Church planting is serious work. Not only are you committing to starting a community of faith and support, but you are also dedicating yourself to a new venture that, if unsuccessful, could significantly impact the lives of many.
The Church is not your average business, which is why you cannot run it in the same manner you would operate a local retail store or bakery. These books were written to help you understand church structure and the importance of intentionality in community building.
Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever
Churches do not fail overnight. Often, there are signs of dysfunction that, when left unaddressed, evolve into fatal blows. Thankfully, Mark Dever has written a book to help pastors and other church leaders identify what makes for a healthy church.
In Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, Dever uses scripture to create a manual of what should and should not be present in a church’s structure. This is a good read for pastors who want to build a healthy community, or for church leaders who want to correct issues within their community’s structure before things get out of hand.
Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Way of Jesus by C. Christopher Smith and John Pattison
In current times, the Church in the United States seems to be more concerned with keeping up with trends than actually living according to the Bible. C. Christopher Smith and John Pattison call believers back to the scriptures to build a structure that looks nothing like what many modern places of worship cultivate.
Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Way of Jesus reveals how followers of The Way did life. They didn’t just gather on Sunday morning. Followers of The Way lived in community and ate together. They didn’t rush through devotional service and check off church attendance. Followers of The Way instead meditated on teachings and worked to apply the principles to every facet of their lives. This book is ideal for church leaders and congregants who want to understand how church structures can help deepen our personal relationships with God.
The Church Planting Guide To Spectacular Failure: And How You Might Succeed! by Charlie Miller
Have you ever seen a pastor initially excited about starting a church burn out months later? Perhaps, you have chalked it up to exhaustion. Maybe you thought, “Well, he didn’t have enough help.” There’s actually more to the story.
In The Church Planting Guide To Spectacular Failure, Charlie Miller highlights all the things that can surely sink a church’s boat. The purpose of shedding light on these factors is so that pastors can do the exact opposite. This is a great read for those who like a bit of comedy mixed in with facts about church structure and culture.
What Suits Your Boat?
Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever – for the church planter who wants to establish a good foundation.
Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Way of Jesus by C. Christopher Smith and John Pattison – for those looking to leave the modern church structure.
The Church Planting Guide To Spectacular Failure: And How You Might Succeed! by Charlie Miller – for church planters looking for a light-hearted read about church structure.
What books are you adding to your TBR list?