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CHURCH PLANTING ONLINE RESIDENCY

In pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following...Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will save both yourself and those who hear you (1 Tim. 4:6, 16).

APPLY HERE FOR THE 2023 COHORT, BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 2023.

Church Planting School is a nine-month, cohort-based, non-formal training to prepare men for planting a healthy, gospel-centered, multiplying church. It utilizes an adult learning style, whereby the facilitator is a fellow learner.

Church Planting School aims to facilitate a transformative process that helps produce holistically healthy planters as well as competent church planters (theologically, practically, relationally). The curriculum is based on research of successful church planters in North America conducted by Redeemer City to City in New York.

 Each Participant will Accomplish the Following:

  • Do a 360-degree analysis using the Church Leader Inventory.
  • Explore, select, and research a neighborhood for the church plant.
  • Develop a model of the type of church to be planted.
  • Write a philosophy of ministry and an action plan.
  • Do sustained, contextualized, and creative outreach and train others to do the same.
  • Develop basic ministries and infrastructure for the new church.
  • Develop a funding plan.
  • Pray like crazy.
  • Launch a healthy church!

Each learning module includes peer coaching, personal spiritual formation, kingdom prayer, and hands-on training that combines theology, church planting theory, and insights within an adult learning environment. To be invited into Church Planting School, a participant must lead or prepare to lead a church plant or campus and be involved in a coaching group.

This curriculum will help church planters develop proficiency in the four domains above. Each training module explicitly addresses the Ten Dimensions of Church Planters. Before engaging in any training program, we encourage each church planter to take the 360-degree assessment tool that measures the Ten Dimensions, starting with the most important:

  1. Integrity
  2. Personal Spirituality
  3. Missional Engagement
  4. Visioning Capacity
  5. Gospel Communication
  6. Learning Agility
  7. Emotional Health
  8. Family Life
  9. Expectant of Results
  10. Leadership Courage

Church Planting School combines the last two dimensions to form the nine monthly modules. Seven to eight hours of pre-reading is necessary before each module to engage with others in the cohort and theological applications practical.

MODULE 1: INTEGRITY

Church leaders demonstrate consistent godly behavior according to Biblical principles of church leadership and Biblical moral and ethical standards, including sexual and financial integrity. They are honest regardless of consequences or pressure from others. Others readily trust them based on their consistency between word and deed, and they invite accountability for their actions personally and professionally. They take responsibility for their sins and mistakes and repent appropriately.

MODULE 2: PERSONAL SPIRITUALITY

Church leaders reveal an authentic and deep commitment to their walk with Jesus. Their calling to ministry is evident and compelling. Their love for God motivates their prioritization of God’s Word, prayer, and spiritual growth. They listen to and joyfully depend upon God’s Holy Spirit for daily living and ministry effectiveness.

MODULE 3: MISSIONAL ENGAGEMENT

Church leaders effectively and passionately share the good news of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection for the redemption of humankind. They regularly engage unchurched people by drawing their sin-filled lives to the unmerited grace of God. They cultivate a deep commitment to personal and corporate outreach and to live on mission in everyday life among all people, including those in need of mercy. They can lead others to share their faith and develop their spirituality.

MODULE 4: VISIONING CAPACITY

Church leaders inspire others with a compelling vision of what God is doing and can do through the power of the gospel and the unified strategies of His people in a particular community. They awaken within others a desire to serve sacrificially. They can articulate a clear goal and motivate others toward a future outcome. They can identify the resources and gifts available and align them for effective ministry.

MODULE 5: GOSPEL preaching and teaching

Church leaders understand the importance of gospel-centered preaching and can winsomely communicate and skillfully handle biblical truths in a relevant and effective manner. They preach the Biblical text focusing on Christ’s redemptive work. They can lead others in reverential worship, a deepening spiritual commitment, and obedience to God’s Word.

MODULE 6: LEARNING AGILITY

Church leaders have a high learning capacity. They can quickly grasp new knowledge, concepts, skills, and ideas and make personal, organizational, or relational adaptations to enable ministry effectiveness. They can effortlessly lead in multiple contexts. Others follow their lead in unclear or difficult situations. They intently pursue personal growth and can execute new insights in practical ways. They solve problems with creative initiatives and can inspire others to invest in the desired outcome. 

