The Missional Entrepreneur: Principles and Practices for Business as Mission – Mark L. Russell

© 2010 New Hope Publishers, Birmingham

BAM. No, you are not reading the script from a campy 1960s Batman episode. BAM is the acronym for Business as Mission, an innovative way of approaching missions around the world. Mark Russell is an excellent person to bring this issue to the foreground for missionaries and businessmen alike because he has education and background in both ministry and business. He spent years working in Russia, Chile, and Germany on the cutting edge of BAM enterprises.

The Missional Entrepreneur is divided into five sections which introduce, define, provide foundation for, and examine models to doing business as mission. The book reads a lot like a textbook which sometimes makes it hard to muddle through, but at the same time makes it a trusty reference tool for Christians in business and missions alike. The scholarship used in producing this book is obvious in the use of visual representations throughout the text as well as the citations and index found at the end of the book.

Russell uses examples drawn from his experience and especially from research work done in Thailand to portray positive models for BAM, and contrasts them with instances that have caused BAM to struggle or even fail from time to time. After defining BAM from his own viewpoint, Russell gives biblical foundation for the practice from the life of Paul. He concludes the work with a couple of chapters dealing with Missional Leadership (which was very helpful) and Offshoring (which was less than helpful).

I would highly recommend this book for use as a textbook for any business class in a Christian setting or for all missionary training courses. It would be a welcomed addition to the library of any pastor, missions organization leader, missionary, or Christian businessman (especially those contemplating impaction the world for Christ through their business). I can give The Missional Entrepreneur four and one-half out of five reading glasses.

—Benjamin Potter, June 23, 2010

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The Barnabas Factors – J.D. Payne

©2008 Missional Press, Smyrna, DE

J.D. Payne is a mission worker, church planter, and seminary professor. He is the founder of church planting resource site Northamericanmissions.org. Payne has an extended history of working in both mission work and church planting. Granted, Payne (and others—myself included) would argue that the two are synonymous, but that’s an argument for another venue. Our focus today is on Payne’s recent book The Barnabas Factors: Eight Essential Practices of Church Planting Team Members.

The author uses Joseph of Cyprus, better known to us by the name given him by the apostles—Barnabas, as a role model for all church planting team members. In the scriptural references to Barnabas, Payne finds the following eight essentials:

Ø Walks with the Lord

Ø Maintains an Outstanding Character

Ø Serves the Local Church

Ø Remains Faithful to the Call

Ø Shares the Gospel Regularly

Ø Raises Up Leaders

Ø Encourages with Speech and Actions

Ø Responds Appropriately to Conflict.

One would be hard-pressed to argue with the importance of these practices in the life of church planting team leaders, but often we discover teams that have been recruited on the fly where members are lacking in any number of these qualities. Payne suggests that to do so would endanger the effectiveness or even the longevity of the team.

At times the book reads like another leadership book, and that is one of the drawbacks. Another is its brevity. Some might think that a short book on recruiting the right team members is a gift to church planters everywhere, but at times the brevity of the book underscores the rush with which it was put together (a struggle which Payne admits up front).

Other than those small drawbacks, let’s spend a more important moment discussing why you need to buy and read this book and keep it as a constant reference on your shelf. To begin with in a footnote early in the introduction Payne lists a gold mine of resources for the church planter and church planting team that go into much greater detail about the process of team building. Some readers will find encouragement in the periodic pauses to get testimony from real live church planters about how important each of the factors is to the team (entitled throughout the book as “Factors from the Field”). But probably the most useful part of the book, at least to me, is the “Points to Ponder” section at the end of each chapter.

One of the popular things for authors, editors, and book publishers to do today is to include some form of discussion questions at the end of their chapters in order to review and help the reader to fully internalize the material from the chapter. I must admit that this particular section is usually a waste of time on the part of the publishing community as far as I am concerned. I normally find such questions trite and inappropriate, an attempt at making an otherwise good resource into a “teaching tool” by emphasizing what the reader either should have picked up anyway, or didn’t find that important to the information. In The Barnabas Factors I had just the opposite reaction. Some of the most practical material in the book can be found in the thought-provoking and purposeful questions at the end of each chapter. They are more practical application than “did you really read the chapter?” type questions. I, for one, would like to see more of this in the course of ministerial reading.

Finally, Payne includes several tools for church planters to use as they are trying to build their team: a process evaluation that lets you assess potential team members against the Barnabas Factors, and a guideline (read that suggested starting point) for developing a team covenant between team members and team leaders.

I highly recommend this resource with four and one-half reading glasses.

—Benjamin Potter, May 25, 2009

Planting Churches in the Real World -- Joel Rainey

[I have come into an extra copy of this book. If you would like to try for it, please click this link and take a stab at the question in a comment on my other blog.]

©2008 Missional Press, Smyrna, DE

Church planting is the way to go for young (and not-so-young) preacher types these days. The younger generation wants to make its mark on the world, and the older fellows have come to their wits’ end trying to get the church to do what’s right. The answer? Start your own church, then you can start get them doing right from the very start, set up your rules and make all the members play by them. Joel Rainey, Director of Mid-Maryland Baptist Association located near Washington, D.C. and experienced church planter has something to say to those who would jump in with the idea that they are looking at an easy task. That something is, “Think again!”

Planting Churches in the Real World is the kind of book that church planting circles have needed for a long time. Rainey speaks frankly and candidly about the hard work and often disappointing results that accompany starting churches from the ground up. He includes practical advice about how to go about choosing location and leadership. He warns against trusting in numbers, but encourages church planters and would-be church planters to watch for signs of steady, healthy growth.

With a host of books lining the shelves of bookstores that are written by big-name mega-church planters, it is easy to get the idea that within the first year of launching a church one should see upwards of 100 regular attenders, and within five years you ought to be pushing 1000. This, asserts Rainey, is the exception and not the rule. The majority of church planters work long hours for little reward, and to have that first 100 within the first three years is doing well. This should encourage those who are in the process of planting a new church and not seeing throngs of their target group bursting through the door of their rented storefront.

I liked this book. I like the writing style and pace. I like the candor of the examples brought straight from the author’s own church planting experience. I like the size of the book (approximately 150 pages). I would suggest that it be the first must read for someone who feels the calling to plant churches. I also find that it would be a perfect main textbook for a church planting course at any Bible College or Seminary. Even more, I believe that much of what is suggested for the church planter should be given ear by the local pastor who would like to see his “already planted” church show signs of health and growth. The principles are the same whether starting from scratch or building on a previously laid foundation.

For those who want to plant churches, hear Rainey’s words:

Of all the things I have been privileged to do in my sixteen years of ministry, church planting was by far the most enlightening educational, rewarding, heartbreaking, health-threatening, marriage-testing, glorious, faith-building, faith-testing, fulfilling, challenging, daunting, empowering, sweat-producing, excruciating, wonderful, God-glorifying thing I have ever done!

This one is a keeper—and a book to refer to time and again when going through the process of helping churches become all that they can be. I give it four out of five reading glasses.

—Benjamin Potter, October 30, 2008

Breaking the Missional Code – Ed Stetzer & David Putnam

© 2006 B&H, Nashville

I had been letting this book gather dust on my shelf for a bit over a year. I purchased it because of my lack of expertise in the missional conversation. Knowing that Ed Stetzer is the guru in charge of research over at LifeWay, I expected lots of statistics, and that in itself made me pick up book after book ahead of this one. Anyway, I finally took this one down, and am glad that I finally got around to it. Not only is it much more than just a repetition of statistical fodder, but it is an inspirational piece in its own right. Adding the voice of David Putnam to that of Stetzer brings a conversational feel to this encouragement for churches to move into the realm of being a missionary to the community where they are planted.

To be fair, Stetzer and Putnam are actually writing from their respective perspectives as experienced church planters. The advice they render is tried and true, and it is scriptural too. The first part of the book is concerned with the philosophy behind what it takes to break the code. The authors describe code-breaking churches, and the leaders who compel them to break the code.

Simply put, the idea of breaking the code is that believers, churches and church leaders must examine their community to discover what it takes to reach the unreached with the gospel. Within the book readers are encouraged to put aside their personal preferences, their comforts, and their ideas to reach their community for Christ. Within the pages of the book you will find the seeds of Putnam’s call to “live like Jesus lived; love like Jesus loved; and leave what Jesus left behind.” He expands this theme in the follow-up book Breaking the Discipleship Code.

The closing chapters of the book are the more invaluable part, though. It is in the last few chapters that the authors give some practical help in how to go about breaking the code. While they do not give a step by step process that everyone must go through to build a missionary church, they do advise us of some of the important components necessary to breaking out of the rut that the church seems to find herself in. There is not a formula that will work one place or another, but a principle of doing what scripture admonishes in order to build the kingdom as we are called to do.

