I believe hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on God’s Word is most important for Associational Mission Strategists – as it is for all Christ-followers. But as leaders of leaders, I agree with the old adage: leaders are readers. Leaders should be consistently, humbly, seeking to learn and improve their leadership. My mantra is: Anything can be improved except the Bible. If we are not stretching ourselves with input from wise leaders, we are not being good stewards of the roles where God has placed us.
With that in mind, I plan to begin sharing regular reviews of books that have been helpful to me, and that I think will be helpful to you. Today, I want to introduce you to Carey Nieuwhof’s book, Didn’t See It Coming: Overcoming the 7 Greatest Challenges That No One Expects and Everyone Experiences.
Carey is one of my favorite bloggers. As with others, I do not necessarily agree with everything he advocates, but I often learn something from him that I did not know. This book is no different. Here Carey reveals seven core issues that take people out: cynicism, compromise, disconnection, irrevelance, pride, burnout, and the emptiness of success, as well as the early warning signs of these threats.
Here are some quotes that stood out to me from this resource.
Ministry (and life) is a series of ungrieved losses.
Live in a way today that will help you thrive tomorrow.
God’s favorite people to use are broken people.
If God wants to go deep, it’s because he wants to take you far.
Working is healthy, overworking is not.
WIFM: “What’s In It For Me?” is Marketing 101.
You know what motivates people to engage deeply in work? A mission that’s bigger than you and me – a cause that gets them out of bed in the morning. They want to make a difference.
Money isn’t the mission. Money funds the mission.
Humility will win you what pride never will: the affection of others.
After you die, your family and friends reduce your life to a single sentence.
Self-aware people have a conscious knowledge of their motives, desires, feelings, and character.
Self-aware people understand their weaknesses and limit their activities in areas where they are not gifted. They know what they’re best at but don’t brag about it.
As you can tell from these excerpts, this book has some beneficial words of wisdom. I hope what I have shared today will be helpful to you.
Your brother in Christ,
Ray
Pr. 3:5-6
Quotable Quote:
Here are four reasons I see people are disengaging from the church in record numbers right now.
1. Overfocusing On Content At The Expense Of Connection
2. An Obsession With Attracting, Not Equipping
3. Christian Meanness On Social Media
4. Making Politics And Ideology More Important Than Theology
The collapse of Christian culture should bring out the best in us, not the worst.
What many church leaders are about to face is this truth: Unchurched people aren’t looking for Christendom. They’re looking for Christ.
I pray they find him in our churches.
Carey Nieuwhof, 10.31.21, 4 Reasons Christians are Leaving Church (and not coming back)
Carey is one of my favorite bloggers. As with others, I do not necessarily agree with everything he advocates, but I often learn something from him that I did not know. This book is no different. Here Carey reveals seven core issues that take people out: cynicism, compromise, disconnection, irrevelance, pride, burnout, and the emptiness of success, as well as the early warning signs of these threats.
Here are some quotes that stood out to me from this resource.
Ministry (and life) is a series of ungrieved losses.
Live in a way today that will help you thrive tomorrow.
God’s favorite people to use are broken people.
If God wants to go deep, it’s because he wants to take you far.
Working is healthy, overworking is not.
WIFM: “What’s In It For Me?” is Marketing 101.
You know what motivates people to engage deeply in work? A mission that’s bigger than you and me – a cause that gets them out of bed in the morning. They want to make a difference.
Money isn’t the mission. Money funds the mission.
Humility will win you what pride never will: the affection of others.
After you die, your family and friends reduce your life to a single sentence.
Self-aware people have a conscious knowledge of their motives, desires, feelings, and character.
Self-aware people understand their weaknesses and limit their activities in areas where they are not gifted. They know what they’re best at but don’t brag about it.
As you can tell from these excerpts, this book has some beneficial words of wisdom. I hope what I have shared today will be helpful to you.
Your brother in Christ,
Ray
Pr. 3:5-6
Quotable Quote:
Here are four reasons I see people are disengaging from the church in record numbers right now.
1. Overfocusing On Content At The Expense Of Connection
2. An Obsession With Attracting, Not Equipping
3. Christian Meanness On Social Media
4. Making Politics And Ideology More Important Than Theology
The collapse of Christian culture should bring out the best in us, not the worst.
What many church leaders are about to face is this truth: Unchurched people aren’t looking for Christendom. They’re looking for Christ.
I pray they find him in our churches.
Carey Nieuwhof, 10.31.21, 4 Reasons Christians are Leaving Church (and not coming back)
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