Midweek Meditation: "Fitness Sign #5 - God-Honouring Stewardship"

We continue with Gary McIntosh and Phil Stevenson's book "Building the Body" which is about the 12 characteristics of a fit Church. Last week, we talked about PERSONAL MINISTRY. This week, it is about GOD-HONOURING STEWARDSHIP.

SIGNS OF FITNESS #5 - GOD-HONOURING STEWARDSHIP

"How people and churches handle money declares the kingdom to which they belong. Jesus laid out two options. We can either store up treasures for ourselves on earth or store up treasures for ourselves in heaven (see Matt 6:19-20). He also said, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

It seems as though Jesus was always asking, "What do you value most?" He was always contrasting two perspectives - for example, two kingdoms, two masters, or two values. So what do fit churches value most? Simply put, they value investing in heavenly wealth. The key question for fit church is, "Where is our treasure?"" (McIntosh and Stevenson, "Building the Body", Baker Books, 2018, p83)

"First, fit churches work from a well-defined budget.
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Second, fit churches develop a ratio of expenditures to various operations and adjust it year to year.
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Third, fit churches place a priority on staff, ministry, and facilities - in that order. While each church allocates budget expenditures differently, wise leaders make staffing a priority. In many ways, the quality of the staff determines the future of the church. Fit churches typically spend between 40 and 50 percent of their budgets on staff salaries, benefits, and reimbursements. While some churches proudly declare they give 50 percent of every dollar to missions, there is usually an unseen problem - the staff members are not generously paid. In other words, to give half of its income to missions, a church usually does so to the neglect of its own staff, which is certainly unbiblical. Fit churches follow the lead of Scripture, which declares, "The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches (Gal 6:6)."
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Fourth, fit churches plan for funding God's work.
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Fifth, fit churches train their people to give.
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Sixth, fit churches prepare a resource development strategy.

" (87-90)

Tips: A church that has God-Honouring Stewardship would practise:

• Regular teaching on biblical stewardship of time, treasure, and talent;
• Systematic giving;
• Wise handling of Church resources;
• Alignment of budgets with vision and mission;
• Faith in budgeting;
• Open discussion of expectations in giving;
• Requiring Church leaders to give regularly in their service.

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Midweek Meditation: "Fitness Sign #4 - Personal Ministry"

We continue with Gary McIntosh and Phil Stevenson's book "Building the Body" which is about the 12 characteristics of a fit Church. Last week, we talked about COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. This week, it is PERSONAL MINISTRY.

SIGNS OF FITNESS #4 - PERSONAL MINISTRY

"Becoming a fit church is directly proportional to the degree the people of God are active in ministry. This principle has significant implications for a local church. Among other things, it means the heartbeat for a local church is the training of its people. Fit churches do the following things.

First, fit churches train people to know their spiritual gifts. People's identities as gifted servants of God are important impetuses for involvement in ministry. Classes and small group leaders systematically teach that God calls his people to serve. As each person grows to understand their identity in Christ and his body, they catch the vision for personal ministry. Each one identifies their remarkable spiritual gifts, unique talents, and special skills. They discover their passion for ministry while committing to serving with the rest of the church body.

Second, fit churches equip people to use their gifts, abilities, and skills in ministry.
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Third, fit churches place people into ministry - quickly.
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Fourth, fit churches provide coaching for people in ministry.
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Fifth, fit churches evaluate people in ministry.
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Sixth, fit churches build new ministry around their people's gifts and passions.
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Seventh, fit churches express thanks to those in ministry." (McIntosh and Stevenson, "Building the Body", Baker Books, 2018, p73-76)

Tips: A church that equips people for personal ministry would have:

• Teaching and preaching about spiritual gifts;
• Spent time helping people discover their unique purpose in ministry;
• Equipped people to use their unique talents and gifts for ministry;
• Placed people in ministry according to their passions;
• Provided encouragement and coaching;
• Offered ongoing training for people to improve their ministry skillsets;
• Expressed appreciation for those serving or had served in ministry. 

