Travis Johnson

Book Review: Slandering Jesus

"Slandering Jesus" is a great book by Dr. Erwin Lutzer.  Seemingly, it was written in response to some of the discussions following the DaVinci Code Book/Movie.

In this book, Dr. Lutzer lists and answers the six lies people tell about the man who said He was God.  They are:

1. Jesus' family tomb has been discovered.
2. Jesus was not crucified.
3. Judas did Jesus a favor.
4. Jesus was only a man.
5. Jesus had a dark secret.
6. Jesus is only one way among many.

Lutzer does an excellent job of fairly and effectively answering each question using historical data.  The thing that stood out most was how Lutzer framed up a motive behind many questions, especially those questions coming out of The Jesus Seminar and the strategically timed National Geographic exposes on the Gnostic Gospels.  How is it that we conveniently dispose of corroborated historical writings by multiple authors in the New and Old Testament Scriptures and embrace historically flawed writings and imaginative findings of people hostile to the message of Jesus and whose writings were not published until two hundred years after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus?

Perhaps, one of the greatest responses to these 6 questions of who Jesus is can be found inscribed on the corner of a downtown Chicago block where D. L. Moody knelt and dedicated that city block, the same city block of the church where Erwin Lutzer pastors, to the training and sending of ministers of the Gospel of Jesus into the world.  Slandering Jesus is an excellent book that will cause you to better know the Jesus you love.

Book Review: 50 Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die

John Piper's book by the same title gives "50 Reasons Why Jesus Came to die."  Every reason is Scriptural, historical, and relevant.  The book could also be called "50 Compelling Reasons why You Should Follow Jesus."

It is logical in structure.  Piper gives two-page cases for each of the 50 arguments beginning with Scripture.  I found myself snacking on this book everywhere I went.  I couldn't put it down.  But, I also didn't have time to read it in one sitting.  The interruptions presented no challenge to reading the book since each reason was bite sized (just over 100 pages). 

It is an excellent read that I would highly recommend to every follower of Jesus and seeker of spiritual truth.

"The Magic of Thinking Big" by David Schwartz

I was unable to make it to my last coaching network session because Kelly is just too close to having our son...didn't feel comfortable enough to be 4 hours away and have her potentially going into labor.  I had a book review due of David Schwartz's book, "The Magic of Thinking Big."  So, I emailed it ahead and thought I'd go ahead and blog my takeaways here (pdf download).

More than it being a book on the power of positive thinking, it is a book on the power of positive action.  There are some great insights here and a great opportunity for me to re-focus on the basics of insulating myself from people, situations, thinking, and behavior that create consistently negative energy and situations. 

Pre-Order "Vintage Jesus"

I just pre-ordered Mark Driscoll's and Gerry Breshears' new book, "Vintage Jesus."  It won't be out until February 2008.  However, by pre-ordering, you get:

• 35% off
• a pdf manuscript months before it is published (this is why I pre-ordered)
• and an autographed copy (the only autographs I care for are on checks...guess I would take an autographed 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card but that's different).

I'm looking forward to the book.

"Cut to the Chase" by Stuart Levine

10 Takeaways from "Cut to the Chase."  I could have left more for you.  But, I'm trying to take Stuart's advice and get to the bottom line.  Here they are:

•    Cut the bull.  Eliminate the fluff and get to the point.
•    Compartmentalize your life so that work is not cheating home and home is not cheating work.  Then, be a zealot for both areas.
•    Multi-tasking is overrated. The energy wasted going between tasks kills.
•    Define your goals before engaging tasks.  The time seemingly wasted in preparation for a task will be recouped many times over by understanding your goals before you start projects.
•    Gather yourself early in the morning.  Take some time away from the noise.  Then explode off the blocks.  You’ll get more done than if you start out with a cluttered mind.
•    Be a master of your meetings.  Kill time wasters or they will kill you.
•    Be respectful of other people’s times, spaces, and agendas.  When you need to use someone’s time, prepare them accurately for how much time you need, then stick to it.  Telling someone you need 5 minutes and then taking 30 is incredibly rude and will create long term negatives for the person engaging in that behavior.
•    BE in touch with your weaknesses. Don’t obsess over them.  Play to your strengths.  Being unbalanced is ok as long as you know how to compensate for your weaknesses.
•    Experience renewal daily.  Know how to experience a vacation/Sabbath/time off.
•    When you hear about a problem the first time, pay attention.  If you hear it twice, act because it is a problem that needs to be handled.  If you hear it twice, it’s a trend.

Book Review: Ready for Anything

"Ready for Anything" by David Allen is the follow-up to "Getting Things Done."  I'm challenged in the field of organization.  Generally, I can mess up a garage, a desk, or a bedroom in minutes.  Yet, I thrive in minimalist environments.  So, both David Allen books worked for me.

I especially like Ready for Anything because it was 52 principles bulleted.  Like most books, there are a few too many pages, stories, illustrations.  I think I can tweak my preaching in the same way I can critique a good book.  Less is always more.

