#1: Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (Ivp Classics) by J.I. Packer

Demolished the tired arguments about reformed people not caring about the salvation of the lost and clinched my self-identification as Reformed

#2: The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Tim Keller

Absolutely wrecked me, realizing how much like the older brother I am (Luke 15:11-32). Read it through once, had beef with it. Read it again about a week later and boom. Every Christian should read this to guard against being the older brother. Every non-Christian should read this and long to know the Father who welcomes even the most wayward back into the family.

Key Quotes

Careful obedience to God’s law may serve as a strategy for rebelling against God. (Page 37)

If, like the elder brother, you seek to control God through your obedience, then all your morality is just a way to use God to make him give you the things in life you really want. (Page 39)

If we say “I believe in Jesus” but it doesn’t affect the way we live, the answer is not that now we need to add hard work to our faith so much as that we haven’t truly understood or believed in Jesus at all. (Page 124)

#3: The Trellis and the Vine by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne

Has revolutionized how I understand the role of the church and church leaders in ministering to and discipling the congregation. It’s not about programs, it’s about people. So much in common with Soma Communities, which is a very good thing.

Key Quotes

We must also see disciple-making as our central task in our homes and neighborhoods and churches. (Page 13)

It is very striking that Paul calls upon ordinary believers in Corinth to be imitators of him, as he is of Christ. And this imitating is not in some general sense, but in actively seeking the salvation of others. (1 Cor 10:33) (Page 51)

The call to discipleship is thus a call to confess our allegiance to Jesus in the face of a hostile world: to serve him and his mission, whatever the cost (Luke 9:60) (Page 42)

We must be willing to lose people from our own congregation if that is better for the growth of the gospel … A commitment to the growth of the gospel will mean that we train people towards maturity not for the benefit of our own churches or fellowships but for the benefit of Christ’s kingdom. (Page 83)

There are not two classes of disciples – we are all both disciples and disciple-makers. (Page 138)

Well, I went to add some books for Re:Train today, and adding a book no longer worked. After some searching, I found that my version of Now Reading was outdated and a new version, Now Reading Reloaded, was released, bringing with it a slightly new management interface and full functionality. Installed it and everything is working correctly.

I highly recommend Now Reading Reloaded to anyone who wants to track books on their blog.

Many churches fail to make it beyond two years because they fail to finance the mission.  Here are some simple principles that will keep you out of church planters bankruptcy.

• Raise at least two years of salary support before you ever move to the field.  Chances are it is going to take you longer then you think to get things rolling and especially self-sustaining.
• It isn’t money in the bank until it’s in the bank.  Unfortunately just because someone say they are going to support you doesn’t mean they are going to support you.
• Take responsibility for financing the mission.  If you are the lead pastor or church planter you are responsible.
• Work off of a spending plan from day one.  You need three things in starting a church: 1) salary support, 2) start up budget, 3) operational budget.
• Model the way from day one.  Generosity is caught, even more so then it is taught.
• Pay yourself and your team what you need, not what you are worth.  If you want what you are worth go do something else.  Church planting is a sacrifice.
• Make the big ask.  Jesus tells us we have not because we fail to ask.  It never hurts to ask.  The worst thing that can happen is for someone to say no.
• If you can’t raise the support, don’t plant a church.  Failure to raise the support could be a good indication of other things to come.

I believe that being a good learner (and therefore a good teacher) doesn’t mean knowingwhat to think, but knowing how to think.

…

So read the what-to-think stuff. But dwell in the how-to-think stuff. The three books below are a great place to start. I’m sure thoughtful commenters will recommend others. But I’m writing this, so my opinion gets front page.

Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal by Richard Lovelace – a theology of renewal… one of the best books you’ll ever read on how the gospel brings renewal to people and churches.

The Gospel in a Pluralist Society by Lesslie Newbigin – don’t be throwing around words like ‘missional’ until you’re familiar with Newbigin’s work and understand why it’s a watershed.

Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ by Dallas Willard – Willard isn’t the most Reformed of theologians, but he’s a master of spiritual formation. And if your goal isn’t to form people spiritually as Jesus would want them formed, then you shouldn’t be planting a church. Don’t read Willard as a how-to manual; read him as a wise mentor who will force you to think about spiritual formation.

