Church Planting

The core purpose of this series is to dig through the cultural, ecclesiastical, and corporate (business) issues that have been added to the church over the last two thousand years. I am not interested in getting rid of these trappings so much as discovering what they are and what the bedrock of the church would look like without them. Once exposed, then we can decide what to keep and what is unnecessary. Over the years, I began to put together a list of criteria which I would periodically hold up to a congregation to help them determine whether they were still on track with what God wanted ...

A Collection of Monographs is a group of papers which my wife, Linda, and I wrote some thirty plus years ago on a variety of subjects. The papers are on Theological Education in Spain, The Paraguayan Mission, Medical Work in Paraguay, and church planting.

What if healthy exponential growth required you to maintain less control over your ministry rather than more? That was the dilemma the Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) ministry at Sydney University faced. The ministry wasn't growing under staff control, so why not hand the reigns over to the students and see what happens? This is an exploration of the challenges and wonders that come from trusting your ministry into the hands of God and God’s lay people. It is a warts-and-all confessional of the bumpy journey the Sydney University staff team underwent and the leadership principles they ...

I'm sure there are countless numbers of testimonies concerning the amazing work which God has performed. Regardless if it's personal or ministry, these testimonies are always encouraging. This book is just one of the many testimonies which could be told concerning how God used the lives of many dedicated Christians to accomplish a work which spanned a time of approximately twenty years. This is the story of how God used a group of His people to start a church ministry which would reach the lives of many lost souls. For twenty years, there were different men, women and pastors who attempted ...

The tremendous growth of Latin American cities in the last few years has continued to aggravate a situation that has its roots in both the Spanish and Indian cultures. The Latin American, even more than the North American of the last century, has viewed the city as his one and only hope for a future. This has led to a concentration of 30% or more of the population of any given country being packed together in and around the largest city, usually the capital. If we are going to win Latin America for Christ, then we need to develop some methods and systems whereby we can reach out to these ...

Two thousand years ago Jesus laid the foundation for His church, and for over three years He instructed His disciples in the fundamentals and mission the church should follow. In the ensuing years since then, His church has encountered much opposition and persecution from endemics, societal leaders, cultures, religions, and more. As of this writing His church is once again encountering global oppression caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic, which has caused church doors to be closed, and has interrupted worship on several levels. Nevertheless, it is His church, and He has assured us that the ...

Are you looking for a powerful tool to help you rescue people from spiritual darkness? In this latest work from Doug Lucas, he delves into the importance of prayer and intentional obedience in spreading the Gospel. Drawing from his years of experience in missions and church planting, Lucas offers powerful real-life stories paired with practical strategies for sharing the Gospel with those who desperately need to hear it. With urgency and passion, Lucas invites the Church to join him in his mission to represent Jesus with both humility and boldness. He emphasizes the need to pray ...

Does it seem like your evangelism light has diminished? The wonder and beauty of Jesus forms the basis of a bright witness of Jesus Christ in this world. This type of witness requires the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to be unleashed in us. It is not something that we can produce in our own strength. The Holy Spirit must be freely moving in us to produce a life that experiences the power and person of Jesus Christ. As we come in contact with His glory in this way, we will have much reason and motivation to testify to the wonder of Jesus. This book is written in a devotional style ...

The tremendous growth of Latin American cities in the last few years has continued to aggravate a situation that has its roots in both the Spanish and Indian cultures. The Latin American, even more than the North American of the last century, has viewed the city as his one and only hope for a future. This has led to a concentration of 30% or more of the population of any given country being packed together in and around the largest city, usually the capital. If we are going to win Latin America for Christ, then we need to develop some methods and systems whereby we can reach out to these ...

Exciting and effective movements of the gospel are happening around the world yet in the US we are still losing the battle to see the gospel keep pace with the population's growth. Mega-church, multi-site, missional communities are all new forms to attempt more effective spread of the good news of Jesus Christ. But despite all of our best efforts, with our most talented and gifted leaders we still can't seem to crack the code of setting the good news of Jesus free from our forms to spread viral. But can you adapt these new strategies without jettisoning the current structures? Hybrid church...

