Eric Ebbinghaus and I have been having this back and forth conversation about the Sabbath. He’s currently doing a youth series on the topic and I’m starting one in April. In previous posts(1 and 2), I’ve discussed the “rest side” of the issue, but now I want to look at the other side. This was all prompted by something I heard a pastor say on TV the other day. “Ladies, the Bible says to work 6 days and rest on the 7th, but if the man you’re seeing is too lazy to get off the couch and get a job then you need to send him packing because he is a LOSER.” It was Valentine’s Day message on the type of man a single woman should be looking for. What caught my attention was the “work 6 days” part. Here’s what Genesis 2:2-3(NIV) says:
2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Two things I see. First, God had been working hard and secondly, He had finished His work. He clarified His position in Exodus 20: 8-11(NIV):
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
“Labor and do all your work…” God spent that first Sabbath enjoying a tremendous sense of accomplishment at what He had created. When the next week rolled around He wasn’t worried about what He put off doing the week before. He was ready for new challenges, tasks, and adventure. It seems to me that procrastination wasn’t part of the equation until after the Fall. It seems to me that we can’t fully enjoy the Sabbath until we’ve given ourselves fully to our work. Why aren’t we giving ourselves fully to our work?
- Lack of Focus/Distractions
- Procrastination
- Laziness
- Lack of Passion
- Health Issues/Fatigue
- Unrealistic Expectations placed on us that discourage our effort
- Family Issues
- Depression
What did I leave out? What are you struggling with? My prayer is that all of us would be passionate and focused about what we have been created to do. That’s what chasing your lion is all about. God was the inventor of Work Hard, Play Hard. Over the next few weeks, I’ll break down these issues and find solutions to get us all on the right track. Thanks for reading.
Sabbath Resources:
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Finding Your Maximum Happiness A Study of the Ten Commandments
By Wilbur G. Williams Maximum happiness! That’s the subject of this study. How does one get it? After one gets it, how is it kept? If one has it and lost it, how is it regained? These are questions we will try to answer. Basically everyone wants happiness out of life. God wants everyone to be happy. Then why are so many lacking in this area? One might expect poor people – who have little of this world’s goods – not to have it, yet many of them do. One might expect people who have everything money can buy to possess happiness but many of them don’t. To study how God planned for us to obtain happiness, let us first ask, on what does true happiness depend? In brief, maximum happiness depends most heavily on one thing: relationship. It is the by product of that and that alone. In the focus of this book, it is a law guided relationship based on a covenant made with God first and foremost. There is a sense in which we never “find” happiness by seeking it. But by seeking God, happiness finds us. |
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Sabbath: The Ancient Practices
By Dan Allender Does resting on the Sabbath mean to cease all activity? In his new book Dan Allender presents an insightful and fascinating look at the origins and purpose of the Sabbath day. Serving as volume three in The Ancient Practices Series, Sabbath examines the key issues of this oft-misunderstood day of the week. This “day of delight,” as instituted by God, has become a dirge for millions of believers. For many, it is simply a break from the busyness of the work week. So, what keeps us from properly understanding, sanctifying and celebrating this important day? Allender looks at not only the history of this discipline, going all the way back to ancient Israel, but also at the modern manifestations and misunderstandings of its practice. Drawing upon the Hebrew word Menuha, Allender bases his premise upon the forgotten definition for this word (best translated as joyous repose, tranquility, or delight) and what it truly means to rest. |
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The Year of Living Like Jesus: My Journey of Discovering What Jesus Would Really Do
By Ed Dobson Pastor Dobson chronicles his year of “walking in Jesus’ sandals.” He eats what Jesus ate. Prays as Jesus prayed. Observes the Sabbath, attends Jewish festivals, and reads the Gospels every week. It’s a journey that takes him into bars, inspires him to pick up hitchhikers, deepens his understanding of suffering—and changes his life forever! 304 pages, hardcover from Zondervan. |
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Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity
By Keri Wyatt Kent In today’s fast-paced society, we’ve forgotten an essential truth . . . that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Inviting you to find a balance between work and refreshment, Kent explores six aspects of this Christian spiritual practice—resting, reconnecting, revising, pausing, playing, and praying—to help you experience renewed energy, grace, and joy. 224 pages, softcover from Zondervan. |
Disclaimer: Many people feel trapped in jobs and careers they don’t love because of their financial obligations. We have so much debt that we have left ourselves little career flexibility. Sometimes, laziness on our part is the biggest hindrance in our job. This list is meant as motivation to do something to make your life better.
