Church in Hard Places
Let’s work together to train and develop indigenous church leaders and plant churches in poor communities around the world.
Church in Hard Places is a resource sharing collaborative that trains and supports indigenous church leaders in poor communities.
Many poor communities lack gospel preaching churches and many churches in poor communities lack access to affordable and relatable training. The Church in Hard Places Collaborative is a global initiative of Acts 29 to see churches planted in the world’s poorest communities.
We define hard places as areas that are socially and economically disadvantaged. The Church in Hard Places collaborative crosses languages, regions and ethnicities as we seek to engage the global poor with the gospel.
Objectives
- TRAIN indigenous leaders in poor communities.
- RESOURCE the church in hard places by developing culturally relevant and accessible materials to equip those doing ministry to the poor.
- MOBILIZE Acts 29 churches to support the training and development of indigenous leaders in poor communities.
- INTEGRATE indigenous leaders in poor communities into the Acts 29 family.
Events, Resources, and Training
Contact us to find out more about our events and training opportunities:
- Regional Church in Hard Places Workshops, Weekenders and Gatherings
- Bi-monthly Church in Hard Places LEAD Conference Calls
- Church in Hard Places Apprenticeship
Workshops
From time to time our directors lead regional workshops on ‘Building Healthy Churches in Hard Places‘. These one-day events highlight core principles for building healthy gospel churches among the poor. To host a workshop in your church please email matthew.spandlerdavison@acts29.com
See below for upcoming workshops
APPRENTICESHIPS
Church In Hard Places Apprenticeship
We will select 10 ministry leaders who are doing ministry in poor communities across the world to pursue this 2-year training course. Our goal is for each Apprentice to be equipped to build healthy churches in poor communities.
How Does the Apprenticeship Work?
Each apprentice will be trained in the areas of biblical studies, theology, preaching and church planting. The apprentice will receive a monthly reading and writing assignment and will meet with a field mentor. The group will meet together to discuss the assignments via a video conference call. Each year every apprentice will be invited to participate in an annual one week intensive training course either in the UK or the USA. At the completion of the apprenticeship the successful apprentice will be invited to be assessed as a candidate to join the Acts 29 Network in their location.
The application process:
- Stage 1: Request an Application Form
- Stage 2: Phone call to the Operations Manager of Church in Hard Places
- Stage 3: Acceptance into the program and course enrollment
- Stage 4: Begin Acts 29 Church in Hard Places Assessment Track
Join the community to connect with those church planting in hard places around the world, and to get answers & insights from the CiHP team
Not a Member Yet?
Fill in the form below to request access to the community.
Contact Us
Sponsor A Planter
Latest from the blog
View AllLeadership + Staff
Previous
Next
Doug Logan
Associate Director
Doug Logan is an Associate Director for Acts 29 & has been in urban ministry for nearly 25 years. In 2011, he planted Epiphany Fellowship of Camden with his wife, Angel. They have 3 sons & 3 grandchildren. He serves as the President of Grimké Seminary, founded On the Block Collective, & is the author of ‘On The Block.'
Mez McConnell
Global Urban Poor Strategist, Church in Hard Places
Mez McConnell is the senior pastor of Niddrie Community Church. He spent four years working with street children in Brazil and planted the Good News Church. He is the director of 20Schemes, a church planting and revitalization initiative in Scotland. Mez is married to Miriam and has two daughters, Keziah and Lydia.
Matthew Spandler-Davison
Director of Church in Hard Places
Matthew is originally from Stonehaven, Scotland. He is a graduate of the University of Aberdeen and was awarded a doctorate by The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. Matthew is married to Tracy and has two daughters. He is a church planter and the pastor of Redeemer Fellowship Church, in Bardstown, KY.
Aharon Logan
Marketing and Communications Specialist
Aharon was born to an inner-city church planter and has been raised in the ministry his entire life. For three years he worked as an executive assistant for a Presbyterian church in New Jersey and now serves Acts 29, centrally, for Marketing & Communications needs. He married Erin in 2019 and resides in Richmond, VA.
Dawn Gribbin
Office Admin & Events Manager, Church in Hard Places
Dawn was raised in Northern Virginia. She is a member at Redeemer Fellowship Church in Bardstown, KY. Dawn is married to Chris and they have three children. She joined Acts 29 in August of 2019 as the personal assistant to the VP of Collaboratives and Administrator for Church in Hard Places.
Doug Logan
Associate Director
Doug Logan is an Associate Director for Acts 29 & has been in urban ministry for nearly 25 years. In 2011, he planted Epiphany Fellowship of Camden with his wife, Angel. They have 3 sons & 3 grandchildren. He serves as the President of Grimké Seminary, founded On the Block Collective, & is the author of ‘On The Block.'
Mez McConnell
Global Urban Poor Strategist, Church in Hard Places
Mez McConnell is the senior pastor of Niddrie Community Church. He spent four years working with street children in Brazil and planted the Good News Church. He is the director of 20Schemes, a church planting and revitalization initiative in Scotland. Mez is married to Miriam and has two daughters, Keziah and Lydia.
Matthew Spandler-Davison
Director of Church in Hard Places
Matthew is originally from Stonehaven, Scotland. He is a graduate of the University of Aberdeen and was awarded a doctorate by The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. Matthew is married to Tracy and has two daughters. He is a church planter and the pastor of Redeemer Fellowship Church, in Bardstown, KY.
Aharon Logan
Marketing and Communications Specialist
Aharon was born to an inner-city church planter and has been raised in the ministry his entire life. For three years he worked as an executive assistant for a Presbyterian church in New Jersey and now serves Acts 29, centrally, for Marketing & Communications needs. He married Erin in 2019 and resides in Richmond, VA.
Dawn Gribbin
Office Admin & Events Manager, Church in Hard Places
Dawn was raised in Northern Virginia. She is a member at Redeemer Fellowship Church in Bardstown, KY. Dawn is married to Chris and they have three children. She joined Acts 29 in August of 2019 as the personal assistant to the VP of Collaboratives and Administrator for Church in Hard Places.
Contact:
