Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods

by Mark Driscoll, Gerry Breshears

Defines a biblical church as one that properly balances the eternal truths of Scripture with timely, relevant methods designed to engage the culture. The book in the popular series picks up where Vintage Jesus leaves off, beginning with a focus on the person and work of Jesus and then exploring the confessional, experiential, and missional aspects of his church. This study grows out of the vintage concept of taking timeless truths from Scripture-truths about church leadership, preaching, baptism, communion, and more-and blending them with aspects of contemporary culture, such as multi-campus churches and the latest forms of technology, to reach people with the gospel. While Vintage Church is helpful for pastors and church leaders, it is the kind of book you could hand to someone who has questions about ecclesiology but finds the very term ecclesiology intimidating. The authors put forth twelve practical questions about church doctrine and answer them in clear, biblical language that lay people and new believers can understand.

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

336 pages, Hardcover

First published December 23, 2008

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Mark A. Driscoll is the founder and teaching pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, as well as the co-founder of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network where he also served as President for a short period. Driscoll continues to serve on the board of Acts 29. He has contributed to the "Faith and Values" section of the Seattle Times and the "On Faith" section of the Washington Post.

Reviews

[Philip Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The importance of the cross to the church is that apart from Jesus' death on it in our place for our sins, the church does not exist and has no good news to tell. Unless our sin is taken away, our new life as God's people cannot begin. It cannot be overemphasized that where the cross of Jesus is not exalted and proclaimed as the central act in all of history and in our own redemption, the church is not present. Spiritually speaking, the church is the community of people who gather around the cross of Jesus to humbly repent of sin, trust in him, sing his praises, and follow his example."

Stellar book from Driscoll filled with good theological insights and really valuable methodical ideas on the local church. The chapters on missional approaches, love, and preaching were worth the price of the book. Did not agree with him on multisite. This book is well worth your time, and I plan on returning. Excellent counterpart to Vintage Jesus.

Yes, I have heard the podcast.

[Phil Whittall · Rating 2 out of 5]

"What is the church? If you repeat the historic belief in 'one holy catholic Church' what is it exactly that you are affirming? Mark Driscoll believes that not enough people, leaders included, know how to answer that question well.

Driscoll was baptised and brought up in the Roman Catholic church before coming to faith in Christ as a teenager. While in his mid-twenties he planted Mars Hill Church Seattle, now one of the largest and fastest growing in America, and he has become one of the leading voices in what has become known as the 'new Calvinism.' His earthy, blunt approach to preaching and leadership, frank talking about sex, calls for men to be men and his willingness to wade mouth first into controversy have gained him followers and critics in almost equal measure.

In Vintage Church the authors argue that the substance of the church must remain orthodox faith while ensuring the style of church is relevant to the time and place the church is in. This position is clearly contrasted with liberal and emergent churches that have rewritten what the church believes or equally others that have failed to remain relevant to their culture.

The opening chapter deals with 'what is a Christian?' and declares salvation to be 'by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone' and the centrality of penal substitution is defended while at the same time other views of the cross are warmly affirmed. The heart of the book lies with his views on eight characteristics of a biblical church: regenerated church membership, qualified leadership, preaching and worship, rightly administered sacraments, spirit unity, holiness, the great commandment to love and the great commandment to evangelise and make disciples. Each chapter is written by Driscoll and is followed by short answers to common questions on the topic penned by co-author Gerry Breshears.

The 'timeless truths' that Driscoll defends include a men-only view of senior church leadership, believers baptism, the centrality of the sermon and preaching and a better understanding of church discipline. The 'timely methods' he advocates are a clearer view of what it means to be missional, a smarter use of technology, a strategic focus on cities, a generous approach to funding church plants, an investment in compassion ministries and a stronger understanding of how we can see our culture transformed by the gospel.

