Churches committed to following Christ’s example want this world changed for the sake of eternity. While the supernatural piece of making that happen goes without saying, how does a body of believers do its part to be in that “sweet spot” where true spiritual transformation occurs?

In Transformational Church, best-selling research authors Ed Stetzer and Thom S. Rainer survey fifty thousand churches—then narrow the scope down to five hundred congregations—for a qualitative answer. Their book, the most comprehensive study of the modern American church to date, contains a wealth of indispensable new data, nuanced insights, and how-to guidance, all centered on this key finding:

“Transformational churches make disciples whose lives are being transformed by the gospel, so that people engage the culture around them for its ultimate transformation. Deeply committed to the essential foundations of discipleship (worship, community, and mission), transformational churches practice their faith and make disciples through vibrant leadership, prayerful dependence upon God, and relational intentionality. And they do so paying mind to their unique context and with a missionary mindset.”

About the book …

Dr. Smith says, “YOU SHOULD BUY SEVERAL COPIES OF THIS BOOK! I have read at least 100 books on the church in my ministry years. It is not a stretch to say that this book is biblical, practical and well researched. The weaving of the seven traits of transformational churches is well balanced by stories and explanations, without providing programs and ‘reproducible templates’ by which the cultural nuances would be lost in their reproduction. This is an excellent book and a powerful read for those who are serious about the church in the coming decade or more. Thank you for beginning the discussion and reviving hope for the church. I look forward to more on this!

“Transformational Church should be the first book you read this year if church health and growth are your priorities. Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer have written one of the most researched, biblical, practical and hopeful books on the church in years!”

~ Matthew Smith, founder and director of Eagles In Leadership

You can order your copy of Transformational Church here.

About the Authors …

Ed Stetzer is director of LifeWay Research and missiologist in residence at LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville, Tennessee. He holds two masters, two doctoral degrees, and has written dozens of articles and acclaimed books including Planting Missional Churches, Breaking the Missional Code, Comeback Churches, and Lost and Found. Ed and his wife have three daughters.

Thom S. Rainer is president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the largest Christian resource companies worldwide, and the best-selling coauthor of Simple Church, Essential Church, and Simple Life. Rainer and his wife, Nellie Jo, have three grown sons and live in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Christian Atheist is quite an eye-catching title – one that seeks to encourage us to live the Christ-life, without hypocrisy. Christian atheism is best explained as where people believe in God but live as if he doesn’t exist. You will enjoy Craig’s great writing style – he communicates very well in this book using humor liberally.

Christian Atheism takes on many characteristics, and Craig lists 12 in his book.

• When you believe in God but really don’t know him
• When you believe in God but are ashamed of your past
• When you believe in God but aren’t sure he loves you
• When you believe in God but not in prayer
• When you believe in God but don’t think he’s fair
• When you believe in God but won’t forgive
• When you believe in God but don’t think you can change
• When you believe in God but still worry all the time
• When you believe in God but pursue happiness at any cost
• When you believe in God but trust more in money
• When you believe in God but don’t share your faith
• When you believe in God but not in his church

Early in Craig’s life, in a backyard vacation Bible school, Craig chose NOT to go to hell – so he ‘accepted’ Christ. However, as he moved into high school his ‘faith’ was disconnected from his lifestyle. It wasn’t until a low point in college, after reading his Bible, that he realized that being a Christian was a lifestyle, not a label. Whispering to God, “Take my life,” God did; and, as he says, “For the first time in my life, I believed in God and began to live like he is real.”

Groeschel takes his stand on clear Scripture and talks about how ‘as you get to know him better, you will change.’ This is at the center of the entire idea of The Christian Atheist.

As Craig wraps the book up, he issues us a challenge entitled ‘Third Line Faith,’ a challenge God first gave to him. With three lines in the sand, God asked Craig if he would step over the third line – each line representing a clear belief system and choice:

Line 1: I believe in God and the gospel of Christ enough to benefit from it.

By this he means, “We want God’s benefits without changing how we live. We want his best, without our sacrifices.”  Concerned this may not be real Christianity Craig pressed on to understand the second lifestyle choice he could make …

Line 2: I believe in God and Christ’s gospel enough to contribute comfortably.

Here he understood that his belief in God was “not only enough to benefit [from] but also enough to give back – as long as it doesn’t cost too much.” Realizing this was where he was at the moment God was speaking to him, he longed for the lifestyle of those who step across the third line …

Line 3: I believe in God and Christ’s gospel enough to give my life to it.

He says, “Although most people I knew were line-one and line-two believers, suddenly anything less than line three didn’t seem like real Christianity to me. Could I give my whole life to Christ? Not only in words but in my daily life?” Through a series of decisions and choices, Craig finally crossed the third line, and now he asks you to do the same and allow him to “welcome [you] to true Christianity.”

This book is for anyone courageous enough to admit to their hypocrisy. It pushes you, challenges you, and disturbs you. And if you are honest before God the lessons in this book will help you shed some of your hypocrisy as it did for me.

You can order your copy of the Christian Atheist here.

Matt Bell has written a must read – must study book here!

