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The 28 books I plan to read in 2012

I'm setting personal goals in several categories for myself in 2012. One of which is in the area of reading. As they say, "leaders are readers," so here are the books I plan to read (in no particular order) in 2012:

In Search of Timothy	Tony Cooke
Steve Jobs	Walter Isaacson
Doctrine	Mark Driscoll
Boundaries	Henry Cloud
Crazy Love	Francis Chan
The Meaning of Marriage	Tim Keller
The Life You've Always Wanted	John Ortberg
King's Cross	Tim Keller
Great By Choice	Jim Collins
Blink	Malcolm Gladwell
Telling the Truth	D.A. Carson
Knowing God	JJ Packer
Christians are Hate Filled Hypocrites…and Other Lies You've Been Told	Bradley Wright
Following Jesus	N.T. Wright
Fields of Gold	Andy Stanley
The Art & Craft of Biblical Preaching	Haddon Robinson
The Spirit of the Disciplines	Dallas Willard
She Calls Me Daddy	Robert Wolgemuth
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth	Gordon Fee
In My Place Condemned He Stood	J.I. Packer
Leading on Empty	Wayne Cordeiro
Leadership Gold	John Maxwell
Made to Stick	Chip & Dan Heath
Speak to Win	Brian Tracy
The Origin of the Bible	Philip Comfort
A History of Christianity	Paul Johnson
Warlord	Ted Bell
Spiritual Discipleship	Oswald Sanders

What are YOU reading???

Keeping the 10 Commandments & Words From the Fire

I recently concluded a teaching series through the 10 Commandments at our church. I really enjoyed teaching it and the feedback I've heard from people about it has been very positive.

In addition to my regular commentaries, I read 2 books in preparation that I found to be very helpful. If you are going to teach through the 10 Commandments or just want to understand them better, these books will be helpful to you:

"Words from the Fire" -Albert Mohler. -This book is fairly detailed, and gives good background information and some thoughtful analysis of modern day application. Some chapters felt a bit too long to me, but all were very good.

"Keeping the 10 Commandments" -J.I. Packer. -This is a very short book with very short chapters. But don't let size fool you, it is a potent concentrated blend that is very powerful. Funny enough, some chapters seemed too short to me, but nonetheless the entire book is jam packed with numerous gems to be mined and enjoyed.

Reading these books together expanded my insights and gave me a more in-depth understanding of the 10 Commandments. I am certain they also helped me provide a richer experience for those in our church learning about this valuable section of scripture.

 

Rob Bell's new book: A missile aimed at orthodoxy with "Love Wins" etched into its side

Generally, I don't write negative reviews about Christian books. I find it generally counterproductive to God's Kingdom and so I usually just ignore the books I don't care for. Because of all of the mainstream publicity and persisting controversy over Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, I feel as a pastor I need to address it for the sake of our church if nothing else.

I finished "Love Wins" by Rob Bell over the weekend. The book is very well written, engaging, provocative and creative...perhaps creative to a fault because I'm not sure creativity is a good word to associate with theology (kind of like accounting). And make no mistake about, despite all that makes Rob Bell so endearing, this is a book of theology and needs to be judged on its content not its style. So let me cut to the chase: I cannot recommend "Love Wins" to anyone interested in knowing God on His terms, because it is a radical departure from orthodox Christianity.

I first heard Rob Bell in 2003 after some friends raved about his talk at the Catalyst Conference. I checked out some of his stuff and readily agreed with them. So I subscribed to his podcast, bought all of his Nooma videos, and kept current with his work. When Velvet Elvis came out I liked it, but the yellow flags began to appear. I thought Sex God was brilliant, but I began to lose interest in anything after that until now. I share that just to say I am not a Rob Bell "hater." I think he is a brilliant communicator, and a very gifted teacher that I have learned a lot of good things from. And in "Love Wins" there are moments of great insight and genius. However, his new book is way outside of orthodox Christian faith and is thus a concern to me.

Here is a summary; "Love Wins for dummies" if you will (though I know you are not one if you read my blog):

• Jesus is the only way to God BUT
• You don't actually need to follow Jesus (and in fact you can reject Him) to make it to Heaven.
• Everybody makes it into Heaven eventually (in this life or sometime after death)
• Hell is what you make it (it is your failure to embrace God and thus alienation from Him, not some far off place of anguish and torment)
• God is such a nice and loving supreme being that He'll give you as much time and space to work through your divine Daddy issues until you eventually warm up to the Big Guy.

