This year again, I admit, am a book-a-holic.  I love to read.  I love to turn the page in anticipation of what is next.

So, this year, again, I share some of the books I have read that have challenged me.  I have read books that have helped chart the course for next steps.  I have read books that I disagree with, but above all, they have all challenged me.

These are in no particular order other than the first one that really helped me consider next steps in my own discipleship and others.....so, let's go.

1.  Replicate by Robby Gallaty
​Helped us to establish a process of establish a culture of disciple-making.  It was very practical in helping me know the How-to's of disciplemaking.  This is a great book that gave very practical advice to help me move our church towards making disciples who make disciples.

2.  Missionary God, Missionary Bible by Dick Brogden
This is my first year to go through this 365 day devotional.  This is a one-year devotional based on a chronological reading of the Bible. Each day author Dick Brogden builds the case and the message is reinforced: He who is holy delights to be our God. We are to be His holy people that He might dwell among us. His glorious presence will wholly bless us in order that all nations, every distinct people group, might be likewise blessed. This grand plan, centered on and culminating in Jesus as Savior, Lord, and eternal King over all nations, is what our faith, our Father, and our future is all about.

3.  Be Mean About the Vision by Shawn Lovejoy
My friend, Rusty Gunn, recommended this book years before we ever started Church Inside Out.  An incredible reminder to stay true to what God has said.  There have been those who will and have tried to hijack our vision and they will try to hijack your vision of what God wants, but we must stand firm and be "mean" about it.

One thing is certain—if our church or organization is going to accomplish its mission, we’re going to need to be: Determined. Resolute. Intentional. We’re going to need to be willing to do whatever it takes to keep the vision from being detoured or derailed. Where there is no vision, people perish. They wander off in random directions. On the flip side, when everyone understands and embraces the vision, there is life, passion, growth, and success! And God will be glorified.....thus, Be Mean About the Vision.

4.  Church Forsaken by Jonathan Brooks
I am not for sure how I heard about this book, but the fact that he expounded on Jeremiah 29--one of my favorite passages of Scripture.  Coming from the context of the inner-city ministry, which is different than mine, it did simply remind me I must be present, not just in person once in a while, but over the long haul.

Church Forsaken challenges local churches to rediscover that loving our neighbors means loving our neighborhoods. Unpacking the themes of Jeremiah 29, he shows how Christians can be fully present in local communities, building homes and planting gardens for the common good. His holistic vision and practical work offers good news for forgotten people and places.

5.  Disciples Making Disciples Level 1 by Timothy Initiative USA
I called my friend Charles Campbell from the North American Mission Board asking him if he knew of anyone that was training up leaders to multiply in a house church network model.   A few days later, he connected me with Pastor Dan Brendly, Pastor of  Cross Point Church, Farmingdale, NJ.  He graciously gave me some time to talk through things and this was how our Training Center got started for CIO/MMN to start raising up leaders who multiply.

 Disciples Making Disciples lays the groundwork for a disciple making movement. Combining solid biblical teaching with hands-on-training exercises, those who train through DMD Level 1 are given simple and reproducible methods to begin reaching their community with the Gospel.

6.  Church Plantology by Peyton Jones
I like Peyton Jones' books.  He has a missional outlook and it spurs me on to keep seeking the lost in our context.  I picked up this once it came out because I enjoyed all of his other books.  It is a great that has great perspective and tools that I can immediately use.

The Apostle Paul was a veteran church planter who "laid a foundation like a wise and master builder" and there is much we can learn from his example. Paul indicated that there were basic skills and experiences required to successfully plant a church. Church Plantology examines the wide variety of church planting methods and ideologies in contemporary pastoral practice and outlines a biblical model based on the New Testament.  During his time in prison, Paul spent much of his time writing to Titus, Timothy, and others who'd served alongside him in the trenches to complete their training as church plantings. We can continue to apply these time-tested, proven methods, following the pioneering example of the early church.  Church Plantology by Peyton Jones is a robust guide to planting that will help planters to provide the foundation necessary to survive beyond the initial first years so that they don't end up a walking statistic.

7.  Growing Up by Robby Gallaty
Another home run by Robby Gallaty that simply lays it out very straightforward in how to be a disciple who makes disciples.

If you are serious about being a disciple of Jesus Christ—really, truly serious—a discipleship group can help you achieve that goal. Jesus established this model for us by forming and leading the first discipleship group—and it worked. The men who emerged from that group took the gospel to the world and ultimately laid down their lives for Christ.  In Growing Up: How to Be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples, Robby Gallaty presents a practical, easy-to-implement system for growing in one's faith. This guide offers a manual for making disciples, addressing the what, why, where, and how of discipleship. D-Groups, as Gallaty calls them, can teach you and others how to grow your relationship with God, how to defend your faith, and how to guide others in their relationships with God.

8.  The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
I have had this book for a really long time, but honestly seemed to be a daunting read and "am I up to the task".  It has proven to be a very challenging, to the heart, read as I question and examine my heart.   There is a demand and a sacrifice for discipleship.  There is cheap grace where most people tend to live.....and then there is a steep reality of living a lifestyle under the umbrella of costly grace.   I am still reading and processing this great work.

What can the call to discipleship, the adherence to the word of Jesus, mean today to the businessman, the soldier, the laborer, or the aristocrat? What did Jesus mean to say to us? What is his will for us today? Drawing on the Sermon on the Mount, Dietrich Bonhoeffer answers these timeless questions by providing a seminal reading of the dichotomy between "cheap grace" and "costly grace." "Cheap grace," Bonhoeffer wrote, "is the grace we bestow on ourselves...grace without discipleship....Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the girl which must be asked for, the door at which a man must know....It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life."

9.  Live Dead Joy by Dick Brogden
This will always be on this list each year as it continues to step on my toes when needed and encourage me in my deepest disappointments as Brogden brings the Word front and center.  If you are looking for a devotional to move you beyond the shallow end, I encourage you to pick up a copy.

Every Christian is called to live the crucified life (Galatians 2:20). In that sense we are all dying daily―dying is how Christians live. We die to ourselves, our wills, our comforts, and our reputations for the glory of Jesus. The wonder of applying this biblical principle to everyday life is that it brings life and joy in the process. This daily devotional celebrates a lifestyle based on the example of Jesus, who showed us how to live dead―not with dread but with great gladness.

Written in a deeply personal style that provides a fresh perspective on the disciplines of the Christian life, each one of the 365 devotions is based on a suggested Bible reading. This devotional will put you on the path to a life of deeper faith and stronger dedication to Christ.

10.  Church Discipline by Jonathan Leeman
I grabbed this handy book at a For the Church Conference at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.  I am grateful for my church.  The question for us is not if there will be issues that arrive that will call for church discipline, but , When?  There has always been tension arise when we talk about church discipline, but a better way to consider it is, "How does the church protect the name of Jesus?"  Not that He needs protecting, but we are salt and light--how do we present Jesus well to a lost world and what happens when people sling in the mud the name of Jesus? How do we use a theological framework to love people back to Christ?

Leeman helps us face the endless variety of circumstances and sins for which no scriptural case study exists, sins that don’t show up on any list and need a biblical framework to be corrected appropriately in love.
Here is a contemporary and concise how-to guide that provides a theological framework for understanding and implementing disciplinary measures in the local church, along with several examples of real-life situations and the corresponding responses.

11.  Church Membership by Jonathan Leeman
Another book I grabbed as we consider Church Membership.  I am not a fan of what Church Membership has become, so I have been praying as to what it should be according to Scripture.  Leeman gives wisdom in this matter of church membership.  I am excited about this next part of the journey for Church Inside Out as we set out to live out the vision God has given us.

"Salvation and my following through with Baptism publicly recognizes me as a child of God.  Church membership publicly recognizes I am a kingdom citizen."

Becoming a member of a church is an important, and often neglected, part of the Christian life. Yet the trend these days is one of shunning the practice of organized religion and showing a distaste or fear of commitment, especially of institutions.  Jonathan Leeman addresses these issues with a straightforward explanation of what church membership is and why it’s important. Giving the local church its proper due, Leeman has built a compelling case for committing to the local body.

12.  Grasping God's Word by Scott Duvall and Daniel Hays
I am not inclined to read textbooks or am I an astute theologian.  Books like these are daunting as I am not a deep thinker, but they do such a great job making it applicable and understanding.    It challenges me to keep learning and helps me know that I still have a lot to learn.  I want to keep learning and this challenges my mind.  I don't want to become lazy in my thinking, so I need books like this to challenge me.  This for me is an on-going read continuing into 2022 as I want to marinate in it and apply what's being taught.

 Grasping God's Word has proven as an invaluable help to students who want to learn how to read, interpret, and apply the Bible for themselves. It will continue to serve college-level students and lay learners well in their quest to gain a firm grasp on the rock of God’s Word.  Old Testament scholar J. Daniel Hays and New Testament expert J. Scott Duvall provide practical, hands-on exercises to guide students through the interpretive process. 