The Forgotten 5 Signs You Picked the Wrong Career
5. You dread getting up in the morning because you hate going to work.
4. Your enthusiasm and passion for your job is directly related to your salary.
3. Your work schedule is slowly tearing your family apart…and you know it, but aren’t sure what to do about it.
2. Your boss is not too big on things like vacations, family time, encouragement, and a peaceful working environment.
1. You wouldn’t recommend your company, service, or trade to anyone.
So, where do you go from here?
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48 Days Career Set By Dan Miller Don’t see your job as mundane anymore, but rather a calling God has put in your life. Get excited about work once again as you understand your skill sets and the career that God has best suited you for. Along with the book 48 Days to the Work You Love, the set also includes an interactive workbook with two CDs. It’s an individualized process with poignant questions to help you succeed on the career path with boldness and enthusiasm. Disc 1: Disc 2: |
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48 Days to the Work You Love, Trade Paper Edition By Dan Miller 48 Days to the Work You Love is not about finding a new job. It is about finding out what you are going to “be.” According to Dan Miller, failing to make that fundamental discovery is why so many people find themselves in jobs they hate. But the great news is this book will lead you to the vocation you will love. As a leading vocational thinker, Dan Miller helps you better understand and organize your God-given skills, personality traits, values, dreams, and passions. In turn, you’ll see clear patterns forming from which you can make successful career and job decisions. With creativity, insight, and timeless wisdom, 48 Days to the Work You Love presents a step-by-step process for creating a Life Plan and translating it into meaningful and fulfilling daily work. |
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48 Days to the Work You Love: Preparing for the New Normal By Dan Miller Still deciding what you want to be when you grow up? Whatever your age, let Miller guide you to the vocation you long for! Learn the God-given talents, personality traits, values, dreams, and passions that are your compass to follow. Includes career-search tools, a step-by-step process for creating your life plan, and more. |
![091853: Your Ministry"s Next Chapter: Restoring the Passion of the Mid-Career Pastor](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/0/091853t.gif "091853: Your Ministry"s Next Chapter: Restoring the Passion of the Mid-Career Pastor") |
Your Ministry’s Next Chapter: Restoring the Passion of the Mid-Career Pastor By Gary Fenton As a pastor, you are not immune to the career struggles of midlife. The pressures of your ministry, the dynamics of your congregation, and the challenges to stay devoted can easily weigh you down. At times like these, the tendency is to slow down, retire, or stop growing. What’s worse, these symptoms are hard to detect, and their effects are destructive to both you and your church. But there is a way to rediscover your call to serve God with passion and focus. With candid insights and personal examples, longtime pastor Gary Fenton will help you overcome the changes in your ministry, help you use your gifts to their full potential, and revitalize your confidence in your calling. |
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The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary into the Extraordinary By Mark Sanborn Is your professional commitment wavering? Do you just want to get the job done and go home? Find fresh energy and creativity for your life and work by imitating the example of Sanborn’s postman, “Fred.” Four Bible-based principles will help you make a difference every day, excel in your career, and make your daily life extraordinary. 114 pages, hardcover from Waterbrook. |
![973726: Shifting into Higher Gear: An Owner"s Manual for Uniting Your Calling and Career](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/9/973726t.gif "973726: Shifting into Higher Gear: An Owner"s Manual for Uniting Your Calling and Career") |
Shifting into Higher Gear: An Owner’s Manual for Uniting Your Calling and Career By Tom Siciliano and Jeff Caliguire This book will create a pathway to minimize the stress and confusion of seeking the right job. It presents a comprehensive three-stage program for discovering your calling, turning that calling into a career, and sustaining your passion once you’re in the job of your dreams. Grounded in Biblical wisdom, yet highly practical, this book is packed with field-tested advice, worksheets, self-assessments, and creative questions for action and reflection. It will become a trusted “owner’s manual” for a lifetime of meaningful work. |
