Church Planting Residency Overview
A River Network / Table Church Partnership
The purpose of The Table Church Planting Residency is to equip emerging leaders to plant churches that plant churches. Residents will be equipped through a personally customized combination of ministry experiences, instruction, and interaction with staff and leaders. Upon completion, Residents will have been thoroughly equipped, coached, and mentored so that they are ready to plant with a personalized action plan.
The standard Residency can be either full time (ministry work + study), or part-time.
Salary is made up of funds raised by the resident
Potential grant assistance may be available
Timeline
9-Month Residency from September to May
Potential 3-Month Summer Intensives May Also Be Available
Mentored Ministry Experience
Residents gain experience by functioning as a staff person at one or more of The Table Church’s campuses and ministries by:
Participating in staff meetings
Apprenticing in and Leading specific ministry(ies) as assigned
Teaching in multiple settings throughout the Church
Attending a board meeting
Outreach and evangelism activities, including Steel City Table missional outposts
Experiencing Widely-Varied Ministry Contexts
Residents will experience and participate in ministry in a wide variety of contexts: From new campuses and/or missional outposts that are in the planting process to well-established congregations; Small, medium, and large campus contexts; Portable and permanent worship spaces; Churches in both large and small communities; and Faith communities that are in various life cycle stages.
Making and Multiplying Disciples
Residents will both learn and put into practice making and multiplying disciples. This is a key part of the planting process (or any effective ministry), and significant time will be invested in learning and practicing how to lead effective groups, apprentice and develop new leaders, and multiply groups and networks by:
Experience The River Network’s Disciple-Making Practicum
Leading and multiplying a Table Group (small group)
Developing new leaders
Coaching leaders
Effective strategies for building and leading reproducing networks
Planting Healthy Churches
In addition to ministry work, the Resident will have one day per week set aside for learning as part of a cohort, and developing their own God-guided vision for a new church. Residents will not just learn the principles of planting healthy churches, but will produce an action plan for key areas of study, resulting in a comprehensive plan for their new church plant.
These topics will include:
Theology of Church Planting / Calling To Plant
Vision For the New Church
Prayer and Spiritual Life Of the Planter
Fund-Raising and Stewardship
Activating a Launch Team
Being a Missionary to Your Community
Developing Outreach / Evangelism
The Launch Process and Plan
Developing a Discipleship Process
Starting Public Worship
Developing Leaders
Avoiding Church Planting Landmines
Developing a Vision Action Plan
Building Your Launch Plan
Throughout the residency, the Resident will work independently, with a mentor, and with other residents to develop and continually refine their personalized Vision Action Plan – a roadmap to birthing God’s vision into reality.
In addition, other strategic systems to be developed and prepared will include a Growth Track for intentional connection and development of members and leaders.
Conference Experiences:
At The Table Church:
Planting Healthy Churches (The River Network)
Encounter Retreat
Awakening Conference (fall spiritual renewal conference)
Nationally:
Exponential Conference
To learn more or apply, contact:
Dale Roddy, XP of Development, The Table Church
Rev. Dr. Steve Cordle, Executive Director, The River Network