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.
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Just as our life is in our blood, the life for Christ's bodyis in His blood. Changing a church is more than a new goal ordirection. Our churches need more than an organizationaltransition; we need a full transfusion of Jesus'blood, His life, within every disciple. Anything less than thatwill only perpetuate more of the dysfunction and unhealthy churchpractices that have already plagued us for too long. We are indesperate need of the internally transforming power of the gospelof grace and the presence of Christ so that our salvation is thenworked out in a way the rest of the world will notice. Itisn't enough that we believe in the facts contained in thegospel, we must allow the gospel itself to infect our souls andtransform us from within. The DNA of Jesus' lifeblood is needed inour churches and nothing shy of a full transfusion that touchesevery cell will be sufficient.
In this book Neil Cole (author of Organic Church, ChurchTransfusion and Journeys to Significance) and PhilHelfer, co-founders of Church Multiplication Associates, will firstpoint out that change is possible with God, but only with God. Inthe second half of the book they will lay out some of the actualpractical considerations to weigh if you want to release realorganic health in your church.
Using multiple examples of very different kinds of churches thathave been through the process, the authors present ways thatleadership and practices need to change in order to release organicchurch 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) appliesorganic life principles to established churches with practical helpthat is holistic and natural. The content in this book will behelpful whether you are pastor of an established church or wantingto revitalize a small organic church.
Jesus didn't die and rise from the dead so that we can belike everyone else in the world. Our faith is more than just abetter doctrine or a bigger goal with a capital giving campaign; itis a better life. Jesus is the difference, and what a difference hemakes...don't be satisfied with less.