David
A brief and very encouraging exhortation to think of all giving, and receiving, in light of the Gospel.
worthy of rereading. Contains critical questions that can support us fully obeying the Scriptures without becoming negligent or legalistic
It's heartbreaking that a pastor would publish something so disingenuous. Borrowing a foundation from cultural marxism and window dressings from select Bible verses this book builds an argument that's as strong as a bouncy house. It is mostly fluff. By presenting the assumptions and arguments of non-Christians uncritically the author carries water for people who hate Jesus. This sets the audience on a path where they will find no living water, only more thirst.
Brief & Helpful
I took a lot of notes over the course of the last three days and I already have plans to reread this again next year.
never doing that again. Astondingly different than volume one. Soul crushingly dry and cold.
Helpful: The strategies to manage internal dialogue were clear, specific and helpful, the visualizations less so. I don't anticipate reading it all the way through a second time, but my notes and highlights will go somewhere I can review them from time to time.
Read Annually: so much great church history to help us think through the story we're and the means we have available to remain steadfast.
This book is one of my favorites. Excellent storytelling, analytical investigation. Much to learn from.
Rhodes does a careful job correcting and rebuking sloppy theology. I think this serves as an exhortation to Biblical missions theology and practice, as well as an example of how to call out fellow believers and invite them to return to orthodoxy.
1st time through my biggest takeaway was the exhortation to make slow-and-steady progress on the most God-glorifying work that He's put before me. On my 2nd time there's a tie for ‘biggest takeaway' between the discussion of wealth and discussion of ambition. I'm excited to begin reviewing the Biblical instructions for stewarding wealth. What I don't know yet is who else I can read to consider rightly ordering my affections.
1st read thru: I felt convicted that I related to the scarcity mindset of the antagonist. 2nd read thru: really love the way that the protagonist just gives his wisdom to everyone around him - even the two guys who were plotting to find a way to over take him.
best book of 2021, so much helpful material it's hard to summarize. Find the hardcover you took notes in.
“You are what you repeatedly do.” Detailed and thorough, deserving of many page flags to quickly find the specific tactics Clear lays out to overcome specific challenges.
Mostly stories, a few very helpful questions. The questions are worthy of regular review and reflection.
Inspiring story telling how freedom to obey Christ was the foundation upon which the founding fathers rebelled against lawless tyranny
While this book is categorized in business and personal development I still think it would be helpful to point out its primary conflict like I would with a work of fiction. The primary conflict in this book isn't you versus your negotiating partner - it's your own fight-or-flight response to a conflict versus the mindset that can actually get you to a win in that conflict.
Among the techniques that help us develop a better mastery of our own perspective, the primary tool is “tactical empathy”. Tactical empathy is the idea, or paradigm if you like, that drives the use of the other tools. From this place of being in conflict with another person (a negotiation) we must take on a posture of curiosity, never assuming we have all the details, and remain attentive to everything our counterpart is communicating. There's more I could say about how to listen actively, observing verbal/nonverbal queues, and all that, but if you want to know more about that just read the book.
I really appreciated how this approach to emotional intelligence uses openness and curiosity as tools and not ends in themselves. For example, Voss advocates against the popular focus on finding “win/win” solutions. Most people want to avoid conflict at all costs and that motivation leads them to approach negotiations by first lowering their standards. They define a “win” as merely getting the least of what they wanted because they falsely assume that has the highest likelihood of success. He dubs these, “wimp-win deals” because what they've effectively done is negotiate themselves into accepting a draw as a win, which is lame. Instead, we should clarify what we actually want and remain committed to that definition. Clear on our objective we then dialogue with an almost insatiable curiosity as to what the other person is thinking & feeling - tactical empathy. Our openness and curiosity are grounded on what actually constitutes success.
Starting in Chapter 12 and onward, the book tugged at my heart. God's identity and work define our identity and work. Powerful theological ideas with tangible next steps for obedience. Missing from the book were discussions of ecclesiology: how do elders/deacons function in a Soma Church, what does discipline look like, celebrating the Lord's table, etc. Questions aside, I love the idea and want more of it in my life.
Challenging. Either I'm not an “entrepreneur” or I am. There is no development of the qualities or character.
This was an EXTREMELY helpful follow up to his book Saturate. Let me encourage you to read the entire thing, or listen to it - I did both. Of highest utility was the chapter fruit to root. I'm considering giving this book away for Christmas this year - it's that good.