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Church Planting Is For Wimps (IXMarks)
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Item Description...
Overview
The story of a church's revitalization counters a common conception that a church's size determines its health and points pastors to the faithful ministry of God's Word.
This latest addition to the IXMarks series tells the story of the revitalization of Guilford Baptist Church in northern Virginia. Weaving together scripture and biblical principles with humor and personal anecdotes, author Michael McKinley asserts that a pastor's faithful exposition of God's Word, passion for sharing the gospel, and care in the training of other godly leaders are more important than the size of his church.
McKinley honestly shares his own fears and rookie mistakes, along with encouraging stories of how God moved at Guilford Baptist. We are reminded that God uses weak and fearful pastors in plants and revitalizations; church planting is indeed for "wimps." For pastors and seminarians considering a church plant and those already struggling in their own fledgling congregations, this book is a thoughtful and encouraging resource.
Publishers Description
This latest addition to the IXMarks series tells the story ofthe revitalization of Guilford Baptist Church in northern Virginia.Weaving together scripture and biblical principles with humor andpersonal anecdotes, author Michael McKinley asserts that a pastor'sfaithful exposition of God's Word, passion for sharing the gospel, and care in the training of other godly leaders are more importantthan the size of his church. McKinley honestly shares his own fears and rookie mistakes, along with encouraging stories of how God moved at GuilfordBaptist. We are reminded that God uses weak and fearful pastors inplants and revitalizations; church planting is indeed for "wimps."For pastors and seminarians considering a church plant and thosealready struggling in their own fledgling congregations, this bookis a thoughtful and encouraging resource. |
Item Specifications...
Pages 128
Dimensions: Length: 0.5" Width: 5.5" Height: 8.5"
Weight: 0.35 lbs.
Binding Softcover
Release Date Apr 30, 2010
Publisher Crossway Books/Good News
ISBN 1433514974
EAN 9781433514975
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Availability 4 units.
Availability accurate as of May 27, 2012 02:50.
Usually ships within one to two business days from New Kensington, PA.
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Reviews - What do our customers think?
 | Much Needed Focus on Revitalizing Dead Churches May 20, 2010 |
As you might be able to tell from the cover, this is a book that doesn't take itself too seriously. The author writes in a very conversational, humorous style that is a pleasure to read, while covering some weighty topics and revealing some deep truths about the nature of ministry in general, and church planting in particular.
This book is not a "how-to" manual for starting a new church. Rather, it is a very personal book telling the author's own story. Mike McKinley did not actually plant a new church. He did something much harder. He went into a small, all-but-dead church to revitalize its ministry. This is where the title of the book originates. Someone once told the author that "church planting is for wimps", because those starting a new church can set things up however they like from the get-go. Comparatively, revitalizing a dead or dying church is much more difficult.
McKinley makes clear, however, that this is not really his position on church planting. ALL church planters are doing a great work, and though the challenges are different for planters and revitalizers, they are both God-sized tasks that are accomplished through "wimps" who ultimately can do nothing of eternal value on their own. As the author says, "God is more passionate about spreading his gospel than we are. We only need to be passionate about following his lead and trusting him for his provision."
What I appreciated most about this book was the author's high view of the church, and the optimism with which he approaches small, "dead" churches. Too often, Christians are content to see small churches with no visible "fruit" in a way that seems content to let them just die. Those with a passion and vision for reaching communities that have no effective witness for Christ usually focus on beginning a new church from scratch. While this is admirable, McKinley shows that revitalizing a dying church accomplishes a double purpose. It not only creates a new, effective witness, but removes a bad one.
He walks us through the difficulties (and they are many) of doing something like this. He devotes an entire chapter to the pitfalls that church planting can have on the wives and children of church planters, encouraging them to find a support structure of other pastors in the area, and to build into their churches a foundation of lay leadership to help bear the burden of ministry.
While this book is geared toward revitalizing smaller churches (the church he lead had twelve attendees when he arrived), many of the specific things McKinley addresses will find application in churches of any sizes... which one might expect from a 9Marks book. His emphasis is first and foremost the preaching of the gospel, but with a strong focus as well on "establishing a clear membership list, adopting a concise and solid statement of faith, and establishing biblical leadership."
By laying the groundwork for effective church governance, he placed the church in a position to grow (spiritually and numerically) and minister to others without tripping over itself. While church marketing strategies come and go, God's Word remains the same. Building the Church on this foundation will always bear "real" fruit, which can't be said for the ideas of men, no matter how brilliant they may be.