On the whole the book is much more open handed and generous to differing approaches to church than you might assume but every now and then this helpful approach is undermined by shots fired across the church barricades. For example in the chapter on church unity, the authors make a really helpful attempt to distinguish between issues to 'die for' (like the resurrection) and issues to 'divide for', debate for' or 'decide for.' Differences on gender roles may have been put in the 'divide for' category but in other places in the book it definitely feels as if it should have been in the 'die for' category.

My one other main complaint is that I thought the book should be called, 'Vintage Mars Hill: Time to follow our lead' because it is so clearly a manifesto that explains how and why they do church in the way they do. As a result the breadth and diversity of expressions of the global church narrows down to this one very particular expression of it. So if you want to do church and lead the way Mark Driscoll does it, then this is the book for you.

If you don't want your church to go down that route, there are still plenty of excellent reasons why you should read this book. There are helpful insights and into preaching, cultural transformation and multi-campus churches and mission. The chapters on church unity and church discipline effectively challenge a consumer approach to church that fails to take discipleship or personal holiness seriously while doing its best to safeguard against spiritual abuse which is not an easy line to get right. There is a pastoral heart to the book that desires people to be mature in Christ that is very much in evidence. Most helpfully every chapter has countless footnotes referencing sources and Scripture making it easy to check his working out as well as his answers.

The answers that Mark Driscoll articulates in Vintage Church clearly aren't going to be to everyone's liking, however he makes his case in a straight forward and forthright style aimed at equipping church leaders to think clearly, lead clearly and teach their people clearly about what a church is and what it means to be a part of one. That is a good goal and one that in many ways this book may well succeed in achieving."

[Tom Bazan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vintage Church is part of Driscoll and Breshears' Re:Lit group of books. Similar to Vintage Jesus, this has a bit of a textbook feel. Driscoll gets through a lot of topics very quickly. He doesn't waste a lot of time explaining things more than he needs to. He gives a lot of lists and groups. He doesn't mince words.

In summary, this book is about the body of Jesus Christ, the church. In each chapter, he looks at some of the issues that churches have to consider--many are doctrinal (such as the role of women in the church), but some are practical (such as how video can be used in a church). Although I had previously thought about many of the issues that he addresses, I found it helpful that he addressed many parts of the issues. Below I break the book into four sections: the basis for the church, the basics of church functioning, how churches grow deeper and closer to the person of God, and how churches pursue their broader missions and purposes. These distinctions are mine--Driscoll does not break the book down this way--so that I can more easily see how the book is organized.

I. To start the book, he covers (1) what it means to be a Christian--for more on this, see Vintage Jesus and (2) what makes a church more than just a group of Christians meeting together--in other words, the distinguishing structures or features that a church must have. He reiterates the importance of Christians living in an intentional community:

It is therefore a sin for someone who claims to be a Christian not to be actively loving his or her Christian brothers and sisters and seeking to build up the church as faithful members of a church. (51, citations omitted)

In other words, a Christian isn't following after Christ without pursuing the community of the church, and the church exists as the body of Christ to make and build up disciples.

II. He then addresses many issues of how churches are supposed to operate. He looks at (3) church leadership, including who should lead a local church, the responsibilities that each leader, the hierarchy within a church, and the roles of members in a church; (4) the power, responsibility, and importance of preaching (including a discussion of different styles and practical tips for preachers and teachers); and (5) the reasons for and roles of the sacraments of baptism and communion (in protestant churches).

III. Churches, however, do not grow automatically. He considers (6) the importance and types of unity and the causes and effects of division within churches. He does note, however, that conflict is not necessarily division:

The price of your church growing so that more people are worshiping Jesus is conflict. I am convinced that many churches refuse to grow, even building theological justifications for not growing, because they are afraid of conflict, which means that rather than worshipping Christ, they are worshiping comfort. (147-148)

Conflict can be overcome and used to grow people together; or it can divide people. Part of growing, he notes is (7) church disciple, which comes in two forms, formative and restorative, both of which have the goal of growing people to Christ. It isn't possible to talk about Christian growth without talking about the role of love in the life of a Christian, and he talks about (8) 14 ways that love is expressed by Christians within a church.

