Unfinished Business: Returning the Ministry to the People of God

I bought this book because one of the guys in the group we're meeting with recommended it to me and I wanted to see where he was coming from.I love the acknowledgement that God is giving the church back to the people. I'm even surprised that anyone in Greg's position would notice! The equipping of the saints (God's people) for the work of the ministry (everyone is a minister) - yeah !!!! Actually equipping others - a lot of talk from many sides - very few people actually doing it. Greg seems to be an exception here. If the idea of EVERYONE being a priest (minister) is new to you - you should get this book.But.... Keeping the same structure and paid positions and giving 'the pastor' something new to do (equip the saints) ??? I think he should have entitled the book "How to put new wine in old wineskins".How about this idea? -You have a kid - the kid grows up, gets a job, moves away from home, gets married, and starts his/her own family (maybe not all in that order). At what point in this model did the kid financially support the parent? (never) The cool thing about this model is that you know the day is coming - you prepare the kid as best as you can - you give the kid everything you have and more - and you long for the kid to have it better than you've had it. Now that's God's model for disciples!!!! Greg doesn't quite get it yet - he's trying to save the institution as a means to have 'order'.I'll gladly spend everything that I have and expend myself as well (ii Cor 12:15)..... That's really not an apostle talking - it's a mom or a dad talking. The real model for creating disciples (raising children) is not an orphanage (institution) - it's a family (organism). You can dig deep into the Greek and justify something different, but that doesn't change God's simple model. There are 10,000 teachers in the body of Christ - but not many fathers (i Cor 4:15)... Greg's well on his way to fatherhood - the heart of this book is awesome. The conclusions of the book? Not so awesome.

I liked how it answered some of the questions I had been pondering for years, concerning the church and how it was functioning today. I had always some what had misgivings about the great divide between clergy and laity, a relic from the Roman catholic era, which Martin Luther, challenged.

There is truth in Greg's writing but I also believe that this truth, as with all truth found in Gods word, must be crafted and applied by the Holy Spirit. Greg acknowledges this.How would God have us live this out in the context of His love? By moving and shaping us from where we are at today to where He is leading us through the process of a faith-filled relationship with Him.I wrestled with the ideas in some areas, but shouldn't we as we look at mans inspired words in light of scripture that reveals the nature and character of God and the body of Christ - The Church?I read this because I LOVED his book 'Transforming Discipleship: making a few at a time' [email protected]

The author hit the nail on the head on leadership and what each of us are called to do. It s our job as ministers to be servant leaders and to empower and equip new generations of servant leaders. Most churches though operate on the 80/20 rule. 20% of the people do 80% of the work (obviously not a choice, just reality) the thing is for the 20% and the 80% this is a good book to read. It reminds us of the purpose we have as believers and in what we are called to do to for reaching the lost.Get your leadership teams and congregations to read this and then use it as a springboard to reaching your cities, schools and neighborhoods.

The work of the church cannot be delegated to the pastor--it is the church's work, and the church is people. Everyone who is born of the Spirit has at least one gift that is to be used for ministry. Not only is it impossible for a pastor to take everyone else's responsibility for ministry, it is also harmful for the layperson's spirituality. Spiritual growth requires exercising our own gifts and faith, and just as we cannot delegate physical exercise to another, we can't be healthy and grow unless we ourselves exercise our spiritual gifts in the work of ministry. All these points and more are found in this book, which makes it an essential book for every Christian, and especially leaders in the church or other ministry organizations.

My son recommended this book. He had it as “required reading” for a seminary class and I’m glad he and I both read it. There’s a lot of good presented here.

I had to read this book for a class. However, my favorite chapter was not a part of our assigned reading. Greg Ogden thinks outside of the church box. If you're wondering why the people in your church can't seem to grasp the vision, why 20 percent do most of the work, then you should read this book. You may not like the answers you find, but the answers are correct. Odgen exposes the caste system in Christianity that many did not even know was there.

Excellent book that explains the biblical precedence for equipping believers with an "every member a minister" paradigm. This is an update from the original version but I think Ogden needs to consider updating this again to include examples of churches who have made the transition from institution to organism so we can see just how the implementation of his paradigm works in the real world.

It is well researched and written - the argument is clear and persuasive and I believe needs to be considered by church leaders and members