Category: Book Recommendations

May 25 2019

The Best Productivity System (IMHO).

A. Scott Ingram Book Recommendations, Gospel Leadership, Productivity Free to Focus, leadership, Living Forward, Michael Hyatt, planning, systems, time managment, Your Best Year Ever 0

As we seek to fight the destructive forces of busyness at work in our lives, we have discussed the need to find our identity in Christ, instead of what we do. We have also looked at how to follow the Holy Spirit as He guides our calendar and daily activities. Now, if you can find a good productivity system to pull it all together, and stay organized, you will be able to have victory over “busy.”

I want to share with you the general productivity system that I currently use. Since I have put it into use, it has been a game-changer for me and my ministry! I continually recommend it to my leadership team and to others I coach and mentor. Now, I am happy to recommend it to you.

Let me preface by saying that other than a small kick back from Amazon, I do not get any financial or other benefit from recommending these products to you. I am sincerely recommending this system to those who struggle to maintain their course, accomplish their goals, and organize their day-to-day life. My ability to get things done has been revolutionized by this sytem. I am not an affiliate; I am just a fan.

The system I have been using for the last few years comes from Michael Hyatt. He is a former C.E.O. of Thomas Nelson publishers turned blogger and productivity guru. I discovered his blog many years ago, and I was always encouraged by his practical advice. However, I never went much deeper into his products, except for the occasional free webinar.

Over the last two years, however, I have engaged with some of his tools, and my life has been completely transformed by what I have learned. I am happy to share it with you.

Step 1: Creating a Life Plan

Though I casually followed Hyatt’s blog and leadership podcast from time to time, it all changed when I found one of his books on a clearance rack in my local bookstore. This book, “Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get The Life You Want” (with co-writer Daniel Harkavy), walks through all of the practical steps necessary to create a “life plan.” Like a GPS, a life plan is a personal guide to help you determine who you want to be in life, and how to get there day after day.

This book came into my life at the perfect time. I was already being impacted by a teaching from Andy Stanley, called “A New You Resolution.” The main point Andy made was, “it is always a mistake to determine what you will do, before you decide who you will be.” I had also recently been thinking through the life planning idea after walking through “Storyline: Finding Your Subplot in God’s Story” by Donald Miller.

It all came together for me as I worked through the steps in Living Forward. I wrote my own eulogy. I determined what mattered to me in life, and thought through the purpose of each area. This tool helped me to reverse engineer my life, in order to stay on course to get to where I want to be. This is the best $3 purchase I have made in the last decade!

Step 2: Setting and Achieving Annual Goals

As I began to spend more time on Hyatt’s various free resources, it wasn’t long before I began hearing about certain strategic seminars that he offered. One had to do with setting goals and achieving them in a practical, methodical system, and the other dealt with finding freedom in your busy schedule to do what matters most in your life. Unfortunately, at the time, I couldn’t afford the costs of those seminars.

To my delight, however, it wasn’t long until Hyatt released the first of those seminars in book form, titled “Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals.”

I had always been one who sits down at the beginning of the year and set goals for myself. Someone gave me a Franklin Covey planning system in college. I have tried various productivity systems, since then, to keep focus and get things done. However, my failure rate was always much higher than my success rates. Over the course of time, distractions would come in, priorities would shift, and I’d end the year saying, “I’ll do better next time.”

Please note that I am not pointing blame at the various productivity systems I tried. It was my own inability to make them work for me. But they say the best productivity system is the one you will actually use.

Upon reading Your Best Year Ever, I found the best system for me! My thinking on fulfilling goals radically shifted. The way Hyatt differentiated between goals and projects already made sense to me. It was the practical side of breaking down your annual goals into smaller timeframes and achievable actions that pushed me forward.

Throughout the course of the year, you may have 8-10 goals you want to achieve. However, Hyatt urges you to divide them down into quarterly goals. You break these 2-3 goals each quarter down into actionable tasks. You then follow through on them by choosing a weekly “Big 3,” which are the tasks you must do that week to complete the goals on time. Then again, you divided those out into your daily “Big 3.”

