Many have written on the ‘how to’s of creating new Christian congregations and forms of church but often neglect the fundamental question of why it is necessary in the first place. What is so important about church planting? Why not focus on building up existing congregations?
By Christian SelvaratnamSeptember 2023
Presented by St Hild Centre for Church Planting
Over two decades ago, theologian and apologist Tim Keller published the work Why Plant Churches? to great acclaim. Christian Selvaratnam has set out to write an extended British update of Keller’s work, resulting in a compelling new work. Why Plant Churches? Theological and Practical Reasons’ proves helpful for leaders and study groups, both within the Church of England and other denominations, exploring the theological and practical reasons for everyone to reconsider priorities and to discover the benefits of planting new churches.
Christian Selvaratnam is St Hild‘s Dean of Church Planting and founder of the Centre for Church Planting and the Church Planting Track at St Hild College. Prior to this, he worked for fifteen years at Alpha UK in various roles including as Head of Alpha UK and National Director, and concurrently for fourteen years as the ordained leader of G2, a Church of England church plant in York. Christian is an author, an adjunct professor at Asbury Theological Seminary, an ambassador for the College of Archbishops’ Evangelists in the Church of England, and a Fellow for the Gregory Centre for Church Multiplication.
Christian combines helpful theology and biblical evidence with striking practical benefits too. A really helpful read. JOHN VALENTINE, DEAN OF THE LOCAL MINISTRY PROGRAMME IN THE DIOCESE OF GUILDFORD
