Jon Weece's Blog

In the past year my good friend Kyle Idleman has served Southland through his teaching and, I know I speak for all of us who call Southland home when I say, “Our lives are better for it!” As you know, Kyle and I have known each other since we were boys and in spite of all the shots we take at one another from stage, we have had the privilege of encouraging each other in life and ministry for the past 15 years.

Kyle recently finished writing a book entitled Not a Fan . And I want to encourage everyone who reads this blog to read it.

The premise of the book is centered on the fact that so many people pay lip service to the Lordship of Jesus...so many people are fans of Jesus, while very few people are actually followers of Jesus. Kyle’s writing, wisdom, and perspective will help you recapture your passion for the mission and message of Jesus. It is a raw, stripped back look at what it means to be fully submitted to Jesus and his way of thinking and living in a world that so desperately needs to be re-introduced to Him.

So whether you are a new believer or a rooted person of faith, pick up a copy, find a quiet place and invite the Spirit to unleash His power in your life.

1. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (2)
2. The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Hunt (1)
3. You Are Special by Max Lucado (1)

I’ve rated the books on a scale of 1 to 5 based on level of difficulty or ease in reading each selection. (1=easy to understand 5=challenging)

1. The Reason for God by Tim Keller (2)
2. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (3)
3. The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel (2)
4. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel (2)
5. Can Man Live Without God? by Ravi Zacharias (2)
6. Where is God When We Suffer? by Lynn Gardner (2)
7. Escape from Reason by Francis Schaeffer (3)
8. How Now Shall We Live? by Charles Colson (3)

I’ve rated the books on a scale of 1 to 5 based on level of difficulty or ease in reading each selection. (1=easy to understand 5=challenging)

1. The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg (2)
2. The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard (4)
3. A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson (4)
4. Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster (3)
5. The Good and Beautiful God: Falling in Love with the God Jesus Knows by James Bryan Smith (2)
6. Loving God by Chuck Colson (3)
7. Too Busy Not to Pray by Bill Hybels (1)
8. When God Answers Prayer by Bob Russell (2)
9. The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer (4)
10. The Practice the Presence of God by brother Lawerence (4)
11. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (4)

I’ve rated the books on a scale of 1 to 5 based on level of difficulty or ease in reading each selection. (1=easy to understand 5=challenging)

1. The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning (1)
2. The Signature of Jesus by Brennan Manning (1)
3. In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen (2)
4. No Wonder They Call Him the Savior by Max Lucado (1)
5. The Applause of Heaven by Max Lucado (1)
6. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller (1)
7. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller (2)
8. Dangerous Wonder by Michael Yaconelli
9. What’s So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey (2)
10. The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey (2)
11. Rumors of Another World by Philip Yancey (2)
12. Love Beyond Reason by John Ortberg (2)
13. Everybody’s Normal Til You Get to Know Them by John Ortberg (2)
14. If You Want to Walk on Water You Have to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg (2)
15. In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson (2)
16. Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus (2)
17. The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus (2)
18. Seizing Your Divine Moment by Erwin McManus (2)
19. Sex God by Rob Bell (2)
20. Jesus Wants to Save Christians by Rob Bell (2)
21. Epic by John Eldredge (2)
22. Wild at Heart by John Eldredge (2)
23. Descending Into Greatness by Bill Hybels (1)
24. True Faced by Bill Thrall (2)
25. Serve God, Save the Planet by Matthew Sleeth (1)

I’ve rated the books on a scale of 1 to 5 based on level of difficulty or ease in reading each selection. (1=easy to understand 5=challenging)

1. Organic Community by Joseph Myers (2)
2. The Living Church by John Stott (2)
3. 7 Practices of Effective Ministry by Reggie Joiner & Andy Stanley (1)
4. The Externally Focused Church by Rick Rusaw & Eric Swanson (1)
5. The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns (2)
6. The Emotionally Healthy Church by Peter Scazzero (2)
7. Too Small to Ignore: Why Children Are the Next Big Thing by Wess Stafford (2)
8. Simple Church by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger (1)
9. Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne (1)

1. Shadow of the Almighty by Elisabeth Elliot (2)
2. Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot (2)
3. No Compromise: The Story of Keith Green by Melody Green (1)
4. Lords of the Earth by Don Richardson (2)
5. End of the Spear by Steve Saint (1)
6. Any biography about George Mueller or Hudson Taylor
7. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by John Krakauer (1)
8. The Wizard of Menlo Park: How Thomas Edison Invented the Modern World by Randall Stross (1)
9. Johnny Cash: The Autobiography by Johnny Cash & Patrick Carr (1)
10. Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 by Steve Stockman (1)
11. When Character Was King: The Life of Ronald Reagan by Peggy Noonan (1)
12. Mission Possible by Marily Laslo (1)

I’ve rated the books on a scale of 1 to 5 based on level of difficulty or ease in reading each selection. (1=easy to understand 5=challenging)

1. Good to Great by Jim Collins (2)
2. Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham (1)
3. The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker (2)
4. Organizing Genius by Warren Bennis (2)
5. Teams that Click by Harvard Business School (2)
6. 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni (2)
7. Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni (1)
8. One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard (1)
9. 6 Thinking Hats by Edward De Bono (1)
10. Trust: The One Thing that Makes or Breaks a Leader by Les Csorba (2)

I’ve rated the books on a scale of 1 to 5 based on level of difficulty or ease in reading each selection. (1=easy to understand 5=challenging)

1. The Next Generation Leader by Andy Stanley (1)
2. Courageous Leadership by Bill Hybels (1)
3. Spiritual Leadership by Henry Blackaby (3)
4. Less is More Leadership by H. Dale Burke (1)
5. 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John Maxwell (1)
6. The Contemplative Pastor by Eugene Peterson (3)
7. Under the Unpredictable Plant by Eugene Peterson (3)

I’ve rated the books on a scale of 1 to 5 based on level of difficulty or ease in reading each selection. (1=easy to understand 5=challenging)

1. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (1)
2. Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall & Denver Moore (1)
3. The Shack by William Young (2)
4. One Month to Live by Kerry Shook (1)
5. Six Word Memoirs: Not Quite What I Was Expecting edited by Smith Magazine (1)
6. On the Move by Bono (1)
7. Mother Teresa: Her Essential Wisdom edited by Carol Kelly-Gangi (2)

I’ve rated the books on a scale of 1 to 5 based on level of difficulty or ease in reading each selection. (1=easy to understand 5=challenging)

1. Christ Plays in 10,000 Places by Eugene Peterson (4)
2. Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. Wright (4)
3. Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense by N.T. Wright (4)
4. The Faith Once for All by Jack Cottrell (3)
5. The Epic of Eden by Sandra Richter (3)

I’ve rated the books on a scale of 1 to 5 based on level of difficulty or ease in reading each selection. (1=easy to understand 5=challenging)

1. Love, Sex, and Lasting Relationships by Chip Ingram (1)
2. Choosing to Cheat by Andy Stanley (1)
3. The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman (1)
4. Love & Respect by Emerson Eggerichs (1)
5. Cracking the Communication Code by Emerson Eggerichs (1)

I’ve rated the books on a scale of 1 to 5 based on level of difficulty or ease in reading each selection. (1=easy to understand 5=challenging)