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Book Review: Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach by Jane Vella

January 27, 2011 in Books, Community Life, Leadership, Ministry with 0 Comments

Jane Vella’s, Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach, is written for both adult learners and teachers of adults. It has the primary assumption that dialogue is better than monologue for adult education. After all, with all the life experience that every adult brings to the classroom, both teacher and fellow student will benefit significantly by dialoguing with one another. This book is basically a presentation of Vella’s Twelve Principles for Effective Adult Learning scattered with case studies and anecdotes: (1) Needs assessment; (2) Safety; (3) Sound Relationships; (4) Sequence and Reinforcement; (5) Praxis; (6) Respect for Learners as Decision Makers; (7) Ideas, Feelings, and Actions; (8) Immediacy; (9) Clear Roles; (10) Teamwork; (11) Engagement; and (12) Accountability. Using these 12 principles, Vella teaches the reader how to teach less and make more room for learning.

Instead of viewing the teacher as the one with all the knowledge, and the student as the empty vessel ready to be filled, dialogue education presupposes that both teacher and student come with knowledge and information beneficial for one another. As a result, the teacher may not actually do much formal lecturing in a class. Instead, the teacher will design the course material in a way that allows him/her to present the learning activities and then get out of the way. In and throughout the learning activities, the teacher’s role is more of a resource, facilitator, and guide.

This book has been so influential to me that I cannot imagine resorting back to more of a monologue type of education. As a pastor, I am going to be applying the principles of this book to small groups, discipleship courses, and my preaching in every way possible.

I give this book 5 stars out of 5.

Book Review: Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders

January 19, 2011 in Books, Leadership, Ministry with 4 Comments

Spiritual Leadership, with an emphasis on the word spiritual, is definitely an accurate description for J. Oswald Sanders’ book. He covers popular leadership principles, such as, time management and the importance of developing our talents, but the majority of his points and illustrations are all in reference to spiritual leadership. Sanders introduces each chapter with a scriptural reference, by which he uses to ground his ideas within the chapter, but much of his explanation is rooted in his wealth of experience and/or the experience of other notable figures, such as Charles Spurgeon, A.B. Simpson, A.W. Tozer, and J. Hudson Taylor. Sanders believes that all Christians are leaders and that we should all develop our leadership potential. However, central to this book is the belief that God is the one who calls forth leaders in the church and then subsequently anoints them.

Continue Reading…

Book Review: Together in Prayer – Coming to God in Community by Andrew Wheeler

January 3, 2011 in Books, Community Life, Ministry with 0 Comments

Together in Prayer: Coming to God in Community by Andrew Wheeler is a great primer that explains what praying in community looks like. The book could probably be summed up in one sentence – pray to God, not to each other. If you want a good overview of everything this book has to offer, read the last chapter of the book. The appendix also has a neat assessment to determine how “prayer-friendly” your group is.

Wheeler is very systematic in unpacking what it looks like to pray in community – explaining both tips that will enhance group prayer as well as prayer practices that will actually hinder it. For example, he explains how we oftentimes direct our prayers at each other, instead of God by instructing, exhorting, sermonizing, counseling, and informing each other through our prayers. Here’s an example, “Father, may people who are far from you come to our church today. They need to hear your Word and realize their need for you, rather than pursuing their own selfish desires. They need to repent and receive Jesus as their Savior, to save them from a Christless eternity. Their lives need your touch; may they stop making excuses and come to meet you today.” Compare that prayer, which is directed more towards people than to God, with the following prayer. Continue Reading…

Book Review: Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

November 30, 2010 in Books with 0 Comments

In a day where Christianity seems to look a bit different everywhere we look, Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola challenge us to focus on the essentials – namely, Jesus Christ. Their book, Jesus Manifesto, is designed to help us realize that “Christianity is Christ – nothing more, nothing less” (23). This book does a great job at repackaging different tenets that are crucial to what it means to be Christian. For example, they take a look at the old adage, “What would Jesus do?” and challenge it by saying that it does not properly represent what it means to be Christian. Instead, they say that we should be asking, “What is Christ doing through me…through us? And how is He doing it?” (68). They also challenge the popular view that many have regarding the kingdom of God. Instead of viewing the kingdom of God as something that we can usher or bring in, as if we were imperialistic, they propose that “the kingdom is a presence that we enter, a gem-like gift that we receive and treasure, a new creation that engulfs and embraces us” (110). Consequently, this book is more of a devotional than it is a theological textbook. In either case, it’s a great read that refocuses our attention on Jesus the Christ.

 

Booksneeze.com provided me with a complementary copy of this book for review.

Books That I am Currently Reading

May 28, 2010 in Books, Concepts, Faith, Leadership, Ministry with 3 Comments

I thought I would share with you the list of books that I am currently reading and the reason why I am reading them.

1. Organic Leadership: Leading Naturally Right Where You Are

This is Neil Cole’s follow up book to his previous one, Organic Church, where he introduces the New Testament idea of church – one that is organic. In Organic Leadership, he provides more of the “how-to” aspect of leading an organic church or leading organically.

2. The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative

This book helps one understand that God is on mission and that he has been on a special mission ever since the creation of the world. He invites his people to join him on this mission, and this book helps us to see this. The Mission of God presents us with a new lens of viewing scripture in the way that God intended us to see it.

3. The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community

I finished this book months ago, but am still ruminating on the concepts and ideas that were presented. The Tangible Kingdom is an amazing eye opener into how we can live like Jesus did. It’s a candid presentation of the experiences and insights that Halter and Smay have had in their journey of living incarnationally in their community. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

3. A Theology of the New Testament

A systematic and orderly method to examine a general theology of the new testament. It’s a great intro book if you’ve never read a book on theology.

4. Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ

I just started reading the book and can’t wait to see what these seasoned thinkers and authors have to say about Jesus and the way that our culture views him in comparison to the way that the Bible presents him.

5. Before you Move: A Guide to Making Transitions in Ministry

I read this book a while back, but since I am currently in a period of transition, I have been referring to it as I discern what is next for us. This book is an absolutely amazing book to help one objectively discern whether a transition is needed, how to transition, and how to decide where to transition to in ministry.

6. The Broken Wall: A Study of the Epistle to the Ephesians

I have been using this book as a part of my devotional time to be able to grow deeper in my knowledge of scripture. It’s a fantastic book that helps us biblically understand the concepts that I wrote about in my previous post, “No Such Thing as a ‘Lay’ Christian.”

7. She Calls Me Daddy: Seven Things Every Man Needs to Know ABout Building a Complete Daughter

Since I am the father of my beautiful 7 month old daughter, I thought I would begin preparing and growing in my daddy skills by reading this book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

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