Journeys to Significance

Journeys is a very personal book for me. I have been living with the concepts in it for over 16 years now. It has literally taken more than a decade and a half of experience and study, as well as reading the book of Acts over 100 times, to feel right about publishing these thoughts. Hopefully all the seasoning and maturing of the concepts in this book are evident. I wanted to write a book that could benefit leaders that truly desire to follow Jesus and grow in life so that their end is stronger than their start.

Because of this investment of my life, I feel very connected to this book.

Here are a few reasons why the book is valuable:

1. It provides a clear Biblical framework for apostolic movements using the book of Acts. There is some debate whether or not organic church results in movements. Some say movements are not a biblical idea. This book will answer some of that question with clear demonstration from the New Testament. It will be hard to argue with the idea that the NT church spread virally and became a movement in a short time. This book not only demonstrates that but provides insightful applications for how and why.

2. It provides a path that Christian leaders must follow to grow in significance and finish well, no matter what kind of leader you are or what kind of church you serve. Building upon the life-long research of a great scholar, Dr. J. Robert Clinton, you will see phases of leadership development that are consistent with most of our paths. You will also see what kind of processes we all must face to become the kind of leader God can use in significant ways. In a real sense, this book puts flesh and blood on Clinton's research and demonstrates clearly what a leader who finishes well must face. I was so grateful when Dr. Clinton gave me a positive endorsement. He said of the book:

"The strengths of this work, apart from the good overview of Paul’s life and ministry, are the post chapter sections dealing with lessons—first observations from Paul’s life and then often valuable personal lessons from the author’s life. Neil gives the best interpretation of Paul’s progress of ministry breakthrough insights that I have seen."

3. It provides potential solutions to questions in Acts that have not been satisfactorily answered in the past. This book will surprise you with observations that have not been given in other literature. Not all the solutions are dogmatic, but this book honestly deals with tough questions that typically are avoided. I have attempted to supply solutions that make some sense and add to the compelling narrative of Dr. Luke's book.

4. It shows that a mature leader can do less activity but accomplishes greater impact by investing in and empowering others and then releasing them into the work. You will be able to follow Paul's own learning curve and see how he discovered ways to reach people much more extensively and with more lasting results. His lessons become ours, as we follow Paul the way he follows Christ.

5. It makes Paul a real human leader that we can actually follow. Rather than a sinless-superhero that we cannot relate to, he becomes a person with the same kind of tests and temptations we all face and he can actually provide an example for us to follow. You do not have to be an apostle or a theologian to learn from Paul's example. Anyone who follows Christ will be able to learn from Paul's life played out so dramatically in the New Testament.

I do hope you like it.

Pressing on,

Neil

From the Inside Jacket of my New Book Journeys to Significance...

"Finishing well is not something that you do at the end of your life—it is what you determine to do every day of your life. You do not finish well accidentally. Determine now that you will finish well or die trying, which, in the end, is really what it means to finish well." —From the Preface

Life is not just one journey; it is several journeys, each culminating in valuable lessons that build toward our final breath and eternal destination.

In Journeys to Significance, bestselling author and organic church leader Neil Cole takes us on a journey as we follow the life of the apostle Paul and learn valuable lessons about how God forms a leader over the course of his or her life. It's not about just reaching the end—it's about finishing well and keeping your eye on the ultimate goal, not on short-term wins or losses. Journeys to Significance provides valuable insights to help any leader (or aspiring leader) to build upon each journey so that finishing strong is not only possible, but is a clear and practical focus in the here and now.

The apostle Paul is one of the most pivotal world-changers in history. In Journeys to Significance, the story of Paul's life comes alive in an inspiring and helpful way and includes many real-life applications for the journeys we all must face. Cole adds fresh insights into Paul's missional strategies and the lessons he learned. Following Paul's lessons can increase a leader's impact and significance and contribute to a strong finish.

As the apostle Paul demonstrated over the course of his life, if we are able to courageously follow God's lead no matter what it costs, we will discover the true meaning of leadership—and we will finish well.

Journeys

Life is not just one journey; it is several journeys, each culminating with valuable lessons that build toward our final breath and eternal destination.

My newest book has just been released, it is called Journeys to Significance: Charting a Leadership Course from the life of Paul. If you have read any of my other books and think you know what I have to say, this book will be a surprise. It is written in a different manner (more narrative) and does not have the deconstructive elements often associated with some of my other books. It is also one of the shortest books I have written and easy to read in a relatively short time. It is not about church as much as about those who live a missional life, regardless of your church affiliation or preference.

