stibbe & Andrew Williams
Building Below the Waterline by Gordon MacDonald
Change Anything (Kerry Patterson)
Chasing Daylight by Erwin Mcmanus
Chuck Swindoll: Moses
Church 3.0: Upgrades for the future of the church, Neil Cole
Clutch, Paul Sullivan
Communicating for a Change
Constants in Context, Stephen Bevans
Counterfeit Gods - Tim Keller
Cracking Your Church's Culture Code (Sam Chand)
Creating a Healthier Pastor, Robert Richardson
Cross Cultural Partnerships (Leiderleitner)
Crucial Conversations (Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, Switzler)
Dallas Willard: The Divine Conspiracy
Developing The Leader Within You by John Maxwell
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Discipleship
Does Your Bag Have Holes? by Cameron C. Taylor
Drive, Daniel Pink
Eucharistic Communion and the World, John Zizioulas
Exiles by Michael Frost
From Good to Great- Jim Collins
God According To God Schroeder
Good News about Injustice, Gary Haugen
Governing the Tongue by Jane Kamensky
Half the Church - Carolyn Custis James
Half the Sky - Nicolas Kristoff, Wu-Dunn
Humilitas by John Dickson
Hww then should we live
If the Church Were Christian by Philip Gulley
If You Bite & Devour One Another by Alexander Strauch
Ignatian Pathway, Paul Coutinho
Jesus Driven Ministry, Ajith Fernando
Know What You Don't Know by Michael Roberts
Leadership Coaching (Stoltzfus)
Leadership Essentials by Greg Ogden
Leadership Jazz, Max De Pree
Leading from the Second Chair by Mike Bonem & Roger Patterson
Leanne Payne: Crisis in Masculinity
Life Together by Dietrich Bonnoffer
Linchpin: Godin
Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You, The Life Model
Love wins Rob Bell
Maximize, Nelson Searcy
Monday Morning Choices, David Cottrell
More than Conquerors- Simon Guillebaud
Multipliers, Liz Wiseman
Muslims, Christians and Jesus, by Carl Medearis
Mystically Wired (Ken Wilson)
Necessary Endings, Cloud
Not Your Parents Offering Plate by J. Clif Christopher
Nothing To Fear: FDR's Inner Circle and the 100 days that created modern American, Adam Cohen
Outliers (Malcolm Gladwell)
Peacemaking Women by Judy Dabler & Tara Barthel
Practice Resurrection by Eugene Petersen
Principle of the Path, Stanley
Prophetic Dialogue, Stephen Bevans
Reviewing Leadership by Robert Banks & Bernice Ledbetter
Right Here, Right Now: Everyday Mission for Everyday People by Alan Hirsch and Lance Ford
Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Chambers
Starfish and the Spider
T4T: A Discipleship Re-Revolution by Steve Smith & Ying Kai
The Bible as Improve, Ron Martoia
The Black Swan (Nassim Nicholas Taleb)
The Christian Atheist, Groeschel
The Forgotten Ways, Alan Hirsch
The Glory of Preaching, D. Johnson
The Gospel According to Ruth, Carolyn Custis James
The Invisible Kingdom, Apostle John Eckhart
The Land Between, Jeff Manion
The Mind of Christ (Dennis Kinlaw)
The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons
The Other 80 Percent by Warren Bird and Scott Thumma
The Path Back To The Mind of Christ (Edward Santana-Grace)
The Power of a Whisper, BIll Hybels
The Prodical God, Timothy Keller
The Pursuit of the Holy- Simon Ponsonby
The Radical Disciple, by John Stott
The U-Turn Church by Kevin Harney and Bob Bouwer
The World Upside-Down, Melanie Phillips
The Year of Living Biblically, by AJ Jacobs
To Transform a City by Eric Swanson
Transformational Church (Ed Stetzer)
Twelve Paradoxes of the Gospel by Cameron C. Taylor
UnChristian
Untamed, Alan and Debra Hirsch
Virtue Reborn- Tom Wright
Visoneering by Andy Stanley
What Got You Here Won't Get You There, by Marshall Goldsmith
What They Didn't Teach You in Seminary, by James Emery White
When Helping Hurts, Corbett

Have you read any of these books? Are there others that should be added to the list of books that would be helpful for ministry leaders? If so, add your responses in the comments, or take a look at the original post here to submit your thoughts in our poll.

Author: Stephanie Plagens

Topics: Books

What books are you reading to stay on top of your ministry game?

