Residency Labs >
Church Planting Lab
Start a church that fits your convictions and mission.
This 10-month training equips you in the practical areas of starting a gospel-centered,
Spirit-led, multiplying church.
Can you relate?
This Lab Is For You If…
You are unsure how to create effective disciple-making in today's society. You are struggling to balance your current jobs or ministries with the demands of starting a new church. Your family feels unsupported in the church planting process.
Many aspiring church planters
feel unsure about how to launch a church.
While you've studied the theory,
you crave real-world experience to
navigate the challenges of starting a church.
What if you were not alone?
Imagine starting your church planting journey with clarity, confidence, and a solid strategy. Through the Church Planting Lab, you gain both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience, equipping you to overcome challenges and build a thriving, disciple-making community. With ongoing mentorship and family involvement, you step into ministry fully prepared and supported for the road ahead.
Overview
Start with clarity. Grow with support. Plant with confidence.
Join a lab — because every church planter needs a team.
01
Prep Work & Assignments
Engage in 3-4 hours per week of guided learning, including readings, videos, coaching, and put the learning into practice with real-world ministry experiences and written reflections.
02
Lab Weeks
Attend 2-3 day Lab Weeks per class, featuring discussions, prayer, hands-on exercises, and expert-led training—all with lodging and meals covered.
03
Personal Development
Work with your host church leaders for 3-4 hours per week of coaching and development, contextualized to your specific giftings and needs.
What is a Lab Week?
Each class includes a 2-3 day gathering where you engage in discussions, prayer, hands-on exercises, and training from experienced leaders. Lodging, food, and costs are fully covered.
DAY 1
9:30am
You arrive for intentional coffee & catch-up. Then you spend time in scripture & prayer together, before discussing your prep work.
Noon
Lunch included.
Afternoon
A regional or national expert in that class’s topics leads an afternoon training, which includes Q&A and exercises.
4pm
Then we leave for dinner, a little fun, & hanging out together.
DAY 2
9:30am
Today begins with a resident’s sermon & peer feedback, then a morning of experiential learning.
Noon
Lunch included.
Afternoon
The afternoon involves more discussion, training, & exercises.
4pm
Then you’re sent out with prayer and assignments.
Day 2 begins with a resident’s sermon & peer feedback, then a morning of experiential learning & lunch.
Included Things
Get a taste of the topics covered.
This five-part training equips church leaders to build healthy, gospel-shaped churches. It begins with clarifying identity through vision, convictions, and context, then moves to shaping everything around discipleship and dependence on the Spirit. Leaders explore team dynamics, trust, and developing others, followed by guidance on gatherings and ministry strategy. The journey ends with a focus on long-term health and sustainability for both the church and its leaders, with hands-on lab weeks integrated throughout.
- Vision and Culture
- Discipleship & Dependence
- Leadership & Team
- Gatherings & Ministries
- Care & Sustainability
Pricing
Participants are also asked to invest in monthly mentoring of someone a few steps behind you in their process, such as a current resident or someone earlier in planting: simply answer questions, share your experience, pray, etc.
Additional Costs
Travel costs to Lab Weeks (covered by residents/churches. Local church internship expenses (covered by residents/churches). Assessment costs (varies per sending organization)
Support
As part of the training, we encourage students to raise 100% of tuition and costs, and scholarships may be available
Resident stipends/salaries vary per sending church, and are worked out between a resident and church. We are happy to discuss funding and support options.
Pay-What-You-Can
We adopt a "pay-what-you-can" approach to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder access to our gospel-infused training and resources. This policy is rooted in our commitment to accessibility over exclusivity, following the Apostle Paul's example of raising financial support to remove barriers to gospel work.
Church Planting Lab
$4,500
One-time payment or split the total into three separate payments
That Includes
✓ Online and print materials
✓ Administrative and coaching costs
✓ Lab expenses (food, trainers, activities, etc.)
✓ Retreats (lodging & meals included)