Getting a Grip is an excellent resource for a small group or sunday school class looking to address relevent topics from a biblical perspective. In this book they address finances, physical health, and your spiritual walk among other topics.

We are working through the Interactions Series in our Sunday School class. This series has facilitated great discussion and interaction among the group. As a teacher, this has been excellent. The books provide a smooth transition from the broad view looking at a problem at a macro level, to a much more intimate issue and application. There are currently 17 books in this series, each with 5 or 6 lessons. I highly recommend picking one that matches a need for your group and get started.

This book was really good with great Biblical references. When I was reading the book, it showed what routines we often get into. It also outlined the importance of listening to God. Which is probably just as important but something we often fail to do.

Bill Hybels has a flair for making sometimes complicated theology very simple. In this book, he takes seven aspects of God's character and expounds upon them. He does this in a manner to illuminate some aspects of God's love that may not seem so evident. Examples include "God uses me", "God fills me", "God forgives me" and so on. This is an excellent read for those of us who get bogged down in dissecting out minute aspects of God's character. A great book.

Hybels isn't a wordsmith, but he's probably the best I've heard/read at hitting you between the eyes with a simple, powerful message. This book chronicles the lives of several individuals who turned their frantic, rat-race lives upside down by "descending" into humility and self-sacrifice. Hybels parallels the life and attitudes of Christ, describing how the God of the universe humbled himself to become our Savior in order to reach a greater joy. Easy, motivational, powerful reading

Hybels presents a fine definition of true, godly success in this work. He begins by describing the downward path to Christian success as opposed to the upward path to secular success. He then addresses various principles of success or greatness: power, commitment, servanthood, humility, obedience, and joy. Following an explanation of each principle and its biblical basis, Hybels includes a current-life illustration to drive his point home. He concludes his work by sharing his own personal story of descending into greatness, appealing to the reader to follow the biblical pattern. His conclusion is the most powerful part of the entire book.

I wholehearted recommend this book to all Christians, but especially to Christian leaders who are pursuing success. As the Scriptures say, and as Hybels says, being great is found not in becoming the head of the pack, but in becoming the servant of all.

In this incredible book Bill Hybels and Rob Wilkins put contemporary flesh on the biblical truth that he would lead must first make himself nothing. (Chapters are paired, one teaching a principle and its partner showing how it is playing out in the life of real people.) It's a powerful reminder that true Christianity centers on the advancing of the Kingdom of God, not in the advancement of ourselves. This book will change your life. It's a well written, soul scraping challenge that every Christian should read.

Ken Blanchard's allegorical style leads the reader through a case study as we learn about the leadership style of Jesus. The story helps us get beyond the typical studies, charts and graphs of many leadership books and allows us to touch on the spirit and heart of true leadership.

This book will appeal to those persons who are intuitive and feeling. Ken leaves out the data and speaks to the heart of leadership.

A significantly different Christian leadership book than those put forth by John Maxwell.

The only thing I didn't like is that it is too religion-driven. I mean Jesus as a leader model is a great idea but the book put too much interest also on religious contents. The book could be improved with a greater emphasize on the leadership principles. But if you put this aside, you get a great book about leadership that helps you in daily business without any big background knowledge because it's easy read and no 'heavy' food. I would say: Best value!

Perhaps I was just expecting too much with a team of authors the likes of Blanchard and Hybels. Each man is well-respected and highly regarded for his leadership skills and his writing abilities. I was anticipating a powerful collection of biblically-based leadership nuggets. What I found was a lengthy parable about a Christian businessman re-evaluating his life with the help of a seasoned minister and a leadership professor.

This book is an easy read -- I finished it in just a couple of sittings. Technical leadership jargon and sociological statistics aren't present in this volume, and their absence is a welcome relief for busy executives. The entire concept of merging spiritual principles with management principles is an excellent one. I also enjoyed the comradery depicted among the three men -- it serves as an inspiration for Christian men to seek and to find accountability partners from whom they can learn and grow.