As you keep your goals in front of you, take actionable steps, do weekly reviews, and intentionally move forward, it builds a momentum that keeps you going until you achieve success.

Personally, I have accomplished more of my goals in the last couple of years, after reading and applying the principles in Best Year Ever, than ever before.

Step 3: Managing Your Time

At the same time I read Best Year Ever, I was introduced to Michael Hyatt’s physical, daily planner, which is designed around his teachings. This planner helps you manage your goals, your weekly and daily “Big 3’s” and complete the weekly review.

It is called, “The Full Focus Planner,” and even in my work in Africa (where it is difficult to get them delivered), the FFP has become my daily companion for tracking my goals, my to-do’s and managing my time.

On the one hand, having a paper planner might seem like a hassle. However, what I have found is that it sets me free from my digital addictions, it keeps all my planning and note-taking needs in one place, and it has actually helped me to focus more on a moment-to-moment basis, because I can simply write down the mental distractions that come up, and delegate them to a future slot in my calendar for review.

For some, the cost of the Full Focus Planner might seem a bit prohibitive, at first. I understand the feeling. I can honestly say, however, as someone who runs an international ministry on a shoestring budget, that this planner is one of those rare things which are worth every dollar you spend, because of the return on investment it offers.

Step 4: Focusing on What Matters Most

Even putting the Full Focus Planner system into use, and using it daily for almost two years, now, I was still struggling to minimize my distractions, and clear unnecessary, burdensome tasks from my schedule.

Once again, in perfect timing to help me on this journey to productivity, Hyatt has released the second seminar as an easy to follow book called, “Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less.”

After reading this book a couple of months ago, I am loving the process of eliminating, automating, and delegating tasks that hinder me from doing the work that matters most. I can already say with confidence that what I have learned from this book has filled in the gaps for me, and the areas I was struggling in are now coming under control.

I have put together daily rituals and designed my ideal week, and have been able to get more accomplished (that matters) in the last month, than any other in recent history. It has helped me find clarity on the work that requires my personal touch, and what can be given away. It has also helped me become a better leader and mentor to my ministry team.

Just last week, while my team handled some legal issues and oversaw a lot of day-to-day items that used to bother me, I was able to finish writing and editing an 80 page training manual, and then lead over 100 pastors in our area in the training the book provides.

Once again, I do not have an affiliation with Michael Hyatt, and do not benefit from recommending these resources to you. However, after writing on overcoming busyness in our lives for the past couple of weeks, I have been asked multiple times how I personally have been able to achieve this.

I can honestly tell you, that without the Full Focus Planner and the affiliated books which teach the system, I would be completely overwhelmed and burned out. As our family transitioned to Africa full-time last year, and with all of the demands on my time and resources, this system has been a great source of sanity.

I am so thankful to Michael Hyatt and his team. I am also happy to see a Christian business flourish, with integrity and true care for their customer. So it is simply out of that gratitude and a changed life that I can point you in their direction for the absolute best productivity system I have found.

Even if you are not interested in Michael Hyatt’s system, you can download my own goal planning worksheet for free. I use this worksheet every December to think through my goals, before writing them in the Full Focus Planner.

Download My Free Goal Planning Worksheet

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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May 1 2019

9 Books that Shaped My Ministry

A. Scott Ingram Book Recommendations, Gospel Leadership christian books, Church, Church Ministry, Jesus 0

As I continue to take a break from my regularly scheduled blogging this week, I don’t just want to share with you the books that changed by life, but also the books that have made me into the ministry leader that I am today. Some of these books shaped me in my early days of serving the church, and I may not fully adhere to their teachings today. Nevertheless, all of these books have influenced the way I serve the Lord, and I am happy to share them with you.

HERE ARE 9 BOOKS THAT HAVE SHAPED MY MINISTRY:

The Radical Reformission: Reaching Out Without Selling Out by Mark Driscoll

The book, ‘The Radical Reformission’ was my first introduction to Mark Driscoll, and though he has gone through some rough times in his ministry, and is now looked down on by some, the influence he had on my post-Bible College life, entering ministry, cannot be overstated. His preaching style was direct, practical, and attention grabbing, but it was his ministry leadership sermons that held my attention the most. I still love Mark Driscoll for his influence in my life. I also believe this book still has value to up and coming church planters today, offering real, practical advice for how to grow a church grounded in truth while purposely engaging the culture.

The Essential Guide to Healing: Equipping All Christians to Pray for the Sick by Bill Johnson and Randy Clark

Living in Haiti for most of 2012, I dedicated myself to praying for the sick, believing that God still heals today. Week after week, my prayers proved ineffective. I began looking for resources from those who have verifiable healing results to push me forward in this journey, and quickly found ‘The Essential Guide to Healing’ in the iBooks bookstore. This was my first introduction to Dr. Randy Clark, who has become a spiritual father to my ministry, and I was immediately taken with his life experience which mirrored my own in many ways. I was also captured by the simplicity with which Randy and Bill are able to impart the truth of the scriptures and the wisdom of their experience in the healing ministry. Never looking back, this book started my journey into healing that continues to increase to this day. (Our ministry is also spiritually covered by Randy Clark’s Apostolic Network of Global Awakening, and my ministry credentials are held by the same.)

Victorious Eschatology by Harold R. Eberle and Martin Trench

Early on in real life ministry, I struggled with the fear-based teaching I was getting from the church and Christian television. I could not reconcile that a good God, determined to establish His Kingdom on the earth, would let thousands of years go by in which believer’s preach the gospel and attempt to disciple nations, only to end with a destruction of that work by the anti-Christ, and a great, surprise rescue mission to get the church out of harms way. The book, ‘Victorious Eschatology’ was my first venture outside of the Left Behind teachings, and opened a whole new world of possibility to me! Now, after years of study on the subject, I hold to the amillennial view of end times, which along with “historic postmillennial” makes up the majority view for most of Christian history. Yet this book, with its short, straight to the point exegesis of end times scriptures, helped me on this journey.

(Two bonus books worth reading on the subject are ‘Unafraid: A Better Book on the End Times’ by Marc Arlt and the much larger book, ‘A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times’ by Kim Riddlebarger)

Heavy Rain: How to Flood Your World with God’s Transforming Power by Kris Vallotton

Where ‘Victorious Eschatology’ led me in the early theological framework for my end times views, ‘Heavy Rain’ stepped in to paint a practical picture for what this viewpoint could mean. Now, I do not know the eschatological views of Kris Vallotton, and would not speak on his behalf, however, this book struggles through some of the same things I wrestled with in my previous, dispensational way of thinking. What if the world isn’t getting worse and worse, but is actually being overcome with the Kingdom of God, sometimes in the most subtle of ways? This book set my course on the journey to find out, and for those who will read it, it will definitely make you hungry for revival.

Contagious Disciple Making by David Watson and Paul Watson

Although I did not run into this book until last year, ‘Contagious Disciple Making’ has instantly had a major impact on my ministry in East Africa. The call to make disciples, not just converts, is a challenge faced by many ministries, especially those heavily invested in crusade-style outreaches. As a practical guide for not only reaching the lost with discipleship in mind, but also opening new churches built on this mindset, it has useful information any pastor and leader can learn from. As I now seek to train the pastors of Sozo Ministries and beyond in methods for discipleship, I lean heavily on this book’s guidance in doing so.

Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger

When I was on staff at a small, historically Baptist church in west Texas, we ran program after program, seeking to be effective in our ministry to reach the lost, and help Christians to grow. What we were discovering, however, is that too many programs actually led our church to burnout, quicker than it led to success in ministry. ‘Simple Church’ changed all that by helping our staff think through the reasons behind our church programming, and to actually cut down on how much we were doing, in exchange for higher quality work in the few we kept. If you are in a program-driven ministry, I highly recommend this book. Although your ministry might not change much, you will at least challenge the assumptions you currently make about what you are doing.

The Other Half of the Army: Women in Kingdom Ministry by Phill Olson

“Women in ministry.” That phrase was almost as bad a cursing in the fundamentalist circles I came out of. There, a woman’s highest aspiration to serve the Lord was to become a pastor’s wife, or to infiltrate the secular education system as a teacher. For a long time, I held to the perspective that men were the only ones capable of carrying the highest levels of church leadership, though privately it was always a question I struggled with. It just didn’t make sense. Yes, men are to be the head in the household. However, the Bible gave other leadership to women, from being a judge in Israel in the Old Testament, to calling some apostles and prophets in the New Testament. Ultimately, my viewpoint shifted on the matter. Now, being the father of two beautiful daughters, and hearing God directly instructing me to prepare them for the ministry He has for them, I am so thankful for men like Phil Olsen and books like ‘The Other Half of the Army’ who are leading in this mindset change. Every church leader should read this book! (And if you are a pastor in Sozo Ministries, you will…)

Always Enough: God’s Miraculous Provision Among the Poorest Children on Earth by Heidi Baker

Since I first heard Heidi preach, back in 2012, I have admired this woman of God, and sought to learn from her ministry in Africa. Her pioneering movement in Mozambique is the stuff of missionary legends, as her family continued to pursue God into bigger things for His Kingdom, without being held back by limited funds or a disbelief in God’s provision. When I read ‘Always Enough,’ it pushed me closer to trusting God in the calling He has given me for my family’s move to Africa and the overwhelming vision He has placed in me for the work. I highly recommend this book, and any others that Heidi has written!

Free in Christ by Pablo Bottari

From my first encounter with deliverance ministry, at a Nigerian evangelist’s revival meeting in Fort Worth in 2005, to my first time helping “pray out” a demon in Uganda two year’s later, I have been drawn to deliverance, and helping people get free from the bondage they are held in. Out of all the books I initially read on the subject, none of them helped me grow in my authority and effectiveness for deliverance ministry, as did Bottari’s book, ‘Free in Christ.’ Based in his experience developing a deliverance ministry from the ground up, during the Argentine revival, his simple method for not only getting people free, but also helping them stay free, is still the most effective I have found. While I do not recommend getting into deliverance ministry lightly, if God lead you there, this book will certainly help.

(Two bonus books worth reading on the subject are ‘Unbound: A Practical Guide to Deliverance’ by Neal Lozano and Randy Clark’s ‘The Biblical Guidebook to Deliverance,’ which also follows Bottari’s pattern for effective ministry.)

April 29 2019

10 Books That Changed My Life

A. Scott Ingram Book Recommendations, Gospel Leadership christian books, Christianity, helpful books, Jesus, reading, recommended reading 0

Growing up, I HATED reading. It probably had to do with assigned books from school, rather than the freedom to choose my own interests. It likely, also, had to do with the accelerated reader testing and comprehension assignments attached to even the best books. Nevertheless, I did not become a reader until later, sometime in college.

Now, however, I read all the time. I can devour a good book in a few days, and have bought so many more than I will every have time to read. I have physical books, kindle content, and even a massive digital library in Logos Bible Software that I’ll never make it through in this life.

This week, I want to take a break from my normal blogging routine to recommend some of the best books I have ever read, that have helped to shape the insights I share with you regularly.

To begin with, here are 10 Books that have changed my life:

Hosting the Presence by Bill Johnson

‘Hosting the Presence‘ is one of the greatest primers on living life filled with the Holy Spirit that I have ever read. In fact, when I read it for the first time, I immediately read it again, and then again, before I could move on to any other book. Using the picture of the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus in the form of a dove, Johnson explains that when we value the Holy Spirit’s presence in our life, we will do everything we do with Him in mind.

