Church in the Making (1 of 4)
Posted on 07. Jun, 2010 by Steve Swisher in Book Review
Shortly after attending Ben Arment’s WhiteBoard Sessions I got a hold of a copy of his new book Church in the Making. It was the first 200 page book I’ve ever read in one day. I just couldn’t put it down. I’ll be sharing my review of Church in the Making on Mondays this month.
Ben writes out of the experience of having done a parachute drop style church plant, which is the most difficult way to start a church. He spent seven years working at it to get the church to the point where it didn’t need him to survive. He combines his own experiences with that of his long list of church planting friends; some of which have seen their churches grow and some of have pulled the plug.
Before I go any further, I must share with you that I feel pretty comfortable saying that it’s the best book I’ve read on Church Planting. The main reason is that Ben’s not afraid to tell you the painful truth you may not want to hear about church planting. In the opening chapter he paints a picture of what the church planting experience is really like. Instead of trying to build you up and tell you that with the right strategy, prayer, talent, and vision you can do whatever you believe God has called you to do, he delivers the hard reality about how tough church planting can be. It’s like the anti-infomercial of church planting.
Every book I’ve read and conference speaker I’ve heard on the subject of church planting was from someone who planted a church that is now running in the thousands. When all their stories are combined in my head it’s like the testimonies you hear on an infomercial. You know like those ones they show on late night TV where everyone who tried Billy Bob’s get rich at home plan became a millionaire. But there’s always a little disclaimer at the bottom of the screen that says, “Results shown are not typical.” Church in the Making captures what is typical in church planting. If you’ve planted a church then you know what it’s like to, “sit in the front row of your church each week because you can’t bear to see how few people are behind you.” (pg. 12)
Before you think about planting a church, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Church in the Making. I’ve seen too many church planters blindsided by the difficult realities that left them discouraged, depressed, and frustrated with God. In addition to painting a realistic picture of church planting, Ben provides keen insight on how to plant a church. I’ll share some of that next Monday.
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