The Starfish and the Spirit: Unleashing the Leadership Potential of Churches and Organizations

by Lance Ford, Rob Wegner, Alan Hirsch

Leveraging the metaphor Ori popularized in his NYT best-selling book, The Starfish and the Spider, Ori Brafman shows why the distributed structures of starfish organizations are uniquely fit to the church. They can function without a rigid central authority, and their regenerative abilities make them nimbler in reacting to external forces. Seeding starfish networks inside todays churches will prepare the church of tomorrow to be agile while still maintaining the necessary accountability to be effective.

Rather than advocating the adoption of a starfish structure in place of the hierarchy of the spider, Brafman, along with pastors Lance Ford and Rob Wegner, emphasize the advantages of adapting the structure and order inherent in a spider organization toward a hybrid model--either a Spiderfish approach (leaning toward centralization) or a Starder approach (leaning toward decentralization).

The Starfish and the Spirit is about creating a culture where church leaders view themselves as curators of a community on mission, not the source of certainty for every question and project. It is about creating a team of humble leaders "in the middle" of the church, not at the top--leaders who naturally reproduce multiple generations of leaders, from the middle out on mission. Imagine a church led by a team whose gifts and talents are completely unleashed, enabling everyone to show up and step up with all they really are. The joy and vigor coming from the collective strength, intelligence, and skill in the community of leaders not only brings greater potency but better yields for your ministry as well. What would it be like to see this kind of healthy leadership reproduced into the second, third, and fourth generation, on multiple strands?

Genres: Leadership, Christian, Church, Discipleship, Nonfiction

312 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 30, 2021

Reviews

[Daniel Im · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and futuristic

This book is brilliant. Not only is it grounded in Scripture and the way of Jesus, but it’s a futuristic and prophetic treatise on ways the church needs to and can become more adaptable, so that we are more effective in our mission of making disciples.

[Peter Yoshonis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished my second read through this book. I have so much to still digest. So much that resonates, so much that challenges, and through all of it, I want more of Jesus! And I want to become someone that helps others discover Him, grow in Him and live for Him!

[Kristofer Strid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Otroligt bra om lärjungaskap, församlingssyn och mycket mer! Lätt mer än en 5a!

[Becky Durstenfeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about this book. I loved the main points, even those that will seem radical to many church leaders. I found myself wishing all church leaders would read this book. There were a few things I didn't care for. I felt that the starfish analogy really did not work very well. Every idea had 5 points and it made it very hard to remember, complicated and less reproducible, which goes against the main themes of the book. Also, they used acronyms that I couldn't remember when I picked the book up to read again, even though they were repeated many times, such as I think IDES, which I cannot tell you what it stands for - intentional disciple (or was it discipleship) something something. Some of the wording was a bit hard to follow, too. Talking about microchurches, hubs, networks, etc. also made it sound complicated. I am not sure using those was helpful. It was hard for me to explain what the book was about, but I did share some of the ideas from the book with others.

[Bob Tankersley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong, but mixed, offering.

The Starfish and the Spirit is a strong addition to the shelves of any church leader who wants to see their family of faith multiply beyond the current boundaries of the church (building’s) four walls. It offers a great premise based on the fact that every piece of the starfish has the entire package of what it needs to replicate itself. This is a message we need to empower the church with. I think a lot of all three of these authors, and their hearts for Jesus are plainly on every page.

However, the book does struggle. First, I’m not sure in whose hands I’m going to put it. I’ve recommended it to many others, but I’m afraid it may be beyond the attention span of most readers. I liken it to a brilliant movie that goes 30 minutes too long. It is a thickly packed set of ideas that will take a second or third read to really grasp.

Also, I simply got lost in the large number of acronyms and points and sub-points. (Which starfish am I on?) In my opinion, this made the book harder to digest than it needed to be. The starfish premise is brilliant, but when sharing the ideas within, I feel like I will have to edit a good amount to get the point across. Maybe it should have been a set of books instead of one publication.

