SUCCESSION OR MULTIPLICATION? PB

Lessons in transitioning from a first generation movement under one founder leader to becoming a second generation movement with a multiple leadership. The issue of leadership succession has become a particular challenge for many fresh movements of churches which started as a result of the faith step of a particular founder, and who are now having to move to the next generation of leadership, whilst maintaining the same demonstration of missional and charismatic life.

Several of these new movements have already made the transition to next generation leadership; others are about to do so. Some have done so successfully; others have experienced a measure of conflict and division, but either way it is not an easy transition. David Devenish tells the story of how Newfrontiers tackled this challenge, and how they successfully transitioned to next generation leadership through multiplication of leadership teams rather than appointing a successor, while still maintaining ministry accountability. It sets out both practical lessons that could be used by other movements as they embark on a similar journey, as well as drawing on academic studies of movements within the Christian world.

As reviewed by Dr. Stephen McQuoid in October 2020- 'I have long been an admirer of the New Frontiers church movement and this is the story of their transition from a new movement led by their founder Terry Virgo to the next generation and shape of their movement. It has been an interesting journey given that they have become less structured, less centralised, more autonomous and potentially less visible. This is a bold and honest book and therefore worth reading, even though for an outsider like myself it is difficult to fully grasp as it requires some inside knowledge of the movement. Devenish begins by quoting from a sermon given by Mark Driscoll, who was guest speaker at a New Frontiers conference back n 2008, when he asked if New Frontiers was a movement that values the founder more than the future. The rest of the book is dedicated to detailing both the method of transition to the next generation of leadership, the challenges they faced as they did so and the principles they worked to. New Frontiers shares some commonalities with other revivalist movements, for example the Brethren, and so there is value in monitoring how such transitions go from one generation to the next. My prayer is that New Frontiers will retain the biblical and evangelistic and church planting passion in the future.'

ISBN: 9781788931540
Producer: Authentic Media
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 208
Release Date: 09.10.2020