Just as our life is in our blood, the life for Christ’s body
is in His blood. Changing a church is more than a new goal or
direction. Our churches need more than an organizational
transition; we need a full transfusion of Jesus’
blood, His life, within every disciple. Anything less than that
will only perpetuate more of the dysfunction and unhealthy church
practices that have already plagued us for too long. We are in
desperate need of the internally transforming power of the gospel
of grace and the presence of Christ so that our salvation is then
worked out in a way the rest of the world will notice. It
isn’t enough that we believe in the facts contained in the
gospel, we must allow the gospel itself to infect our souls and
transform us from within. The DNA of Jesus’ lifeblood is needed in
our churches and nothing shy of a full transfusion that touches
every cell will be sufficient.
In this book Neil Cole (author of Organic Church, Church
Transfusion and Journeys to Significance) and Phil
Helfer, co-founders of Church Multiplication Associates, will first
point out that change is possible with God, but only with God. In
the second half of the book they will lay out some of the actual
practical considerations to weigh if you want to release real
organic health in your church.
Using multiple examples of very different kinds of churches that
have been through the process, the authors present ways that
leadership and practices need to change in order to release organic
church movements from their midst. Chapters cover:
* Leadershifts necessary
* Detoxification from dependence issues.
* How to ignite change virally.
* How to grandparent movements.
* How to measure success in movements.
This book (another in the Leadership Network series) applies
organic life principles to established churches with practical help
that is holistic and natural. The content in this book will be
helpful whether you are pastor of an established church or wanting
to revitalize a small organic church.
Jesus didn’t die and rise from the dead so that we can be
like everyone else in the world. Our faith is more than just a
better doctrine or a bigger goal with a capital giving campaign; it
is a better life. Jesus is the difference, and what a difference he
makes…don’t be satisfied with less.
Jadual kandungan
Foreword xi
Dave Ferguson
Preface xiii
Neil Cole
Acknowledgments xvii
Part One: Change Is Possible–with God 1
1 So What’s the Difference? 3
2 Basic Organic Principles That Work in All Contexts 13
3 No Longer Business as Usual 24
4 Churches in Transfusion 42
Part Two: Implementing Change from the Inside Out 65
5 Dying as if Your Life Depended on It 67
6 Detoxifying from Dependence 82
7 How Small People Cause Big Problems 101
8 Leadershifts 114
9 Disciples, Disciples, Disciples 129
10 Water the Green Spot 136
11 Healthy Reproduction 154
12 New Measures of Success 170
13 The Price of Transfusion 185
Conclusion: Equipping People for Ministry in the World 196
Notes 199
The Authors 205
Index 207
Mengenai Pengarang
The Authors
NEIL COLE is an experienced and innovative church planter and pastor. He is the cofounder and executive director of Church Multiplication Associates. He is the author of Church 3.0, Organic Church, and Journeys to Significance, all from Jossey-Bass.
PHIL HELFER is the cofounder of Church Multiplication Associates and the pastor of Los Altos Grace Church. He is an expert on incorporating organic church principles into conventional churches.
ABOUT LEADERSHIP NETWORK
The mission of Leadership Network identifies and connects innovative church leaders, providing them with resources in the form of new ideas, people, and tools. Contact Leadership Network at leadnet.org.