BookPastor >> "Calling in Today's World" (Kathleen A. Cahalan & Douglas J. Schuurman)

Ever thought about what calling means from other worldviews? Perhaps, this book can give you a better idea. This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Oct 18th, 2016.

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TITLE: Calling in Today's World: Voices from Eight Faith Perspectives
EDITORS:  Kathleen A. Cahalan & Douglas J. Schuurman
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2016, (238 pages).

What do people in generally think about calling? Is it only something that Christians ask? Surely, the Buddhists, the Muslims, and the secularists in society would have their own perspectives too. In fact, according to the editors of this book, many students and colleagues have been asking the same question: "What do other people think about calling?" or "Is there an equivalent concept in your religion or belief?" So they went forth to ask various individuals whether they can contribute to the overall understanding of what calling means according their faith perspective. They found eight! According to Cahalan and Schuurman, their purpose for this book is to help "build a better, more humane world" by establishing bridges of understanding of one another's beliefs. Apart from that, Christians reading this book would be able to revisit their own understanding of what calling means in their own tradition. They can dispel any notion that calling is merely for the ministry or church related endeavors. They can avoid limiting calling to only supernatural matters, but to be inclusive of all matters. They can look at calling more in terms of freedom of choice rather than some strict "blueprint" we have to adhere to. In a conversational approach, each of the eight contributors are given an opportunity to talk about what calling means.

BookPastor >> "Word by Word" (Marilyn McEntyre)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Sep 5th, 2016.

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TITLE: Word by Word: A Daily Spiritual Practice
AUTHOR: Marilyn McEntyre
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2016, (224 pages).

As the title suggests, this book is a patient meditation on the Word using ordinary words as entry points into the spiritual practice of meditation. Words are ways in which we describe our inner longings accurately and clearly. Readers are invited to do the same using single words used in "seven different ways and seven different phrases." This is following the ancient practice of 'lectio divina' which enables us to let the power of a single word usher us into the beauty of the Word of God. Used together with centering prayer, not only does it aids our meditations, it helps us in our prayers. The purpose of it all is to slow down our hectic pace in order to keep in step with our natural speed. In a world of multitasking and distractions, these verbs used are samples for us to be creative about our own set of words. Using her own morning Scripture readings, McEntyre shares with readers her method of spiritual reading. Using verbs to guide each chapter, she lists seven ways per verb (one per day) to practice letting the words train our minds. Readers get to listen in our how the author practices the daily routines. With reflections from the Bible, she meanders through a wide range of experiences and illustrations. We learn about prayerful listening. We receive with an eye to bless. We let God's work of creation lead us toward enjoyment. We let go of control so as to appreciate God's sense of timing and direction. We watch God's timing and accept God's way of grace. We resist the ways of the world's seductions and intentionally build in good spiritual habits. We learn to be still so as to develop a sense of clarity in us. We follow the nudging of God, something which is increasingly difficult in a world of distractions. As readers approach the end of the book, it is hoped that there is a pattern that readers can learn of, so as to develop their own set of verbs to be used likewise.

BookPastor >> ""Kingdom Ethics" (David P. Gushee and Glen H. Stassen) 2nd Edition"

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Aug 4th, 2016.

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TITLE: Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context
AUTHOR: David P. Gushee and Glen H. Stassen
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2016, (550 pages).

