Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend

Andy Stanley

Sep 2012 · Sold by Zondervan

About this ebook

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus started a movement that has grown like wildfire throughout history. Author and pastor Andy Stanley draws from Scripture and over 25 years of pastoral experience to bring to life the irresistible nature of this movement known as the Church.

With surprising candor and transparency pastor Andy Stanley explains how one of America’s largest churches began with a high-profile divorce and a church split.

But that’s just the beginning...

Deep and Wide provides church leaders with an in-depth look into North Point Community Church and its strategy for creating churches unchurched people absolutely love to attend. Andy writes,

“Our goal is to create weekend experiences so compelling and helpful that even the most skeptical individuals in our community would walk away with every intention of returning the following week...with a friend!”

Later he says,

“I want people to fall in love with the Author of Scripture. And while we can’t make anyone fall in love, we can certainly arrange a date.”

For the first time, Andy explains his strategy for preaching and programming to “dual audiences”: mature believers and cynical unbelievers. He argues that preaching to dual audiences doesn’t require communicators to “dumb down” the content. According to Stanley, it’s all in the approach.

You’ll be introduced to North Point's spiritual formation model: The Five Faith Catalysts. Leaders responsible for ministry programing and production will no doubt love Andy’s discussion of the three essential ingredients for creating irresistible environments. For pastors willing to tackle the challenge of transitioning a local congregation, Andy includes a section entitled: Becoming Deep and Wide.

If your team is more concerned with who you are reaching than who you are keeping, Deep & Wide will be more than a book you read; it will be a resource you come back to over and over!

“Couldn't be prouder of my son, Andy. And I couldn't be more excited about the content of this book. I wish a resource like this existed when I was starting out in ministry.”

- Dr. Charles Stanley, Founder, In Touch Ministries

“Deep and Wide pulls back the curtain for all of us to see what is required behind the scenes to build a prevailing church. I was both challenged and inspired by this book.”

- Bill Hybels, author of Just Walk Across the Room

“The most common question I get from pastors is, ‘How do I get the people in my church to be open to change?’ From now on my answer will be, ‘Read Deep and Wide by Andy Stanley’. Thanks Andy. Great book!”

- Craig Groeschel, Pastor, LifeChurch.TV, author, It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It

“No one has given me more practical handles for establishing a focused vision than Andy Stanley. Deep and Wide is a rich resource to help all of us stay intentional about the main thing - building a church that reaches people who are far from God.”

- Steven Furtick, Lead Pastor, Elevation Church

Ratings and reviews

I am unsure how to review without purchasing. I have purchased two of Mr. Stanley's books now. I'm done. What I can say is I am unchurched. What I can say is he has treated with his father disingenuously as his father did with Mr. Stanley's mother. I can also add Mr. Stanley doesn't seem to believe the whole councel of God (The Bible). He has made some very anti-biblical comments, such as "unhitching the Bible from the Old Testament". Of the hundreds, maybe thousands, of conversations I've had with unchurched people there seems to three things which predominantly bother unchurched Christians. 1. Favor for the Pastor and his family no matter the issue or the sin. And that, no matter how public. 2. Unchristian behavior from the congregation. Instead of being accepted into a family. Always looked down on. 3.Churches which have unbiblical preaching/teaching/study but is focused on entertaining with mostly P&W and 'feel good' speeches. Christians, especially the unchurched want Jesus.

Thought provoking. It makes us look at the things we accept because they have always been done that way. It makes me want to look at more effective ways to reach the lost.

I am not a pastor. I am not the director of any ministry. I'm just someone who is passionate about reaching unchurched people, and I know that none of my unchurched friends would be comfortable coming to my church. Why? Because my church is 100% uncomfortable for unchurched people, I've tried it. I beg of you, if you are a pastor or leader in your church, read this book.

About the author

Communicator, author, and pastor Andy Stanley founded Atlanta-based North Point Ministries (NPM) in 1995. Today, NPM consists of eight churches in the Atlanta area and a network of 180 churches around the globe that collectively serve over 200,000 people weekly. As host of Your Move with Andy Stanley, which delivers over 10.5 million messages each month through television, digital platforms, and podcasts, and author of more than 20 books, including Irresistible; Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets; and Deep & Wide, Andy is considered one of the most influential pastors in America.