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Toby's second project, The Way of Jesus: Re-Forming Spiritual Communities in a Post-Church Age, is a book that looks at the future of Christian communities. It has just been released by his publisher - Wipf and Stock, Eugene Oregon. "What cultural historians are calling 'The Great Emergence" has brought a tidal wave of change to the religious landscape of North America. Most traditional, institutional churches are in the process of getting buried by this development, but Toby's book focuses on the kind of communities that will endure and even thrive amidst this unprecedented change." Jones has identified seven principles that characterize these "resurrection communities," and he used his hard-earned sabbatical in the spring of 2009 to travel to 7 amazing communities who already embody one of these principles. "Each chapter starts with a historical/biblical/theological basis for the principle I'm identifying and then ends with an in-depth look at one particular Christian community that is fleshing out that principle in some compelling ways," said Jones. "I met, interviewed, and basically spent a week with some of America's most innovative Christian leaders, from Doug Pagitt in Minneapolis to Cecil Williams in San Francisco. It was the most powerful couple months of my entire life, and now I have the privilege and challenge of telling these stories." The book, which can be ordered from the Buy the Book page of website, has the potential to blow the religious landscape of America wide open! Email Toby NOW to book him to visit your community, church, or local bookstore! Toby's first book, The Gospel According to Rock, was released in November of 2007 and also caused quite a stir. "My goal was to create a new kind of conversation between those devoted to rock music and those who are fearful of it. I also wanted people in the church to realize how unfair they have been to one of America's greatest art forms."
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