USA (MNN) — If you have questions on church planting, you now have an all-inclusive resource. Discovering Church Planting: An Introduction to the Whats, Whys, and Hows of Global Church Planting was published by Paternoster, a publishing imprint of Biblica (formerly IBS-STL).
Author J.D. Payne said it can be easy for church planters to become side-tracked once they've gathered believers for church. "What I'm doing is trying to lay out
foundational and fundamental issues to make certain that they are focused even before they begin the work," said Payne.
Church planting has a more central element than simply starting a new church. Payne wants to remind missionaries that evangelism is the main goal. "Church planters must be outstanding theologians and outstanding missionaries at the same time. They need to really think on a global level, not just how to plant one church but to think about how to be involved in the multiplication of disciples, leaders and churches."
The book touches on historical church-planting models, church planting opportunities, biblical foundations, missiological principles, practical considerations, and strategies. The book can be utilized in all settings as it is not focused on a single culture but on elements that are translatable from one culture to another.
The late Ralph Winter, founder of the U.S. Center for World Mission, said, "Few [books on church planting] go into such sweeping and helpful detail. This is not a book written by an ivory tower scholar but by a true scholar activist. [It] sheds great light on what a church ought to be and how it can reach out in church planting. Get it and read it!" Payne wrote the book from his own hands-on church planting experience as well as from his seminary education.
As a part of facilitating a focused plan, Payne begins with an important question: "Whether it is on the forefront of people's thinking or whether it's subtly in the back of their mind, they need to answer the question, ‘What is
the church?' That will affect everything that you do: in strategy, methods that you use, raising up leaders, everything from the beginning to the end of the work," said Payne.
This book will be a powerful reminder of the vital role that evangelism plays in church planting. Pray that God will use Payne's book to lead more people to Christ and remind missionaries of their calling to increase the Kingdom.
