Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 383

The Five Deliverables of Small Groups

Last week, I wrote on the five myths of small groups. This week, I turn my attention to five deliverables of small groups. For a church to have transformational small groups, it must first recognize how its small groups will equip participants for the mission of God and the cause of Christ.

Today I examine how the activity of community within the context of small groups results in transformed lives.

Deliverable 1: Smaller communities deliver deeper friendships.

As our churches continue to grow larger, they must also grow smaller to connect people on a transformational level. We may not like to admit it, but we know when we are known, and we like it better that way. It has been said that our own name is the sweetest word in the world to us. Nothing is more personal and unique. Nothing gets a quicker or more emotional response.

For transformation to take place, we must know and invest in relationships with one another. By joining other Christians in small-group communities, believers can find the environment where life change can often occur most readily.

Deliverable 2: Smaller communities deliver accountability relationships.

The most valuable takeaway in a smaller community is the person sitting beside me. Our lives become a weekly narrative to one another of God’s faithfulness and our response. Connecting to a small group of friends means that we leave our halo at the door. The accountability living in a class or group helps us to live in the transformation brought about by Christ.

It might sound a bit strange, but the local church needs more provoking. We read, “And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24–25). In the KJV the word promote is translated “provoke,” which provides a more vivid picture. We like the word provoke because it feels a bit more aggressive . . . of course in a positive, Christian way. Our nature is to be a sinner and drift away from God and His purposes. We need a bit of positive provocation to keep us on path through the accountability of friends.

So small groups cannot be just another program provided to those interested in . . . small groups. Smaller communities must be part of a commitment to spur one another on in our Christian commitment.

Deliverable 3: Smaller communities deliver environments for spiritual growth.

Attraction may get someone in the front door of a church on Sunday morning. The unchurched, previously churched, and church shoppers are looking for excitement, energy, and creativity. Churches have never been better at producing solid Sunday morning environments. But relational connection and life transformation in small groups will move them beyond the spectator level.

Also, what attracts them into the front door will not translate into personal transformation even if they attend multiple times. Initially they may only feel comfortable enjoying and engaging at a distance, but something must make them more involved in the action. One visit a week or a few visits a month are less evasive with less results. The nature of a smaller group results in another connecting point. In most churches new attendees only see multiple layers of structure and little relational space. Connecting them to a small community is critical for their spiritual journey.

Deliverable 4: Smaller communities deliver maximum participation.

Even the normal size church (seventy-five on Sunday morning) is driven by its worship service and is limited in the number of people who can participate. Transformational small groups require more than just attendance. Attendees must take responsibility for the long-term functionality of the group. The more responsibilities can be distributed, the healthier the group becomes. We believe in small communities that give everyone a job. Prayer leaders, home hosts, greeters, communications leaders, facilitators, and community mission leaders are just a few job opportunities in a small group. Normally small-group jobs are simple and do not require knowledge or experience. The group belongs to the group. When we get maximum participation, we get maximum buy-in for people engaged in God’s mission. That matters.

People need to move from sitting in rows to sitting in circles. Sitting in rows you are watching someone else using their gifts. You are more a passive spectator than an active participant. Small groups help people move from sitting in rows to sitting in circles and from sitting in circles to going into the world.

Deliverable 5: Smaller communities deliver missional opportunities.

The small groups in your church must be more than social or study groups. If they are biblical communities, something else must happen. They must be filled with people who hold to a missionary mentality ready to engage in the mission of the church. Mission will provide the glue for the group.

The group and classes will serve to minister to the members. But to keep the members ever transforming to look like Jesus, they must be given the opportunity to help the community reflect the kingdom of God. The goal of a group must be the multiplication of disciples for Jesus.

What is your small group delivering? Are you producing true disciples? Are you provoking one another to good deeds?

Adapted from Transformational Church (2010, B&H Publishing Group)

Seven Types of People Who Surround Leaders

So much about leadership boils down to the people who surround leaders. That is why one of the most important decisions a leader makes is to determine, to use Jim Collins’ terminology, who is on the bus and who is off the bus.

Some people drain the leader of his or her emotional resources. Others are hardly noticeable, while some actually energize the leader. One of the leader’s primary tasks is to find those people who energize him and contribute positively to the organization. Certainly the success of an organization depends heavily upon the leader. But one of the ultimate tests is how well he builds his team, those people that surround him.

I have categorized those people into seven categories. Each group has a name you will likely recognize.

1. Eeyores. Like the fictional donkey in Winnie-the-Pooh, the eeyores who surround you are pessimistic, gloomy, and often depressed. What is really scary about eeyores is that their gloomy outlook often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

2. Gasbags. These persons are never at a loss for words. To the contrary, they often don’t know when to shut up. And their words rarely contribute to a meaningful discussion. Gasbags can have energetic and entertaining personalities, but they typically do not execute well. Gasbags love meetings.

3. Logbumps. At the other end of the vocal spectrum, logbumps hardly ever make a voiced contribution. They are typically uncomfortable when someone asks their opinion. When they are forced to speak, it becomes obvious why they are logbumps. They really have nothing meaningful to say.

4. Spongebobs. This group of persons has one major motive: look out for number one. They are sponges, totally self-absorbed. Any contribution they make is done so with one eye looking out for themselves. A significant amount of their conversations inform others about how great they are, and how they are making such a wonderful difference in this world.

5. Butterups. Sometimes those in this group are better known for their less flattering name, posteriorpuckers. They are all about telling the leader how great he or she is. They are true sycophants. Some leaders actually enjoy butterups. Those leaders are not very effective.

6. Butwhats. The butwhats are first cousins to the eeyores. They see the glass half empty. They are constantly looking at the downside. When an opportunity is presented, they ask: “But what if something goes wrong?” or “But what if we don’t meet our expectations?” or “But what if the economy goes sour?” The butwhats see a problem in every solution.

7. Paladins. The paladins, named after the great warriors of Charlemagne’s court, find a way to get things done. They confront reality with a positive and determined attitude. They don’t shrink when circumstances go sour. They do, however, find a way to move beyond the negative circumstances. The butwhats see a problem in every solution; the paladins see a solution in every problem.

Your leadership success is determined by a number of factors, not the least of which is those people who surround you. Do those around you energize you or drain you? Do they get the job done, or do they offer excuses? Are they interested in the good of the organization or is it all about them?

What types of people surround you? What categories have I missed?

Pastors: You Need To Grow Too!

by Dr. Eric Mason

Being a pastor can be one of the most enjoyable and fruitful roles to play in the scheme of God’s redemptive story. Not only do you get to see lives transformed by Christ (Col 1:28), but you also get to be an active part of seeing that process and relationship move forward. It is this growth toward being more like Christ that drives what we do. We’re driven to see the church grow, people grow, and gospel opportunities grow. However, if we’re not careful, the most important area of growth can become neglected, our own spiritual growth.

Howard Hendricks used to tell us that in seminary we would learn more than most people will ever know about God and the scriptures. And yet, that knowledge doesn’t always lead to passionate growth. Far too often our passion to grow everything else is stronger than it is to grow our own souls.

Paul understood this tendency and the dangers it presented to the lives of spiritual leaders and pastors. He tells Timothy his young protégé in 1 Timothy 4:16, “Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers” (HCSB). There is an alluring temptation to allow the external execution of ministry to far exceed that of our spiritual and physical health. It seems that Paul is stating that when you’re vigilant with your spiritual health and consistently submitting to God’s Word and leading, the external growth will follow. The ability to do this well reflects a deep sense of trust.

As we achieve success, it becomes easy to misplace the source of that success. The better we do, the better we think we are. When we focus on our spiritual growth, we are reminded and connected to the One who is powering the growth. Christ’s work on our behalf and then His working through us personally is the fuel for our whole life. In John 15:5, Jesus states, “you can do nothing without ME.” From a biblical and theological standpoint we all amen this statement. But in reality at some point in our journey, as the Lord blesses our ministry, we begin to equate God’s using us as Him needing us. Then it is only a short step until we begin believing the hype about ourselves.

Find your identity in Jesus not your gifts and ministry.

Easier said than done right? The Bible teaches that we are God’s workmanship through what Christ has done for us. Adding value to what God in Christ has already placed value displays our lack of satisfaction in His work.

Prioritize life from the inside out.

Build where the Bible teaches us to build. Start with your personal spiritual life. If this ever loses its place as your first priority, the other areas will suffer. Family comes next. Do not neglect to build a healthy family life in order to build your ministry. Failure in the first outweighs any success in the other. Your ministry is third.

Jesus teaches this order in John 15. Paul does the same in Ephesians, and Peter applies it in 2 Peter 1. Chances are this is worth paying attention to.

Synchronize or separate message preparation and personal devotion.

Many ministers have differing opinions about how this plays out, but the important thing to remember is not to allow your sermon prep to become your sole personal time with God. Never neglect your personal time with the King. For me, I struggle with trying to synchronize them. While some sermon prep crosses over, I like to have something else that I am working through for personal growth. At times they collide in a good way so that my preaching is sifted through how I have experienced the Lord personally in the text. These moments are great, but they only happen for me when I am studying personally and prepping separately.

Varying your reading genres.

It can be easy to focus all your reading attention on church development/growth, dense theological works, or even missional frameworks. The problem is that God and His Word can become abstract and His people objects. Reading books that help direct theology heart-ward helps us process the information in ways that promote loving Him and His people better. It is also okay to mix in reading for pleasure as well. Don’t allow the pressures of the job to remove the areas of your life that you enjoy and find creativity in.

Eric Mason resides in Philadelphia with His wife (Yvette) and two sons (Immanuel and Nehemiah). Dr. Mason is the co-founder and lead pastor of Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia, PA. In addition, to his role at Epiphany Fellowship he serves as president of Thriving, a ministry dedicated to aiding ethnic minorities to be resourced and trained for ministry to the urban context. He has also contributed to multiple publications to service the body of Christ. Dr. Mason is known for articulating and proclaiming the gospel with clarity, passion, and authority at churches and conferences nationally. He received his Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM 2000) as well as a doctorate degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (DMin, May 2007).

Pastor to Pastor is the Saturday blog series at ThomRainer.com. Pastors and staff, if we can help in any way, contact Steve Drake, our director of pastoral relations, at Steve.Drake@LifeWay.com. We also welcome contacts from laypersons in churches asking questions about pastors, churches, or the pastor search process.

Friday is for Freebies: HCSB Study Bible

My giveaway this Friday is the black, genuine leather version of the HCSB Study Bible. The unique, full-color design and format are the direct result of a nationwide research project. The result is a visual Bible that's comprehensive, easy to read, and easy to use, with features and formats specifically designed to enhance your Bible study experience. You can also go to MyStudyBible.com and dive right in for a complete digital experience.

This Bible has a retail price of $79.99 and features 15,000 study notes, 290 Hebrew and Greek word studies, 66 highly detailed book introductions, 62 maps, 27 topical articles, 20 charts, and 18 illustrations, all focusing on the most important topics and questions in Bible study.

To be eligible to win, tell us what Bible verse has impacted you most this year.

The deadline to enter is Saturday night at midnight.

While you're here, don't forget to vote for my new book cover and enter to win a $250 gift card.

Notable Voices (June 7, 2012)

A Letter to the Church -- Billy Graham

B&H Publishing Group just released the Mission of God Study Bible, a new resourced focused on highlighting the missional thread found in Scripture. Included in the resource are essays from leading pastors and evangelical leaders as well as a series of open letters from modern-day faith heroes. Ed Stetzer is featuring them weekly on his site, and this week's entry is from none other than Billy Graham.

Five Tips for Your First Job -- Harvard Business Review

With nearly 5,000 employees across the organization, LifeWay is constantly hiring new employees. And as you can imagine with such a large company, those first few days can be a bit overwhelming. In fact, regardless of the size of an organization, any new job can be overwhelming. These five tips from the Harvard Business Review will really aid in new employee assimilation.

25 Insightful Quotes About Fatherhood from All Pro Dad -- Paul Steinbrueck

We were blessed to host Mark Merrill, author of All Pro Dad, as our guest speaker for LifeWay chapel yesterday. I'm thankful for Mark and his ministry to men and families across the nation. This list of quotes will give you a good taste of what's in his latest book.

Four Disciplines For Leading with Clarity -- Will Mancini

One of the most important factors in success is clarity of vision, and I've written extensively about clarity in both Simple Church and Simple Life. Will examines Patrick Lencioni's latest book The Advantage and shows the connection between clarity and healthy leadership.

Eight Characteristics of Great Teammates -- Brad Lomenick

I am a strong proponent of effective teams in ministry and business. However, the key to any team is having the right teammates. Brad's list covers eight essentials you need in your team members to build an effective team.

Choose the Cover of My Next Book and Win a $250 Gift Card

I am excited about the Spring 2013 release of my next book, I Am a Church Member. The book will be a brief six-chapter treatment about the attitudes and responsibilities of church membership. It is designed for new members and current members. The book also includes study questions for those who desire to have six study lessons. You can read the post which forms the foundation for the book here.

We need you to help us choose the book cover. Below are several choices. Here’s how you can help us the most:

Select your favorite cover and click on the "Vote" button at the bottom of the post
In the comment section, tell us why you like the cover you voted for
Tell us as much about yourself as you feel comfortable (age, gender, role in church, etc.).
Feel free to make other recommendations and comments.

We will choose the most helpful comments and draw a winner from the finalists. The winner will get a $250 LifeWay gift card that can be used at any LifeWay store or at LifeWay.com. We may give away more than one gift card if the participation is strong.

Now it’s up to you. We will accept entries through midnight CDT on Sunday, June 10, and announce the winner at this blog on Monday morning, June 11.

Thanks for the help!

The Five Myths about Small-Groups

Discipleship is a hot topic within the local church right now. This is a good thing since it's an essential component of the Great Commission. Making disciples is one of the primary functions of the church as well as one of the most important measurements of church health.

Discipleship manifests itself in the local church most often through small groups. But building effective small groups takes a lot of work, and can be difficult to implement. They often struggle to be successful and transformational because of wrong expectations, beliefs, or myths about how they work best.

Myth 1: Your current small-group configuration is permanent.

Jesus’ small-group configuration was for about three years. Proof texting you might say? I don’t think so. How important was this small group to God’s plan? Our current small groups are direct descendents from that first one. The one method of a group represented by Jesus and the apostles would not be constituted as the killer app. But the group was a critical component. More was coming.

Notice also, much was going on in the discussions. All the discussions of the disciples did not happen while the facilitator (Jesus) was in the room.

The configuration and context changed after the Lord’s ascension. New clusters developed. New people were introduced into the groups. A transformational group is one that adjusts as needed to encourage growth of the group and growth in the members of the group. Just as you rearrange the furniture in the house to accommodate changes in life, a group adjusts to accommodate changes in the community or church.

Myth 2: Small-group meeting locations are limited to church facilities or member homes.

If small groups are transformational, the math is simple: More Groups = More Life Change.

So here are a couple of key questions: What are some other places for small groups? How can you help facilitate them? How can you celebrate them? Small groups can gather at work, school, coffee shops, health clubs, or under a tree somewhere.

A practical question is, Where are small groups already naturally meeting? Service and leadership teams are one example. They gather in or around your church facility to take care of church responsibilities. With unlimited possibilities for the time and place of small-group community, your church can leverage every meeting for life change.

Myth 3: Your facilitator must be a highly trained spiritual superstar.

Having a group of excellent teachers is good. But more than any other trait, small-group facilitators and Sunday School leaders need love for the people if you want to have transformational small groups. They need communication, resources, and encouragement. But they must, above all else, love God and His work in people.

If you place the standard for teaching skills too high, it can be counterproductive to your small-group structure. It can limit how many groups you can multiply. The goal of “excellent teaching” should be replaced with “effective teaching.” Excellent teaching is characterized through teacher led and dominated class experience. Effective teaching is based upon taking class participants from where they are presently to a preferred future.

Setting the standard for teaching skills too high will cause members to choose groups based on the leader. The dark side of recruiting only superstar leaders is reinforcing a celebrity-obsession mentality in the church. Our small communities ought to be consumed with seeing all lives changed, not personal entertainment by an astounding lesson week after week. When people choose attending a particular group solely because of the leader, it builds unhealthy competition between the groups and suppresses the missional impulse for multiplication. After all, who wants to go start over in a new group when Superman Stan is our teacher?

I'm not advocating throwing out all standards for small-group leaders. But I am asking you to think about where to set the bar that communicates the reason for pursuing community in the body of Christ.

Myth 4: Small-group organization must be complex.

Simple is the word of the day. In fact, I have written two books on the subject, Simple Church and Simple Life. If we want more groups and even a transforming movement of small groups throughout our community, then we will make things simple. Many of the reasons for simple have already been given in this current list of myths.

