Thomas Goslin, the founding pastor of the Community Church (English Speaking - primarily US origin) of Madrid (Spain), makes a powerful presentation for a form of church planting that is not tied to immediate or future plans for the building, buying, and maintaining a traditional brick and mortar church. Drawing from Tom's abundant experience with traditional congregations and the Community Church of Madrid, he explores the benefits to the ministry and mission of his large congregation worshipping on a permanent basis in a variety of locations, all for much fewer resources than required by traditional building-based congregations. A well balanced book, Tom does not hold up this approach as appropriate for every situation, but he makes a compelling case for broader use of "The Church Without Walls. This book is a good read for anyone interested in church planting, church growth, evangelism, and mission.

In this book, David Hesselgrave presents church planting in a practical way. I am so thankful for the influence this book has had even in my own church planting adventure. He discusses the necessary tools that every church planter, and or Ministry worker needs to be:

1. Relevant 2. Possess an anointed message 3. Practical in a world that is continually changing,

I highly recommend this book as a tool for ministry, and a great book for informatory purposes for any library...

Blessings, Rev. Rick Metzgar, Jr.

This revised edition is the place to get both the broadest and deepest exposure to the thinking of one of the twentieth century's most important missiologists. It is better than the first edition in applying the theses developed in India and elsewhere to the North American situation. It is better than the third edition, revised and edited by his student C. Peter Wagner, in conveying McGavran's passion.
Although the book includes biblical and theological research and reflection, case studies from contemporary missions on many continents, and illustrations from little-known periods of older church history, much is presented with the passion of a good sermon or courtroom argument.
The major thesis is that "missions" or "evangelism" must be seen as the task of persuading people to become committed followers of Jesus Christ and responsible members of local churches. The secondary thesis is that this can be accomplished only by understanding the receiver of the Christian message as well as the message itself. On the basis of these convictions, he argues the legitamacy and importance of keeping thorough and accurate records, of asking hard questions in statistical and case study research, and using the insights of the social sciences in developing mission strategy.
Persons who view the Church Growth Movement as obsessed with numbers, marketing, megachurches, or merely the despised (and usually misunderstood and misquoted)"Homogeneous Unit Principle" would do well to go the primary document of the movement which takes its name from his groundbreaking studies and teaching.
There are things to argue with here, and plenty have done so, both with and without actually reading what he said. But there is so much to learn--and do. Anyone serious about evangelistic strategy should become familiar with the concepts McGavran introduced or illuminated.