Once in a while, MinistryPlace.Net gets to partner with some great people that allow our readers to
get a great perk, just for interacting with our blog!
We have been able to offer a free SIGNED copy of Derwin Gray’s new book Limitless Life (if you don’t win, get it at Amazon) at MinistryPlace.Net. This is all thanks to the really great people at Thomas Nelson (who also provided me a free advance copy for review) .
As a youth pastor, my first exposure to Derwin was in the video from years ago called “The Evangelism Linebacker“. Over the years Derwin has always been “friendly” to youth ministry, from speaking at Dare2Share Conferences and SYMC (He’ll be a 2014 Speaker as well!). I respect Derwin a lot for his zeal at approaching the world in a missional perspective.
Limitless Life shows this perspective of building God’s Kingdom through reaching out to those around us. The whole book centers on dealing with labels. These labels like Addict, Coward, and Orphan that so many of us struggle with every day. God would love nothing more in His grace and mercy to overwrite those labels with ones that reflect His love for each one of us and His purpose for our life, revealed in His word. Some of these labels are not terribly obvious, they lie hidden in our past experiences, coming up as painful memories of days gone by. The chapter on Grace spoke volumes to me about what God has to say to each of us about what He really expects from us.
I love the reflection questions and prayers at the end of each chapter that urge you to focus upward, inward, and outward. This is an overt effort to get you thinking about what you are reading and applying it to your life. Otherwise the book has not done it’s job. This is a book that I can see people looking back to and saying “that book changed my life”. The same kinds of conversations I hear people have about “Purpose Driven Life” “Crazy Love” and more recently “Not a Fan“. Yes, in my opinion, this book is that good. You can get a free chapter Here, and check it out for yourself. I personally plan to use the upcoming small group curriculum in the youth ministry at my local church.
One of the great things about this blog is hearing the stories of others in ministry. I want to hear your story. Where have you been?
What labels have you had to overcome in your ministry or life? Maybe its a label you are still struggling to overcome.
Share about it below, and Pastor Derwin is going to pick a comment to receive a free SIGNED copy of Limitless Life this week.
A label I have overcome in my ministry is the label that as a youth pastor I am a junior pastor. You know what I mean, that someday you will become a real pastor. Thankfully, I believe I am a real pastor. I have overcome this label with talking with some people but also by landing in a church that believes in the importance of every ministry position.
Chad,
you are correct! You are REAL pastor!
Recognized by God
Equipped by God
Affirmed by God
Loved by God
Keep up the super work in Christ!
Pastor Derwin