Greatness in Leadership is....God-centered!

Three words:  a must read!!!!

Joseph Stowell's Redefining Leadership:  Character-driven Habits of Effective Leaders is a must read for any Christian currently in a leadership role or aspiring to have a leadership role.  While Stowell does operate from the perspective of shepherd leaders (i.e. pastors), but the principles and tenets are valuable for any Christian that serves as a leader.

I serve in a secular field, but his focus on God's Word makes it highly applicable to any situation.  The last few chapters of the book shift into the Sermon on the Mount -- specifically the Beatitudes.  He takes many of those Beatitudes and applies them to the leadership realm.  Some scholars would argue that he is reading into the text, but I would disagree with them.  If every Christian is to have these attitudes in our lives to show the world that Jesus lives in us, then they would absolutely apply to a leader.

The structure of book is logical and well-established:  (1) redefining priorities, (2) redefining our identity, and (3) redefining leadership.  In the first part of the book, Stowell clearly defines character-driven and outcome-driven leadership.  In doing so, he makes the Biblical case for the former because you lead as you are.  The second section challenges the modern notion of personal identity.  Unfortunately, leaders identify themselves based upon position, authority, or money.  Stowell says that we need to remember that our identity is in Christ and He is who we serve.  Finally, the author concludes with a laser-like focus on the specific identifiers of a character-driven leader.  He summarizes the entire book with a short-paraphrase of a well-known verse of Scripture:  "For me, to lead is Christ!"  Amen and amen!!!

What I love best about Stowell's work is his adamant stance on character-driven versus outcome-driven leaders.  Character-driven leaders do have success, but they define success differently.  Rather than building profit, Christ-centered leaders build people.  In order to accomplish that task, Christian leaders cannot adopt the leadership mores and values of the world and expect different results.  As Stowell says on page 26:  "running the kingdom by earthside standards is a contradiction of the very nature of the kingdom."  We, as Christians, do live in the world, but we operate on different principles (at least we should be...and a huge failure of Christian leaders today is that we are too similar to the world).

If you are a pastor, elder, or deacon looking for a quality training resource for new elders or deacons, this is a great manual for you because it is filled with Scripture.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Israeli One-State Solution -- Thought Provoking Book

The Israeli Solution by Caroline Glick exposes the flaws in global diplomacy related to the “resolution” of the territorial conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.  If you, as a reader, are interested in another viewpoint other than what you see regularly in contemporary news, then this book is a must read.  Why would I levy that claim?  Simply put, do not miss the final words in the tag line from the book:  “a one-state plan for peace in the Middle East.”  Glick adopts a pro-Israel position and hammers home her thesis throughout.

If you choose to tackle this book, I do want to throw out two specific cautions:  (1) Understand that this read is one that will challenge your notions of foreign diplomacy, force an evaluation of the news you watch, astound you with the even-handed manner at which American presidential flaws are revealed, and shock you and how the United States continues to fund Palestinians (which ends up funding terrorist acts against Israel); and (2) Understand that reading it will take time to work through these weighty matters; however, Glick does an amazing job at breaking this complex issue down into language that is simple to understand.

One of the strongest sections in her argument for the one-state solution is her debunking of what she calls the “demographic bomb.”  She cleverly references it as a “dud.”  She shows how the Palestinian demographic study was completely flawed through over-representation of actual Palestinians, inflated birth rates, and counting of people that simply do not exist.  These findings were not put forward by the Israeli government but were from an American-based group.  To put the inflationary figures in perspective, it would be akin to the U.S. Census Bureau saying that American had nearly 200 million more people than anticipated.

Unfortunately, these inaccurate numbers have been accepted by many in the Israeli government, Arab world, and in the US Department of State.  President Obama has relied upon those demographic numbers, despite the challenge, as his primary push for the two-state system.  The use of those falsified numbers compares Israel to South Africa and assumes that Jews could be outvoted in the near future.  As an interesting aside, the initial report forecast that Palestinians would outnumber Jews by 2005.  That did not occur, so the PLO shifted its date to 2010.  That did not occur, so it shifted to 2015.  It appears that will not occur either, so a new date of 2020 is expected.  Without a doubt, the credibility of the demographic numbers is being undercut by these constantly shifting dates AND due to internal Palestinian ministry data that conflicts with this report as well.

