Book Notes - Soul Print

Been a huge fan of Mark Batterson and National Community Church for a good many years now - I remember reading his annual State of the Church document back in the early 90s. Watching this church from a distance became even more fun as some of the guys from my high school small group became adults and started serving there. I've had a few opportunities to visit and see them from up close too - always inspired after those field trips.

His new book Soul Print releases today - here are a few notes from it.

+ Around the turn of the twentieth century, a pioneering psychologist named Alfred Adler proposed the counter intuitive theory of compensation. Adler believed that perceived disadvantages often prove to be disguised advantages because they force us to develop attitudes and abilities that would have otherwise gone undiscovered.

+ And the key to emotional endurance is experiencing high levels of disappointment that break us down so God can build us back up with a holy confidence. Anytime I feel stretched emotionally, I remind myself that God is expanding my emotional capacity to be used by Him in greater ways.

+ Oswald Chambers - one of Mark's favorite mantras, "Let God engineer."

+ We tend to think of stewardship in terms of time, talent and treasure; but we've also got to be good stewards of the minds God has given us. And that includes our imaginations and postimaginations.

+ The New Testament makes a distinction between two types of power. Dunamis is the ability to do things beyond your natural ability. Exousia is the ability to not do things you have the ability to do. And the Cross is the ultimate example of this second kind of power.

+ The words humor, humiliation, and humility are all etymologically related. In fact, humor is the derivative of humiliation.

+ The church ought to be a place where we can confess our deepest doubts, worst sins, and wildest dreams.

+ The more you have going for you, the more potential you have for identity issues.

+ Comfort impedes spiritual growth. Our attempts to create comfortable environments often produce immature disciples.

+ Self-discovery always leads in one of two directions: self-worship or worship of God.

+ The driving engine is to be giving two million dollars to missions annual by the year 2020 [speaking of NCC]

Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes.