In Send: Loving Your Church by Praying, Giving, or Going, pastor and church planter Jim Essian identifies God’s vision for his global kingdom and helps Christians discern how they and their churches are equipped to fit into this vision. From sweeping panoramas of international missions to practical advice for serving our local communities, Send is an inspiring and insightful introduction to church planting.
While its focus on church planting might cause some readers to decide Send is not for them, Essian points out that planting demands whole-church involvement even from its earliest stages. It requires the participation and gifts of the whole body of believers. Some leaders are specifically called to be boots-on-the-ground planters, but church plants also depend upon the generous support of core members, givers, and volunteers.
Essian ultimately puts forth this foundational exhortation and encouragement for all believers, drawn from Acts 17:
“First, your neighbor to the right of you, as well as the one to your left, is not there by accident. God has orchestrated 10,000 things for them to be there, ‘that they should seek God’ (v 27). Second, where you are and when you are there is also purposed by God. Thus, in fact, you are sent wherever you are.” (Essian, Send, p. 74).
Send is concise and accessible. Essian drives home deep truths with a relatable tone and memorable illustrations. My favorite example of this is early in the book when he uses a desert super bloom as an analogy for the unveiling of God’s glory:
“The Atacama Desert is…so dry that NASA runs test missions for Mars there. But just below the desert floor is an abundance of possibility. 200 varieties of flowers lie beneath the surface, and every five years or so, enough rain falls to create what’s called a superbloom. In an eruption of color, the desert comes to life, full of glory.
The seeds are there—it just takes a little rain.” (Essian, Send, p. 17).
Talk about a call to action!
This book is structured simply, moving from the cosmic scope of God’s mission in the world to a focused consideration of how our individual churches and gifts fit into this mission. It is helpful reading for any ministry leaders or active laypeople, whether or not they are actively involved in church planting at the moment.
Send proved especially timely reading for me since my home church (where my husband is a pastor) is experiencing its own “superbloom.” We are growing, and it is astonishing and humbling to see the Spirit at work in our community. People are hearing the gospel. People are digging into the Word. People are asking the question their leaders love to hear: “How can I serve?”
But growth involves discomfort, which Essian recognizes. He offers this encouragement, which is a great reminder for me in this season of ministry. I expect this passage will also prove encouraging to others in my church family:
“Things change, but God is sovereign over it all. Trust he has new adventures, new relationships, new ministries for you. Staying in the past is certainly more comfortable, but what God is doing right now is an invitation to grow” (Essian, Send, p. 108).
My only real concern about this book is that Essian makes a couple one-liners that do not land. He is trying to be relatable, but there was a least one joke that did not sit well with me. It will not keep me from recommending this book, which is overall a very gracious, but if you end up reading it, just know that this aspect did bother me a bit.
One the whole, Send by Jim Essian is a memorable and motivating little book. If you or your church are involved in church planting (or may be in the future), this is an excellent resource to add to your library.
If you are interested in purchasing Send, you can do so below:
A note: I received a copy of Send: Loving Your Church By Praying, Giving, or Going from The Good Book Company in exchange for an honest review.
Ryanne Molinari 