The Barnabas Factors: Eight Essential Practices of Church Planting Team Members [Paperback]

J.D. Payne (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0979805341 | ISBN-13: 978-0979805349 | Publication Date: October 18, 2008

The Barnabas Factors: Eight Essential Practices of Church Planting Team Members, by author and professor J. D. Payne, describes how Barnabas should be considered as a model for contemporary church planting team members. Each chapter of this work addresses a particular “Barnabas Factor, ” a healthy aspect of Barnabas’ life that assisted in Kingdom expansion. The eight practices include:

1. Walks with the Lord
2. Maintains an Outstanding Character
3. Serves the Local Church
4. Remains Faithful to the Call
5. Shares the Gospel Regularly
6. Raises Up Leaders
7. Encourages with Speech and Actions
8. Responds Appropriately to Conflict.

Dr. J.D. Payne is a National Missionary with the North American Mission Board and an Associate Professor of Evangelism and Church Planting in the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Having taught church planting and evangelism courses in evangelical institutions for nine years and served with several church planting teams and with the largest Protestant evangelical missions agency in North America, Dr. Payne is aware of the lack of quality church planting resources, particularly resources addressing church planting teams.

Praise for The Barnabas Factors:

Given the risky and pioneering nature of church planting, it is essential to develop healthy relationships amongst members of the founding team. Here J. D. Payne gives us a biblical model of engendering healthy team dynamics by looking to the life and ministry of Barnabas. This is a book for those of us who want to keep a joyful camaraderie whilst advancing the kingdom.

Alan Hirsch
Author of The Forgotten Ways and The Shaping of Things to Come
Founding director of Shapevine.com

The Barnabas Factors: Eight Essential Practices of Church Planting Team Members is a unique and much needed book for anyone interested in church planting. I strongly believe it is a must-read for newly appointed missionaries and just as essential for veteran missionaries. This book powerfully sets forth the need for godly personal characteristics that are vital for successful church planting teams. The diagnostic tool at the conclusion of the book will be a great help in evaluating potential team members.

Charles Brock
President, Church Growth International
Author of Indigenous Church Planting: A Practical Journey

I highly recommend this book. From end to end it is practical: it’s the relationship stuff, the personal qualities of team members, and the realistic nuts and bolts of ministry that are so ultimately determinative to fruitfulness in the church planting and team contexts. Payne brings great clarity as to what is a missionary “call.” And for no extra charge there is a powerful tool at the end pulling all the principles together to help you decide who to take onto your team and who not to. A must-read for all church planters.

Daniel Sinclair
Author of A Vision of the Possible: Pioneer Church Planting in Teams

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Missional Press (October 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979805341
• ISBN-13: 978-0979805349
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #156,847 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Assessing church planters by the biblical model of Barnabas, January 7, 2009

By 

wisdomofthepages.com (St. Louis, Missouri) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Barnabas Factors: Eight Essential Practices of Church Planting Team Members (Paperback)

J.D. Payne is a national missionary with the North American Mission Board and an Associate Professor of Church Planting and Evangelism at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also puts forth a great amount of resources at his web site NorthAmericanMissions.org.

In The Barnabas Factors, Payne shows the crucial importance of evaluating potential church planters by the gold standard of the Bible. Gleaning principles from the life and ministry of Barnabas, Payne finds eight practices that must be present in the character of an effective church planter.

A "Barnabas Factor" worker is one who:
1. Walks with the Lord
2. Maintains and outstanding character
3. Serves the local church
4. Remains faithful to the call
5. Shares the gospel regularly
6. Raises up leaders
7. Encourages with speech and actions
8. Responds appropriately to conflict

The strength of Payne's work is how he sets his whole work on the foundation of Bible study, applying the oft-neglected question, "What does the Bible teach about this subject?" to the topic of assessing church planters. Payne writes:
"The unique focus of this book is the use of Barnabas as a model for assessing the personal characteristics and practices of church planters. This work addresses a critical element in missions that is often overlooked: the necessary personal character qualities and practices of effective church planters."

In the end, the eight "Barnabas Factors" should form the character of any pastor, whether they plant churches or not. Therefore, this material is good reading for all pastors.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent tips for core development, April 18, 2009

By 

David Tilma (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Barnabas Factors: Eight Essential Practices of Church Planting Team Members (Paperback)

Most church planting books deal with philosophical or micro-practical issues. This book tackles the tough issues related to core selection and deveopment. If you're a church planter you need this book. It addresses the tough "middle" that planters face. Find out what to look for in core members. Discover how to build up those who come along side of you in the planting process. Great insights and multiple practical tips for this crucial aspect of church planting.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Barnabas Factor Review, October 23, 2009

By 

Tyrus R. Salter III "Trey Salter" (Louisville, Ky) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Barnabas Factors: Eight Essential Practices of Church Planting Team Members (Paperback)

The Barnabas Factors is a book which hits on all the cylanders of what it means to be practical. He writes in a manner for which a wide variety of people can relate and understand. The best part of J.D. Payne's book is that he always comes from a completly Biblical perspective. If you are thinking about church planting, this book will quickly become a well-worn book in your library. It is a must read!