Leading Through Change – Barney Wells, Martin Giese, Ron Klassen

©2005  ChurchSmart Resources, St. Charles, IL

Some wag once said that the only person who wants change is a baby with a dirty diaper. And I once heard a comedian indicate that that person may have questions about wanting change with the statement, “Leave it alone. It’s my mess. I made it; and I want to keep it.” However, change is inevitable if we want to exhibit life.

We see how change shows life if we watch the rose bush we planted last spring. We want to see growth, buds, flowers, and even the falling of the flowers. We want to see the plant go dormant for a season so that it can come back to growth, buds, and flowers again in the spring.

In church life, change must happen if the church is to exist to see the next generation become a part of our congregation. The principle is that the church must change or die. This is true not only for the church in the urban or suburban setting where the community is changing around them, but it also applies to the rural or small town church where the community itself seems to be drying up. If we are to exist—to continue to be effective in our communities—we must see where change is necessary, and make change.

With this in mind, I would like to recommend the book Leading through Change to pastors and leaders in country, rural, and small town setings. With shelves of books on leadership, church growth, and change for the good of the church in bookstores today it is difficulty to choose the one that fits for you. This book addresses the need for change, but more importantly it gives advice (not cookie-cutter process) on how to approach change that will remove lifelessness and add life to the local Town and Country church.

Section one of the book sets the foundation explaining the need for change, indicating the difference between change that works in the suburbs (which is addressed by most of the volumes on change available) and what will be helpful to bring about necessary changes in a rural setting. Section two develops some of the key ideas about change that will help the leader of a small-town our country church breathe new life into a church that needs to reach new people.

The authors, representing over 100 years of ministry (most if not all of which is in the small town or rural setting), develop nine steps (some “spiritual” some “cultural”) to approaching change in the church. A basic idea is not to force change, but to “lead through change” (as implied by the book’s title) by adapting to the change that is going on around you in your community.

This is an invaluable book for the pastor of the rural church. It includes encouragement (reminding the pastor/reader that just because some statisticians are bemoaning the decline in membership of churches as a sign of death without taking into account that some specifically rural communities are experiencing decline in population), and some practical helps about having a vibrant ministry in a culture that once was but is no longer the “preferred” culture of our society. Country living is still a viable option.

Here are some of the plusses about the book: It is short. Pastors (many who are bi-vocational) don’t have as much time to read the 300-400 page textbooks available on church growth and health. It is written by men who are part of the culture to whom they are writing, including real-life examples of what worked (and did not work) in their own ministries. And it is practically biblically based. We can see the Bible foundation for the actions taken as a church ministers in the midst of change, and the practical application of that Scripture.

One more bit of advice concerning leading through change. If you get a copy, start by reading page 77. This will give a good picture of leading change and leading through change in the small town and country church. It will also give you a good snapshot of what is to come as you return to page one and read the entire book.

For the small church, country church, rural church pastor, this is a must read and will be a positive resource throughout the years of his ministry in such a setting. I give this resource 5 out of 5 reading glasses.

—Benjamin Potter, October 24, 2017

Essential Church? – Thom S. Rainer & Sam Rainer III

[I have an extra copy of the ARC of Essential Church? I will be offering it to a diligent reader this copy at the end of the review.]

©2008 B&H, Nashville

I’ve been reading quite a lot of statistically based books lately. This is usually not my cup of tea, but the research helps me to understand trends in such a way as to be better at leading my congregation. As you might have guessed, Thom and Sam are related. Thom Rainer is the president and of LifeWay Christian Resources, the co-author of Simple Church, and the author of several other books, many of which are based on statistical research. His eldest son, Sam, is the senior pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Floyds Knobs, Indiana, and the president and CEO of Rainer Research.

These statisticians have written a book that examines the trend of church drop-outs. What their research shows is that the American church is in decline, and the largest group of people dropping out of church is young adults aged 18 to 22. Seventy percent of this age group are dropping out of church while only 30% are staying. Consequently the conclusions they draw and the suggestions they make are aimed at what churches can do to stem the tide of back door users in this age group. Even so, the material can be applied across age brackets when church leaders are trying to invigorate their churches.

The book is divided into two sections: Part 1, dedicated to the research itself explaining “why people are leaving the nonessential church”; and part 2, relating “how essential churches close the back door.” The dire picture that the statistics paints is one that causes the first part of the book to seem rather on the negative side.

What we are exposed to in part one is the stark reality that the American church is in decline. It is not really all that surprising with books like unChristian opening our eyes to the fact that the up-and-coming generations are finding more and more things to be disenchanted with about the church. Even so, the Rainers present some interview material that shows that the exodus of young people really has less to do with people getting mad at the church than it does with life change. What the authors discovered in polling and interviewing church dropouts was that these young adults just got out of the habit of going to church because it wasn’t an “essential” in their lives.

The authors offer these top ten reasons for 18 to 22 year olds ceasing to attend church:

1. Simply wanted a break from church.
2. Church members seemed judgmental or hypocritical.
3. Moved to college and stopped attending church.
4. Work responsibilities prevented me from attending.
5. Moved too far away from the church to continue attending.
6. Became too busy but still wanted to attend.
7. Didn’t feel connected to the people in my church.
8. Disagreed with the church’s stance of political or social issues.
9. Chose to spend more time with friends outside the church.
10. Was only going to church to please others.

Part two of the book is actually the more helpful part of what the Rainers write. When you read the book don’t skip the foundational material of part one, but for the book to be useful, you’ll want to get to part two as quickly as possible. In part two we find the positive side of the message—even though young adults are leaving the church in record numbers, they tide can be turned. And it is, the authors argue, in essential churches. What makes an essential church? According to the book, an essential church is one that:

• Simplifies: Getting the Structure Right
• Deepens: Getting the Content Right
• Expects: Getting the Attitude Right, and
• Multiplies: Getting the Action Right

There are two cautions that I would place when reading this book. The first is mine alone: Beware the temptation to approach the material with an attitude of “churchiolatry.” While reading the concerns about the exodus of young adults from the church it is easy to begin thinking that the church is the most important thing. Understanding that scripture dictates the importance of gathering with fellow Christ followers, and understanding also the gravity of the fact that Jesus himself created the church for believers, it is easy to make the creation more important than the Creator—especially when we know (or at least think we know) the best way to express church.

The second caution is one that the authors themselves render when offering the suggested answers to what an essential church is and how you can lead your church to be one, and I concur: Beware of the temptation to use the material in part two of the book to create a “cookie cutter” church. All churches have their own personality, so apply the information according to your situation. All churches are also found in unique situations, so approach the process of becoming essential with your location in mind.

The book itself presents some valuable information in a very readable manner. If you can overlook the overuse of the word plethora (I’m reminded of a certain scene in The Three Amigos), you will be able to use this resource toward turning your church into a God-honoring Essential Church in your community. Wade through the stats and dine on the meat in part two. You will be inspired and challenged. I give Essential Church? three and one-half out of five reading glasses.

—Benjamin Potter, October 21, 2008

[I will give a copy of Essential Church? to the first reader to correctly answer the following question in the comments section of this post:

In the second part of Essential Church? the authors use one word rather extensively. I mention a movie in which this word is an interesting joke. What is the villain's name who uses the word and the important question that he asks?]

Breaking the Missional Code – Ed Stetzer & David Putnam

© 2006 B&H, Nashville

I had been letting this book gather dust on my shelf for a bit over a year. I purchased it because of my lack of expertise in the missional conversation. Knowing that Ed Stetzer is the guru in charge of research over at LifeWay, I expected lots of statistics, and that in itself made me pick up book after book ahead of this one. Anyway, I finally took this one down, and am glad that I finally got around to it. Not only is it much more than just a repetition of statistical fodder, but it is an inspirational piece in its own right. Adding the voice of David Putnam to that of Stetzer brings a conversational feel to this encouragement for churches to move into the realm of being a missionary to the community where they are planted.

To be fair, Stetzer and Putnam are actually writing from their respective perspectives as experienced church planters. The advice they render is tried and true, and it is scriptural too. The first part of the book is concerned with the philosophy behind what it takes to break the code. The authors describe code-breaking churches, and the leaders who compel them to break the code.

Simply put, the idea of breaking the code is that believers, churches and church leaders must examine their community to discover what it takes to reach the unreached with the gospel. Within the book readers are encouraged to put aside their personal preferences, their comforts, and their ideas to reach their community for Christ. Within the pages of the book you will find the seeds of Putnam’s call to “live like Jesus lived; love like Jesus loved; and leave what Jesus left behind.” He expands this theme in the follow-up book Breaking the Discipleship Code.

The closing chapters of the book are the more invaluable part, though. It is in the last few chapters that the authors give some practical help in how to go about breaking the code. While they do not give a step by step process that everyone must go through to build a missionary church, they do advise us of some of the important components necessary to breaking out of the rut that the church seems to find herself in. There is not a formula that will work one place or another, but a principle of doing what scripture admonishes in order to build the kingdom as we are called to do.

Part of the advice given includes examples from successful efforts to break the code. Accompanying these examples (Saddleback Church led by Rick Warren, for instance) are reminders that your community is not the community that this model worked in. Warning—don’t treat Midwestern blue-collar workers like “Saddleback Sam.”

If you have been contemplating reading this book, go ahead. Don’t put it off for a couple of years, but be ready to be challenged by it’s content. And take along the four out of five reading glasses that I gave it with you. This is an invaluable resource when you are trying to be the kingdom builder that God has called you to be.

—Benjamin Potter, September 12, 2008

The Deliberate Church – Mark Dever & Paul Alexander

Mark Dever is the pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. and the creative force behind 9Marks Ministries (based on his Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, published by Crossway originally in 2000). His co-author, Paul Alexander is the contributing editor for 9Marks Ministries. The Deliberate Church: Building Your Ministry on the Gospel is the last review book I received from Pastor Bookshelf Reviews before they took a hiatus. (Hopefully, they will be able to reinstate this program sometime.)

On the surface, The Deliberate Church looks like an aid to church polity that will bear many Scripture-based suggestions about making your church become what God wants it to be. Getting below the surface, the reader discovers more of a “here’s the way we do it” book. The authors start with separate prefaces attributing all the work of the book to the other author. Each acknowledges that Alexander has put on paper the ideas put forward by Dever.

In essence, the book can be boiled down to two major sections: (1) containing the aforementioned suggestions with appropriate scriptural emphasis, and (2) a “how-to” conduct elder meetings based on the example of Capitol Hill. Granted, when an author provides an example, the best one to use is the one he knows, in this case, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, and the authors suggest that their reason for telling what is done at Capitol Hill is for suggestion purposes only—the reader should approach this model of leadership in the way that best suits his own church. The suggestion is that this is the way found to work at the church where Dever serves as Senior Pastor.

The book has some really sensible advice which can be translated into most any church desiring to be God-driven. Periodically, the text is interrupted to include study questions labeled “Think Tank.” These questions are typically those annoying type which are more nuisance than aid to the reader. However, once in awhile these pauses provide a positive suggestion for an activity that will help put the thoughts of the chapter into practice. For instance, at the end of a section about developing discipling relationships here are some suggestions: “1. Pick one person in your church whom you could start getting together with for his spiritual good. / 2. Pick a book, or even just a booklet, that you’d like to read and discuss with him.” Sadly, the majority of the “Think Tank” questions are simply regurgitation-style questions, asking only for the reader to mimic the information presented in the text.

The major drawback to the book is the assumption that Dever’s interpretation of the scripture is correct. The insistence on an elder board for church leadership comes across more as pragmatic than scriptural, although scripture is used to justify the practice. The larger portion of the book addresses this pragmatism from the viewpoint of Capitol Hill and their practice.

This is a readable, usable book that should be consulted with the understanding that it has some excellent reference material and advice (the inclusion of a new member interview form that can be adapted to any local church for example). I would recommend that most pastors—even those who disagree with Dever and the 9Marks method of doing church—read this book and use the wise counsel within it for practical adaptation in their church. The Deliberate Church earns three and one-half thumbs.

—Benjamin Potter, October 22, 2007

Comeback Churches – Ed Stetzer & Mike Dodson

I bought this book in June when I had the opportunity to get it signed by the authors. It came with a bonus boomerang which was meant, I think, for advertising purposes. It's been sitting on my shelf for a few months and then . . .

I cranked through Comeback Churches in under a week because I wanted to finish it before I participated in an audio conference featuring Ed Stetzer (one of the authors) on September 18. I finished the read literally minutes before the conference started, participated and then wrote my review which is posted here.

I found Comeback Churches to rate 4 thumbs.

The Kingdom-Focused Church – Gene Mims

Not only has Gene Mims served as the vice president of church resources division of LifeWay Christian Resources, he also seems to be the king of re-statement. The Kingdom Focused Church starts with a three-chapter introduction (Preface plus the first two chapters) in which he repeatedly tells the reader that he has a system that will work for the pastor who wants his church to be successful. He actually guarantees that the advice held within the pages of the book will work if it is genuinely applied. Throughout the course of the book he takes pages to tell what paragraphs will achieve. He also re-states what others have said eloquently—not so much to steal from them or to beat a dead horse, but to remind church leaders of the obvious that others have said before.

Two things keep you with him through the seeming braggadocio of the early chapters: (1) what he is taking so long to tell is true—the successful church is successful by virtue of its kingdom focus, and (2) he also repeats the fact that he isn’t bringing something really new to the table, he’s just repackaging it. He even invites the reader after years of success in a kingdom-focused church to write a new re-telling of the principles in the book for a new generation of frustrated pastors and church leaders.

Following the lengthy introduction, Mims divides the remainder of the book into two major sections—defining for the reader the kingdom-focused church, and offering practical help in implementing the changes needed to cause your church to have that kind of focus.

For Mims, the bottom line of church success is evangelism. The desire of the church should be to follow the Great Commission—make disciples and help those disciples to grow so that they can multiply the ministry. In the first part he defines his purpose by tearing each word from the title down and defining it. The – an article indicating a specific church (your local church; Kingdom – referring to the basis for the church (God is the King, and the church is part of His kingdom); Focused – each church can only be successful if it knows where it is going (see Rainer and Geiger, Simple Church for a deeper look at focus); Church – the chapter on church deals with what church is and is not.

Mims includes five functions of the church (a la Rick Warren and the Purpose Driven Church)—Evangelism, Discipleship, Fellowship, Ministry, and Worship. I think that it is no coincidence that he addresses these functions in this order. He admits that all are important for healthy churches to be kingdom focused, but he indicates that each builds on the other moving members through to what he refers to as multiplying ministers. Also included are the four “results” which indicate that your church is focused: numerical growth, spiritual transformation, ministry expansion, and kingdom advance. Admittedly the only one of these that can truly be quantified is the first, but if the others are absent, the first (if it does happen) will flounder quickly according to Mims.

His advice is illustrated by a chart he has named the MAP (Model and Process) which gives a visual of the process that Mims states is the New Testament model for the church: Make Disciples, Mature Believers, and Multiply Ministries. In the course of the reading you can hear echoes of Henry Blackaby (Experiencing God), Rick Warren (Purpose Driven Church), and Bobby Welch (FAITH Evangelism Strategy). Along the way there is also a reference to Arthur Flake, the layman who developed the basic formula for Sunday School growth known as Flake’s Formula.

The best advice to church leaders (both pastors and lay leadership) is that growing the healthy church takes time. Preachers should not look for the perfect church, and nor should dissatisfied/disinterested church members. Instead, work where you are to turn your church into the kingdom-focused, healthy church that you are looking for. He claims that a pastor who moves in the first three to five years is not really the pastor of the church. It takes seven to ten years just to get started, he states.

The fictional pastor, Bro. Mike, and his story used to tie the book together and transition from one topic to another is sometimes interesting but often forced.

Mims closes the book with a chapter highlighting churches that he sees as models of the kingdom-focused church and another aimed at inspiring and challenging the reader to take the action needed to transform their church into the healthy church depicted in the book. The difficulty with the penultimate chapter is that the examples used are all in the category of Mega-church. (It was refreshing to read the quotation from a pastor who utilized the FAITH strategy in his church and “average Sunday School attendance . . . skyrocketed from 90 to 150, with a high of 200.”) It’s not my desire to be a wet blanket, or a jealous whiner, but in his “Models” chapter, Mims does what many denominational workers do in holding up the mega-church as the desire, the goal, the example for all churches. This is a drawback in regard to the fact that most of the church leaders and pastors who will read this book will never be a part of that church. Instead they are looking for ways to make their rural or community church to the measure of health that shows them to be focused on God’s focus—the kingdom. When there are not more than 5000 people living in the county, it is difficult to identify with the urban/suburban church which is averaging 17,000 participants each week.

The Kingdom-Focused Church has a great title, some worthy advice, and some major distractions. It is a good companion piece to Simple Church. It earns 3 thumbs.

—Benjamin Potter, August 2, 2007