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Midweek Meditation: "Fitness Sign #3 - Community Engagement"

We continue with Gary McIntosh and Phil Stevenson's book "Building the Body" which is about the 12 characteristics of a fit Church. Last week, we talked about EFFECTIVE EVANGELISM. This week, it is COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SIGNS OF FITNESS #3 - COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

"Community engagement forces the church to interact with a world unlike itself. The first-century church was in a very unwelcoming culture. Yet the church thrived. What the church today must not do is allow the culture to dumb down its message. And the church must still move into society. The church must infiltrate culture as yeast does dough. This is the kingdom of God. . . . (Lue 13:20-21). Through community engagement the church becomes like yeast. When the church embeds itself into the community in which it is located, transformation begins. When the church inserts itself in culture as Christ's representatives, things begin to change.

Churches must move into the culture in which they reside. The culture is exemplified by the community in which a church body finds itself. In the four spheres of evangelism mentioned earlier, this would be Judea. Judea is the geographical area stretching from a one-fourth to a five-mile radius around a church's meeting location. A fit church will engage the community in this geographic area.

Community engagement involves three basic approaches: attractional, missional, or connectional. These three approaches can be summed up in the following phrases: come and see (attractional); go and be (missional); go and bring (connectional). " (McIntosh and Stevenson, "Building the Body", Baker Books, 2018, p53-54)

Tips: A church that engages community would have:

• Defined where our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the world are;
• Regular meetings with community leaders to find out how we can be of help to them;
• Encourage church members to be involved in community activities like coaching youth sports, joining service clubs, being active in forums, etc;
• Studied the needs of the community;
• Their pastors serving a day a week outside the church;
• Engaged in service evangelism;
• Community recognizing our church for our contributions. 

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Midweek Meditation: "Fitness Sign #2 - Effective Evangelism"

We continue with Gary McIntosh and Phil Stevenson's book "Building the Body" which is about the 12 characteristics of a fit Church. Last week, we talked about OUTREACH. This week, it is EFFECTIVE EVANGELISM.

SIGNS OF FITNESS #2 - EFFECTIVE EVANGELISM

"Evangelism is one of the primary characteristics that help churches become fit. Evangelism provides oxygen to the body of Christ. New birth, growing believers, and an inflow of newly connected followers of Christ breathe life into faith communities.

Churches must be involved in evangelistic endeavors. Churches that do not make the effort to intentionally determine methods to share the gospel will erode in their fitness levels. Churchs that do not involve themselves in an evangelistic emphasis will find themselves aging with no kids or grandkids to carry on their legacy." (McIntosh and Stevenson, "Building the Body", Baker Books, 2018, p37-38)

Tips: A church that effectively evangelizes would have:

• Regular training and mobilizing of members to share their faith;
• Conversions as their primary source of numerical growth;
• Specialized opportunities for members to invite friends;
• Budgets set aside for church planting work;
• Regular baptisms;
• Constantly identifying and targeting unreached people in our communities;
• Give guests a chance to accept Christ at worship services.

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Midweek Meditation: "Fitness Sign #1-Outreach"

Starting this week and for the next 12 weeks, we will be looking at Gary McIntosh and Phil Stevenson's book "Building the Body" which is about the 12 characteristics of a fit Church. Each Wednesday, I will share one characteristic that we can use for ourselves personally and corporately. For this week, it is OUTREACH.

SIGNS OF FITNESS #1 - OUTREACH

"An outward focus is the beginning point for outreach. Churches that are inwardly focused neither sense their communities' needs nor are motivated to evangelize or engage their communities. Outward-focused churches, however, are aware of the culture in which their ministries take place. They recognize a need for fitness to effectively evangelize and engage with their communities.

Church leaders often believe their churches are outward-focused when they actually are not. Many church people perceive themselves to be kingdom-minded, concerned for reaching the lost, and connected to people in their communities. Gary remembers consulting with a church in the Midwest. The results of a church-wide survey revealed several areas of strengths and a few dominant weaknesses. One of the church's areas of strength was community outreach. Conversations in five focus groups revealed people believed their church was effective in reaching the community for Christ. Closer examination found otherwise. Five hundred dollars was budgeted for outreach but had not been spent in the past year. A full 99 per cent of the church's identifiable programming was directed to the present congregation. The only identifiable program listed for outreach was VBS. The church was not outward-focused at all. How could a church be so wrong in its assessment of its strengths?" (McIntosh and Stevenson, "Building the Body", Baker Books, 2018, p23-24)

Tips: A fit and outward-focused church would have:

• At least 20% of budget for outreach activities;
• Events held in locations other than our church property;
• Knowledge of what businesses are in our neighbourhood;
• Our members attend and participate in community events;
• Board meetings discuss how we can reach our communities;
• More discussion on fulfilling the Great Commission rather than maintaining our programs and buildings;
• New people from our community attending our worship services;

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BookPastor >> "40 Questions about Church Membership and Discipline" (Jeremy M. Kimble)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on July 19th, 2017. 

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TITLE: 40 Questions About Church Membership and Discipline (40 Questions & Answers Series)
AUTHOR: Jeremy M. Kimble
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2017, (272 pages).

What is the purpose of Church membership? Is it enough to just attend Church? Why should anyone bother about some official papers just to be a member? Biblically, we are already members of the Church of God, so why even mention Church membership? What about Church discipline? This book covers these topics in a Q&A manner, giving a broad range of perspectives and implications. It is divided into three categories of questions: Theological; Ministry; and Practical. The author's conviction of Church membership is this: Church membership and discipline is critical to the life of a Christian. Membership is about community and responsibility. Discipline is about authority and accountability. Kimble provides three basic reasons for Church membership:

1. The Perseverance of the Saints is about community development
2. The Church is the invisible spiritual community made visible
3. The Church is a people in covenant with God to one another.

He also gives three reasons for Church Discipline:

1. It's instructed by Scripture
2. It is biblical love
3. It facilitates the perseverance of the saints.

BookPastor >> "Asking the Right Questions" (Matthew S. Harmon)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on June 6th, 2017.

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TITLE: Asking the Right Questions: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible
AUTHOR: Matthew S. Harmon
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017, (144 pages).

While most believers do not dispute the importance of the Bible, many however are uncomfortable about studying the Bible for themselves. Some may think they lack certain theological training. Others may claim to be mere believers who lack guidance. Still there are many who may have been Christians for a long time but for various reasons, are unable to have a personal Bible breakthrough. I have met individuals who had faithfully attended Church for years but still find themselves inadequate in leading a Bible study. Is it for lack of knowledge, lack of courage, or both? Still, there are people who tried to lead but the whole gesture seemed like a case of the blind leading the blind. The Bible is indeed a big book and can be quite intimidating, especially for younger believers. This is where this book comes in. Author and Professor Matt Harmon aims to do the following:

• How do we figure out the big picture and the important ideas in the passages we read?
• What is the context of the Bible?
• What do we look for?
• What is the Bible all about?
• How do we ask questions of the Bible?
• Specifically, what are the four simple questions to help us apply God's Word into our lives?

Midweek Encouragement: "Hymns vs Choruses" (Barry Liesch)

Many of us have heard this time and again. Should we sing more hymns or contemporary music? Take time to read the excerpt from Barry Liesch's "The New Worship," which gives an interesting take on worship below.

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Dianne Bowker, a scholar who is interested in how worship, theology, and the arts interface, cautions against falling into the trap of musical chauvinism, and her concern intersects with the spirit of these verses. "Musical chauvinism," she maintains, "consists of thinking of one's preferred style more highly than what we ought to. (See Rom 12:3).

Since I've spent so much time talking about hymns in this chapter, you may think I'm saying that hymns are better. Not really. I'm arguing for diversity, musically and textually. Hymns do some things better, and choruses do some things better, as the chart below suggests.

(Barry Liesch, The New Worship, Baker Books, 2001, p29)

BookPastor >> "Power in the Pulpit" (Jerry Vines and Jim Shaddix)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on May 8th, 2017.

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TITLE: Power in the Pulpit: How to Prepare and Deliver Expository Sermons
AUTHOR: Jerry Vines and Jim Shaddix
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2017, (448 pages).

Preaching is hard. Good preaching is rare. Being able to sit through a well-prepared, well-delivered, and well-researched sermon is a tremendous blessing for any Christian community. Many preaching books nowadays try to address the great need for biblical preaching and an appropriate level of delivery that balances theological orthodoxy, biblical faithfulness, cultural awareness, and the cry for help and the hunger for hope. Not many can achieve this. This book hits close to this target. One clue about the effectiveness of this book is the need for a new edition to keep up with changing needs and changing times. First published in 1999, author Jerry Vines had been preaching for over 40 years. Half of that time was when he was pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville. At that time, he had a passion for sharing his knowledge and experience with fellow preachers. Knowing the tough demands on the pastoral vocation, he senses a great need to equip fellow preachers with some basic pulpit skills. Basically, it needs to address two things: Faithfulness to the Word; and fruitfulness as the Word takes root in the hearers. During the past decade, many things have changed, most importantly, the cultural shifts that have been occurring in the world we live. Most of the material from the first edition have been preserved. This new edition not only updates the material, it strengthens the expository preaching preparation part and simplifies the delivery. It is also more conversational when compared with the original.

Midweek Meditation: "On the Church" (Billy Graham)

Billy Graham passed away on Feb 21st, 2018. His life is filled with powerful testimonies of the good news of Christ. These are some of his sayings about the Church.

• "I am convinced if the Church went back to the main task of proclaiming the Gospel, it would see people being converted to Christ, and it would have far greater impact on the social, moral, and psychological needs of people than anything else it could possibly do."
• "Thousands of people have entered churches without discovering a vital experience with Jesus Christ. The substitutes have been handed them in the guise of religious rituals, good works, community effort, or social reform. . . none of which can gain a person a right relationship with God."
• "The Church isn't just a particular building or congregation but the spiritual fellowship of all who belong to Jesus Christ. If we belong to Christ, we also belong to each other."
• "The Church should not reflect pop culture but portray godly attributes. The Church should not seek pleasures but seek after God."
• "The Church should not be pampered but rather prepare for, and expect, persecution - for it is Christ's body on earth."

BookPastor >> "Ministry Mantras" (J.R. Briggs and Bob Hyatt)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on March 16th, 2017.

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TITLE: Ministry Mantras: Language for Cultivating Kingdom Culture
AUTHOR: J.R. Briggs and Bob Hyatt
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2016, (269 pages).

A mantra is a short word, phrase, or a chant. It can be a proverb or a wise saying. Inspired by Guy Kawasaki's words "Don't write a mission statement, write a mantra," authors Briggs and Hyatt have taken up the challenge to do just that for the Church ministry and Christian ministries in general. Writing a mantra forces one to choose only the most appropriate and significant words to project a thought or a meaning. It brings clarity to the hearers by first bringing clarity to the writers. According to the authors, mantras need four elements.

1. It is wise and truthful
2. The message is clear
3. It is compelling
4. It is memorable

A ministry mantra is basically describing the organizational mission or vision in a brief statement. It is important because its simplicity promotes clarity; clarity encourages creativity; and creativity inspires ease of communications. Briggs and Hyatt call it "the proverbial seeds of kingdom values planted in local communities of faith." They structure this book in 80 short chapters, with each chapter titled with a mantra. They supply mantras in two parts: for leaders and for the community. For leaders, there are sections pertaining to leadership; vision; motivation; ministry; pastoral care; leadership development; opportunities; success; and Self-Development. For the community, they write on matters to promote community; formation; tips on responding to conflicts; learning to do outreach and stewardship. Many of the mantras have given rise to creative thinking and opportunities to think out of the box. Some of my favourites are:

• "Leadership is Purposefully Choosing Whom You will disappoint"
• "Structure must always submit to Spirit"
• "Don't Try to make Church relevant to the crowds; Make the Gospel Relatable to the Context"
• "If they know you love them, you can say anything to them"
• "Ministry is Meeting People where they are and Journeying with them to where God wants them to Be "
• "Ministry happens in the interruptions"
• "The essence of discipleship i snot knowledge, but imitation"
• "Quit looking for leaders and start building them"
• "It's kingdom, not competition"
• "We will let you down: If we're close enough to help, we're close enough to hurt"
• "Community is made, not found"
• "Rotate your crops"
• "Church is free, but it ain't cheap"

Mantras are languages spoken or written in a clear and brief manner. It cuts away the spaghetti of mass information to yield an important point. While we can always say that context is important, being able to communicate something is better than people disengaging completely. In an attention-deficit world, many are jumping on the bandwagon of short quips and easy quotes. They prefer abbreviations and straight to the point messages. They have no time to bother with long essays. Reading has also taken a beating, with more people choosing electronic media over print. This is why I believe books like this will reach a segment of readers in a way that traditional books could not. It is a great resource for leaders to learn how to do ministry without letting unrealistic expectations overwhelm them. The mantras does three things.

First, it challenges our set thinking. Just because things have been done a certain way in the past does not mean it must be so for the present and future. Indeed, churches that are struggling tend to look back at the good-old-days, forgetting that the past can never be repeated in new contexts. By shaking up the status quo, leaders are forced to be creative and innovative in their ministry approaches. This does not mean throwing the past away. It means being open to change. This openness enables us to humbly seek God for what is best for the Church or ministry. Second. it helps us think out of the box. The ideas like "disagreeing without disengaging" forces us to learn how to disagree without running away from the disagreement altogether. For every conflict, there is a chance to learn more about the other parties and ourselves. Learning to work together is a core need in the Church. If churches fail to work together, what kind of a testimony will that present to outsiders? Third, the book may comprise of brief chapters but what it lacks in depth it more than compensates in the breadth of coverage of issues in ministry. 

JR Briggs is founder of Kairos Partnership and calls himself the Pastor/Cultural Cultivator of Renew Community. He has previously written a book entitled "Fail." Bob Hyatt is author, coach, and spiritual director. He is pastor and elder at the Everygreen Community as well as a staff member with Ecclesia Network.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Inter-Varsity Press and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

BookPastor >> "The Mission of the Church" (Stephen B. Bevans, Darrell L. Guder, Ruth Padilla DeBorst, Edward Rommen, and Ed Stetzer)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Feb 23rd, 2017.

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TITLE: The Mission of the Church: Five Views in Conversation
AUTHOR: Stephen B. Bevans, Darrell L. Guder, Ruth Padilla DeBorst, Edward Rommen, and Ed Stetzer
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2017

What is the mission of the Church? Surely it is more than just setting up a mission department within the Church organization. It is also more than mere sending of missionaries to some faraway land. Others would say that all ministries of the Church have a mission, albeit in unique ways. What do we then make of the terms often thrown about like 'missional,' 'missio Dei,' 'missiological,' and the work of the Church? Knowing the plurality of opinions and perspectives out there, this book brings together five persons representing the different faith persuasions.

• Stephen B. Bevans shares from a Roman Catholic viewpoint, the "Prophetic Dialogue" approach.
• Darrell L. Guder shares from a mainline Protestant point of view, the "multicultural translation" approach.
• Ruth Padilla DeBorst shares from a Latina evangelical view, the "integral transformation" approach
• Edward Rommen shares from an Orthodox view, the "sacramental vision" approach.
• Ed Stetzer shares as a North American evangelical, the "kingdom community" approach.

BookPastor >> "Preaching Old Testament Narratives" (Benjamin H. Walton)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Jan 20th, 2017.

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TITLE: Preaching Old Testament Narratives (Preaching with Excellence)
AUTHOR: Benjamin H. Walton
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2016, (256 pages).

What does it mean to preach with biblical authority? How do we preach in a manner that relates to modern life? What is biblical preaching and expository preaching? This comes from sound exegesis and hermeneutics, followed by an appropriate rhetoric. Beginning with the stories of three pastors trying to preach biblically and with relevance an Old Testament narrative, this book compares the differences between Old and New Testament narratives. We are advised against adopting a "monkey-see-monkey-do" method of interpretation. He teaches us terms like:

• Complete Unit of Thought (CUT)
• Original-Theological Message (OTM)
• Take-Home Truth (THT)

He cautions us from ways of misapplying the Bible: like springboarding; universalizing plot lines; and ways in which we fail to consider properly a CUT; a OTM; and a THT. Walton shows us the way through the following steps:

1. Selecting a CUT
2. Identifying the Theological and Historical contexts
3. Studying the Plot
4. Discovering the OTM
5. Crafting the THT

BookPastor >> "The Forgotten Ways" (Alan Hirsch)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Jan 12th, 2017.

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TITLE: The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating Apostolic Movements
AUTHOR: Alan Hirsch
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2016, (384 pages).

Why is the Church in general struggling with growth? Where is the passion for a movement for Christ? Have churches spent too much time defending traditions and their ecclesiastical rituals to the point of forgetting their biblical ways? Have they unwittingly based their ecclesiology on the medieval European model of Christendom instead of the first-century model of New Testament Christianity? Have we forgotten that the Church is the 'ekklesia' a 'called-out people of God?' According to author Alan Hirsch, the contemporary challenges of doing Church has an upside because "it forces us to think and act like our original founders and pioneers thought and acted." When we know that there is no "Plan B," we will pray desperately, spend frugally, live passionately, and reach out fervently. The key question for readers in this book is this: "Have we forgotten about the mission of the Church?" He affirms that our greatest truths are not invented or newly discovered. They are remembered. Key to this book remains the mDNA paradigm (gospel-fluency, discipleship, incarnational mission, innovation and risk, multiplication, APEST, etc.) which the author admits could be designed as several standalone books. He hopes to wake up sleeping people and sleepy churches with the revelation of God's ways which somehow had been forgotten.

BookPastor >> "On the Block" (Doug Logan)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Nov 30th, 2016.

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TITLE: On the Block: Developing a Biblical Picture for Missional Engagement
AUTHOR: Doug Logan
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2016, (202 pages).

What good is a Church mission if missions are only delegated to a subcommittee or a few gifted individuals who say they are called? How sustainable is any mission endeavour without the support of a Church backing? How can a Church witness Christ in the neighbourhood if there is no outreach? In this book about missions in the urban context, author and pastor Doug Logan believes that both the church (ecclesiology) and missions (missiology) need to be simultaneously practiced with Christ as the foundation and purpose of it all. The Church does not exist for itself and Missions cannot be isolated from the Church. The Church has a mission and this mission needs the Church. Logan puts it this way: "Our Christology drives us to be missiological ecclesiologists and ecclesiological missiologists." In other words, when we are in Christ, we live out as Church in mission. He uses four persons as examples to set the stage for this biblical engagement. Since the time of Adam, when Adam sinned, God had already set in motion a redemption plan in Gen 3:15. The story of Nehemiah is not simply about a man but a whole people of God called to build the temple. In Jesus, we see what it means to put the Word into action and to live in the world as people of God. In Paul, we learn about the five ways of addressing the culture of the world.

1. Unveiling the customs and superstitions of the world
2. Unveiling the true character of God
3. Exposing the emptiness of worldliness
4. Revealing the emptiness of culture
5. Revealing the truth of Christ's resurrection.

Midweek Meditation: "The Five Solas"

It's Reformation Day! Here are the five classic solas that have became the hallmarks of the Reformation. I enclose some brief thoughts from Matthew Barrett's

1) Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
"Without 'Scripture Alone' the other solas are in danger of being lost."

2) Sola Christus (Christ Alone)
"Christ Alone means we not only need Christ's death but His life as well."

3) Solas Fide (Faith Alone)
"Faith alone is not an exemption from good works."

4) Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
"Grace alone has just as much to do with the past as the present."

5) Sola Deo Gloria (For the Glory of God Alone)
"God's Glory alone is more than a salutation."

Let these thoughts reverberate and help us appreciate more of the powerful work of God through the Reformation movement.

BookPastor >> "Guardrails" (Alan Briggs)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Dec 19th, 2016.

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TITLE: Guardrails: Six Principles for a Multiplying Church
AUTHOR: Alan Briggs
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2016, (192 pages).

Growing churches is a desire among many Christian leaders. Whenever there is a huge increase in the number of attendees, people get excited. They rev up their engines to make Church run as efficiently as possible. They go on hyperactive mode to ensure that all the respective departments are up and running, able to meet the needs of all age groups. The moment the number drops, worry rises. Giving drops and panic rises. The focus then shifts overwhelmingly to one concern: How do we grow the Church? Here lies one of the biggest misconceptions in Church growth. Numbers do not necessarily reflect a healthy Church. The key to Church health is not numbers but discipleship. Author Alan Briggs provides four chapters on foundations and six principles to execute the way of discipleship. The key is how to start a movement and not simply a one-off project. Briggs looks at some movements in history and notes the need to avoid models in favour of principles.  We also need to avoid the three obstacles of kingdom building:

1. Tendency to build kingdoms for self
2. Tendency to build idols of security for self-preservation
3. Tendency to think only for the present moment

BookPastor >> "The Music Architect" (Constance M. Cherry)

This is one of my favourite books about the ministry of music and worship. The review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Nov 3rd, 2016.

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TITLE: The Music Architect: Blueprints for Engaging Worshipers in Song
AUTHOR: Constance M. Cherry
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2016, (288 pages).

In churches around the world, music and song are common ways in which we honour God in worship and praise. Many people serve in this ministry but not many are trained. Musicians come with deep talents but the understanding of worship may not be as deep. This is where this book comes in. The dual objectives are to:

1. Learn about thoughtful and holistic worship
2. Disciple worshipers in song.

This book is Volume 3 of the "The Worship Architect" series of book designed to help churches and worship leaders plan their worship flow and program. The first volume is about planning. The second volume looks at principles of preparing specific worship segments and special events. This volume covers more specifically the area of music. In all of the three books, the aim is to maintain a consistent philosophy of worship; to unite worship and practice; and to provide a resource that is helpful across denominations. On top of these, there is a pastoral element infused into the teaching. The key thesis is "who we are" is a greater impact than "what we do." This is why the author starts with defining the meaning of a "Pastoral Musician" who is essentially one who embraces the Christian faith, growing in spiritual maturity, using one's spiritual gifts, participating in community, and accountable to God and others. Worship must be relevant to God while connecting to people. There is a biblical element that guides the understanding of worship. The historical perspective is not static but dynamic, which means we ought to let worship practices throughout all generations be rendered in a manner that is meaningful. In terms of spirituality, worship forms worshipers. Thus, the title of "pastoral musician" simply tells us that worship involves lots of music but is much than music. 

BookPastor >> "Faithful Presence" (David E. Fitch)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Nov 16th, 2016.

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TITLE: Faithful Presence: Seven Disciplines That Shape the Church for Mission
AUTHOR: David E. Fitch
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2016, (256 pages).

How do we manifest Christ's love in a world of brokenness and pain? Is there something Christians can do to counter the social injustice and poverty disparities? Can the Church do more than mere handouts? If there is a genuine desire to be part of the solution, how then do believers go about doing it? According to author David E. Fitch, the answer is in the title of this new book entitled, "Faithful Presence." He defines it as follows:

"Faithful presence names the reality that God is present in the world and that he uses a people faithful to his presence to make himself concrete and real amid the world’s struggles and pain. When the church is this faithful presence, God’s kingdom becomes visible and the world is invited to join with God. Faithful presence is not only essential for our lives as Christians, it’s how God has chosen to change the world. In this book I aim to describe what this faithful presence looks like."

BookPastor >> "Adoptive Youth Ministry" (Chip Clark)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Aug 29th, 2016.

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TITLE: Adoptive Youth Ministry: Integrating Emerging Generations into the Family of Faith (Youth, Family, and Culture)
AUTHOR: Chap Clark
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2016, (400 pages).

What is adoption? What does "Adoptive Youth Ministry" mean? How is it different from conventional youth ministries? According to the editor of this book, to be adopted means becoming a full member of a nonbiological family. When applied to youth ministry, it means one, more, or even all of of the following "four foundational premises."

1. Recognizing that in every Church and organization, there are insiders as well as outsiders.
2. Reminding that we are adopted into God's family as a child with other children.
3. We are vulnerable but Jesus has his eyes on us.
4. That we as well as outsiders are called to the gathering.

Chap Clark, editor of this book of articles compiled from 20 different contributors says:

"Adoptive ministry is vital because we are witnessing the fact that in Christ God has invited those who 'believed in his name' to 'become children of God' (John 1:12). This is the message of the good news. Therefore our message—in our lifestyle, service, and word—is adoption."