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Word and Sacrament: Ancient Traditions for Modern Church Planting
Anglican church planting veteran Dan Alger shows pastors how the rich traditions of liturgical worship are a gift to the work of starting new churches. Word and Sacrament provides a robust framework to plant gospel faithful, missionally effective, relationally strong churches.
While much of church planting today is approached as a new, innovative effort, church leaders can take comfort in the truth that they are simply stewards of what the faithful church has been doing for millennia. By rediscovering the foundations of our heritage, we are able to build healthier, more faithful, and more effective churches. At the same time, the act of planting new churches can breathe new life into these ancient traditions as they are applied to a variety of cultural contexts.
Written from an Anglican perspective to encourage both aspiring and experienced church planters, Word and Sacrament will assist leaders in all traditions to better understand the why, what, and how of the task before them.
While much of church planting today is approached as a new, innovative effort, church leaders can take comfort in the truth that they are simply stewards of what the faithful church has been doing for millennia. By rediscovering the foundations of our heritage, we are able to build healthier, more faithful, and more effective churches. At the same time, the act of planting new churches can breathe new life into these ancient traditions as they are applied to a variety of cultural contexts.
Written from an Anglican perspective to encourage both aspiring and experienced church planters, Word and Sacrament will assist leaders in all traditions to better understand the why, what, and how of the task before them.
336 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 7, 2025
This is the best introductory book on church planting that I’ve read. Swap put the word Anglican for Presbyterian and almost nothing changes.
May 23, 2023
My Thoughts:
Word and Sacrament is arranged in 3 parts, holding a total of 13 chapters.
Part 1: Why Should We Plant?
Part 2: What Are We Planting?
Part 3: How Do We Plant?
“This is a book written by an Anglican about Anglicanism and church planting.” Ed Stetzer.
“Planting in Word and Sacrament means that we find our calling and our guide for church planting in the truth of God as revealed in his Word written and echoed in his sacraments, the Word visible. The truth of God has put on flesh in the person of his Son Jesus and continues to be made manifest in the church as the body of Christ.” Page 2-3. Dan Alger.
I love this book. I love it for several reasons.
I am a newbie Anglican. I have attended catechism classes and read several books. I attend Mass on Sundays. But in this book, Word and Sacrament, I became more knowledgeable about the Anglican tradition in regard to history and belief in church planting and mission work.
Dan Alger’s writing style is readable, engaging, motivating, encouraging, cheerful, positive, and approachable.
He addresses the belief that the younger generation only enjoy modern sensory appealing worship services. Alger does not argue, but he brings up a valid point. One of the points is people desire and benefit from a worship service that is meaningful and impacting.
I love his summary of what it means to be an Anglican.
I love it that at the end of every chapter there is a small section addressed to those who are not Anglican. This is a place for Alger to clarify.
I love chapter 2 that teaches the reasons to plant a church. Later in the book he will give reasons why not to plant a church. This later chapter cuts to the heart of false attitudes and motives in planting a church. I believe they are solid and serious reasons.
I love the graphs used to explain a helical model.
I love love love liturgy. And in several places in the book Alger brings the history and beauty of it to the reader.
I love how he repeats a recurring theme. “Anglican Church Planting Must Be Dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit.” This is a subtopic, but the same theme runs through the book. We must be dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit.
I love the section on the prayer book, The Book of Common Prayer.
I love the section on explaining the sacraments.
I love how the book builds on the previous teachings that all propel forward in the planting of a church. The book is organized and purposeful.
Several quotes from the book are meaningful. I wish I could memorize them all. These are some of my favorites.
“Anglicanism is a way of life, a culture, a response to a strong ecclesiology an expression of a robust missiology, and a tradition with a particular ethos and methodology. Most of all. Anglicanism is a tradition centered on knowing, honoring, and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every aspect of the Anglican life is intentionally focused on the person and work of Christ, so that we can walk in his ways to the glory of his Name.” Page 65.
