Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

This is another book that needs to be read by all believers. It is not an enjoyable read, but sometimes the truth hurts. Gabe Lyons was a VP for INJOY, John Maxwell’s organization. He was the co-founder of the Catalyst Conference and to everyone he had it made in ministry. But something was stirring in his heart. He couldn’t help but wonder what non-believers really thought about Christians and how did it hurt believers efforts to share Christ with them. So Gabe did the unthinkable, he resigned from Injoy and called his friend Dave Kinnaman from the Barna Research Group and said he wanted to Barna to research what Non-believers think about Christians. Their research wasn’t intended to be a book but their findings were so sobering they had to write this and I’m glad they did.

You don’t have to agree with the findings but it doesn’t matter because this is what non-believers think. Mosaics and Busters (the generations that include late teens to early 30-somethings) believe Christians are judgmental, anti homosexual, hypocritical, too political and sheltered. The book really made me think. I pray that I never become a stumbling block to someone accepting Christ because I act unChristian. This book is a must read.

I highly recommend unChristian and give it 4.69 hockey sticks out of 5.

This book review has been a few weeks in coming. I hesitated reviewing it publicly for until now. You will understand tomorrow. This is a book I bought so I’m not under obligation to review it but I felt I needed to share it with you.

This book is a must read. Dr. Thom Rainer is the President of Lifeway and Eric Geiger is an Executive Pastor in South Florida. They did extensive research on why some churches seem to be growing more than others. The basic point to the entire book is get SIMPLE.

According to their research the churches that were seeing life change and growing spiritually and numerically were ones who were “SIMPLE.” They don’t have a lot of programing. They usually have Worship, small groups and they encourage their people to minister during the week. They say no to a lot to help people grow stronger in their faith. They want people to spend more time with their families and neighbors.

I remember when I was on staff at a highly programed church in Atlanta when this up-start church called Northpoint got up and going. I was never home and was “doing” ministry sometimes 5-6 nights a week. I would pull in my driveway and wave at my neighbors and never got to know them. However I heard that Northpoint was growing and “all” they did was have Sunday morning worship, small groups off site and encouraged their people to “Invest & Invite.” But I thought how could a church minister without programs? How could the people grow with so little to offer them?

Then one night I was at an Atlanta Falcon’s pre-season game with some men from our church. By the 4th quarter there wasn’t much going on but I overheard a pretty young single woman in front of me talking about “her church.” I leaned forward to listen some more. She did not appear the “church” type during the game but what she said changed my ideas forever. She said that she wasn’t the church type but Northpoint was changing her ideas about God. I don’t know if she ever became a follower of Christ but she wouldn’t have stepped foot in most churches.

Simple is in. Look at Google and Apple Computers. We complicate the Christian life by making it about what we “do” rather than what Jesus “did” when He died for our sins.
I highly recommend SIMPLE CHURCH and give it 4.7 hockey sticks out of 5.

I just finished reading The Case for the Real Jesus by Lee Strobel that Zondervan asked me to review. Strobel was a former atheist who studied law at Yale and was the Legal editor of the Chicago Tribune. Then his wife became a follower of Jesus while attending Willowcreek Church in Chicago. (I’m sure someone will take a pot shot at Willowcreek and Bill Hybels) Strobel began watching how his wife changed and through that he became a Christ-follower and went on staff at Willowcreek and later Saddleback in Orange County, CA. (I’m sure another attack will come for that too) Anyway Strobel has has made a name for himself with these excellent “Case for…” series. I’ve read most of the including The Case for Christ, The Case for Easter, Case for Christmas and others.

This book was written to refute those claims that the church suppressed ancient non-biblical documents that give a more accurate picture of Jesus than the Gospels that are revered by Christians.

• He asks did the church distort the truth about Jesus by tampering with the early New Testament texts?
• Do new discoveries like the Gospel of Judas and Thomas tell us more about the “real” Jesus?
• Do some of these documents disprove the resurrection?
• Have some new discoveries proved that Jesus wasn’t really the messiah?
• Did Christianity “steal” its theology and stories form ancient mythology?
• Is it OK to believe that Jesus is just one way to heaven?

Strobel writes this book like a lawyer would make a case in court. Stobel does give both sides. He states what those who are trying to discredit the Bible are saying and then gives the Christian scholars a chance to refute. He also uses his journalistic skills to interview some of the best minds in the world to discover what the “real” Jesus was like. This is a fantastic book. It took me longer to read than many because it was like a textbook. You can’t skim through this book and really get the meaning. I recommend my friends Ask an Atheist, Francoise, and Geekwad to read this because I think you will be challenged to rethink your beliefs or lack there of.

[I edited my post to add that Strobel does give both sides]

I highly recommend The Case for the Real Jesus and give it 4.75 hockey sticks out of 5.

[BTW] Zondervan—see how much response I’m getting. You need to publish my book that I sent to you in July!

I just finished reading Reggie McNeal’s book Practicing Greatness. This will definitely go on my must read list. I read Reggie’s book The Present Future a few years ago and I contacted him with some questions and he was very helpful.

This book is about the 7 disciplines of extraordinary spiritual leaders. Those disciplines are:

1. Self-Awareness
2. Self-Management
3. Self-Development
4. Mission
5. Decision-Making
6. Belonging
7. Aloneness

I’ve had this book for at least 8 months and just now started reading it because I was in-between publisher’s reviews. (I’m back reviewing for publishers with Lee Strobel’s book) I think God meant for me to read this book right now in my life. The bottom line in the book is this-If you want to be a “great” leader that is OK. Jesus never said we shouldn’t strive to be great but greatness is being a servant. And leaders will pay the price. Great leaders will pay an even greater price. The chapter I finished today on “The Wilderness” was dead on. Wow!

I highly recommend this book. I give Practicing Greatness 4.75 hockey sticks out of 5.

I just finished reading Looking Around for God by James A. Autry. Smith & Helwys asked me to review it for them and I am glad to do so.

I didn’t know who James Autry was but I guess I should have. He is friends with Bill Moyers and has appeared on TV shows with him. James grew up in a strict or as he calls it a Fundamentalist Southern Baptist Church. He walked away or took a sabbatical from his faith.

This book was a collection of short stories tied to some of his poetry. I’ll say up front I’m not a poetry type of person. So, maybe I wasn’t the best person to read this book. I enjoyed some of his stories especially about his son who has autism. It is amazing to see how people overcome their obstacles and obviously James and his wife Sally (former Lieutenant Governor of Iowa) did a great job raising their son.

James faith is a lot more left of center than me. I can still learn from people like him but books like this are a little too obscure for my taste. I would rather have heard how he found God and how that could help me in my life. If you like poetry and short 2-3 page stories on life you will enjoy this. It just wasn’t my kind of book.

I give Looking Around for God 3.75 out of 5 hockey sticks.

BTW: Any publishers reading this I have finished 3 chapters in my book about my struggles recovering from legalism. I need a book deal.