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Planting by Pastoring: A Vision for Starting a Healthy Church
Recentering the Goal of Pastoral Ministry to Cultivate Christ-Treasuring Church Plants
As churches rapidly expand, Christians risk viewing the church with an entrepreneurial mindset. Church planters can be tempted to fixate on gaining numbers and achieving financial stability as their only metrics for success. They fail to focus on lifting up Christ’s people within the church.
In Planting by Pastoring, author Nathan Knight challenges our view of church planting and centers the goal of pastoral ministry on a basic biblical a church plant is in fact a church, and a planter is in fact a pastor. A healthy church plant is not measured by size, speed, or level of self-sufficiency but by good pastoring that produces faith, fruit, and a flourishing community. Once pastors and church leaders redefine their plant as a church, their ministry will begin to align with Jesus’s mission to shepherd the flock and bring glory to God alone.
Provides This book reminds church planters of the heart of the church and the core purpose of pastors Offers a Unique Addresses foundational elements of church planting other books fail to address Appeals to Pastors, Elders, and Church Great for those in the process of planting a church
As churches rapidly expand, Christians risk viewing the church with an entrepreneurial mindset. Church planters can be tempted to fixate on gaining numbers and achieving financial stability as their only metrics for success. They fail to focus on lifting up Christ’s people within the church.
In Planting by Pastoring, author Nathan Knight challenges our view of church planting and centers the goal of pastoral ministry on a basic biblical a church plant is in fact a church, and a planter is in fact a pastor. A healthy church plant is not measured by size, speed, or level of self-sufficiency but by good pastoring that produces faith, fruit, and a flourishing community. Once pastors and church leaders redefine their plant as a church, their ministry will begin to align with Jesus’s mission to shepherd the flock and bring glory to God alone.
Provides This book reminds church planters of the heart of the church and the core purpose of pastors Offers a Unique Addresses foundational elements of church planting other books fail to address Appeals to Pastors, Elders, and Church Great for those in the process of planting a church
170 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 21, 2023
23 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
December 11, 2025
“Aim at names, not numbers.”
“We plant churches to pastor individual people so that they will treasure Christ individually and we will treasure Christ corporately. That’s the goal, the point, the true north of church planting.”
For about two years I had the joyful privilege of attending the monthly meetings with church planters in DC that Nathan references many times throughout this book. I am so thankful Nathan wrote down the things he’s been saying and helping planters think through over the years. It was a joy to read and remember so many of those conversations we had. The Lord used Nathan and those meetings to settle in my heart and mind what true success in ministry looks like and to birth in me an aspiration to shepherd Christ’s people into his excellencies. So thankful for this book and I plan to recommend it widely.
2nd read through: Still great. Like a walk down memory lane.
“We plant churches to pastor individual people so that they will treasure Christ individually and we will treasure Christ corporately. That’s the goal, the point, the true north of church planting.”
For about two years I had the joyful privilege of attending the monthly meetings with church planters in DC that Nathan references many times throughout this book. I am so thankful Nathan wrote down the things he’s been saying and helping planters think through over the years. It was a joy to read and remember so many of those conversations we had. The Lord used Nathan and those meetings to settle in my heart and mind what true success in ministry looks like and to birth in me an aspiration to shepherd Christ’s people into his excellencies. So thankful for this book and I plan to recommend it widely.
2nd read through: Still great. Like a walk down memory lane.
October 26, 2023
Knight is aiming to replace the vision of church planting as fundamentally about marketing, hustle, and strategy with the far more enjoyable, biblical vision of church planting as the work of pastoring: loving people, teaching the Word, praying for fruit, trusting the Lord. May his tribe increase.
December 28, 2025
4.25 stars! Read for my Jan term class and thoroughly enjoyed!! The resounding theme throughout this book is its centrality on Jesus and the deep love for individual people that is found inside the church walls.
"We want to plant oak trees not dandelions. We want to know names, not numbers--stories, not statistics. We want to look out every week and see a family, not just friendly but anonymous faces. And at the center of the family is Jesus Christ." p. 10
"We need each other through the rejoicing and the weeping. We need pastors and other members. Life is too hard, Satan is too powerful, and our own hearts are too sinful to think that event-driven ministry will be enough." p. 108
"We want to plant oak trees not dandelions. We want to know names, not numbers--stories, not statistics. We want to look out every week and see a family, not just friendly but anonymous faces. And at the center of the family is Jesus Christ." p. 10
"We need each other through the rejoicing and the weeping. We need pastors and other members. Life is too hard, Satan is too powerful, and our own hearts are too sinful to think that event-driven ministry will be enough." p. 108
July 2, 2025
So so good.
December 24, 2025
This book reminds us that a successful church is measured by names, not numbers, and Christ, not crowds.
April 3, 2024
Nathan Knight successfully demonstrates that planting churches is done by pastoring. Period. His contention in this book is to go against the grain of so-called success. Success that is defined by size, speed, sufficiency, and spread. He is so committed to following the biblical model of "church growth" that he concludes the book with a church plant in his area that did not last the 5-year mark. Its doors closed and yet he asked the question, "did this church fail because it did not produce the numbers that we all would expect?" His answer to that question is no. Why is Knight so committed to this approach? Because he follows the Bible.
The book is divided into two parts: church planting residency and church planting mobilization. The first part is preparing the team and the second part is about sending the team.
Knight makes a very biblical case for focusing on people, shepherding people, loving people, serving people, and feeding the people with the Word of God. He repeats this phrase throughout the book, pastor names not numbers. He also shows the qualifications of the church planters as defined by Scripture (Titus 1; 1Tim 3; 1Peter 5). Of all the commendable qualities of this book two in particular struck me.
First, how does a church-planter know he is a church-planter? If you've read enough books on pastoral ministry and church-planting there is a great debate on "the call." Knight, extinguishes any notion of a subjective call but relies primarily on what you want to do as you've been confirmed and affirmed by your local church. He says, "are you qualified [in the 1Tim 3; Titus 1 list] to lead a plant? Do your wife and elders agree? Do you have interest in planting a church there? Do others believe this is a wise choice? Have you fasted and prayed? Well, then, get to it! Don't feel the need to conjure up some story that will be the basis for your plant" (100). Some may disagree with Knight's view on the call but his view can be supported biblically and his view makes choosing to do this work much more realistic.
Second, Knight shows that churches plant churches (80). He warns of churches that are planted either by an internal desire or confirmation by parachurch ministries alone without any confirmation by a local church. He warns, "a parachurch ministry sees the best of you for a short amount of time; your local church sees the best and worst of you for the most amount of time" (81). This is very wise counsel. The pattern of the NT was pastors recognize pastors and churches send churches. I have seen first-hand churches that were never sent or confirmed by a local body only to wash out or have pastors who are disqualified.
Knight's book contributes greatly to this crowded field of church-planting. He leans on the strategy of Marshall and Payne, Trellis and the Vine; Robert Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism; and CHBC from the "baptist bishop" himself, Mark Dever.
The book is divided into two parts: church planting residency and church planting mobilization. The first part is preparing the team and the second part is about sending the team.
Knight makes a very biblical case for focusing on people, shepherding people, loving people, serving people, and feeding the people with the Word of God. He repeats this phrase throughout the book, pastor names not numbers. He also shows the qualifications of the church planters as defined by Scripture (Titus 1; 1Tim 3; 1Peter 5). Of all the commendable qualities of this book two in particular struck me.
First, how does a church-planter know he is a church-planter? If you've read enough books on pastoral ministry and church-planting there is a great debate on "the call." Knight, extinguishes any notion of a subjective call but relies primarily on what you want to do as you've been confirmed and affirmed by your local church. He says, "are you qualified [in the 1Tim 3; Titus 1 list] to lead a plant? Do your wife and elders agree? Do you have interest in planting a church there? Do others believe this is a wise choice? Have you fasted and prayed? Well, then, get to it! Don't feel the need to conjure up some story that will be the basis for your plant" (100). Some may disagree with Knight's view on the call but his view can be supported biblically and his view makes choosing to do this work much more realistic.
Second, Knight shows that churches plant churches (80). He warns of churches that are planted either by an internal desire or confirmation by parachurch ministries alone without any confirmation by a local church. He warns, "a parachurch ministry sees the best of you for a short amount of time; your local church sees the best and worst of you for the most amount of time" (81). This is very wise counsel. The pattern of the NT was pastors recognize pastors and churches send churches. I have seen first-hand churches that were never sent or confirmed by a local body only to wash out or have pastors who are disqualified.
Knight's book contributes greatly to this crowded field of church-planting. He leans on the strategy of Marshall and Payne, Trellis and the Vine; Robert Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism; and CHBC from the "baptist bishop" himself, Mark Dever.
February 8, 2025
I don’t like reading practical books, but I want this book to get more traction. So here’s 5 stars outta 5, bc there’s a lot of unhelpful church planting books. This is my honest review. It’s pretty honest.
February 23, 2024
This book provides a helpful critique of the planting methodology that focuses on “size, speed, sufficiency, and spread”. Knight also provides a positive vision for planting by pastoring names and not numbers.
On the ultimate aim of church planting
“We were told that the goal of church planting is to reach the lost. But is that the proper goal? It’s most certainly critical to the work of church planting but surely evangelism isn’t the finish line. I’m reminded of a John piper quote that’s pretty famous, at least in the Christian world. “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church, worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn’t.” This isn’t some “Jesus juke”. Piper’s right. Worship is the heart of our life together as a church. The goal isn’t size or speed, sufficiency or spread. The goal is to know, and enjoy Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29, 17:3)—but to do all of that together. The goal is to worship now in light of how we will worship then (Rev 5:8-10).” 9-10
On multiplication
“The emphasis on multiplication in church planting has inspired me to be more fervent in evangelism and more creative in finding ways to get our church more involved in planting churches. At the same time, the emphasis on multiplication unintentionally confuses the goal (trusting and treasuring Christ together) of ministry with the means (planting more healthy churches).” 114
On the ultimate aim of church planting
“We were told that the goal of church planting is to reach the lost. But is that the proper goal? It’s most certainly critical to the work of church planting but surely evangelism isn’t the finish line. I’m reminded of a John piper quote that’s pretty famous, at least in the Christian world. “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church, worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn’t.” This isn’t some “Jesus juke”. Piper’s right. Worship is the heart of our life together as a church. The goal isn’t size or speed, sufficiency or spread. The goal is to know, and enjoy Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29, 17:3)—but to do all of that together. The goal is to worship now in light of how we will worship then (Rev 5:8-10).” 9-10
On multiplication
“The emphasis on multiplication in church planting has inspired me to be more fervent in evangelism and more creative in finding ways to get our church more involved in planting churches. At the same time, the emphasis on multiplication unintentionally confuses the goal (trusting and treasuring Christ together) of ministry with the means (planting more healthy churches).” 114
July 21, 2023
As someone in the local church ministry for nearly 20 years, books on the local New Testament church fascinate me. I have ready many books on the subject over the years. There are many, many I have not read.
My father-in-law, started the church that I now pastor nearly 50 years ago. I've always admired those who plant a church. Beginning a New Testament, Bible-believing church is not for the faint of heart! It takes a lot of faith, tenacity, and survival skills to give birth to a new church.
Nathan Knights new book on "Planting by Pastoring" is a refreshing look at a much talked about subject. Refreshing in that the emphasis is placed where I believe it should be placed. On the long view of bringing glory to God.
Too often in the circle I have operated in over the years, emphasis on beginning a church is all about numbers...about getting enough people to get off the ground...about gathering enough people to sustain a church. There is a myriad of material out there regarding the methods of reaching the four s's that Knight refers to here: size, speed, sufficiency, and spread. However, Knight proposes a an entirely different view. And that is what this book is all about.
Knight (along with others) planted a church in the Washington, DC area over 13 years ago. The church is thriving today as they reach people in their community with the gospel. If I were beginning a church, I would adopt some of the philosophies contained in this work.
The Introduction to the book grabbed my attention as I come from a background of a ministry philosophy of reaching as many people as a church can as fast as you can. In other words - grow, grow, grow! The churches that are/were growing were the ones looked up to (regardless really of the behind-the-scenes philosophy)...the preachers with the growing churches were lauded (even if their character was suspect). Fast forward many years and many of those churches imploded...some of the most sought after leaders collapsed due to a variety of reasons (moral failure, pride, wrong church philosophy, etc).
In the introduction, Knight says "when we consider Scripture, we find a narrative not of speed but of slowness, so that God might be glorified as his people put their trust in Him." He goes on to speak of the drawbacks of aiming primarily for speed, size, self-sufficieny, and spread when it comes to planting a church.
He continues by saying, "When we aim so much at reaching more people, it becomes easy to look past the ones that are already here. We become like so much of the church in America, a mile wide and an inch deep."
Knight continues ruminating in the introduction along these lines:
"It seems to me that the emphasis on size, speed, sufficiency, and spread leaves individual people behind, as well as the family life that Jesus intends for those individual people. It seems to prioritize their being 'reached' over their being 'formed.' I don't know about you, but most people I know struggle to follow Jesus. They wrestle against sin in their marriages and in their singleness, on the job and in the home. They face suffering. They wonder where God is. When we aim to reach people and reproduce them quickly, it becomes difficult to actually minister to them as Jesus did. It becomes difficult to get up close and personal, as a family does. How do you slow down to love people who struggle to follow Jesus when size and speed and spread are so important?"
He then goes on in the intro to define what church-planting success looks like by stating, "It looks like biblically defined churches led by biblically qualified pastors who lead the church to worship and enjoy the risen Savior together as a family. We want to plant oak trees not dandelions. We want to know names, not numbers-stories, not statistics. We want to look out every week and see a family, not just friendly but anonymous faces. And at the center of the family is Jesus Christ."
Many of the philosophies espoused make sense and have the long view in mind when it comes to church planting and church success. Get the book and read it.
My father-in-law, started the church that I now pastor nearly 50 years ago. I've always admired those who plant a church. Beginning a New Testament, Bible-believing church is not for the faint of heart! It takes a lot of faith, tenacity, and survival skills to give birth to a new church.
Nathan Knights new book on "Planting by Pastoring" is a refreshing look at a much talked about subject. Refreshing in that the emphasis is placed where I believe it should be placed. On the long view of bringing glory to God.
Too often in the circle I have operated in over the years, emphasis on beginning a church is all about numbers...about getting enough people to get off the ground...about gathering enough people to sustain a church. There is a myriad of material out there regarding the methods of reaching the four s's that Knight refers to here: size, speed, sufficiency, and spread. However, Knight proposes a an entirely different view. And that is what this book is all about.
