Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Stop Waiting For Permission: Harness Your Gifts, Find Your Purpose, and Unleash Your Personal Genius
and
Stop Waiting For Permission Study GuideBy Stephen Chandler
A WaterBrook Hardcover and TradePaper | Both On Sale 9/27/22
“When you read this book, you’ll take that step into your purpose that you know you should take.
Stop Waiting For Permission will help you find the greatness within you. This book needs to be not in your library, but on your lap.” —
John C. Maxell, bestselling author and leadership expert
From the pastor of one of America's fastest-growing churches, Union Church in Maryland, Stephen Chandler releases his debut book,
Stop Waiting for Permission: Harness Your Gifts, Find Your Purpose, and Unleash Your Personal Genius (September 27, 2022, WaterBrook) with a foreword by
New York Times bestselling author and leadership expert John C. Maxwell. This bold, inspiring manifesto will show readers how to dream, plan, and ultimately achieve their great calling in life.
Chandler draws a road map for the journey that requires active participation and a willingness to acknowledge our special skills. He believes God infused each person with their own unique genius for a future that cannot be limited by their past. So, whether parenting young children, starting a new job, volunteering in the community, or nearing the end of life, readers learn that now is the time to invest in their inner, God-gifted greatness.
"Greatness is where your personal genius and God-given purpose collide," says Chandler. "What if I told you there is glory from God in you, just waiting to be uncovered? It's the pursuit of a lifetime to discover all the greatness He intends for you. Which is why your greatest days still lie ahead, no matter your age or level of success."
Imagine a place where everything that makes a person unique is welcomed and celebrated. Where a person regularly experiences deep fulfillment, purpose, and peace, and their gifts and passion come together in ways that powerfully bless their family, friends, community, and the world. It may seem too good to be true, but this is no imaginary setting. Chandler labels this place greatness—and it's where God invites all of us to live, work, and call home wholeheartedly. Chandler identifies vital points to achieving greatness
:
Chandler identifies vital points to achieving greatness:
• Identifying what's holding you back
• Envisioning how to chart the course
• Exhibiting faithfulness – consistency, steadiness, and showing up
• Being self-disciplined – internally motivated, dependable action
• Living with balance – pursuing greatness in all things
• Discovering your unique genius
• Maximizing your God-given greatness
• Living in your purpose with perseverance
“Greatness takes time,” encourages Chandler. “I’m convinced that impatience has stolen more dreams and enticed more people to abandon their purpose than just about anything else on earth. To achieve greatness, you have to keep showing up.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Stephen Chandler is the senior pastor of Union Church, based in Maryland, and the author of
Stop Waiting for Permission. Through his unapologetic pursuit of fulfilling his God-given purpose, Union Church has become known for its unrelenting desire to unite people with purpose. Since its launch in 2011, Union Church has grown from fifty to thousands in weekly attendance, with tens of thousands joining live online every week. It has expanded to multiple campuses across Maryland. Stephen’s obsession with people, systems, and culture resulted in Union Church (formerly Destiny Church) being named the fastest-growing church in America by Outreach magazine. As a sought-after international speaker, he helps leaders maximize their God-given potential. In 2017, Chandler launched Union College to help leaders unlock their gifts, develop spiritually, and make a lasting impact on the kingdom of God. Through intentional classroom sessions and an experiential learning model, Union College graduates are grounded in God, freed to serve, fully equipped, and positioned to lead in the local church. Stephen’s true legacy is his wife, Zai, and their three beautiful children, Zoe, Roman, and Jade.
For more information, visit www.waterbrookmultnomah.com and www.stephenchandler.com.
Suggested Interview Questions for Stephen Chandler, Author of Stop Waiting for Permission1) Where did your inspiration come from, and what was your purpose for writing this book? (P. 61)
2) Why do you believe greatness is not only okay to pursue but is also godly?
3) How does identifying what fuels us drive our purpose?
4) How do you define personal genius, and how can someone figure out what theirs is? Why is it essential for them to do so? (P. 62)
5) You encourage readers not to let disadvantages in life define them. How can someone decide to allow their past or present circumstances to affect their purpose in life positively?
6) What are the four “wheels” you believe are crucial for success?
7) What active steps can people take to not to allow what-ifs to become excuses?
8) Why is a vision an essential character trait for those pursuing greatness, and what questions should one ask themselves to define their vision? (P. 72)
9) What can we learn from the minor prophet Habakkuk about vision?
10) Everyone gets discouraged. What are specific things you practice to keep showing up when it’s difficult?
11) How can we tell if our efforts are faithful or futile? (P. 79)
12) You state that vision and faithfulness require the self-discipline to make them possible. How do you stay self-disciplined?
13) Why do you believe it is important to sweat the small stuff?
14) You state greatness studies greatness. How does one develop an eye for greatness and become a student? (P. 97)
15) What are the steps to make a confident leap of faith? (P. 130)
16) How does the study guide work with the book?
17) Where can people find out more about you and your book?
Stop Waiting for Permission: Harness Your Gifts, Find Your Purpose, and Unleash Your Personal GeniusBy Stephen Chandler
A WaterBrook Hardcover | $24.00 | On Sale September 27, 2022
ISBN: 9780593194232| e-ISBN: 9780593194249
Stop Waiting for Permission Study Guide By Stephen ChandlerA WaterBrook Tradepaper| $10.00 | On Sale September 27, 2022
ISBN: 9780593194263| e-ISBN: 9780593194270
For interviews or copy requests, please contact Brett Benson at bbenson@prh.com
Contact Publicist
Brett Benson
