Unlearning Church (Paperback, New)

How many things does your church do just because that's the way it's always been done? Does your congregation value tradition over passion and stability over creativity? If so, it's time to unLearn. Leading congregations into a dynamic and prophetic future requires unLearning what you thought you knew about the church, leadership, and life. Pastor Michael Slaughter casts a vision for innovative and authentic congregations, and for the kind of leadership that can bring congregations to greater vitality and impact in today's postmodern culture. Readers will be challenged to gaze boldly beyond franchised church models to a dynamic embodiment of God's unique vision for each leader and each congregation. UnLearning congregations embrace new media and cultural trends, value transformation over information, and create a safe space for the tough and unanswerable questions of life. These are churches that lovingly dare to shoulder spiritual and prophetic leadership in our rapidly changing culture, re-articulating God's ancient purposes to create high-tech, high-touch environments in which people can become radical followers of Jesus Christ. Informed by Slaughter's thirty years of leadership at the innovative and mission-driven Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church, UnLearning Church offers readers guidance and insight into setting aside old identities, old expectations, and old ways of doing church, and inspires readers with examples of congregations already living out their mission to be creative and outwardly-focused communities of faith. Michael Slaughter is Lead Pastor and Chief Dreamer of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church in Tipp City, Ohio. Appointed to the small country church in 1979, Mike saw the potential for a teaching church that would transform its community and the lives of people across the globe. Ginghamsburg has grown under his three decades of leadership from 90 worshippers a week to over 5,000. His other books include Spiritual Entrepreneurs, Out On the Edge, Real Followers, UnLearning Church, and Money Matters."