This bibliography is based upon the presupposition that church planters must understand the missional nature of the church so that they plant churches in line with biblical understandings.  These church plantings, however, must be contextualizations of God's essence in contemporary cultural contexts.  The first part of this bibliography thus provides resources about the nature of the church, the second  section understandings of how these churches look like in contemporary culture, and the third part practical resources for church planting.   I have placed an asterisk beside what I consider to be the most important resources.

This bibliography is only preliminary. If you have any suggestions about other significant resources about church planting, please contact me.

Readings about the Nature of the Church

Brownson, James V., Inagrace T. Dietterich, Barry A. Harvey, and Charles C. West.  2003.  Storm Front:  The Good News of God.  Grand Rapids:  Eerdmans.

*Guder, Darrell L., ed.  1998.  Missional Church:  A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America.  Grand Rapids:  Eerdmans.

McIntosh, Gary (ed.).  2004.  Evaluating the Church Growth Movement:  5 Views. Grand Rapids:  Zondervan.

Murray, Stuart.  2001. Church Planting:  A Theological Framework (Chapter 2, pp. 66-86).  In Church Planting:  Laying Foundations.  Scottdale, PA:  Herald Press.

Roxburgh, Alan J.  1997.  The Missionary Congregation, Leadership, & Liminality.  Harrisburg, PA:  Trinity Press International.

*Van Rheenen, Gailyn.  2004.  Imagining Christ's Church in the City.

Readings about the Church in Contemporary Culture

Gibbs, Eddie.  2000.  Church Next:  Quantum Changes in How We Do Ministry.  Downers Grove, IL:  InterVarsity Press.

Kimball, Dan.  2003.  The Emerging Church:  Vintage Christianity for New Generations.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan.

*McLaren, Brian D.  2003.  The Story We Find Ourselves In.  SanFrancisco:  Jossey-Bass.

McNeal, Reggie.  2003.  The Present Future:  Six Tough Questions for the Church.  San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass.

Sweet, Leonard.  2000.  Post-Modern Pilgrims:  First Century Passion for the 21st Century World. Nashville:  Broadman & Holmans Publishers.

Van Rheenen, Gailyn.  2002.  The Missional Helix:  Example of Church Planting.

*Webber, Robert E. 2002. The Younger Evangelicals:  Facing the Challenges of the New World.  Baker Books.

Readings about the Practice of Church Planting

Garrison, David. 1999. Church Planting Movements.  Richmond, VA:  International Missions Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Jones, Tom (ed).  2004.  Church Planting from the Ground Up.  Joplin, MO:  College Press.

Rainer, Thom S.  2003.  The Unchurched Next Door.   Grand Rapids:  Zondervan.

_________. 2001.  SURPRISING INSIGHTS from the UNCHURCHED and Proven Ways to Reach Them. Grand Rapids:  Zondervan.

*Stetzer, Ed. 2003. Planting Churches in a Post-Modern Age. Nashville:  Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Van Rheenen, Gailyn.  2000.  Learning . . . .  growing . . .  collaborating . . . .   phasing out.  Evangelical Missions Quarterly. 36 (Jan.):36-47.  (Can be accessed at The Missions Process page of this site).

Church Planting Among the Poor

Grigg, Viv.  1992.  Cry of the Urban Poor.  Monrovia, CA:  MARC.

Mission Arlington:  Taking Church to the People. http://www.missionarlington.org. (Mission Arlington models an identificational approach to planting multiple apartment churches among the poor while simultaneously ministering to their needs.  They believe in “taking church to the people.”)

Myers, Bryant L.  1999.  Walking with the Poor:  Principles and Practices of Transformational Development. Maryknoll, NY:  Orbis Books.

Shank, Harold, Anthony Wood, and Ron Bergeron.  2000.  Up Close and Personal:  Embracing the Poor.  Joplin, MO:  College Press.

Victory Outreach.  http://www.victoryoutreach.org. (Victory Outreach evangelizes and disciples hurting people through a confrontational, charismatic approach in the prisons, streets, and projects of urban cities.)

Others Texts and Articles

Bakke, Ray.  1997. A Theology as Big as the City.  Downers Grove, IL:  InterVarsity.

Beckham.  William A.  1995.  The Second Reformation:  Reshaping the Church for the 21^st Century.  Houston:  Touch Publications.

Comiskey, Joel.  1999.  Training Success of ICM.  Chapter 5.  In  Groups of 12.  Houston:  Touch Publications.

Conn,  Harvie M.  (ed.).  1997.  Planting and Growing Urban Churches.  Grand Rapids:  Baker.

George, Carl F.  1991.  Prepare Your Church for the Future.  Tarrytown, NY:  Fleming H. Revell Company.

Hesselgrave, David.  2000.  Planting Churches Cross-Culturally (2nd edition),  Grand Rapids:  Baker.

Malphurs, Aubrey.  1999.  Advanced Strategic Planning:  A New Model for Church and Ministry Leaders. Grand Rapids:  Baker, 1999.

Schwarz, Christian A.  1996. Natural Church Development. Carol Stream, IL: ChurchSmart Resources.
Warren, Rick.  1995. The Purpose Driven Church. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.