IV. In the final chapters he looks at some larger aspects of a church: (9) how churches can be missional, taking the gospel to people where they are at and attempt to change (or transform) culture, rather than being confined and defined by it and (10) what it means to be a multi-campus church and different types of multi-site churches. He is very big on multi-campus churches, saying:

I believe that in the coming years more and more struggling churches that are led by priests will become campuses of larger churches. Such partnerships will allow the pastors in those churches to be free from what they are not good at, such as the air war of preaching, and focus their time on the caring for people in the ground war. (260-261)

He talks about (11) how churches can and should use technology (which has advanced from oral communication to written communication to communication with images), and the phases of people coming to churches (attracting, entering, enduring, exiting, and extending). He concludes with a chapter about (12) how the church can help transform the world by becoming cities within cities (urban centers) and seeking to change culture.

I had to take a break from reading Vintage Church because it had so much packed into such a "small" space. It took quite a bit of time to organize what he talks about in the first chapters. And, like Hybels, who is very Willow Creek focused, Driscoll is very Mars Hill focused. This doesn't surprise me--nor should it--because that is where his experience has been and where he learned much of what he writes about. However, I thought it got a bit overwhelming. Near the end of the book I started to almost feel guilty because I wasn't living in a big city attending a church that is multi-campus, using cutting-edge technology, and helping to change the culture of its city, country, and world. I know that is not what Driscoll is going for--and I don't want to accuse him of doing so--but technology and culture changes are not what grows people and keeps people in a church. God the Holy Spirit is what draws people to pursue the face of God, and to stay in a church and grow in community. That said, I agree with much of what he said about using every resource at our disposal to show people who Christ is. Mostly, however, that involves all of me, not just what I can buy. And Christ calls me to give nothing less.

[Chauncey Lattimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears. Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2008. 336pp.



Mark Driscoll (pastor) and Dr. Gerry Breshears (professor/theologian) have joined once again to bring us Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods, the second “Vintage” title in the well-liked Re:Lit series. Many ‘church leadership’ books are lacking in that they are either all leadership philosophy/theology – with little or no hands-on practicality or they are ‘how to’ manuals with little or no philosophical/theological foundation. Vintage Church overcomes that disparity by being exactly what it claims: “timeless truths and timely methods.” Questions are answered by means of the timeless truths of Scripture – such as the nature and mission of the church – and these truths are connected to timely (contemporary) methods for the 21st-century church.

The Preface of the book picks up where Vintage Jesus leaves off – focusing on the person and work of Jesus. It is here that Driscoll identifies the Christo-centric nature of their work: “Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to enable and empower Christians to continue his ministry on the earth, which is an overriding theme of this entire book” (9). He also identifies one of underlying beliefs and hope (as well as a general structure) for the book; i.e., that through “humility and discernment” the church will become “biblically rooted (prophetic/confessional), grace centered (priestly/experiential), and culturally connected (kingly/missional)” (11).

The basic organization for Vintage Church comes from twelve practical questions about church doctrine. According to Driscoll, it is his voice that is to be heard in the majority of the book, though admitting that many of the concepts (and editing) were provided by the professor – Gerry Breshears, as well as the writing of the “Answers to Common Questions…” sections found at the end of each chapter. Sequencing of the questions is accomplished in a very practical and developmental manner, as the authors begin by establishing the nature of the Christian life and defining the church, continue by laying out the leadership structure of the local church, the importance and necessity of preaching, and the meaning and practice of the sacraments of baptism and communion. This is followed by such ‘priestly/experiential’ topics as church unity, church discipline, and love. The final chapters are devoted to what is meant by ‘missional’ in terms of the call of the church, a statement/defense of the multi-site church philosophy (especially as utilized by Mars Hill Church), the use/misuse of technology in the church, and a look at how the church can transform the world.

There is far more to commend about the book than to criticize. This book is an excellent tool for all Christians who desire an understanding of the doctrine of the church from a biblical perspective, especially as it relates to recent developments in how the church is choosing to engage culture (emerging, emergent, missional, etc.). Those teaching an introductory course on ministry or the nature of the church would do well to consider using this as a part of the reauired reading. The writers have taken great care to provide biblical answers for each question raised, questions which are both relevant and pertinent. For instance, the chapter on church discipline (“What is Church Discipline?”) is both timely and much needed. As noted, most people only think of excommunication when they hear the words church discipline. The writers remind us: “Biblical discipline is, first and foremost, training.” They go on to provide a step-by-step biblical process, making the important distinction between formative and restorative discipline.

By way of criticism, and of particular note from the Stone-Campbell perspective, is a statement made regarding baptism. It should come as a surprise to read that the writers “stand more in the Reformed tradition and the teaching of John Calvin” (126). They have already written that the saved are “those who are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone without any false notion that they can in any way contribute to their salvation through human works such as morality, spirituality, or religious devotion (21). [Emphasis is mine.] Thus, when dealing with the necessity of baptism they make the rather bold statement, “Someone can be unbaptized and yet be a Christian who is destined for heaven” (119).

The biblical defense for such a statement is weak, to say the least. The approach is twofold: the thief on the cross was not baptized and the Philippian jailer, wherein they cite that Paul “did not mention baptism but simply said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus.’” The use of the thief on the cross is almost expected, but the Philippian jailer came as a surprise, especially since Luke will go on to record that “at that hour of the night… immediately he and all his family were baptized” (Acts 16:33). Driscoll does lessen the force of his statement by noting in the sentence that follows: “Nonetheless, even though one can be a Christian without being baptized, a Christian should be baptized” (119). In fact, he develops the fact that both Jesus and the apostles command us to be baptized. Thus, even in offering this criticism, the majority of the material dealing with baptism is first-rate and very biblical – including an excellent discussion as to the merits of credobaptism (believers’ baptism) as opposed to paedobaptism (infant baptism).

[Dennis Erwin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting to have read this in 2019 and try to "hear" Driscoll in these writings. Otherwise, and trying to be as objective as possible, a poor book.

He roots the existence of the church in the office of pastor, which he finds in a kind of Christ-like figure in Prophet, King, Priestly types.

Ultimately, then, Driscoll's ontology is his own calling and all of ecclesiology works out of that. And that alone might explain a lot about what happened.

Otherwise, the book has strengths and weaknesses, though none so great to recommend it, and an emphasis on the practical, which is where the usefulness of the book comes in.

[Michael Schmid · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid book about what constitutes a Christian church. I appreciated the necessary emphasis Driscoll and Breshears give to church membership and church leadership, preaching, baptism & communion, church discipline and love when discussing what is important for a church.

[Nolan Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book by Driscoll in my opinion.

[Ana Bachand · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't agree with everything, but I thought this was an excellent book on what the church is and does, written for the common man. Very, very practical and engaging.

[Drew]

Dated, but lots of good stuff on traditional biblical church structure. This also contains argumentation for "missional" practices, and "multi-campus" church practices.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vintage Church is a very good book. In it pastors Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears present what they believe a church should be and do. The book answers 12 questions starting with what is Christian life and Christian Church, and ending with how can the Church transform the World. The answers to their questions are based in their understanding of the Bible, and they site the sources for their arguments. The arguments are easily understood, and the book is full of information.
I had a hard time listening to the first chapter. Pastor Mark Dricoll wrote the most of main sections of the chapters, and I have listened to quite a few of his sermons. So, I could hear his style in those sections that he wrote. However, it was distracting that it was not voice that I was listening to. I did get used to it, and the content is very engaging and thought-provoking. So, the distraction was minor and passed quickly.
There were a few points that I disagreed with them on. For example, I believe and have heard very convincing arguments for observing the Sabbath on Saturday. With as much information as they cover, it would be odd if a person agrees with everything they say. Some of the information they cover seems to be targeted to pastors and church leaders. These chapters were not as interesting for me currently as I am not a leader in a church, and do not currently have much need to contemplate multi-campus strategies. It is good to know that the information is there.
This first time listening to the book I mostly listened while driving or packing, but I did take time after each chapter to ponder what they presented. It is not something I usually do, and I really like a book that requires that of me. I need to listen to the book again with a notepad and Bible so I can take notes and check the references given. I may need to purchase the print book, too. It would be good to have the print book not only to make it easier to check the references for their arguments, but also to look-up additional resources to further research the topics they cover. Which is easier for me to do when it is in print. I really enjoyed listening to the book. I am reviewing the book as part of the christianaudio.com review program.

Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods (RE: Lit: Vintage Jesus)

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given the book an extra star but for the fact that Driscoll covers much of the subject matter in more detail in "Doctrine" and "On Church Leadership". By and large, the book is timely, well written and immediately useable. I think, however, toward the end of its pages, the author falls prey to his own preference for church location and method of interaction. While I would take nothing from Driscoll's thoughts on missional churches impacting culture, it seems to me to be incomplete and preferential. By way of rhetorical questions, over coffee I would ask him (regarding his thoughts on culture creation): Does truly abiding in Christ, then, not create a culture of disciples making disciples? Do they then not create a network even as they seek to work with others doing the same AND their own disciples? And as the network grows by new and other joining disciples, do not the resources and influence grow? And is not the larger culture gradually impacted, challenged and changed? Could this not happen anywhere the people of God choose to be one and make one?!? Is it not ours to create a culture that impacts culture? That said, aside from a perhaps too narrow view of culture creation, the book is an excellent read.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vintage Church is classic Mark Driscoll (cowritten with Gary Breshears) - classic systematic evangelical theology delivered in a contemporary, relevant package. What I particularly like about Driscoll is he's unapologetic about defending a historic, biblical, evangelical faith. He is obviously familiar with church history, drawing on major Christian thinkers and coupled with a deep knowledge of Scripture writes with authority.

Driscoll grounds the church firmly in Christ and from there discusses matters such as leadership, the sacraments, unity, discipline, love and mission. I particularly found his discussion on missional churches helpful. But what really stands out to me is his argument that multi-campus churches are, in his opinion, the way of the future. He argues for it convincingly without in anyway discarding traditional churches or small congregations.

Apart from the last couple of chapters on multi-congregational and missional church, much of his discussion holds no real surprises, at least for anyone familiar with the subject matter. But I would highly recommend this book to anyone who hasn't studied ecclesiology in any depth.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vintage Church can best be explained as a field manual on The Church. Chapters deal exhaustively with various issues associated with what the church is, what the church does, how the church does this or that, why the church does this or that, etc. Each point is well researched and well backed by Scripture with a lot of direct footnotes.



Reading this book can be exciting and encouraging, but you need to discern what is official and what is opinion. There are very many great resources, ideas, and theological conclusions in this book and I found myself in agreement with Driscoll and Breshears a majority of the time.



Vintage Church is relevant to all age groups and backgrounds and can be an instrumental tool if you are on staff in a church, if you volunteer in a church, if you're looking for a new church, or if you've been burned by a church in the past.



This book is supported by great vision and great scholarship. I highly recommend this.

[Nathan Hartley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only rated this book two stars because I agree with almost everything Driscoll says in it. Otherwise, it would have only been one star. The reason is not the content but the delivery. This book is such a dry, boring, and un-engaging read. If someone is walking into an evangelical church for the very first time this book will help them understand the reasons behind the things they see. However, most of that is usually learned in conversation or a partnership/membership class. The book came across as Driscoll saying "This is the way Mars Hill is and why we are right" over and over again. Again, I disagree with very little of the content. I just couldn't stay engaged because of the delivery. It seems as though this will be a book that most people will be afraid to admit that it could have been better. Just because the conclusions are spot on doesn't mean that you're obligated to give it 4 stars in fear of being judged. The author could have done a much better job presenting it.

