Immeasurable: Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of Church, Inc.

by Skye Jethani

CHRISTIANITY TODAY'S PASTORAL/CHURCH LEADERSHIP BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017

“In my first seminary class, we were asked to introduce ourselves and say why we enrolled. I’ll never forget what one student said…

‘My denomination wants me to have an M.Div., but once they see I can grow a big church, I don't think they'll make me finish the program.’”

The priorities of this future pastor were startling, but he’s not alone in them.In the years since that class, author and minister Skye Jethani has seen more and more pastors swallowed by the celebrity syndrome.

Not long ago, ministers were among the most trusted and admired people in our culture. But not anymore. A 2013 study from Gallop revealed that Americans’ admiration for clergy has reached an all-time low. That, taken with reduced trust of institutional religion overall, makes it easy to see why ministers feel insecure about their calling.

In response to this trend, some pastors have looked to emulate those who are praised by the culture—business leaders, entertainers, and social activists. This has led to a new understanding of what a minister should be. We’ve turned away from viewing our pastors as shepherds, and now expect them to be celebrities.

Immeasurable will help ministers recognize the cultural forces shaping their view of the calling, and then reimagine what faithful church leaders can look like in the twenty-first century. Through short essays and reflections on the pastor’s soul and skills, this book will help prospective pastors explore their calling to ministry, and it will help veteran pastors reframe their vision for the work.

Drawing on cultural dynamics, personal stories, and his own experience working in a church and with church leaders, Skye Jethani will address matters like ambition, anger, community, consumerism, fame, health, justice, platform, preaching, rest,simplicity, success, vision, and more.

There are endless resources to help pastors do the practical work of ministry, but there are far fewer that speak to the pastor’s soul and spirit. Immeasurable provides affirmation and encouragement for church leaders faithfully serving God. It commends the true work of ministry—shepherding, teaching, encouraging—while redefining what we mean by success in ministry. It’s a book church leaders can return to again and again for insight and inspiration.

Genres: Christian, Church, Faith, Nonfiction, Leadership, Spirituality, Audiobook

217 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 3, 2017

About the author

SKYE JETHANI is an author, speaker, consultant and ordained pastor. He also serves as the co-host of the popular Phil Vischer Podcast, a weekly show that blends astute cultural and theological insights with comical conversation. He has been a sought after consultant for groups facing challenges at the intersection of faith and culture like The Lausanne Movement, The White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and the Interfaith Youth Core. Skye has authored three books, The Divine Commodity: Discovering a Faith Beyond Consumer Christianity, WITH: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God, and Futureville. Skye and his wife Amanda have three children: Zoe, Isaac, and Lucy and reside in Wheaton, IL.

Reviews

[Brent Soderstrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book through GoodReads First Read program.

I am not a Pastor or leader in my church but I still really enjoyed this book. It consists of 24 short essays on a variety of topics leaders of churches face today. Each one makes you think and re-examine your thoughts on various things churches do in their ministry. It is well written and easy to read. Jethani gives many examples that he has faced in addressing each topic.

I attend a mega church. When I first began attending it only had 500 or so members and two pastors. Now it is over 10,000 and has five different campuses with around 10 pastors. There are good things and not so good things from this. This book addresses many of them. I plan on giving this book to one of our pastors to share it with others who might be interested.

[Aaron White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mainly for pastors and church leadership, but helpful for all who work in ministry (which is all of us). Skye does a great job identifying major issues in the way we do "church." More than anything, this book will help us think about why we do things the way we do, help us investigate our motives, give us ways in which to talk about these things and push us to positive change. Many of the chapters are quite short and sweet, merely identifying the problem and forcing us to work out our response. Sometimes this left me a little wanting, usually it just provoked my own thought. Definitely recommended for anyone in a leadership capacity, but only if you are willing to rethink everything. Loved the book.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first became aware of Skye Jethani through his role as co-host on The Phil Vischer Podcast, and in that role, I found myself appreciating his thoughtful takes on most everything. When I heard that this book was coming out, I knew I’d want to read it. Jethani’s take on much of the present mindset of many churches resonated with me on many levels, while also challenging me at a time when my family is looking for a church after a move to a new city.
The essays on Complexity, Consumerism, and Missionalism were all outstanding. They were also among the longer essays in the book. My only complaint with this book is that some of the shorter essays felt like the problem had just been clarified when the essay ended. As someone trained in philosophy, I can appreciate someone taking the time to carefully clarify a problem, but I found myself wishing for a conclusion to the problem as well. Then again, Jethani may have been intentional with those essays, as the Reflection and Application questions at the end of each essay would often give one the opportunity to think about the problems within one’s own context, whether as someone who is professionally involved with ministry or as a lay person.
My hope is that many people involved with ministry would pick this book up and really chew on it. While I may not agree with Jethani on every issue, he at least presents ideas worth thinking long and hard about.
Thanks to Moody Publishers for providing a copy of this book as a part of the Launch Team.

