BOOK REVIEW: "I Am A Follower"

Review: "I Am a Follower: The Way, Truth, and Life of Following Jesus."

By: Leonard Sweet

Sweet's book attempts to turn the well established idea of leadership within the church on its head by looking at what the Bible has to say about leadership. Thousands of dollars, millions of books and many conferences focus on how to be leaders within our churches, communities and in our households, but is that what Jesus has called us to? Or is that simply 'extra' that we have added to the gospel over time? The book is divided among four separate sections, The Place, The Way, The Truth, and The Life which seek to both attack the position of leadership within the church as it is today as well as provide an argument for what it means to be a follower. It the book could be summarized in a tweet it would be: 'The world believes it needs better leaders but Jesus has called you to be His follower.'

I really wanted to like this book. I read lots of Christian living, church growth, leadership (whoops), and have many of Sweet's books as well. When I received this and got an idea what it was about I was excited to crack it open and begin reading. The organization of the book is great (much like his other books) and is logical in its flow. Leonard Sweet is a pretty easy read too and even has a good literary voice throughout. So while I was hoping for something really powerful, I kind of felt a little labored through reading it and it left me questioning the entire premise of the book.

As I said earlier the organization of the book was perfect, I really understood the four sections and believe that they were all important and explained his argument well. The problem is that each section was overly repetitive and by the end of each section I was really ready to move on to the next idea. Like many authors Sweet explains the idea in the beginning of the section then takes it apart and explains each piece to the reader on why it's important. I found myself reading the same thing several time throughout the section and simply losing interest toward the middle of the section.

While these seem to be little issues, the main critique I have of the book is it's benefit to the reader. After reading the book and thinking through the concept of follower verses leadership I felt like it was still missing something. While trying to explain that the role of leader in the Bible is minimized, Sweet correctly states that word 'leader' and 'pastor' are only found once each in the New Testament. This raises two issues, first being that there are several actions taken within the New Testament that would be leadership-like roles even if that isn't what their called in the Bible. Certainly the selection of elders and overseers Paul gave to Timothy demonstrates some decisions on leadership, as well as the various times in the The Book of Acts where men and women are given specific responsibilities (i.e. choosing of the seven in Acts 6). The second issue is a dangerous one, should we base a belief against leadership on the absence of specific words? Think for a moment what that would mean... trinity - not there. Personal Relationship with Jesus - not there. Abstaining from illegal drugs - not there. Simply because an issue isn't specifically mentioned doesn't give us the ability to say whether or not that thing is right or wrong, it takes an entire view of scripture to do that.

All of this to say though, Leonard Sweet has some really good insights when we focus too much on leadership rather than on being a follower, it would seem to me though that leadership might be an attribute of a follower in some cases. We are all called to be followers of Jesus, but Jesus has us all following in different ways and capacities according to our gifting and calling. The final chapter of Sweet's book emphasizes what a follower does, and how he should live his life, I felt at ease in this chapter. Being a follower is difficult, counter cultural, and liberating but at the end it's really about how we can be incarnational in living the Good News out int he world around us.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review of Why Men Hate Going to Church

A Review of:

Why Men Hate Going to Church

By: David Murrow

David Murrow has come out with a revised edition of "Why Men Hate Going to Church". Murrow's general understanding is that most men do not want to go to church because the church has really catered to the female population. At the beginning of the book Mr. Murrow establishes various stats and figures that demonstrate the widening gap between the female and male population in most churches. This widening gap leads to the question, why are more men leaving the church? And in such high numbers? David Murrow not only attempts to answer this question but also seeks to formulate some thoughts on what the church can and should do to 'stop the bleeding' if you will.

In general this book is probably most useful for church staff and church leaders. While he has an easy to read and follow writing style, the point of the book is really for church leaders to heed the warning and make changes within their own congregation. So I would recommend this book to any pastors, elders, church planters, church strategists, or denominational leaders that see a growing threat of man-less-ness (word I just made up) within their congregations.

At first, I must say that the Politically Correctness flags were popping up as I read the first few chapters. As a pastor myself I feel pressured to make sure that everyone within the congregation feels as comfortable as possible, but also that the gospel is preached to everyone's level. The first few chapters served as a good starting point to kind of break me out of the conditioned structure that I had created and ask questions within my own church context. If you can push through the conditioned tendencies of political correctness that pervade our culture and our church, this book will be very useful in forming a mission that grows the church through a strong male presence. The greatest example of this is the last few pages of the book when Rev. Dr. Jennifer Wilson uses the policies and structure within the book to grow the male population in her congregation (read the book to find out what I'm talking about)

This book should be required reading for the leaders of churches that are stagnant, dying, of just starting off. How could your church benefit from an influx of men within the congregation?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review of Jungle Warfare

Jungle Warfare: A Basic Field Manual for Christians in Sales

by: Christopher A. Cunningham

SUMMARY: Christopher Cunningham finds his granddads jungle warfare field manual in a trunk of old mementos. As he reads through the manuals pages Mr. Cunningham begins to see both the complexities and the simplicity of battle in the jungle, at least according the U.S. Army. However as he reads through the pages he begins to see the similarities that this manual within his own life, his life on the road as a salesman. So this book is really a realization of the journey he made through the manual as well as a new understanding of what it means to be a Godly salesman. Through a 22 day devotional journey you too can understand God's purpose and use for you as you live your life for Him, either as a salesman or simply of a follower of the most high God.

REVIEW: I got this book because it looked like an interesting take on the daily devotional books that seems to over take my bookshelves. I am always looking for a way to keep me excited (and awake) for some sort of devotional time during the day. This book intrigued me because it took on several new thoughts to me, namely: 1) Jungle Warfare Manual. As the grandson of a World War II veteran who also served in the Pacific Conflict, I thought it might in some way give a glimpse of what my grandfather went through (it didn't). 2) Sales. While I am a pastor now, for many years I spent selling stuff at retail chain stores. I saw both the good and the bad of sales and knew that there could be some interesting thoughts about sales.

Overall, it wasn't a bad devotional book, but it also didn't keep my attention. At the end of the day, it really doesn't take the reader very far, and leaves you with a surface-level: 'God wants you to be the best salesman you can be.' Whatever that means. While the ideas were intriguing, the packaging pretty, it left me as most devotional books do, feeling like I never really got to the core longing of my soul, which is to be in the presence of my savior.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Day 10 - John 7

Jesus wasn't a magician, a side show, a super hero, a genie waiting to grant three wishes, or even a psychic with telekinetic powers. That didn't stop people around Him from expecting these powers from Him. While Jesus certainly possesses the power and could have established Himself as any one of these popular entertainers, He wasn't here to entertain.

He was here to bring living water to thirsty souls.

Chapter 7 of John begins with Jesus' brothers begging Jesus to come to the Feast of the Temple and demonstrates His abilities by performing miracles. Apparently they were tired of the neighbors asking questions about the abilities of their brother. Interestingly it doesn't seem like they believe either, Jesus was, well their brother, not some Prophet/Rabbi/Christ that everyone talked about.

Jesus choose another path though. Instead of going with His brothers and making a "Public" entrance, He went in secret and began moving through the crowd. Eventually planting Himself in the temple and teaching the scholars, teachers and others in the Jewish community.

I know there are times in my life that I stand waiting for the super hero Jesus to come and attack my enemies. Sometimes I stand waiting for the magician Jesus to show me a nice neat trick. And yet other times I bring three wishes to Jesus hoping that He will answer them like the genie did in Aladdin.

What Jesus are you hoping for? Does that line up with who Jesus actually is?

Day 9 - John 6:25-71

Jesus is the Bread of Life.

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." John 6:53

Can you imagine what the people were thinking when Jesus began teaching them about the Bread of Life? Jesus, who had just finished feeding 5000 people using only a couple fish and loaves of bread, and had also just walked almost three miles out on a lake, and who had been doing miraculous things throughout the area just requested that the crowd must eat His flesh in order to 'have life'.

As people who live now 2000 years later, we can understand this in a variety of ways, but imagine living during this time. The questions that came up into peoples minds, and the disgust that most of the people had.

So what happens?

Well, most everyone leaves Jesus, except His disciples.

The twelve.

Jesus questions the twelve as to why they haven't left as well. And Peter responds for the group: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:68-69)

Peter's response is funny because it basically says there isn't anywhere else to go. Jesus was the only place to go.

There was no theological explanation of Jesus' words.

Peter didn't explain the symbols of eating the flesh and blood of Christ.

He simply said You (Jesus) are God and there isn't a better place for us to be.

What do we do when times get tough and we question what God is telling us. What happens when all our life God seems to be X and all of the sudden God is actually Y? How do we cope? Where do we turn?

Peter and the disciples saw that over the course of the last months (or years) Jesus had proven Himself over and over and simply because they didn't understand what was going on at this time, didn't mean it was time to dessert Him like the others. When times get tough. When God seems different than when you first experienced Him, don't search elsewhere. Don't get hung up on explaining the theological complexity. Stay and listen to what God is telling you because of the long line of times He amazed you in the past.

Day 8 - John 6:1-24

Phsyical boundaries limit humanity not God.

What physical boundaries are holding you back from what God has for you?

Have you asked God to remove, work around or otherwise destroy those boundaries?

Day 7 - John 5

The John 5 passage is one of the most interesting miracles out of any in the Bible, at least to me. At first glance you may be wondering why this one is so different to me than the others. Jesus goes and heals a crippled man, which He did several times throughout the Bible. Not very interesting...

However, take a look at the beginning of the passage. This place is called Bethesda, and was a massive pool (had five colonnades) which when stirred people believed that it would heal them of whatever malady that they had. The only issue is that you needed to be the first one in the pool after it stirred for it to work. The text further states that the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed all sat around it's edge waiting for the pool to be stirred.

So Jesus goes to this pool and hears of a man that had been waiting there for thirty years and had never made it into the pool because he had no one to carry him into it. Thirty years of hearing others exclaim that their disease and sickness was cured and knowing that you lost your shot once again. Jesus in his compassion heals this man and tells him to rise up and walk. Which the man does.

What's interesting to me is that it never says that Jesus healed any other person at this Bethesda pool. The story says that there were a great multitude of people there waiting to be healed, and yet only one man is healed by Jesus, at least in the story.

How many times have we wondered why God heals only certain people, and not others?

How many times have we seen others around us blessed, but we feel completely left out?