In his book “Planting Missional Churches,” Dr. Ed Stetzer gives church planters a seminal work on church planting in a practical and yet detailed how-to format. There is no wonder why this book has received such high praise from such church planters as Steve Sjorgen, Mark Driscoll, and David Putnam. Stetzer covers material from “The Basics of Church Planting” all the way to “Churches Planting Churches,” which is the reproduction stage, in chapter twenty-eight. He also covers almost everything else in between. The best part is that this book is from a successful church planter, not a theoretician.
“Missional” is the key word in chapter one. In fact, it is the main idea throughout the book. Dr. Stetzer states on page one, “Establishing a missional church means that you plant a church that’s part of the culture you’re seeking to reach.” He further states what is so often overlooked by spectators of church planting, “The goal of church planting is to reach people .” The author points out the clear need for new churches in North America and the fact that those who do this work need not have formal training.
Chapter two discusses the need for “Developing a Missional Mind-set for North America,” as is indicated in the title. Dr. Stetzer points out the need for theologically sound churches, not just a replication of methods that have been successful in church planting in the past. He writes that we do not need new churches because they are trendy but because they are “fresh expressions of the unchanging gospel .” Stetzer further points out that there is a difference between contextualization and compromise and he explains the difference. In fact, he says that new churches are needed because many already-existing congregations are unwilling to contextualize and thus reach people where they are at. New churches are needed to reach people outside of the cultural context of those churches not willing to take the risk of meeting people in a way that engages them.
In chapter three we are shown the “Biblical Basis of Church Planting.” The Book of Acts is set forth as a Biblical pattern for church planting. The Lucan account of the Great Commission is also addressed as a biblical authority for evangelizing unbelievers.
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