Knight (along with others) planted a church in the Washington, DC area over 13 years ago. The church is thriving today as they reach people in their community with the gospel. If I were beginning a church, I would adopt some of the philosophies contained in this work.
The Introduction to the book grabbed my attention as I come from a background of a ministry philosophy of reaching as many people as a church can as fast as you can. In other words - grow, grow, grow! The churches that are/were growing were the ones looked up to (regardless really of the behind-the-scenes philosophy)...the preachers with the growing churches were lauded (even if their character was suspect). Fast forward many years and many of those churches imploded...some of the most sought after leaders collapsed due to a variety of reasons (moral failure, pride, wrong church philosophy, etc).
In the introduction, Knight says "when we consider Scripture, we find a narrative not of speed but of slowness, so that God might be glorified as his people put their trust in Him." He goes on to speak of the drawbacks of aiming primarily for speed, size, self-sufficieny, and spread when it comes to planting a church.
He continues by saying, "When we aim so much at reaching more people, it becomes easy to look past the ones that are already here. We become like so much of the church in America, a mile wide and an inch deep."
Knight continues ruminating in the introduction along these lines:
"It seems to me that the emphasis on size, speed, sufficiency, and spread leaves individual people behind, as well as the family life that Jesus intends for those individual people. It seems to prioritize their being 'reached' over their being 'formed.' I don't know about you, but most people I know struggle to follow Jesus. They wrestle against sin in their marriages and in their singleness, on the job and in the home. They face suffering. They wonder where God is. When we aim to reach people and reproduce them quickly, it becomes difficult to actually minister to them as Jesus did. It becomes difficult to get up close and personal, as a family does. How do you slow down to love people who struggle to follow Jesus when size and speed and spread are so important?"
He then goes on in the intro to define what church-planting success looks like by stating, "It looks like biblically defined churches led by biblically qualified pastors who lead the church to worship and enjoy the risen Savior together as a family. We want to plant oak trees not dandelions. We want to know names, not numbers-stories, not statistics. We want to look out every week and see a family, not just friendly but anonymous faces. And at the center of the family is Jesus Christ."
Many of the philosophies espoused make sense and have the long view in mind when it comes to church planting and church success. Get the book and read it.
September 12, 2024
Grateful for this recommendation from Pastor Jordan Howell—a gifted communicator, leader, and the best counselor I know.
This book provides immense freedom for pastoring and a clear vision for healthy church planting.
It will be a constant recommendation for men considering pastoring, pastors contemplating planting, anyone with a close friend planting a church, and churches desiring to support church plants and plant churches.
Each page is soaked in practical and philosophical wisdom. The points are clear, simple, easy to remember, and easy to recite. There are many anecdotes, but they are substantive, not fluffy.
One of my top five favorite works of pastoral theology.
This book provides immense freedom for pastoring and a clear vision for healthy church planting.
It will be a constant recommendation for men considering pastoring, pastors contemplating planting, anyone with a close friend planting a church, and churches desiring to support church plants and plant churches.
Each page is soaked in practical and philosophical wisdom. The points are clear, simple, easy to remember, and easy to recite. There are many anecdotes, but they are substantive, not fluffy.
One of my top five favorite works of pastoral theology.
July 25, 2024
Down to earth and practical book on church planting. Refocuses the church, planting conversation away from a marketing perspective to one of biblical obedience. Reminds us that authenticity among the leadership team is a biblical necessity. Quote: “ The glory of Christ is the aim of the universe. Therefore, our lives in our churches must be saturated with the glory of Christ, and not a hint of anything else. When we win people, we must unmistakably win them with Jesus, to Jesus, and for Jesus – – not our personalities, visions, or glory.” (Pg 67)
May 10, 2025
Knight rightly emphasizes the importance of proper pastoring and healthy ecclesiology in church planting. “Plant by pastoring names, not numbers,” he says often. The pastor-planter’s job is not primarily to organize programs but to shepherd real people by preaching and teaching the gospel. This book was helpful!
Note that he deals almost entirely with North American church planting. I would’ve liked for him to discuss more extensively international and cross-cultural church planting.
Note that he deals almost entirely with North American church planting. I would’ve liked for him to discuss more extensively international and cross-cultural church planting.
November 25, 2024
Very thankful this book on church planting exists! Knight refreshingly calls on planters to love names, not numbers. He pushes against the common themes of church planting books and strategies of size, speed, sufficiency, and spread to focus on what truly matters: pastoring people to treasure Christ.
Great book.
Great book.
September 28, 2025
This book is a refreshing reminder that solid ecclesiology and a focus on God’s glory are the true heart of faithful church planting. It’s not a five-star revolutionary read, but it’s a strong, insightful four-star gem that every church planter (or even church revitalizer like myself) will find genuinely helpful. Plus, it’s a quick read, which is always a bonus.
