On the Verge: A Journey Into the Apostolic Future of the Church (Exponential Series) - Softcover

Hirsch, Alan; Ferguson, Dave

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0310331005 ISBN 13: 9780310331001

Publisher: Zondervan, 2011

Synopsis

The church is on the verge of massive, category shifting, change. Contemporary church growth, despite its many blessings, has failed to stem the decline of Christianity in the West. We are now facing the fact that more of the same will not produce different results. Our times require a different kind of church―an apostolic, reproducing, movement where every person is living a mission-sent life.Many of the best and brightest leaders in the contemporary church are now making the shift in the way they think, lead, and organize. Motivated partly by a vision of the church as ancient as it is new, and with a driving desire to see Biblical Christianity establish itself in Western cultural contexts, we are indeed seeing a new form of the church emerge in our day. Hirsch and Ferguson call this “apostolic movement” because it is more resonant with the form of church that we witness in the pages of the New Testament and in the great missional movements of history. In this book, Hirsch and Ferguson share a rich array of theology, theory, and best practices, along with inspiring stories about leaders who have rightly diagnosed their churches’ failure to embrace a biblical model of mission and have moved toward a fuller expression of the gospel. On the Verge will help church leaders discover how these forerunners and their insights are launching a new apostolic movement―and how any church can get involved.

About this title

From the Back Cover

On the Verge is one of those pace-setting books that will cause you to think, rethink and change your paradigm for what the church can become. This is a must read if you want to transition your church into the future.
- Craig Groeschel - Lead Pastor, Life Church

This book does more than provide solutions: it gives hope that the Church's best days are yet to come.
- Greg Surratt, Lead Pastor - Seacoast Church

There can never be a timelier conversation than the one God wants to have! And there could never be two more qualified voices to further the dialogue.
- Reggie McNeal (from the foreword) Author of Missional Renaissance

A spot on approach for the mega and church growth churches of the last decades to reframe ourselves as high impact, exponentially reproducing, missional movements.
- Mike Slaughter, Ginghamsburg Church and author of Change the World

Finally, a book of that not only connects you to the possibilities of apostolic movement, but gives you practitioner-based principles and stories that will help you live and lead in God's Gospel wave for the future."
- Hugh Halter, Author of The Tangible Kingdom, TK Primer, AND, & Sacrilege.

Hirsch and Ferguson point the way towards an exquisitely hopeful future for the church...and they show how the church united can be the church ignited. Brilliant.
- Linda Bergquist, church planting strategist with the North American Mission Board and co-author of Church Turned Inside Out

As you read this book, I'm sure you will find that the voices of these two great leaders become one and you hear the voice of Jesus inviting you to join his mission and love the church he is building.
- Mike Breen, (from the foreword) Director of 3DM and founder of the Order of Mission

About the Author

Alan Hirsch is an award-winning author on various aspects of missional Christianity and co-founder of Future Travelers, an intentional learning journey for contemporary churches seeking to transition to becoming authentic movements

Dave Ferguson is a spiritual entrepreneur and the lead pastor of Community Christian Church, an innovative multi-site missional church with eleven locations in Chicago. Dave is the movement leader for NewThing, an international network of reproducing churches. He is also the coauthor of The Big Idea. Check out the latest from Dave on his blog (www.daveferguson.org) or follow his everyday adventures on twitter @daveferguson.

About this edition

• Publisher: Zondervan
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0310331005
• ISBN 13: 9780310331001
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352