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Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Random Ramblings

We are all getting ramped up for the big Organic Church Movements conference that kicks off here tomorrow night. I am looking forward to reconnecting with folks from all over that I do not get to see very often. We should have a full house at the conference this year.

Reggie McNeal will be sharing Saturday morning at the conference from his new book Missional Renaissance. Dave Gibbons will be sharing Saturday afternoon on his new book The Monkey and the Fish. Both of these men are courageous leaders and good thinkers and have lots to say. I enjoyed both of their books. They are each addressing leadership in the new world we live in. Ali Eastburn, one of our own from right here in So CA will share her exciting story of the birth of a ministry called With This Ring on Friday night. I will share tomorrow night (Thur) on something that God has been impressing upon me for the past couple months. It is a message I have not given before so I am a little nervous, but confident that the Lord will override any of my own inadequacies.

Here's something funny. My new book Organic Leadership is ranked number 5 today on Amazon.com's bestseller category for "Ecology" under "outdoors/nature and the environment." Hmmm, interesting place to put my book.

I also noticed that Dr. Larry Richards wrote up a very nice review of OL on Amazon! I have to say that his work done a few decades ago (A Theology Of Christian Leadership) laid a strong foundation for the way we are thinking and behaving today. He was thinking organic before the rest of us! It means a lot to have a positive word from him on my new book. He was supposed to be at our conference but had an injury and is now unable to make the journey. He will be missed.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Neil,
Looks like a good experience. Wish I could be there.

I wanted to say thanks for your participation at the Innovate Conference in Dallas a few weeks ago.

I'm digesting a lot of your material these days and am appreciating the way it's helping me deprogram from institutional ways of being.

You may remember: I was the church planter who asked all the stupid questions at your Organic Church book luncheon. :)

Blessings to you.

Charles

Mike Edwards said...

Neil...I don't have an email for you...but I have a question.

As household congregations or simple churches multiply in a given area/region...how have you seen them most effectively still maintain a sense of corporate identity or mission in that area?

In other words, if they chose not to have a weekly larger corporate gathering, how else might they relate in significantly practical ways?

Neil Cole said...

Charles,

I do remember and still feel a little bad about embarrassing you there. Sorry about that.

Pressing on,

Neil

Anonymous said...

No worries, Neil. God used it as an important learning experience for me. CK