Looking for Book Recommendations…
October 28, 2007 | 2:08 PM
I’m in the very early stages of forming a team to plant a church. At this point, I’ve got my friend and his wife on the team, and we haven’t even decided where to go or what people group we’re going to live among. I won’t leave New Orleans until May at the earliest, at which point I’ll move to Fort Worth until they both graduate. Our first official meeting of the minds will be in December 2007. I’ll be driving up to Fort Worth to visit a church or two, and we’re going to meet to discuss some of the broader details- where, who, how, when.
At that meeting, I’d like to have a list of 3 to 5 books that are must-reads. I’ve got a few on my mind that I think would be good reads- Neil Cole’s Organic Church and Bob Roberts’ Glocalization. What I need from you, if you can do this for me, is a list of 3 to 5 books you read that really helped you as a pastor or church planter. If you’ve got some books for a planter’s wife, or a pastor’s wife, that’d be appreciated. Since my friend is married, I’d like to have something for them to read as a couple that will help prepare them for what’s coming. I’ll take any and all advice you’re willing to give regarding books to read, knowing that a million books won’t prepare me for the real thing. Shoot me what ya got.
Posted in Books, Christianity, Life, The Church Plant
joe kennedy, 2008
Anything by Aubrey Malphurs.
October 28th, 2007 at 2:37 PM
Joe,
My list of books have nothing to do with church planting/pastoring and everything to do with church planting/pastoring. I think you have ample books and leads on church planting and pastoring. By that, I mean, the Scriptures grant tremendous insight into the raison d’etre of God and humanity (you have that book in various translations!); you are familiar with books such as The World Is Flat, Glocalisation, Organic Church, et al, whcih provide a clear insight into 21st century understanding; and you have a network of friends who are doing it. I personally don’t think reading one more “church planting” book is going to change your world. (Which is one reason you’ve asked us for our thoughts, right?). I’m sure there are great books that deal with specific issues such as being a spouse of a church planter, but my must reads are a bit more broad. I believe having a healthy marriage allows for a healthy being-the-wife-of-a-church-planter relationship. Having a healthy view of grace/salvation allows for incredible teaching of Scriptures to unregenerates. Having a healthy view of the history of Christianity allows us to know where we come from and how to answer some hard questions of people acting in the name of God. *steps off soapbox* Here’s the list of must-reads for any follower of Jesus…
The Marriage Builder - Larry Crabb
Ragamuffin Gospel - Brennan Manning
Church History in Plain Language - Bruce Shelley
The Advocacy of the Gospel - Don Soper (Beecher Lecture Series, Yale Divinity School, 1960)
Later man. Excited about the vision God is giving you.
October 28th, 2007 at 2:56 PM
Byron, you got it. But I’d also take some church planting books… since my team hasn’t read anything on the topic yet. So I’m looking for both, but I asked a broad crowd because I wanted this kind of response too. Thanks man.
October 28th, 2007 at 3:10 PM
Hi Joe, I have several book recommendations for you, however, you have to let me buy you lunch when you are in Fort Worth for me to give them to you. Maybe at the SWBTS on a Wednesday or Friday.
October 28th, 2007 at 7:06 PM
Joe,
Redeemer Church Planting Manual by Keller and Thompson
Planting and Growing Urban Churches by Conn
Total Church by Chester and Timmis
Anything by Frost and/or Hirsch
Hope that helps.
October 28th, 2007 at 7:22 PM
Kevin S, I’ll let you know when I get there. Not sure what my schedule will be.
Steve, thanks man. I’ve read the first two, and will check out the third. And I’ve got The Shaping of Things to Come. Good list. I’ll see if I can pick up a second copy of the RCPM by Keller for my friends.
October 28th, 2007 at 7:35 PM
The Shaping of Things to Come by Michael Frost & Alan Hirsch
Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age by Ed Stetzer
The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch
Organic Church by Neil Cole
Exiles Michael Frost
The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman
October 28th, 2007 at 9:11 PM
Joe,
Most of the ones I would suggest have already been suggested. There is one thing to note: much of what has been suggested is theoretical. I was told this by someone who knows most of these guys. Keep the theoretical, ie Frost & Hirsch, in mind while placing more emphasis on the practical, ie Stetzer, Keller, & Bob Roberts.
If I were you, I would get in touch with Joel Rainey. Do you know Joel, he blogs at joelrainey.com. He is the church planter strategist and DOM for an association Maryland. If you need his email, let me know and I’ll get email and phone #’s to you.
I would also suggest you look at getting assessed. State conventions will take you through an assessment process to get funds and NAMB will require it also. The one here in Maryland/Delaware has 90% success rate for our church planters so I would see if you could get one of our teams to assess all of you. Other associations and the IMB will take our assessments.
Another suggestion I would make is that since you’re going to be in Dallas, try to get on as an intern with Bob Roberts. I can get you in touch with him as well.
I met a planter guy last week, Jeff Christopherson(?) who pastors Sanctuary Church in Canada if you are thinking about planting there. I could get in touch with him and he might work through some things with you as well.
