FAITH BIBLE COLLEGE -  SAMPLE BOOK REVIEW

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Book Review

Church Leadership - CL101 - Dr. Steve Highlander

Brooke Highlander

Faith Bible College - March 2006

Title:              Revolution                                                  Author:          George Barna
Publisher:      Barna Publishing                                          ISBN #:        1234567

Subject:         Revolution was a commentary on research data concerning the changing state of the Church in the United States and the world.

Audience:      This book was written to the general Christian audience, however it is an excellent resource for church leaders and even non-Christians.

Readability:  The book is extremely readable and presents the technical data in a very absorbable manner.

Annotated Review:

This book details the research done by Christian pollster George Barna. In it, he says that there is an grassroots movement of people who are disillusioned with conventional church and are finding alternative ways of “being the church”. They are meeting together in small groups, at work or other unconventional places and ways. He claims that the church actually grows faster this way and that this meets the needs of those involved by making them participants instead of spectators. According to Barna, causes people to grow faster because they learn by doing. Research showed: "A significant group of people surveyed said they felt more comfortable sharing their lives and praying in small group settings and found it much easier to grow spiritually for being a part of a small group." (P36) It is also a good method of evangelism, since it is much easier to get a neighbor, friend or co-worker to your home instead of a church building.

This book challenged me to think in a different way. It caused me, as a Pastor's wife, to think of ways to use the gifts of everyone in the church and to encourage people to meet regularly in homes during the week. It is very interesting to note the this is exactly the way the early church grew and also how the church in China and other countries is growing exponentially. "In countries where it is difficult or impossible to meet in public, the house church movement has flourished."  (P104)  It seems that America is actually lagging behind in some ways when it comes to what is happening in the Church. I recommend this book to anyone interested in what is happening in the church worldwide.

This is very relevant to the CHURCH LEADERSHIP course. It gives excellent ways to raise up leaders within the church, because in the context of house church everyone is a leader and has the opportunity to lead others, share and speak, and disciple others. You can lead by example much easier in a small group than in a large congregation.