EMQ » January–March 2022 » Volume 58 Issue 1
[memberonly folder=”Members, EMQ2YearFolder, EMQ1YearFolder, EMQLibraryInstitution”]By Dietrich Schindler
Exponential, 2021
162 pages
US$9.99
Reviewed by Kevin Kung’u, a youth pastor in Nairobi, Kenya, and host of the ministry podcast IThinkDifferent. He is currently undertaking a Masters in Evangelism and Leadership at Wheaton College.
There has probably never been as great a need to constantly keep abreast of new models of ministry as there is today. Our rapidly shifting global culture and the tech-driven, mass societal changes of our day require that we constantly evaluate our own methods and keep up with the new. Enter Dietrich Schindler, with a timely reflection and exhortation towards post-modern evangelism and church planting based on his own experiences planting churches in Germany for the past thirty-five years.
Schindler’s book divides itself nicely into twelve chapters, which are flanked by an introduction and an epilogue. Each chapter focuses on a key cultural shift, or a principal of what Schindler refers to as ‘Level 5 church multiplication.’ The chapters are named to indicate one idea the author is debunking and one he is affirming. Schindler’s writing is very concise with short, to-the-point paragraphs with a healthy mix of testimony and discourse which makes his model easy to understand and remember. There are also discussion questions at the end of each chapter that can be used in church planting teams.
Schindler’s writing contains many great reminders about certain principles of ministry, church planting, and life in Christ. For example, concerning ministry, he talks about the need to move from big to small gatherings, to focus on increasing discipleship rather than membership, and to engage in missional behavior as we seek to reach regions, not just towns. In terms of new insights, his ideas in Chapter 8 concerning a leader’s indirect influence in discipleship are intriguing and layered with tools and information.
Some of Schindler’s points may be inconsistent with one’s denominational or theological background. For example, his discussion of cognitive versus emotional belief in Chapter 3 or statements such as “Discipling begins before confessing faith in Jesus” (75). However, the praxis he suggests, as a result, is less controversial and worth considering despite any theological difficulties. Schindler’s book is great not just as a source of ideas for change but also as a tool for evaluating one’s ministry.
This book is for church planters, Schindler’s target audience. But the simplicity and succinctness of his writing enable it to be used as a guide for those who are just beginning a disciple-making ministry in any context. Schindler’s writing is great for instruction; each sub-section is self-contained and can cause the reader to stop and reflect. Those seeking an introduction to what evangelism and ministry can look like in post-modern Europe will benefit from this book as well.
For Further Reading
Schindler, Dietrich. The Jesus Model: Planting Churches the Jesus Way. Piquant, 2013.
Stark, Rodney. The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries. HarperCollins, 1997.
Willard, Dallas. The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’ Essential Teachings on Discipleship. Harper, 2006.
