Specialized training, the second component of our model, underscores our conviction that church planters emerge from local churches. We believe that training for a church planter begins in the local church, where a man’s pastors can equip him by providing personalized opportunities for growth in godliness and gifting.

As a man proves faithful in his local church, however, there will likely come opportunities for more-concentrated training: attending the Pastors College of Sovereign Grace Ministries and then serving in a one-year church-planting internship at a Sovereign Grace church. These contexts allow men opportunities to grow in doctrine, character, and experience prior to taking on the responsibility of planting a church. The internship also enables the church planter to focus on issues directly related to the specific church plant, including location, strategy, and development of a team.

Throughout the process of specialized training, three things happen. The leadership qualities necessary for church planting become increasingly obvious. The man gains invaluable experience in loving and serving a church effectively. And perhaps most importantly, his values and character are biblically molded—a profound asset for his family, ministry, and personal life, wherever God may take him in the future.