One of my favorite things to do is to read – believe it or not! My perfect vacation would be staying at a hotel on a beach somewhere and then I have the freedom to watch ESPN and to read a good book with the ocean air blowing on my face.
I try to read at least a 2-3 books a month (if not more) just so that I can keep my mind sharp and also to get inspiration on various subjects.
Once in awhile there comes a book that literally speaks your heart. Everything that you were thinking about, praying about and even saying to the people around you is placed in a 200-page book.
I just finished Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch’s book, “The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21st Century Church.” This book really did 3 things for me – it challenged, confirmed, and capsulized various thoughts that were running through my mind about the missional church in this generation. Pretty much this book expressed in words my philosophy of the future of the church, and also some creative and innovate ways to think about the purpose and mission of the church.
In the beginning of the new year, we are going to have a Board of Directors’ meeting and I am going to have every one of them read it. Then we will be able to have some good discussions and even great ideas for the future of our churches.
After this book, there are many more books on my list… I can’t wait. Hopefully, during the Christmas break many of you will be able to pick up a good book to read.