NAMB CHURCH PLANTING APPRENTICE
If you are considering church planting, I recommend that you explore NAMB (North American Mission Board)’s church planting apprentice program. This is the option I have taken and am thankful for it. This program allows for individuals to spend one year getting trained and mentored in church planting through an approved local church, while receiving some financial support from NAMB. This frees up the church planter to spend more time evangelizing, connecting with locals, studying, and preparing to plant a church. Here’s the website’s description of the position (taken from here):
“A Church Planter Apprentice is a man who, as an aspiring church planter, is willing to spend up to a year in an endorsed learning environment (Church Planting Center or Church Planting Church) following God’s call, developing competencies and skills and practicing the activities of church planting all in preparation for planting a church.”
To partake in this program, you must complete an online application and also receive approval from your state’s Baptist association. You also have to go through some type of approved assessment. For me, I was assessed through my church (Redeemer Fellowship), which is an approved SBC church planting church.
I’m very thankful for NAMB and am glad to be in partnership with them as I prepare to plant a church in Naperville, IL. I believe this year of funded training will help me enormously as we build a core team and get ready to start a new church. Thank you NAMB!
