Peder Tellefsdal is a PR professional, communication consultant, and public speaker who believes that what we do in small, we do in large.
In his first career, Tellefsdal was an advisor at the top level of Norwegian politics and chief of staff in the city government in Oslo. Today, he is a senior partner at Innoventi and president of the Electric Boating Business Network.
When he’s not designing PR campaigns for companies or working to save the planet via better messaging, Tellefsdal works with church leaders to help them reach a modern audience. His TEDx Talk, “How to Seek Forgiveness When Relationships Are On the Line,” has 1.7 million views.
Tellefsdal imagines a world where everyone communicates effectively, takes responsibility for their screw-ups, and receives the most beautiful gift in the world: grace.
Following his own transformation and revelation, he felt inspired to write a book on the topic. Wanting to self-publish his work with guidance and support – while maintaining all creative control – he joined selfpublishing.com’s Author Accelerator Elite program. Today, we’re getting an inside look at his inspiration, journey, and more.
Book Title: Rebranding The Church: Rediscovering The Greatest Story Ever Told To Connect With Modern Audiences
Genre: Christian leadership, Religion and Spirituality
Website: https://www.pederspeaks.com
Who should read your book?
I wrote this book for church leaders, people in leadership positions in churches and congregations, and leaders of Christian organizations.
My book will bring great value to anyone who longs to make the Gospel relevant again to a modern audience – or to themselves.
What inspired you to write about grace and the Gospel through this lens?
As a young man, I lost my faith and abandoned Christianity. After spending more than 20 years as a political advisor and PR Consultant, I have seen the true impact of a story told the right way.
And then, a few years ago, I experienced the transformative power of grace, turning my life upside down.
It was actually a non-church organization, Alcoholics Anonymous, that helped me discover the power of grace and finally connect with the core message of the Gospel.
Since then, I have grown interested in understanding how people in Western, post-Christian societies relate to the Gospel. I’ve specifically turned my attention to helping church leaders reach people like me.
What makes now the right time for this message?
I have the urge to devise strategies that work to spark a genuine, modern movement seeking the core of the Gospel.
It is such a powerful message; at its best, it is the world’s hope. We live in a world of ungrace, ranking, and division. The turning point for me was when, I came across the title of an old Hollywood Bible movie called The Greatest Story Ever Told.
I remember thinking, “Yes, I agree. The Gospel IS the greatest story ever told.”
It has shaped civilizations, and the main character is the most influential person in the history of humankind. So why do Church leaders and Christian organizations today struggle so hard to make the core message of this story resonate with a modern audience?
Being a professional communicator, I needed to figure it out.
We need to rediscover the greatest story ever told. And we must rediscover the source of grace – the only power that can transform us from the inside out.
So, I wrote this book to get to the root of the problem – and find a lasting solution.
What are the top 3 things someone will learn from reading Rebranding the Church?
- The 2 ‘ditches’ that most Church leaders fall into today and how they fail to communicate ‘grace’ in those moments.
- The main principles of effective communication and how they specifically apply to the Church and the people within it.
- How to clearly articulate the message of the Gospel in a way that resonates with and engages modern audiences.
What were your favorite (and least favorite) parts of writing and self-publishing a book?
The most challenging part was the editing – there were so many types of editing and multiple rounds back and forth! But once I started to see the improvements in my overall content and structure, it was all worth it.
My favorite part is right now: the book marketing phase. I LOVE IT!
What are your plans for the future?
I would like to develop and online course on the back of the book.
I’ve already started giving keynotes and workshops directly linked to the topics I cover in the book, so this seems like the most logical next step for sharing my message.
Ready to become an elite author and write the next bestseller? Get in touch with our team!
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