"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed," Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew, "nothing will be impossible for you." That sounds good, but does it work in a world where seeds are genetically altered by an impatient few and hard to come by for countless others? In a world where the gulf between the very rich and the profoundly poor is constantly growing, can a mustard-seed faith make any difference? And can such a little bit of faith be sustained in a world whose future is so uncertain on so many fronts? Tom Sine says yes, and he has the audacity to try to prove it in his latest book. In Tom surveys the landscape of creative Christianity, where streams of renewal are flowing freely from diverse sources: Individuals and communities of faith are coalescing in, and drawing energy from, these four streams to retrofit the church as it leads, serves and gives witness to the kingdom of God in the turbulent times facing us. Read the book and you'll want to-and be prepared to-join God's conspiracy to create a better future.
The New Conspirators
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Organized as a series of conversations, this book explores the lively edge of Christianity in the U.S. and the U.K. Sine, who wrote The Mustard Seed Conspiracy in the early 1980s, has always championed Christian subversives and exiles who act in small but significant ways to care for the poor and marginalized. This book begins by delineating four streams of Christian expression that greatly challenge the norms and assumptions of traditional churches. These streams—emerging, missional, mosaic and monastic—frequently flow into one another, and Sine does a fine job of defining them as separate but interdependent entities. Sine looks to these streams for tentative answers to several difficult questions, such as Did we get what it means to be a disciple wrong? and Did we get what it means to be the church wrong? As he explores these questions, Sine considers the context, particularly what he calls the global mall, in which the church must define and distinguish itself. Sine is unflinching in his assessment of Christian consumerism, but his tone is never angry. Rather, he exudes childlike enthusiasm as he shares example after example of Christians all over the world who are expressing their faith through profoundly countercultural acts of mercy, justice, love and compassion. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"Tom Sine reveals to all of us who are trying to faithfully follow Jesus the critical importance of being lifelong learners. Many at his age and level of incredible life and ministry experiences would be prone to sit down and write their memoirs. Tom sets out on a journey of discovery and learning to find out the creative ways that God is carrying out his upside-down kingdom revolution through today's younger generation. In The New Conspirators he tells the stories of God's quietly faithful followers who are making a lot of kingdom change without making a lot of noise. From young and imaginative entrepreneurs who are doing transformational business for the kingdom to urban orders of young people who bring love and hope to the forgotten urban wastelands by being Jesus with skin on, Tom shares their remarkable stories with us and teaches us how to open up our minds and hearts to the Spirit winds of change, transformation and hope that each one of us was designed and called to be a part of!" (Tomas Yaccino, connector, Del Camino Connection, La Red del Camino Network for Integral Mission in Latin America and the Caribbean)
"Con-spiritus means 'to go with the Spirit,' to surf its movement. That is what a 'con-spiracy' is, and this aptly describes this mission futuring book by Tom Sine. I endorse this book and hope that it is widely read, as the task of reimagining church and exploring missional futures calls for the kind of pocket GPS that The New Conspirators provides." (Karen M. Ward, abbess/vicar, Church of the Apostles, apostleschurch.org)
"Laying out an alternative future, The New Conspirators is a bold challenge to all who think the kingdom of God can be built from the starting point of compromise and comfort." (Jonny Baker, coordinator of worship, Greenbelt Arts Festival)
"Wise and wide-ranging, thoughtful and thorough, provocative and probing, practical and hopeful, Tom Sine's book ranks among the very best of the growing body of literature exploring the very real question: Does the future have a church?" (Dwight J. Friesen, assistant professor of practical theology, Mars Hill Graduate School)
"Be prepared to get engaged as you enter this conversation with Tom Sine. This is not a quick read for pleasure. While giving us helpful handles on the different streams of 'conspirators,' Tom draws you into inescapable decisions about what kind of follower of Jesus Christ and what kind of church you will be for the journey ahead. A theology of hope rooted in the reign and kingdom of Jesus Christ provides the foundation for a look into the uncertainties and opportunities for the future." (Allen Likkel, director of ministry teams, Christian Reformed Home Missions)