![45400X: Better Than Good: Creating a Life You Can"t Wait to Live](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/4/45400xt.gif "45400X: Better Than Good: Creating a Life You Can"t Wait to Live") |
Better Than Good: Creating a Life You Can’t Wait to Live By Zig Ziglar On the subject of living a life on purpose, passion and peak performance, nobody tells it better than Zig Ziglar. In Better Than Good, Zig goes several steps beyond other “success” books by not only helping the reader get motivated, but stay motivated by confronting and transforming the things that stand in their way. Written in Ziglar’s trademark style, this book isn’t just about success now, excellence tomorrow or even motivation for next month, but about making a lasting impact – an impact that goes beyond financial gains and creative partnerships. Everything we are and do, he says, must be seen in the bigger perspective of continuously investing your spirit, mind and spiritual vision for what life can be when we allow the power of purpose and passion to permeate our soul. |
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Who Are You? What Do You Want? Four Questions That Will Change Your Life By Mick Ukleja, Ph.D. & Robert L. Lorber, Ph.D. Based on the authors’ decades of work as executive coaches and leadership trainers, the insights, real life anecdotes, and exercises in Who Are You and What Do You Want? allow readers to shape their own unique life plan, tailored to their own needs and to gain clarity about their purpose, passions, and values. |
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The Encore Effect: How to Achieve Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do By Mark Sandborn Everyone wants to make a difference in the world, but most have no idea how to maximize their impact. In The Encore Effect, best-selling author and leadership expert Mark Sandborn provides the answer. He leads readers in six practices that will move them beyond excellence to distinction and from mundane to memorable. These principles guide readers to draw on their passion and devote themselves to preparation, practice, presentation, polishing, and finally, avoiding pitfalls. When readers follow these principles they will find that people are attracted to them. More importantly, they’ll find that they now have an influence over others that can impact lives for eternity. |
Our youth group is starting a 7 week series tonight called “What’s the difference?” We are going to be looking at various world religions and the differences between them and Christianity(hint: it’s Jesus). The goal is not for them to know more about other religions but to know what and why they believe better. Here are two of the main resources I’m using for this study. Fritz Ridenour’s book has some great stories about the various founders. It’s as informative as a text book, but is a fun read because of the style.
![718982: So What"s the Difference? How World Faiths Compare to Christianity, Revised and Expanded](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/7/718982t.gif "718982: So What"s the Difference? How World Faiths Compare to Christianity, Revised and Expanded") |
So What’s the Difference? How World Faiths Compare to Christianity, Revised and Expanded
By Fritz Ridenour In easy-to-understand chapters, the author explains the basic beliefs of Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, New Age and a dozen other belief systems of the world. It will help you recognize the real differences and make it easier to explain and share your faith with others. Completely revised and updated. |
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Christianity, Cults & Religions: Compare 17 Religions and Cults with Biblical Christianity
Compare the beliefs of 18 world religions and cults at a glance, including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Science, and more! Learn what each group believes about God, Jesus, salvation, and other basic points of Christianity. Laminated pamphlet measures 5.5″ x 8.5″ and unfolds to 33″—ideal to keep in your Bible or briefcase. From Rose. |
In April and May, we’ll be studying the 10 commandments to continue the process of strengthening their faith foundation. More and more I am finding that many students’ Biblical knowledge is sorely lacking. There are several factors for that but I believe the main culprit is the breakdown of the family unit in our society(more on all that later). The church’s responsibility to make disciples often falls on the local organized body, but I believe that Christ intended for every believer to be and make disciples. I’m not sure when showing up for an hour on Sundays started passing for being a disciple.
