Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts [Paperback]

Jim Griffith (Author), Bill Easum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 20, 2008

Jim Griffith and Bill Easum draw from decades of personal experience in planting new churches and consulting with supervisors and planters in new church starts. They have condensed their vast experiences down to ten points that account for the great majority of failures among church planters. For each point, the authors provide examples of the particular mistake and ways to avoid it. They speak in special sections to coaches and supervisors, showing them how to work with church planters to avoid the mistakes.

The ten mistakes point in most cases to plans made on the basis of past experiences or unrealistic models that do not fit either the particular church planter or the mission field where the church is planned. The church planter must take the initiative to do God's work as directed by the Holy Spirit, not copy a religious superstar's methods or approach the work as defined by outside sources.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"I've planted churches and coached hundreds of planters and I can tell you Jim and Bill know what they are talking about. The chapters on money and leadership development are alone worth the price of the book."
-TODD HUNTER, president, Alpha USA

"Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by New Church Starts is the essential trail-guide to starting a church."
-SALLY MORGENTHALER, Shapevine.com, contributor to Emergent Manifesto of Hope

"Griffith and Easum have provided pivotal insights in the planting of Epicenter Church in Washington, D.C. Anyone considering planting a new church-both pastors and judicatory leaders-needs to read this book first. It is one of a very few must-reads in the field."
-PAUL NIXON, author of I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church and pastor, EpicenterDC

"Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by New Church Starts is a down-to-earth guide that challenges not only church planters but also church members to focus on those who are not in church yet. It is this focus that makes churches grow healthily and expands the message of the Gospel."
-NORA COLMENARES MARTINEZ, Office of Church Development, North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church

About the Author

Jim Griffith is the founder of Griffith Coaching Network, a network of coaches committed to helping church leaders and congregations launch new ventures and daughter churches. A veteran of several church plants, he's assessed more than 1,900 church planting candidates, trained more than 7,000 planters, and coached more than 1,500 new and existing churches in their efforts to reach the mission field around them.

Bill Easum is vice president of Easum, Bandy & Associates, and is one of the most highly respected church consultants and Christian futurists in North America. He has been a pioneer in the church growth movement, with thirty-five years of pastoral ministry experience. The author of several books, he is also the editor of On Track E-Magazine, and is a contributor to Rev Magazine and Net Results.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Chalice Press (March 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0827236476
• ISBN-13: 978-0827236479
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,858 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #90 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Ministry & Church Leadership > Church Administration

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Valuable & Useful, April 5, 2008

By 

Sarah Calvert - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Paperback)

This book is a MUST READ long before a church plant can be properly born. If these guys haven't done it, seen it, or coached it, it probably hasn't happened in church planting! The only problem with this book is when you read it AFTER you've made many of these mistakes - it takes a few antacids and a headache remedy or two after you recognize what went wrong. With straight forward truth-telling and quite a bit of humor Griffith & Easum get right to heart of the intersection between the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, and give hope to those who live out their calling in the trenches of church planting. Especially good for coaches and denominational leaders assisting church planters!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Important Book for Church Planters, September 11, 2009

By 

Robert J. Vajko "Bob Vajko" (Bloomington, Indiana) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Paperback)

The two authors of this book of 122 pages are experienced in church planting and growth. In my own ministry of church planting consultancy, I often share jokingly that one of the reasons I can help other in church planting is the number of mistakes I have made myself. The school of mistakes is a helpful school as we seek to help others.

So here Griffith and Easum walk church planters through ten common mistakes made in church planting. This book along with the book by Tom Nebel and Gary Rohrmayer entitled Church Planting Landmines: Mistakes to Avoid in Years 2 through 10 (St. Charles, IL: Church Smart, 2005) should be basic required reading for all church planters.

If the "ten mistakes" of this book are put together with the "ten landmines" of Nebel and Rohrmayer, one will notice many similarities. At the same time, each will approach those similarities with different nuances. Then all church planters with be richer and more effective as avoid these mistakes and work their way around these landmines.

How much I wish I would have had this book when my wife and I were involved in our first church plant and daughter church plant.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great tool!, June 10, 2009

By 

D. Manske (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Paperback)

I have shared this book with our current planters and with established pastors. Both are finding it very practical and useful.
Personally, besides the chapter content, I appreciate the advice to the planter, the coach and the supervisor. Any intuitive planter will use these components. Coaches and supervisors are have common points to work with in dialogue with the planters.
In a plethora of books in this genre, this one is worth the price.