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Rating: 
Summary: Amway Apostles
Review: Because this book is essentially an apologetic for self-styled mega-church leaders it is worth reading. It follows a typical church-growth formula: declare that the church is in unprecedented crisis, decide that the solution is to return to the "New Testament model", and then presume to describe what this model is.
After reading this book I learned how similar the first century church was to our 21st century MLM corporations. It really is uncanny. In light of this discovery, perhaps pastors should study real business gurus such as Peter F. Drucker or Geoffrey A. Moore.
The sum of "Churchquake" can be found towards the end of the last chapter on raising money. After demonstating that larger donors should get preferencial attention from the pastor, Peter Wagner asks aloud; how does the pastor know the income level of the church members? The answer is simple. "A good pastor knows his sheep!" (pg.261) Apparently Wagners' research of church history uncovered the fact that early church elders recieved printouts every Monday listing the top donors in order to reward them with a week at a luxury resort on the Mediterrenean.
This is the heart of these new "Apostles". No longer are they spiritual leaders with a mission to feed the sheep---they have become organizational leaders with a machine that fleeces sheep. (John 21;15-16). The crucial question is...do they realize it?
MC
Rating: 
Summary: SPIRITUAL QUAKE IS COMING!
Review: Dr. Wagner has done the church a great service by providing a balanced overview of what the Holy Spirit is birthing in our generation. Thank you Dr.Wagner for your excellent material.
Rating: 
Summary: Last Gasp Chance For Unsuccessful Movement?
Review: Many Church Growthers are honest and admitting that CG has not been growing the church -- e.g. see George Barna in "Boiling Point" or William Chadwick's excellent book "Stealing Sheep."So, leader Wagner and others are doing something they admit the church catholic has never attempted -- fill the office of apostle. Do the exegesis of their proof -- Eph. 4! It will not allow their heretical translation. This is desparation in motion! To pride themselves on moving away from theology to practice and say that they are still holding to Reformation theology. From justification to sanctification; from cross to crown! This is dangerous and faulty theology at its worst! This is an exhibition of 2 Tim. 4 coming true in spades in our time -- "for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires." No sheep who follows the voice of the Good Shepherd will recognize his leading voice in this.
Rating:
Summary: Last Gasp Chance For Unsuccessful Movement?
Review: Many Church Growthers are honest and admitting that CG has not been growing the church -- e.g. see George Barna in "Boiling Point" or William Chadwick's excellent book "Stealing Sheep." So, leader Wagner and others are doing something they admit the church catholic has never attempted -- fill the office of apostle. Do the exegesis of their proof -- Eph. 4! It will not allow their heretical translation. This is desparation in motion! To pride themselves on moving away from theology to practice and say that they are still holding to Reformation theology. From justification to sanctification; from cross to crown! This is dangerous and faulty theology at its worst! This is an exhibition of 2 Tim. 4 coming true in spades in our time -- "for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires." No sheep who follows the voice of the Good Shepherd will recognize his leading voice in this.
Rating:
Summary: Churchquake
Review: Peter Wagner is perhaps today's leading proponent of the restoration to the church of the NT office of the apostle. Churchquake can be a valuable book to introduce the reader to several examples of large local churches that are seeking to be a part of this restoration movement. However, the book fails to deliver on its promise to examine this NT model, since it contains very little biblical exposition or interpretation. Wagner's background in the church growth movement of past decades is akin to that of a sociologist, who examines human behavior -- he is not a biblical scholar and is quite loose in his use of biblical material. Often he describes a current apostolic movement or church and then declares that this model represents a biblical principle - but without any discussion of the NT itself! If read alongside other books which do attempt to examine the NT model of apostolic ministry, Churchquake could be an interesting starting point for initial study.
Rating:
Summary: The Church as an Autocracy or dispenser of Christian Love?
Review: The landscape of today's church is changing dramatically. To enhance her appeal in this evolving world, the church must race herself to a place of relevance for today's culture and trend. In this book, Peter Wagner's investigates the personality of churches that are altering spiritual definition and activities. He calls this revolution process ChurchQuake ! From case studies, binocular observations to personal interviews, Peter has brilliantly revealed the characteristic of today's contemporary churches that makes them imposing and inviting. The church today is the result of yesterday's pain. It is evident that the past decades have stood out as molding seasons, providing subtle circumstances so that the Spirit of God can deliver the church from birth pangs to greater maturity. This process can be faintly described as though the church has struck herself against the edge of the Spirit, bursting spiritual effects that are so overwhelming enough to the change the concept of Church. Even theologians and scholars have to come to an acknowledgement of these aftermath effects. The contents of this book are wonderfully arranged. Peter has placed bookmarks in our heart so that we can be constantly reminded that we are now returning to the apostolic age. This fact will sure to ease our shocking discovery that the churches that are growing in this age are totally unlike churches in the past. These fast multiplying churches are called apostolic churches. According to Peter, we will be able to identify them because they are recognized as flexible, expansive, and possess an attitude of willing to relate with other significant ministries. You will also be excited to know that in spite of these phenomenal changes, the spiritual quality of the church has not stopped increasing. As a prominent professor, Peter is a rare breed. Read his product slowly. As you sink yourself into his research facts and enriching materials, you will find out what elements are slowly ending up in tombstones and what are coming to the spiritual frontier of church revolution. Many who have read "ChurchQuake" will likely to agree that Peter has brilliantly identified all the nerve spots of today's apostolic churches that have changed ripples to tidal waves. I believe his invaluable paperwork and statistics will remain as favorite citing in this generation of church growth studies.
