Moving Off the Map: A Field Guide to Changing the Congregation

In his book Kicking Habits: Welcome Relief for Addicted Churches, Thomas Bandy provided the "big picture" of the five stages of congregational renewal and transformation. Similarly, in Growing Spiritual Redwoods, Bandy and Bill Easum provided new metaphors for change to help congregations break out of outmoded attitudes and assumptions, and they described the nature of spiritual leadership necessary to grow spiritual giants that would change the face of the cultural forest.

Yet there is another set of questions remaining to be answered, questions that pastors and church leaders frequently ask: "Where do we begin?" and "Exactly how do we go about change?" The characteristics of change, and the stresses that lie behind them, seem complex and monumental.  What are the first steps a congregation can take? Are there practical tools that have helped churches change?

The purpose of Moving Off the Map: A Field Guide to Changing the Congregation is to answer these questions. Here are powerful processes and tools to help congregations identify their strengths, weaknesses, and addictions. These processes can help a congregation shift attitudes, deepen spiritual awareness, receive Biblical visions, and shape ministries for the future.

Thomas G. Bandy is an internationally-recognized church consultant and leadership coach. He works across the spectrum of church traditions, denominations, congregations, contexts, and cultures. Tom coaches transforming and transitioning congregations, church plants, multi-site and cross-cultural churches, and faith-based nonprofits. He is the president of Thriving Church Consulting LLC and can be found in his virtual office at ThrivingChurch.com. He is the author of several books on congregational leadership.