Church Zero: Raising 1st Century Churches out of the Ashes of the 21st Century Church

by Peyton Jones

A radical call to reform, Church Zero is a punk-rock approach to the pressing issue of gaining ground as rapidly as the early church. With a fresh perspective forged in the dirty trenches of international post-Christian societies, Peyton Jones pulls no punches as he brings this message to the American Church: We have lost our way.


The church is losing ground fast: losing the generation under age 30 and drawing few nonbelievers toward Christ. Christ gave us a leadership model for commando outreach, and the church has ignored it for too long. Will we continue down the path of self-preservation, defending our stalled church structures? Or will we follow the blueprint Jesus lays out? 
Church Zero challenges readers to once again become a radical, dangerous people who cannot be ignored. It’s time to break out!

Genres: Church, Christian, Theology, Religion, Ebooks, Christianity, Nonfiction

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2013

About the author

Peyton Jones is a serial church planter. Meaning that if he plants a church, he'll probably strike again, and leave a trail of church plants in his wake. He likes to be called a Ninja-planter, because it sounds cooler. Like the apostle Paul, Peyton obtains his mission directives, strikes into an unsuspecting community with the gospel, then steals back into the shadows, until it's time to strike again.

A Huntington Beach, California native, Peyton went into ministry at 19 years old. He was intending to temporarily keep the seat warm while his mentor dealt with a family illness. Years later, Peyton was ordained, chucked his career as a psychiatric/drug rehab nurse, and embarked for 12 years to Wales, the most unchurched part of the UK, with less than 1% church attendance.

It was in the UK that Peyton began discovering the New Testament principles of church planting laid out in the book of Acts. Starting off as the Evangelist at Dr. D. M. Lloyd-Jones's legendary "Sandfields" church, Peyton assisted their launch of a church plant. After that, he became a evangelistic "preacher for hire" of sorts, called in for evangelism by Pastors. Paul's ministry jumped off the page at him, and New Breed Church Planting was formed. New Breed began a wave of church planting in unlikely places such as Starbucks coffee shops, ghettos, pubs, and surf hangs.

To this day, Peyton plants churches as a means to an end; to disciple, raise up, and equip a new breed of church planter, who will plant a new breed of church.

Peyton has lectured at various Universities, and is currently teaching courses on church planting at Calvary University. He received his MA Theology: Pastoral Studies in 2010 from W.E.S.T. in the UK. He lives in Southern California with his family.

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was so painful to get through that I did almost give up on it. I'm completely in agreement with the Church looking more like the 1st Century believers, and I am involved in a house gathering group myself and no longer attend an organized religious institution. So, I don't fault the author for the subject matter or the actual information provided. I had to rate this as only 2 stars though because the pop culture references were overwhelming and obnoxious. A reference to the A-Team or the Lord of the Rings here or there is fine to keep the reader engaged and to try and grab the attention of perhaps a 40-something audience, but there were a few sentences where the author references two or three different pop culture items in the same sentence. It got to be ridiculous and was distracting overall. And, if you weren't a child of the 80's, you're not going to understand a lot of the references. The book often pointed out that pastors aren't supposed to be "entertainers" yet the author didn't seem to take his own advice with this book and stick to the meat and leave out the fluff.

[Dr. David Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's one I almost missed - and I would have missed out big time! The cover looks emergent - not interested. The promo line reads something like this: "a punk-rock approach to the pressing issue of gaining ground as rapidly as the early church" - not interested. However, a quick scan in the acknowledgments caught my attention. One of the author's heroes is Martyn-Lloyd Jones. Now I'm interested. Then I learn that the author is a church planter in the U.K. Now I'm really interested. With family roots in the U.K. and a deep admiration for men like John Bunyan, John Owen, and C.H. Spurgeon, my heart has been saddened for many years to see the decline of the church in the land of my forefathers. Anyone who has a passion to reach these people for Christ has my attention!

