Why I Still Believe in Church Planting

by Ed Stetzer

I believe in church planting. More to the point for this book, I believe in church planters.

I’ve started several churches and am planting another at the time of this writing, but it’s the fact that I’ve trained planters that gets me most excited.

My first pastoral role was starting a church. My first book was on church planting. I wrote my PhD dissertation on the subject. My first seminary job was teaching church planting.

Some might say I’m obsessed. But I will say I am convinced. I am convinced that church planting is, and will always remain, a key part in the advancement of the kingdom of God.

Which brings me to you, my reader and, perhaps, a church planter like me. God bless you and your work. You’re headed into the adventure of a lifetime, and I pray this book helps. And, if experience is the great teacher, it will. This book is jam packed with wisdom, insights, and ideas from people as passionate about church planting as I am.

Since the book’s previous publication, much has changed in church planting. I have tried to respect that here. Sources range from people who’ve studied the subject to people who’ve learned by doing and were willing to share their blunders as well as their successes. And what I couldn’t t into the volume you’re holding spills onto NewChurches.com/PMC, which includes additional resources to help you in church planting and multiplication.

Between the book and the website, you have a toolbox of much more than you’ll need. And that’s the point. Because, as you’ll soon see, there’s no magic formula. (If there were, this would be a really thin book!)

I’ve written this book three times. Well, not all of it but lots of it. Each time I’ve thanked people because each time it was a team effort but never as much as it is now. So this time I have a coauthor, Daniel Im, who is in charge of church planting, multisite, and all things church multiplication for LifeWay. It’s also his vision, strategy, and leadership to resource church multipliers, like you, that you will see and experience at www.NewChurches.com. He loves the church and is a pastor at heart while also being obsessed with leadership development and church multiplication. Before coming to LifeWay, he served and pastored in church plants and multisite churches ranging from 100 to 50,000 people in Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, Korea, and Edmonton. So not only does he bring his Korean-Canadian background into this book, but he also brings a unique and global perspective to the table. You’ll enjoy his stories and the new chapters he’s written for this book.

Daniel and I have chosen to write the book in the format of the earlier books, written in first person and in my voice. But Daniel’s contribution is evident and extensive and was key to the book’s new content and completion.

At the end of the day, our prayer is that in this book we’re giving you tools to help you be effective in church planting so that, whether you’re planting in a small community in Maine, downtown Sydney, French-speaking Montreal, or a café in Amsterdam, you are able to plant a church that glorifies Jesus, reaches people who do not know Christ, and multiplies itself over and over again.

For a free sample and 30 bonus resources, visit www.newchurches.com/PMC.

The video below offers a good introduction to the book and what it’s all about.