Many leaders find that the realities of day-to-day church leadership bear little resemblance to their ideals about how a congregation should function. This book brings New Testament love, grace and discipline into the process of leading a growing church in the 21st Century. Ralph draws from a wealth of hands-on experience to solve problems such as finding and retaining volunteers, managing paid staff expectations & performance and even firing when you're forced to do it. It's a great tool for a church staff to read and discuss together. This volume is book 6 in a series of Kindle books, ...

Ever since Jesus' commission to make disciples in his name, Christianity has transformed lives and the world at large. To those watching, it must have looked like an upstart religion led by a group of men, most of whom were martyred for their beliefs. The voice of secular culture today is no louder and no more indulgent than it was in those days. And yet much of the Western church has settled for becoming just another mass media market that's adding to the noise, instead of a movement that continues to turn the world upside down.

The church was meant to multiply! “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). Are you interested in planting a church that has exponential impact? If so, you will be partnering with God to build something that is alive, vital, and majestic. There is a parallel between planting a church and planting a seed in the ground. In Planting Reproducing Churches, Dr. Elmer Towns explains God’s strategy of multiplication as it pertains to planting local church communities. By understanding that every living organism can reproduce a ...

PRAISE FOR A VISION OF THE POSSIBLE "...a message of hope, insight, and encouragement to all who long to see the completion of the Great Commission in this generation." Dr. David Garrison Missionary and author of A Wind in the House of Islam and Church Planting Movements; Executive Director, Global Gates "Church planters among the most resistant peoples, like Muslims, have relied largely on a vision that a church was possible. In his book, Dan demonstrates how this vision is not only possible but is a reality." Dr. Dudley Woodberry Dean Emeritus and Professor of Islamic Studies, Fuller ...

What was Jesus’ core message?Most Christians don’t know the answer to this question. Most of us were never taught how to speak with our neighbors about the Kingdom of God. The Jesus Strategy offers a practical guide to learn how to share Jesus’ good news in the way He taught His followers. By taking a fresh look at familiar stories, we will see how Jesus’ brilliant strategy is laid out in the gospel accounts. You will be challenged to consider a different approach to both evangelism and discipleship. The Jesus Strategy will show you how to experience the joy of applying Jesus’ ...

Who would have thought finding a church home could be so hard? Peter and his wife have a strong marriage. But when it comes time to find a new church after they move, their differences couldn’t be more pronounced. At first, their aim is straightforward. He’ll write a book about the churches they visit. She’ll choose the one they’ll embrace as their new spiritual family. It sounds like a simple plan, but this Christian couple soon discovers their quest for a home church is far more difficult. An entertaining, poignant memoir for Christian believers, SHOPPING FOR CHURCH will give you ...

The fields are white and the harvest of souls is ripe, but where are the preachers? World renowned healing evangelist Dag Heward-Mills' inspiring new book is an urgent call to Christians to become soul winners.

A tried-and-true classic in dynamic ministry growth, church building, and discipleship momentum. From professional church-planters Dave and Jon Ferguson comes the anchor book in the Exponential Series - envisioning new and practical methods of building churches, communities, and organizations on the cornerstone of Christ. Exponential lays out a concise and effective reproducing strategy, giving practical steps and case studies as you follow the growth of a church movement through four mains stages.

Whether you are a new coach starting out or an experienced coach looking for some help, this is the book for you! After 18 years of playing baseball and many more coaching, I have compiled what I have learned over the years in this ultimate guide to coaching baseball. Be it the general rules of the game, tips and tricks, or how to overcome failure, this book has you covered.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus gave His followers a final command: “In your going, make disciples of all the peoples of the world” (see Matt. 28:19). Instead, in an effort to draw people to Christ, much of the Western church today has sought to become relevant through golden-tongued leaders, star-quality worship bands, large-scale buildings, and myriad social programs. The primary purpose of the church is not to be relevant to our culture. Rather, it is to make the gospel accessible, through our day-to-day lives, to people who need Christ. God’s design for the church is for every ...