Church Planting Training
Colin Baron
On Monday I spoke to a group of students at Regents Theological College on the subject of church planting. Preparing for the lectures I realise how little I had spoken on the subject of church planting over these past few years. Most of my time now is taken up with advising and coaching leadership teams as they plan for growth. I have concentrated on churches that have the benefit, and added complication, of apostles and other Itinerate ministries working out from them. Yet even with this as a major focus I have consistently been involved in planting new churches. The latest one being Christ Church Manchester (CCM).
Two years ago, when there were only 20 people at CCM, I found myself advising the leadership team of a church that was gathering over a thousand people every week. On one of my visits it crossed my mind that not many people would be living in this world, of leading one of the smallest churches and yet advising one of the largest churches in the same movement. Getting involved with these large and often complicated churches whilst having faith for the small start-ups seems to be a world I happily embrace.
My talk at Regents concentrated on how Paul planted the church at Corinth and then at Ephesus. From the narrative I looked at the following themes: Who can plant a church, Team & timing, Start simply, Vision and faith, Persistence, Bridgeheads, and Flexible growth strategies:.
I would have loved to the time to look at some other themes that came out of the text such as- Multiple church planting, Signs and wonders, and Growing apostolic teams. I also mentioned a manual I had written some years ago on the subject of pioneering churches this can be downloaded here.
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Colin's Profile
Colin leads Christ Church Manchester (CCM), a new church on the east side of the city birthed out of a passion to see significant churches planted in each of the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester.
Colin also travels internationally for the Newfrontiers team, encouraging and equipping church planters as well as coaching leaders and developing teams in established churches.