Rating: 
Summary: Insightful analysis of post-denominational Christianity
Review: There is a churchquake shaking up the church as we know it- the New Apostolic Reformation. C. Peter Wagner turns his prophetic analysis on this move of God that is changing the very face of Christianity. Wagner begins with an insightful analysis of the decline of denominationalism. It is devastating. Denominations look to contextual factors for their decline, sociological factors that the church cannot control; whereas Wagner attributes their decline to seven institutional factors well within their control to deal with. Thus, rather than playing victim to the world around it, the church needs to look within itself for the cause of its decline in both numbers and influence. Wagner believes that we live in a day that calls for new wineskins, that God is doing a new work, using new forms, to promulgate the gospel in the world today. Unlike the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, the new Apostolic Reformation is not so much a reformation of faith, but of practice. Thus Wagner states that the current reformation is not so much against corruption and apostasy as it is against irrelevance. For those who may get hung up on Wagner's use of the word- Apostolic, a more palatable term for evangelicals to use to describe this move of God is post-denominational Christianity. Of course using the term- Apostolic, is a cause of concern among many evangelicals and Wagner goes to great length to define his terms. Wagner sees three nuances that apply to the New Apostolic Reformation. 1. New Testament Christianity. Wagner notes that the reformers of the 16th century used the term apostolic to affirm their doctrine of sola scriptura. Wagner believes that the new apostolic churches reflect more closely the New Testament style in terms of ministry than traditional churches. 2. Priority Outreach to Pre-Christian Populations. Wagner notes that the root for the word apostle means- the sent ones. Thus, apostolic churches focus on reaching non-Christian populations and are driven to make them disciples of Christ. 3. The third and most controversial characteristic of the New Apostolic Reformation is the recognition of the gift and office of apostle in the church today. Wagner defines the spiritual gift of an apostle as follows: The gift of apostle is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to assume and exercise general leadership over a number of churches with extraordinary authority in spiritual matters that is spontaneously recognized and appreciated by these churches. Wagner sees the failure of denominations to recognize the gifts of apostles and prophets, while at the same time, recognizing the gifts of pastor, teacher and evangelist having more to do with entrenched ecclesiastical traditions than biblical exegesis. Whether you are intrigued by the new Apostolic Reformation or see it as a cause of concern, you ought to read this book. Wagner presents in in-depth, sound biblical argument for his thesis, while at the same time recognizing the weaknesses and faults of the New Apostolic Movement.
Rating:
Summary: Insightful analysis of post-denominational Christianity
Review: There is a churchquake shaking up the church as we know it- the New Apostolic Reformation. C. Peter Wagner turns his prophetic analysis on this move of God that is changing the very face of Christianity. Wagner begins with an insightful analysis of the decline of denominationalism. It is devastating. Denominations look to contextual factors for their decline, sociological factors that the church cannot control; whereas Wagner attributes their decline to seven institutional factors well within their control to deal with. Thus, rather than playing victim to the world around it, the church needs to look within itself for the cause of its decline in both numbers and influence. Wagner believes that we live in a day that calls for new wineskins, that God is doing a new work, using new forms, to promulgate the gospel in the world today. Unlike the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, the new Apostolic Reformation is not so much a reformation of faith, but of practice. Thus Wagner states that the current reformation is not so much against corruption and apostasy as it is against irrelevance. For those who may get hung up on Wagner's use of the word- Apostolic, a more palatable term for evangelicals to use to describe this move of God is post-denominational Christianity. Of course using the term- Apostolic, is a cause of concern among many evangelicals and Wagner goes to great length to define his terms. Wagner sees three nuances that apply to the New Apostolic Reformation. 1. New Testament Christianity. Wagner notes that the reformers of the 16th century used the term apostolic to affirm their doctrine of sola scriptura. Wagner believes that the new apostolic churches reflect more closely the New Testament style in terms of ministry than traditional churches. 2. Priority Outreach to Pre-Christian Populations. Wagner notes that the root for the word apostle means- the sent ones. Thus, apostolic churches focus on reaching non-Christian populations and are driven to make them disciples of Christ. 3. The third and most controversial characteristic of the New Apostolic Reformation is the recognition of the gift and office of apostle in the church today. Wagner defines the spiritual gift of an apostle as follows: The gift of apostle is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to assume and exercise general leadership over a number of churches with extraordinary authority in spiritual matters that is spontaneously recognized and appreciated by these churches. Wagner sees the failure of denominations to recognize the gifts of apostles and prophets, while at the same time, recognizing the gifts of pastor, teacher and evangelist having more to do with entrenched ecclesiastical traditions than biblical exegesis. Whether you are intrigued by the new Apostolic Reformation or see it as a cause of concern, you ought to read this book. Wagner presents in in-depth, sound biblical argument for his thesis, while at the same time recognizing the weaknesses and faults of the New Apostolic Movement.
Rating: 
Summary: No Original thought
Review: This book had a great potential to add further insight into the New Apostolic Movement. It explains this move of God in a way, but the author lacks any original thought here. Throughout the book, the author constantly quotes statements from the books of fellow church growth book writers and adds his two cents in.
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