Stephanie Plagens — 2011-08-16T15:53+00:00

What kinds of books do pastors and ministry leaders read to keep sharpen their skills? Do they read books from the business section? Or do they stick with books targeted toward Christian leaders? Is there a gap in the publishing world for books that are relevant and helpful for today's church leaders? Our team is wondering the same thing, so we thought we'd invite our readers to give their opinions in the 3-question poll below. It's anonymous, just type in your answers and click "submit" then share it with your social networks. At the end of the survey you'll be redirected to our online bookstore to browse the Leadership Network book series for church leaders.

This survey is now closed - to see the results click here.

Author: Stephanie Plagens

Topics: Books

Clues about the Next Face of the Church

Warren Bird — 2011-07-19T19:52+00:00

No one doubts that steady change is happening in worship styles, motivations for participation, sizes of congregations, and themes that connect meaningfully with the unchurched. What we do not know is which of these shifts will lead to the biggest impact – and what those implications will be.

Eddie Gibbs, longtime professor at the Fuller Theological Seminary’s School of Intercultural Studies, is one of the few observers of today’s church who is highly qualified to make savvy guesses about how things will unfold. I recently re-read his 2009 book Church Morph: How Megatrends Are Reshaping Christian Communities, impressed at the helpfulness of his insights.

I like the shifts he identifies that have led to what many call the Post-Christendom era. They include consumerism, spiritual exploitation, delayed adulthood, and individualism.
I don’t agree that “the megachurch movement is largely a boomer-generated phenomenon” (page 91) because the generation that follows is creating new and often faster growing large churches. But I do think his analysis of Willow Creek’s REVEAL self study is insightful in showing how a highly structured and programmatic church is seriously trying to morph. I also think he pegged a trend accurately in what he calls “the decentralized cluster approach” (page 121).
I think he rightly acknowledges the role that worship styles play in today’s church, both its expression and its message. He underscores the underlying theme of fuller congregational expression as the direction of most “alternate worship” today, as he calls it.

He generously credits Leadership Network as a catalyst in stimulating new networks today. He also tries to bring clarity to the term “missional” and also to the now fragmented emerging church movement.

His overall conclusion is that the rising generation is looking for a church “that is less program-oriented and event – focused, and more relational, empowering, incarnational and community engaged.” Time will tell but I think he is right.

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Books

Help in Becoming a More Authentic Leader

Warren Bird — 2011-07-19T16:08+00:00

This enjoyable book calls leaders to let go of the masks they wear. Well written by a youth worker for fellow youth workers, Pinocchio vs. the Real Boy brings ready application to everyone in ministry. Author Marv Nelson was a youth pastor in the church I am part of, and is now on a youth ministry team doing great things in a downtown Pittsburgh church, which I recently visited. I am convinced he walks his talk.

Here are some of my favorite lines form what the subtitle describes as a “guide to authenticity”:

“God desires that we, and those under our care, become real, authentic, open and honest people”.(page 5) In too many cases, “ the church has become a Petri dish for fake people” (page 6)
“What does the phrase ‘be real’ even mean?… It means being 100% honest with every aspect of your life. It means no fake persons with others, God or even yourself. When we get real, we lay it all out there – the good, the bad, and the ugly for God to see. The great thing about God is that He already knows all our junk; He just wants you to be real about it…. True confession is an act of shedding the wooden Pinocchio and allowing people a peak at the flesh and blood Pinocchio that truly exists”. (pages 32-33)
“The truth of the gospel is that God accepts you as you are but loves you too much to keep you that way! That’s why being real, being authentic with the sin in your heart is so key- so we can be who God has ultimately planned us to be!” (page 35)

Consistent with his message, Marv tells some great personal stories of his journey toward becoming more authentic. Spend some time with these 153 fast-moving pages, and then pass it on to your favorite youth worker.

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Books Learnings

My Summer Reading List

Bob Buford — 2011-06-22T18:43+00:00

It has been a weird year for weather. Even super sophisticated Tina Brown, of Newsweek, thinks the “rapture guy might just be right.”

Linda and I are headed for our one-month sabbatical in the cool and beautiful mountain oasis of Aspen. There is no place better in the world for reading -- mornings outside in 50 degree weather next to the Roaring Fork River. Within walking distance, there are six four-star restaurants and just down the road is the Aspen Institute for our annual dose of pundits.

People often ask BJ and me “what should I be reading these days?” Here are my recommendations:

Economics

The Great Stagnation: How America Ate All the Low-Hanging Fruit of Modern History, Got Sick, and Will(Eventually) Feel Better, by Tyler Cowen (Kindle price: $3.99)

The most unbiased short, easy to understand common sense e-book on how we got into the current mess and what to expect for the foreseeable future.

