We're Back!

Saturday marks the four-month anniversary of our last REVEAL blog post. Wow. Where have we been?!

Well, we’ve been busy – unfortunately, too busy to be the kind of conversation partner that we intended to be when we started this blog. Now, we’re back with an update on what we’ve been working on since you last heard from us.

First, we have a new book, Follow Me, which will definitely stir up some spirited dialogue.  This book is all about what drives – and derails – spiritual growth based on a database of 200 churches and 80,000 congregants. We identified those core beliefs, church activities, spiritual practices, etc. that really catalyze movement from one phase of spiritual maturity to another. I think you’ll find the insights fascinating and I’d love to hear your reactions.

Second, we’re very excited about the REVEAL Conference. On October 14-15, 2008, we’ll feature sixteen churches that ranked in the top 5% of those in REVEAL’s database regarding spiritual “effectiveness.” (Link)

Finally, we’re getting ready to launch the REVEAL Spiritual Life Survey as a resource for all churches to use. More on that to come next month.

Now we’re going to make up for lost time! You can check out our video page to hear Jim Mellado interview Bill Hybels about some of the “buzz” and misinformation swirling around the blogosphere about REVEAL and Willow Creek.  The Out of Ur blog site just posted a reaction to this interview today.  We really appreciated what Marshall Shelley editor of Leadership journal, had to say.

And we also just posted a short video of comments about REVEAL made by Nancy Beach at the recent WCA Arts Conference. Check it out.

So, we’re back – and we want to hear from you. Read the books and watch the videos and let us know what you think.

We’re all in this together – trying in our limited, flawed ways to do the best we can to advance God’s kingdom while we’re here on this planet. We hope we can help you, and we know you can help us.

Comments

[Billy Chia]

Cally,
I just read "Reveal: Where are You Now?" last week and loved it!

I thought after looking at all your videos, checking out the blog, and reading tons of commentary that I'd heard it all and there would be nothing new in the book.

I was totally wrong and super happy about that. Thank you for making the book such an easy and quick read. It was to the point, understandable and impacting. Loved the visuals as well.

Great work. Please keep it up.

[Jan Yuill]

Cally,

I just finished reading 'Reveal' this morning, and this is the first visit to the site and blog. Your work is so encouraging.

Thank you Willow Creek Community Church and Reveal team.

Jan

[Peter Hamm]

We were fortunate enough to be part of the REVEAL study, and our Senior Pastor will be coming out to actually be part of the REVEAL conference. It seems we're doing better than we even think we are.

But we are feeding our holy dissatisfaction to get better at making not just people who say they follow Jesus, but people who are disciples. Thanks, Willow, for helping us do it better all the time!

[John Seko]

I am happy to find this wonderful website and learnt of the things that is taking place in your church.
What God is doing no man can do.I am writing from kenya and would like to part of that wonderfull work of God.
Please tell me what I should do to join that kind of blessings.
At the moment I lead an upcomming ministry in Kenya that believe in the name of Jesus Christ and that the Bible is the true word of God.
May the name of the Lord be praised for ever Amen.

[Doug McPherson]

I got my copy of Reveal at the Summit last year, and finished it the following week. I've referenced it during my planning and prayerful dreaming times throughout the past year. Just yesterday my copy of Follow Me arrived, and I can't wait to get into it. Keep up the good work, folks, and don't let anything discourage you in the work you're doing. Our Lord is using this to sharpen us all.

[Nancy S]

Thanks for this great research and the new book. My church is in the midst of a re-alignment based on your findings (synthesized with those from Thom Rainer's Simple Church). When will the Reveal survey be available to all churches? I am eager to get a benchmark datapoint prior to implementing changes.

[Michael Valadez]

I really appreciate Nancy Beach's comments about how important the Christ-Centered, mature believers are to the spiritual health of the local church. If we don't move the brethren along the continuum from new believers to Christ-Centered believers, then we have failed as a Church. I concur whole-heartedly with the Reveal findings and am grieved over churches that adopt the "Simple Church" philosophy which is so popular right now. There is an extreme danger of "simply" pursuing numerical growth at the expense of spiritual growth. Spiritual growth is all that matters. Numerical growth is a supernatural result of spiritual maturity, but numerical growth is not an indicator of spiritual maturity. The numbers will take care of themselves but will only be achieved through the faihfulness of mature believers! In fact, when we have achieved the final goal, Jesus will return. Maranatha!

[Jen Wilson]

I have some questions about REVEAL that apply to the nature of long-term relationships. Is what you found in the church applicable to any long term relationship like a marriage, friendship or parenting? It seems like what REVEAL offers is a look at what a committed relationship is like over time. I am part of a denomination, so I already know what this means for the church. There is a natural cycle to human growth and personal responsibility needs to be taught and modeled by leadership. Is this what Jesus taught his disciples? Spiritual formation is part of maturity. It's like the line we all cross at age 40. We eventually have to take responsibility for the "stuff" of life. This is the hope of every believer and a positive affirmation that God IS at work and desires more from us. BRAVO!