I recommend this book to all Christian leaders, whether their vocation is in the church, the university, or the business world. There are some good insights here, once the reader gets past the unusual parable presentation. The format isn't bad -- it's just different.

This is a wonderful book. For those who are fighting bad habits like procrastination, disorganization, poor time management, etc., this book is one of the best you can read. It shows how to achieve discipline, courage, endurance, and the other things which lead to a successful and contented life. It gives a strong Christian viewpoint but it does not push a political viewpoint, which is very refreshing. I would strongly recommend this book for anyone seeking to manage any aspect of his/her life more effectively.

This book is filled with truth. As the title indicates, it will lead you to take a good look at who you really are, which might be hard and even painful to do. But this is essential for anyone who desires to grow spiritually, mentally and emotionally. The author discusses the 10 topics covered in the book in a clear and effective way. This makes reading this book easy and very productive (a great plus if, like me, you lead a very busy life and can afford very little time for yourself).

I have never been disappointed with a book by Bill Hybels. This latest read is certainly no exception. Hybels addresses eight qualities of Christian character: courage, discipline, vision, endurance, tender love, tough love, sacrificial love, and radical love. He opens and closes his work by stressing the importance of having the character that only Jesus Christ can produce. Hybels is easy-to-read, yet profound in his biblical teachings.

I've read many books on Christian character, and this one is among the best.

Until I read this lively, resource-packed book, I had no idea of the depth and wisdom that Willow Creek Community Church pours out to help people find Christ. Now I really see how evangelism at Willow Creek works, and just how careful and intentional it is. Every ounce of evangelical effort put forth in this book is designed to teach pastors, staff and church members how to show lost people just how much they matter to God. From post Easter messages carefully designed to keep seekers coming back to church for more week after week, to the scores of ordinary Christians at Willow who are actually trained to lead seekers to Christ using their own personal style, to the loving modeling of evangelistic lifestyles set forth by church leadership, this book demonstrates hundreds of ways to make evangelism a force to be reckoned with in any community . Because of Willow's experience, expertise and above all, love, they've come to understand the needs of seekers probably better than seekers understand themselves. Mittelberg's book puts the theology, theory and strategy of Willow Creek evangelism and other seeker oriented evangelistic churches together in one place. This book tells why evangelism needs to be done throughout all of the ministries of your church, and how to do it. It clearly explains how Willow Creek, and dozens of other healthy, seeker oriented Churches, are bringing people all over the world to Christ. I am so grateful to God for all of the hard, careful, thoughtful work that Mittelberg and his many colleagues in the field of evangelism do to help make believers out of people like you and me. Read it, and make your church contagious!

If you are serious about leading a church that dares to reach out to those who have not experienced the freedom of knowing Jesus, this is the book for you. Mittelberg's practical and inisightful views will take away barriers (and excuses) that keep churches from joining God in His evangelistic adventure.

Buy enough copies to widely share this book with leaders in your church. There are questions at the end of each chapter to help with individual reflection or group discussion leading to action. I can't wait to see what God will do with churches that choose to take Mittelberg up on his challenge of 10% conversion growth per year. Thanks, Mark, for raising the evangelistic bar for the Church, and for offering a practical way to make it happen.

Over the years I have discovered that there are many kinds of books. Some are not worth reading, some are good for personal enjoyment or learning, and then there are the books that I just have to give to others because I know they will gain as much as I did from reading them!

Building a Contagious Church falls squarely in the third category. It is deeply practical, powerfully illustrative and it offers help in the most important task in all the world...telling others about the amazing love of God! This book is a treasure house of teaching on how to move a church from theory into action when it comes to the Great Commission.

I have already given copies to all our church leaders who are part of our outreach ministry and I have given away over a dozen copies to friends who are pastors. I think a great book is one you feel you must give to your friends. In light of that test, Building a Contagious Church is one of the best books I have read in a long time.

I grew up at Willow Creek with Bill Hybels as my pastor & hold him in high regard. I remember the sermons this book was based on from my college days, & have always remembered the 4 compatibility areas from those sermons, which are again highlighted in this book (character, communication, chemical, & spiritual). I utilized these to choose my mate, & am now a newlywed. I waited until after being married to read the book, because I already knew the principles it presents, but as I began to encounter the "honeymoon's over" syndrome, I wanted some guidance. I found many of the points the Hybels make to be insightful, & the book was helpful in many ways. However, it is also depressing & disappointing to realize that my pastor & his wife suffered for so many years, & have what sounds to be a terrible marriage. Their honesty & transparency is refreshing & comforting, but the fact that the wounds were still evidently very fresh when the book was written (and by their own account, their marriage is characterized by "highs" & "lows") would undoubtedly color their insights. I have always disagreed with Bill's blanket "at least a year" dating rule- he & Lynne were together 5 years, & it didn't spare them the horrendous heartache of a painful marriage. Therefore, I echo the previous review... again, it is important to consider all these issues before joining your life with someone, but perhaps a more balanced view would be found in a book not written by people who had barely recovered from 16 years of misery.

I just finished this book, following several other marriage books, in an effort to prepare myself for marriage. (The Hybels at one point discuss the "languages of love" and I must recommend that couples read "The Five Love of Languages," by Gary Chapman.)

I will be getting married early next year and I plan on staying married until death parts me from my husband. This book helped me add to the critical foundation that is needed in order to MAKE a progressive, joyful and fruitful marriage. I finished this book feeling one step ahead of the game and confident knowing some of the things I can expect after we walk down the aisle.

God used Bill and Lynn's marriage as an example for me (and my future husband) to learn from as well as follow. I am thankful that I have been given an willing heart in order to take advantage of such resources. I would encourage others to do the same. Marriage is too valuable to take lightly and based on the 60% divorce rate that exists in our nation today, we need all the wisdom and guidance we can get!

The Hybels' wrote this book as a team trying to give an accurate picture of what to expect out of married life. I can see that this book would be super helpful to those that are considering marriage and need to discuss what to expect. I read this book as a newlywed and the first half of the book was frustrating because I just saw how I could have done things better. I don't give the book five stars because it's not excellently written, I mean it's not fine literature, but also because it is a bit frustrating in that their primary audience seems to shift from dating couples to courting couples to young marrieds. Good advice, though, and working to build a great marriage is probably more important than being bothered by writing style and target audience.

This book is about making an impact in the lives of the spiritually lost for ALL eternity. It's about being compassionate to them and sharing with them the good news of Jesus Christ. To share our faith with others, we should have an authentic genuine faith ourselves first. Then we must get out of our comfort zones, have compassion for the lost, rub shoulders with "irreligious" people, build opportunities for relationships, making sacrifices, and communicating our Message (the gospel) to them. This book gives us some practical advices just how to do these. It offers us some tips on how to start spiritual conversations and how to make our Message clear.

There's a chapter devoted to the different approaches of evangelism: Confrontational, apologetics (answering questions that're barriers to faith), testimonial (sharing how God works in our life), interpersonal (friendship), invitational (to church), and service. A style may suit you better than another. Each individual is different. We have different personalities, different temperaments, and different traits. God made each of us unique for a purpose and He can use each of us to reach a particular person out there.

We are one the instruments that God uses to point others to Christ. People are saved because of the grace of God. What an awesome privilege to be used by God in changing others' life for ALL eternity!

After I read the first three chapters of this incredible book, I rang the Christian book store where I bought it here in England, and told them I would buy the other six copies they had in stock! I gave these to my wife, to a couple church leaders, and a couple of the "less motivated" church members. They also captured the easily picked up insights about relationship building as a worthy way to assist the Holy Spirit in opening hearts, ears and minds to the saving love of Jesus Christ. The methods are not difficult to understand or to apply. The principles in this book are what the churches in England, Wales, Scotland, and all of Ireland need to put into practice. Your life, whether you are a Christian (yet) or not, will be positively affected by this book. I cannot praise it highly enough!