[Robbie Deacon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful collection of essays meant to inspire deeper thought about modern ministry pitfalls and structures. This book doesn’t go into much depth and doesn’t offer many robust solutions, which makes it ideal for devotional use or small-group ministry. If you’ve read many books about pastoral leadership or general discipleship you’ll have heard some of these points, but it’s still worth the read!

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've followed Skye's writing for a long time, so I'm not sure how much of this was "new." Still, this was just what I needed to read, and I'm grateful for it. The essays themselves were good, but I was surprised how thoughtful the reflection exercises were. A good book for rethinking "the evangelical industrial complex" and "Church, Inc." (his terms).

[Jenel · Rating 4 out of 5]

First chapter on choosing kingdom obscurity was brilliant. The rest of the book was written for specifically lead pastors in America, so I didn’t personally resonate as much. But, I love this author and his perspective.

[Kyle VanEtten · Rating 5 out of 5]

“He took my hand tightly in his and began to weep. So did I.” And honestly reading this line on the second to last page so did I. Skye has shared his heart in this book, been vulnerable and honest about some of the harder and more confusing aspects of a life in Christian ministry, and in love has offered a book full of what I would honestly call “potentially life saving” words of wisdom. Above all else I heard a clarion call to intimacy with God above all other pursuits in ministry in this book. I felt inspired and convicted as a read. Affirmed and stretched. This is one that I won’t let anyone else borrow because I know I’ll be wanting to come back to it again and again.
It is also worth mentioning how helpful it is that each chapter ends with reflection questions. This book could easily be used as a devotional and the questions are worth spending a little extra time on. Though it is hard to put down, this is one that you won’t want to rush through.

[Christopher Gow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm definitely going to be re-reading sections of this for a long time.

This book is amazing. It's profoundly prophetic without being harsh or condemning of the church in a way that few books are --- it reminded me of Letters to the Church in that regard, but while it's maybe less hard-hitting than Chan, it's more nuanced and focused, describing particular subtle falsehoods that we subconsciously assume about the church--- anyone involved in church or para-church culture-making should read this.

[Starla Gooch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started listening to Skye Jethani on the Phil Vischer Podcast about a year and a half ago, and I've come to deeply appreciate his perspective on the Church and spiritual leadership. Thus, when I heard of Skye's book Immeasurable: Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of Church, Inc., I immediately knew I wanted to read it. 

Nearly my entire life, I've planned to pastor in a local church, but when God led me to pastoral ministry in a university setting, I found my perspective on the church changing. No longer was I a church leader; I was simply a parishioner. My best gifts for the Kingdom were being used outside of the church, so what did this mean for my role in my church? My dysphoria in church gatherings led me to reconsider the function of local churches and the type of faith community I wanted to be a part of. I experienced disillusionment with what Skye calls Church, Inc.--the industry that turns churches into machines and strips them of heart and soul. Now five months into a house church plant, I've found Immeasurable to offer poignant words and enriching insights on how to foster meaningful spiritual communities with healthy leaders and members.

In Immeasurable, Jethani writes twenty-four short essays on relevant issues facing church leaders. Though most are brief and simple to read, this is not a book to rush through. Many essays are four to five pages, but each one packs a punch and is worth taking time to mull over. While starting to list the ones most meaningful to me in this review, I soon realized nearly every single one sparked a "Man, that was so good!" feeling in me. Simply put, every page of this book matters. And I don't say that lightly. 

In American church leadership, it's way too easy to gain the world of ministry and lose our souls. Jethani consistently welcomes pastors to come back to their first love. Personally, after reading the chapter on Missionalism, in which Jethani reminds readers that our first call is to communion with Christ and only second to engage with Him in mission, I've been bothered within my own spirit about how I've prioritized ministry over fellowship with Jesus in certain areas of my life. I'm being confronted with my own heart.

In discipleship moments with my student leaders on campus, I've already begun incorporating essays from Immeasurable, and I plan to make it required reading for them next summer. Jethani also includes exquisite reflection questions at the end of each essay, which make this great material for leadership teams to work through together. And as a bonus, the design team excellently put together an aesthetically pleasing reading experience.

Overall, I give Immeasurable 5 out of 5 stars. Thanks for writing such a thoughtful and meaningful book, Skye!

* A special thanks to Moody Publishers for including me on the launch team of Immeasurable and who provided me a complimentary copy of the book.

[Jen Bradbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was first introduced to Skye Jethani when my small group read The Divine Commodity: Discovering a Faith Beyond Consumer Christianity nearly a decade ago. The Divine Commodity was a thought-provoking read that made for excellent discussion fodder and gave me a huge amount of respect for Skye’s theology and wisdom.

Because of how much I enjoyed The Divine Commodity, I was excited to read Skye’s newest book, Immeasurable: Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of Church, Inc.

Immeasurable contains a series of essays on the church and leadership. True to Skye's previous books, it’s filled with insights gleaned from years of pastoral experience as well as rubbing shoulders with other pastors. It’s honest, vulnerable, and at times, critical of both leaders and the church.

Immeasurable is designed to challenge leaders so that they – and the church – will more effectively be able to live into and out of God’s call for them. For example, in the essay entitled “Effectiveness,” Skye reminds readers “We have replaced the love of the living God with sacrifices to the Idol of Effectiveness… The most tragic lie the Idol of Effectiveness tells us is that a life spent in serve for God is the same as a life with God.”

One of the chapters of Immeasurable that most challenged me was “Rest.” In it, Skye suggests, “The work we’re calling people to in the church is good, godly, and important but when they’ve not been shown how to bring redemptive patterns of work and rest, activity and silence, into their professional lives and when healthy rhythms of rest are also absent in the church’s life, eventually, the sheep will leave to find a pasture where they can lie down – even if’s a couch in front of a television on Sunday morning.”

Not surprisingly given his earlier work on consumerism in the church, in Immeasurable, Skye speaks out powerfully against consumerism. He warns Christian leaders, “To live as a Christian no longer carries an expectation of obedience and good works but rather the perpetual consumption of Christian merchandise and experiences – music, books, T-shirts, conferences, and jewelry.”

While I know few people who will agree with everything Skye says, I’m confident that even those who don’t will be challenged by what he says. For example, in his essay, “Vampires,” Skye raises the questions, “Why do [those committed to Christ] see Christ as giving them life but view the church as taking it from them?” and “What if the problem isn’t that young people aren’t committed to the church, but that the church isn’t committed to young people?”

As I read Immeasurable I often found myself wishing I was reading it with a group so I had someone to discuss each chapter with. That’s the thing about Skye’s writing. You want to talk about it with other people.

But whether you read it alone or with a group, Immeasurable is well worth reading. Christian leaders in a variety of settings will find it both helpful and challenging.

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Disclosure: I received a free copy of Immeasurable from Moody Publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine shaking a tree to dislodge and retrieve fruit that is hanging there. As you shake, eventually the fruit comes free and falls into your waiting arms – you have received your reward, and simultaneously rid the tree of dead leaves and limbs. Imagine this scenario and you have a good idea of what Skye Jethani is doing as he shakes our ministry “trees” trying to free good fruit while also ridding our ministries of that which is dead or dying by suggesting new ways – paradigms – of looking at and doing ministry in Immeasurable: Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of Church, Inc. (Moody Publishers, 2017). More than just another book on pastoral and church ministry, this collection of essays provides some keen insights into how we can better do ministry in the Western world in the early years of the 21st century.

