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What Makes a Good Book?

What makes a good book? 

Though there are many determing factors that you can mention, for me, what makes a good book is whether it gets me and others talking. Not just thinking, but talking where what is being read compels me to share my learnings or its content with others.

An arena of life that I spend a good portion of my time is in a local church.  And here are five books that I and friends and colleagues of mine have read that have lead to some great discussion about the church and what it means to be a Christ follower.  I hope you will be prodded to read one or all of these books.

1. The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons 
2. Untamed by Alan Hirsch  
3. Generous Justice by Timothy Keller 
4. Radical by David Platt 
5. Crazy Love by Francis Chan

I believe it has done so for the following reasons ...

• The timeliness of its content -- it has implications for the world we are living in now.
• Accessibility -- people can engage in its content regardless of the prior knowledge to subject matter.
• It gets you think because as it challenges your current point of view.

Jesus Creed "The Series"

Jesus Creed the series will be launching this weekend at Journey.  The series based on the book The Jesus Creed by Scot McKnight will be a part of a church-wide initiative that will include an accompanying group study that all of our small groups will going through.   In additon there are supplemental learning materials --  McKnight's books the Jesus Creed and a devotional 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed.

If you are not in a small group and would like to join one.  New groups are starting in view of this current series.  The Jesus Creed small group study will begin the week of Jan. 17 and continue for the next 7 weeks to coincide with the series.  You can sign up for a group and/or purchase either of the Jesus Creed books at the Small Group Rally tonight 6:30pm at Journey Community Church or after the services this weekend.

Also toward the end  of the series we are excited to have Scot McKnight join us. For a complete breakdown of the series, see below.

Here is a complete breakdown of the weekend series:

“Spirituality”—most of us feel like we want it. We would like to think of ourselves as a “spiritual” person. But how are you suppose to figure out whatʼs real, whatʼs true, what actual spirituality looks like? Even if you are connected to a church, who do you ask? Even if you decide to read the Bible, where do you start? I mean itʼs a big book! Itʼs almost like we are suffering from information overload. It would be nice if someone who really knew what they were talking about could boil it down and just give us something
to work with. Enter Jesus, who did just that. 

“Love God. Love your neighbor.”This little ditty is something author and New Testament scholar Scot McKnight calls “The Jesus Creed.” Join us as we take a closer look at the center of Jesus Spirituality.

• January 14 & 16     Everything Life in a Line
• January 21 & 23     OneThe Lord is One…and that Changes Stuff!
• January 28 & 30     WhoThe Great and Very Wrong Question: Who is my Neighbor?
• February 4 & 6       Unlikely A Connection with God Where You Least Expect It
• February 11 &13   Scot McKnight Author of the best seller, The Jesus Creed
• February 18 & 20    Love Itʼs Not What You Think

No Bible Reading Plan in Place ... No Problem

So we are heading toward the half way mark of January and if you don't have some type of Bible reading plan in place?  No worries, but I would prod you to do something. 

In most years I have had something in place before the New Year has begun.  In the past of I have read through The One Year Bible (which we offer in different formats in our bookstore), The Chronilogical Bible in a Year, or a specific series of devotionals.  However, this year I find myself stuck, with no plan in a place.

Yet, there is a need to do something. We need a steady of diet of God's Word getting through us regularly. So in the mean time here is what I am doing and this is something you can dive in today if you find yourself stuck.  Because January is a 31 day month, read one chapter of Proverbs every day and read one Psalm each day corresponding to the date on the calendar.  I have found my first days of this year filled with great reminders of God's faithfulness and recementing of some foundational truths.

Now here are some places you can check out with potential plans:

• Our Daily Journey ministries has some great resources stop by their counter after services.
• The You Version provides over 50 different plans.
• The Discipleship Journal has some solid options.
• New Hope Christian Fellowship has some great plans.
• A customized reading plan for you via MONVEE

If you plan in place that is serving you well, I would love to hear about it.

"My Top 5 Movies of 2010" (God at the Movies 8 candidates?)

God at the Movies has been a series our church has done for 7 years running.  It has proven to be a series that stirs up great conversation and presents an incredible opportunity to bring spiritually seeking friends.  Now whether we present an 8th installment of this series this summer has yet to be decided.  However, as it is the beginning of the year and many are making lists of what their favorites and best of's the past year. 

Here are my top five movies of 2010 all of which, in my opinion, would be great candidates for God at the Movies 8 should we decide to do it.

1. The Social Network (for those of you missed it in theates, it comes out on Blu-Ray and DVD on January 11.  Aaron Sorkin proves again what an incredible writer he is.)
2. Inception (This is really more like 1b and a film you will need to see more than once)
3. Toy Story 3  (The best of the three. Whereas sequels never deliver like original, this one does!)
4. True Grit (Go see it now.  Who doesn't think Hailee Steinfield playing Mattie Ross gives a stellar performance!)
5. How to Train Your Dragon ( Very poignant learning moments for me as a parent and leader)

I hope you will be prodded to go and see some of these films. 

What were your favorites from last year?

Do any of these make your list?

"My First 11 in 2011" -- Reading List

Like a lot of people I am setting goals for this new year.  One of the most fundamental ones to me is putting together a reading list to help me in my self-leading efforts.  Listed below is the first 11 books that I will be reading in 2011 and a brief commentary on why I am choosing to read them.  I have downloaded most of them to my Kindle 2.  Links to respective books are in the column on the right.

I would love to hear about what you reading.  Please tell me what you are reading by commenting.

1. Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition by Michael J. Mauboussin (A book that caught my attention as a result of my Monday Morning Routine.)
2. Buy-In: Saving Your Good Idea from Getting Shot Down by John Kotter (One of the most insightful thinkers on change.)
3. Chief Culture Officer: How to Create a Living, Breathing Corporation by Grant McCracken (Another book that caught my attention as a resutl of my Monday Morning Routine.)
   
4. Open Leadership: How Social Technology Can Transform the Way You Lead by Charlene Li (Social Networking is not going away, the more we are up on it the better we can leverage it in our leading.)
5. Talk Less, Say More: Three Habits to Influence Others and Make Things Happen by Connie Dieken (A skill set that I can always use some learning in.)
6. Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God by John Piper  (His key thought that reading is thinking really resonates with me.)
7. Generous Justice: How God's Grace Makes Us Just by Timothy Keller (Keller is one of my favorite author, I simply read whateve he writes.)
8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Just curious about this book series that seems to be gaining popularity.)
9. Contemplative Pastor: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction by Eugene H. Peterson (Our worship pastor Jason Denison referenced this book in our leaders meeting and got my attention)
10. Winning on Purpose: How To Organize Congregations to Succeed in Their Mission by William Easum (This is a work related read for a project I am currently working on.)
11. Well Being by Tom Rath (Rath's work through the Gallup Organization I find very insightful.)
12. The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn't Exist by Craig Groeschel (I know that I said 11, but there are just too many good books so I added one more.  One of the best innovative leaders in the church and I read everything he writes.)

I will also revisiting these two books that I have previously read:

In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson (I have given to this too most of my leaders to read)

Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight (Our leadership team is reading it)

Dog Days Are Over -- The Importance of Having a Solid Bridge Element

After our four Christmas Services (Dec. 23 & 24) I commented to our lead pastor Ed Noble that the crowd seemed much more engaged than usual and hence he seemed a lot more comfortable from the outset of his message. Now the reason I am bringing this up is because on a high outreach weekend like Christmas or Easter the ratio of regulars to guests are much different than a regular weekend -- meaning there are a lot more guests.  As a result it takes a little longer for the crowd to become comfortable with who you are as a communicator.  It also effects what you say and how you say it.  Nuances that are normal for the regular attendees seem to go over the guests head and it is often met with a deafening silence.

Yet on this occassion this was not the case.  The primary reason I believe, and I know there were other subtle variables played a part, was the song that preceeded the message.  What I observed deepened my conviction of how important it is to have a meaningful, solid bridge element in our servivces to communicate to our spiritually seeking guests that we understand the world they live in; and that here is something that you may have already have connection to that we want to help draw spiritual meaning from.

The music team performed a cover of English Indie Rock artist Florence and the Machine's  Dog Days Are Over.  This song not only served the theme and content of the message, but it is a song that is current and was recently performed during the hit tv show Glee.  The lead on the song Minnie King nailed it. After the service when I played the song for my wife by Florence and the Machine she thought it was Minnie.  In additon it was the type of song that brought lot of energy that I believe really looseed people up. I think we forget what it is like to attend church as a guest. Many guest sit with folded or crossed arms as a indirect way of putting their guards up.  Yet with this song it could not help but relax them.

Pray Who They Can Become

In a previous post I shared the first of two practices that I want to encourage us to engage in this coming year that will help keep God as the "one thing" in our lives.  This practice is one I have developed more recently and so I am gradually trying to make it a habit.  I hope you will be prodded to do the same.

PRAY WHO THEY CAN BECOME:

At the heart of this practice is simply lifting up a short silent prayer on behalf each person you come in contact with in the course of your day.  We don't need to know where they are at in their spiritual journey all we need to pray is that they would become all that God created them to me.  Ephesians 2:10 is a great verse that speaks to this notion,  "For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life."

Now if we know the person, we may offer a specific request on their behalf, yet with the same spirit praying that they would become of who God intends for them to be.  Jesus gave us a great example in how he saw Peter when He said in Matthew 16:18  "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it."  When Jesus made this declaration hardly anyone could imagine Peter in this light, yet Jesus did not only see Peter as he was, but who he could become.