March 2, 2023
I was granted access to an ARC of this book in preparation for a missions trip through my school, which Nathan is an alumni of. It is very practical, scriptural, and I think will be helpful to anyone wanting to go into vocational ministry.
May 12, 2024
Probably my favorite book so far this year
January 14, 2025
2nd time reading through.
Helpful in thinking through success and a corrective against a growth-at-all-costs strategy.
Helpful in thinking through success and a corrective against a growth-at-all-costs strategy.
October 14, 2025
This is a fantastic resource that has helped to shape my views on church planting and how to pastor a local church. It was extra special, because I am a member of the local church that planted Knight’s church. Hearing about my own leadership’s example was encouraging to me. Having visited Knight’s church, though only once, I can attest to the culture he has helped build of hospitality, care, and deep commitment to treasuring Christ. I’d recommend this to anyone considering church planting and pastoral ministry.
January 17, 2024
Excellent theology of church planting based on faithfulness to the Word and pastoring the church rather than gimmicks, multiplication methods, or business tactics.
July 26, 2023
This is the way.
October 8, 2025
Second Read: Excellent!
Great little book on church planting!
Great little book on church planting!
March 24, 2024
“We want to plant oak trees not dandelions.”!
October 9, 2023
A missionary or church planter should most definitely read this book. Some great insight and challenges. My personal takeaways are below:
Don’t look at the best business models, look to God.
We love size and speed, but a church can grow and be healthy without those.
Most authors and church planters say that size and speed are important in church planting, but when we go to Scripture, the narrative of God is more on slowness. Consider Abraham and Sarah who were childless for 25 years after being told they would have a child. Consider Israel who was is in slavery in Egypt for 420 years. Or consider the coming of Christ in which thousands of years have passed.
The essence of a church is not their financial stability.
Multiplication does not come at the expense of depth.
Planting by pastoring is glorious and grace filled, but it is not efficient. It takes time and energy.
Evangelism is not the finish line in church planting.
We want to know names, not just see numbers. We want to know stories, not just statistics.
We plant churches to pastor people individually so we can worship Jesus collectively.
What if Jesus did not intend for churches to look like McDonald’s serving a billion people, rather look like your kitchen to serve your family and friends?
Pastor’s sacrifice for their sheep
Jesus knew His people and His people knew Him. He pastored them as names and not numbers.
The foundation of the church is Jesus and His Gospel. If you are a church planter, you should ask yourself what lies at the foundation of this thing that you are spending so much time building.
Let the size and significance of the church you are planting take care of themselves. Slow down and press the Gospel into the lives of the people just as Jesus did.
The people need to know that you are wanting to help them, not get something from them. You are a pastor, not an entrepreneur.
Jesus gathered men before He ever held a public campaign or evangelistic effort.
A planter pastor must have character, competence, and compassion.
Charisma might attract people on the front end, but it rarely endures. Your love for Jesus will keep you there, not your charisma.
The power is in the Gospel. A magnetic personality and eloquent composure is nice to have, but they are bonus, extra, and unnecessary.
If you are planting churches to be respected, heard, and esteemed, you are doing so for the wrong reasons.
Plant churches for the identity of Jesus, not to find or focus on your own identity.
Our areas do not need community centers and places of entertainment, they need a church where Christ is preached.
If you’re going to plant a church you need to be sent out by a church. A church that will love you and lead you.
A church planting team will minimize weaknesses and maximize effectiveness. Throughout the Bible, we see teams going out. Paul and Barnabas, Jesus and the disciples, and even many letters that Paul signed included a team of people.
In planting a church, we can get so involved with a list of what needs done and neglect our own souls.
A team helps you with encouragement and accountability.
Prayer is your lifeline to God. Prayer is essential.
You should allow people to challenge your thinking. Is the place you are wanting to go truly a place of need?
When, choosing a city, ask yourself if you are reflecting the need of Romans 15:19–20.
Preach, pray, love, and stay in a community.
Love people, not programs.
Use as many evangelistic tools as possible, but one of the best tools will be the church members’ influence on other people.
Church planters can rest in God’s fruit as they faithfully scatter the seed.
Don’t look at the best business models, look to God.
We love size and speed, but a church can grow and be healthy without those.
Most authors and church planters say that size and speed are important in church planting, but when we go to Scripture, the narrative of God is more on slowness. Consider Abraham and Sarah who were childless for 25 years after being told they would have a child. Consider Israel who was is in slavery in Egypt for 420 years. Or consider the coming of Christ in which thousands of years have passed.
The essence of a church is not their financial stability.
Multiplication does not come at the expense of depth.
Planting by pastoring is glorious and grace filled, but it is not efficient. It takes time and energy.
Evangelism is not the finish line in church planting.
We want to know names, not just see numbers. We want to know stories, not just statistics.
We plant churches to pastor people individually so we can worship Jesus collectively.
What if Jesus did not intend for churches to look like McDonald’s serving a billion people, rather look like your kitchen to serve your family and friends?
Pastor’s sacrifice for their sheep
Jesus knew His people and His people knew Him. He pastored them as names and not numbers.
The foundation of the church is Jesus and His Gospel. If you are a church planter, you should ask yourself what lies at the foundation of this thing that you are spending so much time building.
Let the size and significance of the church you are planting take care of themselves. Slow down and press the Gospel into the lives of the people just as Jesus did.
The people need to know that you are wanting to help them, not get something from them. You are a pastor, not an entrepreneur.
Jesus gathered men before He ever held a public campaign or evangelistic effort.
A planter pastor must have character, competence, and compassion.
Charisma might attract people on the front end, but it rarely endures. Your love for Jesus will keep you there, not your charisma.
The power is in the Gospel. A magnetic personality and eloquent composure is nice to have, but they are bonus, extra, and unnecessary.
If you are planting churches to be respected, heard, and esteemed, you are doing so for the wrong reasons.
Plant churches for the identity of Jesus, not to find or focus on your own identity.
Our areas do not need community centers and places of entertainment, they need a church where Christ is preached.
If you’re going to plant a church you need to be sent out by a church. A church that will love you and lead you.
A church planting team will minimize weaknesses and maximize effectiveness. Throughout the Bible, we see teams going out. Paul and Barnabas, Jesus and the disciples, and even many letters that Paul signed included a team of people.
In planting a church, we can get so involved with a list of what needs done and neglect our own souls.
A team helps you with encouragement and accountability.
Prayer is your lifeline to God. Prayer is essential.
You should allow people to challenge your thinking. Is the place you are wanting to go truly a place of need?
When, choosing a city, ask yourself if you are reflecting the need of Romans 15:19–20.
Preach, pray, love, and stay in a community.
Love people, not programs.
Use as many evangelistic tools as possible, but one of the best tools will be the church members’ influence on other people.
Church planters can rest in God’s fruit as they faithfully scatter the seed.
January 28, 2024
I really appreciated and resonated with Knight’s more relational, one might say “organic”, approach to church planting. I don’t know that I’m opposed to some of the methods he takes occasional jabs at, but I do share his uneasiness with an overemphasis, or indulgence perhaps, on efficiency, business, and marketing principles in various church plant methods and church structures in general. He roots his points in Scripture and then uses stories to illustrate. As for Scripture, one of the most unique things about this book is how Knight draws lessons and implications from the fact that the New Testament makes it a point to mention people by name. When he first uses the line “names not numbers”, it felt to me like a cheap slogan, but as the book went on I realized it came from a place of deep reflection that had also been applied in his life and ministry. He does use stories from his own church planting experience to make his points, but his examples aren’t always about what they did right, but sometimes what they did wrong. More often I suppose they were just examples of what ministering with a certain principle might look like, but not the way it has to. The most important things that stood out to me is that this seemed to be a church model that had loving community at the center and, at least in his case, led to a community of diverse backgrounds. It doesn’t seem that was an intentional goal of his, but models that emphasize efficiency and/or numbers tend to prevent diversity. This is a very accessible read. I’m not sure I would call it a church planting must read, but it is definitely a helpful and worthwhile read for those involved or considering involvement in church planting ministry.
June 12, 2025
What a great title! My only complaint is that it was not available sooner and that people in positions of influence in varied churches and networks even in my own context, city, and country would have read this, learnt from it, avoided the pitfalls it warns of. I value the heart of church planters, and have greatly benefited from such a network that focused on planting churches. I look forward to the day when our church can again send more leaders out to plant more churches. Whenever that time may come, we will be utilising this title!
It is refreshing in its approach and accurate in its assessments of what can go wrong when planting is carried out at any cost. The cost has been high, and not in the context of finance or losing highly gifted people or close friends to the mission…but the costs we could not afford to pay. This title helpfully and positively addresses concerns that have rattled around in my mind and heart for some time.
It also wonderfully provides hope that church planting can be done in a faithful way. So much damage has been done to the broader church and culture by the exact shortfalls this author addresses and counters. Superbly balanced, and having its focus on the right issues, this title must be broadly spread throughout the evangelical church, and if it was with as much enthusiasm as people have soaked up other resources, conferences, all of which esteemed “planting” and “planters” over discipleship in the local church and encouraging pastors to be faithful for so long…deep discipleship would occur, faithful churches and church members would abound, and faithful pastors and church leaders would avoid burnout, discouragement, and the whole church would be more prayerfully and biblically wise on the issue of planting churches.
It is refreshing in its approach and accurate in its assessments of what can go wrong when planting is carried out at any cost. The cost has been high, and not in the context of finance or losing highly gifted people or close friends to the mission…but the costs we could not afford to pay. This title helpfully and positively addresses concerns that have rattled around in my mind and heart for some time.