13.  The Starfish and the Spirit by Lance Ford, Robert Wegner, and Alan Hirsch: ONE OF MY FAVORITES!
I loved this book as it presented a different way of leadership moving from a hierarchy to a decentralized leadership empowering others to serve and lead.  It was different and intriguing and has helped me rethink ways I can empower my church.  I don't have to be THE guy, but how can I empower many.
​
The Starfish and the Spirit is about creating a culture where church leaders view themselves as curators of a community on a mission, not the source of certainty for every question and project. It's about creating a team of humble leaders "in the middle" of the church, not at the top--leaders who naturally reproduce multiple generations of leaders, from the middle out.

​So....there you have it.  Some of the books I have read that have been challenging!  Just pray my wife let's me get more bookshelves!!!

(If you are interested, I am starting a Live Dead Joy devotional group to discuss what God is teaching us as we read His Word in 2022.  Let me know if you are interested!)  mike@mobilemissionsnetwork.com

​“My eyes have seen your salvation.” Luke 2:30

Words spoken by Simeon as Jesus was being presented in the temple 8 days after his birth.

Hope had been born and Simeon lived to see this “light for revelation to the Gentiles”.

Again, a thrill of hope to a weary world, to a weary soul, Simeon.

He waited and waited and waited.

He was now here….Immanuel…God with us.

In reading this passage, you read past the words to the heart of Simeon—a heart fill of joy and thankfulness—-a heart thrilled with hope.

My eyes saw salvation when I was 16 and every day I am reminded that I was once an enemy but am now a citizen of heaven.

As I reflect on his birth, I am reminded there is a lot of life between his birth and his death and his resurrection.
And now too, I must not move on from the birth of a Jesus, but now must live as He lived.

It’s not enough to celebrate his birth and his death/resurrection.

WE MUST ALSO CELEBRATE HIS LIFE HE LIVED BY LIVING OUR EVERY DAY LIKE HIS!

It’s called discipleship. It’s called following Jesus.

What now does it look like to live as Jesus lived and walk as Jesus walked? (Reflect on this and marinate on this question.)

You really want to give Jesus a gift? Walk as he did.

I think Paul sums it up well as how we should walk in Christ.

“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:10-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬
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(Today at Church Inside Out we have Family Worship Sunday-an opportunity to bring the Word into our homes and an opportunity for moms/dads/husbands/wives/students/children to share the Word. Our prayer is it would become a habit on a regular basis. This time also gives a rest for our house church hosts-thank you for opening up your home her week!)

​CHRISTMAS REMINDS US OF OUR RESCUE!

“Behold, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and endowed with salvation, humble and unassuming and riding on a donkey. The Lord their God will save them in that day...”
Zechariah 9:9, 16

*Note: he rode on a donkey before His birth with Mary and before His death(triumphal entry)

“For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a SAVIOR, who is Christ the Lord!” Luke 2:11

Our rescuer has come!

Christmas represents our rescue-we know that we will be delivered but there is still a battle to fight.” LIVE DEAD JOY
Jesus came to my rescue when I was 16.

When did He rescue you?

“Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:7-8‬ ‭
​
Merry Christmas!

​“No one stood with me, but they all deserted me.”

The words of the Apostle Paul.

Notice what Paul doesn’t do: he doesn’t leave the church nor does he disband his faith.

If this was many of us, we would be out the door, find another church or leave the faith all together (or so it seems to be many times)

He goes on to say, “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened and empowered me, so that through me the gospel message might be fully proclaimed and that all the Gentiles might hear it and I was rescued from the mouth of the Lion” 2 Timothy 2:17

This is reminiscent of others who were deserted at their greatest time of need:
Job.
David.
Daniel.
Jesus.
They were deserted and too rescued from the “mouth of a lion”.

But they didn’t abandon ship. Their hope was in a person, not people.

A few lessons:

1. Nobody cares. I am all alone.
These are sentiments that are valid. I have been there. I have heard these words from my sheep but are no excuse to leave the church or disband your faith.
Lean in on Jesus. Recognize who is behind the lies.
You are NOT alone. You will never be alone. If you never learn to cherish the Savior, you will always feel alone.
If you never learn to abide in Him, you will always feel alone.

2. Humans will fail you. That is a fact. Pastors will fail you. Church people will fail you.
I have heard these words directed at me many times-where was I….why didn’t I visit enough….etc.
We are human. Pastors are human. Pastors are not omnipresent. They have the same 24 hours as you do.
Sometimes we assume people know the details of a situation in a persons life, but that is not the case in most situations, so the enemy uses assumptions or the thought that people should know what you are going through. Don’t let assumptions cause you to go into a deeper depression.

Sometimes our aloneness is meant to be as it creates an unsettledness and is in essence a test—will I lean on Jesus or will I lean on my feelings?