The small-group system must not become so rigid that it is unchangeable. I've both served effective churches with small groups and traditional Sunday School as our small-community delivery system. The complexity (which can be avoided) comes when the same leaders, in the same rooms, with mostly the same participants, spend extended time together. The lack of focus on a simple system that is easily reproducible results in a self-centered system that becomes inflexible over time.

Myth 5: Only pastors are qualified to administer pastoral care.

As a church begins to grow, the paid staff is unable to keep pace with pastoral care needs. But people still need to be touched with grace, mercy, and sometimes admonished in their Christian walk. Unfortunately, many churches have adopted a clergification model of ministry. They consider missionaries the supremely spiritual people who go to far-flung places to preach. Pastors and staff are next, and they are paid to do the local ministry. Then there’s the rest of us who “pay, pray, and get out of the way.” The only problem—this is not a biblical system.

Churches practicing transformational community expect that ministry can occur even when a person with “Reverend” before their name is not present. God knew we would all need a form of pastoral care, and so He formed the body of Christ with the necessary gifts and abilities to share His grace from one person to another. No professional degree required. Transformational small groups are alive with ministry to one another.

What are the challenges you face in your small groups? What have you tried that was successful?

Adapted from Transformational Church (2010, B&H Publishing Group)

Five Tests to See If You Are a Great Plan B Leader

I was a starter on a state champion high school basketball team.

After you read that opening sentence, you may have had one of two reactions. If you don’t know me well, you could assume that I was bragging, that my massive ego recalls my accomplishments that are nearly four decades old.

If you do know me, you would see that first statement as incredulous. After all, I can’t jump, never could. I can’t shoot, never could. And, to put it in the least painful way, my physical physique is the opposite of tall and lean.

You see our championship team won the state “B” team finals when I was a sophomore. Such teams are more nobly called junior varsity today. I was on a team of guys that couldn’t make the varsity “A” team.

But we did win a state championship. And we were undefeated. And I did get the individual award for the most tackles on the basketball court in a season.

Think about that previous sentence sports fans.

The Leadership Aversion to “B”

Strong leaders don’t like the “B” concept. We want to make a grade of “A.” We want “A” players on our team. We demand “A” quality work. Anything below that mythical “A” is just not acceptable.

But sometimes we must deal with “B” plans. Plan A didn’t work because we don’t have the resources. Or perhaps our first choice is not feasible because of either internal or external political realities. Similarly, it is not unusual to see Plan A delayed or defeated because our plan conflicts with someone else’s plan. So their plan trumps ours.

What kind of leader are we when we are confronted with Plan B?

The Greatness of Plan B Leaders: Five Tests

It’s not that difficult to lead when everything goes your way. As long as we get our way, get the level of resources we want, and don’t have any opposition or counter plans to ours, we can lead smoothly. Leadership in the fantasy world of Plan A is a piece of cake.

But true leaders are made and tested in the Plan B world. How do you lead when you don’t get all you need? How do you move forward when significant roadblocks impede the progress you dreamed of making? What do you do if the world as you know it changes so much that you have to start over with your leadership plans?

The best leaders today are leading in that Plan B world, a world that is tumultuous, ever changing, and limited in resources. Look at the five questions below. They will give you a good idea if you are a great Plan B leader. And if you’re not, they might point to some ways to move in that direction.

Do you have the right attitude when Plan A fails? Or do you pout? Do you give up leading? Do you complain about how others are messing up your plans? Some of the greatest leaders our world has known were tested and proven worthy when they led in a Plan B world. Do you see roadblocks as opportunities? Some of the greatest discoveries were made in the aftermath of a failure. Some of the greatest companies were birthed after others failed. Some of the greatest accomplishments were made because new plans had to be devised due to a perceived lack of resources. Do you encourage others when Plan A fails? Followers look to their leaders when something does not go just the way everyone had hoped. Do they see hope or encouragement from us? Or do they see defeat and despair? Can you make paradigmatic shifts? I love the Apollo 13 story. Three guys were headed to the moon on April 11, 1970. Their great plans failed when an oxygen tank exploded two days later, crippling the service module. The crew had limited power, loss of cabin heat, shortage of potable water, and a system that couldn’t remove carbon dioxide. The leaders of the ground crew, along with the flight crew, were told to “work the problem.” They had to create something out of seemingly nothing. They couldn’t look at their challenges as they did just 48 hours earlier. In order to save lives, everyone involved had to see the challenge from a new paradigm. Great plan B leaders seek and embrace new paradigms. Do you find joy in your leadership that rises above circumstances? Life is a gift. Leading others and organizations is a gift as well. Certainly, plans will sometimes fail, and circumstances won’t always go our way. Can we find joy in all circumstances? Others will see that joy in us and be inspired to persevere and, ultimately, seize the victory.

Challenging Times, Great Leaders

Though it is cliché, great leaders do rise in tough times. No one doubts the complexity of the world we live. No one doubts the reality of the rapid pace of change. No one doubts the challenges.

It is in these times that we will see some of the greatest demonstrations of leadership. Plan A may be the preferred path for most of us. But Plan B leadership will tell the story of the true leaders among us.

Five Secrets Pastors Refuse to Tell

By their very nature, pastors are a confidential lot. They counsel numbers of people who share their deepest secrets and problems. They know things about families that could hurt and embarrass them if they shared information freely. So pastors tend to keep secrets and confidential information well. In most cases, you can feel comfortable that your confidence will not be breached when you talk to a pastor.

But most people don’t realize pastors have their own secrets. These spiritual leaders refuse to share their thoughts or pains for fear that their own ministries will be damaged.

So they keep the secrets.

And they hold the pain to themselves.

As I have spoken to pastors across the land, many have confided in me their hurts and secrets. I don’t think they would mind that I share these secrets with you, as long as I don’t identify them with any one pastor by name.

“My marriage is struggling.”
Pastors are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Oftentimes family meals are interrupted by a call. A planned date with a wife is put on hold because of an emergency related to a church member. Pastors’ wives sometimes wonder if their husbands are married to them or to the church. Resentment and marital fights are not uncommon.
“I fear my kids will grow up hating the church.”
One pastor told me in tears the story of a church member criticizing the pastor’s wife to the pastor in front of his 12-year-old son. The young boy went home insisting he hated the church and never wanted to return. Children are often exposed to the dark side of church life. Pastors worry that they won’t recover.
“I let a handful of critics control me.”
These pastors wish the squeaky wheel didn’t always get oiled, but such is the reality in many churches. “If I ignore them (the critics), “ one pastor told me, “they will make life miserable for me and my family. Sometimes it’s just best to give them their way.”
“I often have anger toward the supportive church members who don’t defend me to my critics.”
“It’s not my critics who bother me personally,” the pastor shared with me. “It’s the so-called supportive members who refuse to come to my defense when I’m attacked by a critic. Going into a business meeting, one of these supporters told me how much he loved me, and how he would always have my back. Fifteen minutes later, I’m being castigated by three members who hardly ever attend church. What does my supporter do or say? Absolutely nothing. That’s what really hurts.”
“I’ve thought about quitting several times.”
These pastors are truly called men of God. They really do love their congregations. Most of them will endure the criticisms aimed at them personally. But when supportive members really don’t support them, or when family members are hurt, many pastors think about quitting. “Only one thing has stopped me from quitting,” the pastor said. “It’s the call of God. That’s what keeps me hanging on.”

Through this blog and through other venues, I intend to do everything I can in God’s power to be the pastor’s advocate. The pastorate is one of the toughest jobs in the world. Indeed, it’s an impossible job in human power alone.

Pastors, how can we best help you? Church members, what can we do to be the best pastor advocate possible?

Pastor to Pastor is the Saturday blog series at ThomRainer.com. Pastors and staff, if we can help in any way, contact Steve Drake, our director of pastoral relations, at Steve.Drake@LifeWay.com . We also welcome contacts from laypersons in churches asking questions about pastors, churches, or the pastor search process.

Friday is for Freebies: Transformational Discipleship

My giveaway this Friday is a three-pack of books related to the Transformational Church initiative. The package includes Transformational Church, which I coauthored with Ed Stetzer, and a pair of new resources devoted to discipleship— Transformational Discipleship and the Transformational Discipleship DVD.

The goal of the Transformational Discipleship to define how people really grow in Christ. It does not provide a magic formula. But it does offer a combination of biblical understanding, solid research, and the experience of churches and individuals who have wholeheartedly answered the call of Jesus to be and make disciples. This is a reliable guide for church leaders and members to practice the intentional efforts needed to foster an entire culture in which people grow in Christian faith.

Since summer is upon us, to be entered to win, tell us where you are headed (or wish you were headed) for vacation this summer.

The deadline to enter is Saturday evening at midnight.