It also wonderfully provides hope that church planting can be done in a faithful way. So much damage has been done to the broader church and culture by the exact shortfalls this author addresses and counters. Superbly balanced, and having its focus on the right issues, this title must be broadly spread throughout the evangelical church, and if it was with as much enthusiasm as people have soaked up other resources, conferences, all of which esteemed “planting” and “planters” over discipleship in the local church and encouraging pastors to be faithful for so long…deep discipleship would occur, faithful churches and church members would abound, and faithful pastors and church leaders would avoid burnout, discouragement, and the whole church would be more prayerfully and biblically wise on the issue of planting churches.
November 22, 2024
Took me a little while to get into this book, but I really did in the end. It's a short look at what is necessary to plant a church. In short, it's the same stuff that makes a church healthy. Preach the Word, and shepherd and love the sheep.
I found his page on calling particularly helpful, but Chapters 9 and 10 are worth the cost of the book.
Pg. 100, "But there's nothing in Scripture that demands or even assumes we'll be able to identify some subjective call from God to a particular place. This is great news! It frees us from building the church on a subjective, mysterious 'call.' Instead, we build the church on the rock of Christ Jesus. Does God know the number of hairs on your head? Yes. Does God know the number of your days? Yes. Does God know how he intends to use you? Yes. Do you know any of these things in advance? No. A highly subjective calling won't be sufficient when--and I do mean when--things get hard. But you know what is strong enough to stand up under the weight of scrutiny? Your baptism, because it points to the strongest calling that you will ever need--your calling to Christ. Are you qualified to lead a plant? Do your wife and elder's agree? Do you have an interest in planting a church there? Do others believe this is a wise choice? Have you fasted and prayed? Well, then, get to it! Don't feel the need to conjure up some story that will be the basis of your plant. As Bible Professor Tom Schreiner often says when summarizing Psalm 37:4; delight yourself in the Lord and then do what you want."
Re-read while considering a church plant.
I found his page on calling particularly helpful, but Chapters 9 and 10 are worth the cost of the book.
Pg. 100, "But there's nothing in Scripture that demands or even assumes we'll be able to identify some subjective call from God to a particular place. This is great news! It frees us from building the church on a subjective, mysterious 'call.' Instead, we build the church on the rock of Christ Jesus. Does God know the number of hairs on your head? Yes. Does God know the number of your days? Yes. Does God know how he intends to use you? Yes. Do you know any of these things in advance? No. A highly subjective calling won't be sufficient when--and I do mean when--things get hard. But you know what is strong enough to stand up under the weight of scrutiny? Your baptism, because it points to the strongest calling that you will ever need--your calling to Christ. Are you qualified to lead a plant? Do your wife and elder's agree? Do you have an interest in planting a church there? Do others believe this is a wise choice? Have you fasted and prayed? Well, then, get to it! Don't feel the need to conjure up some story that will be the basis of your plant. As Bible Professor Tom Schreiner often says when summarizing Psalm 37:4; delight yourself in the Lord and then do what you want."
Re-read while considering a church plant.
September 19, 2023
This book provides a corrective prescription for the goal of church planting: churches. That may sound simple and redundant, but the discussion in so much literature about this topic are about pragmatic issues and the traits of the church planter (with little regard for the qualifications of a church pastor).
Strengths:
- Casts a vision for church planting that is rooted in the Scriptures with the goal that the planter is first a pastor.
- Provides some helps at the end, like a sample statement of faith and church covenant.
Weaknesses:
- The appendices give one version of the sample documents and style. Book may have benefited by offering links to other more comprehensive resources.
- The book is broad in scope, meaning you will get some ideas about how the church planting process should go, but don't expect to find a set of to-dos to starting a church. In this, you may be served by reading one of the (numerous) books that offer the pragmatic steps. Just let this book be the philosophy of church planting.
Who Should Read This:
- Pastors and Christians thinking about church planting
- Pastors and leaders trying to lead their church to plant another church
This book is a fairly easy read and should be understandable to lay leaders. It's not a theological textbook.
Overall, I would highly recommend this to churches and pastors who want a vision for what church planting should be (in accordance with the Scriptures).
Strengths:
- Casts a vision for church planting that is rooted in the Scriptures with the goal that the planter is first a pastor.
- Provides some helps at the end, like a sample statement of faith and church covenant.
Weaknesses:
- The appendices give one version of the sample documents and style. Book may have benefited by offering links to other more comprehensive resources.
- The book is broad in scope, meaning you will get some ideas about how the church planting process should go, but don't expect to find a set of to-dos to starting a church. In this, you may be served by reading one of the (numerous) books that offer the pragmatic steps. Just let this book be the philosophy of church planting.
Who Should Read This:
- Pastors and Christians thinking about church planting
- Pastors and leaders trying to lead their church to plant another church
This book is a fairly easy read and should be understandable to lay leaders. It's not a theological textbook.
Overall, I would highly recommend this to churches and pastors who want a vision for what church planting should be (in accordance with the Scriptures).
