Organizations Books

If you're an evangelical Protestant as I am, chances are that you hear very little about Paul's words that some are gifted by God to remain unmarried. We acknowledge Paul's observation, but we only extremely rarely (if at all) think of people as called to a life without marriage. Perhaps making it more difficult for those who are or might be called to such a state, we tend to think in terms of singleness vs. marriage, a juxtaposition that, given our culture, connotes loneliness vs. happiness.

Father Dubay challenges this view by arguing that God never calls anyone to singleness, because singleness in and of itself is not a life vocation that enables you to serve others. Instead, God calls some to marriage (serving primarily your family), and some to celibacy (serving others who are not of your family and devoting yourself to Jesus apart from the married state). The difference in terminology between singleness and celibacy might seem like splitting hairs to some, but I think Dubay is on to something in that the terminology we use affects our outlook. Furthermore, his emphasis on directing our lives toward self-giving counteracts the materialistic, self-centered messages from our culture.

Within the pages of this book, Dubay gives much advice concerning signs of a call to a celibate vocation, and paints a detailed picture of what a life of celibacy looks like. And Dubay's love for the Lord Jesus Christ shines through on every page he writes.

Obviously, this book is more accessible to Catholics than Protestants. However, I found the majority of this book to be quite useful and insightful. (Of course, there will be some points where evangelicals have strong disagreements with Dubay.) A book (as opposed to just a few words or a chapter in a book) is needed to address this subject from an evangelical Protestant perspective. Until then, Dubay's book is a valuable read.

Father Dubay's moving and genuinely realistic presentation of the gift of consecrated celibacy takes us beyond the usual stereotypes of celibate life as strictly a means to enhance one's service or show a commitment to community life. Using the classic, solid background which has endured for 2000 years of Christianity, Father Dubay presents a brief but deep exploration of the love, sacrifice, and commitment of vowed chastity, unhampered by trendy or empty references.

This is a book that I think could help basically anyone understand better the spiritual reasons for the practice of consecrated celibacy. It has a lot of substance without requiring the reader to be a sophisticated theologian, it is just clear and direct. Celibate chastity ("virginity") is a charism, a gift, and as a choice of a way of life it is an exclusive centering on God as the one essential truth and love of one's entire life. Because of this exclusive gift of self to God, the virgin who lives this life with spiritual integrity and generosity receives from God the grace of a manyfold increase in her/his capacity for charity toward all people. "And You Are Christ's" makes a really excellent statement of the contemplative and apolostolic dimensions of consecrated celibacy, especially in relation to women. It also describes the various kinds of consecration within the Catholic Church, and the signs by which this gift/charism may be known in individuals. This book will be valuable to anyone discerning a call to celibate life, to their families to help them understand this vocation, and to committed celibates to help understand more broadly, deeply, and clearly the reasons for the value of their choice, that they might live it more fully in God's service.

Although I think that all of Fr. Dubay's books are excellent, this book is one of the best books I have ever read, and indeed the finest book I have ever read on the subject of celibacy for the Kingdom of God. In reading this book, I felt my heart and soul identify with Fr. Dubay's words, written with an eloquence which I could never achieve.

As a member of a Secular Institute (for those unfamiliar with the term: being a member of a Secular Institute is having a vocation in the Catholic Church as a lay person - not a religious, priest, brother, sister - who takes the vows of a religious, i.e. poverty, chastity and obedience, but remains a lay person living in the world and living the vows within the context of a lay life), I especially appreciated Fr. Dubay's clarification of "vocation" as being not what one "does" in life (which is what a "career" is), but what one IS in the depths of one's soul, and his explanation of gospel virginity as being a "love affair", as opposed to the world's negative view that it is a "giving up" of something (marriage, sexual intimacy, family life, etc.), or that it is an unhealthy or unnatural way to live.

Fr. Dubay explains that everything we search for in life, even so much as a cold drink to satisfy physical thirst, is but an indication of our deeper quest for the Lord, and how a vocation of gospel virginity is not a "giving up" but a fulfillment of our deepest yearnings for God. For the person consecrated to gospel virginity, Fr. Dubay writes of the difference in how we live our lives if we live cognizant of the true nature of our vocation.

I think that this book would be an outstanding aid for those who may be struggling to understand their child's/family member's/friend's decision to live a life of gospel virginity. Further, I believe that anyone who feels they are being called to a celibate and chaste lifestyle would benefit by reading this book and gain great insights into why they feel attracted to gospel virginity.

Finally, for all those who are living a celibate lifestyle, whether diocesan priest, religious priest, religious brother or sister, nun, or consecrated lay person, this book will be an incalculable affirmation of our chosen lifestyle and love affair with the One who is Love itself.

One of the best books on this subject. Every Catholic should read it to have a better understanding of the priests and religious who serve them. Especially good is the explanation of the priest as a bridegroom whose spouse is the Church, in the image of Christ the Bridegroom found in Scripture. Also good is the explanation that "being" precedes "doing." We are valuable in God's eyes because we "are", not because of what we "do," that love falls into the category of "being" rather than "doing" and is the "greatest of these." Also good is the explanation that consecrated life is an image of the life to come, and that it's role in the Mystical Body is to compliment, rather than compete with, the marriage vocation. The section on "compensation compromises" is excellent for any state in life. It explains how we make compromises to compensate or reward ourselves for the sacrifices we make in our vocations. For example, "I am overindulging in (fill in the blank) because I deserve it for the enormous sacrifices I make as a (choose one)priest, sister, wife, husband, mother, father. Wonderful insights. A must read.

This is a wonderful program. I honestly can't say enough good about it. What a way to reach out to the women in your church, or in your neighborhood! I went through the program last summer and had the opportunity this week to serve at a new AOG session. It has been such a blessing to me, especially at a time where not many take the time out of their busy schedule to nuture friendships. I have never felt so truly cared for. The meals we did were not the ones in the book, but we did do meals. Some groups have chosen to leave this part out. I would definitely not do this. There is something so great about having a meal together and also not lifting a finger! You feel so pampered! Can't wait until the author pens a continuation study!

If you can find some mentors to lead you and friends through this study do it, but don't be afraid to start your own group. This is great for a neighborhood study. JE

This is a wonderful idea for strengthening relationships with older and younger generations. We are going to try it in our church. We may alter the program a bit as it is quite ambitious, but I think we can make it work. Be willing to work with it and don't get bogged down in the details of making it look just like the model.

This is a great book and program by a lady that really shows her love for the LORD!

Read this book and then buy more to give to your friends. This is a wonderful group program for older women to mentor younger women.

This is an excellent book describing the theory and research about the foundation of Appreciative Inquiry and also a practical guide to facilitating groups in using it. It provides an outline and details on each meeting with steps and stories to illustrate the concepts. I have used it in working with non profit groups and people become very excited about the process.

Appreciative Inquiry is an increasingly popular technique within the wider family of interventions designed to bring about change through cooperation across a whole system, working with a large group of people. Its distinguishing feature is the emphasis on the positive - what is good about the present and offers potential for the future, what aspirations there are for the future, how do we design such a future and what are the concrete steps to start bringing it about.

This book goes into great detail on the rationale for the approach and the step by step activities required to move through the process. It is a well set-out and thorough guide for practitioners.

For a guide to the range of techniques available and a comparison between them, refer to Napuk and Palmer: The Large Group Facilitator's Manual or Bunker and Alban: Large Group Interventions.

I found this book to be compelling. The authors offer the "Evolution of Thought on Managing Change" in the first chapter that suggests that today "Everyone innovates for extraordinary performance." Those companies/organizations and leaders that choose to accept this to be fact, should familiarize themselves with Appreciative Inquiry. And, for those looking for the "how-to" book to accomplish AI within their organizations on a grand scale, this is the textbook that fills that need.

This is an inspiring work at the confluence of idealism and practicality. It is a reference source relevant to the experienced practitioner and a great learning resource for one who wants to learn more about appreciative inquiry. Interweaving compelling stories, the authors provide an informative set of tools and guides. I was able to use information in the sample participant guide the same day the book arrived.

This book is a very practical step-by-step guide to conducting an AI summit. What I especially appreciated was how the book combines the great experiences and expertise of the authors and will be useful for the AI novice practitioner as well as for the very experienced AI OD consultant. It provides great examples of summit materials. It is a well written book that can be read and reread and used as the Summit bible for years to come.

The great Harnack thought that were the historian of dogma to include within his bag of evidence the liturgy, he would be giving himself over to superstition outright. This book counters and corrects such a claim, which is also a premise in the works of the late Jaroslav Pelikan. Distinct from paganism by its monotheism, and distinct from Judaism with its binitarian (not ditheistic) devotion to Christ, Hurtado argues that the early, and limited, amount of liturgical evidence from the Christians offers an insight into the Christian understanding of God with an application to today's worship.

The whole question of who Jesus was thought to be by his followers and their immediate successors, and thus who we are to think he is, is tied directly not only to the scriptures of the old and new testaments, but to how they were written for and used in the Church's liturgical worship. Make no mistake about it, Christianity is a liturgical religion through and through, and without this hermeneutical principle in place, how we understand Christ will be skewed. To this extent Hurtado's work comes as a welcome read on the whole, since it places Christian worship in its true sitz im leben of Jewish, Roman and Greek religion and public life.

His summary of public and private worship during the late BCE and early CE is worth the cost of the book, fitting it all in the first 39 pages. He moves from there to consider a few key themes of Christian worship: intimacy among believers, especially around the Eucharist, equal participation of all regardless of socio-economic standing through baptism into Christ, fervor and zeal, perception as the redeemed Body of Christ on earth, eschatological hope and participation in the kingdom of heaven here and now as a foretaste and finally, charismatic potency, something that is often overlooked in modern accounts.

Following this, Hurtado considers the strong binitarian nature of their worship, with the Father as the one who is accessed and praised in the Son, Jesus Christ. Hurtado proposes that the role of the Spirit was more of the whole ambiance, imbued with the Spirit's potency, which is the "same Spirit whom Jesus has sent". This is a very useful section for those who believe Jesus "became a God" only in the 3rd of 4th century for political reasons after Constantine. (If you have any background with the primary sources, you understand quickly that this late deification theory is a bunk proposal, long outdated, used to sell books under controversial titles.) Readers may be interested to pursue this idea further in Hurtado's amazingly detailed door stopper, Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity or the short version, How On Earth Did Jesus Become A God?: Historical Questions About Earliest Devotion To Jesus.

