Book Review~ "Transforming Church In Rural America" by Shannon O'Dell

I have just finished reading Shannon O'Dell's book called Transforming Church in Rural America. God grew an unexpected passion in Shannon for “Rural America” and grew Brand New Church to 2000 members with 5 campuses, a number of satellite house churches, start-up/initiating remotes, and an online campus”.

The book itself, is an easy read and it is full of great information for those in leadership. As a church planter, this book was a welcomed read and one that I was able to process and place into our context of ministry in Royse City, TX. There were a few chapters that after reading, I had to literally put down and process all that I had just read because it resonated so much with me and where we are in the ministry of our church. Chapter 6 was one of those chapters. I love leadership and I love the phrase that, "Leadership is resiting the urge to settle". He takes a 3 step approach in this chapter as he discusses (1) resisting the urge to settle in the home (2) resisting the urge to settle in the church and (3) resisting the urge to settle in our personal lives. He also covers, in chapter 6, the 8 ways of becoming a team on pages 111-112.

Here is how the book unfolds itself and some quotes that really stood out to me::
...Chapter 1~ Possibilities
...Chapter 2~ One White Couch: Answering The Call...Finally
...Chapter 3~ Desert Days: Finding a Place in Nowhere
...Chapter 4~ Vision: When Seeing Requires Believing
...Chapter 5~ Attitude: Sacred Cows and Slaughtering the Status Quo
...Chapter 6~ Leadership: Resisting the Urge to Settle
...Chapter 7~ Understanding: Standing under a Rock-Solid Structure
...Chapter 8~ Enduring Excellence: Well Done without Much
...Chapter 9~ Multi-Sites and Satellites: Rural Goes Viral
...Chapter 10 Lessons from Jerusalem Wall: Nehemiah meets Nebraska

~ “When you desire to grow a congregation, you will never get it. But if you grow congregants, then you are going to see transformation in their lives and within the church.” (p. 39)
~ “If you do not have defined vision for your church, the loudest member will define it for you.” (p. 55)
~ "What we want is yesterday, today and tomorrow all tied up in one neat little package- a package that does not exist. What we need is a well-honed attitude emerging from a disciplined mind and a faithful heart" (p. 72)
~ "Growing means changing. If you are called to lead and you do it, you will grow and change. It is a promise from God" (p. 81)
~ “Leadership is resisting the urge to SETTLE.” (p. 88)
~ "Your best leaders are sitting in your pews." (p. 104)
~ "Clearly articulated and passionately proclaimed vision causes leadership to rise up within the ranks and calls more soldiers to the cause" (p. 104)
~ "Constantly, consistently, and continually transmit the vision, mission, and our preoccuptaion with reaching the lost" (p.108)
~ “The minute you say it’s not relevant for every detail of your life, then the Bible becomes a fable and a fairy tale.” (p. 130)
~ on the church:: "It was a top-down structure that started with the authority of Christ, transferred by the Word of God, through pastors(elders) who mobilized and equipped servant-leaders, who matured to become pastors and mobilizers who did the same.” (p.132)
~ “Excellence does not cost a lot of money: it costs in time and vision.” (p. 148)
~ “It doesn’t really matter what building you are in; your church can grow if it has vision, attitude, leadership, and understanding.” (p. 151)
~ “When you have a dream, people are always in the wings ready to destroy it. … The loudest boos usually come from those in the cheapest seats.” (pages 191, 195)