Church Zero: Raising 1st Century Churches Out of the Ashes of the 21st Century Church by Peyton Jones is a warning to the church; it is a warning to stop playing church. Much like a fired-up football coach on the sidelines, Jones tosses the challenge flag and alerts the church to some dangers he sees; dangers that have plagued the church for quite some time. One danger is the propensity for pastors to build their own "personal empires." Scripture demands something altogether different, namely - the expansion of God's kingdom. The author confronts the typical model found in many mega church structures (and I would argue that this same mentality is smoldering in the hearts of many smaller churches as well):

1. Get more people

2. More people = more money

3. More money = more toys

4. More toys - more ways to get people

5. Get more people (rinse and repeat)

Some churches clean up this formula by exchanging "toys" for "tools." Now the model is "sanctified" so to speak. If the formula for success doesn't ring a bell, perhaps the formula for failure will:

"Fewer people = less money = fewer toys = less ability to get people, which equals less money again." Jones rightly argues, "Church can become a pastor's own personal tower of Babel in which he refuses to spread out and multiply to the glory of God. Babel teaches us that bigger is not always better."

Jones essentially argues that we need to stop quibbling over the meaning of the word "apostle" and get busy doing the work of apostles - which means church planting. He stands alongside Paul the apostle in pleading with churches to do the work of the ministry fully equipped with apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers.

The author maintains, "The pastor-only club is killing the leadership of the church. Guys are burning out, losing their families, sabotaging their marriages, or simply going back to selling used cars. It's time those of you in ministry got your life back." So Jones proceeds to unpack the essence and make-up of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers - each of which "pulls on the average believer to do something that he wouldn't normally be equipped or constrained to do." The takeaway is this: People must be mobilized for ministry. Part of that mobilization involves recognizing the giftedness in people and releasing them to minister to the flock and reach lost people.

Church Zero is earthy and even a bit crude at time - so was Martin Luther. This book will make some people mad - sometimes John Calvin upset people (sometimes he still upsets people!) Church Zero will convict - much like Spurgeon sermon. Some will question the approach and tone of the author. Some may even assign false motives. But at the end of the day, when all the chips have been played, readers will be thankful that Peyton Jones wrote this book. He asks the right questions and gives solid biblical answers. His heart for church planting is on every page. My hope is that God will use this book for his purposes and awaken a new breed of church planters who proclaim God's truth without apology and spark a new reformation in our generation; a reformation that is fueled by revival that is generated exclusively by the Holy Spirit.

Church Zero concludes with these stirring words: "Every church reformation has turned the tide of battle so that the church was charging through the barbed wire on the offensive, instead of hiding in foxholes on the defensive, praying that the shelling would stop ... All church reformers shared on thing in common with every man who has ever spilled hid blood on the field of battle; they valued victory for the cause more than their own lives ... I believe that the church's final hour will be its finest hour if it has the stomach for waging war to drive back the gates of hell."

www.baldreformer.wordpress.com

[Arthur O'dell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't be put off by the many pop culture references. The book is solidly Biblical, and it made me think through some questions that have been bothering me for a long time. First, it is far too easy to be the church we want to be rather than the church God calls us to be. Second, all of us in the church have gifts that need to he used for the mission; if all we do is sit in an auditorium once a week to listen to a band and hear a public speaker we have gotten way off track. This book is well worth reading for anyone who has a desire for God and wants to live in obedience to His Calling.

[Jeffrey Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great thoughts in this book! Some takeaways from the book are below:


The word apostle means “sent one,” which is the meaning of the word missionary.

The mega church can be useful, but it can also be a great hurdle to Kingdom expansion when it’s more concerned with bringing people in than it is sending them out.

Sadly, churches are in the numbers business because there is money to be made in numbers. As a result, they hang on to everyone and don’t worry about sending anyone out for Kingdom expansion.

Babel should teach us that bigger is not always better.

Judgment must begin at the house of God. If we want the church to change about Kingdom expansion, and the future to look different, then we must change.

People say they can’t find the term “church planting missionary” in the Bible, but that’s exactly the meaning of the word apostle.

We strive to be the modern day Spurgeon, Lloyd Jones, Wesley, or Whitefield, without worrying about what God wants.

Paul knew he could not do the work alone, he needed a team of people.

Paul would roll into a city, preach, train others, and exit for another place to repeat the same process. He worked himself out of a job.

Paul’s ministry method was “watch, do, train.” On the job training was (and is) the most effective way to prepare guys for ministry.

We spend too much time asking ourselves instead of asking for God‘s help to do the work.

You need God to show up! It’s not a coincidence that when you ask Him, He shows up more than when you do not ask Him.

[Mark Barnes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book -- partly because I know the author, and partly because like him I want to see the church stirred up and become more biblical.

In it, Peyton does three things. First, he argues for a particular understanding of church leadership in the New Testament. Second, he claims that the contemporary church has ignored this model for two long (with chapters like "Why Your Church Sucks"). Third, he finishes with a passionate call to put things right.

