The Blessed Church by Robert Morris

In The Blessed Church, Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church explores how a church can be fast-growing and spiritually-enriching—and still healthy. With the powerful stories, candor, and humor he’s known for, Morris shows how every component of your church—including mission, government, teaching, worship, small groups, giving, and outreach—can receive God’s richest blessings. Written for both church leaders and laypeople, The Blessed Church explores the vision and other qualities that make church “work”—regardless of size--in the twenty-first century. (back cover description)



Read Chapter One

My Review: This is a book that I would consider more for pastors and leaders within a church, but I did find it interesting as a lay person. I also admit that I was curious because I watch Gateway online every weekend. I tend to be a bit leery of mega-churches, but the solid Biblical teaching makes me wish I lived near enough to attend. The chance to learn more about the thinking behind the growth of Gateway and their structure gives me even more confidence that Robert Morris is a man who seeks the Lord and has the desire to minister to his congregation in a way that promotes healthy growth and a desire to be merely a bench/pew warmer. 

It's not enough to just soak in the teaching each week; you need to become equipped to minister to others. This is the church Robert Morris considers blessed. I know some look at that word plus mega-church and think "prosperity gospel". Absolutely not! I think most strong leaders have a touch of arrogance about them, but Morris works within a plan that makes him (and the rest of his staff) accountable to one another. I believe there is a lot of good in the way Gateway does things. My main objection was the current buzzword "empower" that annoys me, but I actually have a deeper understanding of what is meant by it now and don't find it as irksome. He does sometimes give me a new way to think about things.

Bottom line is that I would recommend The Blessed Church more for those in positions of leadership, but I do believe that it is suitable for anyone who is seeking their own healthy growth. I give it 4.5 stars.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book at no charge from WaterBrook Multnomah's Blogging For Books program in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Robert Morris is the Founding and Senior Pastor of Gateway Church, a multi-campus church in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Since it began in 2000, Gateway has grown to more than 16,000 active members. Robert is featured on the weekly television program, The Blessed Life, seen in 80 million homes in the United States and in more than 200 countries around the world. He is the best-selling author of nine books, including The Blessed Life, From Dream to Destiny, and The Power of Your Words.

Robert Morris is the Founding and Senior Pastor of Gateway Church, a multi-campus church in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Since it began in 2000, Gateway has grown to more than 16,000 active members. Robert is featured on the weekly television program, The Blessed Life, seen in 80 million homes in the United States and in more than 200 countries around the world. He is the best-selling author of nine books, including The Blessed Life, From Dream to Destiny, and The Power of Your Words. - See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/author-spotlight.php?authorid=125406#sthash.flU15VAi.dpuf

Robert Morris is the Founding and Senior Pastor of Gateway Church, a multi-campus church in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Since it began in 2000, Gateway has grown to more than 16,000 active members. Robert is featured on the weekly television program, The Blessed Life, seen in 80 million homes in the United States and in more than 200 countries around the world. He is the best-selling author of nine books, including The Blessed Life, From Dream to Destiny, and The Power of Your Words. - See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/author-spotlight.php?authorid=125406#sthash.flU15VAi.dpuf