Church Planting

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.

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 ...

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...

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 ...

The Word ‘tsumi’: A Japanese Problem in Translating and Understanding. (Series. Bridges ‘Me a criminal? No way!’ This shocking reply is at the core of this unique book—unique, because there is no other English book on the subject of tsumi , and its alternates and its unfortunate meaning of criminally guilty in Japanese. Unfortunately, it does not encompass the meaning of sin against God. Four hundred years have passed, and this deplorable translation is still used in Japanese churches today. These are some of the topics that are covered in this informative book: How Japanese ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Hundreds of church leaders today are ignorant of the power of the flesh in their lives. In our day the false teaching that people are not sinners by nature has returned to the church in force. This has had a profound impact on believers, blinding them to the flesh still resident within them and weakening them in their battle against the ongoing sin nature. Thus many fall short of the victory God intends His people to have. God intends us to have victory over the flesh—but we must first recognize the enemy lurking within us. May God give leaders of His church the wisdom and tenacity to ...

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, ...

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 ...

Don’t Try to Ride the Wave of 20th-Century Ministry Leaders, are you called to a place where Jesus’ name is most often spouted as a curse word? Because in the 21st-century, the culture is shifting. The “easy places” are increasingly post-Christian—even pre-Christian. If you want to minister successfully right now, you must: • Learn the mind-shifts necessary to make disciples in the world as it exists today • Rethink outmoded ideas of funding, metrics, and team-building • Find out how to model a faith community that’s relevant to the needs of the culture where God’s ...

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.

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 ...

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.

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’ ...

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 2 in a series of Kindle books, ...