Although she will be vilified by many, Glick provided significant evidence in the Endnote section to bolster her arguments.  Yes, this is a totally one-sided and pro-Israeli position on the territorial and settlement disputes between Israel and Palestine; however, it is a position that must be stated.  If you examine media coverage on the disputes, then you could conclude that the press offers a totally one-sided position in favor of the Palestinians.  Balance must be achieved so that a true understanding of the situational complexities can be acknowledged. 

This has been an enlightening read that I can assure you will be controversial.  Regardless of what others think, study the current direction of American foreign policy and then compare it with the suggestions of this author.  When it comes to international engagement, American citizens often leave that up to the government because they are the “experts.”  If you wish to shape policy in the ballot booth, then you need to be able to ask the right questions based upon you beliefs.  Maybe this book will shift your thoughts on the Israeli-Palestinian situation and maybe it will not, but this is still worthy of your time.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Attitude and Altitude

John C. Maxwell has put forward a brand new book rather than simply updating earlier work, and I am quite a fan of this new book.  How High Will You Climb?  Determine your Success by Cultivating the Right Attitude returns back to his roots as a Christian.  Many of his leadership books espouse his theories or synthesize some other thoughts from other works.  While this book on attitude is a bit of that, much of his work is drawn from teachings of Scripture.  His final chapter – The God Above You – brings it all to conclusion and clearly states that we cannot do anything without Him.  Finally, Maxwell produces a leadership book that speaks at length about our desperate need for a right relation with the Righteous One who redeemed us through His Son.

As the title of the blog reveals, Maxwell argues that our attitude determines our altitude.  If we are positive and examine the world through the lens, then we see opportunities that can be worked through as we climb to the top.  On the other hand, if we examine the world through a negative lens, then we see obstacles that are insurmountable and we stop our efforts.  Page 7 summarizes this quite well:  “my attitude dictates my performance.”

To lay out his argument and present his case, the author has broken the book down into 4 major sections:  consideration of your attitude, construction of your attitude, crashing of your attitude, and changing of your attitude.  The first section is the theoretical foundation upon which all the other pieces are formed.  The second section specifically targets the materials that you need to create and maintain a positive attitude for success.  The third section lists and describes the internal and external fears or events that can destroy a positive attitude.  Finally, the fourth section, puts forward the manners whereby we have the opportunity to make change. 

Unfortunately, many folks are content with the obstacles and never change their attitude.  Why?  The answer is simple – personal comforts are just that…comfortable.  Rather than taking the risk to bring the necessary change, it is simply easier to sit back and do nothing.  Maxwell cites the ever-known “Murphy’s Law” but says it should be replaced with something he calls “Maxwell’s Law:”  nothing is as hard as it looks; everything is more rewarding than you expect; and if anything can go right, it will and at the best possible moment. 

What I appreciate about this book is that it can be read in two ways.  First, you can fly through it in a couple of hours like I did.  Second, you can go through this slowly by completing the “Attitude Application” sections at the end of the chapters.  I will be going back through this book slowly after I finish the study guide to Peter Drucker’s The Effective Executive.

If you have ever read any Maxwell book, you will find that he is highly quotable and makes the complex so simple.  This book is no different in that regard.  Should you buy it?  Yes, but ONLY IF you plan to follow its tenets.  Should you read it?  Yes.  Will it be helpful to you?  Yes. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Fatherhood: the Fortune or Fault of Families

Bad Dads of the Bible: 8 Mistakes Every Good Dad Can Avoid by Roland Warren is a much needed work in our modern culture.   The family unit instituted by God consists of a man and a woman working in a partnership for the benefit of the children.  Whenever that model is upset, the consequences are rather dire for the family and for society at large. 

Warren opens his book with a compelling introduction that runs the gambit – from those that did not have engaged fathers to those that largely do not have fathers in the home.  Warren, who is African American, cites a statistic on page 20 that is appalling – 1 of out of every 3 children nationally exist in homes without fathers (that figure is 3 out of 5 for the African American community).  He ties that statistic to the implications for society at large – increasing teen pregnancy, lower academic performance, increased crime, and persistent poverty. 

