Church Planting in the Secular West: Learning from the European Experience (The Gospel and Our Culture Series

The Gospel and Our Culture

by Stefan Paas

An expert study of church planting in the most secular part of contemporary Europe
 
In this book Stefan Paas offers thoughtful analysis of reasons and motives for missionary church planting in Europe, and he explores successful and unsuccessful strategies in that post-Christian secularized context.
 
Drawing in part on his own involvement with planting two churches in the Netherlands, Paas explores confessional motives, growth motives, and innovation motives for church planting in Europe, tracing them back to different traditions and reflecting on them from theological and empirical perspectives. He presents examples from the European context and offers sound advice for improving existing missional practices. Paas also draws out lessons for North America in a chapter coauthored with Darrell Guder and John Franke. Finally, Paas weaves together the various threads in the book with a theological defense of church planting.
 
Presenting new research as it does, this critical missiological perspective will add significantly to a fuller understanding of church planting in our contemporary context.
 
 

Genres: Theology, Ecclesiology

318 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2016

Reviews

[David Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting perspective on church planting and what Paas would view as the danger of confessional church planting. Although I disagree with this particular portion of the book I think he does bring up a good point about focusing on making disciples of non Christians rather than trying to poach Christians from other established churches in the church planting endeavor.

[George Hunsberger]

An excellent treatment of the history of conception and practice of "church planting," focusing on recent experience in Europe and Great Britain, and opening new territory for future imagination and practice that takes missiology and ecclesiology seriously.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a former church planter, networking with church planters and serving in a church planning network this book was a really important read for me. It was honest in it's assessment of the impact and motivation of church planting over the centuries in Europe. It highlighted why denominations planted and who they really reached.
Though the author was slightly on critical side, he brought insight to some of the other literature that is overly positive to the 'why' of church planting. He didn't undermine anyone's efforts or church planting as a whole, but brought research to bear on the contexts of much church planting in Europe and what's needed today.
The outcome was a book that promotes more church unity and collaboration, a call to sharpen our motives for new plants, an urgency towards evangelism to both people with a churched background but more so to those without faith at all.
He does end the book with positive reasons for church planting in the West and offers some principles to make a more significant impact, not just recycling saints.

[Bradley Somers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a challenging read. It was challenging in it's format- it is written with a clear academic sense. It was challenging in it's style- Stefan worked through a thesis, argument to counter argument style. It was challenging in it's content- the approach or collected conclusions were challenging. This final challenge makes this book well worth the read for those considering their motivations and models for church planting or church revitalization. The last TWO chapters capture in a shortened form the rest of the books conclusions. If you are considered a church plant denomination regional director or catalyst or apostle - you need to read this. It will help to clarify your purposes, intentions and measurements for planting churches in a secular western culture.

[Kelle Craft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, thorough, and well researched. Paas is willing to ask difficult questions, and challenge contemporary missionary endeavors which seek to grow the church simply by planting new churches, which he shows quite well to be built on faulty conclusions based on less than helpful research. How do we calculate church growth? Recording of numbers, baptisms, etc is not sufficient and often tells us far too little. What is the mission of church planting? There is much to be gained from this book and I will be continuing to consult Paas’ insights as I continue to think about church painting, missions, evangelism, and growing local congregations as I step into ministry.

[David And · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vey insightful

Recommended to pastors not just church planters, who want a broad perspective on the European church scene and story and who want to make a significant contribution in our day. Rigorously argued, data based, paradigm challenging, sober but inspiring.

[Kris Lundgaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't always agree, but I was always fascinated, informed, and challenged. Still thinking about it, and plan to read it again soon.

[Barry & Evelyn A Galbraith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

It’s a great book with sounds theological reasoning for the future of the church and its potential for growth.....or not!

[Duane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on church planting I’ve ever read

[Chrissy Remsberg]

No rating. Required reading for school

[Peter]

Helped me see that the new culture for planting is really different from what went before, so we need new methods