Category Archives: Books

Seven practices of effective ministry

Posted on May 23, 2013 by

Seven practices of effective ministry describes the philosophy of ministry at North Point Community Church in Atlanta. Andy Stanley, Lane Jones, and Reggie Joiner challenge their readers not to keep adding more and more programs before carefully evaluating the ones … Continue reading →

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The three signs of a miserable job

Posted on May 22, 2013 by

The three signs of a miserable job is another helpful analysis by leadership and teams expert, Patrick Lencioni. A miserable job is the one that’s tough to get out of bed for. You dread going to work and you can’t wait to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Leadership, Stress and burnout | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

The effective executive

Posted on May 21, 2013 by

The effective executive: The definitive guide to getting the right things done by leadership guru, Peter Drucker, is primarily a book about how to manage yourself. This is the necessary prerequisite for managing other people. If we can’t manage ourselves … Continue reading →

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The four obsessions of an extraordinary executive

Posted on May 20, 2013 by

The four obsessions of an extraordinary executive is another easy-read, high-return leadership book by Patrick Lencioni. This book describes a competitive advantage available to every organisation. It’s not about technology, strategy, marketing, or money. It’s about organisational health. Extraordinary executives and standout … Continue reading →

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Leading from the second chair

Posted on May 17, 2013 by

Leading from the second chair: Serving your church, fulfilling your, and realizing your dreams by Mike Bonem and Roger Patterson is a book I used to recommended to my associate staff. Now that I’m one of them I figured I should look … Continue reading →

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The five temptations of a CEO

Posted on May 15, 2013 by

Being a self-confessed Patrick Lencioni fan, I figured it was time to re-read another of his books. I love reading them because he writes so well, and he begins most of his books with ‘A leadership fable’. He tells a … Continue reading →

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What got you here won’t get you there

Posted on May 15, 2013 by

What got you here won’t get you there: How successful people become even more successful by Marshall Goldsmith is a book that I’ve put off reading for some time. It was recommended by a friend in Christian ministry who I … Continue reading →

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Leading on empty

Posted on May 10, 2013 by

Burnout is a huge issue. It takes a massive toll on individuals, families, organisations and society. Leading experts in stress and burnout have identified church pastors as very high-risk candidates. Most will face these issues in their ministry. Many will … Continue reading →

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The pop-up cancer book. WARNING – this post contains cancer jokes!

Posted on May 6, 2013 by

A few weeks back I was engaging in a little banter on Facebook. The topic was the book I hoped to write and one friend quipped that I should write a pop-up book. What a great idea, I thought! And … Continue reading →

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Made to Stick

Posted on May 6, 2013 by

Over summer some of our tents got damaged. We had a major windstorm blow through the campground, causing trees and branches to come down everywhere. Two major rips in one tent and a dozen minor tears in the shade tarpaulin. … Continue reading →

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Wednesdays were pretty normal

Posted on May 6, 2013 by

Great title. Great cover. Great book! Wednesdays were pretty normal: A boy, cancer, and God by Michael Kelley has given me plenty to think about. It’s an open and honest story of a father wrestling with faith questions, after his boy … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Journey with Cancer | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Trust me I’m a Cancer Patient

Posted on April 29, 2013 by

Trust Me I’m a Doctor Cancer Patient by Wesley Finegan is a detailed manual for understandings symptoms of cancer, and it’s various treatments and side effects. Finegan worked for a number of years as a doctor with an interest in … Continue reading →

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humble ORTHODOXY

Posted on April 23, 2013 by

Humble orthodoxy: holding the truth high without putting people down by Joshua Harris is a potent little book. I think it should be recommended reading for all ministry trainees, all theological students, all pastors, all Christian academics. In reality, every … Continue reading →

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Going the distance

Posted on April 18, 2013 by

Going the distance: How to stay fit for a lifetime of ministry by Peter Brain is an important book for people in pastoral ministry. We should probably read it more than once! I read it years ago, when it was first published. … Continue reading →

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Letters from the land of cancer

Posted on April 18, 2013 by

I began reading Letters from the Land of Cancer by Walter Wangerin Jr. nearly a year ago. However, I didn’t finish it. I think I felt a little overwhelmed by it. The topic, the intensity, the unrelenting discussion of cancer and death. … Continue reading →

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Being a cancer patient’s carer: A guide

Posted on April 16, 2013 by

Cancer is tough for the patient, but it’s also tough for those who care for them. It brings so many changes and challenges, and the carer is often as unprepared as the patient. Where does the carer go for help? … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Journey with Cancer | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

What cancer cannot do

Posted on April 16, 2013 by

People with cancer desperately need hope. They need a hope that’s real, that they can hold on to. They need reason to keep on going. They need inspiration to focus on what really matters. They need encouragement not to be … Continue reading →

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Managing your boss

Posted on April 16, 2013 by

In the early 90s a good friend put me onto an article by John Garbaro and John Kotter called Manage Your Boss. It was first published in the Harvard Business Review in 1980 and reproduced 25 years later as a classic in … Continue reading →

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Communicating for a change

Posted on April 10, 2013 by

Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones is both a joy and disturbing to read. It’s a joy because it’s so engaging and well written. It’s disturbing because it asks serious questions about how well our sermons are … Continue reading →

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Gospel-centred church

Posted on April 2, 2013 by

Gospel-centred church: becoming the community God wants you to be by Steve Timmis and Tim Chester is a book to get churches moving. This isn’t a theology of church, nor is it a typical catalogue of all the key elements … Continue reading →

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