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PNEUMA 37 (2015) 111–171
Book Reviews
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Mary Sue Dehmlow Dreier, ed.
Created and Led by The Spirit: Planting Missional Congregations(Grand Rapids, mi:
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2013). xviii + 209 pp. $20.65 paperback.
Mary Sue Dehmlow Dreier’s edited volume on planting missional churches by the Spirit is the latest installment in The Missional Church Series on Eerd- mans Publishing. Dreier is an ordained Lutheran minister who has gathered an august body of writers to converse on this important topic. She is an associate professor of congregational mission and leadership at Luther Seminary in St. Paul Minnesota. The majority of the contributors to this text hold degrees from Luther Seminary and/or credentials from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (elca). Daniel Anderson, Leith Anderson, Paul Chung, Todd Hobart, Harvey Kwiyani, Lois Malcom, Susan Tjornehoj and Miroslav Volf advance the conversation on missional churches in North America, exploring the pneuma- tological implications of church planting, with a unique perspective on the nature, mission, and the organization of the church.
This text contributes much to the growing understanding of what it means to be missional in North America. Building on the work of Ed Stetzer, Aubrey Malphurs, and Leslie Newbigin, et al., Dreier expands the conversa- tion of church planting into missional identity. In nine chapters divided into three sections the authors provide a theological framework, a pneumatologi- cal perspective, and a contemporary expression of the missional church move- ment.
Dreier, Volf and Malcolm penned the three chapters in section one. Dreier lays the groundwork for this study using the imagery of midwifery. She also appeals to the Apostle’s Creed as a framework for the synergy between church plantersandtheHolySpiritinthevivificationofthechurch.Volfdiscusseshope and human satisfaction as interrelated concerns for missional church planting. Malcolm completes this section drawing on two biblical traditions, one from the Gospel of John and the other from the book of Acts. She then retrieves
© koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2015 | doi: 10.1163/15700747-03701001
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Paul’s missionary theology as a paradigm for missional church planting as a communal movement.
Leith Anderson and Susan Tjornehoj share their church planting experi- ences in section two. Leith Anderson begins narrating the story of the Spirit’s involvement in planting missional churches. His account comes from thirty- five years of teaching and pastoral ministry. Leith Anderson sets forth strategies for planting missional churches chronicling his experience with theological educational institutions and pastors engaged in church planting. He suggests that church planting is the most effective way to evangelize new communities. Anderson posits that the first century church provides the paradigm for church planting and that “Churches starting Churches is the most effective method to church planting.” Susan Tjornehoj follows by offering a biblically grounded Lutheran theological lens through which one can view church planting. Using case studies, Tjornehoj describes five culturally diverse churches in the Min- neapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. She further describes rites of initiation and liturgical practices that situate the churches that she examined squarely within the Lutheran tradition. She draws upon her experience as an academic and church planter to construct a theology of church planting that considers the foreigner, the stranger, the poor, and the marginalized.
Daniel Anderson, Harvey Kwiyani, and Todd Hobart contribute new schol- arship that advances the discussion on multi-culturalism, emerging churches, and post-modern organizational possibilities. By way of anecdotal narratives, in this third section each of the authors describes the activity of the Holy Spirit in the modern church planting enterprise. Daniel Anderson focuses on what he perceives to be the activity of the Spirit in the life of the congrega- tion. The Spirit’s activity is couched in the context of worship and expands the Augustinian notion of lex orandi, lex credendi, to lex movendi. Harvey Kwiyani contributes from his African heritage what he calls “a strangers voice” to the western conversation on church planting and mission. His principal concern is contexualization of the gospel. Todd Hobart evaluates church planting organi- zational structures in light of modern and post-modern sensibilities. His socio- pneumatological approach reveals a new missional ecclesiology that accom- modates church planting by the Spirit.
I commend the contributors to this work for how they highlighted the intersections between Lutheranism and the Spirit’s role in missional church planting. I was particularly impacted by the work of Susan Tjornehoj who demonstrated an understanding of the Spirit’s work in liturgical practices. According to Tjornehoj, the liturgical practices provide the crucible within which the Spirit facilitates the unity of the missional community. It seems that the lenses of the foreigner and the stranger in the context of liturgy are what
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bind them together as the church. Likewise, Daniel Anderson picks up on the theme of worship and views worship as the catalyst for mission. His expansion of lex orandi, lex credendi to lex movendi articulates an aspect of the nature of the Spirit’s movement. He emphasizes that through worship the Spirit provokes the community to mission and church planting.
