UPDATE: MS TORNADO RESPONSE

June 12, 2023

Church Planting

“A vigorous and continuous approach to church planting is the only way to guarantee an increase in the number of believers, and is one of the best ways to renew the whole body of Christ.”
– Tim Keller, Why Plant Churches?

Discipleship is at the core of our mission and that mission takes place in the church

One planting pundit defined church planting as evangelism that results in new churches. While simplistic, it catches the centrality of why church planting must be central to our vision. Or as Brian Vos said in the book, Planting, Watering, Growing: Planting Confessionally Reformed Churches in the 21st Century,

 

“Church planting is essential because the risen Christ has bound Himself to the assembly of his people on the Lord’s Day.”

 

As MNA serves the PCA for the expansion of churches that are faithful to the Scriptures, true to the Reformed faith and obedient to the Great Commission, we long to see new churches developed as well as existing churches flourish. Church planting is foundational to the vitality of our denomination.

Why is assessment important?

Church planters are called to be persons of vision and faith, believing that God can and will work through them as they establish new local churches. They are required to perform various tasks and duties, often working with limited structure and little encouragement.

 

Assessment is an extensive process whereby the internal sense of call and the external approbation to be a church planter is determined. Assessment does not look to the ministerial qualifications, as that is the responsibility of the presbytery. Assessment examines the character, competence, and compatibility of the planter in relationship to the call and context of a church plant.

Assessment Techniques and Process

The Church Planter Assessment Center is the most common mechanism for this consideration and involves:

The result is not a determination of fitness for ministry but guidance as to what pastoral context best suits the candidate.

Church Planting Events

Multiply 2025: Church Planter Preparation

March 20, 2025,
EST
McLean, Virginia

Multiply 2024: Church Planter Preparation

October 31, 2024,
EST
Atlanta, GA

Church Planting Assessment – Location TBD

November 11, 2025,
CST
TBD

Church Planting Assessment – Denver

November 19, 2024,
MST
Denver, CO

Church Planting Assessment – Lakeland, Florida

January 28, 2025,
EST
Lakeland, FL

Multiply 2025: Church Planter Preparation

March 20, 2025,
EST
McLean, Virginia