Bringing Scripture to Life

Five Dysfunctions of a Team  was written by leadership expert, Patrick Lencioni of the Table Group. "Since its publication in 2002,  The Five Dysfunctions of a Team  has become the world's most definitive source of practical information for building teams. The universal model outlined in the book has been embraced by virtually all types of organizations from multinational corporations, to small businesses, to professional sports, to education, to churches, non-profits and more." The Five Dysfunctions of a Team  is brought to life through a leadership fable about a company called "Decision Tech", whose resources should make them the leader in their area of business; but instead, they are hindered by their team of all-star executives inability to function as a team.  In this fable, Decision Tech hires a new CEO, whose mission is to turn this highly unhealthy, and dysfunctional  team around before it is too late. When it seems as if there is no hope l...

In his book, The Making of a Leader, Dr. J. Robert Clinton says, “The central task of leadership is influencing God’s people toward God’s purposes.” 1   Therefore, it can also be said that the central task of a leader is to effectively influence others towards kingdom thinking, living, and building. In order for a leader to effectively accomplish this, it is essential that they have a well-designed philosophy of ministry. A philosophy of ministry is necessary for anyone who is called to lead God’s people into worshipping God, strengthening the body, and doing kingdom work within the world. A philosophy of ministry that is well thought out will be one that expresses clear vision, as well as methods to accomplish that vision. In their book, Spiritual Leadership, Henry and Richard Blackaby declare, “Given the opportunity, people gravitate to what gives them meaning, to what engages to the fullest their commitment, talent, energy, and skill.” 2  This is the goal o...

Practicing Greatness is a book that should be read by every leader on the planet, as it is filled with incredible insight on how to most effectively understand and manage ourselves, so that we can begin operating in a more consistent manner as we lead others. Excerpt from the Inside Sleeve: Based on his extensive experience as coach and mentor to many thousands of Christian leaders across a broad spectrum of ministry settings, Reggie McNeal helps spiritual leaders understand that they will self-select into or out of greatness. In this important book, McNeal shows how great spiritual leaders are committed consciously and intentionally to seven spiritual disciplines, habits of heart and mind that shape both their character and competence: The discipline of self-awareness —the single most important body of information a leader possesses The discipline of self-management —handling difficult emotions, expectations, temptations, mental vibrancy, and physical well-...

Leonard Ravenhill's classic Why Revival Tarries has been one of the most challenging books I have ever read. In this book he forces the spiritual leader to take a look deep within the depths of his or her heart in order to see if there are any idols of the heart that are keeping them from being fully submitted to God, and fully searching for God in their life and for their ministry. One caution to this powerful book is to be careful not to find yourself in the midst of a "works-based" relationship with God. True spiritual health and fruitfulness in the life of a believer comes from abiding in Christ (John 15), and responding to the Spirit's work (Galatians 5:22-23) and leading in our lives (Romans 12:14). God's love for us has nothing to do with how many hours of prayer we commit to each day, or anything else we do as a response to His love. God's love for us is found at the cross (Romans 5:8), and is experienced through faith alone in Christ a...

This book was taken right out of the playbook from Granger Community Church. Granger has become a model for many churches across the country of what a healthy, growing and innovating church can become.  In this book Simply Strategic Stuff: Help for Leaders Drowning in the Details of Running a Church , we are given  "99 topics that church leaders need to know! Some say it's the little things that matter the most, but the little details are often what pastors dread the most. Easy-to-understand and humorous, Simply Strategic Stuff equips pastors to perform the administrative details of pastoring with ease, and enthusiasm. Pastors are encouraged to consider basic principles that will help them develop systems and structures for releasing growth, enabling churches to reach their communities and the world for Jesus Christ!" - Amazon Book Description Below I have listed 3 of the key concepts from the Book that were important take aways for me when I rea...

"To those scorched by dragons but not reduced to ashes nor hardened beyond feeling, who in the face of beastliness maintain their humanity and divine calling, this book is dedicated." These are the men and women that Marshall Shelley, executive editor of Leadership Journal wrote this book for.  In the introduction the author states, "This is a book about ministering while under attack. It was prepared after interviews with dozens of pastors who candidly described the difficult people they have faced" (page 13). I read Well-Intentioned Dragons  awhile back and it was a sobering reminder to me that sometimes God's sheep can become Rogue Sheep, and take on the form of "well-intentioned dragons." I have been in pastoral ministry for over 10 years now, and I have come across each of the dragons mentioned within the pages of this book, and have the lasting scars from within to prove it. In chapter two of this book, Identifying a Dragon , the auth...

Leading with a Limp is a book that was recommended to me at a time when I was going through an incredibly difficult season of ministry, and has quickly become one of my top 5 reads on leadership of all time.  Leading with a Limp is the reality for all of us who desire to spend our lives in leadership roles. In the introduction, the author states "if you're a leader, you're in the battle of your life. Nothing comes easily, enemies outnumber allies, and the terrain keeps shifting under your feet. If you've already tried the 'easy' solutions, you have found that they come up empty. I know unvarnished truth like this is never easy to hear, but it's the only truth that will help you lead with inner confidence. And you need confidence because nothing is more difficult than leading." (p.1) In my opinion, this book should be turned into a required course for every Seminary on the planet. This book spotlights the one area of pastoral ministry that is for...

This is a book about an emerging generation of Christian leaders, called “The Younger Evangelicals,” who are ministering to the “New World” of post-modernity with great success, by reverting back to the practices of Christian community and service from the past (e.g. Wesleyan movement, 16 th century Reformers, and the ancient past of the first three centuries of the church). Webber implies that the “modern-church” of the 20 th Century has become irrelevant to the culture it now finds itself in, and more focused on gaining, “control, power, and certainty,” with how it has always done things, believed things, and taught things. Webber believes that rather than attempting to reach the culture they now find themselves in, by focusing on “love, stewardship, and faith” that glorifies God in this world, they have pulled the drawbridge up, and have refused to dialogue, unless the culture they are dialoguing with is in agreement with their particular dogmas.   Webber state...

The theme of this book is the “Dark Side” of leadership. It looks at the paradox between the traits we all have that drive us to succeed as leaders, and how these same traits that help us succeed, are also the traits that can potentially bring out the dark side of us, causing our downfall and possible ruin.  The issue is that every leader has a dark side within them that can ultimately destroy their life if they do not learn to recognize it and control it. This book will help its reader accomplish three things. First, it will help the reader gain an understanding of what the dark side is. Second, it will assist the reader on how to discern where the dark side is hidden within them. And third, it will give the reader some specific steps for overcoming the dark side that is lurking in their life before it blindsides them. The authors of this book present their ideas in an easy to follow format that make for an easy read. They do a superb job in reemphasizing their ma...

The book is designed to help identify the patterns, processes, and principles of a person’s life that God uses to develop a leader. The author does this by dividing the life of the leader up into six stages of leadership development. These six stages are surrounded by certain checks and balances to be used as markers for each leader’s life to help clarify where they are within the process. Many people do not understand how to decipher God’s purpose for their life, nor the means by which God has brought them to where they are currently at, or where He is preparing to take them. This book teaches the reader how to recognize the lessons of their lives, and the leadership stage that they are currently at in their lives. The author states, “God develops a leader over a lifetime” and that “All leaders can point to critical incidents in their lives where God taught them something very important” (p.25). By developing awareness of the six stages of leadership growth, the check...

This book is about the life of three kings whose story is told in such a way that leaves its reader constantly asking which king he best resembles. King Saul is a mad leader who attempts murder in order to keep his kingdom, while King Absalom is a young man who will deceive, and dishonor his father and king in order to rule the kingdom of his desire. King David, who is placed between both King Saul and his son Absalom, is a godly example of a man who must endure trials, suffering, and utter brokenness before God, in order to be a leader fit for God’s use and glory. The author is trying to show that there have been many people who have been hurt by Christian leaders who are of the order of King Saul – those who throw spears at anyone who gets in their way – rather than taking the godly road less traveled, which is the road of brokenness. The author contrasts these leaders with the life of King David in order to make a point that God is the one who is in control of who leads H...

The following video from Pastor Perry Noble is a great reminder for us to never give up. God is not through with you yet! God does not have you at a dried up water brook in life because He is punishing you. He has you there to prepare you for greater things in life! The Bible is quite clear that we can be "confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6).