Book Review : The Briarpatch Gospel

February 16, 2013 / Steven Ruff / Leave a comment

Life is messy. Nothing is perfect. People live in the gray areas of life. As a result of man’s disobedience in the garden and the entrance of sin and death into the world, our lives naturally lack harmony, are bent toward actions that don’t honor the Creator, and pass judgment on others who we feel struggle more with sin. This has created an interesting dynamic for the church today. How does the church hold to biblical truth while relating to those who don’t share that same truth? How does the church translate the written commands of Christ to love into visible demonstrations of that love? A question facing the church today is one much like this one: Is the New Testament church willing to venture into the sticky, dangerous, dirty, and messy areas of life in order to show Christ-like compassion and love to the those not like us?

Shayne Wheeler, pastor of All Saints Fellowship in Decatur, Georgia has written an insightful and timely book entitled, “The Briarpatch Gospel; Fearlessly Following Jesus into the Thorny Places” in which he addresses this very issue. Using the imagery of a briar patch, full of thorns, thistles, and barbs, Wheeler relates that many people are living in this type of environment. The briar patch of life includes those who have been pushed to the margins of society, excluded, been the victims of self-righteous Christians, misunderstood, the addict and the homeless, and others who just don’t fit neatly inside the “act right and do right” box of modern Christianity. Wheeler sees those who find their home in the briar patch as a mission field for the church. It is not a place to retreat from but a place to run towards. After all, as Wheeler deduces, this is the place and environment that Christ willingly entered.

This is not a “how to” or fix it book. Instead, Wheeler places before the reader the challenges facing the church in ministering to those living among the briars. He speaks of thorny areas such as divorce, grief, lust, sickness, envy, homosexuality, addictions, suffering, and unbelief. Wheeler has written a fantastic book. It is a call to set aside comfort and safety and dirty our hands in ministry to those who are being ignored because it is just too hard. You will be challenged, encouraged, and left with a fresh perspective on the lives of those living outside the safety of the church walls.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review : The Great Evangelical Recession

January 26, 2013January 26, 2013 / Steven Ruff / Leave a comment

When you hear the word “recession”, you get the idea that something is receding. The thought is of something shrinking. The thought is of something disappearing. The thought is of something going away. The image that comes to mind is that of an outgoing tide. Standing on the beach, for a period of time, there appears to be more and more sand and less and less water. We are hearing the word recession linked to our national economy almost daily since 2009. We are seeing less money available for loans. We are seeing a decreasing number of homes being built. Paychecks are shrinking and confidence is our national leaders to remedy the situation is going away. The principles of recession are also being applied to the evangelical church today. In his new book, “The Great Evangelical Recession; Six Factors That Will Crash the American Church and How to Prepare”, pastor and journalist John S. Dickerson writes about the current state of affairs plaguing the evangelical church in America today. Drawing on his years of journalism skills and pastoral passion, Dickerson paints a picture of the evangelical church in crisis and in the midst of deep recession. Dickerson writes, “The problem with the Great Recession wasn’t that nobody saw it coming. The problem was that the people who needed to listen, to put on the brakes, to adjust course, never got the message. Or else they ignored it. The American church stands today in a similar position, on the precipice of a great evangelical recession.”

Dickerson separates his book into two clear, concise, and logical parts. In Part One, Six Trends of Decline, he lays before the reader factors causing the present decline. He identifies the six problem areas of the church as Inflated, Hated, Dividing, Bankrupt, Bleeding, and Sputtering. He devotes an entire chapter describing the symptoms and causes of each. Dickerson describes the evangelical church as Inflated. He says the church is not as large as we have been led to believe and as a result, our significance and influence in a changing world in waning. Dickerson describes the evangelical church as Hated. He says that society’s ever-increasing pro-homosexuality agenda is making evangelicals hated due to their biblical opposition. Dickerson describes the evangelical church as Dividing. He says that rather than elevating the kingdom of God, evangelicals have elevated political parties and their platforms as their defining criteria. Dickerson describes the evangelical church as Bankrupt. He writes that as churches have become so dependent upon donations and faithful givers, that very dynamic has become an Achilles heel as current giving generations pass away with no replacement. Dickerson describes the evangelical church as Bleeding. He writes that the church is not keeping its own kids as they reach early adulthood. He writes, “Research indicates that more than half of those born into evangelicalism are leaving the movement during their twenties. And the majority of them never return.” Dickerson describes the evangelical church as Sputtering. He asserts that the church s failing in its primary mission which is marked by the simple biblical litmus test: reproducing disciples that share the good news with others.

