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Suggested Resources For Leading In Transition

After teaching on transition earlier this week, many requested some additional resources on the topic. The audio of this session should be up in a few days. Below is a quick list (in no particular order) for you that I have personally read or that have been recommended to me:

• Breakout Churches by Thom Rainer
• Leading Change by John Kotter
• Dying for Change by Leith Anderson
• Comeback Churches by Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson
• Article - 25 Signs of a Healthy Church by Marvin Owen

I welcome any additional recommendations in the comments below.

Extravagant Grace

I am always amazed, grateful and humbled by services where it is evident that the Holy Spirit is at work in powerful ways. I was surprised when I was told that Sunday morning's message had been viewed over 1,200 times online in just 48 hours. I am still trying to figure out if it is because the content of the sermon was on target, or if people wanted to just get a view of my bare legs!

The response that I have received through conversation, e-mails and text messages encouraged me to put some thoughts together for you about last Sunday.

• People both enjoy hearing about and need to know the grace of the Father in their lives.

• The contrast of the younger son and the elder son is convicting. We easily judge other people when their sin is different than ours and so easily justify or dismiss the sin that is just like our own sin.

• It is important to talk with others about what God is doing and how He is working in our lives. When I am preaching on a subject, I am amazed at the number of people who are having similar thoughts. I had dinner with Pastors Steve Roberson and George Grace last week and they both mentioned reading the same book, which is about the story of the Prodigal Son. Their discussion really encouraged me to dig deeper.

• You should read the book, Prodigal God, by Tim Keller. It is a great book with some of the clearest and most thought provoking insights into the story of the Prodigal. For our church members, this will be available in our bookstore on Sunday.

• Real spiritual growth is not just a good thing, it is necessary. So many people talked with me about growth in their lives this week, many of them in relation to the sermon on Sunday.  Growth that translates into life change (moving away from conformity to the world and being transformed into the image of Christ) is the most rewarding thing for a pastor to see in the lives of his people.