Jesus, the Church and the Mission of God: A Biblical Theology of Church Planting

by John Valentine

Overview

Church planting is in vogue, yet there is a paucity of sustained biblical and theological reflection on the topic.

Key voices are practitioners and planters themselves - here is the biblical theology that the missiological practice of our day has been crying out for.

John Valentine explores the Bible's 'how' and 'why' for starting new churches and revitalizing old ones - in this robust and comprehensive biblical theological look at one aspect of the mission of God.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781789744286
Publisher:	Apollos
Publication date:	05/18/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	512
File size:	616 KB

About the Author

John Valentine is Dean of the Local Ministry Programme in Guildford Diocese. He previously served as Church Planting Trainer and Theologian at Large for the Gregory Centre for Church Multiplication. He's married to Catherine and they have two children. John was the Rector of St George's Holborn, a church plant from Holy Trinity Brompton, which planted two further churches in partnership with others over the subsequent 10 years. He is the author of 'Follow Me' on Christian Discipleship.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Ric Thorpe, Bishop of Islington xiii

Acknowledgments xvii

List of abbreviations xix

Introduction 1

Church planting in England in recent years 1

Why theology matters 4

A theology of both church and mission 7

Theology and practice: the structure of this book 8

Part I BIBLICAL MATERIAL

1 The Old Testament 13

Abraham and the call to bless the world in community 13

The exodus: the priestly kingdom 25

From gathering to synagogue to church 35

2 The Gospels 39

Jesus the church planter 39

Jesus' practice of 'church' 50

Jesus' vision for a missionary church 73

Conclusion: the Gospels and church planting 138

3 Church and mission in the Acts of the Apostles 145

Mission and church planting in Acts 146

Church and church planting in Acts 189

4 Church planting in action in Acts 233

The first church-planting journey 234

The second church-planting journey 257

The third church-planting journey 284

Church planting and cultural transformation 295

The Holy Spirit and church planting 299

5 How the first Christians put church into practice 301

Worship in the early church 301

Paul’s own testimony to church planting 316

Church planting an entire island 345

Intermezzo: Moving from biblical to systematic theology 361

Part II IS THERE A THEOLOGY OF CHURCH PLANTING?

6 Church planting, and the doctrines of church and mission 367

Mission 369

The church 374

Church and mission 377

Transcending the conflicts 395

7 The Trinity and church planting 404

Church planting and the Holy Spirit 406

Church planting and the kingdom of the Son 414

Church planting and the mission of God 434

Concluding thoughts: confidence and creativity 437

Epilogue: Church planting a city 440

The people 441

The individuals 446

The churches 458

Bibliography 467

Index of Scripture references 483

JesusChurchMission.

Editorial Reviews

'I was privileged to attend the church planting course that John helped lead in 2017, so I am delighted to see that he has set out here the fundamentals for those who are setting out on, reflecting on, or seeking to understand the church-planting journey. Church planting is without a doubt the most exciting and challenging thing I have been involved in, and John brings theological depth and sound biblical knowledge to the task, as well as being a sure and experienced guide. I wholeheartedly commend this book.'

Fran Carabott

'I am delighted that John has written this full and robust theology of church planting. It will give confidence to both trainers and practitioners to continue this much-needed movement in the church.'

Archie Coates

'Anchored in biblical and theological truth, and reflections on John's many years of practical experience, this book underpins the inter- twined nature of mission and church planting while infusing a fuel of encouragement and inspiration to the existing fire. A vital companion for the contemporary church leader and church planter. It is a must-read.'

Revd Dr Girma Bishaw

'Church planting has received a lot of attention in recent years, which has caused some people to think it is a new phenomenon. The result is that many of the books on church planting are shallow and lack a robust biblical theology. John Valentine has written a timely book that offers a biblical and theological foundation for church planting in today's complex and challenging world. If you are looking for a fresh introduction to church planting for today's world that is theologically sound, while at the same time practical, this book is for you!'

Revd Dr Winfield Bevins

'For centuries the church was so wedded to Christendom that church planting was rarely considered - and, if it was, it was often misunderstood or even seen as illegitimate. As John so wonderfully shows, this view has been largely turned over by a wonderful wave of new and varied new church-planting activity. This book gives us exactly what is now needed - a significant contribution to the theological underpinnings of this most biblical and missional expression of the gospel.'

Paul Harcourt

'John Valentine's theological gifts and his personal experience as a church planter make him uniquely qualified to write this book. John knows what he is writing about.'

'Church planting has been perceived as a missional strategy that prioritizes numerical growth over theological rigour. Valentine responds to this criticism with scholarly conviction and the passion of an experienced practitioner. Through careful analysis and thorough research, he locates the impulse of church replication in the very warp and weft of the biblical narrative, not to mention some of the core concerns of Christian ecclesiology. This book will be an indispensable resource for any church planter or student of the discipline.'

Fr Justin Dodd

'John Valentine's theological gifts and his personal experience as a church planter make him uniquely qualified to write this book. John knows what he is writing about.'

Nicky Gumbel

'Church planting has received a lot of attention in recent years, which has caused some people to think that it is a new phenomenon. The result is that many of the books on church planting are shallow and lack a robust biblical theology. John Valentine has written a timely book that offers a biblical and theological foundation for church planting in today's complex and challenging world. If you are looking for a fresh introduction to church planting for today's world that is theologically sound, while at the same time practical, then this book is for you!'

Rev. Dr. Winfield Bevins

'In this remarkable and wide-ranging book, John Valentine offers us a valuable resource. Rather than focussing on merely institutional questions (which often dominate the debate about church planting), he opens up the theological issues in the relationship between mission and community. He explores both the theology of God's mission in the world across the narrative of Scripture, as well as specific examples of missional practice in the ministry of Jesus and in the apostolic church - and connects both of these with contemporary questions for church planting today. This will be a vital resource, not just for church planters, but for anyone concerned to think biblically and theologically about the church and mission.'

The Revd Dr Ian Paul

'John Valentine has given us a wonderful gift! Church planting is all the rage these days, but few books anchor the practice within sound biblical theology. Jesus, the Church and the Mission of God offers us precisely that. Written in a highly accessible prose, Valentine situates church planting firmly within God's Mission, with timely reflections for what this means for the church of Jesus Christ in our contemporary day. The book reads as if talking with John Valentine: kind, wise, and filled with poignant insights. It's a must read for anyone involved in church planting.'

Gregg Okesson

'Anchored in biblical and theological truth and reflections on John's many years of practical experience, this book underpins the intertwined nature of mission and church planting while infusing a fuel of encouragement and inspiration to the existing fire. A vital companion for the contemporary church leader and church planter. It is a must-read.'

Rev Dr Girma Bishaw

'Jesus, the Church and the Mission of God is a profoundly biblical, inspiring and passionate book. Valentine patiently explores Scripture and the revelation of the God who goes into the world in order to save the world. Church planting is seen as part of the mission of God, in a context in which both traditional and emerging forms of church work in harmony to reach out beyond their own borders. It's a must-read for those who want to explore why and how church planting not only has a place, but is imperative in the church of today.'

Revd Prebendary Dr Isabelle Hamley

'John Valentine has put us in his debt by this wide-ranging study of biblical and theological foundations and practices of church planting. Covering the Old Testament, the Gospels, Acts, and the Pauline letters, his study combines thoughtful reading of Scripture with persistent attention to the implications of his findings for church planting in the western world today. He draws on good scholarship in his writing, providing depth to his discussions. In addition, his more theologically-focused chapters on church, mission and God as Trinity provide coherence and reflective thinking about church planting in relation to mission and the nature of the Christian God. This is a book which many will want to read: it moves well beyond the rather superficial 'how to' nature of much previous writing on church planting to root this vital topic in the nature of God, mission and the church. Read it - it will do you and your church good!'

Steve Walton

'Church planting has become an inescapable and sometimes controversial part of the life of the Church in recent decades. Yet it has often pursued pragmatic approaches rather than reflecting deeply on theological themes than might help strengthen, develop and direct the work of church planters. John Valentine's book is a big step in the right direction, towards a richer biblical and theological grounding for this vital aspect of the Church's mission.'

Bishop Graham Tomlin