REFLECTIONS FROM THE BOOK TOUR

Thirteen book parties into our year-long tour, we are meeting a range of great people from San Diego to Bronx, from Portland, Oregon to downtown Washington DC to London, England.

The book Weird Church is resonating and provoking conversations unlike any book I have had a hand in writing. The use of Spiral Dynamics as a means of framing the missional challenge has been well-received.  Numerous folks have emailed from obscure places to say "Thanks" that the book is vindicates what they have been experiencing and saying for years.  A lot of our best and brightest are frustrated with our denominational contexts for ministry.  European friends are cheering - to them the book represents the beginning of American understanding that we are all in this together, in a rapidly changing western culture.  We are lagging behind in knowing what time it is in the culture. Hopefully Weird Church will help a few of our most brilliant apostles hang on and continue their work within established networks - and also bless others to move on out to wider pastures.

On April 26, Epicenter Group partnered with the British Methodists to throw a day-long book party in London.  Trey Hall, one of our newer associates, formerly a pastor at Urban Village Church in Chicago, is now based in Birmingham UK. Trey crafted a wonderful event!  It outgrew the space originally reserved at Westminster Central Hall, and moved across town to a larger venue at Hinde Street Methodist Church's sanctuary.  That day will go down as one of the most advanced ministry conversations that I have ever been a part of.  Our European brethren, in UK and on the Continent have been dealing with post-Christendom culture for at least a generation longer than any of us in the States.  So often Americans have minimized European ministry, as if it had nothing to teach us.  In fact, from a Weird Church perspective, they have a lot to teach us, and also we, them.

Beth Estock and I would love to come to a setting near you to throw a book event.  If we are already traveling to your region for contract work (to teach a seminar, to visit a coaching client or to work with a local church in consultation), then the book party can be added onto that trip without any cost to the event host!  In other cases, we have done events for cost of travel only.  This is unprecedented in our work - but we believe that the urgency of the conversation justifies our giving away some time.

We are working with a few groups to create multi-day events, based upon themes in Weird Church - in those cases, we are paid our regular daily rates, as would be the case with any similar teaching event.  We are excited about the possibilities of these more extensive conversations with leaders who are working on the front-line of a changing culture.  We have begun planning for a national event in 2017: more word on that soon!

The Capital Region Theological Center in Albany NY is partnering with us to create an online cohort experience for Christian leaders based on Weird Church.  It will be a seven week experience, led by Beth and me.  If you would like more information about the cohort, either for yourself or for others in your region, please let us know - you can simply hit REPLY to this email.  We will be forming the cohorts this summer, with start dates in the fall.  Cost will be very attractive.

It is a wondrous time to be alive and serving the Risen Christ.