Product Description

Is it possible that the division between the clergy and the laity is unnecessary and, in fact, harmful to the church? In Organic Leadership, Neil Cole fervently says yes and shows how this causes great harm to all. But rather than doing away with the clergy, Cole argues that the answer is to raise up organically grown leaders from ordinary Christians and make everyone "a priest." Using examples from modern cinema, personal experience, and the Bible, Cole sets out to change our view of what a leader is and how one is formed. This fresh and revolutionary alternative will transform readers and equip them to challenge themselves and others to find the vision God has for them. Now available in trade paper.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #56400 in Books
• Published on: 2010-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 314 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780801072383
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Inside Flap
Neil Cole is one of the founders of today's organic church movement, which has given rise to thousands of churches around the world. Here he builds on his previous work, offering insight on church leadership today. In Organic Leadership Cole •addresses how the church has carried on for far too long with faulty leadership ideas, without questioning them •shows how healthy and growing disciples can emerge naturally as leaders in God's kingdom •presents simple leadership development practices to raise up homegrown leaders from the harvest for the harvest •introduces us to real-life leaders who exemplify the ideas he presents

From the Back Cover
Grow more leaders for a greater harvest! What are the weeds that hinder the natural growth of godly leadership? Are programs, people, and money truly the signs of a successful church? Where can you find an unlimited source of leaders? How do you mentor leaders so that they multiply? In Organic Leadership Neil Cole asks these questions and more, boldly challenging many of the ideas about leadership and church life that we all take for granted. Then he reveals how to grow leaders that multiply naturally. "It has been a very long time since I've read a book on leadership that moved me. Neil takes the person, the context, and God's Word, and mixes them in a powerful way for a life of leadership."--Bob Roberts Jr., senior pastor, Northwood Church; author, Transformation and Glocalization "Organic Leadership will trouble you--but more importantly, it will challenge you. And you should read it because the church could use some troubling and a new challenge."--Ed Stetzer, author and researcher "A prophetic call for a more discipleship-based, grassroots, and inspirational form of leadership in our time."--Alan Hirsch, author, The Forgotten Ways and ReJesus; co-founder, shapevine.com "Neil isn't afraid to examine presuppositions that can paralyze the church."--Dave Gibbons, author, The Monkey and the Fish "You will find insights and tools to help you and your church expand your kingdom reach."--Bob Buford, founder, Leadership Network; author, Halftime and Finishing Well Neil Cole is the founder and executive director of Church Multiplication Associates (www.cmaresources.org), which has catalyzed the start of thousands of churches around the world. He is an international speaker and the author of Organic Church and Search & Rescue. He and his family live in California.

About the Author
Neil Cole is the founder and executive director of Church Multiplication Associates, an organization that has helped catalyze the start of more than a thousand churches around the world. He is the author of Organic Church and Search & Rescue.

Customer Reviews

Tomorrow's church today
A Theology of Church Leadership
Organic Leadership is an important book. The renewal movement of the 70's identified the flaws in the institutional church and called for a return to more a biblical and authentic shared life for the Christian community. That was a good initial step, and many biblical essentials were identified then. And hesitant steps toward renewal were taken in many churches. But the weight of institutional forms and expectations shaped by decade upon decade of "doing church" the wrong way was too great. Today however is a new day. The yearning for reality is causing many to question and to leave our churches. And the churches, having lost their way, like the ordained leadership and the schools which purport to prepare it, flail blindly.
That's why this book, and others explaining the growing "organic church movement" are so significant. True Christian leadership emerges only from a rightly functioning church. And this book places the development of leaders in the context, and for leadership of, rightly functioning churches! I highly commend the book, and others are produced by those in the organic church movement. They are sharing with us how to recover the dynamic that swept through the world with the Gospel, and are modeling for us all what the church can be once again.
Lawrence O (Larry) Richards

Great book to get you to think outside of the institutional box!
Need some help with the renewal of your mind? Cole will help you step outside the box so you won't get in God's way of growing His Kingdom!

Far beyond the typical leadership book
The author of Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens and Search & Rescue: Becoming a Disciple Who Makes a Difference is back with a rich volume on leadership. Like Frank Viola (Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices, Reimagining Church: Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity, Finding Organic Church: A Comprehensive Guide to Starting and Sustaining Authentic Christian Communities) Cole stresses the importance of churches as mentioned in the New Testament, taking the Bible as-is. Avoidance business like leadership and structure in church is one of the other main topcis. Subitled Leading Naturally Right Where You Are this book certainly is not a usual leadership / self help book. After stripping christian leadership from hierarchy, positions based on scholarship, paid salary and false dichotomies, copy-and-paste of success stories, etc. Cole takes four sections to work out a series of principles and lessons learned on real servant leadership (in an upside-down Kingdom), homegrown leadership, multiplication, learning, and life-on-life mentoring skills. Last and certainly not least the author goes as far as giving up ministries, leadership roles or even church as is and the delicate subject of payment for service in the church. Cole is a enthusiastic user of examples provided in movie pictures, proverbs, poetry and other literature to spice up his message. Nevertheless his message is explicit, hitting you in the face, so it's hard to put aside this book without changed mind & practical consequences.