The Honest Guide to Church Planting: What No One Ever Tells You about Planting and Leading a New Church

Tom is able to put his finger right on the pulse of church planters who have experienced some pain and brokenness in their attempt to plant and provides hope and encouragement! I could so identify with the emotions of transitioning from youth ministry to church planting and the expectations of continued success only to discover that the success I imagined was not the success that God had in mind. The notion that God calls some to plant churches, not to change the world, but to change the pastor is so true and just what I needed to hear. Tom - home run with this book! I can't wait for your next one!

This is a must read for anyone considering a church plant. My current pastor shared some pieces of these experiences but this lays it out in a comprehensive manner. Truthful, transparent and encouraging!

A book about church planting that speaks to every part of life, really. Thanks for being honest and raw. I found that you had written about me in your book on several occasions. Thanks for being a part of the ongoing healing of my church planting experience more than a decade ago. I recommend this book emphatically.

I read this 3 years into planting, and I want to tell you guys so much of it resonated with me, I wish I would have read it three years ago! It is concise, practical, and encouraging.As we know, planters typically read a bunch of books about planting. This work stands separately from so many books on the topic because it is realistic (At times painfully), and it is practical.

Oh, how Bennardo articulated the issue of when ministry seems a failure. But best of all he explains as no other has ever done what's transpiring when God is silent. Everyone would benefit greatly, be blessed richly from this book, not exclusively pastors.

Worth reading, real talk, no sugar coating. The title of this book is truly an honest guide to wake you up to reality of church planting.

This has been the most valuable church planting book I have read. It writes the story I have been living and for the first time I feel like I am not alone. Church planting came with a powerful calling and a journey that has almost pulled me out of ministry and the church entirely and hurt my relationship with God in a way I never could have imagined. This book has been the first thing that has allowed me to begin a healing process and it has been water to my soul in the desert. My gratitude for this book is indescribable.

As CEO for churchplanting.com, I engulf many books on church planting. The majority being very average with the same principles of the past simply rephrased.The Honest Guide to Church Planting throws one truth bomb after another. This is what current and future church planters need to hear.

I thought this book was a great representation of the real and honest expectations of church planting. Tom Bennardo breaks down the ideals we often have about church planting, and provides great observations from his own experience. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is church planting, or anyone thinking about church planting.