Having said all of this, the magnitude of practical examples from the KC Underground are priceless to this reader. The stories that were told spoke to me directly. There are so many books on the theory of discipleship and church leadership, but far fewer usable examples of what is actually being done in the local community. This is the true gold mine of the book, and I will pull this book off the shelf repeatedly to refer to them.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Starfish and the Spider was a book written by Ori Brafman. Ford, Wenger, and Hirsch were inspired by his writings and had a vision as to how this philosophy could be applied and expanded within practical ministry today. Brafman was thrilled by the concept and gave his permission and blessing for this book, The Starfish and The Spirit. He also wrote the foreword for this book. The book is essentially founded upon a metaphor for the starfish and the spider. While the two may look similar, there are distinct differences in how they function. The spider is centralized with a hierarchy. (Lead pastor, executive team, etc.) This system may appear to be strong. However, it is very fragile. For example, what we saw with the Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. It was a hierarchy network reliant upon a primary leader and a couple of others, that when removed, everything collapses. Whereas a starfish organization has all it needs to survive, and the hierarchy is obsolete. Starfish and the Spirit explains that hierarchy is unnecessary, as an organic relational functioning structure is essentially more productive.
I had the privilege of spending some time this summer with Rob. In my opinion, he has some serious street credit after being a highly involved participant with the church growth movement. His leadership allowed him and his family to participate directly in local and global missions. Due to his role, he and his family spent some time in India with the disciple making movement. He likens his experience with discipleship to a second conversion experience. Through some trial and error, he founded an organization (not a church or a church ministry) called KC (Kansas City) Underground. The mission of KC Underground is to fill the city with the beauty, justice, and good news of Jesus. This philosophy is based on Ephesians 1:22-23 to gospel saturation. See experience and relate to the gospel presence in every network of relationships. Through his experience with mega church, Rob honors the church but also emphasizes this movement that has deep value. It is not as though he has anything against the church. He is trying to guide with substance according to what he has learned. However, there seems to be a general understanding developing within the church of America that there are limitations within the “spider” system that encourages a methodology of hierarchy (although the verbiage may be changed). A structure that is reliant upon a centralized leader and a team comprised of a small percentage of the church has led to bottlenecks, ministry leader dependence, burnout, and low lay leader engagement.
Whereas a decentralized, adaptable, self-replicating mode of operation within a ministry setting eliminates the consumer mindset and helps each member of the body of Christ see their worth and contribution as necessary. Just as the early Christian movement thrived without centralized control, today’s church can grow more effectively when leadership and mission are spread across the entire body, not concentrated exclusively to a few professionals. Through this model, the responsibility is placed upon the whole and not limited to a single leader. Essentially, this is what we see in the early church in Acts, through the description of the priesthood of all believers.
The traditional, “spider-like” model (centralized and control-oriented) stifles innovation and multiplication. Instead, “starfish” structures (distributed and resilient) enable churches to become agile, adaptable, and missional.
The premises of the Starfish and the Spirit focus on empowering ordinary people by illustrating how everyone is called to be a disciple maker. Included are practical applications for churches today through leadership training models that equip rather than control and focus on missional communities as decentralized units. This is shifting from program based ministry to disciple making movements. It is explained within the book that disciple making is organic and relational. There is no system attached to this concept, and all are already equipped with everything they need to follow this command of Christ. Through encouragement and coaching, leaders are multiplied. (I love this concept of multiplication! It is not addition. It is instead multiplication, where those who are already engaged are encouraged to start something of their own. There is such humility in the release of control!) The philosophy goes on to establish the necessity of relational discipleship where the mission occurs within relational networks (school, work, neighborhoods, clubs, sports, etc.). This eliminates the consumeristic codependency that occurs within church programs.
Something that I really appreciate within the book is that this concept is not a formula. This concept will look different according to the setting. Hybrid models of this concept were introduced. Such as the "Spiderfish,” this is where some structure is needed, but it must serve the mission. It’s not just about models or techniques. A Spirit-led, empowering culture is crucial for any healthy decentralized movement. Through rediscovering the original design that Jesus had for the church, disciple making and gospel planting occur with a vision of gospel saturation.

