Do Something Else: The Road Ahead for the Mainline Church

by Nate Phillips, Bruce Reyes-Chow (Foreword)

Do Something Else is meant to encourage faith communities and their leaders to reconsider "church as usual," reengage Spirit-led entrepreneurialism, and reimagine new models of ministry bubbling up in their midst. Many churches and leaders are already setting the pace. They are establishing new gatherings in old buildings and using new building to do old things. They are emphasizing diversity, welcome, and friendship. If these stories are hidden from view, they shouldn't be. These pages will uncover how new expressions get started, how they are led, how they struggle, and how they are sustained. Do Something Else will encourage candidates for ministry who see limited options, ministers who wonder about staying in ministry, clergy call-seekers trying to find hope in a desolate career landscape, and churches attempting to manage staffs with limited resources. It will also offer permission to small churches resigned to be "without a pastor," larger churches looking to do a new thing in an unorthodox way, and middle governing bodies who need promising examples of working models in order to take the risk on new opportunities. "This is the most hopeful book I have read for a decade. While secularists celebrate the rise of the 'Nones' and conservatives insist anyone 'liberal theologically' is doomed, Nate Phillips has tracked down some fabulous models of innovative church, from tweeting to the new ministry. It is a riveting read, each narrative made manageable and intriguing. With this book, Phillips establishes himself as the voice of those who are hopeful about church adapting itself into new ways of serving the kingdom." --Ian S. Markham, Dean, President, Professor of Theology and Ethics, Virginia Theological Seminary "Phillips is a devastating storyteller. Do Something Else is resplendent with stories of hope unearthed from the 'dry bones' of mainline churches--which, as it turns out, are less dry than we think. Written with grace, humility, and profound respect for people who struggle with changes in their churches, Phillips is a devastating storyteller, introducing us to pastors who are exploring new ways to be the church without losing their theological britches. But the story that wouldn't let me go was Phillips' own, interwoven almost incidentally among the others. With disarming honesty, Phillips lets us glimpse the holy nitty-gritty of pastoring ordinary people who somehow become radiant in his telling. This is a gem of a book--I could do nothing else but keep reading." --Kenda Creasy Dean, Mary D. Synnott Professor of Youth, Church and Culture Princeton Theological Seminary; Coordinating Pastor, Kingston United Methodist Church; author, Almost What the Faith of Our Teenagers Is Telling the American Church "The miracle of creation takes place when we notice what is happening while dreaming of what we can become. Nate Phillips masterfully balances these two visions in Do Something Else, as he gathers divergent voices, weaves together stories, observes best practices, and imagines what something else might be." --Carol Howard Merritt, Senior Consultant for the Center for Progressive Renewal; author; columnist for the Christian Century "Community organizing teaches that 'you can't build what you can't imagine.' With depth, hope, and delightful storytelling, Phillips has pulled together a collection of leaders and ministries that help us expand our imaginations about how to be the body of Christ in the world." --Jessica Tate, Director, NEXT Church Nate Phillips serves as co-pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Delaware.

154 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 10, 2016

Reviews

[Cyndy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not unbiased. Nate Phillips is the pastor of my church. When I read his book, my brain translates it into his voice. I'd say we are lucky to have him at our church, but, you know, this is about religion, so I'll thank God that Nate has landed with us in Michigan, complete with our potholes and April snow.

We have a book club at our church. Actually, we have two. One is led by Pastor Nate and is called Books & Bible, and the other one is a plain old book club held at lunch time once a month. Sometimes we read something religious, sometimes we read plain old fiction - we just love reading. Our lunch group picked this book to read, and I'm so happy we did, because I didn't know Pastor Nate wrote a book, and after reading it, I'm even happier that he is leading our church. In times of declining church attendance, sometimes we need to start thinking about what it means to have a church and how we fit in the community.

One of the first things he charges us with is the words of a Maine pastor: "God didn't put us here to die, so do things." After being told that if he could do something else, do it, Nate chose to believe that the advice wasn't to do something else outside of the church, but "inside of church ministry, do something else." We have a great message, but our ways of presenting it are not working like it used to. The ways we do things can change - centuries ago, there weren't printing presses, and people weren't literate. We changed the way we do church since that changed. Now we have internet and social media, and the ways that people come together have changed. For example, streaming services ... at first it may have seemed like just a lazy thing that let people stay home, but now we've realized that there are a lot of homebound people that love it, no matter if they don't come to church because of illness, age, bad weather, discomfort in going to a formal church... The world is different, and while the message is the same, the delivery may sometimes be different. Yes, we are Christ's letter to the world, but these days, that might be Christ's email to the world.

I wish I could have written a better review, because I haven't done the book justice. I'm glad I've read it, and I'm happy that I live with a church community that tries to live what it preaches. And, off I go this afternoon to tutor kids... because that's one of the things our church does.

[Betsy Marsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book describes the decline of the institution of "church" as we know it and gives possible alternatives that are working in communities throughout the U.S. Why keep doing and insisting on the same format of worship if attendance is in decline throughout traditional churches? This may be a better read for a minister than a lay person.

[Debra Waites · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle reads “The Road Ahead for the Mainline Church”. Even if you aren’t a “mainline” church, I think this book is an encouragement for the possibilities that are available for the body of Christ right here, right now. Imaginative. Keep on moving. Transform. Be still within the ongoing evolution of what church, what faith is, can become.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book for people involved in churches that are rooted in tradition but are looking to see how that tradition thrives in today's world. Lots of great examples are shared to motivate the reader and the church to dream big. This would make a great book for a small group and I'd love to see the next edition include study questions.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Examples of how the church can thrive in its call by "practicing creative deviance on the frontline." Gets one thinking...

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title says it all. Just try something other than what you’re doing now, church, ‘cause God knows it’s no longer working.

[Abbie Watters]

An excellent resource for those of us struggling with what the church will look like next month, next year, in 10 or 20 years. Not prescriptive, but descriptive. Reading this, I had hope.