Future Church: Ministry in a Post-Seeker Age

Kudos to Jim for a great book that captures the essence of the emerging church movement. Often times when we think emerging churches we think of candles, poetry, tattoos, and experiential worship. Future Church is a great read because it boils down the movement to the core transferrable principles. As a new church plant it was most encouraging to hear stories from other new emerging churches and their struggles. I say this is a must read for all church planters and pastors.

I lead a church plant in Seattle called Cascade Hills... We've been at this for 2 and a half years, and are discovering that "contemporary worship" is neither contemporary, or real worship. There is a stirring in us for more of God, and less of "churchianity." We have been on a journey of discovery, and have found ourselves outlining a ministry plan that literally has lined up with each of the 7 fulcrum points Jim Wilson so clearly articulates in "Future Church". Here's where it gets interesting . . . we did the plan, then discovered the book! I have not been able to get past the idea that this is a move of God on His Church, and that something huge is about to happen... Not just in Seattle or the West Coast, or even America, but worldwide. Thank you Jim!"

Jim Wilson has shed light on the most crucial element for church leaders -- how to be THE CHURCH God needs to reach a lost and dying world. As a member of a church staff, I've witnessed firsthand how our church has grappled with finding the appropriate identity to draw those in need of the Gospel message into our church. FUTURE CHURCH helped me understand the issues and challenges our church faces. Rather than offering a purely theoretical approach, Jim provides case studies of actual churches -- from big to small; urban to rural -- which are shining examples of the FUTURE CHURCH. Thanks, Jim, for reaching out to us who are struggling to get where we need to be.

Finding our way into the future is too often like taking a trail, any trail, and hoping it leads to the mountain top. Jim Wilson has given us in Future Church a trail guide to creating a church whose best days are ahead,not behind. Based not on theory but on actual case studies, Wilson takes us behind the scenes of churches that most of us would never discover otherwise. There we meet fearless leaders and focused congreagations who are influencing the world in which they live in ways that lift up the hope and the winsome nature of the real Gospel. I'm recommending Future Church, not only to all my pastor friends, but to the leadership teams within our congregation. With a guide to a preferrable future at hand, we hope to continue the process of shaping our church into one that shapes our community for the better.Ed Rowell, Teaching PastorThe People's ChurchFranklin, Tennessee

Jim has captured the heart of postmodern ministry in a raw,compelling glimpse into the reality of being God's Church in the newMillenium.It is honest, inspiring, and with each chapter there are new heroes of theChristian faith. You won't be able to put it down, and it willchallenge you to get real and get in on what God is doing in the world today andtomorrow! Chris Kratzer, Pastor: Quest419 Church Tampa, Florida.