An inside snapshot view of the innovative Seattle church called Mars Hill and its Acts 29 network, providing--with a touch of sarcasm and humor--both principles and practices shared from the people actually doing missional church ministry with people often untouched by todayÆs traditional and contemporary churches.

Description:

This is the story of the birth and growth of SeattleÆs innovative Mars Hill Church, one of AmericaÆs fastest growing churches located in one of AmericaÆs toughest mission fields. ItÆs also the story of the growth of a pastor, the mistakes heÆs made along the way, and GodÆs grace and work in spite of those mistakes.

Mark DriscollÆs emerging, missional church took a rocky road from its start in a hot, upstairs youth room with gold shag carpet to its current weekly attendance of thousands. With engaging humor, humility, and candor, Driscoll shares the failures, frustrations, and just plain messiness of trying to build a church that is faithful to the gospel of Christ in a highly post-Christian culture. In the telling, heÆs not afraid to skewer some sacred cows of traditional, contemporary, and emerging churches.

Each chapter discusses not only the hard lessons learned but also the principles and practices that worked and that can inform your churchÆs ministry, no matter its present size. The book includes discussion questions and appendix resources.

ôAfter reading a book like this, you can never go back to being an inwardly focused church without a mission. Even if you disagree with Mark about some of the things he says, you cannot help but be convicted to the inner core about what it means to have a heart for those who donÆt know Jesus.öùDan Kimball, author,The Emerging Church