Win the Day

Mark Batterson (Multnomah)
“Almost anybody can accomplish anything if they work at it long enough, hard enough, and smart enough,” writes Mark Batterson. In Win the Day, he identifies seven “daily habits” that will help readers “stress less and accomplish more.” Written with Batterson’s trademark combination of biblical insight, historical and scientific anecdotes, and practical application, this book will get your 2021 off to a good start. Today is the best time to start planning and working for a new year that will be better than the old one.

Harnessing the Power of Tension

Samuel R. Chand (Whitaker House)
Sam Chand argues that “tension is both inevitable and, at least in many cases, desirable in life and leadership.” If this argument seems counterintuitive to you, Harnessing the Power of Tension is a must read. Rather than avoiding tension, Chand counsels leaders to lean into it and experience the synergy that results from balancing competing interests and concerns. Leaning into tension doesn’t mean allowing destructive conflict, however. Properly managed, tension leads to greater creativity, teamwork and productivity, whether in the home, marketplace or church.

Future Church

Will Mancini and Cory Hartman (Baker Books)
“Faking disciples” is “the primary problem of every church today,” write Will Mancini and Cory Hartman. Too many church members are “overprogrammed and underdiscipled.” Instead, they need to become “emotionally attached to a sense of purpose beyond place, personalities, people, and programs,” a purpose shaped by the gospel itself. To help local congregations do that, Future Church articulates “seven laws of organized disciple making for real church growth.” This is a thought-provoking book to read as your church leadership team begins planning for 2021.

This article appears in the January–March 2021 edition of Influence magazine.