Skip to main content

Good Reads

In keeping with the Incarnational Church theme, allow me to encouage some good books that may help in becoming missional Christ followers.

I have come to appreciate Chip Ingram, who for many years was a pastor in Santa Cruz, CA. He saw great benefit in a young man who was working with youth and allowed him to begin a church within the church called “Graceland”. That young man is Dan Kimball, who has since started Vintage Faith Church. One of the books that excites me is ...

“The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations” by Dan Kimball
Forewords by Rick Warren and Brian McLaren ... Running commentary throughout the book by:Rick Warren, Brian McLaren, Howard Hendricks, Mark Oestreicher, Sally Morgenthaler, Chip Ingram

The following is found on the website explaining the book:
While many contemporary church leaders have been busy in our church offices preparing sermons, running church programs and making church more professional, a new world is emerging all around us. We are fast moving from a Judeo-Christian world to a post-Christian world. This means we need to rethink leadership, preaching, spiritual formation, evangelism, what we do in worship services and most importantly of all how we view “church”.

The Emerging Church is not a “model” as there are hundreds and thousands of types of emerging churches. The book explores current cultural changes and then moves beyond deconstruction to give specific examples of emerging church ministry to hopefully inspire thinking about what to do in your local context.

Another book I have come to appreciate is by John Burke. He is a pastor in Austin, TX at Gateway Community. This book explores the post-modern thought and the approach needed within the culture of our world today.

“No Perfect People Allowed: Creating a come as you are culture in the church” by John Burke

Unlike the catch phrase some churches use to mean something different, Burke expresses ‘come as you are’ as an authentic invitation. Within his book, you’ll read the stories of people who find themselves in some of the deepest and troubling situations where those who loved them with Jesus’ love saw great transformations and now have hope. The ‘come as you are’ is less of an invitation to Gateway and more of an invite to meet some Christ followers in their homes and sense Jesus’ love no matter what you beliefs are situation in life might be.

Finally, in this first of a few posts on GOOD READS, there’s the former Franciscan priest, Brennan Manning who inspired songwriter Rich Mullins (”Our God is an Awesome God”) to name his back-up band as The Raggamuffin Band.

“The Raggamuffin Gospel” by Brennan Manning

Manning’s insights into a life with Jesus and allowing His life to influence ours is life-changing. This is a must read for all missional believers! I have a friend who has purchased a number of these books and distributes them to potential Christ followers like some hand out tracts! In fact, he’s the one who gave me my copy — thanks, Bill and may God bring fruit to your seed plantings!


Again, let’s return to the root of the cross: the love of Jesus! John 3:16.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

On Hold - The Finale

Today is July 20th. August is upon us and so is the 6th month of unemployment. Correct. After many applications and about 6-7 interviews I am still without work. I was interviewed twice (two different companies) in person this week and I'm waiting on their call back. Both indicated there must be a second interview with others involved. The last offering (Part 2) eluded to a humbling lesson learned. When I walked out of my last job on February 7th I made a to-myself-statement. Essentially I said I'll never work for this company again. But that was before my first humble pie piece I had to eat. So I put in applications with the company's other stores close by. Also I used a second email address so I wouldn't be tied to the store I worked at. I must have been hungry because I began to eat another piece of that pie. I finally reapplied at the store I exited 5 months earlier and yes, used my regular email address to do so. The first part of On Hold revealed my money from my ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Revelation - A Bible Book Often Avoided

MMB 7-1-2024 I have an app on my phone that reminds me of my daily Scripture reading so I can complete reading the Bible in one year. That completion date for me was yesterday June 30, 2024. The app I use suggests three chapters a day except for Sunday which is five chapter readings. I completed an inspiring read through the Book of Revelation yesterday. Many avoid Revelation because of its many "Sevens" that appear confusing. Seven Angels, Seven Bowls, Seven trumpets, Seven Scrolls ... they're there. Then there are descriptions of certain creatures with multiple heads and faces and horns which can shock anyone. But Revelation mostly explains the confusing terms as you read on. You can't give up. You can't fear the terminology. You can't avoid those unknowns because they are soon revealed.  I've decided to re-read the Book. I've done two years of reading through the Bible and I will take a break from that now. But I won't stop reading Scripture. I ...
Post a Comment
Read more

MMB - Monday, November 21, 2016

MONDAY MORNING BLOG - 11/21/2016 Many of my meditations lately have been in the Old Testament. I taught a group of teens at a Sunday gathering recently about the Challenges of Conflicts and talked about Judah's King Jehoshaphat's conflict with three nations preparing to attack, which if they did, the King would have experienced sure defeat. The account is detailed in 2 Chronicles 20. So how did this King deal with this challenge of conflict? The answer became the thrust of my message to those eager Jr High teens. I encouraged those bright young people of diversity and multiple backgrounds, to see the King's response to the news of an imminent and enormous attack ... an ensuing conflict, if you will. This conflict was dealt with head-on by the King and his followers - with PRAYER. Prayer? Oh yes! A National Prayer Meeting, led by none other than the King! King Jehoshaphat called his people to prayer and cried out to God Almighty boldly and loudly before the people of ...
Post a Comment
Read more