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Leadership Network NewsLeadership Network and Jossey-Bass Release Two New Titles: Organic Church and Leading from the Second Chair DALLAS, TX—When Leadership Network (www.leadnet.org) and Jossey-Bass (www.josseybass.com) announced the next phase of their longstanding publishing relationship earlier this year, they made a very big promise. The jointly published books would present only the best, the most innovative and the most thoroughly researched ideas from today’s preeminent thinkers, practitioners and pioneering churches. The two newest titles illustrate the power and the breadth of that promise. In Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens, author Neil Cole demystifies the emerging model of bringing faith to people. The author carefully explains his dynamic, unconventional approach to ministry—and his passion for introducing Jesus to those who never seek out the church on their own. As Cole puts it so elegantly in Organic Church: “The Great Commission says that we are to ‘go into all the world,’ but we’ve turned the whole thing around and made it ‘come to us and hear our message.’ Instead of bringing people to church so that we can then bring them to Christ, let’s bring Christ to people where they live. We may find that a new church will grow out of such an enterprise, a church that is more centered in life and the workplace, where the Gospel is supposed to make a difference.” Cole (Long Beach, CA) is founder and Executive Director of Church Multiplication Associates, which has helped start more than 700 churches in 32 states and 23 nations in six years. His book encourages and offers guidance for churches to go where people already are—whether coffeehouses, bars, pubs or other “third places”—so that they can connect with and eventually interest these seekers in Jesus. The second release, Leading from the Second Chair: Serving Your Church, Fulfilling Your Role, and Realizing Your Dreams, offers the same kind of innovative thinking in a very different context. In this much-needed book, authors Mike Bonem and Roger Patterson address one of the most vexing challenges in leadership—the unique role of leaders who serve in secondary roles. As they write: “Being in the second chair is the ultimate leadership paradox. It is the paradox of being a leader and a subordinate, having a deep and a wide role in the organization, and being content with the present while continuing to dream about the future.” Again, the authors are perfectly positioned to address this vital but long-ignored topic. Bonem (Bellaire, TX) has been a consultant to churches, judicatories and businesses for more than 20 years. His company, Kingdom Transformation Partners, offers coaching and leadership development for both first and second chair leaders. Patterson (Houston, TX) is the associate pastor of Houston’s West University Baptist Church, where he has served for eight years. He is a second chair leader who also invests significant time in the development of other leaders for the expansion of God’s Kingdom. According to Greg Ligon, Leadership Network’s Publishing Director, the new releases are perfect additions to the popular Jossey-Bass series. “Our books are all about bringing innovative thought leadership to Christian leaders,” says Ligon. “We seek out and deliver emerging ideas that have real potential to transform today’s church. Both Organic Church and Leading from the Second Chair promise to launch thousands of innovative leaders toward greater impact in their churches, their communities and the world.” Leadership Network’s book publishing initiatives are an important part of its overall strategy to capture and distribute knowledge to high-impact church leaders—a strategy that includes a variety of e-newsletters and downloadable concept papers, as well as tapes, broadcasts, videos and other resources. See www.leadnet.org for specific titles and products. Working closely with Ligon to help shape the organization’s book publishing activities is consultant Mark Sweeney, whose 30-year career includes stints as publisher at three major Christian publishing houses. About Leadership Network: Leadership Network is a non-profit public charity that fosters church innovation and growth through a variety of programs, resources and strategies in furtherance of a far-reaching mission to identify, connect and help high-capacity Christian leaders multiply their impact. For more on Leadership Network, see www.leadnet.org and www.halftime.org, or contact Rick Long at 1.800.477.6698 x 102 or rlong@sourcepub.com.
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