Within the book, there are 7 different types of starfish identified. Each one addresses a key idea or principle. The foundation is that every faith community is to be an ecosystem. Each community needs to be healthy and reproductive. There are central elements necessary for disciples to be transformed and multiplied. There were 5 that particularly spoke to me. The first is vision. This is simply identifying what a disciple is, because if we don’t know what we are doing, we will fail to make disciples. The second is voice. This is where we get in the game and become aware of who is listening and who is ready. The concept behind this is that simply announcing a disciple making program at a weekly service is not going to be effective, and it doesn’t follow the model that Jesus gave us. Jesus did this through relationships where He acknowledged the individuality. We are to identify the 12 in our context and, through guidance of Holy Spirit, invite them. The third is vocabulary. We need to utilize language and tools that are simple enough that others can learn quickly, and then access them as they teach others. The fourth concept is vehicles. This is where we identify and engage the preexisting relational environments. Finally, voyage is where we identify a journey with different stages. This is where we experience the right content at the right time, with what is essentially on the job training.
This concept is very outcome focused. It is where the spirit leads the outcomes through applying sanctification to our lives. This occurs through habit fueled rhythms and habits of Jesus, with a focus on the Spirit's outcomes. Rob says that we are to be “mission fixed, and identify where we are sent to. Community forged and content flavored. We have been content dependent. If content occurs within the context of the previous elements and if the content is gospel fueled and if it is the right content at the right time based on their spiritual journey, sanctification through the spirit will occur.”
More than half the book is essentially about disciple-making. However, this book is also fundamental on church planting. Although it is emphasized that this occurs through a movement of disciple making. It is not about how to do the church program better. This is something other and different. In my opinion, it is revolutionary. While the concept may seem radical to our individualistic society, I think that an extended spiritual family is exactly what our culture is craving.

[W Dedeaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most well-thought and inspiring books I’ve read in a while. In the first section, Rob, in perfect tone and with rich theology, addresses core issues around one of the biggest doctrinal mishaps in the American Church – spiritual authority. While he does considerately acknowledge that centralized organizations do still have ability to bring Christ-centered and Kingdom culture into the world, he also addresses how the centralized approach to Church organization has operated, in majority fashion, to the detriment of God’s glory diminishing Kingdom culture in the Church. You may be thinking, “leave it to the recliner fan to criticize the coach” or “how might you suggest we do things better?” In sections two and three, Rob and Lance put on a wonderful tag-team performance, from a foundation of vast experience, in setting forth intelligent and spirit-filled principles and approaches for the type of doctrinally sound, Kingdom leadership that will be extremely fruitful for the future of God’s Church and ultimately His Kingdom and glory. This is a must read for any Church leader looking to better the culture around them – be it a leader of an already existing Church or one seeking to plant the Gospel and see new expressions of the Church emerge in new contexts. I can already tell you that my paper copy will get worn out in the years to come!

[Lew Button · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Starfish and the Spirit Copyright © 2021 by Lance Ford, Rob Wegner, and Alan Hirsch

Ford, Lance; Wegner, Rob; Hirsch, Alan. The Starfish and the Spirit (Exponential Series) (p. vi). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

