Bramlett Eric - The big idea: focus the message---multiply the impact

I finished this book with an emotion I have rarely felt as a reader and reviewer: regret that it was not longer. The Big Idea shows how to do little large, and with mega impact. The authors deserve a prize for giving their readers a maximum return on a minimum investment of time and money. I predict (and hope for) many more Big Ideas. Ill be recommending this book to so many people that Ill be doing my part contributing to their churchs fun fund.

Leonard Sweet, Drew University,
George Fox University, wikiletics.com

The Big Idea is the best book for church leaders Ive read in a long time. It stretched my mind while giving me a step-by-step ministry-altering application. Every ministry leader and church planter needs to read this book.

Craig Groeschel, Founder and
Senior Pastor, LifeChurch.tv

The Big Idea is a book you need to read. Whether you adopt all of its ideas or just a few, it will bring increased focus, clarity, and life change to your ministry. For nearly twenty years, my own church has benefited immeasurably from applying just one aspect of their vision (tying our small group curriculum to the weekend message). The team at Community Christian and the NewThing Network give us a model that takes church-wide ministry focus to new levels of innovation and collaboration.

Larry Osborne, Lead Pastor,
North Coast Church

The Big Idea resonates with me to the point of conviction. A challenge to pastors and teachers to quit creating pew potatoes by bombarding families and communities in any given week with multiple messages they dont have time to put into action on their journeys as Christ followers. The Big Idea offers a start in fulfilling what James desires for us not merely to listen to the Word, and so deceive ourselves, but to do what it says.

Randy Frazee, Lead Pastor, Willow Creek
Community Church

Dave Ferguson is a change agent. Every time I hear what he says or read what he writes, it challenges the way I think. The Big Idea is an approach to preaching that is as ancient as the parables of Christ, but it will revolutionize the next generation of preachers.

Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor,
National Community Church

The Big Idea is huge. Big impact. Big insights. Big tools. Big practical learnings. Th e way forward for growing churches to drive home Gods truth into all of their attenders each week to grow them stronger in the faith. Its big, fresh, and told in a winsome way by one of Americas great young leaders, Dave Ferguson. I always learn when I hang around Dave and the team at Community Christian. I encourage you to do the same through The Big Idea.

DAVE TRAVIS, Executive Vice President,
Leadership Network

Dave Ferguson is a change agent. Every time I hear what he says or read what he writes, it challenges the way I think. The Big Idea is an approach to preaching that is as ancient as the parables of Christ, but it will revolutionize the next generation of preachers.

Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor,
National Community Church

The Big Idea is huge. Big impact. Big insights. Big tools. Big practical learnings. Th e way forward for growing churches to drive home Gods truth into all of their attenders each week to grow them stronger in the faith. Its big, fresh, and told in a winsome way by one of Americas great young leaders, Dave Ferguson. I always learn when I hang around Dave and the team at Community Christian. I encourage you to do the same through The Big Idea.

DAVE TRAVIS, Executive Vice President,
Leadership Network

The Leadership Network Innovation Series

Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging
Missional Church, Mark Driscoll

The Multi-Site Church Revolution: Being One Church in Many
Locations, Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon, and Warren Bird

Other titles forthcoming

THANKS A LOT! REALLY!

Dave: Sue, thanks for being such a risk-taking partner, a loyal friend, a great mom, and the love of my life. I love you. (I told you if I ever wrote a book I would dedicate it to you!) Amy, Josh, and Caleb thanks for encouraging me and loving me back. I cant wait to see what God does through you!

Jon: Lisa thanks for being my best friend and a phenomenal mom to our children. Im still crazy about you and grateful to God for your daily doses of love, strength, and encouragement! Graham and Chloe, you are so much fun. I-C-N-U tremendous possibilities, and I cant wait to see how God breathes life into your dreams.

Eric: Thanks to Kristi, my wonderful wife and the best friend Ive got youre gorgeous! Sadie, Dillon, and Anna are the coolest children in the universe. Thanks for loving your dad! Much love to my parents, Perry and Susan, and to my brother Elic, who has always been right by my side, or at least down the street.

Thank you to the best team in the universe (left). You guys make following Jesus ridiculously fun just like God intended!

Thank you, Pat Masek. Sometimes on a dedication page the authors will comment, This couldnt have happened without you. In this case, we really mean it! Without Pat, this book really would not have happened. Thank you for your willingness to accomplish a part of the Jesus mission through us and make sure we got TheBig Idea written.

ZONDERVAN

The Big Idea

Copyright 2007 by Dave Ferguson

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

ePub Edition January 2009 ISBN: 978-0-310-31395-3

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ferguson, Dave, 1962

The big idea : focus the message, multiply the impact / Dave Ferguson,

Jon Ferguson, and Eric Bramlett.

p. cm. (The leadership network innovation series)

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN-13: 978-0-310-27241-0

1. Mission of the church. 2. Christianity and culture. 3. Church and the world.

4. Communication Methodology. 5. Communication Religious

aspects Christianity. 6. Information technology Religious aspects Christianity.

I. Ferguson, Jon. II. Bramlett, Eric. III. Title.

BV601.8.F47 2007

253 dc22

2006025104

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible: NewInternational Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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