August 23, 2023
This is an excellent book on church planting, in which the author discusses how he sought to apply biblical principles to his church planting efforts in Washington D.C. It is written in reaction to much of the church planting literature, which emphasizes speed of growth; instead, Knight argues that faithful, biblical churches emphasize discipleship and spiritual formation rather than just evangelism and "reaching" people. And so the church planter needs to engage in the slow, hard work of pastoring.
Knight is a Baptist and this comes through in his view of the church: he defines it as "A covenanted group of Christians that gathers regularly together to hear the preaching of the gospel and affirm one another's membership in the gospel and in Christ's body through baptism and the Lord's Supper while protecting the gospel and that body through church discipline" (p. 27). I would want to have a much more God-centered definition - it is *God* who calls us and gathers us together - and include something about worship. I don't think I could be a member of Knight's church (since I would be required to affirm that baptism is by immersion, p. 136) and I don't think they would accept my baptism as valid. Because of this, I cannot regard them as a faithful church, and so Knight's vision of planting healthy churches fails.
Knight is a Baptist and this comes through in his view of the church: he defines it as "A covenanted group of Christians that gathers regularly together to hear the preaching of the gospel and affirm one another's membership in the gospel and in Christ's body through baptism and the Lord's Supper while protecting the gospel and that body through church discipline" (p. 27). I would want to have a much more God-centered definition - it is *God* who calls us and gathers us together - and include something about worship. I don't think I could be a member of Knight's church (since I would be required to affirm that baptism is by immersion, p. 136) and I don't think they would accept my baptism as valid. Because of this, I cannot regard them as a faithful church, and so Knight's vision of planting healthy churches fails.
November 23, 2023
Disclaimer: I only listened to this one on Hoopla.
Should pastors and church planters be known for charisma and creativity or godly character and faithfulness? Should churches aim for names or numbers?
In Nathan Knight’s book, the author reveals that while many church leaders have tried to have both (the maximum growth and faithful / godly / maturing congregation), these ideas are actually often in contradiction. Knight’s solution is to call church leaders, planters, and churches to return to Biblical basics. Instead of numbers (how many people are on the rolls), worry about names (real people). Instead of interesting sermons, worry about the faithfulness of the sermon. Instead of methods for multiplying, worry about maturing. In other words, pastors and church planters are called to shepherd, not be CEOs or advertising executives.
While some will likely poorly read (or listen) to the book and assume that Knight’s book is an example of numbers vs maturity and big churches vs small churches, better readers will be challenged by questions like “where is that person who said they were converted now” and “can you give an account for the members of your church.” Knight’s exploration of such questions, pictures into his own shortcomings, and refreshing Baxtarianess (as in like Richard Baxter) renders the book a refreshing reminder of God’s calling for churches and pastors.
Should pastors and church planters be known for charisma and creativity or godly character and faithfulness? Should churches aim for names or numbers?
In Nathan Knight’s book, the author reveals that while many church leaders have tried to have both (the maximum growth and faithful / godly / maturing congregation), these ideas are actually often in contradiction. Knight’s solution is to call church leaders, planters, and churches to return to Biblical basics. Instead of numbers (how many people are on the rolls), worry about names (real people). Instead of interesting sermons, worry about the faithfulness of the sermon. Instead of methods for multiplying, worry about maturing. In other words, pastors and church planters are called to shepherd, not be CEOs or advertising executives.
While some will likely poorly read (or listen) to the book and assume that Knight’s book is an example of numbers vs maturity and big churches vs small churches, better readers will be challenged by questions like “where is that person who said they were converted now” and “can you give an account for the members of your church.” Knight’s exploration of such questions, pictures into his own shortcomings, and refreshing Baxtarianess (as in like Richard Baxter) renders the book a refreshing reminder of God’s calling for churches and pastors.
April 21, 2025
This book was like a cup of cold water for people like me, in the church planting process and working through several of the popular church growth volumes on planting. Knight writes from a depth of ecclesiology and a trust in the ordinary means of grace to aspiring church planters, inviting them to not buy the lie that speed, size, and spread are the measures of success. Several of his criticisms of the modern church planting movement are spot on. I especially loved his emphasis on churches planting church (not parachurch organizations), his dissection of the myth of calling, and his story of a conversation with Mark Dever asking if DC was really the most strategic city (not every city needs another church plant).
Now all this praise aside, I will likely keep working through some of the literature that Knight cites because they will stretch me. This volume might nurture in me that thinking that if I merely preach excellent and faithful sermons, the church will grow automatically. Jesus will build his church. My calling is to be faithful to trust in his ordained means (Knight's emphasis) and labor using all common grace insights (the other literatures' emphasis) as I work and wait for God to pour out his Spirit.
Now all this praise aside, I will likely keep working through some of the literature that Knight cites because they will stretch me. This volume might nurture in me that thinking that if I merely preach excellent and faithful sermons, the church will grow automatically. Jesus will build his church. My calling is to be faithful to trust in his ordained means (Knight's emphasis) and labor using all common grace insights (the other literatures' emphasis) as I work and wait for God to pour out his Spirit.
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