Top Texas Needs

Posted on September 3, 2009

In his Statesman article this morning, Gardner Selby rehearsed the “eye sores” of Texas, sores that the Church should be actively addressing. Citing from Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Selby noted the following areas of of leading deficiencies in the U.S.:

  • High Property Taxes
  • State Debt
  • College Tuition
  • Highest School Drop-outs
  • Tops Uninsured Children

At the very least, these are matters for prayer. But what would it look like for a church or gathering of churches to address some of these issues locally? How invested are we in schools? Do we know where the uninsured children are? Are we helping redress the gentrification created by high property taxes. I don’t have solutions; but I’d like to be part of an answer.

Finding Organic Church

Posted on September 2, 2009

FOCFrank Viola’s new book FINDING ORGANIC CHURCH: A Comprehensive Guide to Starting and Sustaining Authentic Christian Communities (David C. Cook) releases today at a discount from Amazon.com.

From Frank:

This is the practical follow up to all of Viola’s other books. It’s also a stand alone book exploring the subject of organic church planting in great detail. Here’s an early review: The author of “Pagan Christianity?” (with George Barna), “Reimagining Church,” and the bestselling “From Eternity to Here” has written a detailed manual on how to start and sustain an organic church. Everything from what to do with the children, to the developmental stages of church growth, to the diseases of an organic church and their cures are all covered in this comprehensive volume. Church planting principles for organic styled churches are packed together with the author’s practical experience of living in and starting such churches. Each chapter is full of advice, outlining the unique problems that such churches will face and their solutions. Church planters of all types will benefit from this book as well as those wishing to explore an alternative way of church gathering. — Christian Book Reviews, 2009