3. I am sorry for any hurt that has been intentionally or unintentionally inflicted on you because of seasons of being alone. There are legitimate hurts from the body.
I don’t want to water it down or sweep it under the rug.
Just don’t stay there. Get in the Word. Spend some time with Jesus. CRY OUT TO HIM!
One of my favorite things to do when it seems like I am alone is I read the Psalms. David encountered desertion. He lived it a lot of his life and you can see that his example always cries out to God.
I would encourage you to reach out to someone that you can trust.
I would also encourage you to get involved in a small group of believers that will encourage you in the faith and hold your accountable.

4. Run to Jesus.
Elijah ran after his monumental Mountaintop experience to depression and a cave but he eventually ran back to God.
Job confessed after destruction came to him.
““I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.””
‭‭Job‬ ‭42:2-6‬ ‭

The disciples deserted Jesus but he willingly went to the cross because He knew salvation would come to all mankind.

And back to Paul…..

He didn’t leave the church. He didn’t leave the faith. He stuck to what he knew and WHO he knew.

Today, you many feel alone. You may feel like you have been deserted, but you have not. There is SOMEONE far greater that is in you beside you and with you.

He has not deserted nor will He as a believer and we can find this in His Word:

“Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up), nor will I forsake or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say, “The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?””
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13:5-6‬
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As a believer, you are NEVER alone.

​The thrill of hope…..

It was 10 years ago that we found ourselves exhausted, confused and worried about our son, Judah. He was put in NICU shortly after he was born due to respiratory issues.

I will never forget the day after a grueling few days and I snapped this picture.
At the time, I didn’t see the significance or the hope or the promise.
But when I went back to look at the picture was the cross in the lights. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
I went around to the other stations as I thought it would be seen in the others, but it wasn’t there.

A thrill of hope.

A reminder of God’s faithfulness in the midst of hard circumstances.

A promise to hold on that on this side of heaven or actually in heaven, Judah was going to be ok.

My faith moved that day. A thrill of hope overcame my circumstances.

Mary faced even more dire circumstances in that the news se received was shattering as the consequences of pregnancy out of wedlock was punishable by stoning and even death.

I can’t imagine the feelings that went through her head and heart.

The thing is though she didn’t stay and believe the feelings, but she immediately submitted, “Behold, I am a servant of the Lord; may it be done according to your word.”

Her anxiety turned to submission and her submission turned to obedience.

And her obedience turned to praise as we see in Luke 1:46-55. It’s a model for us when we find ourselves in difficult circumstances.

This praise wasn’t just words she spoke but came from the depth of her soul.

This praise wasn’t just a token word , but was a lifestyle lived as much of this prayer is from Scripture. She was not a novice when it came to her faith.

This praise came from an understanding that she needed a Savior-Yes, the mother of Mary, needed Salvation. She rejoiced in God HER Savior.

This praise came from remembering God’s faithfulness in the Old Testament. She recalled the great things He had done for her.
This praise came from an understanding that God is holy. There was such a reverent fear and awe that she had.
She heard. She submitted. She obeyed. She praised.

What an incredible model for us to worship this week. What an incredible model for us to follow when we face difficult circumstances.

What an incredible Savior we serve who is our hope.

This thrill of hope is knowing that Immanuel resides within us.
This thrill of hope is knowing that He has come to seek, save and redeem!
This thrill of hope is knowing the world is not our home and just as Jesus came to live here temporarily, so do we.

May you experience this thrill of hope found only in Jesus!!!
​
“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:2-5‬

​What was it like for Jesus the day before he would have entered into our world?

I can only imagine.

For 33 years in our time, He would remove Himself from the perfectness of Heaven.
33 years of a life sentence ending with a brutal execution.
He would live in obscurity for the first 30 years of his life and then deal with the nagging of religious leaders for three.
He would take on the pain and frustration of being human.
He would become flesh and blood and move into the neighborhood. (John 1:14)
He would invest in a group of disciples and they in turn would change the world.
He would GIVE UP EVERYTHING so we could have Him.

If John 13 is any indication of what he would have done before He came to earth, His complete love would be evident. It gives us a glimpse of heaven.

“Jesus knew that His hour had come for Him to leave this world and return to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” (13:1)

Love.

Can you imaging getting to hang out physically with the guys you created? God knew them well before he called them because He created them and they chose to follow. A tight bond created with the creator.

Can you imagine the “giddyness” with just the thought of going back to His true country heaven? Although the days ahead would be painful, his eyes always were focused on why He was here.

John 13:5-20 knowing He was about to leave this world and return to perfect, He served. He washed feet.
He could have done anything! But he chose to wash the disciples ugly, disgusting, dirty feet.

Another incredible picture of His complete love for us in that “while we were still sinners Christ died for us”.
And all of this as a way to set an example of what we are to do.

Love and serve.

The good news is there will be a day where we will leave this world too.
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I can’t wait!