Alan HirschThe Forgotten Ways: Reactivating Apostolic Movements

Alan Hirsch's Forgotten Ways is remarkably transformative for every pastor, priest, and ministry leader. Even if you don't agree with everything that is said, his prophetic voice calls each of us to ask the questions "Why do I believe what I believe and why do I do what I do?" Alan's premise is simple: for the past many centuries, the church has lost its identity, which can be refound simply by looking at the past. Through examining 6 elements of the "forgotten ways" (Jesus is Lord, Disciple Making, Missional-Incarnational Impulse, Apostolic Environment, Organic Systems, and Communitas), he takes you on a journey to question if there is a better way to "do church." A very dense (though still refreshingly practical and digestible) must-read for all those serving in a ministry.

This is a MAJOR book. --- C. S. Lewis said: "The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time." --- I agree. Alan Hirsch's Forgotten Ways tells how to go about reforming the "church" and make it an ecclesia of FOLLOWERS, not mere believers in propositional truth claims. In one of the chapters, Hirsch does a good job of showing how Western (Classical Greek, European Enlightenment) reading of scriptures radically distorts the intent of a culturally Hebraic text.

This book is incredible! I was challenged by the notion that none of the mDNA presented are to be learned, rather they simply need to be awakened from inside each follower of Jesus and by extension each local church. Thank you Alan Hirsch for updating this book and continuing to challenge all of us who plant and lead local churches to repent of American consumerism and get back to the forgotten ways!

The Forgotten Ways looks at what it really means to be the Church and what should be at the core of the Christian movement. Hirsch examines what the key characterizes were in significant Jesus movements of the first century and the underground Chinese church and compares them to how the church in western culture operates today. A call to incarnational, missional, organic discipleship springs forth from his insights. Building the Kingdom and building a business are two different things and will yield wildly different results. The basic premise and conclusions in this book are solid, thought provoking and challenging. However, the presentation and explanation of those finding were overly complicated. It was often tough to follow his complex trails of thought and new vocabulary. Although a bit confusing at times the overall concept of this book is very important to consider for those who want to be Kingdom builders.

This is the go to book for figuring out how to move into a missional posture. While some would say it is more theoretical than practical I actually view that as a huge strength to the book. It powerfully summarizes the core principles of the early church as well as movements in general. Allows you to take those principles and contextualize them for your own situation. 2nd edition is worth is with plenty of updated language and a nice updated intro. This is the book that completely changed my views on what it means to do discipleship and to be the church. So thankful for this book. I have read it multiple times and each time I get something new from it. It is the type of book that you read and then realize 6 months later that it is deeply affecting your decision making around discipleship and mission because it truly leads you into a new paradigm.

The first edition of "The Forgotten Ways" messed me up. The idea of the church moving forward by revisiting its origins seemed appealing until I realized that the journey backward would cost pretty much everything I had believed and practiced regarding the body of Christ. Once you "see" what Alan Hirsch describes, you'll have a vision of the Church that God intended, unencumbered by our pathetic attempts to improve a once perfect paradigm. This second edition is ten years better... stripping out the least helpful material and adding a whole new supply of splinters for our minds. I love the changes in terminology that clarify the key ideas in a way that makes them more "sneezable" to the next generation of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, and Teachers. If you liked the original, you will find increased value in the new material in the preface and the added appendices. If this is your first exploration of "The Forgotten Ways," be careful. It will mess with you, too.

This is a must read book for all who are interested in the future of the church and its mission…it is a book with a multiplicity of ideas that will cause the reader to question their practice and mindset .it brings a challenge wrapped in hope tat we can prevail. But it’s change or die message will provoke discussion and action from all who dare to read it

I recommend this book to anyone who has ever wondered what it would look like to live like the early church today.

Is there anything from Alan Hirsch that is not provokingly 5 star.

I feel Alan Hirsch has given me the words and connected the thoughts and feeling that have been bubbling out of my mind and soul. Find your kindred spirit, be church together and let the power of the Holy Spirit transform your neighbourhood, district or whole regions.Update: I'm still coming back to this book over and over again as it's so rich and powerful in helping me see the mission of God in the world and the role of the church in it, in powerful new paradigm that demands we work it out by living it out.

I did a Masters in Systems Thinking and was amazed at how much of this book resonated with me and the learning I obtained in that season. It challenges us to think in a whole new way (well, it's not new but Discipleship centred) about the post Christendom Church. Worth taking time over.