Lance Ford, Rob Wegner & Alan Hirsch: The Starfish and the Spirit

The Starfish and the Spirit: Unleashing the Leadership Potential of Churches and Organizations
(Zondervan, 2021)

WHO: Lance Ford, adjunct professor at multiple seminaries and cofounder of the Sentralized Conferences; Rob Wegner, leader of Kansas City Underground; and Alan Hirsch, founder of Forge Mission Training Network.

THEY SAY: “Most churches and faith groups, large or small, already have the competency and capacity to flourish. What is needed is an understanding of how to unleash the latent wisdom, understanding, talents and joy that will fuel their tasks and journey.”

THE BIG IDEA: Create a church culture in which church leaders view themselves as curators of a community on mission, not as the source of certainty for every question or project.

THE PROGRESSION: In Part 1, “Reimagining Church,” the authors look at the church as a missional movement. Part 2, “A Culture for Multiplying Leaders,” examines the ethos, language and practices required to create a leadership culture that multiplies starfish leaders. Part 3, “A Culture for Multiplying Disciples,” explores how to create environments that will cultivate the transformation and multiplications of disciples.

“Jesus provided his leadership model as one that, rather than rising by creating an ascending pyramid to elevate himself, was a descending form that empowered others.”

Read more from Rob Wegner, Lance Ford and Alan Hirsch on the concepts that animate The Starfish and the Spirit here.

Order this book from Amazon.com »
Read an excerpt from this book »

Summer Synergy

You don’t need a massive budget or a construction crew to make a big impact.

Ohio Church Makeover

This move would not only give them room to grow, but also would enable them to do a lot more to fulfill their mission of being a church focused on “building the kingdom, one life at a time.”

How Much Tech Do You Actually Need?

Because you cannot do this alone, you are going to have to trust the right individuals who know more about tech than you do. Your calling is to shepherd. Do that.