I’m not sure that Paul would have used the image of a starfish to picture the church, but it certainly is a thought-provoking image for this look at the church by Ford, Wegner and Hirsch. Especially powerful is the recurring emphasis on DNA.
The starfish can be cut in half and reproduce itself because the DNA of the starfish is in each star. As the author’s say on page 74 “Through the structure starfish, may we see circles multiply, each carrying the DNA through the entire body, connected and structured organically as a living system.”
Scattered throughout Pennsylvania are ruins of settlements that ceased to exist when the founder died. There are also church buildings that are but empty shells because the DNA of that congregation was not replicable.
This book is a good reminder that the church is meant to reproduce. We need more donkeys and fewer mules when it comes to church movements.
Many movements are spider like in that there is a central hub and all movement, every activity moves out from center. Once the hub is destroyed the movement dies.
I documented this in my Doctoral thesis project within a specific church movement but there seems to be a widespread idea that leadership must be centered on one person or one small group and everything flows from that hub.
In The Starfish and the Spirit the writers emphasize the importance of shared leadership and giving permission to for people to exercise their gifts without micromanagement.
The authors quote an article from Harvard Business Review that says something about the starfish model:
New power operates differently, like a current. It is made by many. It is open, participatory, and peer-driven. It uploads, and it distributes. Like water or electricity, it’s most forceful when it surges. The goal with new power is not to hoard it but to channel it. P. 23
Lance Ford and Rob Wegner both share sad stories of their ministry in spider organizations and the emotional pain caused by spider bites.
In my 50 years of ministry, I can only recall one experience that even resembled the starfish. However, my commitment in ministry was to model the idea of shared leadership and each person exercising the gifts God gave them.
The authors write about movements that are transitioning to the Starfish. As I read this book I imagine my ministry was more like a spiderfish than a starder but we were moving in the right direction and maybe a new generation can continue the transition.(See pages 16 and 17 for more on transitions.
I would encourage the wide distribution, reading and study of this book but I would be remiss if I did not raise one concern. Although I believe all members of the body should contribute their gifts to the body, I have a concern about an unquestioned commitment to APEST (Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, Teachers) The authors promote the idea that all these gifts are given today and there are individuals who possess each gift.
Given the definitions they give for these gifts on page 100 and following I can see the validity of these gifts. However, I do not think the descriptions they offer are necessarily how the original Apostles and Prophets viewed their gifts. But once again what a discussion this could generate. And we certainly need to take a good look at ourselves and the church.
I was given a proof of this book through Netgalley.com with the expectation I would read it and offer a review.

[Jim Case · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not title this review above lightly.

I am a City-reacher, neighborhood organizer and Community- agent for the geographical Church in my area to engage the common concerns of our city so as to be light, salt and blessing to all. I am a student of Church history and Church present alongside the Church’s structures and how they correspond to the demonstrated models of Jesus and the early Church in Acts. I am also aware of the Church’s measured influence and impact upon our American culture through recent decades. I have read, prayed, pondered and researched how the Church is meant to achieve its manifest destiny as synthesized in the Great Commandment (Mark 12:29-32) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

Put simply— I have not encountered a work that loves, honors and respects the Church while examining its current expression in the U.S. accurately AND provides a practiced comprehensive pathway to return to the priorities, forms and impact that the Body of Christ inhabited and empowered by His Holy Spirit is meant to embody!

The PATHWAY to return to Who we are meant to be; How we are meant to be and What outcomes we are meant to produce by Spirit’s enabling... is the key contribution.
Other works describe well our chief responsibility to make disciples who replicate themselves along with how our current level of discipleship to Jesus and our present structures are not effective even as the Church is losing ground at accelerated speed. I have not seen a work that details a pathway to follow, that is customizable to the uniqueness of each of our geographies.

If you are a leader who is burdened by the responsibility of ‘doing’ Church the way you were taught and modeled; if you are an ordinary believer who yearns for more in your experience of ‘church’ in line with the Gospels and Acts; if you are an American who longs for Jesus to be known and manifested in undeniable glory by our culture further and further removed from any awareness of their Creator, Savior and Lord... then invest your time and attention to this book. I could not recommend it more highly!!

