In recent years, numerous confusing new church models have arrived. What are these new models, and are they any good? Aubrey Malphurs addresses issues like these in his book A New Kind of Church: Understanding Models of Ministry for the 21st Century. Some churches are changing for the better, but many churches in North America and other parts of the West are changing for the worse. Churches that are declining need to change, but they also need to avoid falling into error.
Malphurs encourages us to interpret the relevant Biblical passages, develop a theology of change, and develop a theology of culture. He then goes on to provide a framework within which we can evaluate the different church models through a Biblical lens, then provides a strategic approach to developing a new church model. There is no single correct church model; every church, whether traditional or contemporary, reflects a unique church model.
I found the book helpful in the way it addressed a variety of different church innovations; however I think it was addressed on the whole to readers from relatively traditional church backgrounds, and it is therefore less likely to be helpful for those who have been keeping up with the latest church trends. I recommend this book to anyone whose relatively traditional church is struggling with the need to reinvent itself.