"As I travel around the world I am noting that even the most insensitive are sensing that something is happening! The question is, what is happening? The thing that most people in the church and in the community are grappling with is, what sort of future can we help create? In The New Conspirators Tom Sine has gathered a collective of understandings and has woven them together to give an emerging image of what the future could look like. It is insightful and essential reading for anybody wanting to make a difference and live out the prayer that God's kingdom might come on earth as it is in heaven." (Fuzz Kitto, director, Spirited Consulting, Sydney, Australia)
"Perhaps you are like me and sometimes wish the world would stand still so we could catch our breath, figure out where we are going, develop a travel plan, and then enter back into the global community all fresh and ready to enter its busiest places. Tom Sine reminds us that the world is not slowing down but we can still map where it is headed. Some of the most imaginative, courageous Christians are already on the path into the emerging edge, and Tom Sine maps what folks are already doing. Let's join this veteran Christian futurist as he maps where these young Jesus-following conspirators are journeying." (Scot McKnight, Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies, North Park University)
"Tom Sine has persistently challenged the Christian community to take seriously the creation mandate to be good gardeners of creation. The New Conspirators continues this important ministry with a comprehensive survey of what is, in fact, happening, and how much more needs to be addressed. There is cause hereboth to celebrate and to reevaluate Christian witness in the global village." (Darrell Guder, Dean of Academic Affairs and Henry Winters Luce Professor of Missional and Ecumenical Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary)
"This book is vintage Tom Sine: Always grounding us in the biblical narratives and never allowing us to domesticate our reading of them. Always highlighting the holistic nature of the gospel, never allowing us to diminish and privatize its reach. Always keen to highlight the role of the small and local but never allowing us to lose the global perspective of the kingdom. Always reminding us of the fundamentally communal nature of the faith but never for a moment diminishing our individual role and responsibility in God's plan of redemption. A great book from a great teacher and genuinely wise guide." (Alan Hirsch, author of The Forgotten Ways and The Shaping of Things to Come (with Mike Frost), and founding director, Forge Mission Training Network)
"Tom Sine does here what he does best--distills information and stories from a very broad range of sources and makes it understandable and useful to anyone concerned about the future forms of church, mission and community in the kingdom of God. This is not a book of theories. Nor is it just a collection of stories.
The New Conspirators is an excellent survey of the contemporary global movements that are reshaping the church, in all its forms, out of a desire to reconnect with the subcultures surrounding it. This latest book from Sine is down-to-earth, firmly fixed in the realities of living in our current environments, yet gives insightful and helpful tools to enable us to not simply accept the status quo as the inevitable future, but transform it for the sake of the world and the kingdom.
Sine presents an inspiring challenge for leaders in every stream of church life, without berating or criticizing anyone. He draws us forward with hope rather than attempting to drive us from behind with a whip. A significant resource for the whole church." (Mark Pierson, Urban Seed)
"Through the years, Tom Sine's writing has repeatedly knocked me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to see the good news of God in richer and deeper dimensions. He repeatedly inspires me with hope and encouragement, both through his writings and his friendship. His new book is rich with challenge and inspiration, and it's full of signs that the tide is turning, a warm spring sun is shining, and good things are afoot in the church and for the good of the world. If you've never read a Tom Sine book before, here's the one to read, and if you have enjoyed his previous works, you'll want to come back for a second helping." (Brian D. McLaren, author/activist (brianmclaren.net))
"The world is changing, and traditional forms of Christian community are less compelling in our culture than ever before, as evidenced by the continual decline in participation. In this provocative and engaging book Tom Sine invites readers into the ideas and conversations of those who are seeking to address this situation through alternative forms of church that are shaped by a commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the experience of contemporary culture. This is an important and hopeful book for all who are concerned about the future of the church." (John R. Franke, professor of theology, Biblical Seminary)
"Tom Sine is a journalist, theologian and futurist, spotting trends, making connections and drawing conclusions for the benefit of the rest of us. With The New Conspirators, he offers an insightful look into the rapidly changing face of the church in the twenty-first century." (Jim Wallis, author of God's Politics and president, Sojourners)
"In The New Conspirators, Tom Sine plants dozens of seeds that have the power to grow into vast new missional communities around the globe. If you want hope for the future of the world and the role the church can play in it, then get your hands on a copy of The New Conspirators today." (Will and Lisa Samson, authors of Justice in the Burbs)
"The rising generations want to make a difference in our world. They don't want to stand on the sidelines--and they don't want to just 'talk.' They are activists. Often they are activists with a vision but with limited ideas of what can be done. Tom Sine raises our eyes to look at the world more deeply, prods our imaginations to see the opportunities and calls us to a deeper understanding of what kingdom living might entail. This is a book which I will surely use with my students as I challenge them to 'join the conspiracy.'" (Steve Hayner, Peachtree Professor of Evangelism, Columbia Theological Seminary)
"Tom Sine lays bare the church's Inconvenient Truth. Taking a broad overview of the challenges that we have to address in the twenty-first century, Tom has sounded a wake-up call that beckons us to reassess the way we have sold out to the values of modernity. Laying out an alternative future, this book is a bold challenge to all who think that the kingdom of God can be built from the starting point of compromise and comfort." (Andy Harrington, executive director, Youth for Christ: Vancouver)
"In his latest offering, The New Conspirators, Tom Sine presents us with a helpful and hopeful overview of new faith expressions. By situating them in their historic and cultural streams Sine helps us grasp the interconnected work of the church and understand the challenges facing us today. He presents the sobering realities of crises facing our world today and yet retains a hopeful perspective on how we can reimagine better ways forward. I found the stories of those pursuing integrated lifestyles of hope, sustainability and justice inspiring and easily applicable to the average reader's life. The New Conspirators is a valuable and important book in charting the future of this movement called Christianity--a must-read for anyone seeking to understand where the church is heading in these turbulent times." (Julie Clawson, Via Christus Community Church, Yorkville, Illinois)
"From Tom Sine, networker par excellence, we've come to expect work that connects the dots of diverse people and ministries globally. If Sine had only provided a map of fresh, vibrant, kingdomlike activities throughout the world, this book would be a wonderful gift to the church. But with The New Conspirators, he goes much further. He offers a rubric by which to interpret twenty-first-century ministries. Full of never-before published stories from across the globe, Sine shows how these ministries emerged. His descriptions do not overburden the narratives with dry, clinical interpretation, however. Instead, through Sine's writing, we see God doing amazing things through his people. With each passing story I felt moved, inspired and called to action. In my classes at Fuller Seminary, my students clamor for living examples of Christlike activity in the world. Sine's The New Conspirators more than fills that need. Highly recommended." (Ryan K. Bolger, assistant professor of church in contemporary culture, Fuller Theological Seminary)
"The hope-quotient of churches in the West is low. In this book Tom Sine highlights some of the daunting challenges we face in both the world and the church. Yet instead of compounding the despair he reminds us of the biblical vision and inspires our hope in recounting stories of individuals, families and communities whose imagination has been liberated for compassionate and creative responses to the challenges in our world. In the words of Cesar Lopez, whose mustard seed story is included in The New Conspirators, 'This is about transformation. . . . It's about turning something bad into good. . . . It's about possibilities.' Read this book and free your imagination as you rejoice in hope!" (Stanley W. Green, executive director, Mennonite Mission Network)
"In this wide-ranging survey of challenges and opportunities facing the church in the early twenty-first century, Tom Sine calls us to courageous and imaginative action, convinced that 'mustard seed' initiatives really are transformative. Combining cultural analysis, biblical reflection and stories that earth the principles, this is an inspirational tour de force that invites us to celebrate the future into being." (Stuart Murray, chair, UK Anabaptist Network, church growth consultant and author)
"A shortcut into this conversation for many who have not read or seen what Tom Sine has. It will be well worth the money!" (Andrew Jones, Tall Skinny Kiwi (http://tallskinnykiwi/typepad.com/))
"Emergent types are helping the whole Western church to hear what Tom Sine has been saying all along. In The New Conspirators he gives on-the-ground examples of new ways of being Christlike and resources to help people take the next steps. This book is needed and will be well received." (Kurt Fredrickson, Fuller Theological Seminary)
"This is a must-read for pastors, church planters and ministry leaders. The principles, research and insights within this book will prepare us to have a kingdom impact in an increasingly multiethnic and multicultural world." (Efrem Smith, senior pastor, The Sanctuary Covenant Church, and author of Raising Up Young Heroes and (with Phil Jackson) The Hip-Hop Church)
"Con-spiritus means 'to go with the Spirit,' to surf its movement. That is what a 'con-spiracy' is, and this aptly describes this mission futuring book by Tom Sine. I endorse this book and hope that it is widely read, as the task of reimagining church and exploring missional futures calls for the kind of pocket GPS that The New Conspirators provides." (Karen M. Ward, abbess/vicar, Church of the Apostles, apostleschurch.org)
"Laying out an alternative future, The New Conspirators is a bold challenge to all who think the kingdom of God can be built from the starting point of compromise and comfort." (Jonny Baker, coordinator of worship, Greenbelt Arts Festival)
"Wise and wide-ranging, thoughtful and thorough, provocative and probing, practical and hopeful, Tom Sine's book ranks among the very best of the growing body of literature exploring the very real question: Does the future have a church?" (Dwight J. Friesen, assistant professor of practical theology, Mars Hill Graduate School)
"Be prepared to get engaged as you enter this conversation with Tom Sine. This is not a quick read for pleasure. While giving us helpful handles on the different streams of 'conspirators,' Tom draws you into inescapable decisions about what kind of follower of Jesus Christ and what kind of church you will be for the journey ahead. A theology of hope rooted in the reign and kingdom of Jesus Christ provides the foundation for a look into the uncertainties and opportunities for the future." (Allen Likkel, director of ministry teams, Christian Reformed Home Missions)
"As I travel around the world I am noting that even the most insensitive are sensing that something is happening! The question is, what is happening? The thing that most people in the church and in the community are grappling with is, what sort of future can we help create? In The New Conspirators Tom Sine has gathered a collective of understandings and has woven them together to give an emerging image of what the future could look like. It is insightful and essential reading for anybody wanting to make a difference and live out the prayer that God's kingdom might come on earth as it is in heaven." (Fuzz Kitto, director, Spirited Consulting, Sydney, Australia)
"Perhaps you are like me and sometimes wish the world would stand still so we could catch our breath, figure out where we are going, develop a travel plan, and then enter back into the global community all fresh and ready to enter its busiest places. Tom Sine reminds us that the world is not slowing down but we can still map where it is headed. Some of the most imaginative, courageous Christians are already on the path into the emerging edge, and Tom Sine maps what folks are already doing. Let's join this veteran Christian futurist as he maps where these young Jesus-following conspirators are journeying." (Scot McKnight, Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies, North Park University)
"Tom Sine has persistently challenged the Christian community to take seriously the creation mandate to be good gardeners of creation. The New Conspirators continues this important ministry with a comprehensive survey of what is, in fact, happening, and how much more needs to be addressed. There is cause hereboth to celebrate and to reevaluate Christian witness in the global village." (Darrell Guder, Dean of Academic Affairs and Henry Winters Luce Professor of Missional and Ecumenical Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary)
"This book is vintage Tom Sine: Always grounding us in the biblical narratives and never allowing us to domesticate our reading of them. Always highlighting the holistic nature of the gospel, never allowing us to diminish and privatize its reach. Always keen to highlight the role of the small and local but never allowing us to lose the global perspective of the kingdom. Always reminding us of the fundamentally communal nature of the faith but never for a moment diminishing our individual role and responsibility in God's plan of redemption. A great book from a great teacher and genuinely wise guide." (Alan Hirsch, author of The Forgotten Ways and The Shaping of Things to Come (with Mike Frost), and founding director, Forge Mission Training Network)
"Tom Sine does here what he does best--distills information and stories from a very broad range of sources and makes it understandable and useful to anyone concerned about the future forms of church, mission and community in the kingdom of God. This is not a book of theories. Nor is it just a collection of stories.
The New Conspirators is an excellent survey of the contemporary global movements that are reshaping the church, in all its forms, out of a desire to reconnect with the subcultures surrounding it. This latest book from Sine is down-to-earth, firmly fixed in the realities of living in our current environments, yet gives insightful and helpful tools to enable us to not simply accept the status quo as the inevitable future, but transform it for the sake of the world and the kingdom.
Sine presents an inspiring challenge for leaders in every stream of church life, without berating or criticizing anyone. He draws us forward with hope rather than attempting to drive us from behind with a whip. A significant resource for the whole church." (Mark Pierson, Urban Seed)
"Through the years, Tom Sine's writing has repeatedly knocked me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to see the good news of God in richer and deeper dimensions. He repeatedly inspires me with hope and encouragement, both through his writings and his friendship. His new book is rich with challenge and inspiration, and it's full of signs that the tide is turning, a warm spring sun is shining, and good things are afoot in the church and for the good of the world. If you've never read a Tom Sine book before, here's the one to read, and if you have enjoyed his previous works, you'll want to come back for a second helping." (Brian D. McLaren, author/activist (brianmclaren.net))
"The world is changing, and traditional forms of Christian community are less compelling in our culture than ever before, as evidenced by the continual decline in participation. In this provocative and engaging book Tom Sine invites readers into the ideas and conversations of those who are seeking to address this situation through alternative forms of church that are shaped by a commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the experience of contemporary culture. This is an important and hopeful book for all who are concerned about the future of the church." (John R. Franke, professor of theology, Biblical Seminary)
"Tom Sine is a journalist, theologian and futurist, spotting trends, making connections and drawing conclusions for the benefit of the rest of us. With The New Conspirators, he offers an insightful look into the rapidly changing face of the church in the twenty-first century." (Jim Wallis, author of God's Politics and president, Sojourners)
"In The New Conspirators, Tom Sine plants dozens of seeds that have the power to grow into vast new missional communities around the globe. If you want hope for the future of the world and the role the church can play in it, then get your hands on a copy of The New Conspirators today." (Will and Lisa Samson, authors of Justice in the Burbs)
"The rising generations want to make a difference in our world. They don't want to stand on the sidelines--and they don't want to just 'talk.' They are activists. Often they are activists with a vision but with limited ideas of what can be done. Tom Sine raises our eyes to look at the world more deeply, prods our imaginations to see the opportunities and calls us to a deeper understanding of what kingdom living might entail. This is a book which I will surely use with my students as I challenge them to 'join the conspiracy.'" (Steve Hayner, Peachtree Professor of Evangelism, Columbia Theological Seminary)
"Tom Sine lays bare the church's Inconvenient Truth. Taking a broad overview of the challenges that we have to address in the twenty-first century, Tom has sounded a wake-up call that beckons us to reassess the way we have sold out to the values of modernity. Laying out an alternative future, this book is a bold challenge to all who think that the kingdom of God can be built from the starting point of compromise and comfort." (Andy Harrington, executive director, Youth for Christ: Vancouver)
"In his latest offering, The New Conspirators, Tom Sine presents us with a helpful and hopeful overview of new faith expressions. By situating them in their historic and cultural streams Sine helps us grasp the interconnected work of the church and understand the challenges facing us today. He presents the sobering realities of crises facing our world today and yet retains a hopeful perspective on how we can reimagine better ways forward. I found the stories of those pursuing integrated lifestyles of hope, sustainability and justice inspiring and easily applicable to the average reader's life. The New Conspirators is a valuable and important book in charting the future of this movement called Christianity--a must-read for anyone seeking to understand where the church is heading in these turbulent times." (Julie Clawson, Via Christus Community Church, Yorkville, Illinois)
"From Tom Sine, networker par excellence, we've come to expect work that connects the dots of diverse people and ministries globally. If Sine had only provided a map of fresh, vibrant, kingdomlike activities throughout the world, this book would be a wonderful gift to the church. But with The New Conspirators, he goes much further. He offers a rubric by which to interpret twenty-first-century ministries. Full of never-before published stories from across the globe, Sine shows how these ministries emerged. His descriptions do not overburden the narratives with dry, clinical interpretation, however. Instead, through Sine's writing, we see God doing amazing things through his people. With each passing story I felt moved, inspired and called to action. In my classes at Fuller Seminary, my students clamor for living examples of Christlike activity in the world. Sine's The New Conspirators more than fills that need. Highly recommended." (Ryan K. Bolger, assistant professor of church in contemporary culture, Fuller Theological Seminary)
"The hope-quotient of churches in the West is low. In this book Tom Sine highlights some of the daunting challenges we face in both the world and the church. Yet instead of compounding the despair he reminds us of the biblical vision and inspires our hope in recounting stories of individuals, families and communities whose imagination has been liberated for compassionate and creative responses to the challenges in our world. In the words of Cesar Lopez, whose mustard seed story is included in The New Conspirators, 'This is about transformation. . . . It's about turning something bad into good. . . . It's about possibilities.' Read this book and free your imagination as you rejoice in hope!" (Stanley W. Green, executive director, Mennonite Mission Network)
"In this wide-ranging survey of challenges and opportunities facing the church in the early twenty-first century, Tom Sine calls us to courageous and imaginative action, convinced that 'mustard seed' initiatives really are transformative. Combining cultural analysis, biblical reflection and stories that earth the principles, this is an inspirational tour de force that invites us to celebrate the future into being." (Stuart Murray, chair, UK Anabaptist Network, church growth consultant and author)
"A shortcut into this conversation for many who have not read or seen what Tom Sine has. It will be well worth the money!" (Andrew Jones, Tall Skinny Kiwi (http://tallskinnykiwi/typepad.com/))
"Emergent types are helping the whole Western church to hear what Tom Sine has been saying all along. In The New Conspirators he gives on-the-ground examples of new ways of being Christlike and resources to help people take the next steps. This book is needed and will be well received." (Kurt Fredrickson, Fuller Theological Seminary)
"This is a must-read for pastors, church planters and ministry leaders. The principles, research and insights within this book will prepare us to have a kingdom impact in an increasingly multiethnic and multicultural world." (Efrem Smith, senior pastor, The Sanctuary Covenant Church, and author of Raising Up Young Heroes and (with Phil Jackson) The Hip-Hop Church)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By S. Lewis
Format:Paperback
I've been looking forward to reading this book ever since I heard it was coming out. Tom Sine's work has been widely cited for quite some time, and for good reason. He's smart, encouraging, witty, engaging, and kicks your butt, all at the same time.
There are aspects of The New Conspirators that will seem redundant to folks who swim in the emerging church stream. You'll get similar summaries of the emerging movement as you'll find in Robert Webber's "The Younger Evangelicals," Bolger and Gibbs' "Emerging Churches," or Dan Kimball's "The Emerging Church." However, what this book gives you that the others don't is a sense of how the emerging church thing fits in with other kinds of movements, that aren't necessarily "emerging church" in nature.
Sine traces out four streams: emerging church, missional, mosaic, and monastic. Admittedly, some of the differences in categories are a little artificial, as there is significant overlap between several of them. But I think the separations actually helps the book a little in the sense that there are many people who could read this and think, "Oh, you mean, I can be engaged in new kinds of thinking and creative expressions of the way of Jesus, without being affiliated with the emerging church? That's great - because I've heard those emerging folks are a little wacky."
The areas of overlap are primarily concerning the missional, monastic, and emerging thrusts. But I really think that the inclusion of the mosaic element is what makes this book shine. Sine takes the time to discuss the exciting expressions of church that are taking place within the North American multicultural context, but he also highlights the movements taking place in the global South and East. That's the part of this whole "conversation" that's been missing for a long time. We in the West have (predictably) assumed that we've got it all figured out . . . meanwhile the Spirit is alive and moving in places we've barely heard of.
The New Conspirators serves as a really terrific primer and conversation starter for people who are new to a post-Christendom thought process, and it represents a good "next step" for those who are already in sync with that.
There are aspects of The New Conspirators that will seem redundant to folks who swim in the emerging church stream. You'll get similar summaries of the emerging movement as you'll find in Robert Webber's "The Younger Evangelicals," Bolger and Gibbs' "Emerging Churches," or Dan Kimball's "The Emerging Church." However, what this book gives you that the others don't is a sense of how the emerging church thing fits in with other kinds of movements, that aren't necessarily "emerging church" in nature.
Sine traces out four streams: emerging church, missional, mosaic, and monastic. Admittedly, some of the differences in categories are a little artificial, as there is significant overlap between several of them. But I think the separations actually helps the book a little in the sense that there are many people who could read this and think, "Oh, you mean, I can be engaged in new kinds of thinking and creative expressions of the way of Jesus, without being affiliated with the emerging church? That's great - because I've heard those emerging folks are a little wacky."
The areas of overlap are primarily concerning the missional, monastic, and emerging thrusts. But I really think that the inclusion of the mosaic element is what makes this book shine. Sine takes the time to discuss the exciting expressions of church that are taking place within the North American multicultural context, but he also highlights the movements taking place in the global South and East. That's the part of this whole "conversation" that's been missing for a long time. We in the West have (predictably) assumed that we've got it all figured out . . . meanwhile the Spirit is alive and moving in places we've barely heard of.
The New Conspirators serves as a really terrific primer and conversation starter for people who are new to a post-Christendom thought process, and it represents a good "next step" for those who are already in sync with that.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When I asked to review The New Conspirators by Tom Sine I thought I was getting a critique of the emergent church and its related expressions. I had just finished a book that was extremely critical of reimagining the church, and I thought that I was getting another that might validate or modify the concerns raised in the first book.
I quickly discovered that Tom Sine is not only sympathetic to a new kind of church life but is a key player. This book is like a primer for the emerging, missional, mosaic and monastic movements. He introduces the dominant thoughts of each group and some of the most influential people. Those already immersed in this worldview may not find a lot that is new, but the material is so comprehensive that it is a valuable resource for those on either side of these issues.
This book is well-written, but it is not formulated as a defense of these movements. It does not delve deeply into doctrinal concerns and does not provide an in-depth Biblical basis for what is taking shape.
The focus is on encouraging people to adopt a lifestyle that is consistent with the manifestation of God's reign here on earth. Sine sees his book as an invitation to a simple but radical lifestyle when he writes, "This book is an invitation to a part of something `really, really small,' a quiet community that is destined to change our lives and God's world. We will particularly focus on what God is doing through the emergent, missional, mosaic and monastic streams of the church. But we are all invited to the join the creative edge by more fully discovering how God might use our mustard seeds to be a part of this conspiracy of compassion and hope."
In many ways this is a challenging read. Anyone reading this with an open mind will have to think hard about the repeated call to examine whether our way of doing church and living the Christian life has been shaped more by our consumer culture than we may have realized. It's ironic that in some areas these new forms of Christian expression seem to be more aware than their critics of how the church and the lives of Christians have been shaped by the world.
There is much here that is praiseworthy. The book is particularly strong in advocating a discipleship that encompasses our entire life rather than just segments of it. The author shows how believers can develop statements of calling to help them live more intentionally. The idea is to live in the reality that God's new order is here now and breaking into our world.
The author frequently touches on issues of global concern, and it's amazing how relevant it all is to our current situation. It's as if he was peeking into the present when he wrote this book. He accurately portrays some of the discouraging challenges that the church and the world face today. It's probably the most sobering part of the book.
Whether you view these new expressions of the church with suspicion or are an enthusiastic participant, this book is worth reading for the ideas and realities that are presented. Christians must grapple with these concepts and decide which way to go.
Hopefully, those leading these movements will be willing to engage their critics rather than just dismiss them. It's understandable that they have no desire to go about doing church as usual. But for the sake of truth, being accountable to other members of the body of Christ, and for the sake of those they lead, they should carefully weigh criticisms and be open to dialogue with their opponents.
On the other hand, it would be a mistake for critics to say these new expressions are all wrong. How many of us, and how many of our churches, are all right or all wrong? We might like to think we are right all or most of the time, but pride deceives us when that is our attitude.
Whether these movements are faithful in doctrine and practice to the standards of Scripture will remain a source of debate. How much better it would be if both sides could respectfully speak the truth in love. It shuts down communication when people resort to derogatory comments.
It might help if we look for what's good and right in each other's words. I wasn't looking to find fault, and I discovered truth worth considering.
I quickly discovered that Tom Sine is not only sympathetic to a new kind of church life but is a key player. This book is like a primer for the emerging, missional, mosaic and monastic movements. He introduces the dominant thoughts of each group and some of the most influential people. Those already immersed in this worldview may not find a lot that is new, but the material is so comprehensive that it is a valuable resource for those on either side of these issues.
This book is well-written, but it is not formulated as a defense of these movements. It does not delve deeply into doctrinal concerns and does not provide an in-depth Biblical basis for what is taking shape.
The focus is on encouraging people to adopt a lifestyle that is consistent with the manifestation of God's reign here on earth. Sine sees his book as an invitation to a simple but radical lifestyle when he writes, "This book is an invitation to a part of something `really, really small,' a quiet community that is destined to change our lives and God's world. We will particularly focus on what God is doing through the emergent, missional, mosaic and monastic streams of the church. But we are all invited to the join the creative edge by more fully discovering how God might use our mustard seeds to be a part of this conspiracy of compassion and hope."
In many ways this is a challenging read. Anyone reading this with an open mind will have to think hard about the repeated call to examine whether our way of doing church and living the Christian life has been shaped more by our consumer culture than we may have realized. It's ironic that in some areas these new forms of Christian expression seem to be more aware than their critics of how the church and the lives of Christians have been shaped by the world.
There is much here that is praiseworthy. The book is particularly strong in advocating a discipleship that encompasses our entire life rather than just segments of it. The author shows how believers can develop statements of calling to help them live more intentionally. The idea is to live in the reality that God's new order is here now and breaking into our world.
The author frequently touches on issues of global concern, and it's amazing how relevant it all is to our current situation. It's as if he was peeking into the present when he wrote this book. He accurately portrays some of the discouraging challenges that the church and the world face today. It's probably the most sobering part of the book.
Whether you view these new expressions of the church with suspicion or are an enthusiastic participant, this book is worth reading for the ideas and realities that are presented. Christians must grapple with these concepts and decide which way to go.
Hopefully, those leading these movements will be willing to engage their critics rather than just dismiss them. It's understandable that they have no desire to go about doing church as usual. But for the sake of truth, being accountable to other members of the body of Christ, and for the sake of those they lead, they should carefully weigh criticisms and be open to dialogue with their opponents.
On the other hand, it would be a mistake for critics to say these new expressions are all wrong. How many of us, and how many of our churches, are all right or all wrong? We might like to think we are right all or most of the time, but pride deceives us when that is our attitude.
Whether these movements are faithful in doctrine and practice to the standards of Scripture will remain a source of debate. How much better it would be if both sides could respectfully speak the truth in love. It shuts down communication when people resort to derogatory comments.
It might help if we look for what's good and right in each other's words. I wasn't looking to find fault, and I discovered truth worth considering.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By Scott Smith
Format:Paperback
We have journeyed a mere eight years into the third millennium, and the church is facing a profound crisis of relevance. Do we have anything to offer a creation that is groaning in travail? Tom Sine speaks to this crisis when he asks the question, "Does the future have a church?" "The New Conspirators" is his hope-filled answer. Tom offers convincing evidence that, yes, the future does indeed have a church. It just doesn't look the same as it used to.
The church of the third millennium is not a church of "bricks and mortar." It is a church of "poets, monks, clowns, prophets and other conspirators" who are sowing seeds of redemptive compassion throughout the world. These "small, small seeds" are sprouting, growing, and bringing new life and new hope to our groaning world.
In these pages, Tom Sine has assembled a compelling collection of stories of people of faith who are living out the good news of the kingdom of God in their lives. Through their stories, he reminds us that God really does love this world, and more importantly, God is fully invested in redeeming it. These new conspirators of hope are the evidence that God is indeed at work in the world, and Tom Sine invites us to become a part of this divine movement.
This book is particularly good news for those whose souls are aching under the weight of the shallow, trivial, and mundane. It is a book for those who are hungering and thirsting for something of substance in the unsatisfying realm of virtual reality. It is a book for those who want to spend their lives on something that will endure the test of time.
The church of the third millennium is not a church of "bricks and mortar." It is a church of "poets, monks, clowns, prophets and other conspirators" who are sowing seeds of redemptive compassion throughout the world. These "small, small seeds" are sprouting, growing, and bringing new life and new hope to our groaning world.
In these pages, Tom Sine has assembled a compelling collection of stories of people of faith who are living out the good news of the kingdom of God in their lives. Through their stories, he reminds us that God really does love this world, and more importantly, God is fully invested in redeeming it. These new conspirators of hope are the evidence that God is indeed at work in the world, and Tom Sine invites us to become a part of this divine movement.
This book is particularly good news for those whose souls are aching under the weight of the shallow, trivial, and mundane. It is a book for those who are hungering and thirsting for something of substance in the unsatisfying realm of virtual reality. It is a book for those who want to spend their lives on something that will endure the test of time.
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