WISE CHURCH PLANTING
By Dan Steel
Christian Focus. 160 pages. £8.99
ISBN 978 1 527 111 011
I was converted 34 years ago, through a church plant, and have been a church planter in Brighton since 1996. Here is a book that I could have done with when I started out. At last, someone has written a book detailing the pitfalls that can hinder a church plant from gaining traction.
Dan Steel is eminently qualified to write on church planting, but is not content to depend on his many years of experience. He helpfully enlists the voices of 80 other church planters from different parts of the world who planted churches that subsequently closed or limped along with little visible impact.
The format of the book makes for easy and accessible reading. There are two sections of six chapters that each deal with one pitfall.
The first section spotlights six internal pitfalls, like divisions in the church, and the second section focuses on six external pitfalls, like relationships with the sending church.
Then each pitfall is divided under five headings.
1. The Story: a hypothetical story illustrating how easy it is to fall into a pitfall.
2. The Study: that analyses that scenario.
3. The Scriptures: some Biblical reflection on the subject.
4. Self-Examination: this is an opportunity to explore pertinent questions to be answered by a particular leader, sending church, core team, situation, etc.
5. Success and Strategies: an opportunity to hear and learn from others who have found a way through the pitfalls successfully.
Steel does not get to take us into a deep dive on all these subjects, but he successfully alerts the reader to what needs to be honestly considered before planting. I found myself wincing when reading some of these pitfalls – precisely because they hit home.
Throughout the book Steel shows us the potential pitfalls that church planters need to be aware of if they are to avoid seeing their plants limping along. In those situations, I prefer the language of battle, as limp suggests something is broken. There is nothing admirable about limping along, but some churches, against the odds, tenaciously, unglamorously, battle on in faith. This book will really help manage expectations for those too.
Lastly, throughout the book Steel’s pastoral tone comes through. He does not aim to snuff out the smouldering wick or break the bruised reed, but gives voice to those who have learned the hard way, so that others may learn from their wisdom and often painful experience.
A must-read for anyone involved or considering being involved in church planting!
