Christian Book Notes

Stetzer, Ed, and Thom Rainer. Transformational Church: Creating a New Scorecard for Congregations. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2010. 320 pp. $22.99. Purchase at Amazon for $15.63 or less.

Audiobook

Narrated by John Lescault. Esconido: christianaudio Hovel, 2010. 9 hrs. Audio CD – $24.98 Download – $14.98

Introduction

Thom S. Rainer is the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the largest Christian resource companies in the world. He has consulted with more than five hundred churches, served as pastor of four churches and interim pastor in seven churches, and spoken in hundreds of venues worldwide.

Ed Stetzer has planted churches in New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia and transitioned declining churches in Indiana and Georgia. He has trained pastors and church planters on five continents, holds two masters degrees and two doctorates.

Summary

You can learn more at TransformationalChurch.com. You can read parts of the book at Google books.

Review/Recommendation

Having listened to the audiobook, I was impressed with the research and the recommendations offered by the authors. This is not a book that will provide you a how-to list of things your church can do to see growth. Rather, they look at other churches across denominational barriers. Instead of telling you what you must do to reach people, you will learn what churches that are actually experiencing growth and reaching people with a gospel message that leads to regenerate men and women.

You will learn that what I find are many “duh” statements. Things like the necessity of prayer and the need to focus worship on God and not man come quickly to mind. In essence, get back to the Bible and your church will see the growth that many desire. That growth, however, will not be a worldly growth in numbers (though those will come). Rather, the growth will be in the spirituality of the congregation.

I realize there are a ton of “how-to grow your church manuals” being published and sold as the next great innovation. Transformational Church is not one of those manuals. To read this book is to take a hard look at what you are doing correctly and incorrectly in your own church. The new report card will help you to discern your need, embrace the necessity of change, and engage your community where they (and you) are located. I highly recommend this resource in both the audio and print editions.

Farris, Michael P. The Home Schooling Father. Sisters: Loyal Publishing, 1999. 117 pp. $8.95. Purchase at Amazon for huge discounts!

Introduction

The particular book I am reviewing was published in 1999. It has since been republished through a different publisher (Broadman & Holman) in 2002. While some may think this book is too dated to serve any purpose in today’s home school, you are mistaking. Michael Farris currently serves as the chairman of the Legal Department of the Home School Legal Defense Association which he co-founded in 1983.  He is also an ordained minister of the Gospel.

Summary

Farris begins with the exhortation for fathers to be the spiritual leaders in the home that God intended for them to be. His next challenge is to help your spouse whenever you are able–even when, no, especially when, you get home from work. The next exhortation is for the husband and father to be the protector of the family. Specifically, he is talking about in the legal battles that may ensue over home schooling.

The second “part” of the book is aimed at the father’s role in preparing the children for life. He spends a chapter discussing how to prepare kids for a career. Here he looks at the pros and cons of attending college. Next, he looks to how to prepare both boys and girls for marriage. Finally, he looks at how to prepare your children to be God-honoring citizens.

Review/Recommendation

This book was the “kick in the pants” I needed. I believe it is a safe assumption to say that I am not the only husband and father trying to figure out what my role is in the home schooling process. Thankfully, Michael Farris offers up a biblically based answer.

Some of his convictions are more conservative than other Christians, but he makes it very clear that he is speaking from his personal conviction and not with the authority of the Word of God (though his convictions are based upon his understanding of the Bible). Nonetheless, where the Bible is very clear, he argues that we must adhere to what the Bible teaches.

This book is a must read for every father whose family is home schooling. All home schooling fathers are indebted to Michael Farris’ little book, The Home Schooling Father.

This is my personal book.  It was not a review copy.