[Horace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read The Starfish and the Spirit for a Wheaton course on launching apostolic movements, and I found it provocative in a good way. While I may not be on the same page with all of their views, this is a book with which ministry leaders should wrestle. Written by Lance Ford and Rob Wenger (with blurbs by Alan Hirsch), the book intentionally builds on the organizational insights of *The Starfish and the Spider*—with a foreword by its author, Ori Brafman—but reinterprets them explicitly for faith communities. Where *Starfish and the Spider* explored decentralized movements sociologically, *The Starfish and the Spirit* presses the question theologically: what happens when the animating force behind decentralized movements is not just social energy, but the Holy Spirit? The authors argue that the early church’s missional vitality came not from better structures, but from Spirit-led, apostolic imagination embedded in everyday disciples. The key sections of the book deal with reimagining church, the multiplication of leaders and the multiplication of disciples. Many of the points are illustrated by examples from KC Underground, a movement of micro-churches in the Kansas City area.

Ford and Wegner challenge pastors and leaders to move beyond inherited, institutional reflexes and recover a genuinely apostolic posture—one that releases people, multiplies leaders, and trusts the Spirit’s agency rather than managerial control. Published in 2017, it remains especially relevant for pastors, church planters, and church-planting network leaders who sense that traditional models are no longer sufficient. This is not a technique-driven manual; it’s a reframing of how Christian movements begin, grow, and stay alive. For leaders asking how theology, mission, and organizational life actually belong together, this book is well worth their time.

[Timothy Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely phenomenal book. I recommend every leader read this and get challenged by your notion of what type of leader is needed for church discipleship and growth in this season.

Sometimes, the authors lean to idealistic in their views of deconstructing church hierarchy, and their examples of where this is working are thin. Also, they don’t clearly communicate if those examples are experiencing actual growth (qualitative and quantitative). And so because of that theres some things i disagree with. But this book has challenged my thinking, and has made me a better and sharper thinking leader.

There is a message in this book about building ecosystems for discipleship, which i think is great, but i don’t think the book goes far enough in their argument. This can absolutely be read as something a singular church can accomplish on their own, or within their network. where actually, i think churches should be considering how to see themselves as apart of an already existing ecosystem. Deconstructing hierarchy within a single church isn’t enough to combat our unhealthy leadership cultures, we need to deconstruct the hierarchy within churches and denominations as well.

But overall, this book is worth reading.

[Daniel Skead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly very insightful and biblical, giving lots to reflect on and practically implement, though sadly it is often a little opaque and tendentious, suffering from jargon/metaphor/acronym overload.

In effect it’s a bit of a tour-de-force of these churches’ philosophy of ministry, which I am mostly convinced by. Ideally it would be read backwards, starting from the conclusion, then to each section, or read quickly once, then slowly again referring to the end. It’s definitely worth reading slowly, discussing and weighing what’s being shared alongside trying out what you’re learning.

If you agree with the main premise (‘spider-church bad, starfish-church good’) the book will tell you why and how you should do ministry. The positives warrant 4 or 5 stars, the drawbacks would earn it 2 or 3, in my humble opinion.

[Jeff Skinner · Rating 5 out of 5]

a clear a disciplined explanation for multiplying disciples.

The Church talks a lot about making disciples, but rarely do they have or demonstrate a clear path for the development of disciples. Ford & Wegner not only define discipleship, they use the starfish as a metaphor and lay out a a 5 point journey that is a clearly defined discipleship journey. This is on my list as a top recommendation when coaching church planters.

[Nathanael Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

a modern classic!

Destined to become one of the great kingdom works of the 21st century, Ford, Wenger and Hirsch have produced a love letter that if you respond with your whole mind, soul, heart and strength (for that’s what it will take), you will see the fullness of Christ manifest and His kingdom come.

Compulsory reading for anyone in kingdom leadership.

[Jordan Shirkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring look at decentralized movements and how God can use them. They get a bit deep in the weeds of their own processes that are less essential toward the end, but for the majority of the book then share solid insights and practices for making a shift in your church or ministry toward multiplication.

[Porter Sprigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books that you’re so glad you read because it’s incredible but also kind of wish you hadn’t read because you must live differently after reading it.

Love this so much. I’m praying that the church wakes up and becomes the starfish it was meant to be.

