Review: Am I a Replanter? 30 Days of Discerning God’s Call

Bob Bickford and Mark Hallock
(Acoma Press, 2017)

If God hasn’t called you to replant a church, you better not do it. Replanting a dying church is one of the toughest ministries in the church today. Without a call of God to do it, you don’t stand a chance.

That’s why a book like Bob Bickford and Mark Hallock’s Am I a Replanter? is such a critical gift to the church.

“How can you be confident that you are being called to serve a dying church?” the authors write. “Our desire to help answer this question is why we have written this book. As replanters, we believe that God is raising up men and calling them to the difficult work of replanting churches for his glory and for our good.”

The book walks church-replanters-to-be through 30 days of self-reflection and prayer to ponder whether replanting is a good fit. Each short devotional includes ideas for journaling and items to pray about related to the daily topic.

The devotionals center around core questions a replanter must answer as he discerns God’s call. These questions include:

• What do I enjoy?
• Can I handle criticism?
• Have I counted the cost?
• Is my spouse on board?
• Can I preach?
• Can I lead?
• Can I raise up leaders?

If you’re considering the call to serve as a church replanter, Am I a Replanter? is a must-have. Don’t just get one copy. Get one for your spouse or a mentor, and go through it together. As you do, ask God whether He may be calling you into this important and unique work.