Breakout

Book Review.
Stibbe, Mark. Williams, Andrew. Breakout. One church’s amazing story of growth through mission-shaped communities. Authentic Media. 2008.

Comment. Henry.
This is a companion book for the book “Clusters”. Clusters is the hand-book when it comes to “creative mid-sized missional communities”. Breakout relates the story of how “Mission-shaped Communities” functioned during a five year period at St. Andrew’s Church Chorleywood.
The leaders at St. Andrews during this time were Mark Stibbe and Andrew (Drew) Williams. Their own personal journey of being called to St. Andrews and their ministry there are also the story of the church’s journey into cultural significance.
This is the story of a church that made the profound transition from being a ‘come-to-us- church’ to being a ‘go-to-them’ model of mission.
The stories related are inspiring and demonstrate the potential of “mission-shaped communities” (groups of people led by lay leaders). The stories reflect the miraculous, signs and wonders. Guidance is received by leaders through visions, prophetic utterances, etc.
The ministry of John Wimber in the early 80’s in the U.K. prepared the ‘soil’ for a very charismatic environment in which the ministry of St. Andrew’s blossomed.
The work of Bob Hopkins and Mike Green with their development of “Clusters” was a great help for Mark and Andrew.

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