NoBA Book Reviews

The Monkey and the Fish

2009-07-09T10:22:00.001-07:00

The Monkey and the Fish by Dave Gibbons. Grand Rapids: Zondervan (2009), 218 pp, $16.99 paperDave Gibbons builds a model of being and doing church that embraces global cultural blending and universal suffering, inviting church leaders to adopt a “Third Culture”. This vision soars off the page with J. J. Brazil’s brilliantly articulated forward before taking a

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us

2009-06-01T18:12:00.000-07:00

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin. Publisher: Porfolio, 2008, 147 pp., $19.95 Tribes is a “must read” for today’s leader! You’re probably asking, “What in the world is a tribe and why in the world does it matter?” A tribe is a group of people who are connected to one another, with a leader and with an idea. It is human nature to belong to a tribe. Tribes come in all shapes and

ReJesus: A Wild Messiah for a Missional Church.

2009-06-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

ReJesus: A Wild Messiah for a Missional Church. By Alan Hirsch and Michael Frost Publisher, Hendrickson Publishers, 2009, pp. 204. $19.95 Paper back. Here is a frank, honest assessment of the Christian religion today in light of the biblical revelation of Jesus. ReJesus is much more than just a catchy, or to some, offensive title. It is an exploration of the connection, or

Effective Evangelistic Churches, Rainer

2008-07-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

I have recently completed reading Effective Evangelistic Churches by Thom Rainer (Broadman & Holman, 1996). I’ve had this book in my stack of books to read, and finally got around to reading it. I wish I had read it sooner. I want to share with you some highlights from this book, in the hope that you will be led to read deeper on what Rainer discusses.This book focuses on churches that have

Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope

2008-01-03T05:12:00.000-08:00

Author: Brian D. McLarenPublisher: Thomas Nelson, 2007Before you read this book review, let me ask you something. Do you enjoy reading books that make you think; the ones that make you uncomfortable, and lead you to face difficult questions and answers? If not, this book is not for you, because it will definitely take you out of your comfort zone.If, on the other

Get A Life! It Is All About You

2007-12-15T04:33:00.000-08:00

Author: Reggie McNealPublisher: B&H Publishing, June 2007When I've felt like telling someone to, "Get a life!" I wasn't necessarily thinking about helping them discover purpose and meaning in their life. Reggie McNeal, on the other hand, is thinking just that! This book was written for those who are searching for a reason to live, for those who have felt like giving

Vital Friends: The People You Can’t Afford to Live Without

2007-11-07T06:22:00.001-08:00

Author: Tom RathPublisher: Gallup Press, 2006Friendship is the most fundamental of all human needs. Jesus said, “Greater love has not man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13). The words, “friend” and “friendship,” have lost some of their meaning today, however. If you were to ask ten

The Acts 1:8 Challenge-Empowering the Church to be on Mission

2007-11-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

By Nate AdamsActs 1:8 provides a biblical paradigm for how the Spirit-filled, Spirit-led New Testament church is to fulfill God's mission on earth until Jesus returns. This study will help believers understand Jesus' Acts 1:8 challenge and discover biblical principles the New Testament churches used to reach their mission fields. The local church, as a worldwide mission center, can formulate a

Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples

2007-11-06T19:24:00.000-08:00

By Thom Rainer and Eric GeigerWe have concluded that church leaders need to simplify. Ironically people are hungry for simple because the world has become much more complex. Churches with a simple process for reaching and maturing people are expanding the kingdom. We are not suggesting that the simple approach to ministry is a change in doctrine or conviction. We are not saying that churches

Building Strategic Relationships

2007-09-30T20:51:00.000-07:00

A Practical Guide To Partnering with Non-Western MissionsBy: Daniel RickettIntercultural partnerships have become central to ministry success. A partnership is a complementary relationship driven by a common purpose and sustained by a willingness to learn and grow together in obedience to God. True partnerships can be summed up in one word: brotherhood. If we can achieve genuine brotherhood,

Becoming a Person of Influence

2007-09-21T18:50:00.000-07:00

By John C. Maxwell and Jim DornanEveryone is an influencer of other people: It doesn’t matter who you are or what your occupation is. In fact, if your life in any way connects with other people, you are an influencer. No matter what your goals are in life or what you want to accomplish, you can achieve them faster, you can be more effective, and the contribution you make can be longer lasting if

The One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams

2007-08-17T23:21:00.000-07:00

By Ken Blanchard, Donald Carew, & Eunice Parisi-CarewThe people we manage are our most important resources. Never before in the history of the workplace has the concept of teamwork been more important to the functioning of successful organizations. Today’s leader must be an enabler of people and a facilitator of teams – not only as an effective team leader but as an effective team member as well.

