Many congregations are extending their reach by planting new churches. Three upcoming Sending Labs, sponsored by the Missouri Baptist Convention and the North American Mission Board, will share practical advice for accomplishing this mission.
Zellmer
A Sending Lab is a workshop that helps pastors develop a vision and plan for leading their churches to send out church planters. “It’s a collaborative experience that will connect church leaders with other pastors on the same journey, while guiding them to identify their next steps for finding, developing and sending church planters,” Jason Zellmer, director of Send Network Missouri.
Sending labs are designed to inspire and equip pastors to lead their churches to get involved with planting. Pastors and other church leaders will leave the Sending Labs ready to:
- Identify their current level of church planting involvement;
- Articulate a vision for leading their churches to plant churches;
- Develop a pathway to discover, develop and deploy church planters;
- Access resources available through Send Network; and
- Use a sending map to plan next steps.
Sending Labs will cover several key topics, including: Why Sending? Churches Plant Churches; Developing Your Sending Vision; Identifying Potential Planters; Developing Potential Planters; Starting a Church Planting Residency; and Accessing Send Network Resources.
Labs are scheduled for Jefferson City on September 18, Kansas City on October 23 and St. Louis on November 6. Lunch and snacks will be provided, and attendees are responsible for their own transportation and lodging. The Kansas City event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at New City Church Shawnee at 7230 Quivira Road in Shawnee, Kan.
Registration is available at these websites:
- Jefferson City: https://cvent.me/knrxmz
- Louis: https://cvent.me/Ze4B9w
- Kansas City: https://cvent.me/AODXYL
Using the principles of the program, Tallahassee’s Celebration Baptist Church had never planted a church when it set an ambitious goal, according to the Florida Baptist News. “The church implemented a 40/40 goal for church planting and leadership development in honor of its 40th anniversary in 2022,” the paper reports.
Its goal? to plant, replant or revitalize 40 churches and send 40 people into long-term ministry by 2027.
“But just two years in, the church has already reached a third of both goals with 14 church plants/replants/revitalizations and 16 people going into long-term ministry. What’s more, the church now believes it’s on track to exceed both goals.”
Pastor David Emmert is amazed. “This has changed everything about our church,” Emmert said. “It has changed how we look at discipleship.”
For more information about the work of Send Network Missouri, visit
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice