Author Archives: chadzaucha

I rejoice with my church family in Ojai today over the confirmation of Nick Ostermann as Lead Pastor.  I believe Nick is uniquely gifted to lead the church into its next season of impacting the Ojai Valley with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I especially want to to thank the Search Committee for being so conscientious and diligent in this process.  First Baptist is blessed with an incredible team of Elders.  They have served exceedingly well.

Philippians 1:3-7

[3] I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, [4] always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, [5] because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. [6] And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. [7] It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. (ESV)

If there is one pastor after which I would desire to model my ministry, it is probably John Piper.  He has a pastor’s heart,  and also a deep, unwavering conviction for truth.   His book A Hunger for God is a thorough and practical explanation of the spiritual discipline of fasting.   Its premise is summed up by the following quote:  “If you don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied.  It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world.  Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great.  God did not create you for this.  There is an appetite for God.  And it can be awakened.  I invite you to turn from the dulling effects of food and the dangers of idolatry, and to say with some simple fast:  ‘This much, O God, I want you.'”  For inspiring quotes like this and accompanying instruction, A Hunger for God makes the cut of 20 “Must Pack” books.

This book came to me at just the right time.  I was going through my own season of breaking and Lon Solomon put into words a simple but profound explanation of God’s sanctifying work.  It filled my heart with hope that the suffering we face is not random and purposeless, but actually a great instrument of God’s love.  He loves us enough to break us, for then we are positioned to receive from Him.  For the content and the timing, this book makes the cut of 20 “Must Pack” books.

All truth is God’s truth.  At times God communicates His truth through people (or even donkeys) who have worldviews different than our own.  By God’s common grace he has given many people expertise in certain areas.  As Christians we can benefit greatly from their expertise, provided that we filter everything through the lens of Scripture.  This has been my experience with Stephen R. Covey’s work The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.  The seven habits include: 1. Be proactive; 2. Begin with the end in mind; 3. Put first things first; 4. Think win-win; 5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood; 6. Synergize (Teamwork); 7. Sharpen the saw.  This foundational book on leading self and others makes my list of 20 “Must Pack” books.

I have a confession to make.  I am much better at reading books about prayer than I am at actually doing what they teach.  The fact that so many books in this list of 20 have to do with prayer is more of the cry of my heart to grow in this area than in my actual practice.  Old Paths New Power could be considered a companion to Renovation of the Church because it too emphasizes the move away from doing attractional, program-driven ministry.  Old Paths New Power emphasizes the absolute necessity of the power of the Holy Spirit to create a true church, and how prayer is the key to that power.  Too often we depend on programs rather than Holy Spirit power resulting in the fleshly results of apparent success, but an absence of eternal fruitfulness.  For this much needed challenge and corrective, Old Paths New Power makes the cut of 20 “Must Pack” books.