tylerramsbey Christian Life, Ministry

Jesus and the Crowd

Jesus and the crowd

I hate large crowds.

Yup, I know that is pretty ironic since I am a pastor. I actually do not mind being up front speaking to a large crowd but I hate being in the middle of a bunch of people. What I REALLY hate is if there is a large crowd of people and they are all trying to get my attention. If there are more than a few people talking to me at once, I am bound to shut everyone out.

Thankfully, Jesus is not like me.

In Mark 6, Jesus’ spirit is crushed as he hears about John the Baptist being beheaded. In the same scene, his disciples return to him after a long, grueling day of ministry. In wisdom, Jesus instructs his disciples to go with him to a solitary place in order to find rest. Unfortunately, the crowd has keen eyesight and interrupts Jesus and his disciples while they are trying to rest and mourn in peace.

How would you respond?

I would be angry, impatient, frustrated, and overall disgusted by the crowd.

Let’s see how Jesus responds:

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” – Mark 6:34

Specifically Jesus…

  • SAW the crowd.
  • Had COMPASSION on the crowd.
  • And PROVIDED for the crowd.

I want to encourage you to view yourself in light of Jesus’ actions and allow the Holy Spirit to change you in the following three areas:

1. Slow down so you can truly see people.
Often, when I am interrupted by someone, I try to brush them off as quickly as possible. Instead of looking at the person as an image bearer of God, I see them as an annoying distraction. If the person is “needy” then I definitely try to steer clear of being in a conversation with them because I feel as if they will capitalize on my time.

Not so with Jesus.

In the midst of his grieving, Jesus SEES the crowd. He puts himself in their position and realizes they are like “sheep without a shepherd”. His intense love for people – ALL people – motivates him to see the crowd with love.

2. Seeing should become compassion.
It is one thing to slow down long enough to see people as beautiful image bearers – It’s another challenge to have compassion on them. Compassion is defined as, “concern for the sufferings of others.” All of us would claim we are compassionate people. Unfortunately, our actions betray our speech.

Having compassion for another person is a supernatural work. We are, by nature, selfish people. In order to TRULY have compassion for those who are suffering, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us see people through His eyes. Only when we gain God’s perspective can we have compassion on the crowd.

3. Compassion should become provision.
In this verse, we see that Jesus fed the crowds’ spiritually hungry souls through teaching them. A few verses later, we see that Jesus furnishes their appetites with physical food by multiplying bread and fish. One test on whether or not you are truly exercising compassion for others in your life is if you are willing to provide for them.

James, Jesus’ brother, explains this concept powerfully in James 2:15-16:
“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?”

What good is it, if you claim to be a compassionate person, if you do nothing to comfort those who are suffering?

Often the “interruptions” in your life are opportunities for you to be used in powerful ways by God. If you neglect to open your eyes to the hurting people around you and instead allow your heart to be filled with selfishness, you will NOT experience the abundant life Jesus promises. Ultimately, your time does not belong to you. Everything, including each minute of your day, is an undeserved gift from the sovereign hand of God.

When you are interrupted today by a hurting person, follow in the steps of Jesus: SEE them as an image bearer of God, have COMPASSION on them in their suffering, and PROVIDE for them in the midst of their neediness.

tylerramsbey Christian Life

The God of the Ordinary

God of the orindary

When we think about God, our minds naturally drift to extraordinary events and supernatural power. There is nothing bad about this. All throughout Scripture, we see the Lord of the universe bending natural laws to flood the world with His incredible love.

Many people are desperately hungry to experience a supernatural move from God. We buy conference tickets, attend megachurches, go on mission trips, and try everything we possibly can to “experience” Him. First of all, let me state that none of those are inherently wrong. Conferences are good, large churches are good, mission trips are good. The flawed thinking presents itself when we forget to look for God in the ordinariness of life.

If you want to catch a glimpse of the God who reigns above the universe, open your eyes to the God of the ordinary!

1. God is revealed in creation.
Ultimately, everything that is created points to the beauty of a creator. When you marvel at an incredible piece of music, you gain a sense of awe towards the artist. In the same way, as we behold the indescribable beauty of creation, our hearts should be moved to a place of worship towards the God who made all things.

King David reflects on this truth in Psalm 19:1-4
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the earth.”

As you feel the soft breeze wash over your face in the morning or gaze at the beauty of a sunset, let yourself be reminded of the Creator. Creation is the work of HIS hands and it is in these moments of awareness that we experience God. Take your eyes off your smart phone and look at the beautiful theater of life our God has placed around us!

2. God is revealed in people.
Scripture teaches that people are made in the very image of God for the purpose of reflecting his beauty and glory to the world. Every time you look into the eyes of a person, you are seeing someone whom God personally formed and knit together. When you experience the love of a spouse or the bond of a friendship, it is pointing to a greater love and stronger bond found in knowing God.

In C.S. Lewis’ classic book, The Weight of Glory, he puts it this way:
“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”

Take time in your day to actually SEE people. Contemplate on the fact that each person you come into contact with is a masterpiece formed by the Creator.

3. God is revealed in Scripture.
All of us yearn to hear God’s voice. Yet so often, our Bibles (if we have one) are covered with dust in the back of a neglected bookshelf. We often forget about one of the greatest gifts the Creator has endowed on His people. The Bible is a beautiful story of God’s love for sinful humanity.

Not only is the Bible a beautiful piece of literature, it is the Word of God. Scripture is not a lifeless, religious textbook. God presently speaks and encourages people through the power of His Word.

If you want to meet with the Creator, spend time on a daily basis soaking in the presence of His Spirit by meditating upon the Scriptures.

The God of the Universe desires to speak to us far more than we are willing to listen. I would encourage you to live each “ordinary” day with eyes wide open, catching glimpses of God in creation, people, and Scripture.

 

tylerramsbey Church Planting, Leadership, Vocational Ministry

Shepherd Your Wife

Shepherd Your Wife

Although this post is written for pastors, the principles can apply to all husbands.

The Church is facing an epidemic involving pastors who fail to shepherd their wives. As pastors, our natural tendency is to love our church and ignore our families. We would not actually say this but it is evident by our actions and work ethic.

Pastor, if your marriage falls apart you are disqualified from ministry.

Someone once asked a pastor of a growing church how he balanced the demands on his time between his wife and his congregation. The wise pastor answered, “You either have to cheat your wife or cheat your church.” If you decide to cheat your wife because you have a savior complex and want to feel “needed” at all times by your congregation, you are NOT qualified for ministry.

Your church can have a large number of different pastors; your wife only gets one husband.

Before you think I am being too harsh, I will be the first to admit that I am talking to myself as much as I am talking to you. I consistently fail in this area and am eternally grateful for God’s grace and the love of my wife in the midst of my imperfections.

Here are five practical ways to make your wife a priority in ministry:

1. Commit to your wife a certain amount of evenings at home.
One of the disadvantages of ministry is that your evenings can quickly fill up with meetings and appointments if you do not diligently guard your schedule. In order to visibly show my wife that she is more important to me than my ministry, I have committed to spending four nights every week at home and only break this when I truly have no other choice. If you spend more evenings at your church instead of at your home, you need to re-evaluate your priorities.

Although this post is focused on shepherding your wife, these evenings are priceless in the lives of your kids. If you want your kids to grow up in bitterness towards the church, spend all your time at the church. On the other hand, if you want your kids to have a love and commitment to the local church, be sure that your evenings are open for them!

2. Publicly state your commitment to your wife.
When Ashley and I launched the Garretson Campus of The Rescue Church, I knew I needed to guard my time. Unfortunately, this knowledge took awhile to become application in my life. In order to hold myself accountable (and be sure my church has realistic expectations of me), I tell members of my church that my wife is far more important to me than my ministry.

If you “succeed” as a pastor but fail as a husband, you are a failure. On the other hand, if you “fail” as a pastor but succeed as a husband, you are successful.

3. Have another man in your life that will hold you accountable.
I met with one of my mentors (who is also a pastor) this morning for breakfast and he shared profound wisdom with me in regard to accountability. He explained that if you are a pastor with no real accountability partner, it is only a matter of time until Satan destroys your ministry. As a pastor, you NEED another man in your life that will ask you specifically about your marriage and family on a regular basis. If you do not have an accountability partner, it is only a matter of time until you reach a point of emotionally abandoning your wife in pursuit of ministry.

4. Be willing to quit.
When I say that my church can have many different pastors but my wife only gets one husband, I truly mean it. If my ministry ever reaches a place where my wife truly feels neglected and abandoned because of it, I will quit. If you are married, God calls both you and your spouse into ministry. If you feel that you are called to be a pastor but your wife does not support your call then you need to wait for God’s timing. If you are already in ministry but your marriage is close to destruction, you NEED to quit and seek counseling.

DO NOT FAIL AS A HUSBAND AND “SUCCEED” AS A PASTOR! (I know I already said it but it is important enough to say again!)

5. Pray with your wife.
I know many pastors will skip over this one and simply assume they are. I will be the first to admit – I do not pray with my wife as regularly as I should. Matter of fact, it seems that I am more willing to pray with a new person after church than I am willing to pray with my beautiful bride and that is a shame. Spend time not only praying for your wife but praying WITH your wife. When you approach the throne of grace together as a couple, you allow the Holy Spirit to strengthen and sustain your marriage.

Satan hates your marriage and wants to destroy it. How are YOU going to make your wife a priority in ministry? Let me know by leaving a comment!

tylerramsbey Church Planting, Ministry, Vocational Ministry

Five Benefits of Multi-site Churches

multisitechurch

In this season of life, God has called me to be a Campus Pastor in an incredible church called The Rescue Church. The Rescue Church is a multi-site church which simply means we are one church that meets in multiple locations. Every Sunday morning, The Rescue Church meets in Garretson, SD; Flandreau, SD; Colman, SD; Deeside, Jamaica; and Online.

Our vision is to plant healthy campuses in small communities that otherwise lack a strong evangelical presence. Multi-site churches are gaining in popularity all over the world but it is still a brand new concept in rural communities. Because of this, I am asked repeatedly why we begin campuses instead of planting autonomous churches (which I believe should be both/and not either/or!)

Since I pastor in a multi-site church, I want to share with you five benefits I have personally experienced:

1. An incredibly strong support network.
In October of 2015, my wife and I launched The Rescue Church in Garretson, SD. I honestly do not think we would still be around if it was not for the encouragement and wisdom shared by the other campuses. We have an incredible support network since we are part of a larger church.

When it comes to rural churches, pastors tend to suffer from crippling isolation and loneliness. As a multi-site pastor, I meet with the other pastors of The Rescue Church at least twice every week. In these meetings we are able to encourage and pray for one another as we strive to be faithful pastors in our congregations.

2. The ability to reach more people.
Statistically, new churches/campuses reach more non-Christians than established churches (Enrichment Journal). A very high percentage of those in the Garretson Campus are people who recently committed their lives to Jesus. It has been incredible to see the different lives God has impacted through our ministry.

One of the best ways to reach lost people is through church planting. Being part of a multi-site church allows you to plant new campuses of an existing church. This greatly increases the effectiveness and fruitfulness of the campus since it is already part of a healthy church structure.

3. The opportunity to truly shepherd people.
As a campus pastor, I am paid a very part-time salary from the church. The majority of rural churches are not able to provide a pastor with a full-time salary. Since I am not the primary teaching pastor, I am able to devote the majority of my time to actually being a shepherd. I can use my time to be involved in the community, disciple new believers, evangelize the lost, and fulfill my ministry in a multitude of ways outside of the church office!

4. Growing larger by growing smaller.
A multi-site church allows you to have the benefits of a larger church with the close community of a small church. Many people, especially in rural communities, prefer the feel of a smaller church over a very large church. Both have advantages and disadvantages but multi-site allows you to capitalize on the benefits of a large church while retaining the community of a small church.

5. Intentional leadership development.
Unfortunately, leadership development is something that is lacking in many churches. Since multi-site churches are focused on launching new campuses on a regular basis, they are forced to develop leaders. At The Rescue Church, we are intentionally looking for people to develop into qualified and competent leaders. This means raising up young people and shaping them to lead churches!

Have you ever attended or worked in a multi-site church? What are some of the advantages you have experienced? Let me know by leaving a comment!

tylerramsbey Christian Life

Walk With the Wise

walkwithwise

We are currently in a series called #WISDOM at The Rescue Church. We are using this series to study the remarkable book of Proverbs. Proverbs was written by the wisest man who has ever lived (next to Jesus), named King Solomon. Proverbs consists of short phrases with profound meaning – similar to a Twitter feed!

