The books that have shaped my thinking....

Over the past three or four years, several books have shaped my thinking about the church, our mission, engaging the culture, etc. These books have, in many ways, been used by God to confirm what He was already instilling in me...my passion, my burden, and my calling.

*Note*...although I'd recommend these books to anyone, that does not mean that I'm in 100 percent agreement with everything espoused in these books. In fact, some of them have made me pretty frustrated. But in each of these books, God has used something to bring me to the point where I currently stand.

-"A New Kind of Christian" by Brian McLaren. The book that started it all, in a way. Read this in the days leading up to and following the birth of our daughter. This is the book that began to confirm some of the things milling around in my head and heart.
-"Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. The book that CONFIRMED it all. Miller nailed the thinking that I've had for a while about church, culture, and where we've lost our way. Required reading for anyone really seeking to move the church into the 21st century, in my opinion.
-"Purpose Driven Church" by Rick Warren
-"Velvet Elvis" by Rob Bell
-"An Unstoppable Force" by Erwin McManus
-"Flashbang" by Mark Steele
-"Present Future" by Reggie McNeal
-"Emerging Church" and "Emerging Worship" by Dan Kimball
-"Dear Church" by Sarah Cunningham

There are probably more, but that's enough of a list for now...