Here’s the latest music out this week.
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Beautiful Things CD By Gungor Michael Gungor’s musical creativity and passion for worship are on full display with Beautiful Things, a thirteen-song set of refreshing original compositions. Featuring a guest appearance from Israel Houghton, Gungor breezes through alternative worship styles on tracks like “Dry Bones,” “Please Be My Strength,” “People of God,” and others. |
Gungor also at 
Ohio Avenue at
Vicky Beeching’s new EP at
Saw the preview for this book. Just had a conversation with someone about this very thing.
![316888: Why Is God Ignoring Me?: What To Do When It Feels Like He"s Giving You the Silent Treatment](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/3/316888t.gif "316888: Why Is God Ignoring Me?: What To Do When It Feels Like He"s Giving You the Silent Treatment") |
Why Is God Ignoring Me?: What To Do When It Feels Like He’s Giving You the Silent Treatment
By Gary R. Habermas * Have you ever cried out to God when you were in trouble and felt like he’d abandoned you? Sharing personal experiences, heartfelt insights, and biblical truth, Habermas asks tough questions, shares wise answers—and reveals where we can find our heavenly Father in the midst of suffering and sorrow. 256 pages, softcover from Tyndale. |
My wife, Karen, and I are speaking at a Valentine’s banquet tonight at a local church. We are sharing our personal story of God’s healing and blessing. It is exciting and humbling to receive an opportunity like this. It will be good to see some old friends there as well. With that in mind, here are some great marriage and relationship resources.
![746801: As Long As We Both Shall Live: Experience the Marriage You"ve Always Wanted](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/7/746801t.gif "746801: As Long As We Both Shall Live: Experience the Marriage You"ve Always Wanted") |
As Long As We Both Shall Live: Experience the Marriage You’ve Always Wanted By Dr. Gary Smalley & Ted Cunningham Ideal for engaged couples, newlyweds, and long-married partners, this resource provides the tools you’ll need to establish a lasting life together! Relationship expert Smalley and Pastor Cunningham show you how to defuse the ticking bomb of unrealistic expectations and acknowledge your unexpressed assumptions. Learn to understand each other’s needs, express yourself honestly, and increase intimacy. Hardcover. |
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Cupidity: 50 Stupid Things People Do for Love and How to Avoid Them By Hayley & Michael DiMarco Having trouble making sense of your love life? Whether you’re single, dating, or married, the Hayley & Michael DiMarco will help you correct acts of “cupidity” – or “stupid love”! You’ll become a better romantic partner; explore love from a biblical perspective; and avoid heartache and unrealistic expectations. Honest and eye-opening, their guide provides helpful tips from their firsthand experience! Paperback. |
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Happy Spouse . . . Happy House: The Best Game Plan for a Winning Marriage By Pat & Ruth Williams with Dave Wimbish Whether your marriage is on the road to victory, in foul trouble, or just needs a halftime pep talk, you’ll find compassionate and competent coaching in Happy Spouse, Happy House for building a strong, secure, and successful marriage. Using the acronym BEST, Pat and Ruth Williams encourage men to be the best leaders, lovers, and listeners they can be and empower women to be the best partners and players in a winning relationship. B less your spouse |
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L.O.V.E.: Uncover Your Personal Love Style By Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott L.O.V.E.: Uncovering Your Personal Love Style by Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott show couples how to revolutionize their marriages by uncovering their unique love styles – how they as individuals are hard-wired for love. Once they uncover this vital information, they learn how their combined personalities approach marital issues. Using scientifically proven online assessment methods, your two personalities come together to create your unique “love style” as a couple. The acronym uses the primary characteristics of Leader, Optimist, Validator, and Evaluator. L.O.V.E. is accompanied by a set of his/her workbooks expressly designed for couples to drill down into the content of each chapter. These are also ideal for group study. |
![529808: Love & War: Finding The Marriage You"ve Dreamed Of](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/5/529808t.gif "529808: Love & War: Finding The Marriage You"ve Dreamed Of") |