[Brandon Bonville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I’ve read in 2022.

[Aaron Hoskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for all those who want to see Jesus' church flourishing in all contexts of our world today.

[Greg Despres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal work on a topic that MUST be considered by every church and individual who are serious about moving the gospel ball forward.

[Cori]

Suggested at the Exponential Conference.

[Fady Ghobrial · Rating 5 out of 5]

Radical model of new decentralized church leadership, very refreshing

[Tara]

I loved the book this one is based upon and had high hopes, but I got tired of waiting for it to get to the point.

[Geoffrey Wong · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept is intriguing however the examples seems to be stretched a bit.

[Seth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many helpful thoughts and chapters, but the authors take decentralizing the church too far in my mind. I really appreciated the habits, spaces, and pathways they lay out for disciple making.

[Dennis Ticen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Granted, there are some very good ideas in here, and some great possibilities for “church” of the future. My struggle with the book itself came from two sources. First, I felt as if I had come into the middle of a conversation. It’s entirely possible I am not as well versed in this literature as I should be, but I felt as if I was standing on the outside of someone else’s conversation. The endless acronyms were difficult to keep track of for someone who doesn’t live with them every day (as the authors obviously do). More explanation of what each of them meant would help (especially since most people will not read this book in one sitting).

The other issue I had with the book is there were many times it felt like a compilation of other people’s ideas. There are a LOT of long quotes and boxes with additional thoughts through the text. There simply didn’t feel like there was much original here. Perhaps this was meant as a textbook for some sort of pastoral education; then the “compilation” feel might make sense.

The book did, however, give me an interest in learning more about what they are doing in the KC Underground. The stories were well told and intriguing. In the end, this felt more like a sales pitch or a weekend seminar put to paper than it did an actual book. As I said, I wanted to like it more than I did. It’s not bad. It could start some good conversations, but it is not complete in helping people move toward this new model.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I was provided an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Nathan Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember first drinking the Alan Hirsch/Michael Frost missional Kool-Aid a long time ago, it is so sweet, could it possibly be good for me, for the Church, for every Jesus follower? Yes.

With this in book, Ford, Wegner and Hirsch have not only made missionary multiplication movements more appetizing, they have also demonstrated how it is the sustenance we all crave and yet struggle to satiate.

This book has rekindled a fire in me for personal disciple making and helping other Jesus followers become disciple makers. The collective author’s genius is in successfully crafting a contextualizable recipe with equal parts inspiration, guidance, liberation, and gospel authority. The resulting table fellowship and agape feasts that will be celebrated as a result of this work provide us all with a taste of heaven. Like all good nourishment, this book is best enjoyed in the company of others, alternating between devouring, and digesting the various courses/chapters. It will fill you up and leave you hungry for more. More importantly, it will teach you to cook some basic gospel recipes with your local ingredients.

I’ve already bought a second copy and promised to share it with my pastor; I look forward to sharing more!

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Ps. 34:8

[Joe Franz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! The timing of this book couldn't be better. Well, actually it could have been. I needed it a decade ago. Having read several books at the time about the move toward a more "missional" approach to making disciples and seeing healthy church growth - it was the leadership structures that generally couldn't or didn't support such a shift. Wegner, Ford, and Hirsch have written the book every church leader needs to read - giving language to the leadership paradigms required for the next great spiritual awakening for the church in the US. This will be my go-to leadership resource moving forward! Order a copy for everyone on your team. Highly recommend!

[Tyler Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t wait to read this book - and it did not disappoint! It's proven to be incredibly refreshing, insightful, and affirming of so many of the things God has been stirring up in my heart. The authors have given precise and compelling words to the things that many of us as pastors and church leaders are wrestling with right now. I love how the book stretches our imagination regarding how the church can and should be - in light of how it started in the beginning.

It's honest, challenging, convicting, hopeful, and practical - and I'd highly recommend it. Thanks for sharing your hearts and wisdom, Rob, Lance, and Alan!