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.

The Starfish and the Spirit is a breath of fresh air. They tackle the problem of toxic leadership cultures and the adoption of problematic corporate business models in church ministry structures with great wisdom. They explore Jesus' model of ministry for the making of disciples who will be able to reproduce what they received in others. The genius of a decentralized structure for church life and ministry makes it easily accessible for everyone. This book is valuable because Lance Ford and Rob Wegner share the lessons and insights they have learned in an honest and clear way to give pastors like myself hope for the future of our churches. This is not a one size fits all program but a thoughtful discussion on how to create a disciple-making culture to fulfill Jesus' commission to His church. I would recommend that every pastor get a copy of this book, read it with their leadership team, and allow the Lord to lead them into transformation.

Hard to stay focused. The persoanl stories feel complex and lengthy. I have not gotten far inthe book. Im interestedin the topic but distracted by the personal stories. I appreciate the transparency, but I'm interested in what you have to say about the topic and I feel that your not getting to it. Because of my interest in what you have to say, I will returnm to the book. I think I will need to aquire a hard copy.

Thank you for doing this work! The church needs this voice!