Off-Road Disciplines: Spiritual Adventures of Missional Leaders

In the faithmaps discussion group, I recently asked one of our participants, Earl Creps - who is Associate Professor of Leadership and Spiritual Renewal at AGTS, to say a few worlds about his new book.

"My book is called Off-Road Disciplines: Spiritual Adventures of Missional Leaders. I wrote it really out of my own shortcomings, so the supply of raw material was ample. Over some years in ministry, and especially after being in relationship with a number of younger leaders I noticed a disturbing trend: almost everything that God was doing to shape my life seemed to be happening outside the "official" list of spiritual disciplines (at least as understood by a used-to-be-a-Lutheran Pentecostal like me). So I began pulling together some of my experiences an came up with 12 "off-road" disciplines, spiritually formative experiences that we encounter, well, off-road, complete with all the dust, bumps, and bruises that go with leaving the pavement. After the fact, these practices seemed to fall into 6 personal (e.g., reverse mentoring) and 6 organizational (e.g., passing the baton).

I talked about some of these ideas at a conference in California last year. The talk went so badly that about 1/2 the audience left before it was over, but one of the people who stayed was an editor for Jossey-Bass. So J-B and Leadership Network have partnered to publish the book."

Endorsements:

Len Sweet:

“This is one of the most exciting books I have read in years. It shifts our focus from doing church to being church, and promises to be a standard reference in all future discussions of missional leadership.”

Todd Hunter:

“If you are trying to figure out what is going on in contemporary culture you’ve got to read Off-road Disciplines. Creps not only knows what is going on today, he teaches us how to engage today’s people as well. The chapter on “reverse mentoring” is worth the price of the book. No one can be effective in ministry today without the skills and attitudes associated with listening and conversation. Off-Road Disciplines gives us the map and points us in the right direction.”

Ed Stetzer:

“Earl Creps has written a deeply personal and challenging book--one that caused me to think about my own spiritual journey. Too many of us have made spiritual formation a series of activities and programs; Earl takes us off the map of common practice and into the places where the Spirit is at work. It reminds us that true spiritual formation pervades our lives and the ministries we serve, providing a helpful balance of being

and doing. It will be a great encouragement to all who read it.”