Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Read This - Now!!

Alan has nailed it. There is nothing I have read over the past 5 years that better describes our situation and solution than The Forgotten Ways (thanks Alan!). I believe every Cru staff member should read this, digest it and allow it to inform our thinking on movements everywhere. He has something to say for all of us who are enamored with the concepts, practices and principles of rapidly expanding spiritual movements.

Alan started the discussion by asking, "How the NT church went from 25k to 20 million in 210 years?"

Or, the contemporary example of the body of Christ in China going from 2 million to 80 million in about 60 years. His findings are inspired, mind blowing, ancient and amazingly simple. I told Alan I felt like he putting words to my angst every time I turned the page. Over the next few weeks I hope to chronicle my findings, hopes and dreams based upon the fork that Alan is jabbing in my side.

If you are Cru staff (or not) please join me in the discussion.

4 comments:

Chris Newport said...

I'd love to talk about this. send me the book...

J. Guy Muse said...

I purchased the book this past January after hearing Alan at the Organic Church Movements Conference in Long Beach, CA. I too was gripped with the concepts he shared in the break out sessions and in his main talk to the conference and look forward to reading it in the days ahead. My experience with his previous book ("The Shaping of Things to Come")was that it took me a long time to get through, mainly because each page had so much thought-provoking material that I found myself reading, and rereading each section over and over again. I expect the same to be true of "Forgotten Ways".

Anonymous said...

I'd love to join the discussion - I already subscribe to this blog thru RSS and enjoy your insights into building movements. Send me it and I'll read it!

Tim Casteel
CD - University of Arkansas (formerly at UNT!)

Shane Deike said...

Guy - you will find this book very similar, but a bit more inspiring and practical. Alan introduces a ton of new terminology, but it helps make his arguments clearer. There were many a paragraph I had to read twice!

btw - when we start talking baptism here, I am really gonna have you chime in! (you think you and imb have it fun - you oughta be a para-church!)