Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Executive Summary: O Shepherd, Where Art Thou?
Title: O Shepherd Where Art Thou? A Minister's Tale
Author: Calvin Miller
Publisher: Broadman-Holman
Ideal reader: Pastors who serve in average size congregations and battle the thoughts of failure. Calvin Miller's narrative and notes allow each person serving in ministry positions to know there is value in loving people.
Rate the book from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) on these criteria: Practicality (5); Insight (5); Theological depth (5); Readability (5)
Core message: Calvin Miller brings application to fiction, compelling readers to investigate church growth's true motives. His major theme reminds today's spiritual leaders that honoring God and personally caring for people are the primary goals for local churches after all. Strategic leadership is vital. But Miller reminds readers that "professionalization" should never push pastoral care away from congregational life.
As modern Christianity hits the headlines in our fast paced world of numbers, splendor, names and games, lonely voices are asking the same question: "O shepherd, where art thou?"
Summary: Fresh tales are often hard to find in the church world searching for quick solutions. Attendance growth stats hit headlines, new success stories cover highlight clips and few people seek to imitate pastors who serve as true shepherds. Calvin Miller reminds us of this reality in his fable which merges comedy and conviction, O Shepherd Where Art Thou?
The well-known author and storyteller exposes realities of today's corporate megachurch world through the life of Pastor Sam. Once a normal pastor, Sam learns what works best for rich and famous clergy. The result? He refuses to visit people any longer. He chooses to play golf and allow laity to organize committees who can carry the load of pastoral care.
Are pastors disappointed if their personality profiles and spiritual gift tests highlight pastoral care instead of purpose pushers? Do the normal ministers in average size congregations rank as low in God's view as they do in today's polls? Can't traditionalism and postmodernism merge while keeping Christ-like love as a top priority?
Miller's humorous tale is very real. Pastor Sam can read statistics provided by fictional pollster Barnie George, learn from the fictional book titled Physician, Heal Thyself: How to Kiss Pastoral Care Good-bye Forever and notice how the fictional Right Behind novel series has influenced so many readers.
A church growth friend seeks to convince Sam toward "putting the 'me' back in 'mega.'" Sam battles to know which side to take. Another friend with small numbers but a true pastoral heart hopes Sam stays with his original calling. Quote: "The success syndrome builds many rationales. Is it possible that many success-driven pastors rationalize their lack of pastoral care by agreeing it is better to preach to many than pastorally serve a few?"
Reviewer: Chris Maxwell
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Executive Summary: The Creative Leader
Author: Ed Young
Publisher: Broadman and Holman
Ideal reader: Though Ed Young suggests the book could help anyone interested in creative leadership in any sphere (business, educational and so on), it is first and foremost a book written by a senior pastor for other senior pastors.
Rate the book from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) on these criteria: Practicality (5); Insight (4); Theological depth (3); Readability (5)
Core message: The bad news: If creativity is not the controlling value of your ministry, then it's doomed to failure. The good news: God has hardwired everyone with creative potential. It only needs to be unleashed.
If you accept the challenge to make creativity the defining virtue of your ministry, you are in for a great adventure. To succeed you must constantly trust in God's creative power, surround yourself with creative partners, and refuse to settle for a once-for-all formula that works. The 15-year history of Ed Young's church (from 150 to 20,000) is a story that shows how creativity can impact the world.
Summary: Young wastes no time in getting to what he sees as the quintessential element of leadership: creativity. He starts with an apologetic for creativity: creativity is downright Trinitarian- God invented it, Jesus modeled it, and the Holy Spirit empowers it. The benefits that flow from a creative leadership team are countless, so leaders must be gutsy from the start and not let "vision vandals" get in the way. Young challenges leaders to create an environment that is "consistently inconsistent" regardless of the critics' who fight against it.
After establishing this foundation of creativity, Ed Young could have subtitled the remaining three quarters of the book, "What I Did at Fellowship Church and Why It Worked." That's not a criticism; it really is a fascinating story. Young does better when defending his innovations from culture rather than Scripture.
The reader will likely nod in agreement when he says a sermon should not be longer than thirty minutes, but he'll probably raise an eyebrow when Young suggests that Paul was too long winded when sleepy Eutychus nods off and falls to his death in Acts 20. After a series of great stories about creative worship, preaching, and advertising, he persuasively sells his premise "It's The Weekend, Stupid." Young effectively demonstrates that without a first-rate weekend service for seekers and believers, there is little use fretting over other church initiatives.
One of the most provocative sections is his "staff-led" church model, a structure where only staff members lead the church. I'd love to see the letters he gets on this! Ed Young's tone is easy-going conversational, and the "Q & A" sections in the book are some of the most interesting. Young's passion for reaching people through creativity stirs the heart from cover to cover.
Quote: "Something that helps keep me balanced in the way I plan and deliver messages is remembering to speak to the chairs. I envision a table with four chairs. I am sitting in the head chair and in the three other chairs are a hell-bound seeker, a baby Christian and a mature believer. ... I have become convinced that any growing, vibrant local church is going to comprise one-third hell-bound seekers, one-third baby Christians and one-third mature Christians."
Reviewer: Greg Dutcher
