Broken for Blessing: The Underrated Potential of the Medium-Sized Multiplying Church

by Alan Frow, Brett McCracken (Editor), Todd Proctor (Foreword)

Why write a book about church planting when there are already so many good ones out there? Because our fixation with large churches means that those under 1,000 in size generally have a vision for growth via addition rather than multiplication—despite being uniquely equipped to do so. In the West especially, where the megachurch looms large, it is easy for small or medium-sized churches to think, “Maybe one day when I grow up and have lots of resources I'll think of multiplying, but for now, I must grow by addition.” It doesn't have to be this way. From Broken for "This is the story behind our multiplying story. It is the story of every small or medium-sized multiplying church. We have never felt that we’ve had enough resources to feed the crowds but we’ve wanted to be involved in Jesus’ feeding miracle. We know that ultimately Jesus, not our churches, is the Bread of Life. And yet we believe that planting churches is the most effective distribution system to get the Bread of Life to hungry people. So we’ve said, 'Lord, we are putting our bread in Your hands, even though it’s not that much. Take it, break it and multiply it for the sake of others.' It has been stunning to see many hungry souls fed with the Bread of Life because of this." I must warn you, though, that this is a dangerous vision. It calls for the discipleship of leaders, addressing a non-committal culture head-on, the tenacity to endure, biblically-modeled leadership and most importantly—prayer. Even with limited resources and through the pain of sending your best to plant a new church, medium-sized churches can multiply. Written with the authenticity of both missteps and life-giving lessons, this book is more than just the story of our own medium-sized church's multiplication journey. This is a call for others to do the same.

132 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 22, 2019

Reviews

[Luc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theologically Rich & Inspiringly Practical
"Broken for Blessing” provides valuable and practical insights for Christians generally and church planters specifically.

Frow calls Christians to fully embrace the church’s vision to share the gospel and make disciples. The book will inspire the reader to recognize and participate in the missional aspect of the local church.

Written in clear language with many examples, the book is theologically insightful while maintaining very practical guidance on effective church multiplication. Divided into three clear parts, the book will help the church leader understand the heart, head, and hands of a multiplying church. All throughout the book, the theological truths discussed are rooted in the gospel and Scripture.

It is refreshing to read a modern Christian book that pairs deep theological truths with actionable advice. I recommend this book to all seeking to make the church, the Bride of Christ, beautiful