“You are planting a people-and not just any people, a people who share a way of life in which Christ’s righteous will, his holy ways, and his profound glory are pursued in all things.” Page 65.
“The Prayer Book is not a suggestion for the order of your service. It is the communally-discerned common worship of the church, and it is not for you to change.” Page 92.
Format: E-book in pdf form.
Source: I received a complimentary e-book from New Growth Press. I am not required to write a positive review.
Audience: Christian readers with an interest in church planting, mission work, the Anglican tradition, and church history in regard to church planting.
Rating: Excellent.
Word and Sacrament is arranged in 3 parts, holding a total of 13 chapters.
Part 1: Why Should We Plant?
Part 2: What Are We Planting?
Part 3: How Do We Plant?
“This is a book written by an Anglican about Anglicanism and church planting.” Ed Stetzer.
“Planting in Word and Sacrament means that we find our calling and our guide for church planting in the truth of God as revealed in his Word written and echoed in his sacraments, the Word visible. The truth of God has put on flesh in the person of his Son Jesus and continues to be made manifest in the church as the body of Christ.” Page 2-3. Dan Alger.
I love this book. I love it for several reasons.
I am a newbie Anglican. I have attended catechism classes and read several books. I attend Mass on Sundays. But in this book, Word and Sacrament, I became more knowledgeable about the Anglican tradition in regard to history and belief in church planting and mission work.
Dan Alger’s writing style is readable, engaging, motivating, encouraging, cheerful, positive, and approachable.
He addresses the belief that the younger generation only enjoy modern sensory appealing worship services. Alger does not argue, but he brings up a valid point. One of the points is people desire and benefit from a worship service that is meaningful and impacting.
I love his summary of what it means to be an Anglican.
I love it that at the end of every chapter there is a small section addressed to those who are not Anglican. This is a place for Alger to clarify.
I love chapter 2 that teaches the reasons to plant a church. Later in the book he will give reasons why not to plant a church. This later chapter cuts to the heart of false attitudes and motives in planting a church. I believe they are solid and serious reasons.
I love the graphs used to explain a helical model.
I love love love liturgy. And in several places in the book Alger brings the history and beauty of it to the reader.
I love how he repeats a recurring theme. “Anglican Church Planting Must Be Dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit.” This is a subtopic, but the same theme runs through the book. We must be dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit.
I love the section on the prayer book, The Book of Common Prayer.
I love the section on explaining the sacraments.
I love how the book builds on the previous teachings that all propel forward in the planting of a church. The book is organized and purposeful.
Several quotes from the book are meaningful. I wish I could memorize them all. These are some of my favorites.
“Anglicanism is a way of life, a culture, a response to a strong ecclesiology an expression of a robust missiology, and a tradition with a particular ethos and methodology. Most of all. Anglicanism is a tradition centered on knowing, honoring, and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every aspect of the Anglican life is intentionally focused on the person and work of Christ, so that we can walk in his ways to the glory of his Name.” Page 65.
“You are planting a people-and not just any people, a people who share a way of life in which Christ’s righteous will, his holy ways, and his profound glory are pursued in all things.” Page 65.
“The Prayer Book is not a suggestion for the order of your service. It is the communally-discerned common worship of the church, and it is not for you to change.” Page 92.
Format: E-book in pdf form.
Source: I received a complimentary e-book from New Growth Press. I am not required to write a positive review.
Audience: Christian readers with an interest in church planting, mission work, the Anglican tradition, and church history in regard to church planting.
Rating: Excellent.
August 3, 2023
I’ve read lots of church planting books over the last 20+ years. Dan’s book encompassed a lot of the wisdom gained from the recent church planting movement in the U.S. However, his book is unique being centered on an Anglican and sacramental approach to church and church planting. I’d say if you were going to read one book on church planting… read this one. Even for non-Anglicans there’s a lot here!
May 12, 2023
A great and practical book on church planting from an Anglican, and therefore, sacramental perspective. Alger is down to earth while also being theologically robust. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to move beyond modern business models of church planting to a church plant's proper starting point -- theology.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews