David Garrison, PhD University of Chicago, defines Church Planting Movements as rapidly multiplying indigenous churches planting churches that sweep across a people group or population segment. Garrison's Church Planting Movements: How God Is Redeeming a Lost World signaled a breakthrough in missionary church planting. After the publication of Garrison's book in 2004 it became impossible to talk about missions without referencing Church Planting Movements. Church Planting Movements examines more than two-dozen movements of multiplying churches on five continents. After presenting these case studies, Garrison identifies ten universal elements present in each movement. He then broadens the circle of examination to identify a further ten common characteristics, factors identified in most, but not all, of the movements. He concludes his examination with a list of "Seven Deadly Sins," i.e. harmful practices that stifle or impede Church Planting Movements. Important for evangelical readers, the author returns to his findings to see how they stand up to the light of Scripture. What he discovers is that Church Planting Movements are much more consistent with the New Testament lay-led house-church movements that swept rapidly through the Mediterranean world in the face of hostile opposition than today's more sedentary professional institutionalized Christianity. Learn more about Church Planting Movements from the book's website: www.ChurchPlantingMovements.com.

The comprehensive overview of the world's largest religion in all its many versions and in both its religious and secular contexts. The Encyclopedia presents and analyzes an unmatched wealth of information about the extent, status, and characteristics of twentieth-century Christianity worldwide. It takes full account of Christianity's ecclesiastical branches, subdivisions, and denominations, and treats Christianity in relation to other faiths and the secular realm. It offers an unparalleled comparative study of churches and religions throughout the modern world. This new edition features a vast range of new and previously unpublished data on the current global situation of Christianity, on religion in general, and on the political, demographic, economic, and social characteristics of the world's cultures and peoples in 238 countries. Each volume is filled with essential information, from historical surveys of denominations to country-by-country profiles of churches and believers. The text sets the cxurrent status of Christianity into a rich historical context, and assesses current trends and future directions. Many tables, charts, diagrams, photographs, a directory of names and organizations, a glossary, index, and other features ensure accessbility for specialists and non-specialists alike. The Encyclopedia will be of great value to academics of many disciplines, clergy, administrators, and those who work in Christian and other religious organizations around the world, as well as to anyone interested in current affairs.

Practical, proven, and challenging-everything you need to know to plant a church!Essentials in church planting - from concept through year 1 - have been captured in anew handbook recently released by Dynamic Church Planting International. DCPI is a leader in training church planting leaders in staff in the U.S. and world-wide.