I just completed Kirk Nowery’s book, The Stewardship of Life. Nowery served as President of INJOY Stewardship Services. Prior to his role at INJOY, he served for 18 years as Senior Pastor of one of the nation’s largest congregations in Miami, Flordia. In addition to his many roles, he was Chaplain of the famed Miami Dolphins footall team from 1983 to 1995.

In the book, Nowery explores the need for Christians to be good stewards of all the resources God gives to them. Naturally, he talks about finances, but that is not the main focus of the book. He talks about stewardship in the areas of vision, influence, commitment, time, and opportunity. The final chapter is called The Stewardship of You.

I recommend the book to anyone wanting to examine the area of stewardship. One bonus for me as a pastor was the fact that I gleaned several sermon ideas for future stewardship-related sermon series.

This is book 8 of 52 of my quest to read 52 books this year. For more information on this quest please see One Book Per Week = 52 or this series of posts.

Yesterday, I started and completed Andy Stanley’s book, Communicating for a Change. The book is directed mainly toward preachers, but it will provide lots of valuable information for anyone who is involved in public speaking.

Here’s an excerpt from the book that might get you interested:

“I’ve always thought of a sermon, or any talk for that matter, as a journey. You start somewhere, you go somewhere, and ultimately you end up somewhere. The question is, did you end up where you wanted to go? Now you can drive around willy-nilly and hope you end up somewhere interesting, or you can decide before you get behind the wheel–or the pulpit–where you’re going. I’m talking about taking your audience on a journey. Taking them to a place where they discover a truth that will change their lives.”

This is book 7 of 52 of my quest to read 52 books this year. For more information on this quest please see One Book Per Week = 52 or this series of posts.

Although Lee Strobel’s book, The Case for Christ, takes some energy to read thoroughly, it is well worth the effort. Strobel, a former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune, retraces his own spiritual journey from atheism to faith.

In the book, Strobel cross-examines a dozen individuals who are experts in their fields. Strobel finds that the evidence is overwhelming that Jesus was God, died on the cross, resurrected on the third day, and was seen alive by hundreds of eye-witnesses. Faced with the weight of the evidence in the case for Christ, Strobel moves from his athiest position and becomes a follower of Christ.

This is book 6 of 52 of my quest to read 52 books this year. For more information on this quest please see One Book Per Week = 52 or this series of posts.

Craig Groeschel, lead pastor of Life Church, provides a great book for pastors and other church leaders. Listen to a quote from the Preface that gives you a feel for How Churches and Leaders Can Get IT and Keep IT:

It. Some ministries have it. Most churches want it. Few have it. When a church has it, everyone can tell. And when one doesn’t…everyone can tell. The same is true with leaders. Some leaders have it. Some don’t. And it or it-lessness is obvious.

Although mainly intended for church leaders, most Christians can benefit from reading the book. I do want to warn you to hang on tight because Craig will have you laughing out loud one minute and crying out loud the next. Let me know what you think.

This is book 5 of 52 of my quest to read 52 books this year. For more information on this quest please see One Book Per Week = 52 or this series of posts.

I just completed a Mark Batterson book that rocked my world called In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day. The book revolves around the story of Benaiah, a brave man found in the book of 2 Samuel. Benaiah ultimately became King David’s body guard largely because of a series of courageous acts. One time, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. He also killed two of Moab’s mightiest warriors, but the book focuses on his encounter with a lion. He literally chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day and killed it.

This book challenges the reader to have a similar approach to following Jesus. Batterman seeks to model this approach in his life and he “chased one of his lions” in 1996 when he planted National Community Church in Union Station.

I highly recommend this book to every Jesus follower. The book reminded me somewhat of The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus which also challenges believers to show courage in their walk with Christ. Listen to these quotes from Batterson’s book:

“Maybe we should stop asking God to get us out of difficult circumstances and start asking Him what He wants us to get out of those difficult circumstances.”

“Worship is forgetting about what’s wrong with you and remembering what’s right with God.”

“The more you’re willing to risk, the more God can use you. And if you’re willing to risk everything, then there’s nothing God can’t do in you and through you.”

This is book 4 of 52 of my quest to read 52 books this year. For more information on this quest please see One Book Per Week = 52 or this series of posts.