Thursday, October 23, 2008

Pre-Release Purchase Offer Out NOW!!

For full details on the pre-release purchase special offer, click on this link:
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=83080990&blogID=443375887
and you will find all the details you need to know. Offer ends November 20, so get in FAST! Cheers, Mark G

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Back Blurb, Contents and extract from Introduction

Hi All!

The book is on the presses! Follows is the back blurb and the table of contents and an extract from the introduction.

Do me a favour: have a look at the contents and tell me which chapter you'd most like to see featured on the blog in the poll to the right of screen. Voting closes on October 31 and the winning three Laws will be posted from October 31. Thanks for your participation...

Mark G

BACK BLURB:
“Jesus calls us to follow. And we like this. What we don’t like is that there are some things Jesus talks about in following that we would rather not do…”

Everywhere we look information on leadership abounds. But what about what it takes to be a follower? Where can we learn about followship? Christian comedian and speaker, Mark Gladman, challenges us to consider 17 Irritating Laws that Jesus throws up at us as we determine to navigate the journey of Followship.

‘Mark calls us to follow Jesus, not just boast a revivalist experience. Issues that we often avoid are exposed with humour, courage, engaging story-telling, and clarity of mind. This is a necessary and stimulating read.’
John Smith, Founder, Concern Australia and God’s Squad Christian Motorcycle Club, Melbourne

‘In this book Gladman combines his love of comedy, the young, life, theology and the edgy call of Jesus. Like the author, these stories will keep you thinking.’
Mark Beresford, Chaplain, Burgmann Anglican School, Canberra

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Foreword by John Smith

Introduction

Part 1: Setting Off
Law 01: The Law of Beginnings and Endings
Law 02: The Law of ‘God is God’
Law 03: The Law of The Call
Law 04: The Law of Die to Live
Law 05: The Law of Yoda
Law 06: The Law of Burning Beef

Part 2: Walking On
Law 07: The Law of Radical Discipleship
Law 08: The Law of Best-Fit
Law 09: The Law of Dirty Hands
Law 10: The Law of Sheep
Law 11: The Law of Sabbath
Law 12: The Law of Denial
Law 13: The Law of Non-Possession
Law 14: The Law of Mess

Part 3: Striding Out
Law 15: The Law of Tenacity
Law 16: The Law of Aliens
Law 17: The Law of Contentment

Epilogue: When the Rubber Hits the Road – Followship in Action

Acknowledgements

INTRODUCTION (Extract)

Honesty forbids me from going any further until I make a confession which I hope not only sets the scene for the rest of this book but also helps you to feel safe and challenged rather than guilty and horrible.

I am a terrible follower.

Everyone who knows me and has worked with me over the past 20 years is breathing a sigh of “Finally, he’s figured it out!” But I am not alone. I would hedge a bet that every person reading these pages, if they were willing to be totally honest and fully transparent, could easily make a similar confession.

Where are the followers?
Very few people have the monopoly on excelling in what I have called followship. Awards are presented to leaders who have changed the world, changed their industries and changed the way we do things. But I know of no award offered anywhere that specifically seeks to identify, celebrate and reward excellent, competent and life transforming following.

If I were to ask you to list some of the world’s most influential leaders, a list could probably be compiled quicker than you could say “Who’s the President of the Soviet Republic this year?” But if we were to go for a list of the world’s most influential followers, would we get past five or ten people? I suppose the question is – is there anyone left who aspires to become the most amazing follower they can be?

Fact is following is hard. Hard not so much because of what a good follower is called to do, but because our human nature doesn’t like to do it. As a result, we tend to place our focus elsewhere. Usually this means equipping ourselves to become better leaders. Leading is easier, or at least it seems that way.

The missing piece
After a time, something in the human soul begins to realise that without following, something’s not quite right. Jesus calls us to follow. And we like this. What we don’t like is that there are some things Jesus talks about in following that we would rather not do.

These little irritating niggles are what this book is all about; niggles that I think are irritating and frustrating principles that face all of us as we seek to be followers. Some of them are attitudinal. Some of them are actions. Some of them are challenges. Some of them are character traits we need to develop. All of them could be hindrances to the most fulfilling relationship that we will ever have.

I wrote this book predominantly because I wanted to know what stopped me from being an excellent follower. As I discussed these laws with others, I discovered something. I am not alone. And so in addressing these issues, I hope that you too will be both afflicted and comforted as you seek to become transparent with yourself and with God and begin to deepen your followship capabilities.