People Are the Mission: How Churches Can Welcome Guests Without Compromising the Gospel

by Danny Franks, J.D. Greear (Foreword by)

Overview

If you’re a leader in a church or business, and you want to improve your culture of hospitality, then you’ll love Danny’s new book. It’s a must-read! -Dan T. Cathy, CEO, Chick-fil-A

When it comes to interacting with guests, churches typically gravitate towards one of two camps: over-the-top, shock-and-awe, let-us-entertain-you or oh-man,-some-people-just-showed-up, underwhelming experience. Each extreme has drawbacks: on one end, people become the center of the universe. On the other, hospitality is effectively ignored in deference to the "serious business" of worship.

People Are the Mission proposes a healthy middle, one where guests are esteemed but the gospel is the goal. Danny Franks, Connections Pastor at Summit Church, shows churches how to take a more balanced approach - a "third way" that is both guest-friendly and gospel-centric. He shows why honoring the stranger doesn't stand in opposition to honoring the Savior. People are the mission that Christ has called us to, and if we focus on people we can better assist people to focus on the gospel.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310538677
Publisher:	Zondervan
Publication date:	03/06/2018
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	676,104
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.38(h) x 0.58(d)

About the Author

Danny Franks is the Connections Pastor at the Summit Church in North Carolina. He writes and trains extensively about guest services in the local church.

Table of Contents

Foreword J. D. Greear 9

Introduction: A Wee Little Man and a Tale of Two Churches 13

Part 1 Looking Out

1 The Gospel Is Offensive. Nothing Else Should Be 29

2 The Sermon Starts in the Parking Lot 51

3 When Hospitality Meets Hostility 73

Part 2 Looking In

4 Beyond Parking Shuttles and Smoke Machines 103

5 When the Older Brother Rears His Head 127

6 It's Not about You 149

Conclusion: Many Churches, One Mission 173

Appendix: Getting Started and Starting Over 183

Acknowledgments 199

Notes 205

Editorial Reviews

'When Danny leads, I follow him. When he writes, I read it. So should you.'

JASON YOUNG

'Writing from a heart captivated by the gospel, Danny Franks has delivered a powerful, impressive work that church leaders—regardless of position—will find tremendously helpful in establishing a culture of hospitality throughout their church and ministry areas. People Are the Mission balances a keen intellectual understanding of the nuts and bolts of hospitality with a gospel-centered foundation. This compelling combination comes from Danny’s practical, lived-out, and loved-through leadership with hundreds of leaders at his own church and across the country. Using his razor-sharp wit, Danny makes his point, driving right to the heart of the matter with a balance of aw-shucks genuineness wrapped up in instantly applicable lessons you will immediately grasp. People Are the Mission will become one of your most-used and most often referred-to training helps for years to come. Pick up a copy today, start reading it tonight, and begin applying it tomorrow.'

BOB ADAMS

'In People Are the Mission, my friend Danny moves beyond excellent technique with weekend crowds to the transformation of God’s grace in an individual’s journey. When Danny writes of truth, he does so with deep conviction. When he speaks of grace, he does so with personal compassion. And when he uses humor (and he does), watch out—you’re either about to be knocked off balance by his sucker-punch challenge or he’s giving you a chance to recover respectfully, because that spot right between your eyes still hurts. Danny’s conviction, compassion, and challenge are motivated by his belief that people matter to God, and people will believe they do, when we make loving them our sole mission, or our “soul mission.” For their sake and God's honor, read this book.'

MARK WALTZ

'The gospel is like a song. It has both lyrics and a musical score. Those who water down the lyrics to make the song more palatable may gain a crowd. But they’ll inevitably lose the gospel. In the same way, those who allow the gospel to be presented in a lame, unwelcoming, or culturally out-of-touch environment end up singing true words that nobody listens to. Danny Franks has written a helpful and balanced book that corrects the pendulum swing between these two extremes and connects the dots between staying true to the gospel message and adapting to the culture we live in. If you desire a guest-friendly, gospel-centric ministry, this is a book you need to read.'

LARRY OSBORNE

'What does hospitality look like? This is where Danny Franks’s new book People Are the Mission helps us! Danny reminds us that people want to feel respected, honored. They don’t want shock and awe, and they don’t want to be an afterthought. They just want to know you care, for real. If you’re a leader in a church or business and you want to improve your culture of hospitality, then you’ll love Danny’s new book. It’s a must-read!'

Chairman and CEO of Chick-fil-A DAN T. CATHY

'Evangelism and discipleship, two oars attached to one boat, are essential to carrying out the Great Commission. In People Are the Mission, Danny Franks shows us the importance of attracting people, without compromising the gospel message, to empower them for ministry. I am grateful for Danny’s approach of helping move people from being consumers to commissioned partners in ministry.'

ROBBY GALLATY