In Part Two, Six Solutions for Recovery, he identifies six recovery strategies to be embraced by the evangelical church in order to stem the tide of recession. They are: Re-Valuing, Good, Uniting, Solvent, Healing, and Re-Igniting. I won’t go into detail here on each one, after all, this is a review and not a report. However, in each these six chapters, Dickerson offers the proactive steps the church can take in order to pull herself out of the recessional grip she has found herself in. Throughout these two parts, it is obvious that Dickerson is not shooting from the hip, guessing, speculating, or carelessly sounding an alarmist’s bell. He is precise and thorough. He is well-documented. He is scripturally on point. He paints a portrait of the evangelical church’s future that is both frightening and stirring, without crushing the hope of God’s people.

I believe most experts in their field want to know everything they can about their business; the good, the bad, and the ugly. I believe that is what John Dickerson has done here. As the pastor of an evangelical Southern Baptist church, I needed to hear what Dickerson wrote. I can identify with a great deal in this book. “The Great Evangelical Recession” is a clarion call to the church that is sleep-walking through a commission in which she should be sprinting. I rarely label a book as “must read”. John Dickerson has written just that. I believe every church leader would benefit at some level from what he has written. Sobering, humbling, and tempered with a measure of grace and urgency, The Great Evangelical Recession will serve as that “stake in the ground” for righting the evangelical ship. Very well done.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Baker Publishing Group as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review : Next Door Savior

January 23, 2013 / Steven Ruff / 1 Comment

A great portion of society views God as distant, removed, uninvolved, and personally unknowable. And His son Jesus Christ, even more so. Is it possible that Jesus is not that distant? Is it possible that He cares and wants to be involved in our day to day lives? In his book, “Next Door Savior”, Max Lucado argues that such a Savior exists. As a result, Lucado writes, “we can’t ignore him.” He presents Jesus Christ as the prize of Christianity. He is the great reward of our faith, not a better life, money in the bank, or multiple cars in the garage. Jesus Himself. Lucado sets forth to illustrate the closeness and nearness of Jesus using the imagery of a next-door neighbor. His premise is to present Jesus, fully God and fully human, in a real manner, just as real as the person living next door. He is not merely a spirit, a distant part of our imagination, or an out-of-touch adviser. Instead, He is real. Near. Concerned. Involved.

Lucado breaks the book down into two parts: No Person He Won’t Touch and No Place He Won’t Go. Each chapter is based upon a specific bible story mixed with personal experience and Lucado-esque style of wording. He uses the life of Peter, a blind man, Lazarus, and the woman with an issue of blood to demonstrate that Jesus was, and is, willing to involve Himself in the lives of people. Lives that are often complicated, dirty, and messy. This is a great book. It is a very easy read, as are most of Lucado’s books. Next Door Savior was just as I expected it to be. If you have read even one of Lucado’s books, then you know what is coming next. I found nothing new in the content. He had handled the same stories in past books. If you are looking for a deeper treatment of these stories, it won’t be found here. Encouraging. A good inspirational book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review : Loving the Church

January 21, 2013January 21, 2013 / Steven Ruff / 2 Comments

Countless books have been written on the subject of the local church. Subjects include principles of growth, recovering from hurt caused by, evangelism practices, missional tendencies, and theological types and shadows, to name a few. A discussion that is taking place in the circles of the Christian faith is how does a Christian live out their love for Jesus Christ when the church, the bride of Christ, does not enable that, or at worst, hinders that from happening? Simply put: they love Jesus but not His bride. More and more Christians today are divorcing themselves from the body of Christ. They are saying “yes” to Jesus Christ, but “no thanks” to the church. In John Crotts’ new book, “Loving the Church; God’s People Flourishing in God’s Family”, he sets out to address and give pastoral insight to this issue that is before the church today.