Finally, Hurtado tries to apply the previous knowledge to our modern context of confused, silly and downright heretical worship that tries to pass itself off as Christian. He does it rather gently with the typical calls to being clear who is being worshiped (not confusing the persons/roles of the Trinity, e.g. the Father did not die on the cross, etc), not being patriarchal (whatever that means for worship he doesn't exactly say, only that we are not create God in a male image after our own likeness) and worship as a participation in the heavenly worship even now (a shock that most Protestants are wary of given their soft belief or downright rejection of the "communion of saints" idea from Hebrews 11 and 12). See Any Friend of God's Is a Friend of Mine for some food for thought.

There are only a few points that I think could be better explained or corrected. First, he claims early on (46) that the early church had no priesthood (presbyteros). Well, perhaps it is semantics, and I suppose is depends on how you define it, but if it means "someone in a position of spiritual authority who leads the community and deals with a religious sacrifice/offering to God", then by all means they did have a priesthood. Why? Because the early Church understood their Eucharist as an offering of thanksgiving (the meaning of the word) unto God, which was a participation in the "once for all" sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for our salvation. And we know from the NT and the witness of people like Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp that certain men, not women, officiated at the gatherings doing this action. The NT calls them overseers, which is an English translation of episkopos/oi, which is another way of saying "Bishops". The fact is that the distinction between the episcopacy and a parish priest/elder was blurry in the first century and even in the second in some parts (see Acts 20:17 and Titus 1:5,7), but the role of priest/elder only developed when the house churches expanded in a given city beyond the liturgical participation of the "one bishop to every city" rule and Christ's return was not as soon as expected. In a sense, the Church had to be more structured for the foreseeable future, which could be a long time. But the liturgical action was the same, which is the point. See Elders in Every City: The Origin an Role of the Ordained Ministry and Apostolic Succession for two brief introductions to the topic.

That early worship was rather "informal" may not be the case, and I am not sure that is the only perspective to take from the primary sources. Whatever "relatively informal" means, it doesn't mean "make it up as you go along". Yes, there is was certainly a place for that, but the main structure of readings, homily, meal was set based upon synagogue and temple worship. It was still a very Jewish event. See The Shape of the Liturgy and In the Shadow of the Temple: Jewish Influences on Early Christianity.

I also feel that Hurtado could make much more of the significance of both baptism and the Eucharist, since they are defining liturgical elements in what it means to "do Church". It seems he stayed out of any areas of theology that may ruffle feathers. In this regard, please see Jeremias' two brief studies Infant Baptism in the First Four Centuries and The Origins of Infant Baptism: A Further Study in Reply to Kurt Aland and Werner Elert's magisterial Eucharist and Church Fellowship in the First Four Centuries . Christians were very much of one mind that they participated in the body and blood of Christ and were born again in union with Jesus through participation in baptism for remission of sins (little kids, too, and babes in arms) and regeneration. He skimps out on the Eucharist part, but does show that baptism was more than a "me and Jesus" affair. His explanation of what it means to be "called out" (ekklesia) is very good, however.

Lastly, his ending discussion on gender, God the Father and idolatry is interesting, but I am not sure where he goes with it. He writes that we are not to think God is a male, so males run the show. It is unclear if he means that woman can therefore lead the Eucharistic assembly as the bishop or elder, or if he means that men and women are otherwise equal, or what. Maybe I need to reread him. Be that as it may, I think it is not a proper use of liturgical theology, if this is what he means to say, that woman can officiate the Eucharist since we are all one in Christ with no male or female, rich or poor, etc. The elder/priest/bishop represents Christ, serves as an icon of Christ. I am not entirely convinced that this excludes woman from that role, but I would not make that sort of argument based upon talk of God as Father. It has everything to do with Jesus and his role, not the Father. When St Paul says that we function as images of the Father and not vice versa, this is not what he is writing about, so I wonder where to apply Hurtado's theme. Since the book is about liturgy, it seems to apply it there, but he never comes out and says it that way. On this point, see Speaking the Christian God: The Holy Trinity and the Challenge of Feminism, This Is My Name Forever: The Trinity & Gender Language for God and Women and the Priesthood. ( cant use more than 10 links per review, sorry!)

Ok, very lastly, in the context of his argument about gender he seems to say we cannot use images in worship, citing Exodus. Yet he could go on to cite a few verses further where God commands Moses to use images and he fails to see that post-incarnation we very much may image God in Christ, along with the saints, who are deified by his grace alone, which is done very early on as seen at Dura Europas and Rome. Seems a little truncated in the conclusion department. And that the book as not index is unacceptable. Seriously, what text of a scholary nature should go without an index? A major pet peeve!

Definitely worth the read.

As noted by others, this is a readable abridgement of Hurtado's more extensive published materials related to early Christian worship. Central to Hurtado's work is an insightful assessment of the key role monotheism plays in the object of worship and the equally central role intimacy plays in the context of that worship. Although not rejecting Trinitarian understanding, his assertion that early Christian worship was "Binitarian" (the worship of God in and through Jesus Christ) is as revolutionary as it is historically accurate.

Hurtado has a more detailed version of this book, but since it costs around $55 (!!!) this short version may be better for your wallet. Hurtado makes detailed comparisons to Roman religious practice showing how Christianity did (and did not) fit in well with Roman praxis. Among the interesting trivia is that Christian rejection of the use of images and sacrificial ritual led some opponents to think Christianity was more like a philosophical association than a religious group [25]. Hurtado also explores in some depth the implications of Christian worship terminology and practice, and concludes with a chapter on the implications of his findings for Christian worship today. After reading this book, you may not recognize your next Sunday service.

This is a short book, but, like everything written by Hurtado, is outstanding. Hurtado stresses from the outset that it is important to study the devotional practices of the early Christians because of what they reveal about Christian beliefs.

Christians saw themselves as monotheists even though they were also proclaiming Jesus as God. In fact, "There are basically two main identifying marks of early Christian worship, when considered in its religious context: 1) Christ is reverenced as divine along with God, and 2) worship of all other gods is rejected" (p 39).

Hurtado lists six phenomena of early Christian religious devotion which he contends amounted to a "pattern of devotion that was unparalleled among other known religious groups that identified themselves with the biblical/Jewish tradition" (p 71). It was a distinct mutation. Certainly no group identified with Jewish traditions called upon a man as equal to God the Father as did the Christians. The name of Jesus was invoked as God even in the initiation rite of Baptism.

A well thought out and impressive work of scholarship.

Professor Larry Hurtado is one of the most important scholars of early Christianity. AT THE ORIGINS OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP contains his 1999 Didsbury lectures. While this book includes much of the same territory covered in Prof. Hurtado's other book, many readers will find it more accessible. The book's chapters on the Roman religious scene into which Christianity was born and contemporary Christian worship make the book a worthwhile purchase even if you have Prof. Hurtado's other works.

The news about public school education has been bad for almost 30 years. Statistics published by city, state, and federal information banks show that kids are just not learning what they need to know, schools are overcome with violence, teachers are demoralized, and yet billions of dollars are literally shovelled into the system. Where does this money go, we have all asked,as we walk down our children's school hallways and have seen the paint falling off the walls and ceilings, the broken desks and chairs, and we have heard about the lack of services and resources going to our kids. There has been little documentation of the misappropriation of these funds until now. Lydia Segal has written an excellent and important book on this topic that will become THE textbook on corruption, theft, fraud, and patronage within the Board of Education not only in New York City, but also in Chicago and Los Angeles.
Lydia Segal, a former Investigator of the New York City public schools, says that very little of the dollars allocated to students in our public schools actually gets used by them. She details how coding problems, the procurement process, compartmentalization and opacity of information leave administrators with only two options: good corruption (which ultimately helps the kids) and bad corruption (which never helps anyone but the perpetrator and his/her allies and accomplices). Indeed, the system fights those who try the good corruption route. Ms. Segal describes in graphic detail the "godfathers" and "godmothers" (the school board members), who obtain jobs for their "pieces". Furthermore, no one who reads her chapter "Lessons From Local Political School Control", with the sub-headings "How Language Illuminates the Pathology", "No Real Accountability", "The Ease of Building a Patronage Army", "Controlling the Tools For Patronage", and "Exploiting Parents' Poverty" will ever listen to a school Principal, Superintendent, or School Board official in the same way. Our perception of public school education is changed forever by this book.
The pathology of this corruption suggests the remedy, Ms. Segal says, which is decentralization of power into the schools and the hands of the Principals. The 52 pages of footnotes, interviews, and reference materials as well as the easy reading style make every word Ms. Segal writes believable, although depressing. There is no question, however, that anyone who is interested in school reform and/or who works toward a goal of establishing an education system that puts children first must read this book.

I almost did not buy this book. I would like to understand why our schools are doing such a bad job at educating our kids. The title to this book suggested a narrow focus on issues such as bribery, which, while interesting to a District Attorney, do not seem central to the problem.

What I discovered, however, is that this book really covers alot more ground that the title suggests. Yes, Segal is a lawyer, and she started out in this area by investigating honest to goodness corruption. She is concerned about bribery, waste and abuse, all of which are larger problems than I had realized.

The book goes way beyond those relatively small issues, however. It really gets to the heart of WHY our schools stink, in a way that I have not seen anyone else do. What Segal really gets into are the reasons why our largest school districts are such ossified bureaucratic dinosaurs. She tells a number of really hair-raising stories about how totally the system does not care about efficiency or educational quality, and, perhaps more imporartant, she explains WHY the system can not care. It is a very interesting story. It goes back to the early 20th century when the Progressive Movement was fighting urban corruption, and scientific management was all the rage. The bottom line, however, is that our large systems have fundamental, systematic problems that make it astonishing that they teach as well as they do. As Segal makes very clear, tinkering around the edges with curriculum reform and such like will do next to nothing, until the organizations are fundamentally retooled so that basic efficiency and educational quality become a focus again. As things stand, there is so much red tape, so much administrative ho-ha and general bureaucratic nightmares that there is no possible way that the system can deliver a quality product at a reasonable price.

Very important book.

As a mother of two, facing the tough choice between public and private schools, I found this book full of critical insights as to how the public schools really work. Segal's analysis of the perverse incentives, corruption, and overwhelming bureaucracy that are dragging down our schools is compelling and persuasive. Her suggestions for what should be done to fix the system are intelligent and long overdue. Everyone with school-age kids should read this book now!

A real eye-opener, this very well-written and powerfully argued book finally helped me understand why
urban public schools never seem to have enough money
to educate our children despite repeated national and local efforts to change that. Ms. Segal contends that waste and abuse are the primary culprits and offers thorough and persuavie doumentaion that this is indeed true.
Because she concludes that the problem is with
pathological systems, not people, she spends a good quarter of the book discussing how to overhaul the systems.
The suggestions are overwhelmingly intelligent, inspiring, and above all, realistic.
This book is a must-read for anyone looking for concrete and specific ways to improve our educational system.

A real eye-opener, this very well-written and powerfully argued book finally helped me understand why
urban public schools never seem to have enough money
to educate our children despite repeated national and local efforts to change that. Ms. Segal contends that waste and abuse are the primary culprits and offers thorough and persuasive documentation that this is indeed true.
Because she concludes that the problem is with
pathological systems, not people, she spends a good quarter of the book discussing how to overhaul the systems.
The suggestions are overwhelmingly intelligent, inspiring, and above all, realistic.
This book is a must-read for anyone looking for concrete and specific ways to improve our educational system.

In Beat the Odds, Robert Rudzki presents a method of strategic planning that is based on his own corporate experience plus an astute analysis of the best and worst application of corporate strategy. The book describes a set of nine fundamental principles that provide a solid strategic framework for business planning and execution in practically any industry sector.

I particularly like the structure of the book. The chapters give a brief synopsis of corporations that apply each of the nine individual principles well. Rudzki then reinforces the principles discussed in the chapters with checklists that help determine if these principles are effectively being applied. He even anticipates the "but my firm is different" arguments and defends the principles against complacency.

I also find that the self-assessment guides for top management, future leaders, employers, suppliers, and customers are valuable tools to conduct a 360 degree evaluation of a corporation's activities.

I highly recommend Beat the Odds to any business executive or manager.

BEAT THE ODDS is a call to take business back to the often-forgotten
basics, particularly in an era where senior managers are consumed by
managing complexity in their daily jobs. It takes the complex world of
business and simplifies it to nine core principles, without which a
business is likely to fail. With vivid corporate examples, this book
does what others have failed to do: offer a complete prescription for
corporate health (with a comprehensive diagnostic process), not a dose
of the latest management fad.

With ample examples of companies that have failed, or experienced
near-death due to ignoring one or more of the nine principles, this
book is a natural complement to such earlier classics as Built to
Last, and Good to Great.

BEAT THE ODDS should be a must read in the executive suite, and in
executive education programs. The Nine Principles, combined with the
Diagnostic process and the Quotable Quotes (in the Appendix), will
provide executives and managers with an on-going resource throughout
their careers.

This is the Seven Principles restated with some interesting twists. To the extent that I consider business operations and risk every day some of what Mr. Rudzki says may be more evident to me than to most people; however, the book was still very useful from the viewpoint of tuning up my framework for analysis. I actually added some thoughts to my regular business health questionaire. This is certainly worth the read.

Do you really need to read one more book about why businesses succeed? If you have management responsibilities in an organization and you want to contribute to its long-term success, the answer is: yes, you do, and this is the book. BEAT THE ODDS makes a compelling case for "nine principles" which, its author argues, are essential to the "long-term viability and success" of organizations if they are to survive the myriad challenges endemic to today's business environment.

The starting point for this text is the commonplace fact that many organizations do not age well, including some of the "great" companies previously lionized as `built to last'. The metaphor of "organization as a living entity" that runs through the narrative is not merely a literary convenience. Rather, it is at the very heart of Rudzki's prescription for ensuring that a corporation has a long and useful life that benefits all its key stakeholders, including the community at large.

Rejecting the limiting notion of an organization as merely a "moneymaking machine" in favour of a view of it as a "living thing," the text offers a practical strategy for diagnosing the threats to corporate health. The "nine principles" for organizational fitness are explained in a workmanlike manner, each illustrated with case studies including examples of companies that, to their peril, have neglected one of more of the principles which, the text argues, are present in companies that enjoy long and vital lives.

With its straightforward templates for self-assessment and diagnosis at real organizations, this is a book that is meant to be put to work. If you are concerned with building a business and contributing to a truly meaningful vision of its long-term health, then this is the `one more book' you have to read.

Vicki McBryde, BA, CPP, CPM

Beat the Odds takes a holistic approach to addressing organizational effectiveness. Too many books in this genre simply provide a philosophical presentation about organizational success in today's world, or take a limited look at one piece of the puzzle. This book combines the necessary "conceptual" model describing the elements or principles that define high performing organizations with additional tools that are helpful in testing your understanding, assessing your situation, and providing you with some comprehensive examples of the principles in action. I found that to be valuable in enabling me to examine my organization accurately, recognize the differences between what my current situation is and what would be most effective, and it provided a subtle nudge to encourage a commitment to take action.

Like any worthwhile how-to business book, Rudzki provides a thoughtful model based on key principles. His 9 principles give any leader a comprehensive description of what it takes to have an effective organization over the long term. Jim Collins talks about the critical need to focus on the choices a leader makes and the discipline to act on those choices if you want to be great. Beat the Odds does a really good job of putting definition to what Collins calls "discipline"; and that's what I need if I'm a leader starting a journey toward greatness, or trying to reverse the decline of a formerly-great company.

Given my experience in consulting to organizational change, the assessment tools do a good job of targeting the key areas that typically impact whether an organization is functioning effectively. In addition, I found Rudzki's questions thought-provoking and clearly on target as they related to challenging a leader to actually take action. I recommend Beat the Odds as a must read.

This is an excellent general book on worship. It includes exposition of both Old and New Testament texts, leading the reader continually back to the bible as the source for authority and information on God-centered worship. Horton taps into the thinking of other bible scholars. He also presents some material that may surprise some readers, in which the voices of the very young adult generation of Christians speak out on what they believe about worshipping God. If you invest in only one book on worship in the near future, this would be the one to read.

Michael Horton is editor of Modern Reformation. The magazine comes out every other month. It is devoted to bring a new reformation to the evangelical churches today. Each issue concentrates on a different doctrinal truth and how churches of today have moved away from that teaching. The magazine argues for systematic theology which today's culture pulls many a Christian from studying or discovering. The author of this book believes the Christian Faith is being dumbed down.

Jesus Christ is the central character of the whole Bible. The human writers of the Old Testament did not comprehend, but God knew.The Holy Spirit breathed both the Old and New Testament. God is the ultimate author of all scripture. The Law, man's rebellion against God, animal sacrafice, and prophecy all point to Jesus Christ. The Author states what is less clear in the Old testament is made clear through the revelation of the New Testament.

And he said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27 RSV)

The author's explicit thesis:

God has promised to save and keep His people through means he has appointed and through no other; the ordaining means of grace are limited to the preached word and the sacraments.

Worship ought to focus on God. All praise should be to God for who He is, what He has accomplished, and what He will do. Worship is a response to God. The author quoted from the Heidelberg Catechism: that God wants His people instructed by the living Word.....} If the people were not up to speed the answer was to get them up to speed, not accommodate the degenerating condition.

Scriptural Reading recommendation, Nehemiah 8:1-8

This scripture tells us the word of God was read and explained. The book of Hebrews explains the coming from the old covenant to the new. The word church comes from the Greek word ekklesia meaning shared. But the primary or chief concern of the church is not to build community, to enjoy fellowship ,or to have moral instruction for children. The primary or chief concern is worship our Creator for being the chosen, redeemed, justified, and sanctified, until one day we will be glorified in heaven. Therefore the gathering should not be out of habit, social custom or heart felt needs. As John the Baptist declared: Behold the Lamb of God to take away our sins. God provided the means to wash away our sins through Christ's sinless life, death and resurrection. Therefore the gathering should be a shared praise and worship for His Grace and long suffering.

The author further argues that praise should be object centered: God and His saving work in Christ. Not subject centered praise; lyrics of songs should not concentrate on what we are doing. An example of subject praise is the hymn: In the Garden . He walks with me He talks with and tells me I am His very own.

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the
sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
(Hebrews 10:19-25 RSV)

Scriptual recommendations: Romans 10:5-8, 13-15, 17;

Faith comes by hearing the word of God. The author argues that the sermon is central to worship. It must be about the word of God and not pop culture. through communion and Baptism God conveys His grace through the common elements water, bread, and Wine(or grape juice). God summons His people together for this purpose. Michael Horton argues you most know the things of God to know God. Faith is the sole means of justification. Faith comes through the hearing of the word.

For, "every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be
saved." But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not
believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!" (Romans 10:13-15 RSV)

Michael Horton argues that acceptance of authority even God is abnormal. Cutting ones path apart from everyone even God is normal. An individual cheat himself when he tries to reshape God instead of allowing God to reshape him. A church/worship service should reconstitute the individual life into a Christian life. A new script to an individuals life. Purpose, identity hopes should be conformed by the word and Spirit.

Spacialization of Heaven

Two Different Realms of Existence

Present Rule of Sin and Death

vs.
Coming realm of Consumation

Those Who Belong to This Age

vs.
Those Who Belong to That Age

The World is divided between those who belong to Jesus therefore the coming age and those who belong to the world, therefore are doomed in their sins.

The author also discusses today's and yesterday's culture. No age has a monopoly on truth. But truth in God's word should be the guide how worship should be structured, not how it attracts unbelievers or pleases the believer.

Overall Dr. Horton's book is excellent, particularly chapters 4 and 5. He does a tremendous job of locating the constitution of worship in Scripture and of addressing the narcissism so unfortunately prevalent in the church today.

I did find his virtual assault in chapter 2 on believers experiencing God somewhat overdone. Granted, there is far too much seeking of the experience in the church today, but that does not and should not be taken to mean that a believer cannot have some kind of experiential reality of God. Further his observations in this area seem to neglect passages like Psalm 27.7-9. And his discounting of believers seeing God at work in the present "The world is shot through with divinity and nearly everything and every experience is an opportunity to touch and see God's face" (pg. 39) seems to emphasise God's transcendence at the expense of His immanence, the latter of which is also confirmed by Scripture, e.g., Psalm 19, 50.6, Romans 1.20, etc. The overall thrust of this chapter suggests that it is impossible for a believer with, for lack of a better phrase, their theology straight, who is seeking God in accordance with His word, to witness God in His creation, which again seems to me to contradict Scripture. It is true that these experiences are not means of saving grace as defined in Scripture, nor should they be mistaken for or sought as ends themselves, but that does not - when they are truly of God - diminish their reality or significance in the life of the believer.

