Starting a new church is a significant endeavor and having the right church-planting and church leadership resources to guide you through the journey is important. While each journey is unique, there are helpful tools and information that can point you in the right direction and assist you in answering key questions about what you should do each step of the way as you grow, send out church invitation letters and welcome new church members. Faith is an important element in any church or religion and rarely is there a bigger test of faith than making the financial and logistical commitment of planting a new church. Below is a list of church planting resources you can look to at various stages of the church planting process. Some may be more relevant to your church than others, but all have wisdom accumulated by those who have walked the same path you’re now walking as they’ve faced challenges and overcome them on the way to planting their own new churches.
1. Planting Missional Churches
Planting Missional Churches is a book written by Ed Stetzer and Daniel Im. It’s one of many church planting resources for people who need a biblically-centered strategy.
If you’re planting a church and need a comprehensive, well-structured guide on what to do next, this is the book for you. You’ll receive a thorough blueprint to keep you moving in the right direction. The book is also top-rated among thousands of other church planting resources.
The updated second edition book is over 400 pages and covers a wide array of topics. First, it teaches the foundations of church planting so you fully understand the process. Then, the book presents the models of church planting, followed by systems for starting a church plant.
The book also explains church planting ministry areas and multiplication. Stetzer is a well-versed church planter who’s established many congregations and Daniel Im is a lead pastor and author who adds even more knowledge for the reader.
You’re getting two minds in one, so this is a must-have church planting resource.
2. Center Church
Center Church is a book by Tim Keller that provides deep insight into the world of church planting. Tim Keller is a senior pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. He has decades of experience in pastoral ministry and church planting.
Center Church is a must-read for evangelists who want to improve their skills. The book outlines three core commitments to help you become a balanced spiritual leader. These commitments include gospel-centered, city-centered and movement-centered ideals.
This 400-page book will teach church planters and spiritual leaders about theology, preaching and the different stages of church planting. It’s a sensible book centered on the gospel, and it will definitely help you improve your missional skills.
Keller’s book is highly regarded as one of the best texts on church planting, so don’t skip out on his gospel-centered work.
3. Association of Related Churches (ARC)
The Association of Related Churches is a cooperative of churches from various denominations and backgrounds. They serve as a resource that provides you with church planting training, offering both online and in-person solutions.
ARC started in 2000 with Greg Surrat, the founding pastor of Seacoast Church. He believes that every community deserves to have a church and he also believes that his God-given mission is to help plant over 2,000 churches worldwide.
ARC’s goal is to supply new and existing churches and leaders with resources and relationships to help them thrive and they can teach you the ins and outs of church planting.
Additionally, they’ve helped hundreds of leaders launch prosperous churches on a global scale, showing countless success stories on their website.
As you continue to see church growth and welcome new members, continue to lean on these resources for guidance and support. There are also church leadership structure models to help grow your church, ensuring your congregation has the right leaders to continue to live out its mission. Another area where diligence and leadership matter is church finances, which play a central role in a new church's success.