Crotts’ book follows the story of a group of friends who met in a coffee shop, he tells each of their stories as it relates to their experiences in the local church. Some were not challenged by their congregation and leaders while others felt the church took too much time away from their families. One felt as though she had been abandoned by her church because of the personal choices she had made. As these friends meet regularly to discuss and come to terms with the function and purpose of the church, Crotts follows up their discussion by expounding on the scriptural principles and doctrinal matters that deal with the local church. He deals with such topics as the definition and value of the church, fellowship and gifts, and an individual’s relationship to the church staff and each other.

I believe Crotts has written a good book. The manner in which he sets up the book, interjecting this circle of friends into the storyline, makes the book easier to read and kept it from becoming too much like a textbook. It is a fairly easy read at only 131 pages. He gives an accurate picture as to why church and the church body should not be dismissed. There is one point of the book that I did not agree with and felt was severely out of place. In Chapter Five, Crotts says, “The second manner through which Jesus leads his church is a team of elders.” After previously setting up different leadership models often practiced by churches today, Crotts make this exclusive and, in my personal opinion, arrogant statement. Although I don’t personally agree with Crotts’ theology, he has written a good book from which much can be gleaned.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Cross Focused Reviews as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review : Next Generation Leader

January 18, 2013 / Steven Ruff / Leave a comment

Leadership. Those who have been given charge over others often struggle with the nuts and bolts of it. Questions swirl around this subject in the areas of leadership principles, characteristics of successful leaders, and indicators of dysfunctional leadership. The mere mention of leadership brings to mind certain authors who have written extensively on leadership. Men such as Al Mohler, John Maxwell, and Stephen Covey are powerful and influential voices today in this arena. However, another voice has emerged in the circles of leadership. Andy Stanley, pastor of Northpoint Community Church in Atlanta, GA has written a book entitled, “Next Generation Leader; Five Essentials for Those Who Will Shape the Future”. Stanley has emerged as a leadership voice to a younger generation. From his leadership podcasts to Catalyst Conferences, he provides leadership principles in a fresh and exciting light. He writes, “My passion is to help equip you to become a leader whose life is marked by qualities that ensure a no-regrets experience for those who choose to follow; a leader who leaves this world in better shape than he found it.”

Stanley divides his book into five sections. In each of these sections, he zeroes in on the important traits and qualifications that he believes makes an effective leader. The five sections are: competence, courage, clarity, coaching, and character. In the first section, competence, Stanley states that leaders must focus their energy toward the areas of leadership they have the greatest capacity to succeed in. He stresses the importance of maximizing you strengths and delegating your weaknesses. In the second section, courage, he shares that a leader is not always the smartest one in the office. Leaders possess courage to initiate action and move ahead. In the third section, clarity, Stanley shares that the leader cannot be vague, instead, he/she must clear, even if uncertain. He writes, “Uncertainty will not be your undoing as a leader. However, your inability to give a clear directive in the midst of uncertainty might very well be the thing that takes you out or causes you to plateau in your career”. In the fourth section, coaching, he emphasizes that regardless of how good or talented you are, everyone needs coaching to take us to the next level. In the fifth section, character, Stanley talks about the importance of “moral accountability” and how the personal life of a leader determines their followship.

Stanley has written a good book. It is not a difficult read, only 158 pages. The strengths of the book are his personal experiences and transparency. He allows the reader to learn from his past mistakes. He also utilizes scripture in a way that is especially insightful. As with all of his books, Stanley’s writing style is engaging, easy-to-follow, and profoundly simplistic. As far as weaknesses go, from a church leader’s stand point, it is a bit narrow and did not expand upon leadership challenged unique to church leadership. Overall, a great work. I recommend it to all who have been given the privilege to lead others.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review : The Best Question Ever

January 1, 2013January 1, 2013 / Steven Ruff / Leave a comment

Life is a myriad of decisions. Should I marry? Should I take that job? Is this the right investment for me? Should I go back to school? Is this the right move for my family? These decisions, and thousands more like them, shape the very fabric of our lives and the lives of those closest to us. In his book, “The Best Question Ever; A Revolutionary Approach to Decision Making”, Pastor Andy Stanley tackles the minefield that is creating effective and meaning decision-making processes. Stanley asserts that the reasons that people end up regretting past decisions is that proper and probing questions were not asked on the front end of the decision. He states that the flaw in our decision-making process looks like this: if it is not wrong, then it must be right. Looking to the Bible, Stanley concludes from Ephesians 5:15-17 what he considers to be the foundational question of decision making. A question that, in his words, “provides you with a context for addressing questions of where to draw the line morally, relationally, and ethically” and “exposes the irrationability of our own excuses.” His question: “What is the wise thing to do?”

As Stanley goes forward in his book, he further refines his “best question”. He deals with past experiences, present circumstances, and future hopes of an individual that form the framework for a decision that is individually wise. Having built this framework, Stanley leaves the reader with a truly thought-provoking and introspective question. Here is refined question: “In light of your past experiences, present circumstances, and future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing for you to do?” In the latter part of the book, Stanley applies this question to three critical areas of life: time, finances, and morality. His call for the reader to apply wisdom, instead of what is merely legal or simply “not wrong”, to these areas is clear and sobering.

Stanley has written a great book. I enjoy his style of writing. His mixture of humor, scripture, and personal/professional experience is engaging and easy to follow. The Best Question Ever serves as a necessary filter and grid to sift all of life’s decisions through, whether large or small. Challenging. Probing. Inspiring. Time well spent. I highly recommend.

Book Review : Dirty God

December 21, 2012December 21, 2012 / Steven Ruff / 2 Comments

I am intrigued by the titles of books given by authors today. Some let you know exactly what you are getting. Others are less clear, but draw you in closer to discover what the author has tucked inside the covers. Such is the case with Johnnie Moore’s new book, “Dirty God; Jesus in the Trenches”. I was initially skeptical of this book. I had never seen that title before attempting to describe God. I must say that my initial thoughts were off point. Moore has written a book that gives fresh, tough, and honest look at a side of Jesus Christ that we may often overlook. Moore uses the term “dirty”, not in a negative sense as if to say that Jesus is bad, naughty, filthy, or someone to be shunned. Instead, he uses the term “dirty” in a positive to point out that Jesus was willing to involve Himself in the lives of people and that His earthy ministry was full of the “dirty” of the world (lepers, sinners, the lame, prostitutes, and the outcast of Jewish society).

This book is about Jesus getting his hands dirty so that all may know what grace looks like. Moore writes, “This book is about grace. And how grace split time in half and made a broken world a playground again for the goodness and kindness of God.” Grace, as explained by Moore, is mercy and kindness extended to us by God simply because He desires us to have and not because we have earned or deserve it. As he writes about his personal experiences and examples from scripture, Moore demonstrates how grace is a gift, not cheap or easy, and always cost something.

Dirty God is broken into two parts: Getting Grace and Giving Grace. Moore demonstrates the true requirement for getting God’s grace. He writes, “He [Jesus] is the kind of savior who ushers in history’s greatest moment from a feed trough with shepherds on the front row. He’s the odd kind of king who chooses to live his early life among the regular people in a tiny, poor, and insignificant place like Nazareth, rather than the ritzy glamour of Rome or Athens. When he could have sat at tables eating fine food with princes, he chose to ear fish cooked over an open fire, eating with people who used to have leprosy, or beggars, or tax collectors who had been seduced by money – just as the religious leaders had been seduced by their self-righteousness, pride, and lust for power. Jesus is the kind of teacher who loved to throw his pearls of wisdom to the people others thought neither deserved it nor knew what to do with it. Jesus, instead, seemed to think that only people who knew how much they needed the grace of God would truly appreciate receiving it.”

Naturally, once we have been given and received the grace of God, we give it away to others. We do this by acts of compassion, forgiveness, and by understand that all Christians are not at the same place on their spiritual journey. He cites an example of an Amish community extending grace and forgiveness to a man’s family who had murdered members of that same community. Moore writes, “Grace is generous, but it isn’t free. It will always cost you something when you decide to give – whether or not you receive anything in return.”

Moore has written a great book on grace. Much can be learned here. The book is a fairly simple read. He challenges us to contemplate and appreciate the radical and scandalous grace that Jesus extends to us. Moore offers a powerful challenge in closing. He writes, “In a world of a billion Christians, there should never be a moment on the planet when hurting people feel orphaned by God. Jesus is asking us to join him in the trenches.” Dirty God is well worth your time and will cause you to see Jesus Christ in a different and powerful light. A must read.

Book Review : Bold as Love

December 19, 2012December 19, 2012 / Steven Ruff / Leave a comment

In his new book “Bold as Love; What Can Happen When We See People the Way God Does”, Texas megachurch pastor Bob Roberts, Jr. writes about diversity of religions and the possibility of seeing our neighbors in the same light God does. For Christians, the word ‘diversity’ has long been considered a four-letter word, a bit unnerving, and difficult to achieve at best. Roberts believes diversity it is possible for different religions to come together under the umbrella of God’s bold love. The genesis for this book was a challenge by Roberts’s friend, a Saudi prince and a Muslim to discuss the ways to bring about a greater understanding between Christians and Muslims. From there, Roberts organized an event at his church for the purpose of demonstrating God’s love between Christian, Jewish, and Muslims communities. After some initial pushback, his congregation his vision and the event was a great success.

Roberts spends a great deal of time, in different places throughout the book, talking about the differences between “multifaith” and “interfaith”. His goal in hosting these meetings is multifaith: people coming together who passionately believe in their own faith and want to know more about what their neighbors believe. Interfaith, he describes, is simply trying to melt all faiths into one. Roberts has found through these multifaith meetings, three questions are often asked. First, “Why do you believe in God?” Second, “Why do you believe in only one God?” Third, “Why are you a Christian?” He believes there must be solid answers from Christians to these questions if we are going to positively influence other religions. Roberts takes time to describe certain fears in the multifaith journey. He describes them as fear of physical harm, hostility from “enemies”, hostility from “friends”, losing your faith, and fear itself.

I am not sure where I land on this book. One of the chapters I had the most difficulty with was the chapter that dealt with multifaith worship. Maybe it is the pastor in me. Maybe I missed the something in the book. I don’t know. I like to believe I understand where Roberts is going when he talks about not bowing to other gods in his heart regardless of who he stands beside. I understand the need for bridge-building and the importance of relationships for the purpose of gospel presentation. I really do. Personally, there is one fundamental problem I have with what Roberts is proposing. I believe the foundational differences in Christianity and Islam’s viewpoint of Jesus Christ, God, and salvation are enough to make a multifaith worship hollow and void of any real meaning. Again, this is my observation and opinion. Otherwise, Roberts has written a good book filled with personal experiences that the majority of us would have never thought of. He writes with clarity, passion, and conviction. I appreciate that about the book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Handlebar Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review : The Conviction to Lead; 25 Principles For Leadership That Matter

December 17, 2012December 17, 2012 / Steven Ruff / Leave a comment

We are not at a loss for books on the subject of leadership today. It seems that that books are published daily on this subject offering some new insight into this age-old institution. What has been missing from the others has been found in Dr. Al Mohler’s new book, “The Conviction to Lead; 25 Principles for Leadership That Matter.” Dr. Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY writes with heart, honesty, insight, experience, and conviction that is both refreshing and challenging. From the beginning he says, “Let me warn you right up front – my goal is to change the way you think about leadership. I do not aim to merely add one more voice to the conversation; I want to fundamentally change the way leadership is understood and practiced.” As a Southern Baptist pastor, I am familiar with Dr. Mohler’s engaging style of writing. Having read behind him before, I he would offer a much-needed voice in the arena of leadership principle and practice. He did not disappoint.

As he begins the book, Dr. Mohler sets up a contrast of leaders. Calling on his years of experience, he sees most leaders falling into two specific categories; Believers and Leaders. The Believers seek knowledge and are ready to defend what they believe. They often define themselves in terms of what they believe. On the other hand, they lack the skills and abilities to manage and lead an organization effectively. The Leaders are passionate about and consumed with leadership. They know they language, have read all the books, and attended all the seminars. They are eager to see things changed for the better. On the other hand, at their core being, they do not know what they believe fundamentally. As a result, they are easily swayed. Again, Dr. Mohler writes, “My goal is to knock the blocks out from under the current models of leadership and forge a new way. I stake my life on the priority of right beliefs and convictions, and at the same time I want to lead so that those very beliefs are perpetuated in others. If our leaders are not passionately driven by the right beliefs, we are headed for disaster. At the same time, if believers cannot lead, we are headed nowhere.”