The world of Church, Inc., is described right away in the introduction: “It is shorthand for ministry devoid of mystery, for pastors who assume that the exercise of their calling is a matter of skill more than the gravity of their soul. It represents the exchange of the transcendent calling of Christian ministry with mere management of religious institutions and services. If ministry is encountering the heat and light of an uncontrollable sun, Church, Inc., is the tanning salon in the local strip mall.” The book moves from there to address such things as motivation for ministry, control, the biblical role of pastors, preaching, rest, consumerism, technology, engaging in ministry, and several other relevant themes. Along the way, Jethani does a masterful job providing powerful observation and wise advice to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear – and hearts to understand. It’s not always a pleasant journey, and toes will be stepped on, but the exercise of thoughtfully reading this book is helpful (and sometimes painful), but worth it in the end – even as the paradigms for ministry are not-so-gently shaken.

Are all Jethani’s pieces of advice perfect? Should the reader soak it all in without critique? No, not at all. Personally, for example, this pastor and preacher is still processing how I feel about the chapters related to preaching. I find myself not fully agreeing, but still my mind is stimulated enough to go deeper. There are other areas that any reader will likely find the same kind of tension; even so, explore the tension and take the advice that is offered.

In the end, I highly recommend this book to any and all pastors, church leaders, denominational executives, college and seminary professors, and anyone interested in effective church ministry.

[Pastor2112 · Rating 5 out of 5]

"McChurch, Inc." is Jethani's shorthand for "the exchange of the transcendent calling of Christian ministry with mere management of religious institutions and services." A pastor's highest calling is not to something or somewhere, but to Someone. The dangers of selfish ambition, knowing one's value only by what one does, consumerism, and failure to take sabbath rests are among the many pitfalls highlighted in this book. The pastor's most important "calling" is the same as all humans - to know and enjoy the transcendent vitality of "life with God" - not simply the ego satisfaction derived from a "life for God". He writes, "God’s gifts are a blessing and His work is vital, but neither can nor should replace God Himself as our first calling." He concludes with this beautiful truth: "To be a pastor is to represent the presence of God, who is present with others. It is to see people—full, embodied, messy, sinful, beautiful people—and to see them the way Jesus does, as creatures of unsurpassable worth. To be a pastor is to freely give what we possess, which is nothing the world values and yet is the most valuable thing in all the world. The world values what is useful, which is what Church, Inc. tries to provide, but all we have is Jesus." This book is highly recommended for church leaders, but certainly all who are committed to Christ's message and work would benefit from its insights.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book that critiques the theology of the modern big-box institutional church! (What he calls Church Inc.) e.g. Consumerism vs. equipped disciple-making believers; Sacred/secular divide instead of ministry everywhere in various vocations, moral therapeutic deism, etc. It's structured with various topics for increasing theologically sound ministry and practices. Best read for pastors, church leadership.

My only disappointment was that 3-4 illustrations were exactly copied from Jethani's other book, WITH.

(One core value of consumerism is choice. God is not a commodity, the church doesn't offer goods and services to fulfill self and our desires.)
When he sat down with a couple who shared they were leaving to Faith Community. The church offers so much, Greg and Margaret said. Our kids are teenagers now and they prefer the music at this new church. When your kids are older, you'll understand (Ah, the kids trump card, or when you're older). What will you do when you're kids leave home in a few years? oh, I don't know, maybe we'll come back to the church, she said. I hope you don't. I said, relishing no malice. But I did enjoy the stunned look on her face. "I hope that you commit yourselves so fully to faith community church, building strong relationships, serving with your gifts, participating in its mission, that you never see yourselves leaving that church. I really believe that God grows us most when we are committed to a community."

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “Immeasurable:Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of Church,Inc. ” which I won through Goodreads Giveaways, Skye Jethani is determined to refocus the ministry in an age when church attendance is waning and respect for the clergy is based on their superstar appeal. In a collection of essays some long, others short he proposes that the ministerial community reflect on the essence of their calling, the “condition of their souls” and the true meaning of their work.

Among a host of fascinating arguments drawn from a changing cultural mentality, personal stories and insights he urges pastors to look inward, evaluate their motives and the benefits of what they are doing. Instead of looking at the church like a corporation he suggests that pastors should be creating programs that empower and encourage discipleship especially in an age where the younger generation distrust regulated institutions. This book encourages discussion that can begin with its “reflections and application” page at the end of each chapter and advocates positive change while providing pastors with hope that all is not lost.

Although not a pastor I enjoyed this enlightening book immensely and agree with many of his observations. I intend to give this book to the pastor in my church in the hope that he will share it with others in the ministerial community in my town.

[Bryan Craddock · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Immeasurable, Skye Jethani helps church leaders identify how our culture’s marketing mindset distorts our approach to life and ministry. In twenty-four brief thought-provoking chapters, he guides us through a careful examination of our motives and values.

His strongest chapters expose how far contemporary ministry practices have drifted from biblical principles and patterns such as those revealed in Ephesians 4:11-12 and John 21. He sums up his argument by saying, “We have created a system that attracts us to ministry for the wrong reason, motivates us with the idol of mission, and the leaves us bloody and wounded when we fail to meet our own expectations” (193).

Several chapters, however, are not clearly anchored in Scripture. In his treatment of preaching, for instance, he reacts against traditional approaches and highlights the Gettysburg address, contemporary educational practice, and Dallas Willard’s spiritual formation paradigm. He points to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount as an example of these ideas, but he does not explain the connection. A simple exposition of 2 Timothy 4:2 would have been more helpful.

Of course, the book is not designed to be a handbook for ministry. Immeasurable provides the spark for soul-searching reflection.

[Greg Reimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really on the fence about whether to give this four or five stars. The content in this book is well worth your time. Skye examines church ministry from many different vantage points and there is much to be gleaned here for young and old ministers in church. I would even say this book is helpful for the average church goer as it helps to realign the heart with God's true desire for us. My only gripe with this book is that out of the many illustrations Skye uses to make his points, many of them have been lifted from two of his previous works (With and The Divine Commodity). I haven't read Futureville, but I did just finish With and the Divine Commodity and throughout Immeasurable I found myself stopping to think, "I know this story..." In fact, Phil Vischer (a friend of Skye's and creator of VeggieTales) makes his third appearance in this book. This isn't necessarily a fault (as Jesus told the same parable over again in different settings), but I just couldn't help but wonder if there wasn't another illustration that could be used to make the same point. At the end of the day this is a small detail, that might not affect other readers at all.

[Drew Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful book. A series of reflections on "Church, Inc." - a subspiritual, mechanical approach to ministry that exchanges the transcendent calling of Christian ministry with mere management of religious institutions and services. "If ministry is encountering the heat and the light of an uncontrollable sun, Church, Inc. is the tanning salon in the local strip mall." (pg. 10) Skye Jethani, who I first became familiar with on the "Out of Ur" blog years ago, sounds many of the same warnings about institutionalism and consumerism as others, but in a way that does not come off as complaining. He's committed to the church. Much of what he writes about here struck a chord with me. I will come back to this book for insight in the future - especially the chapters on "Vampires" (ch 4), "Platform" (ch 15), "Celebrity" (ch 16), and "Consumers" (ch 18).

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jethani's critiques of Church, Inc (the church shaped by business practices rather than biblical priorities) are sharp and penetrating. Immeasurable ventures to remind us that the work of God cannot be captured by metrics. The nature of biblical ministry can often be inefficient, messy, and hard to measure. As a pastor, Jethani challenges the ambitions, platforming, and celebrity culture that has become so prevalent in the church. What I love, though, is that he doesn't speak with venom, but with love.

Written in short, stand alone chapters, Immeasurable is a needed check for anyone in ministry, considering ministry, or overseeing ministry!

[Joel Wentz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a treasure trove. Skye is so candid and thoughtful in his reflections, and he maintains an even tone in the midst of some serious critique of the state of the church. Most of all, you can tell he absolutely loves the church, and believes in what it can be, which is so refreshing. The essays titled 'effectiveness,' 'vampires,' and 'complexity' were some of the most lucid and helpful for me, though I imagine you could let the book fall open to any page and find a worthwhile insight.

As someone forging a path into vocational ministry in America, this book is a wellspring that I'm going to return to again and again. Highly, highly recommended.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any pastor or church leader, please read this book! Jethani's ability to critique Christian culture and identify the core of our faith make him this generation's Eugene Peterson (whose pastoral works of the '80s are excellent).

