Recommended Reading
Feature Book:
Kingdom Culture: Growing the Missional Church, by our lead pastor, Phil Wagler. Click here.
What our leaders are reading these days ... with comments on what they are gaining ...
Phil Wagler: Micah and Jeremiah. Transforming Mission - David Bosch "I like it because it's giving me a window into God's work through the church and the stumbling ways in which God's people have sought to be faithful." Also - Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life by Robert D. Lupton. Seduced By Hitler: The Choices of a Nation and the Ethics of Survival by Adam Lebor and Roger Boyes.
Tim Doherty: Jeremiah. Romans. Just finished DA Carson's Becoming Conversant with the Emergent Church - an amazing look into issues much broader than a specific movement of churches (of which we are not a part) and into modernism and postmodernism's influence on culture and on the church's theology. Now reading Finding Darwin's God by Kenneth Miller, to grow in staying in the conversation with many friends in these days. Also reading Prisoners of the North by Pierre Berton.
Tom Roes: Hebrews. Nehemiah. Hold On To Your Kids - Why Parents Need To Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld and Gobor Mate [this should be required reading for all parents no matter what stage their kids are at]. Also The Reason For God - Tim Keller. Organic Leadership - Neil Cole
Dianne Loerchner: Deuteronomy. Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson and just finished The Deliberate Church by Mark Dever and Paul Alexander.
Linda Hendrick: Just finished Confessions from an Honest Wife - by Sarah Zacharias Davis on "the mess, mystery and miracle of marriage". It is 20 personal reflections of the trials of marriage and the difference between expectation and reality. It addresses the biblical vision for marriage and the work it takes to make your marriage as God intended. Also reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan - A study of the Holy Spirit and our need to understand how God indwells in us. Lots of biblical references and prayer breaks to really impact your relationship with the triune God. I highly recommend it. Short read only 185 pages.
Carol Steckle: Silent God - Joseph Bentz. "Bentz warns us of how the noises of life can drown out the whispers of God. He gives us practical wisdom on reshaping our lives so we can hear God and achieve deeper intimacy with Him." Also reading Kingdom Culture - Phil Wagler
D'Arcy Martin: Romans. Little Keys Open Big Doors - Rachel Hickson, The Destiny of Islam in the Endtimes - Faisal Malick. The Reason for God - Timothy Keller
Brian Steckle: Don't Waste Your Life - John Piper, The Forgotten Ways - Alan Hirsch
Bonnie Steckle : The Forgotten Ways -Alan Hirsch, Sacred Chaos - Tricia McCary Rhodes
Joel Siebert: Bible. Creative Ministry - Henri Nouwen. Hidden in Plain Sight - Mark Buchanan. Discover Magazine. Mental Floss
Melanie Siebert: Irresistible Revolution - Shane Claiborne. The Love Dare - Hendricks. Body and Soul Magazine.
Monica Doherty: The Bible - Luke and 1 Corinthians. The Love Dare - Stephen Kendrick & Alex Kendrick "A 40 day commitment to love your spouse based on God's definition of love".
Good reads: in our opinion these are classics and emerging classics.
(we recommend searching for these titles at http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/ or http://www.amazon.ca/ to read more about these books. Or contact the Kingsfield office if you'd like to arrange to borrow a copy of a book.
Maturing
the Bible
Becoming Conversant with the Emergent Church - DA Carson (understanding modernism and postmodernism's influences on culture and the church's theology)
The Call - Os Guiness (a landmark work on understanding who we are and what God has personally called us to)
Celebration of Discipline - Richard Foster
The Cost of Discipleship - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Discover Who You Are (LifeKeys) - Kise, Stark and Hirsch (discovering who we are in Christ [gifting, calling])
How to Read the Bible for all Its Worth - Gordon Fee, Douglas Stuart
the Leadership Challenge - Kouzes & Posner (a solid and comprehensive look at leadership from a 'what works in the real world' view)
Life Together - Dietrich Bonhoeffer (a classic look into the shared life of brothers and sisters in Christ)
Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis (a landmark explanation of the faith)
My Utmost for His Highest - Oswald Chambers (an excellent daily devotional)
The Practice of the Presence of God - Brother Lawrence
The Pursuit of God - A.W. Tozer
Renovation of the Heart - Dallas Willard
The Revolutionary Communicator - Medefind & Lokkesmoe (learning from the greatest communicator who ever lived, Jesus Christ, and how communicating like Him will transform relationships and leadership. An enjoyable read.
Simply Christian - NT Wright
The Spirit of the Disciplines - Dallas Willard
Spiritual Leadership - Oswald Sanders
Your God is Too Safe - Mark Buchanan
Visioneering - Andy Stanley
Mission
the Bible
Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller (understanding today's thinking, and spiritual conversation in our day)
The Body - Charles Colson
ChurchNext - Eddie Gibbs
The Emotionally Healthy Church - Peter Scazzero
Experiencing God - Henry Blackaby
Everything Must Change - Brian McLaren
Kingdom Culture - Phil Wagler
Martyrs Mirror
The Reason for God - Belief in an Age of Skepticism - Tim Keller
Searching for God Knows What - Donald Miller
The Wounded Healer - Henri Nouwen (a deeply insightful look into the nature of people, and the nature of Christian leadership in our day)
Multiplication
the Bible
Houses That Change the World - Wolfgang Simson
Organic Church - Neil Cole
Exiles - Michael Frost
The Forgotten Ways - Alan Hirsch
The History of Christianity - Tim Dowley