Two words about Stetzer and Bird’s new book, Viral Churches: Get It!

Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird’s new book, Viral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers, packs a punch like no other church planting book I’ve read.  Stetzer and Bird, both experienced church planters turned missional researchers, deliver compelling examples of real churches engaged in church multiplication strategies.  These networks of church planters are reshaping the theology, philosophy, and execution of sustainable church planting in ways not seen since the Baptists and Methodists struck out across America in the 1800’s planting congregations.

Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, and Warren Bird, director of the research division of Leadership Network, teamed up to study over 200 church-planting churches, 100-leaders, 45 church planting networks, 84 organic church leaders, 12 church planting experts, 53 colleges and seminaries, 54 doctoral dissertations, 41-journal articles, and 100+ church planting books and manuals — all with the goal of understanding this new surge of church planting multiplication that is sweeping America.

I’m Glad Tiger Didn’t Win The Masters

I’m glad Tiger Woods didn’t win the Masters this year.  It would have been a great sports headline:  “Disgraced Tiger Redeems Himself in Golf’s Classic Tourney.” Actually, the golf commentators had already begun that line of thought.  They were treating Tiger’s Masters appearance as if a good showing, or even winning, would redeem Tiger’s reputation.

So I’m glad Tiger didn’t win this year.  Normally I’m a Tiger fan, and I did track the Masters and felt a twinge of disappointment especially on Sunday when Tiger played so poorly.  But Tiger is never going to redeem himself on the golf course because his golf game was not the problem.  His character was.  And while we saw a “kinder, gentler” Tiger at the beginning of Masters week, we also saw the frustrated Tiger spew some of his verbal venom when things went wrong again.

Tiger has a long way to go.  I for one wish him well.  I hope his marriage survives and his family is reunited.  But if that happens it won’t be because of what happens on the golf course.  It will be because of what happens in his heart.  After all, redemption doesn’t come at the Masters; it only comes from the Master.  What do you think?