Last month, I enjoyed my first vacation of any length in quite awhile. As part of that time away, I managed to read a number of excellent books.
My top rated books, (published in 2018) that I’ve read since sharing last month’s list. appear below.
- (5+) Future Faith: Ten Challenges Reshaping Christianity in the 21st Century by Wesley Granberg-Michaelson (Fortress Press, 2018)
- (5.0) Conversations Worth Having: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Fuel Productive and Meaningful Engagement by Jackie Stavros and Cheri Torres (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2018)
- (4.5) Essential Teachings on Love by Richard Rohr (Orbis, 2018)
- (4.5) Story Driven: You Don’t Need to Compete When You Know Who You Are by Bernadette Jiwa (Perceptive Press, 2018)
- (4.5) Friend of a Friend: Understanding the Hidden Networks That Can Transform Your Life and Your Career by David Burkus (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018)
- (4.0) Sacred Resistance: A Practical Guide to Christian Witness and Dissent by Ginger Gaines-Cirelli (Abingdon Press, 2018)
- (4.0) How to be a Perfect Christian: Your Comprehensive Guide to Flawless Spiritual Living by The Babylon Bee (Multnomah, 2018)
- (4.0) War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence by Ronan Farrow (W. W. Norton & Company, 2018)
- (3.5) Anxious Church: Anxious People: How to Lead Change in an Age of Anxiety by Jack Shitama (Charis Works, 2018)
- (3.5) Heretic!: An LGBTQ-Affirming, Divine Violence-Denying, Christian Universalist’s Responses to Some of Evangelical Christianity’s Most Pressing Concerns by Matthew J. Distefano (Quoir, 2018)
So What?
The three authors at the top of this month’s list are all making their first appearance on SoWhatFaith.com.
Wesley Granberg-Michaelson served for 17 years as the general secretary of the Reformed Church in America and has been active in global ecumenical work throughout his 40 years in ministry. His latest book draws from his rich personal experience and significant research to identity and discuss macro level challenges facing American Christianity today, including revitalizing withering congregations, seeing through non-Western eyes, and belonging before believing. While many excellent books in recent years have focused on explaining the shifts in American religious belief, behavior, and belonging (such as Mark Chaves’ American Religion: Contemporary Trends) few have focused on the changes needed for future flourishing. Granberg-Michaelson’s Future Faith is more than a must read book, it is a text that leaders in your faith community should be reading, discussing, and responding to.
Several years ago I was fortunate to study appreciative inquiry with Rob Voyle, Director of the Appreciative Way and Clergy Leadership Institute. Appreciative inquiry has changed how I lead organizational change, and has worked well for me whether I’ve been in healthcare or congregational ministry. Jackie Stavros and Cheri Torres leverage a combined 50 years of experience practicing and teaching appreciative inquiry to craft a rich resource for anyone who has ever considered learning about appreciative inquiry, and a helpful refresher filled with practical examples for those who live the appreciative way.
I invite you to share
- one of the macro level issues you believe is important for the future flourishing of the Way of Jesus in America
- an experience you’ve had that was guided by appreciative inquiry (if you have no such experience feel free to replace this with a question about appreciative inquiry)