Do everything you can to bring affirmation from others to this calling, including a thorough assessment for you and your friends who will help. This will be the most difficult thing you do, most likely.
October 29th, 2007 at 6:22 AM
Joe,
Thank you for the invitation to participate. Since I know you, I am tempted not to recommend books on topics on which you’ve already settled (my stuff, for instance, on Heart Attitudes or Redeeming the Culture through Missional Living; Willard, Divine Conspiracy; or Foster, Celebration of Discipline). There do, however, seem to be other readers involved, so I offer a more developed list (the same one that one may find at jacksbuzz.com). There are far more than five, and I strongly suggest working through them all unless one wants to be partially formed. If fullness is the goal, try these:
Erickson, Christian Theology (good to know doctrine and where it came from)
Thielicke, A Little Exercise for Young Theologians (a doctrinal steak in a very small bite)
Rae, Moral Choices (why should one do this or that?)
Maston, Biblical Ethics and Why Live the Christian Life (deeper treatment of the biblical bases for mores)
Niebuhr, Christ and Culture (how the church interacts with the world)
Shurden, Not a Silent People (why it’s actually quite cool to be a baptist)
Hunter, The Celtic Way of Evangelism (story of St. Patrick and a lesson on how to reach postmoderns)
Cymbala, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire (how Christ builds His church)
Boer, Pentecost and Missions (what really happened at Pentecost and how it effects church planting)
Collins, Good to Great and the very brief supplement written for non-profits (how to find and place the right people)
Frangipane, The Three Battlegrounds (simple, biblical explanation of spiritual warfare)
Coleman, Master Plan of Evangelism (when this is avoided, evangelism becomes odd)
Bullock, Fools and Follies (how to spot a fool and what to do with him or her)
Friedman, The World is Flat (understanding the world in which we operate)
Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (helps make quiet time more profitable)
Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People (too few church planters are likeable–this helps)
McCarthy, The On-Purpose Person and The On-Purpose Business (how to know what you’re supposed to be doing)
Francis Schaeffer, Art and the Bible; The God Who is There; and just about anything else he wrote (helps us understand how God works and how people tick, which really are the two keys to Christian leadership)
Moreland, Love God with All Your Mind (antidote to church-light)
Buckingham, Now Discover Your Strengths (how to find and work from your passion)
Duncan, Time Traps (how to stop spinning your wheels and achieve something)
Drucker, Post Capitalist Society (why the old world died and what is next)
Maxwell, Developing the Leader in You and Developing the Leaders Around You (obvious)
Miller, Motivational Interviewing (stop self destructive behavior)
Donnithorne, The West Point Way of Leadership (leader development)
That’s enough for now…
Avoid Malphurs unless you want to plant an event-driven church, in which case read Malphurs and Warren, Purpose-Driven Church and avoid Cole.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:28 AM
Joe, you’ve got a great list already going here. I’ve read a lot of the one listed. I would echo the statement about assessment. Sheri and I found it to be a very uplifting time. Your assessment should reveal some “hidden” characteristics and highlight some things that you already know about yourself.
If you are planning on planting in Canada, like was mentioned earlier, then you will need to get a Canadian assessment done. The CCSB usually doesn’t accept assessments without a Canadian cultural component. Of course my vote is for Canada. We moved here just over two years ago and absolutely love it. Jeff Christopherson is a great contact in the East. I’m in the West (B.C.). I can put you in contact with people if you are interested in Canada (plus you know Tim Williams and Rebekkah…).
Anyway, a book that has helped me get my thoughts together and organized is - Idea Mapping by Jamie Nast. I’m fairly ADD. This book has helped a lot.
October 29th, 2007 at 2:17 PM
Joe,
Jack forwarded your request to me. Sounds like you have a good list going so far. I’ll address your request for books for the planter’s wives.
NAMB is currently printing a book called, “My Husband Wants To Be A Church Planter, So What Does That Make Me?”. Lifeway may be the publisher. It should be available very soon.
I’ve previously recommended, “Gentle Plantings”, by Arnell Arn Tessoni, and the “Personal Training Tools for church planting wives.” published by the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
October 29th, 2007 at 9:22 PM
not to be outdone by dr allen (what’s happening, jack?) i would like to offer:
Alister McGrath’s Christian Theology: An Introduction - it teaches the doctrines and traces their historical developments. i have erickson and grudem but they lack the historical background like mcgrath. plus my friend, Benjie Loyd, recommended it, so it must be good!
additionally, Francis Shaffer’s How Then Shall We Live?
and how can we forget the one book that taught southern baptists about spiritual warfare? Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness! (that’s dr jack’s textbook for his class, right? haha).
you’ve got plenty o’reading ahead.
peace.
byron.
October 29th, 2007 at 11:56 PM
Wow, such great book lists. Thanks guys. I do have a lot of reading ahead of me. And now I get to narrow it down to the top three or so to start our team off with.
Janet, thanks especially to you. I really wanted something for my friend’s wife. To give her a good idea of what she’s in for.
October 30th, 2007 at 12:06 AM