Book Notes
Micro summaries and notes on what was most helpful to me.
RATING: 3/10 Summary: I was very disappointed with this book. I respect the ministry of 9Marks and really wanted to like this book, but it was my least favorite discipleship book in recent memory. The book is unable to recover from Dever’s very broad definition of discipling which is, “Doing deliberate good to help someone follow Christ.” As a result, I’d recommend both pastors and everyday Christ-followers skip this book.
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...
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...
RATING: 10/10 Summary: Skinner has done a great job capturing who Dawson Trotman was as a person and leader. It has pictures, excerpts from his journals, and accounts from those closest to him. The result is a biography that has some real balance. It's not a hagiography like other books about Dawson and those like him. This book is inspiring, challenging, and well-written.
RATING: 8.5/10 Summary: Though his braggadocious style may be off-putting to some, this book was a great read for me. Klaff explains his method of pitching very clearly and methodically. Though some of his methods don't translate to my context the principles were easy to uncover and apply to my work. Some highlights were his thoughts on eliminating affirmation seeking behaviors, the impact of the croc mind, and controlling the frame. I've found this book very helpful on many levels.
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.
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.
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.
RATING: 9/10 Summary: Ever wonder how the church grew so rapidly in the first few centuries? Despite facing intense persecution, Christians grew at an astounding rate. Though typically ascribed to miracles, Stark, a social scientist and historian presents a data based theory as to how it happened. This book is enlightening and a tremendous help to understanding those early centuries of Christianity.
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.
