TRAINING AND COLLABORATION

Planting a church is a challenging task. Acts 29 supports the local church through contextualized training opportunities, cohorts, online classes, and more.

A29 EQUIP

Whether your church offers leadership development, a church planting residency, or you would simply like to grow as a leader, A29 Equip is for you! These online training courses perfectly fit cohort-style groups or individual learning. You can access teaching from world-class leaders on topics ranging from calling to preaching to discipleship and more. Take one course, string a few together, or follow one of our suggested programs to work your way through all the courses—all for only $10/month! 

GRIMKÉ SEMINARY

Located in Richmond, VA, Grimké Seminary is an Acts 29 partner devoted to training pastors and church planters to advance the gospel, the good of the world, and the glory of Christ. Grimké is a diverse seminary providing an affordable, contextual, and comprehensive education. Characterized by theological clarity, cultural engagement, and missional innovation, Grimké is gospel-centered and practitioner-led. It trains pastors and planters for the realities of ministry, allowing them to remain in the context in which they serve.

CROSSLANDS

Crosslands provides excellent contextualized theological training and resources for churches and church leaders in the UK, Europe, and the 10:40 window to:

  • Make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ
  • Equip Christians and Christian leaders in partnership with local missional churches
  • Nurture a culture of multiplication and church planting 
  • Invest in the next generation of missionary theologians

Crosslands is passionate to see Christ reigning over the surrounding areas and their students crossing lands for the gospel.

In just five years, Crosslands has become respected in the UK and Europe as an innovative, excellent, and trusted provider of reformed theological education and ministry training. Their training resources are also used by Acts 29 churches worldwide to equip men and women for missional living and church planting.  

URBAN

We provide assessment support, accessible training, and contextualized coaching for those planting among the urban poor through Acts 29 Urban. Our urban resources include innovative, practical, and relevant material and accessible training to assist church leaders and planters in poor contexts, including “Cultivate” monthly training calls and an online repository of resources (coming soon!). We have also created a pathway to assessment within Acts 29 to help urban planters integrate into their local Acts 29 network.

RURAL

We provide assessment support, accessible training, and contextualized coaching for rural church planters through Acts 29 Rural. Our rural resources include coaching, support, and context-specific content (webinars, blogs, and video calls) to equip Acts 29 applicants and members ministering in remote and rural places. We also provide conduits for funding rural church planters within Acts 29.

ESPAÑOL (US)

Acts 29 is committed to planting churches in diverse, global environments. Through Acts 29 Español, we provide access to Spanish language assessment and training tracks for Spanish-speakers in the U.S., as well as a monthly training call (Cultivar). We also offer collaboration and training for English-speaking pastors planting in Latino contexts through our La Mezcla program. 

CHURCH IN HARD PLACES APPRENTICESHIPS

Through Acts 29 Apprenticeships, we support indigenous, urban, and rural pastors for planting healthy churches. We deliver non-residential, theologically robust, and contextually relevant training to church planters in poor communities in every Acts 29 network, and our apprenticeship is a pathway to assessment with Acts 29.

  • Apprentices attend a monthly cohort meeting in their region.
  • Each month they receive a reading and writing assignment.
  • Apprentices attend an annual retreat during which they receive training in preaching, church planting strategy, and pastoral theology.
  • At the apprenticeship’s end, planters will have a better grasp of their theology and planting strategies. They will have also learned about Acts 29, leading many to become Acts 29 applicants and, eventually, members.

COHORTS

Because we believe deeply in the benefit of relational connection and contextualized training, lead pastors in Acts 29 are placed in one of our coaching cohorts. Led by other Acts 29 pastors, these cohorts provide the opportunity to fellowship with other pastors in a similar church stage for mutual encouragement and learning. Our primary goal is to connect your most significant needs with resources, training, and peers you can learn from—all in a relational context. 

Most cohorts meet in person twice a year and connect virtually throughout the year as well.

AREAS

To encourage connection and relationship with local churches and pastors, when possible, Acts 29 member churches are connected to other pastors in their geographical area, with a fellow pastor acting as the Area Lead. Area Leads may plan gatherings for the churches in their area, creating opportunities to get to know other local pastors. The Area Lead also acts as a great point of contact should pastors have any questions about the network.

ARCH PROJECT

ARCH is the Acts 29 Resource Collaboration Hub. It is a bridge between our global church-planters as we pool our experience, knowledge, and learning. Coming from Latin America, North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, the members of the Arch team are working on the development and delivery of global content as well as the philosophy of theological education across the world.