Happy Thanksgiving – Most Popular Posts
Just in case you are bored over the next couple of days…
Here are the top five posts of the last year:
1. Have we made it too easy to be Christian? Here’s what I think.
4. Who should be leading, well anything from the stage…including worship?
5. Why we’re now adopting three instead of one, which makes us eight.
A Million Miles In A Thousand Years Review
I don’t really know who reads anything that I write, but for the few of you who do I cannot more highly recommend that you go to my Highly Recommended Books, click on the first book, and buy it from Amazon. The last time I checked they were selling it for a ridiculous discount. A Million Miles In A Thousand Years by Donald Miller is worth every penny and minute you’ll spend consuming it. Seriously!
I was first introduced to Donald Miller six years ago through his book Blue Like Jazz, which is now being made into a movie. I can honestly say that, except for a few writers who have only written one book, he is the only author of which I own every book he’s written. I say that I own every book he’s written because I haven’t actually read Searching For God Knows What yet, but it is sitting on my “To Read” shelf. I, with great enthusiasm, skipped right to this book.
Somehow I stumbled upon a sneak preview where I got to read the first three or four chapters and I was hooked. As soon as the book released I bought it with a store credit I had at Barnes and Noble. I was so enthusiastic about reading this book that I added it to my already weekly 150-200 page reading requirement for the class I am taking at Hope International. Reading this book was motivation for getting ahead in that class each week
This book is not only worth that additional commitment, but I will most likely re-read the book in one sitting before the end of the year. I may even take the book with me as we travel to Uganda to finalize our adoption as a reminder of what it is I am really doing as I renew old friendships and make some new ones. It was such a good book that I am tempted to book a flight to Portland, OR just to get him to sign my copy…seriously, this book is a must read for every high school senior, college student or graduate, every Christian, every American. I CANNOT STRESS this enough. Read this freaking book, and if you feel like I was completely misleading then I’ll buy it back…maybe.
If you buy one book this Christmas as a gift, other than the Bible, this is the one.
We need to be telling better stories!
What kind of preacher are you? – Stacy Spencer @ Story 09
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Stacy referenced a contemporary of his in describing the five types of preachers.
1. The Comfort Dispenser – Gives Tylenol to cure all ills
2. The Pedantic Scholar – Waxes eloquently in order to impress
3. The Social Prophet – Sees the ills of society and cries
4. The Bible Repository – They know the book, but do they know the God of the book
5. Incorporates all four – Strive to be five
Always reflect on these things when preparing a message:
1. Why should I listen?
2. How are you introducing the text to the dilemma
3. Put people in the movie, help them become part of the text
4. Is there a common thread throughout the message? There should be no waste.
5. There MUST be redemption in your story.