Customer Reviews

Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods (RE: Lit: Vintage Jesus)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Vintage Church, the third book from Driscoll/Breshears, combines scriptural insight with practical suggestions on how to be the church in the 21st century. The chapters on preaching, discipline, love, being missional, and transforming culture in particular are very helpful. I realize I just listed half the book as being my favorite part, but it's that sort of book :)

Three things that were especially helpful about this book:
- footnotes rather than endnotes, thanks for that...
- the "common questions" sections were very helpful (while Death By Love might be Driscoll's best work to date, some of the question sections in that book were pretty obscure)
- LISTS. All the way through the book you find principals of this, characteristics of that, ways to do this or that... and they're profoundly helpful to think through the different aspects of everything that is discussed. Because there's so many of them, though, I'd suggest reading through the book once and then working back through all of the lists scattered through the various chapters, to get a fuller sense of where your church is in relation to the ideas presented in the book.

A valuable resource, and I eagerly await Religion Saves and Doctrine.

T

Much is made about the Church, why it exists in its different forms, and where it is inevitably heading. Driscoll and Breshears tackle this and much more in this book. They start with the foundation of the Church (Jesus) and move out to ecclesiology, methodology, love, discipline, sacraments, and technology.

At first, I felt as though the book was an apologetic or defense against George Barna's book Pagan Christianity, a book which does a fine job at undermining the Church and causing division amongst God's people.

This book would make a great text for any serious church planter or seminary student. Every chapter is fully fleshed out well and they leave very few stones unturned. Since I have started pastoring (is "pastoring a word?) a church, I have thought things like; "they do not teach you that in Bible College." This book teaches you the things Bible Colleges leave out. In case you may have missed a point, at the end of each chapter is a question and answer session to help further the discussion and put a seal on anything that might not have been explained well in the preceding pages.

That is one of two points I really found where the book could use improvement. There were many pages in which the point felt over-explained. As I was reading through it, I couldn't help but think to myself, "I got the point, let's move on." I know there are some out there who take longer to get the point or who like to have things explained as thoroughly as possible, but those people are not me.

The second nitpick I had (and this truly is a nitpick) was the assumption that churches had the same resources as Mars Hill (Mark's church) has in regards to technology and programmers. I think of the struggles I have had with my own church's website and I am a programmer. I can only imagine churches that do not have a web developer working for them. I do understand the role technology plays in churches and the need to harness it and use it. Like I said, nitpick, I know.

I give this book Four out of Five Stars. It is well worth the read if you are planting a church, running a church, serving in a church, or a member of a church. I highly recommend it.

-Don-

It is very appropriate and timely for Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears to release a book on church ministry. Driscoll has become a bit of a model for young church planters through his Acts 29 network and various conference appearances. Therefore, a consolidated `volume' if you will is welcomed.

As with previous books from the authors' pens Vintage Church is intensely practical. Mars Hill Church in Seattle is the reoccurring lab of reference for church ministry. This is extremely helpful in a book like this seeing that it gives a lot of flesh and bones to the biblical priorities outlined.

If you were critical of some of Driscoll's previous books due to language or questionable references (as I was with Vintage Jesus) you will have little to complain about here. From my perspective this is the type of product that really quiets and encourages sincere critics who want to see Driscoll's work used greatly in the church. If you are a Driscoll hater, well, he couldn't do or say much that would ever satisfy you. The writing style remains engaging, biblical, funny, and real; which are all virtues from Driscoll's pen.

One of the main strengths of the book is the way in which the authors tackle weighty ecclesiastical issues without flinching. Chapters like, Who is Supposed to Lead a Church?, Why is Preaching Important?, What is Church Discipline?, and What is a Missional Church? are not necessarily soft chapters. The authors deal with the issues biblically and tactfully. And this is where I find real encouragement in this book. This book will be read by thousands of young church planters over the next decade. Let's face it, as helpful as Dever's 9Marks or MacArthur's Master's Plan for the Church are, the book that young guys will be turning to, by virtue of Driscoll's popularity and influence, is Vintage Church. Chapters on the necessity of male eldership, church discipline and biblical ministry are so needed today. So, I for one am thankful that the book is well done, devoid of statements that promote immaturity, and centered on biblical ministry.

I should also say that I felt that some of the previous works were not as theologically tight as one might prefer. However, in this book the authors, on many occasions, find themselves saying a whole lot in a short space. For example in the chapter What is a Christian Church? the authors spend a good page talking about the distinction between the Nation of Israel and the Church. I really appreciated the theological care that was taken not only to include this but to speak clearly to it. They are demonstrating that theological precision is necessary in Jesus' church.

Further strengths include the sheer volume of footnotes (not end notes). Driscoll fills the book with Bible verses. This is so helpful and so refreshing when reading. In addition an appendix of the Mars Hill Membership Covenant is included. This was a helpful read. Other chapters on multi-campus ministry and the use of technology in ministry proved helpful as well.

