Parable Church: How the Teachings of Jesus Shape the Culture of Our Faith

Christ never actually told us how to "do church." So why is much of our time and energy as leaders and shepherds consumed with chasing after tips, tricks, and secrets to "grow" churches, hoping that they somehow also reach and maintain spiritual health?Although Jesus never gave us directions for church, through his parables he creatively revealed what we should experience in our communities together--he revealed the culture of his kingdom. In Parable Church, pastor and author Mike Burnette unpacks unique insights from Jesus' parables that can help us to understand and experience the full, transformative life in community we are divinely intended to live.While we've tended to focus boundless energy on growing our churches through strategies, programs, and metric-based insights, Christ always focused on the heart and the values of the Father, the values that actually change lives. Parable Church weaves together personal narratives, unique cultural observations, and compellingly fresh biblical insights to paint a picture of something unimaginably greater than what most people think of when they think of Jesus or his Church.About the AuthorMike Burnette has served as lead pastor of LifePoint Church in Clarksville, Tennessee since 2010. Mike has a passion for expository Biblical preaching, developing leaders, and serving his community. Under his leadership, the church has grown from 85 weekend attenders to over 5,500 in multiple locations, with a rapidly growing online presence. LifePoint Church was named Outreach Magazine's "Fastest Growing Church in America" in 2018. Mike and his wife, Stephanie, love leading together, especially at home with their four daughters.John Driver is an award-winning writer who has authored, coauthored, or served as the collaborative writer for more than twenty-five books. A former history teacher and an alumnus of the University of Tennessee, he lives near Nashville with his wife of more than twenty years, Laura, and their daughter, Sadie. He serves as the executive and teaching pastor at The Church at Pleasant Grove and hosts the weekly podcast Talk About That.