| You are about to embark on an incredible journey filled with metaphorsand images that create an exciting experience in authentic Christianity.Kicking Habits" is one of thc best books in a long time. Every paragraph inthis book is loaded with powerful imagery. Tom Bandy is a gifted theologian, church consultant, pastor, master ofmetaphors, and trusted friend. I have seldom experienced as much theologi-cal depth and breadth and sociological acumen in a church consultant. Kicking Habits describes a systematic approach to the organic transforma-tion of congregations rather than a programmatic renewal and restructuring ofinstitutional church life. It compares the Croquet game ethos of the Declining Church System--wbere people are required to jump through the hoops of political constraint--with the Jai Ahti game ethos of the Thriving Church System, where all that matters is that the world is changed in the name of Jesus Christ through gifted, called, equipped, and sent people. Tom s uncanny visual graphs used to describe the two systems are alone worth the price of the book. The genius of the book is Tom s use of pediatric and addictive metaphors to describe the condition of mainstream Protestantism. Mainstream Protestantism is addicted to many irrelevant "sacred cows." Addictive churchcs cannot be renewed. Like am addict, they must admit their addiction and be transformed. Their reason for being must be radically altered. "No programmatic change will overcome addiction. Only systemic change will overcome addiction." This book is tl~e call ,af a "sentinel" who is asking us to admit our addictions to institutional and programmatic educational systems and to embrace a ministry of transformation that finds its life and focus outside the institutional church among the "spiritual yearnings" of the public. Tom uses the imaginary characters of Bob and Sally Public to caricature the differences between the Declining Church System and the Thriving |
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