eBooks - Next Generation Ministry

My latest booklet WHY NGM? has just been released on Amazon in print and digitally through Kindle! I should have published this booklet first. WHY? Because your “why” comes before your “what” or your “how.” Simon Sinek, the business guru, who wrote Start With Why is to be credited with discovering this principle. Starting with “why” doesn’t just work in business; it also works in ministry!

You may notice that what I once called “books,” I now call “booklets.” The reason I have changed terminology is because of none of my “books” were long. I find it more accurate to describe my writing’s as booklets. I also think that people do not read as much as people used to read and I know that people’s attention spans have shrunk. I believe people are much more likely to read my booklet than than they are to read my book.

It is time for me to get off of my soapbox and get back to telling you WHY I wrote this booklet. I had no intention to write a new booklet. However, I found myself hitting a roadblock. I knew I needed to do something to get my juices flowing! After seeking the Lord, I knew I needed to write this new booklet. However, I had no idea where I was going.

What I did know was that WHY NGM? was to serve a tri-fold purpose: (1) To encourage student pastors that were hurting, (2) To help ministers who had lost their way, and (3) To explain why next generation ministry is needed in the local church.

The first and second purposes go together. Many ministers who are hurting have lost their way. They have lost their “why.” I am amazed at the number of student pastors who are hurting and at the number of ministers (any type of pastor) who have lost their way. God has given me a heart for helping hurting ministers, especially student pastors.

The third purpose speaks to student pastors and ministers (specifically, pastors) who need to understand why converting to next generation ministry, a new model of student ministry, is important.

What ends up coming out of the booklet is even a surprise to me! The “why” that jumps off the pages is “to make our nation stronger.” I am not saying this “why” is the most important “why” found in next generation ministry. All I am saying is that even I was surprised how forcefully this “why” surfaces. I never sat down and began writing this booklet thinking of how much I was going to highlight our nation. It is just what happened.

That being said, I do believe next generation ministry makes a family, a church, and a nation stronger! If you would like to know more about next generation ministry, please read all of my booklets. I promise you they are short!

The world is “a changing.” Perhaps you remember the companies Kodak and Blockbuster. When I was a teenager, these companies dominated the camera/video industry. I would drive to Blockbuster, rent some videos or games for a weekend and then return them in time to avoid a fine. That is, until Netflix made Blockbuster obsolete. Who needed to go rent movies when the movies would come to you? And who needs Kodak when we can take out our phones and print our own pictures? Somehow, Kodak missed the digital era. What happened? These companies did not change with the times. They did not reinvent themselves.

In contrast, Disney World and Amazon have skyrocketed in sales since I was a teenager. What’s the difference? Why does Disney World have more people attending their theme park than ever before and why does Amazon continue to increase its sales? The reason: they continually tweak what they do best. And, they add the latest and greatest rides, attractions, or items to their agenda. It’s like coaching. Nick Saban, John Calipari, and Mike Krzyzewski are the best college coaches because they continually re-invent themselves and play to their strengths. Other coaches find themselves out of a job and looking from the outside-in.

Did you know that the next generation is changing the cheese industry? Kraft Foods is beginning to sweat. Our country’s cheese market is down 1.6 percent. Millennials are demanding “nourishment from ingredients that are both recognizable and pronounceable” (from a Bloomberg report). What’s the result? Todd Rhodes says, “McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and other fast-food restaurants are moving away from processed American cheese to offer things like Asiago and Real Cheddar.” If Kraft doesn’t readjust, they will be the next Kodak.

The church is no different. We live in difficult times. However, we the church still hold the message that can transform lives, heal families, and revive churches. It’s not our message that needs to change. It’s our methods. Reaching people today for Christ is not the same today as it was twenty-five years ago. We’ve gone from a country where everyone believed in God to a country where many doubt his existence. I won’t use this post to list all the areas the church needs to change. This post is written so the church will recognize it needs to change. I heard a great quote yesterday: “If you want to solve a problem, you must first admit you have a problem.” Church, we have a problem. We also have the solution!

Where do you need to change? That’s right—you? Change is hard. I know. As God disciplines us, it is often painful. But, I’m not talking about the change Christ brings about in us character over time. I’m saying where do you need to change so you can live like its 2018. I think part of the church’s problem is many churches are still doing church like it’s the 1950’s. “Doing church” is an even bigger problem, but I won’t go there.

For me, I resisted offering my next gen books in digital format. But, I realize the world is changing and I don’t want to get left behind. I want to like Coach K and Coach Saban be able to relate to the next generation even as I age. I don’t want to become like Kodak, a thing of the past. You can find my digital books in Kindle format on Amazon. My print books are cleaner in format and I would recommend you buy them. But, if reading books on your tablet, phone, or e-reader suits your fancy, be my guest! In fact, I updated Next Generation Ministry and Discipleship just a tad in the Kindle edition. The Kindle covers will appear different than the print covers. If you are interested in purchasing my books from the Kindle store, here are the links:

Next Generation Ministry and Discipleship

The M.A.P.’s Journal

The Student Ministry Time Machine