unChristian

For the past couple of months I have been getting together with another pastor discussing a book that he suggested.  That book is unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons.  I can not overstate what an important book this is.  Using both statistical data and personal stories, the views that non-Christians (the authors prefer “outsiders”) have toward the church.  Those views include hypocritical, too focused on getting converts, antihomosexual, sheltered, too political and judgmental.  The authors are not afraid to talk about the mistakes of the church but they also offer suggestions on how we can shed our unChristian image.  An added feature is a collection of statements by well known Christian leaders after each chapter including Mark Batterson, Chuck Colson, Andy Stanley, John Stott and many others.  This could easily be a depressing book as the authors air the church’s dirty laundry but it is filled with optimism and a sanctified imagination that sees the potential for a truly Christian church for the future.  This book should be mandatory reading for all Christian leaders.

Crazy Love

The free audiobook download for the July from www.christianaudio.com is Francis’ Chan’s Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God.  During July 2009 only you can download this book from here.

Leadership Lessons from the Dancing Man

Watch this video and take a look at the questions.  This looks like a scene that Jesus would notice and then point out to his disciples.

Passionate Life

At both Woodford and First Baptist Churches we have been doing a great Bible study called the Passionate Life based on the book by the same name.  People have been enjoying the study because it is both theologically sound but also understandable to the average Christian.  The key to this study is something called lifeshapes, basically the use of geometric shape to remind people of the different points for each issue.  Almost everything is covered in this study from repentance to rest to relationships to leadership to prayer to evangelism and so on.  This book is available online extremely cheap (I have seen it as low at a cent) even though it is a good-sized hard cover.  It is perfect for a Bible study or one-on-one discipleship.

The De-Churched

Christ Plays in Ten-Thousand Places

The free audiobook download from www.christianaudio.com for June 2009 is Eugene Peterson’s Christ Plays in Ten-Thousand Places.  You can download for free this month here.  Make sure to take advantage of this great resource.

Napkin Scribbles

I have blogged before about Leonard Sweet’s podcast called Napkin Scribbles.  I very much enjoy these short thoughts on the church and world and would highly recommend them.  There has been a change in their location on the web from my previous post.  They are now on iTunes U and can be found at this location.

If you are interested in more of Leonard Sweet, you can follow him on Twitter here.

Effective Communication

I have been enjoying Andy Stanley’s leadership podcast.  It is a great resource that I would highly recommend.  One of the podcasts that I particularly enjoyed was on effective communication.  This would include preaching as well as other forms of communication.  Andy offers five questions that should always be asked when you are trying to effectively reach an audience:

1. What doe they need to know?

2. Why do they need to know it?

3. What do they need to do?

4. Why do they need to do it?

5. How can I remind them?

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs

The free audiobook download from www.christianaudio.com for May 2009 is Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.  I read this book years ago and it is an inspiring account of some people’s faithfulness and dedication to the Lord.  It challenges us as to what we are willing to sacrifice for our faith in God.  I look forward to listening to this book again.  You can download this audiobook during May 2009 here.

When the Game is Over

Over the past few weeks I have sat with my mom as she was dying of cancer.  Yesterday I performed her funeral.  During this process I have just happened to be reading Mark Buchanan’s Things Unseen and John Ortberg’s When the Game is Over It All Goes Back in the Box.  I really enjoy Ortberg’s writing and I appreciated his insights as I was going through this challenging time.  This book is not so much about death as it is about life.  Ortberg uses the image of a board game to remind us of the meaning of life.  There are rules of the game that we must follow to win but there are also rules that we must follow with the understanding that at the end of the game, all the pieces go back in the box.  Too often we live our lives according to the myth of immortality.  We should not live in fear of death but we should allow our understanding of our own mortality shape our lives according to more enduring values.  I highly recommend you buy this or any other book by John Ortberg.