What I'm Reading

Even though you're probably not all that interested...

I thought I'd give you a quick rundown on some of the things that I've been reading over the past week or two, with some thoughts on each.

For Business:

1) Leading Congregational Change: A Practical Guide for the Transformational Journey
Jim Herrington, Mike Bonem, and James H. Furr


This book is a collection of principles for leadership during times of change in the life of the church, put together by members of the staff of the Union Baptist Association in Houston, Texas. It's a pretty good guide that provides a good model for leading the church to embrace a new vision for its future. I was particularly impressed with the emphasis on preparing the congregation spiritually for change. All around good read and good info.

2) Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God's Agenda
Henry and Richard Blackaby



Another one from the guys who brought you the popular Experiencing God study. This work focuses on the spiritual preparation of the change leader. Sprinkled in are some wise thoughts about the pitfalls of leadership. I was challenged in a few areas about my own leadership style, as well as being encouraged about some things that I may be doing right.

3)A Sense of Urgency
John P. Kotter



Kotter is highly regarded in corporate circles for his work in leadership. In this book, he invites leaders to develop a sense of urgency to move their organization forward. While the book is secular in nature, I found a number of parallels to the life of the church. What situations in our life move us to urgent action? Are we dominated by complacency? How can we move forward?

For Pleasure

1) The Once and Future King
T.H. White



Those of you that know me well know that I'm a sucker for nearly any kind of fantasy literature. Listening to Arthur's story being told from a thoroughly modern narrator is a real joy to me. The wit hits just the right notes, while the characters feel relatively approachable. Further, this book served as an inspiration for one of my favorite movies of all time The Sword in the Stone.

2)Nerds: Who They Are and Why We Need More of Them
Dr. David Anderegg



It's been an interesting read to this point. Anderegg makes the case that nerds are the last great class that we can openly get away with persecuting, particularly through childhood and adolescence. While I think that he may overstate the case just a little bit, I agree with him that our cultural obsession with being "cool" (i.e. not good at math or science) is harming our nation's long term ability to advance in those fields.

So, that's a quick overview of what I've been reading, here on N. Wintzell