Thursday

Outreach Resources - Books

This week is the National Leadership Conference for the EFCA. This morning I am leading a seminar on the best resources available for outreach. I will post those resources on the blog tomorrow. But here are some of the best books available on outreach.

Just Walk Across the Room
– Bill Hybels
Believers universally affirm that evangelism is a vital part of what God calls them to do, but very few make a practice of doing it. They feel awkward and ill-equipped, either because they've never been trained, or because their lack of interaction with non- Christians prevents them from using and developing the skills they do have. Bill Hybels addresses these concerns and signals the next era in personal evangelism with Just Walk Across the Room. Drawing on fresh perspectives from the author's own experiences, as well as time-tested and practical illustrations, Just Walk Across the Room encourages and equips readers to routinely initiate spiritual conversations with those who don't know Christ.

Becoming a Contagious Christian – Bill Hybels, Mark Mittelberg
Evangelism doesn't have to be frustrating or intimidating. Effectively communicating our faith in Christ should be the most natural thing in the world. We just need encouragement and direction. In Becoming a Contagious Christian, Hybels and Mittelberg articulate the central principles that have helped the believers at Willow Creek Community Church become a church known around the world for its outstanding outreach to unchurched people. Based on the words of Jesus and flowing from the firsthand experiences of the authors, Becoming a Contagious Christian is a groundbreaking, personalized approach to relational evangelism.

They Like Jesus But Not the Church – Dan Kimball
Many people today, especially among emerging generations, don’t resonate with the church and organized Christianity. Some are leaving the church and others were never part of the church in the first place. Sometimes it’s because of misperceptions about the church. Yet often they are still spiritually open and fascinated with Jesus. This is a ministry resource book exploring six of the most common objects and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church and Christianity.

Living a Life on Loan – Rick Rusaw, Eric Swanson
As a Christian, your life is no longer about you. It is allowing God to write his story through you and your story. Explore a life where serving others provides an opportunity for your story to intersect theirs - and for lives to be forever changed! Explore a life of finding grace at the intersections.

The Radical Reformission – Mark Driscoll
Reformation is the continual reforming of the mission of the church to enhance God’s command to reach out to others in a way that acknowledges the unique times and locations of daily life. This engaging book blends the integrity of respected theoreticians with the witty and practical insights of a pastor. This basic primer on the interface between gospel and culture highlights the contrast between presentation evangelism and participation evangelism.

The Forgotten Ways – Alan Hirsch
Hirsch identifies six latent potencies in God's people that lie dormant and forgotten until something catalytic prompts the rediscovery of them. These elements are clearly seen in the church during times of phenomenal growth and impact, but he suggests that they are actually always present and can be reactivated to create apostolic movement. He describes them as the centrality and lordship of Jesus, disciple making, the missional-incarnational impulse, organic systems, apostolic environment, and communitas (a type of community formed in situations of significant ordeal and/or mission).

No Perfect People Allowed – John Burke
No Perfect People Allowed shows you how to deconstruct the five main barriers standing between emerging generations and your church by creating the right culture. From inspiring stories of real people once far from God, to practical ideas that can be applied by any local church, this book offers a refreshing vision of the potential and power of the Body of Christ to transform lives today.

Outflow – Steve Sjogren, Dave Ping
If it's all about God, why do we live as if it's all about us? This book--a cross between a manifesto and a how-to manual--inspires readers to embrace outreach as a lifestyle--a natural, everyday thing that's as normal as going to the grocery store.

Share Jesus Without Fear – William Fay
In recent years, the Share Jesus without Fear book and its growing family of ancillary products have sparked a faith-sharing movement that continues to gain momentum. It began with the jaw-dropping story of William Fay, once a money-driven businessman with Mafia ties who ran a house of prostitution until it was raided by police. Facing the threat of jail time, Fay turned to Jesus Christ for redemption and ever since has been turning others to Him as well.

City Impact – Daniel Bernard
God calls His Church to take the Gospel into the world, but what about meeting the day-to-day needs of your local neighborhood? Daniel Bernard uses practical, motivating examples from his ministry, Somebody Cares, Tampa Bay, and from Christians all over to illustrate how unity among churches and partnership with local businesses can transform communities.

The Gutter – Craig Gross
Why did an all-knowing, all-powerful God send the perfection of His kingdom? His only Son? To the earth through the gutter? Why did Jesus spend so much time, reaching out to people in their own secret, dark places? Why do His followers so often turn away from those very same situations? The Gutter chronicles the author's journey to the gutter, telling the stories and sharing the insights he gained while spending time with the people who dwell there.

101 Ways to Reach Your Community – Steve Sjogren
You may not be a gifted evangelist, but you do have the gift of servanthood. You can use that gift to reach out to your community with the love of God. For years Steve Sjogren has successfully used a simple approach called "servant evangelism" that allows any believer—regardless of gifting—to be involved in sharing God's love with others. One of the great things about this approach is that you don't have to do it alone. Sjogren offers 101 simple and effective ways your church or small group can demonstrate the love of God to those in your community. When people see the love of God in action, they want to know more about Him. You can share your faith successfully, and here are plenty of starting points!

Outreach Ministry in the 21st Century – Group Publishing
This collection of 200 practical ideas turns "outreach" from an intimidating mandate into something that's actually enjoyable. Included: proven ideas for preparing your church to embrace outreach, ways to teach kids, service ideas for youth, long-term and mission ideas, ways to make your church visible in your community, and much more.

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