On the Verge: A Journey Into the Apostolic Future of the Church (Exponential Series)

The church is on the verge of some tremendous changes. Contemporary church growth, despite its many blessings to believers, has failed to stem the decline of Christianity in the West. These times require a different kind of church-a church where every person is living a mission-sent life. The Bible uses the word apostles for Jesus' followers-that is, people sent on Jesus' behalf. In every existing form of the contemporary church-from the mega to the multi to the incarnational-some churches have taken the idea of apostolic mission seriously. Successful church leaders are discovering how to shift their existing resources and church structures into more adaptable forms to reach their communities. In this book, Alan Hirsch and David Ferguson share inspiring stories about leaders who have diagnosed their churches' failure to embrace a biblical model of mission and have moved toward a fuller expression of the gospel. On the Verge will help pastors and church leaders discover how these forerunners and their insights are launching a new apostolic movement-and how any church can get involved.;Intro; Title Page; Dedication; Contents; Foreword by Mike Breen; Foreword by Reggie McNeal; Introduction; 1. On the Verge of the Future (Alan and Dave); Catalysts for Ecclesiological Shift; Dethroning Constantine; Verging the Church: Key Themes; A Model for Apostolic Movement; Part 1 -- Imagine; 2. The Silver Imagination (Alan); It's Church, but Not As We Know It; Changing the Game; The Verge-ination: Reimagining Church in Apostolic Perspective; An Imaginative Solution; Dave's Response to "The Silver Imagination"; 3. Mission to the Mind and Heart (Alan); What Got You Here Won't Get You There Intro Title Page Dedication Contents Foreword by Mike Breen Foreword by Reggie McNeal Introduction 1. On the Verge of the Future (Alan and Dave) Catalysts for Ecclesiological Shift Dethroning Constantine Verging the Church: Key Themes A Model for Apostolic Movement Part 1 -- Imagine 2. The Silver Imagination (Alan) It's Church, but Not As We Know It Changing the Game The Verge-ination: Reimagining Church in Apostolic Perspective An Imaginative Solution Dave's Response to "The Silver Imagination" 3. Mission to the Mind and Heart (Alan) What Got You Here Won't Get You There Changing the ConversationA Tithe to the Lord From Here to There, Funny Things Are Everywhere Dream On... Dave's Response to "Mission to the Mind and Heart" Part 2 -- Shift 4. Apostolic Genius: The Genetic Code of Movement (Alan) Apostolic Genius A Mindset, Not a Technique Dave's Response to "Apostolic Genius: The Genetic Code of Movement" 5. Verge Vibe: The Operating System of Apostolic Movement (Alan) Ethos As Pivot The Turning Point: Aligning Ethos with Paradigm Dave's Response to "Verge Vibe: The Operating System of Apostolic Movement" 6. Embodying Movement-Programming Practices (Alan)Inside Out and Outside In Acting Our Way into a New Way of Thinking (Outside-In Change) From Core Values to Core Practices Getting Into the Swing of Things Examples of Verge Practices Overview of Verge Process Dave's Response to "Embodying Movement-Programming Practices" Part 3 -- Innovate 7. Innovate or Die (Dave) Crisis Is the Birthplace of Innovation Necessity, the Mother of Innovation Innovation: Most Risky or Imagination × Implementation = Innovation Leadership That Values and Practices Innovation Alan's Response to "Innovate or Die"8. Out-of-the-Box Innovation (Dave) Nine Characteristics of Out-of-the-Box Cultures Process for Creating Out-of-the-Box Culture Alan's Response to "Out-of-the-Box Innovation" Part 4 -- Move 9. Gaining Missional Momentum (Dave) The Solution: Apostolic Movement On the Verge of Movementum A Categorization of Movement Gaining Missional Momentum through the Verge Process The Flywheel Alan's Response to "Gaining Missional Momentum" 10. The Making of an Apostolic Movement (Dave) Movement Blink Eight Movement Rules Alan's Response to "The Making of an Apostolic Movement"Final Thoughts (Alan and Dave) Appendix: Church Profiles Notes Acknowledgments Resources for Verging the Church About the Exponential Series About Leadership Network About the Authors Other Books in the Exponential Series Praise Copyright About the Publisher Share Your Thoughts The Church Is On The Verge Of Massive, Category Shifting, Change. Contemporary Church Growth, Despite Its Many Blessings, Has Failed To Stem The Decline Of Christianity In The West. We Are Now Facing The Fact That More Of The Same Will Not Produce Different Results. Our Times Require A Different Kind Of Church--an Apostolic, Reproducing, Movement Where Every Person Is Living A Mission-sent Life.many Of The Best And Brightest Leaders In The Contemporary Church Are Now Making The Shift In The Way They Think, Lead, And Organize. Motivated Partly By A Vision Of The Church As Ancient As It Is