How Movements got published

Five years ago I drafted a book based on what I had learned about movements from a decade of observation and study. Six publishers considered the draft and six publishers rejected the draft. No one was interested. At least, not interested in reading what I had written. I was confused. Everywhere I went to speak about movements the response was positive.

So I gave up the dream of publishing a book and applied the principles to a training program for teams that wanted to fuel church planting movements. We trained around thirty-one teams from fourteen different nations. They planted hundreds of churches.

I caught up with a friend who told me I should “blog” and I became a “blogger.”

Over then next few years I wrote over 1,000 entries. The blog grew in popularity. More important I was learning to write for an audience.

I realised that all these years I had been writing for the skeptical university professor in my mind. Not the ordinary people who I wanted to read the book and do something with it. I had found my voice as a writer.

In late December 2008 I sat down and began to rewrite my entire book. I found a writing coach-editor who was vital to the process. By the end of April 2009 I was done. At least I thought I was done. It took another three months before the finer editing was complete and the presses began to run.

It has been a long road and there were times I was sure this book would never get published. Through my weakness God has revealed his faithfulness. The book I dreamed of writing has become a gift of his grace.