My 2012 Reading List
Last year, I was WAY off on the number of books that I wanted to read for the year. I’m almost embarassed to say how many it actually was, but it wasn’t even close to my normal amount.
I want this year to different. So, I’m already compiling a list of books that I want to read, and as others come available, I’ll pick those up as well. Some of these are older, but they’re still good.
You can see and keep up with my list
- Real Marriage | Mark and Grace Driscoll | I’m currently reading this one, but since I’ll finish it 2012, it counts. So far, it’s excellent.
- For The City | Darrin Patrick and Matt Carter | Also currently reading this one and almost done. One of my all time favorite books ever. So inspired
- Church Planter | Darrin Patrick
- On Church Leadership | Mark Driscoll
- Great By Choice | Jim Collins
- Onward | Howard Schultz
- Through My Eyes | Tim Tebow and Nathan Whitaker
- Jesus + Nothing = Everything | Tullian Tchividjian
- Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture | Brandon Hatmaker
- The Circle Maker | Mark Batterson
I’m sure there will be others that will move to the top of the list later in the year as well as older books I have in my library already.
Impact Epicenter or Stop Running
In 2001, after my divorce, I believed that I was done in ministry. I believed that I would at best, sit in a pew and sing songs I didn’t really believe or like, to an out of tune piano and even worse tuned choir director. Part of it was personal decision and another part of it was the yoke put on me by bad theology and bad religious teaching I believed from years past. However, if I would had actually LISTENED to God, things might have been different.
Consequently, I spent the next 2 years church hopping, ducking my calling, and being uncommitted to serving the God that never left me. I felt a lot like Jonah. Ultimately, the running and ducking part was my doing and my choice. I avoided the call that God placed on my life from years earlier. And that, according to scripture, is not good.
1 Timothy 4:14-16….Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them,t so that all may see your progress.16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
First, this doesn’t say my salvation depends on my preaching and teaching. That only depends on my redemption in Jesus. But what it does say is that my decision to run didn’t just affect me, but it inadvertently effected others that should had heard the Gospel from my mouth and life, yet I kept it from them.
If God has called you, you’ve heard that call yet you still run from that calling, whatever it may be, let me encourage to stop running and practice it and persist in it. There’s an impact to be made with you at the epicenter.
A Personal Reflection on 2011
I love year-end lists. I will look at everyone of those jokers for the next several weeks as people publish the top whatevers of 2011. Songs, albums, movies, bloopers, you name it, I’m reading it. So what kind of year-end list man would I be if I didn’t have my own.
Here are a few of my favorite things from 2011…
- Favorite moment: The birth of our daughter, Emersyn Grace in May of 2011
- Runner up moment: The opening day of our new facility at Ridge Church
- Favorite book I read in 2011: For The City by Darren Patrick and Matt Carter
- Favorite new artist in 2011: Toss up…Skrillex and Arrows to Athens
- Favorite movie seen in 2011: It’s Kind of a Funny Story (hey..I saw it in 2011 ok)
- Favorite new TV series in 2011: The Walking Dead
- Favorite new app: Toss up…GoodReader and Flipboard for iPad
Ok, so that’s not a lot of stuff, but it’s a little something. I could do exhaustive list, but who really wants to read that? I’m looking forward to 2012!
Seriously, Stop It!
**This is a repost of some the most popular posts on the blog this year. Enjoy!**
I’m going to do my best to refrain from making this a rant, but there is one thing lately that really has me chapped. Let me tell you what drives me nuts; “believers” that it make it their mission to bash the local church or organized church and hide behind the line, “this is not the church of the book of Acts.” That was 33 AD and this is 2011…IT’S GOING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT SKIN ON IT NOW.
Here are a few of my favorites….
” I don’t tithe to the church. It’s not biblical to give to a church. Besides, all they do is waste the money instead of helping people.”
” I don’t go to church because I don’t think that we are supposed to have churches. Jesus met in the fields and where ever He was. He never went to church.”
” Churches focus too much on buildings and make it a performance instead of real worship. So I don’t go. I worship at home.”
Seriously. Stop it.
You’re not helping anyone to the cross. You’re causing division. Stop hiding behind Facebook, Twitter, and your blog. Read the scriptures. Get the truth.
How bout this… shh…. be the Gospel, be part of the solution and not part of the division.
Why Did You Say THAT?
**This is a repost of some the most popular posts from this year on the blog. Enjoy!**
A few years ago my preaching style was simple; leave everyone with a smile. That meant that I would sometimes not say something that God wanted me to say or I would not preach on certain topics so to not offend someone.
I was way wrong and one day I’ll be accountable for that.
Since then, things have changed. Now I preach for God’s approval and not man’s. I say things that are offensive. I preach topics that make me uncomfortable. I say what God tells me to say in the moment. It can get a little hairy sometimes at Ridge Church.
But I don’t do that for the sake of being a bad ass preacher. I’m not. I do it for the sake of the Gospel. The Gospel can be offensive. But offensive to do good, not too hurt. It’s kinda like getting duck tape in your hair…..it’s gotta come out, so it’s best to just rip it out. It’s gonna hurt at first, but you’ll feel so much better when it’s off of you.
Bottom line is this….James 3:1…”Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”
I don’t know about you, but that’s enough for me to say everything He tells me to say.
If you preach or teach the Gospel, do it as if God is standing over your shoulder checking every word you say….BECAUSE HE IS. If people get mad or offended, they should take it up with Him.