Antagonists in the Church

2007-08-17T23:10:00.000-07:00

By Kenneth HaugkSooner or later most congregations experience some degree of destructive conflict caused by antagonism. Such conflict, though caused by so few, has the potential to disrupt, even to destroy, the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ through the people of God. Antagonism can obliterate a sense of the presence of God’s love in individuals and in the faith community. Perhaps

Breaking the Missional Code

2007-08-17T23:06:00.000-07:00

By Ed Stetzer and David PutmanYou can be equally called, gifted, and passionate and yet experience different levels of success due to the model of ministry being used. In other words, the way you do things does impact your ability to reach your community effectively. Breaking the code means discovering the principles that work in every context, selecting the tools most relevant for your context,

Well- Intentioned Dragons: Ministering to Problem People in the Church

2007-08-17T22:23:00.000-07:00

By Marshall ShelleyThis is a book about ministering while under attack. The goal in handling dragons is not to destroy them, not merely to disassociate, but to make them disciples. Even when that seems an unlikely prospect. It is helpful to catalog some of the varieties inhabiting the church. The Bird Dog loves to be the pastor’s eyes, ears, and nose, sniffing out items for attention. The Wet

Funding Your Vision

2007-08-17T22:17:00.000-07:00

By Gerald H. TwomblyThe long-term success of any worthy work is directly proportional to how successful those involved in that work build relationships with others. If you are to be successful in the work to which you have committed yourself, it is essential that you sustain the involvement of others. There will be people who will clearly understand the mission to which you have committed

Congregations in Conflict

2007-08-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

By Tom AllenInternal warfare has reduced many local congregations to a stagnant, status quo existence. It is crucial to understand the background of our battles in an effort to later describe both results and resolution. A church, much like an individual, tends to take on certain personality and character traits with the passage of time. The mere thought that someone would dare tamper with

The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church

2007-08-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

Author: Alan HirschPublisher: Brazos Press, 2006I have to warn you about this book. It’s not for everybody. If you want to keep doing church the way you have always done it, leave this book on the shelf. If, on the other hand, you are

The Missional Leader: Equipping Your Church to Reach a Changing World

2007-07-26T11:18:00.000-07:00

By: Alan J. Roxburgh and Fred Romanuk Publisher: Leadership Network, 2006Missional transformation and the environment to make that happen is critical for the local church to thrive in today's post-modern culture. This book is a must for every pastor and seminary student. I believe this book uncovers the "Achilles heal" of most local congregations today, the inability

Growing an Engaged Church

2007-07-03T22:36:00.000-07:00

Author: Al WinsemanPublisher: Gallup Press, 2007 Without a doubt, every pastor would love to see more people actively involved in the life of the local church. Involvement, however, may not be what is really needed!In his book, Growing an Engaged Church, Al Winseman explains the important difference between being involved and being engaged. According to the author, involvement is what we do in

Team Secrets of the Navy SEALs

2007-06-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

Reviewed by: Dr. Larry S. Doyle, Director of Missions, Piedmont Baptist Association, Greensboro, NC.Every pastor and minister at one time or another is faced with the challenge of building a ministry team. Sometimes you inherit a team from a predecessor and other times, you must build a new one from scratch. In either case, we can learn a lot from looking at examples of great teams. The “Navy

Practicing Greatness: Seven Disciplines of Spiritual Leaders

2007-06-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

Author: Reggie McNealPublisher: A Leadership Network Publication This book is practical and powerful for anyone who aspires to move from being a good leader to being a great leader. Reggie McNeal presents a laser-focused treatment of the essence of great leadership, and the seven spiritual disciplines required of great leaders. In my opinion, this book is a must-read for anyone who desires to