The Starfish and the Spirit

Reviews

'A question much on my mind is this: Will there be church in the twenty-first century that matters? This quite remarkable book argues for what is necessary for the recovery, the re-creation, and the reality of Christian faith to make Jesus visible and evident today. Feast on this, and live into God's starfish communion and mission. This would be church that matters!'

'As a church planter in the West, I often have 'yes, but how?' questions about disciple-making movements and microchurch multiplication. In this book, Rob and Lance have crammed eye-opening insights into every page, along with practical tools for every leader to reimagine the future of the church. If you're passionate about catalyzing every member of your church to effectively help others find their way back to God, get reading.'

'If you want to learn the ways of decentralized disciple-making, then this is the book for you. In this manifesto on multiplication, Rob and Lance have laid the groundwork for how to see movement happen. Rob and Lance have proven track records as practitioners. If you want to grow, be challenged, and practice unleashing the potential of raising up leaders, then pick up a copy of The Starfish and the Spirit.'

'It's been nearly fifteen years since the release of The Starfish and the Spider, a groundbreaking book on the genius of decentralized systems and the limitations of hierarchical command-and-control structures. Now Lance Ford and Rob Wegner take that prism for understanding the patterns and potential of self-organizing systems and apply it to apostolic movements to brilliant effect. I kept asking myself, Why hasn't anyone done this before? But I'm glad no one has. I can't imagine anyone doing it better than these guys.'

'Like a cool rain after a decade of drought, The Starfish and the Spirit delivers relief, respite, and a total rethink on what it means to follow Jesus in this remarkable mission field we call life! Bravo to Rob and Lance for following and inviting us to join them.'

'The Starfish and the Spirit is a handbook for movement making. My friends Rob Wegner and Lance Ford brilliantly offer us a simple and scalable framework that allows the Spirit to move and in so doing turns disciples of Jesus into an unstoppable missional force. If you have a growing sense that God meant more for his church, read this book and discover what's missing!'

'There is no doubt that the world is changing, and we are in need of voices who not only see the future with hope and imagination but have the courage to live it out in their lives and leadership. Authenticity is key. Fortunately, we've been given just that in the gift of this book. The Starfish and the Spirit is not only a map toward authentic Christian leadership but also a guide for how to live out Jesus-practices, in community, in the brave new world we find ourselves in. With passion, insight, and great verve, Rob Wegner and Lance Ford unpack the operation system of how we currently 'do church' and reconstruct a way forward that will not only inspire you but also call you to action. Get a copy, buy your friends and leadership team a copy, and go on the journey together!'

'This book is a compendium for cutting-edge ideas. Rob and Lance have distilled and curated some of the most important thinking and timely tactics for the church in the twenty-first century. I could recommend twenty good books . . . or you could just read this one.'

'This book is a game changer. Get this down, and church multiplication becomes easy. I've led starfish churches throughout my adult life. I loved and use Ori Brafman's book, but this one explicitly addresses church leaders and the tensions that keep us from the simplicity of church multiplication. My advice: read The Starfish and the Spirit in concert with your key leaders to unlock a Great Commission future for your team.'

'Yes! I love how these guys think and how they make me rethink. So incredibly refreshing. And timely too. We better dream and plan and grow in our vision now, because changes are coming, ready or not.'