As attractive as all of that may be, there is a problem with all of this; it all flies in the face of what most Christians believe the Bible teaches. Rob basically asks the reader at one point, don't you at least WISH all this were true? Sure, and sometimes when I review my finances I also wish the prosperity teachers were right too. Despite what Rob says, the concepts in "Love Wins" (though admittedly not new) are WAY outside of the mainstream of historical and modern Christian orthodoxy. So if Rob is right, then almost every other Christian has been wrong for the last couple thousand years. What's wrong with that? Since I am currently teaching through Galatians at our church, this verse comes to mind:

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. ” (Galatians 1:8, NKJV)

This is a stern warning that inspires a healthy fear in me to stick to the core gospel message within the Bible and mainstream Christianity (which Rob describes as "toxic."). Problem: The gospel of mainline Christianity and the gospel Rob Bell presents are not slightly different degrees of variance, they are completely different, which means a) one side is wrong and b) one side is in trouble! Thus this book (and any book that makes bold claims contrary to what most Christians believe) must be flagged and handled with extreme caution.

You have to decide which side you fall on at some point because embracing two contrasting viewpoints does not make you enlightened or nuanced, it makes you confused. Understand that if you accept the conclusions of "Love Wins" then you simultaneously reject what most understand to be Christian doctrine. I am suggesting that for you to make such a big leap you owe it to yourself to answer this question: "Has Rob proved his point sufficiently for me to join him in taking such a big leap?" I'm not saying don't read "Love Wins;" I'm saying if you do, PLEASE read it with a critical, discerning mind. For much more indepth analysis, I recommend you read this 20-page blog post from Kevin DeYoung (note: I chose to read the book before I read this post). Or check out this review by Al Mohler. Or if you prefer, just read the Bible.

I am not judging Rob Bell (that isn't my job), I am simply responding publicly to his ideas that he made very public. Rob upped the ante with "Love Wins," bringing concepts and conclusions he has hinted at in shadows out into the light of day for discussion and debate. I respect him for his bold honesty, and I hope he respects the honesty of those of us who can't just sit idly and watch silently after he fired a missile aimed at orthodoxy; even if the words "Love Wins" have been etched into its shiny, metallic side.

Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem

Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problemby Jay W. Richards is a phenomenal book that every Christian should read.

It is becoming increasingly popular for people to see capitalism as evil and communism (or at least its close cousin, socialism) as good or ideal -even among Christians. Huh? If that doesn't phase you then hopefully this quote from the book will:

"The Black Book of Communism estimates that between 85 million and 100 million human beings lost their lives to communist experiments in the twentieth century." Despite the horrors and the abject failure of communism and socialism 100% of the time, people haven't given up on their Utopian dream; they've just regrouped and repackaged the same old garbage for a new generation of young idealists ready to embrace the hammer and sickle.

One of the reasons a lot of people get roped in is because of the myths they believe about capitalism that they learn from normal college professors and fringe whackos like Michael Moore. The author works through 8 common capitalism myths in 8 chapters and shreds them:

1. Can't we build a just society? (The Nirvana Myth)
2. What would Jesus do? (The Piety Myth)
3. Doesn't capitalism foster unfair competition? (The Zero-Sum Game Myth)
4. If I become rich, won't someone else become poor (The Materialist Myth)
5. Isn't capitalism based on greed? (The Greed Myth)
6. Hasn't Christianity Always Opposed Capitalism (The Usury Myth)
7. Doesn't capitalism lead to an ugly consumerist culture? (The Artsy Myth)
8. Are we going to use up all the resources? (The Freeze-Frame Myth)

Jay Richards does a phenomenal job working through each myth with the use of reason, scripture and stubborn facts to dismantle it. When the Kingdom of God is fully realized, I doubt we will need capitalism anymore. In the meantime, it is the best thing going and is not worth trading in for some destructive Utopian fantasy based on myths and hopes that can never be realized -anyone remember the tower of Babel?

Did I mention that you should read this book?

Sunsets and Shattered Glass

Mike Tolerico was a part of the Calvary Fellowship church family for a couple of years. He even spent part of that time as a vital part of our church staff team. So of course I had to get his first book "Sunsets and Shattered Glass" when I heard it was released.

I've always thought Mike was a good writer, and this book has certainly reinforced that. Mike writes a sort of poetic prose that makes you think and feel all different sorts of things. Insight tangles with passion, anger dances with beauty, and reason collides with rawness. Each chapter takes you on a adventure that might encourage you, make you laugh, make you think or might even leave you reeling from a sucker punch to the gut (in words of course), and yet all of which is strangely enjoyable. Even when I disagreed with Mike (and what fun is reading a book that you don't disagree with even a little?), I didn't disengage because the reflections were still very well written and fun to read.

On a personal level this book came at a good time for me. I read so many books on theology, church, leadership, etc., and sometimes I just need something that touches the soul. This is a great book for that! I found myself reflecting more about God, my relationship with Him, and my relationships with others; and that's got to be a good thing, right?

I strongly encourage you to show some love by buying Mike's book AND reading it.

Proud of you, Mike.

 

 

 

How to Be a Fierce Competitor

How to Be a Fierce Competitor: What Winning Companies and Great Managers Do in Tough Times by Jeffrey J. Fox was a great read. I'm aware that a pastor reading this book may be disconcerting to some. Perhaps their idea of a pastor is a passive minister quietly toiling away. The reality for me (and many modern pastors) is more like a passionate missionary pushing hard in hopes of breakthrough. (Think PAUL!)

