Book Review #3: Sticky Church

Our church leadership decided that we would read "Sticky Church" together this year so that we could better learn how to close the "back door" of the church. Osborne challenges that so many churches are all about having their front doors swinging wide open that we all too often forget to close the back door once they are in the church. We look at our church and ask ourselves, "Why aren't we seeing more growth in the church? I see new people showing up every week." Osborne says that it is possible that so many church as so focused on getting people in, that they forget to take care of them once they are there.

This was a great book to read as this was something we had already been discussing within our student ministry. How and/or where can we create "stick or velcro" points to will cause people to stick to our church?

Book Review #2: Crazy Love

Need a wake up call? Francis Chan's, "Crazy Love" may be exactly what you are looking for. Chan challenges us to consider God's love for us and how it has changed our lives. There are a lot of tough questions and thoughts that you will have to wrestle through to really get something out of this book.

Though I don't 100% agree with some of the theology that he uses to challenge us, I definitely agree with him when he challenges us live in a way that seems strange to others as we pour out the same love that God has shown to us on to others. This was absolutely a great read!

Leaders are learners

Doug Fields wrote a book a few years ago titled, "Help! I'm a student leader." It's a great book to read and even better for your students to read about truly becoming a leader and not just someone with another title. In the book, Fields challenged students to continue to learn because "Leaders are learners." He then produced an audio series for both students and youth workers to help them continue to learn and grow.

Personally, I have bookshelves of books that I once desired to read (or still desire to read) but just haven't gotten around to it. It's so easy to focus on the tasks that need to be gotten done each week within your own personal ministry setting that we often neglect ourselves and our own personal growth as leaders. I'm not talking about reading the latest youth ministry book either in hopes of finding that new "magic formula" that will catapult your ministry to the next height.

So I have issued a personal challenge to myself. For the next 52 weeks, I am going to read one book a week. That way, I can continue to learn and develop more as a leader...and not just a youth ministry leader, but a leader for the Kingdom of God.

Each Sunday night, I will post my latest book review. So check back each week to see what I've been reading.

Book Review #1: REFUEL

Doug Fields' newest book, REFUEL, is an incredible book for those who are struggling to keep the spiritual tank full.

What I LOVED about this book is that it is not a book with another formula to follow that will be the next step in your spiritual journey. Fields' was right on target when he talk about all of the hoops that churches often put in place for people to be "more spiritual." (What does that even mean, anyway?)

If you want to fueled, all you really need is to stop, be quiet and make a connection. God will take care of the rest.

Book Review: Choosing To Cheat

Andy Stanley writes an INCREDIBLE book about keeping our families the #2 priority in our lives.  Assuming that God is #1 in your life, we have a tendency to put other things in the #2 spot in our lives when that was never God's intention.  Stanley challenges to go to the utmost extremes in making sure that our families not only know that they are #2, but that they truly see that they are #2 by the amount of time that we spend with them.

This book couldn't have come for me at a better time.  I was already at a point in my life where I was feeling the pull between my career and my job.  This book landed in my lap as a result of a men's leadership group that I am a part of and I am so thankful that it did.

Maybe the most important question (and also probably the most difficult) that was asked: (Ask your spouse) What is one thing you would change about my schedule?  I dare you to ask your spouse that question and then be prepared to change whatever they suggest.