PLANTING, WATERING, GROWING

Description

EDITED BY DAVID R HYDE & SHANE LEMS

As a response to the unique challenges facing the twenty-first-century American church, church planting has become a popular topic. But at a time when churches that spread the seed of the Word through preaching, the sacraments, and prayer are greatly needed, much of the focus has been on planting churches that adapt pop culture to meet “consumer demand.” In Planting, Watering,Growing, the authors of this collection of essays weave together theological wisdom, personal experiences, and practical suggestions, guiding readers through the foundations and methods of planting confessional churches that uphold the Word of God.

Editors Daniel R. Hyde and Shane Lems are the church planters and pastors of the Oceanside United Reformed Church in Carlsbad/Oceanside, California, and United Reformed Church of Sunnyside in Sunnyside, Washington.

Contributors Michael S. Horton, Brian Vos, Wes Bredenhof, Paul T. Murphy, Kim Riddlebarger, Kevin Efflandt, Michael G. Brown, Spencer Aalsburg, Eric Tuininga, Mitchell Persaud, Phil Grotenhuis

The Reformed churches confess a missional faith. We confess that God the Son came voluntarily and was sent (missio) by the Father to be the Redeemer and that He has, in turn, sent His church to proclaim the good news, to plant churches, to administer the sacraments and discipline. Few books on church planting and mission combine a passion for the glory of Christ, a heartfelt concern for the lost, and a commitment to the means of grace. This volume does just that and therefore is essential reading for those seeking to serve Christ’s mission Christ’s way. – R. Scott Clark, Professor of Church History and Historical Theology, Westminster Seminary California

When so many seek to plant and grow churches with slick marketing, demographics studies, and decaf cappuccinos, Hyde and Lems bring a robust, Christ-centered, and confessionally Reformed approach to church planting. Scripturally informed, confessionally sound, and practically minded, this book offers sage counsel for anyone interested in home missions and church planting. – J. V. Fesko, Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Westminster Seminary California

The twenty-first-century Western world is seen by many as having moved into a post-Christian era. The church is divided and declining and increasingly is becoming a despised and persecuted minority. However true that may be, there is another sense in which there has never been a century that is more like the first century than this one. In the days of the book of Acts, the culture was pluralistic and the church was all the things that it is today; yet never was there a time of greater gospel growth and of the church being more widely established within a single generation. That was a century of opportunity, and ours is too. The contributors to this volume on church planting in the twenty-first century see today’s world very much in the light of the world in which the apostles labored. Each one of them, directly or indirectly, has been involved in seeing new churches planted, and together they provide the church with a resource that makes us look with optimism and confidence at the opportunities we have to see Christ continue to build His church. They challenge the church of our day to lift its eyes and see a harvest that is there to be reaped. – Mark G. Johnston, Senior Pastor of Proclamation Presbyterian Church (PCA), Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania