Books: Thoughts & Remarks

Good luck!

“Deep Rooted in Christ” is the devotional book written by Korean pastor Joshua Choonmin Kang, pastor of the Oriental Mission Church in Los Angeles.  I first heard of this book about a year ago when Richard Foster spoke of it at a Renovare event.  At that time it was available only in Korean but now, an English translation is available through IVP.  The book is divided into sections and comprises 52 readings, suitable for weekly reading.  Foster raved about this book when he spoke of it so I’m anxious to read it for myself.

Calvin Miller is also back with a book surveying the Celts with “The Path of Celtic Prayer”.  Miller’s research into Celtic spirituality is distilled into six disciplines designed to deepen our prayer life.  Knowing Miller, this will not be a book for the shallow “sugar coated” spiritual life.  It will be challenging, deep, and instructive.   I’ve loved his other works and am sure this one will satisfy also.

It looks like the spring months will be good ones for reading!

If you or your church is looking for an outstanding Easter outreach, let me recommend “Simple” by Robert J. Morgan.  You may have read Morgan’s books on the classic hymns and the stories behind them in the “Then sings my soul” series.  You might have heard of him when you’ve used the “Minister’s Annual” that’s printed each year by Thomas Nelson but I believe this little booklet is one of his best works ever.  Why?  Because it gives you a chance to put a quality resource into the hands of first time attenders and new believers that gives them the basics of the Christian faith without being wordy or “over their head”.

Click Here to visit the SIMPLE website and check it out yourself.

The video features an opening statement by a good friend, Matt Markins, who himself is in leadership at a church in Tennessee.  I know these guys personally and they will take great care of you if you choose to use this resource.  For those who might want to use this for a message series, sermon outlines are available also if you ask for them!  We used this last year with great results…so much so that I now keep a case of SIMPLE in my car along with my New Testaments, to give to people I meet.  A new study guide is available as well to help you in your efforts to use the materials in the book.

As a church planter, I review a lot of materials for use in guest follow up.  This is among the best I’ve seen.  Many of us blog about wanting to keep things “simple” in our ministries.  Well, this is a great tool to do that while still being very, very effective.

My advice?  Buy it, use it, use it again…and again…with each new guest that comes through your doors! (and no, I’m not being paid nor am I with the company.  I just endorse what I believe in.)

Check it out and let me know if I can help you by sharing with you how we used in here at our church!

John Chandler has posted a nice review of my latest “gotta have but don’t need” techie device. The Amazon Kindle. Read his thoughts on his blog by clicking here.

I’ve read a lot of reviews from people who don’t even own one of these but are making up their minds solely on pictures. It’s better to read from these folks who are actually using the things before I decide to part with my hard earned money for one.

Happy MLK day!

Bob Hyatt at “PastorHacks” has given his review of Amazon’s digital reading device.  One that my readers know I’m holding out for!  Since posting last on the Kindle, I’ve been watching the list of ebooks grow on Amazon’s web site.  Something Bob mentions in his review that I think would be a great benefit to all of us is the availability of commentaries in ebook format.  As I downsize my office, I’m clearing out some old sets of books and putting them up for sale on Craigslist.  Some of my books are now available as ebooks so I’m thinking of the day when I will purchase these on my future Kindle and be able to clear out more space.

Bob’s right though.  I’m preaching a book series on Philippians right now and it sure would be handy to have a few good commentaries on something small like this instead of lugging them around in my man bag with everything else I have in there.

Another note…After four and a half months of hiatus, I’ve decided to start publishing again to my other blog, “The Productive Pastor”.  I’ve thought of combining the two here.  In fact, I have a “Productivity” tag on this blog for some of those posts.  I think it might be better to separate the two for brevity’s sake.  I may still post some quick links here…but expound a bit more on the other site…In any event, let me know what you think!

“Zen to Done” is the ebook published by “Zen Habits” blog author Leo Babauta.  Over the years, Babauta has refined a productivity system that combines much of the best advice from systems developed by Steven Covey and David Allen but is essentially it’s own system of doing things.  In this aspect, I think any of us who try to refine our organization methods can relate with Babauta’s work here.  Even in the ebook, Babauta cautions that not all of his system may be of use to you.  He even offers a stripped down version of his method early on in the book to give you an alternative.

Let me first clear up a misconception that many (even myself at first) would have with “ZTD” as it’s known.  This is NOT “Getting Things Done” rehashed.  Those of you who have followed David Allen’s system for years (known as GTD by it’s devotees) will look and see similarities since Babauta willingly admits to modifying some of Allen’s methods.  Collecting tasks and organizing them into lists is nothing new that was just developed by Allen.  Doing it with the method he promotes is a bit unique but Babauta never claims complete creative genius here.  He simply shares what’s worked for him and in doing that, he has put together a system that’s uniquely his while incorporating some of the best of others’ works.  Followers of Covey’s “First Things First” and “Seven Habits” system will recognize the “Big Rocks” and “MIT’s” (most important tasks) in Babauta’s writing but there are other aspects of the book unique to ZTD and there is much here you can benefit from.

I think all of us have modified systems for our own personal use.  Not one system works exactly the same for each person.  I’ve read Allen, Covey, and more recently, Mark & Trapper Woods’ excellent book “Forget the Seven Habits and Break all the Rules” which outlines some interesting methods of time management.  ZTD allows enough flexibility to incorporate methods you’ve gleaned from these other books and use it in Babauta’s system.  Another plus, there are just 10 simple habits to learn and you are encouraged to take them one at a time over the course of the year to improve your productivity.  As a pastor, I’ve utilized much of Babauta’s advice and the ZTD system is one that I think could benefit anyone who’s made a new year’s resolution to get organized.  This is a system that’s flexible, easy to learn, and highly effective if you commit to it.  The book is fairly priced for all that’s in it. ($9.50 through PayPal). You can purchase it here.  Babauta recently released his copyright on the book so you can share it with a friend you think might benefit from his work.  The idea is that if your friend really does benefit from the book, he might feel led to make a donation to Babauta’s “Zen Habits” work that is featured on his blog.  If you read “Zen Habits” often, you’ll find all the nuts and bolts of his system without purchasing anything.  The book simply organizes and puts a nice copy of the entire method in your hands for cheap.  I purchased the ebook after putting it off for a while after I read about Babauta’s release of copyright.  I figured I owed him as much since I’ve benefited from his work.

If you are looking to clear the clutter from your desk this year and feel more alert, energized, and in control, then pick up a copy of ZTD and read it in a night.  You’ll be glad you did.

I’m preparing to take the Strengths Finder 2.0 assessment sometime this week, perhaps as early as tomorrow.  I read this post from my blog reader and decided to take the author’s advice this weekend.  I had some Borders “bucks” earned (about $5) and a 30% off coupon so I picked up the book for about $8 Saturday morning.  I’ve read the introduction and reviewed the 34 strengths that are listed.  I’m just too tired to take the assessment right now.  I think going to head off to bed and take the time needed to do this tomorrow.  I’ll post my results after I receive my report.

There’s a Christian variation of the book that I’m very interested in.  “Living Your Strengths” was published a few years back and is similar in its assessment but puts the strengths together in a Christian perspective.  One of my goals for the church in 2008 is to do a better job organize our giftedness and putting it work for maximum benefit.  I think this book might be the key.  I’ll review them both and fill you in on what I’ve decided.  For now though, it’s time for bed.  I’ll write more later this week!

Josh Kaufman at “The Personal MBA” has written a nice, concise review of the Amazon Kindle reading device.  More and more, I want one of these but really want to wait until the 2.0 version arrives.  I don’t think it’s going to be long given that these are selling out as quickly as Amazon gets them made.  After listening to Jeff Bezos (Amazon owner) talk more about this device, I’m settled that I want a Kindle.  Sony’s e-reader is very cool and at $100 cheaper, a bit more affordable in the short term.  What I like about the Kindle is that books that are purchased are archived at the Amazon site so you can always delete and re-add books without worry about losing your purchases.  With Sony, you have to download books and then transfer them with a cable to your reader.  If your hard drive goes down or the memory stick goes bad, you’ll likely be able to recover your purchases but it will be a big hassle.  Kindle eliminates this need and it works without a computer so if I’m stuck in an airport somewhere and my flight is delayed, I can always drop in at a restaurant and for under $10, download a book to read.  The only thing I’m not keen on is the large side buttons.  I wish the Kindle took more of the Sony e-reader’s cues on that design.  Perhaps when the new machines are introduced, we’ll see a difference.

Until then……………..I’ll wait……..for how long, I don’t know.

As we head into the sunset of another year and welcome in the birth of a new one tomorrow, I want to take a moment to thank my blog readers for their thoughtful comments, both here and in email, and to the VOX community that hosts this blog.  May 2008 be all that you want it to be.

Now, with the new year approaching, you are undoubtedly looking at those old familiar resolutions that you consider every year.  I thought I would drop in some links to help you along…

1.  Reading your Bible through in a year.
I’ve given up on reading plans.  I enjoy journaling as I read and I especially like the S.O.A.P. devotional method that Wayne Cordeiro uses and discusses in his latest book “The Divine Mentor”.  What I can’t put my arms around are the reading plans that are included.  I realize that it makes sense to include a reading plan because it gives a novice a chance to start somewhere but as someone who’s used them all; Discipleship Journal, McCheyne, ESV Daily Plan, etc., I can honestly say that the best way to read the bible is to simply read it book by book, taking your time to understand the themes of the book and to purchase a good commentary on each book as you increase your learning.  The S.O.A.P. plan by Cordeiro works beautifully but I’m sure he used this with his own reading style and not by some pre-programmed plan.  For a good overview on reading your Bible book-by-book, pick up Woodrow Kroll’s excellent book “Reading Your Bible One Book at a Time” and begin your journey.  One of my favorite one-volume books for understanding the books of the Bible is “Talk Thru the Bible” by Bruce Wilkinson and Kenneth Boa.  It was one of the first books I purchased as new Christian and today as a pastor, I still use its helpful book outlines and charts as I prepare lessons and sermons.  It’s now been republished in a new edition.  Mine is pretty beat up and worn out but has loads of my own notes in it and it’s held up well over nearly 15 years of solid use.

The goal?  Just start reading and don’t be concerned with how quickly you do it.  If you try to follow one of those plans you’ll either get discouraged by April and give it up or you’ll just breeze through the pages of scripture just so you can check off your box for the day and not grasp anything God is saying to you.  One thing I would suggest is to  BUY A NICE JOURNAL AND USE IT.  Writing down your thoughts as God speaks to you helps to cement the ideas in your mind.

2. Weight Loss!
Yikes!  This is another area I struggle with each January.  Like many, I’ve purchased the books, drank the shakes, and suffered the consequences.  This post tells the story of a young man who lost 50 pounds in three months using some common sense ideas he put together himself.  He also used an eating plan (those aren’t bad you know) and put it to work for himself.  Now you might not want to lose this much weight (I do, I want to lose MORE) but the concept here is clear.  Do a little research on your own and make wise choices as you consume food this year.  Make a little more time to walk and exercise and give it time.  Putting your own research to work seems to make it a little more gratifying in the long run.  A great book to read on this topic is one you’ve probably never heard of.  It’s called “A Heart Attack Can Save Your Life” by Joseph Mason.  I interviewed Mr. Mason 12 years ago when this book was released back when I was working in the talk radio business and he sent me a review copy.  His is one of the most common sense approaches to maintaining your body that I’ve read.  That’s probably why the book never took off.  It wasn’t flashy, didn’t promote any fancy toy you could buy to go along with it., and it never promised anything other than the results you could achieve through hard work.  Find a copy used (it’s out of print) and read it.

3. Be in Church More Consistently.
Okay, I’m assuming most of my readers are Christians and this isn’t an issue but I had to post this link on the topic from a secular blog.  As long time Christians, I think we forget what it’s like at the other end of the spectrum.  Perhaps after reading this, our perspectives will be sharpened and we can serve better as we reach out to others.

4. Clean Up the Clutter
If you’re like me, your garage is serving as a storage center for many items.  (Right now, mine is hosting all of the boxes of the gadgets we received at Christmas just in case they don’t work!)  Perhaps your house is full of clutter here and clutter there and you’ve grown accustomed to all that stuff lying around!!  Well, DON’T.  I’m 41 now and last year as 40 hit me, I began to plan ahead for the next ten years of my life.  Ten years from now, my kids will all be grown and only the youngest will still be in her teens barely (19).  My wife and I are making plans each year to do a little bit to our house to improve it for an eventual sale and are already in the process of serious downsizing.  This past year, I cleared out junk from my home office (A TYPEWRITER for crying out loud) and made room that I didn’t know I had.  I’m still a long way from where I want to be (it’s okay, I have ten years or so!) but I’ve started by clearing out old books (If I haven’t picked it up in the last three years…..), old computer equipment, CD’s (I’ll rip those digitally if I’m only modestly interested these days and give away the actual CD), clothes, etc.  A great book to get you started on this journey is “It’s all too much” by Peter Walsh.  I paid full price for my book (well on a small discount at my local Borders) this time last year and it was well worth it but now, you can pick up this little gem of a book at Amazon for under $7.  It will give you the impetus to get started.  Here’s a bonus for this.  You can sell some of this stuff on sites like “Craig’s List” and make a little money as you clean up.  The rest you can offer on a network like “Freecycle” and give it away.  Somebody is always willing to pick up your junk.

…and last but not least…

5. Cleaning Up My Finances
In a few short weeks, your bills from Christmas will have arrived.  WOW.  Talk about a shock.  All those great deals you purchased will be financed to the tune of 14 to 18 percent on average and the great deals won’t be so great once you pay it off by mid-summer if at all.  Make this the year that you (and your spouse if it applies) begin working toward financial freedom.  For some this will take some time but you have to start somewhere so now is a great time.  Pick up a copy of Howard Dayton’s book “Your Money Map” and begin working toward true financial independence.  The Money Map is a plan that Crown Financial Ministries has put together and it works.  It takes time, yes even years, but it works.  My wife and I are renewing our commitments to our finances as the new year approaches.  We, like many, purchased some gifts on credit and don’t want to do that again next December.  We’re going to get started seriously on our destinations on the money map so that in the ten years I referenced earlier, we can move into a smaller home or town home and pay cash for it so we can focus all of our time and money on the ministries God has called us to.

So there you have it.  A list of popular resolutions with a bit of a twist.  My suggestions are just that, MY suggestions.  Your mileage may vary but for me, I’ve found these to be of great help and assistance as I work toward a better all around life both spiritually, physically, and financially.

Happy New Year!

“Pastor, we need to leave because we just feel we’re not being fed anymore.”  That probably is the most overused statement in the modern day church today would you not agree?  I’ve been convicted in this “feeding” thought after reading “The Divine Mentor” by Wayne Cordeiro.  I remember a time when I was told in one week that the message I preached on Sunday was “too deep” for one family while another told me the very same week that the message was “too shallow”.  Say what?  I also remember when I used to take this personally but now, I realize it’s normal and depending on the side of the fence you’re on, one response or the other will suffice when leaving a church.

In 2008, our church is going to increase its emphasis on “self feeding”.  I’ve been reading other blogs regarding Cordeiro’s book and the challenge it lays out and see a similar trend developing.  Pastor Phil Print has put together a couple of posts on this topic, including one you can read by clicking here.  Bob Franquiz also did a nice job reviewing this book as well.  If you’d like to check out the first few pages of the book, you can read the introduction at Crosswalk’s “First Chapters” site.

Teaching people of the importance of reading their bibles DAILY isn’t a popular idea for sure.  Oh, we give it lip service in our messages don’t we?  We sprinkle in thoughts while we speak about “taking the time to listen to God every day” and “praying every day” but do we really follow up on it?  Even in a traditional Sunday School or modern small group program do we hold folks accountable for their devotions?  One part in Cordeiro’s book that got my attention was a story he shared about a staffer at his church announcing that he was leaving because he wasn’t being fed anymore.  This was someone on staff!  Cordeiro quickly countered by asking the man about his devotions and when silence was the only reply, Cordeiro willingly accepted the man’s resignation.  This is the type of accountability we need at our churches today.  People who daily meet with God will willingly put selfish desires away and much of the pettiness that we see in our churches that have conflict would be decreased dramatically.  That is not to say that we would be conflict free.  Not at all.  But increased unity would bring about quicker resolution and a peaceful congregation would be the result.

The ideal would be to have everyone involved in a daily time of devotions.  Obviously, that will not happen but we have to strive to make it a part of the church culture and stress it every time someone asks.  Part of our follow up and welcoming procedure at our church is going to include some type of encouragement to get started journaling and reading the bible daily.  It’s still in the works for us as to what that’s going to look like. I know this.  It’s not going to have to be complex.  It’s pretty simple right?  We just want to stress to our people that “self-feeding” is the only way to develop spiritual strength.  All of the other ministries of the church will flow from daily time with our Lord.

More thoughts later..

Wayne Cordeiro’s latest book, “The Divine Mentor” is a great book on how to establish the regular habit of bible reading and journaling.  Sharing his own story of burnout and nearly leaving the ministry, Cordeiro establishes his own need as a pastor for not only regularly reading the bible but also journaling his thoughts and response to what he has read.  In today’s “give it to me right now” culture, the words of this book will both challenge and convict those who’ve been looking for the easy way to spiritual growth.  The truth is, there isn’t one.  If there was, everyone would benefit.  It’s only by sitting at the feet of Jesus every day that one can begin to attain the “mind of Christ” and allow the Holy Spirit to continually sanctify us.

Cordeiro shares his church’s popular S.O.A.P. acronym for bible devotions.  Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer are the foundation for this daily habit.  I’ve used this style for a while now since visiting a friend of mine’s church who uses the Life Journals Cordeiro produces and sells them to their attenders.  I picked one up to check it out and really enjoyed the simplistic yet effective nature of the journal.  Even a brand new Christian can follow along in the journal and have success in their devotions.

Cordeiro advises his readers to sit at the feet of the true mentors of our spiritual walk; those whose stories are shared in the pages of scripture.  He then asks that we allow the “Divine Mentor”, the Holy Spirit, to illuminate the pages of the Bible for us.  His message is a refreshing drink in a cesspool of books that seek only to improve our attitudes without connecting those thoughts with the only book that will help us in the long term, the Holy Bible. 

Cordeiro concludes his book with a Q & A chapter on how to effectively master the techniques he shares throughout it’s pages.  I was able to read it in pieces over a period of five days and looked forward to the insights shared by this very successful church planter and pastor.  I am going to recommend it to my church family and it’s thoughts have triggered a conviction of my own to focus on the book’s principles as a way of getting more families in the Word of God on a regular basis.

I would highly recommend “The Divine Mentor” to my readers and would love your thoughts on it when you’re finished with it!

So what is “Shelfari“? Good question. With props to Bob Hyatt over at PastorHacks.com, I checked out this site and was blown away by it’s setup. Shelfari adds the social networking dimension to the book reading habit. I’ve set up my own “shelfari” here and over at my “M” network site and have invited a few of my friends to check it out. I’m always looking for suggestions for new books to read. The setup on my network site is preliminary. I’ll be adding more books and perhaps changing the widget a bit. The neat thing about shelfari is you can network and actually have online book discussion groups about the texts you’re reading. Set up your page today and add me as a friend! Check out my “M” network site for what I’m reading and give me your suggestions! It’s a fun way to connect with other bookworms (both text and audio!) on the ‘net. Thanks for the tip Bob!

Seth Godin has an excellent post on his blog today. Since today is Labor Day, he writes about the work habits of today compared to those of years past. While this is written more from the business perspective, church pastor/leaders have much to benefit from his thoughts. To wit:

The meaning of hard work in a manual economy is clear. Without the leverage of machines and organizations, working hard meant producing more. Producing more, of course, was the best way to feed your family.

Those days are long gone. Most of us don’t use our bodies as a replacement for a machine — unless we’re paying for the privilege and getting a workout at the gym. These days, 35% of the American workforce sits at a desk. Yes, we sit there a lot of hours, but the only heavy lifting that we’re likely to do is restricted to putting a new water bottle on the cooler. So do you still think that you work hard?

The ways we work change. When I was younger, I was more of the mindset of the manual worker that Godin quotes. Just work harder and the results increase. That may be true in some jobs but not in pastoral ministry. I see many pastors beating themselves up by trying to grind out what they did 20 years ago with more intensity and the people they are trying to reach have changed. Needs haven’t changed. They still need God but the ways in which we reach them HAVE changed. Peter Senge wrote a great book several years ago called “The Fifth Discipline” which again is a business book but speaks of systems thinking. The key in Senge’s book and the crux of Godin’s thinking is that we must be constantly learning from our outside environment (the things that drive people both to and away from church for the purposes of this discussion) and finding ways to learn and adapt to overcome those obstacles. If we are constantly mindful of the changing world around us, we can be successful in reaching people. Again, this is spiritual work so not EVERY aspect of business applies here but why not use the best thinking in that arena to increase the percentages of those we CAN reach. This thought was reinforced by another quote from Godin in the same post:

Robyn Waters, the woman who revolutionized what Target sells — and helped the company trounce Kmart — probably worked fewer hours than you do in an average week.

Notice, he mentioned the success here. Target still lags behind Wal-Mart in retail sales but what it has done is establish itself as a niche retailer. I will shop my local Target stores for this very reason. There are many things I find in a Target store that never show up on Wal-Mart shelves and that’s OK. Wal-Mart claims the lion’s share of my retail dollar because I’m on a budget and have to save money and for the things Wal-Mart does sell, they usually have the best price. Target is competitive because they offer me choices I can’t get at Wal-Mart. I buy clothing, gifts, certain beauty items my wife likes, and other niche items from Target.

To put this in the church perspective, I realize I’m not going to have a church that’s everyone’s cup of tea. In fact, my loyalty to the historic doctrines of my denomination will cause me to say NO to many a good idea if it doesn’t fit within the context of those principles I see as vital to the sucess of the church. That doesn’t mean I can’t have a church that’s constantly learning, growing, and changing to meet the needs of a lost community we need to reach. You can do all of those things while staying true to your principles. It just takes HARD WORK as Godin states. The problem for many pastors I know is that it’s easier to coast and continue doing the routine things they’ve always done rather than embrace a new paradigm and making it work in their church context. Nobody wants the extra work and/or the risk that goes with it. My favorite quote from Godin’s article makes a fitting closing for my thoughts:

Hard work is about risk. It begins when you deal with the things that you’d rather not deal with: fear of failure, fear of standing out, fear of rejection. Hard work is about training yourself to leap over this barrier, tunnel under that barrier, drive through the other barrier. And, after you’ve done that, to do it again the next day.

Isn’t Jesus worth it?

Seth Godin has written a book on pushing through the hard times in business or similar endeavors.  The book is called “The Dip” and my blogging friend Ben Arment recently wrote a series of posts on the book from a church planters’ perspective.  You can read the brief, 4-part series by clicking here.

I’ve linked to the first post in the series.  If you follow his menu on the left side of his blog, you can read the other three posts in the series.

Excellent insights Ben.  I’ve requested this book at my local library and hope to have it in time to read while I’m gone to our denomination’s annual conference in Arkansas next month.

I found “Buzzmarketing” for a buck (That’s right, Borders had it in the clearance rack for $1 tonight).  Now I have something else to read!  I’ve really enjoyed Greg Stielstra’s “Pyromarketing” book (You can get it as an audio book for a FREE download) and this one is based on similar data.  How does it apply to the church?  Simple…You have to get people talking about your church and bringing new families in.  While these types of books are end-alls in our quest to build a church, they do provide some meat to pick out that can be applied to what we’re doing to make our marketing efforts more successful with less expense. (As I’m sure most churches DO NOT have thousands of dollars sitting around in their budgets for a mass marketing campaign).

Anyway, I don’t know if other Borders will have this on clearance this weekend but if you’d like to check, it’s always worth a browse through the clearance rack!

I just purchased “The Big Idea” by Dave Ferguson on recommendation from Jason Taylor, my church planting friend in Yuma, Arizona.  I’ve read so much lately, I think my eyes are going to fall out.  On top of preparing for weekly preaching messages, I’m taking college classes and having to read hundreds of pages for those each week and I have my recreational reading that I also enjoy.  I seriously hope the Christian book market goes more audio this year so I can have an excuse to listen to some of these books while I try to get back into a regular exercise routine.  I’m also wanting to read several of the books on the “Personal MBA” list and, fortunately, many of those are available as audio books.  My MP3 Audio player will be getting a workout this summer as I start to dig into those and take a break from my studies in college.

Now, I just need to STOP BUYING BOOKS.  I’ve got a wall full of good stuff I’ve purchased over the last few months that I need to go through.  Prior to picking up Ferguson’s book, I had just purchased “The Minister’s MBA” to stretch my thinking a bit in terms of the systems we use at our church.  No, I’m not to going to pursue a formal MBA once my college work is complete.  I’ve already decided to pursue an MA in Spiritual Formation from Spring Arbor University in Michigan as soon as God allows it. (That could be a ways off!) I’ve been touched by Richard Foster and Dallas Willard’s works on the topic and feel it’s something that’s missing in many of our churches today.

For now, I’ll digest the ideas in this book and another I’m reading on putting together a focused evangelism/outreach follow up program.  We’re doing quite a few of the things Ferguson espouses in this book but it appears his church has taken things up a notch in the way it approaches its planning.  That can make all the difference in the impact we make for Christ on newcomers through our door.  I’m always open to new ideas as I move forward through this church planting journey.

I’ll post some thoughts once I’m through the book.  Have a great time of worship this weekend!

Today Crossway publishers announced the coming release of a new type of study bible for its English Standard Version translation.  The “Literary Study Bible” will be released this Fall season and includes study notes from author Dr. Leland Ryken who has written numerous books, including the concise “Choosing A Bible” which is available through Crossway as a PDF download for you to use in your ministry.

I can see numerous uses for a bible of this type.  Book clubs can meet to discuss actual books of the bible in a literary sense using Ryken’s notes as a basis for the discussion.  Teachers and preachers of God’s Word will also benefit from the notes as it gives another dimension into how the biblical writers organized and preserved their work.

Crossway has made a brief PDF download of the introductory pages available for review.  After looking at it, a couple of things caught my eye.  One was the single column organization of the text.  Bloggers like myself and J. Mark Bertrand have lobbied for this for years and Crossway answered earlier this year with a single column bible prior to the announcement of this study bible.  The fact that the LSB (short for Literary Study Bible) will be in single column format makes perfect sense since it’s supposed to be read as a book and I know of no other book that’s organized into two columns like the bible is.  Also, I like it because it just seems to flow naturally.  I am trying to read the bible a book at a time this year, following the plan laid out by one of my favorite bible teachers, Woodrow Kroll, in his book “Read Your Bible One Book At A Time”.  The introductory notes and single column layout will make this task an easier effort for me. (Yes, I already am reserving myself a copy of this book when it’s available in the fall).

I continue to be impressed with the ESV as a bible for use in preaching and teaching God’s Word.  I use this text almost exclusively in everything I do.  Our church leadership prayerfully made the switch to the ESV in 2003 and time and again, Crossway continues to impress with the many versions they have presented us.  There are so many options with the ESV, from the .50 giveaway New Testaments we use, the metallic or glow in the dark teen bibles, the large print text for our seniors, and exhaustive center column references in their deluxe reference edition.  Ligonier Ministries has also given us the “Reformation Study Bible” and now, we have Ryken’s LSB version to broaden this outstanding translation’s reach!  I’m looking forward to the full text this fall and already have plans to use it to reach out to our community in new and exciting ways.  It appears Crossway has done it again with the Literary Study Bible.  I hope you’ll check it out.

I just finished an excellent book on communication and preaching by Andy Stanley, the pastor of the very successful Northpoint Church in Alpharetta, Georgia.  In “Communicating for a Change”, Stanley’s ministry partner Lane Jones begins the book with a well crafted story about a pastor who’s looking to connect with his congregation better.  He visits with a businessman (The same fellow who helped him in an earlier Stanley book) who sends him to meet “Willy Graham” and to find out the keys to better communication.  Now Willy is not Billy and prefers to go by the name Will.  Not only that, but in this fictional account, Will is an over the road truck driver who’s been preaching for years. (Hence the picture of the truck on the book).  Of course our pastor friend wonders what a trucker can teach him about preaching and that leads them on a journey that allows Will to share some specific points about preaching and communicating for life change.  The story ends happily enough and then, Stanley enters the picture in the second half of the book to elucidate each of the points shared in the fictional story.

I’ll not get into too much detail since you can Google your way through a number of sites that will tell you more about the book but on a practical level, this book is outstanding.  I’ve already made the switch to “one-point” preaching as Stanley suggests and for me, the results have been tremendous.  The first few weeks were hard and I’m still adapting my style (not changing it mind you!) to incorporate the ideas shared in this book.  I’m always looking to communicate better and I think in today’s church world, we better find ways to connect story to biblical text to real application if we hope to see the changes in people’s lives that we’re after.  Stanley’s approach is thoroughly biblical for those who would criticize and not read his book.  In fact, his entire emphasis is built around leading your audience to the text and working through it to make contemporary application possible.  This is the best book I’ve seen on contemporary biblical preaching.  Preaching magazine has named it one of its top three books for preachers this year and I would agree.

There’s not a lot of methodology shared here other than a simple paradigm that Stanley uses to direct his planning and preparation.  From there, some simple questions guide the preacher in preparing a message around one point and staying on topic and vibrant throughout.  Another benefit this method has is that it sharpens your sermons and cuts out the fluff.  Awesome benefits in my opinion!

I highly recommend you get a copy of this book if you are communicating in any way.  While the text is aimed at those who preach each week, it’s ideas could be adapted to any communication setting.

I wrote about the book “Simple” late last year after I picked up my first copy of this great resource.  Since then, I’ve had some great success with using this book and wanted to share with my readers a great opportunity that the publishers are making for this Easter season.

At the website: “discoversimple”, You can watch a short video from Robert J. Morgan, the book’s author and then hear about a plan for a five week campaign you can use for Easter.  If you purchase a case of the books for giveaway or use in your new members classes, you will get access to a download of 5 sermons outlines keyed to the five areas covered in the book.

Reverend Morgan is a friend and a great author.  His books always have a personal touch to them and this one is no exception.  I usually don’t do ads but this book is great.  Check it out and if you decide to use it, let me know and I’ll pass along your thoughts to the author.

I’m taking a college class on the postmodern mindset at my local Christian University through the Christmas holiday.  One of the topics we discussed last night was the method of sharing the gospel with people we come into contact with, specifically postmodern thinkers.  I could write an entire series of articles on this topic but that’s not my purpose today.  One of the ideas I brought up was a thought first shared by church planter Steve Sjogren in the book “Irresistible Evangelism”.  It’s called “Golfing for Jesus” and it looks something like this:

The thought process here is fairly straightforward.  We start at the tee box where our friends are and of course, head to the hole where we want them to be.  Different styles and methods of evangelism are used depending on what point you’re at in the process.  I brought this up because one man questioned the legitimacy of the time honored “Romans Road” style of evangelism which some might say is more confrontational than relational.

I differed on this point since I still feel the method has merit just as much as I do servant evangelism. (For the uninitiated, servant evangelism is simply doing acts of kindness for free to show people God’s love.  Washing a car, raking leaves, handing out bottled water, and (in cold weather) hot coffee are all valid means of reaching out to someone with God’s love).  I don’t believe we need to get away from various ways of sharing the gospel.  The “golfing” model believes this to and allows you to learn these valuable tools and keep them in your “golf bag” for when they are needed.  You wouldn’t use a driver to putt with so why try it when someone’s life is at stake?  Different methods are outlined on the card as “active *******” with each one being something a little different.  These are outlined in the book, which you should get and read.

Has anyone else read this book and tried its methods?  Anyone willing to share?  This isn’t really a book review as such (although I’m filing it as such), but more of an “active sharing” time for all of us.  Let me know your thoughts.

How many of you who are preachers use preaching calendars?  Preaching calendars are nothing more than a document that helps you outline your message presentation for the time period of a year.  Since 2003, I’ve used preaching calendars to greatly reduce my stress and time wasted on planning messages.  It takes a little time to set up the calendar but once you do, you will wonder how you got along without it.  A great audio resource for jump starting your creative thinking in this area is from the group “Church Leader Insights”:

This audio presentation (available in MP3 or standard CD) is about an hour long and gives you the impetus to get going with putting together a preaching calendar.  Along with this resource, you can also get some additional ideas from Church Leader Insights’ free podcast service.  For the month of November, this group is offering a podcast designed to go along with the audio file above to give you more reasons and ideas for doing this.  The podcast is about thirty minutes long and it’s free just by downloading it here.

I also recommend a book by Stephen Rummage called “Planning Your Preaching” to give you a great background on this topic.  The book is where I first heard about preaching calendars so I decided to give it a try in 2003.  I will say at first it was rather difficult to consider given the fact I had never really thought about planning out an entire year of preaching.  Once underway though, the process took a few hours in a coffee shop to set up the skeleton of what would later become my first preaching calendar.  These days, I do everything on line and store the file on Google documents so my worship leader can access the calendar for his planning and also leave feedback if he wishes.

I would like to collect others’ preaching calendars to see what we’re all doing.  If you’d like to send me a copy of your preaching calendar (if you use one), do so by sending it to “scottc@minister.com”.  I’ll send you my latest copy in return.  I’d just like to see if there’s better ideas than what I’m using to prepare this.

If you’re not using a calendar at present, now would be a great time to consider giving it a try for 2007.  The resources above are all reasonable and well worth the investment.

Are you looking for a great book to use in your discipleship of new believers?  If you are, then Robert J. Morgan’s latest release, “Simple”, is something I think you’ll enjoy.  Morgan is an accomplished author who has written a number of books including the “Then Sings My Soul” series which is focused on the stories behind the great hymns of the faith and also the well known “Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook” from Thomas Nelson publishers.

This little book was released prior to the “Simple Church” book that many in the blogosphere are writing about.  I didn’t want there to be any confusion.  Morgan actually never intended to publish this book but had written it as a tool for new converts in his own congregation in Nashville, Tennessee.  After it had circulated around the state’s churches there, he was asked to publish it in book form by several minister friends of his.

The premise of “Simple” is, well, simple!  Morgan takes a few of the key subjects new believers ask about and presents them in a friendly, easy to understand manner.  The book breaks down like this:

All easy to follow with the “ABCDE” organization of the chapters.  The book is great as a stand alone tool to put into the hands of new believers or newcomers to your church.  The way I’m using the book is as a supplement to our own membership class lessons.  We recently redefined our ministry process and are incorporating a new logo to identify the process of discipleship.  It’s key that I keep that logo and acronym at the forefront so I’m in the process of rewriting our entire new members class lessons.  As a part of the rewrite process, I’m including “Simple” in the new lessons.  For example, we begin our new members class with a lesson on the church so I have a brief lesson in my book about our church specifically and then will have them read the chapter on the church in “Simple” as a supplement.  As we go through our acronym for the ministry process, I will include the other four chapters at various points for discussion.  I plan to debut the new lesson format in the spring of 2007 and this book will be a key part of it.

I’m really pleased with the layout and ease of use this book affords.  The five areas covered in the book could be incorporated into any church ministry structure and it’s nice to be able to put something into the hands of a family that is considering your church.  It’s also a very affordable book too if you buy in bulk.  The publisher; Randall House publishing in Nashville, Tennessee, will sell you the books for under $5 each when you order a case of 24.  That’s the best buy on the ‘net.  All of the other internet retailers are selling the book for it’s list price of $7.99.  If you charge a small fee for your new member class materials, you can make up the little cost that you have for the books at the end.

This isn’t a church growth book although it will spiritually grow your new believers.  It’s not an evangelism book either although it could help spur someone to consider the Christian life.  What it does best is stay simple in discussing some topics that people are talking about and for that reason, I recommend “Simple” for your church as well!