MODULE 7: EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Church leaders demonstrate emotional health when navigating challenging circumstances. They are self-aware, patient, and persevering with humble boldness. They are not moody and can laugh with others and at themselves. They do not suppress godly emotions such as grief, anger, sorrow, and disappointment but acknowledge their emotional state and express appropriate responses. They can adequately view adverse events as opportunities to advance the cause of Christ rather than as debilitating setbacks.

MODULE 8: FAMILY LIFE

Family is an important dynamic that always affects ministry. Church leaders recognize the delicate interplay of ministry and family and have an encouraging and supportive spouse and family committed to their shared ministry vision. Their behaviors and attitudes often lead to a healthy family, and their marriage exhibits love, grace, generosity, spiritual dynamics, gospel resolution, and healthy interdependence.

MODULE 9: EXPECTANT OF RESULTS

EXPECTANT OF RESULTS: Church leaders are results-oriented and expect God to use them to advance the mission significantly. They exhibit a steadfastness of purpose, continually evaluating progress and adjusting strategies to maximize results and achieve objectives. They realistically persevere through difficulties. They work efficiently, prioritize key goals, set appropriate boundaries, and can accomplish their desired outcomes. They earnestly pray for God to empower them for fruitfulness to the glory of God.

MODULE 10: Leadership COURAGE

MANAGERIAL COURAGE: Church leaders must deal effectively with difficult circumstances and people. They courageously address issues in a timely, direct, complete, and practical manner. Rarely do they cower to conflict but rather manage it with grace and truth. They select and empower the most qualified and capable people to lead the church’s objectives. They exhibit the unique skill to lead strong (and sometimes opinionated) leaders toward a common goal or initiative.

Four Leadership Stallers

Church Planting School will also examine four Leadership Stallers. These negative characteristics will hinder effectiveness, relationships, personal growth, and vocational success. Depending on the degree of these stallers, they can eventually undermine all of the positive dimensions above. These stallers are included in the CLI survey each participant will take. 

  1. Self-centered – Every church leader fights an internal battle with some measure of insecurity, approval, pride, and entitlement. When challenged, either unhealthy anger or aloofness may arise. Fruitful leaders recognize the areas where they possess weakness and vulnerability. The self-centered leader displays an uncommon arrogance toward others by seeking to control them or forcing their authority upon others. Self-centered leaders often lose the trust of others by breaking confidence or failing to follow through on their promises. The self-centered person usually lives on the margin of moral standards and may become unethical, coupled with addictive behaviors.
  2. Contextual or Relational Misfit – Church leaders must work through others, not despite them. They fail to adapt to the context they are ministering but force others to adapt to their ideas or methods. They display characteristics of a blocked learner and refuse to budge even after receiving new information. The misfit leader often has relational conflict and usually handles it inappropriately.
  3. Uninspiring Developer – Church leaders must identify talent and build teams. Uninspiring developers hesitate to empower others to lead and prefer to do it alone. They fail to trust others to accomplish important initiatives and micro-manage their progress.
  4. Non-Strategic – Church leaders must set clearly stated, faith-based goals and execute strategies appropriately to the desired outcomes. Non-strategic leaders tend to focus on the obstacles instead of the objectives necessary to meet the needs of a community.

A Typical Schedule for the Monthly Modules:

  • 9 am - Building Gospel Community. The cohort meets in groups of three to four to catch up, peer coach, and pray for one another.
  • 9:30 am - Thinking Theologically. Engage as a small group with the assigned readings.
  • 11:00 am - Ministry Training: Applying and Practicing Insights for Ministry. Groups discuss readings. Groups do an activity together. Discuss a case study. Make an application for church planting.
  • 12:00 pm - Group Debrief
  • 12:30 pm - Prayer in Groups and Module ends.

A more detailed description of each module, along with the specific competencies of each, is found here. 

APPLY HERE FOR THE 2023 COHORT, BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 2023, Nashville.