Basic Training Journey: Supporting Church Planters

By Kaylee Looney

At Basic Training Journey, hopeful pastors mingled around Ponderosa’s Elkhorn conference room introducing themselves to other enthusiastic pastors from the states of Colorado, Wyoming and Maryland. Some pastors were already in the midst of church planting and some were planning to take steps soon toward launching a church plant.

In February, CBGC’s Church Planting Team hosted around 30 people for a two day intensive basic training. The training was led by Colorado’s Directors of Missions, Steve Hoekstra and Jim Misloski. Church Planting Catalysts, Bill Lighty, John Howeth, and Greg Cole, along with Alan Briggs, Director of Frontline Church Planting Center, and Doug Lohrey, CBGC’s Chief Financial Officer, presented units on topics like leadership, worship and administrative strategy.

Among the chaos of sticky notes and poster boards, rough ideas for churches started appearing. The target groups for these churches were as varied as the individuals around the room. Among the ideas of target groups were: biker and outlaw groups, alcoholics, suburban families, and Hispanic communities to name a few.

 “It’s exciting to think about what God is going to do through each of these diverse church planters and the people they will reach with the gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Rand Clark, former Mile High Church Planting Team Leader.

While church planting methods were the primary focus, relationships among church planters and existing churches was a close second. This relationship building is vital to the success of each of these potential church plants according to Alan Briggs.

“Connecting church plants to existing churches and other church planters is a primary goal of CBGC’s Church Planting Team,” said Jim Misloski. “There are many ways existing churches can get involved in helping a church plant get started.”

 “We all know we can do more together than we can apart,” said Alan Briggs. ‘Togetherness’ can lead to sharing a building, sending people, raising up a team of prayer warriors, giving funds, caring deeply for their marriage and a gamut of other things.”

The next Basic Training Journey will be held in Western Colorado in September. For more information contact Colorado Baptist’s Western Office at (970) 249-3152.