Deep & Wide - 9780310494843

With surprising candor and transparency pastor Andy Stanley explains how one of America's largest churches began with a high-profile divorce and a church split.But that's just the beginning...Deep and Wide provides church leaders with an in-depth look into North Point Community Church and its strategy for creating churches unchurched people absolutely love to attend. Andy writes, 'Our goal is to create weekend experiences so compelling and helpful that even the most skeptical individuals in our community would walk away with every intention of returning the following week...with a friend!'Later he says, 'I want people to fall in love with the Author of Scripture. And while we can't make anyone fall in love, we can certainly arrange a date.' For the first time, Andy explains his strategy for preaching and programming to 'dual audiences': mature believers and cynical unbelievers. He argues that preaching to dual audiences doesn't require communicators to 'dumb down' the content. According to Stanley, it's all in the approach.You'll be introduced to North Point's spiritual formation model: The Five Faith Catalysts. Leaders responsible for ministry programing and production will no doubt love Andy's discussion of the three essential ingredients for creating irresistible environments. For pastors willing to tackle the challenge of transitioning a local congregation, Andy includes a section entitled: Becoming Deep and Wide.If your team is more concerned with who you are reaching than who you are keeping, Deep andamp; Wide will be more than a book you read; it will be a resource you come back to over and over!'Couldn't be prouder of my son, Andy. And I couldn't be more excited about the content of this book. I wish a resource like this existed when I was starting out in ministry.'- Dr. Charles Stanley, Founder, In Touch Ministries'Deep and Wide pulls back the curtain for all of us to see what is required behind the scenes to build a prevailing church. I was both challenged and inspired by this book.'- Bill Hybels, author of Just Walk Across the Room'The most common question I get from pastors is, 'How do I get the people in my church to be open to change?' From now on my answer will be, 'Read Deep and Wide by Andy Stanley'. Thanks Andy. Great book!'- Craig Groeschel, Pastor, LifeChurch.TV, author, It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It'No one has given me more practical handles for establishing a focused vision than Andy Stanley. Deep and Wide is a rich resource to help all of us stay intentional about the main thing - building a church that reaches people who are far from God.'- Steven Furtick, Lead Pastor, Elevation Church