Book Reviews

Ever been amazed at how many people in ministry want you to show different faces for different occasions?  It’s like … really? I sat down with my friend and author, Bob Rhoden, and talked about his book Four Faces of a Leader.  Outstanding interview! Click here for the podcast (5:48) In the book Bob talks…

Ever been in a situation where you needed a miracle turn-around? No formula for that one is there! Earlier this month I interviewed my friend, Don Ross, on his book Turnaround Pastor. Wow! Talk about a great read. Click here to listen (5:38) Oftentimes churches find themselves in a place of decline, and knowing how to…

Bestselling author Tom Rath says it well. “This book will challenge you to put a stop to things that have been getting in your way for a long time.” Reading Necessary Endings with church eyes puts a whole new spin on the idea of stopping ministries that are not working. Dr. Henry Cloud writes about…

There is something about this Scotty Gibbons guy that I like. I used to work with him while on staff at James River and that probably colors my view. However, I can truly say that what you see with Scotty is what you get. His first book reflects just that. Carry-On is one of the…

My good friend and fellow pastor Dr. Mark Elliott has written an outstanding book on the whole business of small groups. His doctoral research project was conducted in the area of small groups and included reading 150 books on the subject. Primary Purpose Small Groups builds a rock-solid theological foundation for the creation and growth…

“Are they brothers? They are now.” I love that question and the resulting answer in Russell Moore’s book Adopted for Life. Read it and weep in more ways than one. Moore and his wife, Maria adopted two boys from Russia. Upon return to the states they dealt with the whole range of questions people ask…

Pick up a half-dozen copies of this book, and give them to the readers in your family for Christmas. It is a secular novel, and it is truly a fascinating read. Further, it is way closer to reality than most want to admit. The Appeal’s theme causes me to wonder, “Where did all of Barack…

More than anyone, pastors can relate to this title. We certainly know the role of the evangelist in the spreading of the Gospel, but in this book Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba use the term as a spin on “word of mouth,” spreading the good news of an organization. Creating Customer Evangelists describes how loyal…

There comes a time in the life of any organization where customers come first. Those who learn that early, grow. Those who do not never get traction, or if they do, they flatten and decline prematurely. Be Our Guest is a book that gives insight to arguably the finest customer service organization in the world,…

Sometimes you read a celebrity book and wonder, “Is this all there is to these people?” Or, “This has to be hyped to sell more books. ”Not so with First Things First. When you read the rules of being a Warner…what works, what doesn’t and what really matters most, you realize you are reading the…

I find it interesting that the subtitle of Don Detrick’s new book, Growing Disciples Organically, is The Jesus Method of Spiritual Formation.  I don’t know how many books I’ve read over the years that point church leaders and laity to various and sundry aspects of discipleship. A bunch of them for sure.  Now there’s another…