Planting Churches that Plant Churches

Steve Timmis is on a mission. For all that church planting has become part of the vocabulary and practice of contemporary evangelicalism, for all that it has become ‘on trend’, he’s not yet convinced we see it as an absolute necessity. Hence, the arrival of Multiplying Churches: Exploring God’s Mission Strategy, a collection of ten short chapters from different authors, including Matt Chandler, Tim Chester, Henri Blocher, edited together by Timmis.

For evidence of this arguable reluctance, Timmis suggests “you only have to look at the number of churches that don’t plant,” or the fact that often it’s not the experienced church leaders who go with the plant. Now, given Timmis is Executive Director of the Acts 29 Network, which exists to “encourage, resource, facilitate, support and equip churches to plant churches that will plant church-planting churches,” it should be no surprise that this book is an unashamed advocate for that vision. And yet for all that you’re unlikely to be caught unawares by this insistence, you can’t help but be gripped by the authors’ passion for the task and challenge of church planting.

More Than Plaid Shirts and Fresh Fonts

As a couple of the writers express, there is a concern that the recent resurgence of planting has sometimes been theologically-light, and I think being aware of that helps one understand the vision behind Multiplying Churches. Because the book is much more about trying to address that perceived lack of substance, than it is about being the ‘How to’ guide to church planting that perhaps some readers might expect. For example, Tim Chester charts a rich biblical theology of light and darkness, before coming into land by showing how this Scriptural narrative provides a vision for planting as creating communities of light at “street level,” in itself a brilliantly inspiring phrase. Similarly, I was surprised to find theological heavyweight Henri Blocher had authored one of the chapters, but actually his reflection on how the opening chapters of Genesis give us a fruitful backdrop for considering planting that will stretch and stimulate.

Acts 29 President Matt Chandler contributes a couple of chapters, including a realistic and honest consideration of ‘Motive’, which I found personally really helpful. One Mokgatle, who is the lead planter of Rooted Fellowship in Pretoria, SA, presents a stirring and rooted argument for culture-transcending church planting. Ruth Woodrow shares her experience of women’s ministry within her church plant, including their efforts to love and reach Muslim women with the gospel. Reuben Hunter gives a wise exposition of 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. Steve Timmis also throws in a chapter explaining why Acts 29 has a complementarianism theology of gender as a “foundational” conviction. Some may feel this is a bit of a gear shift in a book on church planting, but Timmis sketches out why he believes that actually it “displays something vital, true and pertinent about God.”

We Can’t Do Mission Without Planting Churches

In 2000 Timmis edited a similar collection of essays, also called Multiplying Churches, which was really a call for the UK church to take planting seriously at a time when it had a lot less presence in the Christian ether than it does now. Now in 2017, this is a whole new book, but that aim still remains: to encourage church planting as a mission strategy. The difference is perhaps the emphasis, born out of the experience of the last seventeen years: planting needs to be the on-going life-cycle for churches (‘planting churches that plant churches’) and it needs to be shaped by theological rigour rather than pragmatism. That said, although I can understand the reasoning behind this accent to the book, I still felt that a few more stories or examples wouldn’t go amiss to ground things and inspire. For me, it has often been hearing a church’s story that helps me imagine what might be possible in my own situation.

Ultimately this book flows out of a high view of the local church. As Timmis says, we shouldn’t talk about gospel growth, or mission, or evangelism, without talking about planting churches, for “churches are the result and the means of mission”. To use another image from the book, the way to defeat the darkness is to light more candles. To quote Tim Chester, to plant churches is to “litter the world with little communities of light so that neighbourhoods, regions, and countries burst into light.”

The short essay format of Multiplying Churches means it will offer those involved or considering planting a rich platter of inspiration that manages to be substantial without being overly dense, whilst its range of authors mean it is broad in its focus, brimming with wisdom, without lacking coherence.

You can pick up Multiplying Churches: Exploring God’s Mission Strategy from the publisher here, and why not watch Steve explaining the vision behind the book:

Disclaimer: The publisher sent me a free copy of this book, but I hope it is still a fair review.

Raising Teens in a Hyper-Sexualised World is an espresso shot of grounded wisdom for Christian parents as they navigate how they might care and guide their children through the teenage years, particularly in a world where nearly everything has become sexualised.

Author Eliza Huie is a parent and Christian counsellor, and says her aim is to help parents engage more effectively with their teens on this topic. In particular, her concern is that sometimes children seem to be left to navigate this pervasive minefield alone, or alternatively parents simply engage with the subject too late. Instead she argues for a parent-teenager relationship that values continual communication rather than detachment, and models grace and forgiveness rather than simply prescribing correct behaviour.

The book is framed around seven ‘tips’ (or you might say ‘warnings’, given that each one is actually a  negative recommendation): for example, ‘Don’t Overreact’ or ‘Don’t Disconnect’. As Eliza acknowledges, the chances are that if you’re a Christian parent to teenagers, you inevitably will have done these things! But her intention is not to cause despair at our failings, but to help parents learn to gradually develop a parenting culture that is increasingly alert to the pitfalls she flags up.

By the way, this book isn’t seeking to persuade you of the Bible’s understanding of sexuality, nor is it fleshing out how a Christian worldview engages with the culture(s) around us on this subject. Instead, Eliza is essentially seeking to help parents take their unique role and responsibility by the horns and to actually talk with their teenagers about the issue of sexuality. Of course, for some parents, that will already be their intention (even if in practice it’s harder than it sounds), whereas for others it may not be on their radar. For those in the latter category, this is a vital primer – even if it isn’t providing a comprehensive Christian perspective on sexuality. For those in the former category, this book is still likely to expose areas we haven’t considered and where perhaps the tone of our parenting could change.

