An Unstoppable Force
2008 June 2
I just finished An Unstoppable Force by Erwin McManus. Probably the most influential book on church leadership and Christian living that I have ever read. I highly recommend it. Allow me to overwhelm you with quotes:
- “Whenever the church is seem through the template of an organization, we begin creating an institution. When we relate to the church as an organism, we begin to awaken an apostolic ethos, which unleashes the movement of God.”
- “The church can only thrive in the context of healthy relationships.”
- Change must not be seen as a necessary evil, but as a God-given tool.
- “The more one focuses on one;s own living, the less one is concerned about giving life to others.”
- “If churches wait to long to die to themselves, then they ensure that they will die by themselves.”
- “One survival has become our supreme goal, we have lost our way.”
- “All too many times we kept our traditions and lost our children.”
- “It is one thing to have a preference; it is another to demand that one’s preferences be honored above the needs of those without Christ.”
- “All the change in the world, minus the heart of God, equal zero movement.”
- “Today the call to cross-culture ministry doesn’t even require going; it just requires staying with a purpose.”
- “We have superficially attributed to generational trends what are in fact worldview shifts.”
- “We are to pitch tents, not build cathedrals.”
- Don’t build monuments, create movements.
- “God calls us to take memories with us, but leave the memorabilia behind.”
- “Many times, we would rather have Godless security than spirit-lead change.”
- “God is continually inviting us to believe that his future is better than any past we have experienced with him.”
- “The reality of change is the promise of miracle.”
- “We must leave the past, engage the present, and create the future.”
- “Values are transferred through relational environments.”
- “it is far more important to shape the values of a community than to set the rules.”
- “The church’s brithright is to be the fountainhead of creativity and human potential.”
- “The danger is going beyond an order of worship to a worship of order!”
- “It’s hard to believe that a movement born of visionaries and dreamers would become dominantly known for its traditions and rituals.”
- “In an organization, leaders must be brought in from the outside. In a movement, leaders emerge from within.”
- “Could we consider that even our death would be an act of faith if the direction of our bodies pointed to the way of God’s future?”
- “What took faith yesterday is sight today.”
- “Faith, love, and hope are not foundations or pillars; they are wellsprings.”
- “Jesus doesn;t call us to love God and tolerate our neighbor.”
- “Serving others with others is the surest path to having your own needs met.”
- “We tend to love the altar so much that we refuse to set it on fire. Yet God comes in the flames.”
- “The incarnation of Jesus Christ is God’s undeniable evidence that relevance to culture is not optional.”
- “After you expound on the purpose, then you expose the problems.”
- “Spiritual leadership in the change process is not so much about being the primary advocate of change but being the primary example of change.”
- “The Ten Commandments are the lowest possible standard of humane living.”
- “Grace has been seen as the liberty to live beneath the law rather than the capacity to soar beyond the law.”
- “When evangelism is not reserved for the elite, kingdom relationships become everyone’s responsibility.”
- “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought.”
- Basho
I have considered reading this one for a while. I am currently in the middle of soul cravings and am plotting my next undertaking
Soul Cravings is good…Unstoppable is his best. For real.
Thanks for the rundown. I can’t get enough of this man. He is so empowering. I’ll be reading this book soon enough…after I finish “Soul Cravings”
Shaun,
I can’t get enough either. He’s one of the most innovative/creative guys out there who manages not to water everything down. Huge fan.
Yeah, I’m sure all the quotes are amazing… I didn’t actually read them… Im just glad you finally got this bad-boy up!
I know. The day that I typed it while you were at my house…It didn’t save!
Off topic for this post: You need to jet on over to MTV.com and watch Coldplay from the MA’s. Based off of what I saw and heard, this next album is going to kick it!
This book, and “Seizing Your Divine Moment,” by Erwin McManus are two of my all time favorites!
Jason,
“Seizing” is on my list to read. Thanks for the feedback!
Jordan,
I’ll check this one out.
Chris,
The new CD will be good. I’m looking forward to it. Have you heard the tracks floating around?
Violet Hill – 2 versions
Lovers in Japan
Viva la Vida
Lost? (acoustic version of the album track)
A Spell A Rebel Yell – B-side that was only on a vinyl promo
If you haven’t heard them, let me know.
I have Viva la Vida off of iTunes, but I don’t have any of the other ones floating around. Jordan was telling me about them. It would be great if I could get a hold of them. I def plan on buying the album on the 17th.
Chris,
Shoot me an email – zack mindshatter.com
I can hook you up with more than just a few tracks.
When Zack says “More than just a few tracks…” he means more than just a few tracks.
I love them all!
So true. It is a wonderful compilation of “more than a few tracks.”