EFCA Start Churches - Great Lakes

Church Planting Training Center

You are called and gifted by God to start a new church.

We are here to prepare you for the journey. 

Imagine... 

Imagine spending a year of ministry training and preparation before beginning on a grand adventure of faith.

Imagine being trained by a church planting pastor who planted a church that planted 6 other churches in its first decade.

Imagine being mentored in your preaching by a pastor who is committed to delivering expository, life changing messages.

Imagine growing deeper in your relationship with Christ.

Imagine doing all this in a community of a band of brothers who are beginning the same adventure that you are on.

Integrated with TEDS

The church planting training center is integrated with your learning experience at TEDS.  Students who participate in the training center will be able to complete their Field Education and Internship requirements. 

This practical learning experience is currently being created by a team under the leadership of Brett Gleason.  We envision an experience that helps candidates grow as disciples, leaders, and pastors. 

Candidates will be considered interns if they still have course work to complete before finishing at TEDS.  Candidates will be considered residents if their course work at TEDS has been completed. 

Experience

Candidates will have the unique opportunity of being part of a new church from the very foundational days.  In September 2009 Church Planting Pastor Marty Schoenleber will begin launch team development for a new church in Mundelein/Vernon Hills. 

Candidates will get to be part of a new church from the very beginning of mission and vision formation, missiological research, gathering events, incarnational evangelism, developing ministry teams, and everything else that goes into starting a new church.  This church anticipates starting corporate worship experiences in October 2010. 

 Developing the Whole Person

The experience will prepare candidates to be sent out as lead church planters to start a new church.  The experience will focus on candidates developing in the areas of the heart, the head, and the hands. 

The Heart

Candidates will grow in their

This area is focused on developing godly character and growing deeper in their love for Christ.  Candidates will be discipled by a mentor and grow together in community as a band of brothers to live lives that are centered on God. 

The Head

Candidates will grow in their

• Knowledge of the church planting process.
• Knowledge of discipling people to full maturity in Christ. 
• Knowledge of developing leaders.
• Knowledge of systems of the church.
• Knowledge of preaching.

This area is focused on developing a candidates understanding of church planting, pastoral ministry, and leadership.  Candidates will learn from church planters, pastors, and leaders to be effective church planting pastors in a rapidly changing world.  Candidates will spend a significant amount of time with Marty being trained on how to effectively start a new church. 

The Hands

Candidates will grow in their

• Ability to lead God's people in ministry.
• Ability to communicate God's Word.
• Ability to create ministry teams.
• Ability to engage the community with the gospel.
• Ability to multiply small groups.

This area is focused on developing a candidates practical ministry skills.  Candidates will have hands on ministry experiences that prepare them for being a church planting pastor.  Some experiences will include missiological research in their target community, evangelizing, starting small groups, leading a ministry team, and teaching and/or preaching. 

 Partnership