It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It [Hardcover]

Craig Groeschel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 29, 2008

When Craig Groeschel founded LifeChurch.tv, the congregation met in a borrowed two-car garage, with ratty furnishings and faulty audiovisual equipment. But people were drawn there, sensing a powerful, life-changing force Groeschel calls 'It.' What is It, and how can you and your ministry get---and keep---It? Combining in-your-face honesty with off-the-wall humor, this book tells how any believer can obtain It, get It back, and guard It. One of today's most innovative church leaders, Groeschel provides profile interviews with Mark Driscoll, Perry Noble, Tim Stevens, Mark Batterson, Jud Wilhite, and Dino Rizzo. This lively book will challenge churches and their leaders to maintain the spiritual balance that results in experiencing It in their lives.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I predict the unpredictable will happen more predictably if you read and apply the principles in this book. This is a leadership gem. -- Bill Hybels, SENIOR PASTOR, WILLOW CREEK COMMUNITY CHURCH

From the Back Cover

When Craig Groeschel founded LifeChurch.tv, the congregation met in a borrowed two-car garage, with ratty furnishings and faulty audiovisual equipment. But people were drawn there, sensing a powerful, life-changing force Groeschel calls “It.”

What is It, and how can you and your ministry get—and keep—It? Combining in-your-face honesty with off-the-wall humor, this book tells how any believer can obtain It, get It back, and guard It.

One of today’s most innovative church leaders, Groeschel provides profile interviews with Mark Driscoll, Perry Noble, Tim Stevens, Mark Batterson, Jud Wilhite, and Dino Rizzo.

This lively book will challenge churches and their leaders to maintain the spiritual balance that results in experiencing It in their lives. --This text refers to the CD-ROM edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (July 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310286824
• ISBN-13: 978-0310286820
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #118,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv. Meeting in multiple locations around the United States, and globally at Church Online, LifeChurch.tv is known for the innovative use of technology to spread the Gospel.

With a passion for serving the Church and partnering to reach people for Christ, LifeChurch.tv develops and shares resources and applications with churches worldwide.

Craig, his wife, Amy, and their six children live in the Edmond, Oklahoma area where LifeChurch.tv began in 1996. He speaks at conferences worldwide and has written several books, including his recent release: The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn't Exist.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "It" did it for me!, August 12, 2008

By 

Jodie (Chicago Suburbs, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It (Hardcover)

This book really should be read by church leaders and lay people alike. I'm not the head of any ministry at my church, but "It" convicted me in how I think about the ministries I do participate in, and encouraged me to go out and get more of "it" and give more of "it".

My only gripe about the book is that even though Groeschel states "it" is not about money or the number of people, the churches he profiled as "it" churches are all big churches with thousands of people and well known pastors. He frequently quotes Bill Hybels and Andy Stanley, pastors of BIG "It" churches. So, even if Groeschel believes that small churches can have "It" he doesn't produce the evidence. Although he says this is not the case, Groeschel's examples seem to say you don't have "it" unless your church grows into a group of thousands of people.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to get it and keep it, December 4, 2009

By 

John Gibbs (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It (Hardcover)

Some ministries have it. Some don't. Most churches want it. Few have it. When a church has it, everyone can tell, according to Craig Groeschel in this book. The author says that he doesn't really know what it is, but his book goes on to talk about where it comes from, what contributes to it, and, if you have lost it, how to get it back and guard it.

A church which has it has a contagiously exciting atmosphere, with many people coming to Jesus and lives being changed. One of the things which contributes to it is an effective vision. Another contributing factor is divine focus, where a church concentrates on doing a few things well, rather than a lot of things poorly. Other contributing factors include unmistakeable cameraderie, innovative minds, willingness to fall short, hearts focused outwards, and kingdom-mindedness.

The book is written in an engaging anecdotal manner, filled with the author's quirky humour. It is fairly short, but addresses a serious issue in an insightful manner. God's special favour is something that can't be controlled or predicted, but there are various things which we can do and other things which we can avoid doing in order to make it more likely. I highly recommend the book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Right on target! Thought-provoking, January 27, 2009

By 

Jim Danielson (Liberty, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It (Hardcover)

Craig offers no "easy 1-2-3 steps" to church success, but is right on target.

I've been a minister for almost 40 years in churches of all sizes and have found that the "IT" that Craig talks about does come and go. Often as ministers and church leaders we were so busy that we didn't realize "IT" had left.

Fun to read as well as thought-provoking.