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Free Stuff Fridays
- 08/06/10
- 3
This Friday seems to have come around really, really quickly. My math tells me that it’s come no faster than any other Friday. And yet…
Nevertheless, it is time for a new edition of Free Stuff Fridays. This week’s sponsor is Crossway, a company that will always mean a lot to me for being the one to take a chance on me as a first-time author.
The prize package they are offering features two great books that, even if you don’t want for your own purposes, you’ll want to win in order to give to someone else. The first is Church Planting Is For Wimps by Mike McKinley and the second is Church Planter by Darrin Patrick. McKinley’s book comes from IX Marks Ministries while Patrick’s comes from Acts29; both organizations are very involved in church planting and both of these titles come highly recommended.
In Church Planter “The vice president of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network examines the biblical criteria of the man, the message, and the mission behind every church plant. An invaluable resource for both pastors and seminary students considering a church plant and for those seeking to better understand the gospel in their own churches.” Meanwhile, in Church Planting Is For Wimps, you’ll see that “the story of a church’s revitalization counters a common conception that a church’s size determines its health and points pastors to the faithful ministry of God’s Word.”
Though the books are on the same subject, they approach it from very different angles and complement one another well. Crossway is offering five prizes, each of which will contain both books.
Giveaway Rules: You may only enter the draw once. Simply fill out your name and email address to enter the draw. As soon as the winners have been chosen, all names and addresses will be immediately and permanently erased. Winners will be notified by email. The giveaway closes Saturday at noon.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
Releasing on April 1, The Next
Published in 2008, this book
This is a guide that calls men,
This review of the bestselling
New to the site? You can get
This is a guide written
Comments (3)
Am I the only one who thinks the cover to the “Church Planter” book looks like the poster to a horror movie? It is a little scary looking.
I will admit, I came across this site when I saw a post concerning “free stuff”. But upon first glance, my eyes happened across the words: Sexual Detox, and it was then that a prayer had been answered. I struggle with sex and all of it’s downfalls. I am married, I have a 3 year old daughter, and I believe that Christ died to cleanse us of our sins. Although I claim to follow Christ, at times, my thought process would suggest otherwise. I struggle with lust everyday. If I happen to see a pretty lady, more often than not, my mind goes where I would rather it not go. At times, I am not in this frame of mind and things feel pretty good. It should be mentioned, I was diagnosed with O.C.D. a few years ago. I was unaware but anyone that I saw on a regular basis could tell you that I sported a fairly noticeable pattern of obsessive behaviors. I want to have a more intimate relationship with Christ but I see men at my Church and immediately tell myself that there is no way that I will get to where they are. Where (I) want to be. Any word of encouragement or advice would be very much appreciated.
Church planting is not something I would have ever considered in my years of full-time ministry. I had no training in these types of matters and never had the desire. Nevertheless, the Lord had other plans. Near the end of 2006, because of my conversion to the doctrines of grace and reformed theology, I was asked to resign from the church in which I served. So after nearly 10 years of full-time ministry I was without a church, without a job and said, “We’re moving from Los Angeles and going to start a church.”
It has been the toughest work I’ve ever been a part of. It’s exhausting working outside of the church to support the family while focusing on planting a church. There are days when I wonder, “Can I do this any longer?” By God’s grace we have been sustained and it has been a privilege to preach His Word for free for the 3.5 years.
Boy, do I miss full-time ministry, but the blessings of church planting, the lessons learned and seeing the providence of God in retrospect…well, I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
It would be interesting and beneficial to read these books—I’m sure. So I’ll be getting them as soon as I find out that my name wasn’t picked in the drawing.
God bless.