The book is bristling with pop-culture references, which you'll probably either love or hate. In the first chapter we're told, "the post-Christian mind-set... [was] swallowing churches alive... like the mightly Sarlacc pit's digestive juices slowing eroding Boba Fett's Mandalorian body armor". Wikipedia had to come to my rescue for that (something to do with Star Wars, apparently).

The final third of the book is undoubtedly the best. I found myself carried along by Peyton's passion for church planting, despite all the hardships it can entail. His emphasis on the need for the Spirit's help is much-needed, and refreshing. Take this as an example: "The wind can't be tamed; it blows where it pleases. But I'll tell you where it pleases. Anywhere somebody is yearning to glorify Christ and step out in faith will find the roaring wind of the Holy Spirit at his or her back." Amen to that!

But unfortunately there are deep problems with the main part of the book. One problem is theological, the other is more about the book's character.

Let's deal with the theology first. Peyton's main argument is that the office of apostle is one that was present in the first century, but is missing today. It's this lack (together with a lack of prophets and evangelists) that is causing much of the problems in the contemporary church. Peyton makes clear that he's talking about apostles with a small `a' -- "a lesser group of church planters who served under Paul". And he's right to point out that Bible does describe many such people as apostoloi. He argues that today we won't have apostles like James and Peter, but we should have small `a' apostles like Titus, Barnabas, Apollos and so on, and that church-planters are these modern-day apostles. So far, so good.

But where does Paul fit into this? According to Peyton, "Paul was not one of the Twelve, but he was a kind of link between the twelve apostles who were there from the beginning and those who would take his place". Perhaps that's the case, perhaps not. But it certainly is clear from the NT that Paul was closer in authority and qualifications to the Twelve than he was to the small `a' apostles. Yet in Church Zero it's not the small `a' apostles that become the model for a modern-day church planter, it's Paul. He gets mentioned nearly 200 times in the book, nearly three times more than all the small `a' apostles put together. That's a big problem if you believe that Paul's role in the church was foundational and meant to be a model for today. And if you're someone who believes the small `a' apostles are to be a model, you'll surely be disappointed that Paul steals all their thunder.

Equally problematic is the lack of discussion as to who it was who sent the small `a' apostles. Peyton says they were "sent out by Jesus", but these small `a' apostles were not sent out directly by Jesus in the way that the twelve were. When we do find reference to their sending, we find they were sent by the church or by Paul (see particularly Acts 11:22 "they sent Barnabas to Antioch", and Philippians 2:19-29, but also Acts 15:22, 27, 17:10, 19:22, 1 Corinthians 4:17, and 1 Thessalonians 3:2). Indeed, it could be argued that the difference between the twelve and the small `a' apostles is that the twelve were directly commissioned by Jesus (as was Paul, of course), whereas the small `a' apostles were commissioned by the church. Peyton's right to say we should be looking for small `a' apostles today, but he's missed the New Testament's emphasis by not adding that they should be sent out and commissioned by the church.

That leads me onto my second, even deeper concern - the character of the book. Peyton says he loves the church, and I believe him, but he's got a strange way of showing it. Early on, he tells us that "the church inchworms pathetically on its mission like a fat little grub". As one Amazon reviewer said, "men usually don't take kindly to that kind of talk about their wives, even if the old lady is fat and not what she once was. It's still the Groom's bride -- show respect, dude."

It's not just the church that faces such heavy-handed criticism. Those who serve in seminaries are "brain-heavy, pasty-white, [and] book-nosed... more wired for holding ground than taking it". Pastors have a "comfortable lifestyle" and refuse to understand the Bible's teaching on church leadership because "it is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it". I know many seminarians, and many pastors, and this description fits none of them. They have their faults certainly, but they are as committed to gospel-advancement as any church-planter I know, including Peyton himself.

Church Zero then, is deeply flawed. It's passionate and edgy, and its aim of continuing to reform the church is the right one. But it's built on too shaky a theology to be truly reforming, and even worse, it slanders both the bride of Christ and the gifts he gave her. It's not a book that will win friends, and it will ultimately end up preaching only to the choir -- albeit a punk rock choir.