Of the 52 principles, the following stood out the most:

1. Cleaning up creates new directions.
4. Getting to where you're going requires knowing where you are.
8. Closing open loops creates energy.
10. Creativity shows up when there's space.
21. Perspective is the most valuable commodity on the planet.
25. Only one thing on your mind is "in the zone."
27. Stability on one levels opens creativity on another.
34. You can't win a game you haven't defined.
35. Whenever two or more are responsible for something, usually no one is.
41. Too controlled is out of control.
44. Your power is proportional to your ability to relax.
46. The longer your horizon, teh smoother your moves.
49. Small things done consistently, create major impact.
51. Its easier to move when you're in motion.

I'll leave you with my favorite line from in the book, "When you can see your target and identify with getting there, you quickly lose interest with how beaten, bloody, or muddy you are."

Also, check out what Drew Goodmanson had to say about both books here.

Book Review: Good to Great by Jim Collins

I just finished Good to Great by Jim Collins.  Here are my top 10 takeaways from the book:

 

1. "Personal Will" does not oppose humility. In fact, both are necessary to transition my church from being good to being great.
2. Acceptance of the brutal facts and an accurate assignment of blame and praise are keys to navigating from good to great.
3. If you don’t have the right people on the bus, the “what” of your mission won’t mean much. It all starts with surrounding yourself with the right people.
4. Before evaluating a potential hire for talent, evaluate him for character and work ethic.
5. Creating a culture of discipline and rigor starts at the top and requires consistent application of standards throughout the organization without bias.
6. When you know that you have a wrong person on the bus, let them go quickly. It is in the best interest of the church/organization and the person being released. It increases productivity, creativity, and morale when the wrong people on the bus leave.
7. Determination or faith that you will succeed knowing that significant obstacles will come is key to long-term success and survivability.
8. Focus specifically on your passion, what you do best, and the economics that drive your church.
9. Do not allow technology to drive what you do. But, find out how it fits with your ministry, the mission, and then leverage technology once you have a well thought out strategy. Don’t allow fear to motivate you to embrace technology before you understand it.
10. There is no silver built for success. Lasting success is built by the consistent pushing against “the flywheel.” It takes a while before you see the momentum you are looking for. But, in time and with persistence, the momentum will be so powerful, it will take on a life of its own.

BONUS: I learned I am excited to journey from good to great. I am anxious to discover my potential as a leader. I learned I’m ready to make the toughest decisions facing me to make the transition.

Book Review: Plastic Jesus

Plastic Jesus is a good conversational book written by self professed metrosexual, ex-football player, human sexuality professor, and teaching pastor, Eric Sandras.  The whole metrosexual/football fanatic seemed like a contradiction.  But, I'm dealing with it, especially since I enjoyed the book.

I've just recently finished "The Jesus of Suburbia," a similar book.  Like I've written before, I tend to binge on like topics until I can't take anymore.  Eric does a great job of cutting through the pretense of Christianity, the plastic facades and encourages followers of Jesus to abandon the manicured exteriors of suburban Christianity to embrace authenticity in relationship with Christ and others.

One of my favorite parts of Eric's book was his retelling of a ministry trip to a small village church in Brazil accessible only by boat.  This small church building was absolutely packed and this village was receiving the Gospel of Jesus.  At the height of of this spiritual rich moment, the crowd parted and a woman who was well known in the village approached the altar with her six year old son.  The boy was paralyzed on his left side.

Eric described how he was positive this boy would be healed.  As he prayed, it became obvious that the boy would not be healed.  Eric's faith had turned to doubt as he questioned how God could allow this woman and boy to be shattered this way.

In some kind of turning point in the way Eric would live, he broke from his pastoral persona and told the lady that he did not know why God did not heal the boy.  But, as "waves of love for the boy overwhelmed him," he said, "I do know that God loves you."  Eric goes on to share the story of this woman and boy and how the woman had felt nothing but abandonment in her life.  This woman left repeating over and over how amazed she was the God loved her.  While she experienced acceptance, Eric experienced doubt about who God was.

This experience sums up the contradictions of the faith in Jesus Christ that Eric has experienced and shares that the Bible has called us to live.  According to Plastic Jesus, faith in Christ is a commitment to a depth of experience with a God that has not been totally figured out and a rejection of compartmentalized, orderly, and success-oriented suburban Christianity.

I enjoyed it and would recommend it to just about anyone regardless of their spiritual location.

Velvet Elvis

I just closed Velvet Elvis.  It was worth the read.  I'm not going to do a whole review kind of thing but, I will say I very much enjoyed Rob Bell's story.  I mostly enjoyed hearing his personal struggle through faith and church leadership.  He's a great story teller.  I was captivated by his telling of Christ as Rabbi.  The controversial part?!  Doctrine.  His liberty with core doctrines is just that...his liberty with core doctrines.  They are true or they are not.  The only controversial thing was its existence in his book...not the ideas themselves.  They didn't have the weight they needed to really be controversial. Actually, they seemed kind of like straw men. 

I can't watch movies twice.  I can't read books twice.  I might be able to read this one again.  It was motivational.  I agree with Rob that the Christian faith needs to be repainted.  The repainting that it is in need of is not due to poor theology.  It is due to believers who choose not to follow, Christians who are self-consumed and selfish, and a church who quit trying to be covered by the dust from the sandals of Christ.

Books by Batterson and Ferguson

I just placed an order on Amazon for In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson and The Big Idea by Dave Ferguson.  3-5 day shipping.  I need to finish Experience the Message before they get here.

tagged: mark batterson - dave ferguson - max lenderman