Five years ago, I had no idea what “church planting” was. Now, I am a pastor called as part of a team to the task of planting a church! As the seed for the idea of church planting was planted in me several years ago, I took it upon myself to delve more deeply into the study of church planting as a means for gospel advancement. What did it entail? Was it the best means for church growth? Could I (and should I) be part of a church plant?

I have learned a great deal about church planting in the past five years. All of the above questions have been answered. For one thing, the Lord sovereignly directed me to a church planting church (Uptown Church) even though we chose it as our church home in Charlotte entirely for other reasons (expository preaching, worshipful music, and strong children’s ministry). Additionally, I was able to learn from other church planters in the presbytery who were eager to discuss their experiences and were happy to be a potential guide to future church planters. Also, in my final year at Reformed Theological Seminary, I had the opportunity to spend one of my electives on an independent study of church planting. My assignment was to read a ton of church planting books and write a paper. In case anyone is interested, I wanted to share my findings with you.

Here is a copy of my paper for those curious and nerdy enough: Biblical Basis for Church Planting

Here is the church planting reading list I put together from Spring 2013:

  1. Stetzer, Ed.  Planting Missional Churches.  B&H Academic, 2006, 384 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Planting-Missional-Churches-Ed-Stetzer/dp/0805443703/
  2. Stetzer, Ed.  Viral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers.  Jossey-Bass, 2010, 256 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Viral-Churches-Planters-Jossey-Bass-Leadership/dp/0470550457/
  3. Keller, Tim.  Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City.  Zondervan, 2012, 400 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Center-Church-Balanced-Gospel-Centered-Ministry/dp/0310494184/
  4. Keller, Tim and Thompson, J. Allen.  Redeemer Church Planting Manual.  Redeemer Church Planting Center, 2002, 265 pages.
    http://redeemercitytocity.com/resources/library.jsp?Library_item_param=371
  5. Patrick, Darren.  Church Planter: The Man, the Message, the Mission.  Crossway, 2010, 240 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Church-Planter-The-Message-Mission/dp/1433515768/
  6. McKinley, Mike and Patrick, Darrin.  Church Planting Is for Wimps: How God Uses Messed-up People to Plant Ordinary Churches That Do Extraordinary Things.  Crossway, 2010, 128 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Church-Planting-Wimps-Messed-up-Extraordinary/dp/1433514974/
  7. Malphurs, Aubrey.  Planting Growing Churches for the 21st Century: A Comprehensive Guide for New Churches and Those Desiring Renewal.  Baker, 2004,409 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Planting-Growing-Churches-21st-Century/dp/0801065143/
  8. Malphurs, Aubrey.  Nuts and Bolts of Church Planting, The: A Guide for Starting Any Kind of Church.  Baker, 2011, 272 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Nuts-Bolts-Church-Planting-The/dp/080107262X/
  9. Searcy, Nelson and Thomas, Kerrick.  Launch: Starting a New Church from Scratch.  Regal, 2007, 224 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Launch-Starting-New-Church-Scratch/dp/0830743103/
  10. Hyde, Daniel and Lems, Shane.  Planting, Watering, Growing: Planting Confessionally Reformed Churches in the 21st Century.  Reformation Heritage, 2011, 310 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Planting-Watering-Growing-Confessionally-Reformed/dp/1601781261/
  11. Beynon, Graham.  Planting for the Gospel: A hands-on guide to church planting.  Christian Focus, 2011, 128 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Planting-Gospel-hands–church-planting/dp/1845506367/
  12. Schaller, Lyle.  44 Questions for Church Planters.  Abingdon Press, 1991, 196 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Questions-Church-Planters-Lyle-Schaller/dp/0687132843/
  13. Chester, Tim and Timmis, Steve.  Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community.  Crossway, 2008, 224 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Total-Church-Radical-Reshaping-Community/dp/1433502089/
  14. Timmis, Steven.  Multiplying Churches: Reaching Today’s Communities through Church Planting.  Christian Focus, 2003, 128 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Multiplying-Churches/dp/1857925734/
  15. Griffith, Jim and Easum, Bill.  Ten Most Common Mistakes Made By New Church Starts.  Chalice, 2008, 128 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Most-Common-Mistakes-Church-Starts/dp/0827236476/
  16. Hesselgrave, David.  Planting Churches Cross-Culturally: North America and Beyond.  Baker Academic, 2000, 348 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Planting-Churches-Cross-Culturally-America-Beyond/dp/0801022223/
  17. Payne, J.D.  Discovering Church Planting: An Introduction to the Whats, Whys, and Hows of Global Church Planting.  InterVarsity Press, 2012, 492 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Church-Planting-Introduction-Global/dp/083085634X/
  18. Moore, Ralph.  Starting a New Church: The Church Planter’s Guide to Success.  Regal, 2002, 244 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Starting-New-Church-Planters-Success/dp/0830729666/
  19. Comiskey, Joel.  Planting Churches that Reproduce.  CCS Publishing, 2008, 205 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Planting-Churches-that-Reproduce-Starting/dp/0979067960/
  20. Shenk, David.  Creating Communities of the Kingdom: New Testament Models of Church Planting.  Herald Press, 1988, 230 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Creating-Communities-Kingdom-Testament-Planting/dp/0836134702/
  21. Mull, Marlin.  A Biblical Church Planting Manual: From the Book of Acts.  Wipf & Stock, 2004, 72 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Church-Planting-Manual-From/dp/1592447171/
  22. Arment, Ben.  Church in the Making: What Makes or Breaks a New Church Before it Starts.  B&H, 2008, 208 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Church-Making-Breaks-Before-Starts/dp/0805464735/
  23. Murray, Stuart.  Church Planting.  Herald Press, 2001, 292 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Church-Planting-Stuart-Murray/dp/083619148X/
  24. Ferguson, Dave and Ferguson, Jon.  Exponential: How You and Your Friends Can Start a Missional Church Movement.  Zondervan, 2010, 240 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Exponential-Friends-Missional-Church-Movement/dp/0310326788/
  25. Garrison, David.  Church Planting Movements: How God is Redeeming a Lost World.   Wigtake Resources, 2003, 362 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Church-Planting-Movements-Redeeming-World/dp/0974756202/
  26. Nebel, Tom and Rohrmayer, Gary.  Church Planting Landmines.  Churchsmart Resources, 2005, 140 pages.
    http://www.amazon.com/Church-Planting-Landmines-Nebel-Rohrmayer/dp/1889638501/