When God Builds a Church by Bob Russell with Rusty Russell. West Monroe, LA: Howard Publishing Co., 2000. ISBN 1-58229-125-X. Cloth. 292 pages.

Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the most remarkable stories in the evangelical world. And a major part of Southeast's incredible growth can be attributed to the way God has used pastor Bob Russell.

At long last, Russell has taken on the task of sharing the Southeast story in a new book, When God Builds a Church. No matter whether your church numbers 100 or 10,000, you'll find in this book insights and encouragement that will help you stay at the task. (The book is written with the assistance of Bob's son, Rusty Russell, who also serves on the ministerial staff at Southeast.)

Let me get the disclaimers out early: think Bob Russell is one of the most effective Christian communicators of our day. There are few preachers I enjoy hearing more, because of his combination of solid biblical truth, practical application and winsome humor. Having said that, it's clear that I'm not alone. In the 30-plus years Russell has been pastor at Southeast (since age 22), that congregation has grown from a neighborhood church of 125 members to one of the nation's largest churches with more than 14,000 in attendance each week.

In this book, Russell distills three decades of wisdom and experience into a series of ten timeless principles for building a great church. They are:

1. Truth: Proclaim God's Word as Truth and Apply it to People's Lives

(Note: Preaching readers will recall that this first chapter was excerpted in the July-August 2000 issue.)

2. Worship: Worship God Every Week in Spirit and Truth

3. Leadership: Develop Christ-Centered Leaders Who Lead by Example

4. Excellence: Do Your Best in Every Area of Service

5. Faith: Be Willing to Step Out with a Bold Faith and Take Risks

6. Harmony: Maintain a Spirit of Harmony

7. Participation: Expect the Congregation to Participate in Every Ministry

8. Fellowship: Continually Practice Agape Love for One Another

9. Stewardship: Give Generously of God's Resources as a Church and as Individuals

10. Evangelism: Commit Enthusiastically to Evangelism as Your Primary Mission

Russell takes each of these basic principles and builds on it with practical observations based on years of experience. The book is filled with interesting illustrations drawn from the life and legacy of this exciting congregation.

The Mission Statement of Southeast Christian Church is: "We exist to evangelize the lost, edify the saved, minister to the needs of others, and be a conscience in the community." In reading this volume, it becomes clear how God used those commitments to create a powerful and effective congregation. Yet as Thorn Rainer points out in the foreward, "When I finished reading When God Builds a Church, I did not think so much about the greatness of a church as I did the greatness of the God who built it."

NBC Radio Sermons, 1959-1970, Volume I of The Words of Gardner Taylor by Gardner C. Taylor. Edited by Edward L. Taylor. Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1999. ISBN 0-8170-1339-3. Cloth. 165 pages.