Tony Morgan understands churches, and he has been writing about the organizational details of church for quite some time. Lately, his focus has been on releasing shorter eBooks instead of traditionally published titles. You can download his latest eBook, Hanging Up the Leisure Suit: How to Get Unstuck, by going to http://tonymorganlive.com/hanging-up-the-leisure-suit/

This is the latest in a series of books about the cultural changes taking place in our culture and how these changes affect churches. The first book in the series tackles the reasons why your church is stuck, and now he turns his attention to the solution by discussing how you can turn things around and get unstuck. This is a leadership book about strategy and systems, and it is helpful for pastors and church leaders.

If your church is stuck in the past, maybe it’s time to consider making some changes. Here are some signs from the book that your church is stuck.

• The church has stopped growing.
• The congregation is aging.
• Giving has declined.
• Spiritual growth has stalled, and people are just “consuming” ministry.
• People aren’t serving.
• People have stopped reaching their neighbors.
• The church isn’t developing leaders.
• Communications are confusing and lack purpose.

This is a short book (really more of a long article) full of practical advise and wisdom. The page on characteristics of a healthy system is awesome and definitely worth your time to read. You don’t have anything to lose, so go ahead and download it. I really think this is the type of book that will help churches reclaim their mission and break free from the status quo.

Finally, I encourage you to check out all of Tony’s books on his website. While you at it, check out Tony’s blog. If you are not already reading it, you definitely need to add it to your blog reading list.

I’m really excited about the new book from Greg Hawkins and Cally Parkinson titled Move. It is the latest book from the Reveal research project about Spiritual Growth. Activities and events don’t automatically make people grow in their faith, and this book takes a hard look at how we can truly help people mature in Christ. I have read the previous two books in the series and I just picked this one up on Kindle today. As a pastor, I don’t want our church to go through the motions. I truly want to see hearts and lives transformed. Read the quote below and watch the video about the book to find out more.

Are people in our churches really growing closer to Christ? Based on surveys from over 280,000 people in more than 1,200 diverse churches, Move presents the startling results of the latest REVEAL research. The book draws on compelling stories from people of varying spiritual maturity, as well as pastors who are equally candid as they talk about the spiritual health of the American church.

 

I just finished reading The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns and I wanted to share my thoughts. It’s a book that has been on my reading list for a while now, and I’m glad I finally got the chance to read through it while on vacation last week.  This is a book that will challenge you in compassion. Are we really doing enough to combat the problems around the world? Do we understand the Gospel and the implications of the Gospel? Can we really make a difference? What does God expect of us? Again, this book will definitely make you think.

I love reading biographies, and this book can be considered part autobiography and part challenge.  It’s the story of Richard Stearns, the current president of World Vision. To me, the most enjoyable part of reading this book was learning about his journey to his current position and calling. It always amazes me to see how God orchestrates the details of our lives and this book reinforces the fact that nothing happens by coincidence.

The idea and purpose behind the book is stated clearly in the opening on page 2.

The idea behind The Hole in Our Gospel is quite simple. It’s basically the belief that being a Christian, or follower of Jesus Christ, requires much more than just having a personal and transforming relationship with God. It also entails a public and transforming relationship with the world.

You can’t argue with the fact that the American church needs to do more to fight global disease and poverty, and this book makes a clear call to get involved and make a difference. It is compelling and powerful. For me personally, it really opened my eyes to the causes and consequences of poverty, hunger, and disease. But I also struggled with parts of the book, continue reading to find out why.

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A few weeks ago, I read the latest book by Craig Groeschel titled WEIRD: Because Normal Isn’t Working. When you look at what is considered normal in today’s society, maybe being weird isn’t so bad. Here’s a great quote about the theme of the book.

Normal infects our faith as well, both what we believe and how we live it out. When we consider how people relate to God, it’s normal to either reject God altogether or believe in him while living as if he doesn’t exist. In churches, normal is lukewarm Christianity, self-centered spiritual consumerism, and shallow, me-driven faith. God has become a means to an end, a tool in our toolbox to accomplish what we want. The majority of people claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. And all this is normal. But normal isn’t working.

This book reads like a sermon series, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It is challenging as Craig examines different areas of our lives to see if we are normal or if we are weird.

• Part one examines how we use our time
• Part two examines how we manage our money
• Part three examines our relationships
• Part four examines society’s view of sex
• Part five examines our values

One of the reasons that I liked this book was that it is grounded in real life problems of today’s society. I’m afraid that many pastors (and many books) are answering questions that no one is asking. This book tackles real life problems, and it handles them based on what the Bible teaches. Here are some of the passages in the book that I highlighted.

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Over the next few days I want to share a few book reviews with you. I just finished the book Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus by Kyle Idleman and it is a book I highly recommend. This book can be summarized by a simple question, “are you a fan of Jesus or a follower of Jesus?”  A fan is an enthusiastic admirer. A follower is so much more. This book asks some tough question and it really makes you think. Can you really call yourself a Christian if you don’t follow Jesus?

Not a Fan is similar in message to Crazy Love or Radical, but the tone of the book is very different. Idleman has a unique blend of seriousness with humor that keeps you engaged while reading. I literally found myself laughing at his references to pop culture. This is really a book that is hard to put down. I enjoyed the real life examples sprinkled throughout the book, and I kept highlighting passage after passage. The Kindle version is currently only $4.99, so that is the version I read.

The Not a Fan website has more information about small group studies, study guides, and sermon resources for churches. As a pastor, it’s tough not to read this and think about how it would be a great sermon series. I’ll have to think about it, but this is a study I definitely would like to take our entire church through. Here are a few quotes to let you know what the book is about.

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During my recent travels to Nicaragua, I finally was able to finish reading a great book by David Platt titled Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. The timing couldn’t have been better to read a book like this. Whenever you experience poverty and suffering in another country, you naturally question why we have been blessed with so much while the rest of the world suffers in hunger and spiritual darkness.  Materialism and greed and comfort have replaced our love for our brothers.

I really regret not having a highlighter while reading this book. It just means that I will have to read it again to slow down and really let the words sink in. This is a book that reminds me of Crazy Love by Francis Chan. It is similar in that it calls us to live a counter-cultural life, a life that is radical and crazy by our society’s standard.  Being a disciple is much more than attending church, it means a radical devotion to the God who created us and who desires us to bring Him glory. I appreciate the author’s faithfulness in keeping Christ at the center of everything. Here are some quotes that really made me think.

• And the danger now is that when we gather in our church buildings to sing and lift up our hands in worship, we may not actually be worshiping the Jesus of the Bible. Instead we may be worshiping ourselves.
• The message of biblical Christianity is not “God loves me, period,” as if we were the object of our own faith. The message of biblical Christianity is “God loves me so that I might make him – his ways, his salvation, his glory, and his greatness – known among all nations.” Now God is the object of our faith, and Christianity centers around him. We are not the end of the gospel; God is.
• One of the unintended consequences of contemporary church strategies that revolve around performances, places, programs, and professionals is that somewhere along the way people get left out of the picture. But according to Jesus, people are God’s method for winning the world to himself.
• Whereas disinfecting Christians involves isolating them and teaching them to be good, discipling Christians involves propelling Christians into the world to risk their lives for the sake of others.
• Are you and I looking to Jesus for advice that seems fiscally responsible according to the standards of the world around us? Or are we looking to Jesus for total leadership in our lives …
• If we are going to live in radical obedience to Christ, we will need the church to do it. We will need to show one another how to give liberally, go urgently, and live dangerously.

After reading these quotes, I think you will agree with me that this is a book that will make you evaluate your life and evaluate your priorities. For me personally, missions was always something that I thought was reserved for people who were called to the mission field. I might not have said it that way, but when I listened to stories and watched presentations, it never really had a direct impact on the way I lived my life. But when I actually traveled to remote villages in Nicaragua, something in my heart changed. Reading this book really helped me understand the urgent need for everyone in the church to be involved in their community and in our world. The author ends with a one year challenge to the way you live your life. I’m up for the challenge. Who else is with me? Next month, he is releasing the followup to this book. I can’t wait to read Radical Together, a challenge to take the next step. From radical followers of Christ to radical communities of faith.

Here’s the info from the back cover.

In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple – then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a “successful” suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus.

I’ll end with a couple of videos about the book. I encourage you to pick up a copy and read it for yourself.

Disclosure: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. Click here for my full disclosure policy.

What is it that you feel you don’t have the freedom to say in church? Too many times we act like everybody is perfect and nobody has any problems. One of the most feared words in church is “fine”  As in, everything is fine. We pretend and act like we don’t have fears or struggles, and unintentionally we create a culture where people don’t feel accepted because they aren’t perfect.

Anne Jackson, otherwise known as Flowerdust if you read Christian blogs, has written a new book called Permission to Speak Freely: Essays and Art on Fear, Confession, and Grace.  This is not a deep theological book on overcoming fear, but it is a honest look at real life. I’m glad I read this book. It made me think about the people in our church. What are they dealing with in silence that they are afraid to share. The book touches on topics like abuse, addiction, pornography, and even depression. As the church, we need to remember that the real world is much different from the Christian sub-culture that many of us live in. Even within the church, we hide our problems. This book tackles how confession, grace, and community intersect.

I don’t want to ruin the ending of the book for you, but let me just say that if want to read a book that has all the answers neatly wrapped up at the end, then this is one book you might want to skip. I think some of the best discussion comes from unresolved tension.

On a different note, I love the layout of this book. The typeset and graphic design is incredible. The poetry and letters that were included really added to the overall transparency and authenticity of the book. Here’s what the publisher has to say about it.

“What is the one thing you feel you can’t say in church?”

In May 2008, Anne Jackson asked a question on her blog, “What is one thing you feel you can’t say in church?” Hundreds responded. Everyone had a story.

Permission to Speak Freely is the artistic collaboration and movement of author Anne Jackson, who is through with keeping brokenness in the dark. Bringing to light the original intent of God’s sanctuary as a place of help and healing, Anne reveals that through confession, both to God and to others, we can live lives that are whole and healed.

Told with disarming transparency, Anne shares what led to her own addictions and the ensuing lifestyle that left her wounded and withdrawn. She includes dramatic stories of others that also learned to lose their fear, pride, and masks; to identify their hurts; and to find the courage to speak freely. Readers will share in the opportunity to find their own redemption and freedom.

Disclaimer: I did receive a free copy of Permission to Speak Freely for review through the Booksneeze review program, but was not asked to give a positive review. The links to Amazon.com in this post are affiliate links. I would earn a small commission if you purchased the book through a link. Click here to see my full disclosure policy.