An expert practitioner answers to questions about the burgeoning organic church movementNeil Cole's best-selling book Organic Church described the fastest growing segment of contemporary Christianity-the so-called organic church. Now in this next-step book, he answers questions about how to deal with theological and organizational issues that come up. He talks about issues such has what to do with finances, children, heresy, leader training, and rituals and ordinances. Without the top-down structure of a denomination, even people who are proponents of this small, house-church model worry that they are not doing it right. Offers an important resource for anyone involved with or thinking of starting an organic or house churchAddresses practical issues of theology, rituals, doctrinal heresy, how to handle children, finances, and other important questionsWritten by an acknowledged expert who is now and has been for over twenty years an organic church planter and practitionerA new Leadership Network title and follow-up to Organic Church Church 3.0 offers solid information about organic churches based on Cole's extensive experience in starting, nurturing, and mentoring in the organic church movement.
Author(s): Neil Cole
Edition: 1
Year: 2010
Language: English
Pages: 304
Church 3.0: Upgrades for the Future of the Church......Page 1
contents......Page 9
about leadership network......Page 11
foreword......Page 13
preface......Page 15
acknowledgments......Page 19
introduction: what about this book?: shifting from church 2.0 to 3.0......Page 25
upgrading the operating system......Page 28
what is this book about?......Page 34
part one: global changes demand a better church......Page 37
chapter 1: what about the world we live in?......Page 39
a single and dominant superpower......Page 40
a single, global trade language......Page 41
technological advances create a global community......Page 42
relativistic philosophy......Page 43
pagan and occult activity......Page 44
aslan is on the move......Page 45
what is postmodernism?......Page 47
neither a modern nor a postmodern church......Page 49
shifting values of an emerging world......Page 51
what postmodern culture values......Page 52
conclusion......Page 66
part two: structural issues......Page 67
chapter 3: what about the church’s mission?......Page 69
attractional versus missional......Page 71
what is a church?......Page 80
this scares the devil into hell......Page 88
chapter 4: what about church growth?......Page 90
what is a movement?......Page 94
the seduction of addition......Page 99
the true test of multiplicative ministry......Page 100
ten essential principles of a spontaneous multiplication movement......Page 107
roadblocks to reproduction......Page 109
beware the institutional trap......Page 111
chapter 5: what about church models? part one......Page 116
networks......Page 117
the formation of organic church networks......Page 118
new testament church models......Page 123
transitioning models......Page 137
chapter 6: what about church models? part two......Page 140
awakening chapel’s development......Page 143
decentralized versus centralized expressions of organic church......Page 145
advantages and disadvantages of being decentralized......Page 151
accountability in decentralized networks......Page 153
chapter 7: what about larger gatherings?......Page 161
the natural order of social groupings......Page 162
the base unit of life: two or three people......Page 163
the leadership team: four to seven people......Page 167
the family unit: twelve to fifteen people......Page 169
the training group: twenty-five to seventy-five people......Page 171
the relational network: 100 to 150 people......Page 172
the occasional public gathering: 200–500 people......Page 174
unlimited multitudes......Page 177
following christ’s pattern......Page 182
the perils of violating these natural patterns......Page 183
part three: pragmatic concerns......Page 187
chapter 8: what about evangelism?......Page 189
apostolic genius......Page 190
the catalyst of movements......Page 192
six qualities of a good catalyst to ignite and accelerate movements......Page 194
the six catalytic qualities in cma......Page 204
chapter 9: what about baptism and communion?......Page 213
on baptism......Page 215
communion......Page 222
the lord’s prayer......Page 228
chapter 10: what about kids?......Page 233
integration is better than segregation for children......Page 235
integration is better than segregation for adults......Page 241
practical ideas......Page 243
chapter 11: what about heresy?......Page 246
what is the true threat?......Page 248
the heretics in history are often heroes in the future......Page 257
chapter 12: what about finances?......Page 265
old testament church practices......Page 266
new testament tithing......Page 267
offerings......Page 268
new testament church finances......Page 270
awakening chapel’s example......Page 275
conclusion: what about my church?......Page 277
notes......Page 281
the author......Page 289
index......Page 291
