Read Lately

Last couple of months I've read...

Church Unique
I've read a lot of church vision/strategy/leadership books... I don't think I've marked up any of them more than Church Unique.  As the name implies, the purpose of the book is to impress upon church leaders everywhere that every church is unique.  The mega-churches of the day are great places... I have many friends and acquaintances serving in them... I'm thankful for them... but I've watched many pastors/leaders over the years try to replicate what goes on in the mega-church only to be frustrated.  I believe the principal reason for frustration lies with the idea that we fail to realize that every church is a one-of-a-kind place.  It takes hard work to discover the one-of-a-kind reason that a church exists.  Replication offers an easier path.

Unbroken - A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
Loved this book.  It was a both great story and history lesson.  I had forgotten how brutal the Japanese were to their POW's during WWII.  The redemption twist at the end of the book really surprised me.  I highly recommend it.

Counterfeit Gods, King's Cross, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfullness 
I've been on a Timothy Keller kick lately.  Although his style or charisma is not as flashy as other contemporary pastor/authors, I find him incredibly insightful.

Missional Renaissance, Changing the Score Card for the Church
(Yes, another book title with the word, "missional" in it!)  I always enjoy Reggie McNeal.  In my opinion the book itself is not ground-breaking... the same kinds of things have been said for a few years now... however, it's important to be aware of.  Furthermore, there are two things specifically that I love about the book... The practical examples that are given and the sub-title.  The simple phrase, "changing the scorecard" is something I can get my mind wrapped around.  It's another way of saying, what get's rewarded is what gets done.  With regard to church leadership and growth, it's time for local churches and denominations to make a decision on what should be rewarded... on what the scorecard should look like.  When we do that we can change the score!