The Starter's Way - by Edward Olsworth-Peter & Dwight J Zscheile

Book Synopsis

A call for new ways of starting thriving church communities, based on global case studies of churches who have innovated from within their local communities.

As many established churches struggle to connect with people in increasingly post-Christian societies, there has been a vital shift in focus toward starting new Christian communities. Many of these new forms of church are incarnationally embedded in local contexts as leaders and neighbors together follow the Spirit's lead in asking, "What would church look like for us together in this place?"

This book-edited by two leading thinkers around innovation in the Church, one from the United States, the other from the UK-brings a rich and international array of practitioners and scholars together to explore starting new contextual Christian communities as a way of life. Addressing this from an incarnational "go and stay" model of mission, it seeks to offer an alternative perspective. Rather than provide another how-to manual, the authors go deeper into unpacking the spiritual foundations, inward qualities, and outward practices that make for faithful, vibrant, and sustainable leadership of new Christian communities. Framed around fifteen paradigm-shifting principles, The Starter's Way offers a hopeful exploration of the open-ended journey of developing new forms of church that are responsive to the Spirit and to the uniqueness of local neighborhoods.

Review Quotes

"The Starter's Way gives those of us who have been exhausted by Sunday-centric ecclesiology a holistic approach to the hard work of contextual ministry. The expertise of the community of writers creates a fresh environment to dive into the rigors and disciplines necessary for faithful innovation in today's rapidly changing world." -- "Nick Warnes, Executive Director of Cyclical INC"

"The Starter's Way isn't a how-to manual for launching programs--it's a guide to cultivating the inward and outward postures that make authentic, contextual, and lasting Christian community possible. Through the voices of diverse practitioners, this book encourages a soulful orientation that will ground any Fresh Expression effort in spiritual depth, compassionate presence, and Spirit-led love."-- "Shannon Kiser, Senior Director, Fresh Expressions North America"

"Around the world the Spirit of God is leading teams of people to start new contextual worshipping communities for the reaching of new people groups and the renewal of the Church. This essential book is not so much about what we need to do to start new churches but who we need to be. I recommend it wholeheartedly."-- "Stephen Hance, Dean of Toronto Cathedral, Canada"

"The genius of this book is that it combines the best thinking about church planting from the UK with the lived experience of diverse leaders in the US. The result is an 'innovation ecosystem' that combines 'spiritual foundations, inward qualities, and outward practices.' This is the next step in church planting."-- "Scott Cormode, Hugh De Pree Professor of Leadership Development, Fuller Seminary"

"What is fundamental when starting contextualized new Christian communities? It is all about being before doing, it's about inward qualities and then about skills, it's about character and heart and then about steps. The authors take you on a journey to ground your missional practices in fundamental qualities of being. So the Starter's Way is first about the Starter's Being--focussing on your heart, your longings, your character. That's where mission begins, with one's self--what a great book!"-- "Patrick Todjeras, PhD, Director of the Institute for the Research of Mission and Church and Head of the Department for Evangelism and Church Development in the Protestant Church in Austria"