Love & War: Finding The Marriage You’ve Dreamed Of By John & Stasi Eldredge John and Stasi’s new book, Love and War: Finding the Marriage You’ve Dreamed Of does for couples what Captivating did for women and Wild at Heart did for men. In it couples are encouraged to fight for one another and not with each other. The Eldredge’s liken marriage to a love story occurring within the context of a war. As couples fight the forces at work against their marriage, they need to remember that they are in this together. Alternating chapters show the male and female perspectives and as they share their personal experiences, they let you know that it is in the context of marriage that God chooses to heal and transform you into His image. Hardcover. |
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Loving the Love of Your Life By Mark Gilroy Looking to add a little spice to your love life? In one affordable flip book you’ll find 60 ways to show how much you care and add a fresh spark to your marriage. With the fun of a game, the book contains a series of activities, surprises, and suggestions; taking turns, the couple passes the book back and forth adding romance, humor, and good memories to the process. In a busy world where Christian couples are giving, working, studying, and serving, here is a collection of ways to connect with the one you love best, and build into your marriage in a fantastic way. Nurture your love and watch it grow! Husbands: Wives: hereare 60 ways to get started- 30 for each of you. Get started today and take your marriage over the top! Paperback. |
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More Than a Match: The Five Keys to Compatibility for Life By Michael & Amy Smalley with Mike Yorkey More Than a Match provides you with the tools you need to find the love you want and turn your romance into a lifelong love affair. In this book the authors explore the “compatibility factor,” teaching you how to apply the specifics of good compatibility to a prospective date or mate, as well as how to break things off when you find yourself in the wrong relationship. And.since finding and keeping the love of your life is about much more than finding a match, you’ll also learn how to deal with conflict, develop a healthy sex life, and recover when you inevitably hurt one another. Paperback. |
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The Five Love Languages, Singles Edition By Gary Chapman Whether you’re widowed, divorced, separated, or never married, your deepest emotional need is to feel loved—and your greatest successes will be obtained by loving others. Chapman shows you how to do both effectively in situations unique to single adults—dating; roommates, classmates, and co-workers; family connections; and single parenting. Includes new discussion questions. |
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The Love Dare Day by Day: A Year of Devotions for Couples By Stephen Kendrick & Alex Kendrick Love is a choice. A daily choice. The Love Dare Day by Day is a daily reminder of how it’s done . . . and done well, taking the original experience to the next level. With 52 weekly dares, this one-year devotional invites you to go deeper into the scriptural principles of The Love Dare, and is meant to enrich your relationship with God and your spouse through a daily time of reading, prayer, and action. Make this more than a year of your life. Make it your bold, next step to a lifetime of love. Features of this book include:
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If you’re going to grow as a person and a leader then reading great books should be an essential part of your growth. I have recently started reading with a new method that I wanted to share with you. There were 2 things I wanted to accomplish with this method.
1. Read faster
2. Take notes that are easy to scan through
There are 4 things in a book that make this process work: Chapter Headings, sub-headings, lists, and quotes. First, let me say that this method will not work with every type of book. This won’t work with a novel. I’ve found that most business, leadership, and growth books have all of the above.
Get the book you’re reading and a notebook. On a fresh page, write the Title and Author. Next, find chapter 1 and wirte it down along with it’s heading. All you’re going to do is scan the pages looking for key words that catch your eye(these depend on what and why you’re reading), subheadings, quotes, and lists. I typically write down all subheadings and lists. I write down quotes only if they’re truly memorable and something I could use in a sermon or a post. So, your page would look something like this(but hopefully with better handwriting):
Your amount of notes will depend on the format of the book and the length of the book. For example, I have 3 pages of notes from Crush It, and 12 pages of notes from The 4 Hour Work Week. I liked the books equally, but one of them had more lists and sub headings so I took more notes.
