11 Innovations in the Local Church

Foreword

(wrote the foreword)

Steve Sjogren

“Author, Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens, Cultivating a Life for God and TruthQuest Director, Church Multiplication Associates Signal Hill, California www.cmaresources.org If you care about where God is at work in the church today, you must read 11 Innovations in the Local Church. This is a handbook for all of us who want to be innovators and early adopters to what God is doing next!”

Dave Ferguson

“The journey toward innovation began for me when, as a 22-year-old pastor-wannabe, my wife gave me a copy of a book called All Originality Makes a Dull Church, detailing creative churches of that time. Reading it nudged my thinking outside of the box a bit. Perhaps 11 Innovations in the Local Church will spark ideas in other hungry young innovators who will, in turn, trust God for more than they could possibly ask or imagine.”

Greg Surratt

“Minister, NorthStar Community Richmond, Virginia www.northstarcommunity.com This insightful book fills a huge void. You could spend thousands of dollars visiting hundreds of churches and still not gather one-tenth of the insights contained in this book. Our entire church staff is going to read, digest and discuss it. Towns, Stetzer and Bird have done a great service for church leaders.”

Nelson Searcy

“11 Innovations in the Local Church doesn't promise answers to every question about how to effectively build the kingdom of God, nor does it provide 11 easy steps to ensure future growth and prosperity in our faith communities. Rather, it inspires us to believe that there are questions worth asking and that there is a God capable of revealing all that we need to know in order to build the kind of church He desires at each of our unique locations. This book allowed me to consider new ways of sharing God's timeless message of hope.”

Teresa J. McBean

“PRAISE FOR 11 INNOVATIONS IN THE LOCAL CHURCH Forty years ago, I read Elmer Towns's cutting edge book The Largest Sunday Schools in America. He's still at it, except this time he has added Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird who, like Towns, are dedicated to the future of the church yet grounded on the Word of God. I recommend this book.”

Tommy Barnett

“There are ways of doing church that no one has thought of yet. Ed Stetzer, Warren Bird and Elmer Towns don't just point the way—the stories and models they share will take you on a journey to the future and help you discover your unique “churchprint.” This book is a must-read for anyone serious about reaching the next generation for Christ.”

Mark Batterson

“Preserve the essence; change the form. We live in a time when it seems history is moving beneath our feet like a rolling sidewalk; even the status quo is in motion! This book looks at 11 church types, explains the innovations, gives examples and then reviews pros and cons of each innovation so that readers can consider whether to look further into the innovation— or, if it is not for them, to be more understanding toward those who want to implement those innovations.”

Bob Buford

“Author, Halftime and Finishing Well Founder, Leadership Network Dallas, Texas www.leadnet.org God is doing something new and radical in our day, and these men are checking the pulse on the Body of Christ. When you open this book, you will begin to see some of the new stuff emerging. Some of it will prod you, some of it will provoke you, and some of it may even propel you into a more productive ministry—but all of it is real and happening right now.”

Neil Cole