What does it mean to follow Jesus in our contemporary world? Is the Old Testament law still relevant for today? Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount asserts that the Word of God is not only relevant for the world today, it is a way in which we live out God's kingdom as a people of God. The original purpose of the authors is to emphasize Christian living based on the Rock of the Christian faith, Jesus. When the book was published back in 2003, the authors were amazed at how little resources there were on recovering the way of discipleship according to Jesus. They believe that the way to understand Christian ethics is to ground ourselves on kingdom reign of God. Since the passing of Glen Stassen in April 2014, this book has been updated by a few previous students of Stassen, together with the other co-author. There is more gender-inclusive language and more global perspectives. Every chapter has a set of discussion questions. More background knowledge are supplied to help beginner readers. The glossary of key terms at the end of the book has been greatly expanded. The book remains focused on the ethic of Jesus; thoroughly biblical; fuller understanding of the Hebrew contexts; and more inclusive of wider range of readers. One key idea in the writing of this book is to set out how the kingdom perspective contrasts with the powers and seductions of the world. Instead of the former seven sections, this book is divided into two parts. The first part looks at the methodology that follows more closely the Sermon on the Mount. It anchors the starting point of ethics on kingdom coming in Jesus. In proclaiming the reign of the kingdom of God, the authors list the seven marks of God's reign: deliverance/salvation, justice, peace, healing, restoration/rebuilding of community, joy, and the experience of God’s presence. All of these need to be adhered to because these are the things that are important to Jesus. We learn about how the beatitudes echo Isaiah 61. We learn about the sources of moral authority, including a brief overview moral authority from a few renowned Christian traditions. There is also a philosophical take as well in the four levels of moral norms, from basic convictions to particular judgments. The authors also contrast the situation ethics and legalism, carefully highlighting the merits of each and where they fall short. I appreciate the visual diagrams that Aaron Hedges, former student of Stassen, includes in some chapters. Readers will be impressed with the depth of coverage of the various ethical methodologies.  Central to the thesis of "Kingdom Ethics" is the list of The "Key Method Elements (KMEs) for Christian Ethics." These KMEs are introduced in Part One will be applied widely in Part Two. They are as follows:

1. Thinking in Concrete Kingdom Terms
2. Reading Jesus from the Underside of History
3. Character as a Lens for Ethics
4. Sources of Authority for Christian Ethics
5. Four Levels and Three Modes of Moral Norms
6. Making the Sermon on the Mount Central
7. Transforming Initiatives
8. Love as a Cardinal Ethical Norm
9. Justice as a Cardinal Ethical Norm
10. Sacredness as a Cardinal Ethical Norm
11. Four-Box Diagram of Dimensions of Moral Agency (Analytical)
12. Four-Box Diagram (Prescriptive)

BookPastor >> "Word by Word" (Marilyn McEntyre)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Sep 5th, 2016.

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TITLE: Word by Word: A Daily Spiritual Practice
AUTHOR: Marilyn McEntyre
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2016, (224 pages).

As the title suggests, this book is a patient meditation on the Word using ordinary words as entry points into the spiritual practice of meditation. Words are ways in which we describe our inner longings accurately and clearly. Readers are invited to do the same using single words used in "seven different ways and seven different phrases." This is following the ancient practice of 'lectio divina' which enables us to let the power of a single word usher us into the beauty of the Word of God. Used together with centering prayer, not only does it aids our meditations, it helps us in our prayers. The purpose of it all is to slow down our hectic pace in order to keep in step with our natural speed. In a world of multitasking and distractions, these verbs used are samples for us to be creative about our own set of words. Using her own morning Scripture readings, McEntyre shares with readers her method of spiritual reading. Using verbs to guide each chapter, she lists seven ways per verb (one per day) to practice letting the words train our minds. Readers get to listen in our how the author practices the daily routines. With reflections from the Bible, she meanders through a wide range of experiences and illustrations. We learn about prayerful listening. We receive with an eye to bless. We let God's work of creation lead us toward enjoyment. We let go of control so as to appreciate God's sense of timing and direction. We watch God's timing and accept God's way of grace. We resist the ways of the world's seductions and intentionally build in good spiritual habits. We learn to be still so as to develop a sense of clarity in us. We follow the nudging of God, something which is increasingly difficult in a world of distractions. As readers approach the end of the book, it is hoped that there is a pattern that readers can learn of, so as to develop their own set of verbs to be used likewise.

