Planting Churches Cross-Culturally Critique - Book Report/Review Example

Book review: Planting Churches Cross-Culturally Summary In writing the book the sought show importance using the apostle Paulchurch planting cycle. It highlight on the ten step process that end up with the commissioning of missionaries in accordance with the power of the Holy Spirit. It also includes the lessons learned within the 2000 years of experience. Hesselgrave featured on the four main groups in his text; the Christian, the Christian leader, the sending church and the emerging church in that order and the relationship between each group and the mission of Christianity. The foundation of Hesselgrave work is the ten steps of Paul plantation of the church as depicted in the New Testament. The ten steps are: faith confirmed, believers commended, hearers converted, audience contacted, missionaries commissioned, sending churches convened, believers congregated, leadership consecrated, and relationships continued and Gospel communicated, (47-48). Pauline cycle suggest that there is only one target church and even if that church is in the ninth step of the cycle it ought to obey the other steps. Throughout the chapters of his book he stuck to only one method of sharing his CRITIQUE  The ministry of Paul in accounts of his missionary work is very essential thing in churches development across cultures. There is nowhere in the bible speaking about the specific plans being applied by Paul but Paul has his own way of spreading the gospel in the world at that time. The Paul plan seems to be well designed and orchestrated not only with regard to Paul himself but to the church in general1. Though the bible talks of Paul as a missionary to the gentile he pioneered the cross-cultural missionary. Some chapters deal mainly with “The Christian and The Christian Mission.” A whole chapter looks at the Great Commissions both in gospel and acts as well, there is also a chart comparing the 5 occurrences of the Great Commission. The author also said the reason why Paul’s role in the obedience of the mission by setting up churches in the Gentiles territory. It is also explained that in the recent days there is a rift between the evangelism and mission on the understanding of the Christians. Despite that the book is firm that the two cannot be disconnected the author wrote that when we are talking about the core of the mission and the bigger effect of evangelism the two cannot actually be separated that they are inextricably linked. In the planning of the church planting the importance is given to the scriptural revelation. It is also crucial that denominational agencies and renegade individuals are not to be the leaders in the necessary church planting movement but only in the local churches themselves. Its missions abroad were also forced to work together in whatever the circumstances and not separate groups working as per their situation and state of the earth in the regions they are administering. Selectivity was also not a good idea because selecting specific groups to administer missionary work to will disadvantage others and will not be core to the principle of administering to all cross-cultures. The measurement of growth is also not well expounded on. Growth can’t just be measured on the estimated population increase in the area and biological development. It is not also possible to make predictions on matters spiritual In Chapter 6 there is deployment of resources to the actual target which is being seen as emphasizing personnel and the local churches being also the key feature. It is also in the chapter that the key people those central to the calling should be chosen to lead this work of planting the churches, it is not for the faint hearted. The team should be the most appropriate. The first chapters explained that Paul went in to real action of planting the church. Each of the individual chapter’s importance is brought forth in the titles itself, which are the typical of the middle eight steps to the Pauline Cycle. Each chapter or point is broken into three or four sub points with extensive information given on each. The chapters consist of a throughout examination of the topics with clearly states objectives, relevant research and practical reflection ven with each sub point of the main topic. In most sections charts and forms are given to aid the church planter/planting team in the process of identifying a target area and developing a method for establishing a reproducing church in that given culture. Section 17 talks of how the church planters were reporting back to the authority that sends them. This was done mainly through mission conference and not only that it could be done in other meetings. There is proof given from Paul’s example of reporting back to the Jerusalem and Antioch churches concerning his missionary undertakings1. In c chapters 4 -9, we are told of a variety of perspective that is global in nature with regard to contextualization. The bottom line of each approach is the aim of bringing forth how the gospel relates to a particular context. As per the examples given Hesselgrave postulates that the Latin America and European contextualization have been accelerated by politics and other socio-economic condition which actually cannot be ascertained. Therefore, the likes of Jurgen Moltmann struggle to show how the gospel deals with the current suffering of modern society. However Anglo-Americans have not in any way inclined towards the methods based more on social science1. Anthropology and linguistic have been very influential on American missionaries, thus bringing credibility issues about the theological truthfulness of these ideas. Theologians from older civilizations, like Africa, seem to use a different system on their own history and culture. Many the logicians reacted against Christianity that is westernized on the context that before the context god is introduced into African cultures African ontology ought to be interpreted first. on the same subject matter, Kosuke Koyama’s Waterbuffalo T heology and some in the Middle East have reacted to the impact and influence of western missionaries and make an effort to sink contextualization in felt needs and local thoughts. The author s’ avoidance of a lot of theological critique; but rather, they try to be descriptive Even though the book is generally very descriptive in nature, the last chapters didn’t either give any insight. For instance, since knowledge is intertwined with life our contextualizations must be alive to the worldview and utilize Biblical Theology1. The book also lacks solid theological postulations. In fact, the reader is will most likely end up with the impression that contextualization is key about the social sciences. The author has the idea that Scripture should be the basis of missionary messages and that Biblical Theology should change our perception of the world. Moreover, book wants to analyze the different systems from an evangelical point of view. Yet, there is little they do in making it clear. They thought nothing to the reader on how to access culture biblically. Evaluation   Planting Churches Cross-Culturally by Dr. Hesselgrave is a step-by-step examination into the need of church planting. It outlines possibly most effective methods and ways borrowed from biblical record for church planting and goes beyond that to give planters and churches overseas general knowledge of the connection between evangelism, mission and church planting. It is seen in the church nowadays that there is an obvious disconnect in the link between the three, Dr. Hassel grave incredibly link them back together again. In his terminology of  “mission-evangelism” and “missionary-evangelist” show the link. Another thing that the writer had to be happy about is the persistence by the writer that the local church is at the center of the mission. Taking Christians in Crete as one of the examples Hasselgrave explains that it had to wait until the time that Apostle Paul came as a missionary agent of the church that the Church at Crete really get established and organized. In the process every step the local church is talked about as a partner, accountability and resource agent. The outstanding research and real Reflections assist to bring out the facts in the book off the page. The Research which is by all sense relevant give the truth and statistics taken from a number of credible sources. The reflections which are real in that regard give personal stories from the missionaries as well as the author both domestic and foreign. These features assist to keep all diverse natures of individuals of those interested as the material moves faster and help to make it coherent. As mentioned earlier each chapter give charts and forms that can be utilized by a church planter to single out groups being targeted to develop measure growth, and apply outreach and evangelism methods and ways. This writing by Hesselgrave will be very essential to a pastor who would wish to start church planting ministry. The book however is not the only one that can be used there is other work by other experts in the same field therefore cannot be used exclusively. The church pastor who would employ Planting Cross Culturally in fact would be smart to follow the advice in the book and consult the available denominational help afforded to them. Bibliography Hesselgrave, David J. Planting Churches Cross-Culturally: North America and Beyond. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books, 2000. Read More