Following the life of Paul from start to finish this book shows how a person of influence is formed by God and shaped to have greater significance and ultimately to finish well. Any person who wants to make a difference in this world will find the book meaningful.

Not only does Journeys provide a unique understanding of Paul's story in Acts, but it also provides new vocabulary for all of us about how God forms us for a life of influence. One can identify with the various stages of life development that the book describes and understand what lessons are most important at those phases of maturity. Wherever you are on the formation of your life, this book will explain some of the basic life lessons for that stage and also shed light on what is to come if you courageously follow the path through the current journey you find yourself in. It is not so much prescriptive, as it is descriptive of leadership formation in general and of Paul in specific. It is practical without putting all leaders in a single box.

If you are a leader who desires to finish strong, you will find this book valuable. If you are interested in the book of Acts and the apostle Paul, this book will provide a fresh perspective and uncommon observations that will allow Paul to be more accessible as a flesh and blood example that you can follow. If you are a leader that is trying to figure out what in the heck God is doing in your current situation, this book may offer some helpful explanation. If you are a mentor to others and want to understand how leaders are formed and what is important at each stage of maturation, this book will grant you helpful insight. If you are interested in missional church movements this book will provide a biblical basis for how multiplication movements are catalyzed and spread.

Based upon a life-time of solid research by Dr. J. Robert Clinton as well as very thorough research from the book of Acts and the Pauline Epistles, this book provides real practical lessons for leaders in any stage of development. It has taken me 16 years of research, experience and lots of mistakes to write this book, and because of that it is very dear to me. I think you will find it fresh and challenging.

Frank Viola on Publishing

Frank Viola and I agree on a lot of things, and differ on a few. Mostly, we emphasize different but equally important aspects of the organic nature of the church (my opinion at least).

His latest blog post to aspiring authors is outstanding. So I thought I would mention it here (with a link) and twitter it out there.

There is nothing in the post that I could possibly disagree with. I do sometimes think that self-publishing is the only way for some good, but unknown writers to get their foot in the door (worked for me...and him). Frank isn't disagreeing with this, just pointing out that self-publishing doesn't produce as good a product as going with established publishers (and he's right).

Because Frank did such a good job with this I do not have to write much on the subject–I couldn't say anything any better anyway. If I could summarize my own thoughts about writing books in two sentences it would be:

The best distribution means I know of is to write such a good book that people can't help but tell others about it. If you write one that needs a strong marketing system to get it out, than it may not be worth distributing (or writing) in the first place.

Now, because Frank is a good writer he has inspired me to add a bit to the conversation as well. Aside from what he says in the post, I would also suggest that any aspiring author do a few other things:

1. Journal. Write something every day! Blogging is good for this as well, but it may be helpful to also journal which is just for yourself.

2. Occasionally write poetry, even if it isn't any good and you are afraid to show anyone...it refines your use of the language.

3. Read, a lot. Do your homework, especially if you are writing non-fiction. There is a lot of unsubstantiated fluff out there presuming authority it should not. Don't add to the white noise just to see your name on a cover. Vary your reading. Read classics, biographies, journal articles, cutting edge books and blogs. Read non-fiction too because it exercises your brain's creativity muscles (you may argue that there is no such thing, but I just proved there is by imagining it!). Learning is more important than writing, because learning makes for good writing.

4. Write a lot knowing that your best work will not get written until after all the bad and "so so" stuff gets out of the way. Frank mentions to wait until your 40, which is not bad advice. Really it is better to not wait, but write (just don't publish a lot of it). If you wait until you are 40 you will have better life experience and wisdom behind your words, but you may not have the craft as well refined unless you practice before your 40. I can't imagine Frank would disagree. My experience tells me that those who are meant to write couldn't wait anyway.

5. Think about your book as a combination of two parts: content and craft. These must come together to produce a good book. You can transcribe and publish a sermon series and sell a lot of copies, but that doesn't mean you've written a good book, just hit a hot topic with funny anecdotes. Blend both good content and good craft and you will have a good book. We need more of those books than the former. It is one thing to say something that is good, it is also another to say something well. Give yourself to doing both.

6. Learn to value and desire good editing. This is an acquired taste because at first we may not like someone tearing up our creative work, but good editors will make you seem much smarterer than you really are.

7. Finally, know what makes for success in publishing. There are two very different kinds of success in publishing books. One is the quick sale of many books, the other is the slow burn that builds. I personally think that still selling the book 75 years later is better than selling 75,000 in the first five years, though most publishing houses would disagree with me. Write a book with this perspective in mind. Not every book will meet the second kind of success, and that doesn't make it a failure...but the best books do.

Here is the link to an outstanding bit of advice from an experienced author:

http://bit.ly/gDrnBb

Well done Frank!

Neil

Constantine & The Institutionalization of Church

My wife and I spent a couple days in York, England recently. While there we saw a statue to Constantine erected just beside the main cathedral in the area--the York Minster. While beautiful and impressive in many ways, we were reminded by the cathedral of how far from the original intent of the church people had taken her.

The early church was organic and a movement for the first couple hundred years. Driven underground by waves of Roman persecution, it remained a viral movement that could not be contained or stopped. Though many tried to stomp it out all attempts only made it stronger.

All that changed in 313 AD when the emperor Constantine declared that the empire would not only tolerate Christianity but restore to the church all lost property. He was the first “Christian” emperor and Christianity went instantly from the margins to the mainstream and everything changed. Christianity became the state religion and the church did not change much from that point on. Our enemy, the devil himself, learned that if he cannot stop the church, he might as well join it and change it from the inside so that it is ineffective and less a threat. But for occasional breakouts of remnant expressions he succeeded. He used Constantine to launch this sinister attack.

Over the centuries, after Constantine, the Western church has evolved in many ways, but none have been a significant systemic change. There was the establishment of both the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodoxed Church and for hundreds of years there were very little changes. The Reformation split the Western church into the Roman Church and the volatile protestant church. But as an institution, in spite of the differences, the institutional system remained mostly unchanged. The Anabaptists were set lose by the reformation (and persecuted by it) but quickly would institutionalize as well.

Whether the church adapts to reach coal miners in the 18th century England or postmodern pilgrims in the 21st century, most of the changes have been minor shifts. Whether you are talking about high church or low, Pentecostal or Presbyterian the church has remained institutional in its approach. From Baptist to Brethren, from Mennonite to Methodist, the changes in the system are relatively untouched over the centuries. Music or no music? Pipe organ or electric guitar? Tall ceilings with stained-glass widows or meeting in a box building without windows, the actual system of church has gone relatively unchanged.

You have the priests or pastors, the Sunday service with singing and a sermon, the weekly offering, the pulpit with pews and the church building. These have been constants since the forth century. Even if you move the whole show into a house instead of a church building, if the system hasn’t changed you have only shrunk the church, not transformed it. Changing the style of music does not upgrade the system. Turning down the lights and turning up the volume is a simple patch to the same old system. Choirs and hymns or praise bands and fog machines, kneeling or standing the system is changed very little. Sermonizing with topical messages or expositional ones is not changing the system just making minor adjustments. Sunday Schools or small groups as secondary learning environments are not a systemic change at all, just a variation on the same old operational system.

Constantine was declared Caesar while in York in 306 AD. Today, near the spot where he was named the emperor is a statue of him beside a large cathedral, which I find quite symbolic. Constantine turned the church into an institution and in that state it remained for for 1700 years. He is now remembered beside a very institutional expression of what church is--the York Minster Cathedral. Today we are seeing a rapid shift back to organic and viral expressions of ecclesiology.

We should remember Constantine so as not to make the same mistake. We must begin to awaken once again to the true nature and expression of Christ's body, not as a building, a program, an event or an organization, but as a spiritual family called out on mission together. We must come to realize once again that the form of church is not the issue, but the way we relate--to God, one another and the world.

Just how sick we really are, Part 2

A relationship should not be defined by a calendar appointment, a task to complete, or a roster in an organization. Relationships should transcend all of these things. Compare your relationship with your spouse, parent or child to such minuscule things and you will see that these connection points do not make a family but simply acquaintances or fellow members of a group...not familial at all.

The core of relationship is devotion to one another. The fulfillment of God's entire law is to love one another. This is a commitment to each other in the face of anything and everything. If simply not maintaining an ongoing meeting is enough to sever the relationship it was not a true relationship built on love, but on convenience. Welcome to Christianity in the world today, a faith of consumerism and convenience.

I look forward to my buddies (Hirsch and Frost) release of their book on liminal experience called The Faith of Leap (April 2011) which I believe with help us understand how relationships are affected by missional experience. You see, when a relationship is tested in an adverse situation where we need to come through for each other, it becomes real, deep and lasting. If it cannot even endure the cancellation of a regular meeting it is not a relationship of depth in any degree.