[Dottie Parish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book clearly describing what the church is and should be. Through out it exalts Jesus Christ as the head of the church. Chapter titles include: What is A Christian Church, Who is Supposed to Lead a Church? Why is Preaching Important?, How Can a Church be Unified? How Can a Church Utilize Technology? How Could the Church Transform the World?

In the chapter on church unity a detailed discussion of what divides the church including: heretics, pride, legalism, distrust, traditionalism, to little or too much organization, founder dysfunction, mission loss and doing too much.

The book contains a wealth of information, is carefully researched as well as lived by the authors. It’s a book written in language understandable for both pastors and laity

[Ryan Rindels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would highly recommend every Christian read Vintage Church. There are so many aspects of the faith, and the church in general that are assumed and yet undefinable by most. What is the church of Jesus Christ? Why is church membership important? What about Church discipline? Mark Driscoll (and Gerry Breshears) answer these questions. Driscoll has a journalism background and it makes his writting easy to read. I appreciate the innovative aspects of his ministry at Mars Hill in Seattle. For instance, having members text message questions he answers after the sermon live on-stage. "Missional" churches are no doubt, the future in a culture where increasing polarization between Christianity and the world exists.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

At a lengthy 339 pages, Vintage Church definitely feels vintage at times. Lacking in Driscoll's signature humor throughout most of the book, although there are a few minor quips here and there, it comes across as very textbook. However, that doesn't take away from the fantastic content contained throughout. Since the main reading constituency reading this book will be church leaders, the dryness shouldn't be a problem. If you want humor, listen to a stand-up. What you have here are great answers to commonly asked questions about what the church is, and what it does. It is a great read for anyone seeking clarity in their relationship with Jesus, or in their local ministry context.

[Zach Gifford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, the second in the Vintage series by Mark Driscoll, looks at the church through the lens of Scripture and allows it to teach us what a church should look like.

I really appreciated the "fresh view" of a Scriptural view of church when so many people are trying to figure out the new way of doing things, or even turning away from church altogether. I definitely recommend this book to everyone who wants to be involved in the church.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book that went over various aspects of the church and I, once again, found Mark Driscoll's writing very entertaining and enlightening.

If you are interested in finding out why churches do the things they do and having an inside look into the life of a church, check out this book.

[Bill Forgeard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the constant, plain, direct reference to the Bible as the way to define what church is. Driscoll is very comfortable in describing the current landscape, both of society in general and of the church. As usual, Driscoll's style is easy to read, which is an asset in this genre! Has significantly influenced how I'm thinking about church.

[Aaron Thomas]

awesome stuff in here. It's a little dry at the beginning and Driscoll loves to use big words, but I have a man crush on this guy. It's one of those books where you can jump around b/c each chapter is a very independent subject. He's got some great stuff in here, particularly on "unity" and "church discipline".

[Jared Totten · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the first half of the book deals with theological issues, the second half deals with more practical issues such as the use of media and interaction with the culture. A sound and thorough treatment of the idea of church. While it could have been split into two books, it was definitely a good read!

[Evan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this book. As someone who has a limited role in church ministry, it made me want to get more involved. I thought the concepts were great and really enjoyed the biblical basis for what they talked about. I think it was an easier read, most of the concepts were well-explained, and I thought it was very informative!

[Liz Cates · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great resource! I'd only gave it 3 stars because it's kind of an arduous, tedious, mostly academic read. It feels more like a textbook. If that's what your looking for, then I'd give it 5 stars, so I settled in between on 4. After reading Water to Wine, this book was actually refreshing with all the the proper information to support various conclusions.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome! A must read.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love reading MD!

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

That's what I'm talking about. I love practitioners. Even if you don't agree with everything, you gotta love the relentless practicality and thoroughness... at least I do.

[Peter Krol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't agree with everything, but I thought this was an excellent book on what the church is and does, written for the common man. Very, very practical and engaging.

[Jonathan Render · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a good book and if you have read vintage Jesus you should read vintage church. these two books go hand and hand.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this book after I downloaded it from audible. Pastor Driscoll brought up some interesting points. Worth a read/listen.