The Starter's Way: Leading New Contextual Christian Communities

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 bookedited by two leading thinkers around innovation in the Church, one from the United States, the other from the UKbrings 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. Contributors include Beth Keith, Claire Pedrick, Emma Ineson, Eun Strawser, Harvey Kwiyani, Ian Mobsby, Ines Velsquez-McBryde, Jonny Baker, Michael Beck, Michael Wu, Mike Harrison, Peterson Feital, Rosario Picardo, Tina Hodgett, and Alison Boulton.

Table of Contents:
Contributors Introduction  By Ed Olsworth-Peter and Dwight J. Zscheile Spiritual Foundations Jesus-Centered  By Eun K. Strawser Life of Prayer   By Rosario “Roz” Picardo Calling   By Mike Wu 4. Bicultural Identity By Harvey Kwiyani 5. Responsive Obedience By Inés Velásquez-McBryde Inward Qualities 6. Discerning By Mike Harrison 7. Self-Giving  By Emma Ineson 8. Playful  By Tina Hodgett 9. Hospitable By Ian Mobsby 10. Resilient By Alison Boulton Outward Practices 11. Noticing  By Claire Pedrick 12. Adapting By Jonny Baker 13. Experimenting  By Dwight J. Zscheile 14. Co-Creating By Beth Keith 15. Persisting By Peterson Feital Final Thoughts 16. Cultivating Ecosystems of New Christian Communities  By Michael Beck Conclusion: Starting the Way By Ed Olsworth-Peter

About the Author :
Ed Olsworth-Peter is the Director of Innovation and Development at St. Mellitus where he teaches topics on mixed ecology, pioneer ministry, and ministry discernment. He was ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 2004. He was the National Advisor for Pioneer Development for the Church of England. Ed lives in Sussex, UK.   Dwight J. Zscheile is a professor of congregational mission and leadership at Luther Seminary. His books include Leading Faithful Innovation (with Michael Binder and Tessa Pinkstaff), Participating in God's Mission (with Craig Van Gelder), The Agile Church, People of the Way, Cultivating Sent Communities, The Missional Church in Perspective (with Craig Van Gelder), Embracing the Mixed Ecology (with Blair Pogue), and The Starter's Way (with Edward Olsworth-Peter). He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.  

Review :
"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." "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."  "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." "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—focusing on your heart, your longings, your character. That's where mission begins, with one's self—what a great book!" "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." “A refreshing shift in the discernment framework for identifying and developing church starters, rooted in spiritual depth, embodied character, and adaptive practice. This book moves the conversation forward and offers real stories from the field. A timely resource for both legacy denominations and edge-pushing networks and movements.” "In a World where we are all called to be missionaries there are diamonds here formed in the pressure of contextual reality and God’s calling. This distillation and reflection based upon 20 + years of ‘living’ contextual mission rather than talking about it is most welcome. The multi-voiced, multi-cultural and multi-contexed brings a richness to the conversation which is vital for incarnational learning. There are many nuggets of wisdom, alongside vulnerabilities and real stories of hope and challenge."