We no longer bring our relationships into environments where we simply must depend on each other for survival. Instead we limit what our relationships are to easily managed but not very deep activities that do not develop beyond the level of acquaintance. Ironically, the very thing that can forge a true, deep and lasting relationship--mission--is feared because it is seen as a threat to our weak but convenient relationships.

It is when we take our relationships into mission that they become stronger, not weaker. By avoiding mission under the pretext that regular meetings are necessary to maintain a relationship then we do not have relationships worth maintaining in the first place.

When the flaming missiles whiz past your ears and your brother or sister is the one watching your back as you watch theirs, you become connected in the depth of your soul. You need each other, and when you are there for one another the relationship becomes deep and lasting. As you sacrifice for each other's success, you have learned what love truly is.

The young men who stormed the beaches of Normandy under a barrage of bullets, and who lost many comrades, have come to know a deep relationship with brothers that endures a lifetime. They may not see each other every day, every week, or even every year, but still many keep connected more than 66 years later. Their lives are tied together, not by convenience but by a deeper experience that transcends meetings, tasks or membership. When you know that you are alive today because of this other person's sacrifice, you value the relationship at the depth of your being.

If you cannot even maintain a relationship after a regular meeting has ended then the relationship was not much. Convenience is not the foundation of the Christian faith. Love is.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Love is not always convenient, but it is always true and faithful and for the benefit of others.

Paul's description of what a community looks like in the face of opposition and for the cause of the gospel reveals what our relationships should actually look like:

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. (Phil 1: 27-30)

Just how sick we really are

It has recently dawned on me that we really have no idea whatsoever what living in true community is. Perhaps the most telling symptom is found in the response so many of us receive when we speak of multiplying groups. It is quite common that people do not want to reproduce a group because they value the relationships they currently have and are afraid that if they start a new group they will lose the relationship. A recent review of Search & Rescue even mentioned that Life Transformation Groups foster short term relationships because they are to multiply frequently and discipleship must involve much longer relationships than LTGs promote.

Well, this is actually a glaring symptom of a much more serious issue: we do not have very good relationships! If our relationships cannot endure maturation and development over the years then they are weak and anemic.

For centuries church has been mostly defined by meetings. As a result we have settled into a superficial understanding of how we relate to one another that is completely limited to scheduled meetings together. The result is that we think if the weekly meeting changes the relationship is lost. This, my friends, is shallow and sick. A relationship is so much more than seeing one another at a weekly event. Church is so much more as well. I believe that church is to be a spiritual family on mission together, not a weekly meeting or religious event. We actually believe that when we send people out to start meeting in another group that we have lost or severely hurt the original relationships. Really? Is your relationship simply about meeting for a once a week Bible study, worship service or potluck? We must have stronger "ties that bind" than these.

Once we begin to see church as a family instead of a religious meeting everything changes. We are no longer restricted to a two hour scheduled meeting. Family is 24/7. Even when a child grows up and moves away they are still part of the family and thought of with affection and belonging, right? Of course. They will be missed and there may be more expensive phone bills, but the relationship is still strong and in tact. To be honest, when I look at old photos of my children as toddlers I miss them in that stage, but I am so glad I get to know them in all the stages of life. I look forward to the thrill of grandchildren, and I would never know this thrill if I somehow kept my own kids from maturing. And if children mature and become parents themselves, the family is stronger for it, not weaker. The fact that we are so concerned with a church giving birth to another indicates that we really do not understand church naturally--as a family. Imagine if you actually treated your own family they way we practice church. What would your family be like if you only saw each other once a week, seated in rows, with one person doing all the talking and another collecting the weekly offering. Then you sing a song and depart for the week not to see each other until the following meeting. That is not a strong family at all, nor is it a strong church.

I maintain strong relationships with people that have moved on to start new groups and reach new people. Our relationship matures over the years but doesn't diminish. We may begin to know each other in a Life Transformation Group, but when the group multiplies into two other groups our relationship has ended! No, in fact most of the time it matures into something better, not worse.

I think that the reason people cling to a group meeting with such desperation is because it is the closest thing to relationships in church that they have every known, which is quite sad when you think of it. We simply must develop stronger relationships that are not threatened by the thought of naturally birthing new generations. If in your own family you stuck together and never matured or allowed your children to grow into independent adults and parents themselves you would have an extremely unhealthy family. Grandchildren do not weaken familial ties, they tend to strengthen the family in almost every way.

Grow up church! Become the family you are meant to be. Celebrate the birth of the next generation and enjoy your grand kids! If you are too afraid to do it you will miss out on the best part of family.