Developing Emotionally Mature Leaders | Book Review


Aubrey Malphurs believes that emotional immaturity dooms ministry teams to failure. The purpose of Developing Emotionally Mature Leadersis to raise their “emotional intelligence” and thus contribute to their effectiveness. Toward that end, he proposes a “model” of emotionally intelligence that takes into account four skills: “emotional self-awareness, emotional self-management, understanding others’ emotions, and others’ emotional management.” This Biblically grounded, scientifically informed book is a good reminder that “how you feel impacts how you lead, and how followers feel when around and led by you affects how well they will follow your leadership.” Book Reviewed Aubrey Malphurs, Developing Emotionally Mature Leaders: How … Continue reading Developing Emotionally Mature Leaders | Book Review

Help Me Become a Top 100 Reviewer on Amazon by My Birthday


As of this morning, I have 500 product reviews on Amazon and am ranked 748th among reviewers. My #NerdGoal is to crack into the top 100 by my 50th birthday next year (May 8, in case you were wondering.) Could you help me by clicking on “Yes” if my reviews were helpful to you? Here are ten recent reviews: Lewis Allen, The Preacher’s Catechism: https://amzn.to/2M0RvWi Jonathan Dunsky, The Dead Girl: https://amzn.to/2M2aiAq Jonathan Dunsky, Ten Years Gone: https://amzn.to/2ATFflr John Townsend, Leading from Your Gut: https://amzn.to/2vs9Ktz Patrick Johnstone, Serving God in a Migrant Crisis: https://amzn.to/2KBDJE6 Alan Noble, Disruptive Witness: https://amzn.to/2M1pJJf Chip Heath … Continue reading Help Me Become a Top 100 Reviewer on Amazon by My Birthday

The Preacher’s Catechism | Book Review


Preaching is the most important public ministry of pastors. Many books describe how preachers can improve their craft. The Preacher’s Catechismis not one of them. Instead, it focuses on how preachers can improve their character. Lewis Allen offers this reminder of the greater importance of character to craft in his Introduction: “And yet, having all of these tools [to improve preaching skills] will not ensure that you are a preacher after God’s own heart, someone who is really serving those who listen to you. Skills have an essential place, but more essential to our calling are a heart and mind … Continue reading The Preacher’s Catechism | Book Review

The Dead Sister | Book Review


“I knew he was an Arab the moment I saw him.” With these words, Jonathan Dunsky opens The Dead Sister, the second in a series of mysteries featuring Adam Lapid. They are pregnant with meaning, given that the story takes place in Tel Aviv in October 1949. On May 14, 1948, Israel had declared independence. The next day, five Arab nations declared war on Israel, vowing to fight with and on behalf of Palestinian Arabs in order to erase the Jewish state. A U.N.-sponsored armistice ended the war on March 10, 1949. In the aftermath of the war, approximately 700,000 … Continue reading The Dead Sister | Book Review

Ten Years Gone | Book Review


Ten Years Gone brings together three things I love: Israel, mystery, and sequels. It is the first of four novels by Jonathan Dunsky featuring Adam Lapid, a private detective in post-Independence Tel Aviv. (By first, I mean that the events it narrates come first in the series. It was actually written third.) Having completed it, I’m already on to the next novel, The Dead Sister. Lapid was a Jewish police detective in Hungary before World War II. His wife and children didn’t survive Auschwitz, but he did. After the Allies liberated Buchenwald, he stayed in Europe for a time, hunting … Continue reading Ten Years Gone | Book Review

Is It Time to Quit Church? | Influence Podcast


In today’s episode, I talk to Chris Sonksen about his new book, Quit Church: Because Your Life Would Be Better If You Did, published by Baker Books. Sonksen believes too many American Christians take a “noncommittal, casual approach” to both God and the Church. By doing so, they miss out on the tremendous blessings God has for them. Quit Churchis about quitting nominal religion and practicing a vibrant faith. Chris Sonksen is pastor of South Hills Church, a multisite congregation in southern California; founder of Church Boom; author of When Your Church Feels Stuck; and an Assemblies of God minister. Continue reading Is It Time to Quit Church? | Influence Podcast