New, And With A Driving Desire To See Biblical Christianity Establish Itself In Western Cultural Contexts, We Are Indeed Seeing A New Form Of The Church Emerge In Our Day. Hirsch And Ferguson Call This 'apostolic Movement' Because It Is More Resonant With The Form Of Church That We Witness In The Pages Of The New Testament And In The Great Missional Movements Of History. In This Book, Hirsch And Ferguson Share A Rich Array Of Theology, Theory, And Best Practices, Along With Inspiring Stories About Leaders Who Have Rightly Diagnosed Their Churches' Failure To Embrace A Biblical Model Of Mission And Have Moved Toward A Fuller Expression Of The Gospel. On The Verge Will Help Church Leaders Discover How These Forerunners And Their Insights Are Launching A New Apostolic Movement--and How Any Church Can Get Involved. On The Verge Of The Future / Alan Hirsch, Dave Ferguson -- Pt. 1. Imagine. The Silver Imagination ; Mission To The Mind And Heart / Alan Hirsch -- Pt. 2. Shift. Apostolic Genius : The Genetic Code Of A Movement ; Verge Vibe : The Operating System Of Apostolic Movement ; Embodying Movement-programming Practices / Alan Hirsch -- Pt. 3. Innovate. Innovate Or Die ; Out-of-the-box Innovation / Dave Ferguson -- Pt. 4. Move. Gaining Missional Momentum ; The Making Of An Apostolic Movement / Dave Ferguson. Alan Hirsch And Dave Ferguson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 342-348). How the Church can recover her original, apostolic ways and become a high-impact Jesus movement again in the West. The church is on the verge of massive, category shifting, change. Contemporary church growth, despite its many blessings, has failed to stem the decline of Christianity in the West, and we are now facing the fact that more of the same will not produce different results. We are already seeing this new form of the church emerge in our day—an apostolic, reproducing Movement that's driven by a desire to see Biblical Christianity reestablished. Alan Hirsch and Dave Ferguson call this the "apostolic movement" because it's more resonant with the form of church that we witness in the New Testament and in the great missional movements of history. And we are on the verge of a new apostolic movement... In this book, Christian thought-leaders Hirsch and Ferguson share a rich array of theology, theory, and best practices, along with inspiring stories about leaders who have rightly diagnosed their churches' failure to embrace a biblical model of mission and have moved toward a fuller expression of the gospel. On the Verge will help church leaders: Imagine the contemporary Church from the apostolic perspective—how we got from there to here. Shift our mindset from technique (how to "do church") to embodiment (how to live as Christ's Church) Learn how to value, approach, and understand innovation. Move whole-heartedly toward the apostolic, missional movement. Many of the best and brightest leaders in the contemporary church are now making shifts in the way they think, lead, and organize. On the Verge will help church leaders discover how these forerunners and their insights are launching a new apostolic movement?and how any church can get involved. The church is on the verge of massive, category shifting, change. Contemporary church growth, despite its many blessings, has failed to stem the decline of Christianity in the West. We are now facing the fact that more of the same will not produce different results. Our times require a different kind of church--an apostolic, reproducing, movement where every person is living a mission-sent life. Many of the best and brightest leaders in the contemporary church are now making the shift in the way they think, lead, and organize. Motivated partly by a vision of the church as ancient as it is new, and with a driving desire to see Biblical Christianity establish itself in Western cultural contexts, we are indeed seeing a new form of the church emerge in our day. Hirsch and Ferguson call this 'apostolic movement' because it is more resonant with the form of church that we witness in the pages of the New Testament and in the great missional movements of history. In this book, Hirsch and Ferguson share a rich array of theology, theory, and best practices, along with inspiring stories about leaders who have rightly diagnosed their churches' failure to embrace a biblical model of mission and have moved toward a fuller expression of the gospel. On the Verge will help church leaders discover how these forerunners and their insights are launching a new apostolic movement--and how any church can get involved Two prominent innovators in church planting and church growth express their shared vision for the apostolic---that is, mission-sent---future of the church. They relate inspiring accounts of churches recapturing their apostolic vision, and they explain how a wholly biblical, missional approach can transform other existing churches.