This past week, Chase Riber preached on Proverbs 13:20:
“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

If you show me your friends, I can show you your future! Who you allow into the inner circle of your life matters. Chase broke this down by asking if you have the right THEY around you. If you want to walk with the wise, you should find the following characteristics in those closest to you –

THEY are TOUGH (Prov. 17:17; 27:17)
The people in your life MUST be tough in multiple ways. First of all, they need to be able to walk with you through tough times. All of us have seasons in life when we experience profound anguish. Some call this the dark night of the soul, others simply called it the wall. You will reach a point in your life (multiple times for most of us) that you are utterly broken and you feel as if God has abandoned you. This has been the experience of saints throughout the centuries.

You NEED friends who are tough enough to endure these dark times.

Second, your friends need to be tough WITH you. They need to have the courage and ability to hold you accountable to Scripture. All of us are blind at times to our own sin and hypocrisy, following in the steps of the Pharisees. In order to grow in holiness and purity, we need friends who are not afraid to call us out in our blindness.

THEY are HONEST (Eph. 4:25)
Those closest to you need to walk in honesty and integrity. If you are surrounding yourself with people who consistently lie, exaggerate, and puff themselves up – You WILL follow suit. Your close friends need to be honest with you, in regards to YOUR sin and their OWN sin.

Our natural tendency is to shroud ourselves in secrecy. Our anger flares up any time we feel our privacy is threatened. If you want to walk with the wise, you need to sacrifice this impulse. Your life needs to be opened up in order for God to use your friends to sanctify you.

THEY are ENCOURAGING (Heb. 3:13; 10:24)
The majority of people are overwhelmed with a constant stream of negativity. Many of our own thoughts consist of condemnation and judgment. Our self-talk is a barrage of remarks we say to ourselves that would be considered slander if we spoke them out loud to other people. Satan uses our cynical thoughts in an attempt to deceive us about our true identity in Christ.

Your friends need to encourage you with their words, actions, and conduct! The power of LIFE and DEATH is in the tongue; are your friends speaking life into you or death? Your friends have profound influence over your outlook of life – Choose friends who will use this incredible ability for your encouragement!

THEY are YIELDED (Matt. 22:37; 1 Cor. 11:1)
This is by far the most importance characteristic that should be evident in your friends’ lives. The lives of your THEY should be ones that yield in humility to the God of the universe. The lives of your friends should be in submission to God’s authority.

If your friends are in a constant state of rebellion towards God, you will follow them into rejecting Him for all eternity.

All of the other characteristics – toughness, encouraging, and honesty – should be the fruit of a life yielded to God. Practically, they should be exercising these practical steps for spiritual growth on a regular basis. If those closest to you are yielding to God, YOU will become wise.

T.H.E.Y = TOUGH, HONEST, ENCOURAGING, YIELDED

What about you? Are YOU the right THEY in the lives of your friends? Do you display these characteristics? I believe all of us fall short in at least one of these areas. Personally, my unrelenting sarcasm causes me to fall short consistently when it comes to encouraging those around me.

What change do YOU need to make? Submit to the Word of God and begin today. 

tylerramsbey Blog Schedule

Coming Up!

comingup

The goal for http://www.tylerramsbey.com is to help you act justly, love faithfulness, and walk humbly with God. In order to do this, I strive to release three posts a week to encourage you in your faith. I fall short of this often and believe a schedule will allow me to steward my time more faithfully.

Each Friday, I will let you know what is coming up!

For next week, you can expect the following posts so be sure to check back often –

Walk With the Wise (Monday, July 13th)
You show me your friends and I will show you your future. I will be explaining the four characteristics that should be evident in the lives of those closest to you. This will be based off Chase Riber’s message this Sunday at The Rescue Church.

Pray For ‘Em (Wednesday, July 15th)
I will be releasing a brand new original song. This song is inspired by Jesus calling us to pray for those who hate and persecute us. I am in the process of writing and recording it this week and will be releasing it with the full lyrics for you to follow along with!

Holy Preparation (Thursday, July 16th)
In order for Sunday worship to bear fruit in your life, you need to prepare for it. Through the disciplines I will share, it will allow you to cultivate a heart of awe, obedience, and love as you gather with your church family on Sunday.

Coming Up! (Friday, July 17th)
This will give you an idea of what to expect the following week!

If you have a topic or a question you would like me to write about in upcoming weeks, I would love to hear from you!

tylerramsbey Christian Life, Ladder of Humility

Radical Honesty

radicalhonesty

If you have not read the first four posts in this series, be sure to read them below:
Ladder of Humility (Part One)
Ladder of Humility (Part Two)
Ladder of Humility (Part Three)
Ladder of Humility (Part Four)

Imagine this scenario: You are sitting in the waiting room of a hospital, looking over a magazine. As you look up, you see a man with a bloody stump where his arm use to be. The medical team rushes out to help him but he acts as if nothing is wrong. The blood is dripping onto the carpet but he hides all signs of pain or worry. He does not want to make others uncomfortable and refuses to seek help because of pride.

Friends, this is a picture of our churches every Sunday morning.

We shroud ourselves in secrecy – even to our own families.

The church is to be a place of radical honesty. A place where people freely confess their sins, weaknesses, and brokenness to one another without fear of judgment. The local church is to be a sanctuary and hospital for sinners.

ladderofhumility

The fifth step on the Ladder of Humility is, “Radical honesty to others about your weaknesses/faults.” The church is to be counter-cultural. Unfortunately in this area we have been INFECTED by the culture instead of AFFECTING the culture. There needs to be a radical change in our hearts and minds; we must kill our pride and be honest about our shortcomings, sins, and weaknesses with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Paul describes this in Ephesians 4:15:
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

I see two points that Paul makes in this passage –

  1. Radical honesty must begin and end with love. Honesty should characterize our churches and lives because we love one another. Part of this love is accepting others despite their faults and shortcomings. We are to accept one another, even when we screw up, because God has accepted us in Christ Jesus when we DEFINITELY did not deserve it.
  2. Radical honesty will result in spiritual maturity. Many would agree the church in the west is far too shallow. We focus on numbers to the detriment of true spiritual growth. We are content as long the seats are full and the offering is strong each week. Radical honesty challenges our egotistical comfort because it molds us to look more like Jesus.

Remove your mask. I know it will be painful because pride dies hard. Pursue radical honesty in regards to your faults and weaknesses. Extend acceptance to others who are broken.

The Christian life is a journey and the church is to be a hospital where people come to find hope and healing.

You and I do NOT have it all together so let’s quit deceiving ourselves and come to the Great Shepherd with all of our brokenness and sin.

Why do YOU think it is so hard for people to be truly honest with one another? Leave a comment and let me know!

tylerramsbey Christian Life

How To Suffer Well

darknightofthesoul

In the midst of intense suffering, it is nearly impossible to keep our eyes on Jesus. Our prayer life begins to feel robotic and weak. Even when we are gathered together with our church, we feel distant from both God and others. Some refer to these times as the dark night of the soul.

Nearly two thousand years ago, an early follower named Peter wrote about this experience. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, he encourages us with the following words:

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of the Messiah, so that you may also rejoice with great joy at the revelation of His glory.” – 1 Peter 4:12-13

1. Expect Suffering.
Peter does not say IF the “fiery ordeal comes” but WHEN. If we do not properly prepare ourselves with a theology of suffering, we will be burned up and burned out by trials. There is a false teaching that has run rampant, especially in the western church. These so-called teachers twist Scripture and deceive believers by concluding that God will grant us lives free of suffering because He loves us. This teaching shows a complete disregard for the Word of God.

Friends, you and I suffer BECAUSE God loves us.

Intense times of trial and suffering are NOT unusual. It is something that comes upon every Christian. When you claim the name of Jesus, you receive a target on your back. There is an enemy of your soul who wants to see you destroyed. But take heart, the One who is in you is FAR GREATER than the enemy!

2. Suffering Will Test You.
Suffering rips away every illusion of control that we hold in our minds. It is easy for us to become dangerously comfortable with our lives. We check “religion” off our to-do list each morning as we read the Scriptures in a stale, lifeless fashion. We go to church once a week, sing a few songs, listen to someone teach, and believe we are growing in our faith.

Suffering will reveal to you whether or not your faith is genuine. I promise you that empty religion will not sustain your soul when darkness clouds your mind and emotions.

Yes, you will have doubts as you suffer. You may become angry at God. You will also feel as if God has abandoned you at times. Those are the godly reactions we read about in the Psalms – all of those are expected. Yet, if your faith is shaken to the core and you leave the experience concluding that God is neither good nor real, your belief in God is based on the quicksand of circumstances. As these circumstances change, your faith is either strengthened or demolished.

If this is where you are at, cry out to God for mercy, grace, and salvation. You CANNOT save yourself, regardless of how many religious duties you perform. Salvation is a supernatural work of God – He is the Author, Sustainer, and Perfecter.

3. Rejoice As You Suffer.
Easier said than done, right? Peter’s command for us to rejoice as we face the heart-wrenching effects of suffering makes absolutely no sense to our fleshly minds. Our rejoicing is deeply rooted with our sharing in the sufferings of Jesus. The greatest experience any human being can attain is fellowship with the Living God.

Suffering draws each one of us to the Garden of Gethsemane. Although there may be deep anguish, blood-soaked sweat, and loud cries, we are in the presence of a God who loves us.

Friends, we rejoice in the midst of suffering because there is NOTHING greater than experiencing God.

Paul, a leader of the early church, wrote a beautiful passage describing our pain. One look at Paul and you would see the visible scars where his flesh had been ripped out of his body repeatedly because of his faith. Paul had been ostracized by his community, rejected by the culture, and tortured by the government. Yet as Paul reflects on his life, he teaches us:

“Our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.” – 1 Cor. 4:17

Paul suffered far more than us. Yet, he describes his own anguish as momentary and light because he was viewing suffering through the lens of eternity. I can promise you that Paul does not regret even one trial he experienced because he knew that our trials cause us to await with eager expectation the coming of our Messiah.

Friends, expect to be tested by suffering. In the midst of the blinding pain, remember: It is not even worth comparing to the eternal weight of glory God has prepared for those He loves.

tylerramsbey Christian Life, Culture, Ministry, Pastor

No Ordinary Man

The-Story1
Hi everyone! I had the honor of teaching the Bible this past Sunday at The Rescue Church. We are currently going through a series called “The Story” and are taking an adventure through the entire Bible.

I taught on Chapter 24 – No Ordinary Man – and it was one of the favorite messages I have done so I wanted to share it with you!

Below are the notes.

The Story – Part 24
“No Ordinary Man”

  • Jesus is a Teacher. (Mark 4:1)
  • Jesus is a Healer. (Matthew 14:36)
  • Jesus is a Provider. (Matthew 6:25-34; Mark 4:35-40)
  • Jesus is THE Lord. (John 6:29; John 6:66)

 

How does this apply to my life?

Jesus is a Teacher… Are YOU listening?

Jesus is a Healer… Are YOU believing?

Jesus is a Provider… Are YOU trusting?

Jesus is the Lord… Are YOU submitting?

Did you enjoy the message? Be sure to leave a comment and share it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter!

tylerramsbey Christian Life, Leadership

Three Books YOU Should Read!

cwbooks-topimage

I recently wrote a blog post explaining the statement “Leaders are readers.” If you haven’t read that yet, click HERE and check it out!

I want to recommend three AWESOME books I have read recently.

  1. Taking God At His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me by Kevin DeYoung

This book is great probably because it is about the greatest book ever written (well, technically collection of books; namely, the Bible!) DeYoung goes into detail explaining what it means for the Bible to be knowable, necessary, and enough. One of the best things about this book is how short it is. It is a very easy read and theological primer for those who either have questions about or would like to learn more about the Bible. So… READ IT!

 

  1. Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung

Yup, another book by DeYoung. He is a great writer and is able to make difficult and complex topics easy to understand for the average person. The subtitle for this book explains why it is so awesome, this is what it says – “How to Make a Decision Without Dreams, Visions, Fleeces, Open Doors, Random Bible Verses, Casting Lots, Liver Shivers, Writing in the Sky, etc.” If you want to understand the will of God, read this book!

 

  1. Seven Men: And the Secret of Their Greatness by Eric Metaxas

What the world needs is positive role models, especially those who are men. The vast majority of modern movies, sitcoms, and songs make men appear like incompetent, ignorant, and foolish cave dwellers. Unfortunately, many young guys are following in those exact footsteps and the only goals they aspire to is having sex with as many women as they can and beating their last high score on a video game.

Eric Metaxas lays out mini biographies on seven different men in order to inspire us to lead lives that make a difference. The seven men that Metaxas cover are George Washington, William Wilberforce, Eric Liddell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jackie Robinson, Pope John Paul II, and Charles W. Colson.

Leaders ARE readers. What are some books you have read recently that you would recommend? Let me know by leaving a comment below!