Today, I read Psalm 20, give a book review of What Every Pastor Should Know, and offer a free audio book. Listen/download here.
:00:00 – Introduction
:01:04 – Psalm 20
:02:21 – Book Review of “What Every Pastor Should know”
:27:19 – Free book offer
________
Reading of Psalm 20 (01:04)
Psalms 20:1-9 (NASB)
1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! 2 May He send you help from the sanctuary
And support you from Zion! 3 May He remember all your meal offerings
And find your burnt offering acceptable ! Selah .
4 May He grant you your heart’s desire
And fulfill all your counsel ! 5 We will sing for joy over your victory ,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners.
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.
6 Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand. 7 Some boast in chariots and some in horses,
But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God. 8 They have bowed down and fallen,
But we have risen and stood upright. 9 Save , O LORD;
May the King answer us in the day we call.
__________________
Book Review (02:21)
I was highly disappointed with this book. Pastor, leave this book alone.
“101 Indispensable Rules of Thumb for Leading Your Church”
I take the word “indispensable” to mean “absolutely necessary”. I would have been happier with the title being “101 Suggested Rules of Thumb for Leading Your Non-profit Organization.
Updated at 9:55PM Mountain Time on Jan. 20, 2014 with this link to a written book review at 9Marks.org. (A review is not an endorsement.)
______________
Free Book Offer (27:19)
This offer is good from January 20-25, 2014. To enter, comment below with a suggestion for a book review.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
shirley a. thompson
January 20, 2014 at 1:29 PMPaul . . . this Mom probably wasn’t smart enough to say “if you can’t say anything good about it, don’t say anything at all.” 😉 I do agree with the writer of Proverbs 23:11 “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” You have grabbled long and hard to measure your ministry against the plumb line of God’s Word. I see this review as a fair warning to pastors to not clamour after ways the world presents for success.
Paul
January 20, 2014 at 1:41 PMHey mom, thanks for listening in… I’m sure you said something like that or is it that I can still taste soap in my mouth when a bad word floats through my mind?
Chuck & Carol
January 20, 2014 at 9:56 PMHello Paul from Chuck and Carol. We just found out about your podcast from our oldest and desired to listen in. So here we are cuddled up each with an ear bud. Carol first with the first book review. The book is called Passionate Housewives Desperate for God. Maybe Renee will have to review this one. My suggestion is Family Driven Faith. Now remember to put two names in the hat not just one. Oh by the way I might deliver my 3×5 card next Sunday. Ha. Good podcast!
Paul
January 21, 2014 at 8:38 AMThanks Chuck and Carol.
I’ve got you both down. Great idea about having Renee do a book review. I look forward to seeing your 3X5 card…
Andy V.
January 21, 2014 at 11:25 AMNot to be outdone by my parents, I think I’ll submit some book suggestions and get in on the fray! I have not read these books, but they have interested me for a while and the overall premise intrigues me a lot. First is “Why Johnny Can’t Sing Hymns” by T. David Gordon and “Why Johnny Can’t Preach” also by T. David Gordon.
Paul
January 21, 2014 at 12:46 PMAndy, I’ll look forward to reading those books even if I don’t select it for an upcoming book review. Thanks for the ideas.
Bennett Sanderson
January 21, 2014 at 11:47 AMRules are meant to be broken
Well, great. I’ve already implemented 59 of the 101. Now what? Actually, I appreciated the book FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH. I’m always skeptical of these kind of books anyway. Any book that claims to apply to “every pastor” or every church makes me eager to disprove them. I’m always pretty certain that I’m the exception to the rule. So my expectations were pretty low.
As a rule-of-thumb type reference book I think I may find it useful (in spite of your warnings, you know, i’m the exception to the rule). But I certainly don’t expect it to guarantee growth or replace the leading of the Holy Spirit. What I might find useful when the time comes is knowing rule #72 that there should be about 80 square feet of space for each child on the playground. It’s good to know that because we will inevitably only have 60 square feet of space for each child. In which case I will have the chance to teach our childcare workers that suffering leads to character and helps us commune with Christ.
Their use of the word “indispensable” on the cover is unfortunate and probably wasn’t carefully considered. Would it have changed your review if the tagline had said, “101 Possibly useful observations about how many churches have operated”? I guess the title WHAT SOME PASTORS MIGHT WANT TO KNOW doesn’t carry the same weight. Anyway, I think your warning is very appropriate and not overstated at all. And with that warning ringing in my ears, I’ll probably still look up things in this book from time to time for informational purposes.
You should review…something by C.S. Lewis. Are you a fan? I have plenty of recommendations there. Mere Christianity, The Problem of Pain, A Grief Observed. The Great Divorce. I don’t really keep up with the latest books, so I’m not much help there. Anyway, I don’t need the audio book. I’ve been radicalized already. Thanks for putting this out there.
Paul
January 21, 2014 at 1:12 PMBennett,
if rules are meant to be broken what should be done with the thumbs? Good feed back.
After re-listening to this I wish I had been more gracious to the writers and endorsers while still holding to the strong feelings of the content of the book. My podcast was more of a critique than a review.
I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks, Lord willing. I’m going to check and see how your church building did with “indispensable” rule #68.
In the day that I write a book, I will want you to come up with a title. Will you endorse it?
I like C.S. Lewis… I’ve read most of these and would like doing a review (critique) of one of these. Have you read The Problem of Pain?
Bennett Sanderson
January 22, 2014 at 3:15 PMYes, the Problem of Pain is a great one. I cannot pick a favorite. I’m now reading the Weight of Glory for the first time. I’m already realizing that I’ve been using the word “glory” quite a bit without really having a clear idea of what I meant.
Actually, it seems silly to do a book review of a Lewis book since they are considered modern classics. One doesn’t review a classic. You might prefer giving a report or whatever you want to call it. There’s a guy named Earl Palmer who gives talks sometimes on the Kindlings Podcast who does a good job summarizing and dissecting books. http://www.thekindlings.com/category/podcasts/the-kindlings-muse-earl-palmer-ministries/
As for rule #68, consider it broken. I’ll keep watch over my thumbs.
Gen Ennis
January 22, 2014 at 8:03 AMPastor Paul, I appreciate that you are willing to take a stand on these issues. I agree with Shirley—I have heard you speak of the plumb line of God’s word many times and know that you practice it diligently. By the way, your email didn’t say where you were or that you were giving away free gifts, only that you wouldn’t be in the office. 🙂
Paul
January 22, 2014 at 3:43 PMThanks Gen,
I should have let you know, you and Bob could have eaten a chicken sandwich with us. It can be assumed that when I’m doing office work and I’m not in my office that I’m in my other office.
Paul
January 22, 2014 at 5:38 PMPost Production Regret: (5:20pm: January 22, 2014) Where I don’t change my position or opinion of the book review (critique) I wish I had expressed this with a kinder spirit than I did. I apologize for my arrogance. A more humble tone would have accomplished my point better.
Paul
January 26, 2014 at 8:31 AMAnd the winner is…
Paul
January 26, 2014 at 8:33 AMAndy Vawser: Andy suggested two books and I think I’ll read them both. I will do a book review (critique) of “Why Johnny Can’t Sing Hymns” by T. David Gordon in the near future. Thanks for participating.
Andy V.
January 28, 2014 at 10:23 AMThanks so much for the audio book! Brittany and I started listening to it last night.
Paul
January 28, 2014 at 11:58 AMI hope you guys enjoy it. I should have told you about this part of the deal before you agreed to play along… a book review will be required in return… just kidding (kind of). I’d be interested in your thoughts though.
Have a great day.