There is a hunger among young Christian leaders for something more. Not necessarily more or bigger crowds or church buildings. But for more and deeper community. For authentic relationships in and outside of the church. For a greater impact on people that are far from God. And for a return to defining church as a WHO, not a WHAT. It will be OK with us if that results in big crowds and buildings, but not at the expense of community, authenticity, kingdom impact. Jason Dukes, in his book Live Sent: You Are A Letter, expresses what I feel so many are looking for today. As a Church Planter and network leader (check out www.reproducingchurches.com), Jason is leading a charge for the church to give ourselves away intentionally. That’s how he defines living sent. The imagery of living as a letter sent by God to the world is simple and key to understanding who we are as followers of Christ. As Jason says, “Sunday mornings cannot be viewed as just ‘fueling stations’ any longer. They must be viewed as POST OFFICES, gathering and sorting mail in order to send out those letters into daily culture.” An essential message for the 21st Century church that wants to make a deep impact in the lives of people. Great question: Is our lives and churches like the “draft” folder in our email inbox? Saved but not sent. “We must go beyond just gathering. We must gather to send.” The book outlines a great process for every Christian and leader to use to assess where they are spiritually. A few of the topics: rethinking church as a who not a what, knowing the value of every Christian to God’s mission, what hinders us from being sent, contextualizing through relationships, getting rid of our safety addiction. Also, Live Sent is filled with stories of real people doing just that. Even includes the story of a brother from my home state, Rob Wilton with Vintage Church, Uptown New Orleans. As a Church Planter or Pastor who desires to have an impact, this book will help chart the course.

Here are a few of my other favorite quotes:

• “He did not go to the cross because we were lovable. He went to the cross because He loves us, and it is His love for us that makes us lovable. It is His pursuing love that makes us valuable.”
• “The most crippling issue hindering us from ‘being the church’ is our insecurity to think we need more than what Jesus did…”
• “The health of a local church is actually not based on the number who ‘attend’ but rather the way in which people love one another and are walking relationally in life.”
• “The story of the church is far greater than what happens on Sunday mornings.”
• “Which address means more to God? The address of the church building? or the address of the world?”
• “If we are to see disciples made, we must engage people in genuine friendship. Multiplication cannot be programmed. It happens. It blossoms.”
• “church leaders must be willing to measure success not by how many they can draw and manage, but by how many they can release…”

You can follow Jason on Twitter. Also, follow Reproducing Churches the network he helps orchestrate along the Gulf Coast. Also, Jason blogs at JasonCDukes.com.