Ecclesiology

• John Hammett, Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches: A Contemporary Ecclesiology
• Mark Dever, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church
• J. L. Dagg, Manual of Church Order

Classic Church Planting Texts

• John L. Nevius, The Planting and Development of Missionary Churches
• Roland Allen, The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church: And the Causes That Hinder It
• David Hesselgrave, Planting Churches Cross-Culturally: North America and Beyond, 2d ed.,

Five Streams of North American Missiology

1. Reformed & Contextual

• Tim Keller & Allen Thompson, Church Planting Manual
• Mark Driscoll,  The Radical Reformission: Reaching Out without Selling Out
• Mark Driscoll,Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church

2. Purpose Driven:

• Rick Warren, The Purpose-Driven Church: Growth Without Compromising Your Message & Mission
• Ron Sylvia, Starting New Churches on Purpose

3. Missional/Incarnational:

• Michael Frost & Alan Hirsch, The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21 Century Church
• Ed Stetzer, Planting Missional Churches
• Alan Hirsch, Forgotten Ways, The: Reactivating the Missional Church
• Michael Frost, Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture

4. Organic/House Church:

• Neil Cole, Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens
• Jonathan Campbell, The Way of Jesus: A Journey of Freedom for Pilgrims and Wanderers

5. Miscellaneous Contemporary

• Steve Sjogren, Community of Kindness
• Ralph Moore, Starting a New Church: The Church Planter’s Guide to Success
• Bob Roberts, Glocalization: How Followers of Jesus Engage a Flat World
• Bob Roberts,Transformation: How Glocal Churches Transform Lives and the World
• Bob Roberts, The Multiplying Church: The New Math for Starting New Churches

A Few More

• Thom Rainer, The Book of Church Growth
• Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger, Simple Church: Returning to God’s Process for Making Disciples
• Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson, Comeback Churches: How 300 Churches Turned Around and Yours Can, Too
• Joel Rainey, Planting Churches in the Real World
• Tim Chester and Steve Timmis,  Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community

Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God by Bruce Ware

Your beach companions will think you’re prepping for Sunday school or family devotions. You’ll actually be learning plenty yourself from an unusually gifted theologian equally adept at teaching seminary students and young children.

Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church by Michael Horton

Maybe you should wait to read this book on a rainy day when you can’t go to the beach. Horton, a discerning and clear-thinking theologian, diagnoses what ills American believers, including consumerism, individualism, and nationalism.

Fearless Pilgrim: The Life and Times of John Bunyan by Faith Cook

Biographies make for a quick, engaging read. Cook explores the times that gave us Bunyan, the pastor and prisoner whose best-selling The Pilgrim’s Progress brought theology to the masses.

The New Shape of World Christianity: How American Experience Reflects Global Faith by Mark A. Noll

Venerable historian Noll expands on the contributions of missiologist Andrew Walls to show how American Christianity has shaped the rapidly expanding global church.

Politics for the Greatest Good: The Case for Prudence in the Public Square by Clarke Forsythe

The senior counsel for Americans United for Life advocates the neglected virtue of prudence for fighting abortion. His timing is impeccable for Christians dealing with the ramifications of George Tiller’s murder.

When Athens Met Jerusalem: An Introduction to Classical and Christian Thought by John Mark Reynolds

Theology has always confronted and conformed to the intellectual trends of its cultural context. Like some early Christian apologists, Reynolds draws connections between Hebrew theology and the Greek philosophy so popular in ancient Rome. He even dares to recommend cooperation between faith and reason in order to save Western civilization.

Justification: God’s Plan & Paul’s Vision by N. T. Wright

Read for yourself what all the fuss is about. Bring along the handy chart from the June issue of Christianity Today to compare Wright with his chief critic, John Piper. Justification is too important to be left to professional theologians, so bring your Bible, too, and trace the sometimes-complex arguments.

Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck

The authors of the award-winning Why We’re Not Emergent return to tackle another set of theological innovators. Whether committed, disgruntled, waffling, or disconnected from the local church, this book will help you love the bride of Christ.

Predestination: The American Career of a Contentious Doctrine by Peter Thuesen

Want to celebrate the summer of John Calvin’s 500th birthday? Then read about the history of the doctrine most closely associated with him. You’ll see just how far theology can stretch over space and time.

Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches by Russell Moore

Readers rave at Moore’s ability to link important theological concepts with contemporary concerns. But you better handle this book delicately. You might return home from the beach with a new calling that will change your family’s life.

His love for the lost, his love for his flock, and his love for God are palpable.

Here’s a great interview with Dever related to evangelism and his book The Gospel and Personal Evangelism which I highly recommend

Dodson writes that You Can Change helps us “to believe what is true, to live in the pattern of grace” because

1. It is about Gospel-centered change: “The secret of gospel change is being convinced that Jesus is the good life and fountain of all joy.”
2. It heads off Gospel-distorting approaches to change: 1) Proving ourselves to God 2) Proving ourselves to others 3) Proving ourselves to ourselves.
3. Personal Change Project: Every chapter includes Reflection Questions for discussion and a Personal Change Project that helps us identify an area of sin in which we need gospel-centered change. This a powerful process.
4. Ten Key Questions: Each chapter raises an important question that leads us through the process of gospel-centered change. See Table of Contents here.
5. It emphasizes Faith and Repentance as key to change: “We begin the Christian life in faith and repentance, and we continue the Christian life in faith and repentance.”
6. Chapter 7 changed me on the spot: “If you let any of those gods down, they will beat you up. If you live for people’s approval or your career or possessions or control or anything else and you don’t make it or your mess up, then you’ll be left feeling afraid, downcast or biter. But when you let Christ down, he loves you still. He doesn’t beat you up; he dies for you.”

