Christian Book Notes

McKinley, Mike. Church Planting is for Wimps: How God Uses Messed Up People to Plant Ordinary Churches that do Extraordinary Things. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2010. 128 pp. $10.99. Purchase at Westminster Books for $7.00.

Introduction

Church Planting is for Wimps is yet another resource coming from the resource factory…er…ministry of IX Marks. You can read some of my other reviews of these beneficial resources here. Mike McKinley, served on the pastoral staff at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC before becoming a church planter in Sterling, VA.

Summary

From the very beginning of the book, Mike makes it clear that he is nothing more than an ordinary guy who God has called into the pastoral ministry. In other words, if he can do this, anyone can…as long as the Lord has called you. The book itself is divided into eight chapters with two appendices. Each chapter helps the reader to dig deeper into the meaning and reality of life as a church planter.

As you move along in Mike’s story, you will discover that you learned a thing or two from his experiences through his pen. By the end of the book, you will be wondering how you can train to become a church planter, or better yet, train others to become church planters. This is where the appendices play a role. The first appendix is a letter from Mark Dever to his church, Capitol Hill Baptist, regarding church planting. Here, you will see the thought and effort it takes to actually begin the process of planting a church.

The second appendix is a syllabus from a class taught by Mike at his church, Guilford Baptist Church. This syllabus introduces the need of discipleship in the life of the church and how to go about instilling this principle in the lifeblood of your new church start or church revitalization. In any event, insofar as church planting is concerned, these appendices are worth the cost of the book.

Review

Mike’s candid approach and “simple” view on the issues puts the reader at ease as he seeks to learn what it means to be a church planter. He was very real and honest throughout the entirety of the book. He shared much at what I felt was a “gut-level.” His theology and reasons for planting a church are spot on as his desire to see more churches planted.

Recommendation

While not a manual on how to plant churches, Church Planting makes a great supplemental resource for those looking to enter the field of church planting. As a pastor involved in a church plant currently, I found Mike’s wisdom and words to be of great help. If you are a church planter or seeking to become a church planter, I commend Church Planting is for Wimps to you.