From there, Dr. Mohler covers a wide array of topics. In his treatment of leadership, he is sure to cover issues that all leaders face today. Each chapter is relatively short and easy to move through. However, that does mean the chapters are light and void of content. Just the opposite. Dr. Mohler communicates a great deal of information very simply while sufficiently challenging the reader. He envisions leaders as communicators, managers, speakers, stewards, writers, readers, thinkers, and teachers. I personally found many of these chapters to be meaningful and challenging. Chapter Fourteen, Leaders are Managers, was especially helpful to me as a pastor. This chapter enabled me to better see how these are two separate and distinct roles requiring certain skills to be successful at both.

Dr. Mohler has written an excellent book. His heart and passion burst through. “The Conviction to Lead” is not a book you will read once and discard. Instead, it will become one of “those” books that you read over and over. I really enjoyed the fact that this book was not written from a sterile, academic, laboratory setting. Instead, Dr. Mohler writes from the trenches and shares battle-tested principles that have obviously first resonated with him and are now for our benefit. Certainly a book that will remain in the circles of leadership discussion for years to come. Go get this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review : Missional Moves

December 3, 2012December 3, 2012 / Steven Ruff / 5 Comments

There is a great deal of discussion today about the health, effectiveness, passion, and future of the local church. It seems at every turn someone is offering a better, more effective, and smarter way to carry out the ministry given to the church. If you listen hard and long enough you can hear anything you want to as it relates to what church leaders should and should not be doing. Thoughts ranging from mega churches are on their way out, to satellite campuses are the way to go to, to make the children happy and the parents will stay have been expressed in many different formats and venues. Rob Wegner and Jack Magruder, senior leaders at Granger Community Church in South Bend, Indiana have collaborated on a new book entitled, “Missional Moves; 15 Tectonic Shifts That Transform Churches, Communities, and the World” that address and speak the issues facing the local church today.

Wegner and Magruder offer for consideration the point of view that the church today is very pragmatic, desiring the nuts and bolts of how to do effective ministry. This desire, and thus the sought after results, will be viewed through a certain paradigm that each church has established. They use the following working explanation of paradigm to make their case. “Our paradigm is our repeated life story that determines how an organization feels, thinks, and thus acts. This system story determines the way an organization behaves no matter how the organizational chart is drawn. The paradigm explains and then it guides behavior, and because of this it is the primary template that shapes all other things. Restructure the organization but leave the original paradigm in place and nothing changes within the organization.” In order for churches to be more effective, the authors propose and support certain paradigm shifts. They offer three which comprise the three main sections of the book: Section One – Paradigm Shift (Missional Imagination). Here the church is challenged to find its way into the bigger story. Section Two – Centralized Shift (Local Churches on Mission). Here churches are given a map of how to be empowered and unleashed for local and global mission. Section Three – Decentralized Shift (The People of God on Mission). Here the church is shown how to equip and then release people to accomplish the mission God has given to them.

The authors use earthquake language throughout this book. Citing the shifting of tectonic plates and resulting tsunami that struck the coast of India in 2004, they suggest certain “shifts” must take place in the local church today. Within the three main sections are fifteen “shifts”. These shifts are “from” something the church is presently doing or pursuing “to” something the should pursue or reevaluate. Each one breaks down the main section into bite-size digestible pieces. I found these shifts to be especially insightful, especially “From My Tribe to Every Tribe”, “From Professionals to Full Participation”, and “From ‘We Can Do It; You Can Help to You Can Do It; We Can Help’”.

Wegner and Magruder have written a smart book. I found it to be thought-provoking and interesting. Missional Moves is written in an easy to follow and logical format. Without a doubt the passion of the authors comes through. Most definitely worth your time. Engaging and timely, Missional Moves is one of those books that will remain in the church-health conversation for years to come.

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