Launch: Starting a New Church from Scratch

This is the most comprehensive book on Church Planting I have read. I launched Bridge Church at Perry n January 2007 and followed many of the practices that Nelson outlines. Exactly one year later we are averaging 175 people! Of course that blessing is of God, not Nelson and he will tell you that. This is the manual for church planting. Get this book if you are going to plant a church or if you have planted, it will help you in post-launch. Jeff Calloway [...]

This was one of the best books that I have read! I got the book on Thursday, finished it on Friday. I could not put the book down, because it kept my attention the whole time. We are in the process of planting a church and I am a Church Consultant. Therefore, I do a lot of research on church planting. I must admit that I was a little skeptical, because of the emphasis of some books on numbers and not souls, and also I was concerned about doing gimmics to get people, but with in the end having no sustainability. This book has been the most helpful and the most practical book that I have read pertaining to this subject. Most books are filled with theory and not priciple, and with oppinions and not systems. If you are wondering about a church plant strategy that will be beneficial to the future and sustainability to your church, this is the book for you. Searcy and Thomas have givin us a great treat in this book and has shown us a more practical, comprehensive, systems apporoach to church plant. It was worth every dime spent and every minute invested:)

I have been very blessed by reading the principles in this book. I have planted a church in New York, and it is not easy. However, Nelson has done it, and is doing it as he writes. Although I dont personally agree with all of there philosophy of ministry, i do think that the benefits of this book far outweigh the loss of not reading it. after reading this book and meeting nelson and tomas at a recent roundtable conference, I have adapted many ideas from them and am convinced they are building a ministry as a model in which we can all benefit. If you have issues with saddleback, or contemporary churches, you should not let that mentality keep you from benefitting from the wealth of insight and ides this book has. Wothwhile read.

Everyone has a different philosophy in church planting. Thanks to Launch it gives you step by step help in thinking through all the processes of church planting. This is a must read for all church planters. It gives them examples and help. The truth is Nelson has been extremely successful in one of the most secular cities in the U.S. I wish I would have had this book before I planted Relevant Church Miami. So.... Read the Book, Apply the principles. thank you Nelson. Keep up the good work. danegipciaco

I was having trouble getting over the 100 barrier in our new church - but after applying the principals, systems, and strategies taught in this book we have grown to over 1000 in just 2 years and hundreds have made decisions for Christ! I read tons of church planting books before we started our church. Many were decent books, some were terrible, but all lacked the practical, step-by-step processes that Nelson and Kerrick teach in this book. Simply put, this book has the results to back up its content. Read this book with a highlighter and a pen. Keep it near because you will refer to it constantly.