I've been contemplating this post for a while and figure I'll jot down some brief thoughts. Lately the blogosphere is starting to notice the mini-exodus of name-brand pastors leaving the pulpit (a la Piper) and going into full time writing. (Andy Rowell - CT)

Others have questioned whether, within the missional paradigm, this move is the right one. (Dave Fitch: Do you trust an author of the church who leaves the their church?.

I understand the dialogue, but I think there's a bigger question pertaining to the demand of missional (and related) books coming out from juggernaut US publishers. We know Americans purchase an incredible amount of Christian materials like books, CDs, etc. So when something new enters the playground every publisher clamours to release a multitude of titles (in this case around Emergent, Missional, or related topics).

What I'm worried about is the extent by which the leading missional writers are flooding the market with books and spending their time hawking their books and study manuals at all the biggest conferences and gatherings. I fear we're missing an opportunity here....

I don't have an issue with writing books. I don't want to tell someone how to spend their time, and I also value the contribution of the leading voices in the organic church movement.

What I'm having trouble understanding is how quickly some writers are being pushed to release book after book, usually containing similar material, complete with correlating study guide, for the consumption of the general mass.

It seems ironic, that the very same consumerist system that has stymied 4 generations of churchgoers into passive spectators is contributing to the development and perhaps survival of missional thinkers through the purchase of their products.

It's smart business sense I'm sure.

But at what point does an organic church movement slowly replace and morph into the very same system it's reacting against?

At a recent conference in Orlando missional church was the hot topic. Mega church America is slowly realising that their reach is dwindling and they're incapable of engaging culture with their current show. So all the popular missional voices arrived to share their piece. Along with their contribution came a gluttony of glossy books, fancy banner ads, study guides, DVDs, and more trinkets.

There's a balance that's missing here; a posture that needs to be reclaimed.

Badly needed resources for truly organic missional movements don't have resources to attend conferences, and certainly can't afford the hundreds for books and study manuals to train even a group of 12.

This IS about Kingdom extension isn't it?

Here are two suggestions to prevent missional from being just 'another' movement that falls by the wayside.

1) Conferences need to go online and need to be free; the talks and workshops should be available to download and should be free as well. Honestly, who's making money from selling public lectures by Michael Frost? Also, with the advent of live streaming (and the environmental factors of flying thousands of ppl to conferences along with the cost incurred by the sending church) conferences can be viewed and participated with online. I've seen a few like this already and encourage others to offer the same.

2) Open source materials. Open source implies two things: 1) Free; 2) Expanding resource with contributions from the wider community. I'm tired of paying through the nose for missional training manuals that were photocopied and coil-bound. Offer this stuff for free. It boggles my mind why fantastic content is sent to the publishers rather than to the masses online. The reach will be exponential.

I understand this does bring up implications of how does one receive compensation to create said manuals and materials. However, in all of church-dom there's gotta be a few folks willing to offer up significant contributions for free. Somebody out there can find financial backing to pay for their time so they can create a lasting resource for missional development for free.

Heck, if you have the cash, send it to me and I'll do it!

Change is needed because at this point we're one Chris Tomlin CD away from going mainstream....