[Micaela Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent for anyone who sits in church and thinks, "There has to be something more." You, of course, are right and Peyton Jones provides insight into what that "more" is. A self-proclaimed nerd, this man has not had an easy life, but when given the opportunity between a comfy megachurch pastoral job and a life on mission, the Holy Spirit doesn't give him much of an option. If you have read his other book, "Raiders of the Lost Art" you will notice that the beginnings are very similar, but once you pass the introduction, the two books vary greatly.
Pick up this book, sit up, and prepare for the Holy Spirit to come into your life and change how you see the world.

[Josephine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A timely and challenging read for me. Didn't enjoy the references made to pop culture - a lot of them I didn't really get or think necessary for delivering the message effectively. I think this is however, reflective of the authors personality so can't criticize too harshly. I liked the second half of the book where he delves into what an effective church could look like, using gifts, participation etc. Overall, this book gave me lots to think about and articulated many areas that I have been struggling with over the state of the modern church.

[Brandon Woodruff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please Just Read This

I could write a really long review, but I won't. This is one of the most important pieces of content that I have ever consumed. If you're a Christian, read this. It will change the way you think. If you're not, read it anyway. It will at the very least make you think!

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though he sells his belief a little hard, I enjoyed this fresh perspective on church reform. Though I disagreed with some of his points and sometimes found his "voice" annoying there was a lot of good take away. Definitely has a genuine passion for the gospel and for revival in the church! Encouraging read!

[Brad Poel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relevant read on what the modern church should look like, with a writing style and pop culture references that keep you engaged!

Relevant read on what the modern church should look like, with an edgy, humorous writing style and film/music/pop culture references that keep you engaged and challenged.

[John Massey]

Probably, along with Francis Chan's "Forgotten God", the most important book I've read in this century. Once I came to grips with the annoyingly frequent use of pop-culture references, the content became so clearly the practical application of Platt's "Radical" in America.

[Nick Tarter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible

This is the best book I've read yet on the five fold ministry gifts. It's biblical and practical. Every church planter and leader should read and heed this timely word.

[Milton Louie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A call to do church differently. A reminder to rely on the Holy Spirit. B

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

I absolutely love love love this book! It’s like someone wrote exactly what is on my mind and heart! So thankful!

[Michael Mcroberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encouraged

I feel encouraged and empowered to press forward and now have some insight into how to proceed with discipling and growing God's kingdom.

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peyton Jones in his new book, “Church Zero” published by David C. Cook shows us Raising 1st Century Churches out of the Ashes of the 21st Century Church.

From the Back Cover: It’s Time to start over from zero.

What happened to the Western Church? When did we stop being radical, dangerous, and impossible to ignore? Why are we losing the generation under 30 and reaching so few nonbelievers?

In Church Zero, Peyton Jones says one of our big problems is this: we squeeze our leaders into a mold that cuts their hair and drains away their commando strength.

Scripture lays out a leadership model that worked explosively in the first century—but frankly, we’re scared of it. We don’t have to be. When properly understood, Christ’s model can help your church live the way the body was meant to live, truly making a difference in your community. Church Zero gives the blueprints for how the Western Church might start rebuilding from the ground up if a pipe bomb were placed underneath all of our church structures overnight. What would tomorrow look like if we had to restart from a biblical ground zero?

Church Zero will help us once again become a radical, dangerous people who cannot be ignored. It’s time to break out of the matrix.

I do not have a problem with what we now call mega-churches. I guess sometimes it is easier to go and fit in with a large crowd. However we need the smaller churches to meet the needs of the individuals and we need the Pastors to shepherd them. However there are not enough churches! When I was growing up there was practically a church every few blocks. Now you need to travel to find a church. To get churches planted we need planters or what Paul called apostles. In eleven chapters Mr. Jones goes into the problem and the solution on how we should get the new church planted. He addresses the need and provides solutions. I believe this book is for everybody whether or not you will be a church planter. You see once the new church is planted someone has to bring the unchurched to church and if you understand what is going on in your new home you will be more equipped to help out.

You can find “Church Zero” at a discount at http://www.deepershopping.com/item/jo...

If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.

To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from David C. Cook for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Starla Gooch · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Church Zero, Peyton Jones explores the world of church planting from a biblical perspective. The first few chapters are spent digging into the understanding of the word "apostle" in the 1st century. Jones distinguishes between the big-A "Apostles" and lowercase-a "apostles", explaining that Apostles were the men who were personally discipled by Jesus while "apostles" are the God-given role of church planters in the church. Several chapters are designated to defining the roles of pastors, prophets, apostles, teachers, and evangelists, which are often referred to as the five-fold ministry but Jones calls FIST leaders (think of a hand with five fingers, which when all connected makes a powerful fist). Jones spends his final chapters advocating for the importance of the church, the way it needs to be active in our world, and how we can be a part of making the church fulfill its purpose in this world.

From the onset of this book, I had never thought of the apostles as church planters before. But now as we're see a large church planting movement arising in America, connecting this role to the early church makes a lot of sense and is really fitting. Jones does well in his exegesis of Scripture while keeping it connected to theology and practical ministry. I extremely appreciate Jones' positive view of the church. As a staff pastor leading several ministries, this book was encouraging to my heart and gave me some creative ideas for helping to make my church and ministries healthy by helping to get people plugged into the right places. I especially appreciated Jones' chapter on gifts-based ministry.

The only disappointment I have with Jones' writings is that every reference he had to FIST leaders was masculine. Even though he mentioned Huldah and Deborah as prophets, he never considered in any other portion that women could still be prophets--or any other type of FIST leader--today. There was one reference to Priscilla working alongside her husband to teach women, but that was it. Also, as a Pentecostal, Jones seemed to portray a somewhat negative view of the pentecostal/charismatic tradition and practices. This was not blatant or alarming, but enough to make me stop and have to say "mmm...bummer." Jones seems to come from a reformed tradition, though he does well with branching out and discussing historic figures from other traditions as well, such as John Wesley.

Overall, I thank Peyton Jones for writing this book. It affirmed that I am not called to be a church planter--ha!--but gave me a better understanding for those who are called to it, as well as affirming some of the gifts that God has placed in me as a FIST leader. I rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from David C. Cook through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

[Andrew Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book messed me up. Actually it is messing me up more and more each day as I mull over the implications of this revolutionary book. Peyton Jones has gave words to many frustrations I have had and was unable to articulate. He has also laid down a biblical solution to fix the issues that plague the church. I have been witness to pastors whose only ambition was job security. This ambition does not build the kingdom of God.

I first received this book last year in July as a free Kindle download (sorry Peyton). He initially lost me in the first chapters. I thought this book was about restoring the New Testament church. What's all this talk about apostles? I put the book down until just last month. I am certainly glad I picked it back up. I am certain it was God who had me pick the book up calling me to plant a church within the next two years.

I now understand the focus of apostle in the first chapters. He says, "If we ignore the biblical roles Christ gave us to accomplish the mission, then our structure will be wrong. If the structure is wrong, then the functionality will be limited. If the functionality is limited, then our mission will be compromised. If our mission is compromised, we won't be as effective as Jesus intended." The work of the Apostles and the apostles in the Bible are foundational to the structure that Christ has given us in Scripture.

I would recommend this book to every church planter out there. Here is a book highlighting the foundation of church planting and church growth as given to us by Jesus. I would also recommend this book to current church pastors and leaders. It gives a rallying cry for churches to become sending churches and challenges the current paradigm of church being a one man show. Lay people should also read this book and challenge their leaders to review the biblical model given to us by Jesus himself. They should be encouraged to give towards church planting and to supporting church planting teams.

Just today I have bought two paper copies of the book (cha-ching-cha-ching). One for my wife and one for a friend I am encouraging to become a church planter. I anticipate buying more books in the future in order to give to my church planting team and sending churches.

[Lane Corley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book with a raw, refreshing, kingdom centered approach to church leadership & church planting. Peyton Jones speaks plainly about business as usual & CEO approaches that have turned the movement of Jesus into an enterprise. Also, gives great instruction to returning to Ephesians 4:11-12 leadership – Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, Teachers – describing the roles of each with how they function together. Adding this one to my Church Planting Bibliography.

A few quotes:

- Shame on the church planter who is church planting simply because nobody will give him a church of his own! Equal shame, however, is also due to the pastor who is afraid to lose people because he needs their money for fuel to keep the machine running.
- Church planting is essentially bringing the unique gospel community presence of Jesus Christ into the midst of a surrounding non-gospel community.
- Jesus was an army of one… You’re not.
- church planting is less Field of Dreams & more True Grit.
the Western church today is obsessed with size, the first-century church was obsessed with reach, & that made all the difference.
- The church’s command from Jesus was not to “hold till I return” but to “secure the beachhead” of every distant shore.
- The focus shouldn’t be cramming more people into churches, but seeing more people rescued from the tyranny of Satan, sin, & self. If that means merging churches, halving churches, or helping other churches, then we’d gladly do it to see people rescued…
- church planting is not a spectator sport. It’s a full contact sporting event. You’re going to sweat. It’s going to hurt. You’re going to get muddy.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

My wife and I starting going to church near where we live in Long Beach about 2 monhts ago. This is one of the pastors there. Great person, excellent sermons. I've had the priviledge I think of meeting a luminary who unbeknownst to me until I had a chance to sit down and talk with him is a serial church planter. Not only that but a very serious historian, certainly of scripture but also of other history. I just got his new book, started reading it last night and am thoroughly enjoying it.
*****

Finished this book a few days ago. I immensely enjoyed the concept and prose. Peyton Jones is certainly on to something to get the younger generation back to church, which is to revive the 1st Century church methodology. To essentially build an empire, not a kindgdom by getting out there and reaching the masses, by spreading the word of Jesus in person and changing lives in the process by the word of God. It is a revocation of the present mega-churches who are losing the masses to their nonsense and greed. It is a call to arms to get Americans who only 18 million of us 310 million presently attend church, back to church and how this can be accomplished. A much important message delivered, powerfully presented. Amen Peyton, I have been touched by this book.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I´ve been in ministry for almost 20 years in a variety of positions, and yet, never truly fit in. I always felt like a round peg in a square hole. I stepped out of ministry five years ago and said I was done. While I was passionate about Jesus and reaching the lost, I was disillusioned by the ministry machine. And then, I found Church Zero, and I felt like my eyes were completely opened. This book explains why so many ministers like myself feel like we belong on the island of misfits. I now have a better understanding of what my true calling and role is in ministry, and how my gift plays into God´s original design for the church (not the pastor-led American version of church dynamics.) I am pursuing full time ministry again, but this time my eyes are opened to see church, evangelism, and my gift in apostleship in a whole new way. I highly recommend this book for EVERY church leader. And I believe it´s essential for every pastor in America to read as well. It´s time we stop hiding the offices of the prophet and the apostle because we don´t understand their function. It´s time America stops being spiritually anemic. Again, wonderful book!

[Rebecca LuElla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book, directed mostly at pastors. It was filled with references to pop culture so that might be off-putting to some, but to others it adds a layer of understanding to what Mr. Jones is saying.

The main point is spot on. My only disagreement is that God isn't limited the Church's mistakes. Hence, the idea that apostles is an office that has ceased, didn't stop God from raising up missionaries or para-church organizations that do the work which the early apostles did.

What I like most about the book is the emphasis on church planting as something different from pew shuffling. New church plants should bring in the unchurched the same way new overseas missionary endeavors do.

[Dominick · Rating 1 out of 5]

tried to hard with "relevant" language and allegories and such. it was actually distracting.

[Richard Fitzgerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some excellent ideas in this book, but the author communicates profanely. I continued to fight with the desire to stop reading because the character of the author seemed questionable. I could not be in a church with this author as a leader because I would question his faith because of his crude manner of communication.

[CalebA · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just like the church is loosing under 30yr olds, this book is loosing me...

Over 80% Movie and TV References. So much so I couldn't find the real material, and I'm a Millennial. I would have liked more scripture, and less analogies. Sorry, I wish I could have shared some great insights on this book, but I didn't learn much to share. I was really excited about this topic and was very anxious to learn more.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally really enjoyed this book and found it a real challenge in the way I view the church. It is set out to really look at the acts 2 church and growth in the early church and see were we have lost the way! this book really resonated with me and found this a real inspiration + personal challenge!

as mentioned before it does have a huge amount of pop culture references while I really connected with some of these the amount became a little too much.

[Jeremy Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read 30% of the book then skimmed the rest because although the author was mostly biblical there is really nothing for me to learn from this book. In addition, the illustrations from 80's movies and cartoons were cute at the beginning but quickly became annoying. Find another book if you're interested in church planting.

[Honey · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have largely lost this 5-fold-ministry approach that was so effective in the early church. Also the press-onward approach. This book stirred me. I especially liked the chapter that explained the 5 ministry roles.

[Laura Coulter · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a timely read. I don't know if I agree with everything in here, but Jones has some motivating, biblically-based, radical things to say about church planting and American Christianity. And he's hilarious.

[Rick Robie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has really changed my approach to ministry. Several times I found myself agreeing with several comments and asking myself some very tough questions. I want to be apart of the type of ministry Peyton Jones describes in Church Zero in fact I long for it.