Be cautious lest, “The church we want becomes the enemy of the church we have.”
– Eugene Peterson, Practicing Resurrection
It doesn’t take long, after experiencing a major storm in leadership, for you to begin to wonder if you need to abandon ship. Whether its seventy-foot waves or just an extremely slow leak in nice weather, there are times when walking away from the community to which God has called you to minister seems to be safer than staying put.
– Clay Werner, On the Brink: Grace for the Burned-Out Pastor
See that the work of saving grace be thoroughly wrought in your own souls. Take heed t yourselves, lest you be void of that saving grace of God which you offer to others, and be strangers to the effectual working of that gospel which you preach; and lest, while you proclaim to the world the necessity of a Saviour, your own hearts should neglect him, and you should miss of an interest in him and his saving benefits.
– Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor
Responding to the Evangelistic Crisis [video]
In this brief talk, I respond to the evangelistic crisis in America by revisiting evangelical approaches to evangelism. Taking the radical perspective of Jesus’ approach to evangelism, I uncover practices that are countercultural to American Christianity.
This talk was adapted from content in my new book The Unbelievable Gospel: Say Something Worth Believing. If it’s of interest, there are a ton of resources at www.unbelievablegospel.com
5 Recommended Books on Discipleship
I was recently asked for a recommendation for discipleship other than Gospel-Centered Discipleship. Here are some key books:
The Master Plan of Evangelism – a classic by Robert Coleman that focuses on Jesus’ approach to making disciples: “Men were his method.”
Following the Master: A comprehensive biblical theology of discipleship that runs Old Testament to New. Solid, accessible.
Mere Discipleship – this book does a great job of showing how the already/not yet of the kingdom of God (inaugurated eschatology) should affect our discipleship. Its unique, deep, and practical.
Connecting– A great guide to sorting out different types of mentoring relationships: coach, spiritual guide, and so on.
Building a Discipleship Culture – Mike Breen is great at thinking through discipleship systems to create a culture of disciple making.
What is a City?
A very interesting reflection on what constitutes a city–organism or structure? This approach from physicists is intriguing, and looks like a promising series from The Atlantic.