so…
let me bounce something off of you.
i am going to give you a VERY VERY BASIC outline of the chapters of mad church disease.
if you can even call it an outline.
the lack of creative titles is for this post only and does not reflect a lack of creativity in my book…promise.
clear over cute for this little bloggy assignment.
so…i’ll give you the outline. you give me feedback. are there any holes? do you have any suggestions?
foreword
preface
introduction (my story)
=======
defining mad church disease
how the epidemic is killing the greatest call
risk factors
symptoms
getting healthy (top level)
practical tips (more detail/tangible/action steps)
prevention/how healthy organisms work
forgiveness/recovery
living an abundant life/call to action
(oh crap – i just realized – this post is post #666!)
Comments
23 responses to “chapter outline of mad church disease”
I might put forgiveness/recovery before prevention…
and risk factors after symptoms…
but, what do I know? I’ve never written a book.
personally like risk factors before symptoms because if you highlight the risk factors and people identify with them they will most likely see the symptoms.
but i would put practical tips before getting healthy…because you need the tips before you start the process of getting healthy…
can i just say, that i am so excited about this book. i wish that it would be finished sooner…i need it sooner, and so do many many other people.
two things…
needs to be a chapter on false teachers. The scriptures tell us that they will be among us and that they come as “angels of light”.The scriptures also clearly tell us to mark them. I have never seen that done before by any church leader and I have been a Christian for 25 years. never seen it happen. so I guess I am left with two options. the Bible was wrong and they are not among us or they are among us and we just don’t want to deal.
also there needs to be a chapter dealing with church discipline. i’ve only seen a church do this once (a calvary chapel) though my last church asked a gay man to step down from leadership but not to leave the church.
Yeah, post again quick! We don’t need to give Hal Lindsey or Tim Lahye a reason to write another book… :-)
Mike
thanks for the ask, anne!
looks like it is gonna be a great (and beneficial) read. :)
one thought for you: this likely is something you have seen me write here or on swerve, but how about giving some space to the doctrine of covenant. that often with genuine hearts (though not always), we dishonor the covenant commitments that ought to rise above all else.
our Lord calls us to such a simpler life than we tend to construct; what suffers are the few things – covenant relationships – that Scripture tells us are paramount. :)
I like it.
666? man maybe I shouldn’t read yours and los’ blogs… that numbers all over the place!
I’m I the only one that read “healthy orgasm”? while I was going through the list? Let me tell you, I took a double take!
nancy, that is too funny. you actually just freaked me out a tiny bit. i sent the same list copy/paste to craig and bobby. i am SO glad that doesn’t say what you thought it did!!!!!
I think your on track…lots of good advice given…I would love to see if you have revised after some of these thoughts.
anne, this looks great. i would suggest that you sprinkle real people’s stories in each of the chapters. that way it’s more than just theoretical. maybe a final chapter called success stories?
nancy. i saw it too. haha.
and really. they said it all.
i cannnnooott wait!
do you have a release date yet?
thanks guys. actually most (but not all) of the suggestions are included. i just didn’t want to put every detail in here. but thanks – that is confirmation!
laura, it will be released sometime in february 09!
anne, i have to agree with nancy…i misread ..but then, i’m in a family ministry class learning about families and how to minister to them…this week we have been talking about a book entitled “Flawed Families” by david and diana garland (he just happens to be my dean at seminary!..no shame in the free plug either!) we’ve been talking about sex, sex and more sex….glad you are a better writer than i am reader!!
under practical tips,I suggest include some principles. (or …is that the same?) Anne, I just know you will be the author of the #1 NY Times bestseller!
Looks great! Can’t wait to read it.
Anne, I cannot WAIT. I know it’s “just” an outline, but it sounds perfect. Thank you for following God’s call on your life!!
Hi Anne,
I don’t often comment, but I read regularly! I love the concept and approach of your book. I like the content listed, and have a comment for later when you formulate the chapter titles. I like the phrasing of the forgiveness/recovery chapter, so to expand upon that, I wonder if you would consider a medical term paired with a spiritual term for each. You may be on that track already because several already have the two terms set up (prevention/how healthy organisms work; recovery/forgiveness) If you go with it, the medical term can be bold and the second term can be regular typeface- very Zondervan. :)
(*diagnosis*/definition)
Anne…
Looks great. Is there something in there for those of us in the church and how we can help our leaders(prevention and/or recovery?
Mike
Hey Anne…
I’m not sure if it’s woven into one of the existing chapters, but you need a sizeable section of the book to focus on the root cause of MCD…in particular, the spiritual root cause (assumptions or misbeliefs about themselves, God and what it means to walk with him, locked within church culture and within our own hearts) that give rise to the very possibility of MCD.
I cannot wait to read this book, Anne. Looking at this outline, I too, would put risk factors before symptoms. If you are educated to recognize the symptoms that could occur in the area of say, unprotected sex, but then told, “OK, now that you have ‘it’, here are the risk factors”. It seems like putting the cart before the horse.
I believe Jud mentioned a bit on false teachers. I think that those weasels would fall under risk factors.
I love your blog. God has definitely given you the gift of communication. I would like to see a chapter on the difficulties pastors and their families face after being abused by “well-meaning” Christians. My pastor was kicked out of my church in the 1960’s because of something his daughter was doing. This injustice has affected the way I look at church to this day. I think many Christians see ministry as a job instead of a calling, and they expect the pastor and his family to be perfect Christians.
feb 09 huh? maybe we should celebrate your book release and our bdays in L.A. at the standard that year :) (i’m ignoring the 666 comment for fear the posting a reply will mean bad tidings on in my blog world).
lol. I’m with Nancy..totally thought i read that. :) Anyways, im super excited to read this!!