Church planting is about extending our reach to the next town, city or neighbourhood, with a desire to see more of our friends, family, neighbours and co-workers connected with the life changing message of Jesus. It's not because we think we're better than anyone else or any other church, it's simply because we want to play our part in reaching those who have yet to encounter Him. We believe that healthy churches grow and reproduce, and we see this same pattern in the New Testament, where the people from one church go to a neighbouring town or city and start another church.
When you trace the expansion of Christianity throughout the book of Acts from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and to the ends of the earth, you see that it was church planters who led the way. They didn't just do missionary outreach, they left something behind, they planted churches. We want to follow that pattern; helping people in every community become apprentices of Jesus.Further to this, studies have consistently shown that planting new churches is by far the most effective means of reaching unchurched people with the Gospel. Statistically, new churches best reach new generations, new residents and new people groups.
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In order to see more churches planted, we want to cultivate a church environment that acts as a catalyst for potential planters to be identified, trained and released to plant even more churches.
Our Church Planting Residency Programme invites those who sense a call to church planting or pioneering leadership to join us for a period of 24 months, for an intense season of preparation and training. This will help potential planters become immersed in the life and leadership of a local church, giving them ministry experience and the support needed as they prepare to launch a new church.
Our Residency Includes:
Training: To become the kind of leaders who can plant a healthy Vineyard church.
Theology: An opportunity to engage in Theological Training that will give the potential planter a solid biblical foundation.
Experience: Offering hands on experience with the opportunity to play an active role in the life of the local church.
Resourcing: From the wider movement including Area & Regional events and our National Conferences.
Preparing: Helping the planter formulate a clear vision and philosophy of ministry and a plan for the kind of church they will start.
Sending: Our goal is to send residency planters out with a team, our support and financial backing.
Mentoring: Each planter who is sent will have access to ongoing support and mentoring.