With surgical precision (his dad was a doctor), Jethani offers simple ideas and values to consider in place of the ideas and values that deep into the church from the surrounding culture. This book is not about being anti-culture, but about doing ministry without losing the heart of it. To avoid becoming, as Jethani calls, Church Inc.

This is one of very very few books that I plan to read a second time.

[Chelsea Meisinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relevant. Poignant. Inspired. Beautiful. Poetic. Pragmatic. Needed.

Skye Jethani's awareness of the authentic and faithful pastor/ministry worker in the context of consumerism, digitization, and megachurches is on display in its many facets within this book.

This book offers wisdom to laymen and pastors alike to replant themselves in the nourishing soil that is God's presence instead of drifting in the slippery, ensnaring mud that is the current evangelical industrial complex. Skye characterizes the authentic pastor and Christ-follower through the pragmatic and the mystery. He captures both beautifully.

I'm saddened that I finished this book and am ready for more from him.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every leader or pastor in ministry should read this book. The majority of the small digestible chapters were relevant, and even prophetic for our age. This isn’t against church growth but a needed corrective and balance for all churches and leaders who can get caught up measuring the wrong things and allowing their identity and faith get caught up in the perception of success rather than life with God as the source and goal of ministry. Perfect for short reading spurts, in your own or with a leadership team or group.

[Kirk Weikart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jethani continues to make us think about what Christianity could be instead of settling for what it is or has been. Instead of presenting interesting philosophical thoughts or biblical interpretations (Rob Bell), Jethani always presents facts and is determined to make his premises consistent with other known phenomenon. This book is a series of essays on singular thoughts or issues. While some of the material presents ideas set out in previous works, the vast majority are new.

If Skye Jethani is not on your radar (books, articles, podcasts and devotionals), check him out.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book not realizing it was meant for pastors but read it anyway. WOW! So many thoughts and ideas to wrap my mind around. I had to go slow to process it, but it’s an excellent read. I’m not a pastor but I have taken so much away, like really questioning my own motives—am I doing work for God just to be busy and do something? Do I have a deep connection with the Lord or am I just doing what American Church has programmed me to do? Skye also really gets to the heart of my own generations dissatisfied feeling toward the church today. This is a powerful book.

[David Blankenship · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. This is a series of 24 mostly short meditations on how we in the church can do better when everything is pushing 'Church, Inc.' towards a model of ministry and church life that is unbiblical and unhealthy. Some of the suggestions are better than others, and I do wish he would have commented on the fact that the evangelical church's greatest problem is how easily the heresy of MAGA has infiltrated our doctrine and lifestyle. But all in all I thought that there's a lot of wisdom for the church.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.

This book is a collection of essays on various topics surrounding pastoral care, ministry, and the church. Though I am not a pastor or involved in ministry (as it’s commonly defined), I found the insights useful as I nodded along to each chapter. Skye addresses the shift that is happening in many churches across the country, explains why this might be happening, and suggests helpful perspectives.

[Aaron Case · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Christian Leaders - READ THIS BOOK. It is a collection of interconnected essays that speak to and challenge the motivations and mechanisms of ministry. Most of it I wholeheartedly agree with. The rest I am chewing on. Even if there are specific parts of it I eventually conclude I do not wholly agree with, those portions of the book challenge me most, and are most likely to usher change within me.

[Johnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be incredibly helpful and insightful. The Author challenges the status quo but doesn’t do so in a way that’s just trying to be trendy or cool. His concerns and challenges of and to the church are born out of a desire to follow scripture and serve Jesus. I think this is a great resource that every church pastor should read. So far this is one of the best books I’ve read this year.

[Joe Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate what is said... it reads like a series of blog posts but they all point to a common theme of getting back to Kingdom ministry and not corporate development (though I’d argue there are processes that help us in corporate world... they have become a sort of idol that is crushing the spirit of the body).

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a church leader, read this book with your team of leaders. Each chapter is part devotional, part commentary on the way "we" do church. The short chapters conclude with two reflection and application questions perfect for discussion. Jethani is a wonderful writer who will challenge you. Yes, even post COVID I believe this book will be applicable. Maybe even more so.