My friend, Marty Duren, has written his second book, The Generous Soul: An Introduction to Missional Giving.

If you are not well versed in the thought processes that are huddled together under the umbrella of “Missionality,” then the title of the book may give you pause.  You might not see the need to purchase and read a book about giving money “Missionally.”

If you allow these thoughts to keep you from reading TGS, you make a grave mistake.

The Generous Soul is about stewardship.  Authentic stewardship rather than what is often passed around Christian culture, the avoidance of debt to build personal wealth.

Rather, the stewardship advanced in TGS is a holistic stewardship that more accurately squares with the full testimony of Scripture:  All things were made by God, we are responsible for the influence of some of it, “our” whole lives and all of “our” possessions are intended to be used to advance the Kingdom of God.

Throughout the book, Duren uses anecdotes, Scripture and quotes from saintly and secular to weave a compelling vision of using all that one is able in the pursuit of God’s Mission, the redemption of creation.

I am still struggling with the convictions that I suffered upon my first reading.  Though I consider myself to be committed to a missional lifestyle, I immediately recognized that the wake of my impact on the world has been greatly reduced by simple decisions common to the American Christian.

I have not been the steward of God’s creation that I could have been, and the truth of that came into sharp relief with a new inspiration.  A desire has taken root in me to make a bigger difference and to use all that I can in the effort.  I believe that I, myself, in partnership with my lovely wife, can really make a difference in the world.

Missional Giving.

Is it a “new” thought, deserving of a “new” name?  Not really.  It is as old as the Gospel itself.  However, for Christians in the West, it is a thought in need of being recaptured, internalized and lived.

This book would be helpful to every Christian, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to you.  It is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Lifeway (local bookstores) and various other booksellers.

Well, at least until Tuesday.

ie:missional » Update on JOURNEYS: Transitioning Churches To Relevance

They are submitting some typeset revisions to the printer and need for it to not be printed so that they can retool.

If you already got the book, don’t worry.  You didn’t get a defective one.  This is just Marty being perfectionistic – yes he has that in him.

The revisions are one chapter starting on the left hand side, fixing footnotes to read in a more standard way, etc.  All of which are the standard for the publishing industry, but don’t take away from the content you already have.

Marty Duren, along with his long time friend Pastor Todd Wright, have written a book now available from Missional Press. You can pre-order the book from the publisher, soon to be released via Amazon and others for the price of $11.99. Release date price will be $14.99.

The book has been lauded by Ed Stetzer (whose quote appears on the front cover), Frank Page, Dan Southerland and others. Let me add my words to theirs.

Wright and Duren alternate chapters in telling the stories of their churches’ transitions from conventional to a culturally engaged congregations in the south. Artfully and sometimes brutally telling of their struggles to overcome the barriers of a dying church culture, they tell of racism, power plays, honest confrontation, vision casting, personal introspection, compelling passion and the victories that have begun to gain momentum in their local churches.

I was struck by the back and forth of the alternating chapters that reminded me of great literature that would weave a story from several locations. The chapters coincide with one another, addressing similar themes, though there are marked differences in the stories.

I recommend this book to everyone, whether or not you are considering a change in your church’s structure. To understand what is motivating such changes is necessary for every church.

This book will challenge every reader and their understanding of what their actual church could be. It is not a book on theory. It is a book that will allow you to picture your church in your mind when thinking about the nitty gritty of accomplishing the Mission of God in the world.

As it is released, it is going to become required reading for our church’s leadership, and we are going to stock some for sale out of our church’s library.