Filled Up, Poured Out

by Mark O. Wilson

Thirsty people are looking to the church for fountains of life-giving water. Too often, they find leaky buckets instead. Pastors and church leaders, often running on empty themselves, are enticed by the latest fad rather than seeking to serve in the power of the Spirit. And thirsty people walk away empty, convinced the church has nothing unique to offer.Pastor Mark Wilson says it's time for the church to rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit to serve this present age. In Filled Up, Poured Out, he challenges and inspires fellow pastors and all Christians to prepare their hearts to be filled with the Holy Spirit, so that they can in turn pour out God's presence, promise, peace, and power in their congregations and communities.

Filled with personal, inspirational stories from Mark's experience with growing a thriving congregation in a Wisconsin Northwoods town, this book will inspire you to seek the replenishing waters of God's Spirit and show you the pathway to revival for your parched soul.

Genres: Leadership

191 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2012

Reviews

[Wesley Yaryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good book on leadership. At first I thought it was just for pastor's, but as I read further I could see the applications could go much further. It is probably the only book where one of my old professors, L. D. Wilcox, and John Piper were mentioned. This could easily have been a much larger book, but it is a good first book for Mark.

[Edward Arrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pastor Mark O. Wilson has a powerful message for pastors and church leaders. The burning question is how many will read it and ask the Holy Spirit to apply it to their own hearts and minds? Everyone must answer for themselves. I have no way to know what God will do in and through me but I have already made a tentative start at reviving some disciplines in my own life that I knew I needed but had allowed to flag along the way. I know much more is needed than just reviving a couple of disciplines but we each must start somewhere. Much like reading the Bible, little is accomplished when we read it, place it back on a shelf, and never allow it to effect change. The book is easy to read and grasp. Putting the truths of it into practice will take serious effort. If you are unwilling to make the effort, you might as well read the Sunday comics. However, if you are ready for a change, this book provides a lot of food for thought and stories that will nudge you to action. The subtitle simply emphasizes the message of the book: How God’s Spirit Can Revive Your Passion and Purpose. We can do all things through Him. Get the book and dive in. What can God do for each one of us if we allow Him to fill us up and pour us out for Him?

[Nathan Marone]

Read for a class.

Theology itself is fairly solid. The presentation is folksy. There isn't an anecdote Wilson doesn't love. Sometimes he strings anecdotes together and the thrust of a chapter will begin to feel disjointed. Wilson also needs to properly cite. Too many instances of "I once read a book that said..."

But his philosophy of pastoral ministry is rooted in biblical principles. His views are well-rounded, rooted in a Wesleyan-Methodist tradition, and accessible.

I would recommend this to Bible college students who are preparing for ministry and I would recommend it to ministers who want a good reminder of what the job is, but don't want to get bogged down in a technical work of theology.

[Lisa Mockus · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book! It is more geared for ministers, but a good reminderfor those who work in any helping profession

[Ernie Schenk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Mark's passion for God and the church. He has great insight to why there are so many fruitless pastors, leaders and churches. His content us clear, his use of biblical material accurate, and his prose witty - I found myself underlining several passages for use in my own sermons later. The themes of the book - emptying ourselves, being filled with God's holy love and then serving others in the overflow - are well developed but at points I was wanting more details. some points were left a little under done. This is actually my second time reading "Filled Up, Poured Out" - I had recently found myself in a position of being a broken cistern, serving from my own efforts. So, this is exactly what I needed to read right now.

[Granne52 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Refreshing.