RATING: 9/10 Summary: This book is a very helpful resource to anyone seeking to build a disciple making culture. The author Brandon Guindon does an excellent job making principles clear while also…
The New Parish By Sparks, Soerens, and Friesen
The Lost Art of Disciple Making By LeRoy Eims
Church Forsaken By Jonathan Brooks
Organic Discipleship By Dennis McCallum & Jessica Lowery
Understanding People By Larry Crabb
The Discipleship Gospel By Bill Hull & Ben Sobels
Transforming Discipleship By Greg Ogden
READ: July 2017 RATING: 6.5/10 Summary: I found the first half of Ogden’s book to be incredibly strong. He nails the problems facing the church, the typical stunted attempts at growing a disciple making culture, and Biblical argument for life on life disciple making. However, the last half of the book was disappointing. He presents...
The Disciple Maker's Handbook By Bobby Harrington & Josh Patrick
RATING: 5/10 Summary: This book is OK. There are some solid discipling principles explored and practical tips given, but the closer I looked at the details the less I liked it. I didn’t have one particular difficulty, but rather instance after instance I found myself kind of agreeing and kind of not. A couple of examples include...
The Abundant Community By: John McKnight & Peter Block
RATING: 9/10 Summary: This is a powerful book that examines and challenges the foundations of our consumeristic culture. The authors keen insights probe into the tenets of capitalism and how that has shaped and continues to influence our community culture. I found myself resonating with most of what they wrote and yearning for something different...a return to a community of abundance and cooperation.
The Cultivated Life By Susan Phillips
RATING: 8.5/10 Summary: This book was a joy to read. Phillips writes well and with depth. The book is focused on how do we cultivate a life where growth and fruit bearing is the natural byproduct. It is filled with nuggets of wisdom and insight that can help us learn to live a slower, quieter life that is ALSO more fruitful.
4 Chair Discipling By Dr. Dann Spader
RATING: 9/10 Summary: In this book, Spader takes a look at Jesus’ life and ministry and pulls out principles for us to strive for as we seek to make disciples. Each chair represents a stage in the growth process in the Christian life. Spader identifies how Jesus’ method of teaching and ministry can be applied in our groups and churches. He also explains the practical needs of people in each stage; seeker, new believers, worker, and disciple-maker. In addition to the helpful explanation of each stage, Spader sprinkles lots of very Biblical insights into his writing. The nuggets are the fruit of a lifetime of studying the life of Jesus.
Slow Church By C. Christopher Smith & John Pattison
RATING: 7.5/10Summary: Solid read on the impact of our culture on our faith. Organized around the concepts of ethics, ecology, and economy, the authors do a good job of looking at the presumptions that many Western Christians make with regard to stability, suffering, wholeness, work, Sabbath, gratitude, and hospitality among others. I thought it could have been condensed in places and likewise the writing wasn’t economical.
Dawson Trotman in His Own Words
Rating: 7/10 Summary: I enjoyed this book, but would have enjoyed it more if it weren’t misnamed. The vast majority of the book (90+%) isn’t Dawson’s words, but devotionals that are born out of his words. That’s only a problem because I was expecting most of it to be Dawson’s words. The book is organized around the concepts of the Wheel...
Disciples Are Made Not Born - by Walt Hendrichsen
When Read: May 2017. My Rating: 8/10
My second read through this book. It’s incredibly solid. He does a good job of balancing vision, heart, and skill. He begins by setting vision for the kind of person God uses, then looks at Christ and what He did. Finally, he works through some practical elements on how to train a disciple.