Busy Month - Much to Share

It's been a busy month and I've come across numerous items I'd like to share as follows:

I'm about mid-way through reading one of the most important books of my ministry lifetime. The title is Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity by Nancy Pearcey. Think intelligence - apologetics - theology - history - L'Abri - Francis Schaeffer, and more. This book is endorsed by folks such as J.I. Packer, Ralph Winter, and J.P. Moreland. It's one of those books that's difficult to highlight because virtually every page would be all yellow. Read it!

Discipleship Recommendations:
I ran into Hugh Halter at a conference a few weeks ago. He gave me a copy of his work, The Tangible Kingdom primer: an eight-week guide to incarnational community. If you're looking to mobilize small groups into missional communities, grab this resource. If your ministry context is not yet ready for this primer, check out the Acts 29 Kit by Chris Kovac, published by Navigators.

Great Speakers:
Last week's EPC General Assembly featured guest speakers Reggie McNeal and Richard Pratt. Both were strong. McNeal's Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church needs a look. His idea of changing what we measure in the church resonates strongly with my concept in HIGH M-PACT Revitalization of identifying the correct criteria for decision-making and resource allocation. He was dead on target with his hilarious reference to the "Six Flags Over Jesus" church, the church model that turns church into an amusement park to draw a crowd. Just to stay ballanced, perhaps a mention of the "Six Feet Under" church should be made, the church that's dead to its own community.

Richard Pratt (see Third Millennium Ministries) was powerful as always and great to see again. I studied Hebrew and Old Testament under Richard at RTS Orlando. What a great reminder that our true value rests in being made in the image of God, a quality that all people share. If only we valued people as highly as God does! Thanks, Richard.

Oh, one other thing - McNeal mentioned a couple of websites worth investigating if you're looking for inspiration and information about connecting your church with the community. Check out www.tituscountycares.com and www.kidshopeusa.org.