It’s time for the results of another Twitter book poll. What are the key books that every church planter should read? I wanted one compact yet diverse list that would help equip a new planter in various ways.
As always, you delivered.
(Note: A lot recommendations were made, but only books that received multiple votes made this list.)
The Short List
Confessions of a Reformission Rev.
Drisoll’s personal, inside look at the planting of Mars Hill Church in Seattle topped your list. Why? Simply this: Confessions of a Reformission Rev. is so practical, real, and non-theoretical.
You said:
“It’s a blow-by-blow account of someone who’s been in the fox hole of church planting rather than a collection of good theories.”
“It personalized the planter’s journey. And his story just resonated strongly with me. Biography often trumps ‘theory.’”
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Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community by Tim Chester & Steve Timmis
Total Church tied with Confessions in the number of votes received in the poll. The boys from Britain bring us a book that has the church deeply rethinking (and restructuring) how and why we do what we do.
You said:
“Nails what a faithful missional ecclesiology looks like and church planters should care about it as much as Timmis and Chester do.”
“Takes the gospel from mere intellectual assent to its Kingdom purposes, that is, engaging a robust ecclesiology here and now.”
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Planting Missional Churches
Planting Missional Churches is Stetzer’s update to his earlier Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age, and is considered by many to be a one-stop shop, the must-have handbook on church planting.
You said:
“Planting Missional Churches intelligently addresses most of the practical issues facing a church planter, and also answers why those issues are important.”
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Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears
The third offering from the Driscoll/Breshears team, Vintage Church is described as “the kind of book you could hand to someone who has questions about ecclesiology but finds the very term ecclesiology intimidating.” Vintage Church gives answers to practical questions you don’t learn in seminary on how to lead and run a missional church.
You said:
“Vintage Church is a clear and concise coverage of church applicable in multiple contexts without a singular model. A great reference book for planters.”
The Longer List
All of the following received multiple votes.
Launch: Starting a New Church from Scratch
The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church
The Redeemer Church Planting Manual by Timothy Keller & J. Allen Thompson
The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community
The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations
Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional
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What’s your take on these books? If your favorite book didn’t make the list, you’ve got a chance to recommend it here.
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See Related: The Best Books Right Now
Tags: books, church planting
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Lots of good books here. My highest recommendation is Keller’s Manual. Outstanding.
Really. Your highest recommendation comes from Keller. Surprise.
Wow. You have readers who list four books from Acts 29 guys at the top of the list and you are calling me out? There’s a pot/kettle thing that comes to mind.
Oh, and I neglected to say BOOM!
I would add Steve Childers “Foundations” and “Essentials” books that are available through attending the GCA Workshops. IMO, they are the best balance of rich theoloical vision and practical application for church planting needs.
McCoy – I didn’t make the list. I just published it. #boomfail
Tim – I agree, having experienced GCA – it is an unbelievable deal. Of course Childers admits that a lot of their stuff comes from Keller/Thompson.
That’s true. I’m a little surprised that no one has mentioned Richard Lovelace’s Dynamics for Spiritual Life. Keller and Childers quote him like he’s their spiritual father.
I think Lovelace really is the father of a lot of their concepts (them & Jack Miller of Sonship)… but I think that falls more under gospel renewal than church planting, per se. Having not read Lovelace, however, I could be wrong.
I’m not a church planter, but I read Confessions while on staff (and by staff I mean free labor as an intern) at a church plant. It was incredibly beneficially as a staff/core member to see the wins and struggles from someone who’s been there (and made it through alive!). Helped me make sense of the weirdness we were experiencing…
Social comments and analytics for this post…
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Great list, Jon. Thanks for pulling it together. I didn’t get a chance to vote, but I’d say Total Church would be my top pick.
As a supplement I’d add Axiom by Bill Hybels. Great little book on leadership. (Believe it or not, he even mentions Kuyper).
Yeah, you’re right about the genre of Lovelace’s work. However, his gospel-centeredness and emphasis on individual and corporate renewal are the two leading church planting themes among many within the Keller/A29 wing in the church planting world. In other words, it would be the prolegommena or leading presupposition to the best church planting books coming out a generation later.
[...] Browse this list of recommended books for church planters from ReThink Mission. [...]
For the hardships of pastoring/replanting Driscoll’s Confessions has been a great blessing. I recommend it often.
Lots-o-Links 11.12.09…
Creation Project: Resources for Biblical Womanhood, Resources for Biblical Manhood — also Thinking Well About Your City Mark Driscoll: Organizing a Silence and Solitude Day, Part 1 (4 more coming) Bad review of Deep Church from Greg Gilbert/9 Marks Go…
Katie – its very helpful to have the perspective of a non-pastor core team member.
Jake – good perspective – both Hybels & Warren have written books that are very valuable for church planters.
Tim – you said “prolegommena.” You just blew my mind.
Steve – Driscoll’s exploration of the brute reality of planting is certainly why it has resonated with so many.
Best topics in church for 2009-11-12…
Best topics in church for 2009-11-12…
[...] What’s your review on these books? If your favorite book didn’t make the list, you’ve got a chance to recommend it here. – See also: Books Every Church Planter Needs To Read [...]
Im not sure a staw poll is the best way to pick books that everyone needs to read. Especially because Im guessing that most of your readers are church planters, potential church planters or missional minded people.
Heart of a servant leader is a must read.
And I think Harvie Conn’s “Evangelism: Doing Justice and Preaching Grace,” is one that should be on any pastor’s list.
I have to admit the first three listed above are great books on the subject of church planting.
But Im sorry, I couldnt finish vintage church-it should have a warning that reads “for hip baptists only. ” I found it kind of sectarian.