BookPastor >> "Christianity and Chinese Culture" (Miika Ruokanen and Paulos Huang)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Feb 17th, 2012.

conrade

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TITLE: Christianity and Chinese Culture
AUTHOR/EDITOR: Miika Ruokanen and Paulos Huang
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2010, (384 pages).
ISBN: 978-08028-6556-4

This publication is a collection of conference materials presented during the 2003 Sino-Nordic conference with the same name as the title of this book. Prepared by scholars, theologians, Confucianists and Christian contributors, this volume attempts to bring the best of 'human-oriented Confucianism' and 'religious vitalism of Christianity.' It believes that Confucianism and Christianity needs each other. The former cannot deal with the deeper religious needs of the Chinese people. The latter needs a proper understanding and appreciation of Confucianism in order to be relevant and be appreciated in the Chinese culture. More importantly, it shows how the Chinese authorities are opening up to the benefits of religion, and that religion is 'not harmful to society.' Instead, there is much good that Christianity can bring about in the social wellbeing of China. This represents a great opportunity for Christians to work with the Chinese people to bring about mutual benefits.

It attempts to cover three broad areas. Part One looks back at the traditional frameworks of Confucianism and Christianity in China. Eight Chinese scholars present largely conciliatory papers that emphasize commonness, similarities, and compatibilities between the Chinese and the Western cultures. There are similarities like motivation for moral good works, recognition of some kind of evil and original sin, similar attributions to a Higher Being, and inter-religious dialogues. Frequently, the Chinese scholars point to the positive missionary example of Matteo Ricci, who himself embraced Confucian values and ethics. Interestingly, according to one scholar, Christianity seems to be more favourably accepted than other religions. One paper talks about the religious conversions of Lin Yutang. When Lin finds a conflict between Chinese culture, Taoism and Christianity, he chooses humanism and leaves Christianity. Thirty years later, after recognizing the flaws and limits of humanism, he returns to Christianity. One particularly interesting paper is how folk religions, pragmatism, secularism, rationalism, influences the attitudes of Chinese people toward Christianity. Chinese culture has been both an influence as well as a limit to the spread of orthodox Christianity.

Part Two comes back to the present state of how the Chinese people (or scholars) perceive Christianity. There is a strong sense of seeing Christianity from the eyes of Chinese culture, rather than vice versa. In other words, the scholars continue to find common ground through 'comprehensive theology' by locating a 'mean.' The premise is that the mean of Chinese culture, and the mean of Christianity will intersect. It is still very much a 'balanced' approach that resembles the Taoist yin-yang philosophy. One paper offers much food for thought. In The Contextualization of Chinese Christian Theology, Yang Huilin argues that Christianity can be contextualized through language immersion, through humanities studies, through research into the present faith communities, and an understanding of what atheism means. For the West, atheism is antagonistic. For the Chinese, atheism is more of an 'indifference.' In response, Western theologians like Thor Strandenaes point out the 'counter-culture' nature of Christian theology.Wang Xiaochao gives 5 misunderstandings of Christianity made by the academic circles in China; namely, 1) misunderstanding the origins of Christianity, 2) Misunderstanding the relationship between Christianity and Roman Empire; 3) Misunderstanding the link between Christianity and Western philosophy; 4) Misunderstanding Christianity and the events in the Middle Ages; 5) misunderstanding Christianity and modernism.  Dr Choong Chee Pang, former principal of Trinity Theological College in Singapore gives a dual response. On the one hand, he commends Xiaochao for his concise identification of the 5 misunderstandings. On the other hand, Choong says that any misunderstandings less than a biblical foundation, will remain very much a misunderstanding. This is particularly illuminating. One very down-to-earth paper deals with the practical difficulties of people living in China. With the rise of pluralism in churches, the rising rich-poor divide in society, the materialistic, pragmatic, secular society, the challenge for urban Chinese is to find a sense of spirituality. Gao Shining admits that Christians who have 'strong faith' can overcome these challenges. Those who are interested in political and social place of Christianity in China will appreciate Li Quiling's paper which touches upon how the Chinese view religion in society.

Part Three looks to the future challenges. Deng Fucun's paper explains why 'conservative theological thinking' may not work as well as the three-self patriotic church theology. The key point is that Chinese culture prefers a middle ground, and any theologies that push to any extremes will be rejected in Chinese society. Of all the three parts, this final part is perhaps the most challenging because it pushes fundamental Christianity to the borderline (even over the line) of compromising the faith, in favour of cultural relevance and acceptance. While the West grapples between Christ and Culture, as far as Christianity in China is concerned, there is another layer: Christ and China.

My Thoughts

I have three reactions when I read this volume. Firstly, it is one of disappointment because diplomacy seems to come first, critical scholarship that we are used to seeing in academic circles appears secondary. The bulk of the essays tends to prefer diplomatic tact over critical engagement with biblical principles. Intellectual vigour is perhaps subservient to the higher purpose of searching for common grounds. A majority of the scholars seem to prefer the positive messages, even claiming that Christianity is not as contradictory as many people have thought. At least the responses by the European and American scholars are a little more engaging with alternative, even opposing views. It seems like the Chinese scholars themselves tend to toe the middle ground normally, and if forced to choose, they will tend to interpret Christianity from the eyes of Chinese culture rather than from biblical grounds. It takes the Nordic responses to bring out the non-Chinese perspectives.

Secondly, the representations are lopsided toward European and Chinese scholarship. Out of the 33 contributors, only 2 are from North America. Considering North America as a major world player, it is unusual for a work like this to be limited to Chinese and Scandinavian circles. Thirdly, this book presents many windows to help Westerners understand Chinese culture a little more. This point is perhaps worth the price of the book.

All in all, in view of the lack of literature and materials on Chinese culture and Christianity in the English language, this book is a welcome addition. In order to garner a wider acceptance, such sino-Christian studies need to be more global in outlook, and the interactions need to have a greater degree of biblical foundations. What about the Chinese diaspora? What about the re-integration of Chinese scholars trained in the West? What about Western expatriates or missionaries working in China?

My main critique of this book is basically this. The contents do not exactly reflect 'Christianity and the Chinese Culture.' I feel that a more accurate title is, "Christianity seen through the eyes of Chinese Culture." There is a place for diplomacy and tact. However, for any work to be academically rigourous, deeper critical scholarship and more alternative views are needed. Perhaps, the reserved manner of scholarship from the Chinese contingent is in itself a picture of how the Chinese approach life.

Ratings: 3.75 stars of 5.

conrade

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BookPastor >> "The Spirituality of Wine" (Gisela H. Kreglinger)

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

conrade

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TITLE: The Spirituality of Wine
AUTHOR: Gisela H. Kreglinger
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2016, (272 pages).

What is so spiritual about wine? What has wine got to do with the Bible? How do we understand the love-hate relationship with wine in the history of the Church? What is the significance of wine in the Communion and general feasting? What did the Bible say about wine? These and many more are eloquently described in this perceptive book about wine and spirituality. The main purpose of this book is to recover the vision of the Christian life that is able to see God at work in all things, and in this case, in the producing, the processing, the consuming, and the enjoying of wine. It is about paying attention to the beauty of creation instead of thoughtless economic use. It is about connecting the work with the enjoyment; the material with the spiritual; the life-giving conversations over the table. It is tending to the ordinary and to appreciate how the world has been blessed by God.

In Kreglinger's words, Part One is the "sustenance" and Part Two is "sustainability." The five chapters in "Sustenance" go back to the biblical significance of wine; the history of the perceptions of wine in the Church; the use of wine in the Lord's Supper; how wine is used in feasting; and the way wine can help us pay attention to life in general. There are lots of references to wine in the Bible. According to scholars, there are 810 occurrences of "wine" in the Old Testament, and 169 occurrences in the New Testament. In the Ancient Near East, wine is considered one of the three most important food groups; the other being bread and olive oil. From the Bible, we see wine being received as a gift. From the history of the Church, wine has been a source of controversy. With the second century suspicions over the connection between wine and vice, many had to defend the use of wine provided it does not lead to drunkenness. In fact, in the twelfth century, the biggest producers of wine were the monasteries! During and after the Reformation, many monasteries were closed and wine production curtailed. People like Luther, Calvin, Knox, and Zwingli all had to come out to affirm wine as a gift rather than a source of vice. In terms of the use of wine in the Communion ritual, the controversial became more theological as different parties debated on the status of wine and Christ. Yet, understanding it properly will push Gnosticism out the door. Wine can bring communities together through pleasure and enjoyment. It can also help cultivate our attentiveness in engaging our various senses.

In Part Two, Kreglinger brings us back from a nostalgic past into the contemporary reality. She presents us with a challenge to make a choice on the subject of wine, insisting that there is no "neutral ground." She interviews individual vintners who are also practicing theologians to learn how their faith had shaped their wine making endeavors, such as enjoyment and community engagement. She learns about how caring for the soils and the land is essential for good grapes. The scope of experience from the interviewees is breath-taking. There are reflections from both the Old and New World Wine countries. The interesting point is not the difference between them but the similarity they have in wanting their wine to represent the best of the land and their identities. At some point, readers will realize that appreciating wine is not about achieving some tangible objectives but more about lingering in wonder and gratitude. For wine making is a craft that can be mysterious in many ways. Learning to enjoy wine need not be any different. Wine making is also not a stagnant exercise. There is tremendous opportunity to be creative not only in production but also in creativity. The chapter on "Technology, Spirituality, and Wine" is a must read for those of us interested in the intersection of work, faith, and technology. Kreglinger cautions on some of the damaging aspects of globalization such as "homogenization of taste" which can unwittingly eliminate the uniqueness of each type of wine. Toward the end, readers find themselves back to the garden metaphor where God is the gardener and the Church is the vineyard. Gradually, we are reminded that in our world of consumption, we are equally called to be producers. Sustainability is not about non-stop consumption but a respectful rhythm of producing, consuming, recycling, and redeeming.

Midweek Meditation: "Searching for the Land of Dreams"

"Deep down, many of us long for something that is really worthwhile. We are looking for something that really matters. There seems to be something about human nature that makes it want to long for something life-changing. While many people are troubled by the thought of dying, others are disturbed by a much more profound anxiety - that we may die without having really begun to live." (Alister McGrath, The Unknown God, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1999, p12)

The Scripture says,

"And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions." (Joel 2:28)

(Photo Credit: Addicted to Fries link)

conrade

Midweek Meditation: "A Spiritual Hunger"

Starting this week, I will be sharing from the work of Alister McGrath, "The Unknown God," a book on searching for spiritual fulfillment. It comprises several reflections by McGrath on how the world and people at large search for some kind of fulfilment and at the same time having to contend with the paradoxes of life. Today's meditation is on spiritual hunger.

"A noted philosopher once commented that when people had plenty to eat they turned their minds to thinking great thoughts. The point he was making is simple. You need to make sure of your physical survival before you can do some serious thinking. Yet one of the most curious things about serious human thought is that it often focuses on the theme of emptiness. Having satisfied their physical hunger, people become aware of a deeper kind of hunger - a longing for something that will really satisfy." (Alister McGrath, The Unknown God, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1999, p7)

Jesus said: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6)

conrade

BookPastor >> "Naming the Silences" (Stanley Hauerwas)

I know the Christmas season is fast approaching. While many shopped till they drop, and celebrate from dusk to dawn, I am very aware many others suffer in silence. This is especially for those who are missing loved ones either passed away, separated, or missing.

This review was first published at "A Book Pastor Recommends" on May 9th, 2011. It is a powerful reflection on God, medicine and the problem of suffering.

conrade

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TITLE: NAMING THE SILENCES - God, Medicine, and the Problem of Suffering
AUTHOR Stanley Hauerwas
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1990, (154 pages).

While many books talk about pain, suffering, evil, and the existence of God, Hauerwas takes a different tack. While most people seem fixated on questions such as: "When or Why Bad Things Happen to Good People?" Hauerwas questions the question. He points out the faulty thinking behind the question surrounding pain and suffering. That is why the author makes no attempt to try to explain away evil and suffering. The book is a way to question this question in such a way to show that theodicy and the problem of suffering is not to be explained but named.

According to Hauerwas, while he recognizes that there is a legitimate need for sufferers, and people in pain to find an explanation for life's pressing questions, he is more interested to tackle the 'question' behind the question, made famous by Harold Kushner.

BookPastor >> "Taking Your Soul to Work" (R. Paul Stevens and Alvin Ung)

TITLE: Taking Your Soul to Work: Overcoming the Nine Deadly Sins of the Workplace
AUTHOR: R. Paul Stevens and Alvin Ung
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2010, (206 pages).

In the past two decades, the topic of faith in the workplace has been talked about in Christian circles. How can we live not only as Sunday Christians but all-day Christians? What can we do to be Christian not only in Church but also be in the office? Is it possible to be a Christian in the workplace? The dichotomy between faith and work has become so sharp that many believers need help on how to bridge the two to avoid becoming Christian only on Sundays and less so on the other days. In this book, Paul Stevens, author of The Other Six Days, and Alvin Ung, author of Barefoot Leadership have come together to speak wisely into the situation. As far as they are concerned, there is no dichotomy between faith, work, Christian living, and worship. With Stevens from the West and Ung from the East, they have tried to make this book as contextually sensitive and culturally relevant to both West and East. Their key concerns:

• Handling the frustrations, challenges, and ambiguities of the complex workplace
• Letting work be an opportunity for spiritual growth
• Allowing work as a way to draw us closer to God
• Keeping God in mind while working
• Finding our God's will in our workplace
• Sensing the presence of God in our ups and downs
• Seeing the work context as ways to overcome our "hidden compulsions" and "discover new strengths"
• and many more.

BookPastor >> "Called to Serve" (Max De Pree)

TITLE: Called to Serve: Creating and Nurturing the Effective Volunteer Board
AUTHOR: Max De Pree
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2001, (100 pages).

Have you ever wondered what a Board of Directors, a volunteer or non-profit organization do? How can they be more effective in their altruistic goals? What makes a successful nonprofit board? These questions are ably dealt with by one of the most respected names in the leadership arena: Max dePree. Known for his classic work entitled, "Leadership is an Art," DePree applies his knowledge and years of wisdom from the for-profit enterprise to the nonprofit organizations such as churches, charities, and other social causes. As money continues to pour into nonprofits, it is critical that there be increasing quality of management and leadership in them as well.

Written as personal letters to his friend, Verley, DePree talks about the eleven marks of an effective board as:

1. Having a mission statement;
2. Nurturing strong relationships with board members;
3. Maintaining an understanding of the surrounding world;
4. Planning well;
5. Enabling competent and inspirational leadership;
6. Cultivating growth in members of the organization;
7. Giving wisdom, wealth, work, and witness;
8. Maintaining intimacy with their responsibilities;
9. Measuring and doing what it says it will do;
10. Reflecting;
11. Thanking.

A good board has a clear agenda. It needs to have a future orientation. It also has specific present responsibilities for each member. It needs to evaluate senior leadership in the organization so as to improve leadership performances. The Board's role needs to be strategic and reflective, based on the administrative information provided them. Board meetings need to engage all members. 

DePree talks about the design of the Board. Structures must be thought of not in terms of work to be done but what the organization wants to become. They need to be primarily concerned with people, followed by financial prudence and managing of both hard and soft assets. The chairperson mainly chairs the meeting. Unfortunately, many places tend to see the chairperson as President or Chief Executive. That will be wrong. The authority of the chairperson resides in the running of the meeting, keeping time, sensing members' moods, and so on.  The single most important thing any chairperson can do is to cultivate trust. This is done through two ways. The first is to express gratitude frequently. The second is to uphold accountability levels of all members. So important is the role of the chairperson that DePree allocates two chapters on it. He calls the act of chairing a prime example of servant leadership. Other roles of the chairperson include:

• Building community
• Designing agenda
• Using a "bell curve" to know when is the optimum time for members' attention and discussion of important issues;
• Communicating well;
• Be Hospitable
• Be an accountability leader.

Having said that, there is also a list of duties for members to remember for themselves; such as statement of expectations; enabling trust to the other leaders; giving space; providing care; and others. He ends with a personal story about his brother at Herman Miller, where he reminds us that when we implement things affecting any one particular group, always consult the people who will be most affected by any change. Let me close with this powerful quote about volunteering.

"There's a lesson here for all of us engaged in volunteer activities. Be careful not to give people too many reasons for reconsidering their calling. Consider deeply and meticulously why it is that so many people are called to serve others as volunteers. Never forget that non-profit work, like no other endeavour, engages our choice, our hearts, and our spirits." (91)

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

BookPastor >> "Twelve Dynamic Shifts for Transforming Your Church" (E. Stanley Ott)

TITLE: Twelve Dynamic Shifts for Transforming Your Church
AUTHOR: E. Stanley Ott
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2002, (118 pages).

What does a transformed Church look like? Are we aware of what it takes to move from a Church that is stuck in the rut, to a vibrant witnessing community for God? In twelve clear and convicting ways, pastor E. Stanley Ott shows us the way, 12 ways to be precise. The challenge is to shake up old routines in order to breathe in new life. These twelve shifts happen to be a consolidation of all the big ideas learned from seminars, conferences, training sessions, and lectures the author has benefited from. Written especially for leadership, Ott puts it in this handy volume that enables any interested leader to jump in, to learn, and quickly apply.

Ott begins by agreeing with the observation of Dallas Willard that the mainline church has been largely ineffective in discipling their congregations. More often assumed than assisted, members fail to live out a vibrant, deliberate spiritual life that exhibits faith, hope, and love in growing dimensions. Ott categorizes the Church in terms of the traditional, the transitional, and the transformational, and shows us their differences in at least six ways.

1. LEADERSHIP: In Traditional churches, the pastor or leaders are the primary doers of ministry while the transformational church has a much larger base of servants.
2. WORSHIP: Traditional churches adopt mostly one kind of music, liturgy, or church tradition while transformational types adopt a variety and blends them accordingly.
3. FELLOWSHIP / MISSION: Traditional churches separate the two while transformational enables both fellowship and mission to co-exist and to intermingle in such a way that every fellowship is like an outreach, and vice versa.
4. PARTICIPATION: Traditional churches have many members with low commitments, especially in serving, while transformational churches tend to have a broad base of serving people right across generations and church groups.
5. MINISTRY: Traditional churches see ministry as formal duties while transformational ones tend to embrace ministry both inside and outside the church.
6. GOVERNANCE: Traditional churches emphasize control, while transformational churches adopt empowerment. 

Church in transitions have a bit of both traditional and transformational. Here are the 12 dynamic shifts in four categories. The first three covers the "vision and expectation" for the church. Shifts 4-6 talk about ministry and people. Shifts 7-9 involves the congregational program. The final three talks about the practice of leadership.

1. "Shift from your present hopes for your congregation's future to the high expectations that God has a vital future for your church."
2. "Shift from merely running programs to implementing a vision for ministry."
3. "Shift from a maintenance mentality to a sustaining and advancing vision."
4. "Shift from an emphasis on friendliness to a ministry of friendliness and hospitality."
5. "Shift from assuming discipleship to developing discipleship."
6. "Shift from a primary emphasis on the communal life of the church to a balanced emphasis on the communal and missional life of the church."
7. "Shift from an unchanging worship format to a ministry of worship and music responsive to the variety of needs present in the congregation and in the community you want to reach."
8. "Shift from primarily audience-oriented programming (eg. worship services, classes) to a balance of audience-oriented ministry and face-to-face ministry (eg. small groups, one-on-one spiritual direction)."
9. "Shift from adding new people to established groups to adding new groups."
10. "Shift from a 'leader-deploying' ministry to a 'leader-developing' ministry, from committees to ministry teams."
11. "Shift from a controlling leadership to a permission-giving 'sending' leadership."
12. "Shift from a pastor-centered/officer-centered ministry to shared ministry among pastor, officers, and congregation."

Each shift comes with a brief explanation followed by questions for reflection and discussion. They are also supported by Scripture and occasionally, Ott throws in some illustrations and stories. On implementation, Ott uses real life examples in chapter 8 to prove that these shifts are practical and doable. As an added bonus, there is a bibliography of books and literature for the interested reader to read and learn more about each shift.

My Thoughts

The key benefit in reading this book is to use it to ask honest questions about our own church. I figure that most of us will identify more with the transitions of the "transitional" church model, with different parts of the church more traditional, and others more transformational. It is hard to see any church being of any one type.  Well-written and laid out, this book will be a good resource in any leadership that is seeking to transform the way that they do church. 

conrade