A bigger part of the problem that Warren barely grazed is the responsibility of the church.  Yes, he mentions that he went to churches and implored them to assist in these situations; but a bigger issue can be traced back at least one generation.  The church, by and large, has failed to teach and prepare young men to become fathers.  Thus, when those boys become adults, they may become a biological father but they do not lead as a godly man should.  It becomes easier for them to abdicate to the church their God-ordained responsibility in the home to teach their children the ways of God.  If they have not learned and practices Biblical wisdom, then how could they teach it?

Warren does highlight 8 men of Scripture that were not good fathers.  He shows their mistakes and utilizes an approach that I appreciate.  At the conclusion of each chapter, there is a time of Reflection (think on these things), Correction (change these things) and Connection (do these things).  It is a great way to ensure the chapter is applied rather that just read through hastily.  

The dads and their errors are summarized briefly below:

• ·         David – paralyzed by past mistakes
• ·         Laban – made children compete for his love
• ·         Jacob – ignored a sibling rivalry
• ·         Saul – made it difficult to be honored
• ·         Abraham –abandoned his child
• ·         Eli – failed to discipline his children
• ·        Manoah – failed to tame his child’s desires
• ·         Lot – led his family near temptation

He does conclude the book with some positive steps – the 6 things that must be done in order to be considered a good father.  These ideas are not earth-shattering or rocket science, but he does consider one that is often overlooked:  “good fathers reach out to the fatherless” (185).  The easy example is to think of the men that lost their lives in the Iraqi and Afghan wars.  Real men are needed to reach out to these children in order to help them through their difficult times.  There are tremendous needs across this country, and good fathers need to step up to help rather than ignoring the problem. 

If you know soon-to-be-dads, please get this book and have them read it.  I wish that I would have had this book 7 years ago before my oldest was born.  Clearly, I would have done some things differently. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Can You Afford Half an Hour?

Tommy Barnett has written another self-help book – just what we need in our world!  Yes, that was oozing with sarcasm; so, if you missed it, go back and reread that opening line.  The Power of Half an Hour is a simplistic book, and the author admits so in the introduction.  Yet, that simplicity is what attracted me to the book.  Far too often, humanity likes to over-complicate the things that are simply crystal clear.

If you choose to tackle this book, I do want to throw out two specific cautions:  (1) heed the advice of the author -- do not “race” through the book but take it one chapter a day for a month by jotting down thoughts; and (2) halt the tendency to move on immediately to the next self-help/leadership book.  Therein is part of our problem!  We move from one book or one fad or one practice to the next without mastering the previous one. 

Barnett’s idea that 30 minutes, if used correctly, can change your life is absolutely correct.  Whether we believe it or not, we are defined by our moments.  The private moments that hardly anyone can see are what shape our lives, character, success, and work.  What he espouses is obviously a Biblical principal:  Ephesians 5:16 says “Making the most of your time because the days are evil” (NASB).    He quotes a man named Harvey Mackay who said it quite well:  “Time is free, but it’s priceless.  You can’t own it, but you can use it.  You can’t keep it, but you can spend it.  Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” (xii)

The book is organized into 30 chapters and is designed to be read inside of 30 minutes; so the author is reinforcing his own premise by design.  Each section has a “Half Hour Power Principle” and the last few pages of the book include a daily personal action plan.  Barnett has established a simple and useable format to assist any and all readers that wish to improve.  Everyone has 30 minutes a day that can be set aside for personal and spiritual development, so we do not have an excuse (unless we admit our laziness).