And I suppose I should define competitor. To me other local churches that teach the truth about Jesus and the Bible are NOT competitors; they are teammates. Competitors to me are brunch, recreational events, idols, the religion of disbelief, false religions and even other churches that teach anything less than the gospel. Against all of these things I hope to fiercely compete for peoples' time and attention.

Having said that, I got some great ideas to do that from Mr. Fox's book. I like that it was written in 60 short, concise chapters packed with ideas. Not all were transferable from marketplace to ministry, but I did walk away with a page of notes and a handful of ideas to improve our church. I also walked away with a greater sense that there are many tough competitors (as previously defined) we fight against though most of the battle is fought in improving what we do rather than worrying about what "they" do.

I am committed to fiercely fighting competitors, because our community is worth fighting for!!! If you still have trouble thinking a church should be a fierce competitor remember: Souls are at stake. Pray to win and play to win!

Books in a sentence or 2 (part 6)

Quick hits on books some of the books I've recently (or semi-recently) read or re-read:

Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters by Tim Keller -An absolutely essential book for understanding the idols that rule our hearts and how to put them in their rightful place.

No Perfect People Allowed: Creating a Come-as-You-Are Culture in the Church -by John Burke -We read this book as a church staff and we all agreed that everybody who leads a Home Fellowship at Calvary Fellowship should read this book! It was great the 1st time I read this and even better the 2nd time with a group to discuss it with.

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Tim Keller -If you are sincerely seeking to explore faith or if you are a Christian seeking better answers for the skeptics you love, I highly recommend this intelligent and well-reasoned book.

In Search of Timothy: Discovering and Developing Greatness in Church Staff and Volunteers by Tony Cooke -We read this together as a church staff too and we learned a lot together. This book talks about what it really means for a church staff/leadership help support the pastor and how the pastor can best help support them.

Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change (Resources for Changing Lives) - Paul David Tripp -This book was the main text book for our recent Biblical Counseling class. It was PHENOMENAL and I recommend it to everyone in ministry who would like a clear biblical understanding of what it means to be changed by God and to be used by God as an agent of change in the lives of others.

Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer - Oswald Sanders. The Home Fellowship I most recently lead worked through this book. What can I say; it is a classic, it gets better every time you read it, and it is essential for any Christian who is serious about leadership.

Tsar: A Thriller (Alex Hawke)by Ted Bell - All work and no play makes Bill a dull boy; so I try to incorporate at least one fiction book into my reading each summer. Summary: How do YOU spell adrenaline?!?

New Cover for "Not Now"

Just saw the newly updated cover for "Not Now" (the book I wrote a chapter for) which Mike Piazza just wrote an endorsement for. Pretty cool; check it out!

Outliers

"Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell was a fascinating book. Think your success came by your own determination, talent and drive? That may be part of it, but according to Malcolm, that isn't quite enough for success. Much of our success also includes things such as mastery and good fortunes.

For example, with mastery, Malcolm mentions that if you want to master anything,the magic number that comes up for time practicing/learning is 10,000 hours in your field. Want to be a better leader, cook, photographer, musician, accountant, etc.? Regardless of innate talent, you have to put in the time!

That will only bring you preparation, but you still need opportunity to achieve great success, which is where good fortune comes in. Good fortune could be a chance encounter (like the Beatles experienced) or it could even be the year you were born (i.e. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Bill Joy). Curious? You should read the book!

"Outliers"  had a lot more really interesting things to say, but the two biggest takeaways that I got personally are:

1. Put in the hard work to get really good at what you do.

2. Despite your hard work stay humble, because only part of your success is really in your control.

Ten Stupid Things That Keep Churches from Growing

Well, there are probably more than 10, but "Ten Stupid Things That Keep Churches from Growing" by Geoff Surratt was a great read! Geoff's book is written from personal experience as well as from input from other church leaders such as Craig Groeschel, Perry Nobel, Dave Ferguson and more.

As  Rick Warren says, the wrong question to ask is "How do we make our church grow?", because that is in God's control not man's. The better question is "What is PREVENTING our church from growing?" since God wants to work, but we often do silly things that create unintentional growth barriers.

In the book Geoff deals with ten of these such as "Providing a Second-Rate Worship Experience," "Settling for Low Quality in Children's Ministry," "Letting Committees Steer the Ship," "Trying to Do it All" and more (yes, 6 more, for all you mathematicians!)

While many of the ideas in this book weren't new information for me, I still found the book extremely helpful as a resources of reminders that often offered fresh perspectives. And yes, I was able to identify stupid things that I need to stop doing!

Whether you are new or seasoned in church leadership, if you want to see God do all that He dreams of doing in your ministry, you should read this book to learn a few ways that you can assist God and remember a few ways that you can stop hindering God as He builds His church!