Church planting isn’t a role you step into lightly. You may have a desire to plant, but you need to know whether it is a calling. Discernment matters.
Before you train…
Before you apply…
Before you launch…
Discern well through the Acts 29 Apprenticeship.
Church planting requires a rare alignment of calling, character, competency, and circumstances. When those are misaligned, even sincere leaders can experience burnout, relational strain, and ministry failure.
That’s why Acts 29 created the Apprenticeship, a free online course that helps leaders slow down, ask the right questions, and discern whether God is calling them to plant a church. It is a practical first step toward clarity.
Discernment isn’t about delaying obedience, but rather protecting faithfulness.
Discerning a call to plant is not just about feelings or desire, though the Lord can certainly use both. The process of determining whether God has called you to plant a church requires honest reflection and examination, often alongside trusted advisors and friends. The Acts 29 Apprenticeship will help a potential church planter navigate his calling, readiness, and areas of growth and give an introduction to the 11 competencies of a church planter, as defined by Acts 29. Throughout the process, you will assess your readiness in several key areas.
Discernment is rarely a single moment. It unfolds through faithful obedience over time. The Apprenticeship is designed to answer whether you are called and gifted to plant a church. Clarity will grow as you:
Serve faithfully where you are and look for fruit
Invite honest feedback from leaders who know you well
Test your calling through hands-on ministry and training
Engage course content including reading and writing assignments and more
Our prayer for you in the apprenticeship is that your discernment becomes clearer.
As you move through the course, you can expect:
interactive assignments to help you learn about your gifting
information in the core competencies of a church planter
hands-on training in ministry
an assessment of your conviction and commendation to planting
Your Next Step Toward Clarity
If you sense a possible call to plant, the next step is to start the Apprenticeship. It is a practical first step for leaders who want to discern well before moving further into the church planting process.
When your calling is clear, you lead with resilience, endure hardship with perseverance, and serve with freedom. Discern carefully and move forward with confidence.