This is a fresh resource, excellently crafted for the sake of others. This book is rightly positioned in the marketplace, to enable a leadership culture that has shifted from hierarchical models to a place of enabling others to grow and flourish. That's the theory anyhow! The boundaries and values of a context that is created as a safe and productive place are powerfully and plainly constructed here. The vision is painted well. Though stemming from youth ministry and fresh expression streams of the church, the usefulness and reach of this new SPCK ministry resource deserves a wide readership. There are endless gems woven throughout this title, most fundamentally rooted in the concept, "People support what they help create!" Every reader will be convinced that when people work together there can be more than just beginnings, more than just progress, indeed success can be discovered. The supplementary action and reflection questions that follow each chapter are really helpful. I'd forsee a lot of individual use of this volume but believe that this would have even greater usefulness in the context of open-minded teams who want to grow in capacity and effectiveness. Most ministry courses do not teach facilitation skills and many often are left to flounder in an interpersonal wilderness of hopefulness. The richness of the research, voices and source material that shape this work are a testament to the quality of these three authors. I particularly enjoyed Jo Whitehead's chapter about culture setting, as this remains one of the biggest churches and organizational enigma's. Hospitablity, space, attitudes and real plans for best seating plans, are well detailed. I would have wished more than just a paragraph on permission giving. Theology, skills, wisdom and values are substantively served up here for all to engage with. A celebration if somewhat technical of all that is highly participative in our culture! A truly top-class resource.