Book Review 'The U Turn Church: New Direction For Health And Growth' by Kevin G. Harney & Bob Bouwer

BUY HERE!

The authors of The U Turn Church tackle the subject of taking a church that has become irrelevant to the community at large and transitioning it into a vibrant and relevant expression of Christ's church in the world. And this isn't just fluff theory.

Kevin G. Harney & Bob Bouwer have written this book in their words, as 'a tale of two churches'. Faith Church in southern Chicago, Illinois and Corinth Church in Byron Center, near Grand Rapids, Michigan are the case studies on which this book is based. Faith Church grew from two hundred and seventy five people in weekly worship to over four thousand during their U-Turn process and Corinth Church from two hundred and fifty people to over two thousand. Results like that earn you an audience.

 This book is filled with practical advice about the challenges, pitfalls and obstacles encountered when transitioning a traditional church.  The authors lay a strong foundation, talking about things like vision, urgency, and the power of prayer when beginning to implement these kinds of changes. Then in the middle section of the book, the authors deal with some of the gritty issues of church transition like dismantling un-Biblical traditions that have simply become personal preferences, developing and releasing leaders, taking risks and setting high expectations.

Pastors who have attended leadership conferences over the last number of years will undoubtedly have heard some of these principles before. But if you're like me, you sometimes need a nudge to actually put them into practice. The beauty of this book is that it takes all of the lessons the authors have learned, both through their personal leadership development and through their ministry experiences, and puts it all in one handy reference volume.

The U-Turn Church is a must-read if you pastor in this type of context.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group