Experiencing the Father's Embrace by Jack Frost

‘Experiencing the Father’s Embrace‘ is an amazing book revealing the Father-heart of God over us. This is another book that I have read a number of times, and it is the first book I recommend to any person looking to me for counseling or inner healing. If a person wants me to disciple them personally, this book is required reading, and I cannot more highly recommend it to you, no matter who you are!

Called to Reign by Leif Hetland

Many years ago I noticed that God was teaching me things in three distinct areas of spirituality: identity in Christ, intimacy with Him, and our inheritance as co-heirs. These things filled my personal devotions and the sermons I preached. Imagine my surprise with I stumbled across Leif’s book, ‘Called to Reign: Living and Loving from a Place of Rest,’ and discovered that his main sections are Identity, Intimacy, Inheritance, and one I hadn’t explored, Destiny. He covers these topics in such an eloquent way, I had to read it twice. If you struggle to be who Christ says you are, or attain the vision He has given you for life, then you must read this book!

What's Wrong with Protestant Theology by Jon Mark Ruthven

‘What’s Wrong with Protestant Theology? Tradition vs Biblical Emphasis‘ is a very scholarly work which leads us to the simple conclusion that the Reformers went wrong by excluding the continuing, active voice of God in the lives of everyday believers. ‘Sola scriptura’ effectively silenced any contemporary communication from God to man. Yet, without the ongoing and direct leading of the Holy Spirit, we will never be able to fulfill the mission of Jesus for the church. For some, this may be a difficult book to read, due to its formal style, but will be worth the effort if you are looking for a well researched, theological approach to Pneumatology.

4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice by Mark Virkler

In 2012, I was living in Haiti, and growing in many areas of personal life ministry. One thing I was convinced of was that hearing God’s voice was my right as a believer, and should be natural part of the Christian life. However, I did not know where to begin. That is when I stumbled onto the book, ‘4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice.’ These simple steps were so practical for me, that I began to practice them immediately. Having so many hours alone in the evenings to do nothing else, I spent long periods of time on the balcony of my guesthouse praying and listening for God’s response. Eventually, it became almost as easy to hear Him talking as it was to hear people around me. To this day, I still practice the journaling process I learned from this book. I am so thankful for it!

The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus

‘The Barbarian Way‘ was one of the most influential books of my college life. It was not required reading for any class, but was passed around our dormitory by many young men who were inspired to do something great with their lives for the Lord. If you are already established on your journey in life, then pass this one by. However, if you need inspiration to rise up and do more, with boldness and passion, then maybe this book can help get you there.

Forgiveness by Rodney Hogue

This book set me free from so much extra baggage I carried around from the things done to me by others. It was so easy to blame people for everything wrong in life, and to play the victim card. However, once I learned the power of forgiveness from this little book, it changed my life in so many ways. ‘Forgiveness‘ by Rodney Hogue is now that I recommend and even require by people seeking counseling and inner healing. It might just help you in ways you didn’t know you needed it.

Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby

‘Experiencing God‘ was another breakthrough book for me and some of my friends early on in the Christian life, teaching us how to have a true relationship with God with scripture as our guide. It has been dubbed a modern classic by many. If you have never read this book for yourself, just ask around. I am sure you know some people who have. If you are looking to deepen your relationship with Him, then this might be a good place to look for help.

Created in God's Image by Anthony Hoekema

‘Created in God’s Image‘ was required reading for one of my Bible college counseling classes, and although I didn’t realize it at the time, this book fundamentally shaped my understanding of humanity’s original design and the destructiveness of sin. Although my theological framework is not as reformed as Hoekema’s, this book is still one I recommend to the pastors and leaders in our ministry.

The Simple Way by Shane Claiborne

‘The Simple Way‘ was my first look into Christianity outside of normal, modern church services. Although I cannot recommend all of the theology Claiborne holds to, I can truly say that this book inspired me to love others in ways I didn’t think possible, and to go out into the world to find those who needed the love of Christ, desperately, but may never be welcomed by everyday believers. At one point, it almost led me and a group of friends to become squatters in a rough neighborhood in Fort Worth for sake of the gospel. Be careful.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash