Transforming Church in Rural America

A friend of mine wrote such a good review, I have little desire to post mine here! Transforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O'Dell is an engaging, thought provoking book. Although he focuses on rural churches, the takeaway and principles he speaks of are pertinent to all churches.

Change is never easy, and I think many Christians really have a hard time with change, but it is necessary. I completely agreed with O'Dell's assessment on page 72 on what what want:

1. Progress, but not the unknown that comes with it
2. Security and stability, but not the stagnation
3. Love, but not at the risk of rejection
4. Adventure, but not the unpredictable journey of charting a new course

There was much about this book I enjoyed. It was challenging and offered good perspectives in a conversational tone that was pleasant to read. It covered quite a bit, and much of it wasn't brand new to me; many books speak and exhort us to the same things this book does, but perhaps not geared towards a rural church.


DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255