What I found lacking in the text was an explicit articulation of how the Spirit accomplished its work in church planting. There was no connection to or description of the phenomenological nature of the Spirit’s movement in the church planting enterprise. The authors appear to be open to the movement of the Spirit but the anecdotal evidence they provided did little to articulate the charismatic gifts of the Spirit as being an important component of missional church planting.
Overall, this text is valuable for church planting pastors and leaders within missional congregations. In my opinion, the book has a good biblical and the- ological substratum. It can be useful for theological education, local church settings and denominational contexts. I recommend the use of this book in churches, church planting agencies, Bible colleges, seminaries and universities. The use of multiple authors provides varying perspectives, a wealth of experi- ence in church planting, and fresh strategies for missional communities.
Antoinette G. Alvarado
Instructor, Beulah Heights University, Atlanta, Georgia William Seymour College, Baltimore, Maryland
PNEUMA 37 (2015) 111–171
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Glenn Walterson
The article discusses church planting from a missional perspective, which is interesting but raises some concerns. While the contributors emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit and community in church planting, it’s essential to recognize that this approach might lack a solid foundation in traditional theology. According to Pew Research, many Americans express skepticism about new religious movements, suggesting that such missional methods may not resonate universally (Pew Research Center). Furthermore, the reliance on personal anecdotes and experiences could lead to subjective interpretations that stray from core Christian doctrines. The references to ‘foreigners’ and ‘marginalized’ populations are commendable; however, they risk diluting the gospel’s message when contextualization becomes the primary focus over scriptural fidelity. The absence of detailed discussions on how the Spirit operates within these frameworks raises questions about their theological soundness. Overall, while there are some valuable insights into contemporary church planting strategies, one must critically assess their alignment with orthodox Christian beliefs. In conclusion, this text appears to engage in gnostic tendencies by prioritizing personal experience over biblical truth, warranting caution against viewing it as authoritative or orthodox.
Francis Shepherfield
I appreciate the diverse perspectives presented in this article about missional church planting, but I have some concerns. While the contributors provide valuable insights, it is essential to critically evaluate their reliance on personal anecdotes and contemporary experiences without adequately grounding their arguments in biblical doctrine. According to Pew Research, many Americans express a desire for churches that emphasize traditional teachings (Pew Research Center, 2019). This raises questions about the validity of a missional approach that seems to prioritize cultural relevance over doctrinal integrity. Furthermore, the emphasis on the ‘activity of the Spirit’ can lead to subjective interpretations of spiritual experiences that may not align with orthodox theology. As noted by resources from Christianity.com, it is crucial to maintain a balance between the Spirit’s work and adherence to scriptural truth (Christianity.com, 2020). The absence of robust theological frameworks in discussing how the Spirit functions within church planting could suggest a drift towards gnostic theology or heresy—where personal experience supersedes biblical revelation. Thus, while acknowledging the book’s contributions, I contend that its foundation may be lacking in sound doctrine and critical engagement with historical Christian teachings.
Fin Shadow
While the article discusses church planting and the role of the Holy Spirit, it seems to lack a critical examination of its claims. For instance, the argument that churches should be planted in a ‘missional’ context relies heavily on anecdotal evidence rather than robust theological or empirical support. According to Pew Research, there is an increasing diversity in religious practices and beliefs, suggesting that a one-size-fits-all approach to church planting may not be effective or relevant in today’s society (Pew Research Center, 2020). Furthermore, the reliance on personal experiences shared by contributors like Leith Anderson does not constitute a strong theological framework; rather, it could lead to subjective interpretations of the Spirit’s work (Christianity.com). Moreover, Tjornehoj’s emphasis on liturgical practices raises questions about whether these traditions truly facilitate community unity or if they serve more as barriers to inclusivity for those unfamiliar with such rites. This could reflect a gnostic tendency where knowledge is restricted to certain groups. Ultimately, without clear articulation of how the Spirit operates within these contexts and an exploration of the diverse beliefs around spirituality today, one might argue that this text borders on heretical by promoting an exclusive view of church planting that does not account for broader Christian practices and perspectives.