Starting from a very different location – our heart and soul – this book helps the reader answer the most important questions BEFORE they take the accounting journey one finds in almost every other resource. Harkening back to my days of elementary school, I can almost hear Matt asking us (the readers), ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ Using two very specific questions: ‘What truly matters?’ and ‘What matters most?’ Bell helps us focus on what’s really deep inside. And once these heart dreams are locked down, the rest is practical math and diligence!

Money, Purpose, Joy shows us how to reach our real desires, goals and values through practical, easy-to-understand steps. Once he helps us cement our real goals down, Bell then takes us through the process of achieving those dreams. Using humor and real life transparency, this is a book men will appreciate. Guys, don’t miss the story of Matt’s life traveling the world as a golfing magazine reporter.

Definitely a 5 out of 5 stars for this book! A MUST read and study.

You can order Matt’s book here!

You can learn more about Matt’s ministry and receive his free newsletters here!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress 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.”

Practical, encouraging, personal and inspiring describes Alex and Brett Harris’ new book, Start Here. Making the most of your teen years is what this book is all about! As a teen, watching God start a two-decade long revival in my little town in Wisconsin, I can only say, Start Here! provides so many helps so that any teen can accomplish all that God desires them to do – especially the hard things!

Having been a part of the home-school revolution and receiving incredibly Biblical and practical guidance from Alex and Brett’s parents, Gregg and Sono Harris, one can see the fruit of this godly family tree fleshed out in the mission of God for the next generation throughout every page of this vital book.

Mixing practical steps with biblical wisdom, Start Here lifts the heart and opens the eyes so that hope is birthed and nourished. Each chapter unfolds not only the ‘how to’ but also the ‘have done’ hard things stories of teens and college age adults.

This is a book every teen should read and use as a guide for this season of their lives. (Hint: Many adults could benefit from the wise words found within the cover of this easy to read book.) Buy a dozen or more copies and hand them out to teens, college age adults, youth leaders and pastors and watch the amazing things God does through the next generation for Christ!

For more information and to order the book from Random House, or from Amazon

Would you like to receive a FREE copy of the book, Start Here?

To celebrate the launch of Start Here, we’re offering you an opportunity to win a FREE copy of the book. One lucky reader will win a copy of Start Here!

Main Entry: (you must complete this entry in order to participate, otherwise all other entries will be disqualified)

Contest closes April 9th, 2010

Entries:

1. Tweet this review using the text below with your Twitter handle or on your Facebook page:

Win a FREE copy of ‘Start Here’ by Alex & Brett Harris at http://EaglesinLeadership.org from Waterbrook: http://bit.ly/s7nKJ

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Do you feel that you have an angel on your shoulder and the devil on your back? As Ken Mansfield struggles between a deep belief in God and a plague of doubts about his faith. Having spent over forty years of senseless meandering, he embarks on one last journey in his quest to find answers, inviting you to travel along with him and his wife, Connie.

If you grew up listening to music in the 60s through the 90s, you have no doubt heard and enjoyed some of this Grammy-winning producer’s music. Through his cross country journey Ken jostles us back and forth between his present soul-searching journey and his reminisces of four decades in the music industry. Through stories of success and innovation, pain and sorrow, Ken transparently reflects ‘the shallow importance of worldly things in those heady days’ and honestly explains that ‘the dilemmas I’ve experienced since were always about not letting go of those same old terrestrial considerations.’

This book is for all who desire to discover and recover God’s purpose for their lives. This journey will reveal the vapidness of seeking after only worldly honor and fame. It calls the reader to trust God and seek Him daily.

Click here to purchase Between Wyomings: My God and an iPod on the Open Road on Amazon.

“When Jesus is great, our fears are not.” Walking us hand-in-hand with Jesus and his disciples, Max reminds us that “yes, life stinks. But it won’t forever.” Quoting a friend, he tells us, “Everything will work out in the end. If it’s not working out, it’s not the end.”

Acknowledging those nagging times of distrust, Max reminds us that doubts “can make hermits out of us, driving us into hiding. Yet the cave has no answers. Christ distributes courage through community; he dissipates doubts through fellowship.” Pushing us back into relationship with Christ and his body – the local community of followers – Lucado pours fresh, satisfying water on those parched souls struggling for hope in the midst of these turbulent times.

I highly recommend “Fearless” and encourage you to purchase a copy today! You can buy a copy of Max Lucado’s book by clicking this link: Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear

by Paul E. Miller

NavPress
ISBN: 13: 978-1-60006-300-8

Paul Miller has written an engaging, transparent and practical book on prayer. His connection to his everyday life, filled with trials and tribulations (their daughter Kim struggles with autism and developmental delay). This ‘real world’ approach to prayer lends credibility and quality to the read. Enjoying prayer and our conversation with the Lord is what this book brings to one’s life – returning to a close walk with the God who loves us. In his easy to read style, Miller encourages us to ‘live in your Father’s story.’  By this he means “you can’t listen to God if you are isolated from a life of surrender that draws you into his story for your life.” In essence, this is what the five sections of this book does, using humor, pain and his real life adventures as a backdrop for our return into his presence. This may be one of the best books written on prayer in decades, since it combines sound Biblical truth and tested street leather application. I highly recommend this book and encourage you to pick up a copy for yourself and for a friend – this is a great book for a group journey deeper into God’s presence.

You can order a copy by clicking this link right now: A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World