Modern World History; The Rise and Fall of Empires

“Civilization takes readers on their own extraordinary journey around the world. It is the defining narrative of modern world history.” – from the book jacket. I agree. Ferguson is my favorite Aspen Ideas Festival resource of the past five years.

Ferguson documents how often it is that once-great empires (British, Ottoman, Russian) decline and fall in as little as a decade. Read first his last chapter titled, “Conclusion,” for this historian‘s evaluation of the current prospects for the U.S. and Europe.

Philosophy of Life

The Book of Ecclesiastes, by Solomon, son of David, King in Jerusalem. Solomon wrote three books in the Old Testament: Song of Solomon in his youth, Proverbs in midlife, and Ecclesiastes at the end of his life. For me, this is the best book of existential philosophy ever written – biblical or secular, ancient or modern. I read Ecclesiastes at least once a year as a personal review and discipline. Solomon indulges himself fully in every temptation known to man – riches, physical pleasure, power and celebrity – he was the rock star of his age. Only in the last two verses does he look back to sum up and tell us the secrets of a rich life. He begins “the conclusion when all has been heard is” _____ (I will let you, the reader, look it up!)

Literature

100 Great Poems of the Twentieth Century. Mark Strand, editor.

My personal favorite anthology. If the purpose of a poem is to bring something more richly to mind, to describe a state of being, to reopen remembrance of an intimate moment, a shared experience, to carry you into multiple worlds, this is your book. My copy is filled with a sea of marginal “talk back” notes of reactions, disagreements and the sheer wonder of words to conjure emotions and experiences.

Shakespeare the Thinker by A.D. Nutall

For me, hands down the most comprehensive understanding of human nature is Shakespeare. This book which I have been discussing with my literature maven, Dr. Larry Allums, for the last three months unfolds all manner of fresh and fascinating insights into Shakespeare’s unsurpassed plays.

Visual Arts

Peter Drucker had an exquisite collection of Japanese painting and calligraphy on scrolls, many housed in museums. Peter took three scrolls out every month to display in his home. We used to stand in front of an ancient Japanese painting with Peter advising me in two words that the way to study art is to “Just Look.”

Twenty years ago, I began doing just that by purchasing used art books from Half Price Books and tearing out three pages every day to pin up on cork board in my walk-in closet where I dress each morning. You can do the same. Just find a used book store (The Strand in NYC) and start pinning up a few reproductions every day or so. Or you can buy a terrific and inexpensive book, titled A Year in Art, which has the great paintings with succinct commentaries. Tear ‘em out and “just look.” It is like a trip to The Met with no excess baggage fees.

Christian Calling

The Hole in Our Gospel: What Does God Expect of Us? The answer that changed my life and just might change the world., by Richard Stearns

The book all my Christian friends are reading today. This is the Halftime story, extremely well told, of a corporate CEO who faced his own struggle to answer God’s call on his life ... at the cost of leaving his high paying, high power job as CEO of Lennox China.

Linda’s Favorite Morning start-the-day-right Book

When I asked about her favorite devotional, Linda said, “Whatever I’m reading now,” then she handed me Jesus by Beth Moore. Beth Moore is the writer and teacher of many Bible studies and best-selling books. She is attractive and accessible. This volume is an up-close-and intimate introduction to Jesus, served up in fifty 3-page one-a-day stories.

My Favorite CDs

Nighttimes in Aspen after dinner, I often sit outside in the moonlit dark. I put on my Bose headphones and listen to my favorite CDs (interesting local phenomenon: one night a brown bear passed about three feet in front of me. Neither of us disturbed one another’s evening.) My five favorite CDs are mostly live concerts:

Keith Jerrett Trio - Standards in Norway

The standards trio is stunning here. The sound on this record is among the greatest of all their recordings, live from Oslo Konserthus (Concert Hall).

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

A studio album, it is said to be the best-selling jazz record of all time.

The Oscar Peterson Trio at the Stratford Shakespearean Festival

This CD contains what is considered by most listeners to be the finest recording of the Oscar Peterson-Herb Ellis-Ray Brown trio, a group that lasted from 1953-1958. Although the soloing was always quite passionate and spontaneous, the very complex arrangements are really what made this unit sound unique.

Dave Brubeck – Jazz Goes to College

Uniformly flawless, heavily improvised, memorable music

Kenny Loggins – Concert in the Red Woods

My favorite rock concert ever.

Parting Words

I may write a little less often, but I will promise to tell you what emerges from the Aspen Ideas Festival. Have a good summer. Life is good.

Author: Bob Buford

Topics: Books