I encourage you to do what the author says in the “tag” line of the book’s title – take back your life thirty minutes at a time.  You can do it, but the question is:  will you do it?  Life is too short to drift aimlessly.  Take 30 minutes and set the direction with God’s help.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Proof that the Old Testament is Relevant

Gareth Lee Cockerill’s latest work, The Christian Faith in the Old Testament, is a tremendous read that is packed with proof that the Old Testament is relevant in our modern times.  The beauty of his work rests in the fact that he so clearly presents the implications of Old Testament theology as the foundation of New Testament grace.   He makes connections for us that we may miss – the comments by Jesus about murder in Matthew 5 “explain the implications of the sixth commandment in light of the tenth” (p. 107).  If you have individuals that express doubts about the pertinence of the Old Testament, then this book is one that must be placed in their hands.

It is evident, from the first few pages, that Cockerill is a teacher.  Each chapter flows precisely according to an outline that he shares in the book.  There are multiple stopping points (in case you need to put the book down), but these divisions also assist in coming back to find a specific section for further study.  The constant “figures” (as he calls them) throughout the book are wonderful summary illustrations of the longer textual passages.  For instance, his house graphic to explain the Ten Commandments on page 106 provides a great example for us to construct our understanding.

He even concludes with a short appendix that explains why the canon of the Old Testament is what it is and does not include other books.  This discussion is important in understanding the theological foundations of the New Testament that are rooted in Old Testament works.  Think of it this way:  if any Old Testament book is “missing,” then the New Testament could be “reinterpreted.”  Clearly, Cockerill believes the entire Bible is complete and, thus, needed to offer this explanation.

The ideas that he presents are, in his words, the summary of a lifetime of ministry, teaching, and thinking on the Scriptures.  While no man may ever “master” the Scriptures, he has a grasp of the big picture flow.  I do wish that this manuscript would have expanded significantly into a compendium on this topic.  What I mean by that is simple – chapter 9 is the only chapter whereby he races through the New Testament to show how they are based upon Old Testament foundations.  I think a chapter on each of the major division of the New Testament – Gospels, Acts, Pauline epistles, General epistles, and Revelation – would closed the circuit totally on his ideas.  As it stands, the book is solid!

As far as serious issues with the book, I do not yet have any.   I say yet because I want to work back through this book again after setting it aside for a few months.  There are some minor gripes (i.e. the assumption that Jacob and Esau were totally reconciled through “humility, confession, and restitution” on page 64), but I will bypass them in this review.

The tag line on the back cover of the book says it best:  “Understand how the Old Testament applies to life today.  Discover the source of apostolic truth in the Old Testament.  Gain a broad perspective on Scripture as a whole.”  Get this book and add it to your Biblical library.  It is worth it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Scattered Thoughts from a Serious Scholar

Every time I review a book by John Piper, I always start with the same line – Piper is a serious thinking and a scholar.  This review of Piper’s A Godward Heart:  Treasuring the God who Loves You is no different because it takes a quick but deep look at many different topics (50 of them).  There are some serious nuggets in this book that I believe anyone could gain benefit from reading.  I have listed a few of those below:

• ·         Covering the Chasm – a look at the “rebellion of nudity.”  If you’ve ever had a child ask you why we wear clothes since Adam and Eve were originally naked, well, this provides that answer for you.
• ·         Changed Lives in Jesus’ New Life – an examination of how to live a radical life due to the Resurrection of Christ.  We should not lose heart as we age and our bodies give out because the focus should be on the renewing of our inner selves. 
• ·         Coed Combat and Cultural Cowardice – a discussion of what women in combat really means.  He says that men have decided to “let women die; I’ll keep my career” (158).  I’ll not go any further, but he has serious issues with men that would step aside and let a woman take a bullet that he could instead take for her.
• ·         Why Require Unregenerate Children to Act like they are Good – a provision of three reasons why parenting by God’s will is effective even for those that are yet to yield their hearts in faith to God.

The main difference in this book and any other that he has written is its disjointedness, which was by design.  He makes it clear in his opening that this is simply a collection of thoughts that may change someone’s life.  He readily admits that, while has read volumes of books, it is often a paragraph or sentence or phrase that has made a huge difference in his life.  Rather than digging into a longer, expositional work, Piper goes short, sweet, and to the point. 

While not a bad read, A Godward Heart is not what I was expecting from him.  It does not fit his normal work; so, for me at least, I was a bit disappointed.  You can and will learn from the book, but just understand the difference going in as a reader.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.