Released October 2007, unChristian is a book based on groundbreaking research from the Barna Group done over a period of 4 years that delves into the perceptions of 16 to 29 year olds – both Christian and Non-Christian. Authors Gabe Lyons and David Kinnaman uncover the hidden views and overlooked issues dividing today’s church and young adults. They unpack interviews with Christians and Non-Christians, and present up-to-date statistics on the relevant issues that exist between the two.

Since its release, this book has spearheaded conversations in church services, staff meetings, pastoral conferences, and coffee shops. unChristian is confrontational, transparent, and direct in its attempt to open the eyes of today’s American Christian to the reality of the perceptions of those who are non-Christian.

I personally consider this book a must-read for every person who calls themselves a Christian. Not only has my perspective dramatically changed, but my faith has been impacted as well. The insight has been life-changing!

Here are a few snippets from the book…

“Christianity has become bloated with blind followers who would rather repeat slogans than actually feel true compassion and care. Christianity has become marketed and streamlined into a juggernaut of fear-mongering that has lost its heart.”

“Most people I meet assume that Christian means very conservative, entrenched in their thinking, anti-gay, anti-choice, angry, violent, illogical, empire builders; they want to convert everyone, and they generally cannot live peacefully with anyone who doesn’t believe what they believe.”

“It’s not just our lifestyles that have gotten us in trouble; it’s the very way in which we convey the priorities of being a Christian. The most common message people hear from us is that Christianity is a religion of rules and regulations. They think of us as hypocritical because they are measuring us by our own standards.”

“Does your life point people to a life in Christ that bursts with freedom to love, restoration, purity, and transparency?”

“Intentionally or not, we promote the idea to outsiders that being a Christ follower is primarily about a mere choice to convert. We do not portray it as an all-out, into-the-kingdom enlistment that dramatically influences all aspects of life.”

“Most people in America, when they are exposed to the Christian faith, are not being transformed. They take one step into the door, and the journey ends. They are not being allowed, encouraged, or equipped to love or to think like Christ.”

“Christianity is a way of seeing all of life and reality through God’s eyes.”

I recently finished this book and I must say that Andy Stanley has won the trophy for one of the best writers on leadership in my book. I love his style of writing and his ability to deliver on important aspects of leadership. He touched on key aspects of leadership that any next generation leader would be insane to overlook. He opens the hatch on the importance of character, competence and clarity and gives precise direction for the next generation leader. This book inspired me and a group of friends to begin meeting and casting vision for our lives and our future as next generation leaders. Whether you’re in training to lead, a novice to leadership, or an expert on leadership, this book will be an asset to your development as a leader.

Here are a few snippets from the book…

“Leaders must channel their energies toward those areas of leadership in which they are the mostly likely to excel.”

“The moment a leader steps away from his core competencies, his effectiveness as a leader diminishes.”

“Don’t strive to be a well-rounded leader. Instead, discover your zone and stay there. Then delegate everything else.”

“Next generation leaders are those who would rather challenge what needs to change and pay the price than remain silent and die on the inside.”

“Leaders are not always the first to see an opportunity. They are simply the first to seize an opportunity. It is the person who seizes the opportunity who emerges as the leader.”

“A lack of focus eventually translates into a loss of vision. When the vision is fuzzy, people can’t follow.”

“As leaders we can afford to be uncertain, but we cannot afford to be unclear.”

“Character is what makes you a leader worth following.”

“As a next generation leader it is incumbent upon you to do all you can now to prepare yourself for your eventual success. Your gifts will open doors. Your character will determine what you do once those doors have opened.”

“As a next generation leader you have been given the ability to shape the future.”

This book was absolutely remarkable. After sifting through most of the key points throughout the book, I took away lot of insight on the importance of the BIG IDEA. Dave Ferguson and Jon Ferguson delivered key insight on several topics such as the importance of small groups and community, how to build a team in ministry, how to map out message series, teaching techniques, and the significance of innovation and creativity in church. All of these components are built around presenting one BIG IDEA at a time.

One thing that stood out to me was the realization that the average American deals with information overload on a daily basis, from TV ads, radio ads, magazines, conversations, etc. Even church services on any given Sunday can be nothing more than added information soon to be forgotten into the obis of information overload. Creating the type of church service experience that transcends just being added info is what this book addresses on a very informative, practical, and applicable scale.

Here are a few snippets from the book…

“We have bombarded our people with too many competing little ideas, and the result is a church with more information and less clarity than perhaps ever before.”

“The effective teacher is like a person who takes a strong rope, ties one end around the big ideas of Scripture, ties the other end around the major themes of life, and then through the power of the Spirit struggles to pull the two together.”

“What if we gave people one clear and simple Big Idea and asked them to put it into action.”

“If we send people home with a lot of little ideas, we diffuse the energy; but with the Big Idea, we create missional velocity and maximize the impact!”

“The Big Idea is relentless in making sure that people are not just getting information but experiencing transformation.”

“We want to maximize impact. I have a personal conviction: the most important truths ought to be communicated in the most unforgettable ways. Big Idea helps us accomplish that.”

“The Big Idea is simple… it’s a basic move that involves the decision to link whatever happens in its weekend services to one major idea and to link the environments surrounding those services as well.”

“With the Big Idea, there are no more late Saturday nights searching the internet for sermon ideas; no more begging God to please give us something important to say.”

Outreach Magazine has just given word on its upcoming issue which will list – in detail – America’s Most Innovative Churches of 2008. This magazine issue is already getting a little buzz in the blog world by pastors, staff, and critics of these and other churches. I’m stoked about reading the article. I have been keeping up with not only the list throughout 2007, but some of the churches as well.

I’ve been studying at least 10 of the 25 top churches listed in the article – especially LifeChurch.tv, North Point Community Church, NewSpring Church, and Willow Creek Community Church. From the looks of it, Outreach didn’t fall short in their ratings of these phenomenal churches; these churches are measuring up to the hype.

To get a deeper look into what’s the current buzz on America’s Most Innovative Churches of 2008, check out these blogs…

1. Tony Morgan Live

2. David Ferguson – Velocity [Part 1, Part 2]

3. Church Relevance

4. Outreach Magazine – Tony Morgan’s Article