The key to all of this working is the cultivation of leaders. McKinley lists five qualities that are essential for men to become leaders in the church:
1. He should be godly.
2. He should be theologically solid.
3. He should do a good job leading his family.
4. He should be involved in the church.
5. He should understand what makes Christian leadership distinctive.
This book will make a great read for anyone interested in planting or revitalizing a church, someone currently pastoring a small church, or those in ministry who would like to support the work of church planting. | | |  | Church Planting in Its Joys and Difficulties May 13, 2010 |
McKinley, Mike. 2010. Church Planting is for Wimps: How God Uses Messed-up People to Plant
Ordinary Churches That Do Extraordinary Things. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
I was not sure that I would review this book since I work with cross-cultural church planters most of the time but decided that in spite of its more American cultural setting, it had value for those of other cultures. The title is somewhat misleading since the book is more about "replanting" or "revitalizing" a church rather than planting one from the ground up. The title uses the word "wimp" which is an American colloquialism for a weak person. The implication is that church revitalization as church planting is more of a challenge than church planting with no previous core group.
I am not sure that I agree with the author in one sense but we often hear the expression in reference to church planting that one of the reasons for it is that "it is easier to have a baby than to raise the dead." This implies it is almost impossible to take an older church and rejuvenate it than to plant a new church.
When one reads some of the difficulties that McKinley goes through in trying to change a small church that was dying, one begins to understand some of the great obstacles in trying to change an existing older church. McKinley explains, "Whereas a new church planter can build from scratch, a revitalizer has to do some tearing down first. And this is not usually well received. If the church had wanted to do the things that healthy churches do, it wouldn't be dead" (34). If you sense God is leading you to revitalize an existing church, here is some help for you.
Another help this book gives is dealing with some of the problems of balancing church planting or revitalization with caring for one's wife and family. Read chapter 6 entitled "How to Ruin Everything" to see McKinley's confession of failure and God's working to make him a balanced pastor.
Thank you, Mike, for your honesty, your vision and your desire to see a God-glorifying church. | | |  | A great story about reviving a church May 5, 2010 |
What happens when a tattooed green-haired punk rocker joins a conservative church with a predominantly elderly congregation? His life is transformed by the loving acceptance of some old ladies, he goes to theological seminary, and he then gets sponsored by the church to go out and revitalise an almost-dead church, according to Mike McKinley in this book.
Revitalising a dead church and planting a new one are very similar activities. For a revitalisation you have to start with some very difficult conversations with the old members, but you get a building to start with, whereas for a church plant you don't have to deal with old members but you don't get a building; but in both cases you have the daunting task of trusting God that people will appear from somewhere and join your church.
The building McKinley inherited was in disrepair, the congregation was in disrepair, and everything needed to be fixed urgently; where do you start? McKinley decided that the most urgent need was for God's Word to be preached in a clear, systematic and compelling way. As McKinley concentrated on that, the buildings were gradually repaired, issues of membership and governance were gradually dealt with, and the congregation gradually grew.
McKinley expresses a strong distaste for the "homogeneous unit principle" (which says that people tend to come to Christ through their natural social groups), stating that churches should be designed to appeal to all people. Interestingly, however, Ben Arment in his book Church in the Making: What Makes or Breaks a New Church Before it Starts refers to McKinley's church as an example of the homogeneous unit principle in action. Arment says that McKinley's expositional preaching and conservative approach fit well into existing social networks including a local Christian college and a homeschooling network. By McKinley's own admission, the church's main evangelistic activities have been by Spanish-speaking members of the church amongst the local Spanish-speaking underclass.
McKinley's writing style is concise and witty, and I really enjoyed reading this short book (126 pages) in a single sitting. As a warts-and-all description of a church revitalisation journey, the book will be very useful to church planters and church revitalisers, whether or not they subscribe to the author's particular theological inclinations.
| | | | An extraordinary book from an ordinary young pastor Apr 23, 2010 |
If you want a "self-help" book or a "how-to" list, then Church Planting is for Wimps will disappoint. The author clearly demonstrates that accomplishment of any merit only comes through the strength of God. The sub-title, "How God Uses Messed-up People to Plant Ordinary Churches That Do Extraordinary Things," really does tell the story. God equips and builds His church in spite of the vessels He chooses to carry out the work of ministry.
Thank you, Mike McKinley, for sharing your personal testimony from the past decade.
| | | | Refreshing View of Church Planting Apr 23, 2010 |
Being a church planter is a little like being a superhero; unless you're special, don't even think about it. At least that's what many of us believe.
But in "Church Planting is For: Wimps," Mike McKinley knocks down such a silly notion. God doesn't want rock stars or superheros. God wants humble, obedient sinners - saved by grace - to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.
In this book, Mike describes the extraordinarily ordinary process he went through as a church planter (revitalizer) and the amazing work God accomplished in his church. Mike's honesty and humor make this a refreshing and enormously encouraging book.
Whether you are considering planting a church, or your church is (considering) sponsoring a church plant, read this book. You will be amazed at the work God is doing through ordinary churches that make much of Christ. | | | Write your own review about Church Planting Is For Wimps (IXMarks)
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