Tag: Nelson Searcy

Book ReviewsLeave a comment

Stewardship Leads to Financial Peace, But Generosity Is Only One Component of It: A Review of ‘The Generosity Ladder’ by Nelson Searcy

georgepwood

 Searcy, Nelson, and Jennifer Dykes Henson. 2010. The Generosity Ladder: Your Next Step to Financial Peace. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. Many Americans live with financial stress but long for financial peace. In The Generosity Ladder, Nelson Searcy offers practical, biblical advice for how to fulfill that longing. Searcy mentions sound financial practices such as getting out of debt, creating a budget, and living within one’s means (38, 76, 103–105). But he focuses on how to “live an openhanded life,” which is the essence of Jesus’ teachings about money and possessions (33). The openhanded life requires a paradigm shift: “your … Continue reading Stewardship Leads to Financial Peace, But Generosity Is Only One Component of It: A Review of ‘The Generosity Ladder’ by Nelson Searcy

Book ReviewsLeave a comment

Improving Your Church’s Ministry System: A Review of ‘Connect’ by Nelson Searcy

georgepwood

 Searcy, Nelson, and Jennifer Dykes Henson. 2012. Connect: How to Double Your Number of Volunteers. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. When it comes to a church’s volunteer ministries, the Pareto Principle seems to apply: 20 percent of church members do 80 percent of the work. This unbalanced ratio is both unbiblical, because all church members should be ministers, and inefficient, fostering burnout among the few and passivity and consumerism among the many. Pastors and other church leaders who teach every-member ministry have solved the first problem, but the second problem often goes unsolved (or badly solved) because they don’t have … Continue reading Improving Your Church’s Ministry System: A Review of ‘Connect’ by Nelson Searcy

Book ReviewsLeave a comment

Time, Talent, Treasure, Talk, and Testimony for the Benefit of Others: A Review of ‘The Greatness Principle’ by Nelson Searcy

georgepwood

 Searcy, Nelson. 2012. The Greatness Principle: Finding Singificance and Joy by Serving Others. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. “When you bless others, God blesses you.” That is how Nelson Searcy defines “The Greatness Principle.” At first glance, I worried that he was entering prosperity gospel territory, where our financial generosity becomes a quasi-legal obligation on God’s part to make us rich. But that is not Searcy’s point. Instead, building on Mark 9:33–35 and other New Testament passages, he encourages us to use our time, talent, treasure, talk, and testimony to benefit others. As we live out this multiform love for … Continue reading Time, Talent, Treasure, Talk, and Testimony for the Benefit of Others: A Review of ‘The Greatness Principle’ by Nelson Searcy