Kenneth Olson.org

New Reading List

Recently, I challenged myself to increase my intake of the printed page. As a first step, I put together a list of titles I want to get my hands on and read over the next few months. So here 's my official "on deck" book list.

BTW, I would love to hear comments or feedback from anyone who's read any of these.

• Encore Effect - Mark Sanborn
• The Breakthrough Company: How Everyday Companies Become Extraordinary Performers - Keith McFarland
• Six Disciplines Execution Revolution: Solving The One Business Problem that Makes Solving All Other Problems Easier - Gary Harpst
• Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive - Noah Goldstein
• Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different - Tullian Tchividjian
• Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us - Seth Godin
• Lost World of The Giants - Jonathon Gray
• 64 Secrets Still Ahead of Us - Jonathon Gray
• Seven Practices of Effective Ministry - Any Stanley
• It: How churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It - Craig Groeschel
• Making Vision Stick - Any Stanley
• Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples - Thom Rainer
• The Meal That Heals: Enjoying Intimate, Daily Communion with God - Perry Stone
• What Choice Do I Have - Michael Kerrigan

The Starbucks Experience

Tonight I've been trying to finish up a book by Joseph Michelli entitled The Starbucks Experience: Five Principles for Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary. It expounds on the pervasive elements in the Starbucks organization that have enabled them to grow from a small, local Seattle business to a world-wide corporation that has completely reshaped our perception and experience of Coffee.

The chapter on everything matters is espeically insightful and applicable not only to business, but personal life, ministry, etc. Here are a couple of good quotes - enjoy.

• As unfair as it may seem, in the world of business everything matters. The moment you think something doesn't matter...be ready to start bailing.

• Starbucks success, in part, is linked to the amazing ability of partners to zero in on the minute details that matter greatly to customers. In a nutshell, Starbucks leadership appreciates diverse concerns such as the importance of the physical environment, the quality of the product, the need to set priorities for the workforce, the importance of the company's reputation in the larger world, and even the playfulness of the culture. A great cup of coffee is only part of the Starbucks success equation.

• ...the essence of great business leadership - finding ways to deliver existing products and services in ways that make the brand more significant to the customer.

• Sadly, many people are either afraid or unwilling to fully immerse themselves in the possiblities that surround them at work - or, for that matter, in life. they do what is expected, and that's all. The leadership of a buiness can suffer from a "do the minimum mentality".

Wild Goose Chase Review

 

Recently, I had the opportunity to receive an advance copy of Mark Batterson's new book Wild Goose Chase which was released yesterday. It is a fresh, insightful and enjoyable read. The premise of the book is that many Christians miss out on an adventurous and blessed life because of their failure to follow the Holy Spirit (which Celtic Christians called the "Wild Goose").

In the book Mark contends that many of us are stuck in unadventurous, mediocre, boring lives because we've chosen comfort over the challenge of living our God-ordained passions. We lack the courage to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and thus miss out on a vibrant life full of opportunities to advance God's kingdom and experience the fulfillment of our dreams.

He writes there are, "six cages that keep us from roaming free with the Wild Goose and living the spiritual adventure God destined us to."

They are:

1) The cage of responsibility 2) The cage of routine 3) The cage of assumptions 4) The cage of guilt 5) The cage of failure 6) The cage of fear

A chapter is devoted to each of these cages and how we can ultimately be free to chase the Wild Goose. It's definitely a motivating book that will stir you with a fresh determination to shake off whatever has held you back or hindered you from experiencing the kind of life God intends for you.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from Wild Goose Chase:

• Prayer makes us spiritually fertile. And the more we pray, the more passionate we become. Our convictions grow stronger, and our dreams grow bigger.

• spiritual maturity has less to do with long-range visions than it does with moment-by-moment sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. And it is our moment-by-moment sensitivity to the Holy Spirit that turns life into an everyday adventure.

• When you lack the courage to chase the Wild Goose, the opportunity costs are staggering. Who might not hear about the love of God...who might be stuck in poverty, stuck in ignorance, stuck in pain if you're not there to help free them. Where might the advance of God's kingdom stall out?

I highly recommend getting a copy of this book for yourself. It will add value, perspective and fresh impetus to your spiritual journey.

If anyone's interested, I have an extra copy of Wild Goose Chase and I would like to give it to the first person who replies to this post. Just let me know and I'll send right out to you, otherwise check out the book on Amazon.com