NEW BOOK ON CITY GOSPEL MOVEMENTS NOW AVAILABLE

Now available, The Practitioner’s Guide: Building City Gospel Movements. I feel I have captured my core life message in this book. For several years, my main, plain aim has been to help catalytic, visionary leaders grow their Psalm 133/John 17 movement to the next level of kingdom impact and fruitfulness. Here’s a “praise from Ceasar” endorsement from colleague Jim Herrington, Mission Houston:

“Tom White is the most seasoned, mature city movement leader that I know.

He thinks conceptually at a very high level, but his thinking is informed by his

‘boots-on-the-ground’ life experience that gives his writing profound clarity.”

I’m a theologian/practitioner. I take time to develop a much-needed biblical theology of “city transformation,” but then unpack the practical, working components of a healthy, fruit-bearing  John 17 kingdom community. Chapter 3 hits a core question head-on: “The City Church: Biblical? Achieveable?”

So, I can send you a copy shipped for $16 (email, text or call). You can easily pay for it using the paypal at this site. Give it a read, then pass it on to another local leader of influence keen on building John 17 unity in your city. And if you don’t yet have the 2011 revised version of my classic work, The Believer’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare (Regal), I can do that one for $14 (a biblical, practical word on a complex topic).

I’m wearing “four hats” these days:

• Coach/consultant for city and regional movements of unity, prayer and collaboration
• Serving on the Leadership Cabinet for “Movement Day” (annual gathering of city practitioners in New York)
• Designer and facilitator of the “City Advance,” a two day leadership learning community that precedes Movement Day
• Co-Coodinator of the Global Urban Leadership Learning Community (GULLC), urban theologians and practitioners who meet on the internet. We’re tracking towards a face-to-face in London in May, 2014, and a Global Congress in New York in 2016.

And here are “four words” that describe what I aim to impart to leaders of gospel city movements:

1. “cohesion”  Relational friendship described by Jesus in John 17, and Paul in Phil 2 and Eph 4
2. “infusion” of supernatural power through the regular practice of citywide corporate spiritual disciplines of worship, prayer and service. I believe a healthy city movement will engage in a rhythm of corporate spirituality
3. “theological vision”  Leaders discerning and learning how to apply the timeless principles of the Word of God to a particular people engaged in a specific cultural milieu
4. “implementation” of collaborative strategies for sharing the good news and good deeds of the gospel, with the aim of winning and discipling increased numbers of souls in your city

Here’s an “on-the-job” shot, bringing the keynote at the City Advance in New York, October 8:

The mission statement of the City Advance:

to connect, equip and coach leaders of collaborative city movements to more effectively steward transformational change that results in measurable increase of God’s reign in cities.

Check out my “Ministry Offerings.” As the Lord wills and leads, I’d love to come to your city for a “Leadership Encounter,” or to cast vision for igniting and growing a gospel movement.