Church Planter: The Man, the Message, the Mission by Darrin Patrick 
(Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), 238 pp. Buy: Amazon | WTS Bookstore  
Reviewed by Tim Brister

The Message

The Apostle Paul, missionary and church planter, is someone practitioners reference in developing missional paradigms, approaches to cultural engagement, and philosophy of ministry. However, what is most significant in Paul’s missionary labors is the message he preached. In fact, he spoke very plainly when he told churches that the gospel of Jesus Christ was “of first importance” (1 Cor. 15:1-4).  What matters more than Paul’s method was Paul’s message—the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Paul was very clear about this and spent much of his letters to church plants explaining the gospel (Romans), defending/confirming the gospel (Galatians), and encouraging believers to remember and remain faithful to the gospel (Philippians). In the second section of his book, Darrin Patrick focuses on the gospel message with theological precision and practical exposition. This section represents well what the resurgence of gospel centrality looks like among the younger generation of evangelicals, and those looking for a concise yet profound summary of the nature of the gospel will be encouraged by what they find in this book. ..

All this week, we are taking an in-depth look at Church Planter: The Man, the Message, the Mission by Darrin Patrick. Those of you on Twitter will like to know that we are giving away copies of Church Planter every day this week, so stay tuned via Twitter for more details!  Check out this video trailer where Darrin Patrick explains the importance and urgency of discovering and developing God-called men to lead the church on mission in our generation.

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Church Planter: The Man, the Message, the Mission by Darrin Patrick
(Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), 238 pp. Buy: Amazon | WTS Bookstore  
Reviewed by Tim Brister

The Man

One does not have to look far to discover the plethora of books in the world of church planting. However, the majority of these books focus on the pragmatics of church planting—systems, techniques, processes, etc. Wisdom has often been discovered not in those who have learned to give all the answers, but rather from those who have learned to ask the right questions. The burning question among most church planting books seems to be, “How to plant a church?” In his book, Church Planter, Darrin Patrick takes a completely different approach, starting with a different, and I would argue, more pertinent question. He begins by asking not how to plant a church but who should plant a church. The first section of his book seeks to answer this question with the end goal to find men who are “fit to carry the message of Jesus to the world” (103). Patrick’s focus and prayer is that there would be a resurgence of “godly men to serve the church by the power of God’s Spirit” (17). This theme runs throughout this section and in many ways lays out a template for discovering and assessing men according to God’s Word. ..

At the turn of the 2nd Century, Pliny the Younger, governor of Bithynia-Pontus, recorded his observations about his interrogations of the early Christians during an intense season of state-sponsored persecution. More than anything, he seemed to be taken aback by the resiliency of the movement. He saw the Church for what it was: a relentless tide that couldn't be turned back. "For the contagion of this superstition," Pliny worried, "has spread not only to the cities but also to the villages and farms." Pliny was right about the Gospel: it is an ever present danger to the principalities and powers of this age. And if we are keeping in step with the Spirit, we will long to see the Church making new advances for Christ "in cities . . . villages and farms."

Every year as I meet fresh waves of incoming students for ministry, I am humbled by the returning confidence of God's people. These young men want to plant churches. But they want to do so in ways that are theologically faithful and ecclesiologically thoughtful. That's why I am thrilled to know of the good work the PLNTD network is doing in providing a community for those wanting the divine "and": faithful doctrinal focus AND missiological praxis.

-- Greg Thornbury, Vice President for Spiritual Life and Dean of the School of Theology and Missions, Union University ..

There are two kinds of Christian men:

1. Those who are pursuing God with everything they've got
2. Those who aren't

We have a tremendous problem—most of the men in Christ's Church are in the second group. I appreciate PLNTD because they are raising the rally cry to the largest denomination in the states—it's time to plant God-glorifying, mission-minded, doctrinally sound churches. To do that we need men. We need men who will call their churches to mission and reach their cities with the glorious good news of the Gospel. Jesus is alive, and the miraculous resurgence of churches that are reformed theologically, engaged missionally, complementarian in relationships, and Spirit-lead is testament to his resurrection. God please bless the work of these men.

-- Mike Anderson, director of The Resurgence ..