Abstract
J. D. Greear’s book, Gaining by Losing, is an interesting and enjoyable read that discusses a central theme: the mission given by Christ to the church to make disciples. Greear’s writing champions church planting through making disciples and sending them out to make more disciples in contradistinction to (what he portrays as) a common US, Western church growth approach of drawing in larger and larger audiences to church meetings. Importantly, Greear’s writings portray such a missiological method as counterintuitive to the mind and practice of the contemporary American Christian leader or pastor. His method is associated with a central biblical principle of (this-worldly) loss, which he argues must be applied in both personal life and in ministry. Greear helpfully, insightfully, and humorously writes as a professional Christian minister featuring his own calling, ministry, and personal life in a self-deprecating and captivating style. His writing is peppered with examples from his own personal and ministry journey. Greear’s writing discusses theology and theory as well as down-to-earth methods he himself has developed through firsthand experience as a pastor of a church that grew in attendance from 350 people to over 9,000 in multiple satellite locations. Greear’s vision includes sending out 5,000 people long-term and planting 1,000 churches.
Greear’s chapters in his book feature ten sending plumb lines which he writes of repeating ad nauseum to his church leadership who, in turn, are commissioned to disseminate these maxims to the church. His plumb lines are focused on motivating, amenably getting on board, equipping, and sending out members of his church to plant new churches. His methods centrally include involvement by his members in projects in their communities that will benefit the community. This approach gives the church a platform to let the light of the gospel shine through their good works while also opening the door for verbal proclamation of the gospel. Greear especially focuses on domestic church planting (as this is where his experience is), although he includes a chapter addressing international mission work, both to unreached people groups, while also addressing short-term missions. Greear’s writings are particularly interesting as they go beyond dry theoretical elaborations into discussions from a deep pool of personal and ministry experiences.
Greear’s book is very helpful, particularly for the (what seems) monolingual, monocultural Western context from which he has ministered and writes. However, the book does not give in-depth elaboration on the potential challenges and needed church-planting responses for cross-cultural settings in non-Western contexts. Neither does Greear interact with scholarly writings or with practitioners who deal with the topic of church planting centered on the theme of discipleship.
However, any pastor, church planter, or church member interested in insightful, practical, biblical discussion of what can be done to advance the Western, majority culture church on its mission of making disciples of all nations, but particularly in the Western, American context, will find this book an enjoyable and interesting read.