The Jesus Model: Planting Churches the Jesus Way

by Dietrich Gerhard Schindler

The JESUS Model is a unique guide to church planting based upon the ways and teachings of Jesus. It is written for those who want both a biblical foundation and practical help in starting new churches. The JESUS Model is also a training manual for disciples at four levels: discipling, coaching, leading a ministry area and leading a church plant. The author's radical vision is for this sort of training to be a constantly self-replicating cycle in churches. Each member is discipling and being discipled to be most effective, according to his or her gifts, in the church's task of multiplication by planting new churches. The goal of all training is 'doing' - disciples demonstrate that they have learnt by 'putting it into practice'. Dietrich shows that this kind of discipleship is the fruit of a real and intimate relationship with Jesus, and that a trusting, mutually accountable small group helps us to maintain that relationship. He also shares from his own life how he has practiced the principles that he encourages others to follow. Dietrich Schindler holds a DMin from Fuller Seminary in the USA. Born and raised in the US by German immigrant parents, he subsequently returned to Germany, where he has since planted and pastored five new churches. Since 2008 he heads up the Church Planting department of the Evangelical Free Church of Germany. He has taught church planting at four seminaries in Germany, and has been invited to speak about church planting at conferences in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands. This book first appeared in German in 2010 under the titleDas Jesus-Modell: Gemenden grunden wie Jesus.Dietrich is married to Jan Carla and they have three grown-up children.

236 pages, Paperback

First published April 11, 2013

About the author

Dr. Dietrich Schindler is a first generation German American, the son of German immigrant parents who settled near Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the 1950s. Dietrich was named after Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Dietrich is married to Jan and together they have three adult children. Dietrich and Jan have been ministering in Germany as church planters and leaders of church planters since 1985.

Dietrich has dedicated his life to planting churches in Germany, having planted five churches within the Evangelical Free Church of Germany in the cities of Kriftel, Oberursel, Mannheim, Kaiserslautern, and Ramstein. In 2008 Dietrich was appointed the executive director of church planting for the Evangelical Free Church of Germany (Bund freier evangelischer Gemeinden, Witten). Under his leadership the denomination is seeking to plant 100 new churches in Germany in ten years.

Dietrich earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2006, having written a dissertation entitled “Creating and Sustaining a Church Planting Multiplication movement in Germany.” He is also a graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (M.Div. and M.A. in NT), as well as from Columbia International University (B.A.).

Dietrich is a well known lecturer on church planting, church development and leadership, having ministered in most European countries, the USA and Canada.

Reviews

[Madison Cole]

The Jesus Model is a refreshing return to the original blueprint of church planting Jesus Himself. Rather than chasing modern growth strategies, Dietrich Schindler invites readers to rediscover a discipleship process rooted in relationship, obedience, and action. What makes this book stand out is its clarity: discipleship is not theoretical but demonstrated through doing. Schindler carefully unpacks how Jesus trained His followers in stages, creating a self-replicating cycle where every believer is both discipling and being discipled. Grounded in Scripture and strengthened by decades of real-world church planting experience across Europe, this book offers practical wisdom without losing spiritual depth. It challenges leaders to slow down, invest deeply in people, and trust that authentic transformation leads naturally to multiplication. For pastors, church planters, and serious disciples, this is not just a guide it’s a call to realignment.

[Henry Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a church planting manual driven by trends or numbers; The Jesus Model is about forming disciples who actually live like Jesus. Schindler combines biblical teaching with personal testimony, showing how intimate relationship with Christ, mutual accountability, and small-group discipleship create churches that reproduce organically. The four-level training structure is both simple and profound, making it easy to apply in diverse cultural contexts. What resonates most is the author’s emphasis on faith expressed through action learning is only complete when it is practiced. Having planted multiple churches himself, Schindler writes with credibility, humility, and conviction. This book will stretch leaders who are tired of surface-level Christianity and inspire those longing for sustainable, Spirit-led growth. It’s a thoughtful, challenging, and deeply practical resource for anyone serious about multiplying disciples and churches the Jesus way.

[Honza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me really long time to read, because there were so many good things in there! It is very practical. So far best book about church planting I read in a long time!

[Chad Benkert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a church planter but I appreciated Schindler's Biblical approach and realistic application. I especially appreciated his thoughts on the kingdom of God.