Part of the advice given includes examples from successful efforts to break the code. Accompanying these examples (Saddleback Church led by Rick Warren, for instance) are reminders that your community is not the community that this model worked in. Warning—don’t treat Midwestern blue-collar workers like “Saddleback Sam.”

If you have been contemplating reading this book, go ahead. Don’t put it off for a couple of years, but be ready to be challenged by it’s content. And take along the four out of five reading glasses that I gave it with you. This is an invaluable resource when you are trying to be the kingdom builder that God has called you to be.

—Benjamin Potter, September 12, 2008

Breaking the Discipleship Code – David Putnam

© 2008 B & H, Nashville

Of late I have been reading a mountain of books that give advice on how to adjust life in the church or among her members in order to make her more relevant in today’s world. Some of the books have been disturbing—not because of the content but because of the accuracy in which they point out the shortcomings of the church as I have known it. Just one challenge after another seems to be crossing my desk. David Putnam’s follow-up to his collaborative effort with Ed Stetzer (Breaking the Missional Code, B&H, 2006) is another keeper.

The difference between Putnam’s book and most of the challenging books being released is its approachable manner. Putnam doesn’t inundate us with research (although the research is out there in full force), nor does he lambaste us with berating language that often accompanies the call to church-wide repentance. What he does instead is simplify the call to return to the basics of Christ-followers’ faith. His theme which is impossible to miss because it is repeated ad infinitum throughout the book: Live like Jesus; love like Jesus; leave what Jesus left behind.

The first two commands—to live and love like Jesus—take little explanation. Live in a servant-leader style that makes more of others than of yourself, without compromise. Love everyone, even those that do not love you or are unlovely. But when Putnam calls on Christians to leave what Jesus left behind he has to explain and expound. Jesus left followers who did what He did as He moved on to make end times preparation. We as Christ followers will leave this world someday, our objective in living and loving like Jesus is to leave behind more followers of Jesus who live and love like He did. Biblical scholars will easily catch the link to Matthew’s record of the Great Commission—“teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.”

I will admit that I liked much of what I saw in the book even before I began to read. The table of contents revealed a simple yet informative arrangement of the material. The book is arranged in three divisions that purports to (1) define for the reader what a missional follower of Christ is, (2) discuss the process through which one becomes such a follower, and (3) what such a follower looks like in everyday situations.

Putnam is adept in conveying his message concerning the life and lifestyle of a missional disciple of Jesus. He uses easy stories from his own experience in life, in church, in church planting, and in his home to draw a portrait of how one moves along the journey of becoming more like Jesus.

For the reader who likes to have his interaction with a book directed, each chapter is followed by several questions to help apply what has been discussed in the chapter to his life. Part three, in which what a missional follower of Jesus looks like is discussed, short testimonials are inserted between the chapter and the study questions which show that there are people who are actually removing religious baggage from their lives and truly following in the steps of Christ. Some will find these testimonies to be extra blessing validating the material they illustrate. For me, they were actually a bit of a distraction from the flow of the text itself.

Without exception as I read through the chapters of the book I found nugget after golden nugget of profundity that made me stop and say, “Yes, that is what it is to follow Jesus.” The stories and thoughts were well-organized and helpful. With but one hiccup as Putnam discussed living missionally in the city the reading went easy and smooth. The introductory material on the chapter about city felt a little less polished than the rest of the book.

Breaking the Discipleship Code shows evidence of Putnam’s desire to live and love as Jesus loved and to lead others to that same end (leaving behind believers who live and love as Jesus loved). In the course of the book we see Putnam’s heart for the next generation of church planters, his commitment to finding others who are taking the journey with him, and his desire to grow personally.

Was the book challenging? Yes, without being preach-y. Who should read it? Anyone who is on his way to becoming Christ-like. Those who haven’t yet said yes to Jesus, but are interested in learning more, as well as those who are part of God’s kingdom and looking for advice on how to become more like Jesus will find the book helpful. Those who are satisfied that they have all the answers would do better to leave this book alone unless they want to get angry about yet another leader who is calling the church to repentant truthfulness. I give it four and one-half reading glasses and am looking forward to more from this honest young leader.

—Benjamin Potter, July 28, 2008

Kept: The Message of Jude – W. David Phillips

© 2007 Missional Press, Smyrna, DE

Pastor, student and mastermind behind Missional Press, David Phillips inaugurates his new venture by presenting us with what he calls a “devotional commentary” on one of the most neglected books in scripture.

In content, Phillips’ commentary is thoughtful and encouraging. He takes the text of this short letter tucked quietly away in the shadow of other letters and the Revelation of John, and opens them to the reader. He openly deals with the difficulties presented by Jude including the writer’s use of non-biblical authority as an authority for his first-century readers. Phillips relies heavily on commentaries by Hillyer, Moo, and Davids for his background working of the text. Even so, the interpretations are well presented.

The design of the book is excellent as well with a clean look. It creates an excellent first outing for both author and publishing venture. The publishers left wide margins for the student of the book of Jude to interact practically with the interpretations made by the Phillips.

In discussing the text, Phillips uses a style that both speaks of his years in pulpit ministry and endears him to his readers. As a strong supporter of the missional movement among evangelicals, Phillips gives a superb analysis (based on Jude) answering those concerned about change for change’s sake. Comparing first-century believers with many Christ followers of today, he says,

some in the community of faith were on the verge of adopting the new and doing away with the old. The problem is not with adopting new methodologies. The problem is when the new is clearly corrupt and false theology. (see page 38)

Here Phillips indicates that, according to Jude, we should test the validity of new methods in relation to their consistency with the Gospel. When the new leads people away from the Gospel it is corrupt.

If I had one problem with Phillips’ book, it falls into the editorial category. There were several places where typos and misused words jumped off the page at this former English teacher. However, with the attention given to properly handling the Word found in Jude, I would still give Missional Press’ maiden voyage four out of five reading glasses. It’s short, readable, and faithful treatment of the Word.

—Benjamin Potter, April 10, 2008

Journeys – Todd Wright and Marty Duren

© 2008 Missional Press, Smyrna, DE

Few books dig so deeply into the heart of the reader as to force life change. In the church culture we have, over the last decade or so, been bombarded with a mountain of books that have a tendency to approach this kind of effect. Several have made it across my desk, and have even influenced my thinking. The Purpose Driven Church, Transitioning, Simple Church, and Chazown have all had similar interest-piquing effects as they outlined either a new approach to church or personal discipleship, and have all created a desire to see a more effective ministry happen in my life and the church I serve (or served at the time). What these books did not do was drive me to my knees in search of the face of God. In this, Journeys: Transitioning Churches to Relevance is different.

Within the pages of this short volume, you will find the candid report from two pastors broken by a vision from God that allowed no rest, no relying on the status quo, and no looking back with integrity. With the admonition that both men and the churches where they lead are on a continuing journey into reaching their respective communities for Christ, they share the journey so far. It is a journey that brings under indictment the Church Culture that has developed in America (and the West) that efficiently builds a wall around itself to keep the outside world outside while claiming to love and pray for that lost and dying world.

Reader be warned: this is not a casual perusal, and if read in all seriousness will send you to the Bible to discover again the face of God that first called you out of the darkness. It is not a how-to book to change or jumpstart your church. On the contrary it is the open heart of two young pastors as they tell their progress through that change. It will challenge you to seek a renewed vision, or it will anger you because of the conviction that hits like that after a powerful sermon. Your choice at the end of the reading will be to burn the book or be consumed by the fire lit within you by the Holy Spirit.

Each chapter is divided into Todd’s and then Marty’s step in the journey, with the final two chapters (one by Todd and one by Marty) issuing what we in Baptist circles would call an “invitation” (play the extended version of “Just as I Am” while reading them). The authors admonish us as readers not to take lightly the journey if we so choose to take it. It is not an easy road, nor one of little cost—to man and church alike. It is a journey well worth the consideration. Many a pastor will hear his own voice in the words of Wright and Duren, weeping, laughing, and shouting for joy over the roller coaster ride that is church change.

I would recommend this book to any minister ready to be effective in Kingdom work in a culture that has relegated that work to an ever-shrinking corner (often accepted gladly by the church culture, if not built by her). It would be an excellent “read together” for church staff members who are ready to become effective in doing more than attracting people who are already part of the church culture. It is a must for any church member who wants to see real ministry develop from their church that meets the scope laid out by Christ in Acts 1:8. Understand when you read this book that you will not want to put it down, nor will you be able to leave its message behind once you’ve turned the last page.

Journeys is worth not only five full sets of reading glasses, but five thumbs as well. Blessings on you Todd and Marty, for your candor and for leading those of us in a denomination plagued with political posturing into a moment of repentance.

—Benjamin Potter, March 26, 2008