Who do we say we are? Who do you say we are? Some longtime members are concerned that we are losing our form and shape (identity or DNA) and distinctiveness as Churches of Christ. New members like you want to know who we are and what do we stand for as a church in today's world. What will our children know about our heritage of faith? A church's identity must be firmly rooted in scripture, particularly the New Testament, and yet be flexible enough to adapt to the local culture and the shifting demands of local mission. The early church learned what it meant to be faithful in Jerusalem, Antioch, and in Rome. Our pioneers of faith on the frontier expansion in America had to rethink denominational authority and what it meant to restore the life of the New Testament church. Today we wrestle with what it means to become a missional church in a pluralistic world? In a postmodern setting, how do we form new communities of faith?

In Spiritual DNA of the Church On Mission, author Bob Burton compares the missional foundation of the early church to human DNA. He argues that understanding the Church's missional DNA is the most effective starting point in engaging your church members on God's mission for the sake of total gospel transformation.

As a companion to Spiritual DNA of the Church On Mission, this workbook will provide teaching outlines, questionnaires, and other practical helps aimed at equipping pastors and church staff to prepare their churches to engage missionally in their communities.

Lutheran DNA takes the Reformation's Augsburg Confession of 1530 and asks whether parish issues today continue to find expression through the lens of this historic writing. The Augsburg Confession is named in Lutheran churches as a clear expression of Christian belief and practice. How is it so today? Stories, illustrations, and reflections flow out of this parish pastor's experiences as he reflects on meanings from Augsburg to Baltimore.

“Neil Cole is a true trailblazer for today’s church. His story will inspire you and equip you to experience the living Christ in community.” —Jonathan S. Campbell, author of The Way of Jesus Churches have tried all kinds of ways to attract new and younger members—revised vision statements, hipper worship, contemporary music, livelier sermons, bigger and better auditoriums. But there are still so many people who aren’t being reached, who don’t want to come to church. And the truth is that attendance at church on Sundays does not necessarily transform lives; God’s presence in our hearts is what changes us. Leaders and laypeople everywhere are realizing that they need new and more powerful ways to help them spread God’s Word. According to international church starter and pastor Neil Cole, if we want to connect with young people and those who are not coming to church, we must go where people congregate. Cole shows readers how to plant the seeds of the Kingdom of God in the places where life happens and where culture is formed—restaurants, bars, coffeehouses, parks, locker rooms, and neighborhoods. Organic Church offers a hands-on guide for demystifying this new model of church and shows the practical aspects of implementing it. “Neil Cole expertly places a thrilling invitation before us to join probably the most exciting spiritual pilgrimage going on today: the global migration of a church on the way back home. Come and dial in!” —Wolfgang Simson, author of Houses that Change the World

Church planting is one of the most challenging yet rewarding adventures you can embark on. Often zealous planters and their teams launch their new church prematurely, without taking time to lay a firm foundation for long-term fruitful ministry. Failure to do so often results in a weakened new church, or even the new church closing after a few years. Rather than focusing on methodology, the how to's of church planting, this book gives attention to six foundational concerns wise planters will need to nail down before they ever plant: -Biblical foundations, -Theological foundations, - Ecclesiological foundations, - Missiological foundations, -Spiritual foundations, -Practical foundations. Although helpful for a wide range of planting leaders, this book is particularly written for four specific groups: -those who feel called to plant and are making preparations; -their planting teammates and launch leaders; -those exploring church planting; -those who coach and train church planters. Foundations for Fruitful Church Planting serves as a comprehensive resource that will guide you to think strategically, plan carefully, and prepare thoroughly to birth a healthy, growing, and reproducing congregation. Each chapter includes recommended resources, discussion questions, and follow-through exercises.

Using the genetic code as a model, this provocative book will provide you with theological analysis, biblical principles, and practical applications for understanding the structure and mission of today's church and how it can transform the world

A design-thinking book for planting or redesigning churches and incubating a new generation of leaders. Written by Linda Bergquist and Allan Karr, two experienced church planters and mentors, the book is full of wisdom, practical advice, and creative counsel. Instead of a business-model-as-usual approach, the authors challenge readers to begin with the raw materials of beliefs, values, individuals, teams, and culture, and to then move outwards to draw from a rich palette of real and potential church paradigms. This book is meant to provoke church leaders to think outside of the box and to imagine how their churches might better reflect the image and the mission of God in the world. Contains a wealth of illustrative examples, charts, and other visual aides Offers a creative practical perspective and a multi-disciplinary approach to establishing a new church or leading an existing one Shows how to honor a church's purpose while embracing its unique culture Includes important lessons for nurturing church leadership skills

Unpacks Paul's leadership training in Acts 20 — the "Gospel DNA" for growing churches. Acts chapter 20 tells how Paul sat down to train the elders of the Ephesian church he had planted some years before. The principles of gospel ministry he lays down are simple, but absolute dynamite. In 21 simple, practical principles, Richard Coekin sets out how this "Gospel DNA" should shape our approach to building churches today. This book draws on his experience as Director of the London-based Co-Mission church-planting initiative in the UK. It will help you be part of a dynamic strategy for growing gospel churches today. Includes a Foreword by D.A. Carson

Sorted is a successful Fresh Expression of church based in Bradford, which has now sent out pioneers using the lessons learnt to begin planting a fresh expression in Thamesmead, London and begin a pioneering project in Nairobi, Kenya. The Fresh Expressions story has been well-told, but there have been relatively few attempts to relate the experiences and methodologies the author and his team have learnt over 10 years of pioneering Sorted (3 fresh expressions of church), so that pioneers, missionaries and the wider Church may be better equipped and informed when pioneering fresh expressions, mission communities and church plants in a whole range of different contexts. Relevant and timely, this book aims to share these lessons and methodologies using the Sorted story.