How can we lead in a way that releases the potential so often constrained by traditional leadership structures?

CHURCH UNCORKED

Leadership that releases our potential

'Very readable, fresh, thought provoking, challenging, provocative, wide ranging, extensively researched...Their challenge is relevant and will not just go away.'

Bishop Michael Whinney

What would it be like to be able to release the God given motivation and purpose of the people you serve?

Releasing potential

Church Uncorked: Leadership that releases our potential describes how we can lead in a way that releases the potential so often constrained by traditional leadership structures. Both within and outside the church there is innovative thinking that is transforming the way organisations are structured and led, allowing an explosion of innovation and creativity.

Challenges current leadership model

Learning from these organisations we challenge the current predominant paradigm of church leadership. We ask: Why do we lead the way we currently do? Is it working? Is it as biblical as we think it is? We suggest an alternative where vision comes not from the top, but from everyone; from the wealth of untapped potential and talent that often gets overlooked. We provide hard evidence that this approach works.

Engaging and practical

Church Uncorked is written engagingly, with humour and plenty of real life examples. Full of practical leadership tools it presents a genuinely fresh perspective.

"Don't you think it is now time for a fresh approach to church leadership?"

Excellent Reviews

We have been overwhelmed by the excellent reviews from church leaders, professionals and academics. Thank you! Here is a little of what they said.

‘Very Readable – Fresh and refreshing …The authors are right to challenge the Institutional Church model as all too often the organisation has become static and ceased to be a dynamic organism …Church leaders ignore this thought provoking challenge at their peril.’ Bishop Michael Whinney and currently honorary assistant Bishop, Birmingham Diocese January 2015

'Church Uncorked is a thought provoking call to action for anyone in church leadership who wants less stress and more impact!...' Carole Milligan, Kingscompass, Christian Coach Trainer

‘I wholeheartedly recommend that you read this book. It is well-written, earthed in personal experience, informed by living faith and motivated by love for people...It aims to help you to release the treasure of the people God has put around you so that our communities are "uncorked" to let God's Life flow everywhere to everyone.’ Rev Gordon Crowther, Church of the Holy Spirit, Cape Town, South Africa

'The authors have done a huge amount of research… so you can feel confident in their conclusions... The book has practical advice if you want to make the change in your church with excellent sections on communication, change, listening skills and dealing with conflict...' Isobel Webster, Associate Pastor, BA Theology, ICC Dip, MBTI Practitioner, Cottege Beck Café Church, Scunthorpe, www.cafechurch.com

'Church Uncorked offers us a very real opportunity to ‘think again’…the way it is written and framed makes it accessible and easy to return to time and again. And return to it we must if we are to wrestle with the questions, challenges and potential opportunities it offers…' Rev Francis Rutledge, Northern Ireland

Lots of books outline the problems of current church leadership. Here is one that provides an answer…If you want to lead in a coaching kind of way, this book will tell you how to do it. Rev Keith Mobberley, Rector of the North Ferncumbe Benefice, Warwickshire.

‘This offers a transformational leadership approach that can engage all walks of life and communities…’ Dr Barbara Workman, Higher Education Consultant, National Teaching Fellow

‘I enjoyed this book immensely. It is a great combination of biblical context, personal examples and theoretical frameworks all seamlessly combined into an easy and informative read... Lesley Matile, Motivational coach, coach trainer, supervisor, speaker workshop trainer, www.ppcoaching.co.uk

'...it is all communicated in a fresh, humorous and easy to read style with plenty of interesting examples and anecdotes. The authors strongly argue their case for a bottom up and person centred model of church where under the guidance of the Spirit the natural gifting of those who attend determines the vision and its outworking.' David Pott, Founder of the Two Saints Way and Flag Up Scotland Jamaica.

'Catherine Cowell and Sean Kennedy write persuasively about their enthusiastic belief in person-centred churches – what they look like, how they work and how to lead and manage them. In their view “releasing people and getting them motivated is the Holy Grail of Christian leadership”, and their book contains a generous bag of ideas, stories and resources for the task.' Charles Worth, MBTI Practitioner, Perceive Training.

'Church Uncorked remains resolutely cheerful and optimistic about the future of the Church.'

More like good pizza than bad medicine

Leadership books can be awfully serious and academic. We see them a bit like medicine. Tastes ghastly but we know it will be good for us. We think leadership books need to be much easier to consume - more like hot and spicy pizza and good wine. Challenging and engaging! That's what we have cooked up in Church Uncorked. Whilst we are dealing with some complex issues, we don't use a complicated language. We simplify things without being simplistic. Our style is informal warm and engaging with a touch of humour to lubricate the journey.

Positive

Church Uncorked remains resolutely cheerful and optimistic about the future of the church. We know that you know all about church decline and the problems facing the church in the West. So rather than overly dwelling on all the problems we chose to focus on some very real solutions.

Practical

‘Ten Fast and Simple Steps to Total Church Transformation.’ Titles like that really sell books. We were sorely tempted! However, we know you have been disappointed by books and magazine articles with similar titles. Our research and practical experience has found deeper solutions. What we suggest is not a quick fix - although there are some quick wins. What we propose instead requires a journey - a change of perspective and learning to use some new tools - things they seldom teach at theological college.

Widely researched

In Church Uncorked we help you challenge some current assumptions about what leaders are supposed to do. We take an in depth look at what effective leadership really is, drawing on the bible, coaching, human motivational theory and lessons learned from some of the worlds most dynamic world changing businesses and charities. In case you are concerned all this new-fangled thinking and psychology must surely be ‘unbiblical’ we will show you that our own church models are just as influenced by society as they are by the bible. Indeed we think the form of leadership we propose fits much better with biblical values and the teaching of Jesus. To prove what say we discuss some successful and dynamic churches, large and small, where the leaders are working in the ways we suggest.

Releasing

What we will discuss with you will help you begin to achieve a lot more doing a lot less. That's very much the experience of the leaders in the case studies we discuss. They are more relaxed and effective because they find and releasing the vision and missional potential already present in the community of Gods people. As we release the potential of others we release the pressure on ourselves.

Who is it for? - Anyone

Church Uncorked is aimed at anyone interested or involved in church leadership. The principles we discuss apply to anyone of any age who is interested in leadership whatever the context. We know highly experienced business leaders who learned a lot from it.

So please join us on a life giving journey where we will start to do leadership a bit differently, allowing the Holy Spirit to work freely in people in a way that is less constrained by our institutional structures.