Anecdotally, it seems parents can often grieve their child’s transition to the teenage years, and here I felt Eliza was especially helpful in highlighting the way our parenting needs to intentionally engage with these changes. For example, she encourages parents to see their role as shifting from being an authority to a positive influence. In that sense, the focus of the book is not so much on the teenager but on the posture of the parent. Parents are to walk with their children, rather than simply giving directives and ruling from a position over them; parents are to listen more and to talk less, and so “gain a greater voice into [their teenager’s] heart.”

10publishing have produced a number of short books that still pack a considerable punch, and at just 36-pages this is a prime example. It’s a quick but very stimulating read. It’s certainly not trying to be a one-stop manual for Christian parenting, and it assumes you’re already persuaded of Christian teaching on sexuality, but it will undoubtedly encourage you not to neglect the precious and privileged role of being a parent at an age where many may feel hesitant and default to ‘hands off’.

You can pick up the book from the publisher here for only £2.99.

Disclaimer: The publisher has sent me a free copy of this book, but I hope this is still a fair and honest review.

One of the children’s songs I remember best from growing up has the line, “He’s got the whole world in his hands”. But sometimes the stark reality of life going on around us can make us question whether that’s really true. Whether it’s some disaster or crisis happening in the world ‘out there’, or a personal tragedy closer to home, we can begin to question whether God is really good – or whether he’s actually in control. 

And so I think it’s great that pastor & writer Christopher Ash has written a new book, Where Was God When That Happened?, engaging with some of these issues. It comes in The Good Book Company’s bitesize Questions Christians Ask series, and Christopher kindly took the time to answer a few questions about relating to God – and to each other – when events  make us question God’s grip on the world.

First-off, for those who don’t know you Christopher, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

God kindly enabled me to hear and respond to the gospel as a teenager, while in the sixth form at school. I was shaped by excellent nurture in Christian summer camps (what is now Titus Trust) and then learned practical ministry as a teacher in two secondary schools before training to be a pastor. I am married to Carolyn and we have been entrusted with three sons and a daughter, all now grown up, and three grandchildren. After serving as an Assistant Minister in Cambridge and leading a small church plant, I was responsible for the Proclamation Trust’s Cornhill Training Course in London from 2004-2015. Carolyn and I are now back in Cambridge, where I am self-employed as “Writer in Residence” at Tyndale House and “Ministry Trainer” at St.Andrew the Great church. I enjoy playing tennis and don’t so much enjoy supporting Swansea City F.C. (this season so far!).

The book is about a subject that could be very personal, as well as one that’s inevitably theological too. What led you to write this book?

It is not that I have experienced any great suffering, but rather that, in Christian pastoral work, you are so often alongside brothers and sisters who are going through tough times. I have had some myself, though pretty mild by comparison to others. Studying, preaching, and writing about the book of Job (Job: the Wisdom of the Cross and Out of the Storm) have helped me grapple with these deep questions both theologically and experientially.

In your experience, what stops us as Christians from believing God is really in control?

Well, we believe it in theory. We tick the “I believe God is in control” box. But when we are blind-sided by some shock, we forget what we believe. The suffering, disappointment, trauma, or distress numb our feelings and confuse our thoughts, so that our emotions are in such turmoil that what we know gets archived into some backwater of our consciousness. At least, that is what I find. It is pathetic really, but I may not be alone.

How can we learn to trust God more in the midst of situations that seem awful and contrary to life as it was created to be?

I think we need one another in this, as in so much of the Christian life. Although I ought to preach the truth to myself, I find I need brothers and sisters gently to tell me, remind me of what I already know in theory. And I should learn to do this with others. We need a brother or sister to come alongside us, pray for us, listen to us, be patient with us and gently turn our gaze from the destructive inwardness of self-pity into the faith-building focus on the promises of God.

What would you say to someone who feels like they can’t begin to grasp how God being in control of a horrific situation could ever come out well for God, or be something to celebrate?

I might not say anything much to start with, but I hope I would listen and pray. But what I want to say is this: don’t worry about grasping it, let alone celebrating it; it’s true whether or not you grasp it. Your security in the love of God does not depend on your grasping it; God the Father loves you with an unchanging love in Christ (and your or my erratic or even desperate feelings cannot change that). The time will come – most likely at the end of time – when we will freely and gladly celebrate; but let’s not worry too much about that now. Otherwise feeling we ought to understand and celebrate becomes just another burden to bear.

What advice would you give to those seeking to be faithful friends to those who are facing tragedy?

Be patient, be practical, be kind. Don’t pretend you understand their suffering, let alone why God has done it. Reassure them of the goodness and love of God in the Lord Jesus. Point them to the Cross. Above all, love them and let them know that you love them.

Lastly, did anything surprise you about writing this book?

I think the need for patience. Maybe I expected the bible answers, and in a way I think I have found and summarized them. But the whole thing of time – God’s instrument to work patient perseverance in us. In a hurried culture, I think that surprised me and corrected my hurry.

Thanks for asking me. I hope my reflections will prove helpful to someone.

Christopher, thank you very much for your time – both in sharing your reflections here, and in writing this book.

You can pick up a copy of Where Was God When That Happened? from the publisher here. At £3.31, it’s a bargain – and you can pick up ten for less than £3 each.