The only real issue that I feel strong enough about to mention is Driscoll's definition of expository preaching. In the chapter entitled Why is Preaching Important? we read the following: "Expository preaching is simply going through a book of the Bible verse-by-verse" (pp. 91-92). Granted, the chapter goes on to give good reasons why one should do expository preaching (none of which I disagree with). However, it is the definition itself that is inadequate. I really like John Stott's statement in his classic Between Two Worlds:

It is my contention that all true Christian preaching is expository preaching. Of course if by an `expository' sermon is meant a verse-by-verse explanation of a lengthy passage of Scripture, then indeed it is only one possible way of preaching, but this would be a misuse of the word.

Properly speaking, `exposition' has a much broader meaning. It refers to the content of the sermon (biblical truth) rather than its style (a running commentary). To expound Scripture is to bring out the of the text what is there and expose it to view. The expositor prizes open what appears to be closed, makes plain what is obscure, unravels what is knotted and unfolds what is tightly packed." (pp. 125-126)

I bring this up only because too many people outside of the camp unfairly sully expository preaching as being a running verse by verse commentary. But in reality it is much more, as Stott indicates.

Overall I like the book and think it (along with Death by Love) are Driscoll's best yet.

Vintage Church sets up to be the continuation of where Vintage Jesus left off. Vintage Jesus upset some people as they thought that Driscoll took too many liberties in describing who Jesus was. Although I disagree with them, it is hard for me to see where those same people will have issue with this book. This book is set up to be an open an honest discussion of what the church is. At some point, if you are a pastor of a church, you will be challenged by Driscoll and Breshears and even rubbed the wrong way in their description of what a church should look like.

This is not because they are purposely trying to demean churches, but they are taking the modern church and testing them to Scripture. Driscoll himself even shows in some places that he wishes that they were better at, or where they have corrected Mars Hill over the years. Again, this is exactly what makes Driscoll so attractive, he is honest with his mistakes while pointing out others. He hammers on emergent church designs and also the traditional fundamental churches, to make sure they return to the true calling of the church as a whole.

What I believe this book will turn out to be is a handbook for church planters or those who are desiring to test what they are doing within their churches. The book is set up like the others that Driscoll has done in recent years. Meaning, he puts forth a topic through the Scriptures and culture and then Breshears answers commonly asked questions on that topic of the chapter. Vintage Church sets up everything from answering questions on preaching, ordinances and church discipline to how to utilize technology as a church. This book is very practical and reminds me of "The Deliberate Church" by Mark Dever and Paul Alexander. The difference is that Driscoll and Breshears cover more ground and looks more into the culture and missional aspects of the church.

In the end, the readers for this book will be pastors and elders, and not as many congregants will enjoy this book like they did with Vintage Jesus. This doesn't make the book bad, it just makes it targeted. I felt that the book was really a grown up version of Confessions of a Reformissional Rev. That book told the story of the beginning of Mars Hill, and this tells the current story. This is my only "gripe" with this book is that it seems to more of a polemic for the current way that Mars Hill is doing things. So, when you get to topics like "What is a Missional Church" and "What is a Multi Site Church" the descriptions are more of what Mars Hill is doing and less of a general look into these topics. But, should I really expect anything less of a book written by a pastor who believes (as do I for the most part) his church is doing the correct mission of Christ?

I also did enjoy the reminders to big churches that not all churches should be big, and the reminder to small churches, that not all churches should be small. Criticism of each other usually comes from each side of the issue, but Driscoll and Breshears really exhort each one to do the calling that Christ has called them to. But, because Driscoll's church is huge, some of his practical wisdom on how to live out church are going to fly over the head of those pastors in small churches. Some of the things discussed in technology and multi site are just not going to be able to be utilized by small churches. This is fine though, because the book is for all to read, not just big churches or small churches.

Although this book could have been titled, "Vintage Mars Hill" or "Confessions: Part II", the book delivers a very good understanding of the church. My favorite part of the entire book was simply, "What is a Christian Church?" Driscoll puts to shame those who believe that online churches, or coffee shop churches are true churches. Driscoll walks through what a church should include to be a true Vintage, or Scriptural, church. I very much enjoyed this description so that one does not get together with a friend for coffee and call it church, or a church gets off target and loses focus of what a church should encompass.

If you are a church planter, or one that is about to engage in new church plant, pick up this book. If you are a leader in a church that is looking to restructure or desire to test yourself to make sure that you are a biblical church, pick up this book. If you are a dated church that desires to reach today's generation, pick up this book. You will not be disappointed. I would also highly recommend that one pick up The Deliberate Church and The Master's Plan for the Church
alongside Vintage Church for great study and great resources on the Christian church according to Jesus. Highly Recommended.

Culture and religion have twisted the definition of the church. This books helps us get back to the true definition so that we move forward in that truth. Logical presentation. Well written. Eye opening.

I just finished Mark Driscoll's newest book, VINTAGE CHURH. It was an enjoyable and beneficial read. I would recommend it to any Christian. I would also recommend it to any non-Christian who is simply curious about this well-known pastor or the explosive growth at Mars Hill Church, in Seattle.

The greatest strength of this book is Driscoll's transparency regarding the practices of Mars Hill Church. He clearly lays out the practices of the church and the reasons for those practices. This aspect of the book will prove to be extremely valuable to church planters and young leaders. Even if you don't agree with every structure or practice at Mars Hill, you will at least be forced to think through all of these issues. Some of the issues that I found most useful were his section on the process of appointing elders, women in ministry, multi-site practices, the Lord's Supper, and baptism.

Another strength of this book is learning from Driscoll's experience in planting and growing churches over the past twelve years. He planted Mars Hill with a few other people and grew it into one of the largest churches in America. This knowledge combined with his experience as the founder of the Acts 29 church planting network amount to a lot of valuable advice for pastors and planters. He knows what it is like to lead a church at every stage of a church's life-cycle.

As you can tell, I learned a lot from this book; however, do not mistake this book for a full-blown ecclesiology. Driscoll hits most of the high points, but really camps out in the areas that he has the most to say about; this is obvious by the fact that the chapter discussing "What is the Church?" is the same length as the chapter discussing multi-site churches.

Overall, any pastor, elder, planter, or church member will benefit from this collection of Driscoll's beliefs, practices, and experiences. Also, this book does contain much of the vintage Driscoll humor, but nothing that crosses the line into vulgar or inappropriate territory. I know this is a concern for many people, but I hope this book and his last effort, Death by Love, represent a maturing Mark Driscoll. I welcome more of his insightful experience.

I'll not hide it, Mark Driscoll is a favorite of mine. He's a good preacher. Having said that, I've not read any of his books until now. I didn't know what to expect. After all, just because one can preach well doesn't mean he can write well. I was pleasantly surprised.
The cover of the book was nicely done. Good job Crossway!
The manner in which the chapters covered the issues and then ended with a Q&A was well done. Driscoll and Breshears make a good team, for sure.
I did not know what to expect when I read the book. How would Driscoll approach the issue of the church? How conservative would he be? Would he have any liberal leanings? Being very conservative, myself, I was gratified to see that he was very conservative in his view of the church and the functions and purity thereof.
A review cannot give away the book. If it did, there might be fewer who would read it. That being said, a quick synopsis will be what is given here. Even that will not divulge all that is covered in the book.
Driscoll tackles the meaning of church. Too many people have no idea what a church is. Hint: it is not two or three guys meeting in Jesus' name, drinking beer, throwing darts, and calling it church.
He moves on to tackle the purity of the church. What a shocker to read a mega-church pastor calling for church discipline! He practices it! Amazing! In the Bible belt one has a hard time getting ultra-conservative country churches to do this, and Driscoll is doing it in Seattle. Way to go, Driscoll!
Driscoll goes on to discuss the missional nature of the church, what it means to be missional and contextualize the Gospel without compromise. That chapter in itself is worth the price of the book. He also brings to the forefront many issues that arise about the use of technology and the multi-campus church. This will not be relevant to many, but to those who have questions and a need in this area, Driscoll gives answers.
Finally, at the end is a copy of the covenant of membership at Mars Hill Seattle. It is a good covenant. It is designed to achieve a balance of Biblical authority, respect for that authority, commitment to the church, and the responsibility of the membership and elders to one another.
Definitely a recommended read.

I'm a big fan of Mark. This book was good. But after reading Vintage Jesus, many points seemed to carry over. If you haven't read Vintage Jesus this would be a great read, then go read Vintage Jesus.

I just finished listening to the audiobook version of Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears. The book is easy to understand, relevant, and more-or-less a thorough treatment of the subject. The authors operate from a framework that desires to remain faithful to the biblical text, a refreshing and trustworthy method that appreciates the authority of Scripture.

The book could be split into two or three parts, with the first section covering a basic theological and doctrinal assessment of the church: its functions, goals, mandate, and structure. Though I am more cautious on the woman's role in teaching, I found this section to be encouraging and biblical. If you seek to operate your church biblically (or go to one that does), this piece will definitely aid you in knowing what's important.

The second section addresses modern expressions of the church. It somewhat blends the purpose statement in the book's subtitle, so it's somewhat doctrinal and somewhat practical. The last section covers the use of technology and the church's role in effecting cultural change. The whole book was quite practical, though most methods are admittedly a bit extra-biblical and are more or less subject to individual church preference.

The narration is well-done and the voice seems almost like a more mature Mark Driscoll, so it definitely retains the distinctive character of the author.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from ChristianAudio as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Johnny Heller narrates this audio book format of "Vintage Church," by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears. Heller presents the text in an awkwardly raspy voice, maintaining a clear dictation and smooth transitions within the punctuation. He maintains a honest presentation of the text that Driscoll and Breshears worked earnestly to present.