The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki is a great read. Very insightful. To the point. Most books are 50 pages too long. This one was just right.

The book is about starting a company, but there are chapters that are universal to anyone who deals with people in any organization.

The art of bootstrapping – you don’t need tons of money to do something great. “Bootstrap it” or make it work with a little. This chapter alone is why guys who come from big churches fail in church planting. They don’t have tons of money to throw at a problem. Instead, they have to be innovative and creatively figure out how to get it done. (this chapter alone is worth the price of the book)

The art of recruiting – great insights into hiring. I won’t ruin it. Read it. Priceless stuff in here. This chapter is exactly why church planters whose churches start to grow shouldn’t hire people from big churches. Just because the person was there when the ministry went from 500 to 5,000 doesn’t mean he was a player in God blessing that church.

The art of rainmaking – I love his section on helping buy in one step at a time. I think sometimes churches push too hard and ask for huge steps too soon. Give people simple steps to take as they become more committed and as they mature.

The book is great. It’s filled with good insights into approaching people, handling objections, and starting something great!