Ch 1 – The Emerging Glocal Context

1. Describe the specific people groups, population segments, and/or cultural environments that make up your geographical context.
2. What are some practical ways you can begin to expose those you minister with to opportunities to break the code?
3. How would you define success when it comes to the Great Commission in your given context?

Ch 2 – Breaking the Missional Code

1. Describe the specific people that God has called you to reach.
2. Identify other churches that are being used by God to reach similar people.
3. Write a brief paragraph on what your church would look like if it broke the code among that people.
4. Identify the adjustments you need to make in light of what you are learning.

Ch 3 – Responding to the Commissions of Jesus

1. In order to be sent what are some personal preferences you must overcome?
2. How can you help those you lead to see the divots in your community?
3. What does it mean for your church to be the missionary in your community?

Ch 4 – The Missional Church Shift

1. Review the chart on Page 49. Circle one area on each row that best describe your church.
2. Based on your evaluation, where does your church fall? How would your church fit on the Missional Matrix?
3. What are some steps you can take to become more missional?

Ch 5 – Transitions to Missional Ministry

1. Identify specific areas listed in this chapter where you need to transition to a more missional approach.
2. Describe how these specific areas need to be transformed in your specific context.
3. What would your church look like if it was truly missional?

Ch 6 – Values of Leaders and Churches that Break The Code

1. Identify the values that you must have if you are going to break the code.
2. Which of these values challenge you the most?
3. How can you put these values into action?

Ch 7 – Contextualization: Making the Code Part of Your Strategy

1. Based on the definition of indigenous on pages 91-92, what does it mean for you to be an indigenous church?
2. Evaluate how effective you are at contextualizing the gospel in the areas of communication, worship, evangelism, and discipleship.
3. What are some practical steps you can make to become more contextually relevant?

Ch 8 – Emerging Strategies

1. If the code is to be broken in your community, what are some new types or expressions of church that need to be considered?
2. Who are specific people living in your community that may require a new expression of church?
3. What practical steps can your church take in order to reach people groups, population segments, and/or cultural environments?

Ch 9 – Spiritual Formation and Churches that Break the Code

1. What does it mean to be a disciple?
2. What is your process for connecting with disconnected people that developing them into disciples?
3. What are the steps you need to make to develop a more holistic discipling process?

Ch 10 – Revitalization to Missional Ministry

1. Would you describe your church as a church with an evangelism strategy or a missional heart? Why?
2. What is it important in today’s world to have a missional heart and not simply an evangelistic strategy?
3. Who are the people that can give you honest feedback from an outsider’s perspective?
4. What are the next steps for beginning a transitional process?

Ch 11 – Planting Missional Ministries

1. Identify people groups, population segments, or cultural environments in your community that will require a church plant in order to be reached.
2. How can your church participate in planting churches to reach those outside of your direct influence?
3. Where do your already have a ministry presence that could best become a church plant?

Ch 12 – Emerging Networks: New Paradigms of Partnership

1. What challenges you most about emerging networks and new paradigms of partnership?
2. With whom could you partner to break the code?
3. What can you do to help your denomination remain viable in our emerging missional context?

Ch 13 – Breaking the Code without Compromising the Faith

1. Describe traditions in your context that may hinder your church from breaking the code.
2. Describe areas in your church and mission where you may be compromising truth.
3. What does it mean to be a biblically faithful and a contextually relevant church?
4. How can you help lead others to understanding what it means to connect with culture without compromising the truth?

Ch 14 – Best Practices of Leaders and Churches That Break the Code

1. What Scriptures and/or experiences have most shaped you as a leader?
2. How do these Scriptures and/or experiences still drive you to break the code?
3. What do you need to do to continue to cultivate a passion for breaking the code?

Ch 15 – The Process of Breaking the Code

1. What specific passages of Scripture has God used to confirm and shape your calling to break the code?
2. How can you cultivate a love relationship with your community?
3. Describe the culture to which you are called to minister in terms of music, dress, leadership style, learning approaches, how people relate, etc.
4. Describe the culture within the church you need to create in order to effectively reach your community

Ch 16 – Breaking the Unbroken Code

1. What code remains unbroken within your community?
2. What will it take to break that code?
3. How do you turn your church into an army for breaking the unbroken code?