Bill Hybels does it again with yet another of his easy to read, easy to understand and apply to your life books with "Becoming a Contagious Christian." If you've ever felt that you weren't articulate enough to share the Gospel with unbelievers, this book is a great, great resource. Pastor Hybels outlines several different ways to evangelize to family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and anyone else you may encounter. His writing style is very friendly and easy to follow and makes you feel that you can share God's word too. According to Pastor Hybels, it doesn't have to be intimidating (which it can seem to be at times) and we, as Christians, aren't always going to be the person that actually leads someone to Christ, but we may be the one who introduces the concept of salvation, or the one who prays for that person's salvation. He also outlines the different types of evangelism styles, which I felt was very helpful to me. I very much enjoyed this book and would also recommend his Participant's Guide to go along with this. This book is a great topic for a small group discussion or Sunday School class as well. Very enjoyable book. I highly recommend it!

This work is good reading for all interested in current American Christian church scene, for Willow Creek is major player.

Segmented into two sections, first written by wife who chronicles the history and development of Willow Creek followed by Bill's second part which describes his philosophy, theology and leadership principles.

This is honest, humbly written, with passion for reaching the lost. Would it be that equally balancing this was a passion for the unabated, unaided truth of God's Word.

Hybels even admits about a period of WC: "In spite of the fact that every message I gave was absolutely biblical, certain themes were stressed to the near exclusion of others. In that era, I inadvertently emphasized grace but not holiness, and as a result, we adopted a kind of careless Christianity."

He admits putting all of his theological eggs into the basket of relational evangelism. While there is nothing wrong with relational evangelism, it is not the primary egg. The power of God to save anyone is the faithful, pure preaching of the gospel, Christ crucified (Romans 1:16-17).

Hybels even said during ABC News Special that he doesn't feel Christianity can be refined down to just one symbol: the cross. Here is where many in the church, including this reviewer, see Hybels and his followers for going off the track. Those who he wishes to engage with the living God will not tolerate the scandal of particularity of the crucified, so he seeks to attract and retain them by other means till they might be drawn into faith.

Classic bait and switch. Switching not working, as Barna and others have documented. This and other Church Growth techniques have not built up Christ's church, only took away sheep and moved them. Further, frustrated members of other sheep pens who compare their numbers with WC and demand similar results.

The ignoring of Biblical apostasy is striking! Cultural relevance to the exclusion of Biblical faithfulness smacks of 2 Timothy 4 predicitions.

You decide-- is WC God pleasing or not? See Galatians 1:6-12.

One of his correspnding strengths, which can be seen in this book (co-authored by his wife, which apparently keeps him down to Earth), is to reveal an occasional weakness,or failure.

The failure he reveals in this book relates to his experience with motocross, which he used to do on the Willow Creek church property in Barrington, Illinois. He says in one part of the book that he once came down off a jump and had to be hospitalized due to bruising some internal organs.

We don't know if the bike was a real motocrosser, or what kind of equipment he may have been wearing. But it's a refreshing story which contrasts with the gleaming, hyper-expensive sport of Great Lakes sailboat racing with his irascible crew who must obey a code of silence during competition.

The book also chronicles the building of Willow Creek church. But since Willow Creek can be interpreted as an extension of a successful youth group, pay attention to the young guy crashing his dirt bike coming off a jump. There could be a little of us all in that.

I have been a student of the church for the past eight years, and a few years ago I started reading Acts looking for principles to guide the church into the 21st Century. Then I read 'Rediscovering Church,' and I was amazed by the parallels. Much attention has been given to the "Seeker Philosophy" of Willow Creek, yet this book points to the heart of their growth!