Synopses & Reviews
“The cold voice of the anesthesiologist recited the typical ‘Count backward from 10’ routine. And darkness closed around me before I got to 7. That’s when I found out what it’s like to die—and to come back from the dead.”
It was a beautiful winter’s day, showing no signs of what was to come. Steve Sjogren, pastor of one of America’s fastest growing churches, went into the hospital for routine gall bladder surgery and died—twice. What began as a tragic medical accident led to Steve’s encounter with death, an experience of unimaginable peace and some surprises, with comforting words from God, a meeting with an angel, and seeing those who had died before him. In The Day I Died, you will read Steve Sjogren’s unforgettable story and catch a glimpse of the hereafter. Discover how he learned a myriad of lessons about hearing God’s voice in times of crisis, how he came to trust God in a new way during the recovery process and how his life has changed as a result of this experience. If you, or someone you know, are fearful of dying, curious about heaven or simply desiring to live life to its fullest, this encouraging book could change how you view life and death.
Synopsis
“The cold voice of the anesthesiologist recited the typical ‘Count backward from 10’ routine. And darkness closed around me before I got to 7. That’s when I found out what it’s like to die—and to come back from the dead.”
It was a beautiful winter’s day, showing no signs of what was to come. Steve Sjogren, pastor of one of America’s fastest growing churches, went into the hospital for routine gall bladder surgery and died—twice. What began as a tragic medical accident led to Steve’s encounter with death, an experience of unimaginable peace and some surprises, with comforting words from God, a meeting with an angel, and seeing those who had died before him.In The Day I Died, you will read Steve Sjogren’s unforgettable story and catch a glimpse of the hereafter. Discover how he learned a myriad of lessons about hearing God’s voice in times of crisis, how he came to trust God in a new way during the recovery process and how his life has changed as a result of this experience. If you, or someone you know, are fearful of dying, curious about heaven or simply desiring to live life to its fullest, this encouraging book could change how you view life and death.
Synopsis
Bestselling author Steve Sjogren untangles the complex jumble commonly known as greatness in today’s mega church, mega everything world. As a successful pastor, he launched the servant evangelism movement, but along the way he discovered that significance was not where or what he thought it would be. Now, in a very practical book, he focuses on genuine greatness. Is it the size of the sanctuary? The number of new believers baptized each year? The youth attendance? The quantity of best selling books the pastor has written? The list of television shows, radio shows or podcasts the pastors appears on? Or is it something more? What is the buzz on good churches that become great in God’s eyes? Sjogren argues that greatness is not a point at which you arrive; rather, it is an ongoing process of worshipping, serving and living in God’s presence. It not a slick program; rather, it is a family, a hospital, an army and a school. When God is a present, His people are empowered. When God empowers His people, a good church becomes great.
Synopsis
Pastor Steve Sjogren launched the servant evangelism movement—a movement that fueled the growth of his church in Cincinnati from a handful of people to 6,000 in 15 years. But along the way, Steve began to reevaluate the common assumption that a bigger church is necessarily a better church.
In Making a Good Church Great, Steve shares what he has observed in more than 30 years as a church planter and coach: that a church’s greatness has less to do with thousands in weekly attendance, the size of the sanctuary or the number of books the pastor has published. Instead, greatness is an ongoing process that is moved by the presence of God among His people. This book is an invitation to your community of faith to uncover its true and authentic greatness. There are 13 characteristics of a great church, including upward, outward, safe, fun, inclusive and generous, and Steve offers practical steps for your church, in its one-of-a-kind way, to foster each of these qualities. Instead of making your church more like someone else’s, let the presence of God make your church the greatest church that only it can be!
Synopsis
If you want to plant a church, you need to dream big. If you want your seedling church to survive - and ultimately bloom and blossom - you really need this book! Written by church planters who have "been there, done that," Community of Kindness" is a practical, real-world guide to successful church planting-credible, informative, inspirational, supportive and, morst of all 100 percent problem-solving oriented. All of the book's lessons are short, pithy and to the point. So you can use them to preplan your goals-or refer to them every time the unexpected pops up (which is more often than not). Wherever your church-planting journey takes you, keep this book by your side-and have copies for each member of your team!
Synopsis
God is seeking to enter the heart of every person on this planet. Yet, for those who are not gifted evangelists, the task of communicating the Gospel can seem daunting. What if there was another way? There is, and it’s called the conspiracy of kindness. Operating on a simple premise, this exciting form of servant evangelism enables every follower of Christ, from brand-new to mature believer, to become an effective evangelist through unassuming acts of kindness. In this book, Steve Sjogren offers a proven vision, simple strategy and real-life stories that show the amazing impact servant evangelism has had throughout the world. Here’s how to communicate the love of God more persuasively through actions than with words. Learn how churches, groups and individuals have used washing windows, cleaning toilets, handing out sodas and more to impact their communities with the life-changing love of Christ. Although a simple premise, the conspiracy of kindness principle affects both those serving and those being served. Are you ready to roll up your sleeves?
About the Author
STEVE SJOGREN and his wife, Janie, have planted churches in Los Angeles, Baltimore and Cincinnati, and in Oslo, Norway. Steve currently writes, speaks, mentors church planters, and in February 2008 launched a church plant in Tampa, Florida. He is the author of Conspiracy of Kindness, Changing the World Through Kindness, and The Day I Died, and has written articles that have appeared in Charisma, New Man, Discipleship Journal and more. Steve and Janie have three grown children.