Mercy Hill

This graphic lays out a sample timeline for church planting, starting at conception, going all the way through the training of leaders and the public launch.

Scott Thomas, a leader in the Acts 29 church planting network, has published a brief article that asks a simple question: "Am I a church planter?" This kind of assessment is key to determining whether a man has been called to this particular kind of patoral ministry. It is also helpful for a layperson involved in church planting to ask some of these questions of himself or herself.

This short article succinctly defines a much-bandied about word in church planting circles: "missional." It also provides an overview on how an established church can begin moving in this direction. The author, Tim Keller, is pastor at Redeemer Church (PCA) in Manhattan.

This short article by Tim Keller argues that the Gospel must be central to the church's ministry, and to every ministry in the church.

This paper by Dave Harvey of the Sovereign Grace Church movement/denomination (CJ Mahaney) offers a thoroughly biblical and Christ-centered overview of what missions is all about, and why we are called to "enter the field of the Lord."

Missionary, Church Planting Coach, and pastor Gailyn Van Rheenen desires all churches to be missional, that is (by his definintion), "theologically formed, and Christ-centered." This is a challenging, but pastoral call to a God-centered approach to church planting and missions.

Eric Swanson, a contemporary thinker in the field of city transformation and world missions writes, "To Transform a City," a challenging article that addresses the importance of mercy ministry for Christians and for churches intent on making an impact with the Gospel.

This short, five-page, article explains the rationale for planting churches from the perspective of a vision for God's expanding kingdom in the 21st century. The author, Tim Keller, is pastor at Redeemer Church (PCA) in Manhattan.