This week I finished final edits of a second edition of my best-selling 2006 book, I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church. My publisher is enthusiastic about this project and seems to be fast-tracking the new edition into print by year-end. What a journey of discovery! To re-inhabit a manuscript that reflects a world 17 years departed, when mainline churches still had a bit of self-confidence that with reasonable intentionality and fresh strategies, they could adjust to the new century. As I wrote the first edition of the book, I was four years removed from having planted and pastored a large suburban congregation, where we made some excellent ministry decisions, and really designed things for the neighborhood, rather than the membership. And it had worked! In my church consulting 2002-2006, I typically recommended adding a new worship gathering with a more informal and contemporary vibe to complement the traditional gathering. In most cases, this change helped to grow the congregations, especially with younger families. The profound exodus of Americans from organized religion was just ramping up in those days. The old denominations had seen an exodus, but innovative churches were still growing, as they picked up many who were looking for something fresher and more culturally relevant to them.