Insofar as the reference to ministers being formally sent or approved by an ecclesiastical body, "And, by the way, Paul clearly understood 'sent' to mean sent by the church through its appointed officers, as his insistence on the laying on of hands reminds us" (pg. 42), while that is true, I would offer that what Paul did not have in mind are the formal scholastic hoops now required by many of those same bodies before they will even consider recognising (much less ordaining) a person as a minister. The idea that one cannot be a theological sound and truly called minister unless formally educated and ordained (which seems to be what Dr. Horton is getting at) is contrary to the Scripture to which he appeals. Timothy had no formal education that we know of other than being brought up with an understanding of the Scriptures and his being mentored by Paul. Neither did Titus, or for that matter Peter, James, John; nor in all likelihood did the many house church leaders like Priscilla and Aquila, Nymphas, etc. While I agree that seminary and ordination is the common and perhaps even preferred route into ministry, that does not mean that God cannot/does not sometimes call and equip people without their having done everything according to some set of denominational rules and requirements.

In closing, while the bulk of this review takes issue with the author's views as mentioned above (thus the 4 star rating), the book on the whole is well worth reading. It speaks particularly to a serious problem in the church today and should be read and heeded by far more people than it probably will be.

A Better Way: Rediscovering The Drama Of God-Centered Worship by Rev. Michael Horton (Associate Professor, Westminister Theological Seminary, California) is a clear and careful examination of the Christian worship of God. Individual chapters address the Biblical passages that form the source of Christian worship, and the importance of putting God and Jesus Christ foremost. Specially written for those who keep the faith, as well as for pastors and worship leaders, A Better Way is strongly recommended as a profound, life-changing book about what it truly means to express one's reverence with a Christian context of scripture and tradition.

In this day and age, all you have to do is shop around and you can probably find the church that has a worship style of your choice. In some ways, this might be good, but it does cause some bitter division in churches that have not settled on the style that "works" for them.

Is this the right way for it to be? Has the purpose of worship gotten lost somewhere between the traditions and the new ways? Where is God in all this, in other words.

The author, one of the members of the popular White Horse Inn radio show that examines Reformed theology for the edification and equipment of the believers, realizes that worship is one of the primary functions of those God has called to Himself. Using Biblical illustration, he teaches readers what worship was meant to be, and also provides some useful material that brings aspects of the Bible to a new light and helps some parts that have not quite made sense a bit more comprehensible.

***** The man to whom the book is dedicated, James M. Boice, would be proud if he could read this educational and informative text.

This book, is well presented and provides excellent information for any non profit.

This book shows strategies for fundraising and investment in this new world moving towards partnership donation based on social enterprise. Explains the new order and the shifts in activity and thinking required to be successful in the future.

Kay Sprinkel Grace is a wonderfully warm person whose personal mission is to help others develop their non-profit organizations to make the world a little better.

This book will help any development professional tie it all together is an easy to understand way. It will also be useful to organization volunteers who are affiliated with your organizations, particularly members of your board of directors.

I love this book. It was one of the first books I ever read on fundraising for nonprofits. And it provided me with much theory on the subject. I have read quite a few books on the fundamentals of fundraising and the tactics used to raise funds, but when I was reading them I ALWAYS thought back to a lot of what I read in Ms. Grace's book. I highly recommend ANY fundraiser get a copy of this book and read it. It doesn't matter if it serves as your introduction to the field, or as a night cap to your many readings on the subject. This book is well written and outlined with substantial substance between its covers.

The book is only 12 chapters long. And I think it would still serve its purpose if chapters 6 (annual giving programs), 7 (capital campaigns), and 9 (maximizing board development and participation) were deleted. I thought these three chapters were wonderful. Don't get me wrong. But the power of this book is in the other chapters.

Beyond fundraising is about how a fundraiser should approach her job. It is about inviting investment, not about begging for a gift. It's about working for a nonprofit with a worthy cause that is doing what it should with the money it receives. It's about planning and not about winging it. It's about how to help society be a better place. It's also about staying up with the times.

The author has been working as a consultant to nonprofits for many years. She has helped countless nonprofits with their fundraising efforts. She has presented many seminars on fundraising fundamentals. And this book in a way is a summary of what she has covered in her seminars. The author has also written many published articles on fundraising. Accordingly, she is an authority on the subject. In my humble opinion, this book is her best effort and contribution to the field. 5 stars!

I picked up this book just as the board of directors of the local theater group sent me to set up a campaign to raise capital for a new building. All of a sudden I was faced with the idea of raising lots of money instead of just the small amounts we need to put on individual productions.

To my surprise, although I guess I shouldn't have been, Chapter 7 is on Capital Campaigns. She summarizes them as: 'unique, occasional, exhausting, exciting, and productive; they focus organizations on a particular goal during a finite period of time and allow us to sharpen our sense of purpose and impact.' To that I can only say: Yup!

Ms. Grace has obviously been there, done that, not only in raising money for capital, but every other kind of fundraising activity as well.

This book is well written, and it positioned at a higher level than most fundraising books. By that I mean that she treats fundraising as almost an art form. Something where you don't need to feel like you're begging for a handout. Highly recommended.

This book gives you a great understanding of Billy and Ruth Graham's sincere contribution to Christianity and their faith in God.

