by Bob Logan and Jeannette Buller
With this present publication, Logan and Buller have offered the public a contemporary approach to church planting.
Church Smart Resources, 3830 Ohio Ave., St. Charles, IL 60174, 2001, 268 pages, $95.00.
—Reviewed by J. D. Payne, assistant professor of evangelism and church planting, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky.
He has done it again! Pioneering the field of church planting is nothing new to Bob Logan. With this present publication, he and Buller have offered the public a contemporary approach to church planting. Though apparently they are writing to those ministering in a Western context, major components of this work can be contextualized to some non-Western situations. The Cell Church Planter’s Guide offers a very practical tool to church planters in general, but obviously to cell church planters in particular who desire to plant a cell-celebration church. Briefly describing their paradigm, Logan and Buller write, “Cell groups are disciple-making communities. A network of reproducing cell groups that gather regularly for celebration and worship is called a cell-celebration church.” In a day when interest in cell churches is increasing, Logan and Buller’s work was produced at just the right moment.
Readers familiar with Logan’s works will quickly notice that the Guide follows the traditional Logan-esque format—a three-ring binder with several audiocassettes. This work does not contain completely new material. Several components found in Logan’s other works can be found in the Guide. This publication is designed for self-study or to be used in conjunction with a church planting coach or mentor. It is very methodical and requires the reader to perform much introspection. Assuming the reader is familiar with the traditional cell church paradigm, the Guide offers a step-by-step methodology that takes the reader from understanding the cell-celebration paradigm to cell church multiplication. Concepts such as identification of core values, establishment of vision, development of strategy, formation of a church planting team, development of cell groups, raising up leadership, and experiencing the first celebration are addressed.
Each of the ten chapters include an overview section, prayer guide, Scripture passages for reflection, open-ended discussion/self-study/coaching questions, coaching guides, links on the Coach Net Web site for additional information, checklists, and work-sheets. The ten audiotapes offer supplemental information that complements each of the ten chapters. Logan and Buller’s recordings offer the listener a personal touch along with many words of wisdom gleaned from cell church planting experiences.
The strengths of this work are numerous. The emphasis on spiritual preparation, team approach to church planting, evangelism and church multiplication, and leadership development need to be understood by all church planters. The section on strategy development is another personal favorite.
Anyone seriously considering cell church planting, or coaches and mentors of church planters should obtain a copy of the Cell Church Planter’s Guide.
Copyright © 2003 Evangelism and Missions Information Service (EMIS). All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from EMIS.
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