The most important thing to remember is to enjoy the book. If you get a chapter in and it’s not doing much for you then put it down and move on to something else. Also, don’t feel like you have to finish every book you read. Are you getting out of the book what you were hoping?
For me, this was born out of a desire to learn and grow without feeling overwhelmed. I also am trying to live by a set schedule. So far, the schedule has helped me get things done, but I’ve also been able to be flexible with it when necessary.
Finally, there have been two tremendous benefits so far with the creation of this site. One, is connecting and reconnecting with people all across the country through Twitter and Facebook. The other is immersing myself in the flow of great resources that are at our fingertips to help us become the people we were created to be. There are countless great books, blogs, conferences, music, and videos to help us discover our purpose, passion, and possibilities that many of us are unaware of. My reading list is full of great books I didn’t know existed before I started Chasing My Lion. Sadly, I know two many people who aren’t plugged into any of these things. They seem content to live life without pushing themselves to grow as Christians and leaders. Sadly, many of them are good friends in ministry.
So, what about you? What are you reading? What are you chasing?
Currently Listening:
Currently Reading:
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Why So Many Gods? By Tim Baker What do Madonna’s henna tattoos really mean? Is The Matrix more than just an action flick? Probing the meanings behind pop culture symbols, this hip guide to over 100 religions, cults, and worldviews will get your teens thinking about what they hear, see, and read—and help them choose God’s truth over the media’s mixed messages. 240 pages, softcover from Nelson. |
Currently Watching:
Newspring church at .
Wondering what books to read next? Leadership Journal polled more than 100 Pastors and Leaders to come up with their list of the best books in two categories: The Leader’s Outer Life and the Leader’s Inner Life. Here they are:
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Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion
By Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck Whether you’re committed, disgruntled, hesitant, or disconnected from the body of Christ, this passionate resource will help you renew your love for the church in all its real-life guts, gaffes, and glory. DeYoung and Kluck’s valuable resource provides a solid reminder of the biblical mandate to participate in our local congregations. Relevant and encouraging! 224 pages, softcover from Moody. |
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The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity
By Soong-Chan Rah * A bold vision for the future of North American evangelicalism! Urging the Western church to escape the captivity of individualism, consumerism, and racism, Rah provides a keen analysis of the limitations of American evangelicalism and offers alternative models for congregational renewal, including those drawn from African American, Native American, immigrant, and second-generation Christian communities. 180 pages, softcover from InterVarsity. |
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The Monkey and the Fish: Liquid Leadership for a Third-Culture Church
By Dave Gibbons |
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Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches That Reach Them
By Ed Stetzer, Richie Stanley & Jason Hayes Lost and Found presents comprehensive research about and in-depth interviews with young men and women ages twenty-five to thirty-four who have never really been churched. The findings, such as how open this generation is to spiritual things, will surprise church-based readers and break some long established assumptions and opinions. Expert church culture author Ed Stetzer (Breaking the Missional Code) also examines the congregations that are effectively reaching the younger unchurched and how they are doing it. Any church that is concerned about outreach to this generation will discover principles and methodologies to learn from and adapt into their own ministry. |
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Longing for God: Seven Paths of Christian Devotion
By Richard J. Foster & Gayle D. Beebe Is your soul yearning to taste God’s goodness? Offering a classical model of spiritual formation, Foster and Beebe introduce you to seven devotional paths illustrated by Thomas Merton, Blaise Pascal, Julian of Norwich, John Wesley, and other key Christian figures. Discover how to experience the spiritual life as journey, deepen your friendship with Jesus, and more. 350 pages, hardcover from InterVarsity. |
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Leading on Empty: Discover the Secrets to Renewing Your Energy and Strengthening Your Passion to Serve
By Wayne Cordeiro Learn from veteran leader Wayne Cordeiro how to replenish yourself from a state of exhaustion in leadership, or, better yet, how to avoid the trap of burnout altogether. Find out how to lead when you just don’t feel like you can do it any longer, and how to navigate the helm of leadership when you’ve lost your spiritual bearings. |
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Knowing Christ Today: Why We Can Trust Spiritual Knowledge
By Dallas Willard In the tradition of Mere Christianity, author and Renovare staff member Dallas Willard, presents a rational case for the Christian faith in our day. In Knowing Christ Today, he argues that spiritual truths are as a reliable body of knowledge as philosophy or science and form a trustworthy source of wisdom. Each chapter includes discussion questions for group study. |
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Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional
By Jim Belcher Deep Church, author Jim Belcher has been both an insider and an outsider to the Emerging Church movement. Now he brings the best insights of all sides to forge a third way. With appreciative critique, he explores the proposals of the emerging church leaders and provides constructive models of what this alternate deep church looks like – a missional church committed to both tradition and culture, valuing innovation in worship, arts, and community but also creeds and confessions. Plumb the depths of Christianity in a way that neither rejects our postmodern context nor capitulates to it. Instead of veering to the left or right, go beyond the extremes and go-deep. |
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A Praying Life
By Paul Miller Miller offers a practical real-life approach to prayer for busy families! His honest down-to-earth advice shows you how to practice praying in the midst of daily routine. You’ll learn to pray like a child, live your Father’s story, understand unanswered petitions, and more. Includes tips on using tools such as prayer cards and journaling. 272 pages, softcover from NavPress. |
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Love Is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community
By Andrew Marin Marin was stunned when three of his friends came out of the closet. How could he reconcile members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community to his faith? Attempting to wrestle with that, he provides an inside look at the gay community and offers strategies to build bridges between GBLT people, Christians—and the gospel |
Our Sunday night youth Bible study is now going through Charlie Alcock’s book, More Than a High. The goal of this book is to move people from the emotional high of a youth camp, convention, or mission trip to the daily process of becoming more like Jesus. Charlie teaches Youth Ministry at Indiana Wesleyan University and is the youth pastor at College Wesleyan Church. He has a passion for teens, a wealth of knowledge and experience in youth ministry, and is an all around good guy. It’s an inexpensive book and great for a personal or small group setting. We are on week 2 this week. Check it out.
After having my life changed by Mark Batterson’s book, In a Pit with a Lion for a Snowy Day, I was excited to hear about his latest book, Primal. Mark writes from the perspective of a student who is always wanting to learn and stretch. Using examples from history, his own life, science and math he takes the reader on a journey to rediscover the “Primal” roots of Christianity. Taking the words of the Great Commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, Batterson begins the quest to help individuals and churches become great at the Great Commandment once again. The four primal elements he explores are compassion, wonder, curiosity, and energy. Mark isn’t an author who takes you on an easy path. He is constantly challenging you to think and act differently in specific ways that impact the lives of others. I think that’s what I appreciate about his writing most. he doesn’t want to leave you where you are, but to lead you further on your journey of faith. Here’s another link to purchase the book at www.waterbrookpress.com. I encourage you to make Primal the first book you read in 2010!
One of the goals of Chase Your Lion dot com is to help people realize the daily possibilities that God has for us. How often have we let opportunities to change someone’s life pass us by because we weren’t focused or were too busy? In his latest book, You Were Born for This, Bruce Wilkinson tackles the issue of people finding those daily works God has planned for them. Wilkinson is the author of the best-selling Prayer of Jabez which changed the way many people pray. He helped move us from small prayers to big prayers. Now his goal seems to be to move us from meaningless actions to eternity altering acts of love and kindness. His books are easy to read but challenging and many of them have helped millions of people in their journey of faith. May these resources spur you on as you Chase Your Lion!
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