Church Planting
Find Your Place in the Movement
Every church – including yours – was once a church plant. Starting new churches has been God’s primary mission strategy since the early church in the New Testament. Even today, church planting remains one of the most effective ways to make disciples, especially among new populations and new generations.
Church planting is at the heart of our calling as a movement. Every church has a role to play – where does yours fit?
A Church Plant – A new community, 10 years or younger, taking root and trusting God to bring growth.
A Planting Church – A church committed to sending, equipping, and supporting new plants through residencies, internships, and sending people.
A Partner Church – A vital part of the mission through prayer and financial support.
Across the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), we are praying toward planting at a 5% pace by 2030. These new communities aren’t just being planted to survive – they are being planted with the intent of becoming planting churches themselves. The goal is not just to plant and sustain churches, but to multiply so that the Kingdom continues to expand.
How You Can Join the Work
Identify Your Church’s Role – Plant, Planting, or Partner.
Commit to Prayer – Join our MWC Church Planting Prayer Team to receive regular updates and prayer prompts. Sign up by emailing Lexi Lang.
Here are some ways you can be in ongoing prayer:
Pray for pastors and their families – that they would be protected and provided for.
Pray for discernment – that they would have eyes to see where God is already at work.
Pray for strong teams – that they would be surrounded by healthy, encouraging, and life-giving people.
Support Regional Church Planting Funds in the Midwest Conference – Your church can set aside funds to help launch and sustain new churches in your region. Give here and leave a note about which region you are supporting (Central Kansas, Denver, Northern Colorado, Iowa, Kansas City, Nebraska).
Is your church ready to “give birth” to a new church?
Jesus designed the church to mature and reproduce. Churches that are intentional about reproducing remain outwardly focused and culturally relevant. Our director of church planting would be happy to talk with your church about a vision for “giving birth” to a new church in the future.
Are you interested in starting a new Covenant church?
God uniquely gifts some people for the work of starting new churches. Effective church planters are women or men who are spiritually mature, passionate about Jesus (and people), and emotionally healthy. They tend to be self-starters, team builders, and people of prayer. If this sounds like you, we’d love to have a conversation!
CHURCH PLANTING PROCESS
Conversation
Exploring Covenant church planting begins with a conversation with the MWC Director of Church Planting. We will talk about your call, vision, compatibility, experience, gifting, timing, and potential partnerships.
Invitation
The conversation may lead to an invitation (with spouse if married) to the Covenant’s Church Planter Assessment Center that seeks to answer the question: “Am I called to plant a Covenant church at this time?”
Recommendation
Those recommended for planting a Covenant Church will receive training with a cohort of others planting in similar contexts, as well as assistance with project development, and coaching.
For more information,
contact our church planting team