I loved this book. It was an inspiring and delightful time spent viewing the photos and reading about this man's life. I ended the book with the feeling it was more than just a book about Billy Graham - it was a book of history. Mr. Graham has touched the lives of countless people, but has also had the opportunity to meet with more heads of state and influential people than most public officials. The pictures and commentary were indeed a trip through history. Billy Graham is a true public servant as well as a preacher. What a great gift has been given to this man of God!

For many years through all his dedication in giving his life for Jesus Christ and helping others, Billy Graham is truly God's Ambassador. Tehabi Books in conjunction with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has organized and produced the story of the man with a lifelong mission of giving hope to the world. The book is lavishly covered with black-and-white and full color photos from the archives of eyewitness photographer Russ Busby. Busby had spent most of his life documenting Billy Graham's ministry around the world. In just half a century, Billy Graham has traveled the world to preach the Gospel to millions of people across the globe-more than anyone in history.

The book captures public and private moments from his humble beginning as a dairy farmer's son in Charlotte, North Carolina to one of the most influential evangelist of the 20th century. 'Billy Graham: God's Ambassador' includes comments, quotes and personal reflections mostly from the words of Billy Graham himself and those who have been closest to him. This insightful book looks at Graham as the advocate and preacher of human rights and world peace, Counselor with Presidents, world leaders and celebrities, inspired a positive influence in times of conflict and discord and at home with his family he was husband and father. This is an intimate and unique portrait of a man who dedicated his life to the Gospel and the world's most prominent figure of this century. Quoting from Daniel Webster-"If we work on marble, it will perish; if on brass, time will efface it; if we rear up temples, they will crumble into dust; but if we work upon immortal minds and imbue them with principles, with the just fear of God and the love of our fellow men, we engrave on those tablets something that will brighten to all eternity."

As a biography, "Billy Graham: God's Ambassador" is not as good as Graham's own autobiography, "Just As I Am". However as a coffee table book it is excellent. The photography is superb. The text is eye catching. The layout exceptional. This is a much better book for public display than most of the books I come across.

This book covered everything I could hope for on this man who has been voted one of the most admired and influentuel men of the last century.I loved the photos as well as the commentary by himself and from so many other sources. It was inspiring and informative. My husband and I were competing for our chance to enjoy the book. Should have bought two copies!

Board rooms are one of the last bastions of secrecy in today's increasingly transparent world. Talking with the board often causes people to talk in hushed tones and reverence. However, Charan's book reminds us that Boards consist of people with responsibilities to discharge and tools to use. This book is a must read for every executive to remind them of the foundational elements that run the company: customers, cash flow, leverage, etc. Too often we lose sight of these things as we work day to day.

The book is written in a highly accessible style with just enough tools to help executives understand board dynamics, information and success factors. This makes it an ideal book to pick up for a long plane flight or a weekend to upgrade your knowledge and skills.

Sarbanes Oxley and board oversight concerns were the genesis for this book as boards move from what Charan calls Ceremonial to Progressive. However, Charan writes about practices for effective boards helping this book stand the test of time.

In a world where there are fads, changing strategies and constant pressure, executives need to take some time out to reinforce what matters and get back to basics. This is one of those books that everyone should pick up and read.

A spate of high-profile corporate meltdowns ended the days of high-flying CEOs who also ran their companies' boards of directors. Instead, regulators, shareholders and the public now demand that corporate boards oversee CEOs and protect shareholder interests. Ram Charan lays out what your board can do to maximize its positive contributions and add value to the company. His writing is clear and to the point. This book is very helpful for board members who are trying to find their way in the post Sarbanes-Oxley world of corporate governance. Charan provides useful questionnaires to help you analyze the state of your company and its board on several crucial points. getAbstract recommends this book to board members, potential board members, and others who have an interest in modern boards and corporate governance.

This is an excellent book. I highly suggest it for anyone who desires to understand some of the best practices in corporate governance. It is one of the best. The following link suggests another excellent book regarding contemporary corporate governance. [ASIN:0976901919 Compliance & Conviction: The Evolution of Enlightened Corporate Governance]]

Ram Charan makes a complex topic easy to understand. This book can be "speed read" in 45 minutes and it doesn't make you feel dizzy. Ram Charan is a true thought leader and an inspiration.

This book is targeted for those of you who sit on boards, might yet sit on boards, or have an interest in how boards can and should function in the post Sarbanes-Oxley world. After the high profile implosions of several major firms and the revelations of executive criminality, board negligence, and accounting failures, the relevant parties have put pressure on firms to do a better job of functioning in the best interests of the owners of the firm; the shareholders. Among other steps, this included making the boards more independent of the CEO (who was too often also the Chair of the board) and the executive management of the firm.

Ram Charan explains how firms can `evolve' from being an old style Ceremonial Board to become a Liberated Board and then grow into an active and effective Progressive Board. He emphasizes that Progressive Boards have to emphasize the Group Dynamics of the board (how the team works together and how synergistically their talents combine), the Information Systems they use (relevant information they can get outside what is packaged for them by the CEO), and that the board focus on meaningful and relevant issues rather than getting distracted by the minutiae of board processes.

The author explains each of these three qualities in detail and deals with issues of CEO selection, management, and succession. He also talks about how the board should function when it has fully `evolved'. Charan also provides a few helpful questionnaires you can use to determine how your company is doing in certain key areas.

An interesting and helpful book for the target audience.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI