Tag Archives: Book

Book: The Grasshopper Myth (Big Churches, Small Churches and the Small Thinking that Divides Us) by Karl Vaters

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When the Hebrews were at the edge of the Promised Land, ten of the twelve spies come back with this report: “All the people we saw there are of great size… We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” Numbers 13:32-33

The grasshopper myth is the false impression that our Small Churches are less than what God says it is because we compare ourselves with others. The solution is for Small Churches to see themselves the way God sees them.

A church of innovation, not stagnation. A church that leads instead of following. A church that thinks small, but never engages in small thinking

If big churches are the cruise ships on the church ocean, small churches can be the speedboats. They can move faster, maneuver more deftly, squeeze into tighter spaces and have a ton of fun doing it. They just have to see themselves that way.

We’ve come to realize that our small size is not a problem to be fixed, but a strategic advantage God wants to use. We’re heading out with vision, faith and courage into places God wants us to go. Places giants cannot tread.

If you read this book you’ll find your thinking challenged, your heart encouraged and your life and ministry transformed.

How to get this resource:

For Innovative Leadership from a Small Church Perspective check out the Christianity Today Blog called pivot by Karl Vaters

Book: Small Church Essentials (Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of Under 250) by Karl Vaters

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Did you know that big churches are a small part of the church landscape? In fact, more than 90 percent of churches have fewer than 200 people. That means small churches play a big part in what God is doing.

Isn’t Bigger Better? We’ve all heard this phrase and it’s crept into the church culture too. There is an unhealthy obsession with growing bigger churches in America. Building the church is clearly Jesus’ job, not ours. Jesus said “I will build my church”. But he did not say “I will build bigger churches.”

If God says our church fellowship is big enough to do what he wants us to do, no matter how few of us there are, who are we to argue? It’s time to stop worrying about what we can’t do because we’re small, and start asking what Jesus can do with us because we’re small and healthy.

The giant coffee company Starbucks only builds small coffeehouses with a mission to create a culture of warmth and belonging, were everyone is welcome. Small does not mean unhealthy, insular, poorly managed, or settling for less.

Both big and small churches play vital roles in the kingdom of God, but they each require a different set of tools. Most church resources are produced by big churches that works well for big churches, yet most churches are small.

“Small Church Essentials” is for those who desire to be fruitful as a smaller congregation. You’ll find this book will encourage you, debunks myths, and offers principles for leading and helping a dynamic, healthy small church.

How to get this resource:

For Innovative Leadership from a Small Church Perspective check out the Christianity Today Blog called pivot by Karl Vaters

Book: Speaking of Jesus (The Art of Not-Evangelism) by Carl Medearis

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Tired of defending Christianity? There’s good news…you don’t have to.

Once we become a follower of Jesus we somehow pick up learning a new language called Christianize and some of us learn new ways to define who is in and who is out of the kingdom of God. But what if we are missing out on speaking to people on a level they understand and in a way we did before we came to faith in Christ? 

In “Speaking of Jesus”, author Carl Medearis draws on his experience of international reconciliation between Muslims and Christians to remind us of the heart of the matter: Jesus. In this thought provoking book he shares with us tools, stories, and the foundation we need to move beyond “us” and “them” and simply talk about the One who changes it all.

Many are ready to debate on moral positions but they can miss out on the who gave us our morals. As Carl writes, “While others are explaining and defending various -isms and -ologies we’re simply pointing people to our friend. The one who uncovers and disarms. Who leads people right to himself. The beginning and the end of the story. A good story indeed.”

This is a refreshing book about simply pointing people to Jesus and simply being reminded to speak of Jesus. The more you know Jesus the more your ready to share about Him with others (and if not spend some more time in the four Gospel accounts to learn how to engage with people in the midst of these ordinary conversations the way Jesus did).

The question I was left with after reading this book was: Where would Jesus be hanging out at in our local town, and if He would be there, why do I not go there and point people to Jesus?

How to get this resource:

 

Book: Your Home A Lighthouse (Hosting An Evangelistic Bible Study) by Bob and Betty Jacks

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If you want to reach your non-Christian friends, but church overwhelms them, this book demonstrates how to lead an evangelistic Bible study to share Jesus with others in the comfort of your own home.

Author Bob Jacks is a businessman who began to reach out to nonChristians through home Bible studies and through that ministry, he and his wife, Betty saw many come to Christ and reach their loved ones for Jesus too.

There’s no better way to warm your home than with a neighborhood evangelistic bible study. “We had never seen ourselves as evangelists or missionaries and still don’t,” write Bob and Betty Jacks. “But the relationship we had in knowing Christ was too good not to share it with others.”

So they apprehensively opened their home for a weekly Bible study. Surprised by the results, Bob and Betty quickly shed their fears and proceeded to make a significant impact on their community. This book is the practical guidebook that grew out of the Jacks’ years of experience with evangelistic studies.

In this book, you’ll learn how to start an Evangelistic Bible Study in your own home (or office or campus). You’ll find out who to invite. What to study. How to ask good questions. How to answer them. And when to encourage a decision for Christ. Remember that you can reach people your pastor never could and in your own neighborhood. 

Ultimately, what you’ll discover by reading this book is that the secret isn’t in your personal skills or influence with people. It’s in a simple, heartfelt concern for your nonChristian friends-and the power of God’s word. Now that’s the kind of housewarming your home needs!

How to get this resource:

See if the book is available from your local library – It’s free
Your Home A Lighthouse (Amazon) at: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Home-Lighthouse-Hosting-Evangelistic/dp/0891091270