I just finished a book by Neil Cole called Cultivating a Life for God. It was a short read with a ton of great insights. Cole has a way of turning a phrase, as well as restating the basics of Christianity in a way that is fresh and insightful. The subtitle of this book is this: Multiplying Disciples Through Life Transformation Groups. He lays out a vision and strategy for discipleship that is simple, reproducible and transferable. It focuses on multiplication without being overbearing, as well as helps instill a value for the greatness of God’s word without being legalistic. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a simple and effective tool for making disciples that reproduce.

The United States is a mission field in desperate need of the gospel. Somehow we have managed to lose sight of the prime directive given to us by Jesus to go and make disciples of all the nations. There is hope. We can still fulfill the great commission in this generation, but we will need to get back the power that spread the gospel across the globe in the first century. We will need to see multiplication of disciples occur among all those in the church. Cultivating a Life for God takes an in-depth look at a tool called Life Transformation Groups and explains how this tool can release the awesome power of multiplication in your Church.

Click here to download the gleanings for “Cultivating a Life for God”(PDF)
(Right-click and select “Save Link As”)

GLEANINGS – What are They?
Several months ago, I decided to go through the time-intensive labor of typing out passages from books I read. The collection of quotes and comments came to be known as “gleanings.” If you want to read the gist of a book without flipping through all the pages, this format is for you. Consider it my version of “Cliff’s Notes.”

Churches have tried all kinds of ways to attract new and younger members—revised vision statements, hipper worship, contemporary music, livelier sermons, bigger and better auditoriums. But there are still so many people who aren’t being reached, who don’t want to come to church. And the truth is that attendance at church on Sundays does not necessarily transform lives; God’s presence in our hearts is what changes us. Leaders and laypeople everywhere are realizing that they need new and more powerful ways to help them spread God’s Word.

According to Neil Cole, if we want to connect with those who are not coming to church, we must go where people congregate. Cole shows readers how to plant the seeds of the Kingdom of God in the places where life happens and where culture is formed— restaurants, bars, coffeehouses, parks, locker rooms, and neighborhoods. Organic Church offers a hands-on guide for demystifying this new model of church and shows the practical aspects of implementing it.

While it may seem revolutionary, these simple, organic churches—bringing God’s message where people are rather than expecting them to show up at church—is in keeping with the message of Jesus, who lived among the people of his time. Organic Church shows how we can return to those ancient roots by letting the church be alive, organic, growing, spreading in the most likely and unlikely places.

Click here to download the gleanings for “Organic Church”(PDF)
(Right-click and select “Save Link As”)

GLEANINGS – What are They?
Several months ago, I decided to go through the time-intensive labor of typing out passages from books I read. The collection of quotes and comments came to be known as “gleanings.” If you want to read the gist of a book without flipping through all the pages, this format is for you. Consider it my version of “Cliff’s Notes.”

When you sit in church on Sunday, do you ever get the feeling that something is missing? Do you long for a deeply genuine connection with God and other believers but often walk away empty and unsatisfied?

You are not alone. Many church-goers are stumbling onto a path that leads out to the other side of the stained-glass window. They are finding God there and discovering a powerful truth – we are the church!

As a journey guide, this book delivers compelling answers to some difficult questions:

• What was Jesus’ original church like?
• How is God reshaping Christianity today?
• Has God left the building before?
• Do I have to leave too?

In Jesus Has Left the Building you will find inspiration and courage to follow Jesus down a road towards spiritual freedom and release from the oppression of religion.

This book paints with vivid colors the beauty of how Jesus and his close friends lived life together, and the product of the author’s honest quest to return to a simple and ancient expression of Christianity.

Jesus has left the building – don’t you want to find out where He’s going?

Click here to download the gleanings for “Jesus Has Left the Building”(PDF)
(Right-click and select “Save Link As”)

GLEANINGS – What are They?
Several months ago, I decided to go through the time-intensive labor of typing out passages from books I read. The collection of quotes and comments came to be known as “gleanings.” If you want to read the gist of a book without flipping through all the pages, this format is for you. Consider it my version of “Cliff’s Notes.”

It could be the pilot script for a sitcom: a pastor hires an atheist to help him critique several Christian churches throughout the United States. For the authors, however, this experiment was no joke. Henderson, a veteran Protestant minister, truly believes that evangelism requires listening to the good, the bad and the ugly about Christianity in order to be a better minister. So he hired Casper, an atheist copywriter and musician, to serve as “fresh eyes” and observe how a variety of Christians engage the Divine through worship.

Their travels took them to a mission-minded church, an Emergent church and to Joel Osteen’s megachurch, among others. In the book, Henderson peppers his partner with questions about each service, and Casper comments on everything from preaching to music to the geographical location of the churches.

The take-home point, which is simultaneously simple, profound and of great importance to Christianity is, “Why are there such glaring discrepancies among churches regarding what it means to be a follower of Christ?” The two authors include some banal dialogue at times, but this is a minor distraction. Anyone interested in contemporary evangelism, especially pastors, will enjoy and learn from this humorous and heartening travelogue.

Click here to download the gleanings for “Jim and Casper Go to Church”(PDF)
(Right-click and select “Save Link As”)

GLEANINGS – What are They?
Several months ago, I decided to go through the time-intensive labor of typing out passages from books I read.  The collection of quotes and comments came to be known as “gleanings.”  If you want to read the gist of a book without flipping through all the pages, this format is for you.  Consider it my version of “Cliff’s Notes.”