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“What I found once I started reading this book was that I didn’t agree with 90% of what it is said.”

I was first introduced to this book a little while ago by a member of the staff at Maple Grove Evangelical Free church. This person did warm me that the theological and philosophical perspectives of this author were most likely different than the average evangelical, but I was captured by this passage in the book:

Anger in particular seems close to a professional vice in the contemporary ministry. Pastors are angry at their leaders for not leading and at their followers for not following. They are angry at those who do not come to church for not coming and angry at those who do come for coming without enthusiasm. They are angry at their families, who make them feel guilty, and angry at themselves for not being who they want to be. This is not an open, blatant, roaring anger, but an anger hidden behind the smooth word, the smiling face, and the polite handshake. It is a frozen anger, an anger which settles into a biting resentment and slowly paralyzes a generous heart. If there is anything that makes the ministry look grim and dull, it is this dark, insidious anger in the servants of Christ.

It was this passage from the book that brought tears to my eyes because I knew that – for me – these words were too close to home. I have seen pastors who embody this description and I myself have been and know will be faced with the temptation to be the “angry pastor.” So I asked to borrow the book to see if I could find more encouraging and edifying insight for my life.

What I found once I started reading this book was that I didn’t agree with 90% of what it is said.

While much of the book has very interesting “insights”, it was in my opinion one person’s enamored response to an investigation into the lives of what we refer to as the “Desert Fathers”. And it was this enamored perspective that Henri tries to make applicable for today’s christian minister.

Because the book is very short (less than 100pgs and the size of a gift book), I will restrain myself from going into it much. Even though it isn’t one I agree with wholeheartedly, I will say that it is a very good read to ponder and think about. So I don’t seem like a “book basher” I will share some of my more positive insights from this book.

Regarding the “busy life”:

“…we are busy people just like all other busy people, rewarded with the rewards which are rewarded to busy people

Regarding setting a time and a place to be with God and Him alone:

“…a real discipinle never remains vague or general.”

A quote I am still digesting is:

“The goal of our life is not people. It is God.”

So do I recommend it? Sure

Will I personally buy it? No.

Many times when I say the I “know” an author, I am saying that I’ve read his or her stuff.  When I say I know Matt Brown, what I am saying is that I remember when he was a young high-school kid whose passion for music was only eclipsed by his passion for the Lord.

So when Matt told me about a book he just finished writing, I wasn’t surprised.  I’ve always known that God was going to to great things through him – and he has.  This new book, Revolutionaries, is simply a record of the men and women God used to advance and build His kingdom.

What I liked about the book is that it is wonderfully organized in sections covering the lives of revolutionary men and women each century from the birth of Christ up to the present.  In reality, this book is kind of a Church History for Dummies because of the amount of information it covers.

The format is simple.  Matt gives a brief summary of a “Revolutionary” man or woman’s life, then brings application from that person’s life into how we can become revolutionaries.  I will admit, that I found some of the examples of people described as “Revolutionaries” was bit controversial.  But what I realized at the end of the book, was that Matt wasn’t trying to find the “most perfect” or “best behaved” “most theologically sound” men and women of faith.  He was simply telling the story of how God utilized people to accomplish his will.

That truth is encouraging because on any given day I may not feel like a Billy Graham or a Martin Luther – but what Matt’s book beautifully displays is that people like Billy Graham and Martin Luther were not anything more than simple people like you and me, who allowed God to use them extravagantly.  And that’s a good enough reason to pick up this book.

Here’s a time lapse video of me conquering a fear…heights! Just another day in the office!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHV0hL8TTzc]

yes…it really took 4 hours…and a bloody knuckle!

I know…time lapse videos are so “ten years ago” but it’s fun making them. I haven’t done one in a while, but here’s one of me working on our new sermon series as we continue through the book of Romans.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0EkhJV-Kog]

(Why am I wearing a tie? I NEVER wear a tie!)

Enough said!

(via losingcontext.com)

To think this was almost 3 years ago!  Kid’s grow up so quickly!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pXud_N6-9Y]

To help me attain some of the goals I made in my last post, I’ve partnered with Justin Carlson (@jc8) in a book review blog.  You can visit it here.

http://53in52.wordpress.com/

I understand why people make New Year’s Resolutions.  I just don’t do it.  New Year’s Resolutions have been responsible for making me look like a hypocrite year after year.

correction…I make me look like a hypocrite every year.

Regardless of my reasons, I was inspired by my friends Nick and Rachel to make some goals for 2010.  I like the sound of that.  Goals are meant to be attained.  Resolutions just seem like self-promises that somehow end up being a burden than an encouragement.  I know this isn’t the case for everyone, but then again, this isn’t “everyone’s blog.”  This is mine!

So here are some goals that I’m setting for myself.

• Read 2 books a month

• Review 1 book a month on my blog

• Start a new Bible Reading Plan

• Meet with a mentor at least once a month

• More than losing weight…get healthy.

• Go Ice Fishing and Hunting for the first time

These are just a few